Chapter 3: Clash of Waves
"Thank you so much! Like always, you bring my dear Tora back to Mama!" The Daimyo wife said as she squashed the poor cat between her arms and at the same time pinched Naruto cheeks.
"No problem Ma'am. Now, I would like to take my team on another mission." He said getting his face free. The woman nodded and left leaving him rubbing his cheeks. "One day... one day people will respect you..." Naruto muttered to himself.
'I'm pretty sure she had done that since we were with the perv.' Zangetsu commented in a mocking tone.
He sighed as he walked in front of his team, cheeks sore, in front of the hokage "Okay, what do you have for us?"
The hokage still amused from the sight of Naruto being treated as a toddler looked at his papers "Let's see... Mr. Yamada needs his fence painted or Miss. Okada needs help taking care of her children. Or-"
"Hell no! Why don't you give us a real mission Old Man!?" Miu snapped and Naruto covered her mouth.
"Miu!" He screamed before chuckling nervously "Sorry Lord Hokage. You know how she can be."
The elder hokage chuckled in response "Naruto, you should know the relationship the three of us have. No need to be this formal. And about a 'real' mission... a have one here. A C-Rank, to escort a bridge builder to his home."
Naruto tapped his chin "hm... sounds easy enough. Okay! We take it."
Hiruzen nodded "Very well, Tazuna, you may come in."
An old man, who was clearly drunk, came in and stared at the team "That's it? A group of brats?"
Naruto eye twitched. "Okay... let's get done with this already."
*Road to Wave*
"Excuse me Sensei." Sakura said and Naruto looked at her.
"What is it, Dakura?"
"It's Sakura!" Sakura exclaimed before composing herself "Why don't you carry any bags?"
"Oh! I seal them. That way I carry the things I need, but without the weight." Naruto explained and Sakura nodded.
"You think... you could teach me that?" She asked and Naruto shrugged.
"Why not? I mean, I'm your sensei after all, and..." Naruto stopped talking noticing a puddle on the road. "The three of you, pay attention."
The three genins turned to their sensei as two chains tried to grab him. Naruto ducked, grabbed the chains and pulled them away. He glared behind him "Come out now. Don't make me go out there for you two." He said as he used Zangetsu KI, making the two shinobis come out.
"Y'know, sometimes I feel that you abuse of me..."
'Shut it...'
The two shinobis came out shaking as Naruto glared at them "Shinobi, the demon brothers Gozu and Meizu. Wonder why are you two here? Attacking us?"
After another wave of KI, they talked and admitted they were trying to kill Tazuna. Naruto tied them up and now he was interrogating the bridge builder, still terrified about the KI.
"So... you never said anything about shinobi getting in the way, did you?"
Tazuna gulped "Y-You see, I don't have enough money to pay for the real rank of the mission."
Naruto nodded and released a sigh "Well, here we can do two things. The smart thing, and the one inside the protocol, is too drop the mission all together. And the second option, is too continue the mission. Your call team."
"I say we continue." Sasuke said and Naruto raised a brow "Konoha accepted this job, and we are finishing it."
Miu nodded with a grin "Yeah! C'mon Bro! Let's do it!"
Sakura nodded hesitantly and Naruto nodded with a small smile "Well, you can thank my team Tazuna. We are taking you home."
*Wave*
"Huh, there isn't usually this much mist." Tazuna said as he studied his surroundings.
"Really now?" Naruto asked and the bridge builder nodded. Naruto nodded before he unsheathed his sword in time, to block a massive sword shaped as a butcher knife. Naruto didn't flinch as a chuckle was heard.
"Naruto Uzumaki... the shinigami of the leaf."
Naruto smirked "Zabuza Momochi. The demon of the mist."
Zabuza chuckled "To think that such ruthless killer is just a brat..."
Naruto's eyes twitched before he turned to his team "Miu, Sasuke, Sakura! Protect the client no matter what! I'll take care of him."
Zabuza chuckled as he raised his sword and Naruto pointed his katana at him.
Naruto shunpo behind Zabuza and tried to cut him but he jumped out of the way and landed on the lake. Using shunpo again, Naruto appeared on front of Zabuza and the former swords man of the mist blocked the cut by putting his sword on front of him before shoving Naruto back.
"Heh. Not bad at all. Let me show you something." Zabuza said before making some hand signs and some water clones appeared from the lake and tried to grab Naruto. Naruto cut two of them but one caught him and place him in some sort of bubble that held him hostage.
"Dammit!" Naruto cursed and turned to his team "Take the client away and finish the mission! Don't worry about me!"
Miu balled her hands into a fist but it was Sasuke that talked "Didn't you say that the ones that leave his teammates behind, are worse than scum!?"
Zabuza laughed and Naruto gritted his teeth "Don't play the hero! I will be fine! Run!"
"If the brats want to be shinobi, let me show them how." Zabuza said as more water clones formed and one rushed to the genins.
"No!" Naruto screamed but was surprised when Miu blocked the slash with a kunai making her stumble. Sasuke then kicked the clone making it disolve.
"Oi teme, I have a plan..." Miu said and Sasuke nodded as they went to talk making Zabuza laugh harder.
"Look at them! Playing ninja!" Zabuza mocked as Miu then made a cross hand sign.
"Kage Bushin no Jutsu! (Shadow Clone Jutsu)" Miu exclaimed as cloud of smoke exploded and then multiple Mius apeared.
Naruto blinked confused. He knew that Miu could pull that jutsu off, but didn't knew she could use it that well.
Meanwhile Miu's clones charged at Zabuza's clones that easily beat them, Sasuke took out a fuma shuriken and threw it at Zabuza that missed.
Zabuza laughed "Is that all?"
Sasuke smirked "No."
The fuma shuriken exploded in a cloud of smoke, revealing Miu that tried to kick Zabuza, that was forced to let go of Naruto's prision.
With no time to waste, Naruto Shunpo in front of Zabuza, elbowed him on the face and then kicked him some feet back.
"Why you brat!?" Zabuza exclaimed as he raised his sword, but Naruto's speed caught him off guard, as he Shunpo in fron of him, and slashed him on the stomach, making Zabuza stumble back against a tree as he held his wound.
Naruto pointed his sword at his throat as Naruto looked at him with narrowed his eyes. "Rest in peace." Naruto said as he raised his sword to finish Zabuza, before two needles got stuck in his neck killing Zabuza.
Naruto looked at the hunter-nin that jumped to the ground next to him. "I have to thank you for weakening Zabuza. Now I can take him back to Kiri."
Naruto eyed him warily and nodded "Sure. You're welcome I guess." The hunter-nin nodded as he left with Zabuza body.
He turned to his team with a smile. "Good job. Sorry for doubting you. Now let's finish this mission."
*Tazuna's Home*
"Zabuza is still alive." Team 7 turned to his sensei with a shocked look.
"W-What? But didn't that hunter-nin killed him?" Sakura asked and Naruto shook his head.
"No. I could still feel him alive. The hunter-nin worked for him." Naruto explained and Miu gulped.
"So, what now?"
"We train. First hour in the morning, we start. For now sleep." Naruto ordered and they nodded.
*Next Morning*
"You were serious about waking us early..." Sasuke said and Naruto nodded.
"Yes I was. I say we have one week before Zabuza comes back, and I rather have you guys ready."
"Anyway, I am going to teach you the tree walking exercise. Watch." Naruto said as he then started to walk on the tree, surprising everyone.
'Look Naru! We're cool to them!'
Naruto decided to ignore Zangetsu "To do this, focus chakra on your feet. Too little, you won't stick. Too much, you will fly away." Naruto jumped off the tree and looked at his students. "A word of advice: take a running start."
Naruto was going back to the house when Sakura's voice called him "Done!" Naruto looked at her on top of the tree and smirked.
"Well done Makura! Guess you have some extra training."
Sakura smiled, ignoring the 'Makura' part and followed Naruto leaving Miu and Sasuke alone.
Miu pouted, not liking to be left alone with Sasuke-teme, while Sakura gets extra training.
Ever since her Bro turned into her sensei, he didn't pay so much attention to her. He still is annoyingly overprotective and maybe pamper her too much. But he gets distracted giving the teme training tips that take him the whole training day or answering Sakura's questions that doesn't stop.
"Oi dobe. Focus." Sasuke words took her out of her thoughts and she nodded. She will have to prove to him why her sister is the best! Miu Uzumaki! Future Hokage!
*With Naruto and Sakura*
Naruto sat cross legged in middle of a clearing as Sakura was sat in front of him. Naruto handed her a sealing scroll "Here. You know what this is?"
Sakura nodded "A sealing scroll."
"Exactly. I am going to teach you how to seal." Naruto said and Sakura nodded slowly.
"How this will help me to be a better kunoichi?" Sakura asked and Naruto smiled.
"Sealing is one of the most useful but more obscure arts in the ninja world. The sealing scrolls that I showed you before, is the most basic of sealings. You can create explosive tags, tracking seals, traps, etc." Naruto explained and Sakura nodded understanding.
"I get it. But wouldn't be better to teach me something else? Like a jutsu or how to use a sword?" Sakura asked and Naruto hummed.
"In any other occasion, yes. But, in your current condition no."
"My... condition?" Sakura asked and Naruto sighed.
"From what I had seen, your physical condition, is awful. You are weak and don't have a lot of stamina. You have good chakra control but small chakra pools." Sakura gulped as her young sensei said her defaults.
"I...Okay..." Sakura said defeated and Naruto smiled at her.
"But you're smart. I saw your grades, and that is why you passed as number one kunoichi. Because of your brains. Are those book brains? I don't know and I don't care. But it is my job as your sensei to make sure to make you the best kunoichi that you can."
Sakura bit her lip as she nodded "Thank you!"
*Days Later*
Naruto needed to be careful.
According to his prediction, Zabuza will come back in two days. And here he just watched how Miu told everything about their status to Zabuza helper.
After Miu was gone, he was ready to jump him or her when the helper disappeared.
'Where did he go?'
He felt cold metal on his neck.
'I have the funny feeling that she is behind us...'
'She? Are you sure?'
'Yep! I can feel her boobs!'
'Why are you like that?'
"Will you answer me now?" The person asked and Naruto realized that he was being interrogated.
"May I hear the question again? I wasn't paying attention." His attacker narrowed his eyes and Naruto smirked as he shunpo behind the shinobi.
"You know what? Never mind." He said pressing his sword to his/her throat. "Now, why don't we have a chat at my place?" Naruto said as he knocked him/her or whatever.
*Tazuna's Home*
"Bro! What the hell!?" Miu screamed as she saw Haku glaring at her brother as he was tied to a chair.
"Getting information and making sure that he... she or whatever its gender is don't go back to Zabuza after you spilled out everything about us." Naruto said and Miu looked confused.
"What do you mean? Haku isn't a spy or something. Right?"
"The few things I could confirm, was that she is a trained kunoichi, works for Zabuza and that." Naruto said as Miu looked hurt.
"Haku..."
Naruto sighed "Go back to training. I'll try to do this quick."
Haku watched with sadness how Miu left before turning to her brother. "I don't know what you expect, but I will never betray Zabuza-sama's trust."
"I know." Naruto said "But while you don't go back to Zabuza, I'm good."
Haku glare intensifies "So what? You're going to keep me here as a hostage?"
Naruto nodded "That's the plan."
Haku huffed "Fine! Do as you want!"
Naruto shrugged as he sat in front of her. Sakura was still perfecting her sealing, Sasuke and Miu are in a competition of sorts, so guess he will watch the prisoner.
'Hey Naruto...'
'What is it Zangetsu?'
'Ask her the question!'
'You mean... that question?'
'Yes!'
He looked at Haku, from the corner of his eye and his curiosity will make him sound as a pervert...
Eh... what the hell.
"Hey... Haku was it?"
"Yes. What do you want?" Haku answered glaring at him.
"Are you a girl or a boy?" Haku blushed as she stuttered with words.
"You-You pervert!"
'I called it...'
'Too late to turn back now!'
"It is just to know. I won't do anything evil with the info. I swear." Naruto said and Haku, still blushing gritted her teeth.
"Why you want to know?"
"I'm bored. My team is training and watching the bridge. I know that if you try to escape, I can contain you better. So why don't try to know each other?"
Haku glared at him and Naruto decided that she wasn't going to speak. He closed his eyes when he heard "I'm a girl."
'I knew it! Told ya I felt boobs!'
"I answered your question, so now you have to answer mine." Haku demanded and Naruto shrugged.
"Sure. You're in no condition to demand anything, but go ahead."
"Why are you a shinobi?" Naruto opened an eye to her question "You are young, maybe even younger than me, but you can go head to head with Zabuza-sama. What's your drive?"
Naruto closed his eyes "Do you have an important person in your life?" Haku nodded slowly "Me too. My sister, Miu. We are orphans. Never had someone that we could say, you are family. It was always the two of us. I fight to make sure she is okay. To make sure she grows and have a great life." He sighed "I'm not gonna lie, I didn't want her to become a kunoichi at first. I had been a shinobi since I was 5. I know how hard it is. But... I must and will support her and her dreams. That's what big brothers are for."
Haku looked at him with a new found respect. Yes, she was still tied, but her captor really didn't seem to want anything more that to prevent her taking the information to the enemy. "You aren't that bad Naruto."
"Yeah... how do you know my name?"
"Miu told me."
"Of course she did."
*Two Days Later*
"So, Zabuza is attacking today?" Sakura asked and Naruto nodded.
"He should. His deadline is almost up. Sakura, you will stay here in case Gato thugs come." Naruto said and Sakura gulped.
"A-Are you sure I can do it?"
Naruto smiled "I know you can. Also, make sure that Haku doesn't die of hunger." Haku rolled her eyes as she smiled. Naruto let her roam freely around the house, with a seal, that will go shock her if she leaves the house.
Haku, grew to respect Naruto. They talked and talked about their life's. Shared stories and laughs.
"Anyway, you two, ready to go?" Naruto asked to Sasuke and Miu that nodded.
Once they arrived to the mist covered bridge, screams could be heard from there.
Naruto narrowed his eyes "Sasuke! Miu! Save the workers!" He ordered and they both nodded as they jumped into the mist.
A chuckle could be heard as Zabuza walked towards him. "We meet again, shinigami."
Naruto grabbed his sword "It looks like it. Are you not worried about Haku?"
Zabuza scoffed "A useless tool like her is no good to me. I can care less what you did to her."
Naruto narrowed his eyes and saw that Zabuza abdomen was still bandaged. "It looks that you still aren't healed."
Zabuza growled as he rushed to Naruto trying to cut him in half. Naruto blocked the slash and pushed Zabuza back. Their swords kept clashing; Naruto moved Zabuza's sword to a side, gave him a headbutt, making Zabuza jerk back. Following that, Naruto hit him with the butt of his sword on Zabuza's nose, breaking it and to finish the combo he kicked him at his stomach sending him back.
Zabuza glared with pure hate at Naruto as he held his stomach "I'll kill you!"
Naruto smirked "You're always welcome to try."
Zabuza made hand signs "Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu! (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Tecnique)" A Dragon formed out of the water, and shot itself at Naruto and Tazuna. Naruto raised his sword as chakra surrounded his sword.
"Getsuga Tensho! (Piercer of Heaven)" Naruto swung his sword down sending a slash of pure chakra, cutting the dragon in two, dispersing the mist, and slashing Zabuza on the chest, as blood purred out of his torso.
Zabuza lost his grip of his sword and fell to his knees as he tried to breath. Naruto pointed his sword to his neck as Zabuza shakily looked at his piercing blue eyes "It's over."
"Naruto! Stop!" Naruto head snapped to the voice of Haku who was watching with tears on her eyes as she rushed to his side.
"Haku? How did you leave?"
"Sakura took the seal out. Some thugs attacked the house and I helped her to fight them off." Haku explained and Naruto's eyes widened.
"Is Sakura-"
"She is okay..." Haku breathed out "So please... don't kill Zabuza-sama... he is my important person... he saved my life..."
"Haku..." Naruto said and before he could answer, Zabuza, somehow, grabbed his sword, and gave a wild swing at Naruto's ribs.
"Ghg!"
"Bro!" Miu screamed as she rushed to her brother that got himself together and kicked Zabuza on the head sending to the ground.
"Relax Miu..." Naruto said as he looked inside his kimono and took out a white mask with red marks, sharp teeth. It had a big slash mark on it. "I'm fine."
'And you're welcome Naru-chan!'
Naruto glared at the mask before throwing it to the ground and stomping on it.
"Are you okay Zabuza-sama?" Haku asked and Zabuza grabbed her by the throat.
"You... You betrayed me!" Zabuza screamed as Haku choked. In a blink, Zabuza arm was cut off clean letting Haku breath.
"Just give up Zabuza... you lost." Naruto said as Zabuza choked some blood as he slowly closed his eyes.
Sasuke walked to them as Haku touched her neck... Zabuza... tried to kill her... "Are we done?" The Uchiha asked.
Naruto looked at the end of the bridge as he felt multiple chakra signatures coming close. "No. It seems we just began."
He looked behind him as he felt more chakra signatures. "Good thing backup arrived."
*Next Day, Tazuna's Home*
"You really want to come with us?" Naruto asked Haku that nodded.
"Yes... you saved my life... you... gave me another reason to live... so I will be your tool, Naruto-Sama." She said with a small bow and Naruto rubbed the back of his head with a slight blush.
"Well... you can come, but don't call me Naruto-sama... it is embarrassing. Also, You're not a tool anymore. You're free to do whatever you want, Haku Yuki." Naruto smiled at her, and Haku smiled back.
"Thank you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Team 7, plus Haku, said their goodbyes to Wave as they left the great Naruto bridge. On their way, Miu asked Naruto something that had been bothering her.
"Bro... what was that mask?" Sasuke and Sakura stopped and looked at their sensei.
"What mask?" Sakura asked and Sasuke raised a brow.
"You mean the one that saved him from Zabuza?"
Miu nodded and Naruto looked at his team with a frown. Before it turned into a smirk.
"It is a defensive jutsu. It creates a mask out of chakra that can block any attack." He lied and Haku raised a brow seeing through the lie.
While his team asked him to teach it to them, Zangetsu decided to talk. 'You know Naru-Chan; it is getting really sad to see you lie like this. To cute, innocent, little Miu of all people. Even to Sakura and Sasuke that you warmed up to. Are you embarrassed of me?'
'I didn't need your help back there...'
Zangetsu laughed 'Really now!? Don't tell me you had everything under control, 'cause ya didn't!'
'I HAD it under control...'
'Whatever ya say Naru-Chan... But the fact remains... You had grow weak..."
'…'
'Ignore me all you want. But it is the truth. You use my KI. You use my defensive tecniques. You use my style. You use ME to win.'
'So what? You are just a failed experiment for me to abuse...'
Zangetsu chukled 'There is where you're wrong... you... are a failure for me to consume... just sit and watch...'
'I can feel it coming soon...'
Next Chapter: How do you Know my Brother?