Extension Of Power

"Sensei, I'm not saying that I'm doubting you, but what could you possibly teach us in a short span of who knows how long, that will make us strong enough to face Zabuza again?" Sakura questioned as the three genin followed Kakashi to the collection of trees just behind Tazuna's house.

"Hm, that sounds an awful like doubting me, Sakura." He shot a smile over his shoulder before stopping and turning to them. "Yes, we have no idea when Zabuza will strike again, but if I can teach you even one chakra control technique it will give you a much higher advantage than you had before, also your teamwork must be on point, and your individual skills."

Naru heaved a big sigh as Kakashi began explaining the dynamics of chakra and its control.

Naru groaned as she came to find herself staring at a ceiling with light shining in from two sides. "About time," she turned, finding Sasuke perched next to her, Sakura next to him.

"Sensei, Naru's awake," Sakura called the jounin who came in.

"You passed out from chakra over usage. It was a reckless move, but I'm proud of you; all of you." Naru sat up slowly and flexed her hands which were tingling.

"Where are we?"

"Tazuna led us to his house, uneventfully, thankfully. It's remote, and he said Gato doesn't seem to know where he lives, so we should be safe."

"Until he sends someone else." Sasuke butted in.

"What happened to Zabuza?" She questioned.

"A hunter ninja came and killed him, took the body, and disappeared."

"Took the body?" Naru looked at Kakashi who gave a grim nod. "So, a fake."

"What do you mean fake?" Sakura questioned.

"Hunter ninjas are tasked to hunt rogues, dispatch them, and report back, but they should do it there and then, the moment of death to avoid complications."

"In other words, Zabuza is most likely still alive and will be coming to finish the job," Kakashi stated.

"But the senbon-"

"Senbon can be used to puncture muscles, if done correctly it can cause the illusion of death."

"What do we do then? We barely beat him before, to beat him for sure this time..." Sakura whimpered.

"We practice and train, preparing ourselves for the next battle."

"Naru, are you listening?" She blinked twice at the jounin who stared her down. "I want you to demonstrate for them the use of chakra in specific parts of the body."

"Why me? You're the teacher." She grumbled.

"Because you're my star pupil." He drawled, giving what she could tell was a grin, she scoffed before walking to the tree he motioned to. "Climb the tree, no hands."

Naru closed her eyes, focusing her chakra towards the bottom of her feet, and slowly walked up the side of the tree. She continued until she followed a thick branch out and was upside down staring at her teammates who were in awe.

"Exactly, now you two use a kunai to mark the bark where you make it, don't stop until you make it to the top." Kakashi deposited a kunai in their hands. "Come down Naru." She released the hold and landed in a crouch in front of jounin.

"Clearly this exercise isn't made for me, so what am I supposed to do with my time?"

"Mostly guarding Tazuna. I know from Itachi that your barrier skills are top, rivaling a chunin. I want you to keep a close eye on him and around. Zabuza and his partner could return anytime without knowing when they would return. And given your distrust of everyone, you'll be the best to keep guard."

"Fine," Naru turned on her heel and returned to the building.

-o0o-

Sakura screamed as she collapsed from the tree to the ground with a loud oof! Leaves and dirt littered her messy hair, bruises marred her face. Just a moment later Sasuke came crashing down in the same manner, his put-together image was rumpled and bruised. "Kakashi said to come in," Naru said, leaning against the tree. "Naru, what's the trick?" Sasuke questioned.

"Trick? None, hard work, dedication, skill..."

"Funny," Sakura snipped. "We almost got it but not quite there yet. It may not be a trick, but understanding how to use chakra smoothly." Naru heaved a sigh walking closer.

"Think of your chakra like a magnet, the tree being the other half, it should attract and mold into one, Sakura your chakra has always been smooth and flowing, you must harden it and make it grip the tree constantly. Sasuke your chakra is more gruff so you need to loosen the hold, you two just need to find the medium step how long that takes you, is up to you."

"This is taking so long, I thought I knew chakra."

"There are two forms of knowing chakra, physical and textbook. You know the textbook."

"I guess I get what you mean, thanks." Sakura smiled at her friend, who looked away with a scowl.

-o0o-

Naru stood on the water a little ways away from Tazuna's home and collected chakra to create four clones that circled her.

She closed her eyes, waiting as the clones drew weapons, and began to throw them at her. She sprung in the air and flipped, dodging before she began to swipe at the continuing barrage of weapons. She focused her chakra, creating two red tails that swished behind her. They began to deflect the barrage easily as she took to taking out the clones one by one. The last swiped the kunai which caught her cheek, giving a small cut. Her heart hammered as a flashback of flames and a glint of iron came close, she yelped, leaping back, and the red tails widened and began to bubble and creep up her body.

"No, no!" She growled as her canines grew, and her blue eye shifted to red. She collapsed to her knees whimpering as the chakra covered her body and fed on her fear, which quickly morphed into anger at his command.

"Naru!" Kakashi's voice echoed before he appeared and slapped a seal on her forehead, instantly she felt the chakra almost drop like water off of her, she heaved for air and tried to control the tremors. "Are you okay?" He asked gently and crouched in front of her.

"Fine." She bit out. "I didn't need your help, I had it."
"No, you didn't have it, it was taking control, you know you're not supposed to use his chakra for anything, even Itachi warn-"

"Save the damn lecture, just put it in your report, and I'll hear it when we get back." She stood before stumbling slightly, Kakashi steadied her and huffed.

"I'm not going to report you, I was just worried about it. I'm entrusted with your safety and whether you accept it or not, I will keep you safe, you're my student."

Naru grumbled and pulled away, Kakashi smiled as he caught the faint blush on her cheeks.

"Come on, it's late, and I don't want you out here alone. We need to gather information to find out if Zabuza will return." He ushered her to the dock by the house.

"Way ahead of you," Naru pulled out a small cylinder on a chain and blew into it, letting out a nearly silent whistle and waited. A few moments later the bushes rustled before a calico cat appeared walking up and circling Naru's ankle letting out a purr.

"Satoshi, what's to report?"

"They have not moved from the house I tracked them to, the young boy leaves early in the morning and returns with herbs and food. Seems the big fellow is bedridden at this time." He supplied.

"Great work, keep an eye on them still, report any movement." He nodded before circling her ankle again and purred as she rubbed his head before he disappeared back into the woods.

"That's smart to use a cat as a spy, thank you." Kakashi complimented before heading inside with her.

-o0o-

Three days passed for the team and Tazuna, every day he returned to his work on the bridge with less and less help, as they feared Gato and his retaliation on them and their families. Each day Naru accompanied the man using barriers around the bridge that alerted her of anyone entering and exiting the area, once Sasuke and Sakura finished their chakra exercises they joined their teammate in guarding the man around the clock. Every night Satoshi reported all movement from their hideout and with his final report that Gato and samurai guards visited the house and exited looking quite upset and beaten up, they knew any day Zabuza would show up again and it would be a fight for their lives.

"I can't believe this town could just abandon their hope like this," Sakura said looking around the empty bridge, only Tazuna stayed working until he nearly dropped every single day.

"Fear does things to people, and with that public execution of Inari's father, it solidified his power," Sasuke replied.

"Fear will either knock you down or make you stand up," Naru replied before she stiffened and looked around the bridge. "Kakashi," She called to the jounin who was already standing, he gave a nod in understanding that her barrier was breached.

"They're here," Tazuna walked closer and nodded as they surrounded him, weapons at the ready as a thick mist rolled in.

"Well hello again brats," Zabuza's voice echoed before he and the masked boy appeared feet from their position.

"About time you showed, I guess you had to lick your wounds a 'brat' gave you." Naru taunted.

"Tsk, Haku I'll let you handle that one, it should give you quite the run for it," Zabuza addressed. "You may be special but Haku here is just as special."

"Bring it," Naru stretched and stepped forward, spinning her kunai around her fingers.

Both shot forward and clashed kunai against senbon, Naru gasped as the boy began one-handed signs, and the puddle of water formed into senbon that pointed to them and shot forward.

"Naru!" Sakura cried out, she flipped out of the way and huffed.

'One-handed signs are rare and show great skill... Maybe this will be an interesting match.' She thought.

She gasped as water built around her in the air before it froze and formed ice mirrors creating a dome around her.

"What the hell is this?" She yelled.

Sasuke turned to run towards her but Zabuza skidded in front of him making him jump backwards.

"Our battle will be just us this time Zabuza, leave them out of it," Kakashi warned, stepping between the rogue and his team.

"Oh I agree Kakashi, but when the battle starts is up to you, since you'll have a tough decision to make, protect Tazuna here or protect him at his home where his weakness lies."
"What?" The old man questioned.

"Gato has grown tired of this and knows if he gets to your family he gets you. I can assume more of his goons are heading right to your cute little home and will take either your daughter or grandson, he only needs one after all, I suppose the other will be eliminated on sight." He chuckled darkly, Tazuna let out a shaky breath and collapsed to his knees.

"No." He whispered.

"Tsk, we beat you once we'll do it again and save them."
"But what if it's happening now? Hm?" He laughed maniacally.

Sasuke growled looking at his teammate trapped and the client behind him.

"And more of a choice," Zabuza snapped his fingers, the mirrors shined bright before thousands of needles shot out and began to slice and stab Naru drawing a scream of pain from her before she fell to the ground.

"Naru!" Sakura cried out, Kakashi growled in anger before he pulled his hitai-ate up revealing his sharingan.

"Sasuke-"
"I'm going for them." He said before he raced through the mist towards town.

'Damn kid.' Kakashi cursed. "Sakura, protect Tazuna, I'll handle Zabuza."
"But Naru-"
"Can hold her own in battle, until I'm done with him, now do as I say!" She nodded shakily and helped the man stand up.

Naru yanked the few senbon from her body and threw them to the ground.

"I have no idea what that jutsu is or how, but I'll get out of here."

"What do you fight for?"

"What kind of question is that?" She sneered and turned to the boy who stood inside the mirror.

"All ninjas have a goal in mind or a person they are fighting for, I was curious about yours."
"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you a thing."

"We may be more alike than you think." Naru shot up with a kunai and sliced at the mirror which did nothing but break the metal tool in her hand. "You'll find my jutsu is quite impossible to break. A kekkei genkai." Naru sneered at the information. 'Ice style, so I need heat and lots of it.'

"Naru!" She turned and watched Sakura throw a kunai towards her, she reached out then jolted as Haku instantly moved to the other side and grabbed the weapon in his hand. 'Fast, way fast.'

The mirrors shone again and senbon launched out, Naru screamed and hunched down as she was cut and stabbed again and again until it stopped.

Kakashi growled as he shot forward and swiped at Zabuza who dodged and spun his blade towards the jounin. Kakashi dodged and threw out kunai which were easily deflected.

Naru screamed as the secret jutsu was used again, Sakura took a few steps towards her teammate in pain and let out a shaky breath.

"Naru!"

"Sakura, pay attention!" Kakashi barked.

"Same to you Kakashi." Zabuza laughed as he disappeared into the thick mist.

Kakashi looked left and right listening for the slightest of sounds to pinpoint the rogue's location, he gasped as it hit him and he raced towards the girl and client appearing just as Zabuza did, ready to strike them down with a single blow.

Sakura let out a bloodcurdling scream that echoed, Naru looked up trying to see anything through the mist. "Gotta get out of here," She growled and shot forward throwing a chakra-enhanced punch to the mirror which did nothing but earn her three more senbon.

"Why do you get up?" Haku questioned, Naru glared at him and spit out blood. "It's pointless, your destiny is to die in this very spot." Haku held more senbon in his hand and prepared to throw them.

Sakura let out a shaky breath and looked at the back of her sensei who stood hunched, his blood dripping from the large cut across his chest.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura whispered, he glanced at her then at the mirror dome, and grit his teeth.

"Come on Kakashi, you let your concern for these brats cloud your mind. Adding to the fog already clouding your sharingan, your eyes may be sharp but not sharp enough to see through my moves. Stop worrying about the girl, she's done for, Haku has never been beaten, she's probably at his mercy begging to not be killed. You won't have to fear the repercussions of bringing a dead student home, because you'll die on this bridge too!" Zabuza taunted and disappeared once again.

"Sakura guard Tazuna and pay attention!" Kakashi ordered.

"Y... yes sir," Kakashi raced forward disappearing into the mist just as Zabuza had, Tazuna stood closer to Sakura and wrung his hands in his shirt.

'Be okay Naru, Sasuke-kun, be okay!' She prayed.

Naru let the red chakra grow around her swishing and surrounding her, Haku launched more senbon out which were mostly deflected by the chakra.

"You have a special power too, but it won't be enough." Naru launched up and swiped at the mirror he was in which he instantly disappeared and reappeared above her, he shot out of the mirror and swiped at her leg making her fall.

"Dammit!" Naru snarled, her blue eye shifted to red and her canines grew long.

"You have been through the trauma of ninja life, I can see it, but it won't be enough to get you out alive."

"SHUT UP!" She snarled, the red chakra began to bubble and grow larger. Haku frowned as he noticed the chakra starting to melt the ice mirrors. 'This chakra is so dense it's actually melting my jutsu. I have to take her out now!' He activated the jutsu again and watched for an opening before launching forward. He struck her chest and stabbed the senbon into her chest cutting off her cry of pain and stood above her huffing for air.

DIE Naru snapped her eyes open as red chakra exploded around her throwing Haku back and exploding the mirrors around them, Naru snarled, dropping into a crouch before slamming into the boy sending them skidding along the bridge.

"Naru!" Kakashi cried out as he turned to the red chakra that swirled high and exploded, clearing most of the fog from the area. "Shit!" He cursed. He rifled in his vest pockets producing a scroll and unwound it before smearing his blood on the scroll.

"Sorry Zabuza, but I have to end this battle now."

"Hahaha!" He laughed tauntingly.

Naru stared at the revealed face of Haku who coughed up blood and stared right back, she sneered before she slashed her hand and Haku's struggle stopped as his blood stained the ground and her clothes. Zabuza yelled out in pain as the remaining mist disappeared revealing the rogue pinned by a pack of ninja dogs bearing the Konoha symbol. Sakura heaved a heavy sigh now that he was immobile. A wave of killer intent hit her, she turned slowly and looked at the crouched form of her friend who growled and began to run straight at her.

"NARU NO!" Kakashi yelled and rushed forward, Naru jumped up ready to pounce on the girl and client, Kakashi skidded in front of her and threw his arms out. She growled and swiped her hand which smashed into the jounin throwing him a few feet over. Burning flesh filled the air as he stifled a scream, his body shook as he pushed up slowly.

"SENSEI!!" Naru gasped as she hit the ground and looked at her sensei, the chakra exploded free from her, and she stumbled up to the jounin and hesitated to touch him again.

"It's okay," He huffed.

"No, I didn't mean... I mean I-" She whimpered and pulled back. 'I'm a monster'

"It's okay," He smiled at her. "You stopped yourself, that's what is important, I'm fine." He reassured her, she looked down and prepared to say something when a thud echoed on the bridge.

"Ahem!" They turned around finding a short older man in a crisp suit with a cane standing at the end of the bridge with a group of rough men.

"It's Gato." Tazuna whispered.

"Geez Zabuza, I thought you were a top ninja, you're getting whipped by these kids." Gato laughed.

"Why are you here Gato? I have this." He sneered.

"Clearly not, glad I went with the backup." He snapped his finger and grinned, Tazuna cried out as his daughter and grandson were thrown to the ground at his feet bound and gagged.

"No, no!"

"Where is Sasuke-kun!?" Sakura yelled. Sasuke was thrown down in the same state but bruises littered his body. He squirmed and protested the gag.

"No," Naru whispered, Kakashi cursed standing up with a stumble.

"Tazuna!" Gato yelled out. "Surrender yourself or I kill them both right here on your precious bridge."

"Let them go!" Sakura screamed.
"You're fired Zabuza, I ordered my group to kill you this morning, but you already left. Seems your mouthy little partner didn't stand a chance," Gato commented.

"Traitor!" Zabuza rushed forward swinging his blade, Gato stepped back and was surrounded by the men who laughed and began to stab towards the jounin who only dodged a few but staggered as the wounds began to catch up to him.

A thug yelled as they slammed into the jounin and sent him skidding along the ground and was quickly surrounded.

"He's done, just like that.." Sakura whispered as they beat and stomped the jounin. "We have to get to Sasuke-kun before they -"

Naru turned to the boy who squirmed about, he looked up at her, she gasped as she saw nothing but Itachi before her, bound and beaten, she growled low.

"First to die will be you," Gato grabbed a katana and swung it towards Sasuke's neck.

Blood hit the concrete, and Gato gasped as he stared into the blood-red eyes of Naru who held the blade in her hands, she growled low before lunging towards him, her claws slashing repeatedly at the man until he collapsed in a heap of flesh.

The thugs gasped as the killer intent hit them from the girl, she pulled red chakra up that swished and swiped towards them sending them stumbling back and scrambling away from their sure death.

Naru huffed for air as she let the chakra drop and released the gag from Sasuke who huffed.

"Thank you Naru," She looked down at him and nodded before her breath hitched as she stared into his blood-red eyes.

She barely repressed the sneer seeing those eyes that signaled he would soon join the ranks of controlling her like the rest of his clan.