Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Naruto or any characters in this story; it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Chapter 14: A Lethal Duo
"What do you want Uzumaki?" A slightly annoyed Sasuke asked. He had been ready to clock in for the night and rest his body, but his annoying blonde teammate had called him and Sakura to talk before he could go to sleep.
"Yeah, what is this about Naruto?" Sakura asked, curious.
"I just wanted to plan what we could do if we fight tomorrow." The blonde said simply. "Kakashi Is going to be engaging Zabuza, and we can't interfere unless it is to save his ass again, but most likely, we are going to be busy fighting the fake oinin."
Sasuke's annoyed expression instantly turned into a calculating one as he thought of something but came up blank. "We barely know anything about him. We will be wasting our time if we sit and wonder what possible skills he has."
"Well, we do know that he uses senbon instead of kunai or other more common weapons." Sakura said a bit timidly. "Maybe he doesn't prefer close-quarters combat and would rather strike from a distance to incapacitate someone."
Naruto and Sasuke turned to face Sakura, and both seemed to think about her words for a second.
"It's not much, but at least it is something." Naruto said before a long silence fell between the three of them. "So... how do we divide tomorrow?
"I think you and Sasuke-kun should fight the oinin while I guard Tazuna." The pinky said as she looked towards the ground in dejection. "I'm not saying it because I don't want to fight or anything like that. It's just... You two are much more capable than me in a fight, and I would just probably get in your way..."
Sasuke and Naruto didn't like how she phrased it, but they had nothing to object.
"Fine by me. Any problems Uchiha?" Naruto asked as he turned to his male teammate.
"Just try to keep up Uzumaki." Sasuke jabbed with a smirk. Naruto just smirked back and with that, team seven went to bed.
Team Seven awoke exceptionally early the next day as they all readied up to guard Tazuna today. During breakfast, there was an unspoken sense of anticipation for a fight. Although they didn't voice it, it could be noted in the body language of the three Genin that they were anxious about what might happen later that day. For his part, Kakashi held a relaxed posture that showed no signs of worry about the possible impending fight, but something bothered him. He felt he shouldn't leave Tsunami and Inari unprotected while they went with Zabuza to the bridge. Another Jonin might have ignored their gut but Kakashi had learned that, more often than not, his hunches were spot on.
"Alright! Are we ready to go?" Naruto asked as a mixture of nerves and excitement filled him.
"Tazuna-san is still talking to Tsunami-san." Sakura said as the four team members waited for the man outside the house.
Kakashi turned to the blonde. "Naruto, could you leave a clone to guard the house?" Naruto turned to look at his superior with a raised eyebrow, but Kakashi spoke again before he could ask anything. "I just have a hunch that we might need it."
Naruto gave a small nod and created a clone that would be patrolling the house. Team Seven didn't have to wait long for Tazuna as barely a couple of minutes later he exited the house.
"All right, let's get going!" Tazuna said, excited to finish the bridge. With that Team Seven formed a protective circle around Tazuna as they made their way towards the gigantic bridge.
The day's weather was a deep contrast to team seven's serious mood; the birds sang, and the sun shone brightly while the sky was clear of any clouds. Overall, it seemed the perfect day to relax and enjoy the weather, but they knew that most likely it wouldn't be the case. The walk to the bridge was quiet as only their footsteps could be heard. They had almost relaxed because they hadn't found any attempts of an ambush as they walked but when they arrived at the last part of the bridge, their senses were kicked into high alert. Tazuna's crew of workers were lying on the ground, completely unmoving.
"What happened?!" Tazuna screamed as he saw the bodies of people he considered friends. The old bridge builder attempted to rush to their aid, but Kakashi grabbed the man's shoulder and held on tight. A second later, the weather took a drastic change for the worse. A deep mist started to appear that quickly enveloped everyone present.
"They are coming! Get into formation!" Kakashi ordered, and his three Genin followed the command and quickly surrounded Tazuna as each brandished a kunai.
"You can stop with the theatrics Zabuza. I don't like people who leave me waiting." Kakashi spoke in no particular direction as his eye scanned the field. Despite the situation, the three Genin had to sweatdrop at the blatant hypocrisy their Sensei had displayed.
A dark chuckle followed by a sinister laugh could be heard before Zabuza's voice sounded. "Sorry to keep you waiting Kakashi... I see you are still babysitting the brats. Bold of you to bring them to their deaths... I wonder, who's death will hurt you the most?"
Kakashi didn't have time to make a clever comeback because they were instantly surrounded by seven different Zabuzas, all brandishing their massive sword. Still, Kakashi didn't lose his cool and just said. "Sasuke, Naruto, do it."
In the blink of an eye, both preteens rushed and slashed their opponents, which dissolved into water puddles. After seeing them turn into water, Naruto closed his eyes and kneaded chakra and released it to sense for Zabuza's presence. Sure enough, he found him. He knew he was him. There was no question about it. The cold and dark sensation that washed over him had to be Zabuza, but he wasn't alone. He could feel another chakra next to him. The blonde got out another Kunai and threw it in the direction he had sensed the two presence.
A few seconds later, Zabuza and the masked guy came walking side by side, each holding the kunai that Naruto had thrown in their direction harmlessly in their hands.
"Well, well, the annoying sensor and the other brat have improved. Haku, It seems you will take care of them while I deal with Kakashi."
"Hai." The masked youth, now identified as Haku, spoke and took out a senbon with his free hand.
"You in the mask! So you were working with Zabuza all along?! You got some nerve trying to pass as an oinin and deceiving us!" Naruto shouted.
"I apologize." The masked ninja said which surprised the blonde and his teammates. "But as you demonstrated in your fight with Zabuza-Sama, deception, trickery, and catching your opponent off guard is a shinobi's duty. Please don't take it personally."
A frowning Naruto and a calm Sasuke starred down their opponent from where they stood, both attentive and looking for the slightest sign of movement that would signal the start of the conflict. They didn't have to wait long as their opponent rushed in their direction, and both Naruto and Sasuke did the same. The sound of metal screeching could be heard as the three ninja clashed their weapons. The trio were currently in a deadlock as Haku repelled the attacks with the kunai the blonde had previously thrown and the senbon he took out. The Konoha Genin tried to push against their opponent. Still, he was holding firm as he put his own strength that managed to keep them from overpowering him.
"I don't want to have to kill you." Haku confessed behind his mask. "Please, surrender and you will keep your lives."
"Sorry, I don't give up. Ever!" Naruto said as he put more of his weight into his kunai.
"You think we will stop just because you ask nicely?" Sasuke scoffed as he, too put more effort in.
No response came back from Haku as he simply stepped back and threw the kunai he held on to his left hand and instantly took out a new senbon. Sasuke dodged the kunai that had been thrown in his direction and joined Naruto in his charge at the masked ninja. Although the three young ninjas were still in the feeling-out process of the fight, Zabuza and Kakashi were quite impressed by the fight they had seen up to this point. Naruto and Sasuke relentlessly slashed and stabbed at their opponent but Haku was doing a great job of finding them off.
Naruto slashed downwards at Haku, but Haku weaved out of the way, leaving the blonde overextended and vulnerable to an attack. However, Sasuke used that moment to roll over the blonde's back and managed to engage his opponent before he could capitalize on the blonde's vulnerability. Naruto was about to start running to attack again, but his masked opponent, who was currently locking weapons with Sasuke, suddenly did something that surprised him.
He saw how Haku weaved a set of hand signs with his only free hand.
'Just like Tou-chan was to be able to do!' the blonde thought. Instantly, the water spilled from Zabuza's mizu bunshin took the form of countless senbon pointing in their direction menacingly. The senbon blew towards them, and they both had to scramble out of the way to avoid being hit by the attack.
Haku scanned the bridge to locate the blonde and the raven-haired boy. He found the orange-clad blonde standing a safe distance away from him, completely unharmed, but he didn't spot his other opponent as quick. 'Where did he go?' he thought as his eyes moved from side to side before looking upwards. He found the Uchiha readying up some shuriken to throw at him.
'I'm too far away... unless...' a devious grin appeared on his face as he made a hand sign.
Haku backflipped to avoid the incoming shuriken, but when his feet touched the ground for the final time, Naruto appeared behind him.
"Gotcha." Said the blonde as he used the kunai he held in a reverse grip swing at Haku's temple.
The masked shinobi had no time to be surprised, and he turned on instinct to block the lethal strike. He managed to bring his forearm to stop the motion of Naruto's arm, and the blade stopped just a few centimeters away from his skull. A whizzing sound indicated that the attack wasn't over. Haku crouched to avoid another set of shuriken that had been thrown his way. Unfortunately for him, Naruto had been aware beforehand and as Haku's body got lower to the ground, the blonde kicked him right in the face, causing him to go flying backwards.
"Too slow." Naruto held a victorious grin after his kick connected fully, and Sasuke smirked as he approached the blonde.
'To think these brats could keep up with Haku and beat his speed even though he is not going all out...' Though an impressed Zabuza before his eyes drifted towards the blonde. 'He can use the Shunshin in battle even if he has someone to cause a distraction. Haku needs to stop playing around.'
"Now, now, Zabuza. My team isn't a bunch of brats like you call them. They may not look like it, but they are the future strongest duo of Konohagakure no Sato." Kakashi praised. He had no doubt of the individual potential of each of his male students, but was such a statement true? After seeing how seamlessly they had worked together and how Naruto had managed to use the shunshin, he had no doubt that eventually his students would lay claim to that title.
"Hell yeah!" Naruto shouted in support of his Sensei's praise.
"Hehehe. Future strongest duo you say? Haku, you know what that means, right? If you keep messing around you'll be defeated by them."
"I know..." Haku responded as he got up from the ground. His mask now sported a crack that went across the entire front. "It's unfortunate. You both had a bright future."
The temperature around the bridge started dropping suddenly. In seconds, Naruto and Sasuke could see their breaths while the masked ninja did a hand sign.
Sasuke and Naruto watched as ice started to grow and take shape from the water. They were so entranced by the situation that they didn't notice when they were trapped in a dome made of ice mirrors.
"Hyōton: Makyō Hyōshō (Ice Release: Demonic Crystal Ice mirrors)"
'What is that jutsu? Is that Hyōton?' Kakashi thought before he tried rushing at the ice dome but couldn't reach them Zabuza appeared to block his path. "Now, Kakashi, I'm also a man who hates waiting for others. Why don't we let the kids play while you and I fight? That is unless you want to leave your other student and the old man with me.
'Shit! They are trapped, and I can't help them unless I take care of Zabuza first.' Kakashi thought as he acknowledged the dire situation they found themselves in.
Naruto and Sasuke observed their surroundings as their minds were already working on finding a way out of their frigid prison. They saw how Haku seemed to melt into a mirror from outside and abruptly, a reflection of their opponent appeared in every mirror that surrounded them.
"What the hell is going on?" Naruto asked, quite perplexed by the situation.
"I think these are mirrors but I'm not sure." An equally flummoxed Sasuke answered.
"Now then, I'll start by showing you my true speed." Haku's voice had no direction as every reflection seemed to do the talking.
Before Sasuke and Naruto could realize they were being showered by what felt like an infinite amount of needles. They both cried in pain as they felt the metal weapons tearing their unprotected skin. The attack only stopped when a rogue kunai from outside was caught by Haku.
The two flinching youths breathed heavily as pain tore through their bodies. A kneeling Sasuke greeted his teeth as he analyzed his injuries. 'It hurts but the cuts aren't deep, and he didn't target any of my vital spots. But why? Is he just playing with us?'
"It's a good thing these mirrors are made out of ice, isn't that right Uchiha?" A wincing Naruto said as he stood up; he also sported several cuts along his body and clothes.
A confident smirk appeared on Sasuke's features, and he didn't bother to respond to Naruto as he started to weave hand signs before finishing with the tiger hand sign. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu." The Uchiha prodigy breathed out a blazing stream of fire at one of the mirrors and waited for the flames to disperse to see the damage his technique had caused. When the fire extinguished, both Genin were surprised that the attack had no effect on the mirrors.
"That didn't do shit!" Naruto reproached as he saw that the mirrors hadn't melted.
"Thanks for the observation." An annoyed Sasuke sarcastically responded.
"These mirrors won't be melted by a jutsu of that level." Haku said as he readied another set of senbon to throw at the pair. In the blink of an eye, the Genin were again tormented by multiple senbon.
Naruto grunted as he took out a pair of senbon that had buried into his left shoulder. 'Where is he attacking from?' thought the blonde as he scanned all the reflections of their attacker. 'I don't think those are bunshin of him but I'm not sure. I guess there is only one way to find out.' The blonde brought his hands together and created a legion of copies of himself.
"What are you doing? Asked Sasuke, but the blonde didn't respond because of his concentration. The copies of the blonde proceeded to run at the mirrors from multiple directions. Naruto observed with extreme detail as all the clones he sent turned into smoke. He managed to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
Naruto took in a deep breath as he came to a conclusion. "Those are not bunshin he is using; he is moving between the mirrors extremely fast."
"How can you be sure?" Sasuke demanded.
"I was able to catch glimpses of him when he attacked my clones."
'He was able to see me? Impressive, but apparently he could barely keep up. He doesn't have the reaction time to keep up even if he has the speed. "Indeed, This jutsu allows me to move between mirrors and attack you at high speeds. Even if you can follow my movements, you won't be able to do anything; I absolutely will not be caught."
"I guess we will find out!" Naruto screamed as he repeated the process of creating clones, but this time they all readied up a kunai before they started rushing.
Sasuke decided to pay close attention to the clones to see if he could follow the movements of their attacker. The clones again rushed at the mirrors, and as soon they heard the first clone pop, they all started throwing their weapons in every direction, hoping to catch Haku as he attacked one of them.
'Did I get him?' Naruto wondered while the residual smoke of his clone obstructed his view. When the smoke dispersed, Naruto inspected the closest reflection to him. He analyzed the image from head to toe to see if there was any sign of damage, but he found nothing except for the previous crack on the mask.
"Dammit!" Naruto shouted in frustration.
'I think I saw him...' Though a pensive Sasuke.
"You see, it is futile to resist. Again, I don't wish to kill you, but I have someone special to protect. I work for the sake of that person; I fight for that person, and I want to make that person's dream a reality. If it's for his sake and his dream, I will completely shut down my feelings and kill you guys." The masked ninja said with an unwavering voice.
The words gave Naruto a sense of familiarity, but he didn't know why. "Who?! Zabuza?!" Naruto shouted at the masked ninja, who didn't confirm but also didn't deny it, and that was enough for Naruto. "What sort of twisted dream can someone as evil as him have?! Kill the Mizukage and do what?! As far I can tell someone as fucked up as Zabuza won't change anything in Mizu no Kuni!"
"Don't speak as if you know anything about Mizu no Kuni or Zabuza-Sama!"
"How can a monster like him be precious to anyone?!"
Haku didn't waste any more words answering the blonde; instead, he attacked them again. A rain of senbon washed over them as tremendous pain shocked their nervous system.
"Stop railing him up! You idiot!" Sasuke shouted to Naruto from the ground as he tried to stand up.
The blonde picked himself up from the ground with a bit of difficulty and Sasuke watched Naruto clench his teeth in frustration. He was about to ask him to repeat the process of doing the clones when he saw Naruto close his eyes and nod to himself before a grin spread on his face. 'I fucking love myself.'
'He's got a plan!' Sasuke realized. Naruto again created some clones that surrounded them and glared at every reflection.
The original Naruto turned towards Sasuke. They locked eyes, and the blonde mouthed. "Trust and follow me."
Sasuke nodded, and the clones rushed in every direction except at a small spot to their right. Naruto observed as the clones started to pop out of existence and shouted.
"Now!"
Sasuke followed the blonde; he didn't know what he had in mind but trusted his teammate. Just as they approached the closest mirror, Sasuke saw a shadow coming his way out of the corner of his eye. 'It's not going to work!' He thought before his nervous system was overloaded with pain.
The screams of pain that Naruto and Sasuke made filled and echoed all throughout the bridge.
Kakashi turned in the direction of the screams, although he couldn't see the dome any longer due to the mist Zabuza had conjured. 'I need to help them!' Kakashi thought as the screams still echoed throughout his mind.
The momentary concentration slip was enough for Zabuza to swing his kubikiribōchō at the distracted Kakashi. The copy ninja regained concentration and dodged just in time to avoid being gutted by the legendary sword. Still, a bloodied wound spread throughout his chest.
"Hehehe. Don't get distracted Kakashi. It won't be fun if you die because you are to worry about the kids. Amuse me more Kakashi. Don't pay them any mind; soon enough the screams will stop."
"I believe in their strength." Kakashi responded. "Sasuke is the member of Konoha's most excellent clan and Narut-"
"Is that so? He is the survivor of that tragedy." Zabuza cut him off and chuckled. "Quite Ironic that those three would end up fighting, don't you think?"
Kakashi frowned at the response, and Zabuza continued. "It took me some time to remember where I had heard that name. We weren't even born when it happened, after all, but it was still taught in Kiri's academy years after it happened. How the downfall of the great Uzumaki clan came to be." Another dark chuckle escaped Zabuza's lips, and Kakashi's eyes widened. "You know, Haku isn't different from them. When I met him, he was a mere orphan begging for food in the cold. I took him and made him my tool. Imagine my surprise when I found that through his veins ran the thought to be extinct blood of the Yuki clan and Hyōton kekkei genkai." Zabuza's dark laugh sounded even louder than before. "Ever since then, I've been painstakingly drilling him into the life of a ninja. I taught him all my techniques; he has even polished his skills with kekkei genkai. His capabilities in ninjutsu even surpass mine! I have molded him into becoming the perfect tool for me!"
'I need to take Zabuza out and help them.' Kakashi realized. 'But I can't afford distractions if I'm going to kill him quick. Naruto, Sasuke, please hang in there.' Kakashi mentally pleaded before he concentrated on his task. Kill Zabuza and do it quickly.
Sasuke, who had landed face-first into the concrete, lifted himself with great pain and effort. "What the fuck was that plan usuratonkachi!" Sasuke demanded as he turned to a kneeling Naruto whose breath was ragged and had several senbon protruding from him. Still, despite all that, the blonde was grinning.
"Gotcha again." Said the blonde and Sasuke followed his gaze only to find their opponent lying on the ground face up. He saw him trying to stand up, but he buckled, and his hand immediately went towards his right leg. Then, Sasuke saw them... a pair of shuriken that were painfully stuck around his right calf.
"How?" A confused Sasuke turned towards the blonde.
Naruto didn't respond, or at least the original Naruto didn't. "Hey boss! Is the Uchiha weighing you down?!" Multiple echoes of Naruto's voice asked from outside the dome.
Sasuke's eyes widened in recognition as he turned to look outside and Noticed several copies of his blonde teammate grinning wildly. 'Kage bunshin?! But how did he manage to sneak them outside?!"
"Sup guys! Just the usual amount, but I got it under control!"
"How?" Sasuke asked again, too confused to take in the jab Naruto and his clones had made.
"The clone that I made and left guarding Tazuna's house. Apparently, two jackasses tried kidnapping the old geezer's family, but he took care of them. After a while, he got bored and decided to come here and see if he could help. When he arrived, he found us stuck inside, thought of a plan, then made other clones before dispelling so I could get his memories back. That's why I told you to follow me. He was sure to come after us when he saw us moving, so my clones were already waiting to come after us so they could attack him." Naruto finished with a chuckle as he stood up.
"... You used us as bait?" Sasuke realized before his eyes widened further. "What if your clones hit us with those shuriken instead?!"
"It would have hurt a lot." Naruto admitted. "But it worked out great, so don't worry about that."
Haku examined his injured leg and removed the two shuriken that were buried deep in his right calf. Flinching and limping, Haku rushed to the closest mirror before evaluating the situation. 'If I attack the clones outside, they will manage to get to the mirrors and escape, but if I attack the originals, the clones outside will be waiting for me to make a move and attack me. Now that my leg is injured, I won't be able to keep this jutsu for much longer.' Haku was essentially put in a situation where he was damn if he did and damn if he didn't. Still, he had to make sure Zabuza could accomplish his dream, and if he died in the process, that only meant he was a failure. So, he swallowed the pain in his leg and prepared to attack.
Naruto created more clones, but they were fewer than previously. "Go get him guys!" Naruto ordered his clones, and they rushed again towards the mirrors.
Sasuke analyzed the situation, and to his surprise, he could see Haku better than before. 'He is slowing down!' he realized, but his relief went down the next instant. 'No, I'm still not fast enough to intercept, but if I can predict his movements just enough...' Sasuke thought as the clones the blonde had sent were beginning to pop. 'There!' After quickly going through a set of hand signs, a scorching flame came out of Sasuke's mouth.
After the attack, the three youths breathed heavily. Sasuke and Naruto analyzed their opponents to check if any of their attacks had landed. They saw a few extra cuts on the masked clothes, but nothing major. What did catch their attention was the burnt fabric on his right leg. Both Konoha turned to one another and locked eyes briefly before they nodded to each other.
The Genin repeated the strategy as Sasuke followed Haku's movements. 'I can see him better than before... There!' Sasuke weaved the usual hand signs and was about to spit a stream of fire, but he saw how Haku shifted his direction to approach his blonde teammate, the original Naruto. Sasuke had to cancel out the jutsu to avoid engulfing the blonde in his flames. Due to that distraction, he had to feel how the inside of his mouth was set ablaze and how his blonde teammate received the full attack of their opponent.
Naruto screamed in pain as Sasuke coughed painfully and wildly. The inside of the Uchiha's mouth felt like it was melting, and Naruto felt his whole body tremble in pain.
"Nobel of you to cancel your technique to avoid hitting your teammate." The masked ninja commented as Naruto tried to lift himself from the ground and Sasuke tried to stop his painful coughing fit. Although his voice showed no effort, a few of the shuriken and kunai the clones had thrown from outside had managed to cut into his body.
'Shit! He is only going to try and target Naruto. If he takes him out, all the clones will dispel, and I will be left here like a sitting duck.' Sasuke realized before his mind went into overdrive to think of a way to drive his attention away from the blonde.
"Agh. This shit hurts." A pained Naruto said as he plucked out a pair of senbon from his body. The blonde threw the senbon into the ground and landed with a clank before he turned to Sasuke. "Can you trust me one more time?" The blonde asked seriously.
Seeing how he was drawing blank and that Naruto's previous plan, albeit painful, had worked, Sasuke nodded. The blonde took a deep breath and made a hand sign; the sound of a few clones dispelling from outside could be heard.
'What is he planning?' Both Haku and Sasuke wondered.
"Uchiha, do you remember the second jutsu we had to perform to graduate from the academy?" The blonde asked.
The question caught Sasuke off guard before he tried to bring his mind back to his examination day. After remembering his test, he nodded towards the blonde. "I do, but how is it goi-." Sasuke stopped abruptly, and his eyes widened. He thought that he knew what Naruto had in mind.
"Don't worry about hitting me; I can take it!" Naruto shouted towards Sasuke, and he received a doubtful nod in response. "Alright, let's do this!"
The blonde formed the familiar hand sign and tried to make as many clones as possible. After a massive puff of smoke that partially obstructed Haku's view of his targets, the dome was filled to the brim with grinning blondes. Naruto wordlessly pointed at one of the reflections, and the clones charged in as the bridge was filled with their battle cries.
Like before, Haku came out of his mirrors and started mowing through the orange and yellow herd before his eyes focused on where the original Naruto had been. Haku faked going in one direction and then changed course as he once again focused on the creator of the clones. At the same time, he tried to be aware of his other opponent in case he decided to fire his technique this time. From the corner of his eyes, Haku observed how the raven-haired boy went through a set of hand signs, but to his confusion, they were clumsily done. The fake oinin shifted his eyes back to the blonde and was surprised when he locked eyes with him and saw that the blonde was already finishing his set of hand signs. A blazing flame came out of the blonde's mouth, and Haku did his best not to be hit face first, but his efforts didn't do too much because of his proximity and being cut off guard. Although he managed to alter his trajectory and turn his body, the flames still engulfed a large part of his being, and he felt his flesh igniting with pain.
Haku hit the ground and on instinct started to roll on the concrete to extinguish the flames that were scorching his body. For a brief moment, he felt the torching heat diminish when suddenly a crushing pain covered his face. He felt how his body was lifted from the ground and soared through the air before it hit one of the mirrors with a thundering crack.
A smirking Naruto and a grinning Sasuke panted tiredly as they observed how their opponent's body bounced painfully off the mirror and how a small crack appeared on the frozen slate. The damage continued to get bigger and bigger until the mirror broke down into a million pieces, and not long after the other mirrors followed suit.
Kakashi dodged another swing of Zabuza's sword by the skin of his teeth. The mist was much thicker than the first time they had fought, proving to be quite the obstacle for the copy ninja.
"Good job on dodging it." Zabuza's voice praised from somewhere inside the mist. "Just what I expected from you... but next time you'll be dead. You overrate that eye of yours way too much Kakashi. A week ago, you spoke like you saw through everything and as if my death was inevitable, but I'm here, aren't I? You can't read my mind or my future. You have tricked yourself into believing that because of that eye, and now that you can't see me, you can't use your hypnotic eye." Zabuza chuckled. "Now, I can't see the future, but I know you and your team will die."
As if to refute his statement, the sound of glass crashing down and breaking into pieces sounded through the bridge. 'It seems they managed to escape. Thank kami!' Kakashi thought as relief washed over him for a brief second before he regained his composure.
"You know nothing Zabuza." Kakashi said as he focused his undivided attention on Zabuza for the first time and got ready.
Naruto and Sasuke watched as their opponent tried to stand and fight through the pain of his injuries. His left arm was painfully red and wholly burned from the shoulder down. Where skin and cloth previously stood, now was something barely resembling human skin.
"I see... that was quite clever of you two." The pained voice of Haku sounded behind the mask. Suddenly, the two Genin were covered in a puff of smoke, and Sasuke stood just where Naruto had been and vice versa.
Sasuke took out a few shuriken and threw it at his target's legs. A grunt of pain could be heard when the sharp weapons impaled the flesh of the masked ninja.
"You are done." Sasuke exclaimed calmy after he analyzed with extreme detail the gruesome injuries his jutsu had caused and further restricting his mobility.
"I guess I am." The masked ninja conceded as he stood up with incredible difficulty. When he finally managed to regain his footage, they saw how the previously cracked mask was falling apart piece by piece until it eventually revealed the face of their previous attacker.
"You!?" Naruto shouted as he got a good look at his opponent's face. Although his face was bloodied and swollen, Naruto could still recognize the features of the boy he had met a few days ago in the forest.
The youth with the beaten-up face gave him a bloodied and sad smile. "I apologize for deceiving you back then. We met by chance, but I enjoyed our conversation."
"Why? Why does a guy like you serve someone like Zabuza?! Is he really the only person that is special to you?" A baffled Naruto asked as Sasuke remained calm, but deep down, he had been quite surprised by the turn of events.
Haku didn't immediately respond as his empty eyes studied the floor. "... A long time ago, I had other people that were special to me. My parents..."
The words caught the attention of the two orphans, and they listened attentively.
"I was born in Mizu no Kuni, in a small village where snow was always present. My parents worked on a farm, and we were poor, but it was enough for us. They were loving parents, and I used to be happy back then until it happened..."
"Until what happened?" Naruto asked.
Haku again fell silent and took a moment to respond as he mentally relived the events of that day. "Until my father killed my mother and then tried to kill me." Naruto and Sasuke both went wide-eyed at the revelation. "Years ago, Mizu no Kuni used to be ruled by people from clans that wielded a kekkei genkai, and every other clan stood below them. Eventually, the people from those clans began to be feared and hated by the majority of the population, and it wasn't long until they revolted. After overthrowing the reigning Mizukage, people feared that those clans would try to take back power, and thus, they started hunting them down. The greater the power, the more you are feared." She said as she turned his sight on Sasuke. "My mother had a Kekkei Genkai, and she kept hidden from my father, fearing what might happen to us. We lived happily for several years until one day, our father discovered our secret, and he killed my mother and tried to do the same with me. I was merely a child, and my abilities manifested in their own, and I killed my father." He confessed to the shocked youths.
"It was then that I realized that my existence didn't matter and I had no purpose to live. I lived in the streets without a purpose until Zabuza-Sama found me. He took me in even though he knew I was from a clan with a Kekkei Genkai. My power that everyone hated he wanted and needed. He counted on me even when everyone saw me as worthless. He made me feel needed. I was so happy. I finally found someone who valued my existence and gave me a purpose to live."
Although Sasuke could sympathize with Haku, it didn't change the fact that he was their enemy. "Do you expect us to let you go just because of your sad story? That's not going to happen."
"Not at all. Please kill me." Haku pleaded which further shocked Sasuke and Naruto. "Many people misunderstand pity with compassion and don't finish the opponent they should kill. Zabuza-Sama has no need for a weak tool like me. You guys already took away my reason to live by defeating me. Please, just kill me." He pleaded again.
"That's what you think of yourself? That you are just a tool?"
Haku gave him a small nod with a sad smile. "All shinobi are tools. Just like I'm a tool for Zabuza-Sama, you two are tools for your village."
Naruto frowned at the response. "I don't get it! There must be another way for others to accept you, even if most fear you or think of your life as worthless! I know that there is!" Naruto shouted as the fog cleared. Sasuke sparred a brief glance at the blonde as he brought out a kunai.
"You know, I knew we were similar when we met." Haku answered with a melancholic smile before he turned to Sasuke and looked him in crimson eyes that had two tomoe adorning his iris. "I'm sure you can relate too." Sasuke didn't answer as he kept his stoic face, but he couldn't lie that he did relate to him.
"Please, can either of you kill me?" Haku asked again.
"I-I can't." the blonde spoke in a defeated tone as he lowered his head.
Haku turned towards Sasuke with a tiny bit of hope in his brown eyes. "Can you?"
Sasuke gave him a solemn nod as he lifted his kunai but did so with a shaking hand.
"I see; I'll be your first kill? Forgive me for dirtying your hands with my blood..." Haku said as he closed his eyes and prepared to embrace death like an old friend.
'Why is it so hard?!' Sasuke mentally screamed. He had lost count of how many times he had envisioned himself killing Itachi in various ways; he had even dreamt of it, and no matter how many ways he killed him, it was always without hesitation or doubt. 'My body won't respond! They have prepared us for this in the academy for years!' Sasuke tried to move, but his body was frozen in place as the mist continued to lessen.
The sound of concrete breaking and deep growls caught everyone by surprise, and they turned in the direction the sounds came. It took them a couple of seconds, but as the fog continued to lessen, they could see Kakashi standing quite calmly in front of a Zabuza who had multiple ninken biting down on all of his extremities.
"Zabuza-Sama!" Haku screamed as he tried to move his heavily injured body and rushed towards his precious person's aid.
I took a second for Sasuke's body to unfreeze but when he did, he threw the kunai in hand, and his aim struck true. He hit Haku in his Achilles tendon, causing him to fall to the ground before he could reach Zabuza.
Haku looked up from the ground towards the man who had given meaning to his life. "Zabuza-Sama... please forgive me..." He begged before his consciousness failed him and his body stopped moving.
Naruto and Sasuke approached the unmoving Haku, who lay just a few meters away from Zabuza. For his part, Zabuza only stared with an unreadable expression at the body of the boy he had rescued years ago on a snowy day.
"Naruto, Sasuke, are guys all right?" Kakashi asked. He only gave them a brief glance before turning back towards Zabuza.
Naruto didn't respond as he was too busy looking down at the unmoving Haku, so it was up to Sasuke to speak.
"We are." Sasuke confirmed.
'Thank Kami.' Kakashi, though, and for the first time since the fight had begun, he relaxed but not entirely. He still had to get rid of Zabuza.
"Oh! What do we have here? Quite the unfortunate situation you find yourself in, eh Zabuza?" A high-pitched voice spoke that was unfamiliar to the members of team seven but not to Zabuza. Everyone turned towards the direction the voice came from, and they spotted a man of diminutive stature with shaggy brown hair who wore a black suit and dark shades. Behind him, a multitude of around forty men stood with all kinds of weapons drawn.
"Gatō? What are you doing here? And why did you bring your henchmen?" Zabuza questioned as Kakashi's ninken continued to bite down on his flesh.
"Hehe. I'm changing my strategy you see. Since hiring competent regular shinobi is quite expensive, as you know, I hire nukenin like you to cut down on expenses. It would have been better if those Konoha idiots and you two managed to kill each other off, but apparently, only the idiot there seemed to have died. However, you look quite close to joining him. Pathetic! And they call you Kirigakure no kijin." Gatō said before laughing loudly.
"Kakashi, I apologize but our fight ends here. As long as my reason for killing Tazuna is gone, we no longer need to fight. Release the ninken. I'll show this bastard why no one betrays Kirigakure no kijin."
Kakashi eyed Zabuza and analyzed him, looking for any signs of deception, but he found none. The copy ninja made a signal with his hand, and the dogs obeyed and released Zabuza from their jaws and walked next to their owner, where they stood guard.
Zabuza nodded his thanks to Kakashi before picking his kubikiribōchō with both hands and glaring at Gatō and his crowd of henchmen. Although tired and slightly injured, a band of henchmen was no match for an elite shinobi like Zabuza. The nukenin ripped the cloth that covered his teeth and grinned wickedly at them before he launched himself in their direction.
The scene that followed was a bloody and savage massacre. Zabuza cut through the multitude with ease and the precision of an experience of a master swordsman. The scene was so brutal that Naruto had to look away from the carnage, but Sasuke forced himself to watch as the henchmen lost limbs and heads or were cut in half by the massive blade. It didn't take long for the bloodbath to end; mere seconds after it had begun, only Gatō and a Zabuza, which was painted crimson from head to toe, stood.
"I-I w-will do-double your p-pay! No! Tr-triple your p-pay! Women! I c-can get you a-any woman you p-please! Wh-whatever it is! P-please, s-spare me!" a scarred Gatō squirmed on the ground as he begged Zabuza for his life.
Zabuza simply stared at him with a vicious grin. Only his teeth weren't covered in blood.
"You don't make deals with the devil and get to betray him, Gatō."
With that, Zabuza lifted kubikiribōchō before he brought it down and ended the life of one of the wealthiest men in the world.
After sending Gatō to hell, Zabuza sheathed his sword on his back and walked towards Haku's body. As he approached, the ninken started growling, and both Naruto and Sasuke brought their guards up. Still, Zabuza didn't pay them any mind. Wordlessly, he kneeled next to Haku and inspected his injuries and vitals. He confirmed that although severely injured and burnt, the boy still lived. He carefully picked up the unconscious Haku.
"You don't deserve him!" Naruto shouted as he glared at Zabuza's blood-covered back. Zabuza stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to face Naruto. "He was ready to give up his life for you and only thought of making your dreams come true while you only look at him as a tool!"
"I know." Was the only two words Naruto received in response before Zabuza vanished in a shunshin.
Kakashi let out a huge sigh, finally being able to relax. He turned to scowling Naruto and a pale-looking Sasuke. "Is everything okay?" Kakashi asked.
"I'm fine." Both preteens responded in unison.
"Sasuke-kun! Kakashi-Sensei! Naruto!" The three males heard Sakura's voice and turned to see her sprinting with Tazuna in tow.
"What happened?! Are you guys okay?! Where are Zabuza and the fake oinin?! What are these dogs doing here?" Sakura asked frantically before she saw the sea of blood that formed at the end of the bridge. "What happened there?!" Sakura screamed in horror.
"That's what's left from Gatō and his henchmen." Kakashi revealed, shocking both Tazuna and Sakura. "As for Zabuza and the other boy, they won't come back to attack Tazuna, of that I'm sure. And these are my cute little ninken." Kakashi answered each question, and when he introduced his ninken, the dogs barked in a form greeting.
"Oh thank Kami!" Tazuna said as he felt a sense of relief wash over him. "Let's get back to the house so you guys can rest. I can work on the bridge another day and after someone cleans that mess."
Kakashi nodded, and they all started walking back toward Tazuna's house to get a well-deserved rest. As they walked through the bridge, Kakashi spared a glance at each of his students. Sakura had a troubled expression, Sasuke still looked pale and had a distant look on his face, and Naruto was scowling. It seemed that Kakashi would have to talk to each of his students separately. He decided the present was as good a time to start as ever and approached his closest student, Naruto.
"Is something bothering you Naruto?" Kakashi asked as he fell into step with the blonde, his ninken still loyally following behind.
Naruto turned his head to look towards his Sensei before he eyed the dogs skeptically. The blonde had learned that animals easily disliked or feared him. Why? Naruto didn't know, but if there were some dogs he didn't want to piss off, it was those.
"Mā Mā they don't bite." Kakashi said after he saw how the blonde was looking at his pack.
Naruto turned towards Kakashi and gave him a disbelieving look. Not even ten minutes ago he had seen how the ninken had completely immobilized Zabuza with the strength of their jaws alone.
"They don't bite unless I order them too." Kakashi clarified.
"I'm not much of a dog person." Naruto confessed.
"Really? But they seem to like you." Kakashi responded with an eye smile.
To prove his point, a medium-sized dog with tan fur and sunglasses approached Naruto and sniffed his hand before licking it. Naruto stared at the ninken for a couple of seconds before reluctantly patting him on the head a few times. The ninken barked in protest after Naruto petted and started licking his hand again.
"Jeez you're a clingy one." Naruto said out loud and the ninken barked in response causing the blonde to chuckle and smile before he started patting the dog again.
"See. His name is Akino" Kakashi said. "So, what's bothering you?"
Naruto's previous smile lessened ever so slightly. "Are we just tools?"
"Hmm? Come again."
"While we were fighting, Haku said that all shinobi were just tools of our village. Is that true?"
Kakashi thought about it for a second. "A shinobi shouldn't seek for the reason of their existence; what is important is to exist merely as tools, or at least that's what they say." Kakashi answered.
"And what do you think?"
"It's complicated, but in the end, we are humans too. We have feelings, dreams, and people we care for." Kakashi responded.
"And how do you deal with it when you have to do things you don't like?" Naruto asked as he recalled the fight and how he had refused to kill Haku.
"Well, I have my nindō."
"Your nindō? What is it?"
"You already heard it once." Kakashi answered but the blonde just stared at him blankly. "Those who break the rules are scum but those who abandon their comrades are worst than scum."
Recognition dawned on the blonde as he remembered that Kakashi had spoken the same words the day of the bell test. At the time he hadn't really put much thought behind the phrase since it rang hollow because of what he thought of Kakashi but hearing it now he had to admit it was different.
"I like it." Commented the blonde.
"I'm glad." Kakashi responded as a genuine smile appeared under his mask. "It helps me know if my actions are right or wrong. For example, If a comrade is injured because of my actions, then I know I went about it the wrong way or I would never sacrifice a comrade. That's why I let Zabuza go because he no longer presented a threat to us. If I had felt that letting him go put you in any kind of wouldn't have been so merciful. Does that help?"
Kakashi watched Naruto close his eyes and furrowed his brows in thought. The blonde stayed like that for nearly a minute and Kakashi never once took his sight away from him. His single eye saw how the features of his blonde students relaxed and a smile started to form just before he opened his sparkling blue eyes that were so familiar to the copy ninja.
"It does. Thank you, Kakashi-Sensei." The blonde said as he turned to meet his Sensei gaze.
Kakashi simply nodded and they both fell into silence as they walked side by side.
"I wish we hadn't left Haku with Zabuza. He didn't deserve someone like Haku when he doesn't even care about him." Naruto commented without being prompted.
"Hmm, I think he did care about him." Kakashi replied.
"What even makes you think that?" A bewildered Naruto asked.
Kakashi mentally recounted how Zabuza had suddenly started fighting sloppily after the sound of the ice mirrors crashing down was heard throughout the bridge. It wasn't that different from how he hadn't been at his best during the earlier parts of the fight due to worrying about Naruto and Sasuke. "Just a hunch."
Seeing how his hunch of leaving a clone at Tazuna's house earlier that day had not only saved Inari and Tsunami but also him and Sasuke, Naruto gave him a nod.
Kakashi replied with an eye smile before he ruffled the blonde's hair. Naruto sighed and decided to give Kakashi a pass on just this one occasion.
"Don't get used to it." The blonde muttered.
A funny and Ironic memory crossed Kakashi's mind after hearing the blonde's words. He had once told something similar to Kushina after the redhead had ruffled his hair.
Two days had passed since the bridge battle, and Kakashi had yet to talk to his two other students. He sat at the dining table by himself with his novel in his hands, but his mind was elsewhere. Sasuke was starting to concern him. The boy had been acting more antisocial than usual, and he could tell that the Uchiha hadn't slept a blink the day of the battle.
Just then, Kakashi heard a door open, and Sasuke arrived at the table seconds later. The Uchiha had bags under his eyes and had a few stitches and bandages to cover his injuries that Kakashi himself had administered.
"Good morning Sasuke." Kakashi greeted.
"Hm. Where is Naruto?" Sasuke asked. He had just awoken from a nightmare and wished the blonde hadn't noticed.
"He went for a walk." That was a small lie. He knew that Naruto had only taken yesterday off to heal and rest. But since he had already healed, he went out to train. Kakashi knew that Naruto's accelerated healing was due to the Kyubi and Uzumaki genes. However, it still surprised him to see the blonde make a full recovery so soon.
Sasuke nodded, and they remained in silence for a while. Kakashi knew that Sasuke, just like Naruto, wasn't someone to open up so he tried a more direct approach.
"What's wrong Sasuke? Something on your mind?" Kakashi asked but didn't lift his eyes from his novel.
Sasuke didn't speak for a long time, and other people might have thought that the boy didn't hear the question, but Kakashi knew better.
"I couldn't kill him." Sasuke confessed as he brought his hands together and tightened them. "I could have killed the other guy, but I froze... and Zabuza killed all those guys so easily. He didn't even seem to realize what he was doing."
'Hmm, so that's the problem. Watching Zabuza massacre all those men brought some memories for him it seems. He is probably thinking about Itachi.' Kakashi thought as he lazily flipped a page.
"Your first kill isn't easy both before and after the fact. From what you and Naruto reported, I would guess this probably happened after you escaped the mirrors and immobilized him. I'll be honest; it's easier when it happens in the middle of combat, and you don't have to decide to kill someone after they are already beaten. It gets easier with time but... You shouldn't strive to become someone who will kill anyone on a whim and feel no remorse."
Sasuke took in Kakashi's words and nodded. It was a rather somber and morbid conversation to have before breakfast. Still, it seemed to be just what Sasuke needed.
Kakashi sat down in the dock near Tazuna's house after dinner. The full moon gifted Kakashi enough light to enjoy his favorite pastime while the soothing sound of the sea kept him company. These were the moments Kakashi enjoyed. This was peace. This was life.
"Kakashi-Sensei?" he heard Sakura's voice.
'I was really enjoying this.' A disappointed Kakashi thought before he spoke without turning. "Sakura, what can I help with?"
"Mmm... you see... I wanted to talk to you about something..." Sakura said in a timid voice.
Kakashi let out a minuscule sigh, closed his book, and turned towards the kunoichi. 'Well, I might as well use this time to talk to her.'
"What is it Sakura? Is something the matter?"
Sakura looked down with slumped shoulders. "Do you think I can be a good kunoichi?"
"Huh? I think you are a talented kunoichi with much room to grow." Kakashi replied. "Why?"
"... Is just that..."
"You know you can talk to me, Sakura. Don't be shy." Kakashi encouraged.
"It's just that you said that Sasuke and Naruto would be the strongest duo in Konoha and I..." Sasuke looked down as his eyes became wet.
'Oh...' Kakashi realized how Sakura might have taken the absence of her name in the comment. An uncomfortable silence fell between teacher and student as Kakashi thought about how to respond.
"I can still hear them screaming, you know." Sakura said quietly after a few moments. "Although I know they are alright, I still can hear Sasuke-kun and Naruto screaming as if they were trapped and fighting that guy again. I-I couldn't do anything to h-help them." Sakura's voice broke as she began to sob.
Kakashi stood awkwardly in front of Sakura, not knowing how to comfort her.
"I'm so useless." Sakura chuckled in a self-deprecating way as a few tears streamed down her face. "I used to think I was so smart and that I would be a great kunoichi when I was back in the academy... but in the end, I ranked below Hinata and Ino. I tried telling myself that it only happened because they had clans to help them train, but then I got paired with Naruto... He is not a genius like Sasuke-kun, belongs to any clan, and has anyone to teach him besides you. He had everything against him, and he still is way more advanced than me.
After hearing her open up and tell him about her insecurities, Kakashi put a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulders. "The skills of a shinobi aren't gifted through lineage. I can't speak for your other classmates in the academy, but Sasuke and Naruto have worked hard to get where they are, regardless of how special both of them are. I apologize if my words made you think that I don't value highly of your abilities, but I do."
"D-do you think you could help m-me get stronger? I just don't want to be in the same situation ever again." Sakura asked as she sniffed.
"I will help you." Kakashi said with an eye smile. "It will have to wait until we return to the village, but in the meantime, you can use this free time to train like Naruto."
Sakura gave him a small nod as she wiped the few remaining tears. "Thank you so much Sensei."
"Mā Mā, no need to thank me. Now, get some rest so you can train tomorrow." Kakashi said as he patted Sakura's shoulder.
"Hai Sensei!" Sakura said, then gave him a polite bow before she turned and walked back into the house. The copy ninja observed the retreating figure of Sakura for a couple of seconds before he opened his book. For some reason, Kakashi felt quite proud of himself at the moment. 'Is not so bad to be a Sensei after all.' Kakashi mused to himself before he dislodged his eye from his novel and turned to look towards the bright moon that floated beautifully in the starry sky.
"Is this how you felt, Sensei?"
Author's notes:
Well, that was my take on the wave arc. Hope you like it! It was a bit tough to write the fight because of how Kurama's chakra didn't show but overall I think it's realistic and well done. This is my first major scene so please comment and review to see what I can improve upon in writing fighting scenes.
Special thanks to MN306 for betaing and to Isaac_schraeder for giving me ideas to write the fight scene. Thanks to Freedomringer, Sixthdragneel, HurZysn, Jonathan Cardoza Sanchez, Skoomah881, and mj906brunswick for leaving comments.
See you in a week guys! Have a good one!
