Author's Notes: Well then... That last chapter was an interesting chapter to write, and from what I can see... It probably was an interesting chapter to read too lol. Not sure if this chapter can exactly top the last one, but I'm pretty sure that I can pull something off. Anyways, this chapter will unfortunately not involve any lemons, but instead, will consist of mostly action... With some romance sprinkled in here and there.

Side Note, My Update Schedule: My update schedule... At best, you could call it unique, at worst, it's just plain inconsistent. However, I will be attempting to change that! For now, the plan would be to upload a chapter for all three main stories per week.

Q&A Section! (As well as some other responses)

YeagerMeister31: Well, to address your second question first, the two thugs were still there, albeit, they both had their throats slit, just like their two additional partners. As for everything else, thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

Midnight Lost: Welp, it says something when someone can act completely emotionless one scene, before becoming almost completely submissive in the next few scenes. I guess you could say that Haku was... Cold In her fight against Sasuke, eh? Lol. As for that second part, I can imagine there is some alternate universe in which that happens. Anyways, glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Yup, she was somehow, the only one who knew how aphrodisiacs were made. Gonna have to fix that plot hole eventually.

NinjaFang1331: Thanks!

Lightblade1121: Yup, it just did. (I probably could've seen these responses coming lol)

Dragon and Sword Master: Thanks! And yes, I deliberately made it so that Sasuke was no match for Haku, just so she could focus on Naruto.

Beastyd22: Yup, that lemon had been set up for three chapters, and had been discussed between many authors lol. Besides this, glad you enjoyed it!

FenreldStormblade: Considering your challenge was what gave me the idea for that lemon, yup, I would say it was quite good lol. Anyways, glad you enjoyed the chapter!

SPark681: Yup, the numbers are constantly growing. Anyways, the matter regarding Kurama's seal will be addressed soon! Albeit, not in this chapter.

OmniHein: Well... That was something... Thank you very much for taking such an interest in my fic, and thanks for the impromptu physics/mathematics/kinematics lesson. I'll try to keep that in mind for the future.

Harem - Kurama, Anko, Haku, Temari, Shizuka, Tayuya, Deidara. (I think it goes without saying at this point that all characters are female, I would have no problem typing Fem! if Grammarly didn't repeatedly insist I was typing incorrectly in Spanish.)

Ages are probably also important, so here they are!

Naruto - 16(altered anatomical structure)
Anko - 23
Kurama -?
Haku - 16

"Talking"
'Thinking'
"'Talking or thinking by Kurama or berserk Naruto'"

Well then, let's get back to the story!

-Naruto and Haku-

As the two recent lovers were leaping back towards the bridge, both couldn't help but blush upon thinking about the activity they had just prior taken part in. Suddenly, Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"Come here a second," Naruto ushered, which Haku obeyed, walking towards Naruto.

Naruto placed a hand on the ice-user's head, before pulling out what seemed to be a leaf.

"Why was there a leaf in my hair anyway?" Haku asked.

"No clue," Naruto replied, before placing his lips over hers, taking Haku completely by surprise. Seconds later, Naruto broke the kiss. "We can't go back like this. Everyone needs to think that we were fighting in the forest... So here's the plan."

-Bridge(10 Minutes Later)-

Kakashi was not meeting any success concerning his fight against Zabuza. He was holding his own against the swordsman, yes, that much could be ascertained, but how long more he could do it for remained to be seen, for the cyclopean shinobi now found himself running low in terms of chakra, with the lone he possessed proving itself to be a large drain of chakra.

'Let's hope that Naruto is doing alright...' Kakashi thought, blocking a slash from Zabuza, whose eyes remained firmly shut.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" Zabuza sneered, "Can't put up much of a fight without that blond helping you?"

"I should say the same about you," Kakashi began to say, "Where's the hunter-nin to help you when you need it the most?"

Without warning, a water clone of Kakashi emerged behind Zabuza, only for the swordsman to land a kick upon the clone, dispersing it with ease.

'He's not wrong...' Zabuza thought, 'Haku has been occupied with that guy for quite a while by now... He must prove to be a difficult opponent...'

Before much longer, two figures entered the fog, one held by the other, the one being held having the privilege of having a kunai pointed towards their neck. As they slowly came into view, both Kakashi and Zabuza, the latter having just opened his eyes, could recognize who the two were.

"Zabuza," Naruto began to say, the cuts riddled over his face and forearm laid bare for all to see as he held a kunai to the unmasked Haku's neck. "I suppose you recognize the situation here?"

"So you've beaten Haku..." Zabuza murmured.

'She stinks of arousal...' Kakashi mentally noted, before piecing things together, 'How the hell did he... You know what, never mind... He still ended up beating the hunter-nin...'

By now, Zabuza had caught a whiff of this scent too, as the rage built up within him regarding the implications.

"You didn't!" Zabuza growled, holding up his broadsword.

"And what if I did?" Naruto mocked, releasing Haku before facing Zabuza.

"Son of a bitch..." Zabuza muttered, before disappearing into the fog.

'All according to plan...' Haku thought.

-Naruto and Haku(Ten Minutes Prior)-

"So what's the plan?" Haku asked.

"Simple," Naruto replied, cutting his cheek and arm with a kunai, "We're gonna pretend that we were having a brutal battle in the forest earlier."

"And then?" Haku asked.

"I'll hold a kunai to your neck, we walk into the fog," Naruto explained, "I'm pretty sure you know what comes next?"

"You're assuming that Zabuza will surrender?" Haku asked, "I don't think he will..."

"That's what I'm banking on," Naruto revealed, "Zabuza wouldn't just surrender like that, what I'm hoping for is that he'll rush me, adding onto that would be his sense of smell, considering he had his eyes closed... He would probably smell our... Fluids..."

"And you're gonna fight Zabuza?" Haku asked, cutting a small wound onto her cheek.

"Well... 'Fight' is an interesting way of putting it," Naruto continued, "But yes, I will confront Zabuza."

"Ah, I get it now," Haku replied, "You're hoping that you can tire out Zabuza, and since he is enraged, he probably will... And then, I guess you're hoping for me to step in to mediate?"

"Yes, you're not wrong," Naruto stated, standing up. "Ready?"

"Ready," Haku replied, before leaping away with Naruto.

-Present Day-

Naruto found himself in the center of the fog, finding himself locked into a solo-duel with Zabuza, considering how Kakashi had been far too spent to act, while Haku had chosen to remain neutral. Suddenly, Zabuza's massive blade swiped through the air, only for Naruto's body to disperse into smoke before any harm was able to be done towards the blond.

"Stay still, kid!" Zabuza yelled.

"Why?" Naruto asked, "You have something against love?"

"I do not," Zabuza stated, grabbing the blond by the throat as Naruto reconstituted his body, "But I do have something against those who impose themselves upon others!"

Seeing a way in which he could use this to his advantage, Naruto intentionally remained in his physical form, forcing him to take the full force of Zabuza's choke-slam of his body into the bridge, parts of it crumbling under the impact.

"Alright..." Naruto began to say, pulling out a vial, "No turning back now."

Catching this with the corner of his eye, Zabuza quickly pulled away from his foe just as Naruto flung the vial towards the swordsman. Seconds before the vial would make contact with the swordsman's face, Zabuza swiftly chopped the vial in half, only for the liquid in the vial to spill out, before immediately combusting into a large cloud of flames, with most of the flames present on the blade of Zabuza's broadsword.

"So that's what it does..." Naruto murmured, standing back up.

With the flames still present on his blade, Zabuza slashed at Naruto with all his might, the force of the swing throwing what chemicals that had remained on the blade off of it, only for the blond to disperse into smoke once again.

"Stand still, and let me take your head off of your shoulders!" Zabuza yelled, only for Naruto to reconstitute his body in front of the swordsman.

"Fine then," Naruto stated, dropping his weapons on the ground, "Behead me, then."

"Gladly," Zabuza sneered, slowly walking towards Naruto.

"Just take note that..." Naruto began to say, as Zabuza lifted his sword before slashing at Naruto's neck, "It was all Haku's idea to... Engage in passionate activities... Imagine how she would feel if you cut my head off, right here, and right now."

With the tip of Zabuza's blade a few millimeters away from Naruto's neck, the swordsman stopped in his tracks, before turning towards Haku.

"Haku..." Zabuza began to say, "Is he telling the truth?"

Blushing slightly, Haku nodded, confirming Naruto's previous remarks, stunning Zabuza.

"Ah, so that's how it is," Zabuza stated, jamming his sword into the ground, "You're lucky, kid, Haku seems to genuinely be infatuated by you," Zabuza turned to Haku, "And it's especially lucky you said something when you did, Haku, else your boyfriend here would be left headless."

Right before Naruto had been able to reply, the three were cut off by a series of slow and steady claps, which rang across the bridge.

"That bastard..." Zabuza muttered, as Naruto turned his head, coming face to face with Gato, who had a large army of thugs standing behind him.

"'Demon of the Mist'?" Gato mocked, "What a joke."

"The hell are you doing here?" Zabuza asked.

"Well... You and your tool have proven yourselves to not be worth the money that would be needed to pay you..." Gato stated, "So this is the second-best solution."

The army of thugs began walking forwards as Naruto, Haku, and Zabuza stood to face them.

"Kill them all," Gato ordered.

"We'll see about that..." Naruto muttered, gritting his teeth. "Kakashi-sensei! You still have anything left in you?"

"I'll do my best," Kakashi assured, stepping forwards.

"You won't court-martial me if I say..." Naruto began to say, "Left no prisoners?"

"Not the time!" Kakashi remarked, 'Although it is good that he is starting to joke around...'

Naruto sighed, before stepping forwards slowly, those slow steps quickly speeding up. Upon approaching the group of mercenaries, Naruto leaped forwards, using the head of one mercenary as a platform before landing a punch onto another mercenary, knocking both out cold. Suddenly, a mercenary brought down a pipe over Naruto's back, only for the blond to block with his forearm, snapping the pipe in half.

'He's good at this...' Haku thought, launching a senbon into the skull of one of the mercenaries.

Upon his breaking of the pipe in half, Naruto quickly pulled his arm back, before throwing a punch into the face of the assailant, knocking several teeth out of the man's mouth. Seconds before several blades could bring down their slashes upon him, Naruto threw a smoke grenade on the ground he stood on, allowing him to disappear while also stunning the three mercenaries at the same time.

'I may not use kunai...' Naruto thought, before pulling out two scalpels, 'But I know damn well these are much sharper.'

Appearing behind one of the mercenaries, an ear-piercing scream could be heard as Naruto slashed at the tendons of the mercenary, causing him to lose his footing before the blond vanished once again. Before anyone was aware of what was going on, Naruto appeared behind another mercenary, before plunging both scalpels into the flesh between the man's scapula and clavicle, causing him to fall to the ground in pain. Suddenly, the third mercenary emerged from the smoke, attempting to grab the blond, only for Naruto to plunge a scalpel into the man's palm, before backflipping and kicking the man, knocking him out.

'With a surgeon's precision no less...' Kakashi mentally observed, backhanding a mercenary.

-Ten minutes later-

Only two mercenaries stood in Naruto's way, both of which shook upon seeing the battle-worn blond. Naruto walked towards the two, literally licking his wounds as he readied a new pair of scalpels. Before any of the mercenaries were able to react, Naruto's movements sped up into a blur, before two long cuts were dealt to the two mercenaries, incapacitating both of them, leading Naruto to come face-to-face with Gato, who stumbled in fear.

"Wait!" Gato yelled moments before Naruto plunged a scalpel into the man's throat, "Don't kill me! I'll do anything! I'll give you anything!"

"Go on..." Naruto stated, pulling a vial from his trenchcoat, before plunging the two scalpels into the low-life's ankles, immobilizing him.

"Please!" Gato pleaded, "I'll give you money! Women! Power-"

"Not interested," Naruto replied nonchalantly, before spilling the contents of the vial onto Gato's face, the acidic liquid immediately melting past the man's skin and skull, ending his life within seconds.

Standing up, Naruto turned around as Zabuza approached him.

"Nice work, kid," Zabuza acknowledged, "I have a request to ask of you."

"You want me to take Haku with me?" Naruto asked.

"I want you to take-" Zabuza began to say before cutting himself off, "How did you..."

"I have a rather observant pair of eyes, Zabuza-san," Naruto replied in a non-condescending manner, "I can tell that you are a battle-hardened shinobi, one who wouldn't hesitate to kill... This contrasts Haku greatly, seeing as how she seems to throw up just on the thought alone. Your tone also gives away your request, that of a father-figure, one who wants his child to have a better life."

Zabuza was stunned, within seconds, this boy who seemed not much older than Haku managed to decipher his entire plan.

'Perhaps... Haku did choose well,' Zabuza thought, "Well played, although there was one thing you didn't manage to guess... It was Haku who had suggested the idea."

"Really?" Naruto asked.

"Well, yeah..." Haku murmured, a blush forming on her face, "I can't think of life now... Where I am apart from you, Naruto-Kun..."

"Take care of her for me, kid," Zabuza requested, "Keep her safe... And if things go well, we may meet each other again soon... Hopefully, by then, you don't use such... Strange tactics to best others in combat."

-Two Weeks Later(Konoha)-

"So," Hiruzen began to say, attempting to wrap his head around the report Kakashi had just given him, "You're saying that the bridge was completed, that the two shinobi who originally were out to get Tazuna were befriended, with one of them wanting to join the village and live with Naruto... And that the mission turned out to be an A-ranked mission?"

"That's right," Kakashi confirmed.

"Anything else?" Hiruzen asked, "What about individual reports?"

"Well... Starting with Sakura, I'd say that she was very capable of completing the Chakra Control task while showing minor improvements in terms of combat ability... With Sasuke, he showed exceptional selflessness, as well as admirable combat abilities while being able to perform strategically in a fight," Kakashi began to explain, "Although... Naruto overshadowed both of them in this mission. He showed remarkable combat abilities, a brilliant strategic mind, as well as some sort of instinctual call to action as if this mission would be his last."

"Most impressive," Hiruzen acknowledged, "Well then, a job well-done, Kakashi, you and your team have earned yourselves a well-deserved rest."

-Naruto and Haku-

"Now, this situation may be awkward unless we can get a second bed," Naruto mentioned as the two entered his apartment.

"Can't we share a bed?" Haku asked.

"Well, that's not an option," Naruto replied, pointing towards his bed, "It's too small, and I've already tried that before, it was not fun."

"Speaking of which, where is your other mate you mentioned?" Haku asked.

"Behind you, since the moment you came in," Naruto stated.

Haku turned around, only for Anko to lunge at the ice-user, trapping Haku in a tight hug, while taking the opportunity to grope the girl.

"You're so cute!" Anko remarked, "My name's Anko, I take it that you're joining our large family?"

"Now, now, Anko," Naruto stated, "She needs oxygen to breathe."

"Oops, sorry about that," Anko replied, letting go of Haku, "I take it that you're the same age as Naruto?"

"Yes?" Haku replied, not knowing how Anko would reply.

"That's fresh," Anko remarked, "Both me and Kurama-chan are older than Naruto-Kun... Speaking of which, what is your name?"

"Haku, Haku Yuki," Haku stated.

"Now, if you don't mind, Anko-chan," Naruto interjected, "We're leaving to get a bed for Haku... While also showing her around the village..."

"No problem!" Anko stated, "Have fun! But make sure you two don't go fucking in the streets!"

Naruto and Haku both blushed, before leaving their shared apartment.

Author's Notes 2: And that's the Land of Waves, done with! I know it wasn't exactly executed the best, and that the science behind it has been kind of wonky throughout... But I still hope you all have enjoyed the story so far, and will continue to do so as it continues.

Regardless, tell me what you guys thought about this chapter in the reviews down below! I'm eager to see what you guys have to say!