Forgotten Darkness (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter Eighteen

I stared at Kakashi trapped in the water. He looked shocked, nervous, and scared for our safety. "You think that wearing a headband makes you a ninja. When you've hovered between life and death so many times that it doesn't faze you, than, you may be called a ninja. When you've become so deadly that your profile is entered into my bingo book, then you may have earned the title ninja."

He made a hand sign, putting us all on guard. "But to call upstarts like you ninja... is a joke!" He vanished into the mist, and I got to work tracking him down.

He disappeared again! Naruto thought.

I figure out where Zabuza is heading and appear in front of Naruto just in time. I shove Naruto back, his headband falling down. My back is facing Zabuza, so I spin around, meeting his kick with one of my own. My foot connects to the inside of his calf, redirecting his energy and causing him to spin around.

He slams his foot back on the ground behind him, raising his opposite foot into a sidekick. I gently push his ankle, and slide past his attack to deliver a front kick to his chin. It connects, but doesn't seem to faze him. He punches me in the stomach, but it is weak, hasty. I jump back to my teammates, ignoring their shocked eyes.

I look at Zabuza, totally calm. I feel no hate towards him. I feel the fear, but don't allow it to control me. I allow it to give me an edge. Having control of my emtotions leaves me with a clear head. He steps on Naruto's headband.

"You're just brats!" He declares.

"Naruto!" Sakura cries. Nice to show you have such concern for me, Sakura! I was fighting Zabuza too!

Kakshi makes a noise of frustration. "Listen! Get the bridge builder and run! You can't win this fight! He is using all his power to keep me in this water prison, so he can only fight with his water clone. But the clone can't go far from his real body. You go away from him, you can't follow. Now run!"

This is nothing new to me, I had already made all these calculations in my head.

Run away? Not an option. Sasuke grits his teeth, That became unthinkable the moment you got caught. No matter how fast we run or how far we go, he'll track us down. And wipe us out. If we try the old defense formation, he can get around it in an instant!

"Kakashi-sensei." I call calmly. "The moment that we're gone, Zabuza can concentrate his whole power in disposing you." Disposing? How can she talk so calmly about Kakashi-sensei's death!?! Naruto and Sakura think. "The moment that you are dead, he comes after us. It's his job to kill the bridge builder. We four stand no chance against Zabuza. In reality, it's either take a chance dying now, and perhaps saving you, or definitely dying later."

Kakashi frowns, unconvinced. "Sensei, I've been going over every possibility and chance in my head. This is the path that has the highest probability of the bridge builder surviving." The bridge builder. She said nothing of me, herself, or my other students. She based all chances on our missions purpose; the bridge builders survival.

"That girl of yours has a quick mind, Kakashi." Zabuza almost complimented.

"That's what we must do!" Sasuke agreed, then sprinted towards Zabuza. Uh, teamwork, perhaps? He threw several kunai, all which were easily blocked. He jumped into the air, hands braced as he prepared to knock Zabuza out.

Too easy. Zabuza grinned, raising his hand and grabbing Sasuke by the throat. Zabuza threw Sasuke to the ground, and sakura shrieked, "Sasuke-kun, no!"

Zabuza was in front of Naruto, who thought, So this is what a jonin is... A true elite ninja! I-I I've gotta get away! He turns to run, but catches sight of his hand, still wrapped in gauze. He's reminded of his promise.