The Tale Of Naruto Uzumaki

Chapter 18: Demon in The Snow

Zabuza: I fail to comprehend this situation. Who are these miscreants you've brought with you?
Kashimo: ...
Gato: Ah, Zabuza, there's been a slight alteration in our plans. You see, according to the new arrangement, you perish right here on this bridge.
Zabuza: What?
Gato: You've become too costly. I've decided to remove you from my payroll. Though, I must admit, even these thugs I brought along have their price. If you could eliminate a few before they take you down, I'd greatly appreciate it. Think you can manage that, Demon of the Mist? Though, looking at you now, you seem about as demonic as a drenched feline.
Gato and his thugs burst into laughter.
Naruto: (internal monologue) There are so many of them. One rogue ninja was troublesome enough...
Zabuza: Well, Kakashi, it appears our battle is at an end. With me no longer under Gato's employ, Tazuna is safe, and we have no quarrel.
Kakashi: I suppose you're right.
Gato approaches Haku's lifeless body, cane and bandaged arm in tow.
Gato: That reminds me, you little punk. You grabbed and nearly broke my arm. I've been meaning to repay you for that.
Gato kicks Haku's body, causing Naruto to flinch. Zabuza and Kakashi wear solemn expressions as Gato uses his cane to press down on Haku's face.
Gato: Oh, how I wish he were alive to feel this.
Naruto: Get away from him, you scum!
Naruto lunges at Gato, but Kakashi restrains him.
Kakashi: Stop, Naruto. Use your head.
Naruto: What about you, Zabuza? You're just going to let him desecrate Haku like that?
Zabuza: Be silent, fool. Haku is gone. What does it matter now?
Naruto: How can you say that? You and Haku worked together for years. Doesn't that mean anything to you?
Zabuza: You don't understand the way of the shinobi. I used him, just as Gato used me.
Naruto: I can't believe what I'm hearing. If that's true, then you're an even bigger monster than I thought.
Flashback
Haku: Is there someone precious to you? For me, there is only one person who matters. My purpose is to protect and serve him, and that purpose gives me strength.
Naruto: And he meant nothing to you? Nothing at all?
Flashback ends
Naruto: While Haku was sacrificing everything for you, you never felt anything for him. And if I become stronger, does that mean I'll become as cold and heartless as you are? He threw his life away for you, for your dream. You never let him have a dream of his own, but he didn't care. Now you just toss him aside like he was nothing, a broken tool. That's so wrong.
Naruto begins to cry, and Zabuza's eyes well up with tears.
Zabuza: You speak too much, but your words cut deeper than any blade. While Haku fought you, his heart was breaking in two. You see, Haku was always too soft, too kind. He felt pain and sorrow, and now, curse him, I feel them too. And something else - contempt. This is how it ends.
Zabuza removes his face bandages, revealing his scarred visage.
Gato: Huh?
Zabuza: Surprised to see I'm human after all, Gato? Even shinobi are human, no matter how hard we try to escape that simple fact. We always fail. At least, I have failed. Boy, give me your kunai.
Naruto hesitates before tossing his kunai to Zabuza, who catches it with his mouth. Zabuza remembers Haku and everything he did for him, steeling himself for his final stand.
Gato: Enough of this! Take him down, now!
Gato retreats behind his thugs as Zabuza charges, hacking and slashing his way through the enemy ranks despite his grievous wounds. He fights his way towards Gato, who cowers in fear.
Gato: You crazy fool! If you're so eager to join your friend, go ahead! But you're not taking me with you!
Zabuza: I will not be joining Haku where he has gone. I cannot follow him there.
Zabuza trudges menacingly towards Gato, who backs away in terror.
Zabuza: We wouldn't be welcome where Haku has gone. Hell is where we're going, Gato. I couldn't think of a more fitting place for a demon ninja. I know they're taking humans there - all shapes and sizes. Oh yes, I should fit right in. You, on the other hand, Gato, I fear you're in for a very long and painful eternity.
With that, Zabuza decapitates Gato, sending his body plummeting into the ocean below. The shipping tyrant is no more.
Naruto watches in shock and horror as Zabuza turns to face Gato's remaining thugs, a glare that sends them scattering in fear. Zabuza then slowly makes his way towards Haku's body, his own form giving out, barely able to walk straight. He sees a faint glow from the heavens.
Zabuza: So, this is goodbye at last. Not once did I ever thank you, Haku.
Zabuza collapses but clings to life.
Naruto: Ah!
Kakashi: Don't turn away, Naruto. When you live like a warrior, this is how it ends.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Sasuke: Where am I? Am I alive? Wait, Sakura? Can it be? It's hard to breathe with you on top of me.
Sakura: Sasuke!
Tazuna: He's alive!
Sakura: Sasuke, don't move. You're badly injured.
Sasuke: How's Naruto? And what happened to that guy in the mask?
Sakura: Naruto is fine, but the one in the mask - he's dead.
Sasuke: Dead? But how?
Sakura: I'm not sure. I came in late and was busy with my own fight.
Sasuke: So, you beat that guy?
Sakura: Yeah, I did. I had faith in you, Sasuke. I knew you'd pull through.
Sasuke looks out and sees Naruto, Kakashi, and both Zabuza and Haku's lifeless bodies, as well as Kashimo's bound form.
Sakura: I beat that loser with my awesome new move. I'll show it to you sometime, Sasuke. Anyway, you're too cool a guy to stay down for long.
Sasuke: (internal monologue) He never meant to from the very beginning.
Sakura: Naruto, look! It's Sasuke! He's alright!
Sasuke gives a weak thumbs-up, causing Naruto to smile with relief.
Thug: Hey, don't go getting too comfortable. This party ain't over. Who's going to pay us now that Gato is gone?
Thug: No way we're leaving here empty-handed. Guess we're going to have to hit that village and see what they've got for us.
Naruto: Come on, Kakashi-sensei. You must have a jutsu that can take care of this bunch of losers.
Kakashi: Not right now. I've used too much of my chakra.
Thug: Get him, boys!
The thugs charge, but an arrow embeds itself in the ground between the two groups. Everyone turns to see the villagers, led by Inari, weapons raised.
Inari: There's one little thing you're forgetting about before you set foot in our village. You have to get through all of us.
Naruto: Inari!
Inari: (laughing) Heroes usually show up at the last minute, you know.
Tazuna: They've all come - the whole village.
Naruto: Well, no way I'm going to miss out on all the fun. Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Naruto creates four clones, causing the thugs to falter.
Kakashi: Well, I might have just enough chakra to help you out. Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Kakashi: Okay, still want to fight?
The thugs flee, jumping onto their ship and setting sail.
Inari: Victory!
The whole village cheers, and Tazuna weeps with joy. Kakashi approaches Zabuza's body.
Zabuza: Sounds like it's over.
Kakashi: Yeah.
Zabuza: Kakashi, I have a favor to ask.
Kakashi: What is it?
Zabuza: Take me to him. Before I go, I want to see him one last time.
Kakashi covers his Sharingan and lifts Zabuza bridal-style, carrying him to Haku's side.
Zabuza: Thank you, Kakashi. You were always by my side. The best I can do is be beside you at the end.
Zabuza outstretches his hand towards Haku.
Zabuza: Right now, I cannot be with you, but I wish I could have gone where you've gone. I'll join you there, Haku.
The sun begins to shine on Haku and Zabuza as Haku's tears fall, and with that, Zabuza Momochi is no more.
Naruto: (crying) He told me where he came from, it was always snowing all the time.
Kakashi: Of course. His spirit was as pure as the snow. You never know, Zabuza - maybe you will join him there. Who's to say?
A few hours later, at Haku and Zabuza's grave...
Sakura: Is that really it, Kakashi-sensei? Is that the ninja way - to be used by people as tools?
Kakashi: Shinobi are all merely tools in the hands of destiny. There's no point in wondering if it's right or wrong. It's the same in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
Zabuza's grave is adorned with his executioner's blade, and Haku's with a bouquet of flowers.
Naruto: If you ask me, if that's all being a ninja is about, something is seriously out of whack. Is that why we go through all this training? Just to end up like them?
Sasuke: What is the reason for that?
Kakashi: It's a question without an answer. That's what we shinobi have to deal with every day of our lives, like Zabuza and the kid.
Naruto basks in the sun, deep in thought.
Naruto: I just came to a decision. From now on, I'm finding my own ninja way - a way that's straight, true, and without any regrets. From now on, I'm following the way of Naruto.
Kakashi: (amused) Is that so?
Sakura: Kakashi-sensei, I want to visit Kashimo before we leave tomorrow.
Kakashi: Are you sure?
Sakura: Positive.
The next day, Team 7 heads towards the village jail where Kashimo is imprisoned.
Sakura: Wait here, guys. I'm going in alone.
Kakashi: Alright, Naruto, Sasuke. We'll head home. Sakura wants to meet him alone.
Sakura enters the jail, approaching Kashimo's cell.
Kashimo: Why are you here, girl?
Sakura: I want to talk to you. I want to know more about you - what compelled you to kill Kaiza and why you worked for Gato.
Kashimo: ...Very well. For starters, my name is Kashimo Kansi. I'm from the Village Hidden in the Clouds, and I'm about 26 years old. I was born into a happy family, but 16 years ago, my whole family was slaughtered during a coup d'état attempt. That's when I became a genin, then a chunin a few years later. I even served during the Third War, but I defected.
Sakura: Why?
Kashimo: ...I was framed - framed for the murder of a comrade. So, I had to leave or get executed. Then I met Gato, and he told me everything I wanted to hear. He became my best friend, and I became his main enforcer. But since I didn't fight much, I grew weaker and weaker. That's how I lost. I tried to gain that power back with the cursed mark transformation, but I wasn't the same.
Sakura: ...
Sakura gets up and walks away, leaving Kashimo alone in his cell.
Present day, as Team 7 prepares to leave the village...
Tazuna: We could have never finished the bridge without you. You can't understand how much we're going to miss you.
Tsunami: Do be careful.
Kakashi: Thank you for everything.
Naruto: Now, now, don't get all choked up. We'll come back and visit real soon.
Inari: (tearing up) You swear you will?
Tazuna pats Inari's head.
Naruto: It's alright, Inari. It's okay to cry. There's nothing wrong with it.
Inari: If there's nothing wrong with it, why don't you do it on and cry?
Naruto: No, you first.
Naruto and Inari both cry, causing Sakura to roll her eyes.
Sakura: Boys can be so pathetic.
Team 7 starts to head off, with Tazuna calling out to them.
Tazuna: It was all his doing - that boy made you stronger, Inari. And you, in turn, made the rest of us stronger. It was thanks to that boy we were able to build a bridge to a place we never knew - a place where we found our courage, a place to fulfill our dream.
Inari: Say, speaking of the bridge, now that it's finished, shouldn't we give it a name?
Tazuna: Yes, of course. And I know just the name.
Inari: You do?
Tazuna: We'll call it the Great Naruto Bridge.
Tsunami: (laughing) That's a very good name.
Naruto: (laughing) As soon as we get back, I'm going to eat so much ramen from Iruka-sensei. And oh, wait till I tell Konohamaru about all my adventures. The kid's going to worship me.
Tazuna: This bridge will stand for a long, long time. The name Naruto will be known throughout the world. This bridge is going to be famous. That would be something, wouldn't it?
Sakura: (internal monologue) Naruto - he's like a sun. He empowers the ones around him, and he really empowered this whole land. I hope they name this bridge after him.
As Team 7 leaves the village, the sun shines brightly on the newly christened Great Naruto Bridge, a symbol of hope and courage for generations to come.

And with that, the Land of Waves arc draws to a close. Next, our journey continues with the Chunin Exams