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Chapter 5: Kakashi the Copy Ninja
Tazuna was very relieved. The shinobi from Konoha had agreed to continue the mission, regardless of the deception. Naruto had objected, though, and he didn't even flinch when Tazuna had unveiled the sad story about his suffering country. Naruto did appear to be angered, and his disgust of Gato was nearly palpable.
In his head, Naruto vowed to kill Gato, who was the bastard behind all the hardships Tazuna's homeland was facing. If his team wanted to complete this mission so badly, then he'd give himself his own mission. 'Kill two birds with one stone, I guess.' Naruto thought, as he mentally shrugged.
Team Seven had arrived, not to long ago, in a forest in the outskirts of Wave after rowing through a thick fog. After discovering Gato's intention to prevent the bridge from being built and his hiring of shinobi to do assassinate Tazuna, Team Seven was even more alert.
Naruto's nose caught on to an unfamiliar scent and he quickly threw a kunai that went through the nearest bush and slammed into a tree. Sakura had a surprised look on her face as she looked towards where Naruto threw the kunai. She saw a petrified rabbit. She turned to Naruto and shot him a look of disgust.
"Naruto, I know you're probably the furthest thing from a nice person, but what made you want to throw a kunai at a rabbit?" Sakura exclaimed as she tried to comfort the rabbit.
Naruto's eyebrows shot up. He knew for a fact that rabbit wasn't there before. That wasn't what he was aiming for with the kunai.
'That rabbit's white coat signifies that it has been kept indoors.' Kakashi thought suspiciously, 'That must have been a replacement jutsu.'
Before anyone could question the out-of-place rabbit further, a massive sword spun through the air, forcing Team Seven to duck before they received any damage. The huge sword slammed into a tree and person appeared, standing on top of the sword, looking back at Team Seven.
"Well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said in recognition, "Rogue-ninja from Kirigakure."
Naruto kept a hand on one of his swords, readying himself for a quickdraw, but Kakashi held out his in front of Naruto, ceasing his actions.
"You're in the way. This one is out of your league." Kakashi said, "He's not like those other shinobi. If he's our opponent, I'm going to need this." Kakashi pulled up his headband revealing the Sharingan in his left eye.
Sasuke's eyes widened. 'Sharingan is a kekkei genkai unique to the Uchiha clan. How does he have it?' Sasuke thought, thoroughly confused.
"Kakashi of the Sharingan. It's too bad, but you're going to have to hand over the old man." Zabuza stated in his deep, gravely, intimidating voice.
"Mangi formation. Protect the bridge builder." Kakashi commanded and his team complied, surrounding the bridge builder. Naruto really wanted to fight this new opponent, but he could tell Zabuza was a superior fighter and fighting him would be near suicidal.
Zabuza pulled his sword from the tree and jumped on the water. He formed a hand sign with each hand and a heavy mist began to form.
Naruto's eyes widened in alarm. "He just disappeared." Naruto said in surprise.
"Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura murmured hesitantly.
Kakashi stepped forward and stated, "He'll come after me first. Stay on your guard, though. Zabuza is a master of the silent killing. It can happen in an instant, without any sound or warning."
"The mist is becoming thicker." Naruto said with a growl. The stalemate was irritating and it was making him antsy.
Kakashi, as if in response to Naruto's statement, flared his chakra causing some of the mist to disperse. Sasuke's entire body began shaking as the severity of the situation and the sheer power of the two jonin registered. 'I-I feel like I can't breathe. One shallow breath, one single movement of the eye is enough to draw his attack. It's suffocating! If it goes on like this, I'll go insane... No, I'd rather...' Sasuke trembled as he slowly rose the kunai, that he held tightly, to his throat, prepared to end his own life.
"Sasuke! Calm down." Kakashi's voice woke Sasuke from his suicidal trance, " I'll protect you all with my life. I will not allow my comrades to die. Trust me." Kakashi finished with a smile.
Naruto stared in disbelief at Kakashi's form. He shook off his shock at the statement, and drew one of his twin swords. His ears twitched as he tried his hardest to pick up even the slightest sound. Naruto concentrated hard. Closing his eyes, he focused solely on his sense of hearing.
His eyes snapped open, he heard it, the sound of Zabuza's footsteps! It was very faint, but not completely silent. Schooling his features, Naruto channeled wind chakra to the blade of his sword and added a layer of fire chakra to top it. Naruto's blade was now encased in fire.
Zabuza was now very close. He was inching up behind genin of Team Seven, intent on quickly killing the bridge builder. What Zabuza didn't account for was the quick reaction of Naruto, who faced him and shot a fairly large fire blast from his sword. Zabuza had to break his stride and jump away from the shot of fire.
Kakashi was immediate in his own reaction. Jumping at Zabuza with a kunai in his hand, Kakashi swung the weapon and cut through Zabuza, who burst into water, revealing that he was a water clone. Zabuza took advantage of Kakashi's momentary shock and sliced through him. Kakashi, also, burst into water. Zabuza's eyes widened. Kakashi had already copied the Water Clone Jutsu. Zabuza felt cool metal at his throat.
"Don't move." Kakashi said with an underlying threat, holding a kunai at Zabuza's neck. Unexpectedly, Zabuza once again burst into water. The real Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi and attempted to slash through him. Kakashi ducked and Zabuza, with an impressive show of physical prowess, kicked Kakashi through the air. Kakashi landed in the water.
Team Seven watched in shock as Zabuza booted their sensei across the battlefield. Zabuza took off, running toward the body of water that Kakashi landed in. His eyes caught the sight of spikes on the ground in front of the water. Zabuza hopped over the spikes and landed on the water. Kakashi surfaced soon after.
Zabuza laughed mockingly, "Fool." He said as he ran through hand signs, "Water Prison Jutsu." Kakashi's eyes widened in alarm as water gathered around him in a spherical shape, ensnaring him. Zabuza created several water clones and sent them after the team of genin and the bridge builder.
The genin realized the battle now rested on their shoulders. Sakura ran in front of the bridge builder and stood in a protective stance. Kakashi told them to complete the mission instead of trying to save him, but that wasn't an option.
'We lost the option of running when you got captured. This jonin would follow us and kill us.' Sasuke thought. "Our only option is saving you!" Sasuke said as he reached into his weapon pouch and threw shuriken at the water clones. Sasuke created two lightning clones who charged in. Naruto cursed and drew his second blade and burst stepped in between two of the water clones.
Sasuke's lightning clones were quickly defeated, but as they were attacked, they turned back into lightning and the two water clones who took out lightning clones were taken out themselves as they were struck by the lightning. Naruto dodged a swing from a water clone and countered with his fiery blade. Fire shot out from the blade in a blast that dispelled the remaining water clones. Small steam clouds were left where the water clones used to be.
With all the water clones destroyed, Naruto and Sasuke charged at the real Zabuza. Zabuza created more water clones, whom started to run across the water towards the two genin. Naruto crossed his fingers and created a clone of his own. Sasuke flashed through hand signs as well as Naruto and his clone.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke blew a fireball towards Zabuza.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" Naruto and his clone caused a gust of wind to form that strengthened Sasuke's fireball.
The massive fireball flew across the water, destroying the approaching Zabuza clones. Zabuza's eyes widened and he dodged the massive fireball, subsequently, releasing Kakashi from his prison. Kakashi ducked under the water and let the fireball pass before surfacing.
Sakura, who was still standing guard over the bridge builder, looked amazed. She couldn't believe that Naruto and Sasuke could work together like that. More precisely, she couldn't believe Naruto could work with anyone.
Kakashi shot Zabuza a fierce look, one that promised punishment.
"Good work, guys, but let me handle it from here. I won't get caught again." Kakashi's voice dropped to a harsh whisper with the last statement.
Zabuza was berating himself for underestimating the genin. Choosing not to dwell on it for too long, he readied himself for Kakashi's next attack. He was surprised to see that Kakashi mirrored his stance perfectly. Zabuza shook it off quickly as he began running through a long series of hand signs. His eyes widened as Kakashi began going through the same hand signs at the same time, once again, mirroring his movements.
Simultaneously, both jonin shouted, "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
The two water dragons arose from the water and twisted around each other. The genin watched in awe as the powerful water jutsus neutralized each other. In the center, Kakashi's kunai clashed with Zabuza's kubikiribōchō.
Zabuza was familiar with the Sharingan enough to know that Kakashi shouldn't have been able to form his hand signs and create a water dragon at the same time as him.
Zabuza and Kakashi jumped back from the weapon clash and began circling each other. Kakashi was, once again, mirroring Zabuza's movements.
"All you're doing is copying me, like a monkey," Zabuza started and Kakashi joined in, "You can't beat me with cheap tricks. I'll crush you!" Both ninja said at the same time.
Zabuza flowed through more hand signs saying in frustration, "When I finish with you, you'll never open that monkey mouth again."
Kakashi copied Zabuza's hand signs and performed them in sync with Zabuza. As the jonin flashed through hand signs, Zabuza caught the sight of his silhouette standing by Kakashi's side, feeding to the idea of Kakashi's supposed future-telling Sharingan. Because of the sight, he hesitated.
Zabuza's hesitance allowed Kakashi to gain the upperhand and complete his jutsu first, "Water Style: Water Vortex Jutsu!" The vortex ensnared Zabuza, capturing him in the flow of chakra and water. The vortex sent Zabuza spiralling towards a nearby tree. Kakashi threw several kunai at Zabuza's limbs, causing him to shriek in pain.
Zabuza looked up at Kakashi, whom was now crouched on the branch of the tree, "Can you see into the future?"
Kakashi regarded Zabuza, "Yes. This is your last battle." Before Kakashi could deal a fatal strike, several senbon stabbed into Zabuza's neck and put him down. All the remaining shinobi turned to face the new attacker.
'What, how did I not sense that person before?' Naruto was confused. Normally, he would've caught an unfamiliar scent or heard someone approaching. He chalked it up to being preoccupied and absorbed in the intense battle between advanced shinobi.
Kakashi knelt and felt for Zabuza's pulse. He sighed, "No vital signs." Kakashi turned back to face the masked attacker.
"I have been hunting Zabuza Momochi for a long time and I have finally tracked him down." The masked tracker said with a bow.
"From your mask, it seems you're a tracker ninja from Kirigakure." Kakashi analyzed.
"Impressive. You are well-informed." The tracker praised. The tracker vanished in a gust of wind and reappeared beside Zabuza. Hoisting Zabuza up, the tracker vanished again.
Silence overtook the group until Tazuna barked with laughter. "Sorry for all the trouble, but you can rest at my house when we get to the village!" The bridge builder invited graciously.
With their destination set, the group set off. They hadn't made it three steps when Kakashi suddenly collapsed. Sakura and Sasuke ran over worried, but Naruto's keen nose told him that Kakashi wasn't suffering from any kind of serious wound, so he deduced that Kakashi was suffering from acute chakra exhaustion.
The genin carried Kakashi the rest of the way to Tazuna's house in silence.
Meh. Cross your fingers, Chapter 6 may come today as well. Not making any promises though.
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