Chapter 30: Aftermath
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Naruto stood as the Susano'o protected him and Satsuki from potential danger. The wind was intense and suffocating to breathe in.
Haku widened his eyes as he felt the power of Naruto ooze right off of him as he took another step. So this was the real power of Uchiha Naruto, huh?
Haku persevered the intensity of the power and tried throwing senbon needles from all sides of the ice mirrors that surrounded Naruto and Satsuki.
But the senbon needles did nothing but bounce right off of the Susano'o without even damaging the ethereal warrior in the same process.
The Susano'o moved due to Naruto's desire to attack. With just one simple and overwhelming punch, Naruto and his Susano'o shattered numerous ice mirrors with barely any effort needed.
Haku widened his eyes, hearing the ice mirrors create shattering and piercing noise. Naruto had barely any knowledge on how to use the Susano'o that surrounded him.
"I won't let you hurt my comrades or Satsuki." Naruto saw Haku appear right behind his Susano'o. This easily caught her off guard due to Naruto being able to track her with such ease.
His Mangekyou Sharingan glowed in the thick mist that covered the area around them.
"And I also won't let you hurt Zabuza-sama." Haku moved around Naruto's Susano'o and tried finding a way to break it and find a way a through such a defense.
"I guess we both have something we want to protect," said Naruto, destroying the rest of the ice mirrors that surrounded them all. Haku jumped away, appearing right side of the bridge.
"What the hell?! What's that power?!" Zabuza questioned, feeling the overflowing power that was radiating right off of Naruto. Kakashi, too, had no idea on what it was.
Is that. . . an ability of the Sharingan? Kakashi thought, using his forearms block the waves of air that was ripping everything apart. Naruto looked up and met eyes with Haku.
Naruto laid Satsuki down on the ground.
He slightly gritted his teeth. His body was experiencing pure pain that washed all over his body in an instant. But he managed to handle some of it and continue right onward.
He looked at Haku once more before jumping in the air. Haku countered by dodging and getting right off of the bridge. He landed on the water that was just below the bridge itself.
Naruto followed also by applying chakra to hhis feet and landing on the unstable water that was wavering every second. The two stood toe-to-toe in front of each other.
"It seems we are both prodigious people in our own right," said Haku, pulling out even more senbon needles. Naruto didn't disagree, but he also didn't agree.
Naruto pulled out a kunai from his holster and held it tightly. He jumped towards Haku with his intense and suffocating power that wahsed over all.
The wind backed away as Naruto used his Susano'o to throw and punch right towards Haku.
He slightly widened his eyes behind the mask of his and barely dodged the overwhelming power of the punch. Naruto threw him an onslaught of punches.
Haku appeared right behind the strong defense and tried destroying the grey skeleton that covered Naruto and protected him. But he slightly widened his eyes as he saw the punch do nothing to the Susano'o.
What kind of power is this? Haku thought, backing away from the Susano'o just incase something dangerous was about to happen.
Naruto calmly turned around and looked at Haku dead in the face. His Susano'o brought up one of its trusty arms and smacked the water with its fist.
The water started overflow all around the area.
Haku widened his eyes, jumping away to avoid the amount of water that he had to endure at that exact and current moment. Naruto balanced himself as he jumped right towards Haku.
He then disappeared and reappeared right behind Haku to punch him in the back with his Susano'o. Haku widened his eyes, feeling the pain erupt from his body.
He was then launched in the air, the pain coursing all throughout his body. But Haku persevered through the pain and landed right on the water once more.
Haku then moved away and ran up the sides of the bridge that they were right next to. Naruto saw this and followed Haku without much hesitation to his own name.
Haku was now right back on the bridge that he and everyone else had started on.
"Right next to you," said Naruto, appearing right beside Haku in an instant. He widened his eyes, feeling his insides rupture due to the punch that Naruto had delivered.
"This is. . . payback." Naruto had his Susano'o pull back its arm to charge up a fist. Haku had no time to react due to the overwhelming pain that was washing all over his body of his.
His mask broke into pieces as he was launched away once again. He landed on the ground and laid right on the ground of the bridge. Haku painfully and slowly got up from his pained and defeated position.
Naruto slowly walked right towards Haku. His mask started to fall apart in utter pieces.
Zabuza-sama, I have. . . failed. Haku thought as Naruto launched himself right towards the unmasked Haku. Naruto's Susano'o balled up its hand and turned it into a fist.
Just as the fist was about to connect itself with Haku's face, Naruto suddenly stopped. His rage — his hatred — it boiled down.
He couldn't — was this what a person calls: remorse? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why was he feeling remorse towards his enemies? Naruto clenched his fists as his Susano'o slowly started to disappear.
"Was what you said just an empty promise that you couldn't keep up? You said you would protect that girl with your life, but you are failing to do so. Do you actually not care for her as much as you say you do?" Naruto gritted his teeth with his jaws clenching tightly.
"Shut up," said Naruto, bringing himself to punch Haku in the face. He was backed away and knocked to the ground.
Haku slowly got back up.
"Do you know what happens when we are not needed by someone?" Asked Haku, blood trickling down his face and mouth. He was in absolute pain in every part of his body.
"We lose meaning — the meaning of our own very existence. This day and moment has shown that I have no more use for someone like Zabuza-sama. Just do it. Kill me."
"Why? Why would you do this for someone like Zabuza? He has done rotten things." His eyes turned right back to its natural azure-blue eyes like before.
"You're smart, but even the smartest of people have their flaws. I, like Zabuza-sama, has done rotten things. And when the time called for it, I was all alone, starving and dying." Naruto tightly clenched his hands into a strong and tight fist.
"But I saw hope and light in Zabuza-sama. He saved me and gave me a reason to live in such a cold and dangerous world. Zabuza-sama found use in me, a tool." Naruto looked down, angrily gazing down at the ground.
"He saw my gifts as a shinobi. He trained me — he gave me a reason to exist. And now, here I am, now a rusty tool that has done its job until the very end. I am replaceable." Haku took a step forward towards Naruto.
"So, please. End my life."
They suddenly heard a crackling noise from far away. Naruto looked back, seeing light. . . lightning chakra through the endless and thick mist that covered the whole area.
"Raikiri"
Haku stopped for a moment and saw this. He immediately dashed right forward, ignoring Naruto's wide eyes.
"Excuse me, but this shall be the last thing I do before I die. That is to save Zabuza-sama." Haku launched himself forward, going even faster than before.
Naruto followed right behind him. He then suddenly felt the backlash of using his Mangekyou Sharingan. Naruto dropped to the ground, feeling the pain surround his body.
Shit, why now? Naruto thought, bringing his hand up to his eyes and covering them. He caressed his eyes to reduce and lessen the pain that he was experiencing.
Haku saw Kakashi about to finish off Zabuza in an instant. Hounds had pinned Zabuza tightly, no allowing him to even move a single damn inch anywhere.
"This is your end." Kakashi threw his jutsu 'Raikiri' right towards Zabuza's heart. But he stopped instantly once he saw a blur go right in front of him.
He widened his eyes, seeing Haku take the Raikiri to the heart for Zabuza. Naruto arrived, widening his eyes at this also. He stopped, staring at this moment for eternity.
"Not only has he sacrificed himself for my cause, but he also created an opportunity!" Yelled Zabuza, using his Executioner's Blade to spin right around and try and kill Kakashi in one single slash.
But Kakashi managed to dodge and bringing Haku alongside him. He sighed, closing Haku's lifeless and dead eyes for him. Naruto just stood still as the two fought in a very hollowing way.
I'm losing. . . my touch. The conviction that I once hold is. . . no longer there. Naruto thought, looking down at the ground below. He has grown way too soft for his own good.
How did I let this happen? Was it because of Satsuki? No, definitely not. She fuels it actually. But the only other logical answer is the village, Konoha. Naruto looked back up, observing the fight that was right in front of him.
This village. . . it changed me. I should't have let that happen. Naruto thought, seeing Kakashi stab Zabuza with a kunai right in his arm. Now he could only use the arm that wielded the Executioner's Blade.
Kakashi appeared right behind Zabuza, maneuvering another kunai towards his other arm. He gritted his teeth, using all of his strength to wield the Executioner's Blade.
But Kakashi managed to stab his arm that wielded it before he had to dodge the blade itself.
"There, that should be it."
Just before Kakashi could do anything else, they heard a bunch of claps and steps walking right towards them. They looked at the direction and narrowed their eyes.
"I must say, Zabuza. You surely did disappoint me." Gato saw Haku laying on the ground, dead. He saw this opportunity to 'poke' some fun. He had a large cane right in his hand.
Gato walked right towards Haku's dead corpse and poked his cheek with his cane.
"You disrespectful brat. This is my payback. You almost broke my damn wrist." He looked at his wrist and saw the bruise that he had sustained from Haku's strength.
Naruto looked at Zabuza.
"Are you not going to do something?" Naruto asked, expecting Zabuza to actually do something to stop Gato from doing what he was currently doing.
"Haku is dead. Do you not understand that?"
"You two. . . you spent years together. Do that not mean nothing?" Naruto took a slight step, narrowing his eyes right at Zabuza. He side-glanced at Naruto.
"This is the life of a shinobi. We all control each other for our own greater purpose. What I did to Haku is no different what Gato did to me." Naruto clenched his fist.
"Fuck you, Zabuza." Naruto glared, walking right past him. Kakashi tried reaching out to stop Naruto, but the pain made him regret that decisions.
"Naruto! Don't!" But he ignored him and stood right in front of the all.
"Tch, you refuse to do something so simple. You care about Haku, but at the same time you pretend you don't." Naruto pushed his hand into his holster and pulled out a kunai.
"You lack the conviction in your words that won't make me believe such bullshit." Naruto got ready to fight the army of such useless and pitiful gang members that were hired by Gato.
"If you're not going to do it, then I will." Just before Naruto could launch himself right towards Gato, someone kicked him back away. Naruto sighed, now looking up at the sky.
"Your words. . . they are vile." There were tears running down Zabuza's face. Oh, he was crying. Naruto's eyes gazed right up the sky that was being covered in pure mist.
"Give me your kunai." This was directed right towards Naruto. He nodded, throwing his kunai right towards Zabuza while he laid flat on the ground.
Zabuza caught it with his mouth.
He gripped it tightly as he maneuvered his way towards Gato. He widened his eyes, quickly running away from Zabuza and made his way back to his gang members.
"Get him! Protect me!" He yelled, running in the army and going to the edge of the unfinished bridge. Gato gulped in fear, eyes widening a considerable amount at the sight in front of him.
Zabuza caught sight of Gato and glared right at his soul. The endless gang members tried stabbing Zabuza, but all it did was fuel Zabuza's anger and hatred for Gato.
He made it out of the endless hired gang members and appeared right in front of Gato. He backed away, fearing for the end of his own life that he so desperately wanted to keep and save.
"Z-Zabuza! W-we can talk a-about this! I can g-give you anything you w-want!" He tried getting on Zabuza's good side to save himself from his own and expected death.
But he didn't listen and used the kunai that he was gripping down with his mouth to stabbed Gato repeatedly. He felt the pain from the kunai piercing and tearing down his own flesh.
Gato looked at his hired gang members.
"Help. . . me!" He called out weakly. They nodded and charged right behind Zabuza with their weapons. He stopped for a moment, looking at Gato with such pure fury.
And in a split second, Gato was falling right off the unfinished bridge.
The weapons that he was stabbed by fell off of his body and dropped right down on the ground below. The ex-hired gang members backed away in fear.
Zabuza started to limp right across, making his way towards Haku. He was so close, but yet, he was so far away from Haku. Zabuza crashed down on the ground, slowly dying.
Naruto slowly sat and looked at the ex-hired gang members right in front of him. He sighed with one eye closed and him panting due to his tiredness.
The ex-hired gang members smirked at them all.
"I'm not leaving here empty-handed! Get them!" Everyone nodded, grinning at them as they quickly picked up their weapons that were knocked off of their hands by Zabuza.
They waited for a few moments before charging right towards them all.
Naruto sighed, slowly moving to the stand right back up. Though he was quickly stopped once he saw an arrow strike down in the middle of the bridge.
This caused the gang members to stop their charging in a very abrupt manner. They all looked further ahead and saw Inari and the entire village right behind him.
"The hero(es) always comes in at the last second to save everyone!" Inari yelled, bringing his crossbow right above, declaring war against the gang members.
Naruto got a slight amused look on his face as he looked at them all. He looked right back around and saw the gang members grit their teeth slightly.
I'll use the rest of my chakra to summon Shadow Clones. Naruto thought, summoning dozens of Shadow Clones all right them. They all gazed at the gang members.
"RUN!" They yelled, running away and jumping off of the bridge and into the depths of the ice-cold water just right below that unfinished bridge. Naruto panted, feeling the tiredness wash all over him.
The clones dispersed and only real Naruto was the last one standing.
God, the Susano'o or whatever it is called took the toll out of me. Naruto thought, laying back on the ground. Kakashi took the dying Zabuza and placed him right next to Haku.
The mist that was covering the area soon started to turn non-existent and disappear completely. Naruto slowly closed started to close his eyes.
A pained but peaceful face appeared as he soon fell asleep.
~~~
"Oh, I'm here again." Naruto looked at the cage right in front of him. The Kyuubi looked at Naruto with his fierce and dangerous eyes. A growl was made.
"So you unlocked the next step of your accursed doujutsu at the age of 12. Even younger than Madara." Naruto narrowed his eyes, gazing at the Kyuubi.
"The Mangekyou Sharingan, huh? Madara told me about about it and one of its abilities: Susano'o. Though, I am confused at one matter. How did I get it?" Asked Naruto, confused on how he could have gotten it when Satsuki didn't die.
"I know that someone closed to you or something along those lines are needed to die or something for it to meet the criteria. But that was not the case with Satsuki." This was what made Naruto confused. A snort was made by Kyuubi.
"Isn't it obvious? Someone smart like you can't even figure this out? Fine. I'll tell you." Naruto stood still, silently listening to the words of the Kyuubi's.
"The moment you saw Satsuki or your girlfriend sacrifice herself to save you, the process was already undergoing and taking shape."
"But it took shape so quickly. Doesn't it take time?"
"Hmph. Don't think someone like you who is quote-on-quote 'emotionless' is immune. People like you typically feel the most emotion." Naruto shrugged, disagreeing with the Kyuubi's statement.
"Wouldn't the process stop immediately after I found out Satsuki was actually still alive?" The Kyuubi stayed silent before he answered the question that was directed towards him.
"That's the thing, the process was already done by the time you found out that she was alive. You have strong feelings for the girl. I'll have killing you two once I get out."
"Strong feelings? I do not follow."
"You wouldn't understand. You are prone to not understanding these type of things. That's just your own nature." Naruto stood there, silent to everything that was happening.
"Strong feelings, huh?" Naruto started to slowly disappear from the mind-scape.
~~~
Naruto slowly awoke from his deep sleep. His eyes saw the ceiling. He slowly sat up and looked all around him.
They're all down eating. Naruto thought, hearing the talking from all the way from his current location. He sighed, looking out and seeing the scenery.
I've been asleep for quite some time. Naruto thought, seeing the bright sun shining down on the world. He sat there, thinking and thinking what he should do next.
He suddenly heard someone slide the door open.
It was Kakashi.
"Good, you're awake." Naruto stood up to his voice and looked right back at him. Kakashi looked at him for a second before he gave him his signature eye-smile.
It then disappeared a moment after.
"We need to talk on what happened to you. Privately."
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