Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. A guy called Kishimoto does. I don't own Bleach either Some lucky chap called Tite owns that.
The Eighth Swordsman
Chapter 8
Mission Assignment Room
The Sandaime looked at the team that lay before him and couldn't help the intense desire to kill something. Violently. With fire.
The team that caused this completely rational desire was Team Seven. The Hokage had just endured a rant from Last 'Loyal' Uchiha about how he as an Uchiha and an elite of the village shouldn't have had to endure the humiliation of D-Ranks with a certain banchee throwing in her worthless opinion as well. Sarutobi was at his wit's end and the council meeting that could be caused by incinerating the little fucker was the only thing staying his hand. It seemed that Kakashi was having the same problem if the hand inching towards his kunai pouch was any indication.
"I demand that you give me a C-Rank old man, I deserve one not the dobe" Sasuke sneered at the Hokage arrogantly. Hiruzen's eyes narrowed at that comment. Only his grandchildren, biological or surrogate could call him that.
"Listen here you little gaki, I am the Hokage, not you and what I say goes. If I say you're not ready, you're not ready so deal with it" Hiruzen told him in a tone, slightly augmented with K.I. that left no room for argument. Sasuke merely seethed at this but wisely kept his mouth shut making both Hiruzen and Kakashi sigh in relief.
"Hey old man, Aniki, what's up" a cheerful voice called from the doorway from the room. The room's occupants turned around to see Team Eleven the room. Sasuke and Sakura scowled at them, Sai just looked at them and both Kakashi's and Hiruzen's eyes softened as they landed on Naruto.
"Not much Naruto-kun/otouto" they both replied.
"So, here for a mission Rangiku-chan" Hiruzen asked her.
"Yeah" she replied.
"Alright Sasuke, if you want this C-Rank you'll have to do it with Team Eleven" Hiruzen told him getting Sasuke to scowl but nod anyway.
"The mission is to escort the client to the Land of Waves protect him until he completes the bridge he is building. Kakashi, you'll be leading this mission" he told them. "Anbu, send Tazuna in".
A moment the door opened and tanned man in his early fifties with gray hair and a bottle of sake clutched in his hand enter the room.
"Team Seven and Eleven this is Tazuna. Tazuna these Teams will be your bodyguards for the trip" Hiruzen informed him.
"Alright, I've got an emo, a banshee, a … whatever the fuck that guy is, a cyclops, a chick with a huge rack, and a little kitty cat" he said as he took stock of the group prompting a mass of glares to be sent in his direction. "What I call them like I see them" he told them with a shrug.
'What about Naruto-baka" Sakura screeched at him, making everyone wince at the sheer volume of her voice.
"He seems cool" Tazuna said getting a thumbs up from Naruto and returning the gesture.
"I like him" Naruto whispered to Yoruichi
"Of course you do, you're the only one he didn't insult" she said to him exasperatedly.
"Don't be jealous of my genius" he told her, getting her to roll her eyes at his antics.
"Alright everyone meet me at the village gates in an hour and prepare for a month-long mission" Kakashi said and left the room with his team in tow.
Village Gates-One hour later
Naruto was walking down the streets to the village gates when he saw Kakashi doing the same while reading his Icha Icha oblivious or uncaring to the glares he was receiving from the female population because of it.
"Hey Kakashi-nii, what's up".
"Not much Naruto-kun, how's it going with your team?".
"Really good, Rangiku-sensei is a master swordswoman so it's good to finally have someone to spar with. And Yoruichi-chan's my best friend" he told him. "What about your team?".
"I don't want to talk about it" Kakashi said while glaring at him.
"That bad?" Naruto asked him.
"Worse" Kakashi told him making Naruto winced as they arrived at the gates where everyone else was waiting for them and he gave Kakashi a pat on the shoulder.
"YOU'RE LATE" Sakura screeched at them.
"Sorry, we got lost on the road of life" Naruto lied smoothly making the group facefault while Kakahi had anime tears running down his face. He was so proud of his otouto right now. And damn it if Guy had a mini-me why couldn't he? Granted they wouldn't wear the matching outfits but the principle is the same.
"Well now that we're all here let's head out" Kakashi said as he led the group out of the gates and towards the wave.
On the road
The group headed for Wave were currently occupying themselves however they wanted to. Sai was smiling that creepy little fake smile of his, Sakura was pestering Sasuke for a date while being ignored by the brooding emo, Kakashi was reading his little orange book, Naruto and Yoruichi were chatting away to one another while Tazuna and Rangiku became fast friends after they discovered that they shared a mutual love of sake and were discussing where the best stake came from.
The group soon came upon a puddle and had different reactions to it. Sasuke, Sakura and Tazuna ignored it while Sai, Naruto, Yoruichi, Kakashi ad Rangiku narrowed their eyes at the puddle. "It hasn't rained in weeks so it must be a genjutsu" they all thought to themselves and walked by it, waiting for something to happen.
They weren't disappointed.
Two masked and cloaked figures wearing scratched Kiri headbands rose up from the puddle and charged at the two jonin-sensei. Both Rangiku and Kakashi were 'apparently' caught by surprised, as the spiked chain that connected the missing-nin by their clawed gauntlets was suddenly wrapped around them. The two figures suddenly gave an almighty wrench on the chain and the two jonin were torn apart.
"Two down" the one on the right said.
"Five to go" the one the left finished as they charged at the bridge builder.
The genin immediately sprung into action. Sai drew his tanto, Sasuke and Sakura a kunai as they got into a defensive position surrounding Tazuna. Naruto and Yoruichi however brought the fight to their opponents. Yoruichi threw a kunai at the chain connecting the two warriors and they weren't given the chance to disconnect from the chain as Naruto called out his attack and placed his palm on the chain "Raiton: Tsuzuri Raiden (Lightning Style: Bound Lightning)". Blue lightning sped from his palm at the centre of the chain down to both ends of it, stunning the brothers as it coursed through their bodies and played havoc with their nervous system. This gave Yoruichi an ample amount of time to shunpo behind both of them and knock them out with a chop to the back of the neck.
"You can come out now Kakashi-sensei, Rangiku-sensei" Naruto called out. A rustling of leaves was heard as Kakshi and Rangiku emerged from the bush that they were watching the fight, ignoring Sakura's shriek of surprise and Sasuke's raised eyebrow.
"Nice teamwork Naruto-kun, Yoruichi-chan" they both complimented them before Kakashi turned to face Tazuna who beginning to look very nervous as the lazy jonin loomed over him. While Kakashi was having a nice little chat with Tazuna Rangiku would have a conversation of her own with Demon brothers who had quickly regained consciousness.
"Now Tazuna care to tell us why, the Demon Brothers, C-Rank missing-nin from Kirigakure are after you. After all, in your mission request it stated that you were looking for protection from mere bandits while you built the bridge and made your way back to Wave. Also wouldn't you have risked being attacked by bandits to make it to the Leaf in the first place? Your mission request said nothing about missing-nin coming after you, that would make this mission at least a B-Rank. Now, tell me why you lied to us on your mission request?" Kakashi asked him in deadly tone.
Tazuna proceeded to spill his guts about the whole fucked up situation in Wave. From Gato's take over of the Wave to how the shrimp of a business man essentially made the entire nation his bitch to the bridge he was building that was the Wave's only hope. He also mentioned how his daughter and grandson would weep over his dead body and forever hate all leaf shinobi if they aborted the mission and left him to die.
Guilt trips, a total dick move but effective as hell.
"Alright Rangiku, what information did you get out of them?" Kakashi asked her as emerged from the clearing in the forest where she interrogated the Demon Brothers who were unconscious once more as she dragged along them along the ground, uncaring of any rock they hit along the way and whistling happily as she did so.
"Only that they were led by a so called 'demon' and wouldn't sell him out. For missing-nin they have a surprising sense of honor" she told him. "You'll need someone like Anko or Ibiki to get anything something substantial out of them. Interrogation isn't my specialty or yours for that matter".
Kakashi sighed and nodded, he expected as much. "Alright then, well you guys it's up to you" he told the genin.
"Huh" was the general response he got from the group.
"What do you want to do? Do you want to continue the mission or head back home" he elaborated with Tazuna looking anxious in the background.
Sasuke nodded, eager at the chance to test himself with Sakura immediately following suit, all worry for her life immediately cast aside in her newest effort to please the Uchiha. Pathetic. Sai also nodded, he figured it would be a good chance to gather information for Danzo-sama on Naruto and his abilities. Yourichi was next in line with a grin on her face and a determined glint in her eye as she told the two jonin she couldn't leave the wave in the state it was in, getting a grateful look from Tazuna and a subtle nod of approval from Rangiku.
Naruto was last to answer and did so in his usual manner.
"Of course I'm in. It sounds like it could a bit of fun and I've never been able to turn a blind eye to someone suffering" Naruto told the group with Tazuna's shoulders visibly sagging in relief at his statement.
"Alright, looks like we keep going, just let me send a message to the Hokage to inform him of the change of mission circumstance and to have him send some Anbu to collect the Demon Brothers" Kakashi said and took out a scroll and wrote a message to the Hokage before summoning Pakkun telling him to give it to the Hokage. While Kakashi was doing this Rangiku tied the brothers to a tree with ninja wire.
Once everything was sorted out the group set off once more, though they were much more on guard, forming a close-knit diamond formation with Tazuna being in the centre.
A few hours later
The group headed for Wave were currently on two boats were being rowed into Wave country as they were hidden from any and all possible observers by the mists that obscured the area. Due to the large amount of people the seating arrangements were somewhat strained. Sasuke, Sakura and Sai were in one boat being steered by one of Tazuna's workers while Kakashi, Tazuna Naruto, Rangiku and Yoruichi sat in the other, steered by another one of Tazuna's workers. Both boats were only meant to fit three people, excluding the rower. Said limited boat capacity led to Naruto's current situation. Though that's not to say he wasn't thoroughly enjoying every last second of it. Yorichi and Rangiku were currently sitting on his lap, with his head sandwiched between their chests as they hugged him to ensure they didn't fall off the boat because the waves that were striking it. No one believed them for a second as they all knew they were merely using it as an excuse to get closer to the dark haired subject of their affections. Rangiku surprised herself when she suggested the seating arrangements but couldn't help her delight when it was accepted and then enacted, her feelings for Naruto were quickly developing the more time she spent around him, and her occasional teasing of him was starting to take on a wistful edge to it.
Yoruichi was also surprised by the suggestion though pleasantly so. She had her suspicions of her sensei's affections for her teammate and this only confirmed them. She had no problem with sharing the swordsman however, as she had long ago realized that Naruto would be subject to the C.R.A. and honestly, with the shit that Naruto went through when he was younger he deserved all the love he could get. So far she only knew that Mei, herself and Rangiku were infatuated with him and she wondered who else would become her fellow harem sisters. Inside Naruto's mind Kyuubi and Zangetsu sneezed as did a certain buxom blond in Kumo.
Naruto meanwhile was meanwhile thoroughly enjoying the pleasurable sensations of their mounds press against him as he struggled not get a hard on that would no doubt alert the girls to his arousal, a task made difficult by the images being sent his way by his tenants of him taking the women resting on his lap as well as Mei and themselves and having his way with them. Damnable vixens.
The other males on the his boat were mentally ranting about what a lucky bastard he truly was with Kakashi once again feeling proud of his otouto for snagging the beautiful duo as well the new ambassador from Kiri.
All good must things must come to an end however as Rangiku and Yoruichi got up from his lap, albeit reluctantly so they could disembark. Once they were all clear of both boats and the rowers slipped into the mist once more, the group got back into formation and continued onwards.
They were coming to a clearing where the mist clung to the trees when Naruto heard the sound of a bush rustling a flung a kunai towards it. He then went to see if he hit his target only to find a snow white rabbit, cowering, tears in its eyes with the kunai right above the ears pressed flat against its head.
"Shit my bad" he said a he stowed away the kunai into his pouch and took the rabbit up into his arms a brought it back into the group. The rabbit was immediately from Naruto taken by Yoruichi who hugged it to her chest and noticed a collar around its neck.
"The collar says its name is Chappy".
Kakashi barely heard her however as his mind was going into overdrive. "The rabbit has a white coat and yet it's spring when its coat should be brown. It must have been raised indoors which means it was used for a substitution…". His eyes widened as finished the train of thought.
"EVERYONE, GET DOWN" he roared as he tackled Sakura and Tazuna to the ground. His actions were mirrored by Sai and Naruto, the former tackling Sasuke and the latter tackling Rangiku and Yoruichi. They were just in time as a massive Zanbatou flew over their heads and impacted with a tree.
Naruto found himself with his head resting on something extremely soft and opened his eyes to his head buried in Rangiku's cleavage and looked up to see the woman smirking in a sultry fashion at him.
"Now, now Naruto-kun if you wanted to feel them you just had to ask me" she told him huskily, making his face match his eyes in colour. Naruto immediately sprung up off her trying to ignore he comment of how much she was enjoying that. Yoruichi sprung up not long after in a similarly flustered state.
Why, you ask?.
Well once Naruto realized where his head lay another part of his anatomy sprung to life. A part that Yoruichi through no fault of her own was fortunate or unfortunate enough to have her hand resting on, giving her a rough estimate of it's size that left her drooling as she thought of what he could do to her with it. Needless to say, it left her face bright red although her dark skin made it less noticeable, something she was truly grateful for. In fact only Rangiku noticed. She grinned at her student's embarrassment as well as the dazed expression on her face as she had her suspicions as to why she was so flustered and would interrogate her the second they were alone together.
They got back on their feet just in time to see a figure appear on the land on the blade's hilt as a new wave of mist started to enter the clearing. He was tall, pale and muscular with short spiky black hair, brown eyes and bandages covering his mouth. He was shirtless, the only piece of clothing on his chest being a belt no doubt used the holster the blade he was standing on. He also wore baggy pants with a standard Kirigakure pinstritped pattern and arm and leg warmers. His status as a missing-nin was revealed in the form of the scratched Kiri headband worn on his forehead.
"Zabuza Momochi, A-Rank missing-nin, former member of the Seven Shinobi Swordsman of the Hidden Mist and legendary Demon of the Hidden Mist" Kakashi said calmly as he drew a kunai, everyone else doing the same as they got into position bar Rangiku and Naruto who drew their blades. His eyes widened slightly upon seeing Haineko and almost jumped out of their sockets when he saw Zangetsu. His search was finally over it seemed, though that could wait until his business with Gato was finished.
"Kakashi of the Sharingan and Rangiku of the Crimson Ash, it's no wonder why the Demon Borthers failed their mission" he said as he jumped to the ground and removed Kubikiribocho form the tree effortlessly and rested the blade on his shoulder and stared at the group waiting to begin dramatic showdown.
Well it would have been dramatic if not for Naruto's next comment.
"Hey Yoruichi what would you rate that entrance" Naruto asked her, prompting a mass facefault from everyone, even Haku who nearly fell from the tree she was quietly observing the showdown from, ready to help Zabuza if needed. She also had Chappy in her arms, having gotten back her pet rabbit in the confusion that surrounded Zabuza's entrance.
"I'd give a nine point five out of ten" she told him. "The mist was nice touch".
"Yeah, I'd have to agree" he replied.
"Do they do this often?" Zabuza asked Rangiku incredulously and got a sheepish grin in return.
"Yep, but that's what makes them fun" she told him, the warmth of her tone not reaching her eyes. Eyes trained on his blade.
"I don't suppose you'd hand the bridge builder so I can kill him and be on my merry way" he asked them hopefully and got a no in response.
"Oh well, looks like I'll just have to take you all out" he said before making the several handsigns needed for his favourite technique. "Kirigakure No Jutsu" he called out and a dense mist enshrouded the area once more, anything further than six feet away in a thick blanket of fog.
"Everyone be on the look out he's a master of the Silent Killing technique" Kakashi warned them.
"Eight vital points, larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Now which will be my attack point" Zabuza voice came from the mist, seemingly from every direction making it impossible to pinpoint his exact location.
As Zabuza's KI started to flood the area everyone had their own reactions to it. Tazuna looked like he was on he verge of pissing himself, Sakura already had and passed out, Sai's eyes narrowed as he dropped his fake smile, Yoruichi grimaced and tightened her grip on both of her kunai, and the only reaction from Rangku and Kakashi was a slight hardening of their eyes. Sasuke was trembling as he raised his kunai to his throat, the pressure was of Zabuza's KI suffocating. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, he couldn't take it any more.
He was stopped however (a true shame in this humble author's opinion) by Naruto.
"Oi, Uchiha man the fuck up and grow a pair. If a little killing intent is gonna scare you, you might as well continue and save Itachi the effort" Naruto told him and got the desired with the Uchiha stiffening then nodding and getting back into his stance. He then raised his own K.I. relieving the pressure on their little group and was rewarded with grateful looks that let him know he succeeded before he pulsed out his chakra and dispelled the mist.
"Nice speech gaki, too bad it won't do any of you any good" Zabuza said as he reappeared in their midst of their group. Kubikiribocho was already on its deadly path, intent on bisecting the bridge builder. Zabuza waited for the sweet sound of metal cleaving through flesh.
Instead he heard the harsh clang of blades colliding.
He looked up and was temporarily stunned to see Naruto not only holding him off with Zangetsu and but pushing him back as well. No one but Kisame had done that. Naruto took advantage of his opponents temporary shock and his leg snapped out with savage accuracy and nailed him in the chest, sending the Demon soaring back before Zabuza turned his unplanned flight into a back flip and landed lightly on his feet, impressed with the kid's power. That kick hurt like hell.
"Not a chance, No-Brow" Naruto said, adding insult to injury.
He growled as he charged forward, intent on getting the gaki back for the kick and comment. He swung his blade at the boy once more and was blocked by Kakashi's kunai this time. Mismatched eyes glared at him, one black, the other blood red with three black tomoe spinning lazily inside it.
'Your fight is with me Zabuza" Kakashi told him.
"And me" Rangiku added helpfully as she swung at Zabuza from over head forcing him to leap back lest he be cut in half.
"Let's go then" Zabuza said as five mizu bushins formed beside him before going to clash blades with Raniku as the original fought Kakashi.
With Rangiku
Rangiku ducked as one of the mizu bushins swung at her horizontally before going into a low spin with her blade held parallel to the ground, swinging at it's legs and cutting them clean off making the bushin fall to the ground as a puddle of water. She then swung at another bushin, bisecting and dispelling it.
She cursed as she saw the reflection of two more bushins thrusting their zanbatou's at her from behind in the reflective surface of the blade of her katana and leaped to the side dodging both though not without injury as a large gash was opened up on her left arm and bled profusely, drenching the black sleeve of her t-shirt.
She ran through several one-handed handsigns before calling out her technique. "Katon: Hosenka (Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Flower)" she yelled as she launched several small fireballs at the bushins, destroying them.
She turned around to look for her final opponent only to find the bushin's leg bury itself into her stomach, sending her flying into the lake. Rangiku broke the water's surface. Water that felt oddly heavy to her, She heard a splash as she saw Kakashi land beside her and Zabuza and his bushin shunshin and stand above them already finishing their handsigns.
"Suiton: Suiro (Water Style: Water Prison)" they said as he and his bushin held their arm out above their intended targets.
"Fuck' they both said as the dome of water formed around them.
With Kakashi- A few moments ago
Kakashi cursed as another cut appeared on his arm from where deflected the strike from Zabuza that merely nicked him instead of removing the limb like Zabuza hoped for. Kakshi closed in on Zabuza once more with his kunai, stabbing at his chest, a stab Zabuza caught before smashing Kakashi in the stomach with a brutal roundhouse kick launching him into lake.
Back with Rangiku and Kakashi
Both Zabuzas had the jonin-senseis trapped and formed three mizu bushins to deal with the genin.
"Run away with Tazuna and forget about us. The client is all that matters now go" Kakashi and Rangiku roared from their prisons at the unmoving genin.
"That's an order, now run" Kakashi yelled upon seeing them remain stationary.
He got matching grins from Naruto and Yoruich as a response.
"Can't do it, aniki. Remember what you taught me. 'Those who break the rules are trash, this is true, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash'" told him with a grin and got an eyesmile in response from Kakashi.
"Alright otouto but be careful" Kakashi told him.
"No promises" Naruto replied with smirk before he ran at the bushins joined by Yoruichi.
Yoruichi came at her target with incredible speed and swung her dual kunai at him. She was blocked by the huge zanbatou the bushin wielded. Yoruichi was soon forced to leap back, unable to match the bushin's superior physical strength before she came at him once again ducking and sliding underneath the horizonal swipe aiming to separate her body in two at the waist and swung at the bushin's leg, making the bushin jump back. Yoruich attacked once more and the bushin tilted his head back to avoid the incoming blow aiming for his neck.
What the bushin failed to noticed however was the wind chakra coating the kunai and extending its reach. This mistake proved to be a fatal one as the bushin's head was separated from its body before turning back into water. Yoruichi turn around to see Naruto decapitate the last bushin, noticing the watery remains of the other bushin pooled at his feet.
They both turned around to face the original Zabuza who had his non-existent eyebrows raised from the surprising amount of skill displayed by the genin.
Yoruichi sent a shuriken at the bushin who held Rangiku prisoner. The bushin lazily side-stepped the deadly projectile. Unfortunately for Zabuza however mizu bushins didn't have the same memory transfer capability of kage bushins and another bushin fell prey to another of Yoruichi's wind chakra enhanced weapons. The water prison that held Rangiku fell back into the lake like the bushin, freeing the buxom beauty.
Naruto meanwhile threw a kunai that Zabuza ducked under, avoiding the threat. Or so he thought. The kunai disappeared in a puff of smoke as did the Naruto on the shore, revealing the kunai to be the real Naruto and one who threw it a mere clone. Naruto swung Zangetsu by her chain in a circular motion, giving the image of a black fan before throwing it with the chain extending as it traveled at Zabuza's torso, forcing him to jump back lest he be pierced by the black blade. The water prison that held Kakashi fell apart the second Zabuza's arm left it, freeing the silver haired jonin.
Naruto quickly grabbed his sensei and shunpo'd back to the shore, leaving Kakashi to face Zabuza alone.
The two warriors on the water's surface flew through hand signs finishing at the exact same time. "Suiton: Suiryuudan (Water Style: Water Dragon)" they both yelled and the two water dragons collided with each other before they broke apart, a deluge of water falling on each of them.
Zabuza grew annoyed at Kakashi's mimicry. "Stop copy…".
"… ing me" Kakashi finished.
Zabuza mentally cursed as he went through his next set of handsigns but was beaten by Kakashi. "Impossible. How can he be finish before me when he's copying me" he mentally roared.
"It's over Zabuza" Kakashi told him coldly and then called out the fight's finisher.
"Suiton: Daibakufu (Water Style: Great Waterfall)" Kakashhi roared and a massive wave of water rose up from the surface of the lake and came at Zabuza who could only watch in horror as it hit him like a wrecking ball and swept him away. The force of the water smashed him through several trees before it came to a stop and deposited it him with his back against the tree and Kakashi appearing in a swirl of leaves above him.
"Can you see the future" Zabuza asked him in awe.
"Yeah" he replied. "You're going to die". With that said Kakashi moved in for the kill but was too late.
Two senbon came flying from the threes and hit Zabuza in the neck. His eyes widened slightly before he slumped and fell to the ground. An androgynous figure appeared kneeling next to Zabuza in a water shunshin. The shinobi's attire consisted of the standard Kirigakure pinstriped outfit that stopped at his knees a green haori with white trimmings, a brown sash around his waist and light brown sandals. The figure had black hair with two long bangs and a bun atop their head. A white and red kiri issue hunter-nin mask completed the outfit.
"Thank you for your help in taking out Zabuza Hatake-san, I have been tracking him for some time. I must now dispose of the body" the hunter-nin said, and picked up Zabuza's body before vanishing in a swirl of water.
Kakashi walked off the water and stood before the group. "Rangiku, you're in charge" he said and then collapsed. Naruto lunged forward and caught him just in time.
"Looks like I over did it" he said and passed out. Naruto sighed and lowered his headband to cover his sharingan once more. The implanted doujutsu always took a heavy toll on Kakashi. He then made two kage bushins. One to carry Kaksahi and the other to drag Sakura. "Alright Tazuna lead the way" Rangiku said and the group headed towards the bridge builders home.
An: Alright, that's part one of the Wave Arc over and done with. Sorry for the delay. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and let me know what you thought of the fight scenes. I've also come with another title for Naruto and I think it's pretty good but it won't be revealed until the chunin exam arc as it would be a spoiler even I'm sure most people have seen it coming. Also this is the longest chapter I've written so far 5000+ words.
Take it handy,
Maverick Wilde.
Edited: 15 June 2013