Shortly after their exhausting battle, Team 7 finally arrived at Tazuna's modest home. As they approached, the door swung open, revealing a gentle-faced woman whose soft brown eyes immediately filled with concern upon noticing Kakashi's condition. Her long, dark blue hair cascaded gracefully over her shoulders, and her presence radiated a comforting warmth.
"Father! You're finally back," she said warmly, quickly stepping forward to assist. "Oh dear, what happened? Please, bring him inside and lay him down in the room upstairs."
Naruto and Sasuke nodded gratefully, carefully carrying their sensei to the indicated room. Hinata followed quietly, reassuring Tsunami with a gentle smile that their sensei would be alright.
As they gently lowered Kakashi onto a futon, his eyes fluttered open briefly, glancing weakly at his students. "Naruto, Sasuke," he murmured quietly, his voice strained yet appreciative, "thank you for carrying me."
Naruto grinned slightly, checking Kakashi's chakra again. "Don't mention it, Kakashi-sensei. You suffered severe chakra exhaustion back there. If Hinata hadn't tossed me that soldier pill, you'd probably be bedridden for at least a week. Now, you should recover fully in a couple days, but you need to rest."
Kakashi managed a small nod, his eye drifting closed again as sleep reclaimed him. Naruto quietly stepped away, motioning Sasuke and Hinata downstairs.
When they entered the dining area, the comforting aroma of curry and rice filled the air, instantly making Naruto's stomach growl loudly. Tsunami chuckled softly at his embarrassed look, gesturing warmly toward the food she'd prepared.
"You must all be starving," she smiled gently. "Please eat as much as you like."
The three genin wasted no time, digging eagerly into their meals. Naruto paused only long enough to savor the deliciousness of each bite, soon declaring enthusiastically, "Tsunami-san, this food is amazing! Kakashi-sensei will definitely appreciate it later!"
He carefully set aside a portion for his resting teacher, earning another warm smile from Tsunami.
After finishing, they insisted on helping Tsunami clean the dishes, despite her protests that it wasn't necessary. "You three really are sweet," she said softly, gratitude clear in her voice as they washed the dishes together.
As they finished their chores, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata stepped outside to train, their minds already focused on improving for the challenges ahead.
"I'll head to the lake nearby," Hinata spoke gently, determination in her voice, "I need to work on combining my water manipulation with my Dancing Fist style."
Sasuke nodded thoughtfully. "I'll be near the clearing—I have to work more on my taijutsu and bojutsu. There's a new technique I've been developing these past few weeks."
Naruto considered their plans, then nodded decisively. "Alright, you two go ahead. I've got a special project I need to start working on." Before they left, he swiftly formed three shadow clones. "One clone each will stay close to you guys and keep an eye out. The third will stay with Kakashi-sensei, just in case something happens. If there's trouble, dispel the clone immediately."
With acknowledging nods from Sasuke and Hinata, they moved toward their respective training spots, clones following quietly behind.
Naruto himself wandered deeper into the forest, finding an isolated clearing. Glancing around cautiously, he quickly sped through a series of intricate hand seals. "Barrier Style: Privacy Seal," he muttered firmly, placing a hand gently against the ground. Immediately, an invisible barrier rippled outward, securing his training area from unwanted intrusion.
Naruto sat cross-legged, eyes closed, lost deep in thought.
"Alright, Naruto," he murmured to himself quietly, forehead creased in concentration. "If I'm going to send a clone all the way to Uzushiogakure, a regular shadow clone won't last. It'll need more chakra—way more."
Naruto tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I could use a Chakra Reservoir Seal to store my chakra in advance…that should give the clone a large supply for the journey. Yeah, that's definitely a good start."
His eyes narrowed further, mind racing as new ideas poured in. "But even with extra chakra, if the clone wastes energy, it still won't reach Uzushio. I need something to regulate chakra flow efficiently—something precise."
Naruto snapped his fingers triumphantly. "Got it! A Chakra Regulation Seal! It'll stabilize chakra flow and minimize wastage, allowing the clone to last longer."
He grinned excitedly at his solution, then quickly frowned again, thinking deeper. "But durability's also a problem. Normal durable shadow clones only take a couple of extra hits before popping…that's not enough. I need something stronger, something tougher…"
He scratched the back of his head in mild frustration, mumbling quietly, "Uzumaki Endurance Seal… Maybe I can tweak it a bit—if I combine it with a Stasis seal to reduce internal strain, the clone would last way longer… Yeah, that could work! An Uzumaki Endurance Seal fused with a Stasis Seal."
Finally satisfied, Naruto leaped to his feet, stretching out his arms. "Alright, time to get started." He swiftly formed another hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Twelve identical Narutos appeared in a puff of smoke, each immediately turning to him, awaiting instructions. Naruto quickly organized his thoughts. "You four," he pointed toward the first group of clones, "work on perfecting the Chakra Reservoir Seal. Make sure it can hold enough chakra for a long-term trip."
"Got it!" one clone responded, saluting cheekily before joining his group.
Naruto continued firmly, "You four, work on the Chakra Regulation Seal. Efficiency is key—I don't want a single drop of chakra wasted unnecessarily."
The second group nodded confidently, quickly breaking away to start their task.
Naruto turned to the remaining four clones, eyes sharp and determined. "And you four are responsible for the Uzumaki Endurance-Stasis Seal. We need to push our durability to the absolute limit."
The final group grinned enthusiastically. "Leave it to us, Boss!"
Naruto watched his clones scatter into their respective areas, each group intensely focused on their assigned seals.
Naruto took a deep breath, steadying himself as he began concentrating a large portion of his remaining chakra. He formed the hand-sign, carefully balancing the flow. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he said forcefully. A large puff of smoke erupted in front of him, and a shadow clone appeared, infused with nearly seventy percent of Naruto's remaining chakra. Naruto immediately dropped to one knee, his chest heaving slightly, sweat rolling down his brow from the sudden chakra drain.
"Ugh," he muttered, swiping a hand across his forehead, breathing deeply to regain composure. Even for him, creating a clone with such an immense chakra reserve was taxing. He stumbled toward a nearby tree, slumping heavily against it, and quickly drifted into a short nap, allowing his chakra to naturally replenish. Even exhausted, Naruto's chakra recovery was rapid, the Uzumaki lineage clearly evident in his stamina.
Hours later, as the sun began to set, Naruto stirred awake, feeling noticeably refreshed. He checked his reserves, estimating he was about sixty-five to seventy percent full again. Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out two soldier pills and swallowed them without hesitation, immediately feeling a comforting surge of chakra replenishing him almost fully.
Standing steadily, he turned toward his clones working diligently across the clearing. Upon seeing him approach, each clone silently dispelled itself, sending Naruto a rush of information. He smiled confidently, absorbing the memories—the sealing formulas had been successfully designed and tested.
"Alright," Naruto said firmly, eyeing his special chakra-enhanced clone standing before him. "Time to get to work."
He removed the Phoenix brush from his pouch, and used his chakra to further strengthen his seals.
He carefully drew the first chakra reservoir seal onto the clone, channeling his chakra directly into it. Naruto grimaced slightly, noticing the seal reached its limit after storing roughly ten percent of his chakra. "Just ten percent, huh? Guess that's the limit of this design," he murmured thoughtfully.
He swiftly drew six more identical seals, each glowing softly as he painstakingly filled them to maximum capacity. Each seal shimmered gently as it stabilized, successfully creating a significant chakra reserve for the clone.
Satisfied, Naruto carefully took a vial from his first aid kit and quickly sliced his thumb with a kunai, allowing blood to flow steadily into it. After filling it, he sealed it securely and applied a simple temperature-moderation and stasis seal to prevent degradation. Carefully pocketing it, Naruto handed the vial to his clone.
"Take this," he said seriously. "If Uzushiogakure's ruins need Uzumaki blood to open seals, you'll be ready."
The clone nodded solemnly, carefully placing the vial safely in his own pouch.
Naruto gave a small sigh. "Try to avoid trouble for once, okay? We both know what usually happens."
The clone grinned broadly, chuckling softly. "No promises, boss."
Naruto rolled his eyes, watching as the clone departed swiftly, disappearing into the forest in the direction of Uzushiogakure. He lingered momentarily, hoping he'd done enough to ensure its success. With that resolved, Naruto turned back toward Tazuna's house, ready for a much-needed dinner.
When Naruto arrived at the house, the comforting aroma of food greeted him warmly, soothing his tired muscles. Entering, he was pleasantly surprised to see Kakashi already sitting upright, looking considerably better. "Kakashi-sensei? You're up already?" he asked in surprise, earning a relaxed eye-smile from the jonin.
"I'm recovering quickly," Kakashi said casually. "Your soldier pill did the trick."
Hinata smiled gently from the kitchen doorway, wiping her hands clean with a towel. "Naruto-kun, dinner is ready."
Naruto beamed, eyes lighting up instantly. He joined them quickly, seeing that Hinata had helped Tsunami prepare dinner. Warm chicken and vegetable stew awaited them, alongside freshly baked bread and fluffy rice.
Naruto quietly moved to sit beside Kakashi, eyeing his sensei carefully in case he needed help feeding himself. Kakashi noticed Naruto's subtle concern and chuckled softly beneath his mask. Gently, he reached out and ruffled Naruto's unruly blond hair affectionately.
"Don't worry so much, Naruto. I'm fine," Kakashi said warmly, his lone eye crinkling into a soft smile.
Naruto's face instantly turned red, his eyes widening in embarrassment as Sasuke smirked knowingly across the table, and Hinata covered a quiet giggle with her hand. Naruto crossed his arms stubbornly, looking away as he grumbled, trying—and failing—to hide his embarrassment.
"Whatever, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto muttered quietly, though secretly feeling warmth flood through his chest. "Just eat your food."
Just then, the door slid open quietly, and a young boy stepped into the room. He had dark, messy hair hidden partly under a white bucket hat, his eyes downcast and shadowed by a lingering sadness. His shoulders were hunched, as if carrying an invisible weight, giving off a gloomy, withdrawn air. Naruto immediately sensed the heavy emotion emanating from the boy and paused briefly, chopsticks halfway to his mouth.
Tazuna smiled gently, motioning the boy forward. "Everyone, this is my grandson, Inari." He placed a comforting hand on Inari's shoulder. "Inari, these are the super-ninja who saved your grandfather's life in a super fight!"
Inari merely glanced up briefly, eyes filled with bitter resignation. "What's the point?" he muttered quietly, his tone flat and defeated. "They're just going to die anyway."
The statement hung heavily in the air, causing Hinata's eyes to widen slightly and Sasuke's gaze to sharpen. Sasuke leaned forward slightly, narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"
Inari shrugged, looking away. "You can't beat Gato, no matter how hard you try. Nobody can."
An awkward silence fell over the table, broken only by Naruto, whose appetite seemed unaffected by Inari's grim words. He continued to inhale absurd amounts of food at an alarming speed, clearly unfazed.
Tsunami watched Naruto's enthusiasm with a soft chuckle, amused and somewhat touched by the blond's hearty appetite. "I'm glad you enjoy my cooking so much, Naruto-kun."
Naruto paused, cheeks puffed with food as he offered her a sincere thumbs-up. "It's amazing, Tsunami-chan! You really need to teach me some recipes!"
Tsunami's cheeks tinged faintly pink at Naruto's casual use of 'chan', but she smiled warmly nonetheless. "I'd be happy to teach you, Naruto-kun."
Dinner soon concluded quietly, and the group eventually retired to their respective rooms. Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto shared a small guest room, while Hinata stayed with Tsunami. Tazuna and Inari occupied the third room, the quiet sounds of the night settling gently over the household.
The next morning, Kakashi called the team together, his expression serious as he faced them, his voice calm yet firm. "There's something important I need to discuss with all of you—it's likely Zabuza is still alive."
He waited, expecting surprise or confusion, but was taken aback by the team's calm, almost indifferent reaction.
Naruto yawned lightly, casually stretching his arms. "Oh, yeah. We figured that out yesterday. I sensed that hunter-nin lurking around the area way before your fight even started. They had plenty of chances to intervene earlier."
Sasuke crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. "Plus, they didn't dispose of Zabuza's body immediately. Hunter-nin always do that to prevent secrets from being leaked."
Hinata chimed in softly, voice steady and confident. "Also, Kakashi-sensei, that shinobi used senbon, which are low-lethality weapons. They likely put Zabuza into a state of near-death, not actual death."
Kakashi blinked slowly, thoroughly impressed by their deduction. "You three really have grown into capable shinobi already," he praised sincerely, pride evident in his tone. "Since Zabuza will likely be back in fighting condition within about 2 weeks, we have to make the most of our time. I'll train you until then."
The next several days fell into a steady routine. Hinata dedicated herself tirelessly to perfecting her taijutsu and water manipulation, combining her unique dancing fist style with fluid water techniques. Recognizing her potential, Kakashi guided her through learning Water Style: Needle Rain, a versatile attack that summoned countless chakra-infused needles of water, showering opponents from above.
Sasuke, driven by an unrelenting desire to improve, worked diligently on refining his taijutsu and bojutsu. He spent hours perfecting his stances, sparring against kakashi's clones, steadily building towards a powerful new technique he'd envisioned weeks ago. Kakashi observed him closely, occasionally offering insights and corrections, impressed by the Uchiha's rapid progression.
Naruto immersed himself deeply in ninjutsu and kenjutsu, pushing his limits daily. Kakashi, recognizing Naruto's vast chakra reserves and versatility, decided it was time to diversify his elemental repertoire. He taught Naruto two powerful jutsu specifically suited for combat against Zabuza's water style: first, Earth Style: Mud Vines, which conjured sturdy vines capable of binding or impaling enemies, neutralizing water-based attacks; and second, Wind Style: Vacuum Wave, a widespread slicing technique that could swiftly cut through both water and enemy alike.
Somewhere in Wave
Meanwhile, deep within one of Gato's dimly lit hideouts, Zabuza lay quietly on a worn bed, his muscular frame covered in tightly wrapped bandages. Beside him stood the hunter-nin, mask expressionless, quietly vigilant over the injured swordsman.
The door abruptly swung open, and a short, pompous man strode arrogantly into the room, flanked by two imposing figures. The man wore an expensive black suit, complemented by dark sunglasses. His stature was short, but his presence radiated cruel authority—the infamous Gato himself.
One of the men beside Gato stood at medium height, with sleek grey hair reaching his shoulders, tied back by a purple bandana. A polished sword hung casually at his waist, clearly not just for decoration. The other was a towering brute, muscular, shirtless, and marked by countless scars. A grimy black eyepatch covered one eye, enhancing his menacing glare as he rested a heavy hand on the hilt of his large blade.
Gato approached the bedside slowly, sneering down at Zabuza with open disdain. "So, this is the so-called Demon of the Mist?" he mocked cruelly, his tone dripping with contempt. "All bark and no bite, huh? You came crawling back like a whipped dog."
Gato reached out, intending to disrespectfully prod Zabuza's bandaged body, but before he could touch him, a delicate yet powerful hand seized his wrist firmly. The hunter-nin's voice sliced through the tense silence, dangerously calm. "Do not touch Zabuza-sama with your filthy hands."
Gato glared furiously, attempting to jerk free, but the hunter-nin tightened their grip mercilessly, bones audibly cracking beneath the relentless pressure. Gato cried out sharply, pain and fury mixing in his voice. "Y-you little brat! What do you think you're—AHHH!"
Instantly, Gato's henchmen reached for their weapons, stepping forward menacingly. In the blink of an eye, the hunter-nin stood between them and Zabuza, eyes cold beneath the porcelain mask. A lethal chill radiated from the shinobi's body, their voice deadly calm yet tinged with irritation.
"I'm in a particularly foul mood today. Step back or die."
The two men froze instantly, sensing the genuine murderous intent radiating from the deceptively small figure before them. Gato, nursing his now-broken wrist, stumbled back, anger flashing across his face.
"Fine," he spat bitterly, retreating toward the door. "But if you two don't finish the job properly this time, don't expect a single coin from me."
Once Gato and his men had disappeared, Zabuza slowly opened his sharp eyes, narrowing them slightly at the hunter-nin. "I could've handled that, Haku," he growled, voice low and weary.
The hunter-nin hesitated briefly before reaching up and gently removing the mask, revealing a delicate, feminine face framed by flowing dark hair. Haku smiled softly at Zabuza, warmth flickering briefly in her gentle eyes. "I know you could have handled it, Zabuza-sama. But you need rest right now. I didn't want you to strain yourself unnecessarily."
Zabuza chuckled faintly, a begrudging respect shining through his weary expression. "You're ruthless when you need to be, Haku."
Haku tilted her head slightly, the gentle smile remaining. "Only for you, Zabuza-sama."
He chuckled softly, wincing slightly from his injuries. His expression darkened once again, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Kakashi of the Sharingan… he'll pay dearly for humiliating me."