Konoha: The Honored One

The sky was overcast, casting a chilly gloom over the massive bridge that stretched across the border of the Land of Waves. The structure, only two-thirds completed, loomed in the mist, eerie and silent.

On the bridge, tension hung thick in the air.

"Are we sure the enemy will show up?" Naruto asked, adjusting the pack on his shoulder, his clothes still streaked with mud from yesterday's grueling training.

Sasuke shot him an unimpressed look, hands deep in his pockets. "Think, idiot. Their target is Tazuna, and we're in their way. They'll come for us first."

Naruto scowled, fists clenched. "I already know that, genius!"

Sakura glanced at her watch and muttered, "Gojo-sensei is late again." It was nearly seven. If he didn't show soon, going up against the Mist Nin without him would be suicide.

"I'd rather he was late," Sasuke replied, his Sharingan flashing to life as he gave a determined smirk. "I can handle this."

His recent training had made him confident—too confident, perhaps. He wasn't a master of the Rasengan yet, but he was definitely stronger.

"Yeah! We'll take them down together and impress Sensei!" Naruto added, punching his palm. "Just don't get all teary-eyed when you see the enemy, Sasuke!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Just don't slow me down, dead weight."

Suddenly, a chilling aura swept over them, and the mist thickened, shrouding everything in fog.

"Stay alert! They're here!"

The three immediately fell into a defensive triangle, backs to each other, kunai drawn.

Then, out of the mist, Zabuza appeared, descending upon them with terrifying speed, his kunai flashing straight toward Sasuke's throat.

Sasuke's heart raced, his Sharingan barely tracking the movement. "Above!" he shouted, twisting just in time to block the attack. The sharp clang echoed as he was knocked backward, hitting the ground hard.

"So, this is the power of a Jonin?" Sasuke muttered, hands trembling from the impact. Just blocking that one strike had nearly numbed his arm.

Zabuza smirked, eyes gleaming. "Nice reflexes, kid. Must be that fancy eye of yours. But it won't save you."

Before Sasuke could reply, Zabuza shifted his attention to Naruto, lunging with deadly precision.

"Sasuke!" Naruto and Sakura shouted in unison as they watched Sasuke get hurled aside.

"Watch your back, idiot!" Sasuke called out, struggling to get up.

Naruto whipped around just as Zabuza's kunai closed in on him.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, frozen in horror.

Naruto's hand shook as he tried to raise his kunai, but it slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground.

Just as Zabuza's blade approached his throat, Sasuke sprang forward, shoving Naruto aside and taking the hit himself, the kunai slicing into his hand. Blood dripped down his fingers.

"You complete moron." Sasuke grumbled, holding onto Zabuza's wrist. "Now's not the time to mess around!"

Naruto and Sakura rushed forward, kunai raised to defend him, but Zabuza wrenched his arm free effortlessly, his form dissolving into a puddle.

"A clone?" the three gasped, frustrated. They'd thrown everything at him, only to be outplayed by a simple decoy.

"Damn it…" Sasuke muttered, clenching his bloody hand. "Are you guys blind? How did none of you see through that?"

Naruto looked at him, surprised. Sasuke had saved him—why? They were rivals, always bickering, yet Sasuke had stepped in at the risk of his own life.

"I know what it's like to lose everything." Sasuke muttered, his voice distant, memories of a terrible night flickering in his mind.

Sakura knelt beside him, unrolling gauze. "Here, let me wrap that."

Just then, a voice echoed through the mist. "Not bad, managing to take down my clone. You've grown… but you're still weaklings."

The oppressive presence filled the air as Zabuza's mocking laughter surrounded them. "Such pointless emotions. Ninjas don't need them."

The three exchanged worried glances. Despite all their training, the gap between them and Zabuza was as wide as ever.

"Where's that so-called 'strongest teacher' of yours?" Zabuza sneered. "It doesn't matter. I'll handle you three myself."

"Over my dead body!" Naruto yelled, stepping forward, his eyes blazing with resolve.

Zabuza raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You? Pathetic."

He dashed forward, a dark shadow cutting through the mist.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, forming a dozen clones that encircled Zabuza with their kunai raised.

"Clones, huh? Annoying, but useless." Zabuza smirked, kicking a clone aside with ease.

Naruto hit the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Don't—Naruto!" Sakura cried, her voice filled with desperation.

"I don't care what it takes!" Naruto yelled, wiping the blood from his lip and forcing a grin. "I'll protect my friends if it's the last thing I do!"

As he and his clones charged again, Haku appeared out of nowhere, standing behind Sasuke and Sakura with shurikens poised at their necks.

"When… did you get here?" Sasuke thought, alarmed.

"Ice Style." Haku said softly, tilting his head with a calm smile. "I've been here the whole time."

Sakura's eyes widened. She'd recognized that face—the gentle features, the soft demeanor. But before she could react, a kunai pressed gently against her throat.

Then, Zabuza appeared again from the fog, looming over Naruto.

"Time's up, brat." he snarled, his kunai raised to strike.

"Gojo-sensei!" Sakura screamed, eyes squeezed shut.

Suddenly, a blinding flash lit up the fog as Gojo appeared out of nowhere, delivering a powerful blow that sent Zabuza flying across the bridge.

"Yo." Gojo said, casually adjusting his sunglasses as he flashed his team a grin. "Miss me?"

The fight for Team 7's survival was just beginning.