Inari knocked on his uncle's door. "Please…if you come to the bridge with me, then we'll stand a chance." Inari said as he continued pounding on the door. "Please go away, Inari".
"You guys are a bunch of cowards!" Inari said.
Ebi listened to Inari's footsteps and sagged against the door, Inari was stubborn, Ebi knew this. He knew that this boy was running head first into his death. Ebi's wife watched from the kitchen entrance, "well…"
"Well what" Ebi snapped, "you're just going to let that boy get himself killed?.", "no but…" Ebi looked away from his wife, his eyes wandering to the small bronze doorknob. "You didn't sell my sword, did you?". His wife shook her head no, "Good".
Inari slipped on his sandals and placed the large kitchen knife onto his side. Despite his mother's objection, Inari was determined, "no one else would come with me, so I'm going alone.", He grabbed his small wooden crossbow and tabbed against his makeshift pot helmet. Inari cracked open the door and immediately stopped.
Naruto looked down the bridge at Kakashi. The speed that Haku mustered seemed practically impossible for an injured man.
"Isn't that the boy in the mask.?" Tazuna asked. "He jumped between me and Zabuza?" Kakashi thought as he gently put the boy down. Zabuza looked down at Haku, "Good job Haku", his voice cracked as he looked up at Kakashi, Zabuza slowly and wearily grabbed his large sword and swung it. Kakashi grabbed the body of Haku and leapt away, Zabuza's arm shook as he pulled his sword back.
Zabuza charged forward only to collapse and take deep breaths, Kakashi looked down at the man and shook his head, Zabuza's eyes wandered over to the body of Haku. A new fire ignited within and he shot up. Grabbing his sword and swinging it wildly, Kakashi evaded the sluggish blows and went in for the final attack. Zabuza in his weary state threw himself around and narrowly evaded the blow.
The sound of countless footsteps made Kakashi look into the lifting mist. Gato slammed the bottom of his cane into the ground and smirked. Behind him, a rag tag army stood waiting patiently, Zabuza knew what was about to happen. Everyone knew. "Zabuza… there's been a change in plans, or well, your plans anyway. See, I never planned to pay you, and my decision was cemented after your first defeat. It's strange, the way you advertise yourself, one might call it false advertising." Gato said, "Demon…that's not you, I wouldn't even call you threatening".
Zabuza said nothing. Gato hobbled over to Haku and poked the boy with his foot, "That reminds me." Gato said, as he rubbed his bandaged and cast arm, He delivered a kick and spit on the boy. Zabuza jerked forward but stopped as the pain from wounds made his sag against his sword. "Hatakae…my fight with you is over, my contract has gone void and i no longer have any reason to kill the bridge builder.", Kakashi nodded and looked at his team, "gather your things. We are leaving".
Zabuza rooted through his small water pouch and pulled out a kunai. He slowly ripped the bandages off his face and took long shallow breaths, looked over at Gato.
It took just a few seconds for the rouge nin to cover the distance between himself and Gato. Gato promptly ran deeper into the army, shouting for them to kill the man, It was almost like watching a bull run through a China shop. Men were cut down left and right, and screams were stopped before they even began. "Haku…my dear friend and faithful companion, as we part ways, my beloved child, may the gods guide you into the rest and peace you rightfully deserve. Free from the treachery and woe this world brought upon you, as for me…ere you are going I cannot join. I shall meet my fate with a smile, I have lived and died as a ninja but you…you shall be remembered eternally in song, the mist's snow angel, a boy who committed no wrong."
Zabuza slammed Gato into the railing and took several deep breaths, the many blades and spears stuck in his back moving gently. The dark kunai embedded into the man's chest, "The darkest pits of hell have opened for me Gato…but I won't be going down there alone. Let's not keep the devil waiting".
With one fluid movement, Zabuza removed the Kunai and swiftly beheaded the man.
Zabuza leaned against the railing next to the headless body of Gato, He looked over at his large blade and smiled, it had swung its last true arc, and he couldn't help but feel relief. No more blood, no more tears and no more running. The thread of life soon to be separated from him. Zabuza thought of Haku, and his smile faded. He saw again the boy's pale, bloodied face and felt his heart break, though the boy had fought for him no matter what, Zabuza denied the boy his true dream. Peace.
Zabuzas breath slowed, and his limbs went loose.
At exactly 12:06 PM, April 15th, Zabuza Momoichi took his final breath. Naruto couldn't help but look down, "Don't look away…this was a man who lived full out" Kakashi said as he placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto looked up at the man, "A man worthy of respect" Zodd said.
The blonde nodded and mumbled a silent prayer that Yugao had taught him when he was a child. Gato's remaining army looked out at team seven. "You killed our meal ticket…we're going to loot this village", Naruto's brow furrowed as he stared at the small 'army', he felt not anger but annoyance. As far as Naruto could tell, the fight was over, Their contactor was dead, their contract void and even with the higher numbers, the strength difference was almost incomprehensible.
A steel cross bow bolt flew from Inari's crossbow and knocked a mercenary's helmet off. Team seven and Tazuna looked back.
Each man had gathered their blade and whatever armor they could find, they stood in a loose formation. The sounds of their heavy work boots echoing across the water and bridge as they arrived.
Their eyes glinting with determination, they had become an unyielding force, a bulwark against the remaining enemies of the wave. The honor they had once lost now reignited and focused towards the greater good, the protection of their loved ones and homeland.
Inari was, to Naruto's surprise, leading the pack, his will surged within like a thunderstorm, his every step a testament to his newfound strength. Inari loaded his crossbow with another bolt and held it up. "Inari…all of you?" Tazuna muttered.
"Sorry for being late everyone…but heroes always arrive late" the boy said with a light grin. Naruto let out a small chuckle, before summoning several shadow clones, "allow me to assist you." The blonde said.
Kakashi looked over the now nervous group of mercenary's, "A bluff should be more than enough" he thought as he summoned a dozen clones. "Now…shall we?."
The nervousness turned to fear as the small army dropped their weapons and fled. There was a burst of applause as the men of wave cheered and high-fived each other. Soon the cheers were replaced by a shroud of silence.
Here on the bridge where several battles had just raged fell snow. Wrapping the gray gateway in a thin white blanket. "Snow?. During this time of year?" Tazuna asked as he looked at the small white snowflakes.
Naruto muttered another silent prayer and bowed his head. Kakashi and team seven seemingly followed the boy's example and bowed their heads.
It had been two weeks since the final battle. Two weeks of manual labor, well, Naruto and Tazuna participated in physical labor. The rest of the team simply recovered.
In those two weeks, Team seven along with the help of Tazuna buried Haku and Zabuza, leaving the man's sword and boy's now repaired mask as decorations. Naruto looked down at the makeshift graves, "Kakashi-sensei, is this all a Shinobi is?, a tool meant to be exploited by those they're loyal too?."
Kakashi paused for a moment before answering, "The reality of it is… Shinobi are no more than a means to an end, tools, or pawns used to expand and or protect our homelands and the territory it conquers, that is the ninja way".
Kakashi took note of Naruto's sudden change in mood. It was clear that this answer displeased him greatly, he stood in silence for a minute, listening to the rustle of the leaves. He took a few deep breaths and a powerful idea came to him. He would create his own ninja way. Listening to the flow of the nearby river and looking up at the nearly endless sky, and for the first time, Naruto felt a oneness with Nature.
A sense of oneness with all living things. Naruto remained quiet for several more seconds before speaking again, "I've made my own ninja way." Naruto said as he began walking back to the house.
On the way home, Naruto rested under the tree in which he had trained his tree walking. "What's weighing you down, boy.?" Zodd asked. Naruto thought for a moment, "The laws of nature…that govern this world. Only those who are strong enough can survive and adapt, starting today, I shall embody those principles. In all that I do I shall become wiser, stronger and more resilient." Naruto said as looked up at the large sky, small patches of blue broke through the thick blanket of fluffy clouds and let large pillars of light to gently touch certain parts of the small country.
"I shall seek challenges beyond me and my level of skill, for that is the only way for me to grow stronger. I shall cultivate a deep connection with nature, for nature is the source of all life and vitality, learning from the animals and plants and incorporating them into my own way of being."
Naruto thought back to Kakashi's words. "I shall transcend the idea of Shinobi, I shall become the strongest and most adaptable Shinobi, and in doing, so I shall become one with the universe." Naruto said loudly, an odd feeling that he couldn't quite grasp washed over him.
This felt right. A new path had been carved, and those who were not strong enough to walk this path would be crushed.
