The Strength of the Weak {A Naruto Fanfiction}

The Strength of the Weak - Chapter 11

"Calm down and stop moving, Naruto-kun," I instruct, making Naruto cease his fit for now. As Naruto takes deeps breaths to calm himself down, I notice Kakashi-sensei turn around and confront Tazuna about why there were trained shinobi after him.

"I understand that you have your reasons, but lying to us about the mission is unacceptable," Kakashi-sensei declares. Tazuna looks at his feet shamefully, regret brewing in his eyes.

"We are genin, and this mission is too advanced for our level of training. We should head back not only to get you a squad more capable of protecting you but to get a doctor for Naruto's wound," Sakura suggests, looking to Kakashi-sensei for reassurance.

Naruto suddenly seems troubled, causing me to turn my attention towards him. He surprises us all by pulling out a kunai knife and stabbing the wound on his hand, making it deeper but also getting the poison out.

"Why am I so different? Why am I always so..." Naruto stops, collecting his thoughts. I take the kunai out of his hand and let it drop to the ground, putting my hands on his cheeks to make him look at me.

"Naruto, you need to stop. Don't push yourself so hard," I plead. Looking at Naruto now made me think of what Sasuke could be feeling... and it made me want to protect him. Naruto takes my hands off of his face, looking me right in the eyes with determination.

"I've worked so hard to get where I am today! Training for hours, pushing myself as hard as I could... but for what? Let me tell you... I will never back down again and let someone else rescue me! I will never run away, and I sure as hell will not lose to Sasuke!" Of course, Sasuke just had to be a part of his emotional speech.

"With this wound, I make this pledge! I will protect you, bridge builder, with this here kunai knife! A real ninja never gives up, and neither will I, dattebayo!" Naruto promises, letting his blood drip to the ground. I glance at Sasuke, who was scowling at Naruto. Sometimes I just wish those two would get along...

"As nice as that little speech was... I'm afraid that if you bleed anymore, you'll die," Kakashi-sensei states casually. Naruto, upon hearing this, starts to freak out, screaming nonsense about how he was too young to die. I sigh and grab some bandages out of my weapons pouch, beginning to wrap it around Naruto's wound.

Perhaps Naruto could save Sasuke and I both.

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"Tazuna, I'm going to need you to tell me why you lied to us about the mission. If you refuse, I'm going to have to leave you at the shore while my team and I head home," Kakashi-sensei says. We were all in a boat, the waters calm beneath us. I was sandwiched between Kakashi-sensei and Naruto, while Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna sat on the other side of the boat.

"Years ago, the Land of Waves was not as poor as it is now. The cause of our poverty is from one short man who casts a long, deadly shadow..." Tazuna explains, sighing and clenching his hands together, a sad look in his eyes.

"His name... Is Gato."

Kakashi sensei perks up a bit, seeming to recognize the name.

"You mean Gato of the shipping industry? Why would someone like him be after you?" Tazuna sighs once again.

"Gato controls the seas. Since the Land of Waves is an island nation, the man who controls the water surrounding it controls everything. The wealth of this country all goes to him. If this bridge is built, then we will be connected to the mainland, and he won't have control of our land anymore, meaning he loses money."

I nod in understanding, sympathy for the man creeping up on me. He was brave, and he is risking his life to make this country a better place for everyone. Naruto, who was beside me, definitely didn't get it, if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"Naruto. Gato wants money, and if this bridge is built he won't get as much money. Get the picture?" Kakashi-sensei explains plainly. His face lit up in clear understanding. You had to simplify things for this kid...

The man who was guiding the boat cut the engine and told us to be very quiet. As we approached the land, a huge bridge comes into view. The bridge that would help all of the people of this land.

"Wow! That bridge is huge!" Naruto shouts. I cover his mouth, and he sweat drops as everyone begins to scold him. He really needs to practice patience and self-control...

When we get to shore, Naruto is immediately alert. At least he's trying to be helpful rather than just trudging around carelessly, which is what I suspected he would do, unfortunately.

"Over there!" Naruto startles us all by throwing a shuriken towards a bush, although it doesn't seem like it hit anything but the tree behind it. I walk over and part the bushes, showing that there was nothing there.

"Naruto, only throw your weapons if you're sure there is something there. If not, save us all a heart attack and don't mention anything," Sakura scolds, giving Naruto an annoyed glance.

Despite what Sakura told him, Naruto continues to throw kunai and shuriken wherever he pleases.

"Right there!" Naruto threw yet another kunai to a bush, which unsurprisingly, didn't have a ninja there. Kakashi-sensei wearily runs a hand down his face, clearly becoming agitated by Naruto's constant screaming.

"There was actually something there this time, I swear it!" Naruto insists. When I pull back the leaves, a white rabbit is standing there, fearing for its life.

"Look what you did, Naruto! You scared a bunny!" Sakura chides. I glance at Naruto's guilt-ridden face, before a brief reflection of light catches my attention from the corner of my eye. Kakashi-sensei's eyes widen drastically and he immediately flies into action.

"Get down!" he demands, tackling Tazuna to the ground. A massive sword was hurling towards us at breakneck speeds, and if we didn't move we would be sliced clean in half. Sasuke tackles Sakura, who was closest to him, which left me to get Naruto since he was still confused as to what was happening.

Scowling, I launch myself at the blondUzumaki, only moments before the sword passes over where we had been standing before. We land ungracefully, a cloud of dust billowing around us. A dark chuckle catches my attention, making me glimpse up to the man standing on the sword that had nearly killed us.

"Zabuza Momochi... rogue of the Hidden Mist," Kakashi-sensei announces quietly. Our silver-haired sensei was visibly rigid and on guard, which put me on edge, seeing as he was usually laid back and nonchalant.

"Everyone, manji formation! Protect the bridge builder at all costs!" Kakashi-sensei instructs with no room for argument, so we obey without question, surrounding Tazuna in order to keep him safe.

"Well, well, well..." Zabuza's gravelly voice rings out, "If it isn't Kakashi of the sharingan eye. It's truly a pleasure to meet you."

I swivel my view quizzically towards Kakashi-sensei. Zabuza had said sharingan, no mistake... Is Kakashi-sensei in possession of a sharingan eye? He isn't an Uchiha... so how exactly does he have such a rare power, especially one he isn't meant to have in the first place?

Sasuke catches my eye from beside me, confusion apparent at just a glance. So he too was curious as to why Kakashi-sensei had our clan's kekkei genkai... perhaps that was the power he used to break out of my genjutsu during the bell test.

"If we are going to battle..." Kakashi-sensei says ominously, "...then I'm going to have to use this!"

Lifting up his headband, I gasp in surprise as a blood red eye is revealed. One that was strikingly and unmistakably familiar.

"The sharingan..."

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