Chapter 081

"Thank you, I learned from the best," Haku held up her senbon as she prepared to attack.

"Yeah, no brows-Ojisan is pretty tal-" he cut himself off as he looked out into the forest. Haku used his apparent loss of focus to close the distance between them, lashing out with a kick. Naruto barely had time to jump back and only just dodged her.

"You shouldn't take your eyes off of your opponent Naruto-kun," Haku said as she tossed a few senbon at him.

Naruto blocked them with his kunai before throwing it at Haku, who managed to catch it and throw it back, forcing him to dodge. "Sorry, my clones just dispelled. It seems your midget of an employer sent some of his goons to try and capture Inari and Tsunami."

Haku frowned in thought as she wondered what Gato was thinking, since that had not been part of the plan.

Her thoughts were cut off as Naruto came at her. He lashed out with a high kick, forcing Haku to jump back. As she did Naruto used Shunshin to get behind her. Haku only had time to notice Naruto disappear before he kicked her in the back of the head.

Haku tumbled forward but changed it into a roll. Coming up she saw Naruto coming at her. She blocked his right fist, redirecting the attack away from her. At the same time she came in with a kick. Naruto managed to block it by bringing up his leg, but was caught off guard when Haku hooked her leg with his and pulled him into a punch.

Naruto stumbled back, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs out of it. When he looked up again his eyes widened as Haku appeared right in front of him. She aimed the senbon in her hand at Naruto's neck, but the blond was able to move out of the way, twisting his body just enough to let the senbon holding hand pass before grabbing onto it and pushing it away at the same time.

Jumping back Naruto threw a kunai and went through several hand seals, "Kunai Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!"

Ten more kunai appeared and headed towards Haku, who went through her own hand seals. She managed to create an ice mirror that formed from the puddle at her feet, said mirror being create in only a second. The raven-haired girl managed to step through it, and the moment she did the mirror melted before the kunai could hit it.

Naruto grabbed another kunai before whirling around and blocking Haku's senbon. The two pushed against each other for a moment, using the small respite to breath.

"Seems we're fairly evenly matched," Said Naruto. He pushed against her senbon a bit, and noticed that she moved back slightly, letting him know that in a contest of physical strength at least, he was the stronger of the two.

"It would appear so, but I have the advantage," Haku said, seemingly not concerned that the blond was pushing her back.

"Oh?" asked Naruto, pushing Haku back a little more.

"Yes," Haku replied as she channeled chakra through her muscles to strengthen them and hold Naruto long enough to do what she needed. "The first thing is we are surrounded by water, the second is you only have one hand," With that Haku surprised Naruto as she used one-handed seals.

"Sensatsu Suishou (Death By A Thousand Flying Water Needles)!" Haku stomped on the ground, causing the water on the bridge to shoot up before forming ice needles which charged at Naruto.

Naruto used a Shunshin to get away from the attack and reappear behind Haku, lashing out with a kick towards her legs in an effort to knock her off balance. However, Haku had already predicted that this would happen and spun around, swatting the leg away and sticking several senbon needles into his joint.

Hissing in pain Naruto jumped back, "Damn it, that hurts." Naruto grunted as he pulled the senbon out of his knee cap, wincing even more as he felt it heal. "That was a low blow, Haku-chan," Naruto said, pouting at her.

"So is attacking someone from behind," Haku returned.