AN: Again, I want to thank you for the reviews! They truly mean a lot to me and inspire me to move onward. So, the results for the survey I got have been revealed in this chapter! So yeah, I don't own anything and I really hope you enjoy! This chapter is gonna mirror the manga somewhat and you'll see what I mean so enjoy and please remember to review!

Her sacrifice

Immediately, the heroes from Konoha, tightened the hold on their weapons and watched the figure come forward. Even without the cloak, the mysterious assailant's true identity remained a mystery. A mask of white concealed the seemingly similar aged ninja's face. A smooth and intricate pattern of red gave the mask a deadly quality, which was quite the silent warning that in of itself. Long tendrils of obsidian locks framed the face and were held in place by two cylindrical shaped beads that held the hair in place at the bottom. If it wasn't for the fact that the stranger had already spoken, one could easily mistake him for a female. The rest of his hair was pulled back and placed into a covering of cloth. Clothed in robes and Japanese style sandals, their opponent gave the illusion that he was not a skilled fighter. However, the three ninjas knew better than this. A ninja must always see through deception. And this one could be potentially deadly…

"I am truly sorry for this intrusion but I can not allow you to leave this place," the smooth soft voice ushered from behind the pristine plaster of the mask. Naruto scoffed and stepped forward pointing directly at the masked man.

"I don't know who you are but I am going to rip that mask right off your face!" Naruto made to advance on him but Sasuke stepped in front of him.

"No…this guy's mine." Sasuke said stepping forward. Naruto was about to protest when a gentle hand and shake of the head from Hinata made him back down. He could read the reason instantly in her pearl hued eyes. Sasuke needed this. Sasuke needed to vent his frustrations with the whole Neji and Sakura thing. And what better way to do it than with this upcoming fight.

"That's it; I'm taking this guy out. Who does he think he is, hiding behind some mask like some kind of pathetic clown?" Naruto rolled his eyes, and coughed something like "showoff." No emotion was portrayed from the masked fiend.

"Brave words, but I still have the advantage." Without warning, the masked figue spun at an amazing speed on his heel becoming a human tornado set on a path straight for Sasuke. The Uchiha crouched getting into a defensive position, a kunai drawn in both hands and a smirk on his face. It was time to show this guy who he was messing with. This guy really had no idea what he was dealing with. He wasn't even human. And this guy was going to pay the price.

A loud ringing "clang" rang out as metal met metal in a sparking friction. Sasuke's kunai had intercepted with the masked man's sharp needle. The two of them were equally matched in strength, their weapons neither advancing nor retreating. Sasuke held a mask of indifference that rivaled the stillness of his opponent's. Breaking apart only to clash again seconds later, the twists and turns of their agile movements looked like some wild unknown dance rather than a fight. Another clash of strength caused them to momentarily stop.

"He just wants you, if you give up and come with us, I won't kill your friends," the masked man proposed quietly so that only the Uchiha could hear. Sasuke's brows narrowed in anger and masked confusion.

"Shut up," the Uchiha growled. Although he was very curious as to what his current enemy was talking about, he didn't have time for this, Sakura was in danger.

"You're making a mistake," the masked teen implored a bit more urgently this time. "You won't be able to keep up with my speed. Besides, I've already gained two crucial advantages over you already." Sasuke was unimpressed.

"Oh yeah, and what are they?"

"First, in this marshland we are surrounded by water, and secondly, I have occupied one of your hands so therefore you only have one hand to defend yourself with." At that moment the masked man raised his idle hand and began performing rapid hand signs. Sasuke's eyes widened immensely.

Hand signs with only one hand?!

"Secret Jutsu: a thousand needles of death," the masked ninja whispered once the hand signs were complete. In that moment, large amounts of water rose from the marshy ground and levitated into the air and in a seconds time the water formed into sharp needle looking points.

"Sasuke!" Naruto and Hinata yelled simultaneously. However, Sasuke was blocking them out. He had closed his eyes and was concentrating. Must focus all of my chakra to my legs… The needles hung over him like torpedoes ready to be launched. Then in the next moments, the needles of water plummeted down like deadly rain crashing into the earth.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed. What had happened? He couldn't see what happened due to the amount of smoke that was now covering the area. Even the masked assailant seemed to be looking around as well. Suddenly, he looked up just in time to block a kunai as it whizzed down at him. Low and behold Sasuke had been in the air while the needles struck and had now just landed crouching low to the ground. In a flash of speed, Sasuke disappeared and then reappeared right in front of the enemy landing a devastating punch directly in the masked man's face sending him flying quite a few feet.

"Who's got the advantage now?" Sasuke taunted cracking his knuckles.

"Yeah! Way to go!" Naruto cheered on his best friend from the sidelines with Hinata. Meanwhile, the masked warrior stood up shakily and shook himself.

"Impressive, and for that, I will give you the honor of knowing my name." Naruto snorted.

"Like, we care who what your name is. I mean come on what kind of pansy loser hides behind a silly mask. Sasuke and Hinata sweatdropped thinking of Kakashi sensei. Sasuke turned back to his opponent.

"It's Haku of the mist." Sasuke scowled.

"I really don't care who you are or what your name is. Let's just get on with this." Sasuke readied himself with his kunai once more. Haku nodded bringing his hands into a hand sign.

"Very well then, it's your own funeral." Immediately afterwards, Haku began to glow with an unnatural light as an unknown wind built up around him. Then it felt as if the temperature had dropped thirty or forty degrees in the surrounding area. Naruto and Hinata visibly shivered while Sasuke forced himself to remain immobile. What's with the sudden chill? Just as before, the liquid of the marsh rose into the air around them. However, this time the water stretched and froze into long mirrors of ice. In seconds, Sasuke found himself trapped in a cage of these ice mirrors with Haku.

"Sasuke no!" Naruto yelled. Instantly, he began to run to help his best friend.

"Hinata, stay here, I'm going to help Sasuke" Naruto called running off. Hinata nodded but couldn't help the feeling that something terrible was going to happen. Meanwhile…

"Now I'm going to show you what true speed is," Haku said as he walked back into the mirror and strangely enough, he was absorbed into the mirror, his whole body appearing as a simple reflection in a mirror. But Sasuke knew better especially when all of the mirrors flashed and Haku's reflection appeared in all of them.

"What…what is this?" Frantically he looked about, trying to find the hidden answer to this jutsu.

"No mater how hard you look into any one of these mirrors, the secret will still evade you. These mirrors will be the last thing you see. Now prepare yourself," Haku warned. Suddenly, he began to move from one mirror to the next at almost lightening speed. It was so fast that not even the Uchiha heir could keep up with his movements. Suddenly a bright light flashed from every one of the mirrors. Sasuke was introduced to an excruciating world of pain as hundreds of needles whizzed through the air and sliced at Sasuke's ivory skin.

"AHHH!"

"Sasuke!" Hinata cringed. How much longer was she supposed to sit back and watch as her teammates suffered? She knew that Naruto told her to stay back but she was a kunoichi as well who could fight. She could be helping right now, lending her aid. Maybe if she was fighting then Sasuke wouldn't be getting torn up right now. There had to be something she could do. But how could she possibly fight without actually physically fighting? She couldn't just shout her ideas to them could she?...Duh! Of course she could! How could she be so stupid! Ok now to actually defeat those mirrors…Alright, sasuke hasn't been able to figure it out from just the inside, so maybe the answer lies on the outside.

"Naruto, you have to attack from the outside to find out how the mirrors work!"

Meanwhile, Sasuke's eyes widened in comprehension. Yes! That's it! If Naruto attacks from the outside at the exact time that I attack from the inside then the secret to these mirrors will be revealed for sure! A smirk began to emerge on Sasuke's lips but just as soon died when he felt a tap on his shoulder. The Uchiha's mouth dropped open rather unattractively in shock. Bbecause there kneeling beside him was the carefree knuckleheaded ninja. His whole body stance and the stupid grin that adorned his features simply radiated cockiness.

"Hey Sasuke, guess what, when he wasn't looking I found a way to sneak in here to rescue you!" As shock gave way to barely restrained fury Sasuke could have sworn that a vein in his temple was throbbing visibly. The flood of anger was enticing and Sasuke was easily swept away in it. And in that moment, all poker faces dropped and the enemy was temporarily forgotten.

"YOU COMPLETE FREAKING MORON! You IDIOT! How Stupid can you be?! Freaking Idiot LOSER!" Said loveable idiot reacted immediately. He was up in Sasuke's face spit flying everywhere in his tantrum.

"What the heck is your problem?! Crap, I have had it up to here with your stupid attitude Why don't you pull the stick out, I was just trying to help!" The raven haired teen's fist and teeth clenched as he tried to reign in his anger.

"Naruto…the way you would have helped me would have to been to attack the mirrors from the outside. Now we're both stuck in here." At that moment a feminine scream was heard off in the distance. A very familiar scream…

Sakura! For a second in time not even the great Uchiha could keep from letting the fear wash over his features. Sakura was hurt and there was nothing that he could do so long as he was trapped in this hell of mirrors. Upon seeing his best friend's ill concealed concern an odd thing happened. The teen smiled, and all who could see him would have sworn that he looked far more mature than his years betrayed.

"Hey Sasuke," Naruto's voice was barely audible. It was so eerily serene that Sasuke turned from the life threatening situation to actually spare his best friend a glance.

From the sidelines, Hinata tried to see what was transpiring between the two in that second, but her attempts were in vain and the proclamation of Naruto's loud voice definitely signaled the end of the seemingly pointless moment.

Naruto stared defiantly up into the ice mirrors that each housed the masked assassin. His proud stance radiated his confidence. The blonde's hands flowed together into the ever famous hand sign.

"You think twenty of you is impressive? Try fifty of me!" There was a huge blast of smoke as fifty Naruto's appeared out of nowhere.

"Get ready clown cus' I'm coming for you!" Naruto shouted as he and the countless other clones leapt up each preparing to shatter each mirror that they were aiming for.

"Naruto, don't!" Sasuke screamed his voice going hoarse with the strain. But it was already too late. The wave of Naruto's had white capped and were already leaping in miscellaneous directions to crash mercilessly into the looming prison of ice mirrors.

"Fool." Haku's whisper was lost on the wind as he flew into action. Haku moved at a speed that to all onlookers it looked like a blur soaring through the air. The only sound that could be heard was the resounding "pop" noise that the shadow clones made as each one of them were effortlessly defeated before they could reach their target of the mirrors.

"Foolish boy, when I move, you appear to be in slow motion."

Naruto's proud figure struggled to stand up while the smoke dissipated. A smirk was imprinted on his face a she stood fully regaining his bearings.

"I'm a lot smarter than you think." That was when Haku noticed. All of the smoke had cleared and now only Naruto stood in the house of mirrors. Sasuke Uchiha was nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, Hinata was openly expressing the shock that Haku concealed so well…

Flashback:

"Hey, Sasuke." There was a serene quality in the blonde naga's voice that was oddly startling even to the stoic Uchiha.

"Go to her. She needs you…I'll make the way…" If it were not for the fact that they were in a fight for their lives, the Uchiha's jaw would have dropped. Who was this and what had he done to the whimsical dunce known as Naruto Uzamaki. Still, there was no time for questions and this was an offer to save Sakura. He took it. It was the perfect opportunity. While Naruto distracted the dangerous assassin, Sasuke was provided the opportunity he needed to make an elusive escape out of the deadly house of ice mirrors. What appeared to be a foolish mistake was actually a clever tactic executed by a skilled shinobi, and Sasuke had played along perfectly in the charade further adding to the illusion…

Haku's eyes narrowed. So this was a worthy opponent after all. If that was the case, then it was time to end this.

"Prepare to die," he hissed as he slowly morphed back into the ice mirror. Naruto readied his stance still trying to mentally unlock the secret to the ice mirrors. That was the one drawback to his ingenious plot. He now had to deal with this masked freak…alone. But he could handle it. He was Naruto Uzamaki. This was no sweat…right? But in a vastly encasing light, Naruto found himself in a world of pain. Needles sliced at his body with sickening force, striking nerves that caused him to drop to his knees, finding himself covered in his own blood.

"NARUTO!" Hinata's high pitched scream was barely heard in Naruto's weak frame. Hinata was near hysterics. Naruto had dropped after that last devastating attack and now he was a sitting duck. If he didn't get up and move, Haku would surely kill him.

'I've got to save him, but how, what can I do? Please, I have to save him.' Almost like an answer to prayer, her inner awoke from within her mind. Yes, we will save him. Rely on our power and we will save the one we love. Hinata needed no other encouragement and fully embraced her inner, reuniting her mind into its whole form once again.

Meanwhile, Naruto was struggling to even remain conscious. He had underestimated the accuracy with which his opponents could launch his attacks and it was costing him big time. How he hated this. He hated looking weak and that feeling was amplified tenfold because he knew Hinata was watching.

'Gotta get up….I have to…protect…Hinata…"Unfortunately for our favorite blonde knight his body was not cooperating. He was forced to watch in slow motion as Haku launched a wave of his needles. Naruto was about to close his eyes in forced submission when he witnessed something truly remarkable. From literally out of nowhere, the pale skinned beauty came running to his rescue like the savior that she always was. Planted firmly in front of him, her byakuugan activated, chakra flaring, her arms began to fly in a graceful arc picking up impressive speed with every passing second. Despite his weariness, Naruto's eyes widened. This was Hinata? Since when was she so…amazing…? Not a single needle had touched him or had come close to his body since she had taken up his defense. She was protecting him now. Her long violet locks were blowing through the wind in a graceful manner giving the illusion that she was under water. It was nothing short of spectacular. No matter how many needles Haku threw, Hinata deflected every one with the utmost precision.

Literally twenty minutes later, Haku's seemingly endless arsenal had finally depleted. By now, Naruto had regained some of his strength. He saw that Haku was hiding in one of the mirrors apparently forced to go on the defensive due to Hinata's impeccable skill.

"Hinata that was the coolest…" But when the blonde hero turned his gaze to the powerful introverted heroine, he was met with a ghastly sight. Yes, she had managed to deflect every single one of Haku's needles from him, but the horrible truth was that her body was covered in needles. Blood was flowing in many tiny rivers down her body. How she had endured that onslaught was incomprehensible. Slowly, her body faltered and she started to freefall backwards.

"HINATA!" With strength he didn't know he possessed Naruto jumped up on his feet and caught the battle ravaged girl in his arms. Gently, he cradled her in his arms as he sank to his knees.

"Why… why on earth would you do that Hinata!?" His anger was only foreshadowed by his concern for her welfare. A small smile graced her features. And Naruto was struck dumb by the fact that she looked breathtaking at this very moment. Why hadn't he seen this before? It was like he was opening his eyes for the first time.

"Because…because Naruto…I love you… I'm so…rry…" Her eyelids slid shut and her body went limp in his arms…

Oh my crap!... Sry it took so long to update work is a killer. I'll try to update sooner! The next chapter is rage and a review into the next fight. Oh I'm doing a flashback and I want some ideas for some Naruhina moments so pls REVIEW AND TELL ME!