12 Chapter 12: Never Abandon a Comrade! Naruto's Plan!

"It's Over."

Zabuza could feel his sweat drip from his forehead as he tried to figure out how Kakashi saw through him and copied his jutsu. He also had to keep an eye on the blond hair kid. He could prove to be a nuisance as well. But his first and top priority was dealing with Kakashi.

"Hehe, how amusing, to think that you copied my jutsu from back then." Zabuza grinned.

"However, did you honestly believe it would be so easy?!"

"What?!" Kakashi exclaimed as Zabuza turned into a water clone.

Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi and swung his Kubikiribocho for his head. Kakashi quickly ducked, but was kicked away by Zabuza moments later as Zabuza had spun around his sword after it landed in the ground.

Kakashi escaped into the water to give him time to think of a strategy against Zabuza but when he resurfaced, he noticed that the water was strangely heavy.

"What is this? Why is the water heavy?" Kakashi mumbled to himself.

"Fool, it's because of my water prison jutsu." Zabuza said appearing behind Kakashi.

"Shit!" Kakashi exclaimed turning around.

But it was too late. Zabuza stuck his right arm out as he held up with left hand.

<Water Prison Jutsu>

Kakashi was trapped within a sphere of water while the reat of team 7 watched helplessly. Naruto however had already started working on a plan. The last time, they had been able to get Zabuza to release Kakashi, so this time shouldn't be too different. He thought.

"Sakura, protect Tazuna, Sasuke, help me get Kakashi-sensei out of there." Naruto called out.

"What?!" They both exclaimed looking at him.

"Are you crazy Naruto? You guys don't stand a chance against a guy even Kakashi-sensei couldn't handle." Sakura yelled out.

"Everyone, don't worry about me, take Tazuna and get out of here!" Kakashi yelled out.

"Zabuza can't move while he has me trapped like this. Our mission is to protect Tazuna so hurry!"

Zabuza watched the entire scene in amusement as he created two water clones.

Naruto sighed as he pulled out a scroll.

"I understand where you're coming from Sakura. But against someone like that, running away is the same as dying." Naruto said.

"Tazuna-san, what do you think?" Naruto asked turning towards him.

"Well, it's my fault you guys are in this mess, so who am I to say anything." Tazuna laughed.

"Go fight all you want, afterall, if you guys win, it's great for me. Hahahah"

"Sorry sensei, it doesn't seem like this guy is gonna let us go, and I doubt we'd be able to escape with Tazuna-san." Naruto said turning to face Kakashi.

Naruto opened the scroll and bit his thumb, then he swiped his thumb across the scroll. He summoned his bo staff and took a stance.

His words shook everyone present, and had managed to calm Sasuke's nerves down. If this idiot can stand calm in front of a monster like this guy, so can I. He thought as he stood in a fighting stance next to Naruto.

"You ready Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"Do you even need to ask? Why don't you worry about yourself more." Sasuke said confidently.

Naruto grinned as he chuckled to himself.

"Alright, if we can free Kakashi-sensei, then we win. Try not to die." Naruto yelled as he charged towards the clone.

"Right back at you!" Sasuke yelled back rushing towards the other clone.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Kakashi and Sakura yelled.

Damn it, why did I have to let myself get caught?! Kakashi berated himself. Now all he could do was watch and pray that his students would be alright.

Sakura was left with no other choice as she took up a guarding position in front of Tazuna. Please be safe you two, she thought to herself.

Naruto swung his staff around himself building up momentum, before swinging it downwards towards the clones head who raised his sword to block the attack. Naruto lifted his staff using the rebound and swung the other end of the staff upwards against the sword pushing it up and out of the way. He then slammed the staff into the ground as he twisted his grip and swung himself at the clone to kick him. The clone reacted by jumping backwards to avoid the blow.

Sasuke threw several shurikens at the clone he was facing, then he jumped into the air and spewed a fireball out at the clone. But the clone simply jumped out of the way way.

Naruto then brought his hands together.

<Wind release: Shadow Clone Jutsu>

He created four clones. Then he pulled out a windmill shuriken from his bag.

"Sasuke!" He called out and threw the shuriken to Sasuke.

I see, so that's the plan Naruto? Got it. Sasuke thought. Then he stood up and held the shuriken in his hand. Naruto's clones had paired up and went after the two water clones. Naruto watched as Sasuke jumped up into the air. His clones then lunged towards Zabuza's water clones and engaged them in combat. While fighting, the two water clones had slice two of Naruto's clones in half. However, they weren't expecting the resulting explosion that followed after. Causing all of the clones to be destroyed in that moment. Shocking everyone present.

<Demon Wind Shuriken Shadow Windmill>

Sasuke threw the shuriken which passed the area where the clones had been destroyed and went straight for Zabuza. Bringing Zabuza's attention back onto the shuriken.

"I see, so you're plan is to finish me off while I can't move." Zabuza then reached out and caught the shuriken in his hand.

"But, it won't be enough"

Then he saw a second shuriken that had been hiding in the first one's blind spot.

"hmph, still not good enough." Zabuza said smirking as he jumped over the second one.

As the second shuriken passed by zabuza it transformed into Naruto who threw a kunai at Zabuza.

What?! Zabuza thought. Damn it, he then pulled his arm out of the sphere of water to dodge the kunai as ot grazed his face.

Zabuza then turned to throw the shuriken he had in his had at Naruto but was stopped by Kakashi who blocked it.

"Damn, I got distracted when I pulled my arm out" Zabuza cursed.

"You're wrong on that Zabuza, you were forced to pull your arm out." Kakashi said glaring at Zabuza. Then he looked over at Naruto and smiled.

"Naruto, good plan" Kakashi praised.

"I won't be caught by the same jutsu twice, what do you have to say to that? Zabuza!" Kakashi asked.

The two jumped away and started weaving signs at the same time in sync.

<Water Dragon Blast Jutsu>

<Water Dragon Blast Jutsu>

The two of them used the same jutsu at the same time, causing them to cancel out.

What? My jutsu, but how? Zabuza wondered. The two jonins ran towards each other and crossed blades. Strange...Zabuza thought. They seperated again. then the two got into the same stance. My movements, he's completely-

"-reading them." Kakashi said.

Zabuza looked wide eyed at Kakashi in shock. What? is he reading my mind? Damn that-

"-freaky eye is pissing me off!! Right?" Kakashi asked.

Zabuza was enraged. "Heh, all you're doing is copying me."

"You'll never defeat me you monkey bastard!!" The two said at the same time.

"Damn you, you bastard. I'll make sure you can never utter another word again." Zabuza snapped.

But then he looked in shock at Kakashi. Is that me? He thought as he saw himself standing behind Kakashi. Damn it, is it genjutsu? He wondered.

<Water Explosion Jutsu>

Kakashi had finished the jutsu first, causing a large water vortex to slam straight into Zabuza.

Impossible! Zabuza thought, that was my jutsu, but I couldn't keep up. Zabuza's back landed against the tree as he coughed out spit. Then his shoulders were impaled by kunais.

"Damn it, can you see the future?!" He asked.

"Yeah, and you're going to die." Kakashi replied.

Then, right before Kakashi could deliver the final blow, two needles pierced Zabuza's neck. He then fell to the ground and didn't move. Kakashi and Naruto looked up to see a figure in a mask standing on a tree branch.

"You were right, he is dead." The figure laughed.

Kakashi kept his guard up as he went to inspect Zabuza's body. When he got there, he felt no pulse. Looks like he is dead, Kakashi thought. Then he looked over at the figure who had dropped to the ground.

"Thank you, I've been tracking Zabuza for quite some time now, and I was finally able to kill him because of your fight." The person said.

He then made his way towards Zabuza's body.

"You're a hunted-nin from the hidden mist right?" Kakashi asked.

"That's correct." The person replid.

Judging by his height and voice, he's not much older than Naruto and the others. Kakashi thought.

"Looks like there are many secrets on this body. If you don't mind, I need to dispose of the corpse." The person said.

"We're on our own mission, so don't worry about us." Kakashi said.

The figure picked up Zabuza's body and vanished.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked.

"That was a hunter-nin, they are ninja who head out and track missing nin from their villages. Then they kill them." Kakashi explained.

Sakura gulped. "But he didn't seem to be any older than us!"

"That's just how the world is, there are shinobis out there that are younger than me, but stronger than me." Kakashi said.

"Well then, let's get you home Tazuna." Kakashi said.

"Gahahahah, alright, you guys are welcome in my house, so feel free to relax when we get there." Tazuna laughed.

"We appreciate the offer." Kakashi smiled.

Then he started falling over. Shit, I used the sharingan too much. My body doesn't have any energy to move. But before he landed on the ground, Naruto caught him.

"Don't worry sensei, we'll take it from here." Naruto grinned.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile back. Minato-sensei, he thought, your son is pretty reliable, he reminds me of you sometimes.

The group then made their way to Tazuna's home without incident. There, they settled Kakashi down as he would be on bedrest for about a week.

"Sensei, are you sure you're alright?" Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami asked.

"Haa, I'll be fine, just need to rest my body is all." Kakashi replied.

Naruto was outside sitting on the porch. Zabuza was strong, a lot stronger than he was now. If he was going to change how things go, he had to become even stronger than he already is. He looked up to the sky as he clenched his fist. This time, he won't let anyone die.