five. 

(—typhoon)

Sakura frowned slightly the next day, her mind racing from the events that had taken place over the past few days. "Kakashi-sensei are you sure it's okay to leave Naruto here while we go to the bridge?" 

Kakashi gave his female student a closed-eyed smile, "He used up most of his chakra so he needs to rest up. Tomorrow if his chakra is restored he can join us at the bridge after all both Sasuke and Naruto completed their training." Kakashi said while inwardly voicing his real opinion if there is a tomorrow. If he was up to par with his usual strength, then that meant Zabuza would strike tomorrow at the very latest. 

He then frowned, wondering where Winter had gone. It had been two days since Inari had triggered her abrupt and intriguing reaction. Arriving at the bridge he pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind as he saw the mist start to roll in over the knocked out bodies of the bridge workers.

His visible eye narrowed as Zabuza slowly sauntered over with the tracker nin right behind him. "Oh? That one is still shaking, and where is that black haired girl? I have a score to settle with her." With a few hand signs, the group was surrounded by clones of the rogue ninja.

"Sasuke, go for it," Kakashi smirked slightly when his student quickly dispatched the water clones. 

"Ah, so he can determine the difference between the clones." Zabuza grins a predators grin at Sasuke. 

"Impressive, even though those clones only have 1/10th of the original power of the caster you still managed to make it seem like nothing." The hunter-nin commented softly. 

"Who do you think you are, hiding behind some mask?" Sasuke commented loftily. 

"Looks like you may have some competition.... Haku."

***

Winter sighed walking back to Tsunami's house. She had been gone for almost three days and most likely Kakashi was wondering where she was. Her head darted to the left, "What the..." She muttered. Tree branches were broken off, scratches littered the trees and a boar laid dead all showing a clear-cut path. Her eyes narrowed, "Tsunami." 

The young girl started sprinting towards the house. Up ahead she could make out two men and an unconscious woman. A small boy confronted the two and Winter cursed. "What does that brat think he is doing?" Out of nowhere, an orange blob appeared saving Inari. A smirk settled on Winter's face, "At least he has good timing." Lunging out of the woods and with a few swipes of her katanas, Winter heard the two men fall unconscious. 

"Winter!" Naruto yelled, adrenaline coursing through his body.

Standing up straight Winter fixated her gaze on Inari, "That was very stupid of you, and also very brave. Be more careful next time." Inari nodded still shocked by the arrival of the girl that had disappeared. "Naruto le-" Winter was cut off when several bursts of chakra reached her. Her breath hitched, her traps had been set off. That meant one thing only. "Naruto go to the bridge and help the others, I have to check on something. Inari help your mother get feeling better and find some sort of weapon to protect you two, wait here take this." Winter grabbed a specially made sai blade that was pitch black from her pouch. "While light, it is also very sharp so be careful." Handing it to him handle first Winter straightened up, more bursts of chakra reached her. 

"Naruto go now!" She commanded before flicking her scarlet cloak out of her way.

Naruto nodded and headed off towards the bridge. Winter bent her knees slightly knowing that there was no doubt about it now, rogue ninja were advancing towards the bridge as well. Visible chakra emitted from her feet as she pushed off, sprinting to intercept the rogue nin. The trees were nothing but a green haze. 

To the black and white ninja surrounded by a plant that had just appeared from the ground, she looked like nothing more than a red blur.

Slowing down she peered down from the top of a pine tree, about fifty feet in the air. Soon the group came into her vision, ten in total. Her eyes narrowed, the exact same number as that day. Out of the ten, about half wore the flak jackets that showed you were a chunin level or above. Every single one of their headbands had a slash through it, all of them were from Kirigakure. So she was fighting in their homeland, they already had an advantage.

She does several signs and feels the red-hot sensation course through her veins as she starts to spark with lightning. Jumping off she hurdles towards the ground, "Rakion Surge!" She shouts slamming her fist onto the ground making the entire area light up. Shocked cries are heard and when the smoke clears two shinobi are down.

"A little Genin?" A green haired shinobi said, cracking his knuckles he grinned, "Let's teach her a lesson." The other ninja smirk in agreement as they all converge onto Winter. 

Getting into an ancient Taijutsu stance Winter closes her eyes. Feeling the shift of wind, the intake of break and the crinkle of fabric she dodges out of the way and engages two shinobi in an all-out Taijutsu battle. Kicking one with a chakra enhanced roundhouse kick that sends him crashing into the ground. 

A sharp crack is heard and a cry of outrage escapes one of the ninja's mouth, "You broke his neck, you bitch!" Lunging forward he takes on Winter who whips out her katanas and spins them around causing the kunai he feverishly through at her to rebound and hit some of the slower rouges.

A voice yelled out a jutsu name, Winter turned around a second too late and was hit with a water dragon. Her back hit a tree and a cry of pain escaped from her lips. Scowling at the jeers of the rogues she stood up feeling blood drip from her face. Wiping her lips that had blood flowing onto them Winter frowned deeply. That shinobi used a water-based jutsu, one that requires a large body of water to be nearby. Grinning recklessly Winter slid her katanas back into their sheaths and started doing several hand signs as fast as possible. 

Ox, dragon, boar, sheep, dragon.

Water droplets began to rise into the air and circled around Winter. Her eyes were closed in concentration with her hands stretched out to the side, her hair falling out of its ponytail, the black strands whipping around her from the chakra she was releasing. The ground rumbled while the remaining rouges looked on in horror at the water that had risen from the lake hidden about half a mile away as it circled around the young kunoichi, creating a giant storm known as a typhoon. The power caused several trees to crash to the ground.

Eyes flashing open Winter yelled out in a strong voice, "Taifū Rirīsu no Jutsu!" The typhoon, guided by her hands, crashed into the rogues and they all flew back from the sheer force. The typhoon continues on until it crashed into the ocean causing a disturbance that made the battling ninja on the bridge pause for a moment, wondering where it came from.

Out of the ten rouges, four were left. They were clearly the strongest and Winter sighed heavily knowing she had no choice. Holding one hand up to the sky she summoned the one thing that no one had seen and survived. 

A flash of lightning hit the girl causing a brilliant light to be seen for several miles, "Taiteki!"

***

Kakashi frowned at the thugs that jeered at the villagers, "Hah as if that's going to scare us! We've got back up coming, ten rogue shinobi!" They yelled victoriously. 

"What?" Kakashi breathed, ten more? Not only that but they were ninjas? They were in trouble. Footsteps sounded from behind the villagers making everyone turn to see a lone figure approaching them. The mist made it nearly impossible to make out who it was. The villagers shied away from the figure as they walked past them, the black sandals making a hollow noise each time they hit the ground.

Coming to a stop in front of Kakashi the mist thinned enough to reveal the girl standing there. Her hair was free and lashed in the wind. Blood runs down the side of her face and her cloak was slightly tattered. "What back up?" Her words rose on the wind as she lifted her cloak just enough for several items to fly out of it and onto the ground between the two opposing sides. Metal clanged as the ten headbands clattered onto the ground, each was stained by a bright red liquid. "I'm afraid your allies have been taken care of, permanently."

The thug's faces grew pale and they ran away screaming. Winter sighed and walked over to Zabuza. Without a word she lifted him up and set him next to Haku. "Thanks." He grunted. 

"Do you know where I can find Raiga?" Winter whispered. 

"All I know is that his swords are called Kiba, and they channel lightning. If you want to find his whereabouts then look for Kisame Hoshigaki. What is your name? You are no ordinary Genin. And I mean your real name." He asked his voice low and hoarse. 

Kakashi tilted his head slightly trying to catch what they were saying. 

All he saw was Winter whisper two words to him and Zabuza's eyes widen dramatically. "I see. Take Kubikiribōchō and learn how to use it. It will help you when you Kisame. Then will you find someone to take care of it?" Zabuza coughed and blood flowed out of his mouth. 

A true, genuine smile appeared on Winter's face, "Of course." With a shaky hand, Zabuza gripped the hilt of his sword and pushed it towards Winter. Grabbing the hilt she smiled reassuringly at Zabuza who look towards Haku.

Snow started to fall from the sky and Sakura showed up shouting about how Sasuke was okay. "Maybe, just maybe, everything will turn out alright," Winter whispered her face tilted upwards, staring up at the sky.

***

Winter stood off to the side while Inari and Naruto bawled their eyes out. Sighing she shifted slightly, still getting used to the additional weight on her back. The head cleaver, as Zabuza's sword was named, rested on her back while a katana was attached to each of her hips. The first thing she was doing when she got back to the Leaf Village found a seal to store the giant sword so that way she didn't look like a walking sword store. 

The team turned and started walking across the new bridge and Winter was just able to catch the name. "The Great Naruto Bridge, huh." Shaking her head at the name she walked behind the three arguing teammates while their sensei ignored them.

Looking up at the clear blue sky Winter whispered almost inaudibly, "I think I'm going to be okay... Ryu, Riku."

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