Kakashi Hatake had never seen the fabled Nine Tailed Fox in person. Now he was helpless to do anything as his loudest and stupidest student began taking on fox like characteristics.
What the hell is happening? Sasuke thought. How was it that Naruto was able to move to defend Sakura when he had just as little chakra as he did.
"You'll pay for this" Naruto said angrily as he stood in front of Sakura who took in a shaky breath.
One minute she was facing Haku alone, and now Naruto who had hardly anything left in his chakra reserve managed to stand up and defend her.
Always someone huh Sakura? Always need someone protecting you, she thought, annoyed.
When Sakura grew older her father informed her of the legendary Nine Tailed Fox and how the Third Hokage had sealed it inside Naruto. She had been sworn to secrecy as the information had been disclosed to only a few shinobi which happened to include her father and mother.
Now the pink haired ninja could only watch on in horror as bright orange chakra began to whip through the air.
Naruto became angrier, his eyes narrowed together and whisker marks began to form on his face. Gone was the carefree knucklehead, who longed to be the best ninja in the village. He was now replaced with something that held tremendous force.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU" Naruto yelled in voice that sounded like death.
Sakura looked a few feet away where Sasuke sat immobile, staring at Naruto with a mix of awe and envy.
The pink haired ninja on the other hand was scared. The fact that her blonde teammate was standing, let alone producing enough chakra for ten ninja was a medical impossibility.
But Lady Tsunade had spoken about the power of emotion as strength in battle; it seemed as though Naruto's anger was fueling the Nine Tailed Fox within him.
Naruto yelled and charged towards the enemy ninja, Haku jumped barely avoiding the attack. "His chakra grows stronger every second, I must strike now!"
Senbon needles rained down upon the blonde ninja, but a huge rush of orange chakra threw them off his body. Naruto charged forward again ready to strike Haku who promptly dodged the attack and decided on a quick aerial strike.
Sakura and Sasuke could only look on in shock as their blonde teammate twisted out of the assault and managed to grab Haku by the wrist, another strong burst of chakra emitting from his body.
Still surrounded by Zabuza's Hidden Mist Jutsu, Kakashi watched the strong chakra radiating off his student.
"Could it be? Has the seal been broken? No, it's just been loosened. The Nine Tailed Foxes chakra has slipped through but the seal still holds" Kakashi thought to himself before reaching into the front pocket of his faded green Jounin vest and pulling out a scroll.
Tossing it up in the air to unfurl, the silver haired man cut his thumb and ran it along the open scroll.
"Zabuza! I don't mean to spoil your fun; I know how you like to stretch these things out but how about we put an end to this now?" Kakashi called out while twirling and tossing the scroll around his body.
Catching it, the Jounin placed his fingers together to begin a jutsu. "Come on, what do you say? We're both busy people"
Hearing Kakashi speak, Sakura attempted to locate their sensei but the Mist Jutsu was too thick.
In all the fighting with Haku and Naruto's transformation she had almost forgotten that they were facing two enemies, not one.
"Sounds tempting, I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such brave words. Show me Kakashi!" Zabuza called out as Naruto's grip on Haku's arm tightened and the flow of chakra surrounding them became stronger.
Lifting two fingers to the front of his mask Haku attempted to perform a jutsu. "I can't, his energy is too strong"
Naruto's whole body glowed orange as he began to breathe heavily. Raising his fist and with a loud yell, the blonde haired genin punched the fake tracker ninja, sending him flying.
Haku's body tumbled and rolled before coming to a stop several meters away. Wasting no time Naruto charged forward with a burst of chakra as pieces of Haku's mask began slipping off his face.
"Zabuza, I am no match for this boy. Master, I have failed"
Feeling some of chakra return to her, Sakura silently thanked Tsuande for her ridiculous stamina training and made her way over to where Sasuke lay, still hardly able to move. Immediately Sakura used what little chakra she had built up to heal some of Sasuke's wounds. As she progressed up his fore arm her glowing green hand was slapped away.
"Sasuke what are you doing? I'm trying to heal you and give you more chakra" Sakura asked in confusion.
"I don't need you chakra and I don't need you to heal me. I don't need anyone's help, least of all you" Sasuke said in a voice like ice.
Sakura became infuriated and shot the raven haired teen a dirty look.
"Didn't you learn anything from that bell test? We're supposed to work together as a TEAM Sasuke; right now I have more chakra than you which means you need help! Why can't you just admit that?" Sakura said hotly as her cheeks began to turn the colour of her hair.
Sasuke replied in kind with his infamous Uchiha glare.
"You know what Sakura? This would have never happened if you'd just stayed out of the way. You think you're such a chakra expert because you can heal a few cuts? Naruto and Kakashi may think you've changed but I don't. So you're wearing your hair up and you got rid of that stupid dress. That doesn't make you any more of a ninja than Ino or the rest of those annoying girls. This has been just some stupid attempt to impress me but I will NEVER be interested in you" Sasuke spat maliciously.
"OH HELL TO THE NO. COCKY LITTLE UCHIHA BRAT SAY WHAT? QUICK WHILE HE'S DOWN, BEAT THE LIVING HELL OUT OF HIM! NO ONE SPEAKS TO US LIKE THAT CHA!" Inner Sakura screamed, having a meltdown burning pictures of Sasuke.
Sakura sat unmoving, not angry or sad or hurt. Just nothing. Numb. Sasuke watched as her normally light emerald eyes faded in to a dull green. It was as though all the light had been sucked out of her. Getting slowly to her feet, Sakura returned her kunai knife to its pouch.
"Fine, if that's how you feel" Sakura said in a voice void of any emotion and began to walk off past the shattered remains of the Ice Mirror Jutsu to exit the bridge.
Sasuke clenched his fists in anger, why was she being so stupid? Why couldn't she just stay out of the way? When did she suddenly decide it was time to prove her abilities to everyone? He had to get her back before she got herself into trouble again.
"You know she wouldn't be walking away right now if you hadn't spoken like that to her. Why didn't you just let her heal you?" A voice in Sasuke's head spoke up.
Because I don't need help from anyone. I don't need friends, I don't need sympathy and I don't need people obstructing me from my goal, Sasuke 'replied' to what seemed like his conscious as he attempted to stand up but was unable.
"Sakura! Get back here before you get into trouble!" Sasuke yelled out.
Sakura heard her teammate but refused to look back or turn around. "Sakura, we can't just leave" her Inner spoke up, trying to be reasonable.
Yes we can. You heard him, you heard what he said. I'm a fake; this whole change was an act to get his attention. I should have stayed out of the way, by leaving the mission I am out of the way
"Going somewhere sweetheart?"
Naruto's fist stopped centimetres away from Haku's face, his breath was ragged and heavy. "So that guy in the woods; that was you?" He asked in a somewhat calm voice.
Haku simply looked at him. "Why do you not strike? Did you not just vow to avenge your teammates after I injured them? Or was that just empty words?" The fake tracker ninja asked monotone.
Anger rose up within the blonde boy as he remembered his promise and threw a punch. But it didn't contain the same fiery anger or the amazing chakra power from the Nine Tailed Fox that it had previously.
Haku once again fell to the ground and shakily got back up again, coughing out blood. "No, that won't do. You're still holding back. If that is all the strength you can put into it you will never keep your vow….. Or perhaps they don't mean as much to you as you pretend" Haku said, emotion seeping into his words.
Naruto clenched his fists together in anger. Sasuke was always ahead of him at the academy and ever since they had been put on the same squad Naruto had been trying to best him at everything. They weren't the best of friends but they were still teammates. As for Sakura, Naruto thought that he knew her in the academy. She hated him and loved Sasuke, but that was different now. He didn't know where he stood with Sakura. Really he knew hardly anything about his teammates. Haku interrupted his thoughts.
"To show mercy to those who oppose the one you serve. To allow his enemies to live when you can strike them down. This is not compassion; it is a betrayal of your life's very purpose. For what reason do you exist then? You're of use to no one; your life has no meaning. It is mere existence, day after day of pain and struggle signifying nothing" Haku commented.
"Yeah well speak for yourself!" Naruto spat back.
"Are you really that blind little one? I am speaking of myself; this day has shown that I am no longer of any use to Zabuza" Haku responded.
"Zabuza! Why that guy anyway?! To devote your life to a rotten skunk who doesn't know the meaning of the word honour. If he's really the one person that matters to you, man that's the sorriest thing I've ever heard!" Naruto yelled in frustration
"There were once others who mattered to me. Long ago. My father and my mother, they were farmers but very poor. They were good to each other and kind to me. But because of something that happened long before I was born, everything changed" Haku said falling silent.
"What is it!? What happened? What changed!?" Naruto asked persistently.
"It wasn't my doing, it is in the blood. It was my father who changed, he killed my mother and he almost killed me. Because of a vicious civil war the people of my land began to fear and hate anyone who carried the Kekkei Genkai" Haku continued.
"Kekkei Genkai?" Naruto asked, zeroing in on the word.
"The advanced bloodline trait of a clan, its jutsu and abilities passed down from generation to generation. Because of these abilities, these clans were used as mercenaries. They fought in any battles and were much feared. But when the wars ended they were shunned by the people who feared their presence would bring more wars" Haku said.
"My mother was able to disguise her bloodline trait and fell in love with a simple farmer. She thought she would be able to live a simple ordinary life for the rest of her days. When I began to develop the special abilities of our clan's trait my mother attempted to keep it a secret. But my father saw and he killed my mother. I had lost both my mother and father but I had lost something even more important"
"More important than your mother and father? What?" Naruto asked quietly
"My purpose. In the entire world there was no one who needed me. I was unnecessary" Haku spoke softly and Naruto stood rigid to the spot.
"Why is it you're so determined to be Hokage? Because you want all eyes in your village to look at you and recognise you as a great ninja. You see it is only through the eyes of others that our lives have little significance. When there is no one who sees you or will even look at you it's as if you do not exist. Then Zabuza came along and looked at me, his eyes were not full of hate or fear. He did not shun me for my strangeness. Indeed my special powers were just what he wanted. He made me necessary again" Haku explained.
"But now I have failed, I am like a weapon that has been broken and of no further use" Haku said quietly while slowly walking towards Naruto who took a few anxious steps back.
"Naruto. Kill me"
Sakura's mind snapped to attention when she heard Zabuza's voice, the whole bridge was covered in mist but wasn't he supposed to be down the other end fighting Kakashi.
Reaching for her kunai pouch the pink haired ninja prepared her defence
"Don't even bother kid. Why so quick to leave? The team needs you or isn't that what you upstanding Konoha ninja's believe in" Zabuza said in a taunting voice.
"I haven't got time for this. Get out of my way so I can leave. The team doesn't need me, never has never will" Sakura said bitterly as Zabuza appeared in front of her.
"You're a girl, weak and useless ninja but with the right training you could be powerful. More powerful than any of these fools, even the great Kakashi Hatake would have to acknowledge your superiority. Before I kill you kid I'll give you one good piece of advice, you don't need a team to succeed" The Hidden Mist ninja said in a serious tone before making the beginning signs of a jutsu.
But before the kunoichi could even consider what Zabuza had said Kakashi appeared out of nowhere and quickly pushed his female student aside.
Zabuza quickly disappeared back into the mist.
"Sakura, you need to go back to Tazuna. Stay with him until this is over!" Kakashi ordered and the pink haired ninja complied quietly. Still clutching his scroll the silver haired Jounin performed some quick hand signs.
"NINJA ART SUMMONING!" Kakashi yelled out smashing the scroll into the ground "EARTH STYLE, FANGED PURSUIT JUTSU!" Chakra then began to pour out of both ends of the scroll.
"I don't know why you bother, of what use is your jutsu if you can't even find me. But I can find you" With that Zabuza appeared again a few meters away. "Blindly falling into my trap, you disappointment me Kakashi. I think you're right, it is time to put an end to this"
Suddenly the ground began to rumble and cracks in the bridge began to appear. Ninken shot out of the cracks and latched themselves onto Zabuza, growing and snarling.
"Sakura you're back! That dreadful noise, what could it be?" Tazuna asked as the female ninja re-appeared and stood in front of him.
"I don't know, it sounds like a pack of dogs" Sakura replied.
Tazuna noticed that something was off but chose not to say anything. Just what had happened when she went into battle Haku and protect her teammates? The fog was so thick Tazuna couldn't see the loud mouthed blonde or the Uchiha brat. Not to mention the disappearance of Kakashi moments ago.
Lifting his hands from the scroll, Kakashi rose to his full height and now looked at Zabuza who was pinned down by his Ninken. The situation would have been comical had it not been so serious.
"I realised if I couldn't see you I'd have to smell you out. That was a summoning jutsu; I was calling forth my ninja hounds. They can track a scent anywhere" The Jounin explained.
Zabuza tried to struggle against the dogs but it was in vain.
"When you attacked me I let you get passed me. I wanted you to cut me. You see it's the smell of my blood on your blade that led them to you. Surprised? Looks like I wasn't the only one who was blind. Falling into my trap, you disappoint me Zabuza" Kakashi said in an amused tone before looking around the bridge.
"Ah, the mist is finally clearing and you know what I see? Your death!"
"Talk talk. Do you mean to talk me to death?" Zabuza spat back.
"In a way, yes. Right now my hounds are just playing with you but one word from me and they'll tear you apart. Poor Zabuza, see where you ambitions got you? You were always pushing things too far. You've stooped so low to be the hired thug of a swine like Gatō" Kakashi said with conviction before doing a hand sign.
"I think it's high time we finished this, but not with Sharingan, you're going to see one of my own original jutsu!"
Quickly making the necessary hand signs, copious amounts of what looked like lightning bolts began to expand from one of the Jounin's hands. The sound was deafening, like huge numbers of birds squawking at an intensely high frequency.
"LIGHTNING BLADE!" Kakashi yelled. Zabuza stared wide eyed at the lightning surrounding Kakashi. "The chakra is so strong! It's visible, he holds it in his hands!" he thought to himself.
"I won't allow you to kill Tazuna; he's a brave man with a noble dream. The bridge he's building is the hope of this land and its entire people. You're like a disease, by hurting one you harm all and you don't care. That is not the way of the Shinobi" Kakashi stated.
"You're right, I don't care! These useless little people and their petty little dreams, why should they matter to me? I have a dream of my own" Zabuza said angrily as the chakra in Kakashi's hand became stronger.
"But to have a dream you need to have a future. You don't. Your future is all used up Zabuza!"
"Go on strike me, kill me. Why do you hesitate?" Haku asked in a calm voice, Naruto stared at the boy before taking a few angry steps back.
"That's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard! I mean, he treats you like a slave! You're a human being not a weapon or a tool! How can you care about someone like that?" Naruto asked, frustrated.
"It is for that reason exactly. Does that seem so strange to you?"
"Well yeah, a little"
"Zabuza gave me both a purpose and reason for living. But now my usefulness is over, the only thing that gave my life meaning. It's gone and I am a broken tool, a blunted weapon of no use to anyone. Go on Naruto, do it for both of our sakes" Haku said but still Naruto refused to move.
Sasuke had finally regained enough chakra to move himself into a sitting position. "Damn it, where the hell did Sakura go? This mist, it's clearing but not fast enough. I can't see Naruto or Haku and I still can't move!"
"I thought you wanted to be a mighty warrior?" Haku asked the blonde boy who continued to put distance between himself and the fake tracker ninja.
"That's not what it's about! Do you really believe that's all there is to it? Just fighting and killing till there is one man left standing! There's a lot more to be shinobi than that!"
"I've had a feeling all along, from the first moment we met in the woods. We're a lot alike" Haku said "I'm sure you know what I mean, I'm only sorry it is your hand that is tainted with my unworthy blood"
"Are you sure about this? And you're positive it's the only way?" Naruto asked, shaking slightly. Haku nodded and the blonde boy reached into his kunai pouch and began to charge forward, intent on killing the tracker ninja. "Yes this is right. Strike true Naruto"
"At least this fog is clearing up, look there!" Tazuna said as Sakura looked to where he was pointing. Two figures stood, squaring off against each other.
"Is it Naruto and Haku or Kakashi and Zabuza?" she thought to herself.
"Look one of them is moving!" the bridge builder called out as Kakashi moved forward quickly, Lightning Blade in hand ready to strike Zabuza down. At the same time Naruto was still charging forward when Haku suddenly looked up, eyes wide.
Before he knew what was happening, Haku had grabbed Naruto's wrist and prevented him from doing what he had requested.
Holding the kunai back, Haku performed some quick hand signs with one hand. "I'm not ready to die quite yet" the enemy ninja said before disappearing.
Kakashi ran at Zabuza with intense speed. "Is this the end?" The hidden mist ninja asked as the silver haired Jounin leaped into the air, ready to strike.
A huge blast of air almost knocked Sakura off her feet as she struggled to stay upright. The mist had been cleared away fully, someone had been struck with Kakashi's Lightning Blade but it wasn't Zabuza.
Immediately the Ninken disappeared and the rouge ninja was free. Kakashi's jutsu and scroll had been neutralised by senbon needles.
An ice mirror stood between Zabuza and Kakashi and between Zabuza and the mirror stood Haku with Kakashi's Lightning Blade gone straight through him. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura now had full visibility and could only stare in shock as Haku's blood covered the ground.
"Za-bu-za" Haku said quietly, breathing slowly as he tried to remove Kakashi's palm from his chest.
"So my future is all used up huh Kakashi?"