Chapter 8

Arriving at the Land of Water was a distressing experience for Naruto. Just remembering the nightmare from before and his hesitancy about working for Gato was making him feel off. However, Naruto was glad to see his wounds from his hands looked completely healed.

Sometimes this happens to me. He thought. On rare occasions my wounds will just be gone in matters of seconds. Could…could it be due to the demon held inside me? No…that makes no sense. Why would that thing be willing to heal me sometimes and not all the time? Could it be because I inflicted the pain myself? I don’t know.

It was morning their ferry Gato had paid for had sailed to the island, a rope ladder was unrolled from above for them. The wood dock their small vessel floated beneath was built onto the island they arrived at. One by one they climbed up the rope ladder before the five ninja and Gato stood atop it. While Naruto didn’t get that good a glimpse of it at first, they stood near the edge of a dingy town made of poor buildings and frowning residents.

The town had some light fog hanging around but it was nowhere as bad as it had been atop the water getting here. While the ferryman paddled away, they looked up at those who had allowed them to climb up. Like Gato they wore professional black suits with sunglasses on, their hair neatly combed. Their expressions were very stern and they looked interchangeable, the only difference was that one had black hair while the other’s was brown.

“Good morning, Gato-san,” the man with jet-black hair said. “Welcome to Dotou Island, shinobi!”

“We’ve been waiting here just as you ordered,” the other one said. “I take it you are doing well.”

“Hmm,” Gato chuckled. “Quite.”

He then turned to Kakashi who stood closely behind him.

“Now that these Leaf ninja have been so kind as to exterminate the vermin preventing our business from being conducted,” he said. “I’m quite happy. Meet the one and only Copy Ninja himself, Kakashi Hatake.”

The oldest ninja among them waved to which Gato’s underling nodded in respect.

“Hi,” he said.

Gato then eyed Sasuke.

“And meet the only surviving Uchiha,” Gato said. “Sasuke.”

The younger jonin smiled.

“Hello,” he said.

“The Uchiha have a wide reputation,” Gato’s attendant said.

Naruto then stepped forward with his hand outstretched.

“And I’m Naruto Uzumaki!” he said. “The next Hokage of the Leaf Village!”

The two men in identical clothing looked rather unimpressed at him. Naruto looked down, sullen that they had no emotion to that. It worsened the feeling of being unwanted.

Nobody thinks well enough of me to have such a special title. He thought. When will I get one?

“Getting down to basics,” one of them said. “Tazuna’s location has been scouted out near the outskirts of town.”

“That was his last confirmed location,” the other stated. “The shinobi with him were injured in a recent battle and are guessed to be recovered by now where Tazuna is staying.”

“Ah, yes,” Gato said. “That dreaded Momochi Zabuza.”

Naruto’s heart began hammering against his chest. He turned to look at Kakashi who was also looking worried, his one visible eye widening in fear. Sasuke looked slightly fearful, his expression hardly changing as usual. Hinata and Sakura seemed concerned as well, the former hiding behind Naruto in fear.

Zabuza’s skill as an assassin was legendary. He was not only widely believed to be one of the strongest shinobi to ever come from the Hidden Mist Village but one of the greatest assassins in the world. Apparently, in the ninja graduation test, Zabuza killed one hundred other child ninja.

This gave him the title of “Demon Hidden in the Mist”. In conflict with other shinobi villages he was described as single-handedly slaughtering all his opponents. The regret Naruto had for coming on this mission instantly faded once he heard Gato speak his name.

If I can challenge Zabuza and defeat him…He thought. I’ll be thought of as a hero by the Hidden Leaf. They won’t see me as a monster. The accomplishments of ninja on their missions are widely spread soon after they return to the Hidden Leaf. If they find out I killed Zabuza…I’ll be famous…so famous they’ll warm up to me.

Kakashi almost placed a hand on Gato’s shoulder before pulling away.

“Zabuza?!” Kakashi asked. “The strongest ninja from the Hidden Mist?! He’s guarding Tazuna?!”

Gato grinned at him as he turned toward him.

“You seem so surprised, Kakashi,” he said. “Now…think for a minute. Why would the Hidden Mist not deploy their strongest shinobi to guard the only thing separating them from economic prosperity? Would you not guard Tazuna if his safety and genius didn’t offer the same to the Hidden Leaf?”

He glared slightly at Gato.

“My subordinates are newly promoted,” Kakashi said. “I have little fear of facing Zabuza myself as we are roughly equal in rank. But…my new soldiers…I do not wish them to fight him.”

“And I should care why?” Gato asked.

“Because knowledge of exactly who we are fighting is utmost necessary,” Kakashi said. “When combat is involved, it is a requirement to list the dangers involved. If they are not then we are not obligated to carry out the mission once it is found out the requester was withholding information. Right now…I don’t think I can risk fresh recruits knowing he is here.”

Gato turned to Kakashi once again with an even wider smile.

“But I didn’t hide information regarding the dangers,” he replied. “I told you that shinobi of the Hidden Mist would be your opponents. And Zabuza is a well-known shinobi of the Hidden Mist…so your excuse cannot work. I just omitted that fact.”

The older jonin’s face hardened before sighing. He then turned to the recently graduated ninja behind him. Naruto almost felt like Kakashi was glaring at him specifically.

“Do not engage Zabuza,” he said. “When you see him…allow me to handle him.”

“But sensei-” Sasuke said.

“That is an order,” Kakashi said. “I will deal with Momochi Zabuza and I alone. Even if you are all roughly jonin strength level…Zabuza is beyond even the average jonin and even if he wasn’t he has far greater battle experience than all you put together. So interfere and your life will be forfeit.”

Ironically enough, this made Naruto even more anxious to engage the Demon of the Hidden Mist.

Sorry, sensei. Naruto thought. I can’t live if everyone fears and hates me. I’d rather die than live in this empty world of loneliness. Defeat such a strong opponent on my first mission and the Hidden Leaf will greet me with open arms. I have to get to Zabuza before Kakashi does.

He then turned back to Gato’s men.

“Which way is Tazuna's suspected hideout?” he asked. “I want to get this mission over as quickly as possible.”

“We have the address,” the jet blacked haired of them said. He slipped his hand into his pocket before walking over and placing small sheets of paper into Kakashi’s open hand. He studied the picture in his hand before slipping it into a pocket. “As well as a photograph of Tazuna. This is where we suspect Tazuna to be hiding but as to where Zabuza and his fellow ninja are…we are not sure.”

“Thank-you,” Kakashi said. “We’ll arrive and kill Tazuna as fast as we can.”

“Yes,” Gato said. “But…don’t you have a more pressing matter to take care of first?”

“And what would that be?” Kakashi asked.

“The destruction of Tazuna’s bridge of course!” he said. “Tazuna’s assassination won’t be for much if the bridge is continued to be built. You must destroy the bridge they plan to use to avoid my shipping company and then kill the engineer of such a structure. If the bridge is finished on many islands that make up the Land of Water and this one is nearly complete as well. Everytime we destroy it, the bridge is quickly remade by the old bridgemaker…clever engineer. If Tazuna is not dealt with soon…my monopoly over this land’s shipping will come to an end surely.”

Kakashi sighed.

“Lead us to the bridge,” he said.

Gato nodded before walking forward. With a flick of his wrist, Gato’s attendants walked away before the six of them moved forward. As the shipping magnate led them to the bridge, Naruto observed the town on Dotou Island.

His initial impression was only further confirmed as he scanned his surroundings. The buildings around him were mostly shacks made from wood with tin roofs. The people either looked gaunt and thin or shifty eyed and incredibly fierce. Dirt and other grime covered the faces of most of them and beggars with bowls that contained a spare coin were common.

A slightly putrid air hung about the town that seemed to emanate from the people themselves. Most of those in the city were dressed in homespun rags, an odd contrast to what Naruto was more familiar with. Even the poorest villages in the Land of Fire had something akin to solid and strong robes.

But what really bothered him was the drugs they were using. Maybe half of those sitting on the street corner were injecting themselves with needles. Naruto had read about drugs but had never actually seen them be used. Narcotics were strictly forbidden in the Hidden Leaf Village. The users looked either dazed or manic, either jumping around as if they could hear festive music or sluggishly lying on the street. There was no in between. If Naruto guessed correctly…the drug was probably green powder.

“These people look scary…” Hinata said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place look so…so destitute.”

“It looks disgusting,” Sakura said. “And it smells…like the people here haven’t taken a bath in weeks. And everything looks covered in filth. I wonder what the parents feed their children in a place like this.”

“They’re like vermin in the sewers,” Sasuke said. “Like rats…except rats seem like they have a better chance of survival than whoever lives here.”

Naruto looked at Kakashi-sensei, the man’s face as hard as ever. While the young jonin knew that his teacher was stoic, it seemed downright cruel of his leader to have no pity once so ever for anyone here. He wanted to ask his master about it but felt hesitant. Naruto knew the reason why this place was so poor and so many were addicted.

This happens whenever Gato takes control of a region. He remembered reading. His entire company is just a thinly veiled front for crime, mostly contraband and narcotics. The addictions to drugs, like green powder, is widespread enough to get entire countries hooked on it so Gato always has money to burn.

He tried rationalizing it.

But the Land of Water deserves it! He thought. Remember…they weren’t called the Bloody Mist for nothing.

He tried smiling before seeing a thin child crying into his mother’s arms as she patted his back with her left arm while using the same hand to inject a needle into her right.

But does that mean even the civilians deserve it? He thought. And even if they do…this won’t make them less evil.

Naruto glared at Gato as he walked behind him.

I already had little reason to trust Gato. He thought. I tried to convince myself he was in the right…but…but then why would our village willingly help him? All countries must do dangerous or dark things to survive but…but is this necessary? Is…is the history that Jiraiya gave me more unbiased than that of the Hidden Leaf?

And then a truth dawned on Naruto that he had been avoiding thinking about his entire life.

All shinobi villages hide the true cruelty and evil of their deeds from their peoples. He realized. Why would the Hidden Leaf Village be any different?

He began panicking, fear spreading across his face.

If it seems I’m questioning our purpose here then Kakashi might give me a bad name and reduce my chances of becoming Hokage. Naruto thought. But-but–

“Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto asked.

The jonin eyed him from the position he held both beside and slightly ahead of Naruto.

“Th-These people here?” he said, not daring to stare directly at Kakashi. “Do…Does–Do you think that–? These people are happy being…like this?”

He then turned his attention to Gato’s back, too afraid to look at his sensei as he asked this next question.

“Are–?” Naruto said. “Are you really sure we should…should be here?”

As Naruto stared forward something about Gato’s body language ever so subtly changed. He could feel a certain tension and stiffness of the man that was uncharacteristic in his normally confident gait. He could tell he had angered Gato but just how angry the crime lord was he couldn’t tell. Hopefully not enough to still pay the Leaf Village. As Naruto slowly waited for the criminal in front of him to say something, Kakashi was the one to speak first.

“Naruto,” he said. “You just don’t know how the adult world works. You will when you grow up. So…maybe you should start sooner than later.”

That actually cheered Naruto up more than he thought it did. Gato’s slight shift in body language also became more relaxed. He tried to reassure himself by internalizing what Kakashi had just said. Naruto looked down at the street at his feet.

Yeah! Naruto thought. Kakashi’s right! It’s not that this place is bad or…or that we’re necessarily doing anything bad! It–it’s that…it’s that this is the way the world works!

He began forcing himself to smile, a manic grin crossing over his face as he did.

I don’t get it…Naruto thought. I’m thinking this is out of the ordinary and…and kind of bad because…because I’m a kid! I’m…I’m an inexperienced ninja!

He had to keep himself from grimacing at Kakashi’s statement. He knew there was something wrong with what his sensei said but…but Naruto couldn’t dwell on it. He refused to allow himself to.

If Kakashi-sensei said it…He thought. Then it must be true! No one in the Hidden Leaf is more respected than him, aside from maybe the Hokage! This…this right here is the best possible status for the Land of Water! No way would the Hidden Leaf condone this unless it was absolutely necessary!

Gato suddenly came to a full stop.

“Here is the Bridge Hidden by the Mist,” he said. “At least…that’s what the locals call it.”

He pointed forward for the ninja to all see their target. It was at the edge of the town where the land of the island became sea. In front of them was a bridge made of stone blocks that stretched over the water. From this angle, it was apparent that it was held up by thick pillars. While it looked as high quality as any other permanent structure, it was visibly unfinished.

Portions of the stone bridge were missing, especially the small border at the edge, while most of the pavement was in place some blocks were missing. Scaffolding was everywhere along the bridge with rope ladders falling from what was built while boats floated below.

The workers were aplenty, building upon the bridge at a regular pace. Those with hammers were the most common with bricklayers also common. Those mixing concrete were also standing atop the bridge. Naruto and his comrades along with Gato stepped forward onto the bridge as the young man tried to prepare himself for this.

They may not be ninja…He thought. But…but they’re workers nonetheless. For the Hidden Mist. They’re prepared to sacrifice their lives if need be.

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Gato chuckled to himself at the sight.

“These guys just don’t know when to give up,” he said. “All across the Land of Water’s islands the ninja I’ve hired have destroyed the bridges they’ve attempted to build. I thought I had it until the Village Hidden in the Mist managed to get wind of my plan despite me cutting off communication. And that was when…he showed up.”

Gato’s chuckle turned into a growl of frustration.

“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “The Demon Hidden in the Mist gave me quite some trouble. Before he was employed I had either killed off or recruited any engineer that defied me. And I could pay for enough manpower to kill off all of the Hidden Mist ninja that opposed me. However…”

“Zabuza apparently is the strongest ninja they have,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it…he almost single handedly has fended off everyone I’ve thrown at him. He’s the very reason I haven’t been able to totally destroy every last bit of this bridge yet. The idiot villagers of this region sing his praises. I’ve been trying to kill Tazuna but with Zabuza guarding him…I’ve had to get desperate and hire some top tier shinobi. Now…if only you will destroy this bridge you can then find Tazuna and kill him. He’s slippery, I’ll give him that but-”

“Hey,” Kakashi said before pointing forward. “Isn’t that Tazuna?”

They all followed the jonin’s finger to observe the figure he pointed to. Near the middle of the bridge was a man with a pointed hat overlooking a sheet of what might have been schematics on a table. He was talking to another man who stood across the temporary wooden table as they both pointed. After they observed Kakashi’s line of sight, Gato visibly panicked.

“B-But-!” he said. “Why? Tazuna usually hides while feeding the schematics of his bridge to his subordinates from afar! H-How…why is he so bold to be out in the open?!”

“It must be that you’ve already found his hideout,” Kakashi said. “If Tazuna is as desperate as you say he is…he probably is sick of playing cat and mouse and just brazenly defying you.”

Gato growled in anger before calming down and giving a sigh of relief.

“Yes,” he said. “Yes, you’re right Kakashi. Stubborn old mule…never had much patience anyway. You want to do the honors of killing him here and now? I might just give you a free girl tonight if you end his life right now. I'm just so tired of his pulling out of sight at the last moment.”

“None needed,” Kakashi said. “I want to get this over with before the Demon of the Hidden Mist arrives.”

In an instant his five foot radius of chakra expanded from his body to completely surround him. As usual, his lightning chakra sparked around him as bolts of electricity intersected to create miniature flashes of light. Within the flashes of lightning one could see horrid sights.

The sight of corpses filled nearly every pale blue spark. A brown haired girl lying bloodied on the ground and a black haired boy with a Sharingan could be observed in the stream of lightning around Kakashi’s back. Someone who almost looked like an older version of Kakashi appearing in a flash of lightning appeared before another flash showed the man’s funeral. As Naruto stood near Kakashi he began to experience a portion of the man’s emotions.

Naruto was filled with alien emotions of dread and self-hatred. Despising one’s self for being too weak, too ineffective and too powerless to not only save those they loved but to be much more than a single soldier in endless war. It was very clear that Kakashi viewed himself as a powerless, by the numbers ninja and longed for greater effectiveness.

“Why-?” Hinata cried. “Why do I feel so hateful to myself?”

“I wish I were dead,” Sakura said, panting in frustration. “It-it’s so negative. I-I can’t escape it. It’s definitely Kakashi’s chakra intent.”

Chakra intent was the feeling one had when in the chakra field of another shinobi. When one was so close to standing within range of another’s chakra output the feelings that created such energy would rush into the one standing nearby. This did not always happen but did when the chakra user in question was especially emotional or anxious.

The sensation that I’m useless is overwhelming. Naruto thought. I-I-I can’t help but feel I’m as good as dead for all I’ve done for others. Why do people see anything good in me despite all the good things they say about me? I’m garbage no matter what I do…I-I probably am better off dead.

Two distinct figures appeared in Naruto’s mind. A young, brunette girl with a bright smile and a black haired boy with a grin just as radiant. However, just as he began to feel more of Kakashi’s foreign emotions and memories flooding into his being they stopped. It was not a gradual ceasing either, but an abrupt end. It was like shutting off a valve.

As Naruto found himself more absorbed and curious of who they were and who Kakashi was as a person, it was all gone. However, there was still something there within what Naruto was feeling. It’s not like all that he felt truly disappeared but that it was hidden. It was like putting the top over a kettle boiling over, pressing hard to ensure nothing spewed out. It was how lightning chakra was created, by repressing and refusing to deal with emotions rather than acknowledge and try to move past them. As Kakashi prepared his chakra field, Naruto couldn’t help but remember the properties of the chakra formed from the suppression of emotions and stoicism brought.

Lightning chakra’s strength enhancement is a 4 out of 5. He had memorized. While its nutrition rate is that of a 3. The enhancement to give to one’s durability is only a 1 and its malleability is ranked the same, so it requires expert chakra control to form it into decent shape. However, it’s among the fastest chakra natures as it’s speed is a 5. And since every foot of chakra is worth 1 score…that means his speed enhancement is about 25 in total.

However, just as Kakashi was releasing his chakra field a mist started pouring out from beneath the bridge. The white mist began streaming like a river onto the pavement of the wide stone structure. Kakashi must have observed it as well which was why he quickly moved towards Tazuna as soon as the mist appeared.

The jonin didn’t so much run toward Tazuna as flashed across the bridge. While sometimes ninja could be genuinely fast enough their actions were hard to keep up with, this was something Naruto could literally not see until he was already behind Tazuna. It was incredibly impressive but came with a fault

Sometimes ninja can run so fast that they can’t even keep track of where they’re going. He remembered. Sometimes they’ll have to stop just to see where they’re going. Probably why Kakashi stopped where he did.

From afar, Naruto could see his sensei standing directly in front of the bridge maker. Kakashi stood between him and the table he was looking down at, the other worker panicking in fear. Tazuna was visibly afraid of who he had just crossed paths with. The jonin drew a kunai from his pouch to strike with.

But just as Kakashi turned around a steam of mist appeared and had already gathered beside him and Tazuna. A figure materialized out of the mist just as Kakashi turned towards the new threat. Kakashi attempted to slash at the enemy with the kunai but it was no use. Right after his sword appeared, so did half of a sleeveless male body. The jonin did not have the time to prepare much as the sword sliced the short weapon in his hand in two. The jonin jumped back in time so that the wide blade did not strike Kakashi’s body but he was unprepared for the next strike to his left rib.

Kakashi countered rather quickly. In the instant he was kicked in the left side of his body, he gathered the majority of his lightning chakra to the area beneath his left armpit. In what must have been less than a second the lightning surrounding him traveled toward the spot the enemy’s flame chakra enhanced sandal landed on. When the foot coated in red chakra struck, Kakashi was properly defended but was still blown back quite a distance.

A kick enhanced with fire chakra sent Kakashi flying backwards before he skidded across the stone floor. While lightning chakra gave one great offensive power from impressive strength and speed enhancement, it was less useful for defensive advantage. This was the reason Kakashi was forced to gather so much of his chakra to the point of impact on his body. This meant Kakashi’s audible groan of pain accompanied him sailing across the feet of many of the bridge’s workers.

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sasuke cried.

“No, please don’t be hurt!” Hinata shouted.

After nearly hitting a worker, Kakashi grabbed onto the stone pavement beneath him to gain traction. After digging his fingers into the stone to stop himself with enough to carve into the pavement, he then jumped to his feet. As he steadied himself the assailant from the mist further appeared. The flak jacket on Kakashi’s left side was soaking with blood. It may have been a light wound but blood loss was always something to be concerned with.

It became increasingly clear that the shinobi conjuring the mist was not merely hiding himself within it. He was the mist. The cloud of white fog that had appeared as soon as Kakashi neared Tazuna collected together and solidified into the rest of a tall, muscular ninja. The mist gathered together for the rest of him to appear.

Standing before them all was a shirtless swordsman with light gray skin beset with short black hair and baggy pants. He was surrounded by what must have been five feet of flame chakra. Brown and white leg warmers covered his forearms and forelegs. His mouth was obscured by what looked like white bandages wrapped around it. A belt along his naked chest was what Naruto guessed held his sword. And what a sword it was.

The thing was longer than Zabuza was tall and may have been as wide as a whole foot. Equipped with two cutouts in the gray blade was a hole in the blade while a notch was carved in the edge of the sword. The handle was as long as a man’s arm. As heavy as it looked, Zabuza pointed it towards Kakashi as easily as he would have held a stick.

The legendary sword, the Executioner’s Blade. Naruto thought. One of the legendary swords of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Any damage to the sword is regenerated by harvesting the blood of its victims. However, due to its weight it’s only given to the shinobi of the Hidden Mist that prove to be among the elite of all ninja.

Naruto then glared at Zabuza with determination.

If I can manage to defeat such a strong foe, the Leaf Village will have no choice but to acknowledge me. He thought. Whether I die or not I have no choice but to fight him. Sorry, Kakashi-sensei…but that is my nindo to become Hokage no matter what.

“Stay away from my nation’s last hope for peace,” he barked. “Copy ninja.”

“Nice to meet you as well,” Kakashi said with anger. “Demon of the Hidden Mist. Nice to see you would play such dirty tricks as hiding before fighting like a man. How honorable.”

Zabuza slashed the air in front of him in anger.

“Do not talk to me about honor when fighting for him!” Zabuza shouted.

He pointed his sword at Gato, his flame chakra burning even more intensely around him.

“This man has destroyed not only the lives of my people but also their spirit,” he said. “Taking advantage of the poor with only the worst of narcotics. He is irredeemable for what he has done to this land.”

He then looked back at Kakashi, Zabuza’s glare almost as ferocious as the fire brimming around him. Just as Naruto’s body was shaking with anxiety at the sight of Zabuza, wishing to fight him, he felt Hinata grab his shoulder. He looked back to see not only was she frightened but so was Sakura. Even Sasuke was looking forward with intense panic.

“What’s going on?” Sakura asked. “Why won’t they just fight and get it over with? The anticipation of wanting to get it over with is just killing me.”

“I know,” Sasuke said. “I want this battle to start and end before the anxiety gets any worse. They’re just standing around talking.”

“Pretentious fools they both are,” Gato said. “Just fight…no need for meaningless words.

“This is what high caliber ninja usually do,” Naruto said. “They talk with one another.”

The others immediately turned to Naruto with a curious gaze.

“Ninja are not just warriors,” he said. “All shinobi have various and distinct philosophies they arrive at independently. When a ninja senses another has equal power, they often greet one another with an exchange of words as a show of respect. Ninja are often curious about the other’s experience and beliefs of others, even rival village’s.”

Naruto’s comrades looked impressed at their fellow ninja while Gato rolled his eyes.

“Quite a talkative little brat, aren’t you?” the crime lord stated.

“Hey!” Hinata said. “Don’t mock Naruto for knowing things! He studied quite a bit!”

“Naruto may be annoying,” Sasuke said. “But I’m glad to have someone as knowledgeable as him on my team.”

“Ehh,” Sakura groaned. “Just because he studies all the time doesn’t mean he’s useful!”

“Quiet!” Naruto said. “These shinobi are exchanging dialogue!”

After hushing the group he then turned to the two shinobi afar from him to see Zabuza was glowering at Kakashi.

“Those who give their lives to their village and nation I can respect, even if I must fight them,” Zabuza lectured. “But for a ninja such as yourself with such an impressive record and known for their bravery in defending their ninja village…it makes me sick you would agree to work with this poisoner of the innocent.”

The jonin from the Hidden Leaf slowly clasped his hands, readying to perform hand seals.

“You know the way of shinobi as well as anyone, Momochi Zabuza,” Kakashi glowered. “A shinobi fights for the wealth of his nation. There is nothing personal about any of this…I am fighting for my nation as well.”

“Disgusting,” the Demon of the Hidden Mist replied. “A ninja of your caliber reducing himself to working with a crime lord of Gato’s like. I would have expected better of you. This is no mere ninja mission…this is you aiding the poisoning of such an innocent land as our’s.”

“Zabuza,” Kakashi said. “You keep talking as if I am especially evil for afflicting your nation…but what did you call the coup you enacted on the very shinobi village you claim to protect? If I remember correctly…you deposed the fourth mizukage, Yagura, before overthrowing the government itself. And now the Village Hidden in the Mist is ruled by shinobi.”

“You dare accuse me of wrongdoing opposing that monster?!” Zabuza shouted. “Yagura is the reason our village became known as the Bloody Mist! I first served my village before Yagura turned us into monsters! It became too much before I did what I must! You should be grateful, Kakashi Hatake!”

“What?!” Naruto cried aloud. “That’s not in the Konoha textbooks!”

Sasuke punched Naruto in the side, the latter groaning in pain. The other ninja gave him a doubtful expression to tell him he should be quiet. Kakashi’s lightning chakra sparked a little more intensely at that, a sign he might have been repressing a memory or emotion that Zabuza had triggered.

“If I remember correctly…you fought shinobi from the Hidden Mist!” he shouted. “I even reformed the exams so our young ninja would no longer have to murder each other! So they would not have to know the pain I did as a boy. Be glad of that…that I have secured peace for the surrounding villages from knowing more war.”

Naruto’s world was crumbling around him. It was enough that they were working for the Gato company and helping him further addict the Land of Water with green powder. Now he was being told that one of the worst villages in existence was not as bad as he initially was told. Naruto couldn’t help but feel his body tighten.

I…I…wasn’t told that by either textbooks…Naruto thought. Did…Did Konoha omit that to make the Kiri look worse? How long has the Leaf Village known about this?

“I acknowledge your reforms have been peaceful by nature,” Kakashi said as positioned his hands to start weaving hand signs. “But if you can understand the love you have for your country…then you should also understand the need I have for mine.”

“So this is how you repay me?” Zabuza asked. “You repay the peace I worked so hard for with the assistance of killing my home country? How thoughtful. I will show no mercy to your subordinates for your evil you have repaid for my good.”

Zabuza sheathed his sword onto the belt held across his back as Kakashi performed hand seals. However, just as Kakashi used mi and tori seals, Zabuza put his index and middle finger to his clothed mouth and held his other arm straight into the air. The Hidden Mist shinobi’s entire body dissipated into white mist.

“Mist Evaporation no Jutsu!” he cried.

“He performed it without any real hand seals?!” Sasuke shouted in anger.

“Zabuza is famous for using one of the most unique jutsu of the Hidden Mist Village with only one gesture,” Naruto explained. “This technique turns not only any selected portions of one’s body but also anything attached to them into mist. Once they become mist they can turn back with ease.”

However, not all of Zabuza’s body had become mist. There was one portion that had not become white fog: his face. His mouth was hidden by white bandages to obscure it within the fog but Naruto believed he could see Zabuza’s black eyes hanging in the air.

“Attention, workers of the Hidden Mist Bridge!” Zabuza shouted with the only portion of his body not evaporated into mist. “Flee now! Do not dawdle!”

It was almost like Zabuza had gone up in smoke as the thick cloud of mist filled the air. The cloud of mist filled the entire bridge, blanketing almost everything. Visibility of the entire area was reduced by half. However, even with such thick mist, Naruto could make out the figures of the workers fleeing in panic as a fight between two experienced shinobi was about to break out. Naruto was afraid of what Gato would think but was reassured by his next words.

“Forget the workers!” Gato shouted. “Just kill Zabuza and Tazuna! They workers are nothing without the bridgemaker and his demon bodyguard!”

Naruto could hardly see a thing past from that distance and as a result of the ensuing battle he and his comrades all extended their chakra field. He was filled with conflicting emotions from them all as he was so close to them. Hinata extended her blue water chakra four feet in radius while Sakura’s chakra was the same except half a foot shorter.

Sasuke extended his four foot radius of fire chakra and Naruto his half foot of wind. However, due to the intensity of their situation, Sasuke’s chakra had a hue of blue within it as he was obviously afraid for his life. But Naruto held no such sign of fear, his wind chakra born from his idealistic ambition and intense desire to become Hokage.

The last he saw of Kakashi groaned in frustration as he watched, still in the midst of performing his hand seals while the white began to blanket over him. His lightning chakra separated from his body to create an object. His shape transformation was obscured by the thick mist but if Naruto was correct it was most likely the Millenium Hanging Cage technique. Upon realizing that was Kakashi’s chosen jutsu, Naruto became fearful but not for Kakashi’s life.

If Kakashi defeats Zabuza then I won’t get the chance to prove myself. He thought.

Propelled by the speed enhancement of wind chakra, he took his arm from Hinata’s grasp and raced forward.

“Naruto!” Hinata cried.

“Get back here!” Sasuke shouted. “You’ll be killed!”

“Darn it, Naruto!” he heard Kakashi shout. “I told you not to! You will die!”

“I’d rather do so than live as a loser!” Naruto shouted as he rushed into the mist. “Zabuza, I’m coming for you!”

“I have no time to play games with a no talent brat like you,” Zabuza shouted. “Haku and the rest of you…come out now!”

Just as Naruto was midway between Kakashi and the rest of his comrades, the mist became even thicker. Like Zabuza’s, rivers of mist poured out from beneath the bridge to gather on the surface. Naruto counted three, maybe four, different streams of white fog before it all piled into one giant cloud of white.

If the visibility was halved when Zabuza used the Mist Evaporation Jutsu then it soon became non-existent anymore than a foot in front of you. Naruto paused as white mist gathered around him, frustration arising within him to cause his chakra to intensify like a fire. He looked around, to find he was cornered by the mist.

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sakura shouted. “The mist is everywhere! I can’t see a thing!”

“Darn it!” Naruto shouted. “Let me fight Zabuza! I have no time for you! Where did you even come from?!”

“Naruto!” Kakashi shouted. “Sakura!”

He turned towards the source of his sensei’s voice as his voice was quite audible even if Kakashi was completely obscured.

“Zabuza and his underlings must have been hiding beneath the bridge, waiting for someone to attempt to kill Tazuna!” Kakashi shouted as the mist rolled in. “When we raced toward him, Zabuza and his subordinates must have heard or felt the vibrations beneath and sprung into action!”

After explaining how the enemy shinobi arrived so quickly, the mist thickened to its maximum amount.

“I predict Zabuza may have three or more ninja with him based on how much mist there is!” Kakashi stated. “However, when one’s body turns to mist their body is weak. If you evaporate or capture the mist it will harm their body when they turn back. Physically punching them won’t hurt but chakra attacks will. This is why they will leave a little space between you and themselves when transformed into mist…they don’t want to risk getting too close for you to harm them. With this in mind, use what I told you to your advantage.”

“I already knew that, Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto yelled. “But now I can’t tell which mist is Zabuza and which is not.”

“You talk too much,” Zabuza said. “The battle begins now!”

He heard Kakashi roar in ferocity as clashing sounds followed. Naruto looked back to see what looked like a flash of fire emitting from where Sasuke and the others were. As Naruto began to weave hand seals, what looked like a white mask appeared in front of him.

Naruto could barely make out what looked like eye slits for the headgear that had a large quantity of bluish chakra. It almost looked like water chakra as it had the color but it was solid like earth chakra. He grinned assuredly in the literal face of his opponent.

“You can’t exactly see me since you have no eyes,” Naruto said. “When you use the Mist Evaporation technique, your nervous system is spread throughout the mist and you can only feel what moves through it. In other words, you have to partially expose yourself to get a good read on your opponent’s visuals.”

“You seem to know quite a bit for someone not from the Hidden Mist,” a soft voice from behind the mask came.

In the time it took him to finish his one tori hand seal, Naruto grinned wide.

“The future Hokage must know all,” he said before he performed his jutsu.