Menmaverse.

Hey! Sorry it took sooooo looooong to complete this chapter but I had a bunch of other stories that I started and I'm hesitating about what I want to do with this story.

I'm thinking of going back and changing a bunch of stuff like the hair color of Menma, I want to make it blond.

I'm also thinking about putting Menma on team seven with Sasuke and Sakura because Shikamaru and Hinata are both bitches to write, I just don't really understand Shikamaru and with Naruto dead Hinata has like 90% of what defines her personality taken away.

The genin test as well, I think I rushed that with the abducting of Menma I've since come up with a better genin test. I just wanted to do something different than the bell test because I think that test is just bullshit!

Also the training with the other teams seemed to be a little boring to read in my opinion. But I needed it to so Menma's power and abilities are known to all of you and he needed to get together with Tenten for that one single date.

I could really use your opinion on all those things, please let me know what you think! I'm trying to grow as a writer but I need your opinions on this. you can either PM me or leave a review I don't care either which is fine!

Chapter 9: Mission to wave - Zabuza

Road leading to wave/20 minutes later.

After Kenshiguru had gotten all of the information out of the surviving demon brother, thanks to Menma. He had decided to send a messenger bird to Konoha, informing them of the situation, the location of the tied up demon brother and his decision to continue the mission.

"Ryuudan-sensei…" Shikamaru said trying to catch the man's attention.

"Yes? What is it Shikamaru-kun?"

"I was just wondering why you decided not to abort the mission? I mean… the mission difficulty has to have gone up from a C to a B rank right? We aren't ready for a mission of such caliber yet!" Shikamaru said, concern written all over his face.

"you're right, you're not ready for this kind of mission! However, if we turn back now it would allow this… Gato? I believe his name was?" Kenshiguru asked looking at Tazuna for confirmation.

Tazuna nodded nervously and said "Yes, Gato, he owns everything in the shipping business in wave. This has allowed him to legally set his prices as high as he wants. Normally that wouldn't be a smart thing to do as his costumers would simply buy everything in another village. But he uses all of his wealth to hire bandits and missing ninja to keep us from leaving. Three of my closest friends where killed trying to get me out of the village so I could come to Konoha and get help!"

"Yes. That guy! Well, Shikamaru if we were to turn back now it would give Gato the upper hand and the next team that would be sent to deal with him would have a much harder time completing their mission. So for now we continue our mission to wave drawing Gato's attention away from any possible reinforcements and instead focus all his attention on us." Kenshiguru explained.

"I don't get it!" Menma suddenly spoke up. "Why don't you just rise up against this Gato?! Why don't you just steal everything he denies you?" Menma asked.

Tazuna sighed and replied "Because then we would be nothing more than criminals. Like I said earlier! Gato's shipping business is 100% legal. As a merchant he can adjust his prices however he wants without breaking any laws. As his customers it is up to us to decide whether we want to buy from him at his prices or buy at one of his competitors. The problem is that he has no competitors in the area of wave so we are forced to buy elsewhere, and that is where he is using his armed lackeys to his advantage. Anyone who tries to leave the island to buy elsewhere is killed and there is nothing we can do about that!" Tazuna explained.

"Oh! I see!" Menma said dropping his gaze to the ground and squinting his eyes as he began to analyze all the information given to him and try to some up with a solution.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter because it isn't our job anymore! We will escort Tazuna back to his village and guard him and his family wherever they go until the team, chosen by the hokage arrives to take over from us and complete the rest of the mission." Kenshiguru said.

"We're here!" Tazuna said. "This is where we cross the river to the shores of wave… my home… I hope that tsunami and Inari are okay!" He said to his guards then continued to whisper to himself.

After about 5 minutes a boat showed up to take them to the other side. As they moved across the water the mist started to clear up a bit to reveal a partially built stone bridge.

"whoa!" Menma exclaimed with his eyes wide. "This bridge! … it's amazing!" he said.

"heheh, why thank you kid! It's one of my better works that's for sure!" Tazuna boasted.

Wave country shore.

They finally made it to the shore and started making their way to the village when Kenshiguru noticed that Hinata was fidgeting with her fingers, pressing them together and rolling the around each other. "Something wrong Hinata-chan?" Kenshiguru asked.

"M-my b-b-byakugan, I-I-I can't s-see through this m-mist!" Hinata said.

"That's because it's the cause of a water style jutsu being used by an enemy shinobi!" Kenshiguru explained calmly as if he was explaining to her why all the rivers meet up at the ocean.

Hinata's eyes widened as she stared at her sensei. "T-then sho-shouldn't we s-s-start running? We're almo-most a-at the v-village, if we hur-hurry we can m-make it there before he c-catches up with us?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"No need." Kenshiguru casually waved her concern off like it was nothing.

"B-b-but what if he's r-really s-strong and he targets us f-first?! We c-could d-d-d-die!" Hinata asked, shaking slightly as she couldn't hide the fact that she was afraid for her life and that of her teammates.

"Hinata, you have nothing to worry about! As long as I'm here no-one will ever be able to harm you or any of your teammates" Kenshiguru said, smiling at her.

Hinata smiled back, having calmed down and having been reassured enough to believe in her sensei's capabilities. Her expression changed however into one of shock when a maniacal laughter suddenly rang around them and the mist thickened.

"Mwuhahahahaaa! No-one will ever be able to harm you?! You will be safe as long as I'm here?! Let's see if you can back those words up shall we?!" the harsh and muffled voice sounded from all around them.

"Everybody stay close!" Kenshiguru called out to his team. While Tazuna was the furthest away, he was the first to reach his side. The three genin followed soon after and formed a defensive perimeter around the shivering man. One look from their jounin sensei told Hinata that he wanted them at their best. So Hinata pulled out her tonfas, knowing that her skill with the weapon would increase her chances of survival. Shikamaru noticed and pulled out his sickle and chain after nudging Menma in his ribs and giving a silent gesture with his head towards Menma's Kanabo.

"Huh? Oh! Right!" Menma whispered as he finally caught on and reached over his shoulder, grabbing the hard wooden club from his back. Menma brought the, with metal stumps covered, weapon in front of him. Shifting his grip slightly so he was holding it with both hands, Menma put on his most serious face as he tried to get a feel on his surroundings. The man he was supposed to protect at his back, Shikamaru to his left, Hinata on the other side of Tazuna, his jounin sensei to his right and mist. Everywhere he looked, he could see nothing else but a thick white fog. He could make out the silhouettes of the tree's on the side of the road that were only a couple feet away. He could hear the water of the nearby river flow.

The world seemed to spin around as the Konoha shinobi looked all around for the source of the mysterious voice. Menma had never been very patient, and all this cat and mouse stuff started to get to him as his breathing became more rapid and louder. Sweat was dripping down his forehead and he couldn't stop himself from blinking his eyes constantly. A drop of sweat got in his eye and he took one hand of his weapon to rub it out. Before he could reach his eye he suddenly heard a sound.

The sound of something cutting through the air and coming closer. The sound was followed by a blurred image of a horizontal line increasing and decreasing in length, it took a moment too long for him to realize that it was actually a humongous sword spinning towards him.

Time seemed to slow down as the lethal piece of steel came to end his life. He thought to himself that he was surprisingly calm, considering he was going to die. 'Maybe I can still get out of this?! Maybe I can jump over it? No, not enough time! What if I ducked down? No, if I do that than it'll hit one of the others! I could try to turn around and tackle the others to the ground with me! You idiot! You can't tackle everybody to the ground! You might be able to save Shikamaru and the client but there's no way you can get to Hinata in time!' he tried to come up with a plan.

'Then there's only one thing left I can do.' He thought sadly, before gathering all his courage to do what he had to do. 'I have to warn them as fast as I can to take cover and then hit that thing with everything I've got!' he thought.

"Everybody! Get down!" he shouted as he raised his Kanabo high above his head, tightly gripping it with both hands. He wasn't going to survive this but at least he could give his team a fighting chance! Getting ready to hit the flying blade with everything he had he stepped forward with his left foot.

"Yhaaa…!" Menma yelled as he swung his Kanabo down on the approaching blade when he suddenly felt a large hand land on his head and pushing him down. As his head was pushed down he could just make out the sight of the blade cutting through his Kanabo, only inches above his hands. Next there was a sound of metal hitting metal and then all he could see was the dirt as his face planted itself in the mud.

Wave country/Zabuza fight.

When Menma had finally pulled his face from the mud he was greeted to the sight of his sensei, Kenshiguru Ryuudan, holding the blade, that had previously been about to cut his head off, by its handle holding it upwards and pointing the tip towards the branches of a tree in which a tall man sat. The man's left hand and both of his feet where sticking against the side of the tree. Menma could make out the slight glimmer of chakra coming from the feet and hand, he could also make out the headband he was sporting. 'Did the mist just get thinner?! I guess it did.' He thought.

The man, now identified as a mist shinobi, his right arm hung limply next to his body as he glared intensely at the jounin holding what was apparently HIS weapon. Menma thought the mist shinobi was grinding his teeth, but he really couldn't be sure because of the bandages covering his mouth. Now that he took a good look at the guy he couldn't help but notice the cool looking cameo arm and leg warmers. But he sweat-dropped when he noticed what appeared to be vertical stripped, blue pajama pants. 'huh?' he thought. Before he noticed the rest of his team keeping their eyes fixed on the enemy up in the tree. "Hey! Shikamaru what did I miss?" Menma whispered.

Shikamaru turned his head slightly and looked at his from the corner of his eye before focusing all his attention back on the mist shinobi. "I'll tell you later." He replied.

*flashback*

"Everybody! Get down!" the voice of Menma rang out. Tazuna and Hinata turned around to see Menma stepping away from the defensive perimeter. Shikamaru grabbed Tazuna and threw them both to the ground, while still keeping their eyes on Menma. Hinata who had her byakugan activated joined them a moment later as her bloodline had picked up the blade before Shikamaru or Tazuna could even see it. The next moment they watched their sensei push Menma's head down with his left hand planting him with his face in the mud. What happened after that happened so fast that even Hinata with her byakugan couldn't see it.

Somehow Kenshiguru had deflected the large sword away and upward, stopping its spinning and sending it flying straight as an arrow. But before the sword could get very far Kenshiguru's hand reached out, grabbing the handle and stopping it from disappearing back into the mist.

Kenshiguru just stood there for a second holding the sword in the same position as when he had grabbed it. In that second a man appeared at the spot he was pointing.

When Zabuza had sent his Kubikiribōchō spinning away he had jumped up and away. But when he came back down, to his surprise, the executioner's blade wasn't waiting for him. It should have made its way through the group, maybe cut off a head or two and then plant itself deep into the trunk of the tree he was falling towards. But there was no sign of it!

So when he made it down to the tree he had to use chakra to keep him sticking against the surface. Looking down at the group the first thing he noticed was the tall, muscled, old jounin holding his executioners blade and pointing it at him. 'No way! That's impossible! nobody can just stop the Kubikiribōchō in mid-air let alone catch it! Who is this guy?!' the next thing he noticed was the lack of blood on the blade. His eyebrows twitched upwards in surprise. 'not a single kill?!' he thought in outrage as a let his gaze run over the group. The girl was unharmed as well as the kid with the ponytail. His kill target appeared to be fine as well, except for the growing stain on the front of his trousers. And the last kid was… "Hn." He smirked satisfied. …with his face down in the mud. Zabuza was about to rub the death of one of the man's genin in his face when he noticed the boy moving. 'Damn it!'

Zabuza's anger spiked and said. "That's quite a feat! Stopping the Kubikiribōchō in mid-air should be impossible, let alone catching it!"

*Angry grunt* "I don't appreciate compliments from bloodthirsty scum like you! Zabuza Momochi, rogue ninja from the village hidden in the mist!" Kenshiguru replied.

"You know my name. I feel honored to be known by someone of your capabilities, I'd like to repay the favor, unfortunately I can't seem to recall reading about someone like you in my bingo book!" Zabuza said wanting to know who he was dealing with.

"Don't worry about losing your ability to remember! You see, you won't find my name or picture inside a bingo book." Kenshiguru smiled.

"I find that hard to believe, a man of you capabilities always ends up with a page of their own! Any shinobi worth his jutsu appears inside the bingo book!" Zabuza urged.

"Well I guess that makes me the exception to the rule!" Kenshiguru chuckled causing Zabuza to growl.

"Stop playing games old man! Who are you?! And why can't I recall anything about you?! Is this some kind of genjutsu?!" Zabuza yelled out towards the old jounin.

Kenshiguru stopped chuckling and looked Zabuza straight in the eyes. "My name is Kenshiguru Ryuudan, the reason you don't know me isn't because of a genjutsu but because I never left any witnesses to report of my deeds! Therefore all of my actions, all the missions I've ever been on… at the end, there was nobody left breathing to put my name in the bingo book. I'm just that good." Kenshiguru explained.

All the while Zabuza listened to his explanation and as he listened a chill started to run up his spine, his arm-hairs stood on end and his stomach clenched. In the shinobi world he was known as Zabuza, demon of the mist. But compared to this man, standing in front of him right now. Zabuza felt like little kid with a slingshot, breaking windows with small pebbles.

'Maybe I'm in over my head here? Just my luck, this guy is on a whole different level than I. It might be best to just bail on Gato and his stupid shipping company. The money was good, but not worth dying for. I better get Haku and get out of here!' Zabuza thought.

"I suggest you give up! Accept the loss of your precious Kubikiribōchō and disappear! Trust me young man you're out of your league on this one!" Kenshiguru said. Zabuza had already decided that he would leave but hearing his opponent say the same thing that he came to realize himself just seemed to piss him of. If his opponent had stayed quiet, he would have chosen to leave because his instincts told him that picking a fight with this man wasn't in his best interest. But now, if he chose to leave now it would seem that his opponent had convinced him into leaving. Somehow that idea appeared to him like he was scared and that didn't sit well with him!

"Don't tell me what to do! You might have been a great shinobi once but you're old and weak now, you're no match for me anymore and you know it! That's right old man I'm calling your bluff!" Zabuza yelled at his opponent whishing he hadn't done that. He wasn't going to try and kill this guy, no he knew he wasn't capable of that. But he wouldn't run either, no definitely not. First he would take back his Kubikiribōchō and then he would leave. But he'd need Haku's help to do it.

Zabuza soon saw his chance to signal Haku to join the battle when the team was distracted by their final member finally picking himself out of the mud. They all threw a quick glance at the boy. Even the man called Kenshiguru Ryuudan. So he saw his chance and he took it, quickly and unnoticed by his enemies, he signaled to Haku to attack.

*flashback end*

Menma pulled his face from the dirt and looked around, gazing at Zabuza for a moment and then getting up on his feet. He whispered something to Shikamaru who whispered something back. And that was when it happened!

From behind Menma, a kunai suddenly flew by his cheek, but not just a regular kunai. One with an explosion tag tied to it. Menma's eyes widened, as the kunai planted itself into the soil between Tazuna's legs with a thud. Menma being to first one had grabbed Tazuna and jumped towards the river flowing to the group's right. He was soon joined by Shikamaru and Hinata.

Kenshiguru had spun the executioner's blade around once and planted it into the ground between him and the explosive tag. Using the sword's blade to shield himself from the explosion. Zabuza noticed this and thought to himself 'Interesting, I never would've thought to use the Kubikiribōchō like that.'

*BOOOM!*

The explosive tag went off and when the explosion died down Kenshiguru found himself face to face with Zabuza swinging two kunai at him, one trying to pierce his heart and the other aiming for his throat. Kenshiguru let go of the executioner's blade in favor of intercepting the attacks with his chain covered hand and forearms.

Kenshiguru was blocking, dodging and parrying all of Zabuza's attacks when he finally got an opening and swung his fist, trying to connect with the rogue ninja's stomach to knock the air out of him. unfortunately Zabuza jumped back avoiding the attack entirely. Not only did Kenshiguru miss but the moment he stepped forward to chase after Zabuza, his accomplice appeared behind Kenshiguru pulling the sword out of the ground and disappeared back into the tree tops.

Kenshiguru was too late to stop Zabuza's accomplice from taking the executioner's blade and when he turned back around to face Zabuza, he was already being surrounded by mist before disappearing using the water body flicker technique.

End chapter 9: Mission to wave - Zabuza

Follow, favorite and review!

Please see my explanation at the top for an idea what to review or Personal Mail me about!