NARUTO POV:
"That's a lot of people" Naruto muttered as he looked at the incoming group of mercenaries and thugs Gato had hired.
"Yeah that's what the word army means genius" Sasuke said as Sakura elbowed him.
"Not the time you two. Be serious for once" Sakura said sternly as the army finally reached the arch which marked the beginning of the bridge.
"Well, Zabuza, so much for the 'Demon of the bloody mist, you and your little apprentice were beaten by a bunch of brats!"
"How bout these 'brats' show you exactly how dattebayo?" Naruto yelled at him, Sasuke, Sakura and Haku stood next to each other.
"Heh. As if any of you kids could lay a finger on any of us. Boss, all we gotta do is kill em all 'cept the 2 girls right?" one of the thugs asked.
Gato nodded with a lecherous grin, and the army charged.
"You know, it makes sense that you'd be a pedophile since adults would just get back aches from having to bend down so much to reach your height" Naruto said as he was covered in his zero tailed cloak again.
"Enough said, time to fight" Sasuke said as his Sharingan flared and both his arms were covered in flames.
"I call dibs on beating up the bastard" Sakura, who had heard the exchange between the thug and Gato, snarled in anger as her arms and legs were covered in rock armor.
"I'll cover you" Haku said as she raised her arm and hundreds of ice needles levitated in front of her.
In an instant, Sakura , Sasuke and Haku disappeared and appeared in the middle of the army, causing confusion in the ranks.
Meanwhile, Naruto just charged forward, releasing a huge arc of orange coloured wind chakra which cut through the army of thugs.
WITH GATO:
Gato was watching, questioning why the brats weren't dead yet when,
"AAH!" he heard a scream and turned around to see about 30 dead thugs and a grey-haired scarecrow looking guy with a black mask and a hidden leaf village headband covering his left eye.
"I'll just take these two and leave" the man said with an eye smile, picked up the tied up, unconscious Inari and Tsunami, and disappeared.
"...what just happened?"
BACK WITH NARUTO:
Naruto was a blur.
A punch here, a kick there, a wall of wind in middle.
Essentially a storm of general ass-kicking.
He made sure that he didn't kill anyone, of course, he knew that he'd probably freeze up and that would be very bad in the middle of a fight.
'Man, what was Gato thinking, getting a bunch of fodder to fight a Ninja team dattebayo. Genin team or not, we still have Kakashi-sensei, and he's apparently a hot shot if eyebrowless's reaction was anything to go by.'
'Focus Naruto. This could be a very good learning experience for you about dealing with a large number of enemies.'
'Yeah yeah...'
WITH SAKURA AND HAKU
Sakura leaped; spear raised above her head before she brought it down along with a shockwave which knocked down everyone around her.
Haku was right behind her, using dual whips of ice to deal with the thugs.
Sakura sent another thug flying using the blunt end of the spear before charging at Gato.
"I won't kill you" she promised "Just make you wish you were."
"C-come on girly. I'll give you great ti-ARGH" Gato yelled in pain as he was struck across the face by one of Haku's whips.
A couple of thugs were about to use the opening to strike Haku when a wall of flames blocked their path.
"Let's let them have their fun" Sasuke said with a grin "I'd be more than willing to entertain you all in the meantime though"
BACK TO THE BRIDGE
"Your kids are monsters" Zabuza idly noted as Kakashi set Inari and Tsunami down on the ground.
"Said the 'demon of the mist' "
"...touché"
" Tsunami! Inari!" Tazuna rushed to his family.
"Don't worry about them" Kakashi said, calming him down "I put body protection seals on both their bodies so only brunt force could actually get them, and that too was reduced by 75%"
"Thank you" Tazuna cried.
They all looked up as a loud thud was heard, followed by a cry of pain.
"We have the trash bag" Sakura announced, walking up to them along with Haku while pointing at a tied-up Gato, who looked like he had been to hell and back.
'Jiraiya-Sama wasn't kidding when he said there is nothing stronger than feminine fury' Kakashi thought with an eye smile.
"Looks like they're about done as well" he said as the fighting had almost stopped now.
They heard the sound of a conch shell being blown before,
The entire town showed up, pitchforks and kitchen utensils in hand.
"We came to help" said their leader, the same man who had quit last week due to fear of Gato.
"Everyone..." Tazuna said with misty eyes.
"Oh look, more people" Naruto said.
"Yeah, the town really came thro-WHEN DID YOU GET HERE!?" Tazuna yelled.
"I saw these guys and figured that I should come here dattebayo" Naruto shrugged "Sasuke said he'd deal with the rest of them" he said, pointing with his thumb behind his back, where Sasuke was dealing with the last 5 thugs.
"Y-You peasants!" Gato yelled "I'll have you all executed, like I did with that fool!"
Everyone looked at him.
"I think we'll let you all deal with him" Kakashi said "Tazuna, let's return to your house for now."
"Yes, Kakashi-san."
1 MONTH LATER:
Team-7, plus Haku and Zabuza, stood at the end of the finished bridge.
"I'll be staying here" Zabuza said, surprising Haku and the rest of team 7. "Please, take Haku with you to the leaf village. If all the ninjas are softies like you dumbasses then she should be fine, and she'll grow into a fine kunoichi"
"Z-Zabuza-san... Did my failing in our mission make me useless to you" Haku asked, tears rolling down her face.
"Wha-Oh no. it's just that... my hands aren't ever going to be the same, and you should go on your own path. You've been a great tool-no, companion. Raising you, it's made me think. I wasn't born to be a 'demon'. I was born to be a dad. Tsunami here helped me realize that." he said, nodding at a blushing Tsunami "I'll be taking in all the kids Gato's actions have orphaned. Plus, I'll be right here, and you could come here anytime."
"H-Hai" Haku said, wiping away at the tears.
"Well, I'm sure it should be fine since she was never really registered as a ninja in Kiri, so there should be no politics involved.
"I would like to give you some things as a thank you" Zabuza announced.
"Pinky, I'll give ya a scroll. It's about a technique I found which uses water style to amplify and enhances healing techniques" he said, giving Sakura a scroll with a blue circle as a seal.
"Uchiha, to you I'll give a scroll containing Kiri sword techniques." he said, giving Sasuke a scroll too.
"Blondie. To you...I leave my most prized possession: my sword, Kubikiribōchō along with some scroll about how to wield it effectively." he said , handing over two storage scrolls to a stunned Naruto.
"Carry on my legacy boy, and when you're one day Hokage, get me a good retirement plan eh?"
"Y-yeah" Naruto said, nodding.
"Kakashi, you don't get shit. Not holding a grudge for my arms is plenty for you" he said to Kakashi, who looked down depressed with a raincloud hovering over him.
And then they were off, on the road back home.