Two Halves of the Same Sword

Summary: What if Tazuna refused to tell Team 7 who was after him and Kakashi was forced to end the mission? What if Naruto didn't want to leave him alone and continues the mission alone? When he is confronted by Zabuza and Haku they take him in as their own and train him in the way of kenjutsu. NarutoxHaku Konoha Bashing OCC

Chapter I: Kubikiribōchō's Words

Team 7 were currently riding a small wooden boat threw the water. They were accompanied by Tazuna, the bridge builder and of course the ferryman that rowed the boat since they had to cut the motor. Naruto was leaning off the tip of the small boat, squinting his eyes to try and see through the fog. It was really impossible; the fog was so thick they could barely see the giant wooden bridge they almost ran into.

"Woah, it's huge!" The loud mouth blond exclaimed, but he was quickly silenced by the rest of the boat's passengers.

"Be quiet!" The annoyed ferryman whispered loudly, "Why do you think I cut the motor? We can't be spotted."

Naruto shrink back in embarrassment.

Kakashi look at Tazuna as they began to approach their destination, "Tazuna-san, I'm afraid that if you'll have to tell me who is after your life or I'll have to end the mission here and take my team back to Konoha."

Tazuna looked down in shame; his wide straw hat was covering his face. "I'm sorry, I can't do that. It will endanger your lives more than they already are." The bridge builder spoke, "But what I will tell you is that this mission is easily a B or even an A ranked one. But unfortuneatly for the past year the Wave country have been in great poverty and we couldn't afford to pay for that level of mission. Even our most wealthy nobles barely have any to spare!" He added.

Kakashi looked away in regret. He was hoping that Tazuna would tell him so they could continue the mission. He knew that it was very dangerous to take a fresh team of Genin on such a dangerous mission but like Tazuna said, the Wave country was in big trouble and they could help. They were already only seconds away from the tunnel that would bring them to their destination. "I'm sorry, Tazuna, but when we arrive at the peer I will be take my team back to Konoha.

Tazuna looked down in disappointment. That was of course the answer he was expecting. It wasn't long before they passed under the tunnel and were greeted by the beautiful scenery of the REAL Wave country. The sun was shining bright on the water, creating a beautiful reflection along it. There were many houses built on the platforms above the water.

It was only within a minute that they arrive at their destination. Tazuna carefully exited the boat. He got on his knees in a praying form, "I will only say this once. Please, I beg of you to help me…" He said. He was now on his knee begging. Tears seemed to start up in Sakura's eyes watching the old man begging. Sasuke's expression didn't change at all. Kakashi looked at him with a questionable look. And Naruto…well…Naruto had a determined look on his face as usual.

"I'm sorry Tazuna, we—" Kakashi was cut off when Naruto step off the boat. Team 7 stared in shock as their short teammate walked off the boat.

"NARUTO, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Sakura yelled. It was okay to yell now that they were in their safe zone.

"I don't know about you guys, but this is my first mission outside of the village and I plan on completing it with or without you guys!" The blond said with a stubborn look on his face. Tazuna had a very thankful look on his face. Was this blond Genin really planning to go so far as to stand against his teammates and sensei for the sake of the mission?

Sasuke, who had stayed quite for the entire ferry ride spoke, "Get back in the boat, dope, or else you'll be marked as a missing-nin for running away. Naruto had an uneasy look on his face after what came out of his teammate's mouth. The blond grinded his teeth, he had no choice anymore.

"But that's not true!" He retorted, shocking the group. "I'm on a mission so that means on not a missing-nin if I'm still working for the village, right Kakashi-sensei?"

Sakura was about to speak, but Kakashi silence her with a motion of his hand, "He's right. But Naruto, just remember that the ninja that you'll be facing from now on will not be Chunnin. They'll be Jounin, elite ninja with deadly skill."

"I don't care!" Naruto replied. "I'll pull through somehow." He said carelessly.

Shit, I thought for sure that would make him not want to go…, Kakashi thought, but I guess he's just too stubborn. "Very well," the scarecrow ninja said, "You have a week to complete the mission. If you aren't back in Konoha within seven days then you will be marked as a missing-nin." Kakashi said, shocking Sasuke and Sakura.

"Yes, you got it Kakashi-sensei, no problem!" Naruto jumped around in excitement. "Okay, Jiji-san, where to?"

Tazuna had to say that he was truly shocked that this young Genin, fresh out of the academy was going to risk his life going on such a dangerous mission alone, "T-this way." He said, pointing the direction behind him.

"YOSH, LET'S GOO!" Naruto exclaimed before marching towards that direction.

Tazuna wasn't a bit scared that he was going to be guarded by a single Genin that he didn't trust 5 minutes ago. After all it was far better than going through the forest alone. You could even say that he was grateful of what the blond was doing. But he afraid that he would die with him, such a young boy dying because of him. But he could see that even his sensei couldn't change his mind so he didn't even try, instead he started walking behind Naruto, clutching his bag straps.

"That idiot, he knows he's going to die, right?" Sasuke asked no one. Kakashi watched as the two walked away from the boat. What was he waiting for? He was expecting Naruto the turn around and join them in the boat, realizing that his idea and the mission was suicide but no. He knew that the blond boy was far too stubborn.

"Ferryman, take us back to back to the Fire Country shore please." Kakashi said before the ferryman began to row again and the boat started to move again. And Naruto hot further and further away. The three Konoha shinobi didn't take their eyes off the blond until they were surrounded by fog away.

Naruto and Tazuna had only been walking for about a half hour. They were surrounded by a large green forest. It had been relevantly quiet so far. Just a few villagers greeting the famous bridge builder before they entered the empty forest.

Suddenly, Naruto heard something in the bushes. He ran a few meters in front of Tazuna, a kunai in each hand as he scouted the area. "Hhmm.." He hummed as he paused for a moment. There was a long pin drop silence when suddenly Naruto launched his kunai to the right. There was a loud BONK when it made contact with a tree.

"What is it?" Tazuna asked, with a weary voice as Naruto ran over to the bush to investigate. He dug through the bushes to find a white rabbit, scared out of its mind with a familiar kunai planted into the tree, just above its head.

Shit, Naruto thought, this isn't what I saw, that's for sure. He pulled his kunai out of the tree before he heard a swinging sound as if someone was swing a stick or some sort of weapon. He turned back to look at Tazuna only to see an overly large sword swing at a very high speed towards them. "Get down!" Naruto said, ducking. The sword swooped over where they once stood and in a matter of a second it implanted itself high in a tree trunk.

They looked up to see a man with his lower face covered by some sort of medical wrap or a cloth. He wasn't wearing a shirt, but he wore leg warmers on his arms and pantaloons that came up to his mid-stomach. He had a headband that Naruto identified as a Kiri one with a single scratch on it. He stood on the large sword with such balance.

"Who are you?!" Naruto demanded.

Zabuza had to admit that he wasn't expecting this. A mere child was protecting his target. Was Gato joking when he said this was going to be hard? He said that this would be difficult… "My name is Momochi Zabuza. And yours?" He said.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage of Konoha!" Naruto exclaimed with such pride and honour.

Zabuza ignored the Genin's outburst, grabbing his sword and kicking off the tree trunk with incredible speed and power. The blade of the sword was rip out of the trunk, in the process Zabuza rushed at Naruto with great speed, with his sword ready.

He was only inches away from the blond Genin when he began to swing his large butcher knife like blade, aiming for the his neck. He saw the fear Naruto's Cerulean eyes as the space between his neck and the blade quickly perished. Zabuza loved that look, he fed off of it like it pure energy itself. But there was another look in the boy's beautiful cerulean eyes. The slightest look of courage that was there since he showed up, and never left his pupils.

Zabuza smirked under his mask as he was only milliseconds away from ending yet another life. But it wasn't as he expect when his wrist snapped back, almost breaking it. What was this mysterious force stopping his blade only inches away from his target? He noticed that Naruto never closed his eyes, even when he was at death's doors.

Now that Naruto actually had a good look at the long blade he could see that the blade itself has two cut outs, a circle close to the top and a semi-circular one nearer the handle. It had a long handle that looked like it would make it very hard to carry but Zabuza had no problem carrying it.

Zabuza kept pushing and pushing, trying to get the sword to slice through the boys' neck but nothing he did would budge it forward. He even added the strength of his second hand to help push, but it wasn't moving at all. "Hey, kid, what the hell did you do?!" Zabuza demanded.

"I don't know," Naruto spoke, he was afraid to move. He was scared that if he moved his a little that this mysterious force would let up and allow Zabuza to end his life.

"Kubikiribōchō, what's going on?" Zabuza asked, referring to his sword. "Let's finish this baka and get on with the old man!" He demanded.

Is this guy for real? Naruto thought, He's freaking talking to his sword!

"I don't know why, kid, but Kubikiribōchō won't let me kill you." Zabuza said, Narutos' heart was beating so quickly even after the mist-nin said that. He allowed a small sigh of relief, but he wasn't letting his guard down. "He tells me he likes you. He's never been this way before towards anyone but me and his previous owners." Zabuza added.

"So now what?" Naruto asked, let out a little gulp.

"I don't know. I could just strangle you to death with my own hands but I and Kubikiribōchō have been through too much for me to just ignore his words, especially words as rare as those he's speaking now." Zabuza replied. He returned the large sword known as Kubikiribōchō to it's place on his back. Naruto could breathe easily now. It was quiet for a moment before Zabuza spoke, "I'm taking you with me, kid." He stated.

"Hey, what the hell are you talking about?" Naruto asked, "I'm not going anywhere with you! You're a missing-nin, and you just tried to kill me ten seconds ago." He added.

"Kubikiribōchō tells me he sees greatness far superior than any of the previous seven swordsmen of the mist." Zabuza said, "I can't pass up this chance to train someone that Kubikiribōchō trusts so much and sees so much potential within." Zabuza explained.

Naruto still wasn`t buying it. He met this guy two minutes ago. And within that two minutes he already tried to kill him and almost succeeded; he'd be dead if it wasn't for that sword. He owed that giant knife his life that's for sure. "Fine, but I`m only doing it for him! " Naruto said, point at the sword that Zabuza held. "I owe him my life. But under one condition. You don't kill Tazuna, and instead you kill Gato. " Naruto said.

Zabuza had to think about it for a few moments. Gato was offering a hefty price for that man`s head, but then again like he said this opportunity he couldn`t pass up.

"Really, Zabuza? Are you really going to do what that kid says?" A voice came from behind Zabuza. A short man wearing an expensive looking tux and top hat emerged from the trees that made the forest. Along with him was an assortment of bandits, thugs, missing-nins, there were a dozen or so. They were men that Gato hired.

"Gato!" Naruto, Zabuza and Tazuna exclaimed in unison.

Naruto was about to say something, but Zabuza beat him to it, "I would chose to train this kid even if it meant giving up my own life!" Zabuza shocked Naruto and Tazuna with his words. What was so special about Naruto that made Zabuza want to train him so badly? With those words said, Zabuza rushed at Gato's angry mob with Kubikiribōchō at the ready.

He was at them with in a second. With one swing of his blade he was rid of three of them, cutting them in half with a horizontal swing to their mid-section. He had no trouble at all getting rid of the rest of them. Within a matter of minutes even the missing-nin that Gato hired were rid to shreds.

Naruto watched the sight before him in awe. Zabuza had no trouble taking the lives of so many without hesitation. Half of him was scared shitless, but the other half was very envious. Envious that Zabuza had such power and courage.

Zabuza stood in the middle of all the dead, shredded up bodies that lay motionless around him. He wasn't even breathing hard, he hardly broke a sweat. But where was Gato, his short body did not lay amongst the others. Zabuza looked around for the short business man.

"He's over there!" Naruto pointed out that Gato was making a run for it down a path. Zabuza was about to run after him, but he was a tad too late when a set of three senbon needles flew out of the trees, implanting themselves in the neck of the business man. Blood spewed out and it was made clear by his motionless body they vital area were hit by the needles.

Zabuza immediately knew who this was the doing of, "Well done, Haku, you saved me the trouble." Naruto could instantly label that this shinobi was from Kiri, just like Zabuza because of the markings on the mask she wore. "Naruto, don't be alarmed, this is my partner, Haku." Zabuza explained. Naruto nodded, understanding that she wasn't an enemy.

"Nice to meet you, Haku-san." Naruto greeted with a bright smile. Haku simply nodded before she began to remove her mask. Naruto tensed a little bit, but eased off when the mask revealed an elegant pale feminine face. She removed the sebon needle from her hair, allowing her equally elegant jet black hair that reached down to her mid back. The mask also revealed beautiful big dark-brown eyes. She had a slender frame with many curves. She looked like she was only a year older than Naruto but she was quite short for her age.

"My name is Haku, it is a honour to meet your acquaintance, Naruto-san." She spoke in a sweet voice, with an equally sweet and beautiful smile.

Later that night, Zabuza and Haku brought Naruto to their hideout. Tazuna was allowed to go on without a problem since Gato was no longer amongst the living. Zabuza was no longer obliged to kill the bridge builder since there was no one to pay him and also because it was against Naruto's wishes.

While Naruto slept peacefully in his rightful room in the hideout, Zabuza and Haku were having a serious conversation about said blond. "Zabuza-sama, please explain to me why you did all those things for the boy." Haku spoke in a soft voice even though Naruto's room was across the hall.

"Kubikiribōchō stopped me from ending Naruto's life." Zabuza explained, causing Haku to gasp, "He stopped me inches away from killing him. He told me that he such greatness in Naruto that he didn't want me to kill him."

Haku gasped again, "Has this ever happened before?"

Zabuza had to think about that for a moment before replying, "Yes, twice before, but all the years I spent with Kubikiribōchō it has never happened to me." Zabuza said. "I remember that it happened to Mangetsu Hōzuki, the most powerful shinobi ever produced in Kiri. He was able to wield all seven swords; Kubikiribōchō apparently felt the same way about him as he does for Naruto now. And it also happened to me."

Haku gasped, "Could it be?" She asked.

"Yes…" Zabuza spoke seriously, "Just like me, The Demon of the Hidden Mist, and Mangetsu Hōzuki, The Second Coming of the Demon. Naruto will be the Third Coming of the Demon." He said, causing the girl to gasp.

It took a few moments for her to swallow that big chunk of information, "Are you sure, Zabuza-sama? He isn't even from Kirigakure!" She said.

"That is true but he was chosen by the sword. I cannot do anything about that. I'm going to train him in the way of the sword." Zabuza replied, "For now that's all there is to my plan. I'll need for time to think about what we'll do in the future." He added.

"Very well, Zabuza-sama." She said before exiting the room.

Two days later, in Konohagakure, Kakashi Hatake was having the time of his life. The Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was blow his top off yelling at him for letting Naruto, who they thought was probably dead by now, go finish the mission alone. After the Hokage was done yelling at him about how irresponsible he was and how bad the mistake was he calmed down a little. "Do you understand what you've done, Kakashi?" Sarutobi asked the gray haired Jounin, "You've put the entire village at risk by allowing our only Jinchuriki go on an A-ranked mission…ALONE!" He yelled.

Damn it, I really screwed up, didn't I, Kakashi thought to himself as he scratched the back of his head, "I was just following the law, Hokage-sama" Kakashi replied, "He didn't have a single thought of turn back on the mission. Anyways, he has the freedom of speech and the freedom of actions. And since he was technically assigned to this mission since he is part of Team 7 a.k.a Team Kakashi, then he had every right to continue the mission with or without the rest of the team."

Hiruzen had to admit that the young Jounin had a point, Naruto did have all those rights and it wasn't all that much of Kakashi's fault has he had previous thought, "So you just let him go alone? You could have gone with him and continued the mission."

Kakashi didn't have to think for a reply to that, he already knew what he had to say, "True, but as much as I would have loved to have gone with him, it was part of my job as their Jounin sensei and team leader to end the mission then and there." Kakashi replied.

"Very well, Kakashi, you've proven you're point and you are clearly not the one to blame." Hiruzen spoke, a slight smirk appeared behind Kakashi's mask, "But if Naruto fails to return within a week's time, we will send out search parties to look for him. If there is no evidence proving that he is dead then he will marked as a missing-nin." The old man added.

Kakashi gulped and held his breathe before nodding. The Hokage dismissed him before Kakashi took his leave from the Hokage's office. "Please, Naruto, be safe…"

I know it's quite a bit to take in for the first chapter, but trust me, everything will be explained. I'm sorry if it went a little quickly. I just wanted to get the plot out there. And the chapter will for sure get longer. Please don't flame for a while, just until you really get to see the true potential of the story.

If you have any feedback or suggestions, my hears are open!