Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything from his universe. I only own Nazo who I created.

"Talking"

'Inner Thoughts'

You Can't Be Serious

Chapter 4

The Land of Waves

Nazo awoke suddenly a bit put off by the darkness surrounding all his senses. It took him a few seconds to remember what had occurred, and a few more to register what was happening now. Normally he would keep his senses chakra enhanced even while sleeping so when he woke up he could effectively see. Succumbing to chakra exhaustion meant none of his senses were, at the moment, chakra enhanced. Laying perfectly still, as any trained ninja would not knowing where he or she is, Nazo pushed chakra into his nose and ears. That taking less than a second he followed up by releasing a first chakra pulse. He was rewarded with seeing Naruto leaning over him, his face inches from Naruto's. Nazo, like anybody, was startled and screamed loudly while trying to sit up. The rest of Team Seven downstairs heard the scream, followed by a thud, and ran upstairs to check on their sensei. Sakura and Sasuke rushed through the bedroom door to find Nazo sitting up in bed rubbing his forehead. Naruto was slumped against the wall opposite the bed with a small bump visible on his forehead.

"Sensei you're awake!" Sakura chirped happily as she walked to the side of the bed.

"Yes I'm glad to see you all too. Naruto it isn't wise to hover over the face of someone who could regain consciousness at any time" Nazo stated matter of factly. "So how long was I out?"

"Four days plus the rest of the day it took us to get here" Sasuke answered from the doorway. "That last jutsu you used was a chakra intense one wasn't it sensei?"

Nazo thought back on the fight with Zabuza. True it was a chakra intense jutsu, but he should have had enough jutsu to pull it off and be able to walk. He would have to play the scenario over to find out what went wrong when he was alone. "Yes Sasuke it is a chakra intense jutsu, I wouldn't recommend most jounin to attempt to use it. I made it specifically for ninja attuned to water, I would warn anyone attuned to another element not to use it regardless of their chakra reserve size. Now have you three been training?"

"Of course we have!" Naruto yelled nodding his vigorously.

"Well tell me what you three worked on" Nazo said as he turned his head to Sasuke.

"I worked on the jutsu and water walking you taught me" Sasuke said simply.

Naruto didn't give Sakura a chance before he started talking excitedly. "There wasn't a large enough body near the house to train on so I used the trees around here. How you used that tree to brace for my Futon during our last spar gave me the idea" Naruto smiled.

Nazo nodded in approval at them before turning to Sakura. "What about you?"

"I went with Tazuna to the bridge everyday" Sakura said quietly. "I did get some practice with the medical jutsu you showed me though, injuries are numerous while building a bridge."

Nazo smiled approvingly. It wasn't the best training routine, but they had only been genin for a little while. Seeing as how it was on their own he thought they did OK. It was getting dark though so it would be five days since his fight with Zabuza come morning. Zabuza had certainly recovered by now and would most likely come back to finish the job as soon as possible. He was about to sit up before one more thought crossed his mind. "Oh right, before I forget. Naruto what exactly were you doing so close to my face?"

Naruto's hand rose to the back of his head as he began scratching it nervously "Well you see, what happened was..."

"Go on, I'm waiting."

"I wanted to look at your eyes" Naruto sheepishly muttered silently.

"I see." Nazo said with a serious tone.

Sasuke looked on slightly interested at the sudden change in Nazo's voice. 'Are his eyes that important? He is blind, so why would his eyes be important? I wonder what he is hiding under there' Sasuke's thoughts slowly drifted into his own little world.

Sakura's thoughts didn't go near his eyes. Instead she was happy to finally see Naruto get in trouble. Nazo seemed to support everything Naruto did. Nazo loved the idea of Naruto's Oiroke no Jutsu, in fact he used it for laughs. Nazo even liked that horrid orange jumpsuit that was the bane of her existence. Naruto didn't even get scolded for the pranks he continued to pull around Konoha. Nazo had said something along the lines of "I think sneaking past squads of ANBU and setting a harmless trap is wonderful stealth practice. Avoiding them or losing them afterwards when they give chase is even better. How he manages to do it all in that bright orange suit impresses me greatly too." Now Nazo even joined in on the pranks. Now Naruto was going to get in trouble for simply trying to peek under their sensei's headband. This was well worth tricking him into peeking in her book.

After a minute of silent thinking on everyones part Nazo spoke. "Naruto if you want to see that bad you have to prove yourself. Seeing my eyes makes you part of something huge. Something only four living people know about." Naruto only nodded as Nazo continued. "When we get back to Konoha you need to perform a feat on great skill. Each of you actually. After, if you each do so, there will be another test for you as a team. Be successful and I will show you."

All three of them nodded in agreement as he finished speaking. They all wanted to know why he hid his eyes. If he was blind there was no reason to cover his eyes. Sasuke was wondering if he hid a terrible secret. Sakura wanted to know if he was really blind. Naruto just wanted to see if he had huge fish eyes. Whatever the individual case they would pass their tests and see under that headband.

"I'm going to get some more rest, I suggest you all do the same. Zabuza isn't dead, that was no hunter nin. Whoever it was only put him into a deathlike state" Nazo would have liked to leave it at that but he could tell he needed to do more explaining. "Now I have no idea how strong his accomplice was, but there is no doubt in my mind had I decided to attack I would have been killed. Like I said though he isn't dead. In fact I'm surprised he hasn't attacked yet but I know he will come back to try killing Tazuna again soon, most likely tomorrow or the next day. Now please, please leave so I can get some rest, preferably you should all get some too. Now out." Nazo shooed them out as soon as he finished talking. When they were out he finally settled into the peace and fell blissfully back to sleep.

Naruto stifled a yawn as he looked around. He was used to getting up early, by his standards, to train but Tazuna got up really early. They had eaten, gotten ready, left the house, and arrived at the bridge before Naruto would even be waking up under normal circumstances. Nazo hadn't even gotten to meet Tsunami or Inari. Nazo had pushed them to get ready as quickly as possible though, he had been concerned with the fact that the bridge would be finished the next day. Upon hearing that he had said he was absolutely sure Zabuza and the masked nin would attack today. So all morning Naruto had been standing on the bridge looking around watching the workers work. Unsure of exactly what to do, Nazo had made it clear to him not to goof around, Naruto started to doze off. Tazuna must have noticed because Naruto got pelted in the back of the head by a wooden board. As Naruto scowled at Tazuna, who smirked triumphantly, he noticed his vision start to get hazy. Naruto looked at Nazo questioningly and his sensei's nod was all the answer he needed. As the mist began to thicken Sakura and Sasuke appeared by Naruto's side to protect Tazuna.

"OK you three protect Tazuna, Zabuza is mine. If that masked nin shows up only two of you attack, someone stays with Tazuna at all time, am I clear?" Nazo asked clearly.

"Hai." All three of them voiced. Happy with their answer and feeling he got the point across Nazo walked into the mist.

Nazo walked casually through the mist toward Zabuza. The mist had been altered slightly from before. It was playing with his hearing, masking sounds and even changing the direction from which they came. Knowing that Nazo was more determined to end this fight as quickly as possible. When he was just yards away from Zabuza he stopped.

"Are you ready to die?" Zabuza laughed "I'm going all out this time, and don't worry about your brats. Haku is taking care of them and that bridge builder."

"As happy as that makes me I'm afraid it's you and this Haku who will die today." As Nazo finished he tossed several kunai at Zabuza. Zabuza used his huge sword as a shield, deflecting the kunai before charging Nazo. Half expecting to hear a metallic clang Zabuza was surprised to feel his sword hit flesh. Nazo let the sword tear into his left hand. Zabuza was put off even more as Nazo smiled, that was until Nazo spoke. "Chitose no Jutsu." The sword rusted then turned to dust in Zabuza's hands. Zabuza jumped back and looked at his hands in disbelief.

"How? You didn't form any seals."

"Actually I did, as I was walking over here."

Zabuza pulled out a kunai and charged Nazo. When he reached Nazo he feigned a lunge avoiding a spinning kick and slashing vertically upwards. Nazo jumped, continuing the spin. Zabuza ducked under the back heel kick and threw a left hook. Nazo bent backwards as he landed, avoiding the hook and flipping into a handstand kick. Zabuza caught the kick in the chin and flew back a few feet before hitting the ground and sliding several more feet. Zabuza pushed himself to his feet and felt a hand land on his shoulder, the words spoken next he was all too familiar with. "Suiton: Suirou no Jutsu" Zabuza cursed at being trapped in a jutsu he had attempted to trap Nazo with. Before either of them could exchange insults they both felt a sudden, immense, demonic chakra explode where Haku was fighting the Team Seven genin. Nazo wasn't around during the Kyubi attack so he didn't know what its chakra felt like. He did know about the demon being imprisoned in the boy though, and that gave him a pretty good idea of what was happening.

"Sorry Zabuza but I have to end this now. You were a worthy adversary, I wish you well in your next life." Nazo flashed through seals with his free hand before Zabuza could protest. "Suiton: Naimenteki Dekisui no Jutsu." A small stream of water separated from the prison of water and worked its way up Zabuza's nose and mouth. Within seconds his lungs were filled with water and Zabuza was left to die as Nazo Shushined to his students.

Nazo was glad to be done with The Land of Waves. It wasn't a bad place and Tazuna was nice enough when he wasn't drinking. The excitement was too much though, he had been practically alone for over twelve years, now he had three teenagers in his charge. It had also taken him awhile to fill out a mission report, in such a long time you forget how much detail to put into it. Just to be safe he put down everything that happened, even the shade of red Naruto turned when they were told the bridge was being named The Great Naruto bridge. Nazo had conveniently left out the part about Naruto using the Kyubi's chakra, he wanted to tell Hiruzen in person. The door to the hokage's office opened and two older men and an older woman walked out. As they walked down the stairs the secretary turned to Nazo and smiled, letting him know he could go in. He nodded politely and walked into the office closing the door behind him.

"Mission report?" Hiruzen inquired as Nazo walked into the room. Nazo placed the paperwork on the desk for him and waited for him to read it. After several minutes Hiruzen placed the papers back on the desk and grabbed his pipe. He lit the pipe and took several puffs as he thought. Finally he spoke ending the silence. "So he lied, but he is going to pay as soon as he acquires the funds?" Nazo nodded as Hiruzen continued "Zabuza and an accomplice of at least C-Rank, The Demon Brothers and Gato I would have to say thats a big experience for genin. That's not what I'm interested in though. I got a letter from a friend of yours while you were gone. I told him you were back and the letter I got back from him surprised me." Hiruzen pulled a scroll from a desk drawer and handed it to Nazo. Nazo read it then sighed before handing it back to Hiruzen.

"Jiraiya is going to hate me for getting him in trouble with you but I want to know." Hiruzen set his pipe down when he finished and waited for a response.

"What did he tell you?" Nazo asked softly.

"Everything."

"I see. Well it's all true. I guess you want to see?" Hiruzen nodded and Nazo slid his headband up to his forehead revealing his eyes.

Hiruzen studied him for moment before asking "You can change them?" Nazo nodded and Hiruzen studied him again. "So it's true about your parents then. Well you don't have to worry about your fathers problems at least."

Nazo nodded then sighed "True but I would like it kept a secret. I've only had to reveal them once since the war and I want to keep it that way. Besides I don't want to deal with the council or the Hyuga on a daily basis."

"Fair enough. Now it looks like you have something to say, but I want to discuss the upcoming chuunin exam with you first."

Nazo fixed his headband back over his eyes and turned to the hokage in disbelief "Really now? You can't be serious."

Jutsu List

Chitose no Jutsu; Thousand Years Technique

Suiton: Naimenteki Dekisui no Jutsu; Water Release: Internal Drowning Technique

Suiton: Suirou no Jutsu; Water Release: Water Prison Technique

Author's Note: I didn't write the fight between Naruto Sasuke and Haku on purpose. Nor did I write the ensuing encounter with Gato and his hired thugs. I thought it over a lot for a long time and I couldn't see it playing out that much different. Nothing significant changed before this mission and nothing significant is going to change any time soon. So if you have read the manga or watched the anime, which I suspect almost all of you have, then you know exactly how the fight went. If you disapprove then I apologize. I'm also a little curious as to what all of you that read and, if any, enjoy my writings. So you're encouraged to leave a review. Also I'm sorry for any mistakes in this chapter, I was functioning on very little sleep from work but wanted to get this chapter typed up and posted.