Chapter 8: A Bridge to the Future

Naruto woke up with a start. Something was wrong today... Naruto woke up his team before sun-up. They had to speak and prepare.

"Naruto-kun w-what's up?" Asked Hinata as she was preparing breakfast. Why waste time after all?

"Hinata-chan I have this nasty feeling... You said that Kakashi-san has recovered today right?"

"H-hai Naruto-kun. He r-recovered c-completely yesterday. He s-should be in t-top form today."

"Then Shino... from today on... we stop training. Most probably Zabuza has recovered as well. If he was placed in a death-state it should take some time to recover and depending on a medic-nin... he could be ready to fight soon."

"That is correct Naruto-san. I came to this conclusion myself. The two teams must split between guarding Tazuna-san and his family. After all it would not be above Gatou or Zabuza to take Tsunami-san and Inari-san as bait for our contractor. A hostage situation would throw in a number of twists in our actions. I suppose Team 7 should go to the bridge while we stay here and possibly support them. We can cover the ground faster than them, should they need our assistance, not to mention the fact that we have already established a defencive perimeter here that will work only for us."

"I see... Well we can either hope that team 7 will cooperate with us or I'll send a clone to watch out for them so in case they have trouble we'll know. Now that I think about it, I'll send the clone anyway. Never hurts to prepare. Anyway team, weapons and equipment check first thing after breakfast. Wouldn't be fun to be caught without weapons or equipment."

Slowly the rest of the Konoha forces woke up and prepared. After Shino warned them, something Sasuke and Sakura all but ignored, Kakashi took his team and left with Tazuna. Truthfully the man wanted team 8 with him but he understood that the bespectacled kid had a plan and knew better. Besides it seemed like cyclops was a respected shinobi. No it was the cocky brat and the pink-haired one (is that even normal he asked himself quite often) that he didn't quite trust.

Naruto secretly sent a couple of henge'd clones with Kakashi, since the man understood what had to be done. Should trouble appear, a clone would dispel, letting Naruto know and in case Kakashi and the rest were captured the backup clone would dispel as well after a time letting Naruto track them down. After a hearty breakfast, at least for Kiba and Sasuke as Sakura was once again on a diet, team 7 left for the bridge. It had been only a couple of hours since team 7 left when the defencive perimeter was triggered by a pair of ronin. After being neutralized by Naruto's clones, team 8 interrogated them. They said they were going to kidnap Tsunami and use her to force Tazuna to give up. Naruto nodded to Hinata and the two sped off to the bridge. Shino stayed back to protect the family since he was best suited at fighting a large amount of weak enemies.

At the bridge, Sasuke and Kiba were doing their best to survive Haku's Demonic Ice Mirrors. Akamaru being out for the count, albeit alive, Kiba was doing his best to protect his packmate. Said packmate however wasn't as protective of Kiba and Sasuke, being Sasuke, constantly charged the oi-nin that had trapped them, instead of trying to stall for time as Kiba had suggested. When all of a sudden Sasuke could actually see Haku's movements and his eyes turned red, Sasuke was filled with pride. He had activated his Sharingan! Now all the power was in his grasp. Or well he thought that before a couple of senbon were launched from behind him, hitting him in the neck. Since Sasuke hadn't helped Kiba at all, the Inuzuka had been disabled waist-down, so when Sasuke let his guard down, Haku took him out as well. The nuke-nin still hated killing, she only disabled and that was what she was going to do to Kiba when Hinata appeared blocking the senbon with her Tonfa, Byakugan blazing.

Hinata was really worried about Kiba, and to a lesser extent Sasuke, he was after all a Konoha Shinobi, no matter how much of a jackass he was. None of that concerned her right now. It was time to focus on her enemy, for her and her friend's sakes.

"Why did you betray us... Haku-san?" The hunter-nin's head slightly dropped.

"I have no choice Hinata-san. For Zabuza-sama I must do it. He is my precious person."

"But why him of all people?"

"Because he saved me when I was alone. Because I am now Zabuza-sama's tool. As a tool I must do my job and defeat you. Forgive me." With these words Haku charged at Hinata, trying to hit her pressure points to disable her. Hinata for her part used her Byakugan to see the attacks and her trusty tonfa to block them. In a dance that took Kiba's breath away, Hinata dodged and parried her way through Haku's seemingly endless reserves of senbon. It went on for a couple of minutes and that was Hinata's plan. It seemed these mirrors took a large amount of chakra from Haku. So if she could stall enough, Haku's jutsu would run out and her speed would revert to manageable levels, with the added benefit of low chakra.

Haku could feel her reserves draining fast. This jutsu was supposed to take out an enemy fast, it wasn't suited for extended fights. Yet if she dropped it, Hinata would definitely take it to melee and a Hyuga in melee was a very very bad thing. Haku kept her mirrors until she could no longer support them. When they finally crumbled, Haku touched the ground exhausted. Before a word could be uttered, Hinata charged and landed a couple of strikes on Haku's arms with her tonfa, dislocating her shoulders. Hinata looked at Haku in sympathy. She only was looking out for her prescious person. Missing-nin or whatever, she wasn't evil. She should not be killed for someone else's deeds.

"Haku-san, if you don't like what Zabuza does, then change him. You are his only friend. If you really care for him, then change him.I won't pretend to understand why you follow him, but I too have a prescious person in Naruto-kun. He is kind and caring, but sometimes he gets angry at everyone. I don't help him hurt those that anger him, instead I calm him down. Because I care for him I will change him. I remind Naruto-kun that he is no monsted no matter what others say, and he listens. Haku-san. If Zabuza cares about you and deserves your care, then he will listen. You must speak to him though Haku-san. Trust me, I know what happens to those that fall to their anger. They become hateful, bigoted beings, wanting nothing but destruction, wasting their existence in meaningless squables. You don't want that right? Then show him there is another path Haku-san. If you care for him, then help him out of his own hate."

"You do not understand Hinata-san. Noone does. Zabuza saved me when I was hated by everyone. When my father killed my own mother and then attempted to kill me. When I was hated because of my blood. When I was all alone. Zabuza-sama made me feel needed. I must help him."

"Exactly. You must help him. Help him out of his hate. Show him another path. Don't worry, I will ask Naruto-kun to arrange sanctuary for you two, but only if you change him Haku-san. It is the only way to be truly happy. Besides I understand you somewhat. I am hated by my family too, always talked down to, always someone telling me I was a failure, my father never caring about me, my cousins hating me... Naruto-kun helped me. And I helped Naruto-kun when he became lonely. Zabuza needs a friend or a daughter Haku-san... Not a tool, but a person. He simply doesn't know it."

"I can fight no more... Please take me to Zabuza-sama... if I see you speak the truth, I will follow your advice." Hinata helped Kiba up and the trio went to see the jounin fight.

Kakashi had been fighting Zabuza for some time with Kurenai's aid. Between the fog, Zabuza and protecting the bridge builder, Kakashi had his hands full and so did Kurenai. Suddenly as Kakashi missed a block and saw the blade come for his head Naruto jumped from the fog and kicked it aside. Zabuza cursed and fell back.

"Kakashi-san pull back. Unlike you I can fight perfectly in this fog. Kurenai-sensei, guard Tazuna-san."

"Pretty cocky words from a brat. I wonder if you can uphold them."

"I can and I will Zabuza-san. Why do you fight? Why do you obey scum like Gatou and let them rule you? Why lower yourself from the respected position of the Seven Swordsmen to support a traitorous scumbag like Gatou?"

"I need the money brat. Something you can't understand, having lived comfortably in your little happy village. I need the money to overthrow that bastard Mizukage."

"I don't understand? You'd be surprised. Let me show you the truth." Naruto called his claws forth and charged Zabuza. Kurenai seeing that placed a genjutsu to cover the two warriors from the gennin.

The two warriors charged at each other, killer intent becoming another aspect of their fight, like a child's tug-o-war that would kill the loosing team at a moment's notice. Zabuza sent a downward chop at the incoming Naruto who used his claws to parry it to the side then put said claws on the back of the blade to leap over it sending a kick at Zabuza's face. Zabuza on his part pulled back his head, spun, ripping the weapon off the ground and coming in for another slash at Naruto, who rolled under it and away from a kick from Zabuza.

"You think I don't understand? I've been hunted down by my own village for something I couldn't control, on my own birthday since I can remember myself. I got a fucking demon sealed inside my gut and since I was one day old I had a damn pedophilic hawk trying to make me loose control so he could make me his own personal bitch. Ya think you're the only one with a harsh life? Spare me your sobbing story and open your eyes; there are always some who had it worse Zabuza!"

Naruto charged yet again, claws extended, going in for the kill. He and his enemy clashed again and again, sparks flying, neither combatant giving the other the slightest advantage for that would prove a lethal mistake. Both locked into a deadlock, grunting as they pushed to gain that little advantage that would ensure their survival, their eyes locked with each other. Both then realized that somehow, at some point, the reason for the fight had become obsolete and now they were fighting because they wanted to, because their instincts cried out to each other, urging them, pushing them to fight harder and harder, to prove their ultimate superiority as warriors. Winning or loosing didn't matter anymore, only the fight, only the sheer exhilaration of facing an enemy that will kill you at the slightest flaw.

Time slowed down for the two warriors, as if each clang of blade against concrete and claw against metal had its own unimaginably special significance, as if missing a single spark that flew from the meeting of the warriors would make the difference between life and death.

Zabuza had finally pushed Naruto back, limiting his evasive capabilities, with a mighty heave he sent his cleaver straight at Naruto who used his claws to block. Kurenai and Kakashi were mesmerized at the fight, Kurenai even dropping the genjutsu at a point. Zabuza pushed down at Naruto, Kubikiri Honcho grinding at black claws, while Naruto used his strength to keep it away from him. Sparks flew until the perfect balance was broken. Naruto's claws broke. Naruto kicked the ground, launching himself away from Zabuza, barely escaping death, instead getting only a long gash on his left side from the massive cleaver. Kakashi made to help but Kurenai held him back. Kakashi nodded once, Naruto had to do this, it was his fight. Unnoticed to the two jounin, or perhaps they had noticed yet didn't react, Hinata and Haku were watching the fight. Haku had never seen Zabuza so... free, so unrestrained, so completely devoted to a fight.

Naruto glared at Zabuza, inside his mind Kyubi roared. It was time. Naruto closed his eyes as Kyubi's voice echo'ed. Observe, evolve, overcome. Observe, evolve, overcome. Observe, evolve, overcome. Naruto started mouthing the mantra. "Observe, evolve, overcome." Naruto's determination once more burst through as he opened his eyes. Zabuza held back a breath. These eyes... so human and yet so... powerful.

Naruto's voice rose in intensidy. "Observe, evolve overcome."

Something started changing inside Naruto. Something he hadn't felt for years came back to him and he smiled. He knew what it was. He was changing again. "Observe... Evolve... OVERCOME!" With a final cry Naruto's hands shifted in a new, previously unknown shape, as Naruto swung his new arms in a deadly flourish, reminiscent of a pair of infinity symbols in front of him, grinding his blades together in the end. Blades? Yes. His arms now were completely different. His forearm had been covered with what looked like bone plates to protect it with wicked serrations running on the outside rim. From his wrist extended nearly 60cm long, wickedly curved blades obviously sharp on both sides, edges glinting malevolently. On the other side of each forearm were smaller blades, only 15cm long.

'Nice going kit. Looks like you got another power. Looks much sturdier than your claws, even though the weight is going to slow you down. Now take down the ningen that defied us!'

'I'm on it Kyu. Heh these seem... fun. Looks like I'm picking up Anko's bloodthirst. Let's do this.'

Zabuza, as well as the crowd watching the fight, were all stunned by the new change.

"Damnit brat what the hell are you?"

"I thought I told you already Zabuza. I am Konoha's demon brat. I am Kyubi's jailor, executioner and salvation. This is the power I grasped with my own two hands thanks to the idiots who confuse a kunai with the scroll it's sealed in." Naruto smirked ferally. "But none of this matters. All that matters is this fight. Shall we continue?"

The two combatants faced off against each other once more, sparks flying more wildly than before. Zabuza saw that he now held the advantage, as Naruto had obviously only just learned how to do that with his hands, but he saw and knew that the advantage would wear off soon as Naruto got more and more used to it. He knew, knew he should feel fear or at least be slightly intimidated, but as Naruto said, it didn't matter. Only the fight mattered, the spilling of the enemy's blood, the sound of flesh being torn apart, the pain of muscles nearly tearing themselves apart trying to comply with their owner's requests. Zabuza almost laughed in exhilaration, he would honour this oponent no matter what. He just wished one of them wouldn't have to die this day, he really, really wanted this guy as a sparring partner. One look in Naruto's eyes and he knew the brat had come to the same conclusions.

Had one watched from above, unbound by the restrictions reality places upon everyone, he would have seen two warriors, so much the same as they were different at the same time, communicating worlessly. He would see and understand the bond the two combatants now shared, a bond that formed only when one fought and understood someone perfectly. It was a moment of pure understanding where gaps of age or birth or training didn't matter. Only the soul resonating with another.

Unfortunately this moment was broken by a malicious laugh. A laugh belonging to a short, midget of a man, in an expencive tuxedo and his army of lackeys. The warriors stopped and looked at the intruder of their perfect moment.

"Well done Zabuza-chan. Well done in tiring them out. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be needing your services any longer. You missing shinobi are so expencive. This small army of ronin is cheaper than you and your bitch" *Zabuza snarled at this* " and will have the pleasure of killing you getting me the money of your bounty! Heeeheehee, just kill the men. The girls will sell nicely, especially the red eyed one and the one with the white eyes. Exotic fare like this is-"

"Gatou..." Naruto started emitting a red chakra around him, killer intent unlike anything the poor man, no prey had ever felt before. "I would have let Zabuza here kill you quickly, but I don't think I'm going to be so kind. I'll take care of you personally. Zabuza, Kakashi, how about a small competition? Winner gets a favour from the other two."

"Sure brat, haven't had a challenge in I don't know 20 seconds?"

"Hmm why not. They are scum that will come back if we don't deal with them."

"Very well, the deal is made. Gatou your soul is forfeit. Ninpou: Nibai Kitsune Kuchiyose No Jutsu: Kage to Kaze!(Ninja art: Double Kitsune Summoning Technique Kage and Kaze)" Naruto used his elongated fangs to nick the thumb of both hands he had re-formed while speaking to Gatou and placed them on the ground. Two puffs of smoke later a pair of Kitsune stood there. One was a black colored, three tailed, red-eyed kitsune about as large as a small horse. On the other side stood a two tailed Kitsune, this one blue and white-tipped, with nearly glowing blue eyes.

The black one spoke first: "Who do you want me to kill today Uzumaki?"

To be followed by the white-blue one: "Yay Naruto-sama called me again! So so so? What do you want us to do? Huh? Huh?"

"Kage go with Kakashi, Kaze with Zabuza. Time for slaughter. Leave none alive." The two foxes jumped to their respective charges, while their summoner reformed his weaponry. Kage literraly jumped into Kakashi's shadow, the shadow that became twice as thick as before, almost as if it was absorbing light. Kaze on the other hand leapt to Zabuza's side, yipped a couple of times as he started running around him, faster and faster, becoming progressively invisible covering Zabuza in what seemd like a cloak of wind, though an experienced wind user would realize it was an armor made of wind blades, one strong enough to block next to any physical assault. All three shinobi grinned ferally, well Kakashi seemed to grin, one could never tell with that mask of his.

The three shinobi charged at the throng of enemies ahead. Or Naruto charged through them while his allies, who obviously didn't share his suicidal tendencies, chose to take on their enemies few at a time. Naruto charged straight on, jumped forward, rotating his body mid-flight, putting his blades in front, in effect making a corcscrew rush with his head protected by his blades creating a drill of blood and gore. As the rotation slowed Naruto lashed out with his two bladed arms before slamming one down and using it to rotate himself once more, lashing out with both his legs and the blade of his free hand killing more as he slashed or kicked hard enough to break their spines and necks. Jumping from that Naruto made a backward jump stabbing a pair of unfortunate fools with the blades on the back of his forearms. Immidiately reversing his movement Naruto took a couple of steps forward impaling another pair of enemies on his arms. Feeling the blood flow freely on his hands Naruto freed himself of the soon-to-be corpses, turned to the next batch of enemies to continue the slaughter.

Kakashi was having an easy time fighting. Despite the lack of training, the bandits were many, but the Kitsune partner all but negated that. The scarred ally jumped out of the shadows to bite a neck or hand or leg or weapon to protect Kakashi. The one-eyed jounin soon found himself appreciating the help, especially when the fox saved him from what would be certain death by decapitation by impaling the poor fool with what seemed tendrils made out of shadow matter.

Zabuza on the other hand was having fun. His wind armor made him next to invulnerable against these fools so he was pretty much going all-out offencive on the bandits. He too seemed to enjoy his Kitsune ally and the immunity it provided. That blonde gaki sure knew his summons. Now if only the damned fox would stop that annoying giggling...

Kurenai, Haku and Hinata (Sakura had rushed to her Sasuke-kun and started crying) watched in morbid fascination at the slaughterhouse the bridge had turned into.

Gatou... was scared shitless. This was impossible. He was Gatou of the Gatou Industries! He was not supposed to die in this no-name village by a no-name brat and his own tools! It was preposterous. And that terrified him.

Naruto kept up his dance of death, body parts and weapon pieces flying through the air by the veritable tornado of death the blonde child had become. Blood flowed freely, covering the stench of human excretions with its coppery scent, making the ground slippery, moreso by the bodies and missing body parts that littered the area. Screams of terror, pain and death resounded through the blood-spattered abbatoir that would free this country. Man stepped on man, man stabbed man, man killed man painting a surreal image of death and blood. So much blood. Naruto ha dlong since started pushing chakra into his blades, increasing sharpness and length, making a most unrealistic image; a child that was completely covered in blood and gore, yet the most deadly part of said boy was free of the life-giving essence that covered it. A blur even to jounin, Naruto didn't even bother dodging. He just went in for the kill, feeling clubs break on his bones and spears refuse to injure him, he made a rapid spin, blade extended, opening, carving, a bloody path through his enemies, slowly reaching his prey. The same prey that had threatened his friends and allies. The same prey that he would enjoy killing in a most horrific manner. The only kill he would enjoy.

Gatou was petrified. This was no human in front of him, this was no being of flesh and blood. It ate the flesh of others and drank the blood of the dead. And these eyes... these terrifieing, damning eyes. These eyes, slitted and red... Gatou couldn't tear his eyes from the thing that would take his life. He watched as kille by kill, second by second, death approached him. He could only look at his death approach him, the vision of a demon overlapping with his killer. Like a deer in front of headlights, like a mouse hypnotized by the snake that would eat it, Gatou merely watched.

Naruto had finally reached his prey. What a pathetic ningen to threaten his precious people. He stalked at his enemy, this pathetic fool. Kyubi's youkai gathered at this hands-turned-blades, forming a red, shimmering shell of vile energy. The energy flared, as if rejoicing, as the right blade ripped into Gatou's stomach. Gatou screamed in raw terror and pain as the energy burned his insides, a pain unlike anything he had ever felt or imagined. He felt every vein in his body flow with fire instead of blood, his insides melting and reconfiguring, his skin flay, his bone shatter and his muscles tear themselves apart. Gatou's entire world was pain.

Naruto watched with hateful eyes as his enemy died slowly, feeling pain most beings would be unable to comprehend. As his prey died, Naruto turned looked back at his friends and allies. The bandits lay dead, cut with kunai, zanbatou or bladed arm, their blood painting the river below them red. Naruto spread his bladed arms to the side and roared, screamed to the heavens. His cry became strangled and harsh, his strength left him and he fell on his knees, hands reverting to their original form. Hinata was the first to break ranks and dash to her Naruto, catching him as he fell, gently laying him on her lap. Hinata ran her hands on Naruto's hair, reminding him she was there for him and the red, malignant glow of the Kyubi faded away. Kakashi turned to Zabuza and Haku, making sure they wouldn't turn on them while Kurenai and a newly arrived Shino rushed to Naruto's side. Inari and the villagers he had gathered had come right on time for Naruto's victorious, or was it sorrowful, scream.

Naruto's world was wracked in pain, as Kyubi's power receded to the seal and he could hear the ancient being draw his attention to something... he didn't know what... he didn't care... all he wanted was to sleep... just to close his eyes and sleep. Naruto's body tensed before Hinata's terrified eyes. He started bleeding from the pores of his skin, from his eyes and nose, blood coming out of his mouth. Mere seconds later a spasm overtook Naruto's body. Quickly falling to her limited medical training, Hinata activated the few diagnostic jutsu she knew one after the other as her team gathered around her.

Naruto started shivering and trembling, occasionally his body jerking and everyone around could see the strain on the body to merely stay alive.

Hinata was baffled. Her few diagnostic jutsu gave her contradicting results. Closing her eyes she remembered everything she could about Naruto's affliction and status. Surprised she opened her eyes, fear written all over her face. She turned to the questioning looks of her team. "Its Kyubi's chakra. Remember that Naruto-kun's ody became unstable after being exposed to an amount of it. What if its happening again, but this time its worse. Its finishing the job it already started. Naruto-kun's body is falling apart... and I don't know anything that could help him..." Hinata's voice was a barely audible whisper by the end, sorrow stealing her courage, vitality and strength. Her Naruto-kun was fading away in her hands...

Haku had got the last part and went to Hinata's side. Sure neither were fully trained medic-nins but maybe together they could keep him alive. After all Zabuza-sama had asked her to. Asked her, not ordered her.

Green chakra flared and the two medics started working on their patient, new wounds opening mere moments after the previous was closed and hope was draining as fast as their ever diminishing chakra reserves.

A/N: Another chappie done. Thanks for the support everyone. School's starting soon so I hope I can keep up with some updates as well as keep you entertained. Also please vote on my poll. I will release the results at the end of it on my next chapter.

Here are the profiles of Naruto's two summons.

Profile: Kage

Tails: Three

Abilities: Shadow Manipulation and Shadow Melding

Bio: Kage is the lead assassin. Rough and cold, though never cruel or outright evil, he knows what he's made for and accepts it. A no non-sense attitude and a focused mind force him apart from the rest of the kitsune clan. Black fur and red eyes, coupled with a number of scars mark him as a cunning and dangerous warrior. Rumours say that Kage has even managed to get the drop on Kyubi himself and even taken down six and seven tailed Kitsune. When fighting in tandem with a partner Kage melds in the shadow of his partner and leaps from there to attack and flank.

Motto: "Who do I have to kill today?"

Profile: Kaze

Tails: Two

Abilities: Wind Mastery and Wind Form

Bio: Kaze is Naruto's favourite summon. Over-energetic, with a warm personality he's as fun-loving as they can get. This blue-white Kitsune however can become your worst nightmare should you ever manage to anger him. Using his abilities to literally turn himself into a conscious, intelligent fox shaped wind jutsu, he can charge down an enemy battalion with abandon and tear them all apart. Extremely fast and capable in fighting, Kaze is Naruto's favourite Kitsune partner. When fighting together Kaze whirls quickly around his partner encasing him in a powerful armor made of wind blades, making most attacks ineffective.

Motto: "Yay! I'm here again! So what do we do now? Eh? Eh? Eh? Come on!"

Today, on this 9/6/2012, I, Soulblazer87, do hereby leave this site, possibly forever.

I shall not update this, or any other story.

I shall leave them on, however. Should you desire to follow my stories, do so in my new site of residence: www dot yourfanfiction dot com.