The Tale Of Naruto Uzumaki

Chapter 16: The End is Near

The bloodlust in Naruto's eyes was unmistakable; this was no longer the child he had seen before. As the Nine-Tails' chakra swirled around him, his face contorted in anger and madness. A scream echoed across the entire bridge,
Naruto - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
It was a chilling sound that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.
Sakura, trembling, turned to Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, I'm scared! What is this immense chakra?"

Kakashi, calm and collected, reassured her, "Sakura, it's fine. Stay calm."
Naruto rose from his crouching position and dashed at Haku. Haku attempted to stop him by throwing three senbon, but a mere scream from Naruto blew them back. The Nine-Tails' chakra swirled around him as he jumped through the air, landing right before Haku.
Haku, sensing the growing chakra, thought, "This chakra... it gets stronger every second. I must strike now!"

Haku's reflections appeared in every mirror, all of them throwing senbon at Naruto. Naruto turned his head and body, but he was pierced by all of them. Yet, in a burst of pure chakra, the senbon all fell out, clattering to the ground.

Haku, taken aback, exclaimed, "What?!"
Naruto ran up to one of the mirrors and punched it, the mirror starting to fall apart into ice crystals. Haku emerged from one of the ice crystals and jumped down to where Naruto was, trying to strike from above. Naruto performed a spin flip and kept spinning until he landed on all fours.
Haku tried to retreat into one of the mirrors, but Naruto grabbed him by his wrist.
Haku, looking into Naruto's eyes, gasped, "Those eyes..."
Naruto let out another massive burst of chakra, shaking the entire bridge's foundation. Dust started piling up.
Kakashi, observing the scene, mused, "Could it be the seal has been broken? No, it's been loosened, and some of the Nine-Tails' chakra was able to leak out, but the seal still holds."
Kakashi pulled a mini scroll from his flap jacket pocket and threw it into the air. He used the cut wound from Zabuza to coat his thumb with blood, smearing it across the scroll as it unravelled.
"Zabuza, I don't mean to spoil the fun. I know how you like to stretch these things out, but how about we put an end to this now?" Kakashi challenged, making a hand sign. "Come on, what do you say? We're both busy people."
Zabuza, from within the mist, replied, "Hmm, tempting. I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such words. Show me, Kakashi."
Back at the battle, Naruto gripped Haku's wrist tightly as the Nine-Tails' chakra swirled around him. Each and every mirror started to crack.
Haku, struggling, admitted, "I can't... his energy is too strong!"
Naruto, with a scream, cocked his fist back. The Nine-Tails' chakra swirled around his fist as he put everything into that punch, hitting Haku in the face with so much pressure it sent him flying back through the air and through a mirror. Haku fell back onto the ground and tumbled far.
The mirrors began to crack as Haku got up. Naruto looked back down, and as the mirrors finally broke into ice shards, ending Haku's jutsu, Naruto let out a scream and started to rush at Haku, who finally stood.
Haku, thinking to himself, realized, "Zabuza, I am no match for this boy." His mask split in half and fell off, revealing his face. "Master, I have failed."
Naruto, in the air, ready to strike Haku again, stopped right in front of him, his fist right in front of Haku's face.
Naruto, recalling his encounter with Haku in the forest, exclaimed, "Ah! So that guy in the woods... that was you!"
Haku, provoking Naruto, asked, "Why do you not strike? Did you not vow to avenge your comrade's death by killing me, or were those just empty words?"
By now, the Nine-Tails' chakra had completely disappeared off Naruto.
Naruto, breathing heavily, punched Haku's face. Haku took a step back and fell onto the ground, struggling to get up. Blood poured from his face.
Naruto, panting in pain, heard Haku's words, "No, that won't do. You're still holding back. If that's all the strength you can put into it, you'll never keep your vow."
Haku wiped off his face, continuing, "Perhaps he didn't mean as much to you as you say."
Naruto, recalling his forest encounter with Haku, remembered Haku's words, "So, is there anyone who is special to you?" and "There is only one person who is special to me, and I live to protect and serve him. That is my purpose."
Haku, in the present, lectured, "To show mercy to those who oppose the one you serve, to allow his enemies to live when you could strike him down... that is not compassion; it is a betrayal of your life's one purpose. What reason do you exist then? You are of use to no one. Your life is of no meaning. Your mere existence, day after day of struggle, signifying nothing."
Naruto, defiant, retorted, "Well, speak for yourself!"
Haku, calmly, replied, "I am speaking of myself. This day has shown that I am no longer of any use to Zabuza."
Naruto, confused, asked, "Zabuza? Why that guy, anyway? To devote your life to a rotten guy like that... Who doesn't know the word honor? If he's the one person who really matters to you, man, that's the sorriest thing I've ever heard."