Kakashi shifted and back flipped once, putting distance between him and his opponent and Zabuza's sword clattered and slid across the bridge.

Naruto stared wide-eyed in silence at his teacher.

"Both of your arms have now been disabled." Kakashi glanced up from where he sat with one knee down and his arm resting against his knee. "You can't even weave a single sign."

Zabuza glared and a pair of footsteps approached.

"Hm?" Kakashi looked over at the short man and furrowed his brows.

"Oh! You really got it this time." Gato chuckled with a smirk as he looked over his assassin. "You disappoint me again, Zabuza."

Zabuza glanced over at his employer, who was accompanied by a horde of other heavily-armed assassins and mercenaries, hisarms hanging limply at his sides as blood poured down them.

"Gato... why did you come here?" He looked over at the small army behind the short man. "And who are these men?"

"Our strategy has changed a little..." Gato narrowed his eyes at the Rogue Ninja with a smirk. "Sorry to say this, Zabuza, but you will die here."

Zabuza's eyes widened slightly. "What?!"

"Since hiring a regular Shinobi costs so much money, I hired Rogue Ninjas like you! And it would have been even more ideal to save my money and effort if Ninja-to-Ninja battles ended in each killing the other off." Gato laughed and tapped his cane on the ground. "Well, you are certainly not worthy of being called The Demon of the Hidden Mist Village. If you ask me, you're just a cute little demon!"

The hired thugs behind Gato started to laugh obnoxiously, with many throwing their heads back and pointing as the assassin.

"What are those guys?" Naruto blinked at the noisy crowd. "There's so many of them..."

"Kakashi..." Zabuza said under his breath, with his back to the Jonin. "I apologize. Our fight ends here..."

Kakashi glanced from the thugs to Zabuza, remaining quiet.

"As long as my reason to take down Tazuna is gone, you are no longer my enemy and there is no reason to fight you."

"Yeah..." Kakashi nodded shortly. "You're right."

Gato approached Haku's body, his cane tapping as he walked, and he stopped beside the boy with a sneer. "That reminds me... I owe him something."

The man started to lightly kick Haku's head with a smirk. "He squeezed my arm 'til it broke..." Gato drew his foot back and kicked hard, snapping the vertebrae as the limp head rolled to the side.

Naruto's eyes widened and Kakashi shot a glare at the kingpin.

"Huh. He's dead already." Gato prodded Haku's cold cheek with the end of his cane.

"You bastard!" Naruto clutched his fists and yelled, running at the man. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Kakashi quickly reached up to grab Naruto and hold him back. "Stop! Don't act so recklessly!"

Kakashi loosened his grip on his student and Naruto glared at Zabuza.

"You say something, too! He was your comrade, right?!"

"Shut up, punk. Haku is already dead." Zabuza narrowed his eyes and muttered under his breath.

"What...?!" Naruto's eyes widened slightly. "Don't you feel anything, watching him do that?! Weren't you with Haku for a long time?"

"As Gato used me... I was simply using Haku."

Naruto froze in place, unable to speak.

"I thought I'd told you... we Shinobi are merely tools. What I wanted here his skills and not Haku himself... I have no regrets."

Naruto furrowed his brows and clenched his fists. "Do you... do you really mean that?"

"Naruto, stop." Kakashi put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "There's no need to fight him anymore... Besides..."

"Shut up!" Naruto hit Kakashi's hand away and balled his fists tighter, then pointed at the assassin. "My enemy is still this one!

Zabuza glanced over his shoulder at the blond with a hard look in silence. Naruto paused, breathing heavily as he trembled.

"He... He..." Naruto looked at Haku, then back to Zabuza. "He really liked you! He liked you that much!" Naruto pointed towards the corpse of the older boy, biting his lip. "Even so, don't you feel anything at all?!"

Naruto's eyes watered and spilled over and he let out a breath as he remembered his conversation with Haku in the woods. "How can you... you really don't feel anything at all?! When a person becomes as strong as you... do they really behave like you? He... He threw his life away for you!" His voice quivered and quieted as he continued. "He didn't even fulfill his own dreams and yet... to die as a tool!"

Naruto balled his hands into white-knuckled fists as tears streamed down his face and his nose began to run.

"That's... That's... too painful..."

"Kid..." Zabuza muttered.

Naruto sniffed and his eyes rose toward the rogue ninja, widening as he saw tears falling from his face and hitting the ground. Zabuza looked up at the sky as he silently wept.

"Don't... say anything anymore."

Zabuza lowered his head once again and let out a slow, soft breath. "Haku was... He wasn't just thinking of me. He was feeling pain inside for you while he battled you guys, too... I know that... he was too kind..." Zabuza fell quiet again and his tears slowed. "...I'm glad that we could fight with you at the end."

"Huh?" Gato blinked behind his shades as Zabuza bit away at the bandages that covered his mouth to reveal sharp teeth.

Zabuza smirked slightly and glanced back at Naruto. "Yes, little punk... it's as you say, after all... Shinobi are human, too. Maybe it's impossible to become an emotionless tool..." He huffed quietly and a faint smiled curved his lips upward. "...I've lost."

Zabuza's smile faded and his lips formed a hard line. "Kid! Give me a Kunai Knife!"

Naruto blinked and reached into the pouch on his thigh, then tossed it through the air at the assassin. "Okay."

Zabuza caught the Kunai easily between his teeth and shot a murderous look at Gato.

He rushed forward toward Gato suddenly, whose eyes widened and he stepped back. "What?!" He ran toward the thugs to hide behind them, and pointed back at Zabuza. "Enough! Take them all down!"

"Yeah!" The mercenaries smirked with bloodlust flashing in their eyes as they gripped their weapons tightly and prepared for Zabuza as he approached.

"Are you crazy?" One mercenary laughed. "Do you think you can win by yourself against this many of us?"

Zabuza cut through the crowd quickly, slicing them skillfully as they bled. The others eyes' widened at his approached and some started trembling. They ran at him with their weapons drawn, only to be dodged easily and cut before they could land a blow. Dodging their strikes, Zabuza slit their throats and cut open their sides.

One thug smirked as his spear stuck into Zabuza's back, stopping his assault and sending him wobbling forward. Zabuza glared and blinked as blood soaked his clothes and a series of other knives and spears were thrust into his back. His vision blurred, yet he saw Gato running away to the edge of the uncompleted bridge, to escape on the small boat he had arrived in.

Gato turned and slowed, watching as his mercenaries surrounded Zabuza and struck, only to be wounded and shoved aside. Gato's eyes widened as Zabuza broke through and ran at the man. Gato shook as the assassin approached, with his hatred and Chakra immense in the air behind him, almost as if a demon's face were visible in his wake, hissing and ready to devour anyone in its path.

"D-Demon!" Gato held up his arm in front of him and froze in place as fear rooted him to the spot.

Zabuza plunged the Kunai's blade into his former employer's chest and Gato choked and gurgled, then blood spewed from his mouth. Zabuza smirked as he held the Kunai tightly in his teeth, then groaned in pain as swords, spears, and knives pierced him from behind. He staggered forward and blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.

"If you're so anxious to join your friend..." Gato coughed and covered his wound to slow the bleeding. "You can go ahead... alone!"

"Unfortunately..." Zabuza spat out a glob of blood and saliva. "I don't... intend on going... to the same place... as Haku!"

Zabuza straightened to a stand, ignoring the weapons in his back as he shuffled slowly towards Gato.

"W-What?!" The man gulped and glared, though he stepped back as he shook. "Pretending to be so tough..."

Zabuza stopped only a centimeter from his face and smirked. "You're going to hell with me!"

"It's no big deal..." Zabuza took another step forward, and Gato took another back at the Ninja's crazed expression. "When the Demon of the Hidden Mist Village dies and goes to hell, he can become a real demon. I look forward to it! I'll let you find out for sure if I'm a cute little demon or not in hell!"

Zabuza moved his body, creating momentum to grasp the Kunai in Gato's hand with his teeth, then followed through with a series of slashes on the man's chest and neck. Gato began to fall backward as if in slow motion and Zabuza moved around him, slashing from all sides. Zabuza let out a growl, his hatred contorting his features and Gato gasped as the assassin resembled a demon. Zabuza put the remainder of his strength into one final blow, ripping open Gato's throat and sending him flying off of the bridge's edge and down into the water below.

Naruto's eyes were wide and his mouth hung open at the bloody scene as Kakashi let out a breath and closed his eyes momentarily.

The mercenaries and thugs stared wide-eyed at Zabuza in silence, a few stepping away with pale faces. Zabuza turned his attention to them and they blinked and moved away in panic, dropping their weapons as they did. They created an open path for him, leading towards Haku's body. The Kunai dropped from his mouth onto the ground and he shuffled his feet slowly as his breathing was heavy and ragged. His vision blurred and darkened and he wobbled with each step.

"Haku..." He fell forward on his knees and cough blood once more, glancing up at the boy. "Now... it's goodbye, Haku... Thank you... for everything... I'm sorry..."

He fell forward collapsed, and silence fell over the bridge. Naruto gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes as he looked away.

"Don't look away." Kakashi looked at his student, and then to Zabuza's body. "It's the end for a man who lived fiercely."

"Yeah..." Naruto nodded slowly and turned his eyes back to the corpse.

"Did I... die...?" Sasuke's vision shifted from black to the pale blue of the sky obscured by light fog. The sound of crying reached his ears and he blinked slowly. "Sakura...?" He saw her laying on his stomach, sobbing into her arms as Tazuna looked down at her. "Am I... am I...?"

"Sakura... you're heavy."

Sakura's eyes burst open and she sat up to stare into his face to watch him blink. "Sasuke-kun..." Her eyes overflowed once more. "Sasuke... Sasuke... Sasuke...!" She wrapped her arms around him and cried harder, relieved.

"Sakura... that hurts..." Sasuke managed to whisper as he grunted in pain.

Tazuna wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and readjusted his glassed. "Things turned out well, didn't they, Sakura?"

Sasuke slowly sat up and Sakura held her hands out to support his shoulder.

"Stop! You shouldn't move yet!"

"Anyway..." Sasuke drew in a breath and released it slowly. "Where's Naruto?" He paused. "And also... what happened to that masked guy?"

"Naruto's fine." Sakura watched over Sasuke cautiously, reassuring herself with each breath he took. "And... that masked kid... he's dead."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked at her face. "Died?! Did Naruto get him?"

Sakura shook her head. "Well, I'm not really sure, but he protected Zabuza..." She looked over to where Kakashi, Naruto, and the bodies were, and then back to Sasuke with a smile. "I had faith in you. You're so awesome, Sasuke! You avoided getting inflicted with any mortal wounds!"

Sasuke stared at Haku's body, expressionless and Sakura stood and waved at her blond teammate.

"From the beginning... he intended to..." Sasuke pressed his lips together into a line.

"Naruto!" Sakura waved and called out to him. "Sasuke's all right! He's alive!"

Naruto turned and his mouth gaped as he saw Sasuke stand after a moment. "H-Huh?!"

Sasuke raised a hand slowly in greeting and Naruto grinned. His eyes watered as he laughed and let out a breath.

After a moment, Naruto turned his eyes back to Haku. "I see... He..."

"So, Sasuke's all right, too..." Kakashi let out a breath. "That's a relief..."

"Hey, hey, hey!" A thug hit the ground and shouted to get the attention of the Leaf Shinobi.

Naruto and Kakashi turned to see the crowd, now re-armed and smirking mischievously.

"You guys are too relaxed!"

"Damn Ninja! You killed our source of money!"

"Now that it's come to this, there's no choice but to attack the whole town and take all the valuables in sight!"

The thugs cheered and laughed and Kakashi furrowed his brows. "Damn... this isn't good!"

"Kakashi-sensei! Don't you have a Jutsu to annihilate them all at once?" Naruto turned to the Jonin, who sighed.

"That's impossible! Also, I've used too much Chakra as it is."

"Here we go!" The lead thug pointed his spear at the Shinobi and the mercenaries ran at them with shouts, but stopped in their tracks when an arrow flew overhead and stuck into the ground before them.

All eyes turned to see its origin and saw Inari, armed with a small handheld crossbow with a backpack full of bolts on his back, and a helmet on his head. Behind him, stood the villagers, armed with determined, angry expressions. Some held farming tools in their hands as weapons, while others held up their fists.

"Enemies who come any closer to the island...!" One of the bridge's construction workers called out as he held a pickaxe in his hands. "With all the might of all the island's people... will not be allowed to live!"

"Yeah!" The villagers hoisted their weapons and fists into the air.

"Inari!" Naruto grinned.

Inari laughed and rubbed his nose. "Heroes always arrive late on the scene!"

Tazuna's eyes widened and watered slightly. "Inari... you guys..."

The thugs blinked and stared wide-eyed at the enormous crowd.

"Okay! I'm gonna help out, too!" Naruto smirked and formed a hand sign. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Four Clones appeared and the thugs took a step back as they continued to be outnumbered.

"I can do that, too, even with my scarce Chakra..." Kakashi formed the same hand sign and closed his eyes temporarily. "At least, it will work as a bluff... Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Several dozen Clones appeared and said in unison. "Kakashi style!"

The thugs screamed and gasped and stepped back.

"So... are you ready to fight?!" The Kakashi clones threatened in unison.

"No, we're not!" They turned and ran quickly away, racing each other to escape onto the boat they had arrived on, some falling into the water in panic.

"We did it!" Inari cheered and lifted his crossbow into the air. The villagers cheered with him and Tsunami laughed and hugged her son happily. Tazuna looked around at the celebration with a smile.

Kakashi stood beside Zabuza and stared down at him solemnly.

"Sounds like it's over..." Zabuza cracked open an eye and managed to mutter.

"Yeah."

"Kakashi... I need to ask you a favor."

"What is it?"

"I... I want to see his face..." Zabuza glanced up at Kakashi out of the corner of his eye, his voice unable to rise above a mumble.

Kakashi nodded slowly and lowered his headband to cover his left eye once again. "Alright."

Naruto turned and watched as Kakashi removed each of the weapons from Zabuza and lifted him into his arms. As he carried Zabuza, snow began to gently fall from the sky.

"Hm?" One villager looked around in confusion.

"Snow?" Another held out a hand and watched the snowflake melt on his palm. "At this time of year?"

Zabuza watched through his blurred vision as the flakes drifted down. "Haku... are you crying?"

Kakashi knelt and laid the assassin down carefully at Haku's side and then stepped back.

"Thanks, Kakashi..." Zabuza muttered as the Jonin walked away.

Zabuza turned his head tolook at Haku, who almost seemed to be sleeping.

"You were always at my side... at the very least... I can be at your side in the end..." Zabuza blinked and a tear rolled down his cheek, and he slowly brought his hand up to touch Haku's cheek. "If it's possible... I'd like to go... to the same place... as you."

Sunlight streamed through the clouds and illuminated the boy's face as a final tear escaped his eye.

Naruto wiped his face with his sleeve and sniffed. "This guy... he was born in a village where it snowed a lot..."

"I see..." Kakashi lowered his eyes and paused. "He was a boy whose heart was as pure as snow..." His eyes rose back to the pair of corpses in the light. "You'd be able to go, Zabuza. The two of you... together."

The evening sun shone brightly where it sat lazily on the horizon, illuminating the two new graves on the hilltop overlooking the land. The Beheading Sword was stuck deep into the ground to mark Zabuza's grave, and Sakura placed flowers on each grave as she remained quiet in thought.

"But, you know, Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura sat in front of one wooden cross and looked up at her teacher.

"Hm?"

"I wonder if the way a Ninja should be is really as these two were saying." She stood and walked over to the other members of Team Seven.

"Shinobi should not seek the reason for their own existence. What's important is to exist merely as tools." Kakashi spoke slowly. "That's the same as in the Hidden Leaf Village."

Naruto turned his eyes from the graves and looked up at Kakashi. "I wonder if that's what it really means to become a real Ninja." His expression fell slightly. "I guess... I don't like that!"

"Do you think so, too?" Sasuke spoke up and looked at the Jonin, who looked the three of them over.

"Hmm... well, that's why all Ninja live trying to figure that out without realizing... like Zabuza and that kid."

After a moment, Naruto nodded to himself. "Okay!"

His Teammates looked at him as he grinned. "Huh?"

"I've just decided! I'm going to follow my own Ninja Way! I'm gonna sprint straight ahead and pursue a way that I absolutely won't regret!"