(A/N); sooo! I realized I had more time than expected left and wrote another one! Yay! Three consecutive and two today, dang I'm on a  roll (hope it lasts XD 🥺)haha, hope you enjoy it everyone. From here on out, the story'll get more interesting ;). It's almost midnight now though.. Warning: slightly graphic descriptions of wounds, blood, and the like.

"Gato why did you come here? And what's with those henchmen?" Zabuza demanded, straightening up, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Our strategy has changed a little... I'm sorry Zabuza, but you'll die here." Gato snickered, tapping the ground with his cane.

Zabuza's eyes widened, in shock and confusion. "What did you say?"

"Since hiring regular shinobi costs a lot of 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 both dead. Well, you are certainly not worthy of being called the Demon Mist of the Hidden Mist Village. If you were to ask me, you're just a cute little demon!" Gato announced and admitted loudly, no doubt gibing at Zabuza and goading.

The diverse crowd of men behind Gato all burst out in laughter, completely uncaring of what they had done.

Naruto gulped and stared in confusion, frowning. What's with those guys? So many of them.

Zabuza quieted down, seemingly increasingly disappointed with himself, he lowered his gaze. "Kakashi... I apologize. Our fight ends here. With my reason to take down Tazuna gone, there is no reason to fight you." Zabuza spoke abnormally calmly.

Kakashi crouched down, keeping an eye on the scum. "Yeah, that's right."

Gato, that short man, walked towards them until he stopped right in front of Haku's still body. He looked down at him and smirked. "That reminds me. I owe him something."

Gato moved Haku's face with his shoe, as if trying to wake him up with its dirty sole, squishing his face. "He squeezed my arm 'til it broke."

The next moment Gato kicked Haku's soft face with all his strength yelling, "Oi!"

Naruto gasped as his body trembled in outrage. How dare he?!

"Huh, he's dead."

The blonde, in absolute shock and outrage at his audacity, gritted his teeth tightly and ran at him glaring at him savagely. Do not desecrate his body! "You bastard! What do you think you're doing, hey?!" Naruto shouted his lungs out, getting grabbed by Kakashi midrun and restrained in his arms.

"Stop! Don't act so recklessly...!" Kakashi scolded him, holding him back with all his strength. Still, Naruto squirmed and struggled in his hold, trying his hardest to get free. Kakashi understood of course, he did, but he couldn't let him put himself in danger. He let go slowly and Naruto angrily shouted at Zabuza.

"You say something too! Wasn't he your comrade?!"

Zabuza's eyes were dark and cold, and there was a very slight tremble to his shoulders. "Shut up punk. Haku is already dead."

"What? Don't you feel anything watching him doing that?!" Naruto exclaimed. "Weren't you with him for a long time?!"

Zabuza replied emotionlessly. "Just as Gato used me, I was using Haku. I told you. We shinobi are merely tools. What I wanted were his skills and not Haku himself." Zabuza paused. "I have no regrets."

Naruto's fists shook as he clenched them, glaring at him with all his strength. "Do you...Do you really mean that?' He squeezed out the words, just about to explode.

Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder, slightly pulling him back. "Stop Naruto. There's no need to fight him anymore. Besides..."

Kakashi's attempt at defusing the situation only made it worse of course.
Naruto shoved off his hand, pointing at Zabuza and yelling furiously. "Shut up! My enemy is still.. this one!"

Naruto panted angrily, rattled and shaken up. "He... he really loved you! He loved you that much!" He screamed at Zabuza, pointing at the soft corpse that had died for Zabuza. "Even so, don't you feel anything at all?! You really... honestly... don't feel anything at all?! When a person becomes as strong as you, does that person really behave like you?!"

Naruto shook, taken by the sadness, frustration and anger he felt. How could someone so horrible be a strong shinobi? How could have someone like Zabuza have someone by his side, willing to give up their life for him? A sacrifice in vain he didn't deserve. The tears streamed down his cheeks endlessly at this point as he kept yelling, "He didn't even fulfill his own dreams yet... to die as a tool...! That's.. that's.. too painful, too unfair, believe it!"

Zabuza hadn't said a single thing. Yet a quiet sniffle could be heard. He still didn't turn to look at Naruto. But he spoke, "Kid..."

Naruto raised his head, blue eyes swimming with tears, he looked at Zabuza, and noticed the wet stains on the cement; the tears. His own tears dropped faster.

Zabuza raised his head, tilting it back in an attempt to stop the tears from falling, even though he was crying so much. Of course he was. He had only been trying to lie himself, to protect himself from the possible loss by using the same excuse. Now, he had really lost what he wanted to protect. "Don't say anything... anymore."

Naruto stared in shock, tears still pouring out of his eyes like rivers.

"Haku was..." Zabuza paused through the tears, taking his decision. "He wasn't just thinking of me. He was feeling pain inside for you when he battled you guys too. I know; he was too kind. I'm glad we could fight you at the end."

Zabuza suddenly unwrapped the bandages around his mouth, twisting his head and biting them. "Yes, little punk, it's as you say after all. Shinobi are human too. Maybe it's impossible to become an emotionless tool... I've lost." Zabuza spoke with a smile, revealing pointy sharp teeth. He paused, biting his lip. "Kid, give me a kunai."

Naruto stared at him through his tears, scrunching his face in anguish. He took out one of his own kunai from his pouch and tossed it to Zabuza.

The next moment Zabuza had caught the kunai with a snap of his jaws and was racing at the crowd of henchmen with an absolute intent to kill.

Gato startled back, staggering back into the safety behiind the crowd, behind his human shields. "What?! Enough! Take them down!"
"Right!"
"Are you crazy? Do you think you alone can defeat all of us?"

The man didn't get to finish what he was saying as Zabuza sped into the crowd with limp arms but quick feet, jumping, dodging and running, slashing at necks and stomachs with the kunai in his jaws. He struck down those in his way as he made a violent race towards Gato.

Even when a spear struck him in the back he didn't stop. He only sped up until he passed the crowd and was running at Gato full speed.

With a sick squelch he stabbed Gato with the kunai in his mouth and the man croaked. However, the crowed caught up and Zabuza was stabbed through with so many spears he might as well have been a pincushion. He was bleeding everywhere and the red had long soaked into his dark clothes, turning them a deep black.

"If you're so anxious to see your friend... you go on ahead alone..!" Gato managed to quip, coughing out blood.

Zabuza slumped under the pain and weight of the spears, but then he was groaning and straightening himself up slowly despite it.  "I don't... intend on going... to the same place... as Haku!"

"W-what?! Pretending to be so tough?!" Gato squeaked out, the short man as full of fear as he could be. A demon!

Zabuza stepped closer to him, nose to nose and smiled savagely at him, a smile of yellowed sharp teeth. "You're going to hell with me! It's no big deal... When the Demon of the Hidden Mist Village dies and goes to hell, he can become a real demon." Zabuza continued to provoke him with a crazy, wide smirk. Now, he truly looked like a demon with that sharp smile. "Look forward to it! I'll let you find out for sure if I'm a cute little demon or not in hell!"

Gato's henchmen were frozen in the face of such a beast, scared of the man with a dozen spears embedded into him, and didn't move an inch. Gato was trembling so badly he might as well have peed himself.

Immediately, Zabuza slashed savagely at his chest and neck, twirling and crushing the man's sunglasses and pushing him off the bridge.

Gato, fell like any other man. He fell into the water and didn't resurface.

Zabuza glanced at the remaining henchmen from the corner of his eye in a savage way. Instinctively, the men cleared a path for him and Zabuza dropped the kunai.

He bled badly, too weighed down by the spears, yet he still tried to make his way to Haku's body, to at least see him once more. But he fell on his knees midway, unable to continue. Now... it's goodbye Haku. Thank you...for everything until now.. I'm sorry.

Zabuza's body couldn't hold itself up anymore and he just dropped down, falling onto his stomach and face, breathing weakly.

Naruto frowned and looked away. Kakashi scolded him. "Don't look away. It's the end for a man who lived fiercely."

Naruto nodded, sniffling and looking at the bodies sadly. "Uh huh."

                                        
                                                                                         ~~><With (Y/N), Sasuke and Sakura><~~

(Y/N) who had been listening to the events was sobbing loudly and sniffling without restraint, wiping her nose on her gloves without realizing. The pain in her chest throbbed deeply, coldly. Regardless of what Zabuza had done. I  think... I think if he had had Haku by his side... Together... Together they could've been better. Done better. But now...

(Y/N) wailed heartbroken, even as Sasuke started to squirm and stir. They had just managed to rewrap the bandages properly and Sakura was awkwardly patting (Y/N)'s, trying to remember how Ino would console her. (Y/N) didn't mind too much at the moment and let herself cry, overwhelmed by the emotions.

Sakura had no idea what she was crying about, but decided they had all had quite the week and it was alright to cry for whatever reason. This was not the mission they had expected.

Sasuke stirred awake, squirming as he felt something covering him and someone crying loudly. Did I die? Why is death so noisy? He opened his eyes slowly, wincing from the sudden sunlight in his eyes. He spotted (Y/N) wailing and Sakura awkwardly trying to console her. He relaxed into the ground, secretly relieved at the sight.

"Why are you so noisy? I'm wounded here, you know?"

(Y/N) blinked at him, stopping for a moment to Sakura's shock before her lower lip started quivering and she wailed louder hitting Sasuke's bandaged chest softly. "Damn you you duckbutt! Do you know how much you scared us! I even had to bandage your stupid ass!" She sobbed, hitting his chest with her fists.

Sasuke closed his eyes, taking it. He told himself that it was because he was too tired to do anything about it. Also.. "Dammit stop it lizard! You're hitting my wounds! I think I have bruised ribs.."

Sakura was then giggling, delighted with having a woken up Sasuke. "Ne ne, I helped with the bandages you know? I had to fix everything! You looked like a mummy!"

(Y/N) sniffled, glaring at her grumpily with a pout and glassy eyes, wiping her nose. "Hey! I did my best in the middle of a battle! It's not my fault I can't tie those stupid things! Why are they so long?! How am I supposed to know how much to wrap around him!?" Her protests soon devolved into sobs again and Tazuna had just taken to sighing, smiling and patting her head.

"(Y/N) why are you crying? Where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked, suddenly hit by the question.
(Y/N) sniffled wetly before answering. "He's fine. He defeated Haku, but Haku was... was..."

After that even though Sasuke prodded her for answers he only got more wails in answer and Sakura was back to her giggling fangirl self.

The old man Tazuna smiled at the three as they bickered and (Y/N) continued to sob as Sasuke sweatdropped at them. Good for them.

Sakura stood up and turned to wave at Kakashi and Naruto. "Sasuke's okay! He just woke up!"

Naruto and Kakashi sighed in relief. Everyone's okay, what a relief.

(Y/N) sobs quieted down a little as she determinedly wiped her nose, sniffling wetly. Haku... I'm sorry. I'm sorry we could't save you. I... promise... promise to save the next.

"Hey, hey, hey! You guys are too relaxed!"

"Darn ninja, killing our money source!"

"Now that it's come to this, there's no choice but to attack the whole town and take everything valuable!"

Oh right. I forgot about them. (Y/N) took a deep shaky breath to calm down and wiped her nose again, sniffing. There are about fifty of them. If we were all actually experienced ninja and not kids it'd be just fine. But...
She absently helped Sasuke stand up despite his grumbling, setting him on his feet. We'll need to fight again.

Kakashi clicked his tongue. "This isn't good."

Naruto frowned, looking back at his mentor hopefully. "Kakashi-sensei! Don't  you have a jutsu to eliminate them all at once?"

Kakashi shook his head, furrowing his brow. "That's impossible! I've used too much chakra."

The team held itself still as the henchmen ran at them, but a spear suddenly struck the cement right in front of them, stopping the crowd.

The team looked back in shock and confusion and found all the villagers standing there, ready to fight with whatever they had.

(Y/N) beamed at them, spotting Inari at the front holding a small crossbow. You go kid. I think you've found your courage.

"Enemies who come any closer to the island, with all the might of all the island's people, will not be allowed to live!"

Naruto grinned at Inari, pleasantly surprised. "Inari!"

The small kid grinned wide, completely smug and proud of himself, as he should be. "Heroes always arrive on the scene late!"

Poor old man Tazuna stood there in awe and with teary eyes as he stared at his people finally standing up for themselves. "Inari... you guys!"

(Y/N) sprinted to Naruto and nudged him, signaling him with a look. Naruto nodded and together they grinned and turned around. We'll help too of course. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Five clones of (Y/N) and Naruto appeared, and Kakashi with a snort decided to copy them with what was left of his chakra, adding at least fifty to their army.

"So are you ready to fight?!"

The former henchmen turned tail and ran away on their boat, not eager to fight a battle they knew would lose.

As the people cried victory and celebrated, the team regrouped and Kakashi walked towards Zabuza, who was breathing weakly.

"Sounds like it's over." Zabuza croaked, not looking up.

"Yes."

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

"What is it?"

"His... I want to see his face."

Kakashi swallowed and pulled back down his headband on top of his Sharingan, giving Zabuza a broken look. "Alright."

Kakashi Hatake removed the spears from Zabuza's back carefully and picked him up, carrying him in his arms towards Haku.
(Y/N) found herself once again unable to control her emotions as she felt a snowflake fall on her cheek and melt instantly. She covered her mouth to drown her sobs and Naruto soon found himself with his arms full of (Y/N).

It was snowing.

Haku are you crying?

Kakashi deposited Zabuza besides Haku, as Zabuza apologized. The team stood back a few feet, respectfully.

Zabuza looked at Haku's soft, still young face brokenly. "You were always by my side. I can be at your side in the end." He whispered. With weak movements he raised his hand to caress Haku's cold cheek.
The snow continued to fall softly, as if the sky were crying with them.
"If possible.. I'd like to go... to the same place.. as you."

And then the sun shined brightly, breaking through the clouds.

Naruto and (Y/N) held each other as they cried openly, sobbing and sniffling.
Naruto spoke between the hiccups, and the sobs, sniffling and wiping his nose. "He... he was born in a village where it snowed a lot."

Kakashi hummed quietly, somber. "I see. He was a boy as pure as snow.." You'd be able to go, Zabuza. The two of you... together.

(Y/N) clenched Naruto's jacket tightly, suddenly overcome with the weight of it all and the loss. It had been one hell of a week. She needed to get back home and cry it all out.

                  
                                                                                                                     ~~~><><><~~~        
                   

"But you know, Kakashi-sensei..."

"Hmm?"

"I wonder if the way a ninja should be is really as these two were saying."

Sakura stood up, dusting off her clothes as she walked back to ther others and away from the grave they had just dug up for the Demon and the boy as pure as snow.

"Shinobi should not seek the reason for their own existence. What's important is to exist merely as tools. That's the same in Konoha." Kakashi answered.

(Y/N) scowled from her spot on a rock as she looked at the sunset. She had already honored the dead, with a small gift of herself; a tiny blue flame that lit the candle she had offered to their graves. The other had given flowers, but this, this was something only she could give. The only thing she knew to give the dead; prayer and a light to find their way.
She huffed, blowing away a strand of her hair in front of her eyes."That's ridiculous Kashi-sensei. People are people, period."

"Right right?" Naruto exclaimed, nodding along with his friend. " I wonder what it means to become a real ninja. I guess.. I guess I just don't like that!" Naruto hummed.

Sasuke turned to their mentor. "Do you think so too?"

Kakashi hummed absently, not looking at them. "Well... that's why all ninja live trying to figure that out without realizing... like Zabuza... and that kid."

The genin quieted for a moment, before Naruto suddenly burst out.

"Okay! I've just decided!"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to pursue my own Way of Ninja! I'm gonna sprint straight ahead and pursue a way that I absolutely won't regret, believe it!" Naruto exclaimed. He turned excitedly to (Y/N), "Hey hey what do you think what do you think?"

(Y/N)'s scowled faded away and she beamed at him, nodding vigorously. "That makes more sense than everything else I've heard this week!"

A way that doesn't lead to regret... I can do that. Simple enough, right?

                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                  ~~~><><><~~~

"Thanks to you the bridge was safely completed, but we will miss you very much."

"Take care of yourselves."

Tazuna and the whole village were sending them off, with Tazuna's family at the front. They had all already given their thanks and goodbyes.

"Thank you for everything." Kakashi said, being the responsible and polite adult.

Naruto grinned at them. "Now now, we'll come back for a visit again Tazuna!"

Inari suddenly sniffled, pouting. "For sure?" He asked, scrunching his face in an effort not to cry. Tazuna patted his head softly, ruffling the kid's dark brown hair.

(Y/N) found herself getting soft; she hadn't liked him at first but he had grown on her. She had missed having little cousins to mess with after all.

At the sight Naruto found his own eyes glassy and holding himself back. "Inari... you're gonna miss us, aren't you? It's all right to cry. Go ahead and cry!"

"I won't cry! It's all right if you cry Naruto!"

(Y/N) sighed and laughed internally. Naru, you sweet fool. Don't turn it into a competition just hug already. Typical.

"A-ah is that so?"

Naruto and Inari scrunched up their faces, refusing to let the tears drop even though they were already there and their snot was dripping.
And then Naruto turned away first, croaking out a shaky goodbye.
"See ya!"

"Oh..!"

Sakura deadpanned at them. You are so stubborn.

(Y/N) snorted at them and then she was dragging Naruto back by the collar. "Just hug already you two!"

Inari ran to Naruto and squeezed him tight and they were suddenly sobbing openly. (Y/N) laughed and patted both their heads absently. So stupidly cute.

Sasuke groaned at her, shoving her. "Dammit look at what you did. Now who knows when we'll leave."

(Y/N) scowled at him and nudged him in the ribs, right where he was bruised. "You shut up Duckbutt! It's just a goodbye! It's not going to take a hour!"

"It might as well with that idiot!"

"Who's the idiot Duckbutt? What kind of haircut is that anyways?!"

"Idiot! Who was the one who wrapped me up like a mummy! You were probably cutting off my circulation!"

"No I wasn't I was careful you bastard!"

Kakashi and Sakura sighed heavily and slumped as Sasuke and (Y/N) devolved into their, at this point, usual bickering and Naruto was still sobbing with Inari.

They weren't going to leave for a while yet.

~~~><><><~~~

"That boy changed Inari's mind, and Inari changed the people's minds. That boy created a bridge linking us to hope, a bridge called courage."

"So a linking bridge... speaking of bridges, we need to name this bridge don't we?"

"In that case, I have a perfect name for this bridge."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"The Naruto Great Bridge! How is it?"

"Haha, that's a good name."

"What? Are you sure that name's okay?"

"Haha, this name is to wish that this bridge will never collapse.
And someday it'll be the name of a very famous bridge, a name heard around the world.
That's what I truly hope."

~~~><><><~~~

"Okay, I'll get back soon and have Iruka treat us to ramen as the mission completion celebration!" Naruto exclaimed. "And and I'll tell Konohamaru of my heroic exploits!"

(Y/N) laughed. "Ah, the squirt you told me about. Isn't he the one with a blue scarf?"
"Yeah yeah that one!"

Sakura sighed and hummed. "Well then I..." Her eyes glinted and she suddenly beamed, "Hey Sasuke want go on a date when we get back to the village?"

"No, I decline." Sasuke denied the offer just like that, without even looking at her.
Sakura slouched with a disappointed sigh and whine. "Just like that?!"

(Y/N) snorted. That's Sasuke for you, blunt as ever. He doesn't have a filter.

"Hey, you know, you know, I'll go with you!" Naruto stammered out hesitantly, instantly wiping away (Y/N)'s smile.

Sakura grabbed his collar and threw him away, and then (Y/N) was on her, grabbing her collar and it devolved into more bickering then, mainly from (Y/N) as Sakura was still frightened too much by her to do much aside from nod.

(Y/N) continued to complain and scold her on treating others decently and babble about manners and teamwork, helping up her friend, still scowling at Sakura and even glaring grumpily at Naruto.

"Hey hey, what did I do?!"

"Hey! Don't ignore me (Y/N)-chan!"

Kakashi chuckled, smiling behind his mask. Ah, the four of them will be a pain.