"But…I killed all those people…I really am nothing more than a demon…" Naruto bit the bottom of his lip to keep more tears from spilling out.
Zabuza laughed at him, "Gaki, I go by the title Kiri No Kijin, I have been called a demon ever since I slaughtered an entire graduating class in Kirigakure and earned my place in its shinobi ranks. So I think I would know a demon when I see one, and you are too soft hearted to be a demon."
Naruto looked at the man before turning back to the grave, "… I suppose you would know…"
Zabuza made a 'hmming' sound but did not say anything. For several more moments they stood in silence, "Kid…"
"Yeah?" asked Naruto.
"I want you to do me a favor," Zabuza said.
Naruto frowned, "What kind of favor?"
"Well two actually," Zabuza paused, "I want you to always keep Haku close to your heart, make sure you never forget her. I see the same kindness and pure heart in you that I did in her, never lose that."
"You don't have to make that kind of request. Even if I wanted to I could never forget Haku-chan…not that I would want to." Naruto looked down at the necklace in his hand, "And the other request?"
"Find people who are important to you and protect them," Zabuza said simply. "Haku had always believed that true strength came from protecting the people important and precious to them. I've become more inclined to believe her after today. I want you to find that source of strength that Haku cherished, something that I couldn't do until it was too late."
Zabuza walked in front of the grave and planted his zanbatou in the ground. Pausing for a moment before he turned around and began walking away, as he did, he passed a parting comment over his shoulder. "My one regret was never telling Haku how much I loved her, that she was the daughter I never had. Do not make the same mistakes I did, or you'll live a life of regret."
Naruto watched Zabuza leave before turning back to the grave and the sword now planted in front of it.
Haku…
The door to Tazuna's house opened and everyone looked to see Naruto walk in. Tazuna, Tsunami and Inari were all sitting on the large couch, while Kakashi was sitting in a chair with his book surprisingly absent.
"Naruto!" Kakashi said as he stood up, "Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah…" Naruto said, his eyes looking down at the floor, "I'm fine sensei, sorry for worrying you."
Kakashi walked over to Naruto and put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "Listen Naruto, if you ever need to talk about anything…"
Naruto looked up at his sensei and smiled, "Thanks sensei, but I'm feeling fine, really."
"Naruto-nii-san!" Inari shouted as he came bounding up to Naruto, "Everyone's saying you're the one who defeated Gato on the bridge! Is it true?"
Naruto winced almost imperceptibly but put on a smile for Inari, the kid didn't need to know the gruesome details or how he hated what he had done. "Yeah it's true," he ruffle the kid's hair, "I told you I'd send him packing!"
"Sugoi!" Inari said as he looked up at Naruto, "That's so cool! I'm gonna train to get stronger just like my tou-san and you Naruto-nii-san!"
Naruto gave Inari a large smile, "If you want to be as strong as I am one day then there is something very important you need to remember."
"What is it Nii-san?" asked Inari.
"When a person has something important to protect, that's when they become truly strong."
Haku, Naruto looked at Inari with a smile, "It's only when a person has something important to protect, that's when they become truly strong. Remember that."
Inari nodded enthusiastically, "I will Nii-san!"
Naruto ruffled Inari's hair one last time before looking up at Kakashi, "So sensei, where are Sakura and Sasuke-teme?"
"Sasuke has a bit of a concussion, so he's upstairs resting," Kakashi answered.
"Oh Sasuke-kun! Let me help you fluff your pillow so you'll be more comfortable!"
"Get away from me! Why won't you just leave me alone!"
"Wait! Sasuke-kun, Kakashi-sensei said you shouldn't be moving right now!"
Naruto, Kakashi and everyone else in the room sweatdropped as several loud bangs and the pair's screams could be heard.
"Well, maybe he's not getting as much rest as I thought," Kakashi sweatdropped at hearing a particularly loud scream of 'Get the fuck away from me you crazy bitch' from Sasuke. "Speaking of, you should probably get some rest too. The bridge should be finished by next week, until then we still have a job to do."
Naruto nodded as he headed up stairs, "Then I'll see you tomorrow sensei."
(One Week Later…)
The passing week had been fairy hectic for the three genin. With Gato gone and the battle of the bridge having ended in victory only because of Naruto losing control of the Kyuubi, Kakashi had decided to start training them harder than before. He had started teaching Sasuke the water walking exercise since he had already gotten tree walking down. Sakura was still on tree climbing since her reserves were simply not large enough to use water walking. Both of them had been run slightly ragged by their Jonin-sensei, Sasuke even more so since he now had his Sharingan, something he had taken to turning on and off every chance he got.
For Naruto things had been even worse, though it was by his own doing rather than his sensei. He had taken his training to a whole new level. Pushing himself far beyond anything he had ever done. To him, his time in Nami had shown him that he was too weak to protect the people he cared about. He felt that he should have been able to do something, anything that could have saved Haku. That feeling of guilt and the pain of loss was channeled into his training.
Now instead of his usual two hundred clones, he had summoned up three hundred and began to make them work on further developing his fighting style. Naruto wanted to incorporate the use of high speed attacks and fuuinjutsu into his style; hopefully it would give him an edge over others since fuuinjutsu was an obscure art.
However it had been his physical training that Naruto had worked on the most. While he had not upped his training seals, he had nearly quadrupled his workout routine, and was often so exhausted and sore that one of his clones had to take him back to Tazuna's. Kakashi and Tazuna's family became somewhat worried for him when they would see a clone carrying his bloody and beaten form into the house, but he assured them that he was fine.
Despite assuring everything that he was fine, Naruto knew the truth. He knew that each time he reassured someone when they were worrying over him after finding out he had his clones beat the crap out of him on a daily bases, that he was anything but fine. But he knew that he could not stop, the moment he stopped training, the memories he had made with Haku over this past week would come back. And each time they did, it felt like someone had taken a molten hot kunai and shoved in his heart.
That was why he trained himself into the ground everyday, the true reason he could not stop training. Why he came to Tazuna's home every night nearly unconscious. Because the moment he stopped, the pain he felt set in and he did not want to acknowledge the gaping feeling of loss he could now feel.
So long as he kept busy, he could ignore it, so that's what he did.
Another thing Naruto had done was talk to Tazuna about making an orphanage for the orphans he had found and helped. Tazuna along with a few others had helped Naruto build the orphanage; of course all they did was get supplies. Naruto had used his ability to produce ungodly amounts of clones to build the orphanage himself. They had also managed to get a few people who were childless to help take care of the orphans when Naruto left.
At the end of the week the Bridge, with more help from Naruto's clones, had been completed. Now all of the people of Nami were there, not only to celebrate the completion of the bridge, but also to see off the heroes of wave.