Alright so originally I planned to release this on Tuesday, but I didn't. Then I was like I'll for sure release it on Wednesday, and then I didn't because I severally underestimated how much there was left to write. So now we are here on Thursday yay! at least it wasn't four weeks.

However aside from my terrible update schedule, if for whatever I disappear for the next two months just know it's out of my control, but that's if I disappear which I'm not sure if I will. Why don't I know, well it's a very complicated irl issue, and that's all I'll say.

Anyways I'll be responding to comments at the end of this chapter, cause why not address some of the feedback I've been getting while I still have a very small amount of readers.

Also remember to Follow and Favorite if you feel so inclined.

Land of Fire: Dock (outside sunset)

Over the course of a week, Team 7 along with the bridge builder, had made there way across the land of fire to it's shore.

Sitting on a couple of small crates on a dock the Genin were on look out duty, as they waited for their sensei, and the old man who they chose to escort.

Naruto at first was patiently waiting, but as one minute turned to ten, he began to get annoyed, "What's taking them so long!? I mean how hard is it to buy a boat" naruto exclaimed.

"Rent a boat naruto" sakura corrected.

"Rent, Buy, same thing!" naruto proclaimed.

Sakura sighed turning away from him. The past week was relatively quiet, which terrified sakura. If she was reading the situation right, then they should be expecting a powerful ninja to come for tazuna's head, and likely there heads too. With her hands squeezing her knees sakura took a long breathe, "I-i d-don't know when or what'll happen, but I won't stand still and do nothing" she told herself.

Naruto saw as sakura turned away, he was about to make a comment, but he stopped himself with the little self control he had. He glanced left and noticed sasuke staring upon the hill. Naruto sighed, as he was still feeling the effects of sasuke's words, "I'm not gonna be a burden anymore" he promised before staring right back at sasuke, "and one of these days I'm gonna save you instead" he vowed.

Sasuke was resting on a wall, a good couple meters away from his teammates. The dock team 7 was at, was built on a hill, and from where sasuke was resting naruto and sakura were sitting far below him. He was curious if his teammates would live up to there promises back when they were attacked by the demon brothers. "Not that it'll matter" he thought, "Those two rogue ninja weren't jokes, I probably wouldn't have done as well as I did against that one if I was his target instead of naruto." He admitted to himself. Sasuke clenched his fist in anger, "Chunin huh, that's where I peak at this age!?" he was furious, "Meanwhile he was already strong enough to whip out our..." his thoughts stopped upon seeing naruto stare up at him. It wasn't much but sasuke got the message, "like hell you'll ever be stronger than me." He thought with a cocky smile.

Dock (Inside)

"Well, glad we can come to an understanding." Kakashi sighed grabbing keys from the desk infront of him.

"You better take of her!" A short grumpy man babbled, "She's not cheap! And she better come back in one piece!"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry I'll make sure your boat won't be damaged." Kakashi promised with a sigh.

"You better, I mean the paint job cost a fortune, and that's not even mentioning the divine motor I forged with my own two hands" the short man continued, as Tazuna began unloading his cargo into the boat.

Kakashi soon helped getting all of the cargo on in no time, to tazuna's surprise.

"Wow you're really fast you know!" Tazuna said amazed.

"Be happy, that the man who we rented this boat from, doesn't let kids into this shop, otherwise I would've had my students do it" Kakashi said coldly.

"Well that's awfully cold of you" tazuna joked.

"Cold?" kakashi questioned as the atmosphere chilled, "Well sorry for not exactly being all that warm or nice considering my life, and my students lives are in great danger by an unknown enemy."

Tazuna felt a chill run down his spine, kakashi wasn't trying to be threatening, but he was clearly annoyed, and tazuna felt that. "I'm sorry" was all tazuna could muster.

Kakashi sighed, "No please excuse my behavior, after all I am the one who's choosing to continue this mission. Listen just, get the boat moving, I'll go grab my students."

Tazuna grumbled as he got onto the boat, and began turning on the motor.

Hearing the old motor wheeze to life as he walked out kakashi began analyzing the situation, "Considering the demon brothers got away, and have certainly informed Gato, I should be expecting a powerful Ninja of at least a Jonin caliber to come. Although considering my reputation it's even more likely an Elite Jonin will come for us. Gato may be desperate to kill tazuna, but he isn't stupid as established by the fact he isn't attacking the bridge itself. So it's assured he'll heed the demon brothers warning, meaning." Kakashi sighed deeply, "it's certain an Elite Jonin will come."

Kakashi opened the door, and he saw his students, "What was I thinking? Allowing this mission to continue..."

"Alright everyone! Come the boats ready, we're taking off!" Kakashi announced.

Ocean (On boat midnight)

Naruto at first was a little excited to get on the water and see the beautiful night sky, but after the moment had passed he fell asleep out of boredom.

Sasuke wasn't at all interested, and went to sleep immediately upon entering the boat.

Sakura unlike the other two was deeply emersed by the stars and wonderful colors of the night sky that she didn't even notice kakashi standing next to her.

"Beautiful isn't it" he said.

He startled her, she wanted to yell back at him for doing that, but her mind was far too distracted to get the words out, so she stayed silent.

"Well are you going to answer my question?" kakashi asked.

Having no quippy comeback in mind she decided to humor her sensei, "Yeah, it's beautiful"

"Do you mind if I ask you something sakura?" her sensei asked.

Again the Genin decided to humor his request, "Fine, go ahead"

"Can you keep your word?"

"Ummm what?" sakura was too stunned to respond, "that came outta nowhere" she thought. Then she managed to ask "Could you elaborate if you wouldn't mind."

"When the demon brothers attacked, you said you wouldn't be a burden anymore. Are you going to keep that promise?" He elaborated with a full voice.

"I-i ... Of course I will!" sakura finished aloud. She was a little stunned at the question, but she without a doubt knew the answer, she wasn't going to be like that ever again!

Kakashi grunted, "Strange, considering you made a similar promise back at the Hokages office, "if the moment calls for it I'll face whatever challenge head on" is what you said."

Sakura once again was stunned, "l-listen back then I was..."

"Listen sakura breaking a promise is a terrible thing, because promises are everywhere in this world. We promised to serve the land of fire, we promised to complete a mission whatever the cost, ... We promise to save our friends... My point is sakura don't make a promise you can't keep, because if you break them all you'll do is add even more strife to our world which is flooded in it." Kakashi cut off.

If she was stunned before sakura couldn't even describe how she felt right. Shocked, dumbfounded, thought provoking, none felt completely right. Glancing at her sensei who was staring into the ocean abyss she asked, "What can I do, to keep my promises, i-is there a strategy or something, please kakashi sensei help me!"

"I can't help you, for this is a path you must walk on your own, but I can give you some advice" kakashi said as he crouched down to meet her eyes at a level head, "Understand why you broke your first promise, and fix whatever that problem was."

Kakashi then got up and continued his stare into the ocean.

Sakura after hearing his advice began to ponder, "ok, why... why didn't I do anything back then... well it's not that big a mystery I was scared... but why exactly was I scared!" She continued to ponder then it hit her, "Back then when kakashi's clone was..."

"Hey kakashi sensei" sakura called, "I think I know..."

"I'm not dying anytime soon sakura" kakashi interrupted.

"... How did you"

"I'm not blind sakura, I saw your face when my clone was killed before your eyes"

"So... You knew why I broke my problems, why didn't you just tell me?!"

"I told you this is something you have to walk on your own, it's pointless if I just give you the answer. You gotta be independent sakura. Listen one day I'm gonna die and you're going to have to stand on your own two feet." Kakashi said sternly before placing his hand on her head. Then with a smile behind his mask, "Sakura, I doubt I'll die anytime soon, so you likely don't have to worry, but if I do bite the bucket remember don't standstill and die, fight sakura! Fight to survive, Fight to for your dream!" He finished pointing at her heart.

Again kakashi turned back and continued his gazed into the ocean. Sakura was silent with only one thought entering her mind, "My Dream is to become a highly renowned kunoichi, and bring glory to my families name"

She walked away from the edge of the boat and laid down on the floor of the boat as she stared at the stars one last time before dozing off.

Foggy Ocean

The whole group was awake, sakura still laying down, sasuke was sitting with his head down and arms crossed, naruto was on the edge of the boat trying to see through the thick fog, and The two adults were in the control room with tazuna steering and kakashi watching him closely.

"Aw come on! Damn fog I can't see anything!" Naruto cried out.

"Please shut up, the sounds coming from that motor are already annoying enough" sasuke said in a frustrated tone.

"Whatever" was all naruto could say in response. He had his hand under his chin as he continued trying to gaze through the thick fog, then he saw it.

Naruto mouth was wide open, as all he could do was point in amazement. The sight even grabbed sasuke's attention, and tore sakura off the ground to get a better view. It was the end of an enormous bridge, with various shipping containers and cranes on it's side. As it made the boat they were on seem unbelievably tiny.

"Beautiful isn't it, I made that with my own to hands" Tazuna claimed while steering the boat.

"No way, you made that!? All by yourself!?" Naruto yelled in disbelief.

"Well not all by myself" Tazuna admits rubbing the back of his head, "All the supplies are courtesy of your daimyo, and I've had help from multiple different people from all throughout the land of waves. After all this bridge is the key to our freedom, from that devil of a man named Gato! Anyways we should be arriving soon."

"Oh that's a relief" naruto thanked.

Land of Waves: Shore 10 minutes later

Team 7 and tazuna had successful made it to the end of the bridge and found a village. Unlike the ocean the land was clear as day not at all foggy or misty. After docking the ship naruto rushed off the ship as he hugged the earth. Exhausted after the long trip naruto expected to relax a bit, but kakashi had other plans telling his students, "Alright quickly let's get all the supplies out!"

"What b-but kakashi sensei we just got off" naruto said.

"That's not an excuse, quickly get to it" he finished as he tossed a wooden plank at naruto, the later of which barely caught it.

After sometime and plenty of complaints from naruto the group had begun marching deeper into the village as they began entering the forest.

"Hey wait a second where are we going, shouldn't we be taking these things to the bridge, you know, where they'll be used." Naruto asked.

"Oh naruto didn't you hear, kakashi sensei literally explained this while we were unloading all these supplies, we're gonna be taking these to Mr tazuna's house, where we'll get some rest before tomorrow when we'll actually start guarding him while he's building!" Sakura explained while deeply annoyed.

"Yeah that makes sense I guess" naruto responded with his arms crossed, "Guess I was just distracted with all my complaining..."

Naruto paused, he heard it, the slight sound of leaves being crushed. Someone was watching them. Without hesitation naruto throws a kunai at the source of the noise and hears a slight whimper. When naruto went to investigate he saw he stabbed a white rabbit.

"Ahhhh naruto are you outta your mind, why on earth would you ever kill an innocent rabbit?!" Sakura yelled.

"Ahhh no! I'm sorry little guy" naruto caressed the corpse, "I swear I heard something, I'm sorry"

As naruto cried and sakura berated sasuke and tazuna simply sighed in the unnecessary commotion naruto caused.

"Strange, that's a snow rabbit, and the color of it's fur... That's not right, it's only supposed to have white hair during the winter, which can only mean that it was raised in doors, and the only logical purpose for an action like that would be... A replacement Jutsu!" Kakashi deduced.

Meanwhile hidden in a tree watching was a man watching the team, "Well it looks like Meizu and Gozu were right, the copy ninja himself is protecting that bridge builder, Kakashi of the sharingan. It's incredible those two made it out alive, I'll have to be careful otherwise it won't go well." The man reasoned before tossing his massive blade at the group as it spinned at an incredible speed.

"Look out!" Kakashi yelled tackling everyone in the group to the floor as they all barely avoided the spinning blade that was launched through the air before landing and latching onto a tree.

As the Genin began getting their bearings in order kakashi was already on his feet as he glared at the sword stuck in the tree, and the man standing on it's handle.

"Zabuza Momochi" kakashi thought, "Well, well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi, the rogue demon of Kirigakure."

"... Demon?... hehe n-no matter I'm not backing down I'll take this guy down I'm not gonna be saved by sasuke again" Naruto pumped himself up as he tried to take a step forward but was immediately told off by kakashi

"Don't fight him, you'll die" kakashi said as coldly as he could which caused naruto to freeze. "None of you can fight him, in my current state I probably can't fight him"

"W-what... Does that mean we're gonna die..." Naruto thought.

"It's been a long time since I've had to use this" Kakashi announced.

"Haha, so I get to see it, I'm honored Kakashi of the sharingan eye" Zabuza chuckled.

At that moment Sasuke froze up too, "kakashi of the sharingan eye, he can't mean" then he saw kakashi lift up the part of his headband covering his left eye.

Then everyone saw it in all it's glory, a glowing red eye with three tomes on it.

"Ummm if you don't mind me asking, what's a sharingan" naruto manged to whispered to sakura.

"The sharingan is a doujutsu, or a Jutsu involving the eyes" sasuke said aloud to naruto's surprise, "On a basic level it allows the user to perceive any type of ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu with godly accuracy, but there's a lot more to the sharingan than just that, a lot more. And... Only members of the Uchiha clan are said to have it!" Sasuke finished clenching his fist in anger.

"Smart boy" Zabuza remarks, "I've never come across it myself, but at least with the ninja before me, it's said that he could analyze the hand signs of his opponents and copy their jutsu's with stunning precision. It's said he's copied well over a thousand jutsu."

Kakashi then reaches from behind and takes out his blade from his back, compared to most swords his blade was quite small, and it only seemed tinier compared to Zabuza's blade. Still kakashi's blade hadn't failed him yet, as he prepared himself signaling Zabuza to make the first move.

"Haha" Zabuza laughs, "Very well!"

Zabuza then kick flips his blade releasing it from the tree into the air, then he jumps grabbing the handle in mid air and slamming the blade down with incredible speed to kakashi location.

Earth style: Hardened Blade

Zabuza's blade had clashed with Kakashi's and the air rippled around them as the Genin felt a massive gust of wind hit them as they struggled to stay on their feet. Sasuke was just barely able to make out that kakashi's blade had appeared to have turned to a darkish brown but it was difficult to make out in is entirety.

Wasting no time after his attack was blocked Zabuza let's go of his blade and attempted to sweep kakashi's leg. Kakashi effortlessly dodges the sweep but Zabuza as his blade was falling with lightning speed grabs it and swings it with full force at the copy ninja who once again blocks it.

The two continue the cycle with Zabuza throwing powerful swings and kakashi blocking them with zero difficulty with each clash causing massive gusts of wind to hit the Genin as many of the leaves on nearby trees have been blown away. The Genin couldn't even see them as they struggled to stay on their feet.

Eventually Kakashi and Zabuza found themselves in a clash so powerful they themselves slid back from it's intensity.

Now several meters away Zabuza begins thinking, "His Blade it changed from when he first pulled it out, clearly a Jutsu, but no matter how much I strike or how hard I hit his blade it isn't even close to breaking. However it doesn't end there, it seems as though he's anticipating every move I make even faints. Instinct? Possibly... but I suspect it has to do with that eye, the sharingan, if it stands that it can perfectly analyze the hand signs of anyone it sees, then it shouldn't be impossible for it to analyze a persons body to predict their next moves... Hehe Truly incredible!"

In that moment Zabuza took a quick breath as he prepared for another series of attacks, but in that same moment kakashi immediately rushed towards Zabuza closing the distance.

Lightning style: Quick Blade

Suddenly kakashi blade turned from a darkish brown to bright blue as he prepared a massive strike. Zabuza barely blocked it using his long sword as a makeshift shield, "he's faster now" zabuza remarked.

Unrelenting kakashi continued striking zabuza's blade, with quick and never ending strikes. Eventually chips of the blade begin to fall as kakashi was slowly but surely chipping away at the blade.

"This isn't good, looks like I have no choice" Zabuza grunts.

Suddenly from behind kakashi a clone of zabuza rushes him from behind, begrudgingly kakashi abandons his wailing on the real zabuza and rush the clone effortlessly dodging it's swing and cutting straight through it's head, causing the clone to dissolve into water.

"Water clone." Kakashi thought, "He certainly made that before the start of the battle, perhaps to catch me off guard later in the fight where I'd certainly be more exhausted, but that didn't happen he was forced to bring the clone in prematurely, how unlucky for you, but I doubt I'll get another chance to wail on his sword like that again but the damage was done and now I'm at the advantage..."

Suddenly while kakashi was thinking zabuza used the blade to cut his own palm as his blood ran through the blade it appeared to be absorbed by the blade, and all the damage kakashi had done to the massive sword had completely healed, "As I assumed you now know this isn't any ordinary blade but the Executioners Blade, one of the legendary 7 of the mist!" Zabuza revealed.

"And it can heal itself by the blood of anyone it pierces" Kakashi added, "I've heard the rumors that the mist had lost that blade to a rogue ninja, but those were just that rumors"

"And that's what they'll stay rumors, because you aren't telling a soul Kakashi Hatake. Why? Well... because this place will be your grave!" Zabuza finished with a yell before weaving hand signs. "He knows my technique now, but it doesn't matter he won't ever get to use it!"

Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu

Suddenly the entire area was engulfed in a deep thick mist, the Genin all immediately surrounded tazuna from each side ready in preparation for an attack.

Kakashi then jumped into view of the Genin.

"K-kakashi s-sensei" sakura shivered, "what's going on"

"Listen all of you, don't move and you'll be fine" Kakashi said coldly.

The Genin were all frozen and heeded Kakashi's warning, none of them daring to move.

Then in the distance inside the mist all of them felt a powerful wave of sheer fear come over them. Naruto and Sakura were completely clueless at what exactly they were feeling, all they could do was shake. Sasuke on the other hand knew what was happening, the two elite ninja were flexing their chakra and the sheer intensity of the act was affecting them even though they weren't even the target.

Sasuke slowly grabbed a kunai from his pouch, "This feeling, I've never felt anything so chilling. It's like I'm being choked. I-i'd rather just end it all here then be here any longer!" sasuke thought and was about to stab himself in the gut.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi called out snapping sasuke out of his daze, then kakashi turned around and smiled "I won't let any of my comrades die. After all our opponent is pretty weak."

"WEAK!" Zabuza roared, "How's this for weak!"

Then from naruto's direction zabuza suddenly appeared as he prepared to kill naruto. Naruto saw zabuza's cold and heartless eyes and they made him want to die, but he remembered, "I won't be a burden anymore" so with everything he had he lifted up the kunai from his hands and thrusted it forward. He knew it was in vein and he was still going to die but at least he didn't freeze up like before, he died doing something.

His eyes closed he realized nothing happened, he wasn't dead?! When he opened his eyes he saw kakashi Infront of him with his bright blue blade stabbed right threw zabuza's gut.

He turned to where kakashi once stood and saw a kunai, his kunai, then he realized. Kakashi substituted his previous position for that of naruto's kunai. Meaning, "I helped?!" Naruto realized in excitement.

"Good work naruto" kakashi praised, "thanks to your quick work I was able to get the jump on him"

"Oh really now!" Zabuza mocked

Then naruto saw as kakashi was impaled from behind by the executioners blade, the zabuza that kakashi stabbed a moment ago was nothing but a water clone. Kakashi dropped his blade to the ground in defeat.

"You arrogant fool did you really think I could be lured into a bait so obvious as taunting my pride. What a fool you are and now your... Wait ahhhh" Zabuza shrieked in pain as kakashi's apparent corpse erupted in lightning, "A lightning clone?!"

Then from the mist moving at top speed kakashi in less than a second picked up his sword and once again stabbed zabuza, "It's over zabuza" kakashi affirmed, "This is the real you and I know it, because even though this mist clouds your exact movements, I can still see you because the sharingan perceives chakra as a bright blue color, so bright in fact I could see it through the mist, and my sharingan only saw two of these bright blue lights in the mist meaning you only made a single clone. Not that it would have mattered."

"Hehe... K-kakashi hatake thank you... For confirming my theory!" Then Zabuza turned to water greatly shocking kakashi.

"Impossible!" kakashi let out. Then he saw another bright light as another Zabuza appeared rushing towards him. Kakashi instinctively jumped back landing in a puddle of water, "wait a minute I don't remember there being a puddle"

Before Kakashi finished his thoughts Zabuza emerged from the puddle and immediately prepared his jutsu

Water style: Water Prison Jutsu

Zabuza then extended his hand and suddenly kakashi was engulfed in water. Now trapped in a bubble of water kakashi was helpless.

"Don't bother fighting you've lost, my water prison is the ultimate technique made for trapping individuals. It absorbs all chakra a person uses to escape and uses that absorb chakra to reinforce itself. In other words the harder you resist, the stronger the prison becomes." Zabuza mocks in his victory as the mist begins clearing.

In defeat kakashi asks, "How were you able to make another clone I was watching closely and there was no other light around other than two yet you had the time to make 3 clones, hide one of them and yourself. How!"

"Well since you've already lost I suppose I could tell you, consider it a parting gift. The secret is my hidden mist jutsu, to activate it I imbue my chakra into the moister of the air and with incredible chakra control I turn the moister into a thick mist using my chakra. So in a sense the mist itself isn't really a regular mist, it's a chakra mist. Although I wasn't sure, I had assumed your sharingan could see through the mist, I wasn't completely sure on how or even if you could see through it, but I wasn't taking any chances and prepared accordingly in the same way I prepare to deal with sensory types."

"Let me guess you made a water clone with an identical amount of chakra to the mist, and lowered your own chakra output to that relative to the mist, in other words to my eyes and sensory types, you and the mist were one" Kakashi assumes.

"Hehe, smart man, ashame the world will soon be rid of your talent, but first let's watch as my clone takes care of your students" Zabuza chuckles.

All the Genin watched in horror as zabuza had their sensei trapped, and his water clone slowly marched towards them. They could do nothing but shiver in fear, "y-you... w-we will s-s-stop y-you" naruto stuttered while stepping forward, "W-we a-are n-n-ninja"

The clone stopped and laughed maniacally, "Oh Really!" Then the clone blitzed to naruto's position and kneed him in the gut which knocked his headband off his forehead onto the floor and sending him flying into sakura and sasuke's arms several meters away. "You think you can call yourselves ninja just because you have some silly headband, it's only when you've hoovered between life and death enough times that it becomes meaningless when you can call yourselves ninja!" zabuza ridiculed as he stepped on naruto's headband.

"W-we have got to get out of here, b-but how?!" Sasuke debated while shaking in fear, "Maybe if we run... No not an option, zabuza is an elite Jonin on par with kakashi, he'd track us down before we'd get anyone's help. Facing him headon is a death sentence so it's out of the question, meaning our only option is to somehow free kakashi... But how?!"

Then by some miracle sasuke regained motion in his limbs, "No time to think, only act quickly" sasuke the proceeded to toss as many shuriken as he could as fast as he could while charging at the clone.

The clone proceeded to effortlessly block all the shuriken before grabbing sasuke by the throat and tossing him back several meters, "Pathetic!" zabuza mocked.

"He knocked sasuke back like it was nothing! I've gotta get out of here I can't beat him I..." Naruto rambled in his head before noticing his bandaged hand. Suddenly naruto remembered his promise back when he got that bandage, and he remembered all the countless years he's spent training and practicing with Iruka sensei to hopefully one day be Hokage and earn the villages respect. If he ran what was all of that for, all those years training, all those years dreaming, and all of his promises.

Shadow clone jutsu

Naruto created 3 clones and all four naruto's rushed zabuza.

"Impressive, for a Genin to know a Jutsu as advance as physical cloning is truly something to behold but... A weakling is still a WEAKLING!" Zabuza thought before slicing through all of naruto's clones, but sparing the real naruto by slamming him to the ground, then kicking him off the ground through the air back to where he once was now with blood running down his forehead.

"N-naruto... Why would you do something so reckless..." Sakura shuttered before realizing what naruto had in his hand, "His headband did he really risk it all for that..."

"I promised sakura" he whispered filling her with shock. Naruto then stood turning towards zabuza with his headband in hand, "Hey freak, you're standing before konaha's future hokage" as he spoke he tied his headband around his head again, "and that Hokage, he never goes back on his word! His name is Naruto Uzumaki!"

Zabuza was stunned for a moment at the genin's boldness, but then zabuza and his clone started laughing maniacally to the point that afterwards both himself and the clone were breathless, "You know kid you got guts I'll give you that! In fact you remind me of a kid I once knew long ago back when I was still an academy student."

Naruto eyes opened wide in shock, "You went to a ninja academy?!"

"Of course it was just under 20 years ago when I graduated my ninja academy at 8 years old and among the many students of my class there was a kid just like you, he was my partner, and I nearly forgot just how great it felt killing him!" Zabuza shivered in excitement.

"H-he was your... W-why in the world would you kill him he was your comrade?!" Naruto managed a broken yell.

"Foolish brat don't you know why Kirigakure has been bestowed the title of the blood mist village." Zabuza asked, "Well listen future hokage, the reason why is because in Kirigakure the finale exam to become a Genin is to face another student in a fight to the death"

"To the death" all the Genin thought in terror.

"Here let me show you, watch!" Zabuza's clone laughed before weaving hand signs.

Blood mist illusion

Suddenly a new mist began forming around the Genin but it was blood red and none of them could move. Infront of them where zabuza once stood they saw a young boy walk into a building which had been labeled a ninja academy.

"In order to become a Genin children were pitted against each other in a battle of life or death, where the strong would rise and the weak would die!" Zabuza's voice echoed.

The vision the Genin were seeing shifted as they saw various things including several children taking test, sparing, and practicing. Then it shifted as the Genin watched as two classmates fought each other with the victory beating the loser into a bloody corpse unrecognizable. "Just imagine that children being raised and nurtured to become ninja together only for the rules to change during the finale exam where it's kill or be killed." Zabuza continued narrating.

Once again the scene shifted as the Genin saw a young boy with black hair that looked vaguely similar to naruto, "The person I was supposed to face was a lot like you brat, he was a loud, talkative, and determined boy with big dreams. He was older than me and around your age, we shouldn't have even been in the same class but due to my impeccable talent I was immediately put into the soon to be graduating class at the age of 8." zabuza's voice boomed in the background.

Once again the scene changed as the Genin once again see the young boy from the beginning, and as his narration continues they realize the boy was zabuza. Then they move onto the day of the finale exam and watch in horror as zabuza at the age of 8 slaughtered his entire class, "Despite being by far the youngest and least experienced I was undoubtedly the strongest, but none of them believed and all of them doubted my abilities even my opponent. So when the day of the finale exam came I killed my partner, but I didn't stop there I killed everyone else in that years graduating class."

After all the madness and the bloodbath had past they saw the little boy slowly morph into the zabuza of today, "It felt so good! Soon word had spread at what I had accomplished all throughout Kirigakure and even the rest of the world. For my achievement I was given the title of the Demon of Kirigakure, and this blade. However my actions brought a light onto the faulty system that killing half the graduating students imposed on Kirigakure as a whole, and so after I became an official ninja the finale exam was permanently suspended."

Then Zabuza morphed again this time resembling a terrible ugly demon as naruto and sasuke begged for all the madness to end with the two grabbing kunai's and almost stabbing themselves, but we're both stopped after receiving punches from sakura.

Still feeling the sting naruto turned to sakura and looked at her hand. She had dislocated her pinky. Then all of a sudden a plan popped into his head as the sting from the punch slowly fizzled away.

Sakura was breathing heavily not only because of her dislocated pinky but because of how close they were to dying. She almost gave into the torment and manipulation of the genjutsu, but she remembered kakashi's words to her on the boat, "don't standstill and die, fight sakura! Fight to survive, Fight to for your dream!, My dream... Is to become a Legendary kunoichi and what kind of legend would I be if I ended it all!" Then with everything she had she was able to dislocate her finger breaking herself out of the genjutsu, "after all that's what they taught in class." She recalls.

After regaining her senses she came up with a plan to free kakashi and how to inform her teammates. She always had a natural affinity for genjutsu and it was time to put it to good use because when she punched naruto and sasuke on the surface it appears as though she was only breaking them out while in fact the vibrations her punch caused would eventually be heard by naruto and sasuke as actual words detailing her plan.

After a few seconds she made a thumbs up sign of her injured hand which signaled as a go ahead for the plan, after gazing at both their faces sakura knew she had them in agreement and prepared to execute the first stage of her plan.

She took a few steps forward and doing her best to hide her fear, "listen up, so called demon of Kirigakure I'm sure you think you have this in the bag" sakura stopped and snapped her fingers pointing at zabuza, "but underestimating us will be your demise!" Sakura then ducked as sasuke had thrown a massive shuriken at the water clone.

"Really that's your big plan! You fools you'll never hit me with a move like that" zabuza laughed.

Then just as the clone was about to catch the shuriken it bursted into a bunch of pink flowers, "A genjutsu but when... It was when that girl snapped her fingers, it was incredibly subtle and weak to the point I didn't even notice... I let my guard down against these kids."

While the clone realized his fate the real massive shuriken instead curved to the side and around the clone aiming for the real zabuza.

"You Genin are truly impressive, but I meant what I said" the real zabuza claimed as he caught the massive shuriken, "you'll never hit me with a move like that... Wait... Another one"

Away from zabuza's eye sasuke with incredible skill and precision threw another shuriken in the originals shadow making it virtually invisible.

"Damn kids, making things harder than they need too be. I'll make sure I grant you all miserable deaths, but I'm not gonna release your sensei you should've thought farther ahead. Zabuza thinks as he jumps over the shadow shuriken, "haha utter fools looks like your miserable plan failed... Wait why are they smiling and where's the blond one!"

Suddenly now behind zabuza the shadow shuriken turns back into naruto, revealing the Genin expected this, "No!" zabuza screams.

"Take this freak" naruto quips throwing a kunai in mid air at zabuza!

"Damn these brats" he muttered releasing his water prison to dodge the kunai. Now deeply angered zabuza quickly attempts to throw his shuriken at the falling naruto but before he can throw it, kakashi grabs his arm and punches him in the chest sending him flying several feet away.

Naruto still dazed at what just happened is greeted face to face with kakashi who grabs him quickly blitzing him back towards sasuke and sakura, "All of you... Thank you, you saved me, yourselves, and the mission... I won't fail this time." Kakashi promised as zabuza's clone dissolves into water after being cut in half by kakashi.

Zabuza grinned in annoyance, "I should've just killed those damn kids be damned, all of it be damned"

Water style: Hidden Mist Jutsu

Lightning style: Quick Blade

Soon the mist returned but to his surprise despite lowering his chakra output to blend in with the mist kakashi somehow found him, "Impossible!" He yelled barely blocking kakashi blade, "He's adapted to the mist, but how?! ... It doesn't matter... All that matters is that he can see me somehow, and if he can than all this mist is doing is weighing me down. It's extremely effective but robs me of much of my chakra and if he found a way to see through it then I'm better off without it"

Then zabuza deactivated the mist returning much of his scattered chakra, "No more games! We'll settle this the old fashioned way!" Zabuza thought as the two charged at each other at full speed.

The two clashed multiple times, but it soon became clear that zabuza slower but stronger strikes were inferior to kakashi's faster and more precise strikes. Kakashi was even able to squeeze a few cuts past the demon's defenses onto zabuza's body.

To the Genin who couldn't perceive the battle at all it seemed as though two tornadoes were battling for dominance.

"Damnit all! I'm gonna lose a this rate... Think... Very well looks like I have no choice but to reveal some of my other jutsu's" the demon reasoned.

Water style: Water Dragon

Zabuza once finishing the Jutsu saw kakashi perform the same jutsu simultaneously.

Then out of thin air two bodies of water were being created and soon two massive dragons were formed from the water and clashed ending in a stalemate with both jutsu collapsing.

After the failure of his water dragon zabuza immediately charged through it's remains and to his surprise kakashi did the same.

Earth style: Harden Blade

When kakashi and zabuza's swords clash the earth shook, the wind was raging, and the water that was used to create the water dragons was blown away. With all their strength the two Jonin pushed their blades against each other for dominance, with the pressure causing the earth below to break and add more intensity to the already enraged wind.

Water style: water blade

Suddenly kakashi's blade had changed and to zabuza great surprise kakashi's blade was now longer and made of water, but the biggest surprise was that the blade was passing straight through.

Caught completely off guard at the fact kakashi's blade practically phased through his own blade, zabuza received a mash slash to the chest.

After getting cut zabuza jumps back several feet, "agh, damn kakashi, who would've thought he still had more just... What am I thinking he's the copy ninja he likely has a hundred more moves!... Calm down this wasn't a regular jutsu, it specifically affected the blade. So far I've seen that blade be infused with earth, lightning, and water so it's not impossible... No it's certain they can also be infused with wind and fire. This isn't good... I need to end this now!" Zabuza ends his thoughts with a roar.

Then zabuza begins forming hand signs but his eyes pop in shock seeing kakashi practically mirror his movements and as he slowed down kakashi also slowed down also mirroring his speed. Then from behind kakashi zabuza saw a shadowy figure, and upon further inspection he realizes the figure was himself, "It's me? How could it be... What the!"

Water style: Concussive Wave

In disbelief zabuza watched as kakashi had done the Jutsu before even he had, as he was caught by the powerful wave of water sent his way completely engulfing him and dragging him far away where he crashed on a tree.

"He's copying my jutsu before I even complete it, can he read my mind or... Ahhh" zabuza shrieked in pain as multiple kunai hit him, some on his arms, others on his chest, a few on his shoulders, and several on his legs.

Now covered in blood and greatly injured, he sees kakashi above him standing on a tree branch, "H-how were you able to see through my mist? I-i must know before the end.."

Kakashi grunts pointing at his nose, "There is more than one way to see zabuza, and I'm sure you know it quite well too"

After realizing what he meant zabuza chuckles, "One more thing... Can your sharingan... Can it see into the future?"

"Yes... This is your last battle" kakashi says coldly holding out a kunai ready to finish zabuza off.

Then suddenly two needles pierce zabuza's neck from an outside force, leaving the Genin as well as kakashi stunned.

From the distance a person in a mask with more needles in their hands spoke in a soft voice, "You were right that was his last battle."

"A tracker, from Kirigakure nonetheless... What are the odds" kakashi replied aloud, "judging by their voice they must be the same age as the rest of my Genin perhaps a little older. However by just a look I can tell... They're strong."

Meanwhile naruto's mouth was wide with shock, "He took zabuza out with one blow... How! Why!"

"I've been tracking zabuza for a long time, and thanks to you my mission is finally complete." The tracker thanks with a bow.

Naruto grits his teeth before stepping up a pointing at the tracker, "Who do you think you are! And a tracker, please that's probably just some lame cover so that you can come here and... and..." naruto couldn't even form words as he clenched his fist while breathing heavily.

"Naruto..." sakura said softly, "they are a tracker just look at they're mask, you can tell by the markings on it. Trackers are elite ninja that are assigned with missions to eliminate rogue ninja that come from their village. They do this because rogue ninja carry all types of secrets, the secrets of their people, so trackers are sent to track down these ninja and eliminate them, that way the secrets of their people remain secret."

"Shut up I don't need an explanation that's besides the point!" Naruto roared quieting sakura, "Don't you get it zabuza was toying with use and it took everything we had to just trick him into releasing kakashi sensei! Hell sasuke was said to be incredibly talented for his age yet he would be practically useless in a real fight against zabuza! And this kid who's our age took him down like nothing! What does that make us! What have we been doing all this, that we are here being toyed with and they are there actually battling and finishing the job! H-have we just been wasting our time, while they've actually been getting stronger!"

From behind kakashi placed a hand on naruto's shoulder, "Well whether you except it or not, it did still happen naruto. Listen well naruto in the shinobi world you'll encounter some crazy things, for instance we've found a kid who's as young as you, yet stronger than me."

The tracker from the tree vanishes as they land at zabuza's location, "I must deal with the remains now, farewell" the tracker bids

Naruto falls on his knees and punches the floor, "Why am I so weak"

Sasuke eyes were popped open in fury as he clenched his fist harder than he's ever done before, "sasuke was said to be incredibly talented for his age yet he would be practically useless in a real fight against zabuza!, Useless... I-i no he's not right... But he is what does that make use! Why am I not that strong! Why!

Sakura was stunned at naruto's, "Your no wrong by any means naruto, but for what we did I'd say that we did good even if we didn't excell, we didn't fail, isn't that what counts" sakura thought not daring to say aloud.

Kakashi sighed as he looked up on his shaken genin and he covered his sharingan, "Alright come on this is no time to relax we have to keep on..." Suddenly kakashi felt immensely exhausted causing him to collapse to the floor.

The naruto screamed, "Kakashi sensei!"

Kakashi's Blade

"Iruka sensei, Iruka sensei"

"Oh hey what's up naruto"

"I wanted to ask you why does kakashi's blade change color"

"Well naruto I really don't feel comfortable sharing another person's secrets."

"Don't worry I'll explain it myself" kakashi interrupts

"Kakashi sensei!"

"Quiet and listen naruto. So on the surface my blade is a blade, after all that's what it is, but it's special in the sense that unlike most blades when you infuse it with a nature transformation instead of being coated in the nature chakra, it absorbs and becomes one with the nature chakra. For instance when I infuse it with earth it becomes harder than stone and impossible to break, and when i infuse it with lightning I can swing it faster."

"Wow kakashi sensei thanks for the information, but wait what are nature transformations?"

"Sorry naruto but I'm out of time, I'll tell you another time goodbye everyone."

Responding to Mastercheif1229: Hey Glad you're enjoying the story and I wanted to say I'm sorry about my error in not capitalizing names auto correct always capitalizes them after I write names. it's really annoying and I'm sorry if it bugs you. I've tried to do better with capitalization but I'm not exactly a grammar expert so yeah. Again sorry if It's annoying to read I try my best. Also thank you for enjoying the story.

Responding to sammy girl99: Hey so I get your concerns about sakura and I hope this chapter addressed some of your concerns. I often watch the anime (cause I'm to poor to buy the manga sad) to refresh my memory on what exactly happens. I will say I did notice that sakura tried to guard the bridge builder and I choose to cut it because of this chapter specifically. I wanted to get sakura to a low point (like naruto) so that when she has her moment in this chapter she really shines. And I like to think I was somewhat successful but that's for future me to find out. Anyways thanks you for your feedback much appreciated.

Alright so I'm I'm fairly confident that this is my longest chapter by far and by my god was it exhausting to complete, but I did it. Also I'd like to say I was originally gonna make the zabuza and kakashi fight more complex but decided against it cause I wanted to release this chapter within the next year.

So yeah I hope you all enjoyed! Be sure to Follow, Favorite, and Comment if your so inclined. I'd like to here some more feedback it really helps.