Chakra. The driving force of creation, flowing within all things and powering all living things. Even those who couldn't utilize chakra still possessed even a small amount of it.
Naruto had dedicated hours upon hours training to master his vast pool of chakra. To him chakra control exercises were now so simple he could do them in his sleep. It was a never ending cycle for him, the more his chakra grew the more he had to train. The fox eventually began describing his chakra as dense and constant. "like a ball of water."
He could safely move his chakra through his body without much difficulty and expel it just as easy.
Naruto took a deep breath. Summoning some chakra through his esophagus and spiting it out. The sound was like slamming a heavy book down on a table, Zabuza's waist jerked to one side as the glob of dense chakra approached. Watching it move and crash into the water. Said water exploding and causing a temporary rain.
"that wasn't a Jutsu...he just spat out chakra with incredible power." Zabuza thought as he looked back up, "Sasuke, I'll distract him until you get Kakashi out. I don't care how you do it just let me know you've got him."
"are you sure you'll be able to handle him?."
"He's still having fun...taking his sweet time drowning Kakashi, as far as I'm concerned he's still underestimating us. Distracting him shouldn't be too taxing." Naruto said as he removed his jacket. Sasuke nodded, "his movements also impaired so maybe we have a shot."
He ran forward, Naruto following him closely before leaping over the uchiha, covering his hands in chakra and bringing them down, Zabuza, even with one hand was still able to bring his sword up quick enough to block Naruto's attack.
The water below them exploded giving Sasuke cover. Throwing a few kunai that nicked Zabuza's side, Zabuza for a moment almost released Kakashi due to the pain but quickly regained his posture and pushed Naruto back before kicking Sasuke in the chest and throwing him into the water.
Naruto bounced off the water, pushing out his chakra in a sphere. So hot to the touch that any water that came into contact with it practically evaporated, Zabuza held up his sword, "A chakra barrier?."
What happened next was almost unbelievable, the hot chakra came into contact with the sword and a small piece, no larger than a pill, broke off near the center.
Zabuza pushed even harder. His eyes widening upon seeing the tips of his fingers peel off, "More chakra...tough bastard." Naruto thought, the sphere grew hotter and larger. "Come on...just move that hand."
Zabuza's feet slid back on the water, the grip on his sword loosening by the second. Finally after what felt like an eternity Zabuza finally brought his hands up and let Kakashi go, Naruto upon seeing this released the prison and quickly returned to land.
Taking deep breaths and falling on his butt, releasing extreme amounts of chakra like that always made him sore and dizzy. He took another deep breath and looked towards the tree line, "Bad choice." He said as he slowly stood up.
Kakashi shook his head as he came out of the water, looking back at Zabuza who was inspecting his injured hand. "Pesky brat." He said, "you know when I was your age and completed my graduation exam I had already built a pile of bodies higher than most Shinobi twice my age." He continued. "I've met people like you...headstrong fools who think they can brute force their way through a fight. You're no different."
The water rippled as Zabuza walked across it, "behind all that stubbornness and delusion is a dead man."
Naruto's face became stone like. His smile fading and his eyes narrowing. His intent could be felt throughout the area, it was as if the distant mountains had decided to close in on Zabuza and sap him of breath. The great peaks looking down on him, finding him wanting.
"Zabuza...you couldn't fathom the amount of dead men behind me."
Goosebumps. He felt them, he hadn't felt a fear like this since he met him. He couldn't quite find the words to create a satisfying response, only letting out a squeak that was quickly replaced by a growl, opening his mouth before clamping it shut for several more seconds. "Pesky brat." He said simply.
Picking up his sword and scoffing, Kakashi stepped in front of Zabuza. Cracking his knuckles and smiling under his mask, "Naruto, Sasuke...thank you." He said. Zabuza leapt back, Kakashi's sharingan flashing as it followed the man.
Both men weaving hand seals as they went, in unison they both shouted. "WATER STYLE: WATER DRAGON JUTSU!."
There was a splash of water so massive the trees seemed to be like toothpicks, team seven was blown back, "incredible. So this is a jonin." Sasuke thought as he held his hands up.
Zabuza clashed with Kakashi, sliding back and gritting his teeth. "What's going on...that little brat s bravado is t--"
"Naruto didn't do anything Zabuza" Kakashi said as he pushed the man away. "What!?."
Zabuza watched in wonder as Kakashi perfectly imitated his movement. "He's read--"
"my movements." Kakashi finished. "Damn t--"
"that eye of his."
"Shut the hell--"
"up you monkey. All you're doing is copying me!."
"WATER STYLE: GREAT WATERFALL JUTSU."
The Jutsu carved up the land as it went. Creating a straight path for a dozen meters before slowly dying down, an unconscious Zabuza falling flat on his face.
Kakashi covered his sharingan and sighed. Preparing to walk away before a masked boy suddenly fell down from the trees, pulling out a pair of steel needles and throwing them into Zabuza's neck, a light squish emanating through the destroyed area. "I'm sorry for making such a sudden introduction. I've been searching for Zabuza for quite some time and didn't want this opportunity to fly by." He said.
"A hunter Nin." Naruto whispered, he knew exactly who this was. The second chakra source. Naruto right now, had two choices. Pursue this hunter Nin or let him walk.
Naruto tried his best to give the hunter Nin that benefit of the doubt, there was no real evidence that this hunter Nin was working with Zabuza, the only piece of evidence he could even find to link the two ninja was the chakra. "Just wait...the body...no, that's more common among members of high ranking clansand...political figures."
By the time Naruto could relay this very loose connection to the rest of his team the hunter Nin was gone. Naruto said nothing, talking about this connection without any significant evidence would be foolish.
There would of course be plenty of time to properly assess the situation once they got Kakashi, who was clearly suffering from signs of chakra and was about enjoy himself an involuntary nap.