Chapter 9: Wrath of the Hurricane
Naruto and Haku were almost at the bridge and they could see the battle had already begun, with neither side having any advantage nor, what they could see, gained any ground.
"How are we to stop this battle, Naruto-san?" Haku asked.
"Simple," He replied. "we ask them nicely."
"Eh?!" Haku exclaimed in disbelief. "That's it?"
"Yep, pretty much. What? Did you think I was going to jump in there into the middle of it and display you like you're a hostage?"
"Well, it did come to mind."
"Did you already forget that you're not a hostage, but an active part of this plan to stop it?"
"... I'm still bound." Haku pointed out, raising the bound hands to emphasize the point.
Naruto's look of realization before sheepishly cutting the bonds had Haku laughing lightly at his near-blunder.
"Right, now that that's done..." Naruto said as he turned around to the fight and promptly hollered. "HEY, YOUU GUYYYYSS!"
Haku, hands now freed, couldn't prevent to facepalm at that absurd call.
The fight did stop however, due to everyone's faces displaying incredulity at the odd call in the middle of a life and death struggle. Haku supposed that it did the trick at least.
"Yeah, hi! You guys can stop fighting! It's all unnecessary now!" Naruto continued as they kept approaching.
Blinking in bewilderment, Zabuza took only a brief moment to notice that Haku was with the black-clad and masked nin he fought with not too long ago, unrestrained.
"Haku." Zabuza said darkly, eyes narrowing. "What is the meaning of this? Why aren't you killing that guy? He's left himself wide open!"
Haku's head shook in response. "I will not Zabuza-sama. Things have changed dramatically."
Unfortunately, this statement landed wrongly in his ears. "So you choose now to betray me." Zabuza stated in anger and disappointment.
"No! That is not what is going on, master!" Haku exclaimed, using an address not so often used in order to convey the honesty in the claim.
"Then what?!" Zabuza demanded as he and Asuma came to an unspoken agreement of cease-hostilities. The other combatants soon followed suit. The brothers jumping back behind Zabuza, ready for anything. Hinata and Chouji did likewise behind Asuma.
"Zabuza-sama, I sprung the trap as planned, but Ghost-san here and the samurai captain he managed to release fought myself and the assembled mercenaries and managed to win that battle. However, instead of executing me, as was their right as victors, they spared me and informed me of a despicable plot made by Gato against us."
The scowl on Zabuza's face was vicious. The brothers merely looked at one another in confusion.
Asuma's group did likewise, understanding that things are about to be decided in the next few moments.
"What has that worm concocted now? And why should I believe it anyway? This came from the mouth of our enemy." The missing Mist nin growled menacingly.
"Do you honestly think that Gato is the kind of swine to keep his end of a bargain if he didn't have some kind of other option, especially if he can save some money?" Naruto pointed out. "Look, I snuck about the other day in the mansion and snooped around in Gato's office and his safe in the basement. I found evidence, which I can show to you if you'll let me, that tells of Gato's disappointment in your services and plans to eliminate you in order to avoid having to pay you."
"Zabuza-sama, I feel that this is has merit. It would be well within his power and his personality matches the claim." Haku added. "And as you can see for yourself, Ghost-san released me as a sign of good faith."
Zabuza found himself agreeing with Haku's observation and the claim from the black ninja. And if it was true, than this fight was meaningless. Looking into Asuma's eyes he searched for his thoughts on the matter.
Asuma knew what Zabuza was searching for. "We would be willing to stop fighting if you are. As Ghost-san pointed out, all this is unnecessary now."
Zabuza then remembered something. "Oi, you!" He called, pointing his massive sword at Naruto. "Why are you doing all this? What's in it for you? I know of no ninja that would be this generous! I once believe that you were a separate faction in this mess. But now, I think you're in fact in cahoots with these tree-huggers."
Asuma's group wondered how Naruto would respond to this without revealing anything.
Naruto himself casually replied. "I may be a ninja on a mission, but does that mean I have to be a cold-hearted monster 24/7, in all situations? We are human beings first, shinobi second. If I can act outside my mission with kindness, I will, or I fear I will become a heartless monster."
Laughing derisively, Zabuza spoke. "A naive sentiment. A shinobi is a weapon, a tool. They have to be without emotion and nothing but effective killers in order to do their jobs as they should. You wont get far in this world with that kind of attitude."
"Bullshit!" Naruto replied angrily. "For one, you show emotion and act on them. In fact, shinobi display and act on them on a daily basis. Some even get very far due to gaining strength from them. The Shodai Hokage of Konoha being a prime example of strength through love. The Raikage a notoriously bad tempered but are fearsome warriors due to their anger and skill. Need I go on?
Haku here has emotions and is a kind soul and would rather avoid having to fight or cause harm, yet has come this far under your tutelage. So, nope. Your argument is invalid, no-brows."
Zabuza snarled in anger at the little pipsqueak daring to lecture him. Asuma was partly amused but mostly nervous at Naruto riling up the dangerous missing nin. 'Tone it down, Naruto, or we'll be right back where we started.' He thought.
To his relief, however, Zabuza started to chuckle and even outright laugh, though still not in a jovial way.
"Kid, you've got some balls. And I am guilty as charged. I do use some emotions, more than I should, but I also kill other emotions just as easily as I kill people. That's why I'm successful as a ninja."
"But are you successful as a human being?" Naruto asked.
The glare thrown his was so dark that Naruto wondered if he hadn't said too much. "I'm not a human being, I'm a demon, a killer, a shinobi."
"Yeah, yeah. 'I'm badass and eat genin for breakfast and pick my teeth with their bones' and all that." Naruto said nonchalantly. "Look, we can have this argument all day, but we have a situation to clear up right now. What's your answer?"
Zabuza kept on being both angered and impressed at the same time at the gall this kid dared to show him, especially when he tried to strike a deal with him. Despite it all, he started to get some respect for him.
"No matter how much I'd like to gut you for your disrespect, brat. I have to admit that I believe your claim." He then turned his eyes to Asuma. "Our quarrel is over, Asuma. Your Genin can stop wetting their undies now." He said with dark humor. "Gozu, Meizu, stand down. We're done here."
"Hinata, Chouji, you can stand down now." Asuma commanded, relaxing his entire posture.
Chouji and Hinata relaxed themselves as well. Tazuna was crying silently in utmost relief.
'Well done, Naruto-kun.' Hinata thought with great pride. Chouji made a thumbs up behind his back at Naruto.
Haku noticed it, but didn't say anything.
"So, you've finally shown your true colors, Zabuza." Came the voice of Gato from the direction of the unfinished part of the bridge.
Turning to face the man, the group find more than the magnate. They found a large band of mercs and pirates with brandished weapons, ready to attack.
"Yes." Zabuza replied, snarling. "I've betrayed you, but you betrayed me first, you filthy swine."
"So you found out, did you?" Gato said, uncaring. "Well, that is no matter. I never liked you or your 'services' anyway. You've failed me too many times for me to want to pay you. So I've decided to... strike you from my salary list."
"You must realize that you have no chance, Gato!" Asuma tried to reason the man into surrendering. "We're ninja and we'll handle your men easily."
The thugs bristled at the claim. "Under normal circumstances, perhaps you would." Gato agreed. "However, you have already tired yourselves out with your fighting. Enough for my men to take you out." He said further and ended his speech with a firm tap of his cane on the bridge, signaling the attack.
The thugs were not as dumb as one first would think. Some brought long ranged weaponry to the scene in the form of bows.
'Shit! There's no cover anywhere, we're sitting ducks!' Asuma thought. Due to Tazuna, they had no means to evade the coming volley without sacrificing Tazuna. Then again, once they fell, Tazuna would still die.
"Get behind me, Tazuna!" Asuma ordered. He hoped he could at least deflect the arrows like to many other kunai and shuriken he's deflected before. "The rest of you, defend yourselves!"
Zabuza had his sword that could double as a barrier if he hid behind it, Haku had the ice mirrors to cover behind. The brothers and the Genin had to rely on their kunai and speed to avoid getting hit.
The first volley came and everyone managed to deflect the arrows. However, Naruto noticed that one of the thugs carried some stick like object and was... aiming it along with the archers? Whatever it was, it was some kind of dangerous weapon. It was aimed at Zabuza, who was preparing to charge the mob instead of hiding behind his sword.
"Zabuza! Watch out!" He cried out as he leaped towards him. A sharp bang was heard.
In the adrenaline induced state, everything was happening as in slow-motion for pretty much all ninja. Zabuza noticed the weapon too late and it fired before he could react. However, right as the muzzle of the experimental matchlock gun from the Land of Snow exploded, propelling the bullet at him, he saw the one called Ghost sailing through the air in his peripheral vision. He entered his field of view, blocking his view of the mob. His eyes widened as he noticed the telltale sign of something hitting him as he flew by. A few small drops of blood landed on his mask and where his eyebrows would have been. Ghost continued his trajectory, which led him over the side of the bridge and down into the depths deep below. He barely had the presence of mind to once again cover himself from the arrows that flew at him.
"NOOOOOO!" Hinata screamed as she ran towards the side Naruto fell over. She ran past Zabuza, behind his sword so the arrows didn't hit her.
"Hinata! Get back here!" Asuma ordered, despite being very upset himself over the apparent loss of Naruto.
Chouji was shocked and almost was struck with arrows if Haku hadn't intervened and conjured up an ice mirror to cover him as well.
"I hate to have to tell you this now, but you must forget him for now and focus on staying alive." Haku said harshly. 'Why did you do that, Ghost-san?' Haku then thought, completely shocked internally.
Chouji then became real angry for the loss of his friend, but did indeed focus enough on the fight. He would deal with the loss later, once he made the enemy pay for what they've done.
Hinata leaned over the edge, trying to get some kind of sign of where Naruto landed and if he would resurface.
Nothing, not a sign except the barely visible remnants of the impact point, already being erased by the waves.
Zabuza didn't know what came over him, but he jumped and covered not only himself but Hinata as well as the next volley came.
"Listen here, little girl!" He growled in anger. "I don't know who he is to you, but are you really gonna make his death mean nothing by getting yourself killed?!"
Hinata wanted dearly to jump over the edge and dive after the love of her life, leaving the battle and all the responsibilities of the world behind in order to save him. But she reigned herself in, barely. She knew Naruto wouldn't approve of leaving her friends and comrades behind, even for him. She vowed to search for him as soon as the fight was over. And she wouldn't stop until she found him, dead or alive.
'No! He wont die, he just can't die!' She admonished herself for even harboring that thought, brief though it was. 'Not before he becomes Hokage, not before I let him know of my feelings for him!'
Her resolve renewed. She turned back to the battle, anger in her eyes, tears of pain building up and being shed as she went.
"Well, well. One down, seven to go." Gato mocked.
"You're the next one to go, Gato, right after I slaughter your pathetic, cowardly mob of goons." Zabuza promised darkly.
"I will admit that you seem to be strong enough to put up some fight after all. Ninjas sure are impressive, but far from invincible." Gato said. "So, I will end things now, both practically and symbolically."
"What are you talking about?" Asuma asked, not liking the sound of that.
"I very well can't allow this symbol of hope stand even if I manage to have Tazuna murdered. All it will do is inspire further resistance to my rule if Tazuna is allowed to be a martyr. But his would be martyrdom will collapse along with the bridge if I destroy it. Towards that end, I have improvised a wrecking crew of sorts." Gato then produced a small radio. "Fire at will, Captain. Just remember to avoid firing at the very end of the bridge."
"Oh shit!" Zabuza exclaimed, looking very shaken. "All of you! Get ready, we've got incoming!"
A shark was gracefully patrolling its territory. It sensed a disturbance in the water, soon followed by the intoxicating scent of blood. It knew that a meal had presented itself. Instinctively knowing that the wounded prey was not going anywhere, it leisurely swam towards the source of the blood, a large piece of meat the size of a medium sized seal.
Blackness. Soothing blackness that took one away from the worries and labors of the world. Naruto had just come to know this blackness and groggily thought that it was pleasant. His consciousness was about to fade away when a voice made itself heard, a gentle yet powerful and authoritative voice.
"Naruto-kun. Wake up. You must rouse yourself. Awaken!"
Instantly, Naruto's eyes flew open. He took in his surroundings. He was in a dark and damp chamber of some sort. Judging from the ceiling pipes that occasionally dripped what he assumed was water onto the floor, he was in some kind of basement or even sewer. The poor illumination of the chamber was just enough to make things out, but not in great detail.
He spotted something that appeared to be a series of humongous metal poles set in rows. It instantly clicked in his mind that they made up bars of a prison or cage. But what could they be containing?
Naruto's steadily clearing mind made the connection a few moments later. Only one kind of thing could warrant a cage of this magnitude. A great tailed beast. And since he knew only one beast resided within him, he knew it was the Nine Tailed Fox, Kurama.
Also recalling that a voice, which he assumed was Kami, that called to him from somewhere, he spoke out loud.
"I'm here, I'm awake as you wanted. Where are you?"
A rumbling and massive and deep growling came from behind the titanic bars in front of him.
Before long, a massive silhouette came closer to the bars, finally revealing the gargantuan creature of destruction that was the fox spirit.
Baring its teeth in a vicious snarl, Kurama spoke.
"I hardly imagined my first meeting with my jailor to start this way, with you stating nonsense. I have not called for you, nor asked you awake, little ningen fool."
Staring defiantly back at his prisoner, Naruto bravely dismissed Kurama's statement with a flippant wave, saying.
"I wasn't talking to you, fox."
Perplexed and insulted at the attitude shown by the tiny boy on the other side of the bars, Kurama barked out in threat.
"Do not think for a moment that these bars will keep you safe forever, child! One day I will break free and then I will show you the full measure of agony for your impudence! And who else would you talk to in here but me anyway?"
"Pfeh!" Naruto scoffed at Kurama's threat. "The seal has held this long, it will hold until the day I die, but before that happens, I will have found a solution for you."
"A solution for me, you say?" Kurama made a booming chuckle. "Do you plan to destroy me? Seal me away forever in some secret hideaway or even banish me from the mortal plains? And you still did not answer my question of who you were talking to besides me?"
"To answer your last question, I think you'll find out sooner than you think. As for the first one, no. I know I can't destroy you, no matter what I would try. But I wouldn't try anyway, even if there was a chance to find such a method."
Kurama raised an inquisitive brow when he heard that.
"I see, then you must be seeking a way to conquer me or tame me in order to have unrestricted and unimpeded access to my powers like the power hungry worms that you are."
Now it was Naruto's turn to cock an eyebrow at the fox's attitude. "You really don't have a high opinion of us humans, do you?"
The fox was about to tell him just what makes him hate humans so much when Naruto continued.
"I can't say that I blame you, we are capable of so much evil it's staggering to say the least." Naruto said with a sad shrug of his shoulders. "But we're also capable of great acts of good too, you know."
"I have little reason to believe humans capable of great acts of good when I have seen nary an act of good that mattered from the humans who are in position to act. Small acts of good are insignificant, only great ones stand out and do anything of value, and no one is willing to do it."
"And yet, small acts of good are all the more important for those who have known nothing of good in their lives, Kurama. And that makes them great acts of good." Said Kami, whose presence was marked on the ceiling with a gray cloud with a slightly glowing center.
"Hi, Pops!" Naruto greeted jovially. "Nice of you to join us."
Utterly flummoxed by the absolutely bohemian way of greeting the creator of the universe, Kurama was speechless. He even momentarily forgot to respond to Kami as he regarded the boy as if he was a lunatic.
A pleasant laugh was Naruto's response. "Greetings, Naruto-kun. I am pleased that you have awoken."
"Yeah, you called me so what could I do but get up?" Naruto joked. "But why am I here?"
"I, too, would like to know that." Kurama said, finally regaining his faculties.
"The reason is because Naruto-kun has a choice to make momentarily. A choice, which will affect many things in the present as well as the future."
"Wow, no pressure or anything." Naruto remarked. Wait, pressure? "Hang on! The last thing I remembered was being hit with some kind of weapon and falling into the sea!" Naruto told the two other beings present in panic.
"What's happening right now?! Pops!" Naruto demanded in his distress.
"At this moment, you are bleeding and steadily sinking into the depths beneath the bridge of Wave. Your friends and allies are still battling on the bridge and are about to face a lethal danger."
"Lethal danger! I can't waste any time in here! I've gotta get back to the outside and not only save myself from drowning, I gotta help them fight!"
"Fighting and killing. Pah! That's all you humans do, aside from consuming the world's resources and breeding like rabbits."
"Considering that you're a beast of destruction and anger, I thought that first part would be right up your alley, you mangy critter!" Naruto bit back.
Slamming the bars with his entire body, to no avail, the fox roared in anger. "MY ANGER IS RIGHTEOUS AND MY RETRIBUTION JUST! Humans deserve nothing less than to be exterminated for being the vile vermin that they are!
Naruto suddenly felt something like vibrations, but couldn't tell what it was until he witnessed Kurama, the nine tailed fox of anger and destruction suddenly cower and whimper as if he was in pain or utter fear, perhaps it was both.
"Stay your tongue, Kurama. Do not speak above your place. Only My anger and retribution are righteous and just. You may be the spawn of My beloved pet, but that does NOT make you equal to him, much less Me, nor does your considerable might make your decisions arbitrarily right. Humans are guilty of grave crimes against My laws, but I will not eradicate them all."
Whining almost pitifully, Kurama still found a defiant voice to talk back. "You are speaking nonsense! How can You not want to cleanse the world of their defiling presence? You said so Yourself, they are guilty of crimes against You and Your laws!"
"So are you, Kurama."
That simple sentence struck home in the fox, this was visible even to Naruto.
"HOW?! All I've done is being shackled and caged like the lower lifeforms of this world. I am a VICTIM!" Kurama howled in anger and sorrow of being condemned like that. Naruto couldn't help but feel for him.
Kami's voice was softer now, the angry tone from before lessened. "You have indeed. But there was a couple of instances in which you were used for evil and insidious schemes. I am speaking of the times you were fighting for Madara Uchiha and when you attacked Konoha a little over a decade ago."
Kurama's face showed his recollection of the mentioned events. "But those times I was being controlled against my will, by HUMANS! I may despise humans and their vile ways but I left them alone and lived in solitude. I was not in control of my own actions when that thrice cursed Madara invaded my lair to take control of me!"
"Which is why I have not had you destroyed, because you were not solely responsible. You performed the actual acts, but there was a puppeteer behind it all. That is why I have not exacted my judgment upon you, Kurama. That said, you have harbored thoughts against the crown of my creation, thoughts of darkness that has corrupted you."
"Corrupted me?! Are you saying I am in the wrong to hate evil, to despise the darkness that inhabits the world?!"
"No. For I too hate the darkness and evil within the world. But, I will not punish the innocent and good hearted along with the wicked and foul, both for their sakes as well as the sake of my name. If one punishes indiscriminately in the name of justice, is it truly justice? Is the punisher better than the convicted in that case?"
Kurama remained silent.
"Your heart may have been in the right place, Kurama, but it was guided and fueled by anger and hatred. Neither of which were tempered by wisdom. Neither of which were guided by love. Anger and even hatred are not of evil, for I too can be angered and I too hate evil. But they are frequently used by the enemy to advance their goals, for humans are susceptible to their base emotions and lack the capacity to properly guide themselves. And that is why I am willing to show My mercy towards humanity just as I have shown it towards you, Kurama, for they are being tempted and misguided by the opposition."
Kurama remained lying down and whimpered softly in submission, but Kami saw that the anger within his heart remained, but there was some understanding there now as well.
"Now, Kurama, I now bid you to aid Naruto-kun in his fight and his future struggles, as a way of atoning for your actions. Be aware that this chance is not lightly given and thus not often given to any being, much less a creature originated from heaven.
And Naruto-kun." Kami addressed the boy. "Fret not, time in here passes by in a very slow pace compared to the outside world. Barely a few seconds has passed in fact. Once you regain consciousness out there, you shall indeed fight for your friend and for Wave. But your choice that you have to make is to whether you shall execute the one behind all this, or become like an unstoppable hurricane and bring justice to the men under him."
"Um... you make it sound as if both are mutually exclusive." Naruto pointed out. Kurama actually found himself agreeing with the boy.
"They are not, but you must choose the role you deem the best for you in this case. Before you leave, however. I must give you a warning. I have commanded Kurama to aid you, but that does not mean that utilizing his aid is without cost nor risk. As I have lectured to Kurama, hatred and anger unguided, no matter how seemingly justified, will lead to suffering and misery and that in turn will give birth to more evil. Kurama's heart is still full of anger, very potent and hazardous anger. Do not let it master you, for it will make you desire violence and blood indiscriminately. Master it instead with wisdom and love, only then can you harness the power and use it for good."
"I... do not feel like I'm ready." Naruto honestly said.
"And already you display wisdom." Kami said kindly. "Do you love your friends?"
"Yes, that's a given." Naruto replied resolutely.
"Then for their sakes, reign in the anger and hatred you will undoubtedly have to face in your lifetime, it will be key to many victories and vital to the survival of your friends."
Bending down to one knee in the traditional submissive pose used by shinobi in face of their superiors, Naruto spoke. "I vow to temper my anger and reign in my hatred with wisdom and love, I vow to use this power granted by you and Kurama for good and to not let it overwhelm me."
"How conceited. Your vow is already made void, because it was made in arrogance. No human can handle my raw power." Kurama commented.
"And he wont have to handle it alone. I, Myself, have vowed to stand with Naruto-kun and lend him My wisdom, love and strength." Kami said, nullifying Kurama's argument. "That, however, is no guarantee that all you do will be supported by Me. If you intend to go against my will, you will have to do so without my aid. And the consequences will not be to your liking. But, if you do, and later see the error of your ways, then my aid will be yours once again. But any consequences of your actions will still have to be endured. Do I make Myself perfectly understood?"
Head still bowed, Naruto answered. "Yes, Kami-sama." He then rose and looked at Kurama with cautious respect. "We may have gotten off on the wrong foot to start with. But I hope we can work together and find common ground. Will you try along with me?"
Giving a glance towards the presence of Kami, obscured in the cloud as He was, Kurama looked back towards Naruto.
"I still think you're a puny and pathetic weakling. But I am commanded to help you, so that's a given. As for finding common ground, I seriously doubt that to be possible." Glancing again at the cloud, he finished saying, "Let's simply agree to work with one another and see where our partnership will bring us."
Naruto nodded in acceptance. "Arigatou, Kurama-san."
"Kurama-dono." Demanded the fox.
"Kurama." Kami warned, accompanied with a thunderous rumble.
"Fine, fine." Kurama conceded, his ears folded in submission.
"The time has come, Naruto-kun. Wake up and choose!"
"What do you mean 'Incoming'?" Chouji asked, not knowing the danger the Mist nin referred to.
Asuma knew, and he also knew that pretty much no matter what they tried, they were pretty much screwed.
Hinata also knew, and she confirmed it with her Byakugan. Three pirate ships little more than a kilometer off the side of the bridge had lined themselves up, for barrages of full broadsides cannon fire.
The sight of the firing cannons came before the sound, immediately followed by the chaos of impacting rounds and exploding pieces of bridge. Miraculously, no one in the target area, Tazuna and the ninja, were injured above scrapes from the flying debris. But there were more coming. And no part of the bridge was safe, they were targeting the whole thing except the part where Gato stood. But Gato was either a lucky fool or a shrewd planner if he took into account that the ninja trying to make a break for his and his men's position would find it next to impossible trying to evade incoming cannon fire without getting hit by arrows. And whoever survived the trip would be of diminished fighting capacity. Gato could very well win this, and his hold over Wave would be secured.
Suddenly, a great, violent explosion erupted off of the side of the bridge. An explosion so great that it could not have been caused by a mere cannon ball. It resulted in a pillar of water to gush into the air, high enough for the people on the bridge to see it without leaning over the side. Gato and his men clamored in alarm. Asuma, who stood relatively close to a blasted part of the side of the bridge, took a few quick steps to investigate what that was. Apparently, everyone else, even the enemies, had the same idea and did the same.
Once the pillar of water fell back into the sea it came from, they spotted an orange, nebulous, unidentified object under the surface heading towards the pirate ships.
After the feeling of being catapulted into consciousness subsided after only a second, Naruto became aware of the fact he was underwater, face up. The water was made a little murky due to his own blood.
[Youtube: Emperor: Battle for Dune Defenders of Arrakis]
'Ok, so now what?' He thought to himself. He was about to start swimming to the surface for air, when saw, despite the diminished clarity of the water, some orange flashes on what he knew was the bridge, the top of the bridge. It was soon followed by stony debris hitting the water and sinking past him rapidly.
'What is happening? What are those flashes?' He thought in alarm.
"Those are explosions from cannonballs fired at the bridge from pirate ships, Naruto-kun." Explained Kami.
'No! Hinata, Chouji, Asuma and the others are up there! I've got to stop this!'
"Time to make the choice, Naruto-kun. Will you become a vengeful hurricane and stop the pirates or will you be the blade of justice and bring the man called Gato to his doom?"
'I have already promised Ronin-san that he would be that blade. Besides, taking him out is no guarantee the rest will fold just like that anywa. I choose to become a hurricane so I can protect my friends right now!'
"You have chosen wisely. Kurama, lend him your power. Naruto-kun, bring swift and terrible vengeance upon the pirates, leave no ship afloat!" Kami commanded.
'With pleaSURE!' Naruto replied in his mind as he felt some kind of transformation take place upon him.
The shark was almost upon its prey when suddenly it sensed immense power and ferocity explode from the thing. The thing made a snarl so ferocious that it caused a shockwave in the water. Instinct is a marvelous mechanic, it serves the animal kingdom well. The self-preservation instinct took hold and swiftly guided the shark away from the prey-turned-apex predator.
Naruto's body was engulfed in a bubbly veil of raw power, but as Kami warned, it was also full of raw, immense anger and hatred. Naruto's love for his friends and the fact he knew just where to direct the anger allowed him to remain in control of his mind. Also, unknown to him, Kami was there to take away the edge of the power's dangerous part, allowing Naruto to more easily cope with it.
Not noticing that the lack of air was no longer an issue, Naruto nevertheless let out a mighty roar of righteous anger before swimming rapidly, faster than a torpedo, towards the unsuspecting pirates.
Naruto's roar caused the water to explode upwards, resulting in the people above the surface unknowingly witnessing the terrible power of a roar underwater from a divinely powered, angry ninja.
The pirates, who were reloading for another barrage, all had to pause at the awesome breach event by the bridge.
"What the hell was that?!" Called a sailor.
"Captain! There be water pillars off to port!"
"I can see that myself, you ignoramus!"
"Captain! There be fish in the water off to port!"
"Just how much sake have you been imbibing you imbecile! Of course there are fish in water!"
"I be sober as the Captain, Sir! But the fish I be seeing is no fish I be knowin'!
The captain of the lead ship looked over the edge of his vessel and did indeed see the "fish" in question. However, it was no fish. Whatever it was, was making large waves in its wake as well as in front of it, making it hard to distinguish what the thing was. Producing a telescope, the Captain spotted the object in the water. Still obscured by the waves, the nebulous object did appear to be glowing in burnt orange, making the wave itself seem like a living thing, a wave with an eye. A very angry wave. And it was closing in very, very fast.
"Shiver me bloody timbers..." The captain muttered in alarm. Recalling an old legend of the Wrath of the Hurricane. A force of nature that is said to consume ships at sea without a trace and without ships being aware of the event approaching.
"ALL HANDS, BRING ALL GUNS TO BEAR ON THAT THERE FISH! SIGNAL THE FLEET TO DO THE SAME!" The captain bellowed to his crew.
"HAI, SENCHOU!" The crew affirmed as one and calamity ensued as they scurried about to do their assigned part.
"Look, they're firing on the glowing wave thingy!" Chouji called out. Everyone on the bridge were transfixed on the events unfolding below.
Indeed, the ships were firing all that they had on the approaching threat. But it did nothing to even slow it down.
"Cap'n, we can't hit that fish, and it's about to hit us!" Called a distressed seaman. The nebulous object was about to strike. The captain muttered as his men abandoned ship.
"It is a good day to die..."
CRAAACK! BAM! BOOOOOM!
The ship cracked and creaked from the impact and subsequent penetration of the wooden hull before a mighty explosion erupted from the ship's powder storage, disintegrating the ship with all hands, the explosive wave also fataly injuring the men underwater.
Naruto himself, shielded from the shock and fire by his power shroud, used the shockwave to propel himself into the air, aiming at the next ship.
"Captain! INCOMING!"
CRASH! CREAAAK! BAM! SPLASH!
Naruto impacted like a comet, first through the main mast of the ship, which toppled over like a tree falling after the woodcutter has struck the final blow, impacting first onto the side of the ship before the other end landing in the water. Naruto got up from his landing spot, which was the rudder wheel. It had come off from the force and flew right into the face of the unfortunate captain, both the wheel and the captain fell into the sea, equally lifeless.
With eyes full of promise of violence and death, Naruto spoke a voice to match.
"Which one of you pitiful pests will die first?!"
One foolish pirate drew his sword and advanced on the black yet orange being in front of them. Before he managed to swing his weapon, Naruto pounced on him and tore his throat out with his clawed hand. Before the pirate had the chance to succumb to his wound, Naruto had grabbed his leg and swung him like a sling before throwing him at one group of pirates, downing them in one savage blow. Swords were of no use against someone impervious to comparatively weak strikes of mere civilian level brutes. The battle that ensued was bloody and gory. Soon, not a one save Naruto remained standing. The fools on the next ship thought to fire upon their now dead comrades' vessel in order to destroy it and hopefully take Naruto along with it.
Naruto leaped away from the ship just as it was utterly engulfed in flame, destroyed by the volley of round shots.
Swimming like a dolphin towards the final ship, Naruto burst up from the surface and landed on the deck. This time, he coldly ignored the pirates' and their attempts at killing him. Their blows glancing off him harmlessly as he slowly walked towards the hatch leading into the bowels of the ship.
"STOP HIM, HE MUST NOT REACH THE POWDER ROOM!" The captain hollered in panic.
But their efforts were for naught. Naruto reached the room effortlessly and ignited a trail of powder. The pirates desperately tried to extinguish the spark that would kill them all once it reached the keg. But Naruto held them back without strain and without remorse. Only pure, cold anger displayed on his face.
Sure enough, the keg exploded and the chain reaction it caused obliterated the once proud vessel and all hands.
[Youtube end]
The crowd witnessing the brutal destruction of the pirate fleet were in awe. The ninjas were not just horrified by the violent spectacle but also elated at the fact the major threat to their lives was eliminated. The other side were of the opposite opinion. They were scared by whatever took out their big guns, leaving them with the pissed off ninjas. But they were confident they had a fair chance of winning still.
"BRAVO! ONE MORE TIME!" Cheered and clapped, of all people, Zabuza like a fanboy, drawing the weirded out looks from everyone present. "What? Didn't you like the show?"
"Enough of this! Men, attack! Destroy them all!" Gato ordered in a shrill voice, tapping his cane on the ground rapidly like a petulant child.
But the arrival of a set of arrows in front of the thugs halted their advance. All present turned to behold a host of Samurai and villagers, and a couple of ninja, all angry and ready to fight.
Ronin stepped forward and called out to Gato and his thugs. "You are outnumbered and you have nowhere to run. Surrender and you will be given a fair trial!"
A fair trial, which means they were as good as dead anyway. That was the thought that ran through all their minds.
"We're done here, retreat to the boat men!" Gato ordered.
Only, as they were about to climb down towards their boat, said boat was broken in half by a masked boy enshrouded in burnt orange energy of some kind. Now that same boy was climbing up the ladder with murderous intent clear in his eyes.
With nowhere to run, and no hope of winning, the thugs decided to try their luck at the mercy of their captors' court and promptly threw down their weapons in surrender, to Gato's vehement protests.
Naruto came up from down below, and once he saw that victory was theirs, he calmed himself and his power receded and he was back to his old self.
Tazuna, seeing the downfall of Gato before his very eyes, turned to his people with jubilant eyes.
"My people! Today we have witnessed the liberation of WAVE!"
The people all cheered loudly and fervently.
During the following bustle, Hinata rushed to Naruto and embraced him with all she had. She whispered to him so no one else heard.
"Naruto-kun. I'm so glad you're alright." Her voice was trembling and her tears fell freely onto his shoulder.
"Sshhh. It's alright now, Hinata-chan." Naruto soothed, rubbing her back tenderly. He was sad that she had to go through with believing he had died, but the risk of death is an unavoidable part of shinobi life and there was no use in blaming himself for something he really can't do much about.
Asuma, Chouji, Shikamaru and Tenten approached, Naruto gently urged Hinata to let go for the upcoming act. "Well done, everyone. You especially, Ghost-san. We owe you a lot." Asuma said formally with a bow, keeping with the image of unfamiliarity.
"My pleasure, Asuma-san." Naruto said humbly, with a light bow of his own.
"Let's head back to Tazuna's home and get some food and rest." Asuma said as he turned to head across the bridge.
"What about Zabuza and Haku?" Naruto asked.
"Why, we're tagging along." Zabuza cheerily announced from behind them. Haku's did a facepalm at that, but Naruto had the distinct impression that behind that mask was a smile.
Tazuna and Tsunami, who had arrived with the crowd, heard this and voiced their displeasure at that.
"Now wait just a minute, I don't want someone who was after my father's life under my roof."
"With respect, Tsunami-san. They were hired blades, but were betrayed and have absolutely no reason or interest in following through with that anymore." Asuma tried to assuage their fears.
"Be that as it may, I am not comfortable with their presence." She said firmly.
Zabuza approached the angry Tsunami and Tazuna. "Tsunami-san, Tazuna-san, you have my regrets and apologies for coming after your life. And you have my reassurance that I and my associates will be on our best behavior while under your roof. We'll even contribute by catching some game for supper."
Tazuna and Tsunami looked at one anohter. Tazuna then asked. "Why this insistence of coming into our home?"
"Because I have business of the non-violent kind to conduct with some people that will be under your roof." Zabuza admitted frankly.
After some thinking and deliberation, Tsunami spoke, her tone one of finality.
"Fine, but I do not have the room, nor the inclination to house you for the night. You will have to make do with whatever means you have to sleep outside. Other than that, you are welcome for supper, provided you bring that promised game within the next two hours."
Nodding in acceptance, Zabuza gruffly ordered the "demon brothers" to go fetch that game and double time it. They did so without complaints.
"Excuse me, do you have room for one more?" Asked Ronin as he approached.
"Well, I think we can fit you in at our table as well, Ronin-san." Tsunami said, more amicable towards the samurai.
"How about me?" Came Deshio.
"Well, yes I suppose." She replied, somewhat annoyed.
"A thousand pardons, but may I also join you?" Came Reizoku the servant.
"I am not a hotel manager!" Tsunami exclaimed in exasperation.