Land of Waves

"Naruto, don't hurt the client... it's bad for business," the Hokage said with a smile.

"Got it, old man. Whatever you say." Naruto put away his kunai and went to stand beside Kakashi.

"Then we'll meet at the west gate in an hour." With that, Kakashi vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

An hour later, at the west gate.

Naruto stared at the scene before him, utterly baffled. Sakura stood facing Kakashi, looking as though she was trying to dispel a genjutsu.

While going on missions with Team 8, Naruto had learned how to break genjutsu from scrolls. Kurenai Yuhi-sensei had also taught him how to identify and dispel basic illusions.

"Where did that idiot Naruto run off to? He's late, too! What a useless loser. He can't compare to Sasuke-kun at all," Sakura said shrilly.

"Sakura, what are you talking about? Naruto's over in that tree. He was already there before I arrived, and he's quite good at concealing his presence," Kakashi said.

The three genin turned in shock to see Naruto lounging against a tree branch.

How did I not notice him? He's wearing bright orange! Sasuke inwardly gritted his teeth.

"All right, let's go. This mission isn't going to complete itself," the blond boy said with a smile.

"You're a strange one, kid," Tazuna remarked.

"Maybe, but I think most strong ninja have a few quirks. Take Kakashi-sensei-he's always reading those dirty books my teacher writes in public. Then there's that crazy snake woman at Training Ground 44. She's obsessed with blood." Naruto recalled some unpleasant memories as he spoke.

He and Jiraiya had once gone to the Forest of Death to train, only for his teacher to abandon him and run off the moment he saw Mitaraishi Anko.

"All right, time to leave. Naruto, where's your luggage?" the silver-haired ninja asked.

"It's all here, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto pulled several scrolls from his small backpack.

Kakashi nodded, and the group set off for the Land of Waves.

Several hours later, on the road to the Land of Waves.

"Idiot Naruto, what are you doing with those water balloons? All you ever do is show off! You'll never compare to Sasuke!" Sakura shrieked.

"This is a training exercise my teacher gave me, and I'm almost done with it. What's it got to do with you?" Naruto shot back.

"Naruto's right. If you practiced more, that spineless guy over there might actually spare you a second glance," Sai said.

Naruto and Kakashi couldn't help laughing, while Sakura and Sasuke turned red with anger.

Kakashi had been keeping a close eye on Naruto. He recognized the training exercise immediately and knew the boy was close to mastering the Fourth Hokage's signature Ninjutsu.

Lord Jiraiya, Naruto only graduated three months ago, and he's already close to mastering the Rasengan? Just how much has he improved? Kakashi wondered.

A few more hours passed before Naruto noticed two fairly large puddles on the ground and immediately caught on.

"Wait. It's so dry around here, and it hasn't rained in weeks. Why are there two puddles?" Naruto looked at Kakashi, who gave a slight nod, confirming that it was indeed a genjutsu.

The group walked past the puddles as though nothing was wrong. Just then, Naruto and Kakashi both sensed a surge of chakra. They immediately turned and saw two Kirigakure ninja wearing breathing apparatuses.

The two charged at Kakashi, failing to notice that he had used the Substitution Technique to replace himself with a log. Naruto reacted quickly, creating five shadow clones to intercept the two Missing-nin as they rushed toward Tazuna.

Two clones successfully held them off, while a third pinned the chain connecting the pair to the ground.

But the Missing-nin quickly broke free of the chain and dispelled three clones. Naruto seized the opening to drive his knee into the ninja closest to him and subdued him with his clones, while Sasuke and Sai dealt with the other.

Once the battle ended, Kakashi emerged from the bushes, leaving Team 7's genin stunned.

"Kakashi-sensei, I thought you were dead!" Sakura shrieked, her voice piercing. Kakashi pointed to a nearby log wearing his jacket and smeared with red paint.

"I wasn't expecting the Demon Brothers, Gato and Meizu—B-rank Missing-nin from Kirigakure. This clearly isn't a C-rank mission. It's at least B-rank, possibly close to A-rank. Tazuna, you'd better explain," Kakashi said sternly.

"Gato hired them. He's bled the Land of Waves dry. He wants to kill me to stop me from building the bridge, so this country will have to keep relying on sea transport for supplies," Tazuna said, his face full of guilt.

"You provided false information. If you couldn't afford a higher-ranked mission, you should have explained that to the Hokage and discussed another way to pay. Now we have to decide whether to continue the mission or return to Konoha," Kakashi said.

"I want to continue. He's trying to save his country. I can't just abandon him," Naruto said firmly.

"Hmph. If the dead last is staying, then so am I. I'm not leaving my first C-rank mission unfinished," Sasuke said. Sakura and Sai also voiced their agreement.

"Then we'll continue. Once order has been restored in your country, you must pay the full fee for the mission's actual rank. Understood?" Kakashi said.

"Of course. Thank you so much!" Tazuna sighed in relief, grateful that he would still have these Konoha ninja protecting him.

Two days later.

"Mr. Tazuna, how much farther is your house?" Kakashi asked, calculating when he could get back to reading.

"Not far. At this pace, we'll be there in another hour," the bridge builder replied.

Half an hour later, Kakashi grew wary. There was something strange about the mist around them, and it was growing thicker.

Soon afterward, Naruto threw a kunai into the bushes beside them, only to startle a rabbit out of hiding.

Strange. That rabbit is white. You rarely see those around here in summer. It must be domesticated. As Kakashi considered this, the sound of metal cutting through the air rapidly approached.

"Get down!" Kakashi shouted. Naruto grabbed Tazuna and tackled the old man to the ground as an enormous blade swept over their heads.

"Well, well. What have we here? A bunch of little genin?" A figure stepped into view. He was slightly taller than Kakashi, wore a similar mask, and had no eyebrows.

"Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist. You assassinated high-ranking officials in the Land of Water and even attempted to assassinate the Mizukage," Kakashi said, his voice calm but grave.

"Oh? Kakashi, the Copy Ninja. They say you've copied over a thousand Ninjutsu. It'll be an honor to kill you," Zabuza said arrogantly.

"Keep the bridge builder safe. I'll handle him." Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing the eye hidden beneath it.

"What an honor to see the Sharingan so soon. Hidden Mist Technique!"

Dense mist instantly spread around them, so thick they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. Even Kakashi could only use his Sharingan to anticipate attacks, unable to make out Zabuza's figure.

"Eight vital points: the heart, the carotid artery, the kidneys, the liver, the subclavian artery, the spine, the larynx, and the lungs. Tell me, which one should I attack?" Zabuza's mocking voice drifted through the thick mist.

Overwhelmed by the intense killing intent, Sasuke trembled all over, unable to move.

He slowly raised his kunai, intending to slit his own throat, but Kakashi stopped him in time.

"Don't be afraid, Sasuke. I'll protect you," Kakashi said, stopping his student's attempt to take his own life.

"Dream on." Zabuza appeared behind Tazuna and swung his blade at the bridge builder. Kakashi immediately rushed forward and blocked the strike with his kunai.

Kakashi kicked Zabuza back into the thick mist and pursued him. Appearing behind Zabuza, he pressed his kunai to his throat and slashed, only for his opponent to collapse into a puddle.

A water clone! the Copy Ninja thought. The next instant, the massive blade struck him, and his body dissolved into water as well.

"Not bad, Kakashi. You can copy my techniques even in this mist. But a copy is still a copy. It can't compare to the original." Smugly, Zabuza kicked Kakashi out of the mist and onto the water.

Kakashi stood and scanned his surroundings, but Zabuza was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he..." Before he could finish, a surge of chakra swept over him, trapping him inside a sphere of water.

"Forget about me! Take the bridge builder and run! He has to maintain contact to sustain this jutsu, and it consumes a lot of chakra!" Kakashi shouted to his team.

Everyone in Team 7 was ready to obey, except Naruto, who didn't budge.

"Are you kidding me? If I abandoned a comrade, how could I ever face Pervy Sage again? Hang on, Kakashi-sensei! I'll take him down and get you out!" the blond boy shouted.

Seeing Naruto's resolve, Sasuke refused to be outdone and stepped up beside him. Zabuza created several water clones, intending to dispose of the troublesome brats.

Naruto reacted swiftly, creating twenty shadow clones to meet Zabuza's clones. Everyone in Team 7 was stunned. Their class's dead last had created twenty solid shadow clones, not mere illusions.

How can he do that? Why haven't I learned a Ninjutsu like that? I'm the one who deserves that kind of power! Sasuke seethed.

Zabuza's clones easily dispelled the shadow clones. Seeing this, Naruto decided to outsmart him.

I need to find a way to hold those clones off and get behind his real body to attack. That's how I'll save Kakashi-sensei. I've got it!

"Sasuke, Sai, throw all your kunai and shuriken at them! I've got a plan!" Naruto created another twenty shadow clones as he spoke.

"More clones? Don't get ahead of yourselves, brats." Zabuza sneered. Naruto's clones crouched, ready to spring, while Sai and Sasuke began hurling kunai from a distance.

As the shadow clones tangled with the water clones, another ten Naruto clones suddenly appeared around Zabuza's real body. They attacked from every direction, forcing him to leap away.

What's going on? How did this brat get past my clones? Zabuza was startled, only then realizing that he had been forced to release Kakashi.

"It worked! I had some of my clones turn into rocks on the ground. The other clones carried them, then threw the rocks at your real body when they fought your water clones!" Naruto explained to the dumbfounded Team 7 and Zabuza.

Nicely done, Naruto. Now it's time to end this fight, Kakashi thought.