Chapter 7 - Demon in the Mist

"In the mists of Wave, a demon falls... and a monster rises from the bloody tide."

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. "Naruto" and all related characters, settings, and concepts are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and respective companies. This story is written by a fan, for fans, with no financial gain.

Summary: Minato seals the entire Kyuubi into Naruto, resulting in a Naruto who from the moment of his conception is infused with Kyuubi Chakra, and the day of hs birth the beast is sealed within him using a seal that allows Kyuubi to keep feeding the boy his chakra, changing him, making him part bijuu from birth. Naruto possesses immense power, including a chakra skeleton and natural shape-shifting abilities, but struggles with control and acceptance. Trained by Kakashi, Yamato, and Danzo from a young age, Naruto enters the Academy hoping to prove he's more than just a living weapon.

The morning sun filtered through the large windows of the Hokage's office, casting a warm glow across the room. Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk, puffing contentedly on his pipe as he surveyed the four figures standing before him.

Jiraiya, the legendary Toad Sage, stood tall and proud, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His wild white hair was tied back in a ponytail, and his dark eyes glinted with a mixture of amusement and determination.

Beside him, his genin team stood at attention, their faces alight with excitement and anticipation.

Uzumaki Naruto, the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, was practically vibrating with energy. His blond hair was as unruly as ever, and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. He wore his signature outfit - a deep crimson mesh bodysuit that hugged his lean frame, over which he donned a sleeveless charcoal gray bomber jacket emblazoned with a stylized Kyūbi on the back. Loose black hakama pants completed the look, tied just below his knees for ease of movement.

Hyūga Hinata, heiress to the Byakugan, stood to Naruto's right, her hands clasped demurely in front of her. Her dark hair was cut in a neat bob, framing her delicate features. Her pale lavender eyes were downcast, but there was a hint of determination in the set of her jaw.

Aburame Shino, the young prodigy of the insect-using clan, rounded out the team. His face was largely obscured by his high collar and dark glasses, but his posture was alert and ready.

Hiruzen took a long draw from his pipe, savoring the rich tobacco before exhaling a plume of smoke. "Jiraiya," he greeted, his voice a deep rumble. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Jiraiya grinned, his teeth flashing white in his tanned face. "Hokage-sama," he said, his tone respectful but with an undercurrent of excitement. "I'm here to petition for a C-rank mission for my team. They've been training hard, and I believe they're ready for a bigger challenge."

Hiruzen's eyebrows rose, a hint of surprise crossing his weathered features. "A C-rank? Already? It's only been a month since they graduated."

Jiraiya nodded, his grin widening. "I know it's unusual, but trust me, these kids are something special. Their teamwork is top-notch, and they've got the skills to back it up. Naruto here could probably take on a B-rank by himself, with that crazy healing factor of his."

Naruto puffed up his chest, a proud grin splitting his face. Hinata glanced at him, a small smile tugging at her lips, while Shino merely adjusted his glasses.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, considering. He knew Jiraiya wasn't one for idle boasts - if he said his team was ready, then they likely were. And with Jiraiya himself along for the ride...

"Very well," the Hokage said at last, reaching for a scroll on his desk. "As it happens, I have a C-rank escort mission that just came in. A bridge builder from Wave Country, Tazuna, has requested protection on his journey home and until he completes his project."

He tossed the scroll to Jiraiya, who caught it deftly. "Send him in," Hiruzen called to the chunin at the door.

A moment later, the door swung open, and a man staggered in, the scent of cheap sake preceding him. He was old, with a thick grey beard and a weathered face lined with age and hard living. He wore a straw hat and a simple brown tunic, and a large pack was slung over his shoulder.

"What's this?" the man slurred, his bleary eyes taking in the gathered shinobi. "I asked for protection, not a bunch of snot-nosed brats!"

Naruto bristled, his hands clenching into fists. Hinata's eyes widened, a blush staining her cheeks. Even Shino seemed to stiffen, a faint buzzing emanating from beneath his collar.

But before any of them could react, a booming laugh filled the room. Jiraiya was wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Oh, that's rich!" the Sannin chortled. "Listen here, old man. These 'brats' are some of the finest genin I've ever trained. And me? I'm the Legendary Toad Sage, Jiraiya the Gallant!"

Tazuna's eyes widened, a glimmer of recognition sparking in their depths. "Jiraiya? As in, the author of Icha Icha?"

Jiraiya preened, puffing out his chest. "The very same! And let me tell you, these kids are almost as impressive as my literary genius. Especially Naruto here - kid's practically immortal, from what I've seen."

All eyes turned to Naruto, who shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "I mean, I haven't exactly tested the limits of how much damage I can take," he admitted. "And honestly, I'd rather not find out."

Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head as he began to pack his pipe. "Well, there you have it, Tazuna-san. The best team for the job, led by one of the most powerful shinobi in the world. I'd say you're in good hands."

Tazuna still looked skeptical, but there was a calculating gleam in his eye as he looked at Jiraiya. "Well, if the famous Jiraiya vouches for them... I suppose they'll do."

Jiraiya clapped his hands, a gleeful grin on his face. "Excellent! Team, go pack for a few weeks on the road. We'll meet at the main gate in one hour."

As the genin filed out, chattering excitedly amongst themselves, Tazuna sidled up to Jiraiya, a conspiratorial look on his face.

"So, Jiraiya-sama," he said, his voice oily with false flattery. "About your books..."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smirk on his lips as he led the bridge builder out of the office. Their voices faded as the door swung shut behind them.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, puffing contentedly on his pipe. "Never a dull moment," he mused to himself, a fond smile playing about his lips. "Good luck, Team 7. Something tells me you're going to need it."

The road to Wave Country stretched out before Team 7, a winding dirt path flanked by lush forests and rolling hills. The sun was high in the sky, casting dappled shadows through the leaves and onto the backs of the travelers.

At the head of the group, Tazuna walked beside Jiraiya, a bottle of sake passing between them. The bridge builder seemed to have warmed up to the Sannin considerably, and was now engaged in a lively discussion about Jiraiya's literary works.

"I must say, Jiraiya-sama," Tazuna said, his words slightly slurred from the alcohol. "Your books are a true masterpiece. The depth of character, the intricacy of the plot... and of course, the steamy romance!" He let out a bawdy laugh, elbowing Jiraiya in the ribs.

Jiraiya guffawed, taking a swig from the bottle before passing it back. "Well, I do pride myself on my attention to detail," he said with a wink. "Research is very important in my line of work."

Behind them, the three genin walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Naruto had his hands laced behind his head, his eyes half-lidded as he enjoyed the warm breeze on his face. Shino was as stoic as ever, his hands tucked into his pockets as his kikaichū buzzed softly beneath his skin.

But Hinata... Hinata was frowning, her pale eyes fixed on the back of her sensei's head. There was a slight furrow between her brows, and her lips were pressed together in a thin line.

"Does anyone else think we might not be taking this as seriously as we should?" she asked, her melodic voice twinged with a tone they'd hardly ever heard from her, annoyance.

Naruto cocked his head to the side at the unexpected question from Hinata, glancing at the two grown men in front merrily trading swigs of Sake as they continued their walk.

"Yeah, I kinda get what you mean, Hinata-chan..." he agreed as the furrow in her brow grew deeper, her sensibilities from being raised in the highly formal and traditional Hyuuga clan making this lax behavior from Jiraiya and Tazuna bothersome.

"I don't think Jiraiya-sensei is properly representing Konoha right now," she stated as firmly as her soft voice could manage, which still caused Naruto's eyes to widen slightly as his eyebrows lifted. Hinata, the shy wallflower... calling out their sensei's behavior?

The whiskered jinchūriki could only nod in agreement, though a small amused smile was tugging at the corner of his lips as he watched Hinata take a few quicker steps to close the distance with Jiraiya, clearing her throat and speaking up to get his attention.

"Jiraiya-sensei, forgive me for saying this but... I don't believe you're setting the best example as a representative of our village at the moment. What if we were to encounter trouble and your senses were... dulled?"

Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh, waving off Hinata's concerns with a large, calloused hand. "Ah, don't worry about it, Hinata! I can hold my liquor better than most. Besides, you three are more than capable of handling anything that comes our way. It's just a C-rank, after all!"

Hinata's frown deepened, but she said nothing more, falling back in step with her teammates. Naruto and Shino shared a glance, a silent communication passing between them. They trusted their sensei, but Hinata's worries weren't unfounded.

Just as a collective sigh was about to pass through the genin at Jiraiya's dismissal of Hinata's valid concerns, their senses simultaneously perked up. Shino's kikaichū began to buzz more insistently, Hinata's Byakugan tingled at the edge of her awareness, and Naruto's nose twitched, catching a scent that didn't belong.

His sharp blue eyes flickered to the side of the road, where two innocuous puddles lay glistening in the sun. Puddles, on a dry day like this, when it hadn't rained in weeks? His instincts screamed trap.

Naruto signaled to his team with a subtle hand gesture, a code they'd developed during their training. _Play it cool. Potential threats ahead._ Shino and Hinata gave imperceptible nods, their postures shifting subtly into readiness.

As they drew level with the puddles, Naruto acted. With a speed that belied his relaxed demeanor, a thin, whip-like tendril of his corrosive red chakra lashed out from his fingertip, piercing the surface of each puddle in quick succession.

There was a moment of stillness. Then, the puddles erupted, two figures bursting forth with agonized screams. They were shinobi, that much was clear from their garb and hitai-ate, but their features were twisted in pain, their skin blistering and smoking where Naruto's chakra had made contact.

But Team 7 wasn't finished. As the two ninja staggered forward, Shino's bugs swarmed forth, encasing them in a writhing, buzzing cocoon. At the same time, Hinata darted forward, her Byakugan blazing, and with a few precise strikes, sealed the tenketsu points on their arms and legs, causing them to crumple to the ground, paralyzed.

Jiraiya let out a low whistle, his eyes sparkling with pride even as Tazuna gaped in open-mouthed shock. "See? What did I tell you? My team can handle a couple of chūnin, no problem."

The Sannin strode forward, crouching down next to one of the prone shinobi. "Gōzu, right? Of the Demon Brothers? What are scoundrels like you doing on this fine day in the thrilling Land of Waves?"

Gōzu spat at Jiraiya's feet, his eyes burning with hatred even as his body twitched and spasmed from Naruto's chakra. "Fuck you," he hissed, his voice laced with pain.

Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Now, now, let's be civil. Maybe you can't tell, but I've got a bit of a problem on my hands. My cute little genin are upset I gave them a boring mission... and on top of that, you yahoos disturbed my conversation about the finer points of sensual literature."

With a few quick hand signs, Jiraiya summoned a large toad, its mottled green skin glistening with mucus. The creature let out a guttural croak, its bulbous eyes fixing on the fallen ninja.

"Here's what's going to happen," Jiraiya said conversationally, as if discussing the weather. "You're going to tell me who you're working for and why you're after the old drunk here. If you don't..." He gestured to the toad, which opened its mouth wide, revealing rows of sharp, pointed teeth. "My friend here will eat your brother. Slowly."

Gōzu's eyes widened, darting to his brother's prone form. But his jaw clenched, a vein throbbing in his temple. "Go to hell," he ground out.

Jiraiya shrugged, a 'what can you do?' expression on his face. "Okay then. Snacks for you," he nodded towards the toad.

As the amphibian began to drag itself towards Meizu, the fallen shinobi began to thrash and scream, his voice high and desperate. "No! No, wait! I'll talk, I'll talk!"

But his cries turned into howls of agony as Naruto's chakra arms snaked out, wrapping around his limbs and holding him in place. The jinchūriki's face was impassive, but there was a tightness around his eyes, a grim set to his mouth.

Jiraiya held up a hand, and the toad paused, Meizu's leg halfway into its mouth. "Well?" the Sannin prompted.

"Alright, alright! I'll talk!" Gōzu screamed, his voice cracking with desperation. "We were hired by Gatō, the shipping magnate. He's taken over Wave, bleeding the country dry with his monopoly."

Jiraiya's face remained impassive, but he nodded for the missing-nin to continue.

Gōzu swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "He hired Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, to take out the bridge builder. Tazuna's bridge is a threat to Gatō's control. If it's completed, his hold on Wave will be broken."

"And you?" Jiraiya prompted, his voice deceptively mild.

"We're... we're Zabuza's subordinates. He brought us on for extra muscle. Gatō promised a big payout - enough to set us up for life. We didn't... we didn't know you'd be here. The Legendary Sannin..." Gōzu's voice trailed off, a shudder running through his body.

"Zabuza can't be working alone," Jiraiya mused, more to himself than to Gōzu. "He's got to have at least one more high-level shinobi with him. What do you know about his other associates?"

Gōzu hesitated, his eyes darting to his brother. But a warning squeeze from Naruto's chakra arm had him talking again, his words tumbling over each other in their haste to escape.

"There's... there's a kid. Haku. Don't know much about him, but he's strong. Fast. Got some kind of ice kekkei genkai. Zabuza keeps him close, real close."

Jiraiya's eyebrows rose at that, a flicker of interest crossing his face. "Ice? In the Land of Water? How intriguing..."

He shook his head, refocusing on Gōzu. "Where are they now? When are they planning to strike?"

"I don't know, I swear!" Gōzu cried, real fear in his voice. "Zabuza doesn't tell us his plans. We were just supposed to take out the bridge builder if we saw an opening. That's all I know, I swear on my life!"

Jiraiya stared at him for a long moment, his dark eyes boring into the missing-nin's. Then he sighed, running a hand through his spiky hair.

"Fine. I believe you."

When he was finished, Gōzu slumped back, his face ashen. There was a beat of silence. Then Jiraiya stood, dusting off his hands.

"Okay, eat them both."

Hinata gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. But before she could protest, Jiraiya held up a placating hand.

"Relax, Hinata. They'll be fine. My toad will spit them back up in Konoha... probably. Ibiki will want to have a chat with them."

The Hyūga heiress still looked disturbed, but she said nothing as the toad proceeded to swallow the Demon Brothers whole, its throat bulging obscenely.

Jiraya turned to his team, his expression serious. "Alright, kids, listen up. This just went from a C-rank to an A-rank, maybe even an S-rank if we're unlucky. Zabuza Momochi is no joke - he's a master of the Silent Killing technique and he's got years of experience on you guys."

Naruto cracked his knuckles, a fierce grin on his face. "Bring it on, Ero-sennin. We can take him."

Jiraiya shot him a look, half exasperated, half proud. "It's not going to be that simple, kid. We're going to need a plan - a good one. And you're all going to have to be at the top of your game."

He glanced at Hinata and Shino, his expression softening. "If either of you want to turn back, I won't blame you. This is way above what you signed up for."

But Hinata shook her head, a determined glint in her pale eyes. "No. We started this mission, and we'll see it through. That's my nindō - my ninja way."

Shino nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I concur. Why? Because we are a team. We do not abandon each other or our mission."

Jiraiya looked at them for a long moment, something like pride shining in his eyes. Then he grinned, wide and fiercen before he rounded on Tazuna, his face thunderous. "You've got some explaining to do, old man. Lying about mission parameters, putting my team at risk... if they were anyone else, they could have died today."

Tazuna had the grace to look ashamed, his head bowed. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't..."

But Jiraiya was already moving on, his face splitting into a wide grin. "But! Lucky for you, you got the magnificent Jiraiya and his unbeatable team! With us on the job, Zabuza won't know what hit him!"

The Sannin struck a dramatic pose, his hair blowing in a nonexistent wind. Naruto rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. Hinata looked like she didn't know whether to be horrified or amused. Shino... was Shino.

As they set off once more, the mood was considerably more somber. But there was a new determination in their steps, a fire in their eyes.

They were Team 7. They were ready for anything.

The small boat cut through the misty waters of the channel, the only sound the gentle lapping of waves against the hull. Team 7 and Tazuna sat in tense silence, their eyes straining to pierce the thick fog that enveloped them.

Naruto perched on the bow, his posture alert and his nose twitching as he scented the air for any hint of danger. His chakra thrummed beneath his skin, ready to lash out at a moment's notice.

Beside him, Hinata had her Byakugan activated, the veins around her eyes bulging as she scanned their surroundings. Even with her all-seeing gaze, the mist seemed to press in on them, obscuring her vision and setting her nerves on edge.

Shino was a silent presence at the rear of the boat, his kikaichū buzzing softly beneath his skin. He had sent out a few scouting insects, but they seemed to disappear into the mist, their chakra signatures muffled and distorted.

Jiraiya sat in the center of the boat, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp and watchful. He had one hand resting casually on Tazuna's shoulder, a silent reminder of his presence and protection.

As they glided through the mist, a shape began to loom out of the gloom. At first, it was just a dark smudge on the horizon, but as they drew closer, it resolved into the towering form of a half-finished bridge, its pillars and girders stretching out over the water like the bones of some great beast.

"Whoa," Naruto breathed, his eyes wide with awe. "Tazuna-san, you built this?"

Tazuna puffed up with pride, a grin splitting his weathered face. "Damn right I did. It's going to be the pride of Wave, the key to our future."

Hinata nodded, her expression one of quiet admiration. "It's incredible, Tazuna-san. Your dedication to your people is truly inspiring."

Even Shino looked impressed, a faint hum of appreciation emanating from his collar.

Jiraiya chuckled, patting Tazuna on the back. "Not bad, old man. Not bad at all. But..." His expression sobered, his eyes hardening. "Let's keep the chatter down, eh? We're not out of the woods yet."

The genin fell silent, the weight of their situation settling over them once more. As they neared the shore, the mist seemed to thicken, wrapping around them like a clammy shroud.

They disembarked in silence, their footsteps muffled on the damp sand. Naruto took point, his nose twitching as he scented the air. There was something... off. A scent he couldn't quite place, a feeling of wrongness that set his teeth on edge.

"Guys," he murmured, his voice low and tense. "Something's not right. I can't... I can't tell what it is, but..."

"The mist," Hinata said suddenly, her Byakugan flaring. "It's laced with chakra. Someone's reinforcing it, making it denser, harder to see through."

Shino nodded, his kikaichū buzzing in agitation. "My insects are reporting the same. The chakra is diffuse, difficult to pinpoint, but it's definitely there."

Jiraiya frowned, his hand drifting towards his kunai pouch. "Stay sharp, kids. This could be - "

But before he could finish, Hinata gasped, her head snapping towards a bush in the distance. "There!" she cried, her voice shrill with alarm. "I saw a chakra flare, a substitution - and Naruto, that rabbit!"

Naruto jolted, his chakra arm lashing out on instinct. It speared through the bush, impaling a white rabbit that had been hidden within. Gut instinct guided his action before the relevance of the animal's color in relation to the season hit him

The jinchūriki's face fell, his eyes widening with horror. "Oh no, I didn't mean to - "

"Down!" Jiraiya roared, his hand clamping down on Tazuna's shoulder and dragging him to the ground.

The genin reacted instantly, hitting the dirt just as a massive sword came spinning out of the mist, its blade gleaming with deadly intent. It passed over their heads with a whisper of displaced air, before thunking into a tree trunk with a solid sounding kawunggg.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a figure emerged from the mist, landing lightly on the sword's hilt. He was tall and muscular, with skin pale as a corpse and a face half-hidden by bandages. His hitai-ate bore the symbol of Kirigakure, with a slash cut through the emblem marking his status as a missing-nin. But perhaps most unsettling were his eyes - cold and dead, like a shark's eyes, devoid of any warmth or humanity.

"Well, well," the figure said, his voice a low, guttural rasp that sent shivers down the genins' spines. "Jiraiya of the Sannin. You have got to be fucking kidding me. You're protecting the bridge builder?"

Naruto glanced at his sensei, expecting a witty retort or sarcastic quip. But Jiraiya's face was uncharacteristically serious, his eyes hard and calculating.

"Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Hidden Mist," he drawled, his tone almost casual. "Tough break for you, honestly." There was a hint of that typical Jiraiya humor but it was hardly the boisterous declaration Naruto had come to expect.

Zabuza let out a humorless chuckle, the sound like gravel scraping against stone. "I've faced worse odds. I survived fighting Yagura, after all. But today... I don't have to defeat a Sannin, I just have to complete my mission. The old man dies."

At this, Naruto felt a surge of protectiveness well up inside him, his chakra starting to bubble and hiss beneath his skin. But a warning glance from Jiraiya kept him in check. For now.

Jiraiya grinned, but there was no humor in it, all teeth and predatory gleam. "Yagura might be a tough customer, but Jiraiya the Gallant is a whole different beast. You'd be better off running while you still can." He rolled his shoulders,

"Besides, you think these kids are easy pickings?" He jerked his chin at the genin. "Underestimate them at your own peril."

Something flickered in Zabuza's eyes, there and gone too fast to decipher. But then he was moving, his hands flying through a series of seals too fast for the genin to follow. "Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique)," he intoned, his voice echoing strangely in the thickening mist.

The fog surged forward, billowing around them in a choking, blinding mass. Naruto coughed, his eyes watering as the moisture seemed to clog his throat, his nose. But even more unsettling was the sudden weight of killing intent that pressed down on them, heavy and oppressive, like a physical force.

This is it, Naruto thought, his heart pounding in his chest. It's really happening.

Beside him, he could feel Hinata and Shino tense, their own chakra flaring in response to the threat. Jiraiya was a solid presence at their backs, his posture relaxed but his eyes alert.

"Form Up" the Sannin ordered, his voice cutting through the mist like a knife. "I'll protect Tazuna. Naruto, this is what all your trainings been for, your team will support you but you're the hunter. Show the Demon of the Mist and his silent killing there's a new kid on the block."

Naruto nodded, a fierce grin splitting his face even as Zabuza's killing intent beat down on them, promising death and blood and horror. This was what he'd trained for, what he'd been made for.

He would not fail.

Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, had faced many foes in his blood-soaked career. He'd fought Kage-level shinobi, survived battles against impossible odds, even staged a coup against the tyrannical Yondaime Mizukage. But as he stood in the swirling mist, his senses straining for any hint of his prey, he began to realize that he might have bitten off more than he could chew.

His initial plan had been simple - isolate the bridge builder, take out the genin, and then deal with Jiraiya. The Sannin was a formidable opponent, to be sure, but even he would be hard-pressed to protect his charges and fight off Zabuza at the same time.

At least, that's what Zabuza had thought.

But from the moment the battle began, it became clear that these were no ordinary genin. Especially the blonde one, the kid with the whisker marks and the feral grin. Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya had called him. The name rang a distant bell, but Zabuza had no time to dwell on it as he found himself under assault from all sides.

He lashed out with Kubikiribōchō, the great cleaver carving through the mist with a whisper of displaced air. But Jiraiya was there, his hands a blur as he deflected the blade with a casual ease that was frankly insulting. The Sannin hardly seemed to move, his posture relaxed and his eyes half-lidded, but no matter how Zabuza attacked, he couldn't find an opening.

And then there was Naruto.

The kid moved like nothing Zabuza had ever seen, his body a blur of crimson chakra and inhuman speed. Chakra lashes whipped him through the mist, sending him hurtling towards Zabuza from impossible angles. Even with his finely honed instincts, Zabuza found himself hard-pressed to track the boy's movements.

When Naruto attacked, it was with a ferocity that bordered on madness. His hands, sheathed in bubbling red chakra, lashed out with claws that cut through stone and steel like paper. The air sizzled with the corrosive energy, and Zabuza could feel his skin blister and peel even through his bandages.

But the truly unnerving thing was when the boy disappeared. One moment he would be there, a blazing beacon of malevolent chakra, and the next he would be gone, vanished into the mist as if he'd never been. Even Zabuza, a master of the silent killing technique, found himself straining to detect the kid's presence.

It was maddening. Zabuza felt like he was fighting a ghost, a demon that could appear and disappear at will. And all the while, he could feel the eyes of the other two genin on him, their gazes boring into his back.

The Hyūga girl, with her all-seeing eyes, seemed to be guiding Naruto's attacks, her hands flickering through subtle signs that sent the boy hurtling towards Zabuza's blind spots. And the Aburame, with his insects, was a constant buzzing presence at the edge of Zabuza's senses, his kikaichū draining Zabuza's chakra with every passing second.

Frustration mounting, Zabuza decided to change tactics. If he couldn't get to the bridge builder, he would take out the genin first. Starting with the blonde brat.

He feinted to the left, Kubikiribōchō whistling through the air in a gleaming arc. As expected, Naruto lunged to intercept, his chakra arm extending to grab the blade.

But Zabuza was ready. With a twist of his wrist, he turned the blade, the razor edge slicing clean through the chakra limb. Naruto's arm split nearly to the shoulder, blood spraying in a crimson arc.

"Nggaaaahhh!" Naruto's cry of pain echoed through the mist, and Zabuza felt a surge of vicious satisfaction. "Not so tough now, are you, brat?" he snarled, baring his teeth in a predatory grin.

But his triumph was short-lived. Even as Zabuza tried to wrench his blade free, Naruto's severed arm twisted, the chakra limb wrapping around Kubikiribōchō in a sizzling coil. The sword, Zabuza's most prized possession, was yanked from his grasp with insulting ease.

And then the Hyūga was there, her Byakugan blazing and her hands wreathed in blue chakra. She struck like a viper, her fingers slamming into Zabuza's tenketsu with pinpoint precision.

Zabuza staggered back, his chakra pathways screaming in agony. He tried to bring up his blade to defend, but his arms wouldn't respond, his muscles twitching uselessly.

"Haku!" he roared, desperation coloring his voice. "Now!"

And then the air was filled with glittering shards of ice as Haku emerged from the mist behind him. The ice mirrored that which had formed a deadly defensive perimeter around Zabuza. But even as they fell, more seemed to materialize to take their place, an endless barrage that pushed the Hyūga away.

Zabuza felt a moment's relief, even as he stumbled back towards his young companion. But it was short-lived.

Naruto, his eyes blazing red and his teeth bared in a snarl, charged forward. With a flare of caustic red chakra, the ice senbon evaporated before they could reach him, and he paid no heed to the cuts and gashes they managed to inflict as he tore through the onslaught.

Zabuza's eyes widened as the genin pushed inexorably forward. He tried to bring his hands together for a jutsu, but his arms still wouldn't cooperate. He could feel Haku moving behind him though, preparing for emergency exfiltration as was standard procedure.

That was his last clear thought before hot agony blossomed in his chest as one of those hateful corrosive tendrils of the demonic genin's chakra punched clean through his torso. Kubikiribōchō clattered to the ground from limp fingers as the Haku completed his Shunshin, not knowing he was carrying lifeless cargo.

With the threat eliminated, Naruto finally let his guard down and promptly collapsed. Hinata and Shino rushed to his side as the boy convulsed on the ground, his body reshaping itself from the unnatural configurations it had taken during the fight back to his normal proportions. Small whimpers of pain escaped him as bones audibly snapped back into place and flesh re-knit itself.

Jiraiya strode over, sparing a moment to ensure Tazuna was unharmed before crouching down next to his students. He placed a gentle hand on Naruto's heaving shoulder as the last of the tremors subsided.

"You did good, kid," he said softly, a note of pride in his voice despite the grimness of the situation. "You all did. Taking down an A-rank missing-nin is no mean feat, even for experienced chūnin."

He glanced up at Hinata and Shino, giving them a tired but genuine grin. "Excellent teamwork, you two. Especially you, Hinata, with those Jūken strikes. I daresay Zabuza never saw them coming."

Hinata ducked her head, a faint blush staining her cheeks even as a small, pleased smile tugged at her lips. Shino merely nodded, but there was a certain satisfaction in the set of his shoulders.

Jiraiya stood, helping a shaky Naruto to his feet. "But we can't rest on our laurels just yet," he said, his tone turning serious. "Zabuza had an accomplice, and they're still out there. We need to get to Tazuna's house and regroup."

He turned to the bridge builder, who was staring at them with a mixture of awe and fear. "Lead the way, old man. And quickly, before the adrenaline wears off and these kids crash hard."

Tazuna nodded jerkily, setting off down the path at a brisk pace. Team 7 followed, Naruto leaning heavily on Jiraiya's shoulder and Hinata and Shino flanking them protectively.

The battle had been won, but the mission was far from over. And as they trudged through the slowly dissipating mist, each of them couldn't help but wonder what other challenges lay ahead on the path to Wave.

The forest was silent save for the pounding of Haku's heart as he materialized in a swirl of icy wind and chakra. His arms, still locked around Zabuza's waist from the Shunshin, trembled with exhaustion and residual fear. That had been too close, far too close. He'd felt the searing heat of the jinchūriki's chakra, seen the madness in those crimson eyes, and for a moment, he'd been sure that they were both dead.

But they had escaped. Battered and drained, but alive. Haku allowed himself a moment to breathe, to let the adrenaline fade and his racing thoughts settle. Then, gently, he lowered Zabuza to the ground, his hands already glowing with the soft green light of a diagnostic jutsu.

"Zabuza-sama," he murmured, his voice hoarse with worry and relief in equal measure. "It's okay, you're safe now. I've got you." He even allowed himself a small smile, his lips curving behind his porcelain mask. There was an ache in his heart, an unfamiliar but not unpleasant tightness in his chest. He'd done it. He'd saved Zabuza, pulled him from the jaws of death itself.

But as he ran his hands over Zabuza's chest, seeking out the worst of the injuries, that fragile warmth turned to ice in his veins.

There was no heartbeat. No rise and fall of breath, no flicker of chakra beneath that battle-scarred skin. Only stillness, silence, and a creeping, terrible cold that had nothing to do with his kekkei genkai.

"No." The word fell from numb lips, barely a whisper in the sudden roaring in his ears. "No, no, no, nonono Zabuza-sama NO!" His hands flew into a flurry of seals, chakra surging through his pathways like liquid nitrogen. He pressed his palms to Zabuza's chest, pouring everything he had into the body he'd sworn to protect, to serve until his dying breath.

But there was nothing. No response, no miracle stirring of life beneath his fingertips. Just the sickening give of cooling flesh and the glassy stare of eyes that would never see again.

Haku slumped back on his heels, his hands falling to his sides. His mask clattered to the ground, forgotten, as he stared at the corpse of the man who had been his everything. His savior. His master. His purpose.

A sound tore itself from his throat, somewhere between a sob and a scream. It echoed through the trees, raw and broken and so, so lost. Haku doubled over, his arms wrapping around himself as if to hold in the pieces of his shattered heart.

How could this have happened? Zabuza was invincible, untouchable. He was the Demon of the Hidden Mist, a legend in his own time. And Haku... Haku was his tool, his weapon. It was his duty to protect Zabuza, to ensure his dreams came true. But he had failed. He had failed and now Zabuza was gone and he was alone, alone, alone again...

But as the first wave of grief began to ebb, something else rose to take its place. A cold, crystalline rage, sharp and brittle as the ice he commanded. It filled the hollowness in his chest, froze the tears on his cheeks and turned his blood to frost in his veins.

The jinchūriki. That red chakra, sickly and corrosive, coiling around his master like a cancer. Those laugh he'd heard, the flash of sharp teeth in a feral grin. The sheer, unrestrained glee in those crimson eyes as Zabuza's blood had sprayed across the mist.

Red. All he could see was red, pulsing in time with the fury in his heart. He would have revenge. He would carve it from that monster's flesh, watch the life drain from those demon's eyes as he had watched Zabuza's fade. He would...

He would die. The thought cut through the haze of anger like a blade of ice, cold and clear and utterly certain. Even with his kekkei genkai, even with all his skill and speed and ruthless precision... he was no match for a jinchūriki. Not alone.

But he wasn't alone, was he? There was one other, one Shinobi who could help him here. One who had the power, the cunning, the utter lack of moral restraint to take on a demon host and his Sannin guardian.

Zabuza had always warned him away from that man, had gone to great lengths to keep Haku's abilities hidden from those covetous eyes. 'He'll bleed you dry,' Zabuza had said, his voice uncharacteristically grim. 'Crack open your bones and slurp out the marrow, and call it a blessing. He's mad science in a skin suit, kid. Don't ever let him get his hands on you.'

But Zabuza was gone now. And Haku... Haku needed power. He needed a miracle, a devil's bargain, a knife in the dark. He needed vengeance, craved it like a drug, like the very air in his lungs. And if the price was his blood, his body, his soul... then so be it.

Slowly, mechanically, he reached out and closed Zabuza's eyes. His fingers lingered on the cold skin, tracing the familiar contours of that face, committing every scar and line to memory. This was the last time he would touch his master with gentleness, with love. From now on, these hands would hold only weapons, would deal only death.

"I will avenge you, Zabuza-sama," Haku whispered, his voice as cold and dead as the man before him. "I will make them pay, I swear it. Your tool will not fail you again."

He stood, his movements stiff and jerky, like a puppet with half its strings cut. He looked down at Zabuza's body, at the gaping wound in his chest, the drying blood on his lips. He should bury him, a part of him thought distantly. Build him a cairn, say a prayer, shed more useless tears. But there was no time. The rot had already begun, and he had a long journey ahead.

Haku turned his back on his heart, on the cooling corpse of his Everything, and walked into the trees. There was no hesitation in his step, no tremble in his hands as they formed the sign for a shunshin.

Naruto Uzumaki would pay for what he had done. And if Haku had to sell his soul to the Devil to make it happen...

Well. That was a price he was more than willing to pay.