The meeting with the strange girl named Haku was quickly forgotten as they continued with the mission and their training.
Another two weeks went by, and every day, Kakashi grew more and more on edge.
He no longer stayed back to train the others, instead sticking close to Tazuna and the bridge during the day. Even at night, he remained alert.
He also had one of them stay back at the house to look after Tsunami and Inari.
He rotated them, but more often than not, he chose Sakura, because she was the least capable in a fight.
He doubted Zabuza would target the civilian family, but he feared that a few of Gatō's other men might try something underhanded, and for that, Sakura was more than enough.
Plus, having Naruto around at the bridge allowed him to use his clones to help out, speeding up the construction.
Though the closer the bridge got to completion, the more on edge everyone became.
Because they knew Zabuza wouldn't let them finish. Gatō wouldn't let them finish without a fight, so the closer they got to finishing, the closer they got to another battle.
Sasuke finally started to understand what Kakashi meant when he said assassination was far easier than protection.
They had to be alert at every moment, ready to fight Zabuza day and night, while Zabuza could simply sit back and wait until he found his opening. A battle of attrition, only he wasn't the one being worn down.
Still, Sasuke had to admit that he was enjoying this. The thrill of a real fight, the chance to test himself, to get stronger. This was what he had been training for, and he was determined to prove himself.
Naruto, on the other hand, was still struggling with water walking. He had mastered the basics, but he still had trouble maintaining it while fighting.
"I don't get it," he grumbled, as he slipped and fell into the water for the tenth time that day.
"It's about focus, Naruto," Kakashi said, a rare hint of patience in his voice. "You need to be able to focus your chakra, even in the heat of battle. It's not just about walking on water; it's about controlling your chakra, no matter what's happening around you."
Sasuke, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for the blond. He had mastered the Chidori, a jutsu that required a level of control beyond most Jōnin, and yet Naruto was still struggling with something as simple as walking on water.
He really is an idiot, Sasuke thought, but for the first time, it wasn't a thought filled with contempt, but with a strange sort of camaraderie. They were both striving, pushing their limits in their own ways.
Days bled into one another, a cycle of training, guarding, and the ever-present hum of construction from the bridge. The air grew heavy, not just with moisture from the sea, but with a palpable sense of impending doom. The workers on the bridge moved with a quiet desperation, their tools ringing out a frantic rhythm against the backdrop of crashing waves.
Then the fog came.
It wasn't the natural morning mist that rolled in from the sea. This was different. It was unnaturally thick, a suffocating blanket of gray that swallowed the landscape, muffled sound, and blurred the edges of the world until it seemed to dissolve into nothingness.
It was a familiar presence. A harbinger of death.
"He's here," Kakashi's voice was a low whisper, cutting through the eerie silence. He stood at the center of the bridge, his posture relaxed, but his one visible eye was sharp, scanning the impenetrable wall of fog.
The workers, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, dropped their tools and huddled together, their faces pale with fear. Tazuna stood beside them, his knuckles white as he gripped the handle of his hammer.
"Naruto, make some clones and carry the workers away. Zabuza isn't going to stop you as long as Tazuna stays. Send a few extra to check on Sakura," Kakashi ordered, his command calm and authoritative.
Naruto hesitated for a moment, a flicker of defiance in his eyes. He wanted to fight, to prove himself. But he knew Kakashi was right.
"Right," he said, creating a dozen shadow clones that quickly herded the workers off the bridge.
Sasuke, on the other hand, just stood there, his Sharingan active, his eyes trying to pierce through the dense fog.
"Zabuza," Kakashi's voice echoed through the mist. "It's been a while. I'm surprised you recovered so quickly. I have to say, you're tougher than you look."
A low chuckle answered him, a sound that seemed to come from all directions at once. "You're not the only one who's been training, Kakashi. And I'm not alone this time."
As if on cue, two figures emerged from the fog. One was Zabuza, his massive sword resting on his shoulder, a predatory grin on his face. The other was a shorter figure, dressed in a dark, sleeveless outfit, a white mask with green and red stripes covering their face.
"I believe you've already met my apprentice, Haku," Zabuza said, cruel amusement in his tone.
The name sent a wave of shock through Naruto and Sasuke, because that was the name of the mysterious, pretty girl Naruto had encountered in the forest. Naruto's face went pale as he realized he had naively told the enemy about their mission.
Sasuke, however, wasn't shocked by that. He had suspected it all along, so seeing him now only confirmed it.
Haku... Sasuke thought, his mind racing.
"An apprentice?" Kakashi asked, not at all surprised by this. He had figured as much when he considered that the hunter-nin was a fake, but he hadn't expected them to show up together.
"Indeed," Zabuza said. "He's a bit young, but he's already a powerful shinobi. In fact, he's even stronger than I was at his age."
"You flatter me, Zabuza-san," Haku said, his voice calm and polite, a stark contrast to the deadly situation.
"Let's cut the chit-chat," Kakashi said, as he uncovered his Sharingan. "I don't have all day."
Zabuza chuckled. "Very well, let's get this over with."
With a blur of motion, Zabuza charged, his executioner's blade singing through the air.
Kakashi didn't hesitate to meet him, and the two were quickly swallowed up by the surging mist as Zabuza's sword seemed to pull it in and make it thicker around them.
This left Haku to face both Naruto and Sasuke.
"I don't want to fight you," Haku said, his voice soft, yet firm. "But I must protect Zabuza-san. He is the most precious person in the world to me."
Naruto, who was still grappling with the betrayal, just stared at him, unable to speak.
Sasuke, however, was already moving, a kunai in each hand. "Talk is cheap," he said, as he charged at Haku.
Haku didn't move until the last second, sidestepping Sasuke's attack with unnatural grace and retaliating with a senbon.
The needle moved with incredible speed, aimed directly at Sasuke's neck.
Sasuke, with his Sharingan, was able to see the attack coming, and he twisted his body, narrowly avoiding it.
The senbon flew past him and hit a metal beam on the bridge with a loud ping.
"Fast," Sasuke said, a small, almost invisible smirk on his face. This was what he wanted, a real fight, a chance to test himself against a skilled opponent.
"You're not so slow yourself," Haku replied, a hint of respect in his tone.
The two of them started to fight, a blur of motion, a dance of death. Sasuke's attacks were precise and calculated, while Haku's were fluid and graceful.
It was a battle of two different styles, two different philosophies.
Naruto, who was still trying to process the betrayal, was finally snapped out of it by the sight of the fight.
"Hey! Don't forget about me!" he shouted, as he created a dozen shadow clones, and they all charged at Haku.
Haku, seeing the attack, didn't even flinch. He moved through the clones, a whirlwind of motion, his senbon flying in every direction.
One by one, the clones were dispelled, their bodies dissolving into clouds of smoke.
Naruto watched in horror as his army of clones was effortlessly dispatched.
"No way," he mumbled, staring at the lone figure standing in the middle of the dissipating smoke.
"Is that all you've got?" Haku asked, a hint of disappointment in his tone.
This only made Naruto even angrier. "Don't you look down on me!"
Haku looked at Naruto, a sad, almost pitying look in his eyes. "I'm not looking down on you. I'm just stating a fact. You're not strong enough to defeat me."
"We'll see about that!" Naruto roared, as he charged at Haku, a kunai in his hand.
Sasuke, seeing Naruto's reckless charge, couldn't help but sigh.
He really is an idiot.
Still, he knew that he had to take advantage of the opening Naruto's charge created.
So he moved in from the other side, a kunai in each hand, aiming for Haku's blind spot.
But Haku was ready. He had anticipated their attack, and with a swift, fluid motion, he launched a senbon at each of them.
They were both forced to dodge, and in the brief moment of confusion, Haku disappeared into the fog.
"Where did he go?" Naruto asked, looking around, trying to find him.
Sasuke didn't answer. He activated his Sharingan, his eyes scanning the fog, searching for any trace of Haku.
He found him, but it was too late.
"Water Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!" Haku's voice echoed through the fog.
A thousand needles made of water shot out of the fog, aimed directly at Naruto.
Naruto was an idiot, few could argue against that, but he had great instincts when it came to battle.
So, seeing a wave of attacks that he couldn't hope to block or dodge, one of the last clones he had quickly grabbed him and threw him into the air, out of the area of attack, while the clone turned into smoke when it was hit.
"Damn, that was close," Naruto said as he landed back on the bridge, though he didn't get much chance to celebrate as Haku was already gone again, once more hiding in the fog.
"You're too slow," Haku's voice echoed through the fog.
"Stop hiding and fight me like a man!" Naruto roared, his frustration boiling over.
"A shinobi fights to win, not to prove their bravery," Haku's calm, philosophical reply only served to infuriate Naruto further.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was using his Sharingan to track Haku's movements. He could see the faint traces of chakra, the subtle disturbances in the fog that Haku left in his wake.
He was fast, incredibly fast, but he wasn't invincible. He had a pattern, a rhythm, and Sasuke was starting to see it.
He watched, waited, and then he saw it. An opening.
He's going for Naruto, Sasuke realized, as he saw Haku moving toward Naruto, who was still distracted by the taunting.
But before Haku could reach Naruto, Sasuke was already on the move.
He appeared in front of Haku, a kunai in each hand, ready to strike.
Haku was taken by surprise. He hadn't expected Sasuke to be able to see through his attacks, let alone predict them.
He was forced to block, and the two of them were once again locked in a fierce battle.
Naruto, who had been caught off guard, could only watch as Sasuke and Haku fought, their movements a blur of speed and precision.
He was a spectator, a bystander, and he hated it.
"I'm not useless," he mumbled, as he created a dozen more shadow clones. "I'm not!"
The clones charged at Haku, their faces set with determination.
Haku, who was busy fighting Sasuke, was caught off guard by the sudden attack. He was forced to disengage and jump back to avoid the swarm of clones.
"Damn you," he cursed, as he was once again surrounded.
"You're not getting away this time," Naruto said, a triumphant grin on his face.
Haku looked at the army of clones, and then at Sasuke, who was ready to attack again. He knew he was in a tough spot. He had to act fast, or he would be overwhelmed.
He took a deep breath and brought his hands together in a series of complex seals.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
With those words, a massive gale swept across the bridge, mercilessly banishing the mist and throwing Naruto, Sasuke, and even Haku off their feet.
They were all shocked by the sudden ninjutsu, because none of them had cast it. In fact, the voice that had just shouted was a female voice they had never heard before.
(end of chapter)
So, we took a step away from Kaguya for a bit, a good while longer than I had intended, but I wanted to take this chance to show some of the changes she has caused in the world around her.
(End of chapter)
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