Chapter 52 Rendevu on the sea.

It hurt.

Haku was held by his collar as he bled out. His arms were nothing but stumps after Naruto ripped them off… again. He couldn't concentrate on his jutsu to make ice, he couldn't think at all. He was in so much pain he couldn't think straight.

The stone in his chest did its best to fix him, but it couldn't wash away the pain. It healed wounds and regrow limbs, kept him alive. He couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing.

Naruto kept his promise to kill him. Over and over, Naruto brought him to the brink of death, then waited patiently for him to heal before he repeated the torture.

Haku's shoulders throbbed as he hung there wishing for death. Naruto was careful not to damage the stone which kept him alive, no, he would drag this out as long as he could.

Naruto released his hold on Haku's collar and kicked him in the stomach before he could fall into the water. Haku flew back, skipping across the water before starting to sink. The heat from Naruto's wrath melted all Haku's ice a long time ago. Not that his ice would reach the Uzumaki as he was now.

The water trembled under Naruto's foot, turning to steam around him. The blond approached the ice user with slow leisurely steps. He didn't rush anything. Naruto crouched in front of Haku who tried to pull himself from the water with his newly grown arms.

"I wonder," Naruto muttered, cupping Haku's chin. "Which one will break first, your mind or your body?" Haku's eyes widened in horror at those words.

Naruto punched a hole into Haku's chest, careful of the stone, sending the boy underwater once more. Air escaped his damaged lungs and he began to drown, not for the first time. Even as he knew he would live his instincts said to swim to the surface and so he did. There Naruto was waiting.

Before Haku could surface, Naruto grabbed him by the neck and dragged him out of the water. Haku struggled to breath with Naruto clenching his throat, he grabbed onto Naruto's to try and free himself. Pain wrenched through him as two Naruto clones grabbed his hands and ripped them from his body. His scream was stuck in his throat, unable to get past Naruto's strong grip.

Haku's eyes rolled back into his head, he was dying again.

Haku gasped for air as his airflow was no longer blocked. Haku fell to the surface of the water. He looked up in confusion at the blond.

A familiar blade was perched through the genin's chest. Behind Naruto stood a beaten-up Zabuza. His bandage mask had long since come undone and his scowl was visible to Haku.

"Don't get carried away brat," Zabuza chastised Naruto as he pushed his blade deeper inside the boy's small body. Despite having a blade lodged in his chest, Naruto smirked.

"I should be saying that to you, old man."

A shadow cast over them and they looked up to see a swarm of Naruto raining down.

"When!?" Zabuza exclaimed, kicking Naruto off his blade and grabbing Haku. The clones landed on the water with a huge splash, sending waves to the shores. Naruto turned to smirk at them, his wound healing as fast as theirs.

The clone army stepped forwards brandishing kunais and paper booms, their grins were vicious and bloodthirsty, unlike Naruto's calm exterior.

"Oh look," Naruto mused as he stood tall. "More prey."

With those words, the clone army charged at them.

Zabuza readied his blade and cut down a line of Naruto's with a single swing but it wasn't enough. The remaining Naruto's jump Zabuza and Haku with killing intent. Zabuza took their kunai stabs on his arm and swung his blade again to push the clones back but it was useless. With no regard for their own life, the clones carrying paper booms tackled them and exploded.

Kakashi and Asuma watched in awe as Naruto savagely attacked Zabuza and Haku. They were confused when Zabuza suddenly ran away but was horrified to find Naruto fighting them both. Before they could interfere however they bore witness to Naruto's savage fighting style that had them on the back foot.

"Why is he like this?" Asuma asked, not expecting an answer.

"Where's Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, noting the Uchiha's absences. He looked around frantically but couldn't see the boy. Gritting his teeth, his stomach clenching with worry, he summoned his dogs.

"Find Sasuke," he ordered forgoing the greetings. The pups did not question him, instead scattering.

"What is it, Kakashi?" Asuma asked, confused.

"Can't you feel that!?" Kakashi looked at him with wide eyes. "Naruto's killing intent?"

Asuma looked back at the blond that was now trying to drown both Zabuza and Haku. he could feel the killing intent; he just assumed it was normal for them. Sakura also released such killing intent on the regular. He said as much to Kakashi.

Hatake laughed dryly, shaking his head. "Leave it to Sakura to set an unobtainable standard. Naruto is the host of the Nine tails."

Asuma looked back at Naruto with new eyes at the reminder. The way he was acting before made Asuma let his guard down, he couldn't believe he forgot. The boy was the host of the nine tail fox that took his mother.

Naruto's clones dragged Zabuza under water while the others pushed him under. Haku wasn't much better, having his hair pulled as the clones used him as a target dummy. Kakashi shivered at the display of violence that did not match the look of calm on Naruto's face.

"Why isn't the seal working?" Kakashi thought. During the Uchiha incident, Naruto almost transformed into the nine tails but was held back by a seal, which he later found out was Sakura's doing. However, Naruto was going on a rampage and nothing was stopping him.

Asuma wrapped his hand in a bandage and gripped his trenched knife tighter.

"Should we be worried?" Asuma asked, looking at Naruto with a worried face.

Before Kakashi could answer Pakkun, a small pug with brown fur and a dark brown snout and ear. With a Konoha headband around his head, a blue vest with heno-heno-moheji seal on its back, he didn't leap but had a bandaged leg.

"The boy is on the bridge," Pakkun reported. Kakashi's sigh made the pup hesitate. Asuma noticed and pressed him.

"What is it?" he asked. The pup looked away.

"The boy isn't in the best condition," Pakkun said. "He looks dead to the world."

"Dead!?" Kakashi gasped.

"He has a pulse but it's so weak you would think he's dead," Pakkun explained.

"Well that explains it," Kakashi sighed. Naruto thought Sasuke had died and went on a killing spree. But that didn't explain why Naruto's seal triggering.

"There's also this," Pakkun presented a gold necklace with a spiral around a sapphire. "It doesn't belong to the Uchiha kid."

"No," Kakashi confirmed. "It belongs to Naruto." Now he knew why the seal did not take effect. He took the necklace in hand and stood. Naruto roared, producing a strong gust of wind that pushed Zabuza back, he then turned around and clawed Haku across the chest. The ice user was already covered in his own blood at this point, his clothes were nothing but rags.

"We need to move." Kakashi lept into action, trusting Asuma to follow.

Chidori screamed to life as they entered the fray. Zabuza and Haku leaped back away from Naruto as Kakashi leaped between them. He stood protectively in front of Naruto as Asuma flanked him.

"I don't need your help," Naruto growled. The deep voice made Kakashi shiver. Was this Naruto angry? It looked nothing like the goofball he was used to. Pushing through the killing intent flowing from the boy, Kakashi clutched the necklace tighter.

"Catch!" he threw the necklace over his shoulder, Naruto caught it on instinct but flinched when he realized what it was. He tried to throw it away but it was too late. Pale green ribbons of chakra tied the necklace to his hand as a pale girl emerged from the jewel. She hugged Naruto tightly and the boy relaxed in her hold. He fell to his knees as the killing intent faded from him, his eyes returning to their beautiful blue.

The nine tail chakra was suppressed once more and the girl kissed Naruto's forehead before returning to the necklace. Naruto's shoulders shook as his calm composure crumbles. Tears and snot ran down his face. He wailed in pain and grief, the feelings he suppressed rushing to the surface.

Kakashi tapped his shoulder causing the boy to look up. Kakashi smiled reassuringly, "Everything is going to be okay, Naruto."

"S- Sasuke."

"It's okay, I'm here now."

"That's very touching, Kakashi," Zabuza said standing behind him. Asuma whirl around but it was too late. "Now you can all die together!" Zabuza infused his blade with the power in the stone and swung it down at the blond and his teacher.

He couldn't believe that even with the stone he was losing to a brat half his size. It made sense that this kid had a power of his own that was greater than that of the stone. He should thank Kakashi for stopping the kid as he was sure he couldn't win. Now he had to kill them before they pulled anything else.

"I've had enough of you," Kakashi muttered. Just then, his pack of pups broke the water surface and bit into Zabuza's limbs trapping him in place. Kakashi stood, reactivating his chidori. "It's time we put an end to this." He stroked, aiming for the stone embedded in Zabuza's chest.

Kakashi's hand pierced through flesh, blood dripping down into the water. Zabuza's eyes trembled as Hakus' blooded face smiled at him. Kakashi was shocked by the turn of events but hardened his resolve. He fought through the visions of Rin jumping in front of him and tossed Haku's body aside, aiming again for Zabuza.

"Ahhhhh!"

A great wind accompanied the cry of grief. Chakra exploded from Zabuza's body, blasting everyone away. The pups lost their hold and dispelled in a poof of smoke. Kakashi clicked his tongue as Zabuza went berserk. The swordsman grabbed his sword and swung it wildly. The forest in the distance exploded as the trees were cut in half.

"From so far," Asuma said, amazed. Kakashi wasn't deterred, he charged the mad swordsman with every intent to kill him.

Zabuza saw Kakashi coming and brought down his sword, cutting the shinobi in half. Had he been in his right mind he might have realized sooner, as it was, he was blinded by rage. Kakashi's leap into the air went unseen, the former anbu aimed well and dropped down on the man swordsman.

This time he stuck true, piercing Zabuza's chest and the stone within. The energy from the stone exploded outwards, throwing Kakashi across the water. Energy from the stone thrashed about madly, threatening to break Zabuza's body.

Asuma gripped his trench knives, he would put the poor guy out of his misery. As he moved to finish Zabuza he froze.

"Oh you poor thing, they really did a number on you huh?"

Asuma and Naruto whirled around to find a red head crouching over Haku's broken body. "It's okay, I'll take good care of you now."

Before Asuma could make heads or tails of the woman he saw a blur of orange as Naruto attacked.

"Naruto!" he cried out but it was too late. The water exploded as the boy punched it, the force made greater from the nine tails chakra. Naruto's anger resurfaced even as his necklace began to glow. He threw the necklace at Asuma who caught it without thinking. He realized his mistake soon after seeing red chakra bubble to the surface of Naruto's skin, clocking the boy. A single tail formed behind him and he growled at the woman, the calm facade he displayed earlier nowhere to be seen.

Asuma looked at the object of Naruto's hatred with confusion.

"It's been a while, cousin," the woman cooed. The memory of his father fighting a red haired woman on the night of the Uchiha massacre flashed in his mind. There was no way that woman was here, surely she had no reason. "You don't look happy to see me~"

Naruto opened his mouth but instead of words, a ball of energy formed. The woman laughed when the ball was fired at her. The blast cut through the water pathing it before the water right itself with a slash.

"Ahahahaha!" laughter like bells rang out from the point of impact. "I see you did miss me after all." As the mist cleared, the red head stood unarmed, smiling brightly at Naruto. "My cute Uzumaki, why do I only get to see your angry face?" She forced her face into a smile with her hand. "Smile for me~"

Naruto's response was to leap at her again. She stepped back and out of the berserking boy's range. Angered by his failings, Naruto attacked in a barrage of hits. None of them hit. The woman stayed just out of Naruto's range, brushing off the shock waves of his attack as though they were nothing.

"Oh, look at you, you've grown so much~" she was toying with Naruto, it took Asuma a moment to realize what was happening. Haku was no longer in her hands, somewhere along the line she removed the boy from harm. Asuma looked around frantically and saw what he feared. A blond boy dressed in armor hands the Haku's boy before him, another stone in hand. If he implanted that it would start the fighting all over again.

Asuma moved to stop him.

"Water prison."

Asuma had time to gasp before he was trapped in a ball of water, again. He looked back in confusion, Zabuza was already out of commission. It wasn't Zabuza, but another swordsman of the mist. Kisame grinned at Asuma, revealing sharp shark-like teeth. His pale blue gray skin stood out and identified him as Kisame Hoshigaki of the seven swordsmen. Why were there two swordsmen in the land of waves?

The burst of chakra brought Asuma back to the matter at hand, the boy had implied the stone. The hole in Haku's chest healed immediately, the boy's eyes opening.

"Shit!" Asuma cursed only to curse again when a second blast of energy rang out, Zabuza was back on his feet. Kiasame turned out to be a clone with the real one reviving Zabuza. This was back. There was no sign of Kakashi, and the two missing-nin were back in action. Naruto's roar confirmed he was still fighting the woman.

Where was Kakashi?

Kakashi floated on the water looking up at the blue sky; spent. He used up all his chakra; he really couldn't move at this point. Hopefully, Asuma could handle everything else. Or at least that was the hope. Said hope went out the window when he felt the burst of chakra. The first one was Naruto, the other two were the same as Zabuza and Haku, he was tired. All that hard work.

He wanted to sink to the bottom of the ocean.

"Is this really the time to be lying around sensei?"

Kakashi looked up and couldn't help but smile.

"Are you supposed to be up, Sasuke?" the Uchiha glared down at him with red eyes.

"Get up," he demanded.

"I'm out of chakra," Kakashi confessed. Sasuke clicked his tongue and pulled out his onyx necklace. He placed the gem on Kakashi's forehead and transferred chakra to him, it was harder to do with Kakashi not possessing a necklace of his own but Sasuke had decent chakra control.

Kakashi sighed when he felt his pools refilling with chakra. His body wanted to take everything the boy had to offer but he pushed Sasuke's hand away when he had enough chakra to move. The boy couldn't have that much chakra to begin with. Kakashi stood and pitted Sasuke on the head.

"Let go."

"Right."

They ran toward the battlefield. Zabuza and Haku were up but not fighting, Asuma was in a water prison, and Naruto was fighting someone.

Sasuke, stopped in his tracks. Was that?

The red head smiled at Naruto as the blond tried and failed to rip her head off.

"That Uzumaki!?"

Kakashi's eyes trembled with recognition. That was the woman that slatured the Uchiha clan, his eyes found Sasuke's trembling form. The boy's eyes shifted to the Mangekyou Sharingan as killing intent wafted off him in waves.

Sasuke moved before Kakashi could stop him, leaping at the woman. He didn't make it very far.

The blond clad in armor intercepted Sasuke's attack and kicked the young Uchiha away. Sasuke recovered quickly and glared at the boy who dared to get in his way. Temujin in front of the boy, and between him and Ina.

"Do not interfere," the blond said.

"Who the hell are you!?" Sasuke demanded, didn't he know the woman he protected was a monster?

"I am Temujin Uzumaki, it's nice to finally meet you, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke was at a loss for words, another Uzumaki? And a blond one at that, he thought they said Uzumaki's were red heads. Were the women redheads and the men were blond? That would explain Naruto and Temujin.

He shook his head to dispel the useless thought.

"How do you know who i am?'' Sasuke asked.

"Mother talks about you a lot," Temujin confessed.

"Mother?"

Temujin pointed to the woman he protected, "Ina Uzumaki."

The monster had a son!?

"O wow I didn't know she had kids. From the way she acted I thought she was too young for that," Kakashi said, joining Sasuke's side.

"There are many of us," Temujin said, sounding proud.

"So she's off creating a family after she took mine away!" Sasuke pulled a kunai, his fury evident on his face.

Temujin smiled at him as though he knew something Sasuke didn't, it only served to make the Uchiha's anger grow.

"Indeed, she did take your family away didn't she?" Temujin's smile didn't fade. "Worry not, they're in a better place."

Sasuke roared and attacked Temujin, the blond blocking his attack with his short sword. Sasuke kicked off the blade and landed atop the water, launching at him again. Temujin remained rooted as Sasuke ran around him, attacking from all angles. Unfazed, Temujin blocked an attack from above.

"You're skilled, but you're no match for my teacher," Temujin swung his blade, forcing Sasuke back to Kakashi's side. "He is a man the leaf village's rightful fear. I dear say, even your brother wouldn't be able to beat him."

Sasuke weaved through hand seals.

"Fire style! Great fireball jutsu," Sasuke breathed. The ball of flames towered over them and flew towards Temujin.

"Impressive, considering your limited reserves." He said, his eyes turning red. "But like I said." his sword extended and the telltale green of the power of gelel engulfed it. With a single swing of his blade, the energy clashed against the ball of flames and the two attacks canceled each other out. Sasuke looked on in awe. "You're no match for my teacher, or me."

The scream of a thousand birds rang near his ear, Temujin turned to find Kakashi behind him, his chidori ready.

So the flames were a distraction. He thought. It was too late to evade the attack, he would have to take it and hope he survives. Though with the stone in his chest there wasn't much danger to his life. The chidori didn't make it very far, stopping inches from his face.

Kakashi cursed as he struggled against the chains. Golden chains so familiar to him held him in place, stopping his attack. He looked over his shoulder to see what he already knew. Ina stood atop the water with chains like webs around her. Naruto and Sasuke were caught in her chain webs as well.

"Temujin, you need to be more aware of your surroundings," she could have been chastising him, but with the soft way she spoke Kakashi wasn't sure.

"Apologies, mother," Temujin said as he took a knee in front of her. " I didn't mean to be a distraction to you."

Ina smiled softly at the boy and patted him on the head. "It's fine, you're not a distraction, fighting Kakashi Hatake can't be easy for anyone. It just means you need more training!" the boy flinched.

"Master Fu will gladly take you in again, he likes you, ya know. I think you remind him of another blond."

"Do I have to," the boy whined, actually whining. Kakashi felt his world shift, were they really having a conversation like that now!? Naruto must have also thought so as he burst from her chains and attacked her.

Two tails swang behind Naruto as he attacked the witch. His hatred for her was nothing like the anger he felt for Haku. This woman took everything from him. The memory of that night played on loop growing more gruesome the longer he looked at her. The smell of blood, the sound of battle, the hole in Sakura's chest. There was still a scar there, she always tried to cover it but he could never forget, then again the circle on her back doesn't help matters, he would never tell her that though.

He threw a punch at the woman again, yet she stepped to the side and his attack missed, parting the water but leaving the witch unharmed. His hatred boiled within him.

"You're so cute going on a rampage like this, but it's time to end this," chains of gold formed behind her and coiled around him, again. He cried out as they tightened their hold and squeezed him. She moved to stand in front of him smiling all the while. "Wild beasts get caged. If you can't control yourself, someone else will control you." She cupped his chin and he glared at her with crimson eyes.

"Don't you think your anger is misplaced? I'm not the only one who has wronged you, ya know. What about those faces that haunt your dreams?" the image flashed before his eyes. The faces the villagers made when he was around, he never understood why they were like that until that night. He understood why they hated him now but it didn't stop the hurt, it couldn't.

The loneliness he felt for those years started to choke him. The darkness rolled in and pulled him down into its depths. It was cold. He was all alone, he had no one. No one wanted him. What were his parents like? No one would tell him. Why would no one tell him? Why is it that he's the only one who's alone! Why!?

Sakura reached out a hand for him to take. "Come on, let's get out of here." In the darkness, she was like a beacon of light. Her smile was warm and genuine, so welcoming. He reached to the offered hand even as the darkness clung to him trying to stop him. He put all his strength into reaching that hand. Flashes of Sasuke's body made the darkness pull harder, he didn't deserve her. His body sank into the dark. He was so useless. The darkness clutched his chest and pulled him down. He couldn't. It was as his face was going under.

"I'll show you something interesting."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the darkness, she grinned at him as she pulled him along. They were running, he stumbled but she didn't let him fall. They were running towards a light, a light at the edge of the darkness.

He felt warm.

He opened his eyes to find his anger gone, his necklace wasn't around his neck but still, he couldn't bring himself to be angry. It was warm, he was safe in her arms, the darkness couldn't reach him there.

"I think the time for games has passed, don't you?"

The voice was a mix of Sakura and a deep male voice but Naruto didn't care. He remained in her hold as she crouched with him atop the water. His eyes wandered. The witch was standing before them looking a bit pale. Kakashi and Sasuke were in chains. Naruto's eyes focused on the black-haired Uchiha. That was Sasuke right. He was okay!?

"You did well, Naruto." Naruto looked up at Sakura who held him. She smiled at him, her eyes closed. "Rest now." with that his consciousness faded and he was in his room.

"Naruto!" He looked up to see a red head crying over him. It wasn't the witch but rather his mother. His father patted her back and his forehead.

"It's good to see you, Naruto," his father said with a soft smile.

"Tsk."

Glared at him from his place in Naruto's arms, when had this happened.

"Squeeze me like that again brat and I'll-"

"You will do nothing to harm my child, you hear me!" His mother grabbed the nine tail fox and squeezed him. "He's been through enough because of you!"

His father chuckled as he watched his wife handle a demon fox. He turned to Naruto and patted his head again.

"Sleep Naruto, everything is okay now.

Naruto didn't argue and closed his eyes, using the yells of his mother and the fox as a lullaby.

Next chapter

March 1