Oh god… I'm sorry for the ridiculous wait, but my exams are finally over! Which means I'll be back on the 1 chapter a week schedule! *cheers*

Anyways… reviews!

Mike Uzumaki-Halliwell: I've put some thought into it, and while nothing is confirmed yet, they might not become the "new three-way deadlock". I have some plans, and while they will all have summons, they might now get the same ones they had before. You'll see the others when the Chuunin exams start, and the hints at crushes didn't really start until the Chuunin exams either.

mashirochi1: I might save some people… but we'll see. I'm not entirely certain how I want to progress in that regard yet.

Storylover2036: Well, he did grow up a bit differently, slightly happier, not as alone, but he's still the same old Naruto. Nothing could change that!

Thats all for that! Now let's get onto that long-awaited chapter! Enjoy!

"talking"

"thinking"

emphasis

-Line Break-

"Bijuu talking"

"Bijuu thinking"

I do not own Naruto, unfortunately.

Chapter 9: Battle with Zabuza

"Argh!" Naruto cried out. "Sharingan, Sharingan, everyone keeps saying it, but what is it, dattebayo!?"

"Sharingan…" Sasuke whispered, just loud enough for the others to hear. "The eye creates it, and it holds power in its pupil. People with Doujutsu have eyes that can see through any genjutsu, taijutsu, or ninjutsu and cancel their effects. Sharingan is one of those Doujutsu. But, that's not the only ability that the Sharingan possesses."

"Yeah, it can also copy techniques it sees." Menma finished lamely.

"True… but it can also see how the enemies techniques work, and that's how it recreates it." Zabuza said, looking down at them. "But anyways, let's cut the chitchat. I just have to kill that old man and then be on my way."

Tazuna's eyes widened, but just at that time Sasuke, Menma and Naruto surrounded Tazuna in a circle, kunai already drawn.

"But Kakashi… it seems I'll have to kill you first." Zabuza said as he took his sword out of the tree and dashed onto the water. Channeling chakra into the air, Zabuza activated his Hidden Mist Jutsu.

"He disappeared!" Naruto yelled, surprised.

"He'll go for me first, but be ready for anything." Kakashi told them seriously.

The mist slowly go thicker and thicker, and eventually they couldn't even see where Kakashi was. Then a voice rang through the mist. "Eight points."

"Wh-what?" Naruto asked, surprised.

"The larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, heart, collar bone, and kidney. Now, which organ would you like to get struck at…?"

Menma grit his teeth. He was just trying to unnerve them, but dammit it was working!

Suddenly, a rush of wind came by and a portion of the mist vanished, revealing where Kakashi was standing, having sent a wave of chakra around to clear the mist.

The air was heavy. Both Jounin had unleashed their killing intent at each other, trying to intimidate them, and the Genin could feel it bearing down on them. Menma froze, eyes widening. Naruto almost soiled his pants. Sasuke pulled out a kunai, just wanting this feeling to stop.

"Sasuke." He heard Kakashi say, making his head bolt upright. "Don't worry. I'll protect the three of you with my life. I won't let my comrades die."

"I… don't know about that…" came Zabuza's voice from the middle of their circle. Menma felt his eyes open wide as he froze. "This is the end."

Somehow, Kakashi appeared in the middle of the group faster than Zabuza could swing his sword, instantly plunging a kunai into Zabuza's chest, and out flowed the… water? Zabuza's entire body became water, splashing onto the ground, at the same time another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, slicing his entire body in half. But Kakashi's body also simply splashed to the ground, now only water.

With that, another Kakashi appeared behind the other Zabuza, a kunai to his neck. But Zabuza only… chuckled? "You appear not to understand…" Zabuza spoke lowly. "You can't defeat me with only lowly imitations." Another chuckle. "But you are pretty good. It's just that…"

"I'm not easy to defeat!" Said a third Zabuza, appearing behind the other Kakashi as Kakashi's eyes widened as the body he had his kunai to splashed onto the ground as well, and Zabuza swung at Kakashi with his sword. Kakashi quickly dodged the sword, but couldn't stop the kick that landed on his stomach, propelling him into the water.

"SENSEI!" Naruto yelled as he watched Kakashi fall into the body of water, and Zabuza appear behind him, smirking. "Idiot…" Zabuza whispered, going through hand seals. "Suiton: Suiro no Jutsu!" Zabuza yelled as a ball of condensed water surrounded Kakashi, making him unable to escape. "Now then Kakashi, I'll kill you later. First I'm going to make you watch me kill all the little brats you've been watching over… Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"You three…" Zabuza said as the mist once again thickened. Out of nowhere, a foot connected with Naruto's chest, and he was sent flying back, his hitai-ate flying off his forehead and landing at Zabuza's feet. "Aren't ninja." Zabuza finished.

"You guys!" Kakashi yelled from his water prison. "Take Tazuna and run away! You can't fight him! He can't chase you while I'm in here, and he his water clone can't stray too far from him!"

"We have to do it!" Sasuke yelled out, running forward and throwing his shuriken at Zabuza. Zabuza quickly blocked them all with his sword, and looking up to see Sasuke jumping at him. "Too easy." Zabuza said, catching Sasuke by the throat. "Shit!" Menma thought, instantly running forward and trying to cut off the water clone's arm with a kunai. Zabuza saw Menma running at him and threw Sasuke at Menma. Menma's eyes widened as Sasuke hit him square on the chest, making them both fly backwards and land on the ground in a heap.

"This guy… he's a Jounin, a real ninja! We have to run away!" Naruto thought, turning to run, but upon getting up spotted his bandaged hand. He remembered… that he had promised, he had made his new ninja way to never give up, and never go back on his word. "I vowed that I wouldn't run away anymore… I can't run away dattebayo!"

With a yell, Naruto got up and charged at Zabuza. "Y-you idiots! Stop and run!" Kakashi yelled from the prison as Naruto ran up to Zabuza. "Hmph. Idiot." Zabuza said as he watched Naruto run up to him.

Instantly, Naruto was kicked back. Hard.

"Naruto! What were you thinking, we have to fight him toge-" Menma stopped. In Naruto's hand, he was clutching his headband in an iron grip.

Slowly, Naruto got back to his feet, still clutching his headband. "Hey… no-brow… put this into your bingo book… the ninja that will one day become the Hokage of Konohagakure…" Naruto paused, tying his hitai-ate around his forehead. "the Konoha-style ninja, Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo!"

"Menma, Sasuke, lend me your ears. I've got a plan! Let's take this sucker down!" Naruto said confidently.

He came up with a plan in this situation?" Sasuke thought, surprised. "Hmm. I can't believe you want to actually work as a team."

"Hmm… let's go wild!" Naruto yelled.

Zabuza simply chuckled. "Hmmm… You seem to be quite confident, but do you really even have a chance at victory, brat?"

"What are you all doing?" Kakashi yelled from the prison. "I told you all to run away, the outcome of this battle was decided the second I got caught! Our mission is to protect Tazuna-san, or did you forget that? Now run!"

Naruto turned around. "Old man…"

Tazuna chuckled. "Don't worry about me, kids. I was the one who caused all this anyways, so I won't say that I want to survive at any cost. Sorry, Kakashi-san, but you all fight as much as you want!"

Sasuke smiled. "That's how it is, then."

Naruto's grin almost split his face. "Are you guys ready, then?"

Menma smirked and wiped some of his hair from his forehead. "Sure am. Let's go!"

Zabuza simply chuckled darkly. "You three… still playing at being ninja?" Suddenly, he had disappeared and kicked Sasuke straight down to the ground, before elbowing him directly in his stomach, making Sasuke's eyes widen as blood flew from his mouth.

"S-Sasuke!" Menma yelled, stepping back.

Zabuza planted his foot on Sasuke's chest, keeping him down and causing Sasuke to grimace and grunt on the ground.

"Oh hell no! Menma, let's go!" Naruto yelled to Menma

"Alright!"

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" They both yelled at once.

Suddenly, about 50 clones per user surrounded Zabuza, all ready to battle.

"Ho… the Kage Bunshin…? And you two both replicated quite a few…"

"Here we come!" All the clones yelled, as they all pulled out kunai and jumped on top of Zabuza, allowing Sasuke to get away. Unfortunately, within only a few seconds, Zabuza broke free, sending all the clones sprawling onto the ground, most of them popping, leaving a few Naruto's and only the one Menma. One of the Naruto's reached into his backpack and pulled something out, before throwing it to Sasuke. "Sasuke, now!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke grabbed it from the air, spinning the piece of metal in the air until it became a large shuriken. "The Fuuma Shuriken, Windmill of Shadows!" Sasuke yelled, throwing it at the real Zabuza. Zabuza smirked. "You won't beat me like that!" He yelled, jumping over the shuriken as it passed under him. But suddenly, the shuriken poofed, revealing a smirking Menma. At the same time, the only Menma left from the assault against the mizu bunshin popped. Zabuza's eyes widened. "That was only a shadow clone!? And the real ones right…" "Here!" Menma yelled, tossing a kunai directly at Zabuza. "Shit!" thought Zabuza as he twisted to dodge it, taking his arm out of the water prison.

"You little brat, I'll kill you!" Zabuza yelled, running directly at Menma and bringing down his sword. Suddenly, the sword clanged against a kunai, and directly in front of Zabuza stood Kakashi. "Menma, Sasuke, Naruto… you did well. But now it's time for you three to take a back seat… and it's time for you to finally start your real fight!" Kakashi said, looking Zabuza in the eye.

AN: Well! That's that for this chapter! I hope you guys like it, and like that I'm officially back! As always, follow, favorite, and make sure you review!

Till next time, see ya!