Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor any of the characters, beside the main OC. All credit for creating this amazing series goes to Mr. Kishimoto
EDITED: 26th January 2013
Author's note: Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. Now, to answer the point you made:
brad: I've corrected the word "boys" with "kids" or "duo", you aren't the first to make me noticed but I didn't have the time to edit all the chapters before today. The mistakes comes from a wrong translation I made in my head.
Flouri: thanks a lot for the compliment. For the team bonding thing, yes you are right sometimes I myself feel like I'm excluding Shino. The problem is when I started to write this story I didn't really know how to write him, now I do, so I've tried to add some scene about them bonding (and later with some of the other rookies as well). You will see some next chapter, seeing as this one is all focused on the big fights.
Anyway since the story is already very long as it is and I feel that putting too much extra scene would make it too heavy, I think I will start a series of one shot about "my" team 7. I've already got a couple of ideas, such as the mission cleaning the Inuzuka clan kennels. Any of you if you have suggestion/request to make simply write it or PM me.
Neo Amon: thank you so much! I feel like you have completely got the idea I have of Naruto and Akimi's relationship (and that I tried to write down). You are very perceptive, because I don't think any of them can hide something from each other... and also the other points you made about the Third and Kyūbi are well guessed. I hope the fight with Haku doesn't disappoint you... I didn't change a lot from canon because I needed Naruto to draw from Kyūbi's chakra.
I'm very glad I got such a positive reaction to my OC, because at the begging I was afraid I would not be able to integrate her well in the Narutoverse or that I would finish to create a Mary Sue or something.
THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE
February, 9th 214
As team 7 and Tazuna approached the bridge, Shino gave each one of them a female Kikaichū. "I will find you through the mist this way."
Akimi bowed, knowing it was an honor to be entrusted with it. Aburame were very protective of the females, for they were fundamental in the life cycle of the hive. Kakashi looked very humbled as well. Naruto just shouted "Thank you, dattebayo!"
Akimi giggled at his antics, but the laughter died in her throat. The bridge appeared in front of them, surrounded by mist.
"This mist..." Kakashi murmured. "He is coming."
"Blood." Shino said. "My Kikaichū smell blood."
"Indeed." Akimi said.
Kakashi sighed. "You know what to do."
As they neared the bridge, the mist got thicker. "Smart." Akimi said. "It's overcharged with chakra... If you tried to blow it off, you would only waste chakra, 'to-kun."
"Keep the cover of the mist." Kakashi said. "I taught you how to sense them."
"Hai, sensei."
They arrived to the bridge, finding all the workers sprawled around, at best severely hurt.
"W-what is this?" Tazuna asked.
"A m-monster." one of the men said. Akimi rushed forward, to check him over, when...
"Here they come!" Kakashi shouted.
"Long time no see, Kakashi! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Zabuza's voice taunted. "And you are still carrying your brats around! Delightful."
Ten clones appeared around them, swinging their zanbatos at them. "Fūton: Kaze no Ame!" shouted Naruto, jumping in front of Akimi.
As the clones ducked the invisible needles (which was even more difficult because of the mist) Akimi leaped. Her speed had highly improved as did her familiarity with the foldable Fūma Shuriken, which now she carried on her belt and not in a scroll. She could use it as hand to hand blade when closed. She disappeared in a blur of movement, before returning to her position, on the defensive.
The water clones dissolved in puddles.
The outline of two figures appeared in the mist, approaching.
"Looks like a rival has appeared for you, eh, Haku?" Zabuza asked. "She is very fast."
"So it seems." Haku was again wearing his battle clothes. Then, he disappeared too, suddenly attacking Akimi with a rotating kick.
The girl jumped back, dodging. Haku retaliated by throwing a cloud of senbon at her. It didn't work, though, because Naruto defended her, creating a wall of clones in front of her.
"You have an excellent teamwork." Haku complimented. His fingers speeded up through hand seals.
Naruto decided to stop him, to avoid wasting chakra so early. Therefore he clashed with the other boy, a kunai in hand. Haku ducked and grabbed the blonde's wrist.
"Now, I've gained two advantages."
"Really?" Naruto asked. "I'm shaking."
"We are surrounded by water... and you think you stopped me from using jutsu!" Haku said, making hand seals with one hand. "Sensatsu Suishō"
Naruto tried to yank away from Haku's grip as thousands of sharp looking water needles formed around them before flying with a hiss towards him.
Akimi appeared near him, her hands flashing hand seals. She was as quick as Haku with them. "Doton: Doryū Engo!" And she slammed her hands on the ground. From the earth, a dome like shield raised, deflecting the needles.
Naruto chose that moment to release Fūton chakra from his trapped hand, making Haku yelp in pain. "Kai!" he murmured, focusing on his weight seals. (Considering Akimi's speed she already had done so)
Akimi covered him and attacked Haku with her claw-like closed Fūma Shuriken. Haku easily ducked the attack, showing both speed and flexibility. Akimi opened the Shuriken with a fluid move, launching it.
Haku dodged it with ease, but was surprised to see it move towards him again, scratching his shoulder. 'She seems to be able to track me without problems, even with all this mist and what...? Damn, strings! She is using the poor visibility at her advantage!' Haku had analyzed the two genins combat style when they faced Zabuza, but he seemingly had underestimated them, because they could easily keep up with him in terms of speed. That, or they had greatly improved during the week. 'It would be better to separate them, but I doubt it can be done easily... then, there is only one choice.'
Akimi caught the Shuriken with her right hand, assuming a defensive crouched stance. Naruto rushed forward and tried to kick Haku, but the boy ducked and jumped back.
"Congratulations. You've forced me to use my secret technique so soon... but I'm sorry to doom you. "Haku said, disappearing in the mist. "Makyō Hyōshō!"
Back at Tazuna's house
Tsunami was busy cleaning the kitchen. She was actually glad she had something to do, because she was very worried about her father and the kind Konoha ninja as well. She sighed.
"Inari!" she shouted. "Inari, come help me!"
With a sigh, she made to go and call her son, when...
The door was shred to pieces.
Gasping in panic, Tsunami froze on the spot as two men walked towards her.
One had a blue hat one, grey hair and a grey jacket. The other one, taller, was shirtless and his back was full of strange tattoos. He also had a menacing eye patch on his right eye and a scar on his forehead. Both of them carried very long swords. They were smirking evilly.
"So you are Tazuna's daughter." the first one said. "I'm sorry to say this, but... You are coming with us."
Tsunami dropped the plate she was drying and covered back, falling in a fetal position. The two men snickered in amusement.
A great stumbling of footsteps was heard from upstairs. "Mum!"
The woman immediately recovered enough to shout: "Inari, don't come here... run!"
"What do you want, gaki?" the second thug turned to see the kid on the doorframe. He spoke to his companion. "Should we take him too?"
"We only need one hostage." the grey-haired man replied, with a sick smile.
"Well, then..." the other seemed delighted and started to draw his sword, deliberately slowly. "I'll kill him."
Inari gaped.
"NO!" Tsunami shouted. "If you do that, I'll bite my tongue until I die. And you need a hostage, right?"
The shirtless bandit looked a bit annoyed – and mildly impressed. He sheathed his weapon with a sigh.
"You should thank your mum, brat." the other man spat, in contempt.
Inari fell on his knees, crying. 'I'm so useless...'
"I am not satisfied."
"Cut it out. You already killed those boars." the grey haired thug commanded. "Let's take the woman and get out of here. We may even have some fun with her before taking her to Gatō."
"I'm so sorry, mom..." Inari murmured, closing his eyes as if in pain.
It was then, as the two rouge samurai dragged a bounded Tsunami out of the house, that Inari suddenly remembered Naruto yelling at him, Kakashi softly talking to him, his grandfather standing up for the whole Wave Country by starting to build the bridge... and his father, telling him to protect what was important with his two, bare hands. "No more..." he determinedly whispered. "No more I will be weak, Tou-san."
Inari run out of the house, shouting: "Stop!"
The thugs turned, as if in disbelief. They snickered. Tsunami, on the other hand, yelped in surprise and fear.
"Get away from my mum!" ordered the kid, charging at them.
The two men, made to unsheathe their weapon. "Stupid gaki, you should have run, now I'll have to..."
"Close your eyes, Inari, Tsunami." a warm voice said. "I need to take out the trash."
Naruto had appeared on the pier, two kunai in hand. He quickly slashed with them, cutting the two men down. The wounds were superficial, only enough to be extremely painful to the two bastards. He untied Tsunami and then he quickly took their swords and broke them in front of their widened eyes.
"You are only a kid!" the first one exclaimed.
"I am a proud shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato." Naruto solemnly said. "Well, technically I am a clone but... that isn't important." he kicked him. "You should be happy 'mi-chan isn't here, she probably would do much worse to you. Something involving fire."
That said, the Naruto-clone hurried and tied the two up, before turning with a big smile to the hugging Tsunami and Inari.
"I'm sorry to have waited so long before intervening." he bowed. "But I wanted to see if Inari had got it inside of him."
"I got what, Naruto?"
"The guts to be a hero, of course. And let me tell you, brat. You do!" the clone laughed. "The boss dispatched other four of us around the house, so you are safe. Don't worry."
Inari crossed his arms. "I don't want to stand there and doing nothing while the real you and grandpa are risking their lives. Can you help me?"
"I'm all ears." The clone smirked. "What did you have in mind?"
To the bridge...
Kakashi eye smiled, watching his two students clash with Haku. He signaled Shino to retreat and protect Tazuna.
"Well then, shall we?" he lazily asked, staring at Zabuza.
"My pleasure." the demon of the Mist replied. "Copy nin. How will you fare without that eye of your?"
Zabuza disappeared and Kakashi immediately dropped into a defensive stance. He closed his eye. 'I need to be careful... he is deadly silent.'
Few seconds later, since he didn't sense any attack coming, he got worried. "I'm an idiot... Tazuna!" he whispered. As he bolted towards Shino and the client, he grimaced when he saw Zabuza swing his massive zanbato at the impassable genin... who didn't even move.
"Is this the best your brats can do?" Zabuza teased.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, and then smirked... as Zabuza was suddenly covered by a swarming cloud of Kikaichū, courtesy of Shino's Mushi Bunshin dispelling. The true Shino appeared from the mist, launching several kunai at the nunkenin, before returning near to Tazuna.
Zabuza growled, struggling to shrug off the annoying chakra draining bugs, before leaping to deliver another hissing attack at the genin. Only to be stopped by Kakashi's kunai.
"Your opponent is me." the masked jōnin seriously said. "Don't forget."
"It seems I need to take care of you before I can kill the old geezer. Too bad." Zabuza disappeared again.
Kakashi sighed. "This is getting annoying." he turned to smile at Shino. "Good job." and he absently blocked the zanbato slashing towards his mid-section with a kunai. "This is the best the Demon of the Mist can do?"
The taunt was probably a mistake, because in the next few minutes Zabuza's attacks got quicker, stronger and more frequent. Soon, the silver haired jōnin found himself panting and barely managing to defend himself, let alone think about attacking.
"Is this good enough for ya, Kakashi?" Zabuza's derisively singsonged from the mist.
"Not yet." Kakashi pirouetted to block his foe's sword once again. "But it's getting close."
In that moment the two jōnin felt a strong source of chakra rising from the other side of the bridge. The air suddenly became glacial cold. 'What is this?' Kakashi thought, a feeling of uneasiness washing over him.
"Ah, it looks like Haku is getting serious." Zabuza stated. "I think your little brats are in trouble."
Kakashi's eye widened as he clearly saw a dome of white-blue mirrors appear from nothingness. 'It's a trap...' he realized, with a pang of worry. 'Akimi, Naruto!'
He rushed towards the mirrors without thinking, only to see Zabuza appear in front of him. "Your opponent is me, Kakashi." the man mocked. "Don't forget."
The copy nin sighed, flustered. 'I must make this quick. Akimi and Naruto may need my assistance...'
He slowly raised his Hitai-ate. "Well, Zabuza... it looks like it is time to get serious."
Naruto and Akimi braced for the incoming attack. Haku manipulated the water around the bridge, creating giant mirrors all around them. Akimi counted them. Twelve on the ground, eight floating above them, angled down to face the trapped mice – her and Naruto. Finally, a last one was above them, closing them in a dome. Of course, there were spaces between the mirrors, but Akimi doubted Haku would let them out.
"This doesn't look good." Akimi whispered, as Haku entered one mirror. Then, suddenly, twenty-one mirror images of him appeared and it could not be said which was the true one.
"Can Kaera track him?" murmured Naruto.
"Not sure. The ice is filled with too much chakra..."
"What we do?"
"Defend for now..." Akimi said. "I'll come up with something."
As she spoke, they heard Haku coming. It was impossible to make out the direction of the attack and his speed was astonishing. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, at the last moment, making clones appear all around them. Effective, but costly.
"How many more earth thingies can you do?"
"Four. But they would not do any good. They do not shield from every side."
"They could cover two sides, and then we would be able to defend better..."
"Mmm. Possibly." she flashed hand seals. "Doton: Doryū Engo!"
The two genins immediately put their back to the earth wall.
"Clever!" Haku taunted. "But not clever enough!"
This time, his speed was nearly doubled. His attack was frontal, towards Akimi. He assumed her to be the bigger threat. Akimi used her Fūma Shuriken to deflect some senbon, but was knocked back against the wall by Haku's body full impact. "Ouch!" The earth wall shattered.
"'mi-chan!"
"I'm fine." she coughed, getting up. "Just bruised."
"It's ice... Can't we burn it down?"
"It's a kekkai genkai. Wind and Water forms Ice, highly resilient to Katon chakra... it could work, but if it doesn't, then we would only waste chakra. Careful!"
'How does she know about my ability?' Haku wondered. 'No matter. I can't waste any more time. I must help Zabuza-sama.'
Akimi sensed the next incoming attack and nudged her teammate.
"Fūton: Kaze no Tate!" Naruto shouted, forming hand seals. The jutsu usually only created a frontal repel wall, but he used Wind manipulation to make it a complete dome around them. It required lots of chakra, though.
Haku, seeing the wind wall, immediately went back into the mirrors, not to get hurt.
'His reflexes and speed are so great! He changed direction halfway not to get hurt, even though he was going so quickly... this jutsu is really diabolical.' Akimi was sweating. 'Destroying a mirror is the only solution, but we then need to get out... and he would stop us. Maybe with a clone? Damn.'
"You are doomed." Haku said, apparently from all mirrors. "You can't escape. I'm sorry I have to this... but here, on this bridge, our dreams are clashing. I will fight to the end for my dreams."
"And so will we, Haku." Naruto said, surprising the masked boy once again.
'How did they know who I am?'
"Naruto..." Akimi sighed. "Fuel."
"Worth a shot, eh?" the blonde asked.
"I see no other solution." Akimi flashed through hand seals. "This may be a hazard, 'to-kun, but if it works, one of us has an opening."
"You go, I have more stamina."
Akimi sighed. It was not time to argue. Besides, he was right. "I'll assist you from outside. But I'll need time to recharge after this. Now..." she held the tiger seals, focusing all her will on the jutsu. She thought of what had been lost to reach that point, which would be in vain if she and Naruto died this day. She would not let that happen. And Kaera had finally tracked down Haku. "Katon: Karyū Endan!"
"That is not going to work, I'm afraid." Haku sadly said, as the condensed burst of flame shot out of her mouth, shaped like an approximate dragon's head. Haku admitted he was impressed. It was a very powerful jutsu.
"Fūton: Namikadou!" Naruto shouted.
Haku's reflections all gaped. The powerful whirlwind fuelled and empowered the already massive dragon's breath, which seemed almost golden at points. Akimi aimed in a very specific direction. She had known where he was, apparently. 'How did she...!' Haku wondered, managing to escape at the last second.
He was flabbergasted to see the mirror crack under the pressure of the combined jutsu. The fire surpassed that barrier and continued to burn. Eventually, Akimi released the incoming steam. She was panting.
One mirror had broken, creating a hole in the jutsu.
Naruto nodded at Akimi. "Now! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" this time, the blonde create enough clones to fill all the space inside the dome. They all attacked in tandem, Fūton chakra in their hands.
Akimi leaped at the same time of the clones, directed at the hole. Haku cursed. 'No I can't let her escape! From the outside she could...' he rushed forwards, senbon in hand.
The two collided in the hole, Haku embedding senbon after senbon in her. Akimi was exhausted, he could see it, but she did defend herself. She managed to grab his arms, channeling fire chakra in them.
Haku shouted in pain, before yanking her away and throwing a swarm of senbon at her. He did not miss. Akimi fell on the ground, in front of the hole through which she was trying to escape from.
"'mi-chan!" Naruto howled. His voice was full of despair. The clones covered him, as he ran towards her. He kneeled down and tried to feel her pulse, to no avail.
"Is this the first time you've seen a friend die?" Haku gently asked. "I'm sorry, but this is fate of all shinobi. We all are mere weapons."
To Naruto, those sincere but blunt words sounded void and mocking. "Shut up, SHUT UP, you bastard! I'll make you pay!" he screamed, feeling an overwhelming rage take him. He had only one thought in mind: kill the fucker who took his best friend away from him. A hissing sound echoed on the bridge, as a malicious, orange chakra engulfed him, rising in a spiraling, high column. His remaining clones popped out of existence. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
Haku's eyes widened, feeling the sheer hatred coming from the strange chakra. It was the most powerful and horrifying thing he had ever seen. 'What's this...?' he thought, before seeing a fist coming crashing down onto his face.
Kakashi and Zabuza clashed again, only this time it was the silver haired jōnin that attacked first. The two exchanged a couple of blows, but it looked almost like Zabuza was playing with his opponent. 'His movements are getting sloppy... he is too worried about his students.'
"Ahahaha, Kakashi, the brats are finished." he taunted, to further upset him. "Haku could defeat me if he wanted..."
"Kekkai Genkai, ah?" the copy nin asked. "I really need to deal with you quickly."
"So you think that Sharingan is going to help you? I made Haku observe our battle. His analytic prowess is amazing. He can create a counter to any technique he sees once. Not only you can predict my movement, but you can also cast a genjutsu on me, to hypnotize me. But tell me, Kakashi: will you be able to use that eye if you can't see? Kirikagure no Jutsu."
The mist got so thick Kakashi couldn't see past his nose. The jōnin looked around warily. 'It doesn't make sense... with this poor visibility he shouldn't be able to see me either! It's too thick!' He took out a kunai. And suddenly he heard shuriken coming at him, with deadly accuracy.
Kakashi deflected them, without too many problems. Still, it was impressive. 'Damn, he is using sound to track me...'
"Nice dodging." Zabuza rushed at him from behind, Kakashi barely able to parry his zanbato him with a kunai. He noticed that his foe had his eyes closed, to avoid being caught in an illusion again. The jōnin quickly pondered which strategy use, lowering his headband again not to waste chakra.
Zabuza disappeared into the mist again. "What will you do, Kakashi? Will you help your trapped students or complete your mission?" he taunted.
Kakashi cursed. 'He is trying to get to Tazuna again!' He trusted Shino, but he didn't want his student to be hurt.
As Zabuza appeared in front of the stoic Aburame, the boy braced himself and sent ahead a swarm of bugs. The mist nin didn't notice this, but his zanbato swung down towards his head... only to be stopped by Kakashi's sudden appearance. Again.
"I already told you. You can't fool me twice, Zabuza." Kakashi shook his head, trying not to yelp in pain because the sword had sliced his right arm. "You really have no originality."
"Really?" Zabuza growled. "Next time you'll see me, it will be your end."
"We shall see."
The two expert nins clashed again and again, with Zabuza managing to scratch Kakashi a couple of times. He mentally grinned. 'I'm winning!' It was then that he felt a very powerful wave of heat, that even managed to clear up some of the mist. "What the fuck?" he exclaimed, dodging a burst of flame.
He saw with stupor than one of Haku's mirror had broken.
Kakashi smirked. "That was my students' teamwork. Scary, huh?"
Zabuza laughed. "It will not be enough to defeat, Haku. Besides, even if they did, they would not be able to defeat me. And you, Kakashi, are losing."
The masked ninja didn't answer, with a hidden smirk. 'Yeah, keep thinking that...' His smirk froze and started to fade when he felt that chakra.
"What... what is this?" Zabuza asked, feeling a KI so powerful that made his own appear like child play.
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
Kakashi shivered, remembering that terrifying night of twelve years ago. The voice belonged to Naruto, but did not resemble the cheerful blond he had come to know... no, he was twisted by a bloodthirsty monster. 'What happened? Did Akimi... oh, shit. I've got to stop him!'
"This, Zabuza, is what a true demon feels like." Kakashi darkly said, biting his thumb. "It seems I've got to cut short our play time. Sorry." Then he produced a scroll and smashed it on the ground, making sure to smear blood on it. "Kuchiyose! Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu"
"And how do you plan to find me?" Zabuza laughed sure of his victory, when he felt a sharp pain at his legs. A pack of ninja dogs had appeared from cracks in the earth, holding him down with their fangs and strength. A colossal hound, whose head arrived at his shoulder, was keeping him still from behind. "How...?"
The mist began to clear.
"You seem to be so convinced I only rely on sight. Yet you should know the importance of other senses, right? You are so good you can track an enemy with only your ears, no? I haven't always had this Sharingan, you know, and before that I used... my nose."
Zabuza gaped.
"Whoops, is that my blood on your sword?"
"Shit!"
"You really think I became the elite shinobi I am today only by copying jutsu?" Kakashi mocked, revealing his Sharingan once again. "Feel proud, for I'm going to use my original jutsu on you..." and with that, he summoned visible lighting chakra on his hand, while the sound of a thousand birds echoed on the bridge. "This time you are not getting away, Zabuza. Your future is death."
Haku felt the full force of the impact, which broke his mirrors and partially cracked his mask. Then another blow came. And another. Naruto hit him in the guts, in the groin, on the arms (breaking them)... Each one was stronger than the one before it and the orange chakra... it burned. It corroded. It was pure pain. All his mirrors crumbled down, before the berserker Naruto punched him again in the face. This time, his mask cracked.
Haku noted that Naruto's spiky hair was even more unruly then before, his eyes were a cruel red and his canines were very pronounced. And were those claws on his hands? Naruto looked at him with nasty rage. "You... you killed my most precious person, I can't forgive you!" he thundered. "Why... why?"
"I had to protect Zabuza-sama... I owe him everything." Haku sadly smiled. "I understand why you are going to kill me, really. I'm sorry I have hurt your friend."
Naruto sneered, raising his fist again. This time it was going to be a fatal blow, Haku knew it.
"Meow!"
The blonde stopped on his tracks. 'You are not the bloody fox... and even if it could speak to you, influence you, it wouldn't matter. Because it would fail... You have got the purest of souls. You are a hero.' Naruto heard Akimi's clear voice in his head and stopped.
Haku looked with surprise as the evil chakra disappeared into Naruto, as his eyes returned their intense and amazing blue. Naruto let Haku go and collapsed on the ground. A small animal that looked like a tiger leaped on him, licking his face. "Kaera-chan." he whispered. "Thanks."
"Kill... kill me." Haku said. "Please."
"What? Why?" Naruto asked, flabbergasted.
"I'm a failure. I'm a broken tool..." Haku told his story, which was very similar to Naruto's. He lived in the land of water, with a blood limit, in a time when those with kekkai genkai were chased and persecuted. "...my own father tried to kill me, together with all the people of my village. I killed him instead, but my own mother died that day. I was lost, with no purpose... until Zabuza-sama found me and made me his tool. His weapon. I live to serve him and now I've failed him: nothing matters anymore. I have no purpose now. Kill me."
"You are not a weapon!" Naruto shouted, enraged. "I can't believe you consider precious a person who treats you like an object. You are your own person."
"What's wrong with that? Zabuza-sama needed me. He had high hopes for me." Haku said. "He cared for me in his own way. And he made me his tool. Shinobi are weapons, Naruto-kun."
"That's may be what you think, but I won't stand for it! We are human beings like all others and as long as we live we can get stronger...! Throwing away your life because of one failure is pointless and stupid and...!" Naruto stopped to breathe, trying to find a way to persuade Haku, 'Akimi would know what to say..' he bitterly thought, when a chirping sound echoed on the bridge. 'What...?'
"It seems that in the end, you don't have to kill me." Haku grimaced. "I still can be of use to Zabuza-sama. I hope your friend is all right." and he disappeared again with his incredible speed.
"Haku, what are you doing?"
Shino knew something was wrong. As if to confirm his worries, a raging column of wicked, orange chakra raised from the dome of mirror which had surrounded his teammates. 'What is that?'
Just then, he received the message that Akimi had been knocked out.
'Is that Naruto? Does he think Akimi is dead?' He cringed, uncertain of what to do. On one hand, he wanted to go and assist them, Kakashi's lessons resounding in his ears: those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash! On the other hand, he had to protect Tazuna. That was his mission.
"Go help your friends." Tazuna said, somehow imagining the boy's doubts. "I'll come with you, so you can keep protecting me."
"Thank you, Tazuna-san." the genin answered, bowing.
Shino used his bugs to orientate in the mist, trying to find Akimi. He soon reached the broken mirrors and saw the lifeless figure of his teammate sprawled on the ground. He unconsciously quickened the pace. He had grown fond of the girl – and of Naruto as well – during the months spent training and doing mission (chores) together.
When he finally reached her, he knelt down. She had no pulse, so the enemy had probably put her in a death like state, because his Kikaichū distinctively felt her chakra presence. With caution, Shino removed the senbon from her neck and body. Then, he took out the small chakra pill she had given him the day before, should he need it. He gently put it in her mouth.
"Come on, Akimi!" he nudged, worried for Naruto and the increasing pressure of the malicious chakra. Then, it all stopped.
"Thank the Kami." Shino said, before feeling a faint but decisive pulse under his thumb. He sighed in relief.
"You won't escape this time." Kakashi said. "Raikiri!"
He quickly rushed at Zabuza, his speed further empowering the piercing power of the lighting in his hand. The Demon of the Mist braced himself, for he knew death was coming.
Kakashi pierced through flesh and blood, but realized with horror that it was not Zabuza he had hit. A dying Haku, had used his last strength to grab Kakashi, shielding Zabuza with his life. He glanced at the summoning scroll, that in that moment was destroyed by several senbon..
"My future is death?" Zabuza chuckled. "Looks like you are wrong again." and he raised his zanbato.
'Is he going to slice me through Haku's dead body?' Kakashi wondered, in disbelief. 'Has he no shame?' he jumped back at the last second, dragging the corpse with him, just as a couple of kunai clashed against the enormous sword.
"You bastard!" Naruto screamed, approaching them. His face was still tear stained.
"Naruto, stay out of the fight!" Kakashi ordered. He had lost his chance at killing Zabuza, but the mist was clearing even more quickly. 'It was Haku who created it... or maybe both of them together, but it was the boy thatmade the difference. It's over, Demon of the Mist.'
"Afraid for your little genin?" Zabuza growled. "Don't worry, he is next" And he dived towards Kakashi, swinging Kubikiribōchō at him.
The silver haired jōnin freed himself from Haku, gently putting the body on the ground and closing his eyes, before dropping in a defensive stance. "I'm tired of you, Zabuza. I shall show you what I'm truly capable of..."
"Ahahaha. You are joke!"
Kakashi didn't bother to answer the insult, noticing that the mist had stopped clearing, but it was not very thick anymore. As Zabuza rushed at him, the copy nin had no qualms in kicking him in the face, using his arms as a pivot.
A couple of midair clashes later, Zabuza found himself with two kunai pierced in one arm. Naruto finally comprehended why his sensei was considered one of the top jōnin in Konoha, watching as Zabuza was thrown away again and again, before having his arm other disabled as well. He was forced to drop his zanbato.
"It's over." Kakashi said. "You can't lift your sword and you can't do jutsu."
Zabuza lowly growled, but his retort was stopped by a soft clapping, followed by several footsteps. Gatō appeared, surrounded by what looked like one hundred thugs.
"What is the meaning of this?" Zabuza asked to his "employer."
"A change of plans, Zabuza. It seems I'm going to kill you, now that you have been weakened. Your pay was way too high, if you know what I mean..." Gatō chuckled, his hands crossed above his walking stick. "And you disappoint me: aren't you supposed to be the Demon of the Mist, bah! You are really pathetic... a cute little devil!"
"I'm sorry, Kakashi, it seems our fight is now meaningless. I have no more reason to try and kill Tazuna."
The jōnin nodded.
Gatō saw Haku on the ground. "Oh, he is dead. What a disappointment, I wanted to repay him for almost breaking my arm." Flanked by two thugs, he approached the corpse and kicked it.
"Stop, you bastard! What the hell are you doing?" Naruto screamed, charging forward. He was stopped by Kakashi. He struggled a little, and then gave up. "How dare you? And, you! Why don't you say anything?" he asked Zabuza. "You have been with Haku for so long!"
"He is dead. Why should I care?" the Mist nin said, looking ahead. "I was using him... just like Gatō was using me."
"You really mean that?"
"Shinobi are tools. That's what I believe. I have no regrets."
"You damn..." Naruto growled, tensing his muscles.
Kakashi put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, he isn't our enemy anymore."
"Bullshit!" Naruto yanked his sensei's hand off. "I won't stand for this! As long as he speaks like that he'll be my enemy." he growled. "Haku really cared for you. He probably saw you like a father... you were his whole world. He would have done anything for you and he died for you: the least you can do is care, you damn bastard!"
Zabuza didn't say anything.
Naruto was in tears from the intensity of what he was feeling. "You really don't think anything of him? Haku was stronger than you because he wanted to protect you. Because he cared. That's where true strength lies... fool."
"Enough, kid!" Zabuza exclaimed. And to their uttermost surprise ha was crying as well. "Don't say any more. Your words are too painful..." and he tore off the bandages around his mouth with only his teeth. "But you are right. Shinobi are humans too."
Gatō smirked. "Very nice speech. I'm touched. By you are tired and weak. It's time to... ouch." A Fūma Shuriken impaled into the business man's throat, before rotating and cutting into his bodyguards.
"About time you shut the hell up." yelled an annoyed voice. "Bloody bastard."
"Akimi-chan?" Naruto asked.
The girl, flanked by Shino, had appeared from the fading mist. Behind them was a rather shocked Tazuna.
Naruto beamed, his eyes shining in joy. "You are not dead!" he exclaimed, rushing to hug her. On the spur of the moment, he kissed her. On the mouth. He didn't really know why he did it.
Akimi reciprocated, but then she detached from him almost immediately. "Uh, 'to-kun, maybe we should worry about those nice thugs before going on?" she indicated the horde of men, who looked a little annoyed.
"You killed our meat ticket!" shouted one of them, agitating his spear. "You'll pay."
"What – a – drag!" Naruto hissed. "And damn Shika for rubbing his bad habits off me."
Akimi smirked, taking back her shuriken.
Zabuza laughed. "One of you brats... lend me a kunai!"
"For sure!" Naruto exclaimed, tossing said weapon at him.
Zabuza caught it in his mouth. "Pity you killed Gatō already, but I suppose it's too late now, eh?" And he disappeared in a burst of speed, starting to cut into the bandits. It was a gruesome spectacle. Many of them were frozen in shock, but some were running towards the Konoha shinobi.
Akimi dropped in the Tiger Style stance, closing her shuriken. Kakashi prepared as well.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, filling the bridge with blondes.
Akimi used Katon chakra to light up her Shuriken. Understanding their plan, Kakashi channeled lighting chakra in his own kunai. The intimidation techniques worked, because many bandits simply turned on their heels and ran.
The others were quickly cut down by the combined efforts of Naruto, Akimi, Kakashi and Zabuza. When the last one fell, an arrow embedded itself in the center of the bridge.
"We will not let you set foot in Nami! We'll defend our home with our life!" Inari shouted, carrying a crossbow, behind him was a crow of armed men. The kid had obviously rallied them.
"I think it's a little too late for this, son." Tazuna said, while he looked at the bloody scene in front of him. "It's over."
"I'm proud of you, Inari." Naruto said. "You did well." The blonde was carrying bridal style a protesting Akimi, who did feel tired, but was able to stand on her own, for kami's sake! Eventually he compromised by simply letting her lean on him.
"Kakashi... brats..." Zabuza walked slowly towards them, his voice a mere whisper. "Put... put me... near Haku." he was crying again.
Kakashi complied.
The dying man looked with a smile at the dead boy. "You... were... like... a... son... and you'll... never... cough... know."
"You will meet again." Kakashi said.
"I won't go... to the same place as... him"
"I think you will." Akimi smiled at him. "It's difficult to leave the path of darkness, but you did it. That's worth something, isn't it?"
"You... two... are... something... else." and with a last glance at Haku, the Demon of the Mist died with a bitter smile.
"It's snowing." Naruto said, looking at the soft white flakes falling from the sky.
"Let this cleanse the land." Akimi said, resting his head on his shoulder. "And wash off the blood. A new beginning."
Kakashi looked at the two. 'It was not their first kill. Still, I worry about them... and what do I tell Naruto about what happened with Kyūbi's chakra?' He sighed. 'For now, let's rest.' "Well done, team."
JUTSU NOTES
Sensatsu Suishō [Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death]: B rank, offensive, short-mid range: the user creates hundreds of sharp water needles that flew at high speed towards the opponent.
Doton: Doryū Engo [Earth Release: Earth Style Protection]: C rank, defensive, short range. This techniques creates a small dome shield in front of the user, protecting him from low rank jutsu and barrages of weapons.
Makyō Hyōshō [Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals]: A rank, offensive, short-mid range: the user creates a dome of ice mirrors to entrap the opponent. Then he enters the mirrors and, using the replication images to confuse the opponent, flies from mirror to mirror, launching a valley of projectiles to the entrapped opponent.
Katon: Karyū Endan [Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet]: B rank, offensive, short-mid range, the user blows off a massive stream of fire, that takes the shape of a dragon, and can be controlled by the user with chakra.
Fūton: Namikadou [Wind Release: Wind Vortex] B rank, offensive, medium-long range. This technique creates a very powerful, rotating wave of wind that clashes down to the opponent at an high speed, obliterating anything on its way.
Kirikagure no Jutsu: [Hiding in the Mist Technique] C rank, supplementary, it creates a tick mist all around the user and the enemies as a cover.
Kuchiyose! Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu [Summoning! Earth Release: Tracking Fangs Technique] B rank, offensive, all ranges: it summons a pack ninken to track down an opponent, usually using the user's blood, and seize him.
Raikiri [Lighting Cutter] S rank, offensive, short range. The user focuses a great amount of lighting chakra in his hand, then runs towards the opponent – thus increasing the piercing power of the technique. To perform it the Sharingan is required, in order not to miss, since the user had only one clear shot.
Kubikiribōchō is Zabuza's sword, a huge zanbato whose name means "Decapitating Knife"