Chapter 5-Deamon of the mist, Demon of the leaf, an unspeakable bond
A week after arriving in the land of waves Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura set off to guard Tazuna while Naruto was missing somewhere in the forest. The fact that Naruto was missing had made the whole team quite depressed but unfortunately Naruto hadn't been seen since he had gone out to train five days earlier. So one member short the team set out to the bridge.
"Sensei do you think Naruto is alright?" Sakura asked "I mean he just recovered and then he goes off on a training binge that can't be healthy"
Kakashi nodded 'I feel the same way but I'm afraid that I can't do anything to stop him, Naruto is going to be who Naruto is" Kakashi said in a tired voice "But sometimes I'm afraid that he's going to push himself too far and he won't be able to bounce back from it"
Sasuke just grunted in agreement but then tuned the group out.
Naruto sighed as he picked himself off the ground and then noticed that his team's chakra signatures were getting further and further away, it was then that it hit him that the team must be going to the bridge that day which meant there was a big chance that Zabuza would be at the bridge that day.
"I guess I should go see them I mean I haven't seen them in the last five days" Naruto muttered as he leapt into the trees and started racing off towards the bridge when the scent of blood caught his attention.
"KIT I WOULD GO CHECK IT OUT" Naruto nodded and then began moving towards the source of the familiar scent and when he got to the corpse Naruto was horrified to see the dead carcass of a wild boar cut up with its blood spilling on the ground. Naruto turned his head away and that's when he caught sight of the wreckage all around him and as he followed the trail he noticed it going in the direction of Tsunami's house.
"This isn't good" Naruto said as he raced off towards the tiny little house in the middle of the forest. The fact that there was so much destruction told him that the man or men who made the destruction were in it for the cheap thrill of killing others.
When he arrived at the house he saw two men standing on the boardwalk with Tsunami tied up at their feet and a terrified Inari lying on the ground with one of the men's swords directed at his throat. Naruto growled and then shot forwards and grabbed the arm of the man holding the sword at Inari and with a quick twist he broke the man's wrist causing him to scream out in pain.
"You really shouldn't have come here" he growled before kicking him in the knee breaking it and then threw him on the ground before standing in front of Inari "Inari I want you to go to your mom and cover both your eyes okay" the small boy looked at Naruto in awe before nodding and rushing to his mother's side and covering both their eyes with his hands.
The two samurai smirked at Naruto and the one still able to walk rushed towards him with this blade poise to attack when suddenly Naruto caught the blade and glared at him with killer intent, "Your gonna die" he growled out before smashing his fist through the guys face and out the other side. As his companion's blood dribbled into the water underneath the boardwalk the already wounded swordsmen gasped and stared at Naruto who just pushed the larger man's body of him and then glared at him. "You picked on the wrong family" the blonde said before snapping the man's neck.
Taking in a deep breath Naruto moved the bodies away and then touched Inari on the shoulder "it's okay Inari you can look now" the small boy looked over at Naruto and then started to cry only for Naruto to wipe the tears away "Hey what you did for your mom was really brave and I think your dad would be really proud" Naruto said before looking at Tsunami "make sure no one goes to the bridge I have a feeling you're not going to want anyone to see what's gonna happen there" the woman nodded as Naruto cut her bindings and then gulped as the blonde jumped off.
"KIT ARE YOU SURE THAT WAS A WISE THING TO DO, THEY WERE THERE WHEN YOU KILLED THEM, WHAT IF HE HAD BEEN PEEKING?" Kyuubi said in a worried voice. Naruto shook his head and then closed his eyes and entered into his ANBU form and shot forward with the speed that six years of ANBU had acquired him.
"I don't have time to worry about that" Naruto gritted out as he flew through the forest when suddenly the scent of water in the air made him groan 'great my instincts couldn't be wrong for once"
"KIT IF I'M CORRECT THOSE INSTINCTS HAD SAVED YOUR LIFE MORE TIMES THEN I COULD COUNT" The great demon fox said chuckling, making Naruto roll his eyes
"Kyu do you think I can win?" Naruto asked gulping a little as he asked "because that Zabuza guy as really strong I mean even after I tackled him he was still able to grab me and hold me like I was a feather"
"I WILL NEVER LIE TO YOU LITTLE ONE, BUT THIS TIME I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO HERE MY ANSWER" Kyuubi said sadly and then fell silent why Naruto just inwardly groaned.
"Great what am I gonna do" he thought as he leapt onto the misty bridge.
But when he looked around he was shocked to see a large dome of what looked like mirrors and Kakashi and Zabuza facing off against each other. Gulping Naruto jumped onto the top of the mirrors and was shocked to find that the mirror was freezing and seemed to be made out of ice.
"What" he whispered and then shook his head. "I can't fault their lives are in danger" he said before bringing his fist down to smash the mirror, but just before his fist connected a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward. Naruto didn't see anything and only felt cold when suddenly he hit solid ground.
"Naruto?" He looked up at the sound of his name and saw Sasuke. Although the raven looked a little worse for wear, his clothes were torn and he a lot of scratches covering his body although none of them looked fatal. "What are you doing in here?"
"I was about to smash the mirror on the top when suddenly a hand grabbed me and pulled me, next thing I know I'm inside this ice dome with you" the blonde growled rubbing his head as he looked around. Sasuke cursed and stood up.
"Okay well here is the situation, this guy" he said pointing to the figure standing inside the mirror "is using some sort of bloodline jut-su to trap us in this ice mirror jut-su, and it's like he transports himself from mirror to mirror and then hits us with needles from every direction"
Naruto looked around and nodded before gathering up all his chakra "Shadow clone jut-su" Sasuke looked at him in disbelief as ten Naruto's appeared in front of him and jumped to each mirror. "Sasuke I need you to watch" The raven nodded and then watched as each of the clones exploded in a puff of smoke. "Did you get that?" Sasuke shook his head and Naruto created another ten Naruto clones "Then I'll just keep fighting until you do"
Kakashi looked around in fear when suddenly he saw Zabuza standing in front of him with his eyes closed smirking "Tell me Kakashi, that boy how is he fairing?" Kakashi glared at the sword wielder "because Haku did some checking, he fits the description of the demon fox jailor form Konoha"
Kakashi sucked in a deep breath and brandished a kunai "That is an S-classed level secret no one but the ninja of the leaf ninja should know about it" he spat making Zabuza laugh loudly.
"Oh Kakashi you have a lot to learn, your jailor is one of the most known targets for rouge ninja, he's not in the bingo books but he is like a urban legend: a child with the great Kyuubi no Kitsune held within his body, I'll tell you one thing if trained right and handled with care, that boy...he could become the strongest shinobi to grace the five great ninja lands" Zabuza said before disappearing. "When you're dead and gone I'll erase the boys memory and take him in as my own, don't worry I'll treat him right"
Kakashi froze and began to think, "Okay so I can see or hear him, wow it's been a while since I've had to fight someone this strong, think Naruto and Sasuke are depending on me, where will Zabuza strike" Kakashi closed his eyes and then cleared his mind when suddenly the answer hit him "The bridge builder!" he said before rushing off.
Naruto's breath started coming in pants as he stared at the mirrors, not one of his attacks had gotten through so far but from what he could tell Sasuke's timing was getting better if the singed mark on the masked Nin clothes were anything to go by. "How close" he asked standing up straighter.
"Real close I think I'll get him next time" Sasuke said before taking in a deep breath and standing up straight himself. The masked Nin pulled up a senbon and the mirrors lit up brightly and suddenly several senbon embedded themselves in their bodies.
"You have dragged this fight out to long I must put a stop to it now" the ninja said in a cold voice, Naruto who was still weak from his last battle closed his eyes and welcomed the darkness in which Kyuubi began slowly healing his wounds as the blonde prepared to fight.
Sasuke stared at Naruto's limp form and then rushed over to him and started shaking him.
"Come on Naruto this isn't funny, get up" Naruto groaned and he smiled when he looked into Sasuke's eyes.
"I thought so" Sasuke looked at Naruto like he had grown another head and then touched his forehead once "You've unlocked the Sharingan, not completely but still" Sasuke's eyes widened and Naruto chuckled as he sat up when suddenly a needle shower rained down upon them and Sasuke threw his body on top of Naruto's. "Sasuke?"
"I owed you remember" Sasuke croaked out as blood dribbled down his body "I couldn't die without repaying you for saving my life earlier" Naruto laid Sasuke on the ground and almost cried when he saw all the senbon sticking out of the other teens body. "Naruto, my brother" Naruto looked up and grabbed Sasuke's hand which was becoming freezing very fast "I need you to kill him for me, s-seeing a-as I c-can't anymore" Sasuke said before his eyes closed and the hand Naruto was holding went limp.
"Sasuke?" Naruto shook Sasuke's body and a tear spilled over when no answer came "Sasuke, I'll do it" he whispered hugging the body to his chest.
"Is this the first time you've seen a comrade die in battle" Naruto froze when the masked Nin spoke and he felt his anger grow, no this wasn't the first time he had seen a comrade died, but this time it was harder to swallow. "He died protecting you, it's an honourable death"
"Kyu I think it's time" Naruto said to the demon as he stood before the giant cage where Kyuubi laid. The giant fox nodded and suddenly a red aura slipped through the bars of the cage and then enveloped Naruto's body.
"USE IT WELL YOUNG KIT, USE IT WELL"
Naruto opened his eyes and pushed his head band up as he felt Kyuubi's demonic chakra flood his system, "Shut your mouth" The masked Nin was taken aback by the pure ferocity in the boy's voice when suddenly the boy began to smoke and all his wounds began to heal. The ninja watched in fear as bright red chakra twirled around the boy until it formed a large beast form in the sky. "I'm gonna kill you" Naruto snarled in a deep beastly voice as he spun to face his opponent.
Haku was horrified to fond the bright boy he had been fighting before was all gone; the thing in its place now was a beast in a boy's body. The boy's scar like whisker marks had deepened and darkened making them more noticeable, his once cerulean blue eyes were now a deep blood crimson colour, while his pupils had become animal slits. But in his right eye was a six pointing pentagon with the slit in the middle, the boy's canines had elongated and his killer intent had spiked to huge levels. "What are you" he whispered.
Naruto rushed towards the mirror where Haku resides and then stopped when he noticed that the masked Nin had disappeared and then roared letting loose a large wave of chakra. Zabuza paused and looked at Kakashi who was now sporting a large chest wound and then at the dome of ice before laughing "Well I gotta give you props for training him to use it" he said before disappearing into the mist.
Sakura looked at Kakashi in confusion and then looked at the wound her teacher was sporting and bit her lip in fear "Sensei?" Kakashi shook his head and looked in the direction of the ice dome.
"The seal, it's not broken, Naruto and Kyuubi have been talking for years, but never have I felt him draw upon this power not once, it feels as if the fox is right here, I'll have to talk to Naruto later but right now" Kakashi tore his eyes form the ice dome and then glared at the spot where Zabuza used to be. "Zabuza, you were right when you told me earlier that this battle is almost over, because it's gonna end right now"
Naruto let loose another wave of chakra as several needles flew at him making them break away into nothing. Haku grit his teeth and jumped towards the boy only to have his wrist grabbed by the demonic boy and have him punch him right through one of the mirrors making it turn into shards. As the other mirrors fell Naruto charged forward and pulled out his curved kunai and stabbed the boy straight through the stomach and out the back of his spine. Haku stilled in shock and then looked down and saw the stab wound and then smiled weakly as his mask crumbled.
"Thank you" Naruto's red eyes looked up in shock and suddenly all the young boy's memories flooded into him "You have finally proven that even a weapon such as I can be broken" Naruto was about to rip his kunai from the dying boy's body when he grabbed his wrist in a vice like grip, "I'm begging you, help Zabuza show him the light, heal him" Naruto looked into the boy's pleading eyes and nodded, then with a smile Haku slumped onto him. Carefully Naruto pulled his kunai from the boy's body before pocketing it and laying the boy's cold body on the ground.
Suddenly Naruto felt a surge of chakra enter the air and shot off like a rocket, not even bothering to give Sakura a glance Naruto continued to rush forward and then saw Kakashi holding what looked like lightning in his hand while large Nin dogs held down Zabuza.
"No" he snarled and then shot forward and jumped in front of the bandaged ninja as Kakashi struck.
Kakashi stared in horror as Naruto gripped his wrist that was embedded in his shoulder and coughed up blood his pentagram eye spinning slowly. "Naruto why did, I could have killed you"
Zabuza stared at the brat in shock, why the brat had protected him was beyond him but seeing as he was free from Haku's jut-su and alive meant only one thing-this brat had killed Haku.
"Because I promised to heal and protect Zabuza" Zabuza looked at Naruto in shock and then leant against the genin as tears escaped his eyes.
"Haku, he, died" he cried against the young genin's shoulder, Naruto nodded and then pulled Kakashi's hand out of his shoulder and then turned around to face the man his features softening as Kyuubi's chakra receded from his body.
"Yes, but not before he showed me what you meant him" Zabuza looked up sharply and Naruto tapped the skin near his new eye "My new eye it allows me to see and feel everything that has happened in my opponent s life if I look them in the eyes, and I saw everything" Zabuza looked down and Naruto nudged him lightly "You were like the father Haku always wanted" Kakashi dispelled his nin hounds and then watched as Zabuza wrapped Naruto up in a large hug.
"Well what do you know, the great demon of the mist is a big softie" Zabuza froze and looked over his shoulder and saw Gato surrounded by thugs on either side "Good thing I came prepared" Zabuza growled and hefted his large sword back onto his shoulder and then looked at Naruto.
"If I manage to survive this I'll come back to the leaf village with you" he said with a cocky grin before looking over at the rows and rows of men with large swords, "Will you join me"
Naruto nodded and brought out the curved kunai that was still stained with Haku's blood before looking back at Kakashi, "will you go get Sasuke's...body, Sakura should pay her respects" Kakashi's eyes became full of sorrow and he stepped back and raced into the fog, leaving Naruto and Zabuza alone to fight.
Gato smirked and motioned for the thugs to charge. Naruto poured all his killer intent out and glared at the thugs making them shake slightly, while Zabuza sneered "Please I'm the demon of the mist, you think I'll let you kill me that easy"
"Yeah well I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the demon of the leaf" he said mockingly before the two grinned at each other and raced forward into the fray.
Sasuke looked around and all he saw was darkness, he was alone he was supposed to be alone, no one was going to care for him he was Sasuke Uchiha, no one wanted to take him in, he was allowed to live alone, but he had friends now, he had Naruto, who made him feel like he was someone of importance, someone precious, Kakashi who was like the uncle he never had, and Sakura who was the person who he was able to talk to about his problems and be able to have a intelligent response, she was the only person to really change and the only person to have yelled at him since the massacre all those years ago. He couldn't die and leave all those people behind, but at the same time, death was so peaceful, he had no troubles in death, nothing bothered him, all his hate was gone.
"Sasuke, your really gone" the raven stilled as he heard the soft voice float through his ears, "I only wished that you could have watched me become a great ninja and I could have watched you" There was only one person that voice could belong to-Sakura. He couldn't die he had too many things to do: he had to watch the others become impressive ninja and had to kill his brother, he couldn't leave that to someone like Naruto he'd end up dying or screwing it up.
"Please Sasuke don't go" when something warm and wet his face Sasuke slowly pulled himself towards the feeling and suddenly he could feel his body and when he opened his eyes he saw Sakura sitting next to him holding his hand, as she stared at his face.
"It's okay Sakura I don't plan on dying anytime soon" he said in a calm voice that was still a bit hoarse from his encounter with death.
"Sensei Sasuke's alive" she yelled out happily before smiling at the raven making him give a small smile right back. Kakashi walked over to Sasuke and helped him stand up. When Sasuke looked up he saw Zabuza leaning on Naruto walking towards him.
"What is he doing" he asked his sensei who scratched his head
"Somehow Naruto managed to talk Zabuza into joining the leaf village after killing that masked ninja" Sasuke looked at where Zabuza and Naruto were arguing about body counts and couldn't help but chuckle. Naruto was standing face to face with Zabuza with his orange jacket in tatters, his black shirt covered in slashed and his pants in ribbons and he was arguing with the missing Nin like he had just woken up and was in perfect health.
"Naruto, Sasuke's alive" Sakura called out, Naruto turned and saw him and his face split into a bright smile and he waved frantically, but when Sasuke saw what his hand looked like he was slightly disgusted, the blondes hand was covered in blood but it seemed that the blonde had killed the masked nin for him when he was supposedly killed.
"Brat I wasn't finished" Zabuza growled as he punched the blonde in the head making the blonde turn to him and start yelling at him again.
Sakura laughed a little and Sasuke looked her strangely, what was so funny about the two of them fighting "well those two are going to be a handful aren't they" Kakashi nodded as they heard the conversation the two of them were having.
"You idiot you are aware your heavy right! Why the hell did you let his get you in the thigh are you mentally insane, your suppose to be the demon of the mist yet you can't dodge a simple thug attack" Naruto snapped as he helped carry the sword wielding ninja to where they were waiting.
"Yeah shut up kid, you're just lucky I'm hurt right now or else I'd hit you so hard right now" he threatened as they all walked back to the village as it started to snow. "Haku, he's crying" Zabuza whispered and then looked down at Naruto who looked up at him.
"I'll take you to him" Zabuza nodded and Naruto lead the wounded ninja to the still body on the ground that was surrounded by a pool of blood. When they reached him Zabuza looked at Kakashi who nodded and picked the boy up and they all walked towards the village together.
"I still beat you brat"
"YOU DID NOT!"
Sakura laughed again and looked at Sasuke and shrugged while Kakashi looked on with amusement So the demon of the mist bonded with the demon of the leaf-although Zabuza would never say that he likes Naruto in any way, it's still a bond The silver haired ninja thought laughing as the two of them got into another argument about how Zabuza had managed to get injured in such an easy battle.
"Sensei, I don't think the village is ever really going to be the same once Zabuza joins: do you?" Sakura said her voice full of amusement as Naruto hit the mist ninja in the side of the head and began cursing him.
"It'll defiantly be louder with those two always arguing like that" Sasuke said as he limped with them, "and as if it wasn't noisy enough with just Naruto there, now we have someone who argues just as loud as him" the raven groaned.
Kakashi laughed and scratched the back of his head "Funny how Zabuza is known for his mastery of the silent killing art isn't"
Sakura just laughed again while Naruto hit Zabuza again "STOP MOVING YOU FUCKING IDOT YOU'LL DO MORE DAMAGE, THEN I'LL HAVE TO CARRY YOUR BLOODY USELESS ASS BACK TO THE VILLAGE!" Naruto screamed as Zabuza tried to put weight on his injured leg.
"SHUT UP YOU DAMN BRAT!"