AN: Alas, Naruto is still not for sale, so I cannot buy it... I could not update yesterday, because my internet connection went haywire. Sorry to anyone who might have caught on that I try to update every Saturday. You were right, but I was unable to do so. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!

-demonicnargles

"Speech"

thought / talking in mind

"Demon speech"

Demon thought / talking in mind

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"I was holding out for your teacher to show up. I was really looking forward to a rematch. I thought our session here would attract his attention. But since it obviously didn't, perhaps your death will succeed where this pointless fight did not." Zabuza raised his sword.

Sasuke braced for the end. He heard a gasp of pain, but it sounded like it was coming from in front of him. Is this what death is like? Sasuke opened his eyes.

In front of him stood Zabuza, still holding his sword above him. An arm stuck out from where his heart should have been. The hand glowed bright blue with chakra. Suddenly, the hand receded. Zabuza's now lifeless body collapsed to the ground. The monstrous sword fell to the side. And just behind Zabuza's body stood Hatake Kakashi.

Kakashi smiled his little smile, which you can only recognize from the way his eye looks. "Sorry I'm late. For real, this time. I shouldn't have let you and Naruto guard the bridge by yourselves."

Sasuke grunted in response.

"I need to go check on how Naruto's doing. Sakura will take care of you until I bring Naruto back here."

"Sasuke-kun! You're hurt!" Sakura ran over and kneeled beside Sasuke, as Kakashi hurried to the end of the bridge.

Sauke groaned as Sakura began fussing over him.

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Must replenish energy. Must feed.

Kyuubi tore into the still warm body of the fallen Haku.

Kyuubi! Stop!

The demon ignored Naruto's request.

Kyuubi, I know you might be a little shaken by your first real brush with death, but if someone sees you, they might figure out what's going on!

Kyuubi froze. Slowly, his thought's returned to normal. What if someone did see him? Kyuubi stood up and slowed the release of his chakra back to its normal level. He replaced the genjutsu over his eyes. He pulled his mask back over his face, as it had obviously been removed for... eating. Then he sat down.

I... almost died. And if that kit hadn't reminded me, I might have been seen, and then I would be hunted by ninja, instead of just running into them on missions.

You could say thank you.

Thank... you... Naruto.

We should probably go check on Sasuke. Zaubuza is at least as strong as this guy was.

Yeah. I guess so...

Kyuubi reluctantly got up and jogged over toward where Sasuke had been patrolling.

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Kakashi ran toward the end of the bridge. Zabuza would only have strong companions, and any ninja dumb enough to wear orange, At least, he used to wear orange, would be easy prey for a decent ninja.

Then, Kakashi saw Naruto jogging his way. "Naruto!"

The boy stopped. Kakashi looked at him. There was blood everywhere. Blood covered Naruto's black shirt, pants, and mask. It was driping off of his chin, and from his fingertips. Every step left a red print on the ground. Naruto's entire outfit was now a dark red. His clothing was torn, and had more than a dozen holes in various places.

"Naruto! Are you alright?" Kakashi rushed to make sure that Naruto would be alright. Surely, with this much blood lost, the boy should be about to pass out.

"I'm fine, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto replied in a gravelly voice.

Kakashi sighed in relief. He had been afraid of losing a student on his very first mission as a sensei. "Where is the nin you fought?"

Naruto pointed behind him.

"You didn't let him get away?"

Naruto shook his head in a negative manner.

"Very good, Naruto! Now let's see if we can't find out who was behind all this. Maybe there is a note on the ninja's body. If not, we can look at Zabuza's."

"You don't want to see the body," Kyuubi said. Because of the recent release of so much chakra, it was going to be more difficult to speak normally for a while.

"We have to find out who was behind this, or this mission will have to continue until the bridge is finished."

Kyuubi grunted, but didn't argue. Kakashi began walking over in the direction Naruto had pointed. "Come on, Naruto."

Naruto followed slowly behind Kakashi, dreading what the jounin might discover.

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Sakura finished binding Sasuke's last open wound. "How are you feeling, Sasuke-kun?" she asked in a syrupy voice.

Sasuke grunted in response.

Sakura was about to speak when she heard many people walking toward her. She looked up, and saw a short man in a black suit, leading a large crowd of armed men. The man stopped when he saw her through the slowly clearing mist, and the men stopped behind him.

The man spoke. "Well, well, well! What have we here? A girl and a wounded ninja? Ha! Even if that stupid 'demon' couldn't kill you, at least he weakened you for my men to finish off. He pointed at the people on his left. "You men take care of these two. The rest of you, search the rest of the bridge. When you kill everyone there, plant the explosives."

The men he had finished speaking to hurried toward the end of the bridge. The man in the black suit stood where he was, and spoke to the rest of his men, who were walking over to Sakura. "Kill the boy. And do... whatever you want, with the girl. I want to see this."

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Kakashi stared in horror at the sight in front of him. Two wild dogs were busily eating the ninja's corpse. By the looks of it, the had already eaten the throat and the face, and were polishing off the right side of the body.

Kyuubi silently vowed to be nice to every dog he ever met again.

Naruto agreed. That's twice you've been saved by wild dogs. You owe them big time.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was wondering how the dogs had gotten there. After another glance, he decided that there was not going to be anything salvageable from the ninja's body. He turned around and began walking the other way, when he heard Sakura scream. Kyuubi truned at the sound. But before Kakashi could sprint to Sakura's aid, a small crowd of armed men emerged came into view from the thin wisps of mist still hanging over the bridge.

"You're not going anywhere!" shouted one, and they all charged at Kakashi and Kyuubi.

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End of chapter. Please review!