Chapter 18

I spent the next week trying to locate the Three Tails sealed inside of me.

Not that I hadn't been doing that for the past four years…

Zabuza Sensei had said that one of the main reasons that my father was so strong was because as a Jinchuriki, he could draw on the power of the Three Tails.

My mother had even said that he had been working on using the full body transformation. That's apparently when you can turn your entire body into the Three Tails itself. That's exactly the kind of overwhelming power I'm looking for!

However…

It's been four years and I don't feel like I've gotten any closer…

My mother had said that my father was friends with the Three Tails, so presumably there's a living being somewhere inside of me…I just need to find it!

I did experience a large growth in chakra since the…incident four years ago and it's been getting bigger and bigger every year. I've also got a really cool connection to water and water related jutsu now, as that's supposed to be the Three Tail's specialty. So I'm clearly getting some benefits, though only passively.

Imagine what I could get if I became friends with the Three Tails too! I could be as strong as my father was! Stronger even!

Though again…I haven't made any progress…

That's why I've also been working on ways to use my boil and lava release jutsu creatively. Since I've got a lot more chakra now, I can afford to use the Kekkai Genkai a lot more without running out of chakra almost immediately.

I did notice n my last fight that most of my techniques are…very lethal. It made it hard to fight with the Konoha ninja without violently killing them, which wasn't the plan.

So other than trying to find the Three Tails, I've been working on some less lethal jutsu for my boil and lava release.

Boil release is difficult, since the main technique for it is releasing a corrosive mist that harms allies and enemies alike. I can make the mist harmless, but then it's harmless…So it doesn't really count as a ninja technique I can use in battle.

Which is why I've been practicing using it more creatively! Rather than from my mouth I've been practicing releasing the boil release from my hands and feet. That way, I can use the force it generates to propel myself around, either to avoid attacks or to speed up and move in more unconventional ways.

…It's super hard and I'm going to need a lot more time to get the hang of it…

But it's a good idea! So I'm happy…

Laval release is also difficult, since it's deadly by its very nature…

…I've been practicing using the lava release from my hands and feet like the boil release…

…But although useful…it doesn't really make the technique any less deadly…

"Saizo, are you ready?" Zabuza Sensei asks. He'd recovered from his injuries during the fight with Kakashi and we were gearing up for round two.

I guess I'll think of something later.

The roles for the fight were different this time.

"Saizo, you're in charge of watching Gato. Our intelligence suggests that he's been gathering several dozen amateur samurai and local thugs. My bet is that he'll wait until we're injured from fighting the Konoha ninja before attacking us" Zabuza Sensei instructs.

"If we already know what he's going to do, why do I need to watch him?"

"Because in order for this to work, we need to kill Gato in front of the civilians and the Konoha ninja. For that to happen Gato needs to be there in person and although he's very stupid, he might not be that stupid…"

I nod. Even Gato isn't that stupid. He does own a very successful multinational business after all.

"If it appears as if he isn't going to show up personally, then you need to give him a reason to. I'll leave the details up to you"

I nod.

"Then are you fighting Kakashi by yourself again? You got your ass kicked pretty hard last time" I smirk at Zabuza Sensei who narrows his eyes menacingly.

"He has one good trick, it won't work on me a second time…" Zabuza growls.

"Haku, you're with me. You'll be fighting the ninja brats that Saizo fought last time" He continues.

"Yes Sensei"

"Careful, that blonde one has some surprising tricks up his sleeve!" I say in a teasing manner. I know better than anyone what level Haku is at and Naruto shouldn't be able to lay a finger on her.

"Yes, he is quite interesting" Haku replied.

I felt my eye twitch but before I could say anything, Haku hurriedly explained.

"We met when I was gathering herbs and since I didn't have my mask on he didn't recognize me" She chuckled cutely.

I frown and clench my fists.

"He was training the tree walking technique, but he helped me pick herbs. He seemed nice!" Haku smiled.

At this point I didn't even look upset; I was just looking at Haku with a neutral expression. I nodded to her story silently and then I left to go take care of Gato.

…But when I see Naruto again, that bastard's getting a punch in the face! No one flirts with Haku except me! That dumb, blonde bastard!

…

As it turned out, Gato was stupider than we gave him credit. I was watching him leave with about a hundred armed thugs looking incredibly smug.

How the hell is the Gato Corporation so successful if Gato himself is such an idiot! Those were basically slightly big civilians with pointy sticks, surely he knows that even a hundred of them wouldn't be able to stand up to a jonin of any level?

Let alone an S rank Missing-nin…

…Whatever, if I tried to figure out how Gato is so stupid, I'd be here all day. It's time to join in on the fighting!

I dash off past Gato and his band of armed thugs, making sure to keep out of sight. My job is already done, Gato is on his way. Time to punch that Naruto kid in the face a few times before Gato arrives!

As I approach the bridge I see Haku's ice mirror jutsu as well as a thick layer of fog; which I can see through thanks to the Three Tails!

Surprisingly, Zabuza Sensei looks like he's on the winning end of things. Kakashi is sporting pretty nasty wounds on his hand and his chest. Sakura is behind Kakashi, guarding the bridge builder.

Which means Naruto and Sasuke should be in the ice mirror jutsu.

I turn towards the ice mirrors when I hear a shout.

"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" It was a guttural and frenzied roar of rage which made even me feel scared for a second.

A large demonic chakra rises up from within the ice mirrors.

I hesitate for a brief second before rushing towards the mirrors…I've got a bad feeling…

From a distance I see Haku being shot straight through her own ice mirror. An awful cracking sound echoes over the bridge as the ice mirrors crumble and I see Haku's mask crumble into pieces, a line of blood dripping from her mouth and her eyes glazing over…

…I see Naruto covered in a cloak of sinister red chakra launching himself at her as she stands there motionlessly…

…before stopping, arm outstretched in a punching motion…

I see them exchange a few words before Naruto glances over his shoulder at the motionless form of Sasuke with several senbon sticking out of his neck.

"DAMN IT!" I hear Naruto yell as he throws a punch at Haku, knocking her down. She coughs up blood…

I realize that I've just been standing there staring while breathing heavily, my hands clenched and my chakra was going crazy. It was manifesting in a dark blue colour all around me and cascading wildly.

The chakra feels strange and I can feel it threatening to swallow me whole and engulf me.

With purpose and precision, I walk towards the forms of Naruto and Haku as they hold what appears to be a tense conversation.

I want to run over there immediately and punch that stupid blonde bastard's face into the dirt. But it's taking an active command over the raging dark blue chakra to stay in control.

I'm not sure what would happen if I just gave into my instincts and sprinted over there wildly…

But for now, at least while they're just talking I can move over to their position and maintain control.

I can't hear Haku at all, but I assume the whole damn village can hear Naruto with how loud he's yelling every other sentence.

"HE'S A BAD GUY WHO TAKES MONEY FROM A CRIMINAL, WHY FOR A GUY LIKE THAT?!"

"IS THAT LAVA MIDGET FREAK REALLY THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU?!"

…

I didn't think he could piss me off any more than he already had…

…I have to slow down a bit as I feel the dark blue chakra rise in strength…

Luckily I was close enough to hear Haku's response.

"Of course he is, he saved me…he gave me purpose again"

Haku gives a small smile.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

God, he's loud.

"I was born in a small snowy village in the country of Mist. I was happy…my parents were very kind people…but in the land of Kiri, where a civil war raged, people with blood like mine were hunted down…"

"WHAT?!"

"When my father discovered that my mother and I has one of these bloodline abilities, he killed her…and then tried to kill me…and before I realized what I had done…I had killed him…my own father…"

Even Naruto has the decency to stay silent after that admission.

I knew it was bad…but Haku…

"That's when I realized the most painful thing…I was unwanted. You said you wanted to become the best ninja in your village and have everyone acknowledge you. Now if someone appeared who acknowledged you from the bottom of their heart appeared…wouldn't that someone become the most important person to you?"

…

"Saizo accepted me…and invited me to come with him even though he knew about my bloodline…"

…

"I was so happy"

A tear runs down Haku's face as she stares into the sky, a genuine smile on her face…

…I really do love this girl…

"But now…" She continues, now staring at the ground, her hair obscuring her face from my view.

"I've failed him one too many times…Naruto please kill me..."

…

What was that?

Zabuza's POV

Something's wrong.

First that demonic chakra from before and now the other sinister feeling chakra…

I cancelled my hidden mist jutsu in order to get a better look, but I would be idiotic to look away when facing a ninja like Kakashi. I was feeling antsy.

Kakashi's also frowning, he was likely thinking the same thing I was.

I need to wrap this up fast and get over there.

The second chakra was definitely the Three Tails…I've felt it before from Yagura.

That means that Saizo is over there and his seal has weakened…

Not only that, but something pissed him off…whether it's the blonde one or the moody one…they must have done something pretty bad in order to get Saizo so angry that the seal was partially undone…

Especially given how strong the seal those Akatsuki bastards put on him is. It would take a pretty large emotional turmoil for this to happen…

On top of that, the first chakra felt similarly demonic…

"Is one of your brats a Jinchuriki, Kakashi?"

He narrowed his eyes in response and whipped out a scroll.

"Summoning jutsu" He yells out, slamming his hands to the ground.

I see the bridge swell as several summons tunnel through the ground towards me.

I dash back as they charge out of the earth and slash at a few of them, exploding the ninja hounds into smoke.

I had taken out four of them, but that left four other ninja hounds who charged at me once more. I swiped again and took out two more, the other two actually managing to take a bite out of me; one chomping down on my right wrist and the other on my left shoulder.

"Your future is death Zabuza"

"My future is death? I'm sick of your bullshit Kakashi"

I use my left hand to stab the hound on my right wrist with a kunai, exploding it in to smoke.

Whilst I'm doing this, Kakashi begins to prepare a jutsu.

His launches into hand signs and his outstretched right hand begins to crackle with lightning.

I take this time to stab the hound on my left shoulder with another kunai. Damn, those bites have really limited my movement. I clench my hand and draw my sword to test my range and limb response.

"Tazuna, who you are trying to kill, is this country's 'courage' and the bridge he seeks to build is this country's 'hope'"

I smirk at him.

"Your ambition sacrifices many people and that's not what any shinobi should do!"

That's laughable.

"A bit hypocritical, eh Kakashi?"

His frown grows.

"You participated in the last great ninja war; you should be well aware what shinobi should and should not do"

"Surrender Zabuza…Your future is death…" He snarls.

I grin back and take a stance.

"Never"

Haku's POV

"…Why are you hesitating? Hurry up and kill me…"

I could already feel the life gone from my limbs; I didn't have the will to fight back.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND! IS THIS THE ONLY WAY?!"

I tried so hard to be of use to him, to be someone he can rely on, to be someone as important to him as he is to me…

But I'm just too weak, so useless…

"Yes…please fulfill your own dreams…"

He's done so much for me and I can't do anything for him…

At this point, he'd be better off if I wasn't even alive…

"…Sasuke also had a dream…If we'd met under different circumstances, we might have been friends…"

Naruto launches at me with a kunai.

I know this is selfish, Sasuke isn't actually dead, just in a near death state.

I'm basically using Naruto as a mechanism for suicide…

"Thank-you"

But I'm so useless…I…

…

At this point, a dark blue blur flies in out of nowhere, colliding with Naruto and sending him flying off into the distance, rebounding off of the ground violently as he lands near Sasuke.

My mouth hangs open as I look into his wonderful pink eyes, now lined with several spiraling cirles, staring directly into my own.

"Saizo…" I let slip…How much of that did he hear?

His face contorts in rage and he lets out a guttural, frenzied roar similar to Naruto's earlier.

"You've never failed me once! You idiot!" He yells at me and I can only stare back at him blankly…

I've never seen him so angry before…and that chakra…

It's forming something of a turtle shell on his back and his teeth have sharpened into fangs, similar to Zabuza Sensei's. A single tail of chakra swishes behind him and two horns of chakra have formed on his head.

"I don't want you dead!" His face contorts a bit more as his pink eyes begin to tear up.

"If you want to do something for me then live!" A tear rolling down his cheek.

"…I…" I begin to respond, my eyes swimming, unable to find the words…

…Before I see Naruto stand up, his chakra flaring up similarly to Saizo's though in a shade of blood red.

Naruto lets out an animalistic roar and launches himself back at Saizo at incredible speed.

Saizo matches him and they impact in the middle of the bridge, rebounding off of each other, leaving a small crater.

"YOU MIDGET BASTARD!" Naruto yells out.

"WE'RE THE SAME SIZE! YOU IDIOT!" Saizo yells back and they launch back at each other again.