A/N: I had a hard time writing this chapter. I couldn't find a decent stopping point, so I present you what is currently the longest chapter in the story.

XVI: Death

Road To Konoha, Present Day:

"Please tell me you're joking." Tsunade's suspension of disbelief had come crashing down at the description of the collaboration jutsu. So far she'd heard some pretty messed up things in the story Jiraiya was telling, but this was too much.

"Nope not joking, the crater only lasted ten seconds or so."

"That can't be possible! Those two jutsu shouldn't be able to do something like that!"

"They haven't told me exactly how they do it, but I know that there are extra hand seals in the jutsu they use."

"Why didn't they include Hinata?" Shizune felt that Hinata should have a part to play in something as awe-inspiring as the Taiyō Sakusei.

"A water jutsu would be pointless and her earth jutsu at the time wasn't good enough for a collaboration jutsu."

"You know I almost feel sorry for Zabuza." Tsunade snickered.

"You should." Jiraiya said with a knowing look.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see."

Road To Wave, Eight Months, Twenty-Three Days ago:

"Did we get him?" Naruto looked around for some sign of Zabuza.

"OH SUPER KAMI MY SUPER EYES!" Tazuna was clutching his face while rolling on the ground in agony. "YOU SUPER BRATS! I'M SUPER BLIND! I'LL SUPER KILL YOU!"

"You know Fishcake, I think he uses the word super instead of cursing…" Sasuke lifted his hitai-ate back onto his forehead uncovering his eyes. Blinking a few time to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, he asked, "Um... is that a crater in the water?"

Naruto, whose goggles now had an auto-tint function, giggled proudly, "Why yes Duck-Butt, I do believe it is."

Kakashi, who had been the first to uncover his eye, and had spent the whole time staring at the crater, wondered out loud, "How long is it going to stay there for?"

"So…" Naruto said looking at the now roasted and boiled fish floating to the surface of the water, "Who wants soup?"

"G-g-good j-job everyone! It's a shame he got away though…" Hinata said, still holding the rabbit.

"C'mon team, someone grab the 'super' noisy man and drag him to his home." Kakashi said setting off towards Tazuna's house.

Seeing the opportunity for a little vengeance Naruto grabbed Tazuna by his ankle and began dragging him along the road, "Next time you see a ninja look away from something during a battle, even if the clan is known for sensitive eyes, I suggest you do the same." Tazuna of course couldn't answer; his head was currently bouncing from rock to rock as Naruto dragged him along the rough dirt road. "Ah, music to my ears!" Naruto was thoroughly enjoying the sound of Tazuna's whimpering.

By the time they got to his house, Tazuna wasn't sure what was worse, the rocks form the dirt road or the splinters from the piers that kept the town afloat. "What are you doing to my Father?" A woman with dark shoulder length black hair opened the door when they knocked.

"This old drunk is your father? 'Super'. "Naruto dragged Tazuna into the house and dropped his foot." Tell him not to annoy ninja hired to keep him alive."

"Oh, in that case thank you for keeping him alive. My name is Tsunami." She smiled at the ninja before she turned to her father, "What have I told you about annoying people?"

A small boy entered the house, when he saw Tazuna on the ground he shouted "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY GRANDFATHER!" he started to shake the barely conscious Tazuna. "You killed him!"

"U'm nah ded, jes a lil sir" Tazuna managed to mumble from the ground.

"Inari, your grandfather will be fine. He just learned an important lesson"

"Well Tazuna, what do you need us to do?" Kakashi asked Tazuna when he was able to stand.

"I need someone to guard me at the bridge and someone to keep my family safe when I'm not here."

"Wait, they're going up against Gato?" Inari asked.

"Of course, even if we weren't getting paid for it, Gato deserves to die!" Naruto said.

"Then you're going to die. No one can stand against Gato."

"Gato is just a wimp who pays other people for his dirty work! I'm a 'super' hero who will become Hokage one day! Gato doesn't stand a chance!"

"You're an idiot then, there's no such thing as heroes." Inari turned to leave the room.

"Inari, where are you going dear?" his mother asked.

"To look at the sea from my room." He shut the door with a click.

"I'm sorry" Tazuna sighed.

"That brat!" Naruto stormed out of the room after him, intending to teach him a few lessons. However when he got to Inari's door he heard muffled sobs.

"…dad…"

Naruto decided that the lessons could wait until later.

Meanwhile: Zabuza's Base

"Zabuza-sama, are you alright?" A young girl in a pink kimono caught Zabuza as he collapsed.

"You said you would be right back! What happened to you?"

"Remember that brat I told you about, the one that inspired me to take on an apprentice of my own? He was there."

"Did he throw a forest at you again? How'd you get these burns?"

"No. His team made a sun and threw that at me this time, Haku."

"A sun?" Haku tilted her head. "I don't want to know, and where's my rabbit?" She frowned, "you better not have gotten him killed, or eaten."

"Last I saw he was in the arms of the girl on the brat's team. She probably wouldn't let them eat him."

Sighing Haku said, "Lay on your stomach so I can treat your burns."

Tazuna's House:

"So, while one of us guards the house and another guards Tazuna and the bridge the other two are allowed to use the nearby woods as a training ground." Kakashi said to the assembled Genin. "Naruto, when you train I want you to focus on your chakra control. Yours is still terrible. Sasuke you work with your ninja wire, you're defiantly good with it, but you could be a lot better. Hinata your water jutsu are phenomenal, but your earth control is terrible, so practice that. Any questions? No? Good Naruto you have first shift Tazuna watching. Try not to kill him, dismissed." Kakashi briefed his team, the morning after they arrived.

Naruto was bored out of his mind, nothing had happened all day, and if Tazuna said 'super' one more time he wasn't sure Tazuna wouldn't have a 'mysterious accident' that left him in bite size chunks. "Hey… uh… Tazuna, I've been… thinking…" one of the workers came up to Tazuna, "Um… Can I stop working on the bridge?"

"Not you too Giichi! Why now? Were so close just one more month and we'd be done!"

"Gato's gonna come down hard on us Tazuna, do you really want to die so badly?"

"I hired Ninja to prevent that!"

"What happens when they leave? Gato's gonna show up and kill everyone who worked on the bridge and then blow it up! I have a family to care for man!"

"Fine… you can leave… but I will never give up on this bridge! It's the key to freeing us from Gato's grip!"

"I'm sorry Tazuna; I didn't know things were that bad for you… can I do anything to help?" Naruto asked the defeated looking man.

"Unless you can find me a dozen skilled workers…"

"How about a hundred, or a thousand? They wouldn't be skilled at first but I learn fast."

"What are you talking about kid?"

"Let me show you… KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" three hundred Naruto clones now stood on the bridge. "Tell them what to do, and help them learn how to do it. I'll replace them every half hour, by the end of the day they'll have more experience than half your men."

Tazuna stared in shock for thirty seconds before he swooped down on Naruto and picked him up in a bone crushing hug. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! You're the best kid! We'll be done in no time!"

Meanwhile: Zabuza's Base

"I can't believe these burns aren't from a direct hit Zabuza-sama. I've actually run out of burn cream." Haku was changing Zabuza's bandages when the door burst open and a short man with two tall samurai swordsmen entered the room.

"So… you were defeated," the short man, Gato, said smugly, "Kiri Ninjas must be pretty pathetic, and you call yourself a devil. Ha!" Gato's men advanced a step with their hands on their swords. "Just a second." Gato said to his guards, as he advanced to the injured Zabuza. "There's no need to remain silent Zabuza." He stretched out his hand to Zabuza's face.

An inch away Haku's hand shot out and grabbed Gato's arm and squeezed until it cracked. "Don't you dare touch Zabuza-sama with your filthy hands!" Gato's men rushed forward and attempted to draw their swords. Haku moved so fast the samurai didn't even have time to blink before she had their weapons out of their hands and at their necks. "You shouldn't try that when I'm angry. You won't like me when I'm angry." Haku growled at the men.

"You have one more chance Zabuza!" Gato shouted at Zabuza, seemingly ignoring Haku and his men.

"The brat's a demon; I'll need more men to have a chance at Tazuna. At least give me a few as a distraction for the brat."

"I'll think about it, if the kid really is as strong as you claim; he could be a problem. However, I personally doubt it." Gato said dismissively as he stormed out of the room.

After he left Zabuza turned his head to Haku, "You didn't need to break his arm you know." He said as he pulled a kunai out from under his pillow.

"If I didn't, you'd have killed him, and then the hunter-nins would be after us again. If you must kill him, do it like a real ninja, after he pays us. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find more herbs to make burn cream with."

The Woods near Tazuna's house

Naruto had stayed up late last night practicing his chakra control. Eventually he decided that he might as well sleep out here; he didn't want to wake any one up after all.

Haku entered the clearing where she gathered most of her herbs. Much to her surprise the clearing was rather torn up, and a blonde boy maybe a year or two younger than her was sleeping under a tree. 'Is this 'the brat' Zabuza-sama is always complaining about?' she stalked forwards, intending to kill him. Reaching towards his neck she was surprised when his eyes snapped open. "You shouldn't sleep outside, you'll catch a cold." She said sweetly, hoping that he fell for it, because if he didn't, she was as good as dead.

"Huh?" Naruto said blearily. Rubbing his eyes he looked up and saw Haku for the first time.

"Bwah", was all he could manage to get out.

"My name is Haku, who are you?"

"Uzumaki Naruto." Despite Naruto still being dumbstruck, he managed to say his name.

"I'm looking for herbs to make medicine. What are you doing here?" Haku was obviously fishing for information, but Naruto didn't seem to notice.

"Sleeping? I was training before I fell asleep though."

Looking around at the damage Haku asked, "Are you a ninja? You look pretty strong already. Why do you want to get stronger?"

"I want to be the strongest ninja in my village! If I become the strongest ninja, then the people in my village would be forced to acknowledge me!"

"Do you have some one that is important to you?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"It's only when you have someone to protect that you can be truly strong."

"Wow…" Naruto thought back to all of the strong people he knew, and how they were always fighting for someone else. "Wow! You're right! I never thought of it like that before!"

"So do you have someone to protect?"

"Well, yeah I guess. I have my friends, and my sensei, and even the village despite the fact that they don't like me much…"

"That's good; you'll be truly strong someday." Haku smiled at Naruto.

"Do you need any help finding herbs? I'd love to help."

"Yes I do actually."

Naruto helped Haku look for herbs for the next few hours; they talked about a variety of subjects. By the time Haku had enough herbs, she was no longer sure she wanted to kill the blonde. At least she had some information to give to Zabuza.

Naruto headed back for breakfast, after spending two hours with his new friend Haku he was rather hungry. As he walked into the kitchen he saw Hinata staring at a photo on the wall, "Why is part of the photo cut out? Inari-chan was staring at it during dinner yesterday."

"The missing person was my husband." Tsunami said quietly.

"He was the hero of wave…" Tazuna said somberly. Inari stood up suddenly and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Father, you know how Inari feels about that! Why would you talk about him in front of Inari?"

"Do you mind telling us what happened? Kakashi asked.

"Inari's real father died before he was born." Tsunami said mournfully. "One day Inari fell into the ocean trying to save a puppy from drowning despite knowing he couldn't swim. A fisherman named Kaiza saved him from drowning. Kaiza was a very brave and strong man; his personal belief was that you must protect what is precious to you with your own two arms. They became very close, and he eventually became a part of the family."

Tazuna continued when his daughter fell silent. "When the dam's gates broke open during a rainstorm, he threw himself into the flood and forced the gates shut by himself. He was a real hero. But then Gato came…" Tazuna was silent for a moment; taking a deep breath he forced himself to continue his story, "Gato wanted to break the spirit of Wave. He publicly executed Kaiza, after cutting off his arms, for the punishment of 'terrorist attacks against the Gato Corporation'…" the room fell silent in respect of a brave man's sacrifice.

"Naruto-kun, w-where are you g-going?" Hinata asked as Naruto stood up abruptly and went to leave the building.

"I'm going to train more. I swear that I'm going to show Inari that heroes still exist!"

Over the next week and a half Naruto trained like a madman, spending almost all day in the woods, sleeping most nights sleeping under the same tree he met Haku at. He ran into Haku four times, each time he took a break from his training to spend some time with her. Each time Haku felt worse and worse about giving the information she got from him to Zabuza.

One night after Naruto came back particularly tired and worn out Inari finally lost it. "WHY DO YOU TRY SO HARD? You'll never be a match for Gato's men! When the weak fight the strong the weak always lose!"

"I'm nothing like you kid; I'm nothing like anyone you know. Your right in one thing though when the weak fight the strong they lose. But let me tell you something, against Gato, I'M THE STRONG!"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING! YOU'RE A CLOWN! YOU'RE ALWAYS SO HAPPY WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SUFFERING!"

"You think your life's a tragedy? Keep crying and do nothing to fix it you wimp!" Naruto actually snarled at Inari.

"N-Naruto! He d-doesn't know p-p-please calm down…" Hinata placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder trying to calm him down while fighting her blush from overwhelming her. Inari meanwhile had stormed out of the room. Sighing Kakashi stood up and followed him.

Outside Inari was sitting at the edge of the pier staring at the waves under the moonlight. Kakashi sat down next to him, "Naruto didn't mean to hurt you... he was upset and he doesn't think very well when he's like that."

"…"

"Tazuna told us about your father. Naruto also grew up without a father, in fact until he was seven he didn't even know the names of his parents or why he was in an orphanage. When he was seven a mob tried to murder him. Even though his life was hard for such a long time; I've never known him to cry or complain. Ever since he was given the chance to become strong he's always tried his best to get others to acknowledge him for his strength. The village we live in still hates him for something that wasn't his fault. Honestly he's probably tired of crying." Kakashi left Inari to think about what he had said.

The next morning Naruto slept in, he had tired himself training the past week and a half. "Let him sleep." Kakashi told his team "c'mon I have a bad feeling about today; I want both of you to come with me."

Meanwhile: Zabuza's Base

"Are the ambushes ready?" Gato asked the men gathered around Zabuza's hidden house.

"Yeah, we have all three ready; they'll never know what hit them." One of Gato's guards said.

"Heh, heh, I have dibs on the girl." The other licked his lips at the thought of what he'd do to her, before he killed her of course.

Gato walked up and banged on Zabuza's door "You two ready?"

Zabuza and the now masked Haku walked out of the hut. "Yeah we're ready, you got the distraction for the boy all set up?"

Tazuna's House:

Naruto woke with a start, pulling on his gear he rushed into the kitchen, "Where's every one?" he asked Tsunami.

"Your sensei said you should rest…" before Tsunami could continue her sentence the door to the house burst open.

"All right you lot the boss wants the woman as hostage for when the brat comes back from training! You can kill the boy." The head thug said as he stormed into Tazuna's house.

"You made a big mistake." Naruto stood up "I'm still here." Left eye glowing Naruto clapped his hands together and summoned Uzu no Tsubasa, "I hope you don't mind blood Tsunami-san, it's going to be messy." Naruto charged the mob, staff-sword whirling cutting through weapons and people alike. Inari watched in shock as the blond he dismissed as 'weak' butchered the thugs who had come to kill him and capture his mother. He saw one of the thugs slip past the blonde maelstrom, and charge his mother, probably hoping to use her as a hostage.

Steeling himself Inari grabbed the knife on the counter and charged the man who was coming at his mother. "AAAAAAAHHHHHH" he rushed in and stabbed the man in the back of his leg. As he lifted the knife to kill the man, a bloody hand grasped him at the wrist. Looking up he saw Naruto, who proceeded to stab the man himself.

"I was wrong, you are brave. However, you shouldn't have to kill someone. Not when there's ninja who are trained to deal with it nearby." Before Inari could manage to say anything Naruto was already running off.

Meanwhile At the Bridge:

"W-what is this jutsu?" Sasuke panted he and Hinata were back to back surrounded by floating ice mirrors. Despite his Sharingan finally activating, Sasuke couldn't completely keep up with up with the masked ninja's speed.

"I'm sorry." Haku said, before unleashing a hail of senbon from the mirrors at Sasuke. Faced with the option of dodging and letting the tired and weakened Hinata take the blow or taking it himself, he decided to stand his ground. Of course after he took the blow, Haku targeted Hinata.

As Hinata fell Naruto appeared through the fog.

"HINATA! NO!" Naruto screamed. He rushed to her side and picked her up, "HINATA! HINATA! Are you okay? Please answer me!"

"N-Naruto-kun… I-I'm s-sorry… I wanted to tell you I-I-I l-l-lo…" Hinata's eyes slowly glazed over.

"NOOO!" Naruto's chakra began to boil, pouring out of him and forming his three tailed cloak. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Naruto charged the masked ninja, screaming in rage.

Haku tried to jump into a mirror, but with the power boost granted by the chakra shroud, Naruto managed to grab her by the ankle. Swinging her through the air he launched her through one of her own mirrors. Bouncing twice and rolling to a stop, Haku tried to stand and perform her water senbon jutsu, but Naruto came barreling though the mist and landed a blow directly in the center of the mask, completely shattering it. Barely able to stand, Haku closed her eyes. She knew she couldn't win this fight. At least she didn't have to kill her friend.

Naruto's fist stopped millimeters from her, now exposed face. "Haku… why?"

"Why did you stop? Didn't I kill you precious people?" Snarling Naruto punched Haku in the face again. "You hit harder before, what happened?"

"You are one of my precious people too, why do you want me to kill you?"

"Can you imagine living with no dream? Being unneeded? Having to live with your dreams crushed?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Zabuza-sama has no need for a broken tool. You have taken the only reason to live from me"

"Is No-Brows the only person who is precious to you? What about me? You are my friend!"

"I had people a very long time ago, my parents. I lived in a little snowy village, hidden in the mountains around Kiri, but one day my father found out my mother's secret. I have a Kekkei Genkai, I got it from her. In Kiri, Kekkei Genkai are hated and feared, when my father found out he killed my mother and then tried to kill me. I killed him in self-defense, my father who I loved with my whole heart. After that I had to accept that in this world I was unwanted. Then Zabuza-sama found me shortly after. Even knowing I had a Kekkei Genkai he wanted me, but now that I'm defeated he has no use for me. So please, kill me. I don't want to live without purpose."

"Why? I don't understand! There are other things you can do with your life! You could come back with us to Konoha! Is this really the only way?"

"Yes, please make your own dreams come true." Haku closed her eyes and waited.

"I'll make it quick then…" Naruto powered his cloak back up and walked slowly towards Haku.

The breeze from the chakra cloak pushed the weakening mist away.

Haku noticed and looked towards Zabuza. He was being held in place by a pack of dogs. Kakashi was running towards him with his right hand glowing with chakra. "I'm sorry Naruto, but I can't let you kill me now!" Haku summoned one of her mirrors and rebounded off of it.

"Haku!" there was a flash of light as Kakashi's attack connected with someone…

"What happened?" Naruto sped off towards Kakashi and Zabuza. Haku had intercepted Kakashi's Raikiri with her chest. "No Haku…." Naruto dropped to his knees broken; he had lost all of his friends in five minutes.

"Haku!" Zabuza snarled, "I'LL KILL YOU!" Zabuza staggered up and prepared to charge Kakashi when two hundred thugs swarmed around them led by Gato.

"Heh, heh, looks like my plan worked perfectly." Gato gloated.

"Aw the girl is dead. I wanted her." One of Gato's guards complained.

"I'll tell you something Zabuza; I never intended to pay you to begin with, and now that you're half dead I can kill you and take your bounty for myself"

"I won't forgive you Kakashi, but it looks like we have a mutual enemy. Give me a kunai, I can't use my arms."

"It's too bad the little bitch died, I was looking forward to watching my men deal with her."

Kakashi then felt a terrible, powerful, malevolent buildup of chakra behind him.

"RRRRAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" Naruto's scream was terrifying and animalistic. He had entered his four-tails form.

Taking advantage of the terror of his opponents Zabuza charged Gato, kunai held in his mouth.

Panicking Gato started shouting, "Kill him! Kill him!" Zabuza kept running, ignoring seemingly lethal blows. Finally reaching Gato, despite the fact that he had a sizable collection of weapons lodged in his body Zabuza cut Gato from neck to navel with the kunai held in his mouth.

Naruto meanwhile was going berserk tearing thugs apart with his chakra shroud howling in anger and sorrow. When the last thug died, Naruto seemed to come to himself again. "Hey kid, good job, and thanks, for being Haku's friend, I wish she had more." Zabuza said as he slowly sank to his knees. "Could you take me to her? I want to see her one last time…"

Back with Kakashi, Sasuke and Hinata were waking up. "Ugh, my head." Sasuke groaned.

"What happened?"

"T-T-The last thing I r-r-remember was N-Naruto-kun coming. Did he save us?"

Helping each other up, they made their way to Kakashi who was still standing over Haku's body. When Naruto came back half dragging half carrying Zabuza, he nearly dropped him when he saw his team mates alive. "Haku didn't kill you? I-I-I… Naruto broke down crying next to the dead girl. "I'm so sorry!"

Zabuza stared at Haku's face. "Haku there was so much I wanted to say, I'm sorry that I was too much of a coward to say it, I love you Haku." Zabuza's eyes closed and his breathing finally stopped.

"It's not fair!" Naruto was sobbing, "They didn't deserve to die!" Naruto didn't notice the pain in his right eye, nor did he notice the tears of blood that once more began to pour from his eye falling onto Haku's face…

A/N I had this point set as a stopping point for a chapter for a few days, but I couldn't find a decent stopping point anywhere before it in this chapter.