A/N: Sorry it took so long. I got distracted. My birthday was earlier this month, so Happy Late Birthday to me. Also, I finally convince my little brother to lend me his Xbox One to play Fallout 4, for two days at least. He got it the console the same Christmas I got this computer. Still not done with the game, so no spoilers. Now prepare for battle! Zabuza and Haku vs Team 8 and Kakashi! Who will win? Ah, who am I kidding, we all know who will win. So who will survive? That is the question. Don't forget to review and check out my other stories! Oh and look at my poll and list of future stories. It will be months before I start those though. I still have this story and my Runaway stories. Short reminder that this is M for language and violence. There will be blood!

Disclaimer: I have never owned Naruto, nor will I ever.

Chapter 10 Battle for the Wave

The day was here! Zabuza was healed and ready to finish his mission. Right now he was speaking to two of Gato's top men, Zōri and Waraji (canon characters, not OCs). Zōri had bluish-white hair. Lined markings are tattooed under his black eyes and wears a dark purple hat, a blue jacket with many pockets, long black pants, and sandals. A katana hung from his waist. Waraji was the taller of the two with with brown hair that parted in three with knots, two on the back and one on top. He has a goatee similar to Hiruzen's, an eyepatch over his right eye, and two stitched scars, one over his left eye, and one on the left side of his lips. He wore a loose-fitting kimono, though his upper body is left exposed. He had bandages over his waist, black pants, sandals, and had a intricate tattoo that seemed to stretch across his entire left side and left right, inner thigh. He too wielded a sword on his waist.

"You two boneheads remember your jobs?" Zabuza asked.

"Yeah yeah," Waraji said, waving him off and ignoring that bonehead comment. "Keep one of the jonin away from the fight. Got it."

"Good, and don't screw around. Both of them are highly skilled on their own," Zabuza warned before dismissing them.

"Do you really think those two are a match for a jonin?" Haku asked, dressed in his hunter nin outfit, though his mask wasn't on yet.

"Not really, that why I gave them something."
-

"I think you overworked him last night," Kakashi commented as he leaned over the sleeping blond. Kurenai was with him while Kiba and Hinata were eating breakfast, and Yuki was asleep next to Naruto's head.

"Hey! I told him to turn in sooner," Kurenai defended. "But for once, he was as stubborn as Hinata."

"I think your students have had an influence on him." Kakashi said with a short chuckle.

"Honestly, I have mixed feelings about that." Kurenai said. While it was good to see Naruto act more like a ninja, she worried he might take up his teammates' less than admirable traits. Not that she didn't like her team. On the contrary, she was glad to have a chance to train them. They worked well together and even though they sometimes complained, they listened to her and learned it.

"Hey, Naruto awake yet?" Hinata asked with Kiba and Akamaru close behind.

"Nope. In fact, with this level of exhaustion, I wouldn't be surprised if he slept all day." Kurenai.

"What? So he gets a day off while we train our butts off," Kiba complained.

"We're not training today." Kurenai told them, surprising them both. "It's been five days since we fought Zabuza. It's possible he'll recover soon, and there's a good chance he'll bring that hunter nin." Kakashi moved toward them.

"You two…" Akamaru barked. "You three," he correct, "will be joining me at the bridge."

"Wait, if Zabuza might be coming, shouldn't we wake Naruto up?" Kiba asked.

"And what about you Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata added.

"In his current state, Naruto would only be a liability." Hinata started to protest when Kurenai explained. "He pushed himself too far last night and overexerted himself. All his muscles are stressed, and his body needs rest." Hinata sighed, but didn't argue anymore. It made sense, though she believed her sensei could have worded that better. Calling him a liability made it sound like he was just a burden. "As for me, if Gato is the kind of scum I think he is, he'll send his thugs to come after Tsunami and Inari. I need to stay here and keep them safe." The two genin nodded in understanding.

"Well then, we should go."
-

Zōri and Waraji watched the house from the bushes. The door opened and Tazune came out with his guards. Once he, the three shinobi, and their dog were out of sight, Waraji whispered, "Hey, let's get in there already, they're gone."

"Wait," Zōri told his partner. "We'll go soon, once we're sure they're fighting Zabuza."

"So who do you think will win?" Waraji asked. "Zabuza and his sidekick, or those Leaf shinobi?"

"Doesn't matter," he replied with a smirk. "In the end, the boss wins."

"Personally, I hope Zabuza wins,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, so I can kill him myself when we're done here."
-

Kakashi, Kiba, Hinata, and Tazuna walked across town to the bridge. "So how long till you're done with the bridge?" Hinata asked.

"Well…" The old bridge builder thought for a moment. "At our current progress, I'd say about a week, as long as no one else chickens out. That and Gato doesn't do anything to delay us."

"Considering how quiet it's been and how close the bridge is to finishing, he'll make his move soon," Kakashi said.

The two arrive at the bridge, only to find the workers on the ground, groaning in pain. "What the hell!" Tazuna shouted. "Who did this?"

'Damn! I was hoping we'd have more time!' Kakashi thought as the mist rolled in.

"Ah hell, not again!" Kiba groaned as he got into his battle stance, as did Hinata, though her eyes weren't activated yet.

"Well, well, well. Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye. I wanted a rematch with Kurenai, but you'll do just fine." Zabuza's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.

'Sharingan? Doesn't that belong to the Uchiha?' Both genin thought.

"Hinata, use your eyes to spot him." Kakashi commanded.

But before she could perform the handsign to activate her bloodline, they heard Zabuza say, "No need." From the mist in front of them, six Zabuzas appeared. "You look scared, little ones." Hinata and Kiba were trembling, fear evident on their faces from the last time they fought Zabuza's clones.

Kakashi looked at Kurenai's students and smiled, which confused the swordsmen. "So, would you two like to go first?"

At that moment, two genin's faces changed. They stopped trembling and smirked. "I'll take the three on the left," Hinata said, drawing two kunai and holding them in a reverse grip.

"Sounds good to me," Kiba agreed as he underwent the transformation of his All-Fours Jutsu. They rushed at their opponents. Hinata span around the first clone as he slashed down and stabbed him in the back, taking down the first clone. The second one brought his blade down, which she sidestepped, only to duck as the third clone slashed horizontally, grazing her hair. Hinata stabbed him in the gut, leaving one clone she had to deal with. She jumped back as he tried to slice her in two and threw her kunai at him. The clone blocked with his sword, but Hinata slid in between his legs and before he could turn sent a Gentle Fist strike to his back. She then recovered her weapons.

Kiba dashed on all fours while Akamaru stayed back in his Kiba lookalike form to guard Tazuna alongside Kakashi. The one clone tried to cut him in half, but Kiba dodged. He then jumped and slashed the clone's jugular with his claws. The second clone started to attack but Kiba quickly punched him in the gut hard enough to dispel the water clone. The final Zabuza swung his sword. Kiba dodged his attacks, while taunting him. "Missed me!" Duck. "Oh, so close!" Kakashi, Akamaru, and Hinata facepalmed at this. Finally, Kiba jumped back then unleashed his Tunneling Fang and rammed right into Zabuza, who bursted into water.

"Looks like you brats have gotten stronger, wouldn't you say so Haku?" (Quick reminder that Hinata was asleep and Kiba wasn't around when Haku told Naruto his name, so they don't know it's the same boy. I feel I should also add that Haku's mask has a material that blocks the Byakugan's sight, so Hinata can't see his face.) Zabuza walked out of the mist into view, Haku next to him. "But you're a runt short. Where's the orange one?"

Haku smiled at this. Last night, while Naruto trained, Haku snuck out of their hideout and knocked him out with a senbon, then injected him with a sleep drug. He took care in making it look like Naruto had simply passed out from exhaustion. It looks like it worked. Now Haku didn't have to fight his new friend.

When the Leaf shinobi didn't respond, Zabuza said, "Guess it doesn't matter." He turned his gaze to Hinata. "I've never seen a Hyūga fight like that though, especially without using their eyes."

"I'm just full of surprises," she remarked with a smirk. 'Our clan's taijutsu may be formidable, but it's also become the only thing we use. My father and the Elders are too stuck in the old ways to realise we need to change how we fight lest we become predictable and our enemies learn to counter it.' She made a mental note to change that when she became clan head. 'Also, my chakra reserves aren't exactly that large. I need to preserve my chakra, especially in a fight with a jonin and a ninja of unknown skill.'

Kakashi raised his hand and grabbed his headband over his left eye, slowly raising it. "Kiba, you and Akamaru stay with Tazuna." Kiba and Akamaru nodded. "Hinata, you take on the boy." Hinata nodded and stepped forward. His headband was now fully over his eye, which was closed and had a vertical scar over it. "Zabuza's mine!" Kakashi opened his eye, revealing his Sharingan! Three tomoes span around his pupil.

Zabuza smirked. This was gonna be fun.
-

Inari sat in his room, thinking about Naruto's promise and what Hinata told him about the blond's past and her own life. When the shock wore off, he first tried to dismiss it as a falsehood. He wanted to believe she was lying to him so he'd feel bad, but she made him look her in the eye when she grabbed him, and though he was just a kid and was no expert on read others, he recognised the sadness in her eyes. He'd seen that same sadness in the mirror ever since his father died.

No, in the end Inari believed she was telling him the truth. And since then he's been asking himself why? Why weren't they like him? How could they possible move forward after what they went through, especially Naruto? Inari was not stranger to feeling unsafe outside his house. If Naruto experienced the same thing, then just how?

"Ask yourself this, do you really want things to stay the same? Is this really a life worth living?" Of course he didn't want things to stay the same! Gato was threat to everyone in the Wave! Children were being orphaned and left hungry, and the adults weren't doing much better! But what could they do? Gato was too strong! He had an army of mercenaries. Anyone who tried… Inari shook his head. He didn't want to remember that day again.

"Live your life so that you have nothing to regret." His father's words, spoken to him the day they met. Since his death, Inari had buried them deep down, but now they were resurfacing. This was what Kaiza believed in. That if he lived for his loved ones and died for them, he'd pass on with no regrets. 'Dad, is it true? Do you die without regrets?'

Meanwhile, Kurenai assisted Tsunami with her chores around the house. It was the best way to stay close to her and it gave the jonin something to do while she waited for Kakashi and her two genin to return and the third one to wake up. Right now they were cleaning the dishes from breakfast. "Thanks for the help, but you don't have too."

Kurenai shook her head. "I don't mind. It's a way to pass the time."

"So, tell me about this Asuma person I heard Kakashi mentioned. Is he your boyfriend?"

Kurenai blushed red and nearly dropped her dish, which was all the confirmation the young mom needed. But before the jonin could respond, they heard the sound of someone knocking down the door. Kurenai quickly put the dish down and rushed to the front door, finding it sliced up with two thugs standing there. Waraji spoke first, "So you're the one who stayed behind. This will be fun." He charged.

Kurenai took out her kunai and block his blade, then kicked him back just as his partner tried to decapitate her with a quick draw. She managed to duck under his blade. She gathered from their fighting style that they were samurai, since it was similar to that of other samurai she has met. Still, they weren't jonin level, maybe chunin and I do mean maybe, but definitely not jonin level. She left a gash on Zōri's arm and parried Waraji's strike and kicked him where the sun don't shine (She's a ninja. They plays dirty). She swung around fast enough to block the next attack from Zōri and their blades were locked. Kurenai steadily gained the advantage when she noticed her opponent was only one hand and he was smiling. Too late as she felt something hit her side. Looking down, she saw a syringe. He had poisoned her! Kurenai pushed the ronin. Her vision started to blur. This was bad. True, at Anko's insistence, she had increased her body's immunity to poison, which she was thankful for, but depending on what type they used, she could be out of it for awhile. She tried to move to finish this quickly, but her legs were wobbly and with one step, fell. As she lost consciousness, she hoped Inari and Tsunami got away.

Waraji was nursing his manhood while shouting, "THAT BITCH! I'LL KILL HER FOR THIS! AH, DAMN THIS FUCKING HURTS!"

"Forget it. Let's just grab the old man's family and get to the bridge."
-

The Village Hidden in the Leaves burned. Naruto had this dream often. He as the Nine-Tails would attack his home, and Naruto would watch, unable to control his body. He always assumed these dreams were mere fabrications of his worst fears, that the demon fox spirit inside him would one day take over his body and destroy the village.

But then he looked at the Hokage Monument. On top of the last stone head was a man with spiky blond hair and blue eyes, wearing the standard jonin outfit and a white cloak. For a moment, Naruto thought this was a future version of himself, but dismissed the idea. The man's facial features didn't match his own. Actually, they matched that of the stone head he stood on.

'He must be the 4th Hokage! But why's he in my dream?' If this was a nightmare based off his fear, then the 4th shouldn't be there since he was already dead. Naruto was shaken from his thoughts when he saw a tiny orbs of red and blue chakra combines to form a ball at him mouth. 'Oh no!' Naruto could feel the insane power put into the attack. 'Look out!' Naruto wanted to scream, but could. His body was not his own but the Nine-Tails, and the fox was in control of it.

The ball of chakra was launched, but the Hokage made no motion to dodge. Instead, he held out a tri-pronged kunai sideways with both hands, as if that would somehow deflect the rapidly approaching ball of death. The ball got closer and closer until…

Naruto woke up with a start, startling Yuki as he jumped off the bed. He looked around and saw he was in Tazuna's house. 'Funny, I don't even remember falling asleep. Must have gotten tired without knowing.' He then heard Inari scream "Mother!" outside. Naruto got up and ran to the window. He saw Inari and Tsunami on the boardwalk next to their house. They were cut off by two of Gato's men, one in front and one behind.

"Should we take them both?" Waraji asked. His partner shook his head and said Gato only asked for one hostage. "Then I say we take her and kill the runt!"

Inari's eyes widened with fear while Naruto grew worried. Weren't either Kurenai or Kakashi suppose to be here?

Tsunami begged them to leave her son be, saying she'd compile if they did. Waraji looked toward his partner, who nodded. "You're lucky brat. Your mom saved you. Besides, Boss doesn't want us wasting time. We already had to deal with that Leaf bitch."

'They took out Kurenai-sensei? How? Are these guys that strong?' Naruto was scared. If these guys took out his sensei, how was he suppose to stop them. 'No, I do this. I just need a plan.'

Inari cried as they bound his mother's hands. "I'm sorry mom," 'Why? Why did this have to happen? I want to help her but…' Gato's men finished and started to take her to away. 'I'm too weak and I don't wanna die.'

"If you really care about something, protect it even if you have to put your life on the line! Protect it, with both arms!" Kaiza's words echoed in his mind. He thought about the Leaf shinobi, who are risking their lives for them, his grandfather, who started this project knowing he was painting a bullseye on himself, his mother, who gave herself up to keep Inari safe, and his father, who put his life on the line many times, both for his family and the Wave. 'Could I be strong like that one day?' Inari forced himself to stop crying. Now was not the time for tears.

The two thugs were leading Tsunami down the pier when they heard someone say stop. They turned around to see Inari, who demands they leave his mom alone or else. They just laughed at him before knocking out his mother with a chop to the neck and place a hand on their swords. Inari rushed at them. The two samurai waited in anticipation to slice the boy. But one he was in range of their weapons, an orange blur appeared in front of them as they attacked. They blinked and saw a wooden log cut in three. "Substitution?" Zōri said. "The woman's gone too."

They looked behind to see a wet Naruto with Inari and his unconscious mother. Needless to say, both were annoyed. However, both they could charge him, two Narutos came out of the water like missiles, slamming into the two thugs with enough force to knock them into each other. The clones dispelled upon impact and Zōri and Waraji were out cold.
-

Kakashi appeared behind Zabuza and stabbed him in the back of the neck with a kunai, only for the mist nin to turn into water before he himself was decapitated by the swordsman's Executioner's Blade. However, it turned out that Kakashi was a water clone too. 'Must have copied my jutsu.' Hearing a sizzle, Zabuza looked down and saw a paper bomb.

BOOM

It exploded, but Kakashi saw that he blew up another clone. He ducked as Zabuza's blade came out of the mist and went over him. He went for a sweep kick, but the missing nin jumped back. "You're at a disadvantage, Kakashi."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Cause the floor's covered with water," another Zabuza said behind him as he trapped Kakashi in his water prison jutsu. The Zabuza in front of him was about to cut him in half when he saw a log in the sphere.

"I was warned about that little trick of yours." Kakashi said as he cut down one of the Zabuzas, who turned into water. As he turned toward the real swordsman, he saw mirrors form around Hinata.

"Looks like Haku's using his trump card." Zabuza commented aloud. "Her fate is sealed. No one's ever survived that jutsu. Even I couldn't be him when he uses that." Hearing that, Kakashi grew worried and silently prayed for Hinata's wellbeing.
-

'I've got a bad feeling about this.' Hinata thought as mirrors made of ice surrounded her. She had managed to hold off Haku's attacks, despite his speed advantage. She switch off randomly from the style Kurenai taught her to her clan's Gentle Fist, activating and deactivating her Byakugan (she can do so with a single handsign, but not yet without them) and hoping to catch him by surprise. It worked a few times, but Haku quickly caught on and kept an eye out for any changes.

However, due to some well placed strikes that closed a few chakra points in his chest and right arm, Hinata was winning. Until Haku jumped back and popped a pill into his mouth, lifting his mask up slightly to do so. With her Byakugan active, she saw her chakra points open and her reserves partially replenished. It was then that he used this jutsu.

Once the mirrors were fully form, she noticed they formed a dome around her. She was trapped.

"I'm afraid this is the end." she heard Haku say as he appeared in each of the mirrors. This is my ultimate technique, Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!"

Using her bloodline Hinata saw that the mirrors were reinforced with chakra. Breaking them would require more strength than she had. Suddenly, senbon rained from all around her. Luckily, her Byakugan let her see the attacks coming and dodged most of them. A few scraped her jacket and one landed on the back of her right shoulder. More senbon came toward her, and she kept dodging, unable to fight back. And while she was able to avoid most of them, a few managed to hit her. 'Seriously, how many does he have?' she wondered, til she saw that Haku was making more o

Haku noticed that while she was able to avoid his senbon, she was late to react to senbon thrown from a certain area in her line of sight (which isn't limited to where she's facing), almost as if…

'She can't see them!' Haku thought as he came to that realization. Upon doing so, he refocused his attack, focusing mostly on Hinata's blind spot. As more and more senbon hit their mark, Hinata found herself struggling to stand and trying to protect anything vital.

'This isn't good. He's found my blind spot, and he's too fast for me to hit as he moves from mirror to mirror.'
-

As the battles raged, Kiba was losing his patience and was on the verge of running to join the fight. And he almost did, until…

Kakashi and Zabuza broke apart. Zabuza performed started a series of handsigns and Kakashi, using his Sharingan, copied and performed the same signs at the same time.

Both shouted out the jutsu. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

Two serpentine dragons made of water with glowing yellow eyes emerged from the sea and clashed with one another. Since they were of equal strength, they canceled each other out. After the attack ended, Zabuza caught a kunai that was aimed for his head. "Your aim's improved kid, but the same trick doesn't work twice on me." As he said that, Naruto appeared, kunai in hand.

"Naruto, glad you're here." Kiba said. "Listen, I need you to guard Tazuna while me and Akamaru…" But he wasn't able to finish as Naruto spotted Hinata struggling inside Haku's jutsu. The moment he saw her wobbling as senbon struck her, he ran toward her. There was no hesitation, no fear, no thoughts at all save one.

'Must save Hinata!'

He entered the dome and create many clones to shield Hinata. Haku stopped his barrage as he was surprised. 'How is he here? He should be out for at least another hour! Did I get the dosage wrong or something?'

"Hinata! Are you alright?" he said frantically, too worried to stutter.

"Yeah." she said, breathing heavily as she started pulling out senbon. " I'll live."

"G-good."

"Listen, this Haku guy, he can…"

"Wait, d-did you say Haku?" Naruto said surprised, earning a confused look from Hinata.

"Yes, she did," Haku said sadly, as he pulled off his mask, revealing his face.

Hinata gasped in surprised. This was the same boy they met two days ago. Naruto's express, however, was one of hurt and betrayal. He thought he was a friend. Someone to add to his list of precious people. And here he was now, trying to kill his best friend and crush. "Why?" he asked.

Haku saw the hurt in Naruto's eyes and looked down in shame. "I truly wish this did not have to happen. Were we not on opposing sides, I believe we would be great friends. But I must do Zabuza's bidding."

"Why?" Hinata asked angrily. "Why do you follow a man like him? A selfish man who cares nothing about honor. Who would doom an entire land and it's people just for money. Is that really the kind of person you want to follow?"

"I follow him because Zabuza is to me what you are to Naruto." Hinata was taken aback by this. "Shinobi are tools. Zabuza taught me that. You've seen what I can do. It is my kekkei genkai, my curse, ice style. By combining water and wind chakra, I can perform ice jutsu."

"C-curse?" Naruto asked.

"I told you that my parents were killed when I was 5. What I didn't tell you was that I was the one who killed my father after he killed my mother." Both genin's eyes widened upon hearing this. "In the Land of Water, those with bloodlines are fear for their power and hunted down. My mother managed to hide her abilities and fell in love with my father. Though we were simple farmers, we were happy. Until I awakened my bloodline. My mother freaked out and told me never to do that again, but my father saw. With tears in his eye, he killed my mother and was about to kill me when, without think, I killed him with my ice." Naruto couldn't help but think back to when he awakened the Rinnegan and killed Mizuki. "I told you that for 3 years, I lived alone, no purpose in my life. It was hell. And then he came. Zabuza, before he went rogue. He took me in, gave me food, a home. But most importantly, he gave me a purpose, to be his tool. So now, I follow him, helping him to realise his ambitions."

"Still, you have to believe what he's doing here is wrong!" Hinata shouted.

"My opinion means nothing. I am but a tool for Zabuza's use, just as Naruto is yours."

"Naruto is not my tool!" Hinata said enraged. "He's my friend!"

"It may not be intentional, but that's what he is. He is loyal to you above all other. If you were to leave, would he not follow? If you told him to kill, would he not do so?" Haku turned his attention to the young blond. "Naruto, what is your personal dream?"

"T-to become H-Hokage," he said softly.

"And if you had to give up that dream for her, would you?"

Naruto looked down. "Yes," he whisper, but he was heard.

Hinata looked at him in shock. She had no idea she had this much power over him. And she didn't like it. "You won't have to. I promise, and remember what we swore."

Naruto gave her a small smile and nodded as he remembered their blood oath. Haku looked at the two of them and could tell they cared deeply about each other, which made this much harder on him. But he would not fail Zabuza.

"Naruto, I need you to cover my back," Hinata whispered. "Haku managed to find my blind spot. It looks like this jutsu takes up a lot of chakra, so I doubt he'll be able to hold it for long. We just need to hold out until he drains his reserves, then we strike." Naruto nodded and summoned more clones.

"I'm sorry, but I must dispose of you now." And with that, Haku's assault continued. However, Naruto blocked her blind spot and kept summoning clones, which were quickly struck down. Having to spread her fire between Hinata and multiple Narutos, they were a great job and wearing down her chakra. 'This isn't good. At this rate, I'll run out of chakra before I can finish them.' Haku began to focus more attacks on the real Naruto, trying to take him down quick and prevent him from making more clones. He launched just enough senbon to keep Hinata at bay.

Hinata watched as more senbon were thrown at her friend. Cuts appeared and blood flow. Hinata watched horrified as she remembered that fateful day, when she found him just as the villagers finish beating him up. Sure, this wasn't as severe as the one from that day, but still, she hated to see him like this.

Haku prepare to finish him off. Hopefully, his attack will only render him unconscious. A flurry of senbon were launched at the blond and it looked like it was over for him. Too injured to dodge, he could only close his eyes and wait. But it never came. And as he opened his eyes, he saw Hinata over him. She had blocked the senbon with her own body. The heiress slumped sideways, unmoving.

"Hinata!" Forcing his body to move, he succeeded in moving his arm and trying to shaking her awake, while begging her to open her eye. But she didn't, she laid there.

"She's dead," the voice in his head said.

"She's dead," Naruto whispered.

"He killed her."

"You killed her."

"Kill him!"

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Red chakra erupted from his body like an aura as his body changed. His fingernails became claws, his canine teeth grew sharper, his whisker marks were bolder and more defined.

Recovering from the shock of feeling such powerful chakra, he looked into Naruto's eyes and was gripped in fear. They were red with slitted pupils and full of hate! And all of it directed at him. Haku began to bombard Naruto with senbon, with made no effort to dodge. Naruto just unleashed more chakra, and the senbon in his body were forced out. 'Wh-what is this power? Wait, Zabuza told me…' his thoughts were interrupted when Naruto punched the mirror he was in, breaking it. Haku snuck out from one of the fragment and aim his senbon for the back of the blond's neck. But Naruto quickly turned around and grabbed his arm, then punch Haku right in the nose, knocking him out of the dome.
-

Zabuza duck under the thrown kunai as he charged toward Kakashi and sliced him in half, only to find he substituted with a log. Kakashi was about to attack when he heard Naruto shout.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

And then he felt it. That terrifying chakra, not felt in over 12 years. 'Oh no! Did the seal break?' He turned and saw Naruto punch one of the mirrors. 'No, but the seal is leaking the fox's power. But what could have…' Then he saw Hinata lying on the ground. "Kiba! Take Tazuna and get out of here!"

Kiba looked confused. He had no idea what was going and and what this power he was feeling. "Why? What's going…"

"Just do it!" Kiba flinched, but did as he was told. But before leaving, he looked back and caught a glimpse of Naruto. 'What happened to him?'

Zabuza watched as Haku's jutsu crumbled after Naruto punched him. 'No way! No one's ever beat Haku's jutsu! No one! And what this power coming off that brat? It reminds me of when I tried to kill…' Zabuza's eyes widened in realization. 'That kid, he's like the Mizukage!'

Haku was being beaten to a pulp by Naruto, who had lost himself in his anger. He punch him right in the gut, causing Haku to cough up blood, then kicked him away.

Kakashi ran to stop Naruto, but he himself was stopped when Zabuza nearly took his head off. "What are you doing?"

"Our fight's not over!" He brought his sword overhead and slammed it down. Kakashi sidestepped it and backhanded the swordsman. Zabuza back up stumbling, but he recover fast blocked Kakashi path. Kakashi knew he had to end this quick, so he started the handsigns for his original jutsu, but Zabuza threw his sword at him. Kakashi moved out of the way, and what he saw next surprised him.

Naruto drew more and more chakra from the Nine-Tails as he approached Haku's battered body. The ice style user had a black eye, a broken nose, broken ribs, and was coughing blood.

"You killed her." Naruto said in a demonic tone. His claws grew longer. "She rescued me from the hell that was my life. She cared about me when others show only scorn. "She encouraged me, believed in me, gave me a reason to live! AND YOU KILL HER!"

He lunged himself at Haku, who closed his eye and awaited death. 'I'm sorry, Zabuza. I am a broken tool and can no longer serve you. Death is my only fate now. Farewell and thank you.'

The sound of piercing flesh was heard. Haku's eyes opened, to find Zabuza standing in front of him, Naruto's sharp nails in his chest.

"W- cough Why?" Haku asked.

"It seems… that I was wrong. No matter grunts in pain how hard one tries, a shinobi is still human, and not just a tool."

'Zabuza…' Kakashi thought. 'Looks like you've found your heart.'

"All these years… you've been with me, I treat you… like a tool. But, in truth… you were the son I never had… Haku." Haku look at the man who took him in all those years ago with tears in his eyes. He longed to hear those words for years, but never thought he would.

"Seems the demon Zabuza isn't quite the hardcore ninja everyone thinks he is." Everyone turned to see a short man with puffy brown hair in a black suit and purple tie with black glasses. Behind him a large number of mercs. "Good thing I had no intention of paying you."

"Gato, you slime…"

"I must say," Gato interrupted. "Tazuna's little project actually benefitted me. I can turn in yours and the boy's bodies to the Mist for your bounties. Not to mention, the Cloud will pay handsomely for the body of an unsealed Hyuga."

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Naruto roared.

"Or what? You're outnumbered and worn down from all the fighting. There's no way you'll be able to stop me," Gato gloated.

Naruto was about to charge at him when he felt Zabuza's hand on his arm. "Kid, once you remove those claws of yours, I start to bleed out. And before I do, I want to kill that bastard, like I've wanted since day one. So use this bloodlust of yours on the pawns if you like, but Gato's mine!"

Naruto removed his nails and blood squirted from the swordsman's chest, but he drew two kunai and charged, Naruto next to him.

"Kill them!" Gato ordered as he ran behind his men. They drew their weapons and waited, but as the two ninja approached, their resolve weakened. For a moment, they did not see an injured shinobi and a kid, but an oni (japanese demon) and a multi-tailed fox.

(Here's where it gets more graphic. I warned you.)

Zabuza jabbed the kunai into a merc's neck before taking his katana. He cut off another one's hand before stabbing his heart. He continued to cut down more mercs with his borrowed blade, their blood spraying on him. Pain erupted from his chest, and gave one merc the opportunity to stab him in his shoulder. Another lifted his sword ready to strike down the mist shinobi, when a hand covered in lightning came out of his chest. He fell revealing Kakashi behind him. Zabuza stabbed the man in front of him before turn to the jonin. Both nodded to each other and continued to strike down their foe.

Naruto fought like an animal, clawing and shredding his way through the mercs. One tried to stab him in the back, but a crossbow bolt knocked the knife.

"Nice shot Inari," one of villagers said, the others agreeing. After tying up the thugs who tried to kidnap his mom, Inari convinced the villagers they needed to stand up for themselves if they wanted to be free. The boy just smiled, not mentioning that he was aiming for the man's hand.

Naruto turned and sliced his jugular as he continued his onslaught. As time passed, more and more of the fox's chakra leaked through the seal. 'That's it. Kill them all! Draw on my chakra! It's slow going now, but the seal weakens as you continue to use my power. And when the time is right, I'll be free!'

Gato's men started to flee. Some were shot down by the villagers' crossbows. Finally, Zabuza reached Gato who started to back away. "W-w-wait Zabuza. You don't wanna do this."

"On the contrary, I'm gonna enjoy this." He raised his blade and with one swift moment, separated the man's head from his body.

Drained of all his energy and having lost a lot of blood, Zabuza collapsed until he was caught by Kakashi. "Allow me," he said as he carried the swordsman to Haku.

"Listen Kakashi," Zabuza grunted in pain, "No knows Haku's identity. The Mist… only knows him as a false hunter. They don't even… know what he looks like because of his mask. Take him to your village, make it his home."

"I will," Kakashi said as he arrived at Haku's position. He laid him next to the boy.

"Listen to me… Haku. Ever since I found you in that gutter all those years ago, you've followed my dream without question. But now… it's time for you to… follow your own."

"No, Zabuza…"

"Go with them. Make your own purpose. That's an order." Zabuza coughed hard. "I have no regrets. I lived following my dream... and went down fighting, instead of in some bed." More coughing. "Good-bye… Haku." And with that, Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Deadly Swordsman, and the demon of the Mist, breathed his last.

Haku broke down in tears at the lost of his most precious person. Kakashi was also saddened by his death, even though they had tried to kill each other not long before. But he didn't have time to dwell on it because of the surge of chakra coming from Naruto.

He was bent over, clutching his stomach as the red chakra slowly began to form a cloak around him. 'I have to stop him now before it's too late!'

Kakashi was about to head toward the blond when he heard a "W-wait." He looked at the broken body of Haku, who managed to spit out, "She… may… still… be…" before losing consciousness.

Kakashi quickly understood and rushed toward Hinata. He lifted her head and checked for a pulse. 'Please be alive. If not, I'll have to… No, please, not again! I don't wanna have to do that again!' He was about to remove his fingers when he felt it. A pulse! She was still alive! "Naruto! Hinata's alive!"

Naruto heard him and the chakra stopped. He turned around and looked at the copy ninja. "She's… alive?"

"Yes," Kakashi said as he lowered his headband over his Sharingan. "Come here." Naruto complied, and as he walked he changed back to his normal self. And on he was normal, exhaustion set in, making his movements sluggish. By the time he arrived he almost collapse. Down on his knees, he let Kakashi guide this fingers to her neck and sure enough, he felt a pulse.

"Hinata's… alive. Thank God." With that he fell unconscious. The villagers rushed over to their saviors and helped them back to Tazuna's.
-

Alpha: Finally done. By the way Sakura, thanks again for getting Naruto off my back. He almost went in Chakra Mode.

Sakura: My pleasure. (Naruto sits in the corner with a lump on his head) But aren't you worried about Zabuza?

Alpha: Oh, I took care of that. I promised him he'll live in a future fic. 'Which one, I don't know.'

Sakura: By the way, since I saved your ass…

Alpha: I guarantee you'll either train with Tsunade and basically have the same skills as canon, train with Kurenai and become the next Genjutsu Mistress, or train with Anko and be skilled in poisons and interrogation.

Sakura: Gonna have a poll about that?

Alpha: Nah. Truth be told I've already decided. You and everyone else will just have to wait.

Kiba: Hey, what gives? I barely did anything!

Alpha: I'll give you a moment to shine, don't worry.

Naruto: And the Rinnegan?

Alpha: Soon, Naruto, soon. But I wanted to show you using Kurama's chakra. Good news, Haku lives. Battered and beaten, but he'll live. Next chapter, aftermath and returning home.