A/N: WOW. This toke a while. Before you start reading, I would like to apologize in advance for the 'precious people' line. I'm sorry. I get how annoyingly cliché that is. I just didn't think that on conversation wit Haku can go by without hearing about that.

As for how much longer this chapter took. Well, I warned you didn't I? Expect the updates to be farther and farther apart. Don't hate me because of it. Keep reading!

You know what…like I care if you stop reading or reviewing! Huh… Okay I was bluffing. PLEASE REVIEW AND KEEP READING.

Thanks to BlueBakaNinja for the really helpful review. I totally agree with you, man. I may have rushed out on the whole learning new jutsus thing. It's just that I needed elemental manipulation to get in here..so…yeah. Don't worry I have corrected the damage…to a certain extent. Sorry but I already had somebody else meet Haku and I'm too lazy to change it, but Sakura will go out of fan girl mode during the chunnin exams and before 3rd exam. THAT I can guarantee.

I gotta say tho'…I honestly hate the pre-shippuden Sakura. Plus, all these fics that make her such a bitch do NOT help. After the time skip, she has become SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better. What I really hate though is Naruto's and Sakura's relationship with Sasuke after the time skip. They seem to thin that no matter what happens Sasuke can never do ANY wrong! Even though he nearly killed him, Naruto still wants Sasuke to come back to Team Seven. Honestly, I have got to say, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT UCHIHA SASUKE WILL EVER COME BACK TO KONOHA! Especially now that he wants to destroy it. And even if he does, do they really think that Tsunade is just going to let him come back and rejoin Team Seven? No freaking way. They are probably going to lock him up, take away his sperm to make little Sasukes and let him rot. If he's lucky they'll have a public execution! Not to say that I hate him(you gotta admit that he has being psychologically tortured his whole life) but it's just that the way Naruto and Sakura view him is just unbelievable! Sakura even punches Sai for insulting him and Naruto was ready to do the same. That. Is. So. Freaking. Retarded. That's all.

As for the omake…you guys didn't give enough reviews so…NO OMAKE FOR YOU! Try again next time!

As for the review highlights:

-YOURLORDANDMASTEROFINTERESTING
-BlueBakaNinja
-Simsen
-sh8ad8ow
-The Three Stoogies
-The one and only Naruto
-geetac
-yuu1202
-JNottle
-SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS TO The Three Stoogies and BlueBakaNinja WHO I JUST REALIZED WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO REVIEWED EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER SO FAR! GOOD JOB!

PS: Sasuke dies…

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…Okay. Just kidding. But hey! I got you!

The Battle at the Bridge

"Tazuna-san, please move yourself behind Sakura. Hinata, Sasuke, the masked boy is all yours."

Naruto's voice seemed to have traveled across the bridged because Zabuza grinned.

"You sure about that, Fang? My apprentice here is pretty damn tough." He said signalling to the masked boy standing next to him.

"My gennin can handle themselves. Besides, I'm your problem." Naruto coolly replied.

"If you say so. Haku, the brats are your prey. Get 'em!" Zabuza ordered before he, himself, charged at Naruto, blade spinning.

Meanwhile, the masked shinobi, now identified as Haku made a charge of her own which Sasuke completely mirrored. Blocking Sasuke's attempt at stabbing him with a kunai with a senbon of his of his own he made a single one-handed seal.

Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suishou (Secret Technique: Flying Water Needles)

Sasuke jumped back, attempted to dodge the needles flying toward. Luckily for him he dodged most of them but through the side of his eye he could see Haku throwing 3 senbon at him. Choosing to take the senbon instead of the Water Needles, he braced himself for the attack…

…Only to be saved by Hinata deflecting the senbon away with a kunai of her own.

He gave a small growl, "I don't need your help. Go help Sakura protect Tazuna."

"Naruto-sensei told us both to take care of him. Besides Sakura has 3 mizu-bunshins with her." Hinata meekly replied.

"Che. Don't get in my way then." Sasuke said launching the shuriken at Haku's legs. Seeing him jump in the air he followed and aimed a spin kick at the masked boy's face.

Seeing this coming Haku blocked and was about to stab him when she noticed Hinata right underneath her, aiming to disable her legs. Flipping the ninja away while jumping back from Hinata's attack, she frowned, though the two gennin could not see it.

"Two against one isn't very fair."

"Since when do ninja play fair?" Sasuke shot back.

Giving a small grimace beneath his mask Haku flashed through seals.

Hijutsu: Makyou Hyoushou (Secret Technique: Demonic Ice Mirrors)

The next thing Sasuke and Hinata could see was a dome of mirrors made from ice.

"Up until now you have not even begun to see my true speed. Let's get started."

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"I gotta admit…those brats of yours aren't half bad."

"Thank you. I could say the same about your apprentice."

"Heh. Don't get cocky. Haku won't lose. She still has yet to show her true power."

"Who says my gennin have already showed their true power? Besides, we have our own battle, don't we?"

"Kiragakure no Jutsu." Was his response.

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"It's no use. Give up and accept the inevitable. You have lost." The emotionless voice of the masked ninja called out from all corners of the dome. The two gennin simply glared.

"Never." Sasuke's shot back, his newly activated sharingan eyes darting back and forth between the mirrors. He whispered from the corner of his mouth to Hinata while trying to doge the incoming needles. "Have you found him?"

"Sort of…" Hinata whispered back uncertainly dodging a needle which narrowly missed her face.

"What do you mean 'Sort of'?" Sasuke hissed under his breath, wincing when he felt on of them pierce his right arm.

"Um…While I am pretty sure that he is hiding behind one of the mirrors, there are many central points to which the illusions chakra is connecting to."

"So which one do we get? And while we're at it how are we going to get to them? Even my grand fireball wouldn't work and I still haven't mastered any of my new jutsus!"

"Neither have I, but I'm pretty sure that if we attack the one that is strongest at the moment…"

"At the moment?"

"Their chakra levels spike up once in a while. I'm not sure if that means he's just got there or he just left."

"So basically what you're saying is that he can be anywhere right now?"

"What I'm saying is that he is at one place but moving constantly. He can attack from all directions but his real body has to stay at one place, which changes every few seconds."

"Can you get him?" Sasuke asked, more out of curiosity then hope.

"I can try." Was Hinata's sombre reply.

"I've got your back." Sasuke meant it too. His new eyes couldn't miss a thing.

Nodding, Hinata quickly made a kamikaze run at one of the mirrors with Sasuke trailing behind her, ready to stop any of the needles. Surprisingly enough, they had made it all the way to the mirror with minimum injuries. He smirked when he saw Hinata steady her arm for a palm thrust.

His smirk turned into a frown as Hinata recoiled back, eyes widened.

"He moved." Her voice was urgent and anxious.

Twisting his head around he steady his spinning tomoe eyes at the figures behind them. With them he could see things in such clarity it felt like slow motion. His eyes widened as well at the next thing he saw.

A barrage of needles heading straight for Hinata.

He would have to move fast.

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To say Sakura was scared would be an understatement.

Despite the fact that she was the only one of the three gennin to actually master one of the elemental jutsus Naruto-sensei had given them, she was nervous. And it did not help her anxiety to have to listen to Zabuza's constant and death threats and the clashing of his sword against one of Naruto-sensei's kunai.

Even though there was a mizu-bunshin on every single side of Tazuna she could not help but think that without Naruto-sensei Zabuza could take out every single one in less then a second.

Sasuke-kun, Hinata, please hurry.

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"S-Sasuke…why?" Hinata called out to her falling comrade.

"Hn…I don't know. Maybe because I owe you for the tree climbing exercise?" Sasuke gave a weak chuckle. "My only regret is that I won't kill…him…" Sasuke trailed off his into unconioncusness.

Haku gave a respectful nod, "He sacrificed himself to save you. The boy is a true shinobi." Ignoring Hinata's shaking shoulder he continued. "Don't let his sacrifice go to waste. Leave this bridge and bury him. Is that bridge builder truly worth all this? Think fo-"

"Be quiet." Hinata softly whispered, though getting the effect that she desired when the enemy nin immediately quieted down.

"You…you killed him." Hinata stated her voice hollow. "WHY?"

"It is a shinobi's duty to kill…he knew that as soon as he put on that headband." Haku replied.

"I'll kill you." Hinata hissed anger evident in her statement.

Giving Haku no chance to reply she quickly activated her byakugan and ran at Haku who had stepped out of her mirrors to talk to her. The movement was inevitably useless, when Haku simply stepped back into her mirror.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way."

With that a new barrage of needles were sent down at her. Wincing as they pierced through her skin, she did not stop. Still running at one of the pictures she concentrated all of her power into one devastating palm thrust.

Haku could only grimace as the mirror she was standing in shattered bringing her out with it. She frowned. How did it break? My mirrors are indestructible!

She was completely brought out of her thoughts by Hinata's second barrage of palm thrusts, this time aimed at her shoulders and chest. Wincing, she attempted to block the next attack but found her arm moving extremely slow. She could only watch as the white-eyed girl continued to attack every single part of her that she could reach.

Maybe because I owe you for the tree climbing exercise?

She did not relent, chakra flaring and palms flashing.

It is a shinobi's duty to kill…he knew that as soon as he put on that headband.

Tears spilled from her eyes as Hinata continued attacking.

You killed him.

Poising her arm for a killing blow, she noticed that Haku's mask had flown off. A startled gasp escaped her.

"It…It's you…"

-=-=-Flashback-=-=-

She had been practicing for the entire week now. Every waking second of it was spent developing her skills just as Naruto-sensei had instructed. After all that, who could blame her for setting herself down for some well-deserved rest?

Even if it was in an open forest were an enemy ninja could kill her at any second.

Twitching slightly when she felt another presence with her, she opened her blank white eyes to find hazel brown ones staring right back at her. Closing her eyes one last time before bolting back and levelling a kunai in front of her, and at the same time ignoring the small shriek from the stranger, she anxiously spoke.

"Who are you?" Her voice somehow keeping a calm tone.

"Oh, my name is Haku." A voice nearly as soft as her own identified itself. Looking closer, Hinata could see a fairly tall girl who looked only several years older then her in and in a pink kimono. She was cute too, if Hinata was to judge.

"Are you a ninja?" The girl, now identified as Haku, curiously asked. A cute look of confusion on her face, as she cocked her head slightly to the side.

"Umm…Yes I am." Hinata shyly answered. The girl had already seen her forehead protector and kunai. There was no point in hiding the fact.

"You must be very strong then."

"No. I'm not." Hinata replied dejectedly. She wasn't like Naruto-sensei or Sasuke. She was just average.

Noticing this Haku then quickly asked, "Do you have any precious people?"

"Precious people?" Hinata's perplexed voice inquired.

"People who you care about. I find that when one protects somebody that they car about they can become stronger then they have ever imagined." Haku explained.

Hinata thought about it. Precious people? Pictures of Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura came into mind along with other pictures of those in her family.

Hinata then decided that she liked this person. Anyone who could come up with something like that couldn't be bad. Right?

-=-=-Flashback Ends-=-=-

"W-Why are you attacking us." Hinata asked bewilderdly.

"Zabuza is my precious person…just like that boy is yours." Haku stated a small smile adorned her face, "I offered my life to him as a tool but I have failed. I can only ask one thing from you. Please kill me."

"W-What?" Hinata stepped back. This had to be a trick. Would somebody really give up their own life because of shame?

"Yes." Haku nodded and seeing Hinata's obvious hesitation she explained. "Sooner or later, a ninja must give up their innocence and kill the enemy. That is the way of the ninja. Go ahead. Allow me to be your first kill."

"No!" Hinata cried out backing away from the girl.

Haku frowned, "You were more then prepared to do it before."

This time it was Hinata's turn to frown. What was wrong with her? Would she have actually have killed the girl if her mask had not fallen off?

"N-No. I…I wasn't myself that time. I won't kill you." Hinata stammered out.

"Please. Kill me. I have no reason to live; I have failed Zabuza-sama." Haku pleaded.

Maybe it would be the merciful thing to do… Hinata thought as she poised her arm for a strike.

NO! That's not my ninja way! I won't do that Hinata thought shaking off all her murderous thoughts. But she is a danger to herself in this battlefield. I should probable just knock her out.

With that Hinata lashed out her fist tightly knotted, with the intention to render unconscious not kill.

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Naruto was pissed. This is getting annoying. His style of combat is hard to finish off quickly. And to top it off he just felt Sasuke's chakra signature drop intensively. Better finish this fast.

"Hey Zabuza. Let's finish this fast. I've got things to do, places to be, you know?" Hearing something that sounded like a 'screw you' he flashed through seals.

Enka Roken no Jutsu (Beacon Detection Technique)

With that Naruto sent out a strong wave of chakra. Feeling a lot of it get blacked out by a certain missing-nin who attempted to block it out in order to remain hidden.

Powering up a Rasengan in his hand he charged towards Zabuza.

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Haku's eyes widened. She could feel it. Zabuza was in trouble.

I have to hurry. She thought before opening her mouth to tell Hinata to stop.

Unfortunately she was cut off by Hinata's fist which rendered her unconscious.

Zabuza-sama. I've failed you again.

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"Good job. I wasn't going to pay them anyways. You just helped me out a great deal." Evil laughter filled the area of the bridge. It belonged to none other then Gato, the man who had paid for the work of Zabuza and Haku.

The mist had cleared and the dome of mirrors was no more. Sakura was weeping beside a bleeding and seemingly dead Sasuke. Hinata was standing above an unconscious Haku, tears of her own falling onto her cheeks. Naruto meanwhile, looked absolutely furious killing intent lashed towards the man who had just brought about the death of one of his gennin.

"N-Now hold on there. Y-y-you don't want to do anything you're gonna regret. S-See? We've got the bridge builders daughter here!" Gato nervously said attempting to avoid the jounin's nervous eyes and motioning to the woman who was being held down by a bunch of scary looking yet at the same time just as nervous men.

Seeing Naruto grown before backing down brought back Gato's nerve.

"Heh. That's right. You better back down." Gato said, regaining his composure slowly.

That is, right before Naruto flashed through the seals for the paralysis technique and charged forward cutting down men left and right, starting with Gato of course, and successfully freeing an extremely frightened Tsunami. Turning back to the men, he coldly spoke, "Anybody wants some more?"

"Y-Yeah…well guess what? There's twenty of us and only one of you! Even if you beat us we'll just come back and raid the village!" A brave or stupid, depending on which way you look at it, mercenary called out.

"Like hell you will." A voice cut out before Naruto could respond. Turning around he saw a mob of villagers with Inari at the front of it all. "We're not taking any crap from anyone anymore!"

"Everyone!" Tazuna called out happily. "Don't worry! The battles over! We won thanks to these guys!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd as the mercenaries ran away, their nerve getting the best of them.

Naruto's smile finally dropped when he remembered the reason why he ended the battle early. Sasuke.

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Uchiha Sasuke had awoke to something heavy on his chest. Plus something wet kept dropping unto his face. Is it raining? He opened his eyes to see a sobbing Sakura on top of him.

"Sakura…You're crushing me." Ignoring the girl's shriek of joy, he continued. "Seriously. Get. Off."

Turning around he saw a whole crowd of people cheering, and crying. Hell, there was even some dancing! Looking further around he could see a smiling Hinata and a grinning Naruto.

"Where are the mask boy and Zabuza?" Were the only words he had in mind of his confusion.

"Zabuza's dead and the masked boy's…gone?" Naruto finished confused.

Hinata whipped her head around to see that in fact the boy was gone and so was Zabuza's corpse.

She was interrupted from asking sensei ere Haku went by Tazuna's voice.

"Guess what? Because of all your super effort we're naming this bridge the Team Seven Bridge!

With that, all of the members of Team Seven let out a laugh. Or in Sasuke's case, a joyful smirk.

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Just outside of the celebrating village stood a tearful girl standing in front of the newly dug grave of Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of The Hidden Mist.

"Zabuza-sama…I'm sorry…You died because I was too weak to save you. I failed you as a tool…but I will not let your death go unpunished."

Haku grit her teeth, not bothering to stop the flow of tears which trailed down her cheeks..

"I will avenge you."

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"Thanks for the hospitality."

Naruto was of course talking to the people of Tazuna's village, all of whom had gathered around the village gate to say goodbye to them. Hearing this they all grinned.

"It's the least we could do for you." Tazuna spoke up. "You got rid of Gato…Remember this. You're always welcome around here."

"That's good to know." Naruto said. He couldn't believe it but he actually might miss the old drunken man.

After saying their good-byes to the rest of the village team seven set off, back to Konoha.

"So Sasuke…" Naruto started, deciding to make some conversation on their way back. "You and Hinata were in that dome of mirrors an awfully long time." Sasuke shrugged it off.

"Hn."

"Just saying… when you came out and your clothes were messed up and your hair was all over the place." Sasuke suddenly felt a twitch on his finger towards his shuriken holster.

"Hn."

" Plus you were lying on the floor…awfully tired…" More twitching.

"HN."

" I just hoped you used protection. I mean, Hiashi would so kick yo-" This time instead of a twitch it was a full out action followed by the indignant cries of all three gennin.

"I'LL KILL YOU!." "Sensei!" "Don't insinuate things about Sasuke-kun!"

Chuckling to himself, Naruto increased his pace.

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DONE. That toke a lot out of me. Well…there you have it people. Sorry if I disappointed you guys with my suddenly later updates but, hey, I have a life too!

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Okay yeah, I was just as surprised as you are. But seriously the updates will get later. Ah well!

WELL THAT"S ALL FOLKS

PS: Too lazy to come up with another chapter question so just having the same one as last chapter.

Keep trying!