Hinata lay panting against the hard ground, her face was smudged with dirt, her clothes were torn, cut and burnt in several places. There were also hints of red, indicating that she was also bleeding somewhere.
She weakly opened her eyes as the tip of Naruto's scimitar touched her exposed neck. "I remain disappointed." He drawled.
Hinata glared at him through her exhaustion. She struggled to stand, her leg muscles protesting against the strain.
Naruto, though he wouldn't admit it, was mildly impressed by her stubbornness. Most people he had hit that hard wouldn't get back up for the rest of the day, if at all. And yet here she was, a mere gennin upstaging them all.
"You have yet to complete your exercise, Hyuuga. I expected more from you."
Her glare increased tenfold. "I…cant...concentrate…if…you…keep…on…attacking."
"Do you expect your enemies to stand idly by and wait for you to attack? I suggest you begin your attack now before I decide to strike again."
Hinata grit her teeth, she officially decided, right then and there, that she hated this blond bastard.
She formed a fast series of hand seals making the water rise up behind her. As it began to take form however Naruto shot forward and began to attack her with simple Taijutsu…well…simple for him, for Hinata it felt as if she was fighting her father in a death match.
She tried to keep control of her Jutsu, but when she received a hard punch to the gut that literally had the air in her lungs screaming as it left in a hurry the jutsu predictably collapsed and her along with it.
She slumped over, coughing, clutching to Naruto in order to keep herself standing, as her legs had lost all strength in them.
Naruto stared at her, heaving and coughing. With a grunt, he slung her under his arm like a sack of potatoes.
Definitely not the most delicate person Hinata noted dryly, but she had neither the strength or the will to get out of his grip.
The trip was mainly done in silence when they were near Tazuna's house Kakashi appeared in a swirl of leaves. "Hello you two." He said and then raised an eyebrow at Hinata's disheveled state and her seemingly unconscious form under the blonds arm. "Oh my god you did kill her." He said as he hastily picked up a stick and began poking her.
Hinata snarled and swatted the stick away since she didn't have enough strength to do much else.
Kakashi sighed in fake relief. "Oh good, she's not dead." He remarked tossing the stick, over his shoulder. "Well, come on. Tsunami-san made dinner for us."
That said, Kakashi lifted Hinata in a much more delicate manner, carrying her bridal style towards Tsunami's house.
Hinata mumbled, "Never train with that guy. Its bad for your health."
Kakashi chuckled. "I'm surprised you survived." He remarked dryly.
Hinata sighed, "Save me some of the food, I don't think I can eat right now."
Kakashi shrugs, "Sure thing."
By the time they made it to the house, Hinata was already asleep, Kakashi took her up to her room and laid her on the futon. He closed the door and walked down, joining the others at the dinner table. Naruto had removed his mask to eat.
The silence was somewhat tense, Tazuna and his family not knowing how to address either of the quiet boys.
Surprisingly it was Naruto who broke the silence. 'Uchiha, did you complete the exercise?"
Sasuke scowled. "No, I got up about two thirds of the way up."
Naruto was about to say NNot good enough' when Kakashi hastily intervened. "Ohh, Naruto, I was wondering uhhh…what did you train Hinata in today?" 'Nice save Hatake.' He mentally gave himself a pat on the back.
"Her elemental affinity."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? Don't you think that might be a little much, it takes a great deal of both control and capacity in order to do anything even remotely damaging." He stated seriously.
"She has the control, but she lacks the power. Luckily, she will not need it." He stated cryptically.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow but before he could say anything the young boy, Inari spoke.
"Why do you all even train if your going to die anyway?"
The table grew deathly quiet, Sasuke glared angrily at the boy. Tsunami chastised her son. "Inari, apologize right now."
"Why?" He said angrily. "It's the truth. Gatou will kill them all."
Naruto finished his food and began speaking as he once again placed his mask over his face as he wiped his hands. "Fool boy." He said, his voice once again hollow and uncaring. He turned to him making the younger boy take a step back.
When the blond finally turned and began walking up the stairs Inari regained some semblance of his former gusto. He was about to yell something out when Kakashi stepped in once again. "Listen Inari. You can either stay here and let Gatou roll over you or…you can stand up and fight. A great man once told me…there are no weak soldiers under a good commander."
Naruto and Hinata were once again going through the same exercise of Hinata attempting to complete her task when Sasuke emerged from the foliage. They both stopped and turned to him, Naruto being the first to speak.
"Have you completed the tree walking?" He asked simply, Sasuke nodded.
"Show me." He commanded. Sasuke narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly but obeyed nonetheless and walked up a nearby tree.
Naruto nodded. "Good, now, you will begin the second step of this training." He turned and stepped up on the water. "Water walking."
"What the hell is the point of all this?" Sasuke asked angrily. "Teach me something useful." He demanded.
"Without enough control, my training of you would be worthless Uchiha. I suggest you get to work, or find your own training."
Sasuke glared at him and in a huff leapt down from the tree and left.
Naruto watched him leave with indifference.
He turned back to Hinata just in time to see her finish her handseals. "Never let down your guard." She said with very smug smirk as a column of swirling water formed infront of her and shot straight towards the blond Jinchuriki.
Naruto stood perfectly still as the column of rushing water hit him with the force of a freight train, Hinata smirked sadistically at the fact that she had finally gotten the better of him. 'YES!" She roared, momentarily throwing all poise and dignity out the window.
"Are you quite finished?" The familiar voice stopped her celebration dead. She slowly turned and saw Naruto standing in the exact same place as before. Completely unchanged except for the fact that he was now soaking wet.
Hinata gawked at him. "How are you still standing, you said this was one of the most powerful water Jutsu that you knew."
Naruto nodded, "True, but so far, we have merely been training in the forming of the attack, now, I will teach you how to actually put a great deal of power behind it."
Hinata looked puzzled as she spoke. "But…isn't the attack strength equivalent to the amount of chakra one puts into it, I put roughly one fourth of my chakra, that wont be enough to hurt that Zabuza guy, or that hunter nin."
Naruto nodded, but Hinata was sure he was smiling beneath his mask. "True, but I have a way to…remedy that, now that you've actually hit me with the Jutsu we can start the second part of your training."
Hinata refrained the urge to cringe. 'And, just what is the second part."
She could have sworn his eyes flashed red for a split second.
Kakashi was standing on the bridge reading his familiar orange book when a familiar chakra reached his senses. He looked to his left and found Sasuke approaching him. "Yes Sasuke, what can I do for you?"
"Train me." He demanded.
Kakashi's eye narrowed almost imperceptibly. 'What, no please?' "Naruto was assigned to your training." He replied blandly.
Sasuke 'hmphed' and crossed his arms. "That idiot only trains Hinata and makes me do some stupid chakra control exercises."
Kakashi looked to the gennin, "Did you finish, tree walking?"
He nodded.
"And I assume water walking was next." He said, to which Sasuke nodded again.
"Well then…get to it." Kakashi said simply, turning a page of his book.
Sasuke snarled through his teeth. "This is ridiculous!" He said angrily, he would have said more but Kakashi interrupted him "Sasuke, either you learn the water walking exercise, or you learn on your own, believe me when I tell you these chakra control exercises will be necessary at some point, so you might as well get too it."
Sasuke's fists clenched, he stalked off without another word.
Kakashi sighed.
Then he looked down at his book, giggling perversely as he turned to yet another page of his seemingly never ending story.
Kakashi was once again standing on the bridge, watching Tazuna as his handful of men continued to work on their respective tasks when a thick mist rolled in. He shifted his eyes from left to right and placed his book in his pocket before walking next to Tazuna.
"Hn, what a strange mist. It came out of nowhere." The bridge builder muttered.
"Tazuna." Kakashi spoke seriously. "Gather your workers and leave now."
Noticing the seriousness of his voice Tazuna knew that something was about to go down. 'Guys! Works over for today, go home now!" He called to his men who all grumbled in response leaving.
"Tazuna…go get the rest of my team, they should be in the forest near your house." Kakashi spoke seriously, uncovering his Sharingan.
Tazuna nodded and immediately ran off.
Kakashi watched him leave from the corner of his eye and then turned to the thick wall of mist that slowly encroached on him. 'Well Zabuza, I didn't think you'd be back on your feet so soon." Kakashi remarked blandly, spreading out his chakra to dispel the mist around his immediate area.
"You obviously underestimated me Kakashi." Came the Demon of the mists' voice from all around him Kakashi looked, eyes darting this way and that way and finally saw both Zabuza and the hunter nin that had rescued him appear out of the mist, like specters or ghosts.
Zabuza unhooked his Kubikiri while Haku vanished into the mist. 'You don't seriously think you can beat both of us."
Kakashi took out two kunai. "I don't need to beat you, I just have to stall you until Naruto gets here." He said smirking.
"Ahhh, you put too much faith in that kid Kakashi, I've seen him fight, he wont catch me off guard again. And this time, he'll be facing both Haku and myself. Still, I'm surprised he's alive"
Kakashi laughed mirthlessly, "Your still underestimating him. Do you want to know by what alias that boy is known by throughout the world?"
Zabuza raised an eyebrow. "Sure, why not."
"It's similar to your actually. 'The Demon of Konohagakure'." Kakashi said his masked curved upwards in a malicious smile.
Zabuza immediately stiffened. "What? That kid, is the Konoha elite who allegedly killed the lightning Daimio and his entire guard?
Kakashi smirked. "Over fifty enemy ninja, not even I could do that Zabuza, and neither could you even with the silent killing techniques.
Zabuza snarled. "It doesn't mater, I'll kill you now, then I'll kill the brat." He spat out before vanishing into the mist.
Kakashi stiffened as a dome of ice mirrors appeared around him. "Well now…this…could be a problem."
"Katon: Gokakyuu no jutsu!" Sasuke yelled sending another fireball towards a now heavily burnt tree.
As the fireball crashed against the wood, the tree gave a long groan of pain before it toppled over. Sasuke would have started another set of hand seals but just then Tazuna burst through the tree line looking frantic.
Sasuke turned to the older man with a puzzled expression on his face. "What's wrong?"
Tazuna panted hard as he leaned on his knees. "Kakashi…bridge…trouble." He gasped out.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. "Come on, Naruto and Hinata are this way." He said, running off Tazuna groaning as he followed. "I'm getting way to old for this crap!" He muttered following the Uchiha.
Moments later the two came across Naruto and Hinata. The girl was standing atop a river while Naruto stood a few feet away. When they both noticed Tazuna's presence they stopped their exercise and turned to them.
"Tazuna says theirs trouble at the bridge." Sasuke said.
Naruto nodded and shifted through his pouch before pulling out two soldier pills. "He tossed one to Sasuke and another to Hinata. "Take them, they will replenish your chakra."
The two took them wordlessly while Naruto formed two Shadow clones. "Tazuna, these two will escort you." He said before turning to his two 'teammates'
"Uchiha, Hyuuga I suggest you keep up." He stated simply before taking to the tree tops.
'Who the hell said he was in charge?' Sasuke thought, annoyed. Hinata followed close behind their third teammate.
The three came across a mist filled bridge, Naruto turned to Hinata, and Sasuke. "Uchiha, you come with me, Hyuuga…you know what to do." He said before walking ahead, Hinata nodded once before activating her byakuugan and leaping off to one side of the bridge, vanishing into the cool mist that blanketed the area.
Sasuke was annoyed, he and Hinata had formed some kind of plan and not being in on it was grating on his nerves. his teeth and walked up to Naruto, grabbing him roughly by his shoulder. "Hey-" He began but was immediately cut off as the blond rounded on him and gripped his throat with a grip, strong enough to stop him from speaking, but not strong enough to cut off his air supply completely.
"This battle Uchiha, is no place for your petty pride and wether you like it or not, I am in charge. Quite frankly, were it not my mission, I would leave you to your foolish and worthless fate. However, seeing as how your and the Hyuuga's survival is my responsibility then I must take the proper measures to ensure your safty. Therefore…"
Sasuke couldn't do much else other than cough as the living weapon smashed his fist into his gut. His eyes rolled to the back of his head ad he fell limp. Naruto, with a casual flick of his wrist tossed him aside, forming a shadow clone to drag him away to safety as he continued his trek into the mist.
He came across the scene where Kakashi's fight took place moments later, the area was littered, with Senbon needles, puddles of water, shuriken, kunai, blood and a large jagged trench ran across the ground, no doubt the result of Kakashi's infamous Raikiri.
The copy nin himself was leaning against the railing of the bridge, a large slash across his chest, which he had cauterized to stop the bleeding, several more gashes ran across his arms and legs but none were to serious. He walked over and knelt besides the fallen copy ninja checking his pulse, noting that he indeed was still alive.
Kakashi groaned, opening his eyes blearily and looking into the shadows that cover Naruto's face. "Your…late." He managed to whisper out before falling unconscious again.
"Hn." Was his bland reply as he stood and unsheathed both his scimitars, before walking further into the mist.
Kakashi was barely out of his visual range before he felt a shift in the air. He took one step back as Zabuza's massive Zanbato swung across his face, nearly hitting him, before vanishing again into the thick mist.
Naruto stood, perfectly still, he felt another shift in the wind and managed to side step in time to avoid another swing, which buried the sword deep into the ground. Zabuza pulled the blade out and once again vanished into the mist.
"You cant keep this up forever, kid." Zabuza's voice echoed around him, hoping to distract him Naruto knew.
Seconds later another swing came from behind him, Naruto this time was able to detect exactly where it was coming from and so, he pivoted on his heel blocked Zabuza's blade with his own, the metals meeting with a loud 'Clang' of steel hitting steel.
Zabuza chuckled.
"The Demon of Konoha? Really?, your not so impressive." He stated. Naruto pushed him off and spread out his chakra to dispel the mist around him.
Naruto said nothing as he settled himself into a fighting stance.
Zabuza leapt up high, bringing his blade down on the young jinchuriki.
Naruto crossed his blades and blocked the strike. "Your pet hunter nin is not here?" The blond asked dubious as Zabuza beating Kakashi so badly without receiving much injury was highly unlikely.
Zabuza chuckled, "He's around, but I don't need him to beat you." He stated.
"Hn." Naruto replied before shoving Zabuza back. He followed it up with a leaping spin kick to the mans neck, Zabuza ducked under the blow and then tried to hit the blond as he landed with a downwards diagonal swing.
Naruto put the blade in his left hand in a reverse grip blocking the strike. He then spun around while somehow managing to keep the blade in the same position and delivered a swift sweep kick.
Zabuza grunted as he his back hit the floor, He placed both hands on the ground over his shoulders and lifted himself up, spreading his legs and spinning with a split kick.
Naruto, as a result, received a kick square to his lower jaw sending him stumbling back.
Zabuza righted himself and charged at Naruto, picking up his sword mid run and swinging it in an attempt to cleave the blonds head off. Naruto, by reflex leaned back just as Zabuza's blade swung across, extremely close, so close in fact that Naruto could feel and hear, the very tip of Zabuza's blade scrape against his facemask.
As soon as the blade passed Naruto sprang forward leaping high and delivering a solid knee right between Zabuza's eyes sending the man reeling.
He raised both blades as he passed over and brought them down to stab the man in the chest when a mirror of Ice appeared between his blades and Zabuza, the two scimitars pierced the Ice mirror, making various cracks appear all across it. Naruto pulled out both blades and leapt back.
Haku's form appeared in the cracked mirror that was already repairing itself. "I will not let you harm Zabuza-sama." He stated.
"Ahh, the dog, comes to defend the master yet again." Naruto spoke blandly as he turned to Zabuza. "You would have this one fight all of your battles Zabuza?" He snorted. "You are no demon. Just another weak Shinobi that hides behind a shield."
Zabuza glared at Naruto as he picked himself up. "Haku, stay out of this." Zabuza said snarled as his eyes burnt with anger.
Haku looked hesitant for a moment before he nodded and both he and the mirror vanished in a swirl of water.
Naruto would have smirked, so predictable. Taking on one, was easy enough, taking on both…not so easy.
Zabuza stood and charged at Naruto again, aiming his strike to the blonds legs Naruto, jumped up, as the blade passed beneath him, he kicked it down hard, making it hit the stone floor of the bridge with a screech of metal against rock.
When he landed he immediately delivered a quick kick to Zabuza's face, he remained on one leg as he bent his leg back and delivered another to his ribs, followed by one more to his face and then a roundhouse kick with his other leg which sent Zabuza face down to the cold hard floor.
Naruto rushed forward but Zabuza regained his bearings in time to deliver a mule kick to the blonds chest, using him as a platform to roll forward and get back to his feet.
Naruto grunted as he wiped his chest free of some imaginary dust.
Zabuza's brow was marred in sweat and he suddenly felt drained. 'What is this, what the hell is going on? What's wrong with me."
"Hn." Came Naruto's hollow voice. "I see it is already taking effect."
"What is?" Zabuza growled out.
"You see Zabuza, there is a small detail of the hidden mist technique that not many really know about." The blond stated, in a flat tone, not even hinting at any emotion. "When the mist is created, there is always a minute amount of chakra that remains in each droplet in order to keep it in place after just a few moments the chakra is dissolved into nothing which means it must constantly be replaced by more chakra, however the chakra is so minute you hardly really notice it. You, have used this Jutsu so much that it is practically a subconscious exercise."
A slight pause. "Therefore, you have not noticed that my own partner has been draining the chakra from your hidden mist in preparation for her own attack. Judging from how you look I would say she has roughly 1/3 of your chakra, add to that the chakra you spent fighting Kakashi which would be about another 1/3 and finally the fact that you have been keeping this thick mist up for so long that would be another 1/3. Meaning that you have nothing left."
"Bullshit! No one can see and manipulate chakra to such an extent." Zabuza said, his voice coming out with more conviction than what he truly felt as he felt even weaker and weaker with each passing second
'Ahhhh, but this person has a bloodline, specifically designed to see chakra."
Naruto turned his head "Hinata!" He called and in seconds the mist seemed to swirl about and condense, roughly twenty to thirty feet away was the Hyuuga heiress to their right.
The mist condensed, finishing her hand seals Hinata yelled out. "Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu!" She poured all of her chakra into that technique, adding to that what she had stolen from Zabuza already.
The girl was so close to him he didn't have enough time to dodge he raised Kubikiri to act as a shield but in doing so, left his side wide open.
Before Hinata's attack hit him an ice mirror appeared between the pillar of water and the demon of the hidden mist.
The pressure of the attack cracked the mirror but did not break through it. Naruto frowned in distaste and was about to move forward and finish Zabuza himself when movement caught the corner of his eye. He looked and found the Hunter nin approaching Hinata, ready to kill her.
Naruto shot forward, leaving Zabuza and appeared between Hinata and Haku, he charged wind chakra in his right hand and compressed it, forming it into a tight ball or grenade of chakra. "Fuuton: Shoha!" The ball of tightly compressed air exploded in Haku's face sending him flying back like a rocket, skidding across the floor, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.
Naruto relaxed, after that attack, the hunter nin was most likely dead or unconscious. He turned back to Zabuza, Hinata's attack, finally shattered the mirror and slammed into Zabuza, who did not have the strength left to stand up to the attack and was overwhelmed.
Naruto saw the pillar of water slam into the edge of the bridge, finally it died down. He turned to Hinata who was on her hands and knees, panting after the exertion. "Rest." Was all he said before walking towards the now crippled mist nin.
Zabuza was slowly trying to stand, the attack had broken two of his ribs, and the eventual hit against the edge of the bridge had also broken his left collar bone, leaving his left arm nearly useless.
He looked and saw Naruto approaching him. He blinked and the living weapon, directly infront of him.
He snapped his eyes up and tried to swing his sword, Naruto sheathed the one in his left hand and caught Zabuza's wrist, stopping his strike. He then reared back his other blade and with a swift, sickening slice stabbed the demon of the hidden mist straight through his stomach.
Zabuza's eyes widened as he hunched forward, Naruto's eyes widened slightly when Zabuza exploded in a cloud of smoke revealing…the hunter nin.
Naruto turned and saw Zabuza, struggling to stand where the mist hunter had lain at the end of his wind shockwave.
He turned to the hunter nin, who's mask had broken due to the chakra enforced attack, revealing a feminine face. "You took his place…" Naruto sounded genuinely puzzled. 'Why?"
Haku coughed up blood, staining the gray floor of the bridge red. "Because…" He rasped out. "He…is…someone I would protect…at any cost."
"Even your own life?"
Haku nodded, and smiled at the taller blond.
"Was this a mission given to you?"
"Its a mission I took on myself."
"Why?"
The feminine boy let out a small laugh. "You'll, have to learn for yourself."
Naruto didn't move or say anything for a moment before he raised his left hand. "Rest." With a swift chop, Haku's neck broke and he slumped, dead.
Naruto pushed the Kiri nin off of his blade and then turned to Zabuza, who was now standing upright.
The blond would have moved, but that's when there was a loud claping coming from one end of the bridge. The two turned and found Gatou and his men. "Well Zabuza, getting your ass kicked by a bunch of kids I see."
Zabuza grunted and turned to Naruto. "It looks like my fight isn't with you anymore."
Naruto could say one thing about Zabuza's final battle. He certainly lived up to the name "Bloody Mist"
Naruto stood before two graves deep in thought when he felt someone approaching. He didn't even have to turn to see it was Hinata.
"Were waiting for you down at the bridge." She said.
"Hinata." Came his hollowed voice. "When you look at these two graves what do you see?" He asked.
Hinata didn't know the answer other than the obvious 'Dirt and a cheap grave marker.' So she remained silent.
Naruto answered after a few moments. " When I look at these graves, I see only that these two Shinobi, stand as a testament to this continents twisted history of death and betrayal. One that is a never ending spiral of hate and war."
Hinata remained quiet for a moment before she spoke. "I always knew there was something different about you, where most would see two Shinobi who died side by side, regaining their lost honor you see the hard cold reality of things." She turned and began leaving. Before she was out of earshot she looked over her shoulder and spoke. "You are, possibly, the most intimidating person, I've ever met. What made you that way?"
"Hn."
No more words were exchanged as Hinata turned and left.