Chapter 17: The Last Battle

Birds began to sing in the morning sun. The sky was slowly changing from a soft morning pink to the usual sky blue. White clouds floated over the field. There stood two shinobi, looking stunned and filled with fear, at the corpse of Shinji Kawada. The wire used to kill him had been cut and lay on the ground.

The wire was warm to the touch as Naruto walked over and ran his fingers on it. "Let's follow it," he said quietly to Haku. Then he looked over his shoulder and yelled, "Sakura-chan, are you alright?" There was no answer from the girl. "Sakura-chan?" Now his stomach started to twist and turn. "Sakura-chan!" He stood up and ran to the spot where she had been set down. Haku was right on his heels.

When he got there, there wasn't anything. Nothing but an imprint. "Sakura-chan! Where are you!" Naruto yelled into the field. His words echoed across the grass. Then a chill went up their spines as they felt somones eyes digging into their backs.

A sinister voice, one that break the strongest man, one that could strike fear into the greatest Kage; it spoke to them. From right behind them. "That's the girl's name? I'll be sure to put it on her grave. Now what's yours?"

Naruto felt himself fill with rage. "Sakura-chan," he whispered to himself. His fist tightened at his side. "Just when I got her back." Haku noticed Naruto's current state.

He, himself started to feel sorry. Without thinking twice about it, Haku swung around and fired as many needles as he had on him. Behind him stood nothing but a dark cloak. As the needles hit, tiny holes started to appear in the cloak.

Naruto saw Haku's feet swirve and that gave him enough clue to get out of the way. Needles rained down upon the cloak. The ones that missed, struck the ground and were stuck in there a good three inches. Haku threw a fourth round at the cloak when he noticed something, 'It's empty!'

Indeed it was. When the last of the needles broke through, it fell to the ground. Nothing had been inside from the start. Then Naruto noticed it and came to the conclusion, "A decoy!" But before either of them could act, they felt their arms and legs go stiff. Wires tightened around them. It was impossible to move.

"Where are you! Show yourself!" Haku yelled into the emptiness. Then from behind them once again, came a laugh. It sounded like joy, or amusement.

"You don't know who I am do you?"

Naruto grew more and more angry, "How can we know who you are? You haven't even shown us your face!" He knew it was hopeless, but Naruto still struggled against the wires holding him back. 'This guy, whoever he is, he's strong. I have to be careful with this one.' "Let us go!"

"You know they always scream that. I'll be more than happy to fight you. Infact I'll let you go," The wires lossened and fell to the ground. With that Naruto and Haku spun around. Naruto through his kunai and several shiriken. Haku's needles got mixed in with them and they headed towards the person who had spoken. But before they could hit another cloak, the ground rose in front of it and the attacks were stopped. A cracked laugh came from behind the wall of dirt. "It's always so pathetic to see them try to kill me. I guess there's no point in hiding my face." The ground settled down.

Haku could hardly breath when he saw the face behind the wall. Naruto had to look several times before he could believe what he was seeing. Haku whispered to himself, "Zabuza?"

xxxXxXxxx

Tsunade was too frustrated to yell. All she did was slap her knees and through her papers into the air, "Great! This is all just too great! First Naruto, and now Kakashi. What is it, a team 7 hospital break?" She placed her hand on her head and rubbed her eyes. 'Calm down. I need to help Naruto and Kakashi. If they've gone after Kawada, then things could get messy.' "Alright, I'm going after them. Send two other search parties to skan the area. Get some medical ninja's with them. They're bound to be injured." The two operatives nodded and then took off down the hall.

She sighed and went to get Shizune. This would require help.

xxxXxXxxx

The branches on the trees brushed past his face. Stealth wasn't important at the time. Right now Naruto needed his help. Kawada may not be the only ninja there. Kakashi went as fast as he could without using chakra. The posion still was in his system. It would be for another twenty four hours. But even if it meant death, he would get them back to the village safely.

As he raced through the trees, he noticed something. The birds weren't singing. Then he saw the needles. 'Better follow it.'

xxxXxXxxx

"Ha! Don't make me laugh. Zabuza was nothing compared to me!" he started to laugh quietly at the thought. Then out loud. "That fool Zabuza, he couldn't even listen to his younger brother."

"Brother?" Naruto and Haku were surprised. Especially Haku, he hadn't known that Zabuza had a brother. "What do you mean?" Haku was still filling with rage from the man laughing at Zabuza.

"I mean, I'm Ebara. Zabuza'z younger brother. I beat him in everything and despised his very presence. Shinobi like me shouldn't be forced to be near weaklings like Zabuza. Power is strength," Ebara declared to them. His face was unreadable. It showed no emotion what so ever. And yet, Ebara was smiling. His voice turned dark and evil, "And soon, very soon, I will have enough power to destroy all who are weak."

Naruto grew even more enraged. Haku was about to lose himself in anger. Naruto stepped closer to Ebara. His fist clenched and his eyes were dark, tears streaming down his face. "Power isn't strength. Power is power." Ebara smiled again. This time it was filled with hidden desire and a murderous intent.

Ebara shook his head as he walked closer to the boys. "You see," he stepped closer, "What children such as yourselves," closer, "don't understand is that," he stopped. "I hated Zabuza. I hated him for being weak. Now, I will erase all evidence of his existence." Naruto's eyes grew wide. Haku reached for something in his pocket.

Ebara's fingers spread out, he held his hands infront of him. It looked as if he were about to play a piano. Haku pulled out a mask. It had been shattered and put back together again. The same mask he had worn at the bridge. Naruto formed a hand seal. Haku placed needles between his fingers.

"Kagen no bushin!" Four other Naruto's popped out of a cloud of smoke. They imediately began charging at Ebara. Haku ran to the side. 'Maybe he'll be destracted with Naruto long enough for me to surprise him.'

But as Haku moved, and Naruto raced, Ebara lifted up his hands. Along with it came two balls of earth. They rose out of the ground. Attached to chakra strings. Ebara jumped back as Haku paused in surprised and the Narutos stopped. That was a mistake. Ebara twisted himself around and sent the earth tumbling down on the clones. A large cloud of smoke eminated from the ground. The second ball of earth started to come down on Haku. Lucky Haku had fast reflexes and dodged it. But only by a hair. the compacted earth layed in front of Haku's and Naruto's faces. They glanced at each other and then started to attack again. this time they heard a loud crack from the forest behind Ebara. Two large oaks came flying out and over ebara as he pulled his over his head and slammed them to the ground.

Naruto jumped up and concentrated chakra into his feet. Soon he was flying up the tree. Haku dodged the tree by running to the side. A part of his shirt ripped on a branch. Naruto reached the roots that stuck up in the air. There he saw charred marks where the strings of chakra had been attached. He jumped off the edge. Ebara moved his arms again.

This time lifting them into the air one by one. With each movement a large chunk of land would come up over his head. Naruto jumped from each piece. Determined to reach Ebara. But Ebara was moving too fast and he soon had a sheild of earth around him. But the sheild crumbled as Naruto landed on it.

Naruto was dragged to the ground with the shield. But Ebara had disappeared. That's when Naruto felt the earth start to move around. It started to sink in a spiraling motion. Naruto struggled to pull himself free. But the soil had hardened.

Haku came around the tree to see Naruto waist deep in the ground. He slid down the indent in the ground to him. "What happened?"

"I don't know. But I'm stuck!" Naruto said while reaching out his arms to Haku. "Help me out."

Haku bent down and grabbed his arms. He puled and pulled, but Naruto was stuck. "I'll loosen the dirt around you," he pulled a kunai out and began to gash at the dirt, careful not to hit Naruto. "Here," he handed Naruto an extra kunai and they both dug around his waist. Soon Naruto could wiggle a little. After about ten minutes, Naruto was pulled free. He was a bit dirty, but no injuries.

Both their stomachs felt funny. They hadn't noticed it before. "Hey Haku, have you seen Ebara?"

"Not since I came around the tree." It was strange and this got them worried.

xxxXxXxxx

Kakashi could feel his heart beating against his chest. All this running was good for your health, but he had just "gotten" out of the hospital. Then a loud snapping sound came from behind him. At first he didn't know what to make of it when he turned around. Two large trees were lifted out of their roots. He noticed a hint of chakra on the roots. 'Someone's fighting!' Where ever those trees were going, that's where Naruto would be.

xxxXxXxxx

Naruto performed a hand seal and four other Naruto's popped up. "Skan the area. Ebara has to be here somewhere." They nodded and took off out of the ditch.

Haku helped Naruto up, "We should get out of here. This might be where he wants us."

"I agree. come on." But as he went to climb out of the hole, the ground hardened and became slippery. Naruto fell down on his face and fell back to Haku. "Ok, don't climb."

Haku bent down to look at him, "How about we jump." Just as he finished saying that he ran up at the slippery sides. Right before his foot touched he channeled chakra into his feet and lept over the side. He turned back to smile at Naruto.

"Hmph, I could have thought of that." Naruto picked himself up and did what Haku had done. But he was a little short of the edge and Haku had to pull him up. "Alright, now what?''

Haku was as confused as Naruto. Then they heard the ground behind them start to move. The sides of the ditch started to collasp. Dirt pulled away from their feet and went into a spiral. There it was all being pulled in the center. Naruto and Haku jumped back as fast as they could. But everytime they did, the dirt eroded even faster. The grass tore and was thrown into the air in pieces. Naruto's heart began to race. 'What's going on?'

Their feet came closer and closer to falling away. Naruto wasn't fast enough and his feet went up into the air. Haku grabbed his collar and pulled him back. Just as he did he heard the trees snap. Wood exploded right beside their heads. A piece of bark went pas Haku's face and knocked off the mask. Leaving a long scar across his cheek.

Drops of blood landed on Naruto's hands. He knew it wasn't him. Then Haku's mask flew past him. "Haku! Are you alright?"

Haku dropped Naruto to the ground. They were far enough away from the whirlpool of earth. "It's just a scratch." Haku was breathing heavely again. Naruto stood up and looked around. None of his clones had returned.

Then Naruto fell back. It was fast and all of a sudden. Before he knew it, he was being dragged on his back. Haku looked up and saw Naruto being pulled into the vortex. He raced to him and went to grab his hands, but he fell himself. Now Naruto and Haku were both being pulled closer and closer to the spiral of earth.

"I can't hold on!"

"We're going to get pulled in!" Then Naruto stopped. They were only a few feet away from the spiraling hole. He sat up and felt his ankles, were there had been a burning sensation. Two wires lay limp. Two shuriken lay stuck in the ground. "But how...?" Haku kneeled beside him.

"That's not important right now," he pointed to the ground in front of them. It was being pulled in. Naruto stood up. That's when the spiral started to speed up. Soon it was pulling the ground in faster than Naruto thought it could. The ferocity of the vortex was enough to frighten Naruto and Haku. "We've got to move!"

Naruto started to race off, Haku came up beside him. But the spiral stopped. So they did. The two looked back at the large hole. "Why..." Naruto didn't get to finish as the ground began to collaps again. Only this time it was in a straight line and as wide as fifty yards. It was heading straight for them. Naruto and Haku didn't take time to think.

They sped off across the field. But each time they turned, the direction of the falling earth would change. "Ebara!" Haku shouted. It was true, Ebara was standing on top of the cave's entrance. His hands and fingers working away to pull down the earth. A smile spread across his face. His eyes dark, but wide with excitement.Naruto tripped and was almost pulled in. But he had enough of Haku saving him, so he got up quickly and started running. Ebara let out an evil laugh that rang across the field.

'We're like toys to him. He's just playing with us.' Naruto increased his speed. His anger building up inside. But he hadn't accounted for the rock infront of Haku. Haku's foot hit the rock and he fell to the ground. As his hand reached out, it grabbed Naruto and pulled him down. The ground fell even faster now and was right at their heels when...

It stopped. 'Another trick.' Haku thought. Then he looked back to Naruto, who was staring up at Ebara. Haku looked too. There was their answer for the sudden stop and them being saved for the moment.

xxx

Kakashi stood behind Ebara with a kunai to his throat, and his sharigan showing. Ebara was having trouble breathing. He choked as he tried to speak, "Why, how?"

"Because you tried to kill them." Kakashi said looking to see if the two boys were okay. "Don't let your guard down." Then without thinking, Kakashi pulled the kunai across Ebara's throat. Instead of blood, a cloud of smoke and a log with a slit through it landed infront of Kakashi; who wasn't surprised at all.

"I wouldn't die that easily!" Ebara's voice came from under the ground. Dirt shifted as he rose up. Earth wrapped itself around his waist and he pushed it up to the top of the entrance."Now, let's see what you can do!"

Ebara's face smiled and his eyes turned dark and seemed mad inside. Something was different about him. He was something else. Kakashi's eyes grew wide as Ebara sent a rain of needles down upon him. He jumped back and dodged them as best as he could. But he was trying not to use chakra, which proved difficult.

Ebara screamed in rage. The tower of dirt grew even taller. Then he moved his arms out to the side quickly. The dirt collapsed and Ebara landed on the mountian, infront of Kakashi. Kakashi moved fast and pulled out a kunai. Ebara formed chakra in his hand and created two katana.

Naruto and Haku watched with amazement at the shinobi's power, "A blade made from chakra!" Naruto stood up as Haku did.

"Naruto, we have to help Kakashi. We'll most likely be severly injured or killed. Are you prepared?"

"I'v been waiting for you." He said to Haku with a smile. They looked at each other one more time before charging at Ebara and Kakashi.

Kakashi caught their movements out of the corner of his eye. 'If I can distract Ebara long enough, maybe they could attack.' He knew that insults worked. As Kakashi jumped back from Ebara's attacks, their weapons clanged together. "You know I think Zabuza could have done a better job at this."

Ebara's face scowled as he grew angry. "What would you know!"

"Because, I fought Zabuza. I heard about you, but I didn't think you were this weak!" Kakashi was enjoying himself a little, but just a little.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Ebara screamed and lunged at Kakashi once more. Then again and agian. He swung one katana up and then the other one lower. Kakashi jumped and ducked to dodge them. He couldn't hold this up much more. The last attack had almost gotten him. 'Hurry up Naruto!' Just as he thought that one of the katana cut through his kunai. It was a clean cut.

Kakashi dropped the kunai as a surge of heat ran through his hand. Ebara smiled as he saw this. He gave it one more lung. This time with only one katana. Kakashi fell to the ground, nearly getting hit.

Naruto and Haku saw their opening and went for it. Naruto shot out kunai and Haku began to perform the hand seal for the ice mirrors. The kunai were close to Ebara's back when, he swung around and reflected each one back at them with the katanas. Only it was different from when Kawada did it. This time the chakra from the blade shot them back twice as fast.

The kunai raced at Naruto and Haku. One hit Haku in the right arm. Keeping him from performing the hand seal. Three hit Naruto in the shoulder and legs.

"Stay out of this. Or you'll end up like that friend of yours." Ebara's words pierced through Naruto's heart.

"You bastard!" Naruto raced at Ebara, ready to kill anything that got in his way. This was what Ebara wanted. As Naruto was running towards him, Kakashi saw something.

He pulled out a kunai and threw it into the back of the Ebara in front of him. It disappeared into a cloud of smoke. "Naruto behind you!" Just as he said it, the rock behind Naruto shifted and Ebara rose up behind him.

Ebara took the katana and stabbed into Naruto's back. Naruto was still surprised about his sensei's words. Then this searing pain ran through his side. Haku and Kakahsi watched on in horror. Naruto didn't even scream. His eyes widened and he fell to his knees. Ebara pulled out the katana, which was now stained with Naruto's blood.

The katana disinigrated in his hands. "I told you to stay out of it." He laughed at the injured Naruto. Kakashi scrambled to his feet and ran towards Naruto. Ebara saw this and turned his hand over. He then pulled up his hand. The earth that Naruto was on rose up and created a large block. Now the bleeding genin was high away from his sensei.

Ebara smiled and said to Kakahsi, "What now?" The jounin stood there, not sure what to do. Then he began to run. 'What, he's going to attack me?'. To his surprise, Kakashi began to run up the side of the block. 'Just because I shouldn't use my chakra, doesn't mean I won't use it.'

His feet gripped the harden rock. Every moment was crucile. If he used to much chakra, he might not make it to Naruto; but if he didn't use enough, he might make it a little too late. Whatever the chances, Kakashi didn't care. He channeled more chakra into his feet. Soon the distance between him and the top, was dwindling. 'Almost there!' He crouched on the rock and jumped. It was a large risk. There were so many chances that he could fall back down. But that didn't matter right now.

xxx

Haku watched from the ground. He thought it amazing how much Kakashi cared for his students. "Make it in time," Haku whispered to himself as he watched the jounin take a leap towards the top of the stone tower. "YES!" Haku shouted. He felt his heart pounding and joy overwhelm him. Kakashi had made the jump, this meant that Naruto had a chance.

Ebara heard Haku's joy cry and turned around to see the smiling boy. His hand clutched in a fist.

'Zabuza! Wait up!'

'Catch up Ebara! I'm not waiting. I've got to get this done. This way father will think of me as something.'

Two young boys raced towards a large cliff. The only way to the top was straight up. 'Be careful! Mother wouldn't like it if you fell!' Zabuza laughed at his younger brother's comment. He ran up to the cliff and grabbed onto the first stone he could. He was laughing, smiling, happy. Ebara ran to the bottom of the cliff, his brother already fifty feet above him.

'Stay there Ebara, you haven't learned how to channel the chakra properly.' Zabuza looked over his shoulder at the little boy. He had brought his blanket. It was worn and torn. Ebara smiled at his older brother.

'Your the best!' Ebara shouted, bouncing up and down with excitement. 'Keep going! You'll be a famous ninja some day.' Zabuza smiled and kept going, he had to grab the cliff in some spots instead of walking up the side. It was a little easier than he had expected. Then his hand slipped. Ebara's heart skipped a beat. Then Zabuza swung himself around properly and latched onto the cliff again. Laughing!

'I told you not to fall!' little Ebara stomped his foot into the ground, his face frowning.

'Hahaha, you think I'll be defeated by this little cliff!' Just then his hand reached up and touched were the grass grew at the top. It had taken only forty five minutes to reach the top.

At the sight of his brother standing upon the cliff he jumped and shouted,

'Yes!'

Ebara looked at Haku, he saw himself. Himself before he got stronger than Zabuza and stopped caring for his brother. Ebara smiled, this time it was from the good memory.

xxx

When Kakashi reached the top he found Naruto, still on his knees. "Naruto!" Naruto looked up at his sensei. Only his vision was blurring. Kakashi kneeled beside Naruto, "Where did he strike you?"

Naruto's hands were covered in blood as he pointed to his right side. There was a long slice into the side. He hadn't hit any vital spots, which was good. "It's burning, my flesh." Kakashi thought to the kunai that had been hit by the sword of chakra, 'I'll to take a look. Damnit, where's Sakura at a time like this.'

"Lift it up," Naruto lifted up both his shirts. The wound was much worse on the inside. The flesh around it was simmering, blood oozed out slowly and the skin was bubbling out a green liquid. "What was in that sword," Kakashi spoke to himself. "Alright Naruto, I only know the basics. We need to stop the bleeding. To do that we need to apply pressure. Give me your jacket."

The orange jacket was pulled off. Kakashi wrapped it around were the wound was. It had already began to heal some. The jacket sleeves were tied and pulled tight. Naruto winced with pain at first, but it slowly went away. Kakashi pulled Naruto up. His arm wrapped around his shoulder.

"Ok, Naruto I need you to channel chakra into your feet. This will soften the landing." Naruto nodded, as Kakashi jumped off the edge.

Haku and Ebara watched as the two fell to the ground. Kakashi didn't channel enough chakra and clenched his teeth to deal with the impact. The pain spread throughout his legs. By what he could tell, Naruto was ok.

Kakashi was tired from the use of his chakra. But he wasn't going to stop until Ebara was dead. Haku ran past Ebara, and to Naruto. Ebara stood there staring at them. His eyes hardened. "Weak." Ebara sunk back into the ground. This worried Kakashi. He could attack from any where. He turned to Haku.

"Haku, take care of Naruto. By the way, where's Sakura?" Haku looked away from Kakashi at the question. Kakashi asked it again, "Where's Sakura?" Tears rolled down Haku's cheeks. He was about to speak when Naruto interupted.

"She was wounded from the fight with Kawada. I told her to stay back as Haku and I finished him off. But when we went back to her spot, she was gone. Ebara had gotten to her first." Naruto felt tears stinging his eyes. Kakashi's eyes showed sorrow. He took a deep breath and got in a fighting stance.

He looked back at the boys. "Haku, Naruto's unable to fight, I need you to be his guard. If things start to get rough, and your in danger, get out of here. Understood?"

"Understood," Haku turned to Naruto. He was holding his side and taking deep breaths. "Don't worry, we'll get you back to Konoha. Once it's safe." They waited. It seemed like forever. Minutes passed, that seemed like days.

Then, the tower of rock behind them began to crumble. Large chunks fell off, falling right above them. Kakashi grabbed Naruto and pulled Haku out of the way just as five chunks of stone fell on the spot they had been sitting on.

Ebara stood where the center of the tower had been. His face was more sinister than ever. The black cloak he was wearing wavered in the wind. His eyes seemed to loose all life inside. "I'll finish you off here and now. It's taking too long." Ebara moved through the rubble. Only it was different.

His legs weren't moving. He was sliding across it, no, the ground beneath him was moving. The rubble moved aside. Kakashi placed himself between the two boys and Ebara. He performed a hand seal and gripped his wrist.

A sqeaking noise began to sound. Blue lighting spread out of his hand. Ebara stared at it. Fasinated with the power it was erupting.

Kakashi stuck his hand in the ground. His feet began to move and he was running towards Ebara. Ebara smiled and the ground around him shifted. He was lowering himself into the earth. 'I have him now!' Both of them thought.

Just as Ebara's waist was lowering, that's when Kakashi hit. Rock and dirt flew everywhere. A loud crack filled the air. Ebara didn't have time to react. His eyes widened as the blue light took up his vision. "No!" was all he could scream as the two met. Kakshi's chidori ripped through the rock and Ebara's flesh. Ebara screamed in pain as he was cut in half. Blood splattered in drops all over the place.

Haku and Naruto stared at the scene. Entranced about what could be the end of Ebara. Was the end of Ebara, they thought.

Ebara's top half flew away from the scene, as Kakashi's chidori calmed down and dimmed away. Kakashi's chest was moving up and down, trying to keep breathing. 'Maybe I had gone too far.' He fell down, he stayed there in a kneeling postition. Infront of him was a pool of blood. beneath it, the remains of what had been ebara's lower half. He stared at it. Something was right though. His head snapped up to Ebara's upper half.

It was laughing. Laughing! But how! "Hahaha, HAHAHA! You think I can be defeated by that!" Rock began to gather around his waist and the ground began to soak up the blood. But it was rock, it shouldn't do that! "If you blow one part of me away, there's still the other half." Ebara began to laugh as his upper half attached to the stone and he was able to pull himself up. His eyes filled with madness as he was there laughing.

Haku had enough. 'I will not sit here and let Kakashi kill himself fighting this guy. I have to end it.' Haku pulled out a kunai. Naruto looked up at Haku, his face determined and filled with anger. Then that was it as Haku raced towards Ebara. Kakashi saw him speed by and tried to stand up, but it was difficult, and too late.

Haku pointed the kunai right out in fron of him. "Ebara! Today you die! From the hand of the boy who loved Zabuza!" With that Haku lept into the air. His arms pulled back. Ebara stared up at him.

"What...?" Haku thrust his hands forward. The kunai stabbed Ebara in the shoulder. Then he heard a sizzling and reached to pull the kunai out. But Haku's hands were still on it. Driving it into his body. Haku turned to Kakashi.

"Run!" Kakashi knew what Haku had done, he forced himself up and ran to Naruto. Naruto stood up as best as he could. But they would't move fast enough. So Kakashi ducked Naruto's head down and pulled him behind a chunk of rubble.

As he did, a bright light came from the direction of Haku and Ebara. Small rocks flew past where they had hid. Then Kakashi turned to see what was left. But there was a second explosion. Only this time it was from inside the ground. Then, a figure. It was rising into the air.

Kakashi's eyes grew wide when he realized what it was. He raced out and jumped, holding on to the body. When he landed he saw the smoke begin to clear. Nothing. Nothing was left but a hole. Naruto stood up and moved around the chunk of stone. He saw Kakashi set something on the ground and moved towards him. As he got closer his heart began to beat even faster.

Naruto moved as fast as he could to Kakashi. When he finally made it he saw the area Haku had made. Then he looked down. There lay, in front of Kakashi, Sakura. She was breathing! Naruto smiled and fell beside her. "He lied to us."

"To distract your mind," Kakashi stood up. Sakura opened her eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei, Na-ru-to?" Naruto smiled and stroked her face.

Tears began to roll down his face. "It's alright Sakura-chan." Sakura smiled, then she saw his jacket. It was stained with blood. She sat up. Her head a little light.

She pulled loose the jacket and saw the wound. The green liquid had ceased to come out. Sakura put her hand on the wound. Chakra gathered in her hand and the wound began to close. "You'll need further medical attention at Konoha. What happened here?"

Kakashi walked out to the spot where Ebara had been blown away. He sighed and realized that Haku wouldn't have survived such a blast. That's when it hit him. All the fighting and use of chakra should have killed him. All of this should have used up so much chakra, that he would have just killed over. But, now he felt a little better. He smiled under his mask. 'So, Ebara was the key to the whole posion. How he did it, I don't care.'

Sakura was sadned at the news of Haku, but she was happy that they had survived. "Wait, Kakahsi-sensei! He used way to much chakra!" they both looked back to their sensei. But Kakashi smiled and waved at them.

"It's alright, Ebara was the key to the posion." The two genin sighed. Kakashi walked back to them. He helped up Sakura and Naruto. The fight had lasted most of the day and it was begining to grow dark. "Let's go home." Sakura and Naruto smiled at him.

xxx

The three of them stood in the sunset and watched as they carved another name into the stone. The search parties had found them walking home and brought them back. Tsunade was relieved and angry at the same time. But they were all safe. Now they stood there and read the new name. It was only one word, since he had been known by only one name.

Haku

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The End