Chapter 9

 Escorted by Tazuna, Team 7 strolled down a partially ran-down dock, leading to a two-story house. This was a lake home, one the most common and known trademarks in the Land of Waves.

"I have a guest bed in the back, the blond can rest up from his injuries." Tazuna pointed at his home.

Constructed with an overlooking balcony over the entranceway, lined with a sliding glass door, This home was shielded by tan-paint roof tiles, an aged sight.

The front door to Tazuna's house was then opened forcefully, trailing by a 6 year old figure. Dressed in a short-sleeved yellow shirt, this attire was worn under green overalls with matching shoes.

"Grandpa!" Inari screamed, shrouded by the grey bucket hat he wore.

"Who's the hag with the weird hair color?" Hugging his grandpa, he glanced at Team 7.

Sakura was about to lunge forward, Until her collar was snagged at the last moment, raised into the air. Dragging one hand over his masked-covered face, Kakashi sighed before speaking up.

"You can't hurt the cilent, and you also cannot hurt the clients family either" Kakashi mumbled.

"Don't be rude to these fine shinobi, they escorted your grandpa to safety dear!." A 23 year old woman slurred.

With pale skin and dark blue hair, these strands perfectly matched her sapphire-like eyes. Denoting the skin-tight blue kimono she wore, this fabric was obscured by a white apron with tattered shoes.

"Mom, don't you see they're all going to die? Just like dad did!" Inari protested, running inside the house. 

"He's never been the same, since Gato came to our village I'm afraid." Tsunami spoke out, known as Tazuna's daughter.

Five minutes later.

Entering the house, Team 7 was met was a mesh shoe mat, paving the path to a rather long hallway. This hallway would connect into separate rooms and junctions that were spread around.

"The guest bed is in here." Tazuna explained, gripping a door before sliding it open.

Naruto... Please be okay. Sasuke lowered his friend to the floor.

"Where can I take a bath?" Sakura asked, escorted upstairs by Tsunami.

An awkward silence the filled the room as Sasuke and Kakashi were left with an unconscious Naruto. Casually reading from his book, Kakashi flipped the page, as if he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings at all.

"That weird thing he summoned... He's got to be hiding something." Sasuke clenched his fists together.

Close friends for many years, Sasuke and Naruto had developed a well-known bond. Brothers from separate clans, they each prized the other's friendship, giving purpose to their lives in every aspect.

"I would try to help if I could, but I honestly know about as much as you do" Kakashi shrugged.

The awkwardness set in once more before Sasuke spoke up again.

"I'm going to head outside and train. That's the best I can do for now at least..." Sasuke stood up as he head outside.

Hovering over the sleeping outline of Naruto, Kakashi gazed at the whiskers on his face. Snapping shut the orange book he carried, he squinted his eye as he crouched down.

An extended silence then polluted the air as Kakashi was left completely alone with a sleeping Naruto. While this silence continued to stretch on, Kakashi glanced at his student.

Naruto was Kakashi's greatest legacy and mission, he held the blond to an extremely high standard. Before he was even born, Kakashi was watching over him, inside the womb of his mother.

And now, empowered by the strange of violet eyes of his student, Kakashi hummed. Making a mental note to talk too Hiruzen when he got back on matters regarding his pupil.

Meanwhile.

"You're brutal Haku...Gah..." Zabuza snarled, pulling the senbon from his neck.

"That kid sure had you." Haku removed his porcelain Anbu mask while laughing.

Barely 15 years old, he was a descendant of the fabled Yuki clan, renown for ice manipulation. Crouched beside his master, they both sat in a grassy knoll, dampened by crashing waves.

"Give me a week to rest up, I'll kill all of them, especially that blonde brat." Zabuza muttered.

Slowly sitting up, Zabuza rested his back against the sacred blade of his Kubikiribōchō. Met by an extended silence, he closed his eyes before drifting off into sleeping, filling Haku with joy.

I'm glad you're okay... Haku thought to himself.

Twenty minutes later.

Naruto, if you weren't there... 

A single thought echoed through Sasuke's mind at the events that had happened.

Clenching his fists, he battered and beat an overbearing oak tree, splintering the wood. Cursing the weakness that infected his brain, blood poured from his knuckles as he pounded even harder.

-Flashback-

"IT'S BEAUTIFUL" Sakura shrieked.

Standing inside the empty streets of the Uchiha compound, the moon was overhead. Escorted by Naruto, this young kunoichi was giddy with glee, ready to flirt with Sasuke.

Pushing the sliding door on his two-story balcony, Sasuke strolled onto the porch that was covered up by the moonlight above. Greeting his assembled teammates, they strolled over Sasuke's yard, meeting him on the balcony.

"Where are we gonna practice?" Sakura asked with curiosity.

Leaping to the yard below, Sasuke and Naruto were caught up in a fierce training contest. Funneling chakra, throwing kunai and climbing trees, they were watched by Sakura, smiling without pause at the events in front of her.

Thirty minutes later.

"That was awesome!" Sakura clapped.

Positioned inside the training grounds for Team 7, these Genin were gathered together. Masked by occasional rays from the moon, this light sparkled between lingering clouds.

"Let's spar like old times!" Sasuke cut in abruptly.

Over two years had past since their last competition, ending in Sasuke's victory. But now, this Uchiha was determined to test and tease his best friend, in order to unlock the full potential of a clash between them.

Charging his friend without warning, blades of grass were scuffled under their feet. Shrouded by a breeze of rustling leaves, that swirled all throughout the air.

Evading a clenched fist, Naruto slid down, rolling between Sasuke's opened legs. Scurrying to kick his friend, the young Uchiha caught this blow, throwing Naruto through the tree-line as a counter.

Cheering from the sides, Sakura encouraged each punch and jab, jumping for joy. As Naruto twisted through the air, he eventually landed on the forest floor, crushing the overgrown grass.

Veiled by Sasuke's shadow, Naruto dropped to the ground, swinging his feet. Robbed of his balance, Sasuke briefly tumbled before catching himself, dodging a well placed kick from Naruto's sudden attack.

He's gotten so much better... Sasuke stumbled backwards.

Another fist through the air, these knuckles collided against Naruto's palm. Catching a fierce jab from his knee, this blond shinobi were pushed against a tree from the impact of the hit.

Moving like a perfect mirror image of each other, these friends fought without pause. Failing to land each and every attack, Sakura gripped the fabric of her shirt with anxiety.

As the sound of crackling knuckles smashed together, Sakura stared in awe at the fight in front of her. Grabbing kick after kick, blocking punch after punch, these friends met their match, with each other.

I can't believe they're still going at it... Sakura quickly noticed the time.

"Guys! It's almost five o-clock! Where's Kakashi-sensei?!" The pink-haired kunoichi coughed.

Panting and gasping for air, Sasuke wiped the sweat from his face as Naruto laughed at the amount of work that had been put into this fight between the two.

"Let's keep pushing each other forward Sasuke!" Naruto said with a thumbs up.

-Flashback ends-

"He's grown so much, and I haven't changed at all." Sasuke choked with bruised knuckles.

Haunted by the violet, rippled eyes that Naruto possessed, he grind his teeth. The only value that he still held in life, this whiskered shinobi was the closet thing Sasuke had to a friend.

"Damnit!" Sasuke screamed out to nobody in particular.

Run, and keep running - cling to your worthless life. Itachi's memory clouded his mind.

And when you have the same eyes as I, come before me so I may end your life. Broken by these words, Sasuke sunk to the ground.

'I never give up, I never go back on my word' was Naruto's moto, instilled by Iruka. As a sibling student, Sasuke also shared this perspective, slowly eroded by the death of his clan.

"Do you feel it?" Kakashi interrupted out of nowhere.

"Feel...what?" Sasuke asked caught off guard.

"It's Zabuza his chakra has returned." Kakashi said calmly.

At the sound of this statement, Sasuke's eyes flew open, caught up by racing thoughts. For his entire life, he was always trapped in a shadow, the shade of his father, his brother, then Shisui.

But now, Sasuke had a new goal. The extended presence of Naruto carried great weight on this young Uchiha, a trait that would define his entire life.

"So, you'll get to fight Zabuza again." Speaking with a reluctant tone, which were covered by Sasuke's cheering.

The best friend of Naruto and his remarkable sensei, neither of them knew his dark secret. With eyes as old as the shinobi world, they signaled a great and terrifying destiny that would change the entire world as they knew it.