AN: In honor of my 100th love, Here's a longer chapter. I hope everyone enjoys. Thank you for all the loves, follows, favories, and comments. I hope you continue to enjoy your week.

The leaf Shinobu arrived at Tazuna's house. He had a daughter in her late 20s names Tsunami and an 8 year old grandson named Inari. After getting settled and setting up rotations to watch the house, Kakashi and Aoba walked outside to talk. Naruto desperately wanted to show Aoba-sensei how much he's grown since their first training session but settled himself realizing they had more important things to talk about.

Being left in charge of other shinobi was an unfamiliar concept to Naruto. Kakashi left him in charge of team 7. They sat around the table eating quietly while Shin glared at Naruto for being made the leader. Every fiber of Naruto's being told him to ignore Shin, but he knew he needed to form a relationship with him if they were going to work together.

Naruto spoke up softly.

"Hey Shin," Shin stopped glaring in between spoonfuls of his soup to look curiously in Naruto's direction.

"I remember you used a sword in our Chunin exams battle. Are you still using a blade?"

Shin paused to grin, "I'm using a nodachi now, I bet I could beat you In a sword duel." Sakura sighed at him, challenging someone to a fight.

Naruto noticed her reaction, cataloging it into his brain. Was this guy that simple? A fighting junkie eh. They say there's not a better way to get to know someone than fighting them.

Naruto gave him a smile with a nod.

"Tomorrow morning we'll spar. okay?"

Shin nodded, digging back into his soup with gusto. Naruto stifled an amused smile.

"Naruto, where did you and Kakashi-sensei go on your mission?"

Sakura asked. Naruto could see Sasuke perk up as well, though he tried to be still as possible to hide his interest.

Naruto took a moment to formulate his thoughts.

"We went to the Land of Snow."

Sakura's eyes sparkled, "That sounds so pretty!"

Tsunami, who had been sitting quietly at the table, joined the conversation with her soft and melodious voice.

"I've only seen snow once in my life. The land of waves has a warmer climate."

Sakura opened her mouth to ask another question when Sasuke spoke up.

"Who did you fight? You've grown a lot stronger in a short amount of time."

Naruto peeked around the table to see everyone staring at him interested in his story. Even Inari had stopped eating to listen to what he was going to say. Naruto stared into nothingness remembering the men he slaughtered in that brief rebellion. The men whose families he robbed of their loved ones. How could he tell them of the ease In which he grew after every encounter, every fight, every jutsu thrown, his body adapted, his brain grew and his killer instinct grew.

A voice at the edge of his conscious mind brought him back to the dining room. Naruto blinked a few times. Sakura looked at Naruto in concern, as did Sasuke, Tsunami, and Tazuna. Shin and Inari looked confused.

Tsunami spoke up with her motherly voice.

"Are you ok?"

Tazuna, who had worked with many different kinds of men, knew the look in an instant. This boy, no young man had been through war. He might even still be there.

"He's fine Tsunami."

Tsunami looked over at her father only to see him shaking his head. She looked at Naruto sadly, she leaned back into her chair listening to her father.

Naruto could sense the tension in the room.

"Thank you everyone but I'm fine." Naruto said with a smile.

Kakashi and Aoba walked in at that moment. From the contemplative look on their faces, it was a deep conversation. Kakashi noticed the tension, his eye looked around the room with a raised eyebrow.

"Did we miss something?"

"Not at all senpai. They were asking about the mission to Snow."

Kakashi hmmed to himself. Naruto focused his attention on Aoba with a large grin on his face.

"Aoba-sensei! It's been a long time."

Aoba took a seat giving Naruto a small smile and nod.

"It truly has. I hope you haven't gotten lazy."

Naruto felt an unconscious grin creep onto his face. Aoba-sensei was one of the first people to believe in him. Aoba taught him the shinobi fundamentals and helped him when he had almost lost hope in his goal.

Naruto wanted to show Aoba that his teaching had not been in vain. Naruto stood up and headed to the door.

"I'll show you how strong I've become. Lets spar!"

Aoba chuckled, mirth shining in his eyes. "I see your enthusiasm hasn't died down at all."

The rest of team 7 watched perplexed as the normally reserved Naruto started twitching in excitement. Kakashi gave a smile under his mask as he flipped a page in his book. Aoba must mean a lot to him.

"Not tonight, tomorrow we'll be splitting up the group. Half will go with Tazuna, the other half will do some training in the forest."

Naruto settled himself down.

"Okay senpai. "

Zabuza laid on a medical bed unconscious. The masked shinobi sat by his bedside with a needle and thread stitching the various deep cuts on his body, after he applied crushed herbs to the cuts on his torso and arms. Grabbing bandages, the masked shinobi wrapped the stitches taunt.

"Haku.."

Haku attempted to push him back down, keeping him from sitting up on the bed.

"Zabuza-sama, you should go back to sleep. You need to recover.."

Zabuza cursed, giving up and lying down.

"Damn that Kakashi."

The door to the room they were in slammed open. A short man with sunglasses and crazy spiky hair walked in followed by two bandit looking men with swords. They walked in with the nonchalance of someone who owned a country.

The short man mocked Zabuza's injured form.

"Awww, is the baby demon injured?"

"Gatou." Zabuza muttered.

Gatou walked closer with an arrogant sneer on his face.

"You've not only failed to kill the bridge builder but he's requested the service of Leaf shinobi." Gatou spit on the ground in front of him.

Haku gave him a murderous glare that gave the bandits behind him pause.

"I told you, Zabuza-sama needs his rest."

"Shut up, I'm paying this baby demon for a job he still hasn't completed."

Gatou walked up to Zabuza laying on his bed, he reached out to grab him when Haku grabbed Gstou's.

"Ahhhh my arm. Let go!" The two bandits drew their swords. They walked towards Haku menacingly only to pause.

"Hibiki! I can't move my feet."

"Neither can I Bonon."

They both looked down to see their feet up to their calves in ice.

Haku gave them all a chilly glare.

"I said leave or you will become a frozen statue." The ice holding them down shattered. Gatou and his bandits quickly retreated.

Zabuza relaxed his arm, it fell from under the blanket revealing a kunai. Haku gave him a chiding look.

"We can't afford to kill Gatou yet. Not with the hunter-nin closing in."

"Fine, the pig will live for now."

Haku gave him some medicine to drink, took his seat next to his bed, contemplating how they were going to finish their job.

Zabuza gave Haku a curious look as he remembered something.

"Haku, what happened at the end of the battle? You seemed desperate."

Haku took a moment to organize his thoughts about the opponent he faced.

"There was a blonde boy, he was skilled. He matched me in combat."

Zabuza's eyes widened in surprise and alarm.

"A boy was not only able to find you but match you in combat?" His voice came out rough and harsh.

Haku didn't blink at his tone.

"Yes he's a Chunin. I believe he came with Hatake Kakashi."

Zabuza leaned his head back against the bed to think. He had Aoba on the ropes, but Kakashi was a different animal, Zabuza would have to pull out every technique in his arsenal to overcome him. Now Haku was saying there was another Shinobi who could match his apprentice? That did not bode well.

"In the next battle, I'll handle Kakashi." Zabuza turned his head to stare into Haku's eyes. "Will you be able to defeat the boy?"

Zabuza could see the hesitation all over his face.

After a few moments Haku spoke softly. "At the end of our battle, that boy somehow moved faster than my mirrors could project me." Haku bowed his head ashamed. "I don't know if I could win a second encounter easily, Zabuza-sama."

Zabuza laid his head back to process everything. Another Jounin and Chunin had been included on this mission. He needed reinforcements. Haku could deal with Aoba, he had them in his back pocket to deal with the brats. Hmmm, he loved murder a lot more than he did. He would be perfect.

"Enough wallowing Haku. I need your insight to come up with a strategy to counter Kakashi."

"Understood, I am your tool, master."

The next morning Team 7, Aoba and Naruto left Tazuna's house. Kakashi gathered them in a clearing not too far from the house.

Clapping his hands, Kakashi captured everyone's attention.

"The shinobi we are facing are very skilled. Team 7 I'm going to work on advanced jutsu with you. Sakura, you will be drilled on genjutsu." Kakashi looked at her with intensity, Sakura gulped in nervousness. Kakashi-sensei was hardly ever serious."Aoba, Naruto. You two will accompany Tazuna to the bridge this week. Next week we will rotate. Understood?" Kakashi looked around at everyone's faces receiving nods.

"Good."

Aoba and Naruto escorted Tazuna to the bridge. Aoba mentally appraised Naruto. He remembered the impatient kid he was a few years ago. As he watched him, he could see Naruto taking his time to mentally take note of every detail of the path they took to the bridge, the various entrances and exits. Aoba watched as his eyes narrowed as they reached the bridge. Aoba noticed it immediately as well. There was zero cover to protect from ambushes. Naruto was definitely a Chunin, from what Kakashi had told him during their mission to Snow, he wouldn't be surprised if Naruto became a Jonin in a few years.

They escorted Tazuna to the middle of the bridge. Tazuna thanked them, then organized his workers, dividing assignments, materials and task completion time.

Aoba and Naruto hung back. Naruto sat in a meditative position. He planned on connecting himself to the natural energy in the area to discern any threats in the area.

Aoba watched him out of the corner of his eye. He furrowed his brow when he realized something strange. He was unable to sense him! He was sitting right in front of him but his enormous chakra was undetectable.

"Naruto." Aoba called out. Naruto continued to focus on his technique. He practiced it so much, it was easier to focus on it passively.

"Yes Aoba-sensei?"

"How are you concealing your chakra while actively using your sensory technique? I've worked with premier Yamanaka sensors, their weakness in being detected is why they employ their mental jutsu instead to scout."

Naruto smiled. Aoba-sensei's curiosity made Naruto proud. He was happy to explain.

"This is a technique taught to me by my summons. They focus their energy becoming one with the natural energy around us. It allows them to perceive their prey but not be perceived."

Aoba was stunned. Summons?! How?! To make contact with a summon clan was incredibly rare unless you were taken on as an apprentice.

Aoba chuckled, he only meant to ask one question and now he had hundreds. This kid was going to go far. "You truly have come a long way kid. I'm looking forward to fighting with you."

Naruto's happiness surged at his words. "I'm looking forward to it too."

It was night by the time Tazuna and his team were finished for the day. They walked back in silence, vigilant and wary from any attacks. After a tense walk they entered Tazuna's house to see everyone seated at the table having a quiet meal.

Naruto and Aoba took their seats.

Sasuke stared at Naruto, "Did the mist shinobi return?"

Naruto, his voice grim, replied to Sasuke. "No, they never entered my perimeter. We should assume Zabuza's recovering from the damage Kakashi-senpai inflicted."

Sakura turned to Kakashi in fright. "Sensei, when do you predict Zabuza will return?" Shin and Sasuke both quietly turned towards him to hear his answer.

"Anywhere from a week to two."

Sasuke clenched his fists, he was determined to show his strength in the next battle. He wouldn't lose.

Shin scoffed, "They surprised us last time. This time will be different."

"Don't be cocky Shin!" Sakura yelled angrily. "We barely made it the first time if it wasn't for Aoba-sensei and Kakashi-sensei!"

Shin narrowed his attention to her. How dare she tell him not to be cock? He knew his abilities fine. He wasn't useless.

"If you weren't so weak Kakashi-sensei wouldn't have been called to help us." Sakura flinched back as if struck. She knew she wasn't at the same level as her teammates, but she was getting better. She trained everyday now, she knew a few genjutsu and ninjutsu. Shin was her teammate, for him to say that hurt.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something when Inari spoke first.

"You shinobi have no idea what it means to have a hard life. You sit here bickering, Gato is going to kill all of you, then us."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

Sakura looked sad as Inari continued to rant about how they all had an easy life. Shin ignored the brat and continued to eat. He could care less about some random civilian child.

Naruto analyzed the kid. Everything he was saying came from the heart. Naruto felt for him, at the same time. He showed how dumb and childish he was. If they lose what would happen to his family? He didn't understand how dark the world really is.

Naruto felt compelled to speak. His life was far from good. He could understand the kid.

"Inari, shinobi fight and die on missions just like these every day. All life is difficult."

Inari's face turned red with rage. This guy was mocking him! What would he know about having a hard life with those stupid smiles he throws around.

"SHUT UP! You're the worst, throwing smiles around! Someone who suffered would never smile like you do!"

Naruto frowned, got up and headed to the door. He stopped at the door and turned his head to regard Inari.

"Do you truly understand what will happen if we lose? Gato will do much worse to you and your family then just kill them, you're a spoiled, dumbass kid for wishing the worst on your family."

Inari got up angrily running to his room.

Naruto watched him go, then opened the front door to leave.

"Where are you going, Naruto?" Kakashi asked with his book down.

"I'm heading out to train."

"Alright, don't stay out for long. The enemy could attack at any time."

Naruto nodded, leaving the house.

"I understand."

Naruto sat down in a meditative position to center his mind. The village's suffering was on his mind. He knew that what's been happening here is not a one off occurrence. The greed of the shinobi world took and gave nothing back.

Naruto let his thoughts go, slowly cycling the natural energy his body produced into every inch of his core, his chakra hummed with delight as Naruto slowly changed his chakra into natural energy, sweat accumulated on his brow. The Sarco's were experts at this, Naruto wanted to move his body like they could while employing this technique but the concentration was too taxing on his mind.

Feel that he had enough control, He stood up. The natural energy lurched at first, but it continued to successfully flow into him at a steady rate. Naruto whooped in joy, he ran through the clearing, doing backflips, front flips and testing his chakra control.

"Now to test my control over my jutsu." Naruto held up his hand above his head. Wisps of blue chakra began to rotate around his hand as a large ball rotated, it continued to grow until it was as large as Naruto. He grinned, moving to slam the rasengan into a tree when the natural energy left his body all at once, only leaving what he had converted. Naruto stumbled, the shock of losing the connection was the same feeling of losing a limb.

"Damn it." Naruto shouted, he punched the tree and it collapsed from his Sage strength. He took a breath and narrowed his focus. He would keep going until he mastered it. Naruto sat down to try again.

The sun shined on Naruto's form. He laid in the clearing, his clothes were full of dirt and leaves. A young person entered the clearing wearing a pink kimono. They noticed Naruto's sleeping form with narrowed eyes.

That's the blonde Chunin..

They kneeled down next to his form. Their minds swirled with murderous thoughts. They reached out a hand when Naruto's hand caught theirs.

The person with black hair and pink kimono spoke with a soft feminine voice.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you. Sleeping on the forest ground is bad for you, you could catch a cold."

Naruto let go of their arm as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His chakra molded immediately.

This chakra… I've felt it before

Naruto stretched his arms above his head. "I'll be fine, but thanks. Who are you?"

They smiled. "My name is Haku."

Naruto was putting his sensory technique into overdrive. He had to know who's chakra that belonged too. As his sensory technique uncovered more about Haku, he realized they had enough chakra to be a Jounin. They were not villager, yet Naruto continued the casual conversation.

Naruto was curious, "Im Naruto. It's dangerous in waves, why are you out here alone?"

"I'm collecting herbs for a friend of mine that was hurt, also I know some self defense." Haku did a simple kick with a flourish causing Naruto to chuckle. "See, I can handle myself."

Naruto nodded, "I do, my mistake. Do you want some help collecting herbs?"

"Sure." They both walked around the clearing trading small bits of information as they talked. Haku was curious, Naruto was not a shinobi seeking glory, or a naive genin. What made him tick?

"Naruto, why do you want to be strong?"

Naruto felt confused at first being asked such a question. He looked over at Haku's face and could see the earnest desire to understand his truth.

Naruto took a moment to formulate his thoughts. His voice came out low.

"At first it was to become something different than I was, then it was to protect myself from my internal fear. Now I want to be strong enough to change someone's fate."

Haku gave him an appraising look from his complicated answer.

"I believe you only become strong when you seek power for someone else's benefit."

"Hmmm, that's an interesting philosophy. I would like to try it one day."

"I'm sure you will. Thank you Naruto and until next time."

"Until next time." Naruto watched Haku, the masked shinobi that he fought leave the clearing. He was certain that's exactly who that was. They shared some deep internal motivation with him. He was unsure how to process it at all but he could feel that it brought him closer to his true self.

Naruto started heading back to the house when a man with long dark hair wielding a large sword with a scroll as a blade descended on him, Naruto quickly molded chakra, using it to reinforce his body, he flickered away.

*BOOOOM*

The impact left a crater. Naruto landed in a crouch on a tree branch, the same shinobi appeared next to him swinging his exploding scroll sword once more, Naruto reached out his hand, grabbing the weapon on the handle, he used his finger strength to throw himself to the left, the weapon hit the trunk of the tree toppling it over In an explosion.

Naruto landed on another tree. He pulled out a kunai, cursing himself for leaving Kusanagi behind.

A rough voice saturated with bloodlust chuckled.

"Not bad brat, you move well. I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Naruto spun around, the scroll sword was coming down on his head, and Naruto pulled out a fuuinjutsu-jutsu-shiki written on a piece of paper. He quickly activated it. A very light blue barrier formed that shattered when the sword hit, sending Naruto hurtling into the ground.

A whistling sound was approaching him, Naruto quickly backflipped to dodge the shuriken thrown at him.

Shit, I was barely able to infuse chakra into the barrier. What Is that sword?!

The strange shinobi fanned his sword toward Naruto sending exploding tags toward him like ninja tools. They closed off all his available areas of escape.

Naruto's eyes widened in alarm.

"Shit!"

*Poof*

*boom* *boom* *boom*

The exploding tags continued exploding for a few minutes until they fell silent and the clearing followed.

Naruto appeared in a poof of smoke under some foliage next to a Naruto gave him a thumbs up then poofed away. Naruto analyzed the enemy, the unique weapon was giving him a lot of trouble. He could try to separate him from it. Or try hit and run tactics. Either way, he needed to keep moving to not get cornered again.

Naruto made a cross seal cresting eight clones. His enemies could feel the clones being creating and grinned menacingly.

"Found you!" He swing his scroll sword sending explosive notes toward Naruto's position. A clone body flickered behind him releasing a massive fireball.

"Tch," he sheathed his sword, rapidly forming hand seals.

"Water Style: Water wall." a barrier of water surrounded him from all sides, the fireball hit the water wall, sizzling away soon after.

Naruto took a meditative position, taking deep breaths to center himself to the natural energy.

The second the water wall dropped the eight clones flickered into his guard with rasengans in their hands.

"Rasengan!" The blue orbs neared his body, he quickly pulled out his sword, holding it above his head, exploding tags danced around him exploding I'm the clones faces.

His eyebrow twitched at how close he came to a Fatal injury. He smirked with sharp shark teeth.

"Close but no dice. These Uzumaki really knew their stuff. It was worth killing them for this sword. Wouldn't you agree?" He let loose a few chuckles.

Naruto's eyes opened as rage coursed through his body. He wanted to kill this man and feed his corpse to his summons.

Naruto formed his cutting wind armor, dashing at his opponent head on.

"Aaaaahhhhh! Die bastard!" Naruto threw a kunai at his head, Scroll sword user sidestepped it, and swung his sword to throw more exploding tags.

"Rasengan!" Naruto substituted with his kuna appearing behind him, he thrust his Rasengan into his back.

"Gah!"

The explosive sword user was thrown across the clearing. He quickly stood up, fanning more exploding tags toward Naruto, who cut them into pieces as he flickered past with his cutting wind armor.

Naruto's eyes flickered red as he roared"I'll kill you!" Naruto crouched to lunge when Ice froze Naruto's wind armor, freezing him solid. Haku, the Masked shinobi appeared on a branch above their battle. He addressed Naruto's opponent disapprovingly.

"You've made too much noise, the Leaf shinobi are on their way and I do not intend on helping you fight them."

"Tch," He swung his sword, blowing up a tree. "Don't be a coward Haku."

"I am not so overconfident, I would fight both Hatake Kakashi and Genshin Aoba."

The scroll sword user frowned. "Hatake Kakashi huh?" He sheathed his sword on his back, gave Naruto a look. "You're lucky boy." They departed just as Kakashi and Aoba entered the clearing. Naruto turned red as the ice shattered. The wisps of the Kyuubi's chakra wafted off of him as his eyes roamed the clearing looking for his opponent. Naruto frowned when he realized he had departed. His mind kept repeating what he said over and over, the killer of Uzumaki.

Kakashi frowned when Naruto continued to stare off into space ignoring him. Him and Aoba surveyed the area, noticing the explosive impacts, and the scorch marks. Aoba bent down to pick up a ripped exploding note.

"Kakashi," Aoba said, handing it to him. Kakashi's frown grew deeper. He walked up to Naruto smacking him lightly across the face.

Naruto snapped to attention. "Finally paying attention? It's too open here, let's head back so you can tell us what happened here."

"Right."

"Right!"

They hopped into the trees heading back towards Tazuna's house.

Ending note:

Who is this new enemy that's appeared? What are his motives? Stay tuned for the next episode of dra- oh wait, that's not right lol.