A Twist in the Cycle

by Sunga Azul

Madara committed a grave sin. By surviving when he should have died, he disrupted the cycle of reincarnations that had been ongoing for centuries, and now Ashura has reincarnated in an Uzumaki, which could only lead to more chaos. Fūinjutsu Naruto!

5. Wave Arc - Chapter II

Wave Arc: Chapter II - Psycho Killer

"What?"

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. She must have misheard.

There was no way—no way—Kakashi-sensei had just ordered her to kill a defenseless prisoner.

Her wide eyes darted to his face, searching—begging—for some sign that this was a cruel joke, that at any moment he'd give her one of his lazy eye-smiles and call it a test.

But the jōnin's face remained unreadable, his single visible eye holding nothing but quiet expectation.

"Why?!" Her voice was higher than she intended, laced with something dangerously close to panic. "He's a prisoner—why do I have to kill him?!"

Kakashi didn't so much as blink. His voice remained calm, detached.

"We're already outside the village's perimeter. Patrols are unlikely to pass through here. We can't carry them around as prisoners. If you really want to continue this mission, prove it now."

Sakura's throat tightened. His tone left no room for argument, whether the logic made sense or not.

"But... but..." Her fingers twitched at her sides.

She was grasping for a way out, a way to counter him, but Kakashi was already losing patience.

"You have your orders, Haruno."

She flinched.

He had never called her that before. Her stomach twisted. Her legs felt rooted to the ground.

Sakura turned sharply to her teammates, hoping—praying—for support.

Naruto wouldn't even look at her. His jaw was clenched, hands balled into fists.

Sasuke, on the other hand, met her gaze head-on—impassive, unaffected. The cold indifference in his dark eyes sent a chill down her spine.

He's really going to do this.

With a shaking breath, she stepped forward and took the kunai from Kakashi's outstretched hand, fingers weak around the handle. It felt heavy, wrong, like the weight of it alone would pull her to the ground.

Before she could process anything further, a sharp motion caught her eye.

Sasuke had already moved. He stood in front of the spiky-haired nukenin, expression calm, shoulders relaxed. His kunai arced through the air in a single, swift motion—

And buried itself in the enemy's throat.

A wet, gurgling sound filled the silence. Blood gushed in thick rivulets down the man's neck. He crumpled onto his side, body twitching before stilling completely.

Sasuke withdrew the blade just as smoothly as he had plunged it in, completely unbothered by the blood splattering his hands.

Then he turned to Kakashi, wiping his kunai against his sleeve without an ounce of hesitation.

"Anything else?"

Sakura felt sick. It wasn't the body. It wasn't even the blood.

It was him.

Sasuke had moved with such precision, such ease—like it had meant nothing.

Like he had done this before.

She tore her gaze from him, bile rising in her throat.

Kakashi merely shook his head. Without a second glance, Sasuke walked away and sat on the other side of the road, methodically wiping the crimson stains from his skin.

Sakura, however, remained frozen.

Her fingers tightened around the kunai—so tight her knuckles turned white—but she still couldn't move.

She had to.

'We knew this day would come.'

'We're a shinobi. This was the job.'

'Just like in class. Just like that rabbit.'

Her feet dragged forward, every step a battle against the sheer wrongness curling in her stomach.

When she reached the kneeling nukenin, she hesitated. Her breath came too fast, too shallow.

She forced herself to lift her arm, kunai hovering inches from his throat.

Then she looked into his eyes.

There was no fear.

No pleading.

Only contempt. And something else—something she didn't want to name.

Her pulse roared in her ears. Her grip trembled.

'He's already accepted his fate. We just have to do our job.'

Ten centimeters.

Five.

One.

Her muscles locked. No matter how much she commanded her arm to move, it wouldn't.

This wasn't a target.

This was a person.

Someone with a name. A past. Maybe a family.

Her lips parted, a soft, shuddering gasp escaping before she could stop it.

The nukenin watched her struggle, something bitter curling in his smirk.

"What's wrong?" he asked, voice low. "You're not going to kill me? Aren't you a kunoichi?"

Sakura stilled. He wasn't mocking her. He was—Encouraging her. As if he wanted her to accept this as her reality. As if he wanted her to embrace the filth of this world.

Her grip trembled.

"Humph."

The nukenin let out a breath.

"I guess you're still just a little girl."

Then he moved.

Before she could react—

Before she could even breathe—

He thrust himself forward, driving his own throat onto the kunai.

The sensation was horrific.

Hot blood sprayed across her face. It dripped down her fingers, her wrist, soaking into her sleeves.

Her stomach lurched. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Her mind screamed at her to let go, but she couldn't—

She couldn't move—

She couldn't—

Her knees buckled, and the world tilted sideways—

Until a firm hand caught her.

Kakashi.

She barely processed the way his fingers curled around her shoulder, steadying her.

Her head snapped up, eyes wild, a hurricane of emotions crashing into each other.

She didn't know what she wanted to say. Didn't even know what words would come out—But her mouth moved anyway, stammering, broken:

"I-I... w-what... I-I..."

Kakashi's voice was steady when he spoke.

"Naruto-kun, take Sakura-chan to the stream down the road."

Naruto stepped forward immediately, his hands finding her shoulders.

"Sasuke-chan, keep an eye on Tazuna-san. Move at a slower pace."

There was no question. No hesitation. Just orders.

"I'll handle the bodies."

Sakura barely registered anything after that, barely felt Naruto guiding her away, barely heard anything over the pounding in her ears.

All she could feel—

All she could see—

Was the blood on her hands.

---

The sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of orange, pink, and gold. It was a breathtaking sight—one that none of them had the luxury to appreciate.

Ever since Sasuke and Sakura took their first life, an oppressive silence had settled over the group. No words were spoken, yet the weight of their emotions was impossible to ignore.

More than the quiet, it was the feeling of it that drove Naruto insane.

'How many times have I begged the heavens to take this damn ability away?'

Even though he had learned to dull the intensity, he still felt it—like an itch at the back of his neck, a constant, unrelenting reminder that his teammates were suffering.

Sasuke, despite his cold exterior, radiated an unstable mix of fear and hatred. The Uchiha would never admit it, but the kill had shaken him. It wasn't the act itself—it was the realization of how easily he had done it.

Sakura, on the other hand, was an open wound. There was no need for his ability to tell how much she was struggling. He had tried to console her earlier when they stopped by a stream, but she hadn't responded. It was as if she hadn't even heard him.

That helplessness—seeing them in pain and not being able to do anything—was what tormented him most.

It had been two months since Team Seven was formed. In that time, they had trained, fought, and laughed together. Without even realizing it, Naruto had begun to see them as friends—people he had to protect.

It had been a long time since he had felt that way.

Once, he had been a leader. First at the orphanage, then among the street kids who followed him after he was thrown out. And later, after the Hokage removed that old hag who had expelled him, he had formed a single, tight-knit group.

When he entered the academy, that admiration only grew. Kids looked up to him, calling him Aniki. But all of that had been lost. No—he had thrown it away.

'How could I face them after failing the Genin Exam?'

The pride he once held had curdled into shame, and he had cut himself off from everyone.

'Followers, friends... even her, I distanced myself from.'

Ironically, the only one who refused to leave his side was Tenten—someone he had once fought against. She had been the one to find him when he needed it most.

But even that connection weakened when she graduated. She was too busy with her team and duties to spend time with him, and so, once again, he was alone.

And that was why this hurt so damn much.

'I don't want to be alone anymore.'

Naruto clenched his fists. He had to be strong. He was older than them. He had been through this before. It was his duty to help them.

'But how?'

Words alone wouldn't be enough. He needed to do something. There was one thing he could do, but...

'Dammit, I thought I'd left all that crap behind with Mizuki. And now, when I finally have a chance to help, I can't even talk about it…'

As Naruto wrestled with his thoughts, Kakashi was dealing with his own struggle.

'Sakura took this worse than I expected…'

Without Naruto's ability, Kakashi could only assume Sasuke was handling things well enough. The boy had that Uchiha pride, after all. But Sakura—she was a different matter entirely.

He had expected this. Hell, it was half the reason he had forced them into this situation in the first place. Of the three, Sakura still had the thickest civilian shell, and the longer it remained intact, the greater the risk it posed to her—and to the team.

If things played out the way he suspected, there was a high chance the kids would have to fight again before they reached Nami. And if anyone hesitated, someone would die.

It had to happen now, when he was still here to control the fallout.

Their ambush today meant it would be at least four days before another attack—maybe longer, if they were lucky. That gave him time. Time to help them process what had happened before they were forced into it again.

The problem was...

'How I do that?'

Kakashi had always been hailed as a genius, but being a shinobi had never been a struggle for him. That disconnect made it difficult to pass his knowledge to others. His first Genin team had been proof of that.

He had simply thrown things at them, expecting them to figure it out on their own. When one succeeded, he moved on, assuming competition would push the others to improve. But he had never addressed the underlying problems.

That neglect had festered, and the first time real pressure was applied, the team had collapsed under it.

It was no surprise that they hadn't even made it past the first stage of the Chūnin Exams.

'But this time… things are different.'

Team Seven—this Team Seven—was worse in many ways. All three had their own demons, and if left unchecked, those demons would destroy them.

That was why he had taken a different approach. He had reflected on his failures, tried to correct them.

But knowing what he had to do didn't mean he knew how to do it.

He sighed. It's times like these that I miss you the most, Sensei.

His lone eye flicked upward, watching as the last of the daylight faded. Then, he made his decision.

Kakashi came to a halt and turned to face his team.

"That's it. We're camping here tonight."

It was a large plain of low grass with a single old tree in the middle, contrasting with the forest on the other side of the road.

The two traumatized Genin barely reacted.

Tazuna, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to thank the gods themselves. He had been waiting for them to stop for hours but hadn't dared to suggest it. Given the current mood, he was more than aware of how much he depended on these kids.

Naruto, meanwhile, wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or frustrated. He needed to talk to his teammates, but he still hadn't figured out the right way to do it.

'Oh, screw it. When have I ever figured things out ahead of time?'

Resolved, he turned his focus back to the group just as Kakashi spoke again.

The Jōnin's eye flicked between his students. 'Which one should I start with?'

'Sasuke looked fine, but that was probably just a facade.'

'Sakura, on the other hand… she was the most fragile right now. But if he handled this wrong, it could push her further into the abyss instead of pulling her out of it.'

'And then there was the situation with Naruto.'

Kakashi sighed internally. Alright, easiest one first.

"Sakura, set up the camp," he ordered. "Sasuke, place traps around the perimeter. Tazuna-san, stay within sight of these two."

He turned toward the redhead.

"Naruto and I will go hunt something."

Naruto's jaw nearly hit the ground.

Not because Kakashi wanted him to go hunting—he had been saddling him with that duty every night since they left Konoha—but because he wasn't using this time to talk to Sasuke or Sakura.

'What the hell is this, Kakashi-sensei?! You spend the whole day doing nothing, and now you suddenly want alone time with me?! What the hell are you thinking?!'

Annoyance bubbled inside him, but he had no choice but to follow his sensei into the dense woods flanking the other side of the road.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The forest was alive with the quiet rustling of leaves and distant chirping of birds, but between them, the silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions. Naruto shot his sensei a glare sharp enough to cut steel, waiting for an explanation.

It never came.

Kakashi walked at his usual unhurried pace, hands in his pockets, as if they were simply out for a casual stroll.

Naruto wasn't the patient type. He never had been. So, naturally, it was him who cracked first.

"Spit it out already, Kakashi-sensei! Why am I here instead of Sasuke or Sakura?"

Kakashi sighed, stopping mid-step before finally turning to face him. "I wanted to talk after we caught something, but since you're so eager…" His single eye met Naruto's. "How did you really notice those nukenin earlier?"

Naruto blinked.

"Wait—what?"

It took a second for his brain to catch up to what Kakashi had just said. It wasn't that he had forgotten about it—far from it. But with everything that had happened, his teammates' struggles had taken priority in his mind.

'Of course, he'd notice something was off...'

Still, of course, Kakashi hadn't let it slip past him.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Kakashi continued, his voice unreadable. "And don't try to tell me you sensed them the same way I did. I only revealed myself to test their reaction. You were just as surprised as the others."

Naruto's gut clenched.

He wasn't prepared for this. He knew he was a terrible liar—Sure, he could bluff, fake confidence, and mess around, but deceiving someone outright—especially face-to-face—was a whole different ballgame.

He had known for a long time that this couldn't stay a secret forever. He had even come up with an excuse. He just hadn't expected to be cornered like this, without time to prepare.

'Alright, stay calm, Naruto. Hokage-jiji said Kakashi already thinks I'm a pseudo-jinchūriki, I can make this work.'

Kakashi, for his part, watched his student closely.

It was obvious to him that Naruto didn't fully trust him.

Not that it was surprising.

After Mizuki, Naruto would have to be an idiot to trust any authority figure blindly. And honestly? Kakashi was glad that wasn't the case.

'A paranoid shinobi is a living shinobi.'

Still, that kind of wariness—if left unchecked—could create problems down the road. That was why Kakashi needed him to open up now, before something happened that forced the issue.

And if he didn't know the full extent of Naruto's abilities, how was he supposed to protect him?

Meanwhile, Naruto had finally calmed his nerves. He took a slow breath, preparing himself for the act.

"I guess… you already know about my situation."

Kakashi didn't react, merely nodding in silent confirmation.

Naruto forced a sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Since I found out, I've been… trying to use that thing's chakra in secret." His voice dipped into something almost hesitant, uncertain. "Hokage-jiji told me that, since it's not sealed inside me, its chakra won't regenerate and will eventually disappear."

He paused, making sure his expression mirrored the emotions he'd felt so many times before—frustration, resentment, exhaustion. He knew how to sell this part because it wasn't a lie.

"I never wanted to have this in me." He clenched his fists. "It's disgusting. Jiji says I should keep it as a secret weapon, but I hate it. That's why I didn't say anything."

Kakashi's gaze remained steady. "So this sensory ability is a result of you using that chakra?"

Naruto nodded, but inside, he was screaming.

'Please buy it, please buy it, please buy it…'

Unbeknownst to him, he had just hit all the key elements of a perfect lie—mixing real details with false ones, letting his genuine emotions carry the deception, and, most importantly, allowing the listener to reach their own conclusion.

Kakashi was well aware of these tactics—every shinobi was trained in them. But in this case, it only made Naruto's story all the more believable.

Because in the two months Kakashi had observed Naruto, he had already learned something crucial—

'This kid couldn't lie like this.'

Naruto wasn't the type to deliver a perfectly calculated deception under pressure. He could be clever, sure, but subtle? No way.

And his academy records confirmed it. Even in his best academic year, his test answers had been pure memorization. He had the knowledge, but not the depth of understanding.

Someone like that might know theory about deception, but applying it this smoothly—especially when caught off guard—was another matter entirely.

Of course, there was still something strange about this whole story.

As far as Kakashi knew, pseudo-jinchūriki didn't inherit any particular abilities from the original Bijuu.

'But there aren't enough cases to be sure.'

Pseudo-jinchūriki were even rarer than real ones. There was a reason proper seals were always used—very few bodies could withstand corrosive chakra without breaking apart.

And when someone did have that rare ability? It would be far more worthwhile to turn them into a true jinchūriki rather than an inferior imitation.

Kakashi exhaled softly.

"Naruto-kun…" Kakashi finally said, his voice unreadable. "You do realize I have to report this to the Hokage, right?"

Naruto's stomach dropped. 'Shit!' His mind raced.'What do I do?! What do I say?! If Hokage-jiji finds out I lied—if he thinks the Kyuubi is controlling me what I'm—!'

But then Kakashi continued.

"However, since this isn't causing any problems… I'll keep quiet for now."

Naruto barely stopped himself from cheering. His whole body visibly relaxed, his face lighting up with relief.

'He bought it! Holy crap, he actually bought it!'

'For a second, I thought I was screwed, but—phew! Everything worked out!'

Kakashi, meanwhile, exhaled softly.

Naruto had spent his entire life enduring the weight of a stigma he hadn't asked for. He had been treated as a threat for something beyond his control. And now? He was desperately trying to rid himself of it.

Kakashi couldn't blame him.

But more than anything… Keeping this secret was a step toward earning Naruto's trust. And that was far more valuable than a report to the Hokage.

Naruto and Kakashi returned to camp with two rabbits in hand.

---

The fire crackled steadily, casting flickering shadows over the clearing. Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna were already seated around the flames, their faces illuminated by the warm glow. Yet, despite the inviting light, the atmosphere remained heavy, suffocating in its silence.

No one spoke.

No one even looked up.

It wasn't just the quiet that made Naruto uneasy—it was the emotions hanging thick in the air, unspoken but impossible to ignore.

Despite this, Kakashi seemed unaffected. He simply sat down, pulled out a knife, and began cleaning one of the rabbits with practiced ease. Naruto followed suit, though his eyes kept flicking toward his teammates.

Kakashi exhaled silently.

I guess it's time… Telling them to just accept it won't help. Maybe… it's better if I tell them my own story.

He cleared his throat.

"Ahem… It's a cool night tonight, isn't it?"

Three heads turned toward him, blinking in confusion.

Naruto furrowed his brows. Sasuke barely acknowledged him. Sakura's expression twisted slightly, as if physically recoiling from the awkwardness.

Congratulations, Kakashi. Fantastic way to start… he thought dryly.

Then, his voice grew quieter.

"It was on nights like this that I asked myself what it truly meant to be a shinobi. Why do we kill?"

Sakura stiffened. She knew where this was going. A painful scowl formed on her face, and a storm of emotions swirled within her. Part of her wanted to listen, wanted her sensei to give her a reason, a path forward. But she was afraid.

Afraid that nothing he said would be enough.

That no matter what, she would never be the same.

Sasuke, sitting beside her, kept his gaze locked on the fire, his jaw tight. He wasn't an idiot—he understood Kakashi's intent. But to him, this lecture was unnecessary.

He knew what he had done. He knew how to deal with it.

He wasn't a child.

Kakashi could see their thoughts clearly, but he didn't stop. He simply continued, his voice calm but distant, eyes lost in the flames.

"For a long time, I clung to the rules," he said. "A shinobi is a weapon of their village. They must be cold and rational. Emotions only get in the way. That's what I believed."

The knife in his hand slid smoothly across the rabbit's skin, the wet sound filling the silence.

"If it was for the sake of the mission, I would kill without a second thought. Even my comrades—I was willing to sacrifice them."

Sakura inhaled sharply.

Sasuke finally turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

Naruto's hands froze.

The same man who had drilled into them that 'those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash'… used to think like this?

"You remember what I said when I passed you?" Kakashi asked, his voice softer now. "'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.'"

He let the words settle before continuing.

"That wasn't something I came up with. No… It was something my best friend said to me. The same friend I tried to abandon for the sake of the mission."

The grip on his knife tightened.

Even through his mask, even with his face covered, his students could see it—the weight in his posture, the heaviness in his words.

"Because of that belief, I didn't go with him," he murmured. "And that is the biggest regret of my life."

The fire flickered, crackling softly.

"I changed my mind and went after him," Kakashi continued, his voice quieter now. "But by the time I arrived, he had already been discovered. I managed to save him… but not without a cost."

He tapped a finger against his covered eye.

"In the end, we rescued our teammate, but in the process, the enemy triggered a collapse in the hideout. We ran for the exit, but a rock fell from the ceiling—right into my new blind spot. I was dazed, and an even larger boulder was coming straight for me."

His fingers curled slightly.

"And then… my best friend saved me. He pushed me out of the way."

Silence.

Naruto swallowed.

Sakura's hands trembled slightly in her lap.

Sasuke's face darkened, his mind already making connections he didn't want to.

Kakashi exhaled.

"He died so I could live," he finished. "And from then on, I was just a shell of myself."

His voice was eerily calm. Detached.

"Everything I believed in… everything I thought made me a good shinobi… only brought me misery. If it weren't for what my friend had said to me, I would have ended it myself. No—" he corrected himself. "I was looking to die. I just wasn't willing to do it with my own hands."

His students didn't move.

They barely breathed.

"For years, I searched for a reason to keep going. A purpose." Kakashi's lone eye flickered toward them. " A lot has happened, many people helped me, including my sensei who had already passed away. His words when I killed for the first time, which I ignored as just a sermon, helped me stand up again. "

The tension in the air was suffocating.

"'A shinobi is one who endures,'" he recited. "'We must carry the weight of our sins, the hatred of our enemies… all for the sake of our comrades and those waiting for us at home.'"

A beat of silence passed.

"These are the words I pass on to you."

Kakashi set the knife down. The fire crackled between them, the only sound in the clearing.

"Killing another human being… even an enemy… should be hard," he said. "Because if it's not—if you start finding it too easy—you'll lose yourself in it."

His gaze swept over his students.

"And by the time you realize it, everything that made you human will already be gone."

No one spoke.

No one could speak.

Their sensei's story had given the trio a lot to think about, and so, for the rest of dinner, silence reigned over the camp.

---

It was a cool night. The sky stretched vast and cloudless, revealing an expanse of countless stars shining freely, unobstructed by the artificial glow of a bustling city.

Perched on the lone tree in the open plain where they had set up camp, Naruto gazed at the heavens, lost in thought.

He had taken the first watch, but deep down, he knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. After Kakashi's speech, there was little he could do for his teammates, but at the very least, he could spare them the burden of keeping watch.

'After all, they haven't even slept yet...'

Since their sensei's revelation, his teammates had settled into a pensive silence. Things weren't back to normal—not by a long shot—but the weight of what they'd heard kept them too restless to drift off.

Naruto wasn't much different. Even if his intention to ease the burdens of his companions was not a lie it was not entirely true either, his mind had been consumed by Kakashi's words.

A self-deprecating smile tugged at his lips as the same thought echoed in his head for what felt like the hundredth time.

'Heh… and I thought I had a sad story…'

If there was one thing he had learned from this mission, it was that everyone carried their own burdens.

There was a time—not long ago—when he had believed himself to be the most unfortunate person in the world, a victim of fate with no one else suffering as he did.

'How arrogant I had been...'

That illusion had already started to crack after learning about Sasuke's past, but now, after hearing Kakashi's story, it was shattered completely.

Just within their small team, there were three people whose lives had been irreparably scarred. How many more were out there? How many others were carrying wounds no one could see? The problem wasn't just him—it was the world they lived in.

'Why does it have to be like this? Why can't we all just live in peace?'

The thought lingered, heavy and unanswered. But before he could spiral deeper into it, he shook his head.

'What am I even thinking? I'm just a genin... I can worry about things like this after I become Hokage.'

So lost in thought, Naruto didn't even notice his teammate stirring until she spoke.

"You can go to sleep, Naruto... I'll take over from here."

Startled, he turned to see Sakura watching him, her face lined with exhaustion. But before concern could settle, he flashed her one of his signature fox-like grins.

"Don't worry, Sakura-tan! I'm not really sleepy tonight, so I'll keep watch all night. You should get some rest—today was a long day."

A tired grimace crossed the kunoichi's features before she gave him a knowing look.

"You know very well I won't be able to sleep..."

Naruto scratched the back of his neck, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Then sit here with me."

Sakura let out a quiet sigh before wordlessly climbing the tree and settling beside him.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable—if anything, it was grounding. The two simply sat, staring at the endless stars above, until finally, Sakura broke the quiet.

"Naruto... have you... killed before?"

Naruto blinked. The question caught him off guard.

He turned to her, brow furrowed.

The incident with Mizuki wasn't exactly public knowledge. While word had spread of his betrayal, the details—including Naruto's involvement—had been suppressed by the Hokage. It wasn't something a genin could easily find out unless they went digging.

His expression shifted, just slightly.

"Why do you ask? Do I look like a killer, Sakura-tan? Hehehe." He tried to joke, but Sakura wasn't laughing. She barely even reacted, her gaze dropping momentarily before returning to his.

"It's just that... Kakashi-sensei didn't order you to kill the nukenin, did he? It felt more like he left you out on purpose. So, I just thought..." Her voice trailed off, her teeth sinking into her lower lip.

Naruto frowned. He wasn't sure whether he should answer honestly.

'What the hell am I thinking?! If it's to help her, what's the harm in telling her?'

"I... I've killed before," he admitted, his voice quieter than usual. "Someone we both knew, actually."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly, but before she could ask who, he continued.

"You must have heard about Mizuki's betrayal... I was the one who killed him."

Silence.

Sakura felt her stomach churn. Her memories of the redhead back in the academy were filled with moments of him fighting Sasuke or chatting animatedly with Mizuki. The thought that his first kill had been someone he once looked up to made her feel ill.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to ask the question almost on instinct.

"H-How?"

Naruto hesitated for a second, then began to recount the story. From Mizuki approaching him months earlier to the moment he cut him down. He was careful to omit anything about the Kyūbi—the Hokage had ordered him to keep it a secret, and even if he hadn't, Naruto had no intention of telling anyone.

By the time he finished, Sakura was visibly shaken. But what haunted her most wasn't just the brutality of the story—it was the way he ended it.

"You know what's worse?" Naruto's voice was quiet, almost detached. "I was devastated for killing the bastard. Even though he just used me and tried to kill me in the end... he was still someone I considered a brother. I'm such a dumb, hehehe."

The dry, humorless chuckle that left his lips sent a shiver down Sakura's spine. It was the sound of someone forcing themselves to laugh at something that wasn't funny at all.

Before she even realized it, tears were streaming down her face.

She felt so small. So pathetic.

While her teammate and sensei had endured tragedies beyond what she could fathom, here she was, falling apart over a single kill.

'I guess, in the end, he was right... I'm just a little girl.'

But as she silently wept, she wasn't the only one affected by Naruto's words.

Not far away, Sasuke lay awake, staring at the canopy above. He had heard everything.

A tight, uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he unconsciously drew parallels between their stories.

He already felt a great sympathy for his teammate because both were orphans, but at the same time, he told himself that he had suffered much more for having his bonds torn away rather than never having them at all.

However, now, knowing that he had also been betrayed, there was no way Uchiha could continue with that mindset.

But what worried him the most was the redhead's last sentence.

What if... what if he felt the same way after getting his revenge?

Back with the duo, Naruto noticed Sakura's tears and instinctively wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a one-armed hug.

"Heh, I'm glad you care enough to cry, but you really don't have to," he said softly. "I've moved on."

Sakura tried to swallow her sobs, turning her tear-streaked face toward him.

"Sniff... n-no... sniff, it's not just that. I feel so pathetic. I—"

"Sakura, no."

His voice was sharper than she had ever heard it. The sheer force behind his words silenced her instantly.

"I know what you're thinking, and don't you dare do that."

She stared at him, startled.

"You're not to blame for having had better circumstances than me," he continued, his tone firm. "Instead of blaming yourself, learn from what happened to me. Make sure it never happens to you or someone you care about."

For the second time that night, Sakura found herself speechless.

Since they were kids, she had always dismissed Naruto as nothing more than a loudmouthed idiot. But as time passed, as she truly got to know him, that image began to crack.

Now, she saw something different.

Someone who can be serious at the right time.
Someone who cares deeply about his team.
Someone she could trust.

And for the first time since blood had stained her hands, she smiled.

"Y-You're right. I'm sorry, Naruto... and thank you."

Naruto grinned, a rare, small, and sincere smile.

"You're welcome, Sakura-tan!"

And so, under the vast, endless sky, the two sat in comfortable silence, watching the stars until morning.

---

Within the dimly lit chamber of a massive fortress, a man lounged on a worn-out sofa, his feet propped up in an almost lazy defiance. At first glance, one might mistake him for any other rogue warrior, but a closer look quickly dispelled that illusion.

It wasn't just the standard shinobi sandals he wore, lavender pants or the winter camouflage arm and leg warmers typical of Kiri's forces—it was the hitai-ate tied sideways over his spiky hair, its engraved Kiri emblem crossed out in defiance, that marked him as a nukenin.

Yet, that alone wasn't what made people instinctively wary of him.

His powerful physique, honed by years of battle, was on full display—his upper body bare except for the bandages covering his lower face like a makeshift mask. Every inch of him radiated raw danger.

Despite his outwardly composed demeanor, a closer look would reveal subtle signs of unrest. His fingers drummed against the arm of the sofa in a steady, agitated rhythm, and every so often, his thin eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

The tension in the air deepened as the door creaked open, and another figure stepped into the room.

This newcomer was draped in a traditional green haori with white accents, secured at the waist with a brown sash over a matching kimono.

But the most striking detail was the pristine white porcelain mask he wore, its design simple yet unnerving—two wavy red markings extended from the left side toward where the mouth should be, and above the eye slits rested the symbol of Kiri.

Any war veteran would immediately recognize this attire as belonging to an Oinin—Kiri's elite squad of hunter-nin tasked with tracking and utterly erasing traitors.

The Oinin approached before dropping to one knee, removing the mask in a slow, practiced motion. The revealed face was something almost surreal—ethereal, even.

Strands of silky black hair framed the figure's delicate features, their snow-white complexion further accentuated by deep, dark lashes. Their lips, full and tinged with an unnatural red, only added to the ambiguity of their appearance.

To some, this person would be unmistakably female.
To others, undoubtedly male.
But regardless of what anyone thought, everyone would agree that Oinin was a beautiful person.

"Zabuza-san."

The androgynous Oinin's voice carried a quiet respect as they addressed the man on the sofa.

Zabuza turned his sharp gaze on them, his eyes narrowing.

"Any news?"

A simple shake of the head was the only response.

With a snarl, Zabuza's fingers tightened around the sofa's armrest, nearly splintering the wood beneath his grip.

"Those two useless idiots! I told them to observe, not attack!"

The man knew his subordinates better than anyone. He had tried, countless times, to drill into their heads that a shinobi needed to keep their emotions under control, but the Demon Brothers had always been too impulsive.

The Oinin remained kneeling, but the slight tremor in their posture betrayed their unease. Zabuza had always been a man who controlled his emotions, as any proper shinobi should. The fact that he was showing this much agitation was proof of just how precarious their situation had become.

Before Haku could attempt to calm him, another voice sliced through the tension like a blade.

"What's with all this shouting, Zabuza?! I heard the Demon Brothers haven't returned yet!"

The words came from a short, middle-aged man who practically barged into the room, followed closely by another, much larger figure.

The short man was impeccably dressed in a luxurious black kimono, its fabric clearly expensive.

His spiked, shoulder-length hair was a dull light brown that matched the thin mustache above his upper lip.

Though his face bore the wrinkles of middle age, what stood out most was the pair of round, dark sunglasses perched on his nose, obscuring his eyes.

In stark contrast, his towering companion was an imposing presence. Standing nearly two meters tall (6'3"), he dwarfed even Zabuza.

His dark green hair, long and straight, fell past his shoulders, framing a tanned face marked by thick brows and strikingly full, dark red lips. Unlike the shorter man, his body was wrapped in bandages that covered his torso and extended halfway down his arms.

Over them, he wore a sleeveless dark gray kimono, beige pants, and standard shinobi sandals, with fingerless gloves on his hands.

Yet, what stood out most were the weapons strapped to his back.

Two Taiji swords, straight-bladed with sharp, fang-like protrusions on either side, gleamed ominously. But even those weren't the most unsettling thing he carried.

Wrapped tightly in thick bandages, a vaguely human-shaped bundle was secured to his back.

Zabuza barely spared the shorter man a glance before scoffing.

"Stop complaining—I have everything under control."

With a swift motion, he lifted the Kubikiribōchō, the legendary executioner's blade, and pointed it directly at the short man's throat.

"With this sword, I'll cut off that old engineer's head—and anyone else who gets in my way."

The short man staggered back in alarm, nearly tripping over his own feet.

Zabuza smirked at the reaction, but his amusement was short-lived.

An oppressive killing intent filled the room, suffocating and heavy.

The taller man stepped forward, unfazed, his gaze locking onto Zabuza with eerie calm. Though his face remained polite—almost pleasant—the underlying threat in his presence was unmistakable.

"Very well, Zabuza-kun. I look forward to Tazuna-san's funeral. But do be careful where you point your sword," he said smoothly. "It would sadden me greatly to have to arrange your funeral instead."

For a moment, the room was silent.

The tension was thick, tangible, like a drawn wire ready to snap.

Zabuza held the man's gaze, neither flinching nor backing down.

Seconds stretched into eternity—until finally, with a scoff, Zabuza lowered his blade.

"Hmph."

The taller man's polite smile remained unchanged.

The short man, now visibly trembling, forced himself to regain some composure. Straightening his kimono, he threw one last parting remark over his shoulder as he turned to leave.

"Just don't forget—you're still on probation. One word from me to the Oyabun, and you'll regret being born!"

Zabuza didn't dignify him with a response, merely averting his gaze in disinterest.

Behind him, Haku watched the retreating figures with barely restrained fury, his fingers twitching, aching to reach for a kunai.

"Zabuza-san..."

Though the Oinin didn't finish the thought, the nukenin knew exactly what he wanted to say.

"Forget it, Haku." His voice was low, firm. "We need the money, and the Takikage-gumi is our best option. If putting up with a worm like Gatō is what it takes, then so be it."

Outside, walking briskly down the hallway, Gatō was still seething.

"Tch, who the hell does that bastard think he is?! I'm one of the managers of the Takikage-gumi, and he dares to point his sword at me?!"

He spun toward his companion, glowering.

"And you! What were you thinking recommending someone like that, Raiga?!"

The taller man—Raiga—remained composed, his expression betraying nothing.

"I apologize on his behalf, Gatō-san." His tone was polite, almost casual. "Zabuza-kun can be... insolent. But he's talented. I have no doubt he will complete his mission and become a valuable asset to the Takikage-gumi."

"Hmph, he'd better. If not, he won't be the only one held accountable," Gatō spat, locking eyes with Raiga's deep purple gaze.

Raiga simply smiled.

A polite, pleasant smile.

Yet beneath it, an unmistakable, suffocating killing intent poured forth.

"Thank you for the warning, Gatō-san," he said smoothly. "As a token of gratitude, allow me to give you one in return."

His voice was calm. His words, courteous.

But the weight of his next sentence suffocated the air between them.

"I work for the Oyabun. And I answer only to him."

His smile widened just slightly.

"So, unless you want your funeral arranged prematurely... I'd suggest you keep that in mind."

Gatō stiffened, his throat suddenly dry.

Raiga turned on his heel. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be guarding Toshiro-dono. One can never be too careful in times like these."

And with that, he strode off, leaving Gatō fuming in silence.

'This is why I hate dealing with shinobi!'

---

Amidst a dense fog, a small fishing boat glided through the still waters of the Nami Sea, its wooden hull cutting soundlessly across the gentle waves.

Team Seven sat quietly on the edge of the deck, their gazes lost in the thick mist that surrounded them. They had boarded the vessel ten hours ago, back when the sun still hung low in the sky, and now, after fifteen grueling days of travel, they were finally nearing their destination.

Sakura broke the silence, her voice tinged with awe.

"Look at this fog... It keeps getting thicker by the minute!"

Since her conversation with Naruto, she had managed to overcome most of her trauma, returning to her naturally inquisitive self. Her wonder at the change in the atmosphere was evident.

"We're lucky," the fisherman steering the boat remarked. "This time of year, it normally wouldn't be this foggy. At least like this, we'll be harder to spot."

The man was an old friend of Tazuna, a trusted ally who had agreed to smuggle them into Nami no Kuni under the cover of mist.

"Any moment now, we should see the bridge. Once we pass it, we'll be in Nami."

Almost as if summoned by his words, a shadow loomed through the haze. As they drew closer, the sight of the massive bridge came into view, its towering structure stretching far into the mist-covered distance.

Naruto's eyes widened.

"Wow! Who would've thought a drunk old man could design something like this?" he teased, flashing Tazuna a fox-like grin.

Before the old engineer could retaliate, the fisherman hissed in warning.

"Tch! Keep your voice down! The fog might be hiding us, but Gatō's men could still be listening."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grimacing. "Ah... right."

With a few more minutes of careful rowing, the boat finally neared the shore.

"We're almost there," the fisherman muttered as he lowered the sail and took up the oars, guiding them toward land.

Tazuna nodded. "Thanks, my friend."

"Don't thank me yet. We've passed the most dangerous stretch without being spotted, but just in case, I'll take you through the city canal to the mangroves. That way, no one will see you disembark."

"That'd be for the best," Kakashi agreed, his tone casual—but beneath the surface, his thoughts were far from relaxed.

'No further ambushes after the first attack… If they haven't already kidnapped Tazuna's family, then they're planning to strike on our way to the hideout…'

Naruto, attuned to his sensei's subtle tension, silently shifted into a more alert state.

The boat drifted through the canal, offering Team Seven a glimpse of the city. However, there was nothing impressive about the sight.

The riverside houses, all made of aged wood, stood precariously on stilts. Their walls were warped from years of humidity, their roofs patched with whatever materials could be scavenged. Vegetation had begun reclaiming parts of the canal, its creeping vines and moss-covered planks painting a picture of slow decay.

Navigating through the thick foliage, the fisherman finally brought the boat to a secluded spot.

"This is as far as I can take you. Be careful," he warned as they disembarked.

"Thank you for risking so much for us," Tazuna said sincerely, offering the man a rare smile before turning to the group.

"Alright, we've made it. I've been staying in a hideout deep in the forest. It'll take about two hours on foot, but if we move quickly, we'll get there before nightfall."

"Then let's move," Kakashi instructed, though his mind remained sharp with wariness.

'The attack could come at any moment from now on.'

Following a dirt path that traced the curve of the canal, the team moved in steady silence. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the rhythmic crunch of their footsteps was the only sound filling the space between them.

Half an hour later, as they neared the lake where the canal emptied, Naruto's senses flared.

"Kakashi-sensei, what do you think about having two rabbits for dinner tonight?"

It was subtle—just a casual remark, but Kakashi immediately understood.

Ever since Naruto had revealed his sensory ability, Kakashi had entrusted him with the responsibility of monitoring their surroundings. To keep their teammates in the dark, they had agreed on a code instead of hand signals.

"Rabbits, huh… What size do you think we can catch this time?"

"A big one, for sure. The other might just be medium-sized, to be safe."

Kakashi's eye sharpened.

'Two enemies… One jōnin, one chūnin… They handled those two nukenin well enough, but that may be because they were underestimated. This time… Sigh. I suppose I can only trust them.'

Sasuke, perceptive as ever, frowned at the odd exchange. 'Something's off…'

Sakura, oblivious to the hidden message, merely looked confused, while Tazuna scratched his head.

"I know I don't look very rich, but I can at least offer you dinner when we get to my house."

Naruto blinked at the old man before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Gyahahaha, alright, old man! I'll hold you to that!"

The moment the words left his mouth, his fingers twitched—and in a blur, he drew a kunai and hurled it toward a bush off the side of the road.

Unlike last time, Naruto wasn't waiting for Kakashi to act first.

His mistake during the Demon Brothers' ambush had taught him a valuable lesson: when an enemy is within range, you don't hesitate. You attack.

"What the hell, Naruto?!" Sakura yelped, startled. She instinctively reached for her own kunai, dropping into a defensive stance.

But, much to her confusion, only a small white rabbit darted from the bushes.

"It was just a rabb—"

Her voice faltered.

Naruto and Kakashi had gone rigid, their minds clicking in sync as the realization struck them like a hammer.

'Kawarimi!'

Their voices overlapped as they both shouted:

"GET DOWN!"

"DUCK!"

A massive blade, shaped like an oversized butcher's knife, came spinning through the air at torso height, slicing toward them with terrifying speed.

Kakashi reacted instantly, grabbing Tazuna and pulling him out of harm's way.

Naruto lunged toward Sakura, shoving her down just as the blade whistled past. He didn't even need to check on Sasuke—he trusted the bastard could handle himself.

A split second later, the enormous sword embedded itself into a nearby tree with a heavy thunk.

And standing on its hilt, balancing effortlessly, was a burly man cloaked in danger.

Kakashi's expression darkened immediately. He knew exactly who they were dealing with.

"Well, well… if it isn't Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of Kirigakure."

'His partner must be hiding, just waiting for the right moment to strike...'

Turning his head slightly, Kakashi spoke in a low, authoritative voice.

"Wait for an opening. The second you see one, take Tazuna and run. I need space to handle this guy, and you'll only get in the way if you stay."

The trio nodded, forming a protective perimeter around their client.

Zabuza scoffed, eyes narrowing as he studied Kakashi.

"Sharingan Kakashi, huh?"

When he recognized his enemy, something clicked in his mind.

'No wonder those two morons never came back.'

Then, with a mocking smirk beneath his bandages, he tilted his head.

"If it's not too much trouble, could you hand over the old man?"

Naruto stiffened.

'Sharingan? Where have I heard that before…?'

Sasuke, on the other hand, was outright shocked.

'Sharingan? How does he have this?! Kakashi isn't an Uchiha!'

Kakashi sighed, feeling the weight of his student's intense stare. Without breaking eye contact with Zabuza, he muttered, "Later, Sasuke-chan. Now, shall we begin, Zabuza?"

Lifting his hitai-ate, he revealed a single crimson eye—three black tomoe spinning lazily in its depths.

Zabuza chuckled, voice dripping with amusement.

"Heh… We've barely met, and you're already flashing your Sharingan at me? What an honor."

The nukenin then turned his gaze to the trio of brats surrounding his target, and as if testing them, he sent a strong killing intent directly at them.

To his surprise, the trio barely reacted, as if his killing intent were a mere breeze. 'So, they know how to strengthen their spirit... not bad.'

During the two weeks of travel, there was little that Kakashi could teach while they were constantly on the move. The only thing he managed to do was teach them how to strengthen their spirit with the Kyouka, preventing them from freezing when facing a strong killing intent.

Zabuza fingers flexed over the hilt of his sword.

"Well then," he mused. "Let's get this over with. Time is money, after all."

Then he vanished.

Sakura blinked, and he was gone from sight.

Too fast.

For a genin, tracking Zabuza with the naked eye was impossible. Even Sasuke couldn't manage to follow him.

Only Naruto, through his sensory ability, could barely keep track of the nukenin's location.

'He's… standing on the water?!'

His breath caught as the nukenin's feet hovered just above the lake's surface, unmoving.

Sakura's eyes widened as she, too, spotted him.

'How is that possible?!'

Kakashi's mind was already racing.

'Smart. He's using the lake to minimize chakra expenditure…'

Zabuza's hands blurred into a familiar sequence of seals. His voice was no more than a whisper, but the words carried weight.

"Ninpō: Kirigakure no Jutsu."

A thick mist began to roll across the terrain, spreading fast from where he stood, blanketing the field in an eerie white veil.

Kakashi didn't waste a second. Forming his own hand seals, he countered.

"Fūton: Kisen!"

A tornado erupted around him, spinning violently and sucking up part of the mist, launching it into the sky.

For a brief moment, clarity returned to the battlefield.

But it wasn't enough.

Kakashi gritted his teeth. 'Damn it… That should've cleared the entire field!'

Wind-style had never been his specialty. He had hoped the technique would completely dispel the fog—but Zabuza was too fast.

The moment the mist thinned, the Kiri-nin had already closed the gap.

With a vicious swing, he brought the Kubikiribōchō down in a devastating arc.

Kakashi barely had time to react. His kunai clashed against the monstrous blade, the force of the impact causing the ground beneath his feet to crack.

"Now! Go!"

The instant their sensei barked the order, the trio bolted—Tazuna in tow.

Zabuza chuckled darkly.

"Heh… Are you sure that's a good idea, Kakashi?" His voice was almost teasing. "Leaving your students out of your sight like that might doom them."

It was a taunt. But beneath the words lay a hidden message—one meant for someone else.

A figure, concealed within the mist, took the cue immediately.

The Oinin, who had been silently watching the fight, vanished into the trees, slipping into the shadows to pursue the fleeing genin.

Kakashi narrowed his eye.

"Don't worry," he said coolly. "My students can handle your lackey."

For the first time, Zabuza's smirk faltered. His jaw clenched slightly.

'Then he noticed...'

Then, with an amused huff, he twirled his massive blade in his grip.

"Hmph. We'll see."

---

Haku moved swiftly, tracking Team Seven's movements with relentless precision. His speed was far superior, and it didn't take long for him to catch up.

Using the dense trees lining the road as cover, he observed his targets carefully, searching for an opening. His mission was clear—eliminate the engineer. There was no need to engage the children unless absolutely necessary.

With practiced ease, he plucked three senbon from his sleeve and, with near-unbelievable precision, sent them flying, aiming straight for the old man's vital arteries.

The needles hit their mark perfectly. The engineer's body sagged, beginning to crumple toward the ground—

Only to vanish in a puff of smoke.

Haku's eyes widened slightly beneath his mask.'A Kawarimi?'

Before he could fully process what had happened, the sharp rustling of leaves snapped his focus to the trees above.

He barely had time to react before two figures dropped toward him from the branches—the red-haired boy who had just been carrying the old man and the black-haired one who had been escorting him.

Haku instinctively raised his arms to block, but the sheer force of their simultaneous punches was more than he had anticipated. He absorbed the impact as best he could, but the force threatened to knock him off his perch.

Rather than risk losing his balance and falling, he sprang backward, flipping off the branch and landing gracefully on the dirt road below.

That, however, proved to be an even bigger mistake.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he found himself surrounded.

The girl and the dark-haired boy were gone—in their place stood two more copies of the redhead, waiting for him.

The clones attacked immediately.

The first lunged with a brutal right hook aimed for his chin.
The second swept low, targeting his legs.
The third rushed in for a direct blow to his stomach.

But Haku was far more skilled than they anticipated.

At the very last second, he twisted, dodging the first punch by a hair's breadth. Before the second clone could land its hit, he grabbed the first one and hurled it straight into the one aiming for his stomach, dispersing both in a single move. Then, with flawless agility, he leapt over the sweeping leg of the last clone, flicking his wrist in midair and releasing a single senbon.

The needle struck true, piercing the final clone's forehead, dispersing it into smoke before he landed lightly on the ground once more.

For a moment, he stilled, scanning for the two real opponents.

That was his second mistake.

The ground beneath his feet came to life.

Tree branches and roots erupted from the dirt road, twisting and coiling around him with terrifying speed, locking his limbs in place before he had a chance to escape.

Haku's sharp mind calculated his next move, but before he could act, a flickering orange glow illuminated the misty battlefield.

His gaze snapped upward—

More than two dozen fiery spheres hovered in the air above him, their orange light casting flickering shadows through the thinning fog. Though each was no larger than a clenched fist, their sheer number guaranteed devastation.

Haku's muscles tensed. He was still bound by the tree roots.

But he was not defenseless.

With just one free hand, he executed the necessary seals.

"Suiton: Sensatsu Suishō!"

From the thin mist still lingering around them, countless water needles formed in an instant, shooting forward like a relentless rainstorm toward the incoming flames.

The result was immediate—fire met water, and the entire battlefield was engulfed in steam.

But before Haku could relax, his sharp eyes caught something beneath the dissipating flames—

Shuriken.

At least a dozen, spinning rapidly, hidden behind the fireballs.

His pupils dilated in surprise. A second-layered attack?!

A heartbeat later, Naruto and Sasuke landed on the side of the road, eyes locked on their target.

The thick steam mixed with the existing mist, making it impossible to see if their combination of Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and Hōsenka no Jutsu had struck their opponent.

Naruto exhaled sharply, his sharp senses detecting life.

"I think he's still alive…" he muttered, eyes narrowing. He could feel the irritation radiating from their enemy, but gauging actual injuries through his ability was far more difficult.

Sasuke clenched his fists, scanning the dissipating mist.

"Better to assume not much," he responded tersely. His instincts screamed that their opponent was still dangerous. Too dangerous. 'I've never seen someone execute a jutsu with just one hand before…'

As the steam finally cleared, their opponent came into view.

Haku stood at the center of the battlefield, partially shielded by an incomplete dome of ice.

Half of his green haori was tattered, and his right arm was dripping with blood. His breathing was slightly heavier than before, though his posture remained perfectly composed.

Sasuke's breath hitched.

'Ice?'

As if confirming his thoughts, the dome shattered, fragments collapsing into water upon hitting the ground.

Haku's gaze flickered with contemplation.

'That was too close…'

Even with his speed and technique, he had barely managed to form a partial Hyōgan Dōmu in time to block the shuriken. The fact that he had to use one-handed seals had weakened the jutsu's structure, and his arm had paid the price for it.

'If that Genjutsu earlier was cast by one of these two… or perhaps…'

He didn't finish the thought.

Because in that instant—the duo moved.

"Let's go with the usual, Teme! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Naruto's fingers formed a familiar seal, and fifteen clones erupted into existence, charging toward the Oinin with reckless speed.

At the same time, Sasuke darted right, circling around to flank their opponent.

Haku's sharp eyes flicked between them, his mind calculating.

Then, he moved.

Executing rapid hand seals, two perfect replicas of himself materialized by his side.

But contrary to Naruto and Sasuke's expectations, not all three engaged the clones.

Instead, while two of Haku's clones met the redhead's onslaught, the third did something unexpected.

Sasuke braced himself, kunai at the ready, expecting a direct confrontation.

But at the very last moment—

Haku's clone leaped over him.

And instead of attacking him—

It charged toward the bushes at the edge of the road.

'Damn it! He found Sakura!'

The realization struck Sasuke like a bolt of lightning. His feet dug into the dirt as he spun on his heel, bolting after the Oinin—but it was useless.

Haku's speed was far beyond his own. In mere seconds, the masked shinobi had already closed the distance to Sakura.

The pink-haired kunoichi reacted immediately, pushing her legs to the limit as she tried to evade her attacker. But if Sasuke couldn't keep up, then she stood even less of a chance.

The best she could do was twist her body just enough that the barrage of senbon flying toward her missed her vital points.

Even so, six senbons hit his legs, three in each one.

'W-What?! I… I can't feel them!'

A wave of panic surged through Sakura as she stumbled, her limbs refusing to respond. She barely managed to lift her gaze, already expecting the inevitable.

But instead of finishing her off, Haku abruptly turned his back on her.

'Tch. I wanted to take her hostage… but I'll have to settle for taking her out of the fight.'

Haku sighed inwardly as he deftly intercepted Sasuke's incoming kunai, his senbon deflecting the attack with a sharp clang of metal.

But Sasuke wasn't the only one who had noticed Haku's movement.

The moment Naruto understood what was happening, he sent one clone sprinting toward Sakura while he stayed behind to deal with the two remaining Mizu Bunshin on the road.

Unfortunately, his clone arrived too late.

All they could do was lift Sakura from the ground and carry her away as Sasuke struggled to hold off the Oinin.

"Come on, Sakura-tan, I'll take you to where the old man is," one of the clones reassured her, effortlessly picking her up.

"W-Wait, Naruto, I can still—" she tried to argue, but the clone shook his head firmly.

"No buts, Sakura-tan! The way you are now, you'd just be an easy target! Let me and Teme handle this!"

Sakura clenched her fists, lowering her head in defeat.

As she was carried away, the words of the nukenin she had killed echoed in her mind:

'You're still just a little girl.'

—

Meanwhile, Sasuke was struggling.

His strikes were being met with precise, almost effortless deflections. The masked shinobi's speed and technique were simply superior.

Even injured, Haku defended flawlessly.

Sasuke had focused all his attacks on the shinobi's wounded arm, hoping to create an opening—but it was no use. His opponent's strength, speed, and control over his weapon were all just a step above his own.

'Damn it. His Kyouka is better than mine. If this keeps up… it's only a matter of time before he defeats me!'

As if answering his silent plea, a blur of red and black suddenly descended from above.

Naruto came crashing down toward Haku, a spinning heel kick aimed straight at the masked shinobi's head.

Haku wasn't foolish enough to take the hit head-on. He dodged, stepping backward—

And found himself surrounded.

Naruto's clones filled the battlefield in an instant, boxing him in from all sides.

His sharp gaze flicked to the side—where his own Mizu Bunshin should have been—

Only to see puddles of water.

'I was hoping my water clones would at least thin their numbers, but they're all still here…'

Haku's masked eyes narrowed.

'If he keeps summoning these clones non-stop, it will be hard to deal with this using only taijutsu, especially with this injured arm... I'll have to use that.'

Meanwhile, Sasuke exhaled sharply, taking the brief pause to catch his breath.

Naruto, beside him, grinned.

"Come on, Teme. Don't tell me you're already tired?" he teased, though a hint of concern flashed in his blue eyes.

"Shut up," Sasuke shot back, shifting into his stance. "This guy is strong. Don't underestimate him."

"Really? His clones weren't much."

As if to prove his point, Naruto gave the signal, and his army of clones charged.

What followed was almost a massacre.

No matter how well-trained a clone was, they still vanished in one solid hit.

And Haku took full advantage of that weakness.

With precise, lightning-fast movements, his senbon found their marks—

Liver.

Lungs.

Spine.

Clevical vein.

Neck vein.

Brain.

Kidneys.

Heart.

— striking each clone's vital point with deadly efficiency.

One by one, the clones disappeared in bursts of smoke.

And within seconds, the battlefield was empty once more.

Haku stood alone in the middle of the road, untouched, while the two genin could only stare in awe.

Naruto let out a dry chuckle.

"Alright, I take it back. Hahaha."

Sasuke, however, narrowed his eyes even further.

'During our fight, he wasn't moving like this… was he going easy on me?!'

The thought sent a wave of anger through him.

Without hesitation, he charged forward.

Naruto, seeing his teammate lunge, followed immediately.

But before they could close the distance—

Haku's fingers blurred into a rapid sequence of seals.

"Hyōton: Makyō Hyōshō!"

At first, nothing happened.

No attack was launched at them. No sudden explosions or waves of chakra.

Then—

The air grew cold.

Mirrors.

Glittering, translucent ice mirrors erupted around them, forming a perfect dome.

Naruto and Sasuke skidded to a stop, their eyes darting between the countless reflections of Haku now staring at them from within the ice.

Naruto's stomach twisted.

'This… this is bad.'

"Teme, back-to-back!"

Sasuke didn't need to be told twice. Without a word, he turned, pressing his back against Naruto's, his onyx eyes scanning the shifting reflections.

Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Any idea what this is?!"

Sasuke exhaled, trying to keep his breathing steady.

"It's the same ice he used to block our last attack… I've never heard of ice-based ninjutsu before. This isn't normal."

Naruto's grip on his kunai tightened.

His gut screamed at him.

Something about this technique… it felt wrong.

And then—

For the first time since the fight had begun, the Oinin spoke.

"This jutsu is the result of my kekkei genkai," his voice echoed from every mirror at once. "You have no chance of overcoming it."

The eerie way his voice bounced through the dome made it impossible to tell where he truly was.

"I don't want to kill you," he continued. "Tell me where the engineer is, and I'll let you live."

Naruto took a deep breath, his sensory ability telling him that Haku was being sincere.

He didn't know why, but something about this enemy irritated him, not to mention that surrendering would mean condemning not just Tazuna, but all of Nami.

Naruto's lips curled into a defiant smirk.

"Heh, sorry but I'll have to decline, my jiji taught me never to trust masked nukenins." His grin widened, his voice unwavering. "You'd better stop looking down on us and come at us already."

A long pause.

Then, Haku's voice turned grave.

"Very well."

The mirrors shimmered.

And then—

Hell began.

---

The sound of steel clashing echoed through the thinning mist, punctuated by the heavy thud of footsteps shifting across the damp earth.

In the center of it all, two shinobi clashed—or rather, one fought ruthlessly to carve his opponent apart with a massive blade, while the other evaded every attack with ease, almost as if he could see the future.

'Tch! How the hell is he doing that?! Is it that damn eye?!'

It had barely been a few minutes since the battle began, and already, Zabuza could feel the irritation mounting.

He had attacked relentlessly, pressing Kakashi with his kenjutsu, one of his strongest disciplines—but he hadn't drawn a single drop of blood.

Worse…

Aside from dodging his first attack, the Konoha jōnin hadn't even blocked a single strike. He had simply slipped past every swing, countering only when an opening presented itself.

And the result was obvious.

While Kakashi remained untouched, Zabuza's body was now littered with small but numerous cuts.

The Demon of Kirigakure scowled.

'This can't go on… I need to change my strategy!'

But what the nukenin couldn't know was that, in Kakashi's mind, a similar thought was forming.

'His Kyouka is stronger than mine. If he lands even one solid hit, I won't be able to take more than one or two… I need to turn this into a ninjutsu battle.'

The silver-haired jōnin had already begun shifting his stance, preparing to create distance—

But before he could act, Zabuza suddenly retreated.

For the first time since the fight began, he put space between them—his sharp eyes glinting with calculated malice.

"You know," he began, mocking, "my lackey—as you called him—is no pushover. He carries a powerful kekkei genkai. It won't be long before he returns with your brats' heads. Hehehe."

Kakashi's expression remained neutral, but a small, gnawing feeling twisted in his gut.

"I already told you… my students are more than enough to handle him."

Despite his confident tone, a sense of foreboding settled deep in his chest.

'I need to end this quickly. If he's not bluffing, they could be in serious trouble right now.'

But before Kakashi could capitalize on Zabuza's momentary distance—

The Kiri-nin struck first.

With a sharp twist of his body, Zabuza hurled the Kubikiribōchō straight at him.

Kakashi's Sharingan spun.

'He's reinforcing it imbuing with elemental Kyouka…'

Through the crimson lens of his dōjutsu, he could see it clearly—a thin layer of wind chakra coating the massive blade as it spun toward him.

'Wind… but not very strong. It's probably not his primary element.'

He waited until the last possible second.

Then, just as the blade reached him—

He ducked.

The massive sword whistled past, slicing through the air where his head had been mere moments ago.

But as soon as Kakashi straightened, his eyes widened.

A massive sphere of water was hurtling toward him at breakneck speed.

'Teppōdama?! Damn, that was fast! I barely took my eyes off him, and he already launched it!'

His hands blurred into a counter-sequence.

"Doton: Doryūheki!"

A wall of solid earth erupted from the damp soil before him.

The water bullet collided, detonating with a powerful splash, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground.

The force of impact caused both jutsu to collapse—mud and mist spraying in all directions.

Kakashi gritted his teeth.

'The ground is too damp. I won't be able to keep using earth ninjutsu effectively…'

But he had no time to dwell on it.

Because even before the debris settled, Zabuza was already lunging at him.

The silver-haired jōnin immediately shifted his stance, preparing to meet the attack—

Then, he heard it, a faint buzzing sound like a sharp whistling of wind cutting through the air.

Kakashi's mind snapped to realization.

'So that's it!'

He didn't hesitate—he flipped backward.

And just as he did, the Kubikiribōchō came hurtling toward him from behind.

Still mid-air, Kakashi's gaze zeroed in on the nearly invisible wire connecting the sword to Zabuza's wrist.

'Big mistake, Zabuza!'

A single hand seal.

A small flame flickered from his lips—

'Katon: Hibarashi!'

As soon as the flame made contact with the sword, the wind element imbued within it synergized, and the fire spread, turning it into a whirlwind of flames.

Seeing the flames coming his way, Zabuza tried to stop, but it was too late. The flames prevented him from holding onto the sword, which easily sliced him in two, while the flames engulfed his body.

But Kakashi didn't have time to celebrate.

Because even before the charred remains hit the ground—

A second Zabuza appeared behind him, kunai already descending toward his throat.

Only for Kakashi's body erupted into living lightning.

A deafening crack filled the air as electricity pulsed outward, stunning the nukenin.

Zabuza gritted his teeth as pain tore through his nerves.

And before he could recover—

Kakashi emerged from beneath the earth behind him, kunai glinting mercilessly.

With one swift motion, the silver-haired jōnin sliced through his left arm.

The limb severed instantly, blood spraying across the dirt road.

Zabuza staggered back, breath ragged, eyes wild as he clutched his bleeding shoulder.

For the first time since the battle began—

The Demon of Kirigakure was on the backfoot.

"Huff… When… huff… when did you make that Rai Bunshin?"

Zabuza's breath came in ragged gasps as he bent down to retrieve his Kubikiribōchō. His grip was weaker now, the pain radiating from his mangled left arm a brutal reminder of his disadvantage.

Kakashi remained poised, his kunai still gripped tightly. His body, though steady, bore the subtle strain of prolonged battle.

"At the same moment you made your Mizu Bunshin."

His voice was calm, but inside, he was calculating. The Sharingan was a powerful tool, but its prolonged use drained him faster than he liked to admit.

'A few more millimeters, and I would've hit bone… Well, no use crying over spilled milk. At least now he won't be able to use kenjutsu at full strength.'

His sharp eye never left the wounded nukenin.

Zabuza exhaled a dry chuckle, but his usual arrogance was missing.

"Heh… wind, earth, fire, lightning… Is there anything you can't do?"

Despite the mockery, there was a tension in his voice—one laced with unease.

Kakashi tilted his head slightly, his tone light, but his guard unwavering.

"Mah… they don't call me Copy Ninja Kakashi for nothing."

The battlefield fell into a chilling silence.

Neither shinobi moved.

Only the faint drip of water echoed through the mist—droplets sliding from soaked fabric, falling onto the damp earth.

Both warriors knew the truth.

The next move would be the last.

Without warning—they struck.

Their hands blurred through hand seals at breakneck speed, their movements synchronized in a deadly race.

But to Zabuza…

Every second felt like an eternity.

And with growing horror, he realized something wasn't right.

Kakashi's hands were mirroring his seals—but faster.

'What…? How?!'

It wasn't just copying.

Kakashi was already weaving seals ahead of him.

For the first time in years, genuine fear crept into Zabuza's chest.

The shadow of his own reflection loomed behind Kakashi, his own movements played back before his very eyes.

'Is this… genjutsu?!'

But he never got an answer.

Because before he could even complete his jutsu—

The battlefield erupted.

A massive vortex of water exploded forward from Kakashi's hands, a raging torrent that consumed everything in its path.

'Impossible! I hadn't even finished my jutsu! How can he copy something he hasn't even seen?!'

Zabuza barely had time to brace himself before the full force of Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu struck.

The sheer power of the technique sent him hurtling through the air, his body thrown like a ragdoll before it collided violently with a tree.

His vision blurred.

His breath hitched.

But it wasn't over.

Before he could even attempt to recover—

Three kunai, imbued with Kyouka, embedded into his flesh.

One pierced deep into his left thigh.
Another sank into his right shoulder.
The third—slammed into his already mangled arm.

Zabuza barely had time to register the pain before the final kunai cut straight through his weakened limb—

Severing it completely.

The dismembered arm fell to the ground—only to be swept away by the dying current of the water vortex.

He barely had time to mourn the loss.

Because above him—

Kakashi was already there.

Perched atop the tree, kunai poised for the kill.

Zabuza's body ached. His vision swam. But there was one last question burning in his mind.

With great effort, he rasped:

"How…? How did you do it? Can you… see the future?"

His vision swayed, barely holding onto the image of Kakashi's single crimson eye.

And in that cold, unwavering gaze, there was no compassion.

Only certainty.

"Yes."

Kakashi's kunai glinted in the dim light.

"And your future is death."

He moved to finish it—

Then—

A wave of pure, suffocating malice crashed over the battlefield.

The air froze.

The very oxygen in Kakashi's lungs felt like poison.

His eyes widened.

'What?! What the hell is that?!'

The killing intent was so intense that even Zabuza—broken, beaten—felt it.

And for the first time since the battle began Kakashi was distracted.

As soon as Zabuza noticed, a hopeful glimmer shone in his wild and bloodshot eyes.

'Now!'

With a flick of his remaining hand, he reached into his vest and threw down a series of smoke bombs.

A thick shroud erupted around the tree, enveloping them both in heavy gray mist.

By the time it began to clear—

Zabuza was gone.

Kakashi could have given chase, but his gut instinct screamed at him, warning of the lingering killing intent that hung heavy in the air; his gaze snapped toward the distant battlefield where his students were, urgency and concern flooding his senses.

'Naruto…?'

The sheer force of it was overwhelming, and without another second of hesitation, he made his choice—letting Zabuza escape as he turned and ran.

'Guys… just wait a little longer! I'm almost there!'

'Maybe provoking him wasn't my best idea.'

Naruto barely had time to finish the thought before another barrage of senbon rained down on him. He twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the needles meant for his vital points—but not all of them.

It had only been a few minutes since the Oinin had activated his jutsu, yet the state of the two genin was already dire.

Several senbon jutted from their bodies, their breath came in ragged gasps, and their movements had slowed.

Their first strategy had been to destroy the ice mirrors.

But even the explosions from Naruto's Bunshin Bakuha and Sasuke's Gōkakyū no Jutsu had failed to leave so much as a scratch on them.

When that failed, Naruto had tried attacking Haku directly.

His sensory ability allowed him to track exactly which mirror the enemy was hiding in.

But even that was useless.

The moment Haku entered the mirrors, his already formidable speed became something monstrous.

Any Kage Bunshin that managed to close in was destroyed before it could even lift a finger.

Still…

That didn't mean all was lost.

Because with every attempt, the two genin learned a little more about the enemy's technique.

Naruto shifted his stance slightly, his lips barely moving as he whispered:

"How long, Teme?"

"Ten seconds."

Sasuke's answer came without hesitation. He had been counting.

After three attacks, he had started noticing a pattern.

'He's using the mirrors as platforms, jumping from one to the other, and somehow his speed increases in the process… But after each jump, it takes him ten seconds to attack again.'

"I can see him. Just wait for my signal."

Naruto reached into his pouch, pulling out three explosive tags and tossing them into the air.

For a moment—nothing happened.

The slips of paper drifted lazily downward.

Naruto stood still, eyes locked on the mirrors.

Then—

'…Eight, nine, NOW!'

His hand snapped into a seal.

"9 o'clock, above, Teme! Bunshin Bakuha no Jutsu!"

Three clones appeared midair, lunging at one of the mirrors just as the Oinin shot out of it.

He was so fast that the first clone barely had time to detonate before he had already passed it.

The second and third didn't even have a chance—Haku destroyed them before they could explode.

But just as the Oinin prepared to launch his next wave of senbon—

Three shuriken shot toward his chest, forcing him to twist his body mid-flight and redirect into another mirror.

The moment his feet touched the reflective surface, he instantly bounced back, restarting his attack.

The genin barely managed to dodge, their bodies taking a few more hits.

Yet there was no despair in their eyes.

If anything—

There was excitement.

"Almost, Teme!" Naruto grinned, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

Sasuke, panting, simply grunted.

"Hn."

But despite his usual tone, a small smirk curled his lips.

'Just a little more… If I focus just a little harder… I'll be able to see!'

Meanwhile, Haku's unease grew.

'They're adapting… too quickly.'

His fingers tightened around his senbon.

'I need to finish this soon!'

Reaffirming his resolve, he increased his speed.

One—two—three attacks in rapid succession.

Still, the two genins failed to land a hit.

Their bodies now resembled porcupines with the number of needles embedded in them—but Naruto had taken the most.

The redhead flicked his gaze toward Sasuke, assessing his condition, and let out a quiet breath of relief.

'If Sasuke falls here, I won't stand a chance against the Oinin.' Naruto's sensory abilities let him anticipate attacks better, but Sasuke wasn't as lucky. If Naruto hadn't made himself an easier target, the Uchiha would've been down long ago. His gaze flicked back to the enemy.

'...Though, I still haven't felt a single drop of killing intent from him. Is he just hiding it well, or...?'

Meanwhile, Sasuke was in a trance-like state. The Oinin's movements were becoming clearer, bit by bit. 'Almost there... just a little more, and I'll be able to see!'

Unnoticed by him, his eyes flickered, the red deepening as a single tomoe formed and vanished in his iris.

And it was with those eyes that Sasuke tried to find a better way to counterattack his opponent. 'If only we could attack from the outside...' Before that thought could fully form, a gleam of realization flashed in the Uchiha's eyes.

"Hey, Dobe, can't you create clones outside?" Sasuke asked, panting.

"I already tried! But something about this jutsu messes with my control when I try to make a clone outside the mirrors!"

"Tch." The Uchiha clicked his tongue in frustration.

"My offer still stands," the Oinin's voice cut through the fight. "Just tell me where the engineer is, and I'll let you live—"

Naruto was about to cut in with a taunt, but the Oinin continued.

"If possible, I don't want to kill you. I also don't want you to kill me. But if you insist on opposing me, I will destroy my gentle heart. Please, don't hate me. I have someone to fight for, and, if necessary, I would kill for them."

The Oinin's voice was resolute, yet beneath it, Naruto sensed a storm—exaltation, sorrow, guilt.

A dry laugh slipped past Naruto's lips.

'So that's why I didn't feel any killing intent from him...'

"Ah, what an emotional speech. I almost cried!" The redhead's voice started out light, almost casual, but with every word, his tone sharpened. "For a second, it almost sounded like we were the ones working for a scumbag who keeps an entire nation in misery, not you."

He took a step forward, his eyes hard and unwavering.

"We're shinobi, remember? The moment we took this mission, we knew the risks. We knew we'd be risking our lives and taking the enemy's. If you weren't prepared for that, you should've picked another career!"

and then he shrugged.

"Who knows, maybe gardening is your true calling?"

Under the mask, Haku bit his lip, his eyes closing for a brief moment. The redhead's words cut deeper than any blade, hitting the center of his conflict.

As the Oinin hesitated, Naruto made his move.

'My legs are going numb... If we don't end this now, it's over!'

He shifted slightly, whispering:

"Teme. I need you to attack first this time. Can you do that?"

Sasuke snorted.

"Hmph. Just make it worth it, Dobe." Sasuke snorted as if the request was ridiculous, though a tiny smirk curled at his lips.

"Great!" Naruto pulled a black, fingerless glove from his shinobi pouch. It looked ordinary, except for the strange white symbol covering the palm.

He flexed his fingers.

'I haven't tested this enough… but I don't have a choice.'

His eyes flickered with determination.

'Now, I can only trust this!'

Opening his eyes again, the myriads of doubts that had plagued the Oinin seemed to dissipate, replaced by a single vow echoing in his mind.

'I am Zabuza-san's weapon. For the sake of his dream, I have to do this!'

With renewed conviction, he attacked.

"Three o'clock, middle!"

Naruto's sharp whisper cut through the battlefield, his voice steady despite the pain lacing his body.

Sasuke wasted no time. His crimson eyes locked onto the target—the exact mirror Naruto had called out.

The next few seconds stretched into an eternity.

Sasuke focused.

He repeated the word like a mantra.

'Focus, focus, focus!'

And then—Haku moved.

In that instant, their eyes met and Haku's breath hitched.

The Uchiha's once onyx eyes were now red, with two tomoe spinning within them.

'The Sharingan…?!'

Before the Oinin could process the revelation, Sasuke moved. Anticipating his opponent's trajectory, he let fly three shuriken with pinpoint accuracy.

Haku was forced to adjust—his movement disrupted for the first time since the fight began.

For a single second, he was vulnerable.

'NOW, DOBE!'

Sasuke's mind screamed, his body bracing for Naruto's attack.

But—

It never came.

Naruto stood frozen.

'My legs... they won't move!' No matter how much Naruto willed it, his body refused to obey, and their golden opportunity slipped away.

Haku, regaining his footing, did not hesitate. A relentless barrage of senbon streaked toward Naruto, aimed at his vital points. 'Forgive me...'

A deadly rain of needles shot toward Naruto—aimed for his vital points.

Sasuke, seeing his teammate frozen in place, felt an unfamiliar panic rise within him.

'He's going to die.'

He could see it happening.

The needles piercing through his body.
The blood staining the ice.
The redhead collapsing.
His life flickering out.

For the first time in a long time, Sasuke felt confused. He was selfish. He existed only to kill Itachi. Whether his teammate lived or died wasn't his concern…

…So why—

Why is she moving?!

Why did her body refuse to stay still?

Why did something deep inside her scream at her to save Naruto?

Why did she see herself in him?

Alone.

Betrayed.

'I have to save him.'

Before she even knew it—

She moved.

—

Naruto barely had time to register what happened.

He had already accepted his fate.

Yet, in the blink of an eye—

Sasuke was standing in front of him.

His body shielded Naruto from the attack.

And dozens of senbon pierced into his flesh.

The redhead's eyes widened in horror.

"Hey… why… that sad face… Dobe…?"

Sasuke's voice was weak, his breaths shallow, but somehow, he still forced a smirk.

Naruto shook.

His body finally listened to him, his hands reaching forward—just in time to catch the Uchiha before he collapsed.

"Teme! You idiot… who said—who the hell said you could protect me?!"

Naruto's voice broke, his grip tightening around Sasuke's trembling frame.

The Uchiha let out a weak chuckle.

"Pfff... who said... I need... permission... to protect a friend?" Sasuke's eyes, which were slowly losing their light, began to close. "That man... my brother... he's still out there... I abandoned everything and lived only to kill him... Don't you dare die too, Naruto..."

Haku stood frozen, his hands trembling uncontrollably as a tightness gripped his throat.

'I told them… I warned them…'

Yet, as he stared at the result of his attack—

The sight of the Uchiha boy, slumped in his teammate's arms, barely clinging to life—

His heart ached.

He lowered his head, his voice hollow.

"Please… let's end this here." A choked breath. "I don't want to have to kill you too."

But Naruto did not respond. His ears rang with a deafening silence. He could only stare at Sasuke's lifeless form, the weight of his sacrifice pressing down on his chest.

'He died... Because of me, he died... I was supposed to protect them, and yet...'

Tears streamed down his face as a female voice—one he had long tried to forget—echoed in his mind.

"Protect me?! You'll never be stronger than me, wake up, Naruto!"

A broken smile twisted his lips, and a hollow laugh escaped his throat.

"Hehehe... you were right... How can I protect anyone like this...?"

Deep within a massive sewer, a millennia-old beast observed Naruto's anguish from behind the bars of its prison.

"How pathetic... you're truly weak, aren't you, young one?" A devilish grin stretched across its maw as it chuckled. "...Kukuku, I'll lend you a bit of my power again... Don't forget to thank me later."

And then—

The world burned.

Haku had already begun lowering his guard.

To him, this battle was over.

He had killed one opponent, and the other—broken beyond repair—was no longer a threat.

He turned his back.

"Forgive me. I had to do it. As a sign of my respect... I'll let you mourn your teammate's death,"

Then, the air shifted.

An overwhelming killing intent filled the clearing, freezing Haku in place.

Turning back, he barely suppressed a tremor of fear.

Naruto was standing.

A monstrous chakra pulsed from his body, tearing out every embedded senbon as if they were nothing. The only proof that they had been there was the blood gushing from the wounds.

The sheer force of it warped the air, thick enough to be seen with the naked eye. Crimson red, violent and alive, it swirled around him, its malice almost tangible. His eyes—once filled with pain—now gleamed with a predatory light, pupils transformed into menacing slits.

Despite the pure hatred radiating from him, Naruto's expression remained eerily calm.

Then, his lips curled into a twisted grin.

"No need to apologize." His voice was dangerously soft. "The way I'll tear your guts out will make up for what you did."

And then, all Haku knew was pain.

---

A few moments earlier, in a small cave not far away, Sakura, Tazuna, and a Naruto clone were gathered.

"I already told you I'm fine now, Naruto. Let me go!" the pinkette complained irritably.

The clone, however, refused to move from the entrance of the hideout.

"I already said no, Sakura-tan. Just because you can walk now doesn't mean you're healed. We don't know if you have internal injuries or something like that. If you push yourself too hard without knowing, you could end up with permanent damage."

But the clone's concerned pleas fell on deaf ears. The kunoichi was determined to return to the battlefield.

"If you won't get out of my way willingly, then I'll have to make you—" But before she could finish her threat, a malicious chakra erupted from the clone.

Startled, Sakura almost stumbled, taking a step back.

"Naruto...? What's happening?"

The clone weakly held its head, shaking it from side to side.

Carefully, the pinkette approached the replica of her teammate.

"Naruto, are you okay? Hey, can you hear me?" She asked, growing more and more apprehensive.

The clone, as if hearing her voice, calmed down and slowly began to turn toward the kunoichi.

When Sakura's emerald eyes met the clone's, she was shocked.

The once amethyst eyes of the redhead were now replaced by a crimson red, and his pupils had turned into slits, like those of a beast.

Before the girl could investigate further, the clone collapsed and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'What was that?' the pinkette wondered. Her concern only grew as she turned her gaze toward the battlefield where she had left her teammates. 'Something must be happening. I need to go help them!'

Sakura ran toward the entrance of the cave, despite the searing pain shooting through both her legs.

Just as she was about to leave, she stopped at the entrance, as if remembering something, and then turned her face toward Tazuna, who was sitting with his back against the cave wall.

"Tazuna-san, I—" But before the pinkette could finish what she was saying, the old engineer interrupted her.

"Don't worry, Sakura. Go after your teammates. I won't last long without them, so go and make sure they come back alive!" the old man replied with a serious glint in his eyes.

"Thank you, Tazuna-san!" Without wasting another second, the pinkette took off, praying for her teammates' safety. 'Sasuke-san... Naruto... please be okay!'

---

Haku couldn't move.

He didn't know if it was because of the terror gripping his body or the numerous bruises that covered him. Every breath he took sent fresh waves of pain coursing through his limbs, but the creature in front of him didn't care.

No.

It seemed to enjoy his suffering.

"Come on, the fun is just starting. Don't pass out now!" The redhead grinned, his face contorted in grotesque amusement. "Don't be a crybaby. I haven't even hit a vital spot yet."

Haku barely reacted. His mind had already accepted his fate.

'I guess this is it then... Forgive me, Zabuza-san.'

A faint, helpless smile crossed his now unmasked face.

"Kill me... just get it over with..."

"Tch, I think you misunderstood something." Naruto tilted his head, scratching his forehead as if he were dealing with a child who had gotten things mixed up. "I'm not going to kill you. No. I'm going to tear the life out of you."

His lips curled into a slow, devilish smile.

"First, I'll break every bone in your fingers. Then, I'll rip them off one by one, savoring the pain in your eyes. After that, I'll break all your teeth just so I can force you to swallow your own fingers without you trying anything funny. Then, and only then, will I open your stomach, rip out your guts to pull the fingers out from inside, and let you bleed to death."

The playful, almost casual tone in which Naruto spoke only made the whole scene even more macabre.

"Oh, and if you pass out, I'll piss on your face until you wake up again. So don't worry, we're going to have a lot of fun today!"

Haku's breath hitched. His pale face grew even paler. He swallowed hard, his mind racing. Would it be better to take his own life than experience what the redhead had promised?

"Don't even think about it!" Naruto barked, eyes narrowing dangerously, as if he had read Haku's mind. "If you try to die without me letting you, I promise it'll be ten times worse... So just accept your fate calmly while we have fun, okay?"

A wave of killing intent crashed over Haku, suffocating, overwhelming. His muscles locked in place as he watched the beast in front of him reach out with slow, deliberate intent.

Then, at the last second, a firm hand gripped Naruto's wrist.

"That's enough, Naruto-kun."

Kakashi stood there, his expression wary, his grip steady. He had seen many things in his life—too many—but this? This was dangerous.

Naruto turned, golden eyes meeting the calm resolve of his sensei. Then, his lips twisted into a sneer. "Tch, what's the problem, Kakashi? Don't tell me you feel sorry for her?" He jerked his chin toward Haku. "Stop being a killjoy and get out of my way!"

With a quick, powerful movement, Naruto broke free from Kakashi's grasp and tried to push past him, only to be stopped once again.

"This is what happens, see?" Naruto growled; his voice filled with mocking exasperation. "I try to talk nicely, and the person ignores me. Then when I rip out their eyes and shove them into their ears until they reach their brain, I'm the bad guy?!"

Kakashi felt a shiver crawl up his spine. The scene was bizarre, unnatural. 'Was this truly Naruto-kun?'

Then, with a sudden explosion of malevolent chakra, all doubts vanished.

'What's going on here? This chakra is too much for just a pseudo-jinchuuriki...' Kakashi's fingers twitched as he gathered the last remnants of his chakra, his concern deepening. 'I don't have much left. If this doesn't work, things could get really bad!'

"Well, Kakashi," Naruto crouched low, his fingers clawing at the earth like an animal preparing to pounce, "since you care so much about our lady here, how about I share what I had saved for her with you?"

'Now!'

Just as Naruto lunged, Kakashi's Sharingan flared, locking eyes with his student. The genjutsu took hold instantly.

Darkness.

A sewer.

Kakashi stood in the dimly lit corridor, the walls slick with something he didn't want to identify. In front of him, Naruto was covered in a thick, scarlet miasma, his body trembling with unrestrained power.

Taking a cautious step forward, Kakashi pressed what little chakra he had left into dispelling the force consuming his student. The malevolent energy fought back, resisting, writhing.

But then, it shattered.

The sewer walls trembled, flickering like a dying flame.

And from the deepest corner of the darkness, something moved.

A massive shadow loomed, rising from the abyss. Two colossal eyes, burning with malice, blinked open.

Kakashi's breath caught in his throat.

He wanted to deny it. Needed to deny it. But he knew those eyes. He had seen them before, felt the terror they carried.

The eyes of the creature that had taken his sensei and his sensei's wife from him. The creature that had slaughtered countless Konoha residents fourteen years ago.

The Kyūbi no Yōko.

Before he could process what he was seeing, the illusion collapsed, and he was back in the real world, Naruto limp in his arms.

'What was that? Was it an illusion from the Kyūbi's chakra? Or a remnant of its consciousness?' Sweat dripped down Kakashi's face. 'But that felt too real. That terror... only the real Bijuu could cause that. But that's impossible. Naruto can't be the Kyūbi's jinchuuriki!'

A noise behind him pulled him from his thoughts. Spinning around, his body tensed, only to relax slightly when he saw Haku collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

'For a second, I even forgot she was here...'

He debated his next move. Killing the girl would be the simplest option, but she could be a valuable source of information. Especially now, in enemy territory.

With a sigh, Kakashi reached into his pouch, pulling out a paralysis seal. He pressed it to the back of the unconscious boy's neck before hefting him over his shoulder.

Footsteps.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Sakura appeared, dragging a groggy Sasuke with her. Her face was pale, her steps unsteady.

Kakashi's gaze softened. "Sakura-chan, I'm sorry for being late. How's Sasuke-chan?"

In response, Sakura gave a bitter smile.

"I just got here too. I had to leave in the middle of the fight because I got hit... I was with Tazuna-san until Naruto's clone with us dissipated. I got worried that something might have happened, so I came back here."

"When I got here, I found Sasuke-san not breathing, but thank Kami that after removing the senbon from his neck, he started breathing again..."

The jonin nodded in understanding while analyzing the state of his student.

'She can barely stand. Something must have happened to her legs...'

With regret, Kakashi addressed his student once more.

'I could carry them, but I'm already at my limit. I can barely carry Naruto-kun and Zabuza's accomplice.'

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but I'm going to need you to carry Sasuke until we get to Tazuna-san's house."

The girl didn't flinch and, with a smile, reassured her sensei.

"Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei. This is the least I can do."

She even wanted to ask what had happened to Naruto and why her sensei was taking the enemy with him, but she could barely stand and would still have to carry her teammate. Her questions could wait for a safe place.

With everything settled, the two headed toward where Tazuna was hiding.

Throughout the walk, the memory of the eyes Kakashi had seen kept coming back to him, and his suspicion continued to grow.

'Naruto... you have a lot of questions to answer when you wake up.'

To Be Continued

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Glossary of Techniques

Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hiding in Mist Technique): A Rank-D ninjutsu from Kirigakure. Its function is to create a thick mist, reducing the visibility range of opponents, allowing the user to utilize stealth to assassinate their enemies.

Fuuton: Kisen (Wind Style: Cyclone): A Rank-C wind-element ninjutsu. Creates a cyclone around the user as a shield, effective primarily against lightning and projectiles but poor against flames or very heavy projectiles.

Suiton: Sensatsu Suishō (Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death): A Rank-C water-element ninjutsu. Creates numerous water needles around the user, which can number up to a thousand, and then launches them at the enemy. Its launch speed isn't the fastest, and its range is also short.

Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique): A Rank-B ninjutsu created by Sarutobi Hiruzen, a variation of the Kage Bunshin. Since it doesn't have the complexity of cloning a human, the chakra cost is significantly lower than the jutsu it derives from, but like it, if a large impact is made, the shuriken clone disperses.

Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique): A Rank-C fire-element ninjutsu. Generates, from the user's breath, a series of fireballs. Their size can vary from slightly larger than a fist to the size of a basketball. Experienced users can expel it as a single large fireball and then explode it into multiple smaller ones.

Hyōton: Hyōgan Dōmu (Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness): A Rank-B ice-element ninjutsu. Generates an ice dome around the user as a form of defense. The ice is so durable that even when hit by multiple explosive tags simultaneously, the dome remains practically intact.

Hyōton: Makyō Hyōshō (Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals): A Rank-A ice-element ninjutsu. Creates ice mirrors that surround the target effectively restricting him, allowing the user to "jump" from one mirror to another at extremely high speeds while simultaneously attacking the enemy. The mirrors are highly resistant. The only weaknesses of the technique are its high chakra cost and the extreme difficulty of launching another jutsu while using it.

Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Release: Gunshot): A rank-C Ninjutsu similar to Gōkakyū, but instead of a fireball, it forms a sphere of water. Its firing speed and water density are great enough to uproot a tree upon impact.

Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall): A rank-C earth-element Ninjutsu. It creates a thick earth wall strong enough to withstand ninjutsu of the same rank. Against higher-ranked techniques, its effectiveness depends on the user's skill and whether they reinforced local earth or created the wall by molding and expelling their own earth.

Katon: Hibarashi (Fire Release: Fire Flash): A rank-D fire-element Ninjutsu. It shoots a single fireball the size of a tennis ball. Its distinguishing feature is its projectile speed, which is significantly higher than Gōkakyū, and the fact that it requires only one hand seal to perform. Its downside is its short range, not even reaching five meters.

Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Clone Technique): A rank-C Ninjutsu that creates a solid water-based clone. Its disadvantages include reduced power, possessing only 10% of the original user's capabilities, and like other clones, it disperses with a single reasonably powerful strike.

Raiton: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Shadow Clone Technique): A rank-A Ninjutsu developed as a variation of Kage Bunshin. It retains all the advantages and disadvantages of its predecessor, with the added effect of electrocuting the opponent when forcibly dispersed. Being an elemental jutsu, it requires a greater amount of chakra to create.

Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique): A rank-A water-element Ninjutsu. It generates a massive column of water either from the user or an external source. Its power is enough to devastate a small forest, but its chakra cost is high, even for a rank-A ninjutsu.

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Responses to Reviews:

Dragon Master 124: That's a tough question to answer without giving away too many spoilers. The simple answer is that most of what Minato and Kushina owned was destroyed in the Kyuubi attack, and what remained was converted into money and kept under Jiraiya's jurisdiction, as he had the strongest claim as the "heir."
Now, whether there was any jutsu or artifact among those belongings—I can't say without spoiling things. As for the second comment, expect more dynamics like this lol.

The Ultimate Deity: Thanks! I hope you liked this one too!

TheSlySage (Chp. I): First, let me thank you again for the writing tips—they were really helpful! Also, thanks for the compliments, seriously, that made my day! I'm glad you noticed my attempt to cover the plot holes in the original story.
I mean, I love Naruto, but it's undeniable that it could have been much better. That said, I don't even blame Kishimoto; only God knows how he managed to pull off what he did, having to not only come up with the story but also draw it every week. Just imagining it is overwhelming.

TheSlySage (Chp. II): I never bought into the idea that Hiruzen went around announcing that Naruto was a jinchūriki right after the attack. That would have been just plain stupid, especially considering Kushina's status was kept a secret.
Of course, to make things more interesting, I made a series of problems arise. Probably, after the Wave arc, there will be an entire scene where Hiruzen explains the mess that is this situation.
As for Ayame, she's 16 years old. To be honest, I didn't plan much for her. She might show up in a scene or two, but don't expect much.
Regarding Naruto's friend/rival and first crush, that's something I planned from the very conception of this fanfic, just like Sasuke/Satsuki. Little by little, I'll be dropping hints about it, just as I did in this chapter lol.
Now, speaking of Team Seven's dynamic, I'm not really a fan of bashing. The first time you read it, it's fun and all, but it gets old fast. People make mistakes and dumb decisions, but they're also capable of regret. So don't expect anyone in this fic to be irredeemable—unless they're a villain.

TheSlySage (Chps. III & IV): Thanks for the question about Nagato in particular. It made me take another look at Naruto's timeline and realize it's a complete mess. If I had noticed it later, things could have gotten even more complicated.
As for who Jiraiya's disciple will be... no comments lol.

ShadeOClutch (Chp. II): Okay... I guess? Like, there won't be much comparison between Naruto and Minato here because, so far, only one person knows about it—Hiruzen. And it makes sense for him to compare them since he was much closer to Minato than to Kushina. But don't expect much comparison beyond that. By the time Naruto's lineage comes to light, he will probably have made a name for himself big enough that comparisons won't be necessary.
And, even if it doesn't seem like it yet, he'll be much more connected to the Uzumaki clan in this fic.
On another note, just as a personal complaint, I can sympathize with this take on Minato. By the end of the anime, he was just a bastardized version of Naruto with Hiraishin. I don't know if I'll change that here. I'm not sure if I want to mess too much with Edo Tensei, but if I do, expect a more powerful Minato, one who actually lives up to his reputation.

ShadeOClutch (Chp. I): Yeah, I get your reasoning. But honestly, it would be a pain to have to specify which Mito I'm talking about every time. I went with Satsuki because it's a name already used in the community and because I think it sounds nice.
As for the reason behind the name Sasuke, Satsuki wasn't the one who chose it—it was Hiruzen himself. This will be explained a bit more in the next chapter.

Flying Raijin: Yep, I was really surprised when I found that out... what, like ten years ago, I think? The anime really messed up by not sticking to that color scheme. At the beginning of the fic, I even debated with myself whether to go with yellow or blue. In the end, I went with blue because that's the color most people associate with it.

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Author's Notes

I was going to start by telling you not to get used to a chapter coming out this soon, but after the third time in a row, it kind of loses its impact lol.

Now, seriously, I already had most of the scenes in my head, so it wasn't too hard to write. The only part that gave me more trouble was the dialogue between Naruto and Kakashi. To be completely honest, this whole pseudo-jinchūriki idea was something I came up with at the last minute when I first wrote it, so I took some time to organize my thoughts and make sure things made at least some degree of sense. Fortunately, the manga/anime left this concept pretty open, and I was able to shape it the way I wanted.

In the end, the fight scenes weren't difficult to write, but they didn't turn out exactly as I had imagined. Initially, I planned for Naruto to use fūinjutsu to defeat Haku, but when I wrote the scene of Sasuke/Satsuki overhearing him talk about Mizuki, it occurred to me that the canon scene—where Sasuke throws himself in front of Naruto—would make way more sense with this background.

Ultimately, the chapter ended up being a bit too canon for my taste. The good news is that there are still two more chapters before this arc wraps up, and from here on out, everything will be much more original.

Ah, and all this confusion about whether Haku is a boy or a girl is just the characters' impression. In the next chapter, I'll confirm their gender.

One last thing, the more attentive readers may have noticed the change in chapter titles. At first, I thought of naming the entire arc Invisible, but then I realized how silly that sounded, and as the fanfic grew, it would get annoying to remember which chapter a certain event happened in. So, I decided to tweak the chapter titles a bit and also took the opportunity to revise them again, correcting some small errors. Nothing to worry about, just something to improve the reading experience for anyone picking it up now.

Anyway, I think that's it. See you in the next chapter! Ja ne!