Zabuza and Haku (Part One)

A few days after Sasuke began Kakashi's training, Kakashi and Team Seven stood on the bridge still under construction, keeping watch in every direction. Under Tazuna's lead, the villagers of the Land of Waves continued their work in an orderly fashion.

"The bridge is eighty percent complete. It should be finished in a few more days, but..."

"If Zabuza is going to attack, it'll be now, right?"

Sasuke picked up where Kakashi left off. There was no nervousness in his voice—if anything, he sounded eager to test just how much stronger he had become.

"Alright, let's give it our all! This time, we'll make sure he never leaves!"

Standing alone on the sea, Naruto raised both hands and shouted. After several days of training, he could now perfectly control the Chakra beneath his feet, adjusting it to the movement of the water's surface.

"Naruto, I know you're proud of yourself, but could you at least come up here before you say that?"

The helplessness in Kakashi's eyes deepened. He walked to the edge of the bridge, lowered his head, and called down to Naruto.

"What are you talking about, Teacher Kakashi? I'm seriously practicing Water Walking. Look, no matter how I step, I won't sink! Come to think of it, among the four of us, there's only one person who can't walk on water. Huh, could this be the legendary Dead Last?"

Naruto had no idea how punchable his expression was. He ran several laps across the sea, even striking a skating pose as he glided along, successfully provoking Sasuke.

"I'll kill you!!"

After being mocked like that, veins bulged at Sasuke's temples. Learning Genjutsu from Kakashi had taken up quite a bit of time. If Kakashi had not held him back, Sasuke would have made Naruto experience the Genjutsu he had just mastered.

"Shut up! Don't make Sasuke angry!"

Sakura viciously smacked Naruto on the head, grabbed the back of his collar, and dragged him up the bridge pillar onto the bridge.

"Using Chakra to strengthen your grip. Very impressive, Sakura."

Kakashi nodded. He had not even taught Sakura that technique, yet she had mastered it herself. For someone her age, she truly deserved that praise.

"It's nothing, hehe."

Sakura stuck out her tongue shyly and looked bashfully toward Sasuke, only to find him glaring fiercely at Naruto. Her hopes were dashed once more.

"...Be careful. He's here!"

At that moment, a thin mist swept over the bridge. Before long, it had surrounded everyone. Kakashi immediately became alert, and he and the three members of Team Seven took up defensive stances.

"Hurry and leave. I'm his target. Don't get dragged into this."

Tazuna hurriedly set down his tools and told the villagers to take shelter.

"What about you, Tazuna?"

"I can't leave. If I do, I'll divide the ninja's strength."

"Don't die."

Though the villagers were worried about Tazuna, they still put their own lives first. Before long, every villager working on the bridge had fled, leaving only Tazuna behind.

"Kakashi, it's been a long time. Seeing you makes my wounds seem to ache again."

Zabuza arrived before Kakashi, stepping through the thin mist. He did not seem inclined to approach any closer. Haku followed calmly behind him, waiting for her master's command like a loyal dog.

"So you really are from that side. You still won't let Mr. Tazuna go?"

"Don't joke around. From the moment I appeared here, my objective changed. That Old Man can die for all I care. My target is that brat behind you."

Zabuza drew the Kubikiribōchō from his back and pointed its blade at Team Seven behind Kakashi.

"...?"

Kakashi turned to look. The three members of Team Seven exchanged puzzled looks, unsure who Zabuza meant.

"The shortest one."

Zabuza gave them a hint.

"Hey! I'll kill you, old man!"

Now everyone knew who he meant. As all eyes turned toward him, an inexplicable anger surged up in Naruto's heart.

"Naruto, huh? I really want to know what made you take an interest in him. Aren't you working for Gato? Is it alright to abandon your mission?"

Kakashi became even more vigilant. If Zabuza had set his sights on something, it had to be the Nine-Tails inside Naruto. But he could not understand how Zabuza knew about it. As a rogue ninja on the run, Zabuza's intelligence network should not have been thorough enough to infiltrate Konoha.

"Gato? He's nothing but a nouveau riche who doesn't even know what a ninja is. He spends all day causing trouble with the hundred-man squad he hired. Haku alone could take care of every last one of them."

"The only reason I worked for him was because I wanted his wealth and his secret base, somewhere to hide from the Hidden Mist ANBU hunting me down. Whenever I feel like it, I can take his head."

"Then there's no reason for us to be enemies."

"Weren't you listening? I want that brat."

Zabuza impatiently tapped the Kubikiribōchō against the ground, carving gashes into the bridge and making Tazuna's heart ache.

"May I ask why?"

"I want to take him as my disciple, teach him the art of assassination, and make him the greatest assassin in the ninja world."

"Hey, hey, that's not funny."

"Do I look like I'm joking? I saw the future in that brat's eyes. My assassination arts can only go so far as killing jonin, but he's different. Once he learns everything I know, even a 'Kage' can be assassinated."

"No, no. He's just a Dead Last. He can't do it."

Kakashi felt terrible. Was this a lucky accident? Naruto did indeed possess a power hidden within him that even a 'Kage' could not contend with, but it had nothing to do with assassination!

"Exactly! Who wants to learn any assassination arts from you? I want everyone to acknowledge me. There's no way I'd hide in some dark corner like you."

"I also have Hinata. I want to live under the sunlight with Hinata and let everyone see her happy smile. We're not going to meet in secret!"

"Um, Naruto, I'd actually rather you said something about not betraying Teacher Kakashi."

Although Kakashi was pleased that Naruto had such proper values, it seemed to have nothing to do with him as Naruto's teacher.

"...Right, right. I have Teacher Kakashi too."

Naruto fell silent for several seconds before saying it as though he had just realized it.

"That somehow hurts even more."

"Hmph. I didn't come here to negotiate with you. I'll kill you and that brat's companions, then take him away by force."

Zabuza stopped wasting words. He formed Hand Seals and created five Water Clones, which leaped out of the sea onto the bridge and rushed at Kakashi.

"Kakashi, leave this to me. Right now, I'm unbelievably angry."

Sasuke stopped Kakashi as he prepared to move. Ever since Zabuza said he would take Naruto away, an uncontrollable fury had risen within Sasuke, growing stronger and stronger. It was as if even his Sharingan could barely restrain itself from opening on its own.

"I understand."

Kakashi nodded. Then Sasuke transformed into a black blur and vanished. The shadow darted back and forth between the five Zabuzas. When Sasuke returned to his original spot, each Zabuza had a gash across his chest before turning into liquid and splashing onto the bridge.

"Oh? You've grown this much in only a week. As expected of a brat with a Bloodline Limit. Haku, he's yours."

Zabuza was surprised by Sasuke's growth, but Sasuke was not his opponent. After giving Haku her orders, he gripped the Kubikiribōchō and charged toward Kakashi.

"Mm."

Haku nodded lightly. Her body began spinning rapidly like a top as she rushed toward Sasuke.

"Zabuza, do you insist on obstructing our mission?! Naruto himself said he doesn't want to go with you!"

Kakashi blocked Zabuza's slash and spoke helplessly.

"That brat is only part of it. I haven't forgotten how you made a fool out of me that day. Either I kill you, or you kill me. It's that simple."

"So you saw through it? How about I buy you a drink as an apology?"

Clang!

On the other side, the sound of metal clashing rang out as Haku's Senbon collided with Sasuke's kunai, throwing off a shower of sparks.

"Young Uchiha, aren't you going to use your Sharingan?"

"I don't need it against you."

"I really am being underestimated. Though I don't want to kill you..."

Haku neither confirmed nor denied it. While holding Sasuke's kunai at bay with the Senbon in one hand, she swiftly formed Hand Seals in the air with the other.

"One-handed Hand Seals!"

Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly. It was not strange for a jonin to form Hand Seals with one hand, but this girl, who was not much older than him, could do it too. That meant her talent was no less than his.

"Naruto, why aren't you helping Sasuke?!"

Sakura was worried sick as she watched the flashing blades between Sasuke and Haku. But she had to protect Tazuna and could not leave. What angered her most was that Naruto was still standing there without moving.

"He'd hate it if I helped. Sakura, trust Sasuke more. He's an opponent I acknowledge."

Naruto shook his head. Sasuke held an absolute advantage in this fight. Unless something unexpected happened, he could end it alone.

"You two!"

Ninjutsu: Thousand Water Needles!

Haku had finished forming her Hand Seals. The liquid that had once been Zabuza's Water Clones floated up from the ground, transforming into countless water Senbon that shot toward Sasuke's body.

"Interesting."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth lifted. Recalling the sensation from training, he gathered Chakra beneath his feet and instantly vanished from before Haku. The water Senbon struck nothing but air.

"He disappeared. Above me?"

Haku was slightly startled. She had not expected Sasuke to be so fast. Suddenly realizing something, she looked straight up and saw Sasuke descending rapidly with a kunai in hand.

Haku leaped backward to evade Sasuke's attack, only to discover that Sasuke did not pause at all after landing. With a stomp of his foot, he appeared before her and kicked her in the face, sending Haku flying several meters away.

"You don't want to kill me? I really want to kill you."

Sasuke brushed the splashed water from his clothes. In their first exchange, Sasuke had won completely.

"Sasuke is so coolllll~"

Sakura had already turned into a lovestruck fool, gazing at Sasuke's proud expression with hearts in her eyes.

"Tch, he really loves showing off. I could do it too!"

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PS: Thank you to Zuikaku for the 10,000 reward... Qidian changed its page layout, so I couldn't even find where to check it. I only saw it today... Thank you.