Chapter 18: Fight against the swordmen of the mist(4)

"Come one let me sleep for a while." Naruto snored while sleep talking, Sakura on the other hand was struggling to keep her eyes open.

'Did they overpractised yesterday?' Sasuke thought, since it would be the day Tazuna had all the equipment to build the birdge and going to face Zabuza and Haku.

'Well, I succeed with sealing jutsu, so I have see whether fate allows me today.' Sasuke considered while smiling, holding couple of tailsmn in his hands, imbued with jutsu he seen in anime performed by Ao, the Barrier Talisman: Armoured Eye.

'Good thing I remembered it when I seen the name at Uchiha library, since it helped him protect his Bakyugan' Sasuke recalled, how effective it was, where tailman protect the user designated area despite Ao body was being controlled by Fū Yamanaka.

While it would be that not effective enough to protect Haku from Raikiri considering Sasuke just learned it couple of hours ago, it was enough to shift the position of Raikiri, where it will barely miss the attack on the heart.

Sasuke was happy with the result since he had carries certain military ration pills to heal wound enough for safe measure, that would have at least increase chance of Haku and Zabuza to live if Naruto happens to give use talk no jutsu on him to trigger that event.

Sasuke was anxious for few days whether or not Haku would actually kill them, until he found Naruto babbling about a beautiful boy to Sakura he met when he was finding a good spot for training.

However Sasuke heart truly eased, when he noticed a certain jutsu applied on Naruto which he would not know if he didn't read 'Kakashi Hiden: Lightning in the Icy Sky' and didn't not have his Sharingan.

'I still find it amazing he could use Ice Release: Earthen Consecutive Chains of Ice, its lucky he hates killing.' Sasuke thought, amazed by the level of the control jutsu Haku applied on Naruto to the degree where it will only be effectively enforced if Naruto fight against him.

A jutsu on par with Fire Release: Heavenly Prison which Sasuke is trying to learn as well, since it prevent the victim from using chakra where it lowers the temperature of victim body to a degree, forcing the victim to use their chakra to keep themselves warm to avoid being freeze to death, or it will freeze the victim in far dangerous rate based on what command user gave.

Since Naruto has Kurama, he was confident he will be fine if situation becomes dire for him.

Sasuke also took special Uchiha millitary ration pill he brought with him, just in case Zabuza and Haku were not only opponent they will face today.

Sasuke for now, setting his plan to stone, nagged Naruto and Sakura out of bed.

If anyone of their previous classmates sees them, they would think they were in genjutsu considering Sasuke understood how flimsy his acting skill were and gradually talk to them in his usual manner, it was departure to 'Ice Queen' persona OG Sasuke had.

***

"Hope you guys did not slack off?" Kakashi remarked, who came back for breakfast.

Sasuke had no idea where he went for a wek, but he had a wild guess that Kakashi payed someone or homself crafted a chakra sword for himself as he have the opportunity here.

'It good for him anyway if he pick it up, there would be chance if he teach his famous father swordman technqiue to me.' Sasuke thought, who happend to be correct, at least half of it.

After eating, they set out outside and waited for Tazuna.

However, they heard certain voice inside the house.

"Don't go grandpa!!"

"Please, I don't want to lose you as well."

The voice that was pleading Tazuna, came from Inari who avoided Team 7 for a week.

"Listen Inar-"

"No!! I won't let you die in vain as well!" Inari roared, making it difficult for Tazuna to leave.

His mother tried her best, but Inari was too stubborn to listen to her.

Tazuna understimated Inari cynism, thinking it would go away with time just like everyone who tried to warned him before they understood Team 7 capability.

Not expecting it to increase.

It was an awkward moment for Team 7, since they have no right to interfere with family matter.

And worse, if Inari does not calm down, he may drag them and even jeopardised the mission, by becoming a walking target to be captured and used to coerced Tazuna to back down.

Of course, Inari did not spare Team 7, throwing hurtful statement against them.

Kakashi did not care, he long used to getting this treatment.

Sakura and Naruto did not care much as well, toughening their heart after hearing nasty off hand comment from clients and bandits during mission.

They naturally believed civilian don't understand shinobi, where Sasuke indifference toward civilians further cement their belief.

However team 7 had a tense expression by Inari next remarks.

"Do you even understand me!"

"How did you know what it likes to lose someone you care!" Inari yelled at Sasuke, who was closed to Inari.

'Oh shit!!!'

While panicking, Sakura quickly formed hand sighs to summon jutsu she learned from Sasuke and practising for a week while Naruto quickly formed clone sign, to stop Sasuke.

Kakashi with an aloof face, already took his stance, predicting where Sasuke would attack Inari.

Because it would terrible for them not to understand the pain Sasuke may felt, who lost his whole clan in front of him, while not able to do anything to stop it.

They knew Inari was never meant specfically to Sasuke, but does it mean Sasuke won't take it personally?

They had no clue, no one ever talked about Uchiha in front of him.

Sasuke only mentioned them as reference during training and when learning jutsu from him.

So priority as to make sure Inari was safe

"Yeah, I don't understand you." Sasuke said bodly with a sarcastic smile in his face, contrary to mood of the room.

"I don't understand why don't you help your grandpa who is doing the right thing to give freedom to people in this land."

"I don't understand why you became a coward unlike your father, the former hero of the Wave, who did his best to protect this land even in his last breath."

"I don't understand you why doing your best to get rid of us, where we are doing our job, risking our lives to complete a mission that would not even pay a fraction for replacement for the limps we may lose."

"So Inari, I really don't understand you, who unlike me, that blond idiot and my sensei, have a family, who I found it fortunate, but their is one thing you must understand clearly, that we will succeed today regardless of what you believed." Sasuke concluded, before turning his back.

With how many bitter sweet memories had haunted him for the past 37 days, every single day of emotional struggles he experinced after waking up, Inari words was just like using a dull knife.

An extremely dull knife, to cut open a wound.

Everyone in the room was dumbfounded, each with their own reason.

Seeing Inari quite down, Tazuna quickly left with Team 7 before Inari recover from it.

Tazuna wondered how cruel shinobi livea were in reality, where rest of team 7 did not know what to feel about Sasuke.

Sasuke did not pay attention, and waited for the eventual showdown between him and Haku.

'Let's see how my luck fares.'