Chapter 5:

"So, run it by me again." The third Hokages asked his anbu. He was currently looking at the bodies that had been left behind after Team 7 naturalized the Demon Brothers. Meizu's body was unrecognizable. You wouldn't believe the damage came from his own brother. Or at least what used to be his brother. His face was one of horror, confusion, and pain. This was clear, even if half of his face was torn off. Mutilated beyond repair. What really had his attention was the body of Gozu.

The nurse conducting the autopsy stood at attention. "Well, Hokage-sama, according to our reports, this one died of asphyxiation due to an unknown factor before our team showed up on sight. The damage the body sustained seems to be self-inflicted, perhaps when he broke from his restraints to attack the other. The only damage I could see that was done to them by someone else is the brusing around the neck and 2 entry wounds from where Cat and Birds kunais met. Which lines up with Kakashi's story of knocking them out via headlock. Along with the anbu reports of them landing their marks." Her tone was absolutel and firm. She didn't know what caused this.. transformation, but she knew that it wasn't something to take lightly. "I see. Who else is aware of this situation?" Hiruzen asked. "As of now, the 2 anbu that retrived the bodies and the doctors and nurses that helped with the autopsy." He needed to keep this as quiet as possible. Didn't need the villagers to start panicking about a new disease. At least, that's what he hoped. He hadn't heard of anything like this happening except for...

"I want you to clear everyone out of this room until further notice. Not a word to this to anyone. I'm going to need the files your team acquired and do not let anyone in here who hasn't been authorized by me." He brought up his hand, summoning his personal gaurds. "Bring me Fugaku and Hisashi. Tell them their presence is required here immediately!"

He was on high alert. His eyes darted from one end to the other, looking for enemy movement. His ears twitched with every sound he heard. What sounded like a pop, followed by a rustle in a bush, was all he needed to hear before he threw his kunai quickly through the air.

*splat, thud*

He had hit his mark. Going over to retrieve his kunai, he was rewarded with his prize. A small rat. "NARUTO! YOU ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!" Yelled our lovely cherry blossom. "Yeah, what gives brat! I'm already being targeted by Gato. I don't need you of all people giving me a heart attack!" yelled Tazuna. Naruto cringed when he saw that his plan to save everyone from an attack failed. Miserably. "Uh, sorry, Sakura-chan, I was just making sure you were safe!" He said, holding his head up high. He totally salvaged the situation. "Is it that, or the fact that you froze up and are trying to redeem himself." His best friend said with amusement in her voice. She had seen this coming a mile away. Naruto always needed to prove himself when he felt he's let people down, or in this case, made a fool of himself and was trying to make up for it. "What!? No! That's totally not the reason at all, " he said indignantly. He pouted before he let out a sigh, "Yeah, I was." He dropped it quickly. Both of them knew him too well for him to be able to get away with.Pulling the kunai out of the tree and the rat, he noticed its corpse. The rat looked rough, it had some bald patches of fur, it's teeth looked sharper than usual, the left hindleg was pure bone at this point, and it's tail was hanging on by a tendon. Now, Naruto may not be the brightest tool in the shed. He knew the kunai didn't do all of that damage. He just split its head open in two. Even then, that looked odd since the head seemed to be missing chunks of flesh. Its left eye was missing entirely! 'There's no way this thing was alive. So what made that rustling?' Naruto thought to himself. "Did you even hit anything?" Kakashi finally said something. Although he didn't seem to care. He just kept reading his book. "Yeah, it was just a rat." He replied, not wanting to worry his team. Maybe he was wrong about-

*thwip thunk*

Another kunai was thrown. Quickly, followed by the sound of loud hollow thud. "Naruto! You just gave us a scare trying to be a hero!" Sakura scolded Naruto after dropping her knuckle on his head. "Wuagh, come on, Sakura, I swear someone was right there!" A white rabbit jumped out the bushes running for its life. Its left ear had been grazed by the kunai. Satsuki whistled as they watched it run. "Well, that's 2 out of 2 so far. How many more small mammals can Naruto kill?" The Uchiha said with an amused with a smile. Neither of the noticed Kakashi stared very hard at the white rabbit. The WHITE rabbit in the middle of spring! 'It's been raised indoors!'

"EVERYONE HIT THE DECK!" he shouted and tackled the client towards the ground. Naruto pushed both girls out the way before throwing himself down as well. Nearly losing his head to a giant looking meat cleaver that had been spinning towards him! Cutting off a few strands of hair, the blade lodged itself into a tree. Before anyone could react, a tall, musclar man landed on the handle of the blade. His skin was pale, and his black hair was short and spiky. His brown eyes glared down at the 5 of them. He wore his forehead protector sideways, and his lower face was covered in bandages as a for of mask. He didn't wear a shirt. Just light gray cargo pants along with camouflage arm and leg warmers. "Ah, 'Kakashi of the Sharingan.' I can see why the Demon Brothers lost. Hehe, they never had a chance." His voice sent chills up the spines of the genin. Tazuna couldn't move due to fear. The glare that the man was giving him promised death.

"Zabuza Momochi, 'Demon of the Hidden Mist.' I'm surprised to see the likes of you here." Kakashi replied. "Ohohoho, so the great, Sharigan no Kakashi, knows of me I'm honored!" Naruto looked over to Satsuki, who nodded her head. 'So he's the outsider who got to keep the eye. I wonder why Father allowed that? The Sharigan is supposed to be the Uchiha's bloodright.' She thought to herself. She was hoping Kakashi would be willing to answer a few questions. "Yes, well, your little duo wasn't really in the best of shape. My genin were able to handle them." He said cheerfully, as if a battle between life and death wasn't imminent. Zabuza pondered this information for a bit. "So there were side effects." He mumbled to himself. "Ah, well, you win some, you lose some." He said out loud, shrugging his shoulders. There is no use on dwelling on it now. I just need to complete the job and get the money.

"Hand over the bridge builder, and nobody gets hurt." All of them got into a defensive position around Tazuna. Kakashi was reaching for his headband. His precious book was put away replaced with a kunai. He lifted up his hitai-ate to reavel his eye. Its iris was red, and the pupil was surrounded by 3 tomoes slowly spinning around it. The Sharigan. "Aww, I get to see what made you the copy nin so soon? Good to know I'm that much of a threat." The demon of the mist chuckled. He jumped off the tree, pulling his blade off of it. Landing on the nearby lake. "He's standing on the lake!" Were the shared thoughts of the 4 behind Kakashi. Zabuza used 2 hand signs. "Ninja art: Hidden Mist Jutsu." The mist started to blanket the area slowly. "He disappeared!" pointed out Naruto. "I'll be his first target," he said, stepping forward. "Who is this guy Kakashi-sensi?" Sakura asked. "Zabuza Momochi is.. was the ex-leader of the Hidden Mist assassination unit. A master of the Silent Kill Technique. He's able to pinpoint where you are by the slightest sound. It's also said to happen so quietly and instantaneously that you pass on without ever realizing what happened to you." This put everyone on edge, and then he continued. "Well, we'll only lose our lives if we fail." He said nonchalantly. "Don't say that!""Eight points: Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Which shall be my kill point?" His voice echoed through the air. It was impossible to tell which direction the voice was coming from. Kakashi made a hand sign before his chakra flared, clearing the mist up a bit. He was able to make out his team surround Tazuna now. Satsuki caught his attention. 'Th-this is insane! The bloodlust, the intent to kill, is unbearable.' The kunai in her grip started shaking slowly. 'Is this what to jonin fighting to the death feels like? I-I can't take this. I feel I'm being choked! I-I would rather die than keep feeling like this!' She now held he kunai with both ends. Its tip pointed inwards. "Satsuki! Pull it together, and I'll keep you safe. I won't let my comrades die. Trust me, I'll protect you with my life."

Suddenly, Zabuza appeared in between the genin. "It's over." they turned back to Tazuna in shock as Zabuza was now in the middle of the 4 of them. I'm going for a swing to cleave everyone around him in two. He was suddenly impaled in the chest. Just as quickly he appeared, so had Kakashi. Tackling the man while shoving a kunai into his heart. Tazuna and the genin jumped away as the wound shot out water instead of blood. Nothing but a water clone. "BOO!" Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi. He enormous blade went straight to the Kakashi. Kakashi, too, turned into water. 'So he was able to copy me? Even in the mist?' Hehe, should've known the Copy Ninja wouldn't have a problem with that.' Suddenly, a blade was put to his neck. "NOW, it's over." Kakashi replied seriously. Zabuza chuckled. "Ohoho, now this ought to be a good time."

*static*

"Ah, now this is an interesting turn of events. Seems we did affect this world after all. Wonderful, the sn- *static* -er falls deeper into his research slowly discovering our world. He will be of great use to us.

*static*

So I have finished the 5 chapters I've had a rough draft about. I'm currently rewatching EruptionFangs video (I can't recommend that video enough, even if it's 7 hours) and Naruto for both a refresher of both stories and ideas to use in mine. As of now, im not sure if I plan to uses other charcters from the Aether story, or just the The Shadow Man and Dr. Monty and their respective factions. Thanks again for giving my story a chance. I'll try to make regular updates and keep everyone who is interested in the story updated.