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...
Leaving in a boat through the fog, all three genin gasped at the sight of the majestic, half-finished bridge before them. "Keep quiet, the mist will keep us hidden, and we've turned of the engine to row. If Gato catches us, we're dead."
"Gato?" Hayate questioned startled.
Tazuna sighed, "Gato. You've probably heard of him. Supposedly, he's one of the richest men in the world. He threatens with hiring ninja, but he usually just hires thugs, unwilling to spend the money on ninja. Here in Wave, he owns all the shipping and transportation lines. Meaning my bridge is pissing him off. I don't know why he's so determined to destroy Wave, however. Please, I give you all full permission to leave once we reach my house."
Hayate looked over his team again and said quietly, "I'll leave it to a vote. When we get to your place, we'll decide."
Gasps drew his attention forwards once again as he too, looked through the tunnel at the city before them.
"Wow…!" Naruto breathed, looking all around. Where Konoha was done in colors to blend with a forest, this city was all in greens, blues and whites to match the water. The odd, twisted trees growing out of the water drew quite a bit of attention as well.
Pulling up to the docks, they continued on into the forest. "Remember, I just need to get to my house." Tazuna sighed.
Everyone was on edge since the demon brothers attacked them. So when Naruto through a kunai at something every one got startled.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" Shikamaru questioned.
" I thought I heard something," answered the blond.
The entire group froze, standing absolutely still listening for any sounds. Shioon threw out his senses both magical and ki. Then he felt it. Naruto wasn't wrong there was someone out there. Two someone's.
A rabbit then decided to hop out of the bushes causing Shikamaru and Tazuna to relax. Naruto started to throw out apologies to the frightened creature. If he had been anyone else he might have relaxed too. He couldn't relax not when he noticed the color of the little creature's fur. White as snow something that only happened in winter. It was not winter.
"Everyone duck!" came Hayate's shouted warning.
Everyone fell to the ground right away. An enormous sword missed them and was implanted in a tree. This was followed by a ninja appearing on it. Shioon looked up to take in their new adversary and decide what kind of threat he was. He was a tall and noticeably muscular man with light grayish skin, short spiky black hair, dark brown eyes, and small eyebrows. Shioon could see that he wearing bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face. He wore his forehead protector sideways on his head.
Shioon could feel the immense amount of chakra that came off of this man. He was different from their last opponents. They would need to be careful here otherwise they might die.
"He he he I see that Hayate of the Crescent Moon is the one guarding Tazuna," smirked the man, "Now I see why the demon brothers were no match for you."
Hayate's hand now laid on his sword as he said in return, "Well if it isn't If it isn't One of the seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist Zabuza Momochi. I had heard you were a Missing Nin. Why don't you let us go about our mission? We have no quarrel with you."
The three genins exchanged a look. They were prepared for a lot of things by their sensei. This was not one of them.
Zabuza said with a cold laugh that sent chills down their spines, "Unfortunately for you Hayate, I do have a quarrel. You see you're protecting my target. If you were to let me have him I might just spare yours and the brats lives."
Hayate didn't answer the other ninja. They knew there was no way he would give up on the mission. It just wasn't his style but he still had the kids to protect.
Naruto, Shioon, and Shikamaru already had a silent conversation. They would aid Hayate when given the chance. All they had to do was wait for the right moment.
Hayate just looked at him warily for a moment, before telling his team, "Assume a protective stance between Zabuza and Tazuna-san. Stay out of the fight, no matter what happens."
"Enough. Pleasant as this conversation has been… the time for talk is over. I'm on a very tight schedule to polish off the old man." Zabuza growled, turning and falling into a crouch still perched upon his sword, facing them with one hand around the swords handle.
For a moment, the entirety of the team and their enemy stood still, before Zabuza laughed, "But… It seems like I'll have to finish you off first, Gekkou-san."
A second later, he had leapt past them and was perched upon the water a little further away. Assuming a stance before the genin could follow his movements, he started to quickly vanish into mist and wind.
Watching a leaf float down to the water,
Naruto yelped, "He's gone!? Where'd he go!?"
Hayate wasted not a moment to pull his sword now. He knew Zabuza would be after him first. He also knew this was a fight he wasn't sure he could win. Not now. A few years ago, sure, but not by this point… However, he wouldn't let his team be harmed.
"All of you stay on your toes. He's a master of the silent killing abilities ANBU and hunter-nin are so proud of. Don't let your guard down for a second."
"There are eight targets." A cold, cruel voice growled, sending all three of the genin completely on guard, "Kidney, heart, throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, the subclavian artery… So many choices! What vital, vulnerable place shall I choose?" Zabuza's voice laughed from all around them darkly.
Shioon placed his hand on his own sword ready to draw it. Shikamaru swore under his breath. In the densenesss of the fog he wasn't able to use his shadow jutsus.
Hayate, standing a good few feet between his students and where he last saw Zabuza, held his sword just a little bit tighter, coiled his stance just a little bit more, and calmed his rapidly beating heart. Feeling his genin tremble fearfully in the killer intent the fog was saturated in, Hayate just calmly smiled, though they couldn't see it.
"Calm down you three. Even if he get's me, I'll still protect you. A Gekkou will never allow anyone under their care to die. I will never allow a comrade to die."
A moment later he felt it, just as his students calmed down, Zabuza struck, swinging his massive sword straight at Tazuna's head even as he knocked the genin out of the way. Hayate, moving faster than the genin could see, had launched between Zabuza and their client, thin katana holding Zabuza's massive blade at bay for a moment, before he twisted to the side to force the enemy to step to the side as his sword was wrenched. As Zabuza landed, Hayate whirled fast, twisting down to fall beneath the swing from the massive sword, and stabbed upwards as he rolled to the side, tearing Zabuza's stomach wide open.
Or, his water-clone's anyways.
"Sensei! Behind you!" Shioon yelped, watching as Zabuza tried to take Hayate's head off.
Watching Hayate seemingly die for the second time in the same day, as Zabuza's sword tore through him, and revealed a sliced log instead, made Shikamaru feel rather faint, and Naruto to start to get really pissed off. Watching Hayate seemingly materialize behind Zabuza, and pin him with his sword across his neck, his genin shivered, almost glad to be only watching this fight. For as it seemed like Hayate had him pinned, he suddenly whirled, taking Zabuza's head off, turning the clone to water to confront the next one behind him.
Their swords clashed with a clang of steel, and for the next few moments they were nothing but blurs of movement, too fast for the naked eye to follow. Watching Hayate get flung aside suddenly had the team crying out for him worriedly. As he landed in the water and broke the surface with a gasp for air, Zabuza appeared behind him with a dark laugh, and quickly encased Hayate within a water prison.
Shioon felt something within him shift. It was just like that night at the business tower. When he had gone beyond his limits to the point where he had to be stopped by his master.
Against his will black and blue lightning began to shoot off his body. A growl resounded within his mind.
