Battle of The Bridge

"Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted,"

House

Two Samurai Thugs showed up at the front of the house. One of them then sliced down the door like it was paper, with his Katana.

Tsunami was shocked, when she heard the sound of her door breaking apart, and gasped when she saw the two intruders before her.

One of them is a light-skinned man with bluish-white hair and black eyes. Lined markings are tattooed under his eyes. He wears a dark purple hat on this head, the top of which extends far beyond the top of his head. He also wears a blue jacket with multiple pockets and tied to his waist is his blue handled katana.

The other, is of tall statured man, who wears an eye-patch over his right eye and has brown hair which he parts in three, finishing in an elaborate topknot. He has an intricate tattoo that seemingly stretches across his entire left side and left right, inner thigh, as well as a stitched scar on the left side of his forehead, and the left side of his mouth. He wears what seems to be a loose-fitting kimono, albeit not in the traditional manner as the top half of the outfit falls around his waist leaving his upper body exposed. He also wears bandages wrapped around his waist, simple sandals and carries a fairly long sword.

"So you're Tazuna's daughter, huh? Too bad, you'll be coming with us now." The Samurai thug with the purple-hat said to Tsunami.

"W-Who are you people?! What do you want?!" Tsunami asked, with great fear in her voice.

"Hehehe quite a beauty isn't she, Zori?" The Samurai with the eyepatch said, as he licked his lips and gaze hungrily for the pretty young mother.

"Keep it in your pants, Waraji. We got a job to do remember? And I don't want to bring bad news to Gato." The now identified Zori says, reminding his partner, Waraji, of their objective.

"G-Gato?" Tsunami asked, as her fears had risen up than ever. The monster of a man that took her husband, is now after her.

Inari heard the sounds of his mother's screams and broken plates, so he rushed downstairs only to find Tsunami on the floor, with her back against the wall, as the two scary looking thugs, stalks her every step.

"Mother!" Inari yelled out to his mum.

Tsunami heard the sound of her son's voice, and her eyes immediately widened in fear.

"No! Don't come out here. Run away! Hurry!" Tsunami yelled out to her son to flee.

"Don't move, kid." Zori says with a dangerously strict tone, enough to froze the little boy where he stood.

"Should we grab this one too?" Waraji asked his partner.

"No. Gato asked for just one Hostage." Zori answered.

'H-Hostage' Inari thought in fear, knowing that he and mother's life are in great danger.

But hearing that they don't need another hostage, somehow puts a large sinister grin on Waraji's face.

"Alright.....THEN LET'S GUT HIM OPEN!" Waraji yelled out excitedly, as he slowly took out his katana, intending to slice the little boy to ribbons, before finally ending his misery.

Hearing the threat on her son, caused Tsunami to immediately panic.

"WAIT! Please don't hurt my son. I'm begging you, he's just a boy!" Tsunami pleaded and tried to reason.

"Not a chance, Sweet-tits. I've been dying to slice something up, and your dumb kid will be a much better prey, than that wild-boar we ran into the forest. Besides....what's in it for me?" Waraji said with a perverted grin at the end.

"I'll do ANYTHING! Just please don't hurt him." Tsunami begged once more, not knowing the repercussions of her desperate plea, as she was blinded by her motherly instincts to see Waraji's perverted grin grew wider.

"ANYTHING huh? Hehehehe" Waraji said, as he licked his lips once more.

"Well since you are so generous....how about you let us have some FUN with you first." Waraji said, as his perverted grin grew wider, and slowly walking towards the helpless young mother.

All Tsunami could do was gasped, as her eyes widened in fear. Is she really about to be raped in her own home?

"Are you out of your mind?! Gato wants her unharmed, you idiot." Zori yelled out for partner's antics.

"He says that.....but we both know what he intends to do with her. And as his 'loyal bodyguard', isn't it our duty to sample the goods before he enjoys his meal?" Waraji said, as he is now inches away from Tsunami, and grabbed her by her pink blouse.

"You do what you want. I'm not getting in trouble just because you're fucking horny." Zori says with a scoff and looks away.

"Fine. More for me then!" Waraji yells in delight, as he immediately ripped Tsunami's blouse, exposing her white lace-bra and well-toned belly, causing her to scream.

"NOOO! Don't touch me!" Tsunami yelled out in tears in her eyes, and tries to fight off the eye-patch wearing thug, but apparently her struggles only spurs him on even more.

He then forcefully pined her against the wall, as his chest was pressing against her subtle breast.

"Don't worry, beautiful. I won't bite. Much." Waraji whispered in her ear, as he licked her tearful cheeks.

Seeing his mother helpless, and being sexually assaulted, made Inari cry his eyes out. He couldn't do anything. He was completely frozen. He didn't want to die. He....he was a coward.

'Naruto was right' Inari thought with great sadness in his heart.

When push comes to shove, he couldn't do anything to help the person he loves. He was truly ashamed of himself.

But then he remembered what Kakashi told him about the blonde Uzumaki.

'He WAS you, Inari. He was a sad little boy, who had his heart broken so many times. My guess is, he just got tired of crying, and decided to do something about it'

Inari's eyes widened for the Silver haired Jonin's words, and his crying lessens a little. He then he remembers what his father once told him.

'If you really care about something, protect it. Even if you have to put your life on the line. Protect it with both arms.'

Inari stopped his crying, and wiped his tears away. He finally knew why his father smiled before he was executed by Gato. He was happy.

Because in the end, he did what he had to, to protect his family. And even though he failed to save his country from Gato's tyranny, he knew he did his best.

And he trusted his son, to succeed where he failed. To never give up, no matter what.

Realizing this, Inari had finally found his lost courage. He already lost one parent, and he refuses to lose another.

"S-Stop. Stop. STOP! LEAVE MY MOTHER ALONE!" Inari yelled out, causing Waraji to stop his advancement on Tsunami.

"Beat it kid, can't you see I'm about to have some 'playtime' with mummy here" Waraji says, as he slowly lifted Tsunami's skirt up.

"N-NOOOO!" Tsunami yelled, trying her best to fight him off.

Hearing his mother's scream, immediately filled Inari with anger.

"YOU ANIMAL! GET AWAY FROM HER!" Inari yelled out, and charges at Waraji.

But the little boy's advancement, was put to a stop, as he was knocked down by Zori, with a backhand slapped on the face.

"You're really starting to spoil my fun kid. As punishment, I'm going to fuck your mother's brains out in front of you. So shut up and enjoy the show." Waraji says with a smirk.

"Inari! Let me go you god damned son of a bitch!" Tsunami yelled out, as she punched Waraji on his face, but the eye-patch wearing samurai merely shrugged it off.

"Hohoho a real fighter in you. I like that."

"Then you're going to love me."

Waraji's eyes widened, when he heard those words behind him, and felt something sharp pierced through his chest. It was a red katana, and its wielder, is none other than Naruto. The blonde's eyes were burning with cold fury.

Naruto then deepens the stab, with a single swing, he completely open his whole body from stomach to head, almost tear in two, his chest ripped in half, hanging both at opposite sides, his organs falling out, his right eyeball was cut in half. His blood spread everywhere, painting the whole room in red. Waraji's body fell limp on the floor.

"You disgusting motherfucker." Naruto said with great disgust, and cursing himself for arriving so late.

"Naruto!" Inari yelled out with joy in his voice.

"Sorry I'm late, Inari." Naruto said with a sad smile.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Zori yelled out, as he pulled out his katana and charged at the blonde.

Naruto immediately put his Katana back to it's scabbard, and flawlessly dodge all of the thug's sloppy slices. It looked like Naruto was simply dancing.

When Naruto saw an opening, he immediately disarmed the thug from his Katana, by grabbing his sword-holding-arm and breaking it in two places, and kicking him hard in the gut, causing him fall down in pain.

"Ahhhhhhh Y-You...YOU BROKE MY ARM!" He screamed out in pain.

"There are 206 bones in a human body. THAT'S ONE. Now don't move." Naruto ordered with a dangerous tone.

"Inari! I'm so glad you're okay" Tsunami ran up to him and embraced her son in a tight hug.

"Inari, take your mother outside please" Naruto ordered with a cold tone, as his gaze were firmly locked on Zori.

"R-Right" Inari did what he was told, and led Tsunami outside.

Naruto knew he needed to interrogate the Samurai thug for any valuable information, but he needed to do it quickly. Zabuza could be attacking the bridge by now.

"Now....tell me.....why are you here?" Naruto asked calmly.

"Hah, you don't scare me, kid." Zori simply scoffed.

But then Naruto lean his head forward, and Zori could see his blue eyes, immediately turn Vermillion Red with slit pupils.

"WHY. ARE. YOU. HERE?!" Naruto said with his deep demonic voice before stabbing his knee.

The man screamed in pain, but Naruto wasn't done, he twisted the blade, opening the wound more.

"FUUUCCCK"

"Why are You Here?"

"W-What are you?" Zori asked fearfully, tears rolling down his face.

"ANSWER ME!"

"I-I-I c-can't. Gato will kill me."

"If you don't talk, I'll kill you."

"I-If I do, w-will you let me go?"

"It depends, on your answer." Naruto said, as his eyes and voice turned back to normal.

Seeing that there was no way out, Zori had no choice but to cooperate.

"G-Gato wanted us to kidnapped Tazuna's daughter as insurance. If Zabuza and his lackey fails to kill him, he'll use her as a bargaining chip. H-He also....wants to...

"Rape her?"

"Y-Yes. Gato has been obsessed with her, since she was Kaiza's wife. He wanted to hurt Kaiza even more....even though he's dead."

"What else are you not telling me?"

".....Gato hired another Assassin Ninja. His name is Raiga or something. And I hear he's quite a psychopath."

"Anything else?"

".....G-Gato, is planning to betray Zabuza and Raiga once their fight with you Konoha shinobis are over. Win or lose, it doesn't matter. Gato is too cheap to pay a large fee on them. He also wants Zabuza's lackey as well. I thought he was some pretty-boy, but apparently he's a pretty-girl.....and.....you know where this is going."

Hearing Haku was in danger by Gato, immediately made Naruto narrowed his eyes in anger.

"That's All?"

"I Swear, I swear. That's all I know. Please Man." He continued begging as Naruto stood up in front of him.

"Please. I have a little sister, I Need This Job, I swear That's ALL I KNOW" He begged, crying his heart out.

"It's alright. I believe you," he said approaching.

"No, No, Wait..." Naruto stabbed his heart, the blade piercing through his chest.

OUTSIDE THE HOUSE - WITH TSUNAMI AND INARI

Tsunami managed to change from her torn pink blouse, with one of her other blouses, that were hanging out to dry outside. She was now wearing a white top.

She was still shaken up about what happen earlier, but luckily Naruto arrived just in time before the unthinkable happened.

When Tsunami and Inari saw Naruto walked-out of the house, they immediately ran up to him, and embrace him in a tight hug of appreciation.

"Naruto-kun, are you okay?" Tsunami asked the blonde boy.

"I should be asking you that. I'm so sorry I was late. I should have come sooner." Naruto says apologetically.

"No, please don't apologize, you came just in in time. Thank you so much Naruto-kun." Tsunami says as he continues to hug Naruto.

"T-Thank you, Naruto." Inari says, a little nervously and sadly at the blonde boy.

"You're very welcome. And....I'm sorry Inari...about what I said to you,

that night ago." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head shamefully. He knows it was wrong of him, to yell at an ignorant child.

"N-No, I'm sorry Naruto. I.....I AM a coward." Inari says with a dejected tone.

"You're not anymore though. What you did took guts. You stood up to those men, knowing that you could have gotten yourself killed. And you did it to save your mother. You now finally understand the true meaning of strength." Naruto said with a soft smile.

"T-True meaning?" Inari asked.

"Yes Inari. You see, when you have someone precious to you, you do whatever it takes to keep them safe. By doing so, you tapped into a power that is far greater than anything; The Will of Fire. I see that same fire in you Inari. Your strong desire, to protect your mother. And because of it, you have found your courage. Your family and this country, were very precious to your father. Have you ever wondered, how he can be so strong all the time?" Naruto asked the little boy.

Putting two and two together, Inari finally understood what Naruto meant.

"H-He wanted to protect us." Inari said with wide eyes, finally knowing where his father's strength comes from.

Naruto then smiled, and softly pats Inari's head.

"You are a very brave boy, Inari. And your father would be so proud of you." Naruto said with his signature bright smile.

Hearing this coming from Naruto, and seeing his kind smile, made Inari wanted to cry.

"N-Naruto-Niisan...." Inari said with tears in his eyes.

"D-Darn it, I promise myself I wouldn't cry anymore. Y-You're going to make fun of me again and call me a baby. But I can't stop." Inari said, trying to fight back his tears and wiping them away.

But Naruto just gave him a small chuckle.

"What are you talking about, Inari?" Naruto asked.

"Huh?"

"You are happy, are you? What's wrong with that? When you're happy, its okay to cry." Naruto said with his bright smile.

"N-Naruto-Niisan." Inari couldn't help but cry again. Naruto was truly someone special to him now.

Tsunami couldn't help but cry as well. It has been a long time since she saw her son so happy. She was very glad they were able to meet Naruto. He was truly the Hero, the little boy needed.

"Hahaha alright Inari, I can leave you in charge of things here now, right?"

"Y-Yeah!"

"Good. Then I'm heading over to the bridge. Wish me luck." Naruto said with a wave, and he ran to the direction of where his team is.

"Good luck, Naruto-Niisan!" Inari yelled out with joy.

Naruto then ran to bridge construction site as fast as he can. If what Zori said was true, a battle is no longer necessary if Gato was never intending to pay Zabuza and Haku in the first place. But he knows Zabuza won't just believe him, and will no doubt think of it as a tactical trick. But he still needed to try.

THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION SITE

"W-What the hell is this?!" Tazuna yelled out in horror, when she saw all of his contractors, on the ground, unconscious.

He quickly ran up to one of them, to see if they have any fatal injuries. Luckily there were none.

"What's going on?! What happened?!" Tazuna asked one a semi-unconscious contractor, but he only receive a weak groan of pain in response.

'It's them' Kakashi thought with his single eye narrowed.

Then suddenly a very Thick Mist appears. Completely surrounding the bridge, and taking away the Konoha shinobi's advantage of sight.

'This is the Hidden Mist Jutsu....but....it is much more thicker than last time.' Sasuke thought, as he analyse his surroundings.

"Everyone! They're coming!" Kakashi yelled out, alerting his fellow Jonin, and their Genins of their upcoming opponents.

Kakashi then lifted his headband, revealing his single Sharingan.

They all took a defensive formation, as they surround Tazuna in a circle. Tazuna was still very fearful, despite having the protection of two Elite Jonins and five Genins.

"I knew he was still alive. Making an appearance so soon eh...." Kakashi said, with a serious tone.

They heard the sound of a deep chuckle around them, which Kakashi and Team 7, immediately recognize the voice.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi. I see you and the brats have some back-up now....Hahaha and its none-other than Asuma Sarutobi, of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Looks like I'm going to get a lot of money out of this job after all." Zabuza said with a laugh, as he recognizes Asuma for the large bounty on his head.

But the Sarutobi immediately scoff at the threat of this life. There is no way he is going to get killed because of his stupid bounty.

"I'm not that easy to take down, Zabuza. And who knows, I might collect the bounty on YOUR head." Asuma said with a smirk, as he also recalls Kiri's bounty on Zabuza's head, that was almost as large as his.

"Tough-Talk from the son of the Hokage. But we all know that today, is the day you ALL die. Don't to take it personally though. It's just business. But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy it a little bit. I mean, look at that one. He's still trembling. Poor thing." Zabuza said with a mocking tone at Sasuke, when he saw his hand was shaking.

Sasuke immediately stopped his trembling-hand and widened his eyes when he heard Zabuza indirectly called him out.

Then suddenly seven Water Clones of Zabuza appeared in a flash. Surrounding them all, with their Kubikiribocho on their shoulders.

After moment of intense silence, one of the Zabuza clones noticed that Sasuke was actually smirking, and tightening the grip of the kunai in his hand.

"I'm trembling.....with excitement." Sasuke said, with the confident smirk never leaving his face.

"Go for it, Sasuke." Kakashi said with an eye-smile.

In a blink of an eye, Sasuke easily destroyed the Water clones, turning them back to their liquid form.

'I...I see it' Sasuke thought to himself, as his vision was somehow becoming much clearer.

Now from a few feet away from the Konoha Shinobis, Zabuza and Haku revealed themselves to their opponents. Despite the misty environment, they can still see the Assassin Ninja pair, as bright as day.

"Well, well. So he could see through my Water Clones eh. That brat has grown quite a bit. This means a 'rival of speed' has finally emerged for you Haku." Zabuza said to his female partner.

"So it seems." Haku responded with an emotionless voice.

"So we had it right. It was all an act, with that cute little mask of yours" Kakashi said accusingly at Haku.

"So I guess all that about being a Hunter Ninja, protecting her village was just a bunch of bull." Sasuke added in.

"They look pretty chummy to me. I say they've been pulling scams like that for a long time" Asuma said, as he observed how close their enemies are.

"You got some nerve, facing us after pulling that trick of yours" Choji yelled out with his fist in the air.

"And hiding behind a mask? Who does she think she's fooling?" Kakashi added in, but apparently his Genin team just sweat-dropped, at the ironic statement of their masked Sensei.

'Speak for yourself Sensei' Sasuke, Sakura and Choji thought in unison.

Sasuke than narrowed his eyes at Haku. "That's it, I'm taking her out." Sasuke said, hoping he will be given the opportunity to test himself against a potentially powerful foe, who looks to be only a few years older than him.

WITH HAKU AND ZABUZA

"He's impressive." Haku said to Zabuza, regarding Sasuke's speed.

"Hmph" the swordsman merely scoffed.

"Even though the Water Clones were just one-tenth the strength of the original, he did destroy them all easily" Haku praised the Uchiha's abilities.

"That move still give us the first advantage. Once I give the signal, prepare to sweep in and go after the Genins." Zabuza ordered.

"Right"

"Give it up Zabuza! We have you outnumbered." Kakashi warned threateningly. But that warning simply made the giant-sword wielding Ninja chuckle.

Clearly the 'Copy Ninja' had forgotten the Hidden Mist Jutsu was made to fight against many enemies. And as long as you're a master of the Silent Kill Technique, which they are, victory is possible.

"It seems that way...but let's even out the field, shall we....RAIGA!" Zabuza yelled out.

Raiga suddenly appeared behind the Konoha Shinobis, on the opposite side of the bridge from Zabuza and Haku.

Everyone had their eyes widened, when they saw Raiga, as he took out a pair of unique double-edged swords from his waist. Both blades have an upward-curved bladed prong near the tip of one side of the blade, and another one near the base of the blade's other side.

Asuma and Kakashi immediately recognizes the infamous blades and its wielder; Raiga Kurosuki. The Thunder of the Hidden Mist and another member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Wielder of the Kiba Blades.

'This is not looking too good' both Konoha Jonins thought.

Raiga then raised both his swords up in the air, and with a spark of electricity that was releasing from the blades, soon followed by the sounds of loud thunder, that was exploding from the clouds.

He then slashed his swords downwards, and summoned a barrage of Natural Lightning from the sky, that was aimed towards the Konoha Shinobis.

"EVASIVE MANEUVER! NOW!" Kakashi yelled out, as he grabbed Tazuna and jumped out of the way, along with the rest of the Konoha Shinobis, as they narrowly evaded the barrage of lightning strikes.

But the attack did what it was intended to do. Separating them, from each other.

Haku immediately rushed towards the Genins, while Zabuza ran towards Kakashi.

Kakashi managed to get Tazuna out of harms way, but when one of the natural lighting was about to strike Tazuna down, Kakashi, with the help of his Sharingan, quickly made a couple of hand-seals, and jumped up high in the air, and used his Raikiri to literally cut the lighting in half, before it could hit the bridge builder.

'No wonder he calls it the Lightning Cutter' Asuma thought with amazement.

Suddenly, out of instinct, Asuma managed to dodge a side-swipe by one the Kiba blades, but received a strong kick in the chest, sending him a few feet away, but was able to land on his feet.

He then turns his head to his newest opponent. The Thunder of the Hidden Mist, himself.

"Your opponent is me, Asuma Sarutobi. I'll make sure to give you a Beautiful Funeral" Raiga said with a sinister smile.