Heavy Fog

The next few days passed in a fragmented blur.

Kakashi had not fully recovered from his injuries. Most of the time, he leaned against a tree and read, only occasionally looking up to say a few words.

The group learned a method of training chakra control.

Tree climbing.

Naruto had scoffed when he first heard about it, yet he ended up falling the hardest. Sakura learned quickly. When it came to chakra control, she really was better than all of them.

Sasuke and Chiya trained the longest.

Neither of them would concede to the other. They trained during the day and at night, and the tree trunks were covered in Kunai marks. Every time Naruto saw them climbing again, he cursed under his breath, but his body was more honest—he would turn around and charge back at the tree as well.

A few days later, Kakashi was finally able to move normally.

Early that morning, Tazuna slung his tools over his back and said the bridge could not be delayed any longer. Gato had frightened the workers so badly that their morale was unstable. If even the bridge builder did not go, then the bridge truly could not be completed.

Naruto had trained until late the previous night. That morning, he was sprawled over the table, his face nearly buried in his bowl.

Sakura gave him a shove.

"Naruto, wake up."

Naruto groggily raised his head, his eyes still closed.

"I'm not asleep... I can keep training..."

Then his head tilted, and he crashed back onto the table.

Sakura was speechless.

Kakashi glanced over and waved a hand.

"Ah, let him sleep."

"But the mission..."

"We'll go." Kakashi pulled his forehead protector lower. "If he goes like this, he'll only fall into the river."

Naruto muttered in his sleep.

"Who's falling into the river..."

Chiya glanced at Naruto but did not wake him.

It was better for him to stay home.

In the original plot, things were not peaceful around Tazuna's house either. Naruto sleeping here suited him better than following them to the bridge.

Sasuke walked past from the side. When he passed Chiya, his steps paused briefly.

Chiya looked up at him.

Sasuke merely tightened his ninja tool pouch and said flatly, "Let's go."

"Oh."

The bridge was not especially far from Tazuna's house, but the farther they walked, the thicker the fog became.

Tazuna said little along the way and walked faster than usual. Sakura guarded his side, one hand resting on her ninja tool pouch the entire time.

As they neared the bridge, Chiya sensed that something was wrong.

It was too quiet.

At this hour, workers should already have been on the bridge. The sound of hammers striking planks should have carried far, but today there was nothing. Only fog drifted slowly across the bridge deck.

Tazuna's expression changed.

He hurried forward a few steps. When he reached the bridge entrance, his whole body stiffened.

There was no one on the bridge.

Tools lay scattered on the ground, some having rolled all the way to the edge. Half a rope hung over the side, swaying gently in the wind.

"Where are they?"

Tazuna's voice trembled slightly.

Sakura grew tense as well.

"Could they all have been too scared to come?"

Chiya said nothing. His Sharingan was already activated.

Three tomoe slowly rotated in his eyes.

But the fog was too thick. Even the Sharingan could not see very far.

Sasuke stepped beside him and activated his Sharingan as well. The two stood an arm's length apart. Neither said anything, yet they naturally took positions on either side in front of Tazuna.

Kakashi raised a hand and lifted his forehead protector.

"Come out."

A cold laugh came from within the fog.

"Heh heh, Kakashi, you're as sharp as ever."

Zabuza carried his sword as he slowly emerged from the mist. His face was still wrapped in bandages, and several tiny red dots marked his neck—the places where the Senbon had pierced him that day.

Behind him, Haku stood quietly, still wearing that mask.

Tazuna staggered back in fright.

"H-He wasn't dead?"

Kakashi stared at Zabuza.

"I knew it wouldn't be that simple."

Zabuza sneered, his gaze sweeping past Kakashi before settling on Sasuke and Chiya.

"One yellow-haired brat is missing."

Sasuke tightened his grip on his Kunai but did not respond.

Chiya glanced at Haku.

Haku was looking at him too.

The mask hid his eyes, but Chiya still felt that he was assessing him.

Zabuza took another step forward and swung the Kubikiribōchō, pointing it at Tazuna.

"Hand him over, and I might spare your lives."

Kakashi stepped forward, blocking Zabuza's line of sight.

"Then there's nothing left to discuss."

The fog suddenly grew thicker.

In almost the blink of an eye, the bridge was swallowed by a vast white haze. Tazuna hurriedly retreated, while Sakura stood in front of him, her face somewhat pale.

Chiya and Sasuke stood back-to-back.

Sasuke's voice was very low.

"Watch out for the masked one."

Chiya gave a quiet hum of agreement.

The next instant, Senbon flew out of the fog.

Chiya raised a hand and knocked aside two needles. Sasuke threw Shuriken, deflecting the Senbon headed toward Sakura.

The sound of metal clashing rang continuously through the mist.

On the other side, Zabuza had already engaged Kakashi.

The Kubikiribōchō cleaved through the fog and crashed heavily into the bridge deck, splitting the planks apart. Kakashi twisted aside, his Kunai scraping along the blade. Sparks flashed once before vanishing into the mist.

While the battle erupted on the bridge, trouble also came to Tazuna's home.

Tsunami had just finished clearing the dishes when the door was kicked open.

Two men stood at the entrance, swords at their waists and ill-intentioned smiles on their faces.

Inari ran down the stairs, his face turning pale at once.

"Who are you?"

One of the men chuckled.

"Mr. Gato sent us to invite you over for a little visit."

Tsunami pulled Inari behind her.

"Get out!"

The man's expression darkened, and he raised a hand to grab her.

Then a muffled thud sounded from the room beside them.

Both men paused.

Inari froze too.

The next moment, the door was pushed open.

Naruto emerged with a mess of rumpled blond hair, his eyes not fully open and his face full of irritation.

"You're so noisy..."

He rubbed his eyes. Once he saw the two men at the door, he froze for two seconds.

Then his temper flared.

"Hey, you two! What do you think you're doing to big sis?"

The two men exchanged looks, then laughed.

"Brat, get lost."

Naruto's expression immediately darkened.

"Who are you calling a brat?"

Inari stared at Naruto's back, his fingers clenching the edge of his clothes.

He suddenly remembered Naruto slamming his hand on the table a few days ago and declaring that he would never run away.

At the time, Inari had thought he was just boasting.

But now, Naruto truly stood in front of them.

Naruto formed hand seals.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

With several pops, the house was suddenly packed with Naruto clones.

The two Gato thugs' expressions changed.

"A ninja?"

Naruto grinned.

"Now you know fear? Too late!"

Tazuna's wooden house instantly descended into chaos.

Meanwhile, the fog on the bridge grew colder.

Chiya had just knocked aside a Senbon when a gust of wind suddenly brushed close behind him.

He spun sharply and thrust out his Kunai.

Haku's figure flickered before him, then vanished back into the fog.

Too fast.

Sasuke saw it too, and his Sharingan spun faster.

"He's testing us."

Chiya shook his numb wrist.

"I can tell."