Chapter 7- Back up from Las Noches

Disclaimer: Still applies.

[Land of Waves]

Current Time...

Naruto and his team had finally made it safely to Tazuna's village, with their client in tow. And, to be blunt about it, the town was in dire straits; there were children on the streets, some too impoverished to even beg, prices on all kinds of goods were sky high, and homes were being foreclosed. Naruto found his anger rising with each glance at the place. This Gato guy was going to die a slow and very painful death, he would make sure of that. Eventually the group arrived at Tazuna's home where Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, greeted them at the door and thanked the shinobi for getting her father home safe. After they had settled in, Kakashi wanted to have a discussion with his students.

"What's up Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked as he sat down with the rest of his squad.

"As you all know, Zabuza is down, but he is certainly not out. I suspect even now that he is gathering up his strength to come and attempt to kill Tazuna again. To prepare for that, you all need to get some training done. We'll rest for today, but tomorrow I need to teach you some new techniques. I will also send word to Konoha to provide us some back up," Kakashi said as he got up from where he had sat down; the Konoha jonin stopped, however, when Naruto spoke up.

"Actually, we don't have to wait so long for backup. I can get us some help right now," Naruto said; this claim shocked both his sensei and teammates.

"Who?" Kakashi asked; he was, naturally, intrigued at whom his squad member could be bring to help them out.

"My Fracciones; they're basically my personal followers that are nearly as powerful as I am. I can bring them here though the Garganta, a portal that connects this world to Hueco Mundo," Naruto said as he saw Kakashi nod at him.

"Alright then, have your Fracciones come here tomorrow, Naruto," Kakashi said; he jonin suddenly liked their odds in their upcoming battle with Zabuza.

Tsunami called them all in for dinner and had four plates set out for the shinobi; Tsunami also said that her son Inari would be home soon, which explained the extra plate. As they ate, Sasuke eyed Naruto's zanpakuto, lusting for it after seeing the destruction it could do. Naruto told had him and the rest of his team as they were walking towards Tazuna's town that the sword would never listen to anyone's will but his own and that it would reject any other wielder, using very violent means to do so. Sasuke, ignoring Naruto's warning, grab the hilt of the blade and was overwhelmed with terror at the blade's immense power. The power was so great that it shoved it him some 30 feet away from the sword. Sakura tended to him while Naruto just shook his head at the poor attempt. Even though he was shot back, Sasuke still hungered for the blade. Naruto told him that if he tried it again he would break his fingers so he couldn't even grasp it or, if he was in was in a very bad mood, he would gouge the Uchiha's eyes so he couldn't see where the sword was located, which was enough to stop any more of Sasuke's futile attempts.

At this point, Inari came into the room and was surprised to see four strangers in his house with his mother and grandfather.

"Inari, these people are ninja from Konoha. They protected your grandfather as he came back home and have decided to guard him while he finishes the bridge so we can be free of Gato," said Tsunami, smiling at her son.

"Pheh, they're just more fools coming to meet their deaths. Gato is too powerful to be stopped at this point," Inari said ran up to his room.

"What is that kid's problem?" Naruto asked as he thought that the kid would have been happy that his village was getting some help.

"Several years ago, a man named Kaiza saved Inari from drowning. After that day he basically became the boy's father. One day, Kaiza stood up to Gato, and ended up losing his life because of it by being publicly executed. Since then Inari has been somewhat downtrodden," Tazuna said as the sadness in his face clearly showed.

"That's really sad," Sakura said as she felt sorry for the kid; Sasuke, on the other hand, paid no mind to this.

"He'll change his mind when we're done here," Naruto said as he set down his bowl and got ready for bed.

The next day Team 7 found a secluded place in the forest around Tazuna's village to begin their training; before they began, however, Naruto was going to bring in his Fracciones. Above all else, Naruto was excited to see his Fraccion again, though he was didn't really show it at the moment. Naruto proceeded to open up a Garganta using the Descorrer technique; Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke were, not surprisingly, a little freaked out by the sight of a portal opening up out of nowhere.

"Tiraran! Jango! Come on out!" Naruto yelled as he looked into the blackness of the Garganta.

"Naruto-sama!" Tiraran yelled from the Garganta as she lunged out and tackled Naruto.

"Good to see you too, Tiraran," Naruto said; giving a small smile to her once he got out of the Arrancar life-squeesing embrace.

"She was waiting for the time when you would call for us," Jango said as he walked calmly out of the Garganta.

"Glad to see you missed me, Jango," Naruto said after he got up off the ground.

"Everyone, these are my Fracciones, Tiraran and Jango," Naruto said; both Fracciones bowed politely to Team 7.

"It's a pleasure to meet you two. I am Kakashi Hatake, leader of Team 7; these are the other members of the squad, Sakura Haruno and-," Kakashi said before he was cut off by Sasuke.

"Sasuke Uchiha, last of the Uchiha clan," Sasuke said with as smug look on his face as he proclaimed his title.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Tiraran asked innocently.

"It means that I represent the most powerful clan of ninja there is. You should be more respectful to your betters," Sasuke said as he tried to make himself appear as a big shot; as both Arrancar were at the same level as the high-level Espada, however, it didn't work.

"I haven't seen your skills so you will receive no respect from me," Jango said in his usual calm tone.

"Is that a challenge?" Sasuke asked as he got in Jango's skull mask face.

"Is this what you've dealing with since you returned, Naruto-sama? I already want to kill this little insect in the first few minutes of being close to him," Jango said; he earned a smirk from Naruto and Tiraran when they noticed that Sasuke's anger visibly grew.

"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled; he tried to punch Jango in the face, but was caught just a few inches from his target.

"That is very unwise of you. Let me go ahead and make sure you don't use this hand again," Jango said as he began to unsheathed his zanpakuto out with his free hand.

"Let him go, Jango. Though I hate him just as much as you do, he is still on my team and I need him to be back in Konoha… alive... and with all his limbs intact," Naruto said; he noticed that Jango took a deep breath before he let go of Sasuke.

"If you say so, Naruto-sama," Jango said as he sheathed his zanpakuto and stood next to Naruto; Kakashi and Sakura were surprised by both Jango's aggressive nature and how the Arrancar obeyed Naruto's orders so easily.

"Now that the introductions have been made, listen very closely you two. I called you two here because we are dealing with a powerful foe named Zabuza Momochi; the man also has a mysterious accomplice who is aiding him and whose full abilities are currently unknown. Your job is to protect the bridge builder Tazuna when we cannot. Understood?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, sir," both of the Arrancars replied as they bowed to their master.

"Kakashi, you should train Sasuke and Sakura. I'd like to spar with my Fracciones, if you don't mind," Naruto said, to which Kakashi nodded.

"Makes sense. Since you can fly there's really no reason to teach you what I'm about to teach them, anyways," Kakashi said before he told Sakura and Sasuke to follow him to train; he was unaware, obviously, of the nature of Naruto's Flash Step.

"Alright you two, time to make sure my skills don't get rusty," Naruto said before he got into a fighting stance.

"Yay, just like old times," Tiraran said while Jango just popped his neck.

The three soon went at it in a blink of an eye.

[Zabuza's Hideout]

Meanwhile...

Zabuza was lying on his bed, bandaged up from his fight with Naruto. He was replaying the fight over and over in his head. The attack the kid used to counter his water jutsu was incredible, having practically torn through it and even managed to injure him. Zabuza cringed at the thought that Naruto hadn't used the full power of that attack; impressive though he may be, however, he still needed to be taken out since he was in the missing-nin's way. He was pulled back into reality when Haku entered his room.

"I managed to find some medicine that will help you heal more easily, Zabuza," Haku said as the Kekkei Genkai wielder took out a container of medicine and gave him a pill.

"This medicine better get me on my feet quick Haku. We need to make sure we take of the bridge builder so we can get paid," Zabuza said before he swallowed the pill and took a sip of water.

"We will. For, though, you need to rest now and gather your strength," Haku said before she left the room to let her master rest.

A rematch with the kid will be enough for me. Haku will hopefully even the odds," Zabuza thought to himself as he went back to sleep, readying himself for tomorrow.

Next Time - The Battle on the Bridge