[A\N: Hi guys! First of all, I'm so sorry for not updating. This month has been a hectic mess. We were moving apartments and also my laptop broke so I had to update on my phone. Further updates are gonna be late too, because my laptop broke because of my own stupidity so my parents are quite mad with me. They'd would probably not going to repair my laptop anytime soon, so I have to update via smartphone, which is damn annoying. So sorry in advance. BTW enjoy the chapter.]
Everyone stared at screen except the certain redhead, who was actually looking at the whisked blonde. Naruto, feeling a burning gaze on her, turned to see Gaara. She gave him a soft smile but in return he turned his attention back to screen. Frowning, Naruto too turned to the screen. If only she looks at him, she would've noticed the reddening cheeks of the the ichibi jinchuruki as he sneakily stole glances of her.
"Sensei...." Kakashi glanced at Tazuna as he hesitantly continued, "I have to to talk to you." His voice was gravely, "It's about the mission.... You're right. This job is most likely outside of your duties. It turns out, there's a super dangerous man after my life."
"Aren't you a little late to say that?" Mikoto glared at the screen, "I swear if Sasu-chan even got a scratch because of him, I'll find him and end him."
Sasuke internally cringe at the 'cute' nickname his mother call him by.
Naruto looked torn between making fun of the nickname or tell Mikoto that Sasuke got more than a scratch. He actually died even it's for few minutes.
Instead she gave a sheepish grin.
"Super dangerous man?" Questioned Kakashi, "who?"
"You've probably at least heard his name once before...."
"......" Was the Team 7.
"A shipping magnate named Gatou."
"Gatou?" Rasa repeated. Karura gave him questioned glance.
"You know him?" She asked.
"He is said to be a richest business man." Hiruzen answered her. Itachi, Shisui, Kakashi, Minato and Rasa nodded.
"Huh! Gatou?!" Kakashi was stiff in alarm, "From that Gatou company? He's said to be one of the wealthiest people present."
Tazuna signed, "Yes...officially he runs a large shipping company but, secretly he sell drugs and other illegal items using ninjas and gang members to take over businesses and countries... He's a very nasty man. It was a few years.... Gatou set his eyes on wave country. Through violence and money he quickly took the control of country's shipping industry. He has now a monopoly of all the business traffic in the country. The only thing he has to fear is completion of bridge."
Sakura rose a curious eyebrow, "I see... So, you're in his way."
Sasuke face twitched in irritation, "Those ninjas were hired by Gatou."
'I don't get it', Naruto thought with a deadpan expression.
"Why it doesn't surprise us?" Sasuke mumbled under his breath.
Kakashi stopped walking, "But what I don't understand is.... If you you knew that ninjas could be after you, why did you hid that fact when you hired us?" He looked at Tazuna.
"Because, he's an asshole." Everyone sweat dropped at Kushina's comment.
"The wave country is very poor. Even the feudal lord has no money. So, naturally we don't have either. So, we can't afford an expensive B-rank." Tazuna signed dramatically, "......Well, if you quit the mission now...... I'll be definitely killed....."
"I have a feeling that he's trying to guilt trip them." Jiraiya arched his eyebrows.
Kakashi blinked, "But-"
Tazuna cut him off, "Don't worry about it!!" His face was 'pity-me-I'm-so-pitiful' look, "If I die, my cute 10-years old grandson only cry for few days. Oh yeah! And my daughter will live a sad life hating the leaf village forever."
"Oh! C'mon! Don't fall for it, he's doing this on purpose!" Deadpanned Shisui.
The three Genin sweat dropped.
"But don't worry it's not your fault. Not at all!"
Kakashi signed, "I guess we have no choice other then to protect him at least till he reach his country."
Tazuna looked smug.
Then the scene changed. All the people were traveling in a boat. The mist was so thick that they were very difficult to spot.
Naruto looked around in amazement, "Wow, the mist is so thick that I can't spot a thing."
"We would probably see the bridge soon. The wave country is at the the base of the bridge." The boat paddler said in low tone. He continued to paddle.
A silhouette formed in the thick mist. And that silhouette became a huge, unfinished bridge.
"WOW!! IT'S HUGE!!!" Naruto's loud voice echoed. The boat paddler face palmed.
Jiraiya grinned leacherously. Tsunade gave him a warning look but he said, " That's what she sai-!" BAM. Jiraiya whimpered.
Kankuro, who was sitting beside Tsunade, inched closer to Gaara.
"Hey! Be quiet!" He hissed quietly, "Why do you think we are hiding in the mist not using engine? We'll be in deep trouble if Gatou find us." Naruto's eyes widened and snap her mouth shut.
Sasuke and Sakura looked at Naruto sharply as she cowered.
They finally passed through a tunnel and the civilization came into the view. They finally stopped at the dock.
They stepped out and the boat paddler said, "Well, this is it for me. Good luck and good bye."
Tazuna nodded gratefully and turned to the ninjas, "Now get me to home safely." He said making everyone sweatdrop
"Hai. Hai." Kakashi responded.
Naruto glanced at Sasuke and smirked, 'Okay, I'm not going to let him hog the spotlight.' She snapped her head to left then right.
"There!" She screamed before throwing a shurikan in a bush. Everyone froze in alarm.
"........." There was dead silence.
She cooly flipped her hair with a smirk, "Heh....just a rat.."
"Stop trying to act cool!! There was nothing there!!" Sakura seemed really pissed off.
Kakashi stared at Naruto with a scolding expression, "Hey....please stop using shurikan.... It's seriously dangerous..."
Tazuna send a withering look to blonde, "Hey midget! Stop acting like a moron!"
Naruto paid no mind to them and snapped her head to her right, 'I think I see a shadow.'
Kakashi glanced at the spot Naruto looked. He was also stiffening in acknowledgment.
"There!" She threw a shurikan again.
Sakura stomped over the blonde and smack her on her head with a hint of mercy, "I said stop it!!"
Sakura winced from the glare Kushina sent in her way.
"Itai!" Naruto winced, rubbing her assaulted head, "Somebody is after us. I swear."
"Yeah right!"
Kakashi walked to the bushes and calmly pushed it a side to see a snow rabbit in a pitiful state with Naruto's shurikan embedded on it's head.
"A snow rabbit?" Itachi narrowed his eyes so did Neji and Shikamaru.
Naruto quickly knelt down and gently pick up the injured rabbit and started sputtering apologies to it.
"Look, what have you done!" Sakura scolded.
What no one noticed, was Kakashi's serious expression as he glanced on the tree behind them. Suddenly his eyes widened and he screamed, "Get down!"
Everyone ducked as a huge sword was cut through the air. Everyone held their breath as a tall and noticeably muscular man with pale skin, short spiky black hair, brown eyes, and small eyebrows, Jumped down. He was wearing bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face. He was wearing a Kirigakure forehead protector sideways on his head. He was shirtless, with his chest only covered by a belt. He was wearing baggy pants with the striped pattern typical of Kirigakure and cow print wrist-warmers extending up to his elbows, with matching leg-warmers.
"Zabuza Momochi." Was Fell out of Minato's mouth before he could stop.
"Zabuza as in one of the seven swordsmen of mist." Kiba looked in awe.
"You, a fresh out Genin team, consist of an loud idiot, a violent fan girl and an emo tsundare, came across one of the seven swordsmen and survived." Obito looked at Naruto with disbelief. The girl merely grinned.
The sword embedded it's self into a tree. We now get a better look at the man who was now standing on the sword.
"He's...." Kakashi began
Naruto was shaking, 'Someone's here, here, here! This time I'll handle the situation. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke.' Naruto thought
"Oh, my, my, you are Momochi Zabuza, the exiled ninja of the Hidden Village of Mist." Kakashi said.
"He went rogue?"
'Exiled Ninja?' Naruto thought 'Who cares I need to... On your mark...Go!' Before she could rush forwards. Kakashi grabbed the back of her jacket. "Huh?"
"Stay back everyone. He's way different from the other guys we met before." Everyone Stared at Kakashi "If he's our enemy..." Kakashi raised his hand to his forehead protector that was covering his eye. Everyone was confused by what he was doing. "I can't win like this.
"I'm guessing you are Kakashi the Sharingan user." Zabuza said. Sasuke looked at Kakashi surprised. "I'm sorry, but I'll need you to hand over the geezer."
"What the fuck do you mean by me using Sharingan?"
Naruto remain silent.
"Inoichi, pause the memories." Minato ordered.
Inoichi did as he was told. Everyone looked surprised, especially the Uchihas.
Fugaku glared at Naruto, "How did he get the sharingan? He stole it, didn't he? Of course, what would expect from the son of the trait-!"
"Shut it!" Snarled Naruto. Behind her, Kurama was ready to rip Fugaku limb by limb.
Naruto was breathing heavily, She looked like she was holding herself from attacking him.
"You're lucky that you're Sasuke's father, or else I would've already ripped that tongue out of your mouth as soon as you started that sentence." She hissed. Fugaku looked taken back. So did other people present.
Everyone was used to sunny blonde but now they were looking at the war hardened shinobi, who is ready to launch a killing spree if she has to. It was frightening, she was frightening.
Naruto suddenly felt a familiar warm hand clamped on her own. Even withe the bandages, she could feel the warmth. In desperate need to anchor her anger, She clutched the hand tightly. Slowly, her anger drift away.
"Naru....." Kushina knelt down in front of the blonde, who didn't even noticed that she was on her knees. Gaara didn't let go of the shaking hand.
Kushina tilted her chin upwards, "Sweetie......"
"I'm sorry, mom. I didn't meant to scare you. He shouldn't have badmouthed Kakashi." Naruto said.
She felt a hand patting her head.
"Can you please tell me how did I got that?" She heard Kakashi asked.
After some silence she nodded and started speaking what Kakashi told her, "During the the 3rd shinobi war, As part of the war effort, Team Minato was assigned to destroy the Kannabi Bridge in Kusagakure in order to cut off Iwagakure's supply line. Dad was needed on the front lines at the time, leaving Kakashi, recently promoted to jōnin, in charge. Before embarking on the mission, Dad and Rin gave him presents to celebrate his promotion; Obito forgot to get him anything. Kakashi, Rin, and Obito continued further in to Kusa. Rin was kidnapped by an iwa-nin. They went to save her.
One of the iwa-nin tried launching a sneak attack on Obito. Kakashi protected him, but his left eye was badly damaged in the process. In that moment, Obito awakened his Sharingan and used it to kill the nin. They then entered the cave where Rin was being held, drove off Kakkō, another iwa-nin, and released Rin from the genjutsu he placed her under. Kakkō retaliated by forcing a cave-in and Kakashi, due to his damaged eye, was struck in his blind spot and had difficulty avoiding the falling rocks. Before he could be crushed by a large boulder, Obito pushed him out of the way, becoming trapped instead. Unable to get free and knowing his injuries were too serious to survive, Obito decided to make his last act giving Kakashi the present he forgot to give him earlier: his Sharingan to replace the eye Kakashi lost." She finished. She looked to see Obito looking sick and Rin was frozen with the rest of the people present.
"H-he..didn't...did he?" Kushina stuttered.
"He survived." Not wanting to go in details. There were many signs of relief.
She looked at Gaara and smile, "Thank you." She whispered, squeezing his hand one last time before letting it go.
Karura let out a quiet squeal.
Minato turned to Rasa, "Kazekage-dono, Can you excuse your ANBU, or take their mask off."
Not wanting to make them leave, He motioned them to unmask. Yashamaru was first then Sasori.
Naruto stared at him wide eyed. Then shook her head.
"Let's continue." Inoichi nodded and unpause the memories.
Naruto was confused 'What? Sharingan? What's that?' Naruto wondered.
Kakashi was still just standing there "Everyone, form the swastika formation. Protect Tazuna-san. Don't join the battle."
"What?"
"To not interfere with the battle is teamwork." Then Kakashi lifted his headband off his eye... There was a scar there and when he opened his eye it was red with what looked like three comas. "Fight me..."
Obito sucked a breath.
Naruto was shocked 'What's that eye?'
Zabuza seemed amused be this "I'm honored that I can see the Sharingan that I've heard about."
Naruto then asked "You guys have been saying 'Sharing an, Sharingan', but what is it?"
Sasuke started to say "Sharingan...the eye creates it, and it is the power the pupil generates. One who use doujutsu are said to have eye powers that can see through all genjustu, taijustu, and ninjustu, and cancel their effects. Sharingan is one of the various types of eyes that those doujutsu users posses. But that's not the only ability the Sharingan possesses." Sasuke said all knowing.
Zabuza laughed "Your right...That isn't it. The scary part is that Sharingan can understand how an opponents technique works, and copy it." Suddenly a thick mist began to cover the entire area. "When I was in the Hidden Village of the Mist's assassination squad... your information was listed in the bingo book I carried asking for your capture. It also noted this... The man who copied more then 1,000 techniques, Kakashi the copy ninja." Glares, glares, glares there where many glares between the two Jounin.
"Damn," whistled Kiba.
Sakura had her mouth open.
Naruto stared at Kakashi with impressed expression.
Zabuza then spoke up again "Let's cut the chit-chat here. I have to kill that geezer right away." Tazuna was speechless and the genin formed a half circle in front of Tazuna with there kunais out in front of them. "But Kakashi, it seems I have to defeat you first."
Zabuza then pulled is sword out of the tree. Everyone looked around "He's over there." Naruto said
"He's standing on top of the water?" Sakura said
Zabuza was standing on top of the water Kakashi watched this. The water kept swirling around Zabuza.
Zabuza then spoke his technique "Mist concealment." And he vanished from sight.
"He disappeared!" Naruto yelled
"Sensei!" Sakura said concerned
"He'll try to eliminate me first, but..." Kakashi stated.
"What is he?" Sakura asked.
"Momochi Zabuza. He was in the Hidden Village of Mist's ABNU, and was known for his "Silent killing "techniques." Kakashi replied.
"Silent?" Naruto asked.
"Just as the name implies, it's a killing technique that's executed in a flash and carried out in absolute silence. It's possible that you'll be dead before you realize it. And I can not use my Sharingan to its fullest potential. So don't let you guard down." Everyone was shocked at the sound of this. "But if you fail, you're only going to die."
"How can you say that so cheerfully?" Sakura yelled at Kakashi. They then waited there not moving until Naruto realized something.
"Yeah!"
"The mist is getting thicker!"
Tazuna then explained "The Country of Wave is surrounded by the ocean, so a mist often emerges."
The mist got so thick that they could no longer see Kakashi. "Sensei!" Sakura said.
They then heard Zabuza's voice echoing "Eight points."
"What is it?" Sakura asked.
"The larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, collarbone, kidney, and heart." Zabuza said "Now, which vital organ do you want to get stuck at?" The Genins and Tazuna were all like shocked.
Kakashi then made a hand sign and his chakra appeared around him, clearing a small area around him and the genin. And he was all glowy and stuff. Sasuke watched this and he was shaking.
Sasuke was still trembling as her slowly reached his other hand to his kunai.
He then felt something grab his shirt. He looked down to see one of Kakashi's hands had instinctively grabbed his shirt while the other one held his kunai.
"Sasuke." Kakashi spoke. "Don't worry. I'll protect the four of you with my life. I won't let anyone on my team die."
Fugaku looked down in shame for insulting the man who saved his son's life.
"I don't know about that." In a flash Zabuza was somehow in the middle of all of them. "This is the end." Kakashi saw Zabuza with his Sharingan. And just a Zabuza was about to swing his sword Kakashi leaped at him and everyone scattered to get out of the way.
Kakashi's kunai had went through Zabuza's stomach but what was trickling out wasn't blood... it was water. And the real Zabuza was behind Kakashi.
"Sensei! Behind you!" Naruto yelled.
Kakashi then looked behind him and Zabuza swung his sword. "Die!" And cut Kakashi right in half. But alas he the changed into water like Zabuza before him. Zabuza was shocked. They stood there Kakashi holding the Kunai to Zabuza's throat. Every one was scattered around them the Genins watched in amazement well Sakura looked like she was in shock and Naruto seemed completely impressed. "This is the end." Kakashi stated.
"And that's you don't mess with Kashi-senpei, because he'll pulverize you." Shisui commented.
Naruto then yelled. "Wow!" Sakura seemed to snap out of her trance. But Zabuza began to laugh.
"Is this the end?" Zabuza started. "You don't understand. You can't defeat me with just your indiscriminate imitations. I can assure you that." Kakashi 'tched' him and Zabuza began laughing at him. "But you're pretty good. I see you've copied my water clone technique when you said," Zabuza continued "By making you clone speak as if it was the real one, you diverted my attention to the clone... while the real one used the Mist Concealment technique to hide and observe my movements. However..." Kakashi's eyes widened as another Zabuza appeared behind him. "I'm not that easy to defeat." The clone then turned back into water.
Naruto yelled in shock. "That one's a fake, too!" Kakashi turned around as Zabuza swung his sword at Kakashi. Kakashi ducked just in time the sword then got stuck in the ground and Zabuza switched hands and spun his leg and kicked Kakashi and Kakashi went flying. Zabuza grabbed his sword free from the ground and charged at Kakashi. He then realized Caltrops. And he was forced to stop. "How idiotic." He then turned and jumped and Kakashi fell into the water.
Tsunade clicked her tongue, "Careless."
"Sensei!" Naruto yelled.
Sakura was slightly shaking.
Sasuke was also slightly shocked. "His hand-to-hand combat skill is superb, too."
Kakashi slowly then came to the surface of the water. Zabuza then repapered behind Kakashi and did some hand seals.
"Baka." Kakashi eyes widened and Zabuza finished his seals. "The Hydro-Prison technique." Kakashi then turned around.
"Shoot." Kakashi was then stuck in a water ball. Zabuza was laughing "You fell for it. This is a special prison that you can't escape from. You give me a hard time when you're moving. Now then, Kakashi... I'm going to finish you off later. First, I'm going to get rid of them." Zabuza then turned forward with his hand still in the water and made a hand seal. "The water clone technique."
Kakashi lifted his head. "I didn't think he was this strong..." A water clone then surfaced from the water. Zabuza laughed some more. "The four of you have forehead protectors on as if you think you're ninja. But ninja refers to someone who has gone through numerous life and death situations. In other words, you can call yourself a ninja when you appear in my bingo book." His clone made another hand seal "You four aren't ninja."
Naruto was shaking uncontrollably 'He disappeared again.' Naruto was then kicked back by Zabuza her forehead protector flew off her head and onto the ground and Zabuza stepped on it.
Gaara and Hinata glared at Zabuza.
"You're just kids." Everyone turned to what happened in shock.
"Naruto!" Sakura yelled.
Kakashi then yelled to everyone. "Everyone! Get Tazuna-san and run! You can't win against him!" Naruto was shaking on the ground. "He can't move as long as he has me trapped in this hydro-prison." Sakura wasn't shaking as much. "He won't be able to use his water clone once you get away from him!" Tazuna was sweating "Run now!"