Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any other works that I use for inspiration.
"Speaking"- Speech
"Thinking" - Thoughts
"Speaking" - Non-Mortal Speech
"Thinking" - Non-Mortal Thoughts
Please read the Author's notes at the end.
Chapter Four: Mission
Kohona
"Kakashi, I'm sure the fact that you're before me means that you have something of value to report."
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had been informed of the events of Kakashi's Genin graduation test. Much like all the others that had come across the two boys, Hiruzen was surprised and confused.
"To be honest, Lord Hokage... I don't have anything to report."
One could hear the self-criticism in Kakashi's response.
The Third had ordered him to get the boys to reveal the secrets they had been hiding. After weeks of missions and team training, Kakashi wasn't able to get Naruto or Sasuke to show him anything he hadn't seen during their test or tell him anything he hadn't already known.
The Third found what he learned very strange. Both boys had drastically changed their attire and personalities.
The once anti-social Uchiha now referred to the once 'worst' student in the graduating class as "king" and "Sama". The 'worst' student now carried himself like a scholar, quick-witted and mouthy as all hell. And worst of all, they were strong. Scarcely so, to the point where Kakashi admitted his foolishness in not using his Sharingan the moment Sasuke's assault began.
Both seemed to be proficient in elemental Jutsu; Hiruzen almost had a heart attack when he heard they had both used B-rank jutsu in perfect synergy with one another. They also seemed proficient in weapon-based combat. Both of these men were war veterans, who had seen many battles between them, so neither took it lightly when Kakashi began praising their skill in weapon-based combat. He made sure to emphasize the fluidity and ease they both showed as if it was second nature to them.
Hiruzen had to ask Kakashi to repeat the part about Naruto having a sword that transformed! A black and red wakizashi that seemed to change when his sight on Naruto was obstructed, seemed to become a black Kusarigama with some weird energy draining ability.
"I imagine that the boys are still adamant to share anything related to their growth. Hiruzen thought back on when he had tried to separately interrogate them. Sasuke simply stated that he decided to take his training seriously to accomplish his goals. Naruto, on the other hand, seemed to be playing some sort of mind game. His answer was simply "I've learned quite a bit, old man". Regardless of the signature Uzumaki smile on his face, the feeling the boy gave off, Hiruzen couldn't shake.
"Yes, Hokage-Sama. They haven't shared anything with the other graduating Genin. If it wasn't for the fact that they were on a team with her, I'm sure they would ignore Sakura as well. They work together and finish whatever mission is given in no time. There have been instances where Naruto's clones just take care of everything for us."
"Do you think this is the Fox's doing? I know it wasn't a conclusion we wanted to make so early, but it would be foolish to ignore the possibility."
The third didn't want to have to consider that they might need to take action against Naruto.
Unfortunately, the fact was, if the fox was a threat in any capacity, Hiruzen needed to be ready.
"Honestly it's hard to say, sir. I haven't felt anything akin to the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra. Has there been any luck with the surveillance detail assigned to them?"
The Hokage put his best people on the young Uzumaki's trail. If anyone one could figure anything out, it had to be his most trusted ANBU.
"None at all. . ."
Or not.
"They've reported spotting the boys training individually, being nothing more than basic taijutsu or muscle training. The only thing of note is that the ANBU stated that there were times in which the boys completely eluded them. They would look in every place they could in the village with no luck and then, poof they would pop up and go back to training. A couple of agents reported some worrisome info, some of them being randomly paralyzed while surveying Naruto, others seemed to blank out completely while watching Sasuke, and he would be nowhere to be found once they came to."
"Sir, I think I have an idea."
Hiruzen looked intrigued. Some of his best agents were completely stumped by these boys. They needed more than a plan; they needed a win.
"And what may that be Kakashi?"
"I think it would be best to assign team 7 a mission of a higher difficulty. I'll do my best to allow the team to take the lead and see if they're willing to reveal more if they are more self-reliant."
"That is quite a risky plan, Kakashi. Regardless of what you've reported, these are still a team of Genin, especially young Sakura. Putting them in harm's way simply to see what they are hiding might do more harm than good."
Regardless of the developments, all the children of this village were his children. No parent would recklessly thrust their kid into danger.
"I understand, Lord Hokage. I wouldn't be suggesting such a thing if I didn't think they could handle it. They have shown to possess a good deal of strength. I'm not too worried about them and I'll be able to take care of Sakura if necessary. I'll even try to get in some training."
Kakashi wanted answers too, he was decimated by the boys, and it was obvious they were holding back.
The man was somewhat ashamed to admit that the events of that day replayed in his head over and over.
Hiruzen stewed over it for a bit. The leaf had produced its fair share of talents from the likes of Kakashi and Minato to more infamous examples like Orochimaru and Itachi. It wasn't unheard of for there to be younger shinobi with the skill and talent to take on more seasoned opponents. Plus, this might be an opportune chance for Kakashi to observe the boys. They seemed to go out of their way to be secretive, but maybe they would feel more comfortable revealing those secrets outside the village.
"Alright then Kakashi, I have a mission in mind. A bridge-builder from the Wave needs an escort and protection team back to his village and will remain with him until the bridge is finished. The Wave is currently under the control of a business tycoon by the name of Gato, who has hired several rogue shinobi and mercenary groups to form a makeshift militia. The job is simple but there are a few unknowns such as the strength and number of the group under Gato's employee, but from the lack of shinobi villages in the region, I'd estimate that there shouldn't be a threat over C-rank. In case of emergency, I will have team Gai on standby, though based on your confidence and all we've witnessed, or haven't, I doubt they'll be necessary."
This mission could be very beneficial for the leaf.
With a new trade route, as well as more knowledge on who the Uzumaki and Uchiha could do, the leaf could be seeing a boisterous boost in strength.
"I understand and thank you for trusting me enough to go through this lord Hokage. I will assemble my team and inform them that we will be leaving tomorrow morning."
"Good, that will be all Kakashi. I know this mission is in good hands."
Hiruzen said as he handed Kakashi the mission scroll. Once Kakashi had left he slumped back into his chair and took a puff of his pipe.
"Minato. . .Kushina. . ."
Elsewhere
Sakura was in a very weird place in her life. She was on a shinobi team, but the word "team" might not apply.
In all the missions they had completed, she had hardly participated. Most if not all the work was done by Naruto's clones, or the boys would blitz whatever task they had so they could go train.
And that's all the maniacs seemed to do! Train, Train, Train!
Kakashi had offered her some extra training in the form of tree walking and water walking to help build her control and reserves, but she still felt she was trying for nothing. Naruto was the worst in their class, now he was a whole new person entirely. And her lovely Sasuke, who ignore anyone who passed his way, was now devoting himself to Naruto of all people!
She had tried to talk to them with no luck.
Sasuke continued to ignore her, usually telling her to focus on her training. Naruto on the other hand seemed to love playing with her. Whenever she would find him alone and would try to talk to him it was almost always a clone, one that would pop as soon as she got close and shower confetti in the immediate area. Every time she would try to confront him about it, Sasuke was there. No matter what, there was no getting the former without getting through the latter.
So now, she found herself walking with the other Genin of her class. The rest of the teams happened to just get off from their duties and were now barraging Sakura with questions regarding her teammates.
"Trust me if I knew what the hell was going on I'd let you know! Being on this team has been the most confusing thing I've ever gone through."
Sakura said, defeated.
"It can't be that bad five-head! You're lucky enough to be on a team with Sasuke-Kun!"
Ino still hasn't gotten over the fact that Sakura was the one who got to spend all this time with Sasuke.
"If you want, I'm happy to switch... It's not like he even notices me anyways, always answering "Naruto-Sama"."
Sakura answered with a mocking voice.
She hated the idea of making fun of Sasuke, but it was just so frustrating that she couldn't get him to pay attention to her.
"Having you on our team might be even more troublesome than having Ino. No offense, Sakura."
Shikamaru said, which resulted in him being smacked behind the head by his female teammate.
"Sakura's kinda got a point though. What the hell's going on with those two? First those weird outfits, then what you told us with Kakashi-sensei and your missions. Plus, besides Sakura, have any of you seen either one of them?"
Kiba asked, which received a unanimous no.
"It does seem strange, but what are we to do? It isn't like they're doing anything bad, are they?"
Shino was now getting more curious about the situation. It had crossed his mind from time to time but this is the first time he had given it any real thought.
"M-maybe Naruto-Kun and Sasuke just like their privacy...and is it so weird to think that they could be friends…? They have both been on their own for quite a while."
Hinata spoke in a docile tone.
She had been spying on Naruto for years and noticed that it got harder and harder as time went on to track him, now it was near impossible. Sometimes, Hinata was lucky enough to happen upon him doing physical training, but usually nothing else.
The Hyuuga's suggestion did make sense to the others. Every one of them had a family to go home to at the end of the day, but Naruto and Sasuke were greeted by empty homes. Maybe they found friendship in that similarity.
"Yea, you might have a point...That still doesn't explain all the other crazy stuff."
Sakura said, still doing her best to try to make sense of it all.
"Well, you said Naruto was able to perform jutsu. Maybe Sasuke-Kun taught him some because they became friends?"
Ino suggested.
"Haha yeah right, like that idiot could learn anything Sasuke-Kun would have to teach him?"
Sakura spat out, but then she, and everyone present felt a crushing pressure fall over them.
"Sakura, I was very clear in my warning last time, was I not?"
The group heard Sasuke's voice behind them but for the life of them, they couldn't turn around to face him. It was debilitating. Akamaru was trembling on top of Kiba's head and with his heightened senses, he understood why. It felt as if a predator had its maw opened right, ready to swallow them whole.
"Sasuke, there's no need to stress, she was just joking around, right Sakura?"
Naruto asked and the pressure lifted.
All the other genin had broken out in a bit of a sweat. Trying to catch their breath as they stared at the two. Even Hinata, who was enamored with Naruto, was scared to be in front of him. They carried themselves very differently than anyone they had met.
"Y-yes, Naruto-Kun! I was just playing around, I'm so sorry, Sasuke-Kun!"
Sakura bowed back and forth in front of them.
"Kakashi called for a mission briefing, hurry to the training grounds."
Sasuke coldy informed her before he and his lord continued on their way.
After a couple of minutes, the group exchanged the most stressed of glances.
"What the absolute fuck was that?!"
Kiba asked, boggled by the whole exchange.
"I told you! Sasuke calls Naruto a king and seems to be the only person he listens to!"
"Not that, you fucking idiot! The fact that we all felt like we were about to get murdered!"
Ino shouted, still trying to shake off the feeling.
"I...I don't know. Sasuke's done it a couple of times and it's always scary… And Naruto, there are times he speaks and its. . .It's like. . ."
Sakura couldn't find the words to properly explain it, but that in itself seemed to explain it all.
"Jeez, I don't know what the hell that was. I'm not even hungry anymore. . ."
Choji nearly floored the group with that comment.
"Ok Sakura, maybe you aren't crazy. . .If anything you should go meet your team, before you have to deal with whatever the fuck that was again."
They were quick to say their goodbyes as Sakura departed. This left the other six genins to discuss amongst themselves, but one thing was clear to them, regardless of what they might have once thought, they knew nothing of the king and his knight.
Undisclosed Location
Naruto and Sasuke were sparring in a grey room with glowing sealing patterns sprawled all over its walls.
"King's Guard: Asura!"
Naruto shouted as an untold number of chains emerged from his back. They wrapped together with a crackling, grinding sound. Once the noise died down, Sasuke bore witness to four deep onyx arms sticking out of Naruto's back.
Each humming eerily; vibrating with their anxious power. Naruto then took a peculiar taijutsu stance, with each arm changing its position as well.
"Come now Sasuke, I've been meaning to test out this little idea of mine."
"It is truly amazing my lord, but there's no reason for me to follow you if you fall to me here. Mugen: Mirrored Mist."
Sasuke pulled his blade from its sheath at his rear.
In his free hand, a purple mist spewed perfussely before transforming. The sentient smoke shifted to form a mirrored Mugen.
The two then engaged each other in close combat. A flurry of slashes deflected. A barrage of punches parried. Sasuke found it incredibly difficult to get through his lord's technique. The arms were made out of chains, composed of his chakra. Their durability was insane, and now he had layered and compressed them together to a more refined form. The striking power and grip strength the arms seemed to show was no joke at all. The room was littered with craters caused by the force of their blows.
Naruto similarly found himself having difficulty. Sasuke's reaction time and precision with his blades were something they both found pride in, Sasuke was Naruto's knight after all.
"Mugen: Field of Mist." T
he purple mist seemed to cover the floor and from it grew copies of Mugen.
"I see, then I'll respond in kind. Wind Style: Wind lord's Great Garb!" S
houted Naruto. Suddenly a gust picked up, surrounding Naruto like a suit of armor.
All that could be seen was a dark silhouette with glowing pearlescent eyes.
"Mugen: Instant mist!"
With some of the mist around Naruto as a result of his technique, Sasuke stretched out his hand.
Blades formed from the mist, stretching towards Naruto, but were torn apart and scattered.
"Good effort Sasuke! I can see you're getting into it!"
Naruto's chakra exploded, causing the room to shake.
"How could I not, these are the only times I don't have to hold back. Sometimes it hurts suppressing myself. Mugen: Mist Gallery!"
Sasuke said as mist rose from behind him forming a dozen Mugens.
"Mugen: Homing Mist!"
With a wave of his hand, the blades flew towards Naruto.
"Burst Wind!"
Naruto bounced from floor to ceiling with a gust of wind.
He continued to do so all around the room as if he were a high-speed pinball, dodging all the blades chasing him. Once he was on the back wall of the room, the blonde bent down and looked at his opponent in the center of the room. He could also see the blades rocketing towards him.
"Wind tunnel."
Naruto said as everything seemed to be pulled into the gale wrapped around him.
Sasuke found himself unable to move in the strong gale, being forced to strike Mugen into the ground to stay in place. Naruto took a shoulder-charging stance now, putting the three arms on his right side in front.
"Impact Wind!"
Naruto rocketed forward in a burst of wind, destroying all around him.
The monarch slammed into the knight, and both continued forward on their collision course, until crashing into the opposite wall. A massive cloud of debris was left, and from it rose Naruto, who stumbled back a bit.
"Damnit, Sasuke! Do you know how much it hurts getting stabbed like that!"
The debris cleared a bit, revealing Naruto, reverted back to normal, besides for the several Mist Mugen sticking out of him.
"With all due respect, Naruto-Sama. . ."
Sasuke pulled himself out of the crater he was in, revealing that he was a bit beaten up, but his left arm looked completely mangled.
"You didn't have to be so reckless as to turn yourself into a cannonball."
"Yea...Seems like I got a bit carried away there. Maybe we've been here for too long?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously.
"We've spent much longer in the dilation room before. Besides, what else can we do while we wait for the others to complete their missions?"
Sasuke asked, seemingly unfazed by his broken arm.
Both of them then received the memories of the clones they had left in the village. They had a mission to escort and protect a bridge builder.
"Well, it seems if we ask, we shall receive. Plus, I have a good feeling that this will be a very beneficial trip for us."
Naruto said cheerfully as Sasuke sighed.
Sasuke's chakra seemed to cover his broken arm and then turn green. Sasuke then focused more energy specifically on his arm, which began to rapidly heal.
"If you say so Naruto-Sama. I just hope there's a challenge out there. It would be sad if our first "official" trip out of the village was uneventful."
"That's true, but Sasuke...YOU WANNA GET RID OF YOUR DAMN SWORDS?!"
The Next Day
Team 7 assembled early in the morning to meet their client and go over the plan. The mission was simple: safely transport Tazuna to the land of waves. A grey-haired, bespectacled man with a large beard and dark eyes, dressed in a sleeveless V-neck shirt with an obi, pants, and a pair of sandals, stood in front of them. He also carried a towel around his neck and wore a pointed hat on his head.
"You expect me to trust my life to this lot of children! They can't be too much older than my grandson!"
Tazuna made a fuss. His village scraped together as much as they could to pay for the leaf's protection. He didn't know much of the shinobi world, but he didn't think that there was much the three kids could do against Gato's militia.
"HEY! We aren't just kids, we're shinobi! You're lucky to have us, old man!"
Sakura responded with the same energy. Kakashi intervened before things went south.
"Tazuna, you have nothing to fear. This team will be able to ensure your protection until the end of our mission."
"That damn sure doesn't make me feel any better and discipline your subordinates! I'm a client and she's being a rude little shit!"
Tazuna said, pointing at Sakura.
She was about to respond, but Naruto stepped in front of Tazuna and began to speak.
"Sir Tazuna, first let me start by apologizing for the unprofessional conduct of my teammate and instructor." Naruto said, bowing his head in apology.
"I will personally be overseeing your projection, Sir Tazuna. I swear, on the Uzumaki, that no harm will come to you."
Naruto extended his hand out to shake Tazuna's.
The blonde did an excellent job repairing the rapport between them and their client and though the older gentleman couldn't explain, he knew he could trust the lad in front of him. Naruto's words rang differently than that of anyone else he had interacted with within the village.
"I'll hold you to it kid!"
The two shook hands, both with a small smile on their faces.
"Well with that out of the way, let's move forward! Sir Tazuna, please remain behind me at all times. My friend Sasuke will cover your rear."
Naruto gave the order, beginning to walk out of the village with Tazuna close behind.
Kakashi and Sakura had accepted that these kinds of weird moments happened around Naruto after his change. They too would have followed behind immediately, if they were'nt stopped by a familiar pressure.
"You two. . ."
They heard Sasuke's voice directly behind them.
"Do. Not. Embarrass Naruto-Sama again. . ."
The sterner his words, the harsher the pressure.
Once he walked past the two and landed himself behind Tazuna, Kakashi and Sakura felt the pressure lift.
...
The group had been walking for hours towards the land of waves, and in that time Tazuna learned to respect the blonde and black-haired boys.
They were quite inquisitive, asking him all about his work as a carpenter. He explained that he had been doing carpentry since he was young, being taught by his father. He also told the boys of the various types of work he did, houses, buildings, and now the bridge.
The bridge the wave was trying to build would be their land's hope of economic growth and stability.
"That's why that midget bastard's trying to have me killed! Without me, there is no bridge…"
It could easily be heard in his voice, the burden weighing strenuously on Tazuna.
"Sir Tazuna, I respect the risk you're taking for your people. I assure you though, as long as we are overseeing your protection, the wave will have its bridge and its prosperity."
"It's as Naruto-Sama says. Once he makes a proclamation, there's no need for it to be repeated."
Tazuna could only look upon the boys. He could've sworn he was in the presence of nobility.
"Well, that's good to hear! I'll focus all my efforts on the bridge, you kids watch my back."
Tazuna received nods from them both.
Kakashi and Sakura followed behind the others. There had been no danger so far, so Kakashi focused on trying to dissect the interaction between the boys and Tazuna.
There was nothing of note he could report back to the Hokage, though he was still hopeful that he'd be learning something new during this mission. As the team continued forward, their surroundings were enveloped in a dense mist.
"Naruto-Sama, this mist is chakra-based. I can only think of one shinobi immediately available that could produce such a dense fog."
Sasuke readied himself, placing a grip on his blade.
"Ah, so I was right, this trip will be fruitful indeed!"
"What the hell are you two talking about!?"
Tazuna was beginning to worry.
"Alright! Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura! Form a perimeter around the client!"
Their sensei's experience shined through in this moment as he quickly took control.
"Right!"
Responded Sakura, but Naruto and Sasuke didn't even move.
"HEY! This isn't the time to freeze up, get in position!"
Kakashi thought they might've been spoked, being placed in a dangerous situation for the first time.
"Kakashi-sensei, just be quiet and watch over Sakura. Tazuna is in absolutely no danger as long as he is by my side, but I can't say the same for you two."
Tazuna felt a bit more at ease after hearing the blonde's words.
"NARUTO! NOW IS N-"
Kakashi cut his rant short for an emergency drop, pulling Sakura down with him.
Trusted reflexes saved sensei and student from being bisected by a massive spinning broadsword, sawing it through the air.
As the blade continued towards the bridge builder, it suddenly stopped. All anyone could hear was a little rattling sound. Kakashi looked up to see the blade, seemingly floating in front of Naruto, Sasuke, and Tazuna. A thin, dark, snake-like silhouette near them, seemingly dancing in the mist.
"Kakashi-sensei, better look alive! It's gonna be hard spying on us for the old man when you've got problems of your own."
Kakashi got to his feet, simply to have chains shot out from opposiste ends of the treeline, wrapping around his wrist.
"Damn it, there's more than one enemy! I should handle this quickly. I know the plan was to hold back and see what they could do, but there are too many unknowns right now."
Swift maneuvering allowed Kakashi to yank two masked combatants out of the shadows and to the center of the clearing.
"Damn I didn't expect him to be able to force us out like that, Gozu!"
The first assailant had shoulder-length, wild dark-brown hair and dark eyes.
He wore a rebreather that covered the lower half of his face and a matching gauntlet to his brothers on his left arm, including a chain. He wore a camouflage suit with bandages around his waist, dark-colored, knee-length sandals, and several pouches around his waist. His Kirigakure forehead protector had two horns on it.
"Calm down! All we have to do is hit him, then the job's done. Got it Meizu?!"
Gōzu shouted.
He had shoulder-length, wild dark-brown hair and dark eyes, and wore a rebreather that covered the lower half of his face. On his right arm was a large, clawed gauntlet with a chain coming out of it. He also wore a camouflage suit with bandages around his waist, dark-colored, knee-length sandals, and a ragged black cape. His Kirigakure forehead protector had a single horn on it.
The Demon brothers then dislodged the chains from their gauntlets and charged for Kakashi who pulled out two Kunai to deflect their claws, clearly coated in poison. The three were engaged in close-quarters combat, Kakashi quickly taking advantage in the exchange.
"Good, very good Kakashi-sensei! Finish up and you'll be able to watch the main event uninterrupted."
Naruto shouted towards Kakashi.
Then, the prince grabbed the broadsword and threw it a short distance ahead of him until it was lodged in the ground.
"Zabuza Momochi, you might as well come out and face us!"
A surprisingly boisterous voice left the boy, echoing throughout the forest.
An imposing figure began to form in the mist, its hand grabbing and pulling the blade from the ground.
"I never thought I'd see the day when some little shits call me out. Are you that stupid or that naive?"
The man in question stepped forward.
He was a tall and muscular man with light grayish skin, short spiky black hair, dark brown eyes. He wore bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face and wore his forehead protector sideways on his head. His attire was a sleeveless black shirt and matching pants, complete with a waist-guard, striped wrist, and legwarmers.
"Coming from the renowned ninja dumb enough to reveal himself within his own stealth jutsu. . . Maybe you're not as good as you think."
The words dripped venomously from the raven-haired child.
"Your sensei seems to be busy with two chūnin and all I see is a bunch of genin. I don't think there's any need for me to worry. Now, why don't you be good little boys and let me kill the old man? If you listen, I'll make your death painless."
Zabuza delivered quite the humors threat. Though he made it clear that with was still a serious one, evident by him flashing his massive blade.
Tazuna felt he had no place here. He was no more than a simple carpenter, desperate to see his village thrive. He presented no real threat to anyone, yet Gato thought it was necessary to send these crazy assassins after him.
Sakura's reaction was similar. She looked on as her sensei proceeded to smack around the two armed combatants and her teammates stood their ground against such a formidable threat. She had never heard of this Zabuza before, but she was getting used to the feeling of danger, of death looming over her. She felt she couldn't move to help anyone. She didn't even know if she could run away if she had to.
Kakashi had knocked out the Demon brothers and created a shadow clone to secure them. He then rushed to engage Zabuza but was stopped and forced to jump back when a chain shot out towards his head.
"No need to interrupt, Hatake. Just sit there and wait your turn, that is if you get one. Sasuke and I will take care of this threat."
Naruto spoke as if he was running point.
With that blatant show of bravado, Kakashi saw his chance.
He decided to obey. Since his first real interaction with them, they conducted themselves like professionals. They were efficient, precise, and intelligent. If they felt that there was no real threat, then maybe there wasn't.
"HAHAHAHA YOU KIDS ARE-"
Zabuza quickly jumped back, narrowly dodging a horizontal slash from Sasuke, aiming for his neck.
"Sasuke, do your best not to kill him. We want to see what he's got!"
"Understood. That might be somewhat difficult. With his moves, I'm surprised he hasn't already been slain."
Sasuke then took a fighting stance with the blade in hand.
"I believe you'll be able to get it done. You're my knight after all."
"That genin is fast! A second later and he might have taken my head."
Zabuza felt no need for idiocy. He was able to slaughter over 100 of his peers at a young age, so it wasn't unheard of for the young of this world to be strong, as well as dangerous.
"Are you ready, Zabuza? Hopefully, you can present a bit of a challenge."
No matter how strong, a brat was still a brat.
"Let's go kid! I'm gonna rip you apart in front of your stupid little team, then I'll have them join you in hell!"
The larger man rushed the boy, halting once their two blades met.
Zabuza planned to overpower the boy and cut him to ribbons but was stunned to find that he was locked in a stalemate.
He couldn't overpower a child! Even though he was bigger and taller. When he looked down at this smaller opponent, he was greeted by eyes of crimson. Much to his surprise, the rogue was pushed back and bombarded by a flurry of slashes and thrusts.
Zabuza managed to deflect as well as he could but was starting to be overwhelmed by the boy. Zabuza performed a wide horizontal slash to force Sasuke to give him some space.
"This kid's got skill. One fuck up, and I could be in some real trouble. . . Guess I've got to play this smart."
Zabuza began towards the lake that was near the forest.
He figured that with a body of water to use his jutsu, he could trick or trap Sasuke, eliminate him and proceed with the bridge builder.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Zabuza heard the boy ask as he quickly dodged another beheading attempt.
Zabuza managed to make it to the lake and proceeded to run towards its center. Once there, he drastically thickened his mist, making it near impossible to see.
He looked on to see Sasuke standing at the shore and surmised that the genin couldn't locate him. He then created three water clones and decided to send them on the attack. The boy had shown noteworthy skill and strength Zabuza wouldn't be foolish enough to take this bout lightly.
"AARRGGHH"
"UUGGHH"
The screams were loud and died fast. Due to the mist, no one could see what had happened but from the sound of the voice, they had to guess it was Zabuza.
The original Zabuza was a bit concerned. He sent two water clones and they took a couple of steps before being wiped out. His clones weren't weak and even he could make out his target through the sight in this mist, so how could his opponent be able to identify the location of, and deal with both his clones at the same time?
"Zabuza, I've lost interest in letting you showcase your abilities, at last letting you do so at your own volition. I'll have to put some pressure on you to see if you truly have worth."
Sasuke's voice rang like a bell in his foe's head.
Everyone had noticed that the mist had gotten thicker, now resembling a dense fog. The other noticeable change was in the shade which went from greyish white to a darker indigo hue, quite fitting for the feel now in the air. It was thick. Breathing felt as if one was taking in water. Sakura's legs betrayed her as she suddenly found herself flat on her rear. Kakashi heard the fall and moved close to guard her in case this was part of Zabuza's plan, but the air felt too familiar for it to be anyone else. He then lifted his headband, unleashing his Sharingan, with hopes of being able to make out anything in this fog but to no avail.
"It barely makes a difference. This isn't like any jutsu that I've ever witnessed. I can tell it's chakra based but it's so dense it's as if it's affecting the atmosphere."
Kakashi thought he was going through waterboarding resilience training for the ANBU again, but maybe that was what was helping him keep his breathing steady. Zabuza on the other hand was having a bit of difficulty.
"What the hell kind of jutsu is this!? It's like I'm drowning!"
Zabuza had little time to worry as his instincts alerted him to a threat in front of him. He was quick to dodge to his right as a blade seemed to fly through the air.
"Did you get frustrated and throw your sword br-"
Zabuza was interrupted as he had to jump forward from his position, avoiding being skewered from his head down by another sword.
"Instead of mouthing off, I suggest you focus on staying alive."
Sasuke's voice sounded as if he was speaking right in Zabuza's ear. Zabuza swung his sword wildly suspecting the boy to be in his range of attack, but he felt no contact.
"Is this your true nature, Zabuza? You've always been a predator, so why do you seem to slip right into the role of prey perfectly when given a chance?"
Sasuke observed the assassin's response.
The confrontation continued, with Zabuza remaining on the defensive, dodging and deflecting whatever swords he could detect. His body had been riddled with shallow wounds. Naruto continued to guard Tazuna as he and Kurama watched the two.
"The Uchiha techniques and utilization have come a long way for the beginning of his training. He might be of that accursed clan, but he has more than earned the right to be your knight my King. With that said, the showing from this "Demon of the mist" has been quite subpar. Is he worth your consideration?"
"I can understand why you feel that way Kurama-san, but I think it would be fair to say that he's up against quite a difficult opponent. Sasuke might be testing him, but we both know that he tends to intensify things."
He understood that both Kurama and Sasuke wouldn't allow their lord to ally himself with weaklings. They understood that one had to work for strength, and not everyone had the method they had utilized to grow stronger, but it wasn't necessarily "strength" or "power" they were on the lookout for.
"We can make anyone stronger. We can make anyone faster. What we can't do is instill them with drive, resolve! He might look frightened now, but he's got a goal, his purpose. He won't die here, even if Sasuke manages to kill him, and that's why he's worth it."
Kurama understood her King's reasoning.
He did not need the weak-willed, for they would only drag him down. He wanted those that followed him to do so with everything that had, and only someone who could put their all to their ambitions could understand.
"Then what shall you do about the onlooker Momochi brought along. She seems to be able to hold her own against the Uchiha's aura well enough. She might have a greater deal of focus than her partner."
Naruto was intrigued.
"Well, Kurama-san, you've always told me never to look a gift horse in the mouth, whatever that hell that means."
Their attention was pulled when they could feel a spike in Zabuza's chakra.
"FINE, YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT I'VE GOT KID? TAKE THIS! WATER STYLE: GREAT WATERFALL!"
Zabuza tore through the set of hand signs, launching a massive vortex of the lake water in the direction of the clearing they had originated from. It was still hard for the others to see, but the trembling and sound of the attack was a clear indication something was coming.
"Good showing, Zabuza. You might have worth yet. . . Unfortunately, I feel no need to continue this fight. I'll honor your effort with a bit on my part. Mugen: Mist Wall."
The fog seemed to rush in Sasuke's direction.
All those back in the forest saw a massive, tall barrier wall of the indigo mist in front of him, stopping whatever attack had been launched their way. When his jutsu finished, all Zabuza saw was the massive indigo wall. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew he was low on energy. He had to either retreat or focus on killing the old man. Unfortunately, he had no time to decide as his body was riddled with sharp pains throughout.
"Mugen: Skewers."
Though he heard the call of an attack, the assailant couldn't react at all.
Several blades stretched with breakneck speed from the wall, piercing him in various places on his body. Sasuke made his way to Zabuza, dispelling the mist and blades. As soon as the blade stabbing into Zabuza disappeared, he fell to his knees, using the last of his strength to prevent him from falling into the water. He looked up to once again meet eyes of crimson.
"I can see the King's interest in you. I suggest you take this, take your follower, and retreat for now. And quickly, before our sensei catches wind."
Sasuke had a black scroll with an orange string tied around it.
Zabuza had many weird experiences in his life, but this one had quickly shot up to the top of his list. He was completely dominated by some hidden leaf genin, who was now offering him a chance to run off and lick his wounds. Sasuke also seemed to notice the presence of his backup, which Zabuza started to doubt would have been able to help at all against the boy. Zabuza continued to look at Sasuke and the scroll he was holding, before reaching out and grabbing it.
"You've made a good choice. Call your partner and have them help you out of here. When you're alone, open the scroll."
Sasuke told Zabuza, who then turned his head to the right and nodded.
Suddenly, a shinobi appeared beside Zabuza, wearing a standard Kirigakure pinstriped outfit that stopped at the knees. Over this, they wore a green haori with white trimmings, and around their waist a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped around his waist twice. The shinobi also wore a hunter-Nin mask, which was white with thin, curved eyeholes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol etched in the top. The new arrival bent down and helped Zabuza to his feet.
"You know that I could come back and you guys and the old man, right?" Sasuke didn't even flinch as Zabuza delivered a final threat. He just shot him a smirk.
"If you return to try and kill the bridge builder, I won't be your opponent next time, It will be his Majesty that you face." Zabuza could tell by the way the boy delivered his message, he got lucky this time.
"Zabuza-sama, we must leave now."
Zabuza nodded in response, while never taking his eyes off Sasuke. Kakashi arrived at the clearing just as Zabuza and his partner used a Shunshin to escape. He would've arrived sooner, but he wanted to ensure that Tazuna and Sakura were safe and sound, and it seemed that Sasuke was able to handle the threat after. Kakashi noted that Sasuke seemed completely untouched.
"Even I don't think I could go head-to-head with someone like Zabuza and come out unscathed. On top of that, they were both able to handle the situation and keep me in the dark. Their vision and sensory abilities should have been disrupted by the mist, same as mine, yet they didn't have a problem both attacking and defending. But this just raises more questions, like what the hell is that mist that Sasuke seems to be able to manipulate, and what is Naruto capable of if Sasuke shows him that much respect!? How much are they holding back…?"
Kakashi decided he would have to think about that later as Naruto, Tazuna, and Sakura arrived at the clearing. Sasuke then started heading towards the rest of his team.
"Sasuke, what happened?"
Kakashi asked.
"I was able to hold Zabuza back, but his teammate arrived, and I felt it was best not to engage in a fight at my disadvantage. They then retreated."
Sasuke's answer was short and sweet, Kakashi assumed to hide how he was able to handle such an opponent.
Sakura stayed in the back. She was honestly frightened. Sasuke and Naruto treated an assassination attempt like some boring class lecture. She was starting to feel like she had been thrown into a team with a pair of monsters.
Tazuna on the other hand was quite impressed. He didn't know how they did it or even what they did, but he was completely fine. Now that he thought about it, the enemy didn't even get too close to him. The blonde stayed by his side the whole time, and the black-haired boy pushed the threat far from him. He was starting to believe that with these two, the bridge to a new future for his home could be built.
"Amazing work, Sasuke! I knew I could trust you to handle the situation."
To everyone else, they thought it was just the whole "king" and "knight" dynamic again, but Sasuke understood the deeper reasoning of the praise. He had assessed the value of a potential ally and delivered an invitation, while also concealing his abilities from the Leaf.
"Thank you Naruto-sama."
"Kakashi-sensei, I believe it's time to continue. Sir Tazuna has an important mission himself, and as his escorts, we shouldn't hold him up." Naruto seemed to take charge of the team again. No one was hurt, nor were they tired so Kakashi had no choice but to agree.
"Alright then. Team 7, onwards to the land of Waves."
In a hideout elsewhere
"Zabuza-sama, I have finished dressing your wounds."
"Took you long enough Haku."
Zabuza spat out towards the now unmasked shinobi. The now identified Haku had long black hair, pale skin and large, dark-brown eyes, and a slender frame. Haku's long hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of hair fell loose framing her face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends.
"Your whole body was covered in cuts and gashes, with several somewhat deep penetration wounds. It should've taken longer, to be honest."
Haku's soft smile hid a sadder tale.
"I still have no idea what kind of power that kid was using!"
"It was indeed concerning. We haven't come across anyone with the proficiency in the hidden mist as you are, yet the mist he was able to produce was far denser."
Haku noted from what she was able to observe while on standby.
"And it's like he was able to make swords out of nowhere!"
It frustrated Zabuza thinking back about Sasuke's weird jutsu.
"At the end, you launched the Great Waterfall Jutsu, which collided into what looked like a wall made of the mist. Then, swords stretched from the wall to you. It was like nothing we had ever faced before Zabuza-sama. "
"I don't need a reminder Haku! Maybe that kid has some kind of Kekkei Genkai like you? On top of that, the blonde never seemed concerned with us either. Hatake showed concern at our arrival, and the girl basically pissed her pants but those two brats. . ."
He had initially thought it was arrogance due to inexperience. That couldn't have been any further from the truth. They weren't cocky punks; they were warriors who saw no threat before them.
"What shall we do with the scroll you received from the black-haired boy?" Haku asked with the said scroll in hand.
"I guess now's as good a time as any. The kid was saying something about "his king" and "his majesty", I wonder what the hell that was about?"
Zabuza took the scroll and unwrapped its tying.
When he peeled the scroll open, the room was suddenly filled with smoke. Haku was quick to move in front of the wounded Zabuza, with senbons between her fingers.
When the smoke dispersed, the two were greeted by a figure wearing a white, red-lined haori with the hood up. Zabuza recognized the bright blonde hair and the headband protector around his neck.
Haku quickly flung her senbons at the new arrival, surmising that this was a trick allowing the enemy to ambush them when they were down. She was surprised to see a shimmering onyx chain erupt from the genin's back, swatting away the projectiles.
"It's the blonde brat!"
Zabuza tried to ready himself for battle but found he was in too much pain to muster the necessary strength.
"Hey, why don't we relax? I'm not here to fight. I am a clone of his majesty, Naruto Uzumaki, the last and sole heir to the kingdom of Uzushiogakure."
Both of them stayed alert.
They had no clue whether or not this was some kind of trick, plus that chain coming out of the clone continued to move around as if it were a serpent waiting for the chance to strike.
"Uzu-what? The fuck are you talking about kid and what the fuck do you want?!"
Zabuza was in no mood to be toyed with.
"Understandably, you haven't heard of the once-great Uzushiogakure, but it is his majesty's mission to change all that. I am here merely as a messenger. My lord seeks those with the resolve necessary to change the world, whether it be through diplomacy or violence. You have gone through many hardships and faced a plethora of challenges that would have ended most men. Yet here you are, doing what you feel is necessary to accomplish your goals. You were just handed a humiliating defeat, yet you have shown no signs of deviating from the path you've chosen."
The pair were stunned. Clone or not, this kid had to be no older than thirteen, yet how he spoke would have easily contested that.
Zabuza had been praised before, it was always before someone attempted to take his life, but he thought it was all the same, until today. This was some stranger, yet he was making such a strong impression. He could see Zabuza not for the demon he could be, but for the survivor that he was.
"It's also clear to his majesty that your companion also has the resolve he seeks. The hardship and resilience that's present in your eyes. You have seen and committed your fair share of atrocities, but who among us hasn't."
Just a glance in her eyes was all it took to discern her resolve.
"The king, his majesty Lord Uzumaki would like to offer you both a chance to join him as his allies in his effort to bring in a new age. He plans to rule the world, but no one man can't do it alone."
"Why would I want to ally myself with, let alone follow some punk genin from the leaf?"
It may have been a bit aggressive, but Zabuza had to ask, what was in it for them?
"The same way his majesty requires allies to assist him with his goals, so too do you and your ambitions. Two people against a whole village don't seem like favorable odds, especially when you would be up against a Jinchūriki. My lord is willing to help you become stronger in more ways than one. And with that strength and our comrades, we will create an empire beside him!"
Zabuza's eyes almost bulged out of his head. Naruto knew of his past, his goals, and even his adversaries.
"I think I got the picture now."
Zabuza said as he struggled to stand up.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested, but I refuse to follow someone I don't respect or who's weaker than me. So, if your "king" or whatever can best be, then he'll have my blade to use as he sees fit."
Haku didn't know what was happening. She had never seen Zabuza respond to anyone like this, it may have been the calmest she had seen him, maybe more so than when they tried to kill the Mizukage.
"Excellent, and what about you Madam? Would you be interested in siding with his majesty?"
Haku was taken back. She didn't expect to be offered an invitation.
"Whatever decision Zabuza-sama makes, I will follow."
The clone simply nodded.
"If that's all settled, when you are combat-ready, seek out his majesty and he will be more than happy to demonstrate his strength to you. But do be warned. . ."
The clone began flexing its power, causing the room to quake.
"If you try to harm the man under his majesty's protection, then he will have no choice but to exterminate you completely."
Zabuza locked eyes with the clone. Its distorted voice and the look in its eyes shook even the Demon of the mist.
"If the other kid made me feel like I was drowning, but one of this blonde brat's clones can do this!? It's like I'm in a whirlpool!"
"And you won't be able to escape it."
Said the clone, with an innocent grin on his face.
Zabuza now understood.
"He was able to tell what I was thinking from a look alone."
They weren't boys, brats, genin, rookies, or anything of the like. They were shinobi with a mission. They used deception, espionage, investigation, and were more than strong enough to handle when they had to get their hands dirty. The fight with the black-haired one was only a showing. They wanted those they were looking to recruit to understand that they weren't your average. Zabuza took a look at Haku, who was able to hold her composure better than him, but he could tell that she had come to a similar conclusion.
"Well, it seems like my work here is done. I'll relay your response to my Lord. You two have a wonderful rest of your evening. Oh, and we can't wait to have you work with us."
Before dispelling, the clone's face adopted a terrifying grin.
"Zabuza-sama…"
"Haku. . . I don't need a reminder."
Chapter Four End
Author's notes: Hello everyone, thank you for reading the 4th Chapter of my story! I would also like to thank those who have reviewed my work so far. If anyone has any critiques and or suggestions you feel would better the story, please feel free to let me know.
To address certain things, no this story is not yaoi nor do I have many thoughts about pairings. I'm new to writing stories and don't yet feel too comfortable with writing things like romance so it probably won't show itself much until later.
As far as some of the grammar and spelling mistakes, to be honest, I was kinda excited to post my story and see what people thought of some of my ideas, so once I was done with a chapter I did glance over it quickly and posted it. I will make more of an effort to catch my mistakes and edit accordingly to make this the best reading experience I can.
When it comes to updating time, I aim to post a new chapter once a week as long as my life permits. With school and work as factors, the story might go a week or so without a chapter update but I will post some kind of note indicating that's the case. I will also put the updating weekly notice in the summary.
Again, thank you all for reading, and have a Paradoxical day!