Hey guys! It's been almost a year I know, I had some inspiration problems and a LOT of work but I'm back! I'll upload as much as I can, please excuse the awkardness of this chapter. So yh, hope you enjoy and I'll update as soon as I can, cheers. By the way: HAPPY NEW YEAR! late I know but as they say better later than never right ?

Chapter 8

Naruto sighed as he felt the cold senbon deep into his shoulder. All had gone smoothly until now. Saving Inari had been the same and his entrance had been the same.

"Naruto, can you still move?" the Uchiha asked.

"Tch, I'm not dead yet." the blonde replied. He got back on his feet. As much as he disliked the idea he didn't have much of a choice he was going to kill them. That was what a ninja was after all. He had accepted the burden long ago. Glancing at the Uchiha he smiled, this was the first time in a long time that the raven haired had his back in a life threatening battle. So much had changed yet so little was different.

Kakashi sighed. This battle was tough especially for Sasuke and Naruto he knew for they were young and inexperienced. Although Naruto was trained by the sanin he remained a kid. And the fact that he was actually... His train of thoughts was interrupted as the rogue made another slash at him remaining him that he didn't have time to worry about his students the only thing he could do is trust them and his wound on his chest didn't help either.

"Come on kit it's time."

"Yea, I know."

"I am truly sorry for this but for his dream, I have to keep you from interfering even if it means killing you." the hunter ninja said. Both genins smiled they were not fighting as inferiors but as rivals.

The mirrors started shining brightly once more. Sasuke took a stance and Naruto got ready. It was time, time for him to start rewriting the story. As the first senbon flew the jinchuuriki's eyes turned red they followed each of Haku's movements. He avoided them all and kept Sasuke covered just like the Uchiha had done before. Haku was completely baffled no one had ever been able to see his movements and even less dodge them. So how? How could this boy keep up with him?

"Why, why can you read my movements?" the hunter asked.

"Heat. You see I can see like some animals in thermal and especially in this frozen place your body heat sticks out." he replied.

"Then fighting him is useless as more time pass the slower I get and the more he will be able to read my movements... I have no choice I must use this boy as a trap."

As the ice sprung from the mirror Naruto realized Haku's intentions and smiled slightly to himself.

"My body moved on its own, heh? Well I got news mine too."

Blood fell on the ground followed by a sudden hiss and then a crashing sound and then silence. The scene was reflected on every mirror. As a thin wave of red chakra swept some of the fog away. Sakura gained her vision again and her eyes widened. Her left hand went to her mouth as the kunai dropped and the other went to her heart. There stood Naruto losing blood, a lot of blood. Senbon spikes through his neck and heart and Sasuke lying still behind him. Tazuna had the same reaction. The pink haired girl had half a smile when Sasuke stood up.

"That did NOT go like last time, he went harder this time." Naruto hissed as pain flowed his body.

"Must've felt my chakra, doesn't matter I'll take care of it." the fox replied

"What? Don't just stand there." the blonde said to his teammate.

"Why...Why did you save me?" the Uchiha asked in bewilderment.

"What? Can stand being saved by the dobe? My body moved on its own..." his voiced turned into a whisper. His body fell back and Sasuke caught him.

"I'm sorry for everything... But...But you, you have to live...please." Naruto's hand fell. Sasuke's eyes turned red as he hugged Naruto's body.

"You're friend... He knew it was a trap and yet he went to protect you, know that it was a fine ninja. Is this the first time you see a friend die? It's the future of every shinobi."

"This is not the first time." the Uchiha replied catching Haku off-guard. "But it doesn't mean I'll forgive you!" he yelled as he stood up sharingan blazing in his two eyes.

"Very well." the hunter replied as the mirror started to glow once more. This time though not a single senbon made contact with their target. As he saw the red eyes with two commas he understood. «So he's an Uchiha as well? Against that I can't do anything and the other is already... This will be a battle of the last man standing our chakra reserves are going to make the last call. Very well then the only thing I can do is try again and again."

"Naruto!" the pinkette called out.

"Don't worry Sakura Naruto will be fine." her sensei said.

"But he's..."

"He's fine, trust me. Concentrate on protecting Tazuna for the moment." he said firmly. Reluctantly she obeyed and turned her gaze back front. There the back of her sensei was ready. As she looked more closely she noticed things she had never paid attention to. His vest was old, incredibly old, parts here and there of the tissue fell down many scratches were present. She saw her sensei in a new light, he wasn't the lazy boring teacher she thought he was, he was a great ninja, stronger than what she had ever thought before, an unknown feeling flowed through her, for some reason, a reason she couldn't explain, she was confident, she knew, she knew they were somehow going to make it.

When Naruto opened his eyes again Sasuke's back is what he saw, at least he was still alive, the mirror prison was gone and Haku was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke turned around and seeing the Uzumaki lived he gave hime his hand for help. The blonde gladly accepted it and slowly got up. Still weak he nearly fell but Sasuke caught him sending him what Naruto had grown to learn meant a small humble "thank you". He smiled back and slowly they joined Kakashi and the others where a full band of pirates were planning of fighting for money. Naruto smiled to himself, there was nothing to worry about because he could smell the villagers already and even if his eyes were slowly starting to close he knew it would all be alright.

A weak slowly went by in which Naruto rested a lot. Then, the time had come, on the sun's rise they would leave. The jinchuuriki got up early, and went to the graves. He stood there for a while, letting the morning breeze flow around him. It always felt good, always felt like a new journey had begun. His sight then went to the graves.

"Hey Haku, hey Zabuza, I'm sorry I couldn't save you, but perhaps… perhaps it's better like this, perhaps this is how things are meant to be. But, as I look back, I'm glad you guys were my first opponents, you are the ones who put me in this path, I will never forget you, until the end of time, I'll carry your memories with me, we will never forget you." He finished turning back and going down the hill without looking back. As the sun rose on the newly build bridge, Naruto knew, he knew better than ever that those sacrifices should not be in vain, they should be able to find their rest and not be brought back with a jutsu like the edo-tensei.

Like he expected the journey home was calm, however he was surprised, Sakura did not ask Sasuke out, not a single time, actually they seemed more like relatives talking small talk.

"Who knows perhaps their time together made them become friends, not crush."

"Perhaps, but in any case I'm leaving soon, we're almost back to Konoha." He replied.

"Hey Naruto, where are you going now? Are you staying in the leaf or are you leaving again?" His teammate asked.

He saw the big gates and smiled.

"See-ya." He said and forming a hand sign he burned in flames.

"Well… I wonder when he'll be back…" Sakura said

"He never was back, all that time it was a clone." Kakashi replied looking towards the Hokage tower.

"What? That can't be, clones explode if hit, and he was injured!" Sasuke commented.

"I know, but apparently he has just gotten better, that was a clone, I was it with my sharingan."

"Then… Why didn't you tell us?" Sakura asked, intrigued.

"Because he asked me not to, that's why." Their sensei answered like if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I got to go see the hokage to do the report, you guys go have fun." He said looking straight to the tower, he wanted to know what the Hokage could tell him, this was too weird for his taste.

Far away from that, Naruto received the memories of his clone and smiled, everything had gone well. However his gaze turned to a serious one as he looked in front at the dark and rainy city which was where he would meet Nagato once more.