Chapter 55

On the bridge, a thick mist had enveloped it. Occasionally, a loud sound of metal hitting metal could be heard.

'' I missed. '' Zabuza said, he planned to attack Kakashi and stabbed his left eye, swiftly destroying the prized Sharingan, but Kakashi blocked the incoming kunai with his hands. Blood dropped to the concrete ground as the kunai had impaled his hand.

'' You might call me '' an unimaginative guy '', '' Kakashi grunted, '' but you're afraid of the Sharingan after all... Zabuza. ''

'' A shinobi's special technique isn't something you show to others that many time. '' Zabuza said, '' Otherwise, your enemies will use it to your disadvantage. ''

Looking behind, he could see a dome of ice mirrors made by Haku as it had trapped both Sasuke and Sai.

'' Even if you were able to defeat me, '' Zabuza continued, '' not even you or that blonde haired monster you brought along could defeat Haku. ''

' What? ' Sakura said in shock, she may not have not know Kakashi and Naruto for too long, but one thing was certain: Kakashi and Naruto are really strong. But for someone to be even stronger than both of them, she was really worried about Sasuke's safety.

'' Hahaha, not only that, her jutsu is even stronger than mine ! '' Zabuza exclaimed with gusto. '' That's the terrifying ability of a Kekai genkai. '' Pulling out his kunai from Kakashi's hand, he jumped a few feet behind, '' Unlike the scrap you carry around, I have the best tool ! ''

'' There is nothing boring than to listen a stranger bragging... '' Kakashi said, '' but it's time I make my move ! '' Kakashi pulled his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan.

'' Ninja art, Hidden mist jutsu. '' As the surrounding fog became more dense, Zabuza disappeared with the mist.

'' Sakura stay with Tazuna ! '' Kakashi ordered Sakura, and she immediately went infront of the bridge builder, putting her gaurd up with a kunai in hand.

Kakashi's vision was obstructed by the thick mist that he failed to see an attack that landed on him, that knocked him a few feet away from his previous position.

' It's been a long time that I have been in a dangerous position. ' Kakashi thought, ' My gaurd is failing, I just need to think what his next move is. ' Kakashi gasped in shock as he figured out what Zabuza planned. ' He's trying to separate me from Tazuna, so he could kill him. '

Behind Tazuna, Zabuza appeared, lifting his sword he slashed at Tazuna but Kakashi appeared before him and took the slash, earning a huge gash.

'' You really like to interrupt me don't you. '' Zabuza said, '' Looks like Haku will be done with your two brats. ''

Inside the ice dome, Sasuke and Sai were not in a good position. They were skewered all over, and their attacker was not slowing down.

' My eyes can now adjust to her speed. ' Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan, at first he could barely dodge the sebons but as time went by, his eyes could adjust to her speed.

'' I don't to waste my time with you anymore. '' Haku's voice echoed through the many ice mirrors she erected. '' I have to kill you now. ''

'' Sai, how many of those ink animals can you summon now ? '' Sasuke asked Sai.

'' I can still summon a few more, but my Chakra is almost depleted. '' Sai responded.

'' I need a distraction, you send those ink animals there and- watch out!!! '' Sasuke screamed at horror at the silhouette of Haku emerging from the ice mirrors behind Sai.

Sasuke pushed Sai away, recieving all the attacks that was aimed at Sai. Luckily, he managed to delivered a vicious punch to Haku's face.

'' What are you doing? '' Sai asked Sasuke, '' Why did you recieve those attacks to save me ?''

'' Che, isn't that what comrades do. '' Sasuke said in a weak voice. '' Looks like I cannot kill him. ''

'' Are you talking about that man you want to kill?'' Sai asked.

'' That man was my brother. '' Sasuke said as coughed out blood.

Meanwhile...

Naruto was running towards the bridge at a very fast pace, but the thick mist obstructed his vision.

Despite that, Naruto had a method to find a way.

'' Chakra sense ''

He activated a very familiar skill he obtained at the trail. Since he exited the trail, he made some interesting discoveries. Firstly, he found that he cannot summon his Status screen, nor could he hear the sound of the system. Secondly, he could not feel the feeling of gaining EXP whenever he killed anything, and Thirdly, he can use all the skill he obtained at the trail.

As he activated his skill, his vision changed. He could see that the mist had a bluish glow on it, and there was too much it and it obstructed his vision even further.

'' So this is what Hinata see when she activates her Byakugan. '' He mused, '' Well it's useless in this situation. '' He deactivated his skill as it was completely useless at this point.

He then sniffed the air, the air had a very misty scent, but the scent six individual was very clear to him.

He could smell a familiar smell of blood, ' Kakashi is bleeding. ' He was going to go with Kakashi, but something stopped him. ' That Uchiha is in deep shit. '

None of the team 7 or Kakashi knew this, but before they left for this mission, the Hokage had a personal request for Naruto. He wanted to him guarantee the safety of the entire team, especially Sasuke Uchiha.

At first Naruto flashed his middle finger, while saying, '' I'm not a baby sitter. Last time while Team 8 and me went for that bandit subjugation mission, I voluntarily accepted and became their baby sitter, because Hinata-chan was in that team as well. Now I have no reason to became a babysitter of Team 7. If that team want to survive in this fucked up world you Shinobi created, they have to solve their own problems by themselves. ''

'' You know that also applies to Hinata-chan too right. '' the Hokage said.

'' Yes it does. '' Naruto said, ''Since the time she was almost kidnapped by that Kumo Ambassador, she doesn't like to be treated like a princess, or a damsel in distress anymore. She wants to be strong in her own way so that if I am not present by her side, she can protect herself. But one thing I'm very sure is that, as long as I live, I will destroy anything that dares to harm her without any mercy. ''

The conversation was not going as the Hokage wanted, but he had a trump card. He promised to decreased the duration of his punishment by a month. Naruto on the other hand, had other plans. He demanded for three months.

The bargain was a tough one, but in the end, Naruto got what he wanted, and got his punishment duration reduced by three months.

Now Naruto had fullfill his end of the bargain, and went straight to Sasuke's position.

Inside the ice dome, Sasuke laid motionless on the ground. Sai checked his pulse and found that it was nonexistent.

'' Well that was unfortunate. '' Sai said with a fake smile on his face.

'' You don't seem to be mourning at your friend's death. '' Haku said confused at Sai's reaction, he did not even showed any emotions at Sasuke death. It was as if he did not care for his comrades.

'' Why would I mourn at the death of someone I don't give a fuck about. '' Sai said with his fake smile on his face, '' I should be thanking you for making my job much easier for me. ''

'' You want to kill him? '' Haku asked visibly confused. '' Why? ''

'' Sasuke Uchiha, '' Sai said, '' the last of the Uchiha. He is a threat to the village of Konoha. My mission is to simply kill him. ''

'' Are you doing this because you want to protect your village? '' Haku asked.

'' Not exactly " Sai said, '' I don't care what happens to Konoha. I was simply given a mission, and I will finish the mission that was given to me. ''

'' So you are just a tool like me. '' said Haku.

'' Please don't compare me with you. '' said Sai, '' My master describe me as a true ninja, I have no name, no identity, no face, no emotions and no fear, for I do not exist. All I have is a mission and there's nothing else. ''

One of the Ice mirrors suddenly shattered like glass. '' Looks like I am a bit late. '' Naruto appeared with his giant sword on his shoulder. Naruto saw that Sasuke had sebons embedded on his body like a person recieving acupuncture, but with extremely large needles.

On seeing that the sebons, were not exactly at any vital points, he sigh in relief, ' He's just in a death like state. '

Then pointing his sword at Haku, '' I am in a good mood today, so just fuck off and leave. I'm here to kill Zabuza. ''

Haku immediately went inside the ice mirrors, '' I'm afraid, that you have to defeat me first. ''