I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ITS CHARACTERS ALL RIGHTS BELONG WITH KISHIMOTO, VIZ MEDIA, AND SHONEN JUMP. PLEASE SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL RELEASE!
dropping this chapter a day early because one of you PM'd me and asked. Happy Birthday Matthew!
Alright everyone, this chapter for me will be the toughest one for myself. This will be the first chapter that's majority of just Fighting. I have reached out to multiple other authors to find out how to write better fight scenes. I appreciate those who help further my ability to write and entertain you. No matter what, I'll need you all to drop a review. Let me know what I need to improve on, so that way I can make this story a better reading experience for you readers. Obviously, this is the chapter that Zabuza will fight Team Seven round 1. So, with that being said, enjoy the read everyone!
Arc: Land of Waves
Chapter 14: The Demon of Kiri!
"Well, it's up to Sakura now." Hatake said while scratching the back of his head. Naruto, you'll make a great Hokage one day.
"I guess we should continue. It's only right to do this." Sakura stated. She still has her reservations. However, if Naruto and Sasuke both want to do this, then she will too.
Interesting. I'll have to let Zabuza-sama know about this. A thought from a masked individual. The individual took off going Southwest.
I could've sworn my sense of smell picked someone up just now. Kakashi thought to himself. "Well, Tazuna you've lucked out. We will guard you until your bridge is done." Kakashi stated. On the outside he showed resentment towards Tazuna, on the inside, he was extremely satisfied with his team's dedication.
"Thank you all." Tazuna said bowing towards Team Seven.
"It's no problem Tazuna-san." Naruto spoke showing some respect to the man. This man is trying to change the lives of his entire town in the best way possible. I respect that Tazuna-san. Naruto thought to himself.
"Alright, let's get moving again and make it to the Wave by tonight." Kakashi ordered.
"That'll be no problem, I know a guy who will provide a small boat for us. If we make it there before nightfall we should be fine." The master bridge builder informed his hired help.
The group started back on their journey to get to Tazuna's home. The group could barely smell the ocean's salty waters. The birds chirped as they passed by and the group kept on walking at a steady pace.
Sasuke Uchiha was brooding like always, except on the inside he was happy. That was excellent. A rogue shinobi that is Chunin level. At this rate, he will be dead by my hands soon. He thought to himself.
Naruto started to think of more practical seals he could utilize in battle. I used the weight seal to apply weight and unbalance that Chunin back there. I still have the locator seal. If I use that on enemy first I could track them later on, if they escape. I need to talk to a weapons expert when I return to Konoha. Perhaps if I could utilize scrolls and seals more effectively, I could put space between me and my opponent. Naruto started to over think.
After about another two hours of walking through the woods the team came across a small dock. Tazuna motioned forward.
"This is my friend's dock. He can lend us a boat." Tazuna stated.
Team Seven nodded their heads. "Alright then. I think it's best if we let Tazuna do all the talking here. No one say a thing unless spoken to." Kakashi ordered.
The three genin nodded at the order.
Tazuna knocked on the small cabin's door.
"Go away!" A grumpy voice shouted.
"Now is that how you greet an old friend?" Tazuna asked at the door.
"Tazuna? Is that you?" The grumpy voice questioned. The door opened to reveal a scrawny man. "Tazuna! How are you?" The man asked in a more cheerful tone.
"I'm doing great. These ninja behind me are my hired protection to build the bridge so, we can make more money." Tazuna proudly stated.
"They know what they're getting into?" The man asked.
"Yes, they do. We were wondering if you could allow us to borrow a row boat." Tazuna said.
"A row boat? Sure no problem." The man stated. The man looked over the ninjas and his eyes stopped at Kakashi. "Say, don't I know you?" He asked.
"Me? No. I haven't been out this way in years." Kakashi answered.
"No, I think I've seen a photograph of you somewhere." The man said.
"I don't think you have. It's possible that someone looks like me though." Kakashi answered.
The man accepted the answer. "Just make sure you shinobi bring the boat back"
The group nodded and went on their way.
"Why are we using a row boat?" Sakura asked as they loaded their boat up.
"Gato has watch over the whole island. This is our best chance at getting in quietly." Tazuna explained.
"Not only that, but you three will alternate between rowing. Think of it as training." Kakashi stated.
The three Genin groaned.
After about one and a half hours rowing, the group arrived at the island. "It's roughly a twenty minute walk to my house." Tazuna stated.
"Hai." The group answered.
As the group walked to their destination, they were being stalked by two figures in the far distance, yet no one noticed aside from Kakashi Hatake.
Something's not right here. I am definitely picking up a strange scent. Kakashi thought. He was broken free from his thoughts when Sakura tossed a Kunai into a bush. Why did she do that? Kakashi quickly assesses.
A white rabbit hopped out from where Sakura tossed the sharp blade.
"Hahaha!" Naruto laughed. "You tried to kill a poor bunny." Naruto spoke while hysterically laughing.
The pitch of Naruto's laugh was loud enough that it was close to popping Sasuke's ear drums.
"Shut up Naruto!" Sasuke yelled. "You're going to blow my eardrums with your stupid laughter!" The raven haired boy stated over dramatically.
"Sorry everyone." Sakura apologizes.
Wait... that rabbit was white... this time a year rabbits aren't white! The similar thoughts races between Kakashi and Naruto.
"GET DOWN!" The two shouted while pushing the others down.
A huge blade came flying out from the woods. A man jumped onto the blade and sized up his opponents.
"Well, well, well, it seems like my two associates couldn't stop you. I didn't think the master bridge builder would be able to hired Kakashi Hatake." The man said with a mock praise.
He knows Kakashi-sensei? The trio of Genin thought.
"So it is you Zabuza." Kakashi said to the man.
Why does that name sound so familiar? Naruto thought to himself.
"Oi, Kakashi who is this?" Sasuke rudely asked. This could be my chance to prove myself. The delusional boy thought.
"That is Zabuza Momochi. He, like the demon brothers, is a missing nin from Kirigakure. In addition to that, he is a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. The sword you see him standing on is called 'The Executioner's Blade.' It's sharp and heavy." He informed his students.
The three kids looked at the rogue ninja.
So he's powerful! Sasuke thinks to himself. Once again he is losing sight of the bigger picture in front of him.
"Sasuke," his blonde teammate whisper over to him. "Let's be careful." Naruto said.
"No, I will face him myself. This has gone from a B rank mission to an A rank. I will handle this while you protect Tazuna." Kakashi ordered.
"You think you can defeat me Kakashi? I'll make you a deal. You allow me to have the bridge builder and I'll let you and your team walk free. Deal?" Zabuza offered.
"No, this man has hired my team for a mission and we will see it through!" Kakashi stated.
"How unfortunate." Zabuza stated. Zabuza jumped down from his blade and grabbed it from the tree and stood 10 meters away from Team Seven.
Kakashi lifted his eye cover to reveal his eye.
That's... Naruto started to think.
What's with his eye? Sakura wondered
That's my clans dojutsu! How does he have it? Sasuke thought.
"Wow, I didn't expect the Copy Ninja to reveal his Sharingan this soon, I'm honored." Zabuza mocked.
The two ninjas stood facing each other, their eyes locked in a fierce glare. Kakashi Hatake, with his Sharingan eye active, knew that Zabuza Momochi was a formidable opponent, but he was determined to protect Tazuna at all costs.
"Copy Ninja?" Sakura asked.
"The Sharingan is a tool from my clan. It's supposed to be exclusive to my clan. The Sharingan can predict an enemies move and quickly counter because of this." Sasuke started to explain. "However, that is not all. Because he can predict what he will do.." Sasuke was interrupted by Naruto.
"He can copy an enemy's move by seeing it. If the shinobi possessing the Sharingan knows the hand seals, he can use it before the opponent will." Naruto says in a quieter tone to Sakura.
"Why do you know so much about the Sharingan?" Sasuke asked his partner.
"I have to know what I'll be against when we spar one day." Naruto answered. Sasuke grunted at this explanation.
Zabuza, with his arms crossed, smirked at Kakashi. "So you're gonna use the Sharingan," he said. "Let's see if you live up to your reputation."
Without warning, Zabuza lunged at Kakashi, his arm extended in an attempt to strike him with his sword.
Kakashi, however, was ready, and he dodged the attack with ease, countering with a kunai knife.
The two continued to exchange blows, with Zabuza using his water-based jutsu to create powerful attacks and Kakashi using his Sharingan to copy Zabuza's techniques and gain the upper hand.
Zabuza ran through hand signs. "Water style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" He yelled out.
However, Kakashi used his Sharingan to do the same move.
The two dragons collide and splashed water everywhere.
Zabuza started to run through hand signs to form his next jutsu. Unfortunately for him, Kakashi was faster.
"Water Style: Grand Waterfall Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled out as a massive waterfall formed.
The students watched the battle between the jonins and were shocked at the mere power each move contained. Zabuza's killing intent was growing larger as the battle went on.
"How can you do that?" Zabuza wondered out loud.
The waterfall crashed as Zabuza jumped up before being flooded.
Zabuza attempted to use his Water Prison Technique to trap Kakashi in a bubble of water and drown him, but Kakashi dodged and stroked the rogue ninja. Zabuza turned into water.
"Look out Sensei! He's behind you!" Naruto shouted.
The real Zabuza appeared behind him and trapped him in the Water Prison Jutsu.
Kakashi's eyes went wide. Dammit! I won't survive long. Using any lightning jutsus is out the question. I'll lose too much chakra. Kakashi thought.
"Alright kids. It's over now, hand over the bridge builder and I'll allow you to run back to your mommies." Zabuza taunted.
"Jokes on you I don't even have parents!" Naruto retorted. This statement made Zabuza sweatdrop.
"Kid this isn't a fucking game! I am the demon of the mist. Here, in this ball of water, is your leader in the palm of my hands. It's over! Hand up the bridge builder or I'll murder you next!" Zabuza demanded.
"No!" Sasuke yelled out.
Sakura was starting to shake. I really can't do this. I'm in over my head. I wasn't ready for this. I don't even know any Jutsu. How can I even help? Sakura thought.
"Sakura, it's going to be okay." Naruto said confidently.
Sasuke looked over at his partner. How is he so calm?
Naruto quickly assessed the situation. He knew that they had to act fast if they wanted to save Kakashi. Zabuza's jutsu was too powerful for them to break with brute force, so he had to think of something else.
"Hey Sasuke, I have an idea. You have to trust me." Naruto said as he pulled his fishnet sleeve up.
A seal appeared on Naruto's forearm. Naruto pulled a scroll out to reveal a Demon Wind Shuriken. "Here, you're better than me with this." Naruto said as he handed the massive shuriken to the Uchiha.
"A Demon Wind Shuriken?" Zabuza question. "I'm looking right at you. That will never hit me!" He taunted.
Sasuke grabbed it and realized it was really light. Why is it ligh... it's a clone! He quickly realized. He threw the shuriken at Zabuza.
The rogue ninja jumped up and avoided the shuriken while still holding the Water Prison Jutsu.
"Nice try kid!" Zabuza yelled at the trio.
He suddenly heard a pop of smoke.
"Gravity seal now!" Naruto yelled out. Naruto threw a paper seal attached to a kunai at Zabuza.
Zabuza released Kakashi and avoided the gravity seal.
"Gravity seal? Who do you think you are, an Uzumaki?" Zabuza asked angrily.
Kakashi quickly jumped back and got back with his team while coughing up water. "Good work Sasuke and Naruto." Kakashi stood up. "That was a close one." Kakashi said, panting slightly from his ordeal.
"No problem, sensei," Naruto replied, grinning. "We're just glad you're okay."
Zabuza, realizing that he had been outsmarted, started to run through a few handsigns. "Hidden Mis--" Zabuza was strucked by multiple senbon and collapsed.
Team Seven watched as a masked ninja appeared.
"Thank you for you assistance. I've been struggling to capture Zabuza for a while." The ninja said.
"Wait, you're a hunter ninja?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke looked over at the apparent boy in question and realized that he was their age.
"Yes, I'll now take Zabuza back to Kiri where we can find all the secrets in his body." The ninja stated.
"You're supposed to burn the target on the spot to avoid letting the target getting captured by someone else." Naruto stated.
Kakashi looked at his blonde student. Someone has been doing homework. He thought.
"This is a special case. I'll be leaving now." He said to the team.
As the boy left, Naruto threw a locator seal at Zabuza and successful hit the ninjas boot.
Naruto and his team breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they had narrowly avoided disaster.
"That was some quick thinking, Naruto," Kakashi said. "You have a real talent for fuinjutsu."
"Thanks, sensei," Naruto replied, beaming with pride. "I'm just glad it worked."
"That old man really showed you all those seals?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, though I'm not sure why." Naruto answered.
Minato-sensei said the locator seal was an essential part in him mastering Lord Second's Flying Raijin. I wonder if that's what Danzo is trying to get Naruto to do. Kakashi thought before collapsing.
"Are you alright Kakashi sensei?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, just used too much chakra." He answered.
The two boys of Team Seven helped the man up.
"My place is close by. Let's go!" Tazuna said.
The team quickly started their journey to Tazuna's home.
The masked ninja removed all the senbon from Zabuza.
When Zabuza awoke in his hideout with Haku, he was initially disoriented and confused about what had happened. As his memories slowly came back, he realized that he had been outsmarted and beaten by a team of new genin.
Feeling a mix of anger, frustration, and shame for being bested by his opponents, Zabuza tried to regain his composure. Haku, sensing Zabuza's turmoil, approached him and offered his support.
"Zabuza-sama, are you alright?" Haku asked with genuine concern.
Zabuza took a deep breath and tried to suppress his emotions. He looked at the girl. "Yes, I'm fine. Thanks to you, I suppose," he grumbled, acknowledging Haku's role in his rescue.
Haku nodded, understanding that Zabuza was struggling with the events that had unfolded. "We should focus on recovering and planning our next move, Zabuza-sama. That team is more formidable than we initially thought."
Zabuza clenched his fists, determined to regain his reputation and take revenge on those who had humiliated him. "You're right, Haku. We'll bide our time and prepare ourselves. When the time is right, we'll strike back and show them the true power of the Demon of the Hidden Mist."
Haku removed the last of the senbon from Zabuza and seen the locator seal.
"Zabuza-sama!" She cried out.
"What is it?" Zabuza said. He couldn't moved anything but his head due to being put in a near death state.
"That blonde boy put a seal on you!" She exclaimed. Haku started to remove the seal and showed Zabuza.
"I haven't seen one like that before. Take it and throw it away; somewhere far from here." He ordered. Haku followed the instructions.
When the seal moved to great distances, Naruto sensed it. "I think they removed the seal off Zabuza. It seems like they threw it far. It's off my senses now." He spoke.
"That means the hunter nin is his accomplice." Sakura stated.
"Yeah, that means we will have to face them again." Sasuke said.
"Again?" Tazuna cried out. He was scared.
Kakashi was unconscious at this point and the two boys hauled him to Tazuna's house.
"Yeah, the senbon that ninja used should put Zabuza out for awhile. Hopefully we can learn something if Kakashi wakes up." Naruto stated.
Danzo had made Naruto learn various weapons two years ago. Naruto knew senbon weren't typical tools used to kill, but they were very effective and thin.
The group finally made it to Tazuna's house. They were greeted by his daughter Tsunami. "Father you've returned!" She exclaimed as she hugged him.
"Thanks for the warm welcome. This is the group of ninja who just protected me from a dangerous man." Tazuna said.
Tsunami seen Kakashi's condition and freaked. "What happened to him?!" She asked. She didn't allow the tema to speak. "Hurry up and bring him over to the guest room." She ordered as Sasuke and Naruto dragged the man over.
Tsunami prepared an ice pack for the silver hair ninja. Naruto and Sasuke laid the man down and waited for Tsunami to return.
She applied the ice pack. She turned to look at the team. "I'm sorry, I didn't get to catch your names." She apologized.
"My name is Naruto Namikaze, this is Sasuke Uchiha," he said while pointing at Sasuke, "and this is Sakura Haruno." He said as he motioned to the pinkette. "On the floor is Kakashi Hatake." The boy said.
"Nice to meet you all. Thank you for being brave and strong enough to protect my father." She spoke as she bowed.
"It's no problem. It's what we do." Naruto said as he spoke for the group.
Sakura stood lost in thought. Naruto and Sasuke were able to out think Zabuza. I didn't even know what to do. I got to be better. When Kakashi-sensei wakes up I'll ask him to learn a jutsu. She thought in a moment of self realization. She looked at her two teammates as Tsunami went to prepare dinner.
Naruto sat down and started to think. Fact of the matter is, we got lucky today. Naruto thought. Had he just killed Kakashi-sensei, he would've killed us. He was overconfident and reckless. He won't make the same mistake twice. I already know the seals I use won't be much use and now we know he has an accomplice. I'll have to rely on Shadow Clones and substitution during that fight if Kakashi-Sensei can't teach us a killer move.
So, you've finally realized how screwed you are. The Kyubi spoke internally.
Naruto looked up and realized only he can hear the Kyubi.
When the time comes, I can allow you use of my power. The fox said.
No, I can't use your power yet. The last time I collapsed and went through a wall. I'll pass. Naruto thought.
If you give me control though, it will work. I promise. The massive fox said. Naruto pictured the massive fox's sinister smile.
Yeah right! You would probably just kill my whole team! Naruto exclaimed in his mind.
Smarter than you appear. More and more you surprise me. The fox said.
Naruto lost contact with the Kyubi.
I'll be ready no matter what! The boy thought.
Alrighty then, thanks to amazing reviewer InsaneMakaioshin, I've decided that the Hunting Namikaze Arc will in fact be all three options I've put out. So, while I'm writing this, I'll be creating or enlisting all new fresh characters for this arc. So, if anyone has any ideas or anything for a OC, PM me. I'll love to have a chat and see what we can do. Options are endless. Remember Credit will be given to all creators that give me any ideas.
Here's the current voting poll results, whatever two kunoichi has the lowest number of votes by next chapter will be eliminated.
Naruto X Haku (female)-13
Naruto X Hinata-13
Naruto X Ino-18
Naruto X Sakura-11
Naruto X Tayuya-10
Naruto X Temari-12
wow, Kurotsuchi and Tenten bite the bullet with Tayuya just edging it out one more vote ahead. Up next on the chopping block is Tayuya and Sakura from the looks of things.
Remember the winner will be selected before the end of the next Arc (Hunting The Namikaze) ends or if the gap is too big for anyone else to win. Just drop a review or PM me to cast your votes.
Well the plot is moving forward more and more. The first battle left a strange taste in the mouth for Team Seven. See you in the next one.
Life update: Well, I have gotten near the end of my enlistment process for the military of my country. I will still be striving to release new chapters no matter what, however, when I do get sent for Basic Training, or Boot Camp, I will not have my laptop or phone apparently. That would mean for roughly 4-6 months I won't be able to upload any chapters (I might be able to get away with it, but we will have to see). When that time does come I'll let you all know and once that is over with I'll drop the biggest, the baddest, and the longest chapter you've ever read. We will see where things go from here. I also want to thank you guys for always leaving PMs and reviews on the chapters. As well as favoriting and following me and the story. It means a lot. No matter what I won't give up on you guys as long as you don't give up on me.