Chapter 4: Demons, Heroes, and the Price of being One
"Hmmm." I hummed to myself as I sat in quiet contemplation, looking over what was left of my training ground.
There were trees that were shattered, gouged, and riddled with holes going all the way through them. The ground had suffered from much the same, only with the addition of giant craters smashed into its surface.
I still had shadow clones scattered about practicing and scouting for my soon to arrive guest as I sat and rested. My personal training had once again been purely physical and I had finally succeeded in moving my weights up to over 8,000 pounds. Which was my base goal for the Chunin exams.
All in all I felt like I had done very well for a night of training, even if the edges of my vision still went blurry when I tried to turn while using Chidori.
Suddenly a rush of memories let me know that Haku was on his (her?) way towards me, I speedily swapped places with a clone that I had pretend to be asleep like in the original timeline.
He (she?) then approached me and pulled the whole 'I'm going to choke him to death thing'. Kind of funny really, as this time around I was stronger than him (her?) and could kill him (her?) before he (she?) even realized.
As his (her?) hand was about to reach my clone's neck the clone acted and quickly subdued him (her?).
Okay so I will be the first to admit that I can be kind of oblivious and that dumbass Naruto was so much worse than me, but Haku was confusing the fuck out of me. Was Haku a he or a she? He (she?) dressed and looked like a girl, but claimed to be a boy!
Not to mention that Haku was fucking hot! This would really mess with my head if Haku turned out to be a guy. Would that mean I was gay? Could I be gay if I was only attracted to Haku but not other men, and only then because he, or hopefully she, was super hot in an extremely feminine way?
"Boss." My clone looked at me seriously as I almost lost myself to a severe crisis with my sexuality. I'd have to see Anko later to reaffirm that I was very much interested in the feminine physique. Well…I suppose I could use Tsunami-chan for that as well, Sakura wouldn't work, as she was a flapjack.
"I caught this person attempting to strangle me in my sleep." My clone once again dragged me out of my thoughts.
"No!" Haku protested feebly, being held in a very uncomfortable submission hold. "I was just going to wake you up and see why you were sleeping out here! I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Hmm, alright." I agreed good-naturedly and dispelled my clone, letting Haku sit up as a sly grin stole across my face for a moment before it was gone. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and sorry for the misunderstanding. I didn't mean to hurt or scare you." I offered Haku a brilliant grin and a hand up even as I lied about my intentions. I had totally meant to scare him (her?).
Smiling gently in turn as he (she?) rubbed feeling back into his (her?) limbs Haku took my hand and I hoisted him (I'll go with him for now as its much less fucking annoying than questioning his gender every pronoun) to his feet. Then I began brushing the dirt and grass off his kimono (pink for God's sake! He could at least wear orange!) while apologizing for getting him dirty.
"Thank you Naruto-kun." The questionably gendered beauty beamed at me. "My name is Haku and I'm sorry again for startling you earlier. So what were you doing out here anyway?" Haku probed for information while keeping up the pretense of not being a ninja.
"Oh, I was training. I've got a mission to complete and not only my own, but my client's precious people to protect!" I channeled dumbass Naruto as best as I could and flashed him another grin, now thoroughly satisfied with my findings and the potential for teasing later on that they offered.
"So you fight for your precious people?" Haku seemed startled and yet happy about my words even as I nodded in affirmation. "I too fight for my precious people, my precious person is also why I'm out here collecting medicinal herbs." He raised his basket slightly.
"Yep, but I also fight for myself." I interjected while nodding firmly. "Protecting others is what makes someone become truly strong, but only when someone can incorporate their self into their list of precious people can they truly begin to live. After all, if someone is precious to you it is more than likely that you are precious to them too. That means to protect them you need to protect yourself!"
My sagacious words caused him to pause and look down in thought as if his entire world was rocked by my words.
Score!
Plan: Don't have Haku stabbed through the heart with a Raikiri to futilely try to protect Zabuza is a GO!
So the name needs work, sue me. Naruto named his ultimate technique 'Wind Shuriken' which is lame as fuck even if I will keep the name for simplicity's sake.
"Hey don't look so pensive, it doesn't fit a pretty girl like you!" I once again channeled retard Naruto and offered him a thumbs up while trying not to cackle with glee at my upcoming prank.
That got a smile and a laugh out of Haku as he prepared to drop his bomb on me. "Thank you Naruto-kun, for your kind words, but…I'm a boy."
I just looked at him. Then I intensify my gaze into a stare as if trying to divine the truth of his words. Haku blushed and began to fidget under the force of my scrutiny.
"Hmm." I offered as my noncommittal answer; when in doubt, or pretending to be in doubt, go with the Uchiha response.
"Bye Haku-chan, I've got to go meet up with my friends and train some more!" I yelled as I jogged away from him, pretending to disregard his 'earth-shattering' revelation.
"Goodbye Naruto-kun, till we meet again!" Haku called in response, looking slightly sad. Probably because he knows that we will be fighting each other soon and maybe because I didn't react much to his shocker of being a man.
"Oh!" I stopped as if suddenly remembering something important and turned back to Haku with a grin. "Say hi to Zabuza-san for me and let him know that Gato plans to double-cross him." I returned fire with my own drone strike in retaliation.
Haku's stupefied face was worth acting like retard Naruto to throw him off the fact that I was actually a good ninja and even knew who he was.
"And besides that…" I was gearing up to drop a nuke on the bitch. "Boys don't have such developed curves or boobs, Haku-chan~." I gave Haku a lascivious wink and mimicked patting her down before quickly taking off.
That's right, Haku is…A GIRL!
That always fucked with me when I watched the show as the way she looked and dressed screamed feminine, but she claimed to be a guy. And seeing her in person was even worse as she was just so damn pretty, yet claimed to be a boy.
Welp that was one mystery of this universe solved. I guess she's just a troll that gets her kicks off of messing with guys. Or maybe it was just less hassle to pretend to be a dude in the ninja line of work?
I have added another pair of awesome kunoichi breasts to my groping collection. Get it? Not growing, groping? No one but Anko appreciates me as much as I deserve.
That statement makes me concerned for my mental health. Oh well!
Somewhere in Konoha, Kurenai developed a tick mark on her head and swore that she would punish Kakashi. She didn't know why she would do this, but she knew that he would deserve it. Not to mention she felt the sudden urge to meet up with Anko and meet the 'Blondie-kun' she had been raving about.
Kurenai swore to steer this 'Blondie-kun' away from the path of the pervert, no matter the cost! Little did she know that it was far too late for that.
Whistling a jaunty tune to myself I decided to check up on my teammates and make sure that Anko hadn't killed anyone important while I was off solving the mysteries of the world.
As I strolled towards the hideous screams and desperate pleading that echoed throughout the forest, I couldn't help but hope that Zabuza took my warning seriously.
Not just because Haku was a pretty girl with a nice rack and decent curves, even if they were wrapped up and hidden so she could pass as a boy, but because of how much he would help the bloodline rebellion if he made it out of this alive.
Not that any of that would stop me from keeping the Wave safe from Gato even if I had to kill both of them. After all I was a Leaf shinobi and there were plenty of other beautiful women in the world. Like Anko and her crazy, sexy, insane, voluptuous, psychotic self.
Did I mention that she was hot and crazy?
While I mused on the fates of enemy ninja and the ratio of attractiveness to bat-shit crazy in women that I found acceptable, I absently caught a kunai that flew in my direction and used it to deflect the rest that followed after it.
I looked up blankly as if I hadn't been paying any attention at all to my surroundings and had only just noticed the presence of my…friend? "Oh. Hey there Anko-chan, didn't see you there. I was thinking about something."
The purple haired beauty gave me a psychopathic smile that both aroused me and made me want to run away from her. "Blondie-kun! Your friends aren't any fun, they aren't even as good of toys as you were when we first met!"
"Well Anko-chan, that'd be because of all the awesome I have." I gave a sympathetic shake of my head and shrugged my shoulders. "It's not their fault that they weren't born with as much awesome as I was."
Twin torpedoes impacting my face and pressing me up against a tree as a kunai poking me in the thigh right by my femoral artery abruptly cut me off. "HA! I have you now Blondie-kun!" The torpedoes crowed in triumph as they rubbed against my face through a thin mesh barrier, letting me feel their hardened tips perfectly. "And what were you thinking about that had you so distracted? Was it me? It was definitely about the sexy and single Mitarashi Anko, wasn't it!"
"Nope, you still came too soon Anko-chan. However I don't mind, only guys have to worry about when they come, you can come for me whenever you want. Over and over again." I murmured into her ear as I nuzzled her neck and pushed up behind her before my clone popped.
I brazenly ran a hand up her thigh before blatantly groping her breasts as I pushed her up against the tree she had held my clone against. "But you're right, I was thinking about how attractive I found you and if it was because of or despite your crazy."
"Mmm." She moaned happily and arched her back to push her incredibly firm, heart-shaped derriere into my crotch, eagerly grinding it against me, and to press the swell of her heavy, round, breasts further into my palms so that more of her flesh was caught in my grip.
"I can't help it Blondie-kun. Crazy is just who I am, and you know it's because of my crazy that you like me so much. We complement each other's crazy perfectly. " Anko whined, as her movements grew increasingly needy and frantic, eliciting a groan from me.
"That we're both so crazy makes me want to come for you sooo bad that I just can't help myself! I've never wanted something this much before. I've been with a bunch of guys and none have ever made me feel it so much. I want to mount you and feel you writhe beneath me until you're gasping for air and begging for me to end it. I want to watch your face as it all comes gushing out!" Anko was moaning by this point as her voice went throaty and full of promise.
Her hips were glued to mine as she rolled them lustfully, prompting me to unconsciously rock in time with her rhythm. As she picked up her pace, one of her hands reached between her legs and gently cupped my balls, through my pants, and the other wound through my hair as she gently ran her nails over my scalp.
"Anko-chan." I moaned into her neck as I clung to her to keep myself upright, as her scent and the feel of her rubbing against me had me going weak in the knees. I couldn't help but breath in her scent again and again. She smelled like the sweetness of dango, the sharp bite of steel and oil, and the faintest whiff of salty blood all wrapped up in the overwhelming musk of sex and arousal.
She had me right on the edge and we both knew it. However I knew I would burst soon but maybe not in the way she hoped that I would.
"Call me Anko-nee, Blondie-kun, and I'll make it spurt out of you until you pass out. I'll even lick it all up." She punctuated that offer by speeding up the rocking of her hips and giving my balls a squeeze as she pressed my face into her neck seeming to know how much I enjoyed her scent. "Don't you want to spurt all that stuff inside you all over me?"
I lost it right then.
"Yes. Anko-chan! I want to! I-I'm going to-!" Both of our breathing was ragged and in that moment when I lost myself Anko took advantage in order to spin us around so that my back was against the tree and we were face to face.
"A-n-k-o-nee~" She purred even as she dry humped me, almost frenzied in her desire. She looked so damn sexy and I just couldn't hold out against the wet heat I felt between her thighs even separated by my trousers, her thin, mesh shorts, and whatever underwear she might or might not be wearing.
"Anko-n…" I gasped raggedly before swallowing hard as my eyes started to roll back in my head.
"Yessssss! Yes Blondie-kun!" Anko's voice was raspy with desire and pleasure.
"Anko-nee!" I whispered urgently, uncaring about anything but satisfying the need I felt and the need I saw in Anko's slightly glazed, deranged looking eyes.
With a cry of triumph Anko finished me off and I spurted all over her, drenching her in my fluid and staining her clothes and skin in my color.
Did I mention that she 'finished me off' with a kunai and that what I spurted was blood?
The thought that I really should have seen this coming given her word choice and personality ran through my mind before I burst just like the clone before me, taking my blood and other tragically unspent fluids with me. I told you I knew I would burst soon. I had just hoped it would have been the other fluids before she ended my short life.
Such is the unenviable life of a shadow clone.
The real me had been watching my lucky, I mean pitiable, clone as Anko played with him and couldn't help but release a groan of mixed pleasure and frustration as my pants instantly became 6 sizes too small. Thankfully (?) I didn't spurt any fluids, especially the ones that Anko wanted me to. Others would be more acceptable to me, but I couldn't help but feel this body was still a bit too young as sad as that was. Damn modern American views on the appropriate age to have sex!
However I shook off such macabre thoughts and once again pinned Anko face first to the tree. Though I didn't grope her breasts this time and was a bit rougher than I needed to be in subduing her, but she seemed to like it anyway.
To take the sting out of her absolute defeat I rubbed my tent against her rear as I mocked her. That was totally the reason I did it. It was definitely not that I had a massive erection and had just been blueballed, again. "Once again, you came too soon. Too bad you just aren't patient enough to get through foreplay, or we could have so much fun together. As it is I'll never be able to be satisfied by you."
"Fuck! I thought I had you that time!" Anko screamed in frustration even as she lodged her ass into my crotch. Her words and tone clashed drastically with her body language.
"I never get to make you bleed anymore Blondie-kun." She whined like a kid denied ice cream. "If you weren't so much fun I'd be mad at you."
Taking a moment to think and savor the feeling of being held tightly to me, even if, maybe especially since, she was in a submission hold, Anko rapidly changed her tune. "But you do give me the nicest presents. Like the two munchkins hiding in the trees staring at us. I had so much fun with them, they scream so well and their blood tastes pretty good. Mister-Broods-A-Lot took a while to learn his lesson, but Pinkie pisses herself in fear and I can't help but get aroused as I chase her."
She shuddered at that and I realized she had actually just gotten off. I was so aroused I could hardly think straight or I would have bust out laughing at the fact that Sakura had pissed herself.
"So…where were you last night and this morning?" My sexy, currently in the midst of post orgasm docility, murder-slut asked me while trying to sound as if she were just innocently curious and not as if she resented not being able to find me and use 'her Blondie-kun' as a meat dildo and full-body pillow.
Because that's the reason she wanted to go on missions with me, according to her at least. She had thought that she would have to wait at least a year, but was thrilled that she could now do it much sooner than anticipated.
"Maybe next time Anko-chan." I offered her an empty platitude, knowing that the only times I'll let her make me bleed are when we're sparring or when we're actually about to and/or having sex.
Is that fucked up?
Maybe.
However, boinking with Anko would make it all worthwhile. No matter how much blood I lost.
"And I was seeing another girl. I had to find someone who wouldn't blue ball me and try to kill me." Haku had only tried to kill me after all, not blueball me. "She was a cute little thing who just couldn't keep her hands to herself. So I touched her all over instead and left her blushing and grinning. Afterwards we took the time to get close and talked for a bit. I found out that we have quite a bit in common, and she was a very pleasant person. When I left her she seemed so sad and distressed, but I had to get back here to check up on everything so there was no helping it." There, I told no lies, but what I said was entirely misleading!
Anko froze and I could see the single, infirm gerbil start to hobble on its wheel in the thought bubble above her head. Once again living in an anime is weird and I never knew when something like this would pop up. I stifled my laughter at the universe's way of insulting Anko's intelligence and waited for her to process what I had said.
I didn't have to wait to long before she cried out in indignation. "WHAT!? You spent the night with another woman and not me! Why would you choose another woman over me, your beloved Anko-nee? What did that slut have that I don't? What's her name and what does she look like? I'll hunt her down and ki-I mean have a talk with her about poaching other people's Blondie-kuns!"
Laughing at her reaction I couldn't help but pamper her, as she seemed genuinely upset by my teasing. I released my hold on her and hugged her to me as I nuzzled her neck. "Aww is my Anko-chan jealous? Don't worry. I still think Anko-chan is the best! I can't get enough of her incredibly sexy self."
She huffed in agitation, but leaned back into me, irritably grinding her ass against my arousal to cause me some pain and check that I was telling the truth. As she was doing that I absentmindedly ran my hands over her smooth, taut stomach to help sooth her.
"Are you sure you really feel that way? You still haven't called me Anko-nee in all this time. You won't let me make you bleed anymore. And you haven't bought me dango in FOREVER! Do you not love your Anko-nee anymore?" I could tell Anko was mostly joking, but she was still pouting.
Catching her earlobe between my teeth, I nibbled and suckled it. Causing a delicious shiver to run her through her entire body. "I'll only call you that and let you taste my blood again if we actually get together. Otherwise you'll have to be content with being Anko-chan and one of my precious people. I've never had a family, never known what it's like to have someone care about me no matter what, so you'll have to work hard for what you want and be someone very special to me. More so than anyone else."
I let Anko go and backed up a step, allowing her to turn around and casually drape her arms around my neck. There was still a good chunk of space between us except for her breasts, which were flush with my chest.
"Awww does my Blondie-kun want me to himself that badly? I don't mind having Blondie-kun want to make me his, buuuuuut you'll need to get a bit taller for me to consider it. Though I'm hurt that you don't think of your Anko-nee as family." I could tell that she was actually happy in her own more than slightly insane way even though she put a melodramatic hurt into her voice at the end.
I put my hands on her hips and whispered softly into her ear for only her to hear in my best bedroom voice. "Anko-nee." I met her stunned eyes as they widened in shock, cupping her face I pressed my lips softly to her cheek. As I turned to walk away I let my fingers trail along her jaw until my thumb tugged on her lower lip as my index and middle finger ghosted over her chin.
I didn't look back, but thanks to my clones that were watching, I mean scouting, I saw as she slowly liquefied into a boneless mass of Anko-putty on the forest floor, a wide, glassy-eyed grin on her face reminiscent of most men after they just got extremely lucky.
Little pink hearts were frequently wafting out of the Anko-puddle as she replayed the entire situation in her head, especially how it sounded when I said Anko-nee. The hearts were occasionally accompanied by either a surprisingly girlish sounding giggle or a much more fitting lecherous chuckle that would make the most perverted, old man in existence proud and jealous.
Back at Tazuna's house Kakashi looked up from his smut, I mean book. "I sense a disturbance in the force. It is familiar, something I have not felt in a long time. Someone will get laid!"
Kakashi then hung his head as a raincloud developed over his head and a tear came to his eye. "I wish I would get laid, it's been a really long time. Is it because I let my skills slip? I'll have to start training seriously again. It couldn't be because I read Icha Icha. No, no, no, no, this isn't smut, it's a masterwork of literature!"
It was because he openly read Icha Icha and his lame excuses when he showed up to dates 3 hours late.
Somewhere far away in the land of Rice fields, a tall, white-haired, old man with a Hitai-ate proudly displaying the symbol for oil on it broke out into a wide grin and started chuckling perversely as he peeped on women bathing at a bathhouse.
Of course this alerted the women he was peeping on to his presence and he was then summarily beaten to a bloody pulp.
It wasn't until Sasuke and Sakura had watched Anko for nearly a half an hour that they gathered the courage to venture out of hiding. Sasuke attempted to gain Anko's attention in order to resume training. After failing several times while trying to avoid touching her, as the way she wiggled and twitched in her goo-like form disgusted him, creeped him out, and turned him on.
The emo decided to try poking her with a stick in order to nudge her into awareness. Once she understood what her crush was about to do Sakura let out a terrified 'eep!' and took off running for her life.
Sasuke was able to poke her once before the Anko-puddle rose in a tidal wave of terror and fury backed by many, many furious snakes that were intended for his asshole as punishment.
The screams of the 'last Uchiha' were heard all the way in Gato's hideout and even back in Konoha, provoking shudders of terror. Gato's hired thugs would make sure never to interrupt whatever 'Anko-Blondie-kun Happy Happy Fantasy Time' was.
Hearing the screams, Kurenai was even more curious about and intent upon meeting this 'Blondie-kun' now.
Hinata paused what she was doing and narrowed her eyes in fury and possessive jealousy. Naruto was HER Blondie-kun, not that she would ever call him such a demeaning nickname. Goshujin-sama was much more fitting.
She would keep their house clean and orderly and when he came home she would greet him in the kitchen with nothing but an apron on. Then she would ask him if he wanted dinner, a bath, or…her? The blush that overtook Hinata melted the ground within 15 feet as steam puffed from her head and she collapsed into the bliss of unconsciousness and her delusions of Naruto.
Ino relaxed as Hinata froze, blushed, and then fell over. Once she was sure their spar was over she let out a long, pent up breath. For some unknown reason she felt a fierce, competitive spirit boil up within her at the thought of 'Anko-Blondie-kun Happy Happy Fantasy Time'. She didn't know who Anko was exactly, but surely "Naru-Ino Blond-Blonde Happy Happy Fantasy Time' sounded much better to her ear, even if she didn't know why.
Tenten hesitated in her target practice before becoming pissed off and launching wave after wave of pointy death at the training dummies while muttering about stupid, cocky, insufferable blonds who needed a down to earth girl, with many sharp objects, to keep them in line.
Kakashi had just gone back to reading his smut after getting over his depression when he was suddenly seized with the feeling that Naruto was indeed a great student. Clenching his fist with tears of pride streaming down his mask Kakashi told Minato's spirit that he could be proud of his son.
Minato's spirit, within the Shinigami, also clenched his fist in pride of his son before a shudder of fear traveled down his ghostly spine as an aura of dread approached him from behind.
Kushina's spirit had her hair flying around in 9 tails and an aura of darkness surrounding her as she beat Spirit Minato within an inch of his afterlife and promised that none of the unworthy, nasty sluts after her son would get to have him. He was hers first and would always be hers!
She was his mother and would protect him from falling into their clutches, even if she had to kick the Shinigami's ass and come back to life to stop them!
At last the day had come when Kakashi was back to full strength and he figured Zabuza would be making his move either today or tomorrow. So knowing the sequence of events I left a few clones hanging around Tazuna's place to look after Tsunami and Inari and headed for the bridge with the rest of our group.
I left my weights by the house, as I knew I would need every advantage in the battle to come if I was to get the results that I wanted.
Sasuke and Sakura trudged along, twitching spastically every time they heard a noise or caught sight of something out of the corner of their eyes. Although Sasuke seemed to be limping and keeping his ass out of Anko's line of sight more than typically normal.
I had to assume the surgery to remove the pole lodged up there was at least partially successful. However there might be a snake warren in its place.
Anko had decided I was her personal transport and so my head was situated between her thighs as she sat on my shoulders. I wanted to, but I couldn't bring myself to complain or scold her.
I was reading my book on sealing and rubbing my face against the luscious thighs bracketing my head from time to time. And Kakashi was alternating between reading his smut and crying tears of joy and jealousy while looking at me with pride.
As we arrived at the bridge I sent off a platoon of clones to check up on the surprises I set up around the bridge and to play recon for us once the mist rolled in.
It didn't take long for the Mist-Nin to make their move. As mist began to roll in I made another round of clones and had them sweep Tazuna up and prompt Sakura to join them in guarding him.
It was soon after that that Zabuza arrived, or more likely a Zabuza water clone. "I was looking forward to seeing you again Kakashi. We didn't get to finish our fight last time."
"Mmm. You're right. Your little helper swooped in and prevented me from killing you last time." Kakashi threw back with a lazy eye-smile as he reached up and removed his forehead protector. "I'll have to fix that."
"Hahaha! I've seen the limit of your Sharingan, and in this mist you're as good as blind! Give me the bridge builder and I'll let you and your brats leave here alive." Zabuza rumbled with amusement lacing his voice.
"Oh? Is this the shit stain that we need to kill to protect Bridgebuilder-san?" Anko asked in her typical fashion from atop my shoulders. She was refusing to move until the action really started.
"Hah? So you received reinforcements? No matter, she doesn't seem all that strong. In fact I'd say she's as strong as or weaker than that blond brat she's sitting on. So a Chunin or a Tokubetsu Jonin. Is that all the Leaf can afford to send you as aid? How far the mighty have fallen."
"I'll enjoy tasting your blood, Demon-san. Blondie-kun is being stingy and won't let me have any of his, and while yours probably won't be as good, it will do for now." Anko offered her signature crazy-ass-snake-bitch grin and launched herself at Zabuza using me as a springboard.
"Haku, kill the brats!" Zabuza managed to grit out before Anko was on him with a "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands" and a bloodthirsty grin.
She and Kakashi rapidly disappeared into the mist as they battled Zabuza. Leaving Sasuke and me to combat Haku.
"Hi Haku-chan!" I greeted the masked Hunter-Nin with a big grin and an enthusiastic wave.
"You know this guy Dobe?" Sasuke asked me as he kept his gaze locked on the enemy but looked at me from the corner of his eye.
"Yep! Haku-chan and I got very well acquainted. I touched her all over the place and taught her what it means to be a woman." I blithely shot out a totally misleading innuendo.
"Th-that's not what happened at all!" Haku denied with a cute stutter. I could just imagine her face turning red with embarrassment.
I just continued smiling at her and offered a wink. "You got this Uchiha-san? How about I play backup for you?"
"Hn." Came the obvious reply before he took off towards Haku at a decent clip for a Genin, but nothing compared to what Haku could do.
It went just about how it did in canon, except I used clones to soak up most of the damage. I winced every time a senbon hit near Sasuke's vitals, but I needed this to happen for him to get his Sharingan, he would be a royal PITA (pain in the ass) without it.
Even more so than usual if he felt like he wasn't getting strong enough fast enough. I bailed him out of trouble by having clones Kawarimi him out of some of the more dangerous situations.
I stopped helping so obviously once the "Crystal Ice Mirrors" went up, however I did break my way into ending up in them with him once I was sure he had activated his Kekkei Genkai.
"Sasuke." I grabbed his attention by modulating my form of address to the situation. "Pour as much of your chakra as you can spare into me, I have an idea to bust us free of this."
It took a moment for him to acknowledge that he didn't have a better plan and nod in acceptance. As he placed both his hands on my back and directed his chakra into my system I took a kunai covered in his blood and gave it an Anko-esque lick.
10 tails to whoever guesses what I'm after by doing this, followed by 6 paths towards awesome-ville.
Ah, I see some of you get it now!
It will probably take a while to manifest, like it did for a certain reality-illusion confused psycho, but I have a few years to spare. In the meantime I'll just have to work on my base parameters to make sure I'm worthy of the power I should be coming into eventually.
Once I was sure Sasuke had funneled as much chakra as he was willing to give into me I made my move. Quickly surrounding myself with clones I pulled out one of the most powerful, and visually impressive Jutsu I could currently use. "Lightning Style: Oodama Rasengan" The swirling, oversized, high wattage electricity filled, sphere of death took form and I immediately smashed it into the mirror I sensed Haku inside.
The result was spectacular and made me wince at the thought of the damage I had just done to someone as pleasant as Haku. The mirror instantly shattered and Haku was sent flying as she tumbled through the air, blood, spit, skin, and clothes splattering every which way.
She hit the bridge and continued to tumble before coming to a rest, very clearly unable to do much of anything besides moan in pain and spit up some blood.
"Oh SHIT!" I knew that the completed Rasengan (nature transformation) and the Oodama Rasengan were both powerful, but I didn't know that combining them would be so destructive. Especially when I intentionally tried to limit its power. "Haku! Are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you so bad, just to break out of your Jutsu."
She laughed a bit and spit up a bit more blood, but not too much so I didn't think her injuries were too severe. It seemed that the mirror had taken the brunt of the damage. "Haaa. Don't apologize Naruto-kun, you were fighting for your precious people weren't you?"
I nodded my head in reply as I set about arranging her so that she was lying down more comfortably. Noticing that her clothes were trashed and having checked and determine that while most of her ribs were broken and the skin of her torso was burned, and even blackened where the tip of the sphere had actually impacted her before I pulled it back and dispersed it, she wasn't in danger of dying as long as she received treatment soon-ish I pulled out a sealing scroll and covered her with a blanket that I gently tucked around her.
"Thank you Naruto-kun, for your kindness. However I must ask that in the name of our friendship…kill me." She asked me with a pained smile.
"Baka." I flicked her forehead; glad the mask had come off after I hit her as I could see her pretty face this way. "You're going to go into some speal about being a tool for Zabuza and how you're worthless now and have no meaning since you can't help him accomplish his goal. Well you're wrong. If you don't live then how can you continue on with his goal? He is willing to fight and die for his goal, and if he dies then you need to survive to complete his goal for him! That's the meaning of helping someone as your precious person as opposed to as your owner."
"I-I…I just want Zabuza-sama to be happy." Haku choked out as tears streamed down her face. She wasn't so pretty when she was crying, but I still couldn't help but smile at her.
"I'll go and try to get them to stop fighting. Gato is on his way with his army of thugs and we'll need to be able to deal with them, so we can't afford anyone to get too injured." I gave her another smile. "I'll try my best to get Zabuza out of this alive, but if he won't listen to me I'm telling you now that I will prioritize my precious people over him." I stared into Haku's eyes to show her my sincerity.
"Thank you Naruto-kun, I know you will do your best. It is more than could be expected from anyone else, so thank you. Thank you." She cried and weakly grasped my hand.
I gave her hand a soft squeeze and brushed a strand of hair from her face before I stood. Sasuke had collapsed to the ground looking like a porcupine as some of my clones came to tend to him.
"I'll be going on. When you're sufficiently recovered you're welcome to join me Uchiha-san." I offered him with a quick, assessing glance.
"Hn. Call me Sasuke, Dobe. What was that Jutsu?" Huh. It seems like I had finally gained the grudging respect of Sasuke 'emo-duckbutt' Uchiha, but now he wanted or wanted to know where I got my 'power'.
"It's a Jutsu I invented by myself, but it's a bit chakra intensive. Hence why I had you top me off with yours." Technically true. "Maybe I'll show you a thing or two if you want to train together sometime when we get back to the village." Without waiting for a reply I took off into the mist, leaving my clones to look after Sasuke and the injured Haku.
Man, I really needed to get my chakra control up to the level that I can do Medical Ninjutsu. I feel really bad about hurting Haku so badly, even if it was on accident and I was trying to hold back the Jutsu's strength.
But those were thoughts for later. For now I had to focus on preventing Bakakashi and Anko from killing Zabuza and then taking out Gato's ghastly group of goons.
What? No I didn't take the time to think of an alliteration to use to refer to them!
Alright I did, but it was so much better than calling them Gato's thugs.
Anyway!
I swiftly came upon the pitched combat of my 'sensei' (?), I supposed Kakashi qualified now that he had taught me the Chidori. Nah, he'll have to teach me more than that to get me to stop making fun of him!
As for Anko…well…I suppose she has been trying to teach me. Even if it's only stuff that she wants to. Mostly explicit, adult things and death tag if I'm being honest. Not that I mind! I just think my body is a little too young! Even if my 'thing' is bigger than most adults' and reacts to her as if I was an adult, but that's not the point, I'm still too young.
For now…
Kakashi was looking slightly better than last time they fought, but was still drooping slightly from the chakra expenditure. Man he was really out of shape from all the moping he did in front of the monument for the dead. But other than that he was fine, so I focused on checking Anko for injuries.
She had not been so fortunate as Kakashi. Which made sense, seeing as she wasn't nearly as strong and was quite a bit more rash than he was.
Small cuts and bruises covered her body, ruining her outfit and pushing her already questionable fashion sense even further towards outright indecency.
Her trench coat was shredded and had lost most of its length, only barely covering the tops of her thighs and riding up to reveal her mesh covered ass and her holy grail! I guess her miniskirt had been lost somewhere in the fighting, as nothing was covering her lower half but skintight, mesh shorts, and the barest fraction of her coat.
However together they barely managed to cover just enough to tantalize the imagination yet not reveal everything.
Wait! That's not what I should be focusing on right now!
Her mesh bodysuit had many gashes cut into it, most exposed only small cuts or unblemished skin, but a few revealed more serious injuries. Her state was really showing the difference in power between her and Zabuza, he was a strong Jonin and she was a Tokubetsu Jonin who specialized in T&I.
It was obvious that he was superior to her in open combat, but she was being dumb and wasn't taking a supporting role towards Kakashi like she should have been.
I showed up just in time to stop her from losing even more clothes and/or possibly her entrails.
"Ugh!" I grunted as my wind chakra laced kunai clashed with Zabuza's fucking big-ass-cleaver-sword. I managed to hold my ground and only get pushed back a few feet as I kept my Sexsei (sexy sensei?) from getting skewered.
"Hey now." I ground out as our blades ground against one another, his slowly pushing down on mine, but also subtly starting to be cut by my chakra. "Don't you know it's rude to make moves on another man's girl? Especially Anko-chan, she can't resist it when some one wants inside her."
"Um…what?" Zabuza and Kakashi responded simultaneously with anime sweat-drops on their temples.
Anko just tilted her head and grinned shamelessly at me, beaming with glee at me calling her my girl. "Ah! Blondie-kun! You want to join in too? I was having some trouble handling him, his sword is just too big for me."
Shaking my head in (mock?) exasperation I looked back at Zabuza who was looking at Anko like she was a puzzle that made no sense. "See what I mean? One minute she tells my friends that she and I are going to get married, the next she fondles me until I'm about to blow as she tries to kill me, and the next she tries to have me call her Nee-chan while getting me off. And as kinky as she is, I don't like finding some other guy trying to strip her naked and penetrate her insides with his sword! That's a recipe for broken hearts, shattered dream, and herpes."
Once again Kakashi and Zabuza spoke in tandem. "…You're really going to phrase it like that? We're trying to kill each other."
"Oh so now you're going to use the 'It isn't what it looks like' excuse?" I continued on, pretending to be angry, like a guy walking in on his friend sleeping with his girlfriend. "I come here from looking after Haku for you," I point a finder at Zabuza, who at this point is thoroughly confused, "and I find you going at it with my Anko-chan! And you!" I whirl on Kakashi as I disengage from Zabuza and create space between us.
"Me?" The Sharingan wielding Jonin pointed at himself in surprise.
"Yes you!" I shouted, my face turning red from the effort to keep up the charade and not burst out laughing at the shock and fear displayed on Kakashi's face despite his mask. "I left you to look after her and look what happened. She's hardly decent, prancing around without a care in the world and looking like she's been going at Zabuza's sword for hours. What did you just sit around and wank off while watching them?"
"Well, no. I-" Kakashi looked abashed as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
Cutting him off I continued on. "Oh? So you are not arguably the strongest ninja here, and definitely the strongest from Konoha?" I paused and looked at him expectantly.
"Well, yes. I-" Kakashi tried to get out, looking confused and slightly ashamed.
Cutting him off again, I continued on. I was having so much fun messing with everyone, and the longer I stalled the more likely that Gato would show up to double-cross Zabuza. "So why was Anko the one engaging him? Shouldn't you have been distracting him and helping to keep her away from his sword? This is why I call you Bakakashi you id-"
My train of thought was completely derailed by the deadly attack launched at me from behind. Twin weapons impacted my back as arms reached around my neck and grabbed hold firmly; ready to end my life at a moments notice.
Kakashi merely sagged in depression as he muttered. "That name again, huh?"
"Awww did I make my poor, little, Blondie-kun jealous by playing with another guy's sword?" Anko teased as she pushed her twin weapons further into my back. I could just feel her gin without even looking at her.
"Maybe just a little." I pouted, doing my best to imitate an anime tsundere character caught in a dere moment.
"Poor Blondie-kun, having to watch his Anko-nee play with another man's sword. That's what you get when you spend your nights with other girls instead of me. But I promise I'll make it up to you! And don't worry that all you have is a tiny, little kunai and he has a big, thick sword. What really matters is how you use it! And I'm sure you'll have a big ol' sword for me to play with in the future too." As she blithely destroyed my manhood in front of two badass ninja (and hundreds of readers), I slumped in misery and would have crouched down to draw squiggles on the ground as rainclouds thundered above me, if she hadn't been holding me in place.
"Hmppppppshshshsh." Zabuza rasped as his shoulders shook violently, before he burst out into peals of laughter. "Did she just insult his choice of weapon, and his manhood while promising to make it up to him for fighting me?"
"That…" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head again, not knowing what else to do in this situation. "That seems to be exactly what happened."
"Ah right, Zabuza-san." I called for his attention from within Anko's embrace. Even if she was insulting me, being held by a woman as attractive and 'developed' as her was not something I would turn down. "Now that I broke the tension of the fight, I wanted to tell you the Haku was defeated without dealing us any overly serious injuries."
The Demon of the Mist started at that and looked to be about to say something before I continued talking over whatever it was he wanted to say. "And now that you are thoroughly out gunned. Even you have to admit that you can't take on Kakashi of the Sharingan, a Tokubetsu Jonin, and someone that is at Chunin or an even higher level all at once. So why don't we take a break from trying to kill one another until Gato gets here to betray you, then we can all join forces, kill him and his thugs, and we can all walk away happy? You can take what he promised to pay you and a bonus and we can complete our mission and help the Wave's economy with the rest of the money."
Stabbing his sword into the wood of the bridge, Zabuza crossed his arms and seemed to think about my words. "No." He said slowly, drawing out the word as if in deep thought. Shaking his head he continued on with more confidence. "Even if what you say about him betraying me is true, I still have my pride as a shinobi. And if I were to betray my client then it would become even harder for a Missing-Nin like me to get jobs. No, we'll have to fight, at least until Gato arrives. That is, if he is really going to betray me." As he talked Zabuza started blurring through hand seals.
"Besides." His hand seal speed increased as he tensed, ready to make his move. All this happened in an instant, allowing me to only scoop up Anko and jump away from my current position, narrowly avoiding his attack. "Apparently I owe you for 'looking after Haku for me'. I can't have someone ruining my tools and thinking they can get away with it!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu" With his hand seal sequence finished he launched a missile of water 'dragony' doom at me. Once again, it was only because I had started moving when he first started to form his seals that Anko and I escaped unscathed; such was the speed with which he formed them. If I wasn't about to be killed I would have been impressed.
"Well." I said to myself, and Anko. "That didn't work out quite how I'd hoped."
"Mmm." Anko agreed as she wiggled happily in my arms as I carried her from danger, bridal style. "Blondie-kun carrying me through the threshold of our new home. I have to be a wife now, bringing home the bacon, but only after the wedding night. Ufufufufufu, the things I'm going to do to Blondie-kun. First he'll make us dinner, dango of course, then I'll get to have him for dessert! Ohhhh, I could cover him in bacon too! Or maybe chocolate syrup, honey, or whipped cream? Nah, has to be dango!"
Somehow I got the feeling that her scenario was all turned around from the norm. However her delusions continued unabated by my high-speed movement and the present, life-threatening danger we faced. "I'll be gentle the first time, but after that I'll milk him until he can't walk the next day! Then I'll be able to come home to dango and my own Blondie-kun in nothing but an apron for the rest of my life, muhuhuhu. And he'll stay at home taking care of the little gakis and when they're old enough I'll teach 'em how to maim, murder, and fuck whatever they want. Fucking comes last gakis, and I'll murder any sluts that come around for my little blond boy gakis. After they visit T&I, ufufufufu."
I felt my cheek cramp at her description of our future, causing a tick mark to appear on my head. However pinching her butt, it was either that or her boob, as it was the only thing I could reach while carrying her this way, resulted in an extremely erotic noise of satisfaction and a spray of liquid wetting my fingers. "Unnnnnggghhhh! B-Blondie-koi, moooooore!"
My eyes damn near popped out of my head.
Did she…Did she really just orgasm in the middle of a battle from a pinch to her ass, while fantasizing about being married to me and torturing the girlfriends of our future sons?
I-I really don't know how to feel about this. I mean 'little Naruto' is super excited, but even he knows that now is not the time!
"Oi Anko-chan!" I yelled, kind of freaked out by the thought that maybe, just maybe Anko really did like me as much as she pretended to. Or maybe it wasn't pretending or teasing. Wasn't only teasing I amended my thought, some of it definitely was teasing. Not to mention that she liked me enough to zone out and have an erotic fantasy in the middle of a battle just because I was carrying her bridal style!
Also I needed her to focus on the here and now, where we had an extremely skilled shinobi trying to separate us from our important organs. Kakashi was trying to shield us, but carrying her as I was, I wasn't quite fast enough to do more than escape imminent death by a hair.
"Hmm? Ah, Blondie-koi is it time to send the gakis to school already? Not today, wake me up once they're gone and then we can play~" Anko blinked her hazy eyes as she began to return from her most recent delusion.
"Anko-chan! You need to wake the HELL up right now!" I screamed in her ear, finally having had enough and growing annoyed with her carelessness when our lives were literally on the line.
"Geez Blondie-kun, I'm awake, no need to yell." She whined petulantly while rubbing her ear, but looked much more awake.
"Daydream later! Fight the pissed off Mist Jonin now!" I shot back at her in an annoyed and slightly frantic tone as I dodged that big-ass sword again and felt it clip my armor, leaving a decent furrow in it.
"Oh! Right!" Was her reply as she flung herself out of my arms by kicking off my chest and shooting straight at Zabuza, snakes and kunai already flying.
Stumbling back and slightly winded from the force of her surprising kick and my frantic 'running-for-our-lives' I took a moment to catch my breath. Watching as Kakashi and Anko wove in-between each other as they engaged the Mist-Nin in a never-ending circle, exploiting any weakness in his guard to score a hit.
I didn't know if it was the brief respite I gave them, or the fact that they were trying to show their best side because I was here, but both Kakashi and Anko seemed to be doing much better against the Demon than before I arrived. Zabuza was wracking up a growing number of wounds, both minor and more serious.
Dodging, blocking, attacking, and dodging again Zabuza began to lag as he was faced with two opponents and the potential of a third joining in at any time. The situation seemed to be wearing on him.
Figuring I had recovered enough, I sprinted back into the fray dual wielding two kunai with wind chakra edges. I took advantage of Zabuza being distracted for a moment by Kakashi to lacerate his kidney and rush back out of range.
Zabuza bellowed in pain and rage as blood gushed from his side and mouth, staining the white cloth covering his face red. "I'll kill you, you BRAT!"
Ducking under a wild swing, driven by his mounting fury, Anko landed another cut on Zabuza's left leg. However she missed anything truly vital, as she had to throw herself away to avoid the return of the giant blade.
The fight dragged on in the manner of wolves taking down a bear. Zabuza was unable to use a technique powerful enough to take us down as there were too many of us and not enough time between our attacks, and while Kakashi was strong enough to beat him straight up, we didn't want to risk getting injured by confronting him directly.
So we focused on wearing him down.
Our strategy went well. We had dealt a massive amount of damage to our opponent, even if most of it was superficial, each wound cost him blood and pain.
However, it is said that an injured animal is at its most dangerous.
I suppose I had gotten cocky, thinking things would stay the same and that we could bleed Zabuza into submission until Gato arrived. I had forgotten that whether it was the world, or Kishimoto (KAMI DAMN HIM!), things seemed to like fucking with Naruto.
Hence things liked to fuck with me.
The only warning we received was the widening of his eyes and an aura of savage glee as in an instant Zabuza blew Kakashi away with his sword. And instead of attacking either Anko or me, he blew past us heading for something I hadn't seen.
Turning to follow him, I saw what he was after even as my heart froze in my chest. For standing there, new, ruby eyes wide in shock as they showed him what was coming, while his body couldn't do anything to change it, was none other than Uchiha Sasuke.
I didn't have time to think, didn't have time to yell or scream about how unfair the world was, or to warn the idiot to get away. I only had time to do one thing.
I wrapped myself in chakra and applied a nature transformation, turning it into the lightning natured chakra. I hadn't perfected this technique yet, but if Sasuke was to live then I didn't have any other choice other than to use it and hope. Nor did I have any time for doubts or thoughts of consequences.
Suddenly I had both no time, and all the time in the world. As my eyes flicked around I took in everything, from Anko's surprised face, and wide eyes, to the snakes being launched from her sleeve. I noticed as Kakashi's eyes widened in terror for his student even as he bolted towards Zabuza with the hand seals for Raikiri slowly forming in front of him. He would be far too late. I noticed how each of my muscles twitched and my heart beat heavily in my chest.
Then I pushed off the bridge. I noticed how it gave way beneath my foot and how there was the beginnings of a cloud of shattered splinters forming as I sped away, towards Sasuke and his impending death.
I noticed as the Kubikiribocho slowly inched towards my stuck-up teammate's neck. I noticed that I was moving too fast for his newly awoken Sharingan to track.
I noticed that I would not get there in time and strained myself to move even faster. I noticed as the muscles in my legs began to tear and agony accompanied every step. I reached out my hand to push Zabuza away from Sasuke, sure he was a dick but he didn't deserve to die for it.
I noticed that I would make it and felt my lips stretch into a smile. I was so close. So close to making this all turn out well, so close to saving Haku and Zabuza and helping the bloodline rebellion.
So close to making a new friend and paving the way for an alliance between our two nations, one that would help everyone involved. So close to having Gato arrive and ending this without unnecessary death.
I noticed as my hand impacted Zabuza's back. He was swinging his blade from the right, so I was aiming for that side, to push him past Sasuke. So that he hit the Uchiha with the handle or his arm instead of the blade.
I noticed when my plan worked better than I had intended. Zabuza and I went flying passed Sasuke without touching him, my momentum and sheer speed taking us farther than I intended because of my inexperience with this technique and the force of impact.
I noticed when my plan fell apart around me, nothing like I had intended.
I noticed that my hand wasn't on Zabuza's back. I noticed that the skin around where I had touched was burned black even as I pulled back, ripping my hand from inside his chest.
I noticed how I had left a hole, cauterized and seared black, in the shape of a hand. My hand, each finger defined in his flesh, outstretched as if to say stop. I noticed that I could see right through the hole to the other side.
I noticed as the blood splashed against my face, chest, and hand as I ripped it from his body. I noticed as it evaporated in the storm of lightning that surrounded me.
I didn't notice the look of shock on my face, or the numbness that was spreading out from my chest. I didn't even notice when I dropped the Lightning Style Chakra Armor.
I couldn't take my eyes off of the figure of Zabuza, barely able to stand and using his sword as a crutch to keep himself on his feet.
Blood shot out of him in hacking coughs as his body tried to deal with the sudden loss of a lung and ribs, the jolt from electrocution, and so, so much electrical, burn damage.
Kakashi was suddenly by my side; Raikiri in is hand and eyes almost comically wide. It would have gotten a laugh from me in just about any other situation, but not here, not now that all of my hopes and plans were crashing down.
How was I going to tell Haku? Tell her that I killed her reason to exist? That I took away her 'precious person' in order to save a guy I didn't even like?
I knew I was in shock, not because I killed again, but because of who and how I killed him. I knew that even though he wasn't dead yet, he would be soon.
"Holy shit!" Anko whispered nearly reverently as she came up beside me. "What the fuck was that?"
"The Lightning Chakra Cloak used by the Raikages of Kumo." Kakashi numbly answered as he continued to gaze at Zabuza.
"Holy Shit!" Anko repeated herself. "Where the fuck did you learn something like that Blondie-kun? And why haven't you shown it to me before?" Her customary, psychotic enthusiasm was breaking through her shock and any respect she held for a dying opponent.
"B-Because it's not done yet, and could be slightly…dangerous." I finished weakly while looking at Zabuza's pitiful, yet still prideful form.
Short, hacking laugher came from the dead man standing before us. "Dangerous he says. He killed me without even meaning to and he calls it slightly dangerous. Damn it, the guys down in Hell are going to take me for a joke because of this. Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Hidden Mist, taken down by a mere Genin. On accident."
I wanted to apologize, to explain what I was trying to do, but it seemed he already knew. Even when he was going to kill my ally, I had tried not to kill him.
It was obvious really.
If I had been trying to kill him the wound would be on his left side. He was far too distracted by pain, blood loss, and the opportunity to wreck our composure by murdering one of our comrades to stop me, dodge, or even notice my attack.
So I kept silent in honor of the man before me. In honor of what he represented, what he had done, and what his death would mean. However, I did have something I could say to ease his burden.
"I swear that I will become a name that is respected and feared throughout the Elemental Nations." I swore to the Demon, steadfast in my conviction. "I will become a horror story to my enemies and a legend to my allies, and they will say that it was Momochi Zabuza who started me on that path. Besides that, I won't let Haku lose herself. I'll make sure she accomplishes your goal. That she helps the bloodline rebels in your stead and becomes a kunoichi you'd be proud to call comrade."
"Ah." Zabuza sighed, as if coming to an understanding that had been eluding him. "So that's why you were so adamant about wanting us to survive. You knew."
"Yes, I knew." I could only nod, even if he wasn't looking at me.
With a groaning bellow Zabuza managed to lift his sword and turn to face us before replanting it in the wooden boards of the bridge. He was left panting for breath and spitting up blood, but somehow remained standing.
"So." His grim eyes bore into me. "What is the name of the man who sends me to Hell?"
"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of the Leaf, Inheritor of the Will of Fire, Student of Kakashi of the Sharingan, and Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune." I met his icy gaze with my own burning one, showing him that my promise was real and that I had what it took to live up to my words.
"I see. Good. I can live with being killed by a man like that." Zabuza said in a light tone and smiled at me, or at least I would like to think that he did.
"Ahhh Zabuza, you seem to be in a bit of a predicament!" The obnoxious, gloating voice of the insufferable worm named Gato floated through the mist. Of course he showed up now of all times, once my plans had been thoroughly ruined.
"So you were right, huh brat?" Zabuza said as he hauled himself upright. "Kakashi, Naruto…Snakebitch." He addressed us, but seemed to forget Anko's name prompting her to cuss a blue-streak at him.
"I'd like to call a truce as I no longer have a reason to fight against you." Then he fixed his gaze on me. "Uzumaki Naruto. Watch me. Look upon me as I fight to my last, unto death. Watch my determination to see my goals, my ambitions, become reality! Then when I fall. Pick up my blade and carry it with you, so all may know that it was you and not some unknown scum who slew Momochi Zabuza. The Demon of the Hidden Mist!"
With that he launched himself into the midst of Gato's horde, slashing, chopping, and swinging his blade with all his might. Men were cleaved like melons as Zabuza fought without restraint or care. Even as Gato called for his head and promised larger and larger rewards for claiming it. Even as the wounds piled up on his battered form.
For what were injuries or wounds to one such a he? What was a wound of the flesh to a dead man?
I kept my eyes on him. I trained them on his form and soaked up every moment, every movement, and every form he went through as he performed his last dance with his blade. I memorized it all, carved it deep into my brain and my very soul.
When Anko made to go join in, I held her back even as Kakashi did the same with Sasuke. She glanced questioningly at me before subsiding and waiting impatiently.
It was only after he had cut a swath of destruction through their ranks and claimed Gato's head, as the worm had screamed and cried like a stuck pig, that the Demon collapsed to his knees. His body was littered with gaping wounds and weapons of all shapes were sticking out from him like some kind of a demented porcupine.
The thugs crowded around him, gathering courage from numbers and his dismal appearance. However as they pushed close enough he roared to his feet and took the heads off of those within the reach of his blade as he made his final stand, thundering his rage and denial to the world.
When he finally went down for the last time, his body hardly had any blood left to leak through the rents in his flesh. His labored breath grew harsher and harsher even as it grew weaker and weaker.
It was then that I allowed Anko free reign to sweep up the scattered, pitiful remnants of Gato's army of thugs while I approached the man whose sword I would wield from this day forth. The man in whose shadow I would walk until I was tall enough to cast even him in my shadow.
I knelt down before him. "Zabuza-san." I called softly, trying to claim his attention one last time before he left this world.
"Heh, did you watch gaki? Did you see?" Came the weak, strangled reply.
"Yes Zabuza-san. I watched the entire time. I saw it all." I responded in an equally quiet voice.
"Good. Take it; take Kubikiribocho, the Decapitating Carving Knife, The Executioner's Blade. Take it Uzumaki Naruto, along with the name that I give you. Carry both in memory of me and carry them into legend, The Executioner's Blade and Konoha's Golden Storm."
"Thank you Zabuza-san. Now rest, all will be well." I gently took the sword from where it lay impaling the bridge in front of him.
"Take care of Haku." He bit out, his breath rattling in his ruined chest. "Take…care…of…my…daught-errrrrrrrr." His last words trailed off into his death sigh as his eyes slipped closed and a Demon, a father, became no more. Only a lump of cold unmoving flesh hidden in the mist.
Standing up I shouldered my new blade and ghoulishly took its sheath and holder off of Zabuza's desecrated body. For we were ninja, and he would no longer need it.
Kakashi watched as his student, his favorite student if he was honest, scavenged the sheath of his new sword off of a man's fresh corpse. Naruto took only a minute to adjust it for his smaller size and then attached the blade to his back. Kakashi felt that even if the blade was more sideways than vertical on his student's childish form, even if it dwarfed him in size, there was no one that would be able to laugh at Naruto for it.
No one could have even mustered up a comment on how ridiculous the whole thing should have looked because to all who saw it in that moment the bloodstained blade looked like it belonged more, resting on Naruto's back, than it ever had in Zabuza's hands.
As his student slipped back towards them, casually walking over the gruesome dead, he glanced at Sasuke and Anko. Sasuke had retrieved what kunai he had used and was trying hard not to be jealous over Naruto's new weapon while also attempting to process just how close he had come to death, and that he would have died without Naruto's intervention. Not to mention dealing with his own first kills.
Anko was starring at his blond student, but instead of her usual lecherous demeanor, something else was showing through. Oh there was a tinge of her customary lust and lewdness in the hint of a grin unformed on her lips, but the gleam in her eyes was more speculative, discerning, and hungry than he was used to seeing there. Regarding anything but dango.
Of course it would be right as everything finished that the villagers and Inari showed up, armed with whatever tools the could scrounge up and ready to fight for their freedom. I offered them a tired smile that may have been fraying at the edges, and thanked them for being brave and willing to support us and fight for their freedom and country. Strolling back over I picked up Gato's head and held it aloft as if it was a trophy and loudly declared that Wave was free! They all broke into cheers and celebration, even surrounded by death as they were.
After that I wandered off, having my clones retrieve Zabuza's body and move Haku to Tazuna's house. When I was sure that Haku would be cared for I sent off my clones to retrieve all the unneeded explosive notes I had placed on the bridge, just in case, and begin to both repair and advance the work on it as much as possible. More clones were sent to find Gato's hideout and ransack the place.
Other than that, I took to avoiding everyone and practicing with my new blade through use of shadow clones. As for me, I went for pounding myself into the ground through physical workouts after retrieving my weights and upping them again.
I only took the time to go into town to eat, or occasionally stop in at Tazuna's to see everyone and let them know that I was alright. Not to mention to drop off much of the money that I had liberated from Gato's hideout, I squirreled some of it away for my own purposes. That really helped to jump start the economy and had all the people in Wave in extremely good moods.
Well, everyone who wasn't a ninja. In addition, Inari seemed to have taken me as his idol, and put me up on the pedestal of 'Hero'.
Hah, what a joke. We're shinobi, hired killers. That's what I told him, but I still thought of myself as a hero, the hero of this story. Naruto! A great adventure. Sure there would be some death and killing, but I could prevent anything really bad from happening because I was the main character! The Hero!
I was, I knew I was. At least I was supposed to be. I had to be for things to turn out right in the end. However, I couldn't help but think that if this was the price of being the hero that I didn't want it. I didn't want to be the hero or the villain, demon, whatever it would be in the future. Life was easier when there was no pressure, no one counting on you, no one to let down, let die, or kill.
I'd rather be like Zabuza. I'd rather just be a shinobi, a hired killer. However I couldn't be like that. That way led madness and an early grave. That way led to Madara and Obito and Nagato and Kaguya and the end of the world, as everyone knew it.
So I would need to be the hero. And that meant I would need to be stronger. Stronger than anyone. I had made good strides in the time I had been given, but it wasn't enough. Orochimaru was coming soon, and I wasn't strong enough to face him yet. I needed to train harder and longer. I needed to get so strong that even Nagato as the 6 Paths of Pain was nothing but an annoyance.
And I would.
I would also drag anyone I cared about with me into strength, whether they wanted to go or not. Because even if I was the Hero, I couldn't be everywhere at once. So they would have to be strong enough to take care of themselves and stay alive until I got to them. Anyone who wanted to be close to me would need to be strong enough to stand up to the future enemies I would face.
They would need to be S-Rank.
Anko came by on the third day to check on me. She didn't attack me, or do anything crazy or lewd that she might normally do. Instead she just sat there and watched me for hours. Finally I paused and walked over to sit next to her. My shirt was off and I was soaked with sweat, my clones were in the same state as they swung around the giant-blade-of-metal-death with ever increasing ease and skill.
"Do you have a goal or a dream Anko-chan?" I broke the silence between us.
Perhaps she was able to sense that I was serious and had no patience for her usual antics, because Anko responded sincerely. "I want to kill my old sensei and remove his taint from the world…and me."
"Then you'll need to be strong Anko-chan. Much stronger than you are now. Orochimaru won't go to Hell easily." I looked her in the eye, as hers widened in surprise, and made my resolution clear. "I'm going to become strong, much stronger than even your old sensei. So if you really want to be around me, in whatever sense, whether as a friend, as family, or a lover. You'll need to get strong enough to fight on par with people like Orochimaru. There are people out there even stronger than him, and one day I'll be standing among them. However they will eventually come for me, for the Kyuubi."
She was shocked that I had brought up the Kyuubi I could see that clearly. However she was not surprised by the fact that I held it inside me. "I see." She nodded her head slowly, eyes going hazy in thought.
"That's why I'd like for you to train with me or at least in any way you so choose. I want you to really work to get stronger. From what I know you were hailed as a prodigy, which is why your ex-sensei took an interest in you in the first place. I know his…mark…interferes with channeling chakra, but you can still work on your physical aspects. I will help you wherever and in anyway I can. And in the meantime, I'm working on something to try and get rid of that mark, or at least neutralize it and its effects." I laid everything out as clearly as I could. Then I offered her some encouragement and maybe a bit of hope for the future in the form of my Fuinjutsu research.
I expected everything from jokes to swearing to violence. What I did not expect was to be swamped into a real, genuine hug. "Thank you." Anko buried her face into my neck, overcome with emotion at the thought of having her curse-mark removed. Her body quivered with the effort of suppressing her emotions.
"You're welcome." Was my only reply as I rubbed her back and stroked her hair. We sat like that for a while before Anko left and I returned to my training.
Like that a week passed and the bridge was complete. It was time for us to return to Konoha.
It was also time for me to face something I had put off until now. I would have to confront Haku. She would obviously know that I had killed Zabuza by now, but I had no idea how she would react.
She would most likely hate me, spit on me, call me a liar, and maybe even vow to kill me as vengeance one day.
However a small, naïve, dare I say it 'retard Naruto' part of me hoped that she would understand. And even if she could not forgive me, that she could continue on with her life and complete Zabuza's dream before forging a dream of her own.
An even smaller part of me hoped she was still too injured to move about, and that I wouldn't have to face her.
Coward.
I decided then and there that I would face her even then. Even if I could get away without seeing her, I wouldn't. It was the very least that I owed her.
So it was that I approached Tazuna's house and made my way inside for breakfast that I saw Haku for the first time in a week.
She looked bad. I mean she looked awful. Truly, horribly, bad. Her eyes were shadowed, red, and puffy from crying. Her nose was rubbed red and raw from the unceasing wiping, and blowing from the flowing snot her crying produced. Her skin was pale and had an unhealthy sheen of sweat from the pain of her injuries, and her hair was lank and lifeless.
But looking into her eyes was the worst. I didn't see a person looking back out of them.
"Haku-ch…san. We need to talk. I have put this off for too long using excuses like 'your health' and that I 'was busy'." I spoke calmly and authoritatively in an effort to keep myself from running away in my guilt.
No words were issued from her, just a hollow stare and the barest hint of a nod.
Taking that as my signal I went and unceremoniously kicked everyone from Tazuna's house for the next half hour. To my surprise they all went without a fuss.
"So." I looked for a place to begin, but could find no good way to say that I killed her mentor, father figure, and precious person. So I just went ahead in the most Naruto way of all and said it. "I was the one who killed Zabuza-san." I paused and swallowed regretfully, not able to meet Haku's eyes. "I was trying to hold out and stall until Gato showed up and betrayed him because he wouldn't stop until that happened. However…Sasuke showed up before that could happen."
I took a pause, waiting and listening for any reaction. Hearing none but the pained breathing in front of me I continued with my retelling. "Zabuza-san spotted him first and was going to behead him. I-I used a Jutsu that I hadn't perfected yet to try to stop him by pushing him away from Sasuke. However, I underestimated the power of the Jutsu and I ended up wounding Zabuza-san grievously. It was only then that Gato showed up."
I looked at the ceiling bitterly. "It figures that I would be the one to crush my hopes, plans, and dreams. If only I could have stalled for just a few minutes more…But I couldn't and Zabuza-san and you paid the price for my inability. After that I promised Zabuza-san that I would become a man and a shinobi worthy to have killed him. He told me to watch him and afterwards to take his sword as proof of my beating him."
I released a shaky breath and studied the ceiling some more. There were many interesting grains in the wood and a few worrisome cracks. "His-his final words were to take care of you. To take care of his daughter."
Finally I heard something other than breathing from the other person in the house. Harsh, body-wracking sobs tore their way out of her. "Z-Zabuza-sama! T-Tou-san!" She cried.
I couldn't move. I wanted to comfort her. To take her in my arms and tell her that it would be okay, that everything would turn for the better. However I couldn't, not after I had been the one to cause her so much pain. I didn't have the right.
"He wanted you to continue on with his dream. His goal. He wanted you to help support the bloodline rebellion and become a strong kunoichi that he could be proud to call a comrade when he met you again." I pulled out a scroll and laid it on the table in front of her. "That is two times the amount that Gato promised you for this job. I know that it will never be enough for what you have lost, but I hope that it helps fulfilling his dream. And I am truly sorry for having caused you so much pain, it was never my intention and I would change it if I could. But I can't, and I never will be able to. I just…I never meant to hurt you. The worst part is that I killed him for a comrade whose loyalty I'm unsure of."
We sat there after that. We sat in the silence as she cried and sobbed and I stared at the ceiling, engraving the sound of heartbreak into my mind and using it to steel my resolve.
Eventually everyone returned and we ate. Everyone else snuck concerned or worried glances at the sobbing girl on the couch. Everyone but me.
Eventually it was time to leave, and as we turned to walk out the door a weak, hoarse voice called out. "Naruto."
I froze. Then I turned back and met Haku's eyes. They had life in them when they met mine. And if that life seemed to be more than a little focused on my existence or possibly the thought of ending it? I couldn't help but feel that was alright and a little happy that she had found a reason to live.
"I will achieve his dream." It was a statement of fact, nothing more and nothing less. I nodded in acknowledgement of such. "I will become a kunoichi that he would be proud to stand beside in combat as a comrade, not a tool." Another fact, another accepting and acknowledging nod. "Only then will I call in the debt that you owe me. I know not what I will do when we meet again, but prepare yourself for that day."
It seemed she had used up all of her strength as she sagged back into the cushions of the couch. I looked at her one final time and gave her another firm nod as one ninja to another. "I will wait for that day. Be it a year or a millennia, I will remain in waiting until you appear before me again and the burden in your heart is released in whatever fashion you deem is necessary." At this point my eyes turned fierce and my gaze smoldered with resolve and purpose. "However, at that time you will be standing before Uzumaki Naruto. Known as Konoha's Golden Storm. The slayer of The Demon of the Hidden Mist, S-Rank Shinobi, and a man who will be revered by his allies and dreaded by his enemies. Know this, carve it into your heart and mind and prepare for that day. For I owe him no less."
Not waiting for a reply I turned my back and exited the house. Retrieving my sword from where it leaned beside the door, I marched past my teammates, sensei, and whatever Anko counted as, and headed directly for the newly finished bridge.
The citizens of Wave saw us off with much ado, and we waved and smiled back at them. Well, all of us but Sasuke. But he doesn't count anyway.
As we left some of my left over clones that were clearing out any left over thugs heard a discussion about the name of the bridge. It ended up being The Great Naruto Bridge, just as in canon. I couldn't help but laugh darkly when the clones dispelled and I was hit by that knowledge. The Great Naruto Bridge, huh?
Well I wasn't great. Yet. But I supposed it was a fitting name, as I would be. And while I knew that I would have eventually been strong even without this extra motivation, as I had the Hax no Jutsu after all, I would be even greater now.
And it had all started thanks to a battle that took place on that bridge. So yes, the name was a well-chosen one. Even if they didn't know that they chose it for the wrong reasons.
Finally we were leaving Wave, mission complete. Even if it did not go the way I had hoped it would, it was done with now. And now I had a new goal, a new determination, and a new realization.
There was a cost to being the Hero. And while I didn't like paying that cost, I could do it. I would have to do it, as there was no one else. There was only me.
Uzuamaki Naruto, future Hokage, future S-Rank Ninja, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.
The Golden Storm.