38 The First Two Souls (2)

Author Note: How did this chapter reach three thousand words I have no clue. But despite all of that you guys are still gonna be left with a cliff hanger :D

After speaking to that vendor Rei had gotten a good gist of this place's story. A few years ago there was an issue in the Land of Waves. The village that was on the other side of the Great Naruto bridge couldn't trade properly due to the distance between them and the Land of Fire. The story involved a criminal trying to keep the bridge from being built to stay in power but Rei didn't focus on that part.

A man named Zabuza called the demon in the mist and his partner Haku fought on this bridge. And eventually died on it as well after Zabuza took down their own employer in the end. 'When you really think about it, it's a strangely sad story.' In any case, since they died on the bridge Rei would have to travel over the entire bridge in order to find them.

As he made it towards the bridge which was just at the end of the town's main path Rei was surprised to see two people guarding it. "Please stop." Spotting Rei the two guards asked him to stop before walking up to him. "Currently there is a large amount of fog gathering on the bridge making it very easy to get turned around. It would be best if you wait a few hours for it to clear."

It was a simple safety measure though most people would be fine. It would be best if anyone pulling carts didn't try to cross a bridge when it was foggy to the point you can't see a meter ahead of you. Rei not answering right away peered past the two guards by leaning to his left. "That is a lot of fog, how convenient is that?"

The two guards heard Rei speaking under his breath causing them to glance at one another. "Listen to ki-" Before the guard finished speaking the both of them felt a heavy force hit them in the back of the neck. And just like that, they fell over plopping onto the ground. "Luckily no one is near the bridge since it's not accessible right now."

Taking a step forward Rei began to walk onto the bridge passing into the fog. "Damn it really is hard to see." He had only started walking a few minutes ago and he couldn't see the town he had just left. Walking at an average pace for the next ten minutes Rei was beginning to think that he had misjudged his position.

"Maybe it was more southeast than just south… Damit if I have to go all the way back I-'' Before he could finish speaking he suddenly saw something that made him stop walking. Standing side by side two glowing figures seemed aimless. They had a humanoid-like shape however they were pure white with no features.

Looking at them closely Rei saw pieces of their being slowly drifting from them and floating into the sky as if they were slowly falling apart and disintegrating. "It's becoming more and more transparent." Though it was mostly a theory on his part, souls really were just disappearing in the Naruto world.

"Well at this point they really are just souls they can't do anything in this state. Plus having them disappear like this would be a huge waste." Narrowing his eyes Rei held out his hand and began channeling the Reishi from his own body into his palm just like when he created things in the past. 'Let's see If this works.'

With a flick of his wrist, the Reishi shot from his palm splitting into two before enveloping the souls of Zabuza and Haku. The Reishi rushed around them like a coat of armor and slowly began to mold into them. Slowly facial features became more prominent and their bodies stopped disintegrating and turned more opaque.

Watching this all take place Rei also something he wasn't expecting. As the changes began to reach their final stage he was surprised to see that Reishi had also given one of them a blade. 'Hmm? Maybe it's recreating their bodies in the likeness of when they were at their best?' He wasn't someone who studied souls so he couldn't be sure but that was what he went with as finally, they were complete.

Standing before him was a man with gray skin and short black hair was wielding a large strangely shaped sword. Moving his gaze to the person next to the one he supposed was Zabuza was Haku. They were smaller than Zabuza with their hair tied into a bun with a green and brown outfit.

'Hold up the vendor said Haku was a boy right? But wait what…' Rei was having a malfunction in his own mind as the two of them who were originally motionless slowly opened their eyes. "Huh?" Looking down at his body Zabuza felt someone to his side. Haku and Zabuza looked at one another realizing something was wrong.

"Where alive? Haku what's going on?" Zabuza's memories date back to the moment he died beside Haku on the bridge but after that everything is dark. "I'm not sure but it appears we are not alone." Haku's gaze fell onto Rei who was watching this curiously just a couple of meters away. Seeing they noticed him Rei proceeded to speak to them.

"Hello, there my name is Rei. I'm sure you're both confused after being dead for so long but let's just say I've temporarily brought you two back." Listening to Rei, Zabuza locked onto the word dead. "Dead?" Thinking back Zabuza's memories began to piece everything together as he remembered everything.

"Right. That old bastard Gato." Staring at Rei intensely Zabuza was letting off a presence that just screamed out his personality. 'Truly he deserved his title but I guess now is not the time to be admiring that.' Haku took a step forward and asked Rei a question. "If you really have brought us back to life then I'm sure you had a reason to do so."

Smiling slightly Rei nodded. "Of course I do. As I said before this is temporary eventually you both will turn back into a mindless state as your souls disappear. The only reason why you two are still able to be brought back is because of how strong you two were not only physically but your wills as well."

Listening to Rei, Zabuza lifted his arm that had his executioner blade and pointed it at Rei. "So what do you want our gratitude for bringing us back to life?" Despite dying Zabuza's personality remained as tough as before his death. He may have admitted being human in the end by caring for Haku but his thoughts on other people remained the same.

"Of course not. You see, I've come quite a long way to find you two. I plan on finding many different people who have died just like you two and bringing them back. All with the goal of having them and of course you two join me. The place I'm creating will be a hub for souls across the world to come to when they die. To be judged and then to live their lives in an afterlife instead of remaining in a limbo state."

Rei began giving a brief explanation behind his actions to Zabuza and Haku until finally, he ended it off. "If you join me then it will make my goals a lot easier to acquire." Glaring at Rei, Zabuza spoke in a harsh tone. "I died due to working under a sniveling coward like Gato and I was revived to work under a kid like you?"

Zabuza grinned cruelly as he looked Rei in the eyes. "I don't give a crap about the living or the dead. Their souls have nothing to do with me or Haku. Now unless you want to die here and now I advise you to leave." Haku remained silent while Zabuza spoke showing he supported whatever he thought was best.

Rei on the other hand-signed. "So you're telling me you don't care if the both of you die again? I'm giving you a chance to live out your lives with slight restrictions. Are you willing to give that because of your pride? Or is it something else entirely?" Rei's words struck a chord with Zabuza who suddenly froze and looked over at Haku.

He didn't care about himself but Haku did deserve a chance to live their life. That was something he wished he could have realized when he was alive. Haku looked at Zabuza as he contemplated Rei's proposition again before speaking. "Since you're so eager then how about this. I refuse to work under someone weaker than I am."

Entering a battle a mindset Zabuza seemed to be ready to fight right there and then as Rei looked at him. "Prove your worth joining and then I'll consider your offer." Rei didn't expect Zabuza to propose such a simple method but he wouldn't turn it down. 'Hmm, he didn't say I had to beat him so what he's looking for is validation. Alright, then I'll bite…'

Drawing Ryujin Jakka from its sheath, Rei prepared himself for a fight. "Fine then if this is what it takes. But don't blame me when If I start pressuring the two of you." Rei suddenly disappeared from both Zabuza and Haku's field of vision before reappearing again behind them.

Swinging at full force towards the two of them, Haku was able to duck under Rei's attack as Zabuza turned and blocked with his executioner blade. 'I let me guard down! He's fast really fast.' Feeling the force behind Rei's swing Zabuza slid back a couple of meters as Haku who had gotten behind Rei.

Pulling out over eight needle-like weapons Haku let loose a barrage of projectiles directly towards Rei. Reacting quickly Rei simply pointed in the direction of Haku before using a Kido spell. "Hado #33: Sokatsui!" In a flash of blue light, the needles were immediately destroyed as a wave of blue energy enveloped that side of the bridge.

Haku quickly weaved multiple hand signs before holding his hands towards Rei's attack. "Ice Style: Glacial Dome Jutsu!" Surrounding him directly as the attack impacted a hard ice shell surrounding Haku. With chunks of the bridge missing around him Haku disappeared from the ice shell as he looked at Rei in shock.

'What kind of Jutsu was that? It was so powerful but they didn't use any hand signs? Is it a Kekkei Genkai or?' While Rei was distracted by Haku he heard Zabuza rushing him from behind. The sound of blades clashing echoed across the bridge as Ryujin Jakka's blade clashed with Zabuza's.

"You're quite strong for your age. Tell me is everyone in this future as strong as you?" Hearing Zabuza's question, Rei smiled in response. "Afraid not you two just got very unlucky." Rei slowly took a step forward as he began to push Zabuza back. "But don't worry Im just getting started." Lifting his left leg Rei kicked Zabuza in the stomach causing a tremor to run through his body.

"Gah!" Zabuza's body was sent flying back across the bridge as he felt a burning pain in his body. Stabbing his blade into the ground Zabuza stopped himself from sliding before letting go of its handle and doing a series of hand signs."Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Rei felt the entire bridge as the water under it began to warp.

Shooting into the air like a pillar the water took the shape of a massive dragon rising into the air before stopping and looking down at Rei. "Haku!" Zabuza and Haku coordinated their attacks as the water dragon began to move and charge towards Rei and Haku attacked from behind. "Oh?" Glancing between the two of them Rei raised Ryujin Jakka into the air and faced the water dragon.

Pouring Reiryoku into his legs and arms, Rei's focus reached a razor-sharp point. "Hitotsume: Nadegiri." Attacking faster than the eye can track the water dragon was suddenly cut diagonally despite Rei seemingly not moving. "What?" Seeing the entire dragon cut like that Zabuza felt the bridge under him suddenly shift.

"Huh?" Looking down Zabuza saw a clean-cut traveling across the bridge as slowly an entire section of it began to slide into the sea below. Jumping into the air to avoid falling with it Zabuza retreated to a safe distance as the sliced-off piece of the bridge collapsed into the sea causing water to rain everywhere.

'He cut my water dragon and the bridge with a single attack. I wouldn't be able to do something like that even if I had my executioner blade…' With Zabuza's side of the attack failing Haku was left on his own. Weaving hand signs Rei suddenly saw that the water raining down from the sky due to the splash had begun to stop moving. "Secret Style: A Thousand Needles Of Death!"

Sharpening themselves into the water like needles, all of them pointed themselves directly at Rei. "Crap..." Seeing the thousands of needles surrounding him Rei couldn't find a big enough gap between them all to dodge. As all the needles charged directly at him Rei did what Haku thought was impossible.

"How…" Combining both Flash Step along with his natural speed and reflexes Rei began to cut each water needle charging at him. His figure in the center of the barrage was like a blur

as both Zabuza and Haku watched as he cut every single one of them down creating a perfectly empty space in a hail of needles.

Doing this for a few seconds straight Rei cut the final needle and all of them turned back into normal water and splashed onto the ground. "Phew…" Whistling Rei glanced at the two of them with a smirk. Rei had not had the chance to fight like this in a while since he always had to hold back against Fuyumi, Seiki, and Ren.

Because of that, he would be lying if he didn't say he wasn't having fun. "So do you two have any other abilities I should be worried about." Haku was staring at Rei with a look of both shock and fear. 'I've never seen a ninja move like that before it was almost inhuman. Just what kind of training was he put through to be able to do something so precise…'

Rei continued to look between the two of them when he suddenly heard Zabuza speak. "I can see now why you were so confident when you expected to fight us. You clearly used to combat however there is one crucial thing you're missing that no amount of talent can overcome." Rei raised a brow as he spoke to Zabuza. "And what is that?"

Rei suddenly saw that Zabuza's body began to dissipate before turning into water. 'A water clone but when?' Rei raised his guard as Zabuza appeared behind him from a thicker region of the mist. While Rei reacted quickly seemingly cutting through Zabuza however once again he turned into water.

'Another water clone? No, wait.' The water from the clone began to surround Rei as he realized it was a trap. He prepared to use Flash Step to avoid the water but just as was about to, he saw something block his path. "Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors." Escaping the Water Prison trapped clone Rei was surrounded even further by a wall of Ice Mirrors.

"That would be experiencing. I doubt you have much knowledge of Jutsu so even if you notice a trap you can't react to it properly." Outside of the area, Rei was in, Zabuza walked out from the mist as Haku began to appear on each and every mirror surrounding Rei. "However I must admit if you had noticed that I had replaced myself with a clone and was slowly making the mist thicker this would never have worked."

However, Rei on the other hand was having an entirely different thought process. "Wonderful, absolutely perfect." Looking around him and thinking back at how he got caught Rei couldn't help but smile. "I was hoping that you two would be like this. Having you two of my side will make my job all the easier."

Hearing Rei both Zabuza and Haku seemed confused as they looked at him. "Oh sorry and I do understand what you're saying." It's exactly because of that reason that Ren avoids acting prideful and arrogant despite having Ryujin Jakka. If he ever let something that artificial get in the way of making smart decisions he would be disappointed in himself.

"But in the end, I guess actions speak louder than words. By the since you guys are souls right now you're going to feel this a lot more than if you were still in your bodies."

Before either Haku and Zabuza could react an explosive amount of power was released from Rei's body. The heat from this surge of power caused the ice mirrors surrounding them to begin to crack as the two of them felt a strange pressure crush down onto them.

"Reduce All Creation To Ash. Ryujin Jakka!" Rei's voice echoed across the bridge as the two felt a feeling well up inside of them. 'This feeling… It's overpowering…'