Chapter 15

The blacksmith with the metal style

Haku woke up with a groan. "Hey! Haku's awake!" a voice shouted.

"Shut up Naruto, it's too early for shouting" Haku groaned again.

"How are you feeling Haku?" Fu asked.

"Tired, yet still happy" Haku answered.

"Of course you should be happy! We passed Zabuza-sensei's test! We are now team Zabuza!" Naruto shouted, clearly still giddy at the thought.

"Yeah, but remember that was only because he let us." Haku reminded.

"What do you mean Haku?" Fu asked.

"I mean did you notice that when Zabuza-sensei used the hidden mist, he didn't use his killing intent and even made a noise. Normally he would freeze his opponents with the killing intent before going straight for the kill without making a sound. It's not normal for him to even rustle a leaf." Haku explained.

"That's right!" Naruto exclaimed "but maybe he wanted us to pass?" he offered.

The trio shrugged. "Who knows?" Haku sighed.

"Still I wonder what our first mission as team Zabuza would be" Naruto mused.

"Getting stocked up" Zabuza said appearing next to him.

"Aaahh!" Naruto cried in surprise, "Stop sneaking up on me!" he shouted.

"Then maybe you shouldn't let yourself be such an easy target" Zabuza retorted. Before Naruto could argue back Fu decide to step in.

"What do you mean "stock up" Zabuza-sensei?" she asked.

"Exactly that. Since you are ninja, you'll need the tools. The difference in a single kunai could be the deciding factor in a battle." Zabuza explained. "I'm going to take you to an old friend of mine. In fact, we were on the same team for a bit before I became one of the seven swordsmen. His name is Ryuunosuke Higurashi."

Zabuza paused before looking at Haku, "He was the one that provided me with the weapons and tools for my attempted coup, because like you he is a bloodline user. The metal style carried in Higurashi blood. This bloodline allows them to become some of the best weapon smiths in the world. In fact the seven legendary swords of the Mist, the Raijin blade of the second Hokage and even the Kusanagi of Orochimaru the sannin were all made by Higurashi." He explained before looking at the newly made ninja who were looking at him with awestruck faces.

"Wow! All those legendary weapons!"

"Yeah! The Higurashi must be so talented!"

"I wonder if we will get a cool weapon!" Fu and Haku looked at Naruto for his last comment.

"What? I want a cool weapon!" Naruto pouted.

"I doubt it Naruto, each of those weapons took an extremely talented Higurashi years to make and costs millions of ryo. Ryo we don't have." Zabuza shot him down.

"I'm allowed to hope" Naruto pouted as he saw the faces of Haku and Fu who were trying their hardest not to burst out laughing. "Laugh it up, but when I get my awesome super weapon I will be the one laughing at you!" Naruto declared.

"You do realize that if anyone was to get a new weapon, it would be me or Fu right? You already have your own golden sword. Don't be greedy Naruto." Haku reminded him.

"Oh yeah! Speaking of which, I really need to find something to store this in. At the moment it's so easy to steal and I can't surprise anyone with it." Naruto mused.

"I'll ask Ryuunosuke to draw a storage seal on you and see if he could also put a summoning and defense seal on the sword" Zabuza told him.

"Alright! Let's go!" Naruto cheered.

Three days of traveling later, the four ninja arrived on a hill not far from a town.

"If I remember correctly, and if he hadn't moved, this is where Ryuunosuke ran to avoid the bloodlione massacre." Zabuza told them before knocking in what seemed to be a pattern.

Seeing their confused faces he explained. "Back when we were on the same team, we devised a code to communicate in case there was an attack and we were held hostage. This was an idea suggested by our third teammate"

"Where is your third teammate?" Haku asked.

"Yeah! Tell us more about your team!" Fu looked at him with big eyes.

"She died on one of our missions. I lost my cool and slaughtered all the enemies. That's what drew the attention of the Seven swordsmen. After that, as you can guess, our team disbanded. Though sometimes I would work with Ryuunosuke on missions or just to remember our lost teammate. This went on for a few years until Ryuunosuke hit Jonin and heard that they planned the massacre. A few weeks later, his clan was hit and most fled to other countries."

"And I ended up here" a gruff yet soft voice said as the door opened. "It's been many years Zabuza."

The group of ninja looked at the man who opened the door. He was heavily muscular with arms that looked strong enough to bend the toughest steel without breaking a sweat. He wore an apron with some rips and tears over a blue overall. He had a trimmed beard that was slightly singed and a hammer in his right hand.

"It has Ryu." Zabuza simply said. "I was just telling my new team here about our team. You, me and… Shiro." At this both their eyes saddened.

"Yeah, come in. I built a grave for her. Let's go pay our respects." Ryuunosuke said as he walked back in.

"She must have meant a lot to both of them huh?" Haku whispered.

"She did. Shiro was like the sister we never had. Always worrying for us and lightning up the mood with her childish personality. She had the potential to be the best medic ninja the Mist has ever raised." Zabuza said, somehow hearing them.

"I-I-I'm sorry Zabuza-sensei! I didn't mean to-" Haku tried to apologize.

"Don't worry" Zabuza assured him before they saw the grave. It wasn't very classy. It had a simple grave stone and a table in front of it. The table had a bowl of fruit and a cup of water on either side. In the middle of it, was a picture of Zabuza, Shiro, Ryuunosuke and another man that was presumed to be their sensei.

5 minutes later, the 4 shinobi finished paying their respects before standing up.

Turning around Zabuza grasped Ryuunosuke's arm in a firm handshake. "Thank you Ryu, it's been too long since I've seen her."

"It's the least I could do for our sister" Ryu said, grasping Zabuza's arm just as hard. Walking back in the house, the blacksmith went to the kitchen to get some tea while Zabuza and the trio waited in the living room.

"So what brings you here Zabuza? I doubt this is just a friendly visit." Ryuunosuke said as he walked back in with a tray that had a pot of tea and 5 cups.

"You're right. I need some special supplies for my team here. Normally, I would go to some random store, but this is a special occasion and I decided that normal stores just wouldn't do." Zabuza explained.

"Your team? You back with the Mist?" Ryuunosuke frowned.

"No, the Massacre is still in effect." Zabuza said, "This is just some people I found"

"Hey!" Naruto complained.

"Haku is a bloodline user like you. Naruto and Fu are both Jinchuriki." Zabuza introduced.

"Jinchuriki?" the blacksmith was surprised. "Like Yagura and Ukataka?" he asked.

"Yes, Fu has the Seven tails, and Naruto the Nine." Zabuza told him.

Ryuunosuke nearly dropped his tea in shock. "You really hit the jackpot with this didn't you?"

"Hey! I thought we weren't going to reveal that piece of information to anyone!" Naruto complained.

"Quiet Naruto, Ryuunosuke is a friend of Zabuza-sensei and if sensei trusts him, so should we." Haku explained.

"Yeah!" Fu agreed.

"Everyone is picking on me" Naruto thought while a dark cloud appeared above his head.

"Anyways, Ryu. We need some supplies. A hundred kunai and shuriken, a dozen chakra and food pills, 2 dozen explosive tags and 3 pairs of gravity weights seals. Also, is it possible for you to draw a storage seal on Naruto, as well as a summoning and defense seal on his sword?" Zabuza asked.

"Come on Zabuza! That's not even a challenge! I'll even make the kunai and shuriken now! Give me an hour to collect those pills and to brush up on my defense and summoning knowledge. Seals are a delicate art." Ryuunosuke said beating his chest. "Come with me."

The 4 ninja and 1 former went outside to Ryunosuke's backyard.

"Earth style: earth pit" he said stomping his feet and causing the ground to sink in 3 perfect squares about half a meter deep and wide.

"Metal style: metal river" he said making a few hand signs. Ryuunosuke spewed out a greyish liquid into one of the pits.

Making more hand signs without missing a beat he started the final part. "Metal style: weapon creation." The liquid metal from the pit rose up before forming into 100 kunai and shuriken and dropping into the other pits.

"That was so cool!" Naruto exclaimed.

The weapon smith took a deep breath before grinning at the group, "all done. 100 kunai and shuriken. Just need the pills and the sealing."

"Alright then Ryu, we'll just go and book ourselves a room and be back" Zabuza said. "You can do the sealing when we get back. See you in a bit"

True to his boast, Ryuunosuke had already had everything packed and organized by the time the group had come back.

"Give me your sword Naruto" Ryuunosuke ordered. Naruto hesitated a bit before handing it over when he saw Zabuza nod.

Ryuunosuke looked it over for a moment, marveling at its beauty. "The craftsmanship on this is amazing! This far surpasses anything I have ever seen. Where'd you get this?" he asked.

"Mifune-sensei gave it to me." Naruto answered.

"Amazing. And to think, this sword is still dormant." The blacksmith mused.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked confused.

"Ah, you do not know? Every well-made sword, swords that the creator made with his heart, are all sentient. They all lay dormant until someone wakes them up. My father told me that when someone wakes them up, they will go through a test. Should they pass, they will learn the sword's name and the sword will be a huge help in battle. Kenjutsu will become a second nature and the user will gain a partner for life. Some swords even develop their own defense system like Kisame Hoshigaki's Samehanda." He explained. "Speaking of which, have you woken yours yet Zabuza?" he asked.

"No, I don't think that I am the one who will awaken him." Zabuza sighed.

"Don't give up, you are still young. Maybe the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet." Ryuunosuke offered.

"Maybe, but I doubt it." Zabuza said doubtfully.

"You never know" Ryuunosuke said as he slapped a seal on the golden sword, "Naruto give me your dominant hand" he ordered. Naruto complied with the order.

Instead of slapping a seal on his hand like Naruto expected him to, Ryuunosuke took out a brush and drew a seal on his hand faster than he could react. "Put some chakra in the seal." He ordered. Naruto did so and the seal lit up before there was a poof of smoke. The sword he was holding in his left hand was suddenly in his right. "Well it works" Ryuunosuke said with a satisfied smirk.

"Thank you Ryuunosuke" Naruto said with a bow.

"No need to be formal with me Naruto" he said and used the brush in his hand to draw a quick chibi Naruto on his forehead. To the others amusement, he wouldn't notice it until he looked in the mirror that night.

"Well, it's been nice seeing you again Ryu, maybe we will come by more often" Zabuza offered.

"Please do Zabuza" the blacksmith replied handing him the gravity seals.

The group exchanged goodbyes with the blacksmith and headed back to the town they made "their base"… Well one of them anyways… a rouge ninja can't stay in an area for too long after all.

AN: phew done. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I just wanted to add in Ryuunosuke (yes he is an OC) because I plan for him to be a link between two arcs in the future. And because some cool weapons are needed.

Besides that, the next chapter we will finally move on to the wave arc, yay!

All chapter up to and including this one are now edited thanks to Jman22056

And one last thing. Because exams are coming up, I might not post for the next month or so, but I will try.

Reviews:

Acidreaper: if you reading this… is this better?

Zeus501: noooooooo! You, my friend are a twisted man. Fine, I will add in wind chakra on the condition that you don't kill the kitten. That is my final offer.

Thor94: yeah I got nothing against it, but I would prefer to keep yaoi to the yaoi enthusiasts

BlackDragonShinigami: find out on the next episode of DRAGON BALL… err I mean NARUTOOOOOOO

Noahendless: I will =^.^=

AmbertheCat: glad you enjoyed it. I won't say too much about Konoha, you'll have to wait and see ;). I will say that you will be slightly disappointed and happy though. But I do want to point out that if I let Fu die… how can she be one of the ones in the pairing? O.o. anyways here's chapter 15