Chapter 12

Last Time:

Tazuna headed off to see what was needed and how he could get it done.

Now:

Naruto grinned as he looked at the blueprints for Gato's mansion. It had been 2 days since he arrived in Wave and he could without a doubt say that things were getting better. He had begun to help out at the bridge and, with the help of a few shadow clones, had been able to make up for the workers that had been intimidated into quitting. Since then, even the old drunk quit drinking so much and actually got his hands dirty at the bridge.

Naruto smiled as he got back to work, looking over the mansion floor plans. "Tazuna, isn't there a drainage system or something for this place?" Naruto asked the drunk sitting across from him. "Yea, there's a system of underground catacombs to help with the excess water. Since it's located in the middle of the forest, there had to be some way of relieving the excess rain and water so the mansion didn't end up being in the middle of a swamp." Tazuna finished.

"Is there an access tunnel or something?" Naruto asked. Tazuna nodded and highlighted a hatch near the rear of the mansion. "Mhm.. This place looks really big." Naruto mused as he looked at the blueprints. "Which are the main support beams?" Naruto asked Tazuna. "They're spread of throughout the entire mansion." Tazuna said as he laid a transparency over the blueprints that highlighted a few dozen support beams. Naruto nodded as he looked at the blueprints. "I think I might have what I need." Naruto said as he rolled up the blueprints.

Tazuna had a look of worry on his face, which Naruto thankfully noticed. "What's wrong, Tazuna?" "Well, there are a lot of guards and patrols guarding the entrance Not only that, but there's an intricate lock on the entrance." Tazuna finished. Naruto nodded. "It'll be alright, don't worry." Naruto finished with a smile. "Why?" Naruto turned to see Inari there, bucket hat covering his eyes. "Why what?" Naruto asked. "Why are you trying so hard to fight against Gato? No one can defeat him! He's got money, power, thughs, and influence! Can't you tell that next to him, you're nothing!" Inari yelled.

Naruto smirked and looked at Inari. "Why the hell are you laughing! You haven't had to deal with a hard day or to live in poverty! You probably already have everything back in your comfortable village! A family who loves you, a nice home, food!" Inari yelled at Naruto. "I'm laughing because you're amusing. Your grandfather is trying with all of his might to oppose Gato, but you throw in the towel before the first bell is rung." Naruto said as he approached Inari. "You think I have it all in Konoha? I was disowned by my parents at an early age because my brother had more potential than I did."

Naruto began " I had lost it all, and was ready to give up, but I didn't, you want to know why? Because I found people who cared for me." Naruto said as he remembered the faces of Cap, Tony, Natalya, Jarvis, and Hawkeye. "Despite my disability, they trained me. They taught me ways to take down people 7 times stronger than me." By this time, Inari was sitting down crying. "They made me what I am today. And in a last selfless act, they helped me improve myself by improving my body." Naruto said.

"They gave their lives for me, and their home. All so I could have a chance. So I'm sorry if I don't give up until I'm six feet under, but that's what I was taught." Naruto said as he ruffled Inari's hair. "These tyrants, these dictators. They do nothing by the book. They just do whatever they want because they don't expect any consequences. In our minds, they are bigger because they have every advantage we don't. They have money, armies, and power. But if you look past it all, they're regular people. And I promise you that one way or another, Gato won't be troubling you any more. Just don't loose the fire in your eyes. Once you lose that, you lose yourself." Naruto finished.

Inari had a confused look on his face and stormed up to his room. "Naruto-san," Tazuna started, getting his attention, "is what you said to Inari true?" "Every word." Naruto said as he sat down at the table. "But what disability do you have?" Tazuna asked, not meaning to pry. "When I was little, my brother was targeted by an unknown assailant. I took the hit for him, but it left my chakra coils severely damaged, up to the point where I couldn't use chakra." Naruto finished. "But that's ridiculous, I saw you make clones and use a jutsu on the bridge the day that masked ninja attacked!" Tazuna exclaimed.

Naruto smiled as he took a sip of his drink. "Yes, that is true. You see, I was hit with a toxin designed to apparently destroy the chakra network. Thankfully, as part of my heritage, I have a slight healing factor. It took approximately 7 years to fix my coils. By then, my father had disowned me because he had already decided my younger brother was stronger than me." Naruto finished. Tazuna wanted to ask more questions, but decided to keep his mouth shut.

"Tazuna-san, is there a workshop where I can work metal around here?" Naruto asked. "Why, what do you need to make, Naruto-san?" Tazuna asked. "Some party favors for our… friends." Naruto replied with a smirk. Tazuna shrugged and led him to the smithy on the outer edge of the town.

~ The Smithy ~

Naruto smiled as he walked into the smithy. It had everything he would need to get ready for the next day's battle. He went to light the coal and get everything ready.

~ Time Skip – 2 A.M. The Next Day ~

Naruto groaned as he stepped out of the smithy. It had been a grueling 8 hours, but he had finally managed to finish his little project, but he was completely exhausted and over heated. He laid on the soft grass as the cool breeze washed over him. Within minutes, he fell asleep.

~ The Next Day ~

Haku was walking through the outskirts of the town looking for some herbs that would help speed his master's recovery up, but he had been having little luck. He was wearing a pink sleeveless kimono and a simple obi tied around his waist. As he continued searching, he came across the sleeping form of one Naruto Romanov. As soon as he saw him, he recognized him. 'That's the brat who managed to take down Zabuza-sama.' Haku thought as he approached the sleeping Naruto. 'It would be so easy to…' Haku began, but trailed off and instead of reaching for Naruto's neck, reached for his shoulder.

Naruto groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. 'Ugh.. What happened, did I fall asleep out here?' Naruto asked himself as he slowly came to, and noticed a stunningly beautiful girl with raven hair and chocolate brown eyes standing over him. "You should wake up, you're going to catch a cold out here." Naruto heard the girl say to him. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "Ne, thank you miss, but I'll be fine. It will take more than a cold to take me down. My name is Naruto Romanov." Naruto said as he extended his hand towards the young girl.

"I'm Haku. Why were you sleeping out here, Naruto-san?" Haku asked as he continued to search for his herbs. "Oh, I was just finishing a few preparations." Naruto said as he looked over Haku's shoulder. "Ne, what are you doing Haku-san?" "I'm picking a few herbs to help a friend of mines get better. What about you, Naruto-san? Why are you out here making preparations?" Haku asked Naruto. "I'm getting ready for an assignment." Naruto replied. "Assignment, are you a shinobi?" Haku asked. "No, I'm not a shinobi. I'm just helping out a few of the people in the town." Naruto replied.

"Wow, you must be really strong then." Haku commented. "I guess I am.." Naruto replied sheepishly. "What do you fight for?" Haku asked. "Um, what do you mean?" Naruto asked Haku, confused at her question. "What do you fight for? Everybody fights for something." Haku replied. "Well, I fight for the people who have been wronged and have no way of helping themselves." Naruto replied. "That's good. I believe you are the strongest when you fight for the sake of someone else, not your own." Haku said as he finished picking herbs.

"Well, Naruto-san. I am afraid I must get back to my sick friend. Thank you for listening to me." Haku said as he left. "No problem, Haku-san. It was great to meet you." Haku smirked as he turned to look at him. "By the way, I'm a guy." Haku finished as he left the clearing, leaving Naruto's face drained of blood. 'Gah! No.. No freaking way!' Naruto thought as he watched the male leave. He got up, loosened his joints, and headed back into the smithy. He still had to collect his items and head back to meet up Tazuna for guard detail.

~ The Bridge ~

Tazuna looked a bit paranoid as Naruto walked over to him. Naruto tapped his shoulder, only for Tazuna to jump like a frightened cat. "Ne, Tazuna-san, are you okay?" Naruto asked him. "Yea, just peachy. Where were you?" Tazuna replied and asked. "At the smithy finishing up. I kind of fell asleep last night outside of the smithy." Naruto replied as he made 5 shadow clones to go help with the bridge. "Well, did you finish what you needed to get done?" Tazuna asked as he hefted a bag of concrete.

"Yea, I got everything done. Tonight is going to be a very dangerous night for everyone, though." Naruto replied as he grabbed a bag of cement and followed after Tazuna. "I'll tell you and the whole family later tonight." Naruto said. Tazuna hesitantly nodded but knew he didn't have much of a choice.

~ Time Skip – The same night ~

Tazuna stared at Naruto as he put on his Kevlar vest. "You do realize what you are planning is crazy right?" Tazuna said. Naruto nodded as he adjusted his fingerless gloves and his face mask. "Yea, I know. But this is a quick and efficient way to solve the problem." Tazuna hesitantly nodded, ageing with Naruto's point. "Anyway, I'll be leaving 5 shadow clones with you and the family in case shit hits the fan. Hole yourselves up and no matter who knocks, do not answer. My clones will give you the all clear when everything is ok." Tazuna nodded.

~ Forest Near Gato's House ~

Naruto slowly made his way over the trees around Gato's house. Overall, the midget had been extremely careful. He had already ducked to avoid 5 patrols and had avoided three different tripwires, but the hatch was still swarming with bandits. It was literally right in the middle of a bandit camp. 'Shit. If I leave them alive, they'll terrorize the village after Gato is gone. If I kill them now, I run a greater risk of being discovered.' Naruto mused as he took a kunai out of his pouch. "The things I do.." Naruto sighed out as he slowly made his way into the camp.

~ Bandit Camp ~

Naruto smirked as he saw the bottles of sake littering the entire campsite. Apparently, they had a big party and got stone cold drunk. Most of them were passed out of the floor. He carefully went up to each one of them and slit their throats, being as silent as possible. At first, he winced at the loss, but after the 5th throat, ignored the feeling in favor of finishing the task at hand. He slowly walked up to the last of the 12 bandits, but his foot kicked and upright sake bottle.

As the bottle smashed into the floor, the bandit began to stir. As he slowly opened his eyes, he was greeted by the stinging sensation of a kunai being rammed into his throat. Without making a sound, Naruto wrapped the mans head in his arms and laid him down. As Naruto wiped his kunai clean, he inspected the carnage. This feeling never went away. The knowing you extinguished a life, even if it was a life full of sin. He sighed and unsealed his lock pick set from his infiltration tools. After fiddling with the lock for 15 minutes, a small click was heard.

Naruto removed the lock and quietly entered into the service entrance to the catacombs. He was in, and if he had anything to say about it, Gato had a few hours left to live at best.

A/N:

GJC: First, Naruto is strong, but you have to remember that the 7 swordsmen of the mist are the equivalent of Konoha's Sages. Naruto will have some problems, but not many. He's strong, yes, but he's not super strong yet. Also, you have to take into account that he has little field experience.

And as for the family, there will not be a confrontation for a while.