Alrighty! I do not own Naruto at all! All rights and regulations do go to Masashi Kishimoto! Azuna does belong to me however! Ok now to write this fan fiction I did use the episodes and I used all of the actual sentences said from the anime so all of those rights again go to the producers, Madman Entertainment and of course the beautiful voice actors and everyone on the crew. Thanks guys... hope you like it!
Chapter Sixteen: Kakashi: Sharingan Warrior:
Naruto, who was now super mad because Zabuza had – maybe, they were all hoping it was the opposite – killed his best friend. He held his hands together in his special hand sign and created a wad of Shadow Clones. Zabuza was reaching for his sword as his eyes darted back and forth between Naruto's clones.
"Ooh, Shadow Clones, and there's quite a few of them." Zabuza chuckled.
Each Naruto pulled out Kunai knives and shouted at Zabuza. "HERE WE GO!"
They all leapt at Zabuza pointing their Kunai at him. In a matter of seconds Zabuza was no longer visible as multiple Naruto's were covering him. The Naruto army began to shuddered suddenly as from beneath them Zabuza growled. He lifted his large blade and flung the army off him killing a few in the process.
"He's skills are too advanced. He's too powerful there's no way to defeat him!" Tazuna shouted as he and Sakura watched in horror.
The multiple Naruto's were sliding back and disappearing into puffs of smoke one by one. However one Naruto, clone or the real, started digging in his bag looking for something. "I'm not giving up I still have this!" He shouted throwing a large metal weapon towards Sasuke. "SASUKE!"
Sasuke caught the flying object with a battle cry. When he got a good look at it his eyes widened and he smirked at it. So that was your plan! Sasuke shouted inside his mind spinning around quickly. Not bad Naruto.
Sasuke whipped the blade open to reveal four blades each individual one the size of his arm. He had his head down slightly as Zabuza glared at him. It made Sasuke's eyes look dark and deep, like empty sockets. He didn't waver though and he kept his cool. They were both utterly and completely confident in their plan. And that it would work.
"Demon Wind Shuriken: Windmill of Shadows!" Sasuke shouted glaring at Zabuza.
"A Shuriken? You'll never touch me with that." Zabuza chucked.
Sasuke ignored his comment and jumped into the air. He appeared far above Zabuza and threw the blade with a battle cry watching it spin. The clone Zabuza stood still, not afraid of the weapon and looked up impressed when it flung passed the clone.
"So you passed the clone and aimed for my real body. Smart. But not smart enough!" The real Zabuza shouted and he caught the Shuriken with his free hand as Sasuke landed on the ground.
From out of nowhere a second Shuriken started the fly towards Zabuza and he looked up in surprise. "Huh? A second Shuriken in the shadow of the first! The Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!" Zabuza shouted.
The second Shuriken is on target! And he can't catch this one! Sakura cheered to herself as they all stared at Zabuza and the flying Shuriken. Sasuke was completely focused on his fight but his mind lingered back to Azuna when some of her blood dripped from his shirt and landed on his toes.
Zabuza never stopped to amaze anyone and jumped from the water. He was still holding the first, Shuriken, still keeping his hold on the water prison and completely jumping above the second one flying towards him. "I told you a Shuriken can't touch me!" He yelled infuriated.
He dodged it! Sakura screamed inside her head mortified. As the Shuriken kept spinning Sasuke smirked and looked up at Zabuza with amusement in his eyes. The weapon flying behind Zabuza suddenly burst into a puff of smoke and revealed Naruto holding a Kunai knife. The other Naruto, the one standing near Sasuke disappeared into smoke as well, revealing it to be a clone.
The look on Tazuna's, Kakashi's and Sakura's faces when Naruto appeared behind them all was priceless. They all looked so shocked and stunned that they couldn't utter a single word. Sasuke smirked and Zabuza's eyes widened in surprise. "WHAT?" He shouted.
"EAT THIS!" Naruto shouted throwing his Kunai at Zabuza.
As the Kunai was flung at Zabuza he realised that he no longer had a choice. In order to dodge the weapon that was thrown at him Zabuza lifted his hand from the water prison and moved out of the way. This caused the prison to break therefore freeing Kakashi but it also flew into his clone, destroying it.
Zabuza, to say the least, was feeling a little bit pissed off at Naruto. He gave the short blonde kid a look that could kill at least fifteen small children and started to twirl the large Shuriken that he caught before. He spun to face Naruto growling as Naruto was still falling from the air heading towards the water.
"I'LL DESTROY YOU!" Zabuza roared aiming for Naruto.
Kakashi, who was now free, jumped in front of Zabuza and stopped the Shuriken with his hand. Blood went flying into the air as a soaking wet Kakashi panted heavily. Naruto dropped into the water open mouthed and made a gigantic splash. When he surfaced he had a massive grin on his face as he took in huge gulps of air.
"Naruto that was an excellent plan." Kakashi smiled. "You've really grown haven't you?"
Naruto laughed a nodded quickly. "I knew I couldn't beat him with my Shadow Clones that was just to distract him. While he fought the clones I turned into the Demon Wind Shuriken! He didn't know what to do! Believe it! I had one of the clones handle me while I turned into the Shuriken. So when he threw it to Sasuke it looked like a real Shuriken! Sasuke could see it was me in a second; he spun around so no one would see and pulled out his own Shuriken! Now there were two Shuriken! One was real! One was me! I hid in the Shadow of the real Shuriken and my target was the real Zabuza. Of course I knew I couldn't fight Zabuza myself, that wasn't in the game plan. I just wanted to get in there and break up his water prison! I didn't know his clone would be wrecked to! Ha! That was a bonus! Believe it!"
"Don't brag you just lucked out." Sasuke smirked kneeling by Azuna.
"THE WHOLE THING WAS JUST A FLUKE!" Tazuna shouted.
You can call it a fluke but their teamwork was flawless. They knew what to do without even talking about it. Most of the time they act like they hate each other and yet, they're a perfect team! Sakura praised, blushing a little.
"I got distracted and lost my grip on the water prison." Zabuza laughed.
"Don't flatter yourself. You weren't distracted you were forced to let go!" Kakashi spat rolling his eyes.
Zabuza glared at Kakashi and Naruto laughed. Sasuke searched for vital signs on Azuna and breathed out a sigh of relief when he found her steady pulse. Placing her gently on the ground again he stood up and prepared himself to fight if he needed to.
"You technique worked on me once but it won't work again." Kakashi growled as his blood dripped into the water he was standing on. "So, what's it gonna be?"
Everyone was silent and Sasuke looked over to Sakura. "Sakura, you know what to do." She nodded and the two stepped closer to Tazuna protecting him with their arms.
Zabuza grunted and flipped the Shuriken so that all four blades were pressed against the back of Kakashi hand instead of one. He put so much pressed on the blades that Kakashi's hand started to give way and move back towards him. Kakashi flicked his hand quickly and sent the Shuriken flying into the air where it disappeared into the clouds.
Then at the same time Kakashi and Zabuza jumped back into the air with the same stance and movements. Zabuza and Kakashi made a hand movement simultaneously and everyone gasped as they watched Kakashi.
"The Sharingan!" Sasuke whispered wide eyed.
Kakashi and Zabuza landed on the water at the same time and brought their hands together. Then, the two started making hand signs and saying their names at the same time. Spouting off over thirty hand signs instantaneously while they glared at each other.
"Tori! Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Zabuza and Kakashi shouted together as from the water between them two giant dragons made from water rose. Each had two glowing yellow eyes and the water they were made from swirled inside their form.
The dragons twisted in the air. It was surprising that they didn't get tangled in each other. The Water Dragons lurched forward at each other and clashed flying water everywhere. The waves they were making we massive and this scared Naruto who was still bobbing in the water. He was brought up with a large wave as another started to make their way to the small group on land.
Sasuke saw this and quickly turned and picked up Azuna. He held her bridal style in his arms and with one hand he pressed her head against his chest under his chin. As the water ran into them Sasuke struggled to hold himself and Azuna up without drowning. Azuna's hair flew with the water and stuck to her face and Sasuke's. Sakura saw this before she shut her eyes against the water and had to resist the urge to strangle Azuna. Why can't he hold me like that? She shouted. If I passed out would Sasuke take this much care of me?
The dragons kept rushing into each other and biting them with their teeth. The water exploded around them and Sasuke, Sakura and Tazuna all looked up at the dragons in awe. The water fell around them like rain. Wow so many hand signs and he mirrored them all perfectly, instantly. Sasuke mumbled in his head as he brushed the hair away from Azuna and himself. What are they doing? Sakura questioned as she bent down beside Tazuna who had fallen over. Is that a Ninjutsu?
Underneath the attacking dragons Zabuza and Kakashi were holding each other off with their different blades: Zabuza with his large sword and Kakashi with just a Kunai knife. They were putting so much pressure on the blades that it looked like each of them would explode. The two Jounin were glaring at each other, both unwilling to back down.
Something isn't right. Zabuza thought while trying to defeat Kakashi. The Sharingan can comprehend and replicate the enemies' technique; however, both Jutsu occurred simultaneously. Could he be?
The Dragons around them exploded into water and the last of the rain stopped. While Sasuke was brushing the hair from Azuna's face he realised how cold she was. In her sleep she leaned into the warmth of his hand and flinched as Sasuke accidently hit her wound. He couldn't find it within himself to put her down again so he just held her in his arms, watching the fight.
A few metres behind the group on the land a boy stood on a thick tree branch. The wind was blowing his clothes, hair and the scarf tied around his waist to the left, watching what was displaying before him.
Meanwhile, Zabuza and Kakashi were having another glaring war while they pressed their weapons against each other's. Could he? Zabuza thought again narrowing his eyes a little. Then, at the same time they broke away from each other and four metres back. They each put their blades away and then run until they were standing where the other stood before. Kakashi was copying Zabuza's movements and once everyone figured this out they gasped.
They both held one hand in front of their mouths and one in the air. As Kakashi mirrored his movements perfectly Zabuza's eyes became wide. Azuna felt the tension in the air and curled into Sasuke slightly. He looked down at her briefly before he started watching the battle again.
"He's not just following." Tazuna stated. "He moves the same way at the same time."
"How's he doing that? How Sasuke?" Sakura asked staring up at him.
Sasuke didn't respond and just stared forward. He narrowed his eyes slightly and held Azuna tighter to him when she started to shiver. My movements. Zabuza thought lowering his air that was raised in the air. It's as if, it's as if he knows what I'm-
"Going to do next?" Kakashi questioned, finishing his stated as he copied him.
What? Is he reading my mind as well? Zabuza wondered while he sweated slightly. He moved his hands into a hand sign as he stared at Kakashi. He looks at me with that eye.
"It makes you furious doesn't it?" Kakashi teased.
"All you're doing is copying me! Like a monkey!" Zabuza laughed.
"You can't beat me with cheap tricks! I'll crush you!" Kakashi and Zabuza yelled in unison.
"Gah! When I'm finished with you, you'll never open that monkey mouth again!" Zabuza said making multiple hand signs.
He stared at Kakashi intently and saw something hazy behind him. What is that? He wondered as the image started to become clearer and clearer, revealing it to be a mirror image of himself. It's me! But how! Is it his Illusion Jutsu?
While Zabuza was left wondering Kakashi broke away from coping Zabuza and made his own hand signs. He stared intently at Zabuza the whole time and without blinking he said clearly: "Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu!"
"Gah what!" Zabuza growled out as a large circle of water formed behind Kakashi. It moved itself in front of him and gained speed forming into a large sphere of killer water. "IMPOSSIBLE!"
Zabuza was hit by the giant ball of water and was pushed under the large waves. He spun and tried to swim under the water but the current was too strong even for him. I was just about to create a vortex when he created one first! He copies my Jutsu before I can even do it! I can't keep up!
Above the crashes of the waves you could hear Zabuza's screamed. Sasuke, Sakura, Tazuna and Azuna were hit with the water again and Sasuke had even more difficultly holding onto Azuna this time like the last. He held on away and held Azuna's head to his chest. Just hold on Azuna, this battle will be over soon and we'll be able to get you fixed up. Just hold out until then. Sasuke thought shutting his eyes.
Naruto once again was pulled into the dangers of the waves. He swam against the current despite its difficulty and was pushed up onto the land. He reached out and grabbed a nearby branch and held on tightly as the water receded, threatening to pull him back in.
While the boy who had been standing on the tree branch disappeared with the wind Zabuza was pushed up against a tree by the water and held there. As the water started to withdraw four Kunai knives went flying towards Zabuza and hit him in different parts of his body. One in each arm and one in each thigh. He let out a strangled cry through his panting and gazed upwards into the tree above him where Kakashi knelt holding a Kunai.
"You're finished." Kakashi stated threatening.
"How? Can you – can you see into the future?" Zabuza asked his voice a little hoarse.
"Yes. This is your last battle. Ever." Kakashi spat holding up his Kunai.
However, before Kakashi could carry out his words, two Senbon, thin metal throwing needles were thrown at Zabuza jabbed into his neck. His eyes were as wide as saucers and blood flew into the air. Everyone's mouths were agape as Zabuza fell to the ground – dead. Azuna could feel something was wrong and curled into Sasuke her eyes tightening.
They all turned to see the boy standing in the tree, wearing a white mask with red patterns standing still staring at Zabuza. He fell to the ground letting out one final grunt before he hit the ground with a thud.
The boy just giggled at the scene before him. "You were right. It was his last battle."
Everyone stared at the boy in the tree. Sasuke with a glare, Tazuna and Sakura with shocked eyes and Naruto looked at him like he was someone trying to make Naruto eat his own eyeballs. He grunted and glared from the boy to Zabuza as he stood up from the ground.
Kakashi leapt from the tree after looking at the boy for a moment. He landed in front of Zabuza and pressed his fingers against his neck trying to find a pulse. Kakashi exhaled and looked down at Zabuza. "No vital signs."
Kakashi turned his attention to the boy as he bowed his head, his long side bangs swaying with his movements. "Thank you. I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time waiting for this chance to finally take him down."
"By your mask I see you're a Tracker-Ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist." Kakashi said.
"Impressive. You're well informed." The boy laughed.
"Oh a tracker!" Naruto shouted appearing in front of Sakura, Sasuke, Tazuna and Azuna.
"Naruto you don't even know what that is! You missed the lesson in it as usual! Tracker-Ninja have a special role. Try coming to class some time!" Sakura scolded. "When a rouge ninja breaks away from his village he carries all kinds of secrets with him, the secrets of his people. Trackers are specially trained to hunt down these ninja and eliminate them that way the secrets of their people remain secrets."
"That's correct. I'm a member of the elite tracking unit of the Village Hidden in the Mist. It was my duty to stop Zabuza." The boy said.
From his size and voice he must be the same age as Naruto, yet he's an elite assassin. He's no ordinary kid. But what is he? Kakashi wondered narrowing his eyes slightly.
The boy turned his attention to Azuna who was passed out in Sasuke's arms. From under his mask his eyes widened as he looked at her. He let out a small giggle to try and keep his anger in check as he saw the wound in her stomach. As he was about to say something about her Naruto ran forward and growled looking from Zabuza to the boy.
"Argh, what is this? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Naruto shouted pointing a finger at the boy. Everyone gasped, shocked by his outburst.
"Did you hear me?" Naruto grunted out with clenched teeth.
"Easy Naruto." Kakashi said walking towards Naruto. "He's not our enemy."
"Huh? That's not the point! Did you see what he did just like that?" Naruto shouted swinging his arm out to the side. "Zabuza was huge and powerful like some kind of monster! And this kid who's no bigger than me he brought down Zabuza with one move like it was nothing! I mean what does that make us? We're just fumbling around, we don't know anything! HOW CAN I ACCEPT THAT?"
"Well, even if you don't accept it still, it did happen Naruto." Kakashi said titling his head and staring at Naruto. He placed a hand on Naruto's head and ruffled his hair slightly. "In this world there are kids who are younger than you and yet stronger than me." As Kakashi said this he looked over his shoulder slightly and peered at Azuna.
Sasuke glared at Kakashi and he looked at Azuna while Naruto didn't like his words at all. He turned his head away stubbornly and grunted. The boy in the tree held his arm out and disappeared with the wind again and appeared beside Zabuza's body. He picked Zabuza up and held half of his body on his back.
"Your struggle is over for now. I must deal with the remains. There are many secrets in this body, secrets that must not be allowed to get into the wrong hands. Also, you might want to make sure that Lady Azuna is alright and heal her as soon as possible. Our Azuna must not be allowed to die. If you have no intentions of healing her I ask you to hand her over."
Sasuke tightened his grip on Azuna while he stared down at her. Naruto, Tazuna and Sakura all looked at Azuna in confusion while the boy holding Zabuza just nodded.
"Lady – Lady Azuna?"Sakura wondered out loud staring wide eyed at the girl in Sasuke's arms.
"Very well then, please take care of her. She is important to everyone from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Please excuse me. Farewell." He said before he held his arm out again and vanished into the wind.
Naruto sucked in a gulp and looked around. "He disappeared!"
Kakashi pulled down his headband over his Sharingan eye with a sight while Naruto ran to where the boy had been. "He's gone Naruto. Let it go." Kakashi sighed staring into the sky.
Naruto growled and dropped to his knees. He then started to throw punches at the ground while giving it the coldest glare he could manage. "What are we doing here? We're nothing! Argh I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"
"Naruto." Sakura sighed sadly as they all looked at him.
Kakashi walked over to Naruto and grabbed his arm stopping him from throwing another punch into the ground. "As ninja the things we encounter are never easy. Save your anger, for the next enemy."
Naruto sighed as Kakashi let his arm go and he relaxed. He was still glaring at the ground but at least some of his anger had faded away.
"We haven't completed our mission yet." Kakashi announced. "We still need to get the bridge builder, to his bridge."
Tazuna laughed and tilted his hat upwards. "Sorry I caused all this trouble for ya! But uh you can rest at my house once we get to the village!"
"Alright!" Kakashi called turning around and starting to walk. "Let's get a move on!"
As he took three steps Kakashi stopped abruptly. He was shaking slightly on his feet and his eyes were as round as saucers. He then fell face first into the ground making a loud thumping sound. Everyone gasped and ran towards Kakashi.
"Wha – What happened?" Sakura shouted in wonder.
"Kakashi Sensei?" Naruto gulped as they stared at their fallen Sensei who was knocked out cold on the damp grass. "KAKASHI SENSEI?"