AN: Not sure what I want to do for pairings, or even if I want to do pairings - yet. But I think maybe incorporating some aspects of it could be good for the story. What do you guys think, or what do you guys wanna see? Let me know!
"Ugh, this is impossible!" Naruto groaned as he felt a leaf detach from his forehead and slowly float into his lap.
"Naruto, you need to be quiet, how many times have we told you?" Sakura shhed the boy. Currently, Team-7 and their escort were on a small row boat. The water may have been clear, but the air definitely was not. The fog may have been an obstruction and nothing more than a nuisance for the untrained sailor, but the main piloting the boat had no issues in the direction he sailed. In this situation, they benefited from having the fog surround them. It served as additional cover.
"I know I know," Naruto brought his voice to a hushed level, "b-but this is sooo hard. I don't know how you and Sasuke got it so easily." In front of Naruto was his menu scroll.
Chakra Control Training Task - Leaf Stick
Requirements - The ability to use chakra.
Awards Upon Completion - +2 to chakra control. The ability to channel chakra to your feet or hands for a minor momentary power boost.
That power boost, sweet sweet power boost. I just gotta get this before we get off the boat, Naruto thought, remembering about the fight to be had with Zabuza.
"Jeez, you are such a loser," Sasuke muttered, ensuring to emphasize his words. He and Sakura had achieved the training much earlier than their rambunctious teammate. "I'm actually surprised you were able to even help back there with those chunin," this time his voice was taunting.
Haha, you know, he does got you there kid. If it wasn't for the fact I gave you that little do over, you'd have just stood there and-
I get it. Shut up! You don't have to mock me too. It would seem as if the shinigami only came out to berate, and with Naruto already fighting the urge to punch his raven-haired teammate it definitely did not help.
Okay, calm down. You got this…" these thoughts ran through his head serving to not only reassure but also calm him. Chakra control training is a delicate process, especially for someone with the reserves that Naruto did. With his eyes closed Naruto brought the leaf to his forehead and held it there with two fingers. As he breathed deeply and focused his thoughts, he began to feel that familiar tingling sensation in his body. That familiar feeling of something deep inside him stirring, something that he had felt for a time. Naruto concentrated harder as he felt the sensation grow even more, almost until it felt like a current of electricity was flowing through him. With a sudden burst of will, he directed a small portion of his energy toward the leaf. In his mind, he could sense a crackled, almost as if a storm was raging. The leaf began to stick from his hand to his forehead. It was as if time stood still as he then opened his eyes and watched it, feeling the intensity of the moment. The leaf shook violently until it finally stopped and remained still upon his face. Naruto let his mental focus fall and saw the leaf stay in place. "Yesssss," Naruto whispered.
Task Complete!
The scroll disbursed and as the smoke re-entered his body Naruto could feel himself able to control the leave even better and with even less chakra. Letting it drop into his hand he giggled, "Look who's such an idiot now Sasuke," he said, tongue sticking out.
Brag all you want, he still got it before you did.
Shut it, grandpa! I still did it! Naruto retorted at the shinigami. Now, finally got a few bonus points in chakra control. Let's see if I can finally learn that jutsu… Naruto held back laughter as he grabbed the spellbook from his bag and began flipping through the pages.
With the way he flips through that book he definitely only reads the good parts, Kakashi thought to himself as he flipped a page of a very similar book.
The boat keeper dropped the squad off at the required location and then made his way around the river. He was fearful enough as it was, and not wanting to risk anything any further, decided to stick to the water. The rest of the group carried on as normal: Kakashi in front, Tazuna in the middle, and Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto behind him.
After trodding along the pathway for a few hours the fog grew thicker. The moisture in the air combined with the humidity made it increasingly hard to breathe. Eventually, the fog was so thick that one could not see more than a few feet in front of them.
Kakashi threw his hand back, signaling for everyone to stop. "This fog. This fog isn't normal…" he said in a low tone. Tazuna gulped and before any of them could even blink Kakashi shouted, "Everyone, down, NOW!" as he tackled the bridge builder to the ground.
Right as they all hit the ground a large butcher's blade made its way through the place where the squad had been standing. Seconds later a thud could be heard as the large blade embedded itself into a tree. The force of said blade flying through the air caused the fog to disburse. Everyone looked up, and to the surprise of everyone - bar Naruto - the rouge ninja Zabuza Momochi stood on the blade. "Well well well, Ka-ka-shi Ha-ta-ke," a low growl emitted from behind his mask. "Color me surprised. Kakashi the copycat ninja. You're in my bingo book. Huge bounty on a head like yours."
Kakashi immediately put his book away and glared daggers at the man staring him down. "Zabuza Momochi, one of the seven ninja swordsman of the mist, and in every bingo book I've seen in the past few years. So, you run away from your village after a failed coup d'etat, and now you work for scum like Gato to make ends meat," he fired back.
"Look here, I don't play games. Work is work, and a man with goals like me needs money." The rest of the encounter played out exactly as Naruto remembered it too. Kakashi unveiled his sharingan - much to the surprise of Sasuke - and set to fight Zabuza. The mist was thick, and the two danced in combat for some time before both jumping back onto a lake and performing a mirage of hand signs. Water dragons erupted from the lake, crashing into one another causing a mini tsunami of a wave to come tearing through the battlefield.
All happened exactly as Naruto remembered it to be - or did it? He couldn't remember the exact order of events, but what he did know is that Kakashi would eventually be trapped inside the water prison jutsu. It was only a matter of time before…
"You guys need to run! Take the bridge builder and go. I refuse to let my comrades die," Kakashi screamed from inside the bubble.
Well, boy, you finally got a chance to really do things differently. How about you show me something new? The shinigami's thoughts racked Naruto's brain.
Heh, don't you worry, I've been itching to use this.
Naruto turned to Sasuke, "If we want any hope of beating this guy we are gonna have to work together." At this point, Sakura was scared beyond belief. She was taught at the academy just how serious some of these missions could be but it never really sunk in until this moment. They could die. They could die. They could die. Thoughts of the fear of death itself bounced in her brain and Naruto could see the concern on her face. "Sakura, don't worry, just stay here and protect the bridge builder. Me and Sasuke, we got this," after saying his words of comfort Naruto put on a genuine smile and raised a thumbs up. Sakura could tell he was being serious, and that it was not just some fake grandeur to calm her down. The gesture caused her to calm down just a little, although she was still incredibly worried. She thought to herself how incredible it was that he was so calm.
I really can't believe this. It's almost like he's been through this situation before… Naruto just what have you gone through?
Sasuke scowled, "Just what do you have in mind then, we don't really have any good options now do we?"
"No, but you see him, he is stuck with his arm attached to that bubble. And time is running out. The longer we take to rescue sensei the more chakra he needs to use to ensure he doesn't drown. All we need to do is get him out of the bubble."
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at the realization. "Wait, you're right. We don't need to beat him, we just need to free Kakashi-sensei."
Zabuza laughed at hearing them plotting. "Yeah, you think I'm just going to stand here and take it." Once finished with his laugh he summoned a water clone that appeared out of the vapors in the air. "You'll need to get through me first," the clone said after it appeared.
Kakashi yelled from within the prison, "You guys are crazy, just run!"
Naruto smiled, "Sensei, I'm not leaving a comrade to die. You should know better." With that, he made a hand sign all too familiar to his squad, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Five Narutos appeared, each one charging at the water clone. In one swoop of the clone's sword, the Narutos were poofed out of existence. "Oh great idea idiot, now what?" Sasuke complained, unsure of just how they were going to make it out of this one.
"Look, I have an idea. Just stay ready," Naruto reassured him. He summoned even more clones, this time charging with them. Yet, each one was thrown back just like the others. Except for this time, while smoke filled the clearing, Naruto made sure to make a few more clones, stashing a very specific tag on them. I only have three on me, so this plan better work. Or else I'm in trouble. The clone transformed into regular kunai and was put in Naruto's pouch, just conveniently enough so that they'd fall out of his possession and towards his teammate.
Naruto looked at the kunai and looked at Sasuke. The two didn't even need to exchange words. So that's what he's up to, Sasuke thought as he rushed the kunai to the ground. I'm not sure exactly what he did, but he definitely did something to these kunai. And he knows I'm a much better shot than him so he gave me two to work with. One for the clone and one for the main guy I'm assuming. Alright Naruto, you better not fail me now.
Naruto rolled up from his back and shouted, "Now Sasuke, throw them now!" On his mark, Sasuke immediately thews the kunai, and to his surprise, he heard his blonde teammate shout, "Piercing Wind Gale Jutsu!" Sasuke didn't even notice the hand signs and had never before seen this jutsu being used by Naruto, and yet there Naruto was, chest pumped with sharp wind shooting from his mouth.
The wind was so fierce that it caused all of the fog in the area to disperse, even pulling up water currents with it. It appeared that for some jutsu the amount of chakra put into it was proportional to the amount of damage it would do. In the case of this one, well it amped up the wind blades coming from Naruto's mouth to monumental proportions. Zabua was caught off-guard and had to catch himself with his blade, utilizing it somewhat as a cane to stand his ground while holding onto Kakashi. His water clone needed to jab his sword into the ground and hang onto it with both hands - it appeared that the water clones held a modicum of power given by the owner.
The wind also caused a few gashes to appear on the sides of the body of the real Zabuza. A small trickle of blood even made its way down his right cheek. This was not the point of the jutsu. No, instead, Naruto intended to use the wind as a means of accelerating the kunai to breakneck speeds to ensure that they would hit their target.
"Cheap tricks won't work on me," Zabuza snarled through the wind, angered by the small trail of blood he could feel falling down his face.
The first kunai, aimed at the clone, stayed true to course. It would've definitely hit the clone, Zabuza, if not for the giant cleaver that stood as a shield.
The second kunai, however, did not stay true to its course. The wind that Naruto send had accidentally thrown this one to the ground between the real Zabuza's feet.
The first kunai, right before it clashed with the blade, poofed and transformed back into the Naruto clone that it originally was. "Hehehe," the clone giggled as it dove head first into the hole in the blade, mouthing the word 'kaboom' before the explosive tag on its chest started to sizzle. With that bang, the Zabuza water clone exploded into a blast of liquid in all directions. The real Zabuza looked at the Kunai between his legs and quickly realized what was happening.
"Oh, Fu-" before he could even finish his sentence the kunai began to glow with a white hue. Zabuza jumped, releasing Kakashi in the process.
Both ninjas leaped away to escape, narrowly avoiding the blast in the process.
Zabuza, after leaping onto the branch of a nearby tree, assessed the situation. Kakashi turned and jumped back toward his squad. "That was good thinking you guys. I'm not sure how much longer I could've stayed in that bubble. My chakra reserves only run so deep. Thankfully, I didn't have to use too much."
"Using too much chakra or not, I still refuse to let you win," Zabuza snarled.
Unbeknownst to him, this fight was quickly becoming more and more lopsided against him.
"Kakashi," an unfamiliar yet strong voice rattled the battlefield.
Oh no, they sent her as backup… Kakashi thought as he turned his eyes. His fear was confirmed the second he saw her face. "Anko Mitarashi. How kind of you to sh-"
"Shut it scarecrow, does it look like this is the time to chat." Naruto could feel the smoke leaving his body as the shinigami formed.
"Oh my, she is quite a feisty one," the being said before floating over and checking the woman out. Up down, left right, above, and under. "Yea, sending backup was definitely the right choice Naruto," the shinigami said before giggling to himself.
"YOU ARE SUCH A PERV," Naruto yelled, before catching himself and putting a hand over his mouth. A hint of crimson flushed his cheeks in embarrassment.
That's right, they can't see you. Which also means they cannot see you being a TOTAL PERV. Gotta think of something quick… "You freak!" He then shouted, pointing at Zabuaza. The man almost fell in response to the accusation. No one really knew WHAT was going on at this point.
"Well, looks like you have a few extra friends. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury." After Zabuza made a hand sign the surrounding area was filled with fog thicker than any of them had seen before.
"Naruto, quick, use that wind jutsu!" Kakashi commanded.
"On it!" Naruto said as he made a few hand signs, gathered his chakra into his chest, and then blew it out of his mouth. Only to achieve nothing. Nothing more than a spattering sound emitting from his lips and his face going red. The shinigami, no longer observing Anko, proceed to laugh as he doubled over.
"Kid, you really need to read your spells, I mean jutsu."
In front of Naruto's face, a scroll appeared glowing:
Piercing Wind Gale Jutsu On Cooldown For Another 5 Minutes
So you're telling me I can't use this twice in a row… thanks Kurayami. Thanks.
AN: I really need to stop posting these things at like 2AM. It would make way more sense for me to write them while I'm not struggling to stay awake haha. What do you guys think about the whole "cooldown" system? I think it makes sense, and I think it would be smart for me to try to balance the extra strength of Naruto's new abilities with him only being able to use them once every now and then.
PS: Since you've made it this far, how about you answer the question of the day?
How was your day?
