Kakashi looked carefully back to the pink-haired girl. She looked scared but ready to protect their client. He turned away from Sakura and looked again to Zabuza. He saw a movement and the mist got thicker. He mentally cursed and backed up a little closer to his charges. He was not going to let his comrades die. Not again.

A scream was heard from behind Zabuza and Kakashi whipped his head towards the noise. It sounded like Naruto…A dull thunk was heard and Kakashi pulled a fresh kunai. He tensed his body in preparation to fight.

And then the chakra level spiked. It felt wild, and angry, and dangerous. He had felt this chakra only once before, and he willed himself to stay on his feet. A red swirl could be faintly seen through the Jutsu made fog, and he squinted. The demon chakra looked like it was whisked away. Now it was concentrated in one place. Naruto.

--

Naruto felt the effect of something drag him under. For several seconds he felt smothered from the pressure of the chakra. He faintly felt himself slip away, but he forced his way to the surface. He saw through his own eyes as some force moved his body to fight. Haku was getting beat up, and he was the one carrying it out. But he didn't know where the strength came from.

The last thing he remembered was…was….Sasuke. He had died saving Naruto. And then it had snapped. This was bad. He saw Haku waiting for death and his body screamed for the blood. He felt more of his own mind take control and he heard what Haku was saying. He stopped where he was. The red cloak around him faded and he finished the punch he was about to deliver. Just with less power.

"You can't kill me with that" Haku muttered, coughing up blood. He struggled to get off the ground. Naruto wouldn't meet his eyes.

Suddenly Haku smiled at the blond. "Actually, thank you, Naruto-kun. I have one last thing to do for my master."

Haku bowed while making a hand sign. He disappeared, and Naruto looked around the rapidly clearing area. He looked back to where Sasuke lay and let out a breath. Sasuke was still dead.

--

Kakashi's eyes widened. Haku had stepped in front of the blast, saving Zabuza but not himself. His hand was embedded in the young boy's chest, and his hand finally lost the swirl of lightning chakra. The Chidori was gone, and one final light flashed through Haku's eyes before he ripped Kakashi's hand out of him. Then he died.

The silver-haired ninja didn't even notice that his summons had to leave because of his attack. He watched as Haku slid to the ground, eyes gazing at the sky lifelessly. Haku had sacrificed himself for someone he cared about, even though the man was a criminal. It was brave. Kakashi just stood there, eventually bringing his gaze to Zabuza.

Said man was staring at Gato and his crew. Kakashi started listening. While he picked up the conversation, he knelt down and closed the poor boy's eyes for the last time.

"Give me a kunai."

Zabuza's rough words shook Kakashi out of his grief. He saw that the mist ninja had torn off his mask with his teeth. He had murder in his eyes.

Kakashi tossed the swordsman the weapon he asked for. His arms were both broken, and he wasn't the enemy anymore. The Demon of the Mist caught the metal weapon in his mouth and started running for Gato.

--

Sakura had edged her way around and was now running for Sasuke. Tazuna was right behind her, although she was oblivious to the fact. She saw Naruto staring sadly at the raven, who was lying on the ground, surrounded by puddles. Naruto looked away and to the ground when he noticed Sakura's presence.

"W-what happened?"

She didn't want to think that Sasuke was gone. She couldn't. But the blonde's stretched silence told her everything. Sasuke was dead.

"It's okay to cry."

Tazuna spoke softly as she fell to her knees in front of Sasuke. She felt tears falling already, but she wiped them away.

"N-no it i-isn't. It's a-against ninja c-code."

The moment after she spoke those words, she felt angry. Why shouldn't ninja be any different, crying is perfectly alright! Why, her team mate, loved one, and most of all friend was dead!

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and her hands formed fists. She fell onto Sasuke's chest, sobbing. She beat on his chest in anger.

Suddenly, a dark red chakra cloak covered Sasuke's body, spreading quickly from his legs to his head. Sakura, still crying, didn't notice. Only when she heard the soft plinks of metal hitting the ground did she look up momentarily.

The senbons that were still in his flesh were falling out, along with all of his other wounds healing. The red stayed calm for a moment, and then Sakura felt even angrier.

She felt a sharp sting and she cried out. Then it turned warm, and her form relaxed on top of the last Uchiha. The cloak was spreading to her, and it was a very light red, almost a mix between red and pink.

Tazuna was backing away slowly, but Naruto was striding forward. She looked up to the blond and snarled at him.

"Get away."

Naruto shook his head, making her emotions pitch upwards.

"Sakura, you need to calm down. I promise, it'll be okay."

It was his promise that calmed her down. Naruto had not once broken a promise.

By now Naruto was close enough to touch her. He held out a hand and she took it. The red spread over him, and he too felt the anger. But instead of letting it overtake him, he forced it down.

He shoved his cloak away, along with the power and anger he felt. Sakura's slowly faded as well, and Sasuke's disappeared. The second the red chakra was gone, Sasuke took a deep breath.

His eyes opened as he sat up. Sakura jumped away, almost knocking into Naruto. Sasuke panted hard, trying to get his breath back. Sakura blinked and grinned, flinging herself at him.

"You're okay!"

Sakura's squealing hurt his head. He felt…actually, he felt okay. What had he been doing? The memories of his fight came back to him in a rush. He held his head in his hands and groaned. He had died. Or had he? He struggled to remember. It was dark and foreboding, and he was a little scared. He had to ask Kakashi what had really happened later.

Kakashi! He shrugged Sakura off his arm and looked around.

"Sensei?" he breathed out.

Tazuna pointed to Kakashi. He was facing about two-hundred swordsmen, and he looked exhausted. Naruto started running, making hand signs as he did. Sasuke jumped up as well, feeling like he just woke up from a long nap. Sakura followed Sasuke with adoring eyes.

Hundreds of Naruto clones came into existence. They all stopped behind Kakashi. Backup.

Kakashi caught on quickly and made a few different hand signs. He didn't have that much chakra, but he did have enough for illusion clones. A few hundred of his own clones appeared, all in different battle stances.