(Meanwhile, in Konoha)
Hinata was walking through the woods alone that morning without her usual jacket on and her forehead protector tied around her forehead. She was performing her routine exercises and warm-ups before doing some jogging. While jogging, rocks suddenly came flying at her fast from multiple directions. Reacting quickly, she ducked and evaded the rocks as they came from behind the trees one after another. She performed this fast paced side-step and dodge dance for the next five minutes before three of her kage bunshin appeared from behind the trees.
Seeing a large body of water, a good source for her water manipulation, Hinata hurried over to it as her clones chased after her. One of the clones ran faster and flipped over Hinata's head, landing in front of Hinata before she began battling with her. As the two of them fought with each other, another clone jumped in in an effort to ambush Hinata.
"Byakugan!" Hinata exclaimed, activating her bloodline limit with the clones doing the same thing. Resuming their battle, Hinata engaged two of her three clones in a fierce Juuken bout, while the third one watched carefully, waiting for the right moment to enter the fight. After another seven minutes, Hinata knocked out and dispelled one of the clones, leaving two left.
The second kage bunshin didn't allow time for Hinata to catch her breath as she continued to fight. Hinata endured several bodily and facial injuries and cuts from her fight so far, even a busted lip which was seeping blood. Through it all, Hinata pushed herself harder to improve. Another minute later, she overpowered and knocked out the second clone before it dispelled.
"Very good, Neesan," the third clone said after doing a henge of Hanabi with her Byakugan activated. "Now you'll face me!"
Hinata gestured for the clone to come at her. Wasting no time, 'Hanabi' charged at Hinata and engaged her in a brutal combat. Neither Hinata nor 'Hanabi' had any intention of showing mercy to the other. 'Hanabi' aimed to shut off Hinata chakra points, but Hinata managed to block all of her attempts.
"Neesan, why do you insist on fighting me when I'm clearly stronger, faster and more adept at Juuken than you? You wouldn't stand a chance against Neji-niisan, and he's considered a prodigy in our clan. I thought that you, being my older sister, would be superior to both myself and Neji-niisan," 'Hanabi' taunted.
Hinata smiled darkly at 'Hanabi' and replied, "In that case, I'll be more serious."
Hinata rushed at 'Hanabi' faster than before, and this time she started landing harsher blows on her one after another. 'Hanabi' endured all of the attacks and pressed on as she increased her speed and strength to match Hinata's. 'Hanabi', as a result, managed to land additional blows against Hinata. This deadly dance continued for another ten minutes when Hinata decided to perform her next attack.
"Kaiten!" Hinata shouted as she spun herself at a super-fast speed until she created a spinning dome around herself, which struck 'Hanabi' and sent her flying off the ground and crashing into a tree. 'Hanabi' vomited blood from her mouth from the impact before falling and hitting the ground. Hinata gradually stopped spinning and when she did, she found that she was now standing inside of a wide crater that formed as a result of her rotation attack.
'Hanabi' coughed up more blood as she laid there on the ground on her back. Hinata approached and stood over her as she looked at the damage done.
"My time is up, Neesan. I used up all of my chakra. You better get yourself cleaned up for your actual spar session with Hanabi. Only this time, make it look like you improved just a bit," 'Hanabi' suggested before puffing out into smoke. Hinata absorbed all of the experience 'Hanabi' and her other clones had, and needless to say, she was pleased with her improvements. Three days ago, she practiced and battled with her three kage bunshin using both Juuken and water manipulation, and her clones did likewise against her. The battle was indeed hard, but she gained a lot from it.
Hinata turned and started to make her way to the hospital for treatment first before heading home. On the way, she found that she was partly limping in her walk while holding her side.
"My clones are starting to develop their own ways of beating me, and I'm the original. Talk about being my own worst enemy," Hinata remarked, feeling painful sores from the brute thrashings her clones were dishing out against her.
(Meanwhile, in Nami no Kuni, at the Bridge)
Ambush and the element of surprise have been renowned as the greatest weapons of all shinobi. Seeking out the weaknesses of their targets and exploiting them was what made their profession so sought after, even though it wasn't considered very honorable by some. Regardless, most accepted the fact that a great ninja could wipe out a thousand fighters and still survive the encounter, and history attested to that time and time again.
It was due to those historical realities that ninja were sought after as instruments of war. However, there were occasions when one ninja must test their mettle against another strong peer. To do that, it could be done in the way of their profession, in the dark, in the shadows, or…in the mist.
Tazuna, Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke had arrived at the bridge. When they got there, they were met with the sight of the workers laying there, unconscious.
"This is…," Sakura said.
"Form the ring," Kakashi ordered. The ninjas formed a protective ring around Tazuna, each pulling out a kunai while getting ready. Then a thick mist came rolling in.
"Kirigakure No Jutsu," Zabuza's voice rang through the mist.
"I really hate this jutsu," Sakura growled.
"Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi greeted. "Normally, meeting someone of your reputation would be something I'd rather avoid. However, considering the circumstances, I don't think we'll be able to back down."
"Sad but true, Kakashi. I have ambitions that need to be put into effect, armies that need to be built, and a country that needs to be overthrown," Zabuza chuckled darkly within the mist. Suddenly, ten mizu bunshin of Zabuza appeared around Kakashi and his group.
"Sasuke!" Kakashi said. He nodded. He pulled out some shuriken and threw them at the clones. The mizu bunshin were stabbed and fell apart into puddles of water. The mist cleared a bit, and there stood the real Zabuza with the fake hunter nin next to him.
"It would seem that this fight will give us some trouble," Zabuza said.
"Indeed," Haku said.
"Sasuke, you deal with that fake hunter nin while I fight Zabuza. Sakura, you guard Tazuna," Kakashi instructed. The Genin nodded as they went to do as they were told.
"The boy there looks ready to fight. Haku, go handle your opponent," Zabuza said to the girl next to him. The first to move was Haku. She rushed at Sasuke with a senbon. Sasuke blocked it with his kunai and tried to kick Haku, who blocked with her foot.
"It looks like we're at a stalemate," Sasuke said, but Haku shook her head.
"No, I have two advantages. First, I have occupied one of your hands, then there is the water around us," Haku said, then started forming one handed seals. Sasuke gasped when he saw it.
"What is this? One-handed hand seals? I've never seen that before!" Sasuke exclaimed in surprise.
"Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suishou (Secret Technique: Flying Water Needles)," Haku called out, and the water around her rose up and turned to ice needles. The needles flew towards Sasuke, and just before they hit, Haku jumped away. Sasuke focused chakra into his legs and when Haku jumped, Sasuke did the same, successfully evading the needles. Haku spun like a tornado. She had several senbon in her hands, making her spin motion very dangerous. Sasuke leaped away from the needles before they made contact.
Meanwhile, Naruto was making his way to the bridge when he saw Sasuke from a distance taking on the fake hunter nin.
"Looks like Haku and Zabuza didn't waste time getting this party started. Well, better late than never," Naruto commented as he neared the bridge. Naruto, with his Kaze Sokudo Chikara (Wind Speed Force) still in effect, ran across the surface of the water, forming waves behind him as he did so. Reaching the base of the bridge, Naruto ran up one of the supports where Sasuke and Haku were battling.
When he reached the top, he leaped high into the air and dashed to where Haku was. Naruto focused all of the wind chakra of his Kaze Sokudo Chikara into a central point as he blasted down at Haku like a meteor. The girl quickly jumped away from the attack as Naruto aimed in her direction. Naruto plunged into the ground hard enough to send both Sasuke and Haku flying away. The blond stood within the newly formed crater and looked over at Haku.
"Haku, I know it's you behind that mask," Naruto stated. The girl maintained a calm demeanor as she stood back up with Naruto looking at her.
"There's no point in trying to lie to me. You're the girl from the forest," Naruto revealed calmly as Haku looked up at him and quietly nodded, admitting the truth as she removed the mask from her face. Sasuke looked to see the attractive face of his attacker who was conversing with Naruto.
"When I met you there in the forest, you didn't seem to recognize me," Haku said. Naruto replied, "I knew who you were all along. I just didn't react to you because you didn't pose a threat to me at the time, plus I needed additional information. It was for the sake of my research."
Sasuke took the opportunity to get up and pull himself together. He gazed over at Naruto and saw the same look in his eyes as when he spoke with Inari several days ago.
That dobe is strong. When and how did he acquire that power? Sasuke wondered.
Haku saw Sasuke stand back up but she didn't let it deter her.
"I don't wish to kill you. This isn't anything personal," Haku said.
"Then stand down and neither you nor Zabuza will get hurt," Sasuke ordered.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, as I've been instructed to deal with you, and now Naruto-kun as well. This is the end," Haku said.
Naruto replied, "The hell it is!"
Haku formed some seals. "Hijutsu: Makyou Hyoushou (Secret Technique: Demonic Ice Mirrors)!"
The water below the bridge rose around Haku, Naruto, and Sasuke, and formed mirrors of ice arranged into a large dome around them. Haku, putting her mask back on, walked up to one of the mirrors and 'melted' into it.
"What is that?" Sakura asked as she and Tazuna witnessed what happened.
"That girl…she has a bloodline limit?" Kakashi asked, and Zabuza nodded.
"That is her ultimate jutsu. Those two kids won't be able to survive it. No one has beaten it, ever," Zabuza bragged.
"Nothing's as boring as bragging. Let's go!" Kakashi said. Zabuza chuckled, and the mist thickened around them.
"You may be the Copy Ninja, but I'm superior when it comes to killing without sight," Zabuza said. Kakashi sighed and blocked three shuriken that Zabuza threw.
(In the Central Province of Nami no Kuni)
Within a heavily guarded five story building was a man named Gatō. He was a man who enjoyed keeping his mind open to any beneficial business opportunities he could get. His minions would make their rounds in terrorizing the citizens and ensuring the locals were kept in line.
Once in a while, the civilians would get a little unruly, and would need to be reminded of their place, but that didn't take more than a few choice words. Gatō would still get reports every now and then, but not frequently. He was currently checking his account books, calculating the numbers and watching them continue to increase.
"Boss, we got news for you," one of his minions said as he entered Gatō's office. Grumbling, the midget raised his head up from his desk to stare at his two mercenaries behind his very round sunglasses.
"This better be important for you to interrupt me while I'm busy," Gatō warned.
"Zabuza and his partner are at the bridge. They intend to finish the job and the contract today," a second former samurai spoke up.
"That's good news. He and that young girl with him were starting to prove to be waste of space anyway. Is there anything else you have to share with me?" Gatō asked with a frown
"The extra mercenaries you requested are at the mainland, sir. Believing the bridge to be closed for construction, they requested a ship to transport them here to this island," the second ex-samurai explained.
"Just the thought of that goddamn bridge pisses me off! I'll have to buy a shipment of dynamite to use on that bridge and have it blown down after Zabuza finishes his job," Gatō turned back to his reports. "With the new addition to my army and Zabuza finishing his contract, I'll have less to be concerned with."
"That's the other thing, boss," the first minion said, interrupting Gatō's work, "Zabuza is having a hard time against those ninjas he's fighting. Even as we speak, Zabuza and his partner could end up losing, or worse."
As a sinister smile grew on Gatō's lips, he spoke, "Now this is something. If Zabuza could, at the very least wear them down, he and the other shinobi will be vulnerable, and we can just kill all of them. Yes, that would do nicely."
"Understood, boss," the second minion snickered as he rubbed the hilt of his sword with anticipation. Gatō stood up from his desk and ledger, contemplating what was discussed.
"This could be a blessing in disguise. I think I'll go meet my new army at the mainland. That way, I'll have a front row seat to see what's become of Zabuza and that partner of his," Gatō said with a dark smile.
(Inside the Ice Dome)
Sasuke and Naruto looked around inside the dome of ice mirrors. In every mirror, there was an image of Haku holding several needles.
"What…Multiple bunshin?" Sasuke wondered out loud. He was answered by a shower of senbon needles, very few of which they managed to evade. The two Genin took out some shuriken and started throwing them at the mirrors. Haku traveled swiftly between the mirrors while Sasuke went through some hand signs, seeing his chance to attack.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Technique)!" Sasuke shouted as he took in a deep breath before releasing a blast of fire from his mouth towards Haku, who evaded the flames.
The black-haired Genin was able to follow my movements with his eyes, almost as if he has a bloodline limit of his own…Wait! His eyes are now red with tomoe on each of them! Did he just awaken a dormant kekkei genkai? Haku wondered as she escaped to the sanctuary of another ice mirror.
"You seemed stunned. I guess you never went up against an Uchiha before," said the now smirking Sasuke looking at Haku. Naruto took note of the fact that Sasuke's bloodline limit activated, but gave no verbal remark about it.
An Uchiha! Zabuza-sama warned me about that clan and their eyes. I heard they were all wiped out with the exception of two of them. This one must be the survivor of the massacre! Haku contemplated before speaking, "It makes no difference to me whether or not you're an Uchiha. Neither you nor Naruto-kun will escape this ice prison of my creation."
Senbon needles now came from every direction simultaneously. Sasuke tried to see when Haku threw the needles, but the Haku moved too fast. All Sasuke could see was a blur in front of the mirrors, and he felt a new cut. Sasuke started to get desperate as he tried to evade and block the needles with his kunai.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called out, creating more clones. The clones stood in front of the boys before charging at Haku, or what they believed to be her. More senbon needles came flying at the clones before taking them down like the others, destroying the clones and striking both boys.
(Meanwhile)
"Damn it!" Kakashi cursed as he narrowly dodged another swipe from Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō. Even with his Sharingan eye, he couldn't see through the thick fog the former Kiri nin had summoned.
"What's wrong, Kakashi? I assumed that almighty eye of yours would at least see through the mist," Zabuza taunted, his voice echoing through the mist all around him.
"I need to come up with a strategy soon, otherwise he'll get me," Kakashi thought as he jumped out of the way of another strike from the missing nin.
What's happening in there? Sakura thought worriedly as she looked towards Haku's dome of ice mirrors. She would have run off to check on her teammates, but she refrained from doing so. She wasn't stupid; she knew a fierce battle was happening inside that dome. She was by no means deluded. She knew that she wouldn't last five seconds in there.
Then there was Tazuna, the bridge builder she was guarding. Sakura had seen the condition of Nami no Kuni over the course of the mission. It was abysmal, all its inhabitants were dressed in rags. Even small children had to scavenge for food. She couldn't stand to see their deplorable state. That was why they needed the bridge; that was why they couldn't risk having anything happen to Tazuna. His bridge would open up an invaluable trade route and save Nami no Kuni altogether. The entire future of Nami no Kuni rested on him, and if she left him, Zabuza might just take the opportunity to kill him, condemning the citizens of Nami no Kuni to their horrendous living conditions for the rest of their lives.
So Sakura stayed, watching with worried eyes and hoping Naruto and Sasuke were alright.
(Back Inside the Dome)
Sasuke's cry caught Naruto's attention. The Uchiha had several sebon sticking out of his shoulders and thigh, crumpling him to the ground. The ghostly masked girl dashed through her mirrors towards them with a speed that was blinding, outwitting them. Naruto held a kunai in his hands and sped through a defensive weave, deflecting the senbon as they tried to pincushion him and Sasuke.
Sasuke was trying to drag himself over to Naruto, but his injury was keeping him from moving properly. The girl that had quickly and easily put down Sasuke was approaching Naruto with her hands full of senbon, floating over him like some wrathful spirit within her mirror.
Naruto himself sustained a couple of cuts and stab wounds around his body. Sasuke at this point was kneeling on one leg on the ground after being struck with multiple senbon needles around his body and bleeding from his injuries.
"Sasuke! Are you still with me? We're not dying today!" Naruto stated. Sasuke started dragging himself, one handed and one legged in a sort of sideways crouch, moving towards Haku, his expression saying that he wasn't going to lose this way, not without a fight. They were fighting to live.
And he was just standing there as that kunoichi who took them down was calmly cocking her head at him, curious to see what Sasuke was going to do. The reflection of the smooth senbon in his opponent's hands caught Naruto's eye.
"You are not needed for the success of Zabuza-sama's plans," Haku spoke sadly behind her mask, "Please, don't take this personally. I'll make your deaths swift and painless."
"A swift and painless death, that's what you're offering us? You're full of such mercy," Naruto mocked in sarcasm, never taking his eyes off of Haku, though he could hear Sasuke's grunts.
"Dobe…Don't listen to her…We have to-"
Before Sasuke could finish his speech, seven more needles came from behind and impaled Sasuke in the back, arms, and legs all at once. The Uchiha fell to the ground on his chest.
"I'm afraid you won't be finishing your declaration of bravado, Sasuke," Haku remarked as she landed on her feet on the ground in front of one of the mirrors.
"N-Naruto," Sasuke said weakly, opening his eyes, blinking away the pain and weariness he felt. Naruto, while ignoring the pain from his body, pulled out the needles from both his and Sasuke's bodies and tossed them away. Before Naruto could do anything else for Sasuke, the Uchiha's entire body went limp as his eyes closed.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, concerned, "Sasuke! Damn it teme! Wake up!"
"He's dead. Accept it," Haku said, having been watching them quietly the entire time. "Is this the first time you've lost a friend?"
Naruto gave her no verbal retort.
"We are ninja, weapons, nothing more," Haku said.
"Shut up!" Naruto replied.
"There is always the chance that you or your comrades will die in battle," Haku added.
"Won't you shut up?"
"If you cannot realize that, then you are fighting pointlessly," Haku continued.
"It's only pointless if I stand by and do nothing!" Naruto countered. Haku gave no reply but waited for Naruto's next words.
"And besides that, he's not dead," Naruto countered after checking and finding Sasuke's pulse. "He only lost consciousness."
"You question my abilities?" Haku sneered.
Naruto turned and stood up to glare at her and countered, "I question your objectives in all this, considering who your partner is."
"What are you implying?" Haku shot back.
"I'm implying that you had every opportunity to kill Sasuke, but you didn't. Clearly Sasuke was outmatched by you and you could have easily finished him off, but you didn't. None of your senbon needles struck a vital organ or blood vessel. That's because it's not in you to kill anyone. Am I right…Haku?"
"Do not talk to me as if you know me, Naruto-kun," Haku retorted as she backed away into a mirror and 'melted' into it again. The mirror images came back, and before Naruto knew it, dozens of needles came flying at him from all angles.
"This again?" Naruto taunted as he used his wind element to create a complete suit of armor around his body, stopping the needles in their tracks from striking his body before blasting the needles away from him with his wind type armor. Haku was shocked from the sudden yet effective defense to her attack.
"Impossible! How were you able to stop my needles when you weren't capable of doing so before?" Haku asked in disbelief. Naruto smirked, "Like I'd tell you. Without fail, your mirrors have proven to be a bother, and I'm not in the mood to waste precious time and chakra any longer. As it is, I believe I've studied you and your abilities enough. So from here on out, I'll fight you seriously."
Naruto was able to feel Kyuubi's chakra circulating to all his wounds, and already the chakra was at work, healing him as fast as possible. Naruto just had to buy himself a little more time as his wounds closed up.
"Why can't you see that it is useless?" Haku asked.
"I just don't know when to give up! And besides, I didn't come this far to die now! I have dreams to fulfill, and precious people to protect so they can fulfill their dreams too!" Naruto exclaimed.
"I see, so you fight for your dreams, and for the dreams of others. Well, I fight for the dreams of my precious person. I want to see Zabuza-sama's goals and ambitions carried out. I want to be completely useful to him and his plans. I will admit that it's difficult for me to be a shinobi, but for Zabuza-sama, I'll sacrifice everything and become a full-fledged shinobi. To do so, I'll destroy my heart and kill you both," Haku replied, then held up a senbon needle.
"Destroy your heart?" Naruto asked.
"That's right. To be able to kill with no hesitation, one must destroy their heart. To take another's life is the way of the shinobi," Haku said as she noticed Naruto's enraged demeanor.
Naruto looked up at Haku and countered, "I risk my life and do what I must to do to protect the girl I love, my new big sister, my friends, and those who can't protect themselves! If I destroy my heart, accomplishing this will be impossible! I can't protect those precious to me and fight for their dreams if I lose all sense of humanity! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Naruto summoned two kage bunshin. He needed five hands; his hand to release and spin the chakra, one clone to form the shell to maintain the sphere shape, and the other to mix the wind-natured chakra. This jutsu he was resorting to looked fairly similar to an ordinary Rasengan, except it had four small white blade-like protrusions surrounding it, making it look like a miniature fūma shuriken. The concept behind this jutsu would be the rotation and power of the Rasengan, and Naruto's wind-natured chakra condensed into a sphere.
During his time training alone in the forest while in Nami no Kuni, Naruto mixed his wind element with the Rasengan, maintaining its original stability and increasing its power, far beyond that of his ordinary Rasengan.
"What is he up to?" Haku wondered as she watched Naruto from within her ice mirror.
When the technique's preparation was done, Naruto sent the second kage bunshin over to Sasuke's unconscious body to shunshin out with him, while the first one puffed out.
"Get Ready! Fūton: Rasengan!" Naruto yelled as he resorted to using and combining the attack with Kaze Sokudo Chikara and in a blur rushed at the mirror Haku was in. Haku launched dozens of her senbon needles again, but in mere seconds, Naruto crashed the upgraded Rasengan into the dome. The sheer force and speed of the attack triggered a massive explosion that completely obliterated the needles and the ice dome in its entirety. The blast released a powerful shock wave with an explosion of wind as a large spinning vortex of white and blue energy burst from the attack and heavily ground into of the pavement of the bridge while propelling Haku into the forest away from the bridge and over into the mainland.
Zabuza and Kakashi were still fighting, but after the Naruto's attack occurred, the next thing they, Sakura, and Tazuna knew, was that a mighty quake rocked the entire bridge as a strong wind came and blew them nearly off their feet as it cleared a majority of the mist away.
"My mist is gone! And what the hell happened to Haku's ice mirrors?" Zabuza asked aloud angrily to no one in particular.
"Naruto happened, I'm sure," Kakashi remarked before he and Zabuza resumed their battle.
Haku was sent flying backwards from where she was after the Fūton: Rasengan exploded on her, destroying her mask in the process. She used her bloodline limit to shield herself from the attack that would have killed her, however, she still sustained painful external and internal injuries as a price for her survival. In fact, parts of her clothes took damage, as some parts of her brown pants and green shirt were shredded away, along with her hair bun being undone, allowing her long black hair to flow freely. Haku impacted onto roadway and rolled backwards on the hard, unforgiving ground. Though alive, she was in much pain, as the impact had added to her injuries. She coughed up some blood as she laid on her back.
Naruto appeared next to her, with his kage bunshin carrying Sasuke's battered motionless body, Sasuke's right arm wrapped about the clone's shoulders. By this time, all of Naruto's wounds had healed up without so much of a scar to show for it, though his clothes looked a bit ragged.
"You truly are strong…Naruto-kun. Zabuza-sama warned me to be as cautious of you as…I would be with Kakashi. I failed to heed his warning seriously, in spite of the fact that you came close to killing Zabuza-sama days ago. I underestimated your true abilities…while I overestimated my own against yours. I lose…Finish it," Haku requested as she awaited her death at Naruto's hands.
"I won't kill you. My last attack could have done so, but I was certain you would have pulled off something that would allow you to survive my attack," Naruto said.
Haku inquired, "Why do you choose to spare me? Am I not your enemy?"
"Why didn't you kill Sasuke while in we were inside your ice dome? Why didn't you try to kill me in the forest yesterday while I was sleeping?" Naruto asked. Naruto had hid the fact that the previous day when Haku found him passed out under the tree, there was a kage bunshin watching over him while in hiding in the tree that was above Naruto. If Haku had actually tried anything to threaten Naruto's well-being, the clone would have intervened and stopped her.
"You know why? Because I know for a fact that you don't have what it takes to destroy your heart. So why fight and make yourself an instrument for Zabuza? What's so great about him that moves you to allow him to dictate your life? You can do so much more with your life! How can you allow yourself to be controlled by that man?" Naruto asked.
"Because my life had no significance," Haku answered with a low voice.
"I'm afraid that I don't understand what you mean," Naruto remarked.
"Zabuza-sama gave me a reason to exist!" she cried, tears forming in her eyes before they started descending down her face. "He gave my life a purpose!"
"This purpose being?" Naruto inquired.
"I am a tool, to be used by Zabuza-sama in any way he sees fit. It's what I live for!"
"You chose that as your purpose in life? To be his instrument? Listen to yourself Haku! You're a human being with feelings, hopes, and dreams! Why do you allow Zabuza to dictate your life?" Naruto replied with outrage.
Haku cried and sobbed, "I had no one. I have a bloodline limit. Back in Kirigakure, we with bloodline limits were hated and killed off. The Yondaime Mizukage had ordered the complete genocide of everyone with bloodline limits. My mother, who also carried the same bloodline I have, lived with my father, hoping that he would never learn what she had. But one day, he found out. So he murdered my mother and tried to murder me as well. I can't remember what exactly happened after he tried to attack me. All I know is that when I woke, my father was dead, clearly killed by me, with ice stabbed through his heart.
"From that time, I was all alone. No one wanted me. I became a homeless orphan, alone on the streets, living off of whatever I could find to eat or drink. No one cared whether I lived or died! To them I was just street trash to be tossed to the side. It was Zabuza-sama who found and took me in when everyone else shunned and left me to die. He gave me clothes, food, shelter, and taught me all he knew!"
There was a moment of silence between Naruto and Haku. The blond allowed the girl's words to sink into his mind as she continued in a sad tone, "Zabuza-sama found use for me and my bloodline limit, and he wanted me to be a weapon, a tool for him. I was finally wanted in the world, as Zabuza seeks to overthrow the Mizukage. But Zabuza-sama has no use for a weak tool. I no longer have a purpose. Now that you have beaten me, please (tears falling down her face)…finish me. Just end my life."
Haku turned her head away, waiting for the final blow, but it never came. Instead, Naruto knelt down and placed his comforting hand under her head and lifted it up, causing the older girl to look at him.
"I understand your pain Haku, more so than you know. Our lives aren't so different. Like you, I was also an unwanted and hated homeless orphan back in my village. Like you, I carried a burden since my birth which led to me being scorned, bullied, and reviled by everybody of all ages. Many even called for my death when I was an infant. And like you, I found someone precious in my life that I would give my life for," Naruto explained.
Haku, regardless of what happened not too long ago, gave Naruto a sincere smile. "I see that we have more in common after all," she commented.
"Even though I've beaten you, you still have much to live for. You can find a new purpose. You don't have to die here," Naruto encouraged.
"Who would want me, a living weapon with a cursed bloodline limit that has now been proven to be weak?" Haku asked.
"Haku, listen to me!" Naruto spoke, "It's not too late for you! You're very good with herbs so you can become a medic ninja and build a new life again. You can't throw your life away like this!"
Haku stared at him quietly.
"If Zabuza doesn't want you anymore, just because you aren't an invincible tool, then you are better off without him," Naruto said firmly. Haku was silent.
"Haku please…It doesn't have to end like this," Naruto pleaded.
"Naruto-kun, I-," Haku began, but then Naruto lifted and carried her bridal style. He and his clone body flickered back to the bridge in time to see the mist lifted. They saw from a distance at the center of the bridge several dogs of varying sizes biting down onto Zabuza, holding him in place and preventing him from moving at all.
"If sight and hearing don't work, use smell. My dogs went after the smell of my blood on your weapon. Now you won't be able to escape," Kakashi said as electricity started energizing in his left hand.
"Zabuza, you're very much renowned. You tried to take over Kirigakure, but when you failed and escaped, you started working for scum like Gatō to get away from the hunter nins. The man you are trying to kill, Tazuna-san, is important to Nami no Kuni. Your motivation sacrifices too many lives of the innocent," Kakashi said, his tone cold and hard.
"Spare me your speech Kakashi! As long as I can accomplish my goal, I'm happy," Zabuza replied.
"I'll finish you here," Kakashi said coldly, readying his attack to tear into the man.
At the other end of the bridge…
"What the…?," Naruto said when he saw Kakashi's jutsu. They gasped when Kakashi started running towards Zabuza.
"Zabuza-sama!" Haku cried out in fear for Zabuza.
"RAIKIRI!"
"Zabuza-sama!" Haku screamed as she began to do hand signs and disappeared from Naruto's arms. Haku looked forward and saw that Kakashi was charging at Zabuza, Raikiri extended forward.
Haku panicked and raced as fast as she could over to Zabuza, standing in front of him with her arms stretched out to her sides ready to take the full brunt of the attack. Kakashi's eyes widened as he saw the girl appear in front of Zabuza, prepared to use herself as a human shield to protect her precious person. The Konoha Jounin was unable to stop, as he was moving too fast. Haku held her eyes shut tightly while anticipating the agonizing pain. Before anyone knew what happened, an explosion occurred with smoke and a dust cloud covering the area.
Sakura and Tazuna looked on as the mist and smoke of the explosion gradually cleared, and the bridge eventually stopped shaking. The Naruto kage bunshin, holding up Sasuke's unconscious body with the Uchiha's right arm over his shoulders, dragged the boy over to the others as they looked on to see what happened. Sakura and Tazuna hurried over to them as the clone laid Sasuke down. Sakura ran over to Sasuke and knelt down next his motionless body before pulling his body into her lap with tears running down her face.
"He's alive. Boss examined Sasuke earlier. But I don't know how long he'll be unconscious," the clone said. Sakura just nodded while holding onto the Uchiha as the clone puffed out.
What everyone saw next shocked them completely. Kakashi's left fist was deeply embedded in a stone slab that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, blocking Kakashi's view of Haku and Zabuza. His attack had also blown off a huge chunk of the large slab. Kakashi's hand was still charged with electricity, but it gradually died out. The stone slab in question now crumbled and fell apart to the ground after taking the full force of Kakashi's Raikiri attack.
"Doton: Iwa Heki (Earth Release: Stone Wall)," Naruto called out the jutsu he used to shield Haku from Kakashi's fatal attack. The blond had used shunshin and followed Haku to where she was going. Upon seeing what she was going to do, he acted quickly to stop Kakashi from unintentionally killing her.
"He stopped Kakashi-sensei's attack to protect that fake hunter nin and Zabuza," Sakura said in disbelief as she and Tazuna looked on in surprise. "But why would Naruto do that?"
The other question in both Kakashi and Sakura's mind was how Naruto knew how to use that earth style jutsu.
"Naruto!" Kakashi asked with a shocked and serious tone. "Why are you protecting them, knowing that they're our enemies?"
"Kakashi-sensei, listen to me," Naruto requested as he was about to give his explanation when suddenly…
"Aaaaaaaaaggggghhhhh!"
Everyone turned to see that both of Zabuza's arms were struck from behind from a surprise attack. The attack wounded his arms and rendered them useless.
"My oh my! You sure are getting beat up, aren't you Zabuza," a short man in expensive clothes said. Behind him from the mainland was an army of ex-samurai and rough-looking mercenaries, all of them armed.
"Gatō…," Zabuza said as he eyed the man and his army of thugs.
"Oh, there's been a little change in plans. You see, I never intended to pay you," Gatō said and laughed.
"What?" Zabuza asked angrily.
"Hiring normal ninjas is expensive, so I hire missing nins like you. Then I dispose of them when they're tired from battle and no longer serve any use for me. No one misses missing nins like you. The Demon of the Hidden Mist, what a joke! You are just a little puppy demon," Gatō said, and his thugs laughed at the joke.
He planned on betraying us the entire time…I should have known, Zabuza realized. "Haku, stand down. Kakashi, I'm sorry, but this fight between us is over. Haku and I have no reason to fight you and your team anymore."
Kakashi nodded as he signaled his dogs to release the Kiri nin.
"You bastard! You'll pay for double-crossing me!" Zabuza growled at Gatō.
"Say what you want, but it doesn't matter. You'll all die here," Gatō said as two of his thugs shot arrows straight at Zabuza. Before Zabuza or Naruto could react, Haku jumped and embraced Zabuza tightly, allowing the arrows to stab her in the back. She screamed as the sharp blades of the arrows tore through her.
"HAKU!" Naruto yelled after seeing the girl's selfless action. Zabuza looked at Haku who smiled at him affectionately, blood trickling down both ends of her mouth.
"Haku…" Zabuza said softly.
"You're my precious person, Zabuza-sama, and like Naruto-kun, I was ready and willing to lay down my life for you," Haku said before slowly sliding down to the ground. The girl lied on the ground, face down, with the arrows still embedded deep into her back as her world faded into the darkness.
"That stupid girl! She should have stayed out of the way and allowed you to die with what dignity you had left!" Gatō sneered with contempt. Zabuza stood in a dead silence as he processed what just happened.
Naruto's eyes closed tightly as a beastly growl escaped his mouth. His facial whiskers grew more feral as his fangs grew longer and sharper. His finger nails grew and turned into razor sharp claws, and a red aura appeared around Naruto's body. The aura itself gave off feelings of malevolence and pure hate.
"This is bad," Kakashi muttered as he saw Kyuubi's influence rising from within Naruto. But suddenly, intricate seal writings appeared and glowed around Naruto's body briefly before disappearing back into his skin. Kakashi and those who saw them didn't know what to make of what those seals were.
"Kakashi-sensei, what's happening to Naruto?" Sakura asked worriedly with a frightened expression. Tazuna was just as scared while Zabuza looked on in wonder. Naruto opened his eyes and gone were the ocean blue eyes everyone was used to seeing. Now in place of them were bloody red eyes with vertical slits for pupils.
"She used herself to save your life, Zabuza. Do you feel anything?" Naruto asked through his growl.
"Haku was a shinobi, an instrument like myself. I used her as much as Gatō used me. That's all it was. I needed and wanted her bloodline limit, not her," Zabuza answered coldly. Naruto looked back at Zabuza with disgust and indignation.
"Do you really mean that?" Naruto asked
"I have no regrets. We're tools of war, Naruto. That's the shinobi way," Zabuza added.
"Haku loved you, Zabuza, more than she should have! You were precious to her, more than her own life! She lived for your dreams without having any of her own! You both have been together for all this time, and all you have to say is that she was a useful instrument? Have you no heart?" Naruto shouted.
"Gaki, stop it!" Zabuza requested.
"Is that all you have to say?" Naruto asked loudly.
"Please…don't say anything further," Zabuza pleaded as a several tears fell from his eyes as he stood over Haku, "It pained her to have to fight you. She fought not only for me, but for you guys too. She was too kind."
Naruto couldn't think of anything to say, but Zabuza continued, "I'm glad I faced you guys in the end. You may be right gaki, a shinobi is still human. We may not be able to become emotionless tools after all. I've lost."
"What a heartwarming soap opera. I could cry, if I cared. I've had enough of this drama! I have a country to dominate and some troublesome ninja to kill!" Gatō said contemptuously.
"Zabuza, lend me your Kubikiribōchō! Now!" Naruto ordered as he went over and took the Kiri nin's large sword before the older man could give him an answer to his request.
Sakura asked with the same scared but worried tone as before, "Naruto, what are you-"
"Just stay with the others, Sakura! I'll handle things from here! Don't any of you argue with me! I'm not in the mood!" Naruto replied darkly with a venomous and murderous tone as bloodlust was pouring out of him in waves. Naruto walked over to Gatō and his army while holding Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō with his right hand. Despite the size and weight of the sword, it was surprising to everyone that Naruto was able to wield the weapon with only one arm. Gatō and his men looked at the possessed-looking Genin, trying to look like they weren't scared by his change of appearance.
"That's a nice trick there boy, but you must be crazy if you think that it'll make me and my men run away from the likes of a child like you," Gatō said as confident as possible.
"Among us ninja, Zabuza is renowned as the "Demon of the Hidden Mist", and yet even he has a heart and a measure of honor. But unlike Zabuza, you're something far worse; you have a dead heart and no honor. Therefore you'll have to be removed!" Naruto declared as he stood where he was and summoned eight kage bunshin, four to his left and four to his right, each holding a copy of Zabuza's giant sword in their hands and looking the exact way Naruto currently looked. All nine of them now started focusing large amounts of wind chakra into the sharp large blades of their Kubikiribōchō. After a couple of moments, Naruto yelled, "Wind Release: Nine Spiraling Guillotines!"
Using powerful wind manipulation with the swords, Naruto and his eight clones simultaneously slashed their swords, sending out nine powerful razor sharp wind guillotines at Gatō and his army. The guillotines tore and shredded through the ground before reaching them. The result was gory and catastrophic as the nine enormous spinning wind blades plowed through them. Gatō's men screamed in agony and dread as the attacks delivered their devastating blows.
"Kakashi-sensei, did you teach Naruto that jutsu," Sakura asked.
"I did not teach him that jutsu as I never seen that jutsu before. I haven't taught him wind manipulation, either," Kakashi answered calmly as he and the others watched Naruto in action.
"What a strong ninja that boy is!" Zabuza marveled. Wind Release: Nine Spiraling Guillotines was the new attack that Naruto was secretly working on over the last two months. Even Hinata wasn't aware of it. And the fact that he used Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō made the attack more devastating than it would have normally been.
When the nine blades died out, Naruto dispelled his clones. With Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō in hand and wind chakra still focused around the giant blade with his chakra and gravity restraint seals lowered by several notches, he rushed in with blurring speed to finish off those that survived the attack. All that was seen of Naruto was the occasional orange-red blur.
When it was all over, Gatō, who narrowly avoided being killed by Naruto's earlier attack, came out of hiding and saw a sight that left him in a terrifying situation. All of his hired men were dead, slaughtered and butchered in the most brutal and vicious way he could imagine. Slashed organs, dismembered body parts and blood of his slain men littered the ground. He stopped when he felt pure bloodlust from behind him. He cowered as he slowly turned and saw a red-eyed and fanged Naruto holding Zabuza's blood-covered Kubikiribōchō standing behind him.
"Monster…," Gatō said lowly in fear.
"Look who's talking," Naruto remarked darkly as he started to move closer to the man.
"Please! Spare me!" Gato shouted desperately, "I'll give you anything you want! Money, power over Nami no Kuni! Beautiful women! I'll buy as many as you want!"
"You'll give me what I want? Well, there are a few things you have that I want to retrieve," Naruto replied as he summoned a kage bunshin. The clone moved forward and grabbed Gatō by his shirt collar.
"Take him," Naruto ordered as the clone nodded and body flickered away with Gatō, making their way back to the central town of the country and leaving Naruto alone.
(Back at the Bridge)
"Kakashi-san," Honoka called out as she, Inari, Tsunami, and all the of the villagers that came together with them to rise up against Gatō and his army made their way over to Kakashi, Tazuna, and the others. Tazuna and Kakashi assured the people that Zabuza and Haku were no longer threats to any of them and that they longer work for Gatō after the man double-crossed and had them wounded. Honoka rushed to where the wounded Haku was lying and examined her.
She carefully removed the arrows, both of which struck Haku's vital organs. After a few moments with the others watching. Honoka confirmed, "She's still alive, I will have to act fast to save her and stop the bleeding." Honoka performed a hand seal and said, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
She summoned four solid clones of herself. She instructed the first two to take Haku back to Tazuna's house, where they could treat Haku's wounds. The next two were told to examine Zabuza and bandage his injuries. The clones nodded and did as instructed. Despite his injuries, Zabuza stayed behind with Kakashi as they and everyone else hurried to where Naruto was.
When everyone arrived on the scene, they found that all of Gatō's men are already dead, and Gatō was gone, taken by Naruto's clone to an unknown location.
"It's over. Gatō's reign over Nami no Kuni has come to its end," Naruto said calmly after changing back to normal with the red chakra vanishing entirely. His gravity and chakra restraint seals were also returned to their previous levels.
As happy as the people were that Gatō was defeated, they couldn't help by feel dread from the gory, bloody, and devastating mess Naruto singlehandedly left behind in his wake. Parents turned their children away from the horrific scene while a couple of the people even vomited after seeing what became of Gatō's army and the surrounding environment that was caught in Naruto's wrath. Sakura, who was still carrying Sasuke with his right arm around her shoulders, didn't know what to think as fear of Naruto came over her as she and everyone else looked to see the gruesome carnage Naruto left behind for all to see.
"Magnificent! I never thought Konoha could produce such a powerful Genin who could use a sword with such talent!" Zabuza congratulated. "What have you been teaching the boy, Kakashi?"
"I hate to admit this…but what I'm seeing here is beyond anything I taught my three Genin," Kakashi confessed while wondering if Kyuubi had anything to do with what happened after seeing that red chakra. But Kakashi threw that theory out of the window after considering the fact that in spite of the red chakra he and the others saw, Naruto was still in control of himself and his actions without going berserk.
Naruto went over to Zabuza and returned his blood covered Kubikiribōchō.
"This came in handy. Pity I can't keep it," Naruto commented.
"Boy, after seeing such a display from you, I'd be honored to make you my successor, if it were possible," Zabuza remarked.
"Naruto-niichan, did you really do all this by yourself?" a shocked Inari asked. It was true that Inari, with the aid of Honoka and Tsunami, rallied the people to stand up against Gatō's tyranny. They were inspired to take back what was rightfully theirs, and not let a cruel businessman steal and keep it for himself while they suffer and slowly die out from poverty and despair. The people were ready to fight and go the distance against Gatō and his army. But by the look of things, Naruto had beaten everyone to the punch in breaking Gatō's hold on their country.
"You wiped out Gatō and his entire army all by yourself! You're so strong and amazing Niichan! You freed us from Gatō's evil rule over us!" Inari praised.
"I didn't do that all by myself Inari. My team and I did that," Naruto said, trying to act as humble as possible, though inwardly he was enjoying the praise and acknowledgment he was receiving.
"But you left behind quite a grisly mess. It'll be a while before we get this all cleaned up," Tazuna remarked with grim expression.
"Not likely," Honoka countered as she stepped forward and pulled out a small scroll from with her kimono blouse. Kneeling on the grass, she set the opened scroll down on the grass. On it was the kanji for "supplies."
"Kai!" Honoka said, releasing the seal and revealing unused used scrolls, ink bottles, ink brushes, a roll of wire, and a wire clipper.
"I'll handle this," Honoka stated as she started writing seals across the scroll and drew around the center of the writings where she aimed for the sealing to be absorbed and locked in place. When that was done, she slammed her right hand down to the ground in front of the scroll, causing the seals to activate as chakra streamed out from the scroll and headed over to where all of the blood and dismembered corpses were. The chakra absorbed every last one of them into itself until not a drop of blood was left, though it left behind the cut down trees.
The chakra then traveled back into the scroll as it was absorbed into the center of the seals where it was designated to go. The kanji for "Burial of Dishonor" was shown where the sealing was taking effect. After the sealing was done, Honoka rolled the scroll and tied it closed.
"I'll bury this scroll in an unmarked grave," Honoka said as she unrolled some wire from the roll and clipped it. With the wire in hand, she picked up a rock and tied the scroll tightly with the wire. After sealing away all of her sealing utilities, she took the tied scroll and gave it to her clone that treated Zabuza's wound earlier. The clone took the scroll and went to the center of the bridge and dropped the scroll over the bridge and into the running waters underneath it. The clone dispelled after that.
"And that takes care of those dead thugs," Honoka said.
"Your aptitude in seals is rather impressive," Kakashi complimented.
"I'm an Uzumaki like my dear brother. Creating and mastering seals is in our blood," Honoka grinned.
"Aren't you modest," Sakura snorted.
"Like Sasuke," Naruto mocked. Sakura was about to give a retort when Naruto's kage bunshin from earlier returned, but not with Gatō. He was seen carrying a large briefcase and a small black bag.
"So what happened?" Naruto asked. The kage bunshin explained, "I forced Gatō to return all the sea ports he bought and to return all of the money he stole from Nami No Kuni. I then had Gatō hand over a huge sum of money to give to the people and Tazuna to finance the completion of the bridge. All of the official documents with Gatō's signature and stamp are inside this briefcase along with the money."
"And what became of Gatō himself?" Kakashi questioned. Naruto's clone produced Gatō's sunglasses, suit, and two expensive gold diamond rings from out of the black bag. All four items were drenched and dripping with fresh blood, and a large stab wound was seen through the suit jacket.
"You won't find a body, so don't ask," the clone stated before puffing out, giving Naruto all of the knowledge he needed to understand what happened. After he did, Naruto saw what became of Gatō's body after his clone finished him.
"Shark food," was all Naruto said.
(Later; Back In Konoha)
Hanabi was wiping the beads of sweat off her face with a cold wet wash cloth. She had just finished sparring with Hinata, and much to her surprise, Hinata did much better and lasted much longer than she ever had before. Hanabi didn't beat her like she used to before, but Hinata didn't win either. To the surprise of their father and Kō, the match ended in a draw. Hiashi was pleased that Hinata was showing signs of improvement in their clan's Juuken, as she didn't lose as she used to in the past. Kō congratulated Hinata on her progress, while telling her that Hiashi never gave up on her despite his disappointments from before.
Hanabi, though, was another story.
"Neesan, are you really as weak as everyone says you are?" Hanabi muttered under her breath. While she wasn't angry that she didn't win her match against Hinata, recently she started questioning Hinata's weaknesses and shy character. These thoughts started after Hanabi lost to Naruto in their late night match against each other. Naruto had easily beaten her using Drunken Fist. To make matters more embarrassing for her was how Naruto spanked her twice while feigning drunkenness, and not once was she able to hit him. A blush appeared on her face as she snorted at the memory of her defeat.
"That Naruto-kun," Hanabi muttered. "I wonder when he'll be back."
"Who are you talking to, Hanabi?" Hiashi asked standing behind her. Hanabi yelped slightly from her father's surprise appearance from behind. She turned to face her father while he was looking at her questionably.
"Are you truly well? You seemed to have drifted into your own world while mumbling incoherent words. What was on your mind?" Hiashi inquired.
Thinking fast, Hanabi replied, "I was just thinking about my recent spar session, and how I can improve before next time. I guess I was just thinking out loud to myself, Father."
Hiashi looked at Hanabi suspiciously, his gaze never turning from her. The position they were in made Hanabi recall the prank Naruto pulled on her when he henge'd into Hiashi and tricked her into believing her father caught her stealing sake from the storage chamber.
What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking of Naruto-kun at a time like this? Hanabi wondered to herself.
"Just don't make it a habit, Hanabi," Hiashi advised before he turned and walked off. Hanabi sighed in relief. The young girl turned to see Hiashi making his way over to Hinata.
"Hinata," Hiashi called to her elder daughter.
Hinata turned to her father, stood before him, and answered, "Yes, father?"
"You've come a long way in our clan's treasured style. Through your struggles and much effort, you've succeeded in bettering yourself, and I'm pleased to see how well you've improved," Hiashi praised.
"Thank you, father." Hinata bowed respectfully and then stood back up.
"That's enough practice for today. Both you and your sister can have the rest of the day to yourselves," Hiashi concluded before he departed from the dojo with Kō following close by. Both sisters were left alone in the dojo.
"I didn't win against you, Neesan, though you didn't exactly win against me either. I wonder what your spar sessions at the academy were like for you," Hanabi commented.
Hinata fidgeted with her fingers, "T-they were moderate. A number of…my matches proved d-d-difficult but…I was able to perform some our our clan's style without losing…at times."
"And how was Naruto-kun? How did he perform in his matches?" Hanabi asked.
Hinata blushed and responded, "Naruto-kun would always give it his all…Everyone lacked faith in his ability t-to improve. He was considered the worst in e-everything…even my grades were better than his. Yet, in spite of all of his faults and academic failures, Naruto-kun never a-allowed his handicaps to hold him back. His determination was my greatest strength."
"Aren't you bothered by the fact that he's a pervert?" Hanabi inquired.
Hinata looked at Hanabi and answered, "Are you? Recently, I noticed that…you've loosened up around him a-and you yourself don't mind his company."
"That's because I have no trouble keeping him in line if I so have to. Naruto-kun knows his place when he's around me," Hanabi replied confidently, though she knew what she said was an outright lie.
Hinata teased, "You make it sound as if he's your boyfriend."
"Nonsense!" Hanabi retorted defensively, though a little louder than her normal tone.
"If I recall after…o-our graduation to Genin, he had you humbled after he told you something that you don't wish to share with any of us even now," Hinata added.
"Neesan," Hanabi replied, feeling her annoyance rising, "you're no different either. Even now you hide things about Naruto-kun that you refuse to share with me."
Both sisters looked at each other as though they were locked in a stalemate. An awkward silence flowed through the dojo as both Hanabi and Hinata were waiting for the other to crack the silence. Neji then opened the door to the dojo and found both sisters looking straight at each other while failing to notice his presence.
"Hinata-sama, Hanabi-sama? Is there something here that I'm interrupting," Neji inquired. Both girls snapped out of their trance and turned to look at their older cousin.
"No Neji-niisan, we were just finishing our spar practice for today. Neesan didn't win again," Hanabi said with a firm tone while seeing the look on Hinata's face. Hinata was about to give her reply to Hanabi's words when…
"That's not surprising. Hinata hasn't won a match against anyone within our clan," Neji sneered.
"Still, she made some improvements that even Father was pleased to see. But despite her best efforts, they still were not enough to topple me," Hanabi added.
"Whatever progress she or anyone else believes she made, it won't change the path fate had already decided for her. Fighting fate only leads to more pain and anguish, and she's better off accepting her unchangeable fate as a failure," Neji stated coldly as he eyed Hinata with a hardened expression. The Hyuuga heiress exhaled while choosing to ignore Neji instead of giving him a retort, no matter how subtle.
If they only knew, Hinata thought. Hanabi sighed to herself and turned to leave the dojo. She got only a couple of feet away when…
"Hanabi," Hinata said with a form of innocence. "A few months ago, you told S-Sasuke that if he's so interested in finding out things about me, that he ought to go and asked me his questions himself. Perhaps, for a ch-change, you ought to take your own advice. You r-refused to answer his questions about me, as I r-refused to answer your questions about Naruto-kun. I'm sure you see the pattern here."
Hanabi blushed and growled lowly after being hit with Hinata's logical jab. The younger girl recollected herself and walked out of the dojo and walked past Neji. Hanabi never felt so much anger, both at herself and Hinata. Her older sister saw right through her and verbally knocked her down several notches.
Hanabi's walking pace became faster as her anger started to bother her. Turning the corner, she stopped to take a breath to calm herself down. As she did, she gathered her thoughts together to clear her mind of the frustration and anger Hinata triggered in her.
"Hanabi-sama," Neji said as he appeared next to her.
The young female Hyuuga looked up at Neji and asked, "Yes? Am I being summoned by Father at this time?"
"No. I followed you after I saw that Hinata-sama's last words to you left you…distraught. And the topic centered on Naruto," Neji said.
"So it did," Hanabi responded straightforwardly.
Neji continued, "I fail to see your unsound interest in Naruto. Someone of his infamous reputation and status within our community shouldn't even catch your attention."
"I've observed Naruto-kun for some time now, and he has a way of surprising people about himself. I recently found that from all of my findings about him that I don't know Naruto-kun as well as I thought. He strikes me as an enigma, one I have difficulty solving, and I don't like being denied truths I seek to obtain. Neesan refuses to answer my questions about him, and just moments ago I was embarrassingly humbled by her when she used my own words against me. I couldn't stand being in her sight after that," Hanabi explained.
"Hanabi-sama, I had always thought of you as a more level-headed and mature person than most people I know despite your age. But your unwavering interest in this village's clown is troubling to me. Is there more to this interest than you're saying?" Neji inquired.
Hanabi shot Neji a hardened look and said, "Naruto-kun is Neesan's boyfriend, not mine. Do not imply anything I did not say."
Neji didn't allow Hanabi's tone and expression deter him. He continued, "Regardless, Hanabi-sama, it's obvious that you have such a strong interest and attachment to Naruto. Lately, you've been following Hinata-sama's disgraceful path in pursuing that orange clad failure and such a folly will only lead to-"
"I've heard enough!" Hanabi interjected sharply. "You don't know Naruto-kun. You know nothing about him, and I will not stand for you insulting me and making judgments of him with no proof of your own. Be gone from my sight!"
Neji's expression didn't change at all. He knew when not to press a matter further.
"As you wish, Hanabi-sama," Neji said with a short bow before leaving in the opposite direction. Hanabi turned and walked off in the other direction. Her conversation with Neji left her even angrier than she was with Hinata.
"I need a cold drink," Hanabi muttered lowly while trying to calm herself down, again.
(Back in Nami no Kuni, the Following Day, at Tazuna's House)
Sasuke was given medical treatment for his injuries, though none of his wounds were serious, unlike Haku's, which included two arrows in the back. However, it was Naruto's Fūton: Rasengan that did the most damage. But thanks to Honoka's efforts, both Sasuke and Haku were going to make a full recovery.
The Uchiha was told in detail what transpired at the bridge after he lost consciousness. He found what he heard hard to swallow, considering how he and Naruto had a hard time against Haku while inside her dome of ice mirrors.
"No, that can't be! Even with my activated Sharingan I couldn't beat her! And you're saying that the dobe succeeded where I failed?" Sasuke retorted, still having bandages wrapped around his body.
"It's true, Sasuke-kun. Naruto singlehandedly defeated Haku, and not too long after that he did away with Gatō after he slaughtered his entire army in seconds. Honoka-san sealed all of the corpses away before throwing the scroll over the bridge. It was unlike anything I ever saw, and the appearance Naruto had with that red chakra was frightening."
"Red chakra?" Sasuke asked.
"Naruto radiated it after Haku was wounded by Gatō's men, when she took two arrows in the back for Zabuza. But that chakra was filled with so much bloodlust, hate, and animosity. It even changed Naruto's physical appearance to be more savage as he grew fangs, claws, and his eyes turned red with black vertical slits for pupils," Sakura explained. Sasuke saw how Kakashi didn't bother to stop Sakura from explaining the story of what took place, indicating that Sakura wasn't exaggerating in her explanation of the events.
"How could the dobe radiate red chakra? There's no record of anyone in Konoha having such a chakra, and it can't be some kind of bloodline limit either. Do you know anything about this, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked.
"Naruto has always been a ninja whose background was filled with many secrets. He will not discuss them with others unless he trusts those people with those secrets," Kakashi answered.
"You obviously know something about him that we don't know. Why don't you enlighten us about that red chakra you, Sakura, and Tazuna saw," Sasuke suggested.
"I'm afraid that's not possible. All I can tell you is that it's an S-ranked secret that I cannot divulge under penalty of death. The only people who can disregard that law are the Hokage, if he feels the absolute need to, and Naruto, who possesses that chakra," Kakashi clarified.
Sasuke wasn't pleased with that explanation, but he couldn't press the topic further.
"And as for that dark side of Naruto you saw, Sakura, all ninja possess a frightening dark side to themselves, one that could become monstrous if not continuously kept in check. There have been occasions when some had lost their sense of humanity when the art of killing became their only purpose and pleasure in life, while others couldn't handle the feeling of guilt that came with taking another person's life. But from what we saw of Naruto's actions, it's clear that Naruto has no hesitation to kill when the time calls for it, though he doesn't allow the art of killing to consume him as it has done to others before him," Kakashi stated.
Sakura inquired, "But what about those seal writings that appeared around Naruto's body and face? How do you explain that?"
"I can't, as I myself have never seen them before. I did ask Naruto about them but he refused to explain to me what those seals were, and requested that I don't try to force it out of him," Kakashi answered.
"Do you suppose Honoka-san gave him those seals?" Sakura asked.
"Honoka, not likely, regardless of how close she and Naruto are. I doubt that she has any familiarity with those seals we saw anyway. As for people outside Konoha who are affiliated with complex seals, I think it could be the work of one of the Sannin, but none of them have stepped foot in Konoha in years. This only adds to the mystery of Uzumaki Naruto. Aside from everything we were recently told by him and his distant cousin, there's so much we don't know about him," Kakashi enlightened.
"Like who he really is," Sakura remarked lowly. Though she said it in undertone, both Kakashi and Sasuke heard her words. Kakashi understood where Sakura was coming from, while Sasuke was deep in thought about her words centering on the blond Genin. Just then, perverted giggles were heard from the front of the house as the door opened with two people stepping into the house.
"Do you seriously have to read that smut around me Naruto-kun? It's inappropriate!" Honoka said with annoyance. Naruto blushed and smiled as he continued reading the contents of his favorite orange book.
"I have to catch up with my reading, Honoka-nee! I'm already half a week behind schedule, and the next series will start soon!" Naruto said with his eyes glue to his book, never missing a step as he and Honoka walked over to Kakashi and the group. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, did we missing anything?"
"Nothing important. How was your trip through town today?" Kakashi asked. Naruto said, "Everyone is starting to get their lives back together and fixing the damage Gatō has done. The people were all happy and praising us for getting rid of Gatō once and for all. By the way, where's Zabuza?"
"He's back at his hideaway with Haku. He's been watching over her since yesterday when Honoka was done treating her injuries. Your little speech at the bridge really struck home with him," Kakashi said.
"I'm happy to see that I was able to reach out to him. Despite everything I said about Zabuza after I defeated Haku, the cutie still saw the good in him that none of us knew of. It was quite surprising," Naruto commented with a smile.
"What's surprising, dobe, is everything we've been seeing of you for the past few days. Even I'm having a difficult time accepting what Kakashi and Sakura said about what took place at the bridge. You mind giving us an explanation for your mysterious seals, that red chakra of yours, and why you don't have a single injury despite having been a pincushion like me?" Sasuke interrogated.
"Yes, I do mind. Like I told you months ago at the ninja academy, as ninja we're all entitled to our own secrets. It's what gives us the element of surprise, thus making us unpredictable to our enemies. Besides that, there will always be spies lurking around," Naruto answered. Sasuke didn't like that Naruto was proving to be stronger and smarter than he was. His pride wouldn't allow him to be second to Naruto, their graduating class's dead last. As Sasuke was about to say something further, Inari, Tsunami, and Tazuna entered the house.
"Naruto-niichan!" Inari greeted happily, then hurried over to him and grabbed him by his left arm, "C'mon! You promised to spend the day with me and the other kids after you were done with whatever you had to take care of with your neechan!"
Naruto wasn't given a chance to reply as Inari dragged him towards the front door.
"But you're not taking this with you!" Honoka said as she managed to take away Naruto's Icha-Icha Paradise book.
"But Neechan, I need that! I just came across a shocking plot twist and I have to find out more!" Naruto complained.
"Naruto-otouto, be a role model and don't read this inappropriate material around children," Honoka rebuked before Inari pulled a whining Naruto through the front door. Satisfied with her work, Honoka was about to hide Naruto's book somewhere until she realized that it was no longer in her hand.
"I'll see to it that Naruto's book is taken care of," Kakashi said with his one eye glued to the open book as he made his way upstairs, with a blush and a few perverted giggles leaving his mouth.
"That book must be a good read. Perhaps I ought to buy myself a copy or two," Tazuna chuckled, only for Tsunami to smack him across the back of his head in annoyance.
(Ten Days Later)
It's been eleven days since the fall of Gatō. The passing days were spent working on the bridge. All the workers came back, and helped with the repairs on the bridge. The funding Naruto managed to force out of Gatō's treasury helped greatly with buying the rest of the needed materials for the completion of the bridge's construction and paying all of the workers. With all of their ports returned to the locals, fishermen and other sailing businesses were able to rebuild their businesses and livelihood again. Some of the locals also repaired the main road and removed the cut down trees that were hit from Naruto's Wind Release: Nine Spiraling Guillotines attack days ago as some of cut down trees blocked the main road to the bridge.
During the passing days, Honoka and Naruto went to check up on Haku and Zabuza. Honoka continued treating their injuries and changing their bandages for clean ones. Naruto and Honoka also spent the time getting know each other. Though Zabuza wasn't very talkative, he did say some things about himself and his time in Kirigakure.
At the end of the week, Zabuza and Haku came to meet up with everyone back at Tazuna's house. Everyone stood outside of the house where they spoke to the two Kiri nin as they explained what they decided to do.
"Are you guys really sure about not wanting to go with us back to Konoha? I'm sure something could be worked out," Naruto said.
"We appreciate the offer kid, but we still have some unfinished business to settle elsewhere," Zabuza said.
"Will you guys at least stay for the festival celebrating the completion of the bridge and Gatō's defeat later today?" Naruto requested.
Zabuza answered flatly, "I don't like parties, but I do enjoy expensive sake and liquor."
"I'm sure Gatō had some imported ones locked away in his office. We could take a trip over there now to check for ourselves," Naruto suggested.
"Accepted. Let's go," Zabuza agreed.
"Mind if I tag along?" Tazuna asked eagerly.
"Just don't slow us down old man," Zabuza warned as he and Naruto started walking off to Gatō's old office building with Tazuna following.
"Almost two weeks ago, Zabuza tried to kill my grandpa and you guys. Now he's walking with my grandpa and Naruto-niichan as if the three of them are old buddies," Inari commented as he and the group looked at the awkward scene.
Haku giggled, "Zabuza-sama may not say it, but he respected Tazuna-san's brave spirit in defying Gatō and risking his life for his people. He also admires Naruto-kun's adept skills with the sword, wishing he could have taken Naruto-kun as his successor."
Sasuke kept his cool, though he didn't like how Naruto was getting so much praises from everyone, and that even one of the Seven Swordsmen wanted to have him be his successor rather than his an apprentice.
(That Evening)
The festival was held in the central part of the town. Nobody was dressed in rags or looked like they lived in poverty. During the lasted ten days, new clothes and footwear were ordered and shipped to the locals, reestablishing the morale of the community as the era of depression and tyranny was over.
There were fireworks of many kinds, and everyone was smiling, laughing, eating, drinking, and having a good time. Music was being played loudly, and many got up to dance and sing. Zabuza only wanted to enjoy his liquor and kept to himself for the most part. Haku was approached by several teen boys who complimented her beauty and sought to start a conversation with her.
During the party, Naruto became a huge celebrity and hero among the people for freeing them of Gato's tyranny, though Naruto said that it was through the effort of him, Honoka, and his team together. Even though Naruto didn't allow the praises of the locals to go to his head, Sakura was heavily annoyed at how many girls were flirting and throwing themselves at Naruto, who was blushing and giggling as if he was living out a harem scene from one of his favorite books.
Elsewhere, Jiraiya sneezed, and felt that somehow he ought to be very proud of someone right now for succeeding at something he failed at as a young teen.
While Naruto was being surrounded by all those girls, Honoka was getting some looks from guys. A couple of them walked up to her, wanting to talk to her and some wanted to dance with her. A smaller group of girls approached Sasuke, but moved to Naruto when Sasuke treated them like he usually treated his fangirls back in Konoha. The only girl willing stay by Sasuke despite his behavior was Sakura.
Soon though, an argument broke out among the girls about Naruto's attention and company. Naruto offered a suggestion to end the argument: he made a kage bunshin for each of the girls there and joked, "If one of me isn't enough, why not make more?"
Then his clones chorused, "You can never have too much of a good thing!"
Tazuna and Haku laughed at Naruto's effective method of calming the girls, while Tsunami shook her head in disbelief. Sakura frowned at Naruto's stunt while Zabuza, Kakashi and Sasuke paid it no mind. Inari thought that Naruto was just so cool and smooth with the ladies, hoping to one day have that ability. All in all, it was a great night for the locals of Nami no Kuni, one they hadn't had in a long time.
(The Following Day)
Everyone was rested up and ready to go. Kakashi and his team, along with Honoka, were at the completed bridge with Tazuna and his family, and Zabuza and Haku. The entire village had also shown up at the bridge to say goodbye to the shinobi who made it possible for them to escape Gatō's oppression.
"Our mission here is over. We can finally go back home. I miss Konoha," Sakura said and Kakashi nodded.
"Thanks to you, the bridge is finished. Though this bridge is completed, it's…really sad that you all have to leave," Tazuna said.
"Our mission is finished, so we have to return to Konoha," Kakashi said.
"Please take care," Tsunami said.
"We will," Sakura answered.
"We thank all of you for your kindness, and I'm deeply sorry for all the trouble that we caused you. Please accept our most humble apologies," Haku said with a low bow.
Zabuza grunted, "I'm not one for apologies though I will admit that I was wrong to work for a double crossing snake like Gatō. I'll learn from that mistake."
Tazuna nodded in acceptance. Haku stepped over to Naruto and said, "You're a strong and good person Naruto-kun, and you have a kind heart. You saved both me and Zabuza-sama from condemning ourselves to believing that we're emotionless ninja that are only useful as tools. You reminded us that regardless of our craft, we're still humans with emotions."
Haku leaned down and kissed Naruto on the cheek. The blond smiled as Haku added, "Become a great protector for all of your precious people, as I will for mine."
Naruto nodded. Zabuza decided to add his few words to Naruto, "Though I'm not able have you as my successor, I still believe you'll become a great swordsman of a ninja. Don't waste that talent."
Naruto grinned and nodded.
"Later," Zabuza said as he and Haku turned to the bridge and started walking away. The villagers gave them their good-byes and best wishes.
"We'll visit someday," Naruto said confidently.
"You promise?" Inari asked, on the verge of crying.
Naruto nodded with a sad smile and said, "You've grown a lot during these past few weeks Inari. You've proven that in spite of troublesome times, you can inspire and protect those precious to you. Kaiza-san would have been as proud of you as all of us are."
Inari ran up and hugged Naruto, who in turned hugged him back. The darked-haired young boy sobbed a little while embracing the blond who he now looks up to. Inari looked at Naruto with a sad smile and a tear-stained face as he nodded.
"Are you sad that you're leaving, Naruto-niisan? It's alright to cry, you know," Inari said.
Naruto ruffled Inari's hair before he turned and walked off and said, "Me, cry? No way!"
Sakura and Sasuke sweat-dropped upon seeing a few tears escape Naruto's eyes as he wiped them away. Honoka giggled at Naruto's futile attempts to keep those few tears from falling. Kakashi sighed and shook his head slightly at the scene, as he and his remaining Genin followed after Naruto as Honoka hurried over to walk alongside Naruto.
"Well, we'll be seeing you later," Kakashi said and turned around to continue on his way with the others. The five ninja walked away, leaving the cheering locals.
"That boy changed Inari's heart, and Inari changed the villagers' hearts. That boy gave us a bridge toward hope and courage," Tazuna said, talking about Naruto.
"The bridge…that's right. We haven't named it yet. We need to name this bridge," one of the villagers said. Tazuna thought about it for a bit when…
"I have the perfect name for it!" Inari exclaimed. "The Great Naruto Bridge!"
Tsunami laughed slightly and agreed, "That's a good name."
"It's settled, then," Tazuna declared, "This bridge will be named The Great Naruto Bridge!"
All of the villagers cheered again.
Nami no Kuni has been saved, and Gatō's tyrannical rule over it is over. Haku and Zabuza have begun their new journey together, which will take them to unknown adventures. With the mission completed, Naruto and the others are journeying back to Konoha with Honoka in company. How will Honoka's life in Konoha be after everyone learns that she's an Uzumaki like Naruto? Will she be accepted or scorned for having familial ties with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki? How will the others react after finding out what happened in Nami no Kuni as questions surrounding Naruto's true character rise? And what will become of the growing friction Hinata and Hanabi have with Neji? Find out next time!