A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the wait. My explanation can be seen at the bottom of the passage. I just want to let you guys know that the story will start to take a slower pace, focusing more on character development. I won't go through the training montages unless you guys and girls really want me to. I'm actually gonna have a poll set up for that that will end about two weeks from now, so be sure to check it out.
Curving Almond: I'm happy you think my story is worth your time good sir/madame. And thank you for letting me know about these mistakes, as well as your input about the story pace. I'm gonna try and hunt this down and fix them.
DragonPony022: Eh, sorry to disappoint you my friend, but Naruto will not be using a kanabo. And, as you will see in the chapter, Naruto will blend some ninja techniques with his sword skills.
DhanaRagnarok: Thanks! Glad you like it!
Punisher951: I'm happy you like it!
VitaSen: "Poopy" writing skills? What are you talking about? I read your story Salutary Neglect and I gotta say, it's really good! Just a few mistakes here and there, but overall nicely done,so don't sell yourself short! Even still, I'm glad someone is "jelly" of my writing skills.;)
Team Asuma got up early to prepare for the upcoming battle. They were all currently outside, so as to not disturb Tazuna's family.
Naruto inspected each piece of his armor carefully. Despite the large gash that split his dō from the back and front, the piece was still usable. The cut was thin, making it unlikely that enemies would be able to take advantage of the chest piece's weakness. Satisfied with their condition, Naruto adorned his armor. He took a deep breathe as he picked up his helmet. He would not fail this time. He glanced at his teammates.
Ino was currently limbering up. Naruto noticed her inherent flexibility. Some of the angles she bent at seemed impossible to do, yet she never grimaced when she did them. That flexibility would become useful if she ever gets into a close quarters situation. He whistled as she jumped backwards into a tree, flipping as she scaled it. She reached the very top of the tree in a matter of seconds. Sitting on the very top branch, she waved down at him, not looking the least bit tired. Those chakra control exercises Asuma put her through really did wonders.
Shikamaru was thinking up contingency plans should something ever happen. The boy seemed focused as he crossed out different methods that he deemed flawed. The Nara looked up from his paper and called Ino and Naruto over. The two blondes made their way to Shikamaru, sitting on either side of him. Shikamaru explained to them what to do should one of the events he listed ever became reality. The two nodded and memorized several of the battle strategies that Shikamaru came up with, practicing several of them before breakfast started.
Asuma advised the team to eat only rice, so as to get more energy in a quicker amount of time. It was a silent meal, Tazuna having already explained to his family what is to be expected today. As the meal finished, the genin team helped Tsunami clean up and left the house with Tazuna. Out of sight, Naruto made several clones and posted them around the perimeter of the house. Confident that everything was in order, Team Asuma headed towards the bridge, ready for whatever awaited them.
Zabuza grunted as he swung Kubikiribōchō, cleaving a tree in a single swing. He slung the sword over his shoulder and watched as the tree crashed to the ground.
"A week off and I still got it." He laughed. Kami, it felt good to be moving about again! Haku clapped softly behind him, dressed in her hunter-nin attire.
"It is good to see that you are well, Zabuza-sama." She said warmly. It made her happy to see him as good as before. Zabuza turned to her, suddenly remembering a thought that has been on his mind for the duration of his recovery.
"Okay Haku, tell me. Where have you been going this past week? That first batch of herbs was enough to last us the week, so there was no reason to scavenge for more." He asked as he approached her. Haku stayed silent for a moment before answering.
"I... I've been meeting someone, Zabuza-sama." She admitted. She couldn't lie to her surrogate father. Not after all he has done for her. Zabuza narrowed his eyes.
"Who?"
"It's a boy. He's a traveler I met on the first day I was gathering herbs." She told him a small voice. Zabuza's eyes widened.
"...A boy?" Zabuza asked. Haku nodded shyly.
"Yes, Zabuza-sama." She confirmed.
"And what exactly do you do with him?"
"I... We just talk."
"Haku." He warned, knowing that that couldn't have been it. Haku's face grew flush as she told him the truth.
"We... We kissed." She stammered. "B-But that's not the only thing we do! We do talk to each other, and walk a-and stargaze as well!"
Zabuza became silent, multiple thoughts going through his head. Should he be accepting of the fact that Haku is finding interest in the opposite sex? Or should he try to enforce a life of chastity upon the girl? Maybe he should try to scare the ever living shit out of the boy if he met him. Zabuza nodded to himself. Yeah, that last one seems fun.
"Zabuza-sama?" Haku asked worriedly. There was a mischievous gleam in his eye as he smiled at her.
"Haku, you must introduce me to this boy." He told her.
"W-What are you planning to do to him, Zabuza-sama?" Haku asked nervously. She hoped he wasn't going to harm Naruto if she introduced them. Zabuza chuckled.
"I only wish to talk to him. I'm not gonna hurt him." He assured her. 'Much.' Haku sighed in relief.
"Of course Zabuza-sama." She bowed to him. "I would love for you to meet him."
Zabuza looked eastward, in the direction of the bridge. He let out a great sigh.
"I really hope the money is worth it. This is all too troublesome." He looked to Haku. "Let's go Haku. This is the final showdown." Haku slipped her mask over her face.
"Hai, Zabuza-sama." The two began walking, bravely marching towards their possible deaths.
Team Asuma arrived at the bridge, finding it completely deserted. There was a thick mist hanging about the area, giving off an ominous aura. Asuma signaled for the genin to hold their positions.
"Something's not right about this mist." Shikamaru deducted. The weather didn't fill the right conditions for mist to occur.
"Agreed. Keep sharp guys." Asuma warned. The three genin surrounded Tazuna in a triangle formation. Shikamaru and Ino had kunai up while Naruto gripped the hilt of his blade. Their eyes darted to and fro, trying to catch a glimpse of anything unusual. Asuma had his trench knives out, his chakra running through the metal. Suddenly, a new voice resounded throughout the area, its tone reverberating with powerful, dark malice.
"Heart, jugular vein, liver, lungs, larynx, collarbone, kidney, and spine. The eight points of instant death. Where would you like my blade?" The genin froze from the voice. Asuma grimaced. Zabuza was projecting his killing intent.
'What is this?' Shikamaru questioned. 'This pressure... If I make any sort of movement, I will die!' Small beads of sweat began to drip down his face.
'I... I can hardly breathe... What is this overwhelming presence?' Ino thought. She was slightly trembling.
'This feeling... I've felt it before. Killing intent...' Naruto gripped his sword tighter. 'This won't stop me.'
"Ooooh. It seems you survived, little samurai. That's good." Zabuza's voice echoed around the whole area, making almost impossible to pinpoint the swordsman's exact location. "Don't worry, you're safe from me, for now. It's the least I could do since last time."
"Don't think me weak just because of my previous defeat!" Naruto shouted into the mist. Zabuza's chuckling slightly unnerved him.
"Of course not. You are far from weak, little samurai. But my attention is needed elsewhere. My assistant will deal with you in my stead." Suddenly, a figure appeared in the mist in front of Naruto. Shikamaru tensed. It was that fake hunter-nin.
"That's our target." He warned. Ino was filled with great nervousness.
"Be careful guys." She warned.
Naruto nodded and formed the cross hand sign.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Twenty clones popped into existence, surrounding the hunter-nin. The shinobi stayed completely still, calm but tense. Shikamaru formed his own hand sign, his shadowing propelling forth. The hunter-nin spurred into action, jumping way from the shadow with Naruto's clones quickly following him.
"You couldn't have believed it was that easy, could you?" The nin taunted. Then he noticed Shikamaru's shadow was still stretched out, connecting with the shadows of the clones. "What?"
"Shika-Naru Kumiawase: Kage Buyō (Shika-Naru Combination: Shadow Dance) (1)." Shikamaru called. The clones then crisscrossed with each other, jumping around the nin and trying to connect their shadows. The hunter-nin pulled out some senbon and threw them at the cluster of clones, popping two of them. A clone came in from his right, but was soon popped with a stab. Another came in from above, plunging its sword down. The nin dodged it and threw another set of senbon, destroying the clone. Two clones charged at him from the front but were soon dispelled.
"Interesting maneuver, but it will take more than this to capture me." The nin mocked. The remaining clones charged in, but were quickly dispelled. The nin, confident that he thwarted their plan, charged at Shikamaru, whose shadow receded. Just as he was a foot away from the Nara, the nin's body froze. "What!?"
"Capture success." Shikamaru announced from behind. The Shikamaru in front of the nin grinned before transforming into Naruto. "Good job with the replacement Naruto."
"It was nothing, Shikamaru." Naruto said as he unsheathed Kitsune no Kōkatsu and pointed it at the hunter-nin. "Any last words?"
"Yes. Fooled you!" The nin suddenly shattered into thousands of ice shards, startling both Naruto and Shikamaru.
"A clone!?" Shikamaru yelled.
"Made of ice?" Naruto murmured. Ice? This couldn't be Haku, could it? No, it had to be a coincidence to run into another member of the Yuki clan.
'That was close. It's a good thing I decided to send in a Kōri Bunshin (Ice Clone) first.' Haku thought with a sigh, her entity still concealed in the mist. 'Their teamwork is rather good for a pair of fresh shinobi.' She looked to the samurai, a sense of nervousness filling her. That samurai's name was Naruto. That couldn't be her Naruto, could it? 'No, it can't be.' She shook her head. Time to get serious.
Haku leapt from the mist, behind Shikamaru, senbon in hand. The Nara turned just in time to block the stab with his kunai. Their arms trembled, trying to hold each other's weapons back with their own. Haku suddenly flashed through a series of hand signs with her other hand. Shikamaru's eyes widened.
'Single-hand seals!?' Shikamaru quickly tried to jump back, but Haku had already cast her jutsu. Many mirrors of ice surrounded the two combatants, forming a dome around them.
"Makyō Hyōshō! (Demonic Crystal Ice Mirrors)" Haku jumped back, phasing into one of the mirrors, soon appearing in all of them. Naruto gaped at the ice structure, realizing his friend was in immediate danger.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto cried out.
"I'm fine Naruto, I got it!" Shikamaru formed a number of seals before bringing his hands to his mouth. "Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Technique)" A great number of small fireballs spewed forth from his mouth, impacting the ice mirrors and creating a layer of steam. When it cleared, the ice mirrors were still there, fully intact. "I don't got it!"
"Despite ice's natural weakness to fire, my mirrors are resistant to even the most powerful of katon jutsu." Haku explained. "There is no escape. Prepare to meet your end." Shikamaru grimaced.
"Troublesome."
With the genin occupied, Asuma clapped his hands together.
"Fūton: Reppūshō!" The mist around Asuma cleared away, opening a large clear sphere around him. Asuma looked around him, his hands tightly gripping his knives in anticipation. Suddenly, Zabuza came flying from above, swinging Kubikiribōchō down with great force. Asuma leapt away from the sword, which crushed the concrete beneath it as it landed. Asuma charged Zabuza, his knives poised to strike. Zabuza blocked an overhead swipe with the flat of his blade.
"Your leg seems to have healed up fine." He commented. Asuma smirked.
"And that whole in your stomach seems to be patched up." He retorted. Zabuza chuckled before pushing the Konoha-nin back. The two charged each other once again. Zabuza swung at Asuma's side, making Asuma jump over the blade. Asuma somersaulted with his knives sticking out. He pushed wind chakra through the blades, extending their range and sharpness, striking against Kubikiribōchō. The great blade held, but the flat side was scratched an uncountable amount of times. Asuma landed with a grunt, and was then promptly charged by Zabuza. The missing-nin buried the flat of his blade into Asuma's torso, pushing him back. With a mighty yell, Zabuza forced Asuma into the ground, a great crash reverberating throughout the area.
Zabuza hefted Kubikiribōchō to his side as he glanced down. A smashed log was in place of Asuma. Zabuza flipped himself over the great blade, dodging a stab from Asuma. Asuma flipped away and flew through a series of seals.
"Katon: Haisekishō! (Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning)" A great cloud of black smoke erupted from Asuma's mouth. Zabuza jumped back into the mist, away from the ash. Then he smelt the substance. It wasn't ash.
'It's gunpowder!' Zabuza quickly jumped as far away from the black cloud before Asuma clicked his teeth, igniting the entire cloud. A large explosion erupted, the sound echoing for miles on end. Asuma panted, knowing that Zabuza got away from the technique. He quickly reasserted his stance, searching for the missing-nin. The mist cleared away, revealing Zabuza channeling chakra. Great spouts of water rose from the sides of the bridge. Asuma's eyes bulged.
"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu! (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)" Zabuza shouted as he commanded the pillars of water to crash onto Asuma. Asuma quickly prepared a counter jutsu.
"Fūton: Daitoppa! (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)" Asuma blew out a great gust of wind, which clashed with the giant wave of water. The two jutsu battled for dominance, but could not overcome the stalemate. The wind died out while the water fell to the ground and flowed off the bridge. Both shinobi were panting in tiredness.
"Not bad." They said to each other. Then they charged for another round of close combat.
Shikamaru grunted as he felt more senbon pepper him, the needles digging into various body parts.
"Naruto, a little help!" Shikamaru cried out. Meanwhile, Naruto was slashing at the ice outside in a futile attempt to break it.
"I'm trying Shika!" Naruto shouted as he chipped away at the ice, which reformed even the smallest of scratches. Shikamaru suddenly remembered one of the formations.
"Naruto! Ten Sankaku Furi Oritatami (Collapsing Point Triangle Swing)(2)!" He screamed. As soon as he heard him, Naruto slapped himself upside the head.
"Kami, I'm such a baka! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A clone popped into existence. "Quick, switch places with Shikamaru!" The clone nodded, but was quickly dispelled by Haku. An image of the hunter-nin appeared in front of Naruto and waved it's finger.
"No no no, it's rude to interrupt someone's fight." The image disappeared once the message was sent. Naruto shouted in frustration.
"Kuso! Fine." Naruto quickly switched places with Shikamaru. Shikamaru let out a growl of disbelief.
"Naruto, what the hell are you doing!"
"This ninja won't let me switch with my clones! Don't worry, just try to figure something out from out there!" Shikamaru grimaced.
"You better not die this time baka!" Shikamaru then rushed to Ino to discuss a plan. With the Nara's departure, Naruto turned to face Haku and her mirrors. He pointed Kitsune no Kōkatsu at the image in front of him.
"I am you opponent now, shinobi-san." Haku sighed as she readied some more senbon.
"Very well samurai-san. I will try to end this quickly." She threw a barrage of senbon at Naruto, who rushed into it. The needles deflected off his armor harmlessly. Naruto channeled wind chakra through his blade and swung it at the mirrors in front of him..
"Fūton: Onsoku Kiri! (Wind Release: Sonic Cut)" A large crescent of visible wind left the blade mid-swing. The projectile impacted a row of mirrors, the ice visibly shredding with the wind. When the crescent dissipated, there was a deep gash left in the mirrors it hit, almost cutting completely through it. The ice soon reformed, but Haku was panting slightly, and was sweating behind her mask. It took all she had to make sure it didn't cut through. This samurai was strong. She would need to take it up a notch.
"Impressive, samurai-san. Zabuza-sama was right about your potential. Nevertheless," Another barrage of senbon came, this time piercing the parts left unprotected by the plate. "You must fall." The senbon started coming in an endless stream, most of them hitting the mesh of his armor. Naruto grunted in pain as they entered his flesh. He clapped his hands together.
"Fūton: Reppūshō!" Naruto was surrounded by a sphere of air, which deflected the incoming needles and forcing Haku to stop her assault. He stopped for a moment to pull out some of the needles in his legs. They came out as easily as they went in, but Naruto had to put up the sphere once again to avoid even more needles. Naruto groaned in annoyance.
'You guys better figure out a plan soon. This is getting annoying.'
"Well what the hell should we do!?" Ino screamed at her teammate. Shikamaru gripped the sides of his head in frustration.
"I don't know! Naruto is the best suited to fight that hunter-nin, but even then he will get slowly whittled down. Those mirrors are nigh indestructible, so we can't break them, and because of them that ninja is almost untouchable."
"Well, how about we all go in there and help Naruto out?"
"Then who will protect Tazuna? And besides, that hunter-nin is moving at a blurring speed. No way would we be able to hit him. None of us can predict his movements nor are we fast enough to hit him in between his attacks." Shikamaru glanced over at his sensei, who was still matching Zabuza blow for blow. "How's Asuma doing?"
"It's a stalemate. Whatever blow they land on each other is returned in full, and their jutsu always cancel each other out." Ino turned her attention to the ice dome. "I hope Naruto is doing all right in there."
"Me too."
"Are you sure we can't do anything?"
"Without endangering ourselves or Tazuna? No. We will have to wait until one of them wins, or until Asuma beats Zabuza. I only hope Naruto wins."
"Yeah." Ino stared worriedly at the dome. "I hope so too."
Naruto grunted as he felt several senbon hit his biceps. Kami, these things were so annoying! He clapped his hands together. "Fūton: Reppūshō!" The next barrage of senbon were deflected. "Face me with honor, shinobi!" Haku appeared in all the mirrors around Naruto.
"Forgive me samurai-san. To fight you one on one would be my downfall. As I still have use to Zabuza-sama, I cannot die just yet." Haku's actual body appeared from above Naruto. "Hyōton: Seihyō Keimusho! (Ice Release: Ice Prison)"
Haku threw an ice senbon at Naruto, which stuck to his helmet. The needle began to spread around Naruto's helmet, forming a layer of ice. Naruto, feeling the ice begin to cover his head, quickly unstrapped his helmet and tossed it to the ground. The helmet landed with a clatter before becoming fully encased in ice. Haku gasped as she saw the samurai's true face.
"N-Naruto-san?" Naruto saw the masked shinobi step out a mirror in front of him, taking off her mask. His jaw dropped in surprise.
"Haku-san?" The two slowly approached each other. "I thought you said you weren't a shinobi!" He yelled indignantly. He was not happy being lied to, and even more furious about not catching the lie.
"I'm technically not. I'm not officially registered." She replied, also slightly agitated. "Why didn't you tell me you were part of this genin squad?"
"How come you didn't tell me you were working with Zabuza-san?" He countered. Both stared into each other's eyes before sighing. They understood why. It was to protect their precious people.
"I'm sorry." They apologized at the same time. Haku helped Naruto remove whatever senbon was still on his person before hugging him. The ice mirrors began to melt, Haku having stopped the flow of chakra to sustain them. Naruto gently wrapped his arms around Haku.
"Naruto!" Naruto saw Ino and Shikamaru rush to him. Haku and Naruto pulled away from each other, Naruto sliding in front of her.
"What's up guys?" He called to them. They both gave him stern looks. There was some explaining to do.
"Do you know that person Naruto?" asked Shikamaru. The blonde smiled meekly.
"Yes, I do. Her name is Haku. I met her the day I recovered, in the forest a few miles away from Tazuna's house." Speaking of which...
At Tazuna's house
Gatō's two bodyguards, Waraji and Zōri, approached the household with a barbaric excitement. Gatō had ordered the two to take Tazuna's family hostage, but clarified that they only needed one. They stood at the door and knocked.
"I'm coming!" Tsunami called, ignorant of the guests' identities. She opened the door with a warm expression on her face, which quickly turned horrified. The two goons grinned as they forced their way inside, pulling Tsunami with them. "H-Hey, let me go!"
"I'm sorry dear, but we need you to come with us." Zōri told her. "You see, Gatō needs a hostage to hold over your dad."
"Which means that we're taking you whether you like it or not." Waraji finished. "So unless you want to get hurt, you better come along nice and quietly." There was an evil glint in his eye. "Or don't, then we will have so much more fun together." He gave Tsunami a long lick to the neck, unsettling her and making her squirm more fiercely within his grasp. Zōri scowled at his partner.
"Idiot, you're making her fight more!"
"M-Mom?" Everyone turned to the stairs, where Inari was staring at the scene with shock. Zōri and Waragi had sinister grins on their faces while Tsunami cried out.
"Inari, run! Go quickly!" She screamed.
"Well what have we here? A little runt waking up from nap-time?" Asked Zōri as he walked towards Inari.
"No, please! Leave him alone!" Tsunami screamed. "If you hurt him, I-I'll bite my tongue and kill myself!" Waraji tightened his hold of her to stop her struggling. Zōri turned back to her.
"If you come with us silently, then we'll leave your boy alone. Deal?" Tsunami quivered as she nodded. Zōri turned back, glancing at Inari as he did so. "It's your lucky day boy. Now be a good little brat and stay out of our way." Tears were running down Inari's face as he looked down at the floor. He mumbled something, making Zōri stop. "What was that kid?"
"LEAVE MY MOM ALONE!" Shouted Inari as he charged the mercenary. Caught off guard by Inari's defiance, he took the boy's headbutt into his stomach. Zōri doubled over in pain as Tsunami yelled out in worry.
"No, Inari! Please, you need to run!"
"No! I'm tired of running! Naruto was right, I need to fight!" Zōri looked up at the boy, glaring at him hatefully.
"D-Damned brat!" Zōri punched Inari in the stomach as he rose, knocking the boy off his feet. He drew his sword, grinning sadistically as he stared at Inari's terrified expression. "You're gonna pay for that!"
"NO! INARI!" Tsunami screamed, tears running down her face. "WHAT ABOUT OUR DEAL!?"
Zōri sneered. "I changed my mind! This brat dies!"
Tsunami made to bite her tongue but her jaw was forced shut by Waraji "Now now, where would the fun be if you killed yourself?"
Zōri raised his blade over his head, cackling madly. He swung down.
Only to meet another blade. A Naruto clone came in between the mercenary and the boy, easily holding the larger man's strike. Zōri stared at the clone in surprise before glaring at him.
"Where did you come from?" He asked through gritted teeth, trying to exert more force to overpower the samurai clone. The clone responded with silence. With a quick knee to the gut, the clone pushed back the goon before taking a defensive stance before Inari. Zōri grunted in pain as he held his stomach. Waraji glared at the clone.
"Hey, do you know who you're messing with! We're samurai you little brat!" The one-eyed mercenary yelled. A low chuckle came from the clone.
"You? Samurai? No. I am a samurai. My rōnin master was a samurai. To call you disgraceful bandits samurai is an insult to our very honor." The shadow clone pointed his blade at them, the black metal gleaming in the light. "And for insulting my honor, you will die." Suddenly, five more clones came into the room, surrounding the mercenary pair. The two sellswords shared a look before charging into one of the walls, breaking it, and landed in a heap. Tsunami, still in Waraji's grasp, let out a small shriek as she impacted the ground.
Zōri was the first to recover, quickly sprinting away from the shadow clones. Waraji soon followed, but at a slower pace. They did not get far before three clones each appeared before them. Zōri charged one of the clones, his sword held high over his head, before being gutted. Another swipe from a clone beheaded the man. Waraji looked on in horror and fright, slowly backing away from the clones.
"St-Stay back! If you come any closer I'll break her neck!" The swordsman yelled. No sooner had the words left his mouth did an arrow pierce his skull from behind. The body of Waraji stood there for a moment longer before collapsing to the ground. Tsunami stood still, completely shocked at what had happened in that instance. One of the clones approached her.
"Are you all right, Tsunami-san?" He asked. Tsunami could only nod dumbly, still reeling from the experience. Back inside the house, a clone was putting away his yumi, an awed Inari standing next to him. The clone kneeled before the boy, their eyes meeting.
"That was very brave of you, Inari-san. I apologize for my harsh words earlier this week. I would think Kaiza-san would be proud of you for standing up for your mother." Tears fell once more from the small boy's eyes. Inari hugged the clone close as he bawled for a moment, the clone returning the embrace.
"You met her a week ago and you're already hugging?" Ino asked jealously. No girl was allowed to touch Naruto beside her! Naruto nodded.
"Yes. We became fast friends, Ino-chan. She's not bad." Haku stepped up to Naruto's side and hugged his left arm.
"We became more than that, actually." She said affectionately. Naruto and Ino gave her an incredulous look.
"You did!?/We did?" They asked, though with varying levels of calmness. Haku looked at Naruto with a slightly disappointed face.
"I would have thought that after we kissed so many times you would think so too."
"YOU WHAT!?" Ino shrieked at Naruto, who scratched his head with his other hand.
"Isn't that what friends do? I mean, my Onii-san told me the girl he was kissing was just a friend when I saw them do it." The girls both stared at Naruto, amazed by his naivety.
Somewhere in Konohagakure
Kakashi was fervently locking lips with Konoha's Snake Mistress Mitarashi Anko when he suddenly felt a chill go down his spine. He pulled back, trying to wonder what caused that feeling.
"Mou, what's the matter Kakashi-kun?" Anko asked him while running a finger down his exposed chest.
"I have a feeling something I did in the past will comeback to haunt me one day." Was it the time when he explained sex to Naruto? Maybe.
"Well, that can wait, ne? Let's get back to round three." Anko gave his neck a lick. Kakashi relented and returned to his previous activity. Whatever it was, it could wait until he was finished ravaging the seductress beneath him.
Shikamaru facepalmed at Naruto's words. Was it because he was dense? Or was it due to his theoretical innocence that he was unable to figure out what his action meant romantically? Maybe it was both. Ino immediately grabbed Naruto's right arm.
"Mou, Naruto-kun is mine! I kissed him first!" She yelled as she pulled him to her. Haku 'humph'ed' as she pulled Naruto back to her.
"But Naruto-san and I have a special connection!" Ino pulled again.
"But I've known him longer!" Haku pulled again.
"Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?"
"Um, girls?"
"Yes I do. But I saw him first!"
"Well it's obvious that Naruto-san prefers older, more mature girls to immature ones!"
"Girls?"
"I'm closer to his age!"
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"It does when you're trying to prey on a boy younger than you are you damn cougar!"
"Cougar? I'm only fifteen years old!"
"That's still a big age difference!"
"Girls, please-"
"No its not!"
"He's thirteen, it's big enough!"
"Listen to yourself! Do you see why I call you immature?"
"Maybe Naruto-kun likes that! Besides, he calls me -chan, so that means he's more comfortable around me!"
"That's because Naruto-san respects me!"
"STOP FIGHTING!" Strangely enough, it wasn't Naruto who said it. Everyone on the bridge turned towards the two new arrivals. It was the Demon Brothers, who looked a bit roughed up. The genin and Haku slowly approached as Asuma and Zabuza stopped their dispute.
"What happened to you two? You looked like you got into a fight." asked Zabuza. Gōzu nodded.
"Hai, we did Zabuza-sama. Gatō has been plotting to betray us. We would have gotten here earlier, but he hired some hunter-nin. We've managed to defeat them but Gatō has already amassed an army of his bandits."
"He planned to take you out when you were exhausted from fighting the Konoha-nin. He should be here in a few moments." Meizu finished.
"I knew I shouldn't have trusted that little shit!" Zabuza roared. He turned to Asuma. "It seems we are no longer enemies, Sarutobi Asuma." Asuma grunted in response, relaxing slightly but still on guard. Zabuza looked for Haku and saw her hugging the samurai boy's arm. "Is this the boy you met?"
"Y-Yes, Zabuza-sama. This is him." Haku said shyly. Naruto waved as Zabuza approached them.
"Hello Momochi-san! It's great to properly meet you." Zabuza soon stood in front of the blonde, towering over him.
"Well what a coincidence. Tell me boy, what do you think of Haku?" Zabuza asked with a scowl. Naruto grinned back at the man.
"Haku-san is very polite and kind. When we first met, we got along quite well. Despite only knowing her for a week, I consider Haku-san as one of my precious people." Haku blushed at the statement while Ino grew slightly envious. Zabuza stared at the boy menacingly for a few moments longer before speaking.
"... I'm glad you think so." He stepped back, stabbed Kubikiribōchō into the ground, and took a seat. "I'm bored. I was hoping you would start sweating like a pig gaki. Seems you're made of tougher stuff than that." Naruto bowed to Zabuza.
"Thank you for the compliment Momochi-san."
"Call me Zabuza, Momochi-san makes me feel old." The Demon brothers approached their master.
"What should we do, Zabuza-sama?" They asked him.
"We wait. Then we slaughter them." Zabuza leaned against Kubikiribōchō and relaxed. Asuma followed the missing-nin's lead and pulled out a cigarette, trying to calm his nerves. The Demon brothers sat down on either side of Zabuza and conversed with their leader about recent happenings. Tazuna, completely forgotten about in the intense fight, took a swig from his flask. This left the genin to continue their earlier argument.
"MINE!" Ino and Haku shouted as they nearly ripped Naruto's arms off.
"Okay, okay, please stop!" Naruto groaned. "Why are you two fighting anyway?"
"Because I love you baka!" They yelled in unison.
"I love you both as well, so please stop fighting. I don't want my precious people to fight." Naruto said morosely. The girls looked at him in a guilty manner before releasing his arms. "Thank you." Naruto rubbed his sore arms. "Why don't you two take the time to get to know each other while we're here."
"That's gonna have to wait. Gatō's here." Zabuza announced. True to his word, Gatō was at the front an army of thugs and bandits.
"Zabuza! Why the hell haven't you killed that fucking bridge builder yet?!" The short man yelled. Zabuza slowly rose and hefted his sword to his shoulder.
"It's because I know you never meant to pay me, you damned midget." He shouted. "Don't try lying either. My subordinates already told me you tried to hire hunter-nin after us and they have the wounds to prove it." Gatō growled in frustration., but then smiled.
"Fine, you're right. I never was going to pay you. No matter. I have an army of over a hundred bandits, which should be enough to take care of you." He turned around to his army. "The one who brings me his head will be paid triple of what you're getting!" His army roared and charged the group of ninja. Zabuza and the Demon brothers smirked behind their facial coverings before they charged as well.
The Demon Brothers attached their serrated chain to their gauntlets and ran to the sides of the bridge. They caught the front lines of the army, the bandits skewering themselves on the chain. The ranks behind the front line pushed forward, not knowing what was happening. Zabuza jumped right into the middle of the force and started spinning, cleaving everything in his blade's path. The back of the army started backing off, dividing the force in two. The Demon Brothers ran thought the opening created by Zabuza and encircled the front half of the army with their chain. With a mighty pull, the chain started slicing through the bandits on the outside and continued through to the interior of the bandit group. Limbs and torsos fell to the ground in a bloody heap as the mercenary ninja went to work. The army of bandits that numbered well over a hundred was reduced to a bloody mess within minutes. Gatō stared on in shock at the swift massacre of his men, before running away to a boat below the bridge. Zabuza appeared before him in a puff a smoke, his body covered in blood that was not his own.
"Where do you think you're going, little man?" Zabuza asked menacingly. Gatō fell on his backside at Zabuza's sudden appearance and crawled backwards until his back hit a pair of legs. He looked up to find Gōzu and Meizu drenched in blood, looking down on him with a predatory stare. He looked back at Zabuza, who was slowly walking towards him.
"N-No! Pl-Please spare me! I'll pay Zabuza! I'll pay double- no, triple the amount I owe you!" Gatō begged for his life. Zabuza chuckled at Gatō's pathetic appearance.
"Oh, you'll pay Gatō. You're gonna pay me with your miserable life!" Zabuza-raised his sword over his head before bringing it down.
"Wait! Zabuza-san!" Tazuna called. Kubikiribōchō stopped just inches away from Gatō's face, the craven man stunned from his near death.
"What is it old man?" Zabuza asked impatiently.
"Give Gatō to us. We have much to discuss with him." Tazuna looked down at Gatō, a harsh expression on his face. "So very much to discuss." Zabuza laughed as he pulled away his sword.
"Fine then old man. He's yours."
"Grandpa!" A new voice called. Everyone turned around and saw the townspeople of Nami armed with various makeshift weapons with Inari and Tsunami leading them. "Did we miss the fight?"
"Oh yeah. You definitely missed it." Zabuza said. He picked Gatō up by the collar of his suit and tossed him to the mob. "Consider this an apology gift for trying to kill your granddad." The mob stared at the cowering form of Gatō with a savage glee.
"It's Gatō!"
"Kill him! Make him suffer for what he's done to us!"
"Let's feed him to the fishes!"
Various cries of retribution filled the air as the mob swarmed him. Gatō gave a frightful yell which eventually turned into a death rattle as the townspeople tore him apart. Asuma looked at Naruto.
"Aren't you against this Naruto? He didn't get a proper trial." Naruto shook his head.
"No, but the evidence that he is guilty lies within the people of Nami. As far as I'm concerned, Gatō got what was coming to him." He looked to the bloody part of the bridge, where pieces of man still lay twitching on the concrete. "Zabuza-san, do you think you could clean up the mess you made?" The swordsman nodded and prepared a jutsu.
"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu." Pillars of water rose again and splashed onto the bridge, cleaning off the bloody mess he and the Demon Brothers caused. With the cheering of the crowd and the enemy dealt with, Naruto had one question.
"What now?" Asuma placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Now we wait until Tazuna-san finishes the bridge. Then we go home."
"Does this mean we can relax for the next few days?" Shikamaru asked.
"Yes. Consider it a reward for a job well done." The Nara sighed in relief. Ino jumped on Naruto's back.
"You hear that Naruto-kun! We have a few days to ourselves!" She necked him. "We're gonna have so much fun, just Naruto-kun and his Ino-chan!" Haku embraced Naruto from his front.
"You mean Naruto-san and I are gonna have so much fun, right Naruto-san?" The two girls shared a heated glare before Naruto spoke up.
"No we're not. Not until you girls can get along better. Can you even stay for long, Haku-san?" Haku realized he was right. She quickly turned around to Zabuza.
"Can we stay for the next few days Zabuza-sama?" She pleaded. Zabuza waved her off.
"Yeah yeah, we can stay for a bit. This whole ordeal has me stressed out, and now is a good a time as any to relax. You can go ahead and do whatever you want, but I'm going home. Don't be gone too late Haku." Zabuza then started walking back to their base.
"We're coming too Zabuza-sama!" called Meizu as he and his brother rushed to join him. Haku turned back and smiled at Naruto.
"There's your answer Naruto-san."
"Well then, why don't you two get to work. Until you girls sort out your dispute, I'm going to hang out with Shikamaru after I get out of my armor." Naruto picked up his helmet off the ground, still frozen solid, and held it in front of Haku. "If you wouldn't mind Haku-chan?"
"Of course, Naruto-san." With a silent command, the ice immediately melted. With that, Shikamaru and Naruto left the bridge. The mob dispersed, each going back to their daily lives. Asuma followed Tazuna and his family back to their home. The girls looked at one another before following Asuma.
The girls decided to parley in Ino's room, Naruto having gone into Shikamaru's room playing shōgi. They sat across from each other, legs crossed with an air of silence between them.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... I'm not going to give up Naruto." Ino broke the silence. Haku gave her a polite smile.
"Neither am I."
"I can be reasonable, Haku-san."
"As can I, Ino-san. What do you propose?"
"Well, it seems you are adamant about being with Naruto, and I can't do anything about it without incurring Naruto's ire. That being said, I say we share him." Haku grew curious.
"Share? As in fifty-fifty?" Ino sighed.
"For now, yes. As much as I dislike having to share Naruto, I have a feeling that he's going to keep attracting more girls like moths to a flame."
"And it would just be easier to accept them than to oppose them." Haku concluded.
"Right." Ino smirked. "Besides, you're gonna keep traveling with Zabuza right? That means you won't be here most of the time." Haku grimaced. She was right. "So why don't you get the first day with him?"
"R-Really?"
"Sure, you won't see him again for a long time anyway, so it's only fair."
"Thank you, Ino-san." Haku bowed to her. Ino smiled.
"Of course Haku-san. Like Naruto-kun said, we should try to become friends."
In Shikamaru's room
The two boys of Team Asuma were playing a casual match of shōgi. The match had been going on for a good hour, the two conversing as they played.
"So what's it like having two girls fight over you?" Shikamaru asked as he moved a rook.
"It's really weird. I don't like it." Naruto moved his knight forward.
"Of course you wouldn't like it. Other guys would kill to be in your position." Shikamaru dropped a pawn next to the blond's knight.
"Really? They want to hear women argue constantly?" Naruto captured the pawn with his silver-general.
"Which is why I don't envy you. I'm fine with being monogamous. Having more than one woman is troublesome." Shikamaru captured the silver-general with his rook.
"Yes, it really is." Naruto moved his bishop to the other end of the board, promoting it.
Shikamaru moved his lance forward, on space away from Naruto's king. "Check."
Naruto captured the lance with his knight. This allowed Shikamaru to place his own bishop past the knight, ending the match.
"Checkmate." Shikamaru announced with a grin. These matches got better and better every time. Naruto sighed in defeat.
"Once again, I am defeated." Just then, the door opened. The boys turned to see Haku poking her head in.
"Naruto-san. Ino-san and I have reached an agreement." Naruto nodded and rose from the floor. He looked at Shikamaru.
"Thanks for the match Shikamaru. See you later." Naruto followed Haku out the door.
"Don't have too much fun Naruto." Shikamaru called after him.
"So I will be dating the both of you during the remainder of the mission?" Naruto asked. Both girls nodded in confirmation. "Are you quite sure you are both all right with this?"
Ino smiled at him. "Yes Naruto-kun. We believed it necessary to share your affections, because we did not want to force you to choose."
"We both love you very much, Naruto-san." Haku added. "And we did not want you to feel guilty for having chose one over the other."
Naruto gave them both a bright smile and bowed. "Thank you. I am unworthy of your kindness." He raised his head. "So who will be my first date?"
"I will be accompanying you tonight, Naruto-san." Said Haku as she stepped forward. Naruto embraced her.
"Then I will make sure to make our first date memorable." He whispered. Ino pouted at their affectionate display, which soon turned into a small smile. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
Later that day, Naruto and Haku were dressed in their casual clothing, walking around the village of Nami. It was a day of celebration, one that would continue for three days and three nights. Decorations were thrown up, stands were serving free food and games, and the populace were having a blast. All of this was due to Gatō's blood money. After Gatō's death, the villagers ransacked his mansion, distributing the wealth among the populace. The food being served was from Gatō's food storage, and the decorations were from his warehouse in the harbor. Who knew a dead man could be so generous?
Haku dragged Naruto over to a sushi stand. It was a nice, quaint little stand that reminded Naruto of Ichiraku Ramen back at home. They took their seats by the counter, a rather young, average looking man awaiting them. He gave them a large smile.
"Hello! Welcome to Satake Sushi! How may I help you today?" He greeted. He then gasped when he saw Naruto. "Ah, Uzumaki-san! It is an honor to have you in my shop!"
Naruto waved in acknowledgment. "Mah, I'm actually surprised you know me."
"But of course, Uzumaki-san! Tazuna-san and his family spoke of your heroics. We people of Nami are eternally grateful!" The man bowed. Naruto rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as Haku giggled at his situation.
"There's no need to bow sir." Naruto realized something. "Ah, I didn't even ask for your name."
"I am Satake Yoshiharu." The man replied. Haku noticed that Yoshiharu was alone.
"Is it just you that works here, Satake-san?" She asked. The sushi chef nodded.
"Hai. My father used to work here as well, but he passed away while Gatō still ruled." The man's expression saddened a bit, before brightening once more. "But it's okay. He had already lived an eventful life, so it was not such a bad death."
"Even still, You have our condolences." Said Naruto as Haku nodded in agreement. Yoshiharu smiled.
"Ah, arigatō Uzumaki-san. Now, enough of my sob story. What would you and your lady friend like to eat?"
Haku and Naruto looked over the menu, which was filled with a large assortment of sushi, ranging from simple nigirizushi to more complex tempura and futomaki. "Hmm. What do you want Haku-san?"
Haku waited for a few moments before deciding. "I think I might have the unakyu (3), along with some octopus tempura."
Yoshiharu wrote down her order and turned to Naruto. "I'll also have the unakyu, and the crab futomaki as well."
"All right! This will only take a few minutes." Yoshiharu then went into the back to prepare their food, leaving the two adolescents by themselves.
Haku leaned against Naruto, her head resting on Naruto's shoulder. "Thank you for taking me out, Naruto-san."
Naruto wrapped an arm around her waist. "Of course Haku-san. It is a great privilege to be able to escort you to this event." The two were silent as they waited for their meal, enjoying the warmth of their embrace.
Yoshiharu came back shortly, surprising the two lovebirds with his quick return. "I'm sorry I took so long, but I haven't made tempura in a while." Was his excuse as he laid out their food in front of them. Long? It took him less than five minutes!
The food laid before them looked absolutely exquisite, the rolls so perfectly made and cut that it seemed professionally made. Both Naruto and Haku picked up their chopsticks and dug in. As the sushi touched their tongues, both customers let out a small hum of surprise.
"This is delicious!" Exclaimed Haku as she stuffed more unakyu into her mouth in a completely unladylike manner.
"Yes, this is really quite good." Naruto praised, having a bit more control of himself as he ate.
Yoshiharu grinned. "I'm glad you like it! My family has a history of master sushi chefs in our line. It's in our blood!" The sushi chef suddenly dawned an expression of realization. "OH! That's right! Uzumaki-san, if you would like, I could make you a very special dessert sushi!"
This caught Naruto's interest. "Dessert sushi?"
"Yes. It is prepared with sweetened rice and black bean paste filling. It was rather popular when my father was my age, or so he said."
Naruto looked to Haku, who, with having a mouth stuffed with sushi, gave him the go ahead. "Sure. Let's try it."
"Wonderful! I'll be right back." Yoshiharu then disappeared into the kitchen. In just a few minutes, he reemerged with a serving tray in his hand, a lid covering the contents of the plate. He set it down in front of Naruto and placed his hand on the handle of the lid.
"May I present to you..." He pulled the lid off, revealing a number of standard futomaki rolls. However, what Naruto noticed was the design. "Uzumaki!"
Uzumaki. Whirlpool roll. The name perfectly matched the description. The rice and bean paste, when rolled up, formed a very familiar spiral. The symbol of his long lost clan, put into food form. Naruto could only stare in awe of the food. Something within Naruto swelled with happiness and pride. As if he could see the greatness of his clan inside the roll.
He slowly reached forward, his hand slightly trembling. As his chopsticks closed around a piece, a small tear fell down his cheek, unnoticed by Naruto. His breathe was caught in his chest as he brought the piece closer, examining it. Slowly, he popped the morsel into his mouth.
Naruto was unsure if it was the sushi or the emotion, but the sweetness hit him hard, like the sword that almost killed him. It was... To say it was delicious would not do it justice. The taste was indescribable. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes.
It was one of the best things he ever tasted.
Haku reached over and took a piece herself, eating it with much more care than its predecessors. She squealed in delight when the sweetness exploded in her mouth. "This is amazing!"
Naruto nodded slowly in agreement, almost as if he was in a daze. "It truly is... One of the best things I've ever tasted." His gaze was averted to his lap, his hair hiding his eyes.
"I'm glad you liked it! This is a secret recipe after all." Said Yoshiharu with a proud grin.
"Teach me."
"Huh?" Yoshiharu asked in surprise. Naruto was staring directly at him, multiple tears trails flowing down his cheeks. His blue eyes projected a silent pleading.
"Please. Teach me how to make uzumaki.(4)" Naruto begged in a quiet voice.
Yoshiharu gave Naruto a happy expression. "Sure thing Uzumaki-san! It's the least I could do to repay you for all you've done for us!" Haku looked on in interest, silently stealing food from Naruto's plate as she did so.
Naruto smiled at the sushi chef, bowing slightly to the man. "Arigatō, Satake-san. You have no idea what this means to me."
Yoshiharu waved off the thanks. "Ah, there's no need for thanks Uzumaki-san. I would have offered anyway had you not asked." Naruto smiled at the man. He turned his attention back to his food.
"Wait, what!?" It was all gone! Even the uzumaki! Naruto quickly turned to Haku, who was about to place the last piece of uzumaki into her mouth. The two met eyes before Haku popped it past her lips. "NO!" Naruto dove into her, knocking them both off their stools. Naruto pinned her to the ground before seizing her lips, trying to get the sushi back.
Yoshiharu simply glanced down before averting his gaze. "Ah, young love."
Next time on Return to Prominence
Naruto held Haku close, a forlorn look on his face. "I'm going to miss you Haku-chan."
"I will miss you as well, Naruto-kun." She replied in a sorrowful tone, tears dripping down her eyes.
"Do you really have to go?" He whispered into her ear.
She pulled back and nodded. "Yes Naruto-san. As much as I want to stay, Zabuza-sama still needs me to achieve his dream."
Naruto placed a chaste kiss on her lips, which she then turned into a lover's farewell.
Omake: It's Just What Friends Do
"Isn't that what friends do? I mean, Shikamaru and I kissed, and he didn't say anything." The two girls gasped, their eyes widened into saucers. Shikamaru slammed his fist into Naruto's head.
"Baka! I said 'What the fuck are you doing!?' when you did that! Then I told you not to tell anyone!" The Nara screamed at his friend.
"But you didn't tell me it was a bad thing!" Naruto yelled back, nursing the growing lump on his head.
Shikamaru sputtered for a bit. "Well I- I mean... You still should have... Shut up!" Shikamaru crossed his arms and turned away, pouting.
"Mou, don't be like that Shikamaru! I'll make it up to you!" As Naruto tried to make amends with his friend, the two girls could only do one thing.
'I ship it.' They thought as blood ran down their noses
A/N: And that's a wrap! Man, I'm sorry I took so long, but I had some trouble writing the whole date scene as well as the 'beginning of the harem' scene. Ugh, I'm terrible. Also, be aware that any of the techniques I make up myself will be explained at the bottom of the page. And Omakes are gonna be an every five chapters thing, so don't expect it next chapter.
1. Shika-Naru Kumiawase: Kage Buyō: Naruto makes a bunch of shadow clones, which are then used by Shikamaru to extend his shadow. The clones aren't paralyzed, but whatever shadow that connects with their own shadows is paralyzed. The clones then rush the enemy, jumping and distracting them however they can while also trying to connect their shadows with the enemy's. If all the clones are dispelled, Naruto henge's into Shikamaru and switches places with him. (There was a certain technique that Shikamaru uses in the anime that mirrors the concept, but I can't remember the name and the Naruto wiki doesn't have it. If you know it, please tell me.)
2. Ten Sankaku Furi Oritatami: "When one member of Team 10 is trapped or surrounded, another will sneak into the scene and utilize Kawarimi no Jutsu to switch places with them. Uzumaki Naruto with then create a Kage Bunshin and will use it to again Kawarimi with the still trapped team member and free the entire team, leaving the Kage Bunshin behind to direct enemy attention until it is dispelled. By this time Team 10 will either have counter-attacked or will have left the immediate area to regroup. This can also be done with only two members of the team, but the necessary member must be Uzumaki Naruto for his use of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to provide the last expendable body meant for the final Kawarimi." (This is literally a renamed strategy created by Kenchi618 for chapter 10 of Better Left Unsaid. Credit to him for creating such an awesome story and techniques!)
3. So, uh, yeah. Lots of sushi terms here that you can literally just google and wiki.
4. This scene is based off of Chapter 6 of Making Uzumaki by PsyckoSama. I really loved this scene and I really want to put my own spin on it. I really hopes PsyckoSama updates soon, the story is really good!
Please, if you liked it, leave a review! If you have any criticisms, please also leave a review. If you have any questions, please PM me! I'll see you next time. Ja ne!