Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Way of the Jinchuuriki ❯ Arc 3, Chapter 14 - Step Up! ( Chapter 14 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Of all the times for the Akatsuki to come for them… This was the worst case scenario in Naruto's mind but it was one that he knew could very well happen.

His gennin were completely useless in this fight outside of sticking with Tazuna and even then the protection they could provide him was pathetic at best. The best thing they could do would be to take Tazuna away from the fight once he and Yugito had them distracted…

Now came the second and greater problem… Yugito was afraid of these two and he knew why. They were the ones that nearly caught her four years previous and left a deep scar on her from their last encounter. That said scar unfortunately was arising as his fellow vessel looked petrified at the sight of the two.

And finally the worse of these problems was that these two would be very hard to take care of as Inoichi gathered data on the two from Yugito's mind. Hidan seemed to be immortal though at least he wasn't invulnerable and Kakuzu seemed to be invulnerable and immortal as he was rather old when he fought the Shodaime and nothing Yugito did to him harmed him in the least.

Things were not looking up for Namikaze-Mitrashi Naruto at the exact moment.

However as of right now the perfect defense employed as he stuck a kunai in the middle of the formation so if they got within ten meters around him he could strike them easily and possibly put them out of commission. The problem was that Kakuzu was a ranged fighter from Inoishi's data and Hidan couldn't be put out of commission even if his heart was ripped out.

Drawing forth another special kunai while keeping his katana in his dominant hand, Naruto simply gazed at Yugito before whispering to Sasuke. "I'm going to take care of these goes. Try to get everyone else out of here but keep that kunai with you and keep sticking it every few moments."

Sasuke could only nod at what he said before reality hit him. Why was he in charge and not Yugito if sensei was going to take care of these guys?

Turning his gaze to Yugito, his eyes narrowed seeing how stiff she was and the fear that was emanating off of her. She was an experienced jounin and no reason to freeze in the middle of battle unless… He gulped… Unless she had faced them before and they had done something rather ominous before her or to her.

Nonetheless, keeping his composure, he turned his attention back onto his job now. He believed that they would be fine as with Naruto there and defending them they should be alright. If there was anyone outside of his brother and mother that he truly had faith in it would be his sensei.

Hidan struck at that moment and came charging in, hitting the ten meter mark. At the very moment Naruto flickered behind with his katana drawn and slashing to his spine to take care of him immediately. But to his misfortune it seemed Hidan was informed of him and knew the attack was coming… Somewhat.

The blade still ripped through his spinal cord… But barely as it had only grazed it. But that didn't matter Hidan rolled out of the ten meter range and cursed. "That was too damn close! Kakuzu where the fuck is your cover fire you asshole?!"

"I thought it would be amusing to see you sweat." Kakuzu grinned as he absently wanted to see Hidan get hurt for a moment until he saw the flash. "But now we have to take this seriously… Remember the two tail is our number one priority before the nine tail or the bridge builder."

"I fucking know that! Just cover me while I try to get to her!" Hidan yelled out at his partner, somewhat pissed that he was left out to dry on that last attack before realizing that another kunai had just struck the ground right between his legs. "Son of a bitch!"

Hidan wasn't as lucky this time as Naruto flickered to his side and cut down and through his right arm, severing it. Still being in the range of that said kunai, it wasn't worth it to recover his arm at the moment so instead he swung his scythe towards the blonde only for him to flicker out of existence once more.

This time Kakuzu covered him and a stream of blazing fire… Engulfed both him and where Naruto had flashed into existence.

Cutting the flames from his clothing and rolling on the dirt, Naruto growled as it seemed Kakuzu was timing him for his flashes and he got a shot in with a rather wide spread flame as he couldn't predict exactly where he would appear. However in the same time he hit his partner…

"Kakuzu you asshole! You nearly burned my ass off!" Hidan screamed as he patted the fire from his tattering cloak, glaring at his partner in crime and was ready just to go after him as this was becoming a rather annoying trend. "I swear to Jashin if you hit me again I'm coming after you! Then you will see who is truly immortal!"

"Then stop getting in my way you freak. I don't have the time to redirect my fire." Kakuzu calmly replied, not caring if he was just as much of a freak as Hidan if not a little more.

Hidan called him out on this as they both really didn't like each other that much. "Oh look who's talking! You have that damn… Fucker stop distracting me!"

At the end of that statement Naruto had flashed before Hidan ready to behead him as this was getting a little weird for him. Sure, the two before him had some kind of comradely but this was rather annoying. Arguing in the middle of battle was the stupidest thing he had ever seen, even if these guys very well were immortal.

This time Hidan seemed to be expecting the frontal strike and had swung down to meet him and stop his katana's stroke. However, Naruto only grinned before he simply turned his foot and just disappeared much to the surprise of the two of the Akatsuki. In that very moment a kunai struck before Kakuzu.

"Shit."

Naruto flashed just above Kakuzu but to the blonde's surprise as strings shot out from his body and wrapped around his katana just as he moved to dodge. With one tug of his arm, which the strings were attacked to, he pulled the weapon from the prince before a mask shot out from behind him and two bolts of lighting came from the mouth.

Not bothering with Hiraishin this time, Naruto rolled his body in mid air and slipped between the two bolts as he went through a series of fast hand seals. Soon as he hit the ground, his hands smashed into the ground and it turned into a thick goop that pulled onto Kakuzu's feet and made it very difficult form him to get out.

This wasn't good for him but his partner came to his rescue as Hidan had gone after the bridge builder and Yugito with Naruto distracted with him. However it didn't seem he noticed as he began another set of seals and the wind behind was swirling behind him and began to take the shape… Of a dragon?

"Katon: Gokakyu!" Sasuke unleashed a furious burst of flames towards the incoming scythe wielder but to his horror the man simply ran through it like it was nothing and was upon him in an instant…

And in that instant the scythe was stopped as someone had grabbed the hilt followed by a very, very loud hiss. "Get the fuck away from them!"

Hidan wished he didn't chain his scythe to his wrist when she flung it back. It pulled out of his grip but since it was connected to his wrist his arm was pulled rather viciously but it didn't just stop there. There was so much force that he was dragged back as he had those chains custom made to withstand great force and this wasn't enough to break them. His shoulder on the other hand…

"You damn bitch! That fucking hurt!" Hidan screamed out as now not only was he missing an arm, his other arm was dislocated and virtually useless at the moment. "Kakuzu, attach my other arm already dammit! This is getting out of hand as she's fighting back!"

"I have my own problems here!" Kakuzu screamed out as he barely managed to avoid the dragon of pure wind that was barreling down upon him, just breaking free from the sticky goo once he realized increasing the heat hardened it and made it easier to escape.

Landing next to Hidan, who picked up his arm, only just to avoid Naruto's flash and kunai for his skull. It instead gashed his leg and made the man curse more. "Dammit! I knew we shouldn't have been assigned for her any longer! Along as he is around only that bitch only the leader can deal with him!"

"To be fair you should have a chance. After all you are always going on about not being able to die. You should just turn this into a war of attrition." Kakuzu grinned underneath his mask as he had to get another jab in at his partner.

"Shut the hell up and let's get out of here unless you just want to die! Even if I can't die, I don't want to deal with this punk kid any more!" Hidan lashed out as his partner as he was getting tired of being dismembered, dislocated and having to deal with the damn flash!

As much as Kakuzu hated to agree with his partner, fleeing was their only choice with the nine tail vessel involved. They were pushing their luck coming after Yugito with him present in the first place but it still was worth it even if they were only being used as scouts. "Fine… But remember this vessels… Next time it won't be us coming for you."

The two dispersed in a swirl just before Naruto could get another kunai to them as that was the one flaw of the flash. In combat it was difficult for him to unleash more then one to two at a time with them being accurate and if his opponent was skilled, and lucky, enough they could dodge his attack. Unfortunately it seemed those two had luck and a little more on there side.

"Shit!" Naruto cursed as he wanted to dispose of them as they would now become scouts for the rest of the Akatsuki and inform them of one of the few flaws to the Flying Thunder God. "Let's go… They won't be coming back again."

While Tazuna seemed relieved at that, and surprised how easily Naruto was controlling the match against them until he let Hidan on his own, the old man took the lead. "My house isn't too much further from here."

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"Fuck !" Naruto ranted just outside the house as he was still too angry at having the two Akatsuki members having escape his clutches. "Once they inform the others those damn bastards will begin to create counter strategies for the flash and make it even harder for me to take care of them!"

Yugito stayed quiet as she felt she was partially responsible for the problem at hand. She had followed Naruto out after setting up a perimeter at Tazuna's place and having Sasuke stay up for first shift as it might be a few hours before they came back. Still she had a kunai set up so Naruto could flash to them if there were any problems.

Continuing to watch him pace, his anger not decreasing in the slightest as he was going over how to rectify his own problems with the flash, Yugito closed her eyes and broke the silence. "I'm sorry…"

This quickly brought Naruto out of his rage and his gaze to Yugito when he heard her. He knew what she meant by that as both she, Anko and Kakashi were normally his spotters in battle and used his kunai so that he didn't have to be the one to throw them. And since she froze until Hidan had endangered his gennin she caused him to be somewhat ineffective.

However that was not the problem as those two could take damage, survive practically anything he did to them and then escape. They unfortunately happened to be the perfect scouts against him as they could last a little while against him and the flash and not die.

"It… It isn't all yours fault… I am to blame as well." Naruto finally said as his anger seemed to drain as he looked up into the night sky. "I knew whenever we ran into those two that you would freeze after what they did to you… We all knew that. I had just wished it was our squad that had run into them as we would have been able to stop them."

Looking over at Naruto, her face neutral as he had admitted she was somewhat at fault but he did not hold it against her. However… "Why are you to blame? You did all…"

"I didn't." Naruto responded in a dull tone as his eyes faded while Yugito looked at him with surprise and wasn't sure what he meant by he didn't go all out before he finally answered her. "Shadow Clones."

Yugito's eyes lit up before she cursed realizing that the clones could have been his spotters. But there was a problem with that too… "You would have needed to give them the kunai, Naruto. Most weapons can be cloned along with it outside of… Special weapons and those kunai count. There would have been no time for you to pass them out to them."

Naruto had to admit he had been upset within himself as he saw the flaw in his own attack against the two. But now he could see that she was right. The two would have rushed him if he had tried to pass out his kunai to the clones since they could not copy them. However that still didn't explain how they still got away from him…

"Naruto… Stop doubting your skills." Yugito broke his melancholy thoughts as she stepped towards him and placed her hands onto his shoulders. "You did do everything you could at that exact moment… Didn't you?"

He was wincing as that once again wasn't exactly true. "Kind of… When Jiraiya started my training the very first thing we went over with after the Rasengan was… How to draw and control natural energy, Sage chakra. It is what made Jiraiya famous throughout the land and become the strongest of the sannin."

"However… Once again it takes a long time to gather that energy as either I have to stay still and draw it to me for a minute or I have to summon the two toad elders and that takes time as well. But I could have done it…"

"No… Not doing it was for the best." Yugito suddenly smirked as she drew her hands from his shoulders. "They don't know about it, do they? So that means…"

"That they don't everything and I can catch them off guard next time and take care of them." Naruto matched her smirk as he realized what she was pointing out. "Hmp… That may be just what I needed to hear… Thank you."

Doing her best to keep her blush for scarring her face red as Naruto almost never thanked anyone, Yugito managed to keep it down as she smiled at him as he had began to head back to Tazuna's. "Of course. You are my little bro."

She didn't know why… But Naruto stopped when she said that as if taking in what he said. But what she did know was that his eyes closed for a moment and sighed. "How long are you going to keep telling yourself that?"

Yugito froze to her spot. What did he mean by that? She didn't think she cared for him more then as a sibling as she had a few boyfriends (all but one were scared off by Anko, Itachi and/or Naruto) but… Then again with all her thoughts as of recently after her break up with Gota and the bad dreams she had been having and being saved by…

She snapped out of her daze as now Naruto was standing before her his blue eyes poured into her emeralds. "Yugito… I may not understand most emotions… But I am observant and realized the signs… As you aren't the only one that has been blind to it. …I'm truly beginning to see what Anko has been saying these last few years."

This threw her into a deep sense of chaos in her mind. She knew what Anko had been talking of… Saying how great of a couple they would be and that they should just get it over with and admit they were one. Had she simply been denying it all this time? Was Anko actually right about something?

Once more Yugito was snapped out of her daze to see Naruto walking away again, an annoying trend he had to end conversations when he felt enough had been said, she softly spoke to him. "I don't know… Maybe you are right. I've known your love for me is deeper then anything else I've observed… I just still am so confused…"

Staying silent for a moment, Naruto closed his eyes once again and only nodded. "That is a natural response. Love is the most confusing emotion I have seen yet I am slowly beginning to understand it and see its signs. I am only saying I have noticed my own directed towards you… And yours towards me. Nothing else. I'll leave the rest up to you."

"Wait, what?!" Yugito nearly screamed out at Naruto as he tried to start walking away again and had to jump in front of him to keep him from walking off. "Isn't the guy suppose to be the one to court the girl?"

"Pffh. If that was the case Anko and Itachi would never have gotten together." Naruto blandly commented as it was the truth. Her aggressive nature had her land the onyx raven… After a month of heavy flirting and stalking her prey.

"Besides… I am not the one to court. I may be beginning to understand love… But I am still uncomfortable with it. Now if you would… I need to check up onto my team and take Sasuke off shift. My clones can handle that." Naruto apathetically stated as his team was top priority at the moment, not his love life or lack of said life.

Yugito frowned at that but she let him go as he was right. His team was the most important thing right now. But still…

Did she truly feel like that for him?

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"Sensei … Are you awake?"

"Sakura…" Naruto groaned as he knew it wasn't even day light as there was no light and he knew her voice very well by now; so sitting up he twitched his eye a the girl. "Why in the world are you up at this ungodly hour? It isn't even five yet."

He had expected Sakura to respond quickly as she normally did but something was up this time. Her jaw had slacked and the amount of shock that her face was exhibiting. Was she afraid of him because of what she heard the two Akatsuki had said of him and Yugito?

No… No she wasn't. There was some fear there, but something told him she wouldn't have come in to speak with him if she was afraid of that. So what was it she was afraid of… And what was this weight on his lap?

Naruto finally figured out what was causing Sakura to gape like she was as he looked down to see Yugito fast asleep… Her head resting on his lap… Awfully close to his human reproductive organs…

His eyes twitched.

"This isn't what you think Sakura… Now what is wrong? Why are you up yet? The wake up call isn't till six-thirty." Naruto overcame his twitching eyes and softly spoke to the girl to assure her she hadn't walked in during fellatio.

Seeing the girl nervously fidget before him, Naruto sighed. It was indeed up the fox and cat within them that she was worried about. However, he had to commend the girl to confront him about it. "If it is about why we possess two bijuu I will address that once breakfast begins. However, I will tell you that I am in complete control.

Naruto didn't feel like she needed to know the truth. The fact that Kyuubi could be released at any moment she chose didn't really need to be told to the young ones. That was a secret between him, the old man and his selective family and friends.

But as he continued gazing at the girl for a while longer, he could see she hadn't slept to well as she was probably worried. So reaching across his body and digging into his pouch, he pulled out a single pill and tossed it to Sakura. "Take that. It will replenish your chakra and reenergize your chakra and stimulate your body for the day. However, do not take another one for the next three days. Its effects will still be within you for that amount of time."

It seemed Sakura still trusted him enough, something that he was glad for, and swallowed the pill before nodding. "So should I wake the others…"

"No. Our wake up time will be the same as my clones have us covered. If you want to help go start helping Tsunami. It seems she's up and in the kitchen." Naruto ordered as he knew Sakura wanted to know as quickly as possible but he wanted his team to be rested as possible.

Simply nodding her head, Sakura left and soon as he heard her footsteps heading down the stairs, Naruto returned his gaze to the last female in his room and his eyes began to twitch again. "I take this as you've already made a decision."

"It took some time on my own… But yes." Yugito honestly responded as she sat up, a shit eating grin adorning her face. "And after I came to that decision I realize… That I have to be the aggressive one."

'Great… She's becoming more like nee-chan every day.' Naruto bitterly commented as the last thing he really wanted was Yugito to become like her. He liked her the way she was.

Sighing as he wiped that from his mind, Naruto only shrugged his shoulders as he wouldn't deal with this right now. "Fine… But this can wait until the mission is over and we're back in Konoha."

"What's the matter? Can't handle the pressure?" He could hear his mother laughing at him in her cage, rolling around in the process.

Twitching at his mother and this entire situation, Naruto was glad that Yugito at least understood to take this rather seriously after running into Hidan and Kakuzu. "There will be a slight alteration in the mission plans…"

"I need you to infiltrate and spy upon Gato and gather his current plans. I am now sure the Akatsuki is no longer involved in this but now what will he do?"

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"I'm glad you are all up… Now there are a few things we have to discuss." Naruto said to his team as it was a little before seven and everyone was awake and had washed up before he gathered them back into their room.

"We know both of you want to know about why we possess demons." Yugito explained as she was involved with this just as much as Naruto. "While our situations were different, we both had a demon sealed into us at young ages. I was simply the new recipient of the two tail monster cat and the fifth vessel of the demon."

"The fox on the other hand… Was sealed into me by the Fourth Hokage to save our village." Naruto took over for his part as he knew Yugito would butt in his briefing. "We didn't tell any of you for the simple reason as we don't want to be identified by what we contain. …It has made our lives pretty miserable."

Sasuke understood as he had the same problem of not wanting to be identified for being only an Uchiha. He also knew that they were probably treated rather harshly as he had done a lot of studies outside of the academy and he came across a few pages that dealt with jinchuuriki. That page had helped him see that they simply were human.

Kerlya also saw much in the same why but she really just wanted to hear more about what happened. Sakura was still a little iffy from the lack of details but she truly believed in her sensei. There was just still one last thing… "Was that why my mother… Why my mother was thrown into jail?"

Sighing as both Sasuke and Kerlya looked somewhat confused, Naruto felt Sakura had a right to know. "Yes… She tried to kill me six years ago and started the events that led to the depression that we are finally recovering from. …But I had a feeling you already knew of this."

"Yes… I just wanted to hear you say it." Sakura replied as she did know that she had attacked Naruto and she played a role in the depression.

Frowning as he looked at her for a moment longer, he turned his attention onto all of them and would have her stay behind after. "If you have any questions, just ask me or your parents and either they or I will answer them. Now we will get onto our schedule for our duration here."

"First you should know that there has been a slight change in plans. Naruto will be looking over you while I am out scouting Gato's bases, gathering useful information and setting the base for Naruto's assassination." Yugito explained her part to the three gennin to let them know where she would be.

"Why not just assassinate him now? Wouldn't that save a lot of time?" Sasuke questioned as if they could easily infiltrate and take care of the crime lord and end this entire mess.

"That wouldn't work. For one that would leave this entire village at the mercy of his mercenaries once they realized they couldn't get paid anymore and come here to loot what's left. There is also the fact that I know that there were other ninja in the area that I knew Gato hired but retreated when those two arrived last night and a missing ninja that has his pay source taken away is just as bad as a bandit." Naruto explained to Sasuke to let him on the downsides of such an action.

The said Uchiha nodded his head and stored that information away for later use if he was in this position again. "Now while she is doing her portion of this mission, I will be guarding Tazuna and his men at the bridge so they can work in peace. As I'm doing this I will create three clones to train you for what you will face soon."

"What?!" Came from all three as they weren't sure what surprised them more. The fact that they would have to be doing some of the fighting soon or that they were going to TRAIN on a mission!

Naruto simply twitched at his team and wanted to sock them in the jaw. "You honestly don't think I'm going to put you through the same kind of training on a mission? I need you at max capacity for the worst case scenario so I can't train you to your limits."

"Thank you!" Kerlya suddenly jumped up and hugged him, glad that they wouldn't be tortured while they were out on this mission.

Prying her off, twitching his eye at her as he did, Naruto rolled his eyes before sighing. "Alright, that is all I have to say other then when you finish your training you will be with me at the bridge…"

"Wait, who will be guarding the house?" Sakura commented as she realized there would be no one staying at this point to defend Tsunami or her child.

Both Kerlya and Sasuke began twitching at Sakura as she had momentarily forgotten who their sensei was when the latter decided to speak up. "Sakura, the flash."

"That is only part of it, actually." Naruto replied as they had a right to know the aspects of defending the house. "I've placed those seals at key points in the house in case of a break in… If someone manages to break through my reinforcement seals on each window and door. I've also placed an identification seal on the door to supplement the reinforcements only to allow Tazuna's family and us in otherwise the other seal will activate."

Glad that Sakura felt more assured, Kerlya glad they didn't have to worry and Sasuke seemed eager to learn those seals, he shook his head at the three of them. "Alright, go get some breakfast… Sakura I want to see you for a moment… Alone."

Both Kerlya and Sakura quickly left the room, hungry as they didn't get much to eat on the trip here, Yugito narrowed her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. She remembered who Sakura's mother was and had a feeling that she knew what Naruto wanted to talk to her about. Giving them both on last glance, she followed the two gennin as she was rather hungry as well.

Sitting before Sakura as she stayed seated, he looked over at his student and sighed. "So I guess you have been allowed to talk to her. …Even if I dislike her, I do have to agree. No child should be punished for their parent's sins."

"I have." Sakura quietly said as she was somewhat ashamed of her mother's point of view. "But I haven't seen her in a while… It like she is no longer herself and all she thinks about how to get rid of the… demon spawn."

Being able to hear the detest in her voice, Naruto had to keep his face neutral as while he agreed of his student's opinion he could not show that. "Have you forgiven her?"

Sakura only shook her head. "No… I can't forgive her… Even before I knew of you or that you held Kyuubi in check, I hate her for trying to hurt someone my own age… What if I had been the vessel instead? Would she still have done the same…"

"Sakura… I can't answer any of those questions as I don't know the answers." Naruto stopped her from going down the path she was traveling. He still had a hard time believing that Sakura had more traits of being an avenger then Sasuke, who had an extraordinary reason to become one.

"But do know that I have forgiven her." Naruto stated which almost physically slammed her with shock. "If it wasn't for her I would not have become who I am today. Sure, she was the catalyst of Konoha's depression but I have no reason other then that to hate her. She gave me the gift to protect everyone around me that I care for and I will not waste that gift."

"And neither should you."

She simply didn't know how to react to that. Her sensei, the one that her mother tormented, was thanking her? That didn't make any sense! He should hate her for what she did but for some reason he didn't. So how was she suppose to react? She still hated her mother but the one that suffered the most of her actions did not!

"Come one Sakura… Let's get some food." Naruto stood and offered the pink haired girl his hand and pulled her up. "If you have any more problems, don't hesitate to come to me. Don't let this gnaw at you… You are your own person, not bound by anything. You should not be punished for what she has done."

"You've… You've known?!" Sakura gasped as she looked at her sensei with trepidation. "Then why…"

Naruto interrupted her with a simple gaze that told her to be silent. "I didn't know about it until you were apart of my team. That's why I'm training you the most intensely and for a much longer period. …I can see the village is treating you and your brother like pariahs just like they treated me for Kyuubi and my mother for being Orochimaru's only pupil."

"While there isn't much I can do about it… I will do what I can. I will make sure you can defend yourself if they start to trespass that line and start to treat you anything like me. …If I don't deal with it first." Naruto stated with his eyes flickering for a moment with suppressed rage towards his own village.

Easily calming down as his intent to kill began to spill around him, Naruto simply tilted his head to Sakura. "Go eat… I'll be down in a moment."

As Sakura slowly did so, still in a deep state of shock as she did, Naruto refrained from growling. The village didn't know how hard it was making it for him to defend it.

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"Um̷ 0; Is this another chakra control exercise?" Kerlya was the first to ask as they stood in front of a single clone, the other two staying back and waiting for their individual student to finish so they could train them.

"Yes." The clone stated as he simply nodded before he took several steps on the water and turned to the gennin. "This is similar to the tree walking exercise with a few exceptions. Unlike the tree water is not constant so you are going to have to alter the flow of chakra to your feet to stay afloat."

Suddenly being pegged between the eyes with a rock, Sasuke growled as the clone glared at him. "You will not use the Sharingan for this. While it is a great tool, this exercise also focuses on your stamina. So simply acquiring this technique is useless as it will leave you without the strength building."

Looking somewhat sheepish as his sensei had a point having once told him that he would be allowed to use it now that it was active but only when he gave permission as working on his physical attributes were important as well. "Fine… What else is there to this? And why are they staying out of it?"

"There will be individual training once you finish this and while there are three of us in total it is doubtful that all of you will learn this in one day as this exercise also drains on chakra… A lot of chakra." The clone commented to inform them of what the other clones were doing. "There is also the matter of that you are a guy, Sasuke and they are girls. You cannot train in the same exact area during this… For obvious reasons as you will be getting wet."

All three were blushing a storm at that thought. It was very possible they could end up being exposed to another and they were glad they wouldn't have to feel so embarrassed about it.

"This exercise also works on you chakra reserves and helps them steadily build during the day. While your chakra slowly recovers compared to our master, you will still reap the same benefits just a little slower then normal. By doing this one day… You reserves should increase by a quarter if not a little more." The clone added as he stepped back onto land.

"Now let's start this… Sasuke, they've found a small grove over there for you to work in."

Only grunting, even though he was still trying to hide is blush, Sasuke followed one of the clones as it seemed the other was going to stay back. The said boss clone could only grin with a dastardly gaze. His master would love to have had that on camera. Perfect black mail against Sasuke and Itachi.

He was broken out of his thoughts as both Sakura and Kerlya plunged into the water after a few steps, looking at the clone of their sensei with a deathly glare. He didn't tell them the water was that deep only a few steps in!

The clones only sighed. This was going to be a long day.

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The day was rather uneventful. He hated guard missions as he really couldn't do anything until the trouble arrived. That was annoying on its own but at least here he could provide food for at least this family. He didn't pack enough for the village, but he wasn't going to let his client, his family and his students to starve.

He did have to crack a smile at his three now dried gennin.

Sasuke was the only one to complete the exercise in the first day, as expected. However he did it only thirty minutes before the clones called them back for the day. And he didn't even get started on the jutsu he was planning on teaching him as he had to rest.

Kerlya had the worse day of all of them as she simply was finding it hard to understand what his clone was telling her. This was the same problem with the tree exercise so he had expected it but she was still making progress. It might take her two more days, but she would get the technique down.

Sakura was having a bad time simply because of her small chakra pool. She had actually mastered the technique but the problem was she couldn't hold it for more then twenty minutes before she dropped down into the water below. The only reason he hadn't said she was finished was because he wanted her to stay on it for thirty minutes.

But finally… The images he had of them plunging into the cold water and hearing them screaming, even Sasuke on his first attempt, were just too hard not to laugh at. He would have to learn some of the Yamanaka's techniques. He really wanted to share these pictures with his family and their parents/guardian.

However the good feeling he had was gone as Tsunami's boy came in, looking pissed at them for no legitimate reason. He simply scowled at them as he took a seat next to his mother, who temporarily went to the kitchen to bring the food in, which unfortunately meant besides him. "You know you should stop trying… Gato will kill you for opposing him."

Rolling his eyes at the kid as he knew the termite was good as dead when he felt it was the right time to strike, Naruto shook his head. Yugito's current information wasn't much to go on but he knew that a few hired goons would be coming here to abduct Tsunami and the boy for ransom in a few days. His seals would be more then enough to handle them.

The man was desperate as he apparently knew that the two Akatsuki had failed as he was reported that Tazuna was still working on the bridge. However she was unable to find anything about the ninja he had hired and that was what he needed to learn first before he took care of the crime lord and disabled his mercenaries.

"Hey! Would you stop ignoring me?!" Inari angrily growled at Naruto as everyone else, Yugito included, gaze him dirty glares. "Hmp… You're scared is that it?"

"Not in the slightest." Naruto easily replied in a stoic tone as the kid, while a bother, wasn't even worth dealing with. "While you see him as some sort of almighty figure, I see nothing but a little mouse that has just been dangled before the lion. No crime lord can deal with the force of a ninja village."

Sasuke could only smirk as he watched the boy fumed over Naruto's response and couldn't help but add on. "The Hokage thought nothing of this mission and sent us as we are more then adequate to deal with his little mercenaries while our senseis tear down any ninja that will be involved. For you see… A gennin like we are… Are worth a HUNDRED mercenaries."

While Yugito twitched as Sasuke was severely overestimating their capacity, well at least Sakura and Kerlya's as she knew the boy was an elite gennin, she simply nodded her head in agreement for effect. The two girls quickly followed her lead with some doubts that they were but had a pretty good idea of what was going on around them.

Inari was ready to explode. This was too much for him to take, to believe that these kids were stronger then… "What makes you so special?! What makes you think you can do anything that my father couldn't?!"

Tsunami gasped as that was the first time he had ever called her late husband that as he wasn't his biological father. She, however, quickly regained her wits and reprimanded Inari. "That is enough! They have come to help us! At the very least you should show them respect for having the bravery to come when no one else will!"

While Inari flinched at his mother's voice as she put plates down before them, he simply glared at the teen he was sitting by. "Why dammit?!"

As Tsunami was about to punish him some way, Naruto took the matter into his own hands as he met the boy's gaze with an unsympathetic tone. "Because we are ninja. Our purpose in this world is to guard, spy, infiltrate, plunder and murder. We are trained for this from a young age to become strong enough to perform these tasks."

"The only difference between bandits and us… Is that we are paid to do it." Naruto kept his indifferent tone while putting emphasis on the key words while somehow while keeping that said tone.

As everyone was thrown into shock, Yugito and his gennin as well, Naruto sipped the tea before him and closed his eyes. "But lucky for you… You grandfather selected one of the few villages that stresses morals above all else. We simply don't do those things without just cause and he saw that in this case… The cause was more then just."

Finished with his speech, Naruto clasped his hands together and lightly bowed as he thanked Tsunami for cooking and dug in. And soon as he was finished, he left the house for a little reconnaissance for himself. He would deal with everything later.

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"Feel any better?" Yugito spoke soon as she knew heard Naruto enter their room despite the arrangements should have been the girls in one room and the males in the other.

"A little… So how did everyone react?" Naruto blandly responded as Inari had truly pissed him off. He hated people with a horrid passion that complained about how life took a dump on them and did nothing about it.

Sighing as Yugito knew he could ignore those that only complained about their life but did something about it, she shook her head and raised her eyebrow towards him. "Not very well… Tazuna and Tsunami were the only ones that it affected positively. While Sasuke seemed to be unfazed, I can't say the same for Kerlya and Sakura as they weren't quite ready for that."

"They haven't accepted it as they are young and still innocent and have the choice to reject our way of life or take a higher road and becoming a medic or sensor or something along those." Naruto sighed as he slipped his shirt off with ease and began to make sure all was well before he slipped into his sleeping back.

Frowning at what she heard from Naruto, as what he said rather upset her as it felt like he was belittling kunoichi, she spoke in an angered tone. "What do you mean higher road? Are you trying to insinuate…"

"No… I meant what I said. If they are not ready for this life style they could simply adjust their dreams. The same is implied for Sasuke as… What we do is something I don't think many can truly deal with. If you have forgotten, that is the real reason why there are far less jounin then any other rank." Naruto altered his original statement as he could see how it as offensive to Yugito.

Still frowning but for a different reason, Yugito sighed and shook her head. "I know… But you should know what you said really hurt the boy. His step-father apparently is a hero here as he stood up to Gato and he considered him the strongest person he knew."

"I'm not going to apologize if that is what you are trying to lead me to do." Naruto stated as he honestly didn't care. "That boy is trashing his legacy and if he doesn't do a thing to right himself he will not only destroy his legacy… But he will eventually be the cause of his own death."

Gazing at Naruto for a moment longer, Yugito closed her eyes before she wiped a single tear from her eye. "You don't have to be this cruel. …I think this is the real reason why I have a hard time seeing you as a lover. I don't like it when you become like this."

Keeping quiet, letting her words flow through him, Naruto winced as each word hit him like a sharp kunai. Noticing she had slipped into her sleeping bag, he finally broke the silence. "I truly am sorry as I don't like to hurt you or my friends… But maybe now you will begin to understand the depths of my pain."

Yugito snapped her head towards Naruto as she sat up and growled at him. "Don't you ever fucking use that excuse with me even if yours was more extreme then mine! I know your pain as we have gone through the same crap together for the last six years and I had eleven years of crap before that back in the Cloud! Don't you ever say I don't know your pain! You try be almost raped!"

Her anger continued to rise as Naruto simply shrugged as he rolled away from her and closed his eyes. He was going to ignore her and that only added fuel to her rage. If he was going to act like this she would kick it till he stopped as he was being just as horrid as Inari.

But everything came to a stop as he whispered two words the eliminated all of her anger. "I was."

She was frozen as fear began to sweep over her very being. Did he truly just admit… That he was raped?

When could that have happened? …It happened before she arrived. But then why did no one stop it? There was enough people watching over him… Then again she knew he got beat rather often before she arrived and while they always came before most real harm happened they were ninja. They weren't always there to help.

It sickened her to even think that the blonde before her went through such torment as rape in itself… Was the worst fate anyone could suffer. Even death paled in comparison as at least the deceased are at peace. A rape victim that is left alive has to deal with all the scarring… Remembering the event over and over…

Clenching her fists, her anger was returning but it wasn't directed at Naruto as it was before. This hatred… She only felt it before towards one other time… When she heard of Uzumaki Kushina becoming a member of the Akatsuki. She wanted to find that man and rip him apart if he was still amongst the living.

But now his actions were becoming understandable, even if she wasn't going to let him off the hook for them. His outlook of life, the drastic shifts in personality and his hatred for those who speak of pain and let it absorb their lives… Everything was now explained. It was his way of coping with his demons.

"Naruto…" Yugito spoke but there was no response. Either Naruto had fallen asleep and she would have to wake him or he was ignoring her to let her dwell on his words.

Sighing as she wouldn't bother with seeing which it was for now, Yugito sighed as she slid her bag next to his before rolling her back against his. Closing her eyes, letting the exhaustion their argument had caused begin to take over, she drifted off after her last words. "If you ever want to talk about… I will be there for you."

Slowly opening his eyes, he gently rolled till he was facing her back. Simply flicking his hand through her hair, for some unbeknownst reason to him, Naruto gazed at Yugito for a moment before he smiled softly…

Maybe things wouldn't work out… But he had to try. She was too deep in his heart to let her go.

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"Come on Sasuke… You can do this." The clone spoke out to Sasuke as this jutsu he was going through just kept escaping him. If he learned this technique many techniques of his element would become far easier for him to control.

Even after being allowed to copy the jutsu, Sasuke soon found out he couldn't just use this without struggle. Not only did it eat at his chakra and forced him to rest for a few hours just to recover, the feedback he was receiving caused enough pain that he wished they were going through his sensei's normal training.

There were no broken bones, no cuts or flesh wounds… No. The static feedback going through his very nervous system was going haywire each time he used this attack as the electricity would bypass his flesh and hit his nerves causing the pain. And what pain it was… He wouldn't forget this for a long time.

Going through the necessary seals once more, electricity began to build in both of his palms as he held them together. Then came the pain as simply holding the electricity as it started to attack the nerves of his hands and slowly travel through his arms again. Doing everything could, he tried to push the lighting from him… But he just couldn't.

Yelling out in pain once more as the lighting dissipated, Sasuke fell to one knee and nearly collapsed as his hands did not have the strength to use them to hold his body up.

"Sasuke… How your capacity?" He heard his sensei's clone say to him as he continued to struggle to get back to his feet, not going to give up so easily. He would beat this technique.

Still panting as he managed to drag his body into a stand, Sasuke peered into the clone's eyes before raggedly responding. "I have about a quarter left and one more will drain most of it."

"And you look like your body is about to give out… Let's try this one more time. Watch me and pay close attention to what I'm doing… Otherwise it is going to keep shocking you." The clone commented before going through the hand seals, giving Sasuke the time to activate his Sharingan.

Holding his two palms before him, the electricity began burst before him in dozens upon dozens of bolts. The trees that were suffering his assault were quickly burned but put out once he was finished. However there was something he noticed…

"You are… Spinning your chakra in your hands and forming what seems to be a… Shield!" Sasuke suddenly cursed as he did not see this before and felt like a fool and felt his brother and sister would rip him about this for a while.

"Correct. Soon as you finish the seals and have the chakra flowing to your hands to allow the technique to form you begin to swirl it for a shield. Once you form the shield the static shock will not burn your nervous system and you will be able to push it forth." The clone stated as Sasuke was still in a state of shock for overlooking the jutsu.

Sasuke began to growl at the clone before him, very pissed about not only how he overlooked it but his damn sensei, as the clone practically was him, did not say a thing about it. "You knew this all this time… And didn't tell me what I was doing wrong?!"

"I thought you would have realized it after a few shocks." Naruto's clone admitted as it seemed despite how intelligent the Uchiha was… He was rather dumb. "Now let's see if you can get it down now."

Not going to miss a chance to beat this damn jutsu, Sasuke went through the seals and just as the jutsu activate he formed his shield. There was no static shock this time and with a grin, he pushed his chakra forward and electricity began to tear through the trees.

"Fuck yeah!" Sasuke roared as he finally got the technique mastered and had to restrain his own body from doing a fist pump and a little dance in victory.

The clone, however, saw this and grinned as he had to rain on Sasuke's parade as he went through the hand seals. "Good… Now let's see if you can master it."

Holding its hands out to his side, separating the two pulses of electricity, lighting literally began to flare in every possible direction around the clone. Each bolt wiped around him and wrapped around Sasuke, the hair on his skin standing on edge while the tips burned as they passed by rather harmlessly till the technique died a minute later.

Sasuke was giving the clone a frightful gaze with his jaw trembling as that experience… Had been horrific. He wasn't even sure the Uchiha massacre had been that bad. And the worst thing was… He realized he hadn't even mastered the damn jutsu yet.

And with that, he passed out and the clone only laughed at him. "Still have a long way to go, Sasuke."

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"Wh y can't I do something else?!" Kerlya screamed as this was becoming extremely frustrated the more and more she tried to lock the clone in her attack.

How she hated genjutsu. Her clan was mostly hand-to-hand specialist. Why did she have to learn these damn illusions?!

"Just because your clan focuses on physical strength does not mean they only know just family techniques. I know very well Hana knows many earth jutsu as her element happened to be your clan's natural affinity and I know Tsume has a plethora of ninjutsu and genjutsu that she frequently uses in battle outside of your clan's strength." Naruto's clone countered as it knew it master trained with Hana and he sparred against Tsume a few times as well.

Frowning as she heard this, never having seen any Inuzuka use such techniques before, she was about to counter back when Naruto stopped her with a glare. "They do have them, Kerlya. You never seen them use any is because they are seeing whose stronger your clan techniques or training another in them."

"Now try it again or we'll move to one of our regular sessions. I'm not doing anything to stop the illusion. All you have to do is inflict it upon me. Once you do we can start trying it on a larger scale." The clone ordered as it was getting annoyed by Kerlya's lack of effort and constant complaining.

Wincing at the mere thought of having to do regular training, Kerlya gritted her teeth but nonetheless she began concentrating, pouring all her focus into the attack. Forming a single seal and molding the chakra correctly, she hoped, she imagined the illusion in her mind and tried to enforce it upon Naruto's clone.

The clone finally began to smile. Sure it wasn't correct by a long means as the illusion wasn't suppose to have this many feathers but she was on the right track. So dispelling it, it grinned as he looked at its student. "Finally we're getting somewhere."

"Try again only this time place less chakra in it and focus on far fewer feathers. It won't be long till we're finished."

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T his was pissing her off. She couldn't even hit his clone and all it did was chuckle at her and give her pointers. And why did she always have to work in taijutsu! She wanted to start going through ninjutsu or genjutsu!

As if noting Sakura's plight, the clone jumped away and held out her hand to have her stop. "Sakura… I know this is getting annoying but I need you to work harder for this. Hand-to-hand is your special whether you want it to be our not."

"What? I was told by Iruka and the other teachers that I would probably be best in genjutsu if anything." Sakura had to ask as everyone she knew at the academy and even a few of her friends had said as much.

Naruto's clone only shook his head and sighed for a moment. Taking out a copy of the report Naruto had on her, it could only shake its head. "Yes… Iruka states that is what he believes is your best attribute… However I noticed some of his input and realized that he is wrong or he simply thought it was one time thing."

"She tends to be rather weak in taijutsu and her stance and style need improvement. I also noticed that after some of the other students began to insult her something odd happened. While I could not see her eyes her fighting style, stance and power drastically improved and with two blows she knocked the instructor out. While I'm unsure what the cause of this is, it will need to be looked into."

After listening to the clone Sakura wasn't sure what to do. She remembered a little of what happened but she didn't know how she did it. She just knew she had done a few other times and still didn't understand how she was able to do such a thing. "I've just been able to do it at random moments… I don't think I can control."

"I believe you can." Naruto's clone said as he put up the clone before noticing something odd that even his master didn't notice of just simply didn't think twice about. "Sakura… Do you know anything about your father? There is nothing on here about him like there is for your mother."

Sakura gnashed her teeth together as that was another reason she didn't like her mother very much. "No… My brother told me that we have different fathers but my mother did not want anyone to know who the father was and refused for any blood test to be taken to see who it was. She didn't even tell him that he had a child and that keeps him from being in my life even now as I don't know and don't have the money for a blood identification test."

Frowning as that would be something that got his master ticked, the clone began to ponder on what he knew before he took in a few other traits of Sakura's he found odd. "Sakura… I know you no longer have a fixation on Sasuke, so I have to wonder… Did you have any loves then and do you have some even now to a somewhat unhealthy level?"

The question was an odd thing to be asked but she would try to answer it. It seemed that the clone was onto something and maybe he could help her as she felt rather stupid now knowing he had the money to pay for such a procedure in the first place. "Yes… Yes I did. When I was younger I feverishly picked out beautiful flowers pressed them to the extent I sometimes missed classes just so I could press flowers."

"Even now I have a 'fix'. I don't know why but I've been devoting myself to reading anything I can get a hold of… Even one of those perverted books. I can't seem to control myself and I just have to find that book or take it from them to read it." Sakura commented before blushing at admitting she stole books and even the perverted one from Kakashi… Somehow.

Raising his eyebrow at her, the clone only shook his head before his eyes began to narrow. Everything it had begun to learn was rather disturbing along with her sudden burst of freakish strength, a very powerful addiction problem along with a nearly unbendable sense of what's right…

"Could it be possible?"

Catching what the clone had said, Sakura's eyes widened. Could her sensei already know who her father was? And just from what he had asked it seemed this to be a trait and traits weren't all that common unless… Unless they were from a clan. So did that mean… She had a bloodline?

"Sensei… Do you know something?" Sakura wishfully hoped that he did as she really wanted to meet the man she was kept away from so long.

"Maybe." The clone admitted as this was too strong of a possibility. "I can't be one hundred percent sure but a blood test when we get back I will take you in for the test… As I really think I know who your father is."

'But I wonder how it is even possible? Are his traits so ridiculously strong they transcend even through a birth of a child and somehow stay strong as her mother attempted to squish those traits out for six years?'

Seeing the hope beginning to build within the girl and she just seemed ready to ask for a name, the clone sighed and decided to get it over with. "And if he really is your father, I don't have to train you in taijutsu any longer as he will be more then enough."

"I believe your father very well may be Maito Gai."

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How much did he hate guard duty? Couldn't someone attack now? This was driving him crazy as he couldn't handle just sitting, doing nothing, for this long! Something needed to happen otherwise he would just snap and invade Gato's base, kill everyone there and then seek out the ninja he hired and devour their souls.

"Damn… Maybe you should go see Yoshino again. I think your losing it." Kyuubi worriedly responded as her son's thought process made her a little disturbed as while she could see that there was no pointless death and it would make the mission a lot smoother… Damn.

'Mother… Unless you have some way to alleviate my boredom or something to do while I'm just standing here, leave me alone. I don't want to yell at you.' Naruto countered as he loved his mother and did not want to do anything that would emotionally scar her or have her become really pissed and flood his body with her chakra again.

"Well I would say something, but you're my son and I'm slightly against incest." Kyuubi said somewhat irked at her own morals as she was bored as well. "But why don't you just read something to pass the time. It isn't like someone can sneak by your senses."

'I don't have a book or even a scroll of reading material on me. And I'm not asking any of them as on their break times the only thing I see them reading is Jiraiya's smut.' Naruto fired back as he was quite annoyed but at least arguing with Kyuubi was somewhat taking care of his boredom.

"You should. It will help you when the time comes to deliver you wonderful spouse to sweet bliss. …And even if I hate perverts, I'll admit he must be a pretty decent writer to have the following he has of both genders." Kyuubi shrugged as it was his lose if he didn't want to.

Simply twitching his eyes as Kyuubi walked away form their fight, somehow while still being in her cage, Naruto was ready to do a Shusui and go insane when he sensed a flicker of chakra speeding his direction.

At first he thought it was something to worry about, as the speed was very impressive, but he sighed as he recognized the signature very well and knew it was Yugito. However… Why would she be rushing to him at this time of day… And covered in blood.

"Tazuna, I'll be just off the bridge. Yugito's coming and something's up." Naruto informed the bridge builder before he leapt off the bridge to meet the blood stained Yugito. After a quick examination he knew know of the blood was hers. "What's going on?"

"Gato… Hired fucking sensors and a lot more ninja then before. I was able to take out the sensors after they spotted me and the other ninjas attacked me. Thankfully they were all chunin but the last two… I know without a doubt the swordsman is the demon of the mist, Momochi Zabuza."

"You weren't going to chance it. Alright, I'll deal with him. I think I ran into his apprentice the day I blew up as his signature was familiar but I did nothing as he was freely giving me information… Without even knowing he did." Naruto explained, having told Yugito of this before but did not know Momochi was involved.

Looking somewhat confused as she knew what the mist did to his sensory capabilities, Yugito had to ask why he wasn't worried in the slightest. "I thought that was the reason you had dropped your limit as it was becoming painful to feel that chakra around you."

"It did but I've learned of my limitations within it already. I will be more then ready for him. …But better yet, they'll becoming after Tazuna now after seeing your strength, won't they?" Naruto kept his dark smirk in check as he knew Yugito disliked it and was trying to at least appease to some of her dislikes of him.

"There is a high probability and Gato will be nervous. I don't think he'll stay in his mansion tonight. I think he will stay with his mercenaries and I know he will kill whoever is left standing after Zabuza's tries to kill Tazuna." Yugito stated as she found out practically everything she knew but was somewhat irked that all her marks were now made rather moot.

Simply nodding, he tilted his head back to Tazuna's. "Go clean up and rest. I want you to stay out of the mist until the fight is over between us then come in to help me finish it."

"Yes." Yugito briefly responded as she was currently talking to her superior, not Naruto, before she dispersed in a swirl of water to clean herself of blood.

Climbing back up onto the bridge and near Tazuna, Naruto grinned. His boredom would finally be taken care of. "Tazuna… Tell your men not to come to work tomorrow."

"What?! But why?" Tazuna at first was surprised by his order before he started to feel a certain dread and he had a bad feeling about it. "Is someone coming after me?"

"Yes. I can deal with him but the odds are high he will come here first and do bodily harm to your workers. Keep them home for tomorrow or until he attacks for their own safety. After it is done there should be no more distractions… As Gato will finally be dead." Naruto stated as he wouldn't risk their lives.

Tazuna could only, both in relief and a little for of the jounin before him, before he went over and gathered his workers to tell them the news.

Naruto this time couldn't hold back his nearly insane grin. He just hoped Zabuza would be able to entertain him for a while.

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Sasuk e knew something was going on. The fact that the mist was unnatural again made him feel that today would be like when those two came to kill Tazuna and to kidnap Yugito. So why in the world were they being brought in while Yugito stayed at Tazuna's?

Both Sakura and Kerlya were having the same thoughts crossing their minds before all three realized it at once. There was going to be mercenaries there for them to eliminate.

While Sasuke had no problem with this and knew he might get a little sick from his first kill but it was natural and it was a part of the life he had chosen. Kerlya also knew this but found it hard to even think about as death… Well she had heard Hana's stories about her kills and didn't like how it sounded. Sakura didn't feel like killing anyone but… There were those that just had to die and all the bandits that worked for Gato indeed deserved death.

Naruto was refraining from smirking at his team. They not only noticed that they were walking into a bad situation but also gathered their courage as they may have to be ready to kill their enemy.

Turning his attention for his students as he had to focus, he noted two figures standing for them and knew who they were. "Ah, just as my information said. Momochi Zabuza, the demon of the mist."

"The Prince of Konoha, huh?" Zabuza countered as he stared at the boy, his non-existent eyebrow only lifting just slightly. "I wouldn't think Konoha would send you out for such a low-class mission. Still… My job is clear. I hope you will stand aside and allow me to finish my mission."

Four shadow clones formed around Naruto before he spoke to his gennin but kept his attention solely focused on Zabuza. "Your goal will to take care of the 'hunter ninja'. I'm sure you three can handle it."

Zabuza narrowed his eyes dangerously at Naruto. Haku was more then enough for three gennin as he had personally seen him take care of three jounin before. "I wouldn't do that, Namikaze… Haku is my apprentice… But he is far stronger then I."

"So you think." Naruto easily responded and slid his gaze to three gennin with a grin. "Because if you say that then my students are stronger then you."

Oh Zabuza was getting irritated. Not only did this guy insult Haku's strength… His power just insulted. Now on fucked with Momochi Zabuza! "You know… I was just going to kill the bridge builder… But now you pissed me off!"

As soon as Zabuza roared, Naruto's clones had pushed his gennin away and formed a box formation around him. Then a fiery shell in the shape of a box formed around them, effectively sealing Tazuna off from Zabuza. "Go ahead and try. Nothing you have can break that barrier."

"Haku… Take care of the brats." Zabuza growled out, becoming seriously annoyed by Naruto's overconfidence in skill. "I know you possess the Hiraishin but don't get cocky boy! You can't flicker to me if you can't see me!"

As soon as the order was given Haku burst towards Sasuke, selecting him as the most dangerous threat of the three. However, Sasuke was ready and with his Sharingan already active, he caught the movement.

Grabbing onto Haku's outstretched hand with a few senbon in the said hand, Sasuke narrowed is eyes as Haku chuckled before bringing his other hand into a seal. Realizing he was going through a jutsu, he quickly countered and drew a kunai before the seals were finished and flicked it towards Haku's chest.

Haku twisted and rolled his body, taking Sasuke with him before he still managed to finish the hand seals. A dozen of frozen senbon formed from the pool of water next to his feet and shot out towards Sasuke.

The Uchiha, however, drug Haku with him as he jumped back and nearly had Haku stuck by his own attack. But it was for not as Haku managed free his hand from Sasuke's grasp and avoided his own senbon as he skidded back. "You're good… How is it you are still a gennin?"

"Hmp. That's because our village's chunin are far stronger then I am." Sasuke replied as he drew forth yet another kunai and his red eyes blazed as he gained at Haku before grinning. "Say… Do you know that technique you just used… Can be copied!"

To Haku's horror, the same water pool that Haku had formed senbon and came for him. Sliding back after back flipping for distance and ducking under the ice projectiles, he narrowed his eyes. "Figured as much… Uchiha. I simply can use it easier as it is a supplement for my bloodline."

Now Sasuke didn't feel as confident as before. This guy had a bloodline that revolved around ice. Ice was fusion element of water and wind, two he really hadn't learned on controlling yet, and this guy could use it without any trouble. That was going to make this tough.

"Sakura, Kerlya!" Sasuke barked out to his team as he would need their help. "We need to work together to take this guy out! Sakura take him on in close range for a moment. Kerlya will give you medium range support and I'll give long range!"

"Right!" Both followed his orders as Sasuke had been officially dubbed the head of their team by Naruto and an elite gennin by the Third.

Sakura was the first to reach Haku as Kerlya gave Ralts a soldier pill and activated her human-beast clone before following. She quickly engaged the ice wielder with a superman punch.

Haku's mask splintered at the edge as barely weaved out from her blow which was rather disturbing for him. It seemed she been learning mixture many normal styles of martial arts as she began to follow up with a quick flurry of blows. To his dismay, this girl's hand speed was insane. He found it difficult to move in and out of her blows and knew he needed to get out of close range with her.

Luckily while her hand speed was quick, her kick wasn't so much and he was able to catch it. Sakura looked on in dismay as this had a familiar feeling to it before she suddenly found herself thrown from Haku.

But to his dismay he turned only to hear one thing and see two spiraling human tornadoes barreling down onto him. "Gatsuga!"

Not being able to dodge more then one, the spiraling fang lifted Haku into the air from a direct hit before spinning him around for a moment or two before he finally detached himself from the blow and hit the ground. Stopping her spin, Kerlya looked ready to pounce when Sakura did.

This fight was not going this way. These three were good. They each seemed to have their strengths and they applied them well with one another. Not to mention she was sure the Uchiha on his own would be a difficult task for her to handle thanks to those eyes of his.

But before he could think of much more, he could feel his body becoming woozy and the world darkening around his vision. Cursing as he knew this was a genjutsu, a slow developing one the Uchiha probably castled earlier and now started to take effect, he bit his lip and dispelled with a simple ram seal.

Then all hell broke loose as he was driven into the ground and mounted by the pink haired girl. Normally he would have enjoyed to be in this position but not in a fight. This was one of the worst positions to be in during a melee contest and she did just what anyone else would do. She started to strike him.

Knowing that he had to get out of this quickly otherwise this would be the end; Haku quickly gathered as much chakra into his hands and focused on the water in the air. With a single push, ice shattered before Sakura's face and then with a quick hook to her jaw Haku was freed.

Forming a mirror of ice, he jumped back as he let the two spiraling tornadoes smash it head on knowing they would not win. "Damn… I have to get them into the dome quickly if I want to win this."

"I don't think so!" Sasuke suddenly yelled as he suddenly appeared just above Haku, whose eyes widened in surprise and had no way to dodge the strike to his head.

Tumbling to the ground, the ice wielder quickly tried to get to his feet before both Kerlya and her cloned dog upon him and engaged him in close range. This was becoming all too annoying as this girl was good in close range, helped further by there being two of her, and instead of punches she slashed at him with elongated claws.

But after being treated to the pink haired girl, she was far easier to deal with and spun around to her side and smacked her in the back of the head. Unfortunately that was the clone and it only knocked her dog as she continued her assault… Or so she thought.

Haku literally disappeared and appeared a few feet behind her with senbon ready to drive in her neck when Sakura blurred into the picture and gripped his arm. However, this was the best case scenario for him. "Thank you… Now let's see how long you last in this!"

Sasuke knew something was wrong as he felt chakra all around Kerlya and Sakura as what seemed to be those mirrors began to form around his partners. Whatever this did, he could not let them get caught in this. A quick replacement with his own being he succeed in getting Kerlya out and a kick to Haku's chest, Sasuke gripped Sakura's arm. "Forgive me."

With a massive heave, he flung Sakura as far as he could to free her from this attack as the mirrors had finished forming a dome. Turning his attention back to his opponent, the Uchiha's eyes narrowed as the boy only chuckled as he merged with his mirror. "How noble… Sacrificing yourself for your team. Too bad it will be all of naught."

Mirror images of Haku began to form all around him, Sasuke gritted his teeth as this definitely was not good. But to his advantage he managed to kick Sakura and Kerlya out of this so they could help from the outside. But to his horror he saw them about to run in. "NO STOP! I need your support on the outside!"

"It doesn't matter… I have never lost once I have revealed this jutsu of my blood. You will die as will they." Haku growled at them as he was thinking about sparing them but now he was pissed. "But first… I'll take care of you since you are in here already!"

There was only a flicker of Haku as he passed from mirror to mirror so quickly it seemed like there were as many of him as mirrors. And as he entered each mirror multiple senbon were launched towards Sasuke.

Sasuke had never been so thankful for his Sharingan. It was due to his eyes that he could see each and every shadow of the senbon coming down at him before they even made it to him. Not only this but he was able to keep his eyes on Haku and was able to see through the illusion of the others dashing from mirror to mirror.

He had no idea that he activated the second stage.

Still, despite all of this he couldn't dodge a good portion of the needles. Despite being able to see them coming, he was unable to move fast enough to dodge all of them.

Now Haku was even more irritated. He knew this kid was an Uchiha and of all the rotten luck his eyes just advanced a level which made things even harder for him as he was able to dodge a lot of his senbon. And with these eyes he would dodge enough to make this a fight of attrition and he wasn't sure he could pull that off with those two still outside the dome.

Sasuke knew this as well as after another attempt even fewer of the senbon had hit him and he grinned. This fighting was turning his way and this would be the best time to try and escape as he went through the seals for his first jutsu. "Katon: Gokakyu!"

A giant burst of flames surged from Sasuke mouth and crashed into the ice mirrors, sure they would melt. But as the flames gave out he heard Haku chuckling before his eyes widened at the sight before him. "Oh it will take a lot more then that to melt my mirrors. If you've got a more powerful fire jutsu I'll let you use it to see how futile it is to escape."

Realizing his only way to escape was Sakura and Kerlya, who looked unsure of what to do, Sakura growled. "Sakura, Kerlya! I need you to run distraction so I can get out of here! Once out we can finish him off!"

Despite understanding what Sasuke was saying neither knew how to distract Haku as he went through the mirrors and renewed his attack with far more vigor. Then Kerlya's eyes widened as she thought of what Haku was doing. "Wait… He has to stop every now and then. So that means that running that technique for long strains his boy and drains his chakra or… He's toying with Sasuke."

Sakura did not like what Kerlya had to say about Sasuke being toyed with but she had to admit it was a possibility. "Alright… I've got an idea…"

Sasuke was getting rather pissed. This time he wasn't able to dodge very much as the senbon came at him with higher velocity. Not to mention it seemed Sakura and Kerlya had no clue of what to do… Oh now they did. But what were they doing…

"Hey ice bitch!" Sasuke yelled out at Haku to make sure his focus was entirely on him. "Are you going to start getting serious or should I just end this now!"

Now it was Haku's turned to be pissed. Did the damn brat just call him a bitch? Oh there was no way he was going to let him live for that. Growling in his throat, he was about to attack when he noted the two girls running around his mirrors. Narrowing his eyes at this, he wanted to inspect his mirrors when Sasuke decided to bolt for it.

Quickly rushed to Sasuke and snapped him back to the center of the dome as his image for the mirrors dissipated. "You don't stand a chance of getting out of here! Just accept your fate!"

Sasuke growled and began to go through a series of hand seals but Haku only chuckled as he sunk back into his mirror… And then each and every bottom layer of the mirrors went up in flames. Cursing as he had to jump out, his eyes turned back to Sasuke only to see a flash of light.

Burning… The next thing he knew he could smell something was burning. But it wasn't the burning smell he was use to… But it was familiar… The same smell that he remembered for the burning corpses of the Kayuga clan after their invasion of the Mist.

It all came to him then. It was he that was burning as the scorching pain filled his entire body. He was hit by a powerful electric attack and the one thing he knew about the lighting element… Ninety-five percent of jutsu from the element were meant to kill their target.

But as he slammed into the ground, his eyes slowly fading there was one thing he could only think of…

He was now useless to Zabuza.

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Zabu za knew this was over. There was nothing he could do to stop the Prince of Konoha.

Everything went wrong as soon as Haku engaged the gennin. That left him alone against Naruto… Something that practically every ninja in the world considered taboo. This kid knew far more then the Flying Thunder God…

It was his insane sensory skills that marked him as the second double S-rank ninja in the history more then the legendary flash. Sure the flash was what originally gave it to him… But it seemed he no longer even needed it.

They were so great that he could follow the chakras movement so well that he could strike at the exact point you were moving even if during a feint attack. He also could read chakra flow and know what jutsu you were about to use and counter it with a jutsu with its elemental weakness or just use a stronger attack of that element. He was just glad he couldn't copy them… He hoped.

But to his fears the mist was not affecting him in the slightest as he thought it would. Sensors always had a hard time in the mist as their specialty is seeking chakra and the mist was made of chakra and the heavier it was… The harder it made it to see through. But this kid… No, this ninja could see through it as if it wasn't there.

And then to make this a fight he knew he could not win was that the Prince was completely balanced. No one ninja aspect exceeded the other… They were all highly trained in to the level equal to that of a specialist. And just to make things all the more humble for him… The flash had not been used yet.

A double S-rank indeed. There was no doubt that Naruto, from his view, was stronger then his very own Hokage.

Both his arms had been disabled, both his shoulder blades and elbows being cut through by his opponent's ninjato. His hamstrings had been shredded and his blade pierced both his knee caps. Finally there were too deep gashes along the side of his ribs and a spiraling wound driven an inch into his stomach as blood poured out.

He knew he was dead so he did the only thing he could do. He began to laugh. "Namikaze… You truly are the strongest… And I recognize that as such."

"Take my sword… You will have more need for her then I do. Just remember all she needs to be fixed is blood… Use mine and repair her." Zabuza stated as his laughter had not abided.

Laying the sword before him, in the pool of blood that was already flowing before Zabuza, Naruto watched as the blade literally began to repair itself before his very own eyes. All it really need was blood to fix it. So his sword truly did have a unique ability like the rest of the seven swords of the Mist.

Lifting the head chopping sword onto his shoulder, he stood behind Zabuza's kneeling form and held his own sword ready to behead him. "You are a good ninja… And you will be remembered as such."

Zabuza could only grin. He knew he was… His opponent was just far better then he was this time. "Heh… Get this over with kid. Don't leave Haku waiting for me."

With a simple nod, the cleaving sword took his head in one swing. Ignoring the blood spattered that speckled onto his being, he took Zabuza's holder for the sword and strapped it on before sheathing the head chopper. Then as he burned the body with a heavy flame, he lifted Zabuza's head, put it into a body bag and sealed it into a scroll.

Yugito arrived to see Naruto do this. While this scene would bother most, she was accustom to it. They were an Anbu unit and they did this every time they killed a ninja with a bounty on his head. It was just how it worked.

"They did well… They defeated the hunter and… Sasuke finished him though he doesn't feel too good about how he did it… He seared him alive with jutsu you taught him." Yugito said as Naruto turned to her, smiling sadly as he returned to his more emotionless state… How she hated battle fields.

"He's just about here and I've planted a seal on the boat… Do you want to finish this?" Yugito asked even despite knowing he would as it was his mission to assassinate Gato.

"Yes… I will take care of this now." Naruto said and closed his eyes as sat in a meditative state for a few minutes before his eyes slowly opened to reveal they were now golden.

Feeling the distance between the marker and the bridge, he turned to his students and saw the battle scene against Haku and could see Sasuke looked ready to puke as did Kerlya while Sakura already did. Stepping towards him, Naruto could only nod as he knelt down next to Sasuke. "You did what was needed… I know none of you were prepared for something like this… Just remember this is to save this country and you did what you had to do."

"That goes for you too." Naruto said as he looked up towards Sakura and Kerlya. "You might be sickened by how gruesome this death was… But you need to see this. …The job of a ninja is not always pretty and sometimes things like this happen. But this is what you signed up for."

Standing from Sasuke, helping him onto his feet, Naruto sighed as he turned from them. "Go take Tazuna home… Your day was hard enough. I will finish this."

Dispersing in a flash, leaving his students unsure what to do, Naruto appeared on front of the deck as many mercenaries began to gather ready to invade the bridge. Each looked on in shock as two clones of Naruto formed behind him as he raised his arm up. "Gato and all those that work for you… This will be your last day. This country will be free."

Fear was written on their face as a blue orb began to form above in his raised palm before it began to take the shape of a shuriken. But most of all… Gato next to the captain of the ship began to tremble.

His death was assured.

"RASENSHURIKEN!"
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