The air was thick with the scent of blood and cold steel.
Zabuza and Haku lay still, their bodies resting in the snowfall. Despite the battle ending, no one spoke for a long time.
Naruto was shaking. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. "It's not fair," he muttered. His voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried through the silence. "They didn't deserve this…"
I watched him closely. This was the first time he had witnessed something like this—the harsh reality of being a shinobi.
He was angry.
More than that, he was hurt.
Kakashi exhaled softly, standing up. "Come on," he said, his voice calm but firm. "We should bury them."
Naruto blinked, looking up. "Bury them?"
Kakashi nodded. "They were our enemies… but in the end, they were also people. They deserve respect."
For a moment, Naruto didn't move. Then, with a sharp nod, he turned to help.
I watched as Kakashi and Naruto carefully lifted Zabuza and Haku, moving them to a quiet spot at the edge of the bridge. Sasuke joined in, his movements slower, still processing everything.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This entire mission had been a mess from start to finish.
Wood Release made things easier. Thick roots pushed through the frozen ground, shifting the earth aside. I guided them carefully, carving a resting place for the two fallen warriors.
Naruto wiped at his eyes but didn't say anything.
Kakashi stared down at the graves, his expression unreadable. "Rest easy," he murmured.
The moment was heavy, but it wasn't meant to last.
Tazuna approached, his face solemn. "Thank you," he said. "For everything."
Kakashi gave him a tired smile. "It was our job."
The bridge was finally finished. With Gato gone, the village could rebuild. There was hope again.
We left the next morning.
—
The journey back to Konoha was quiet.
Naruto was unusually subdued, Sasuke seemed lost in thought, and even Kakashi wasn't reading his usual book.
It was a lot to take in.
Naruto broke the silence first. "Raiden…"
I glanced at him. "Yeah?"
He hesitated. "Do you think… we'll end up like them?"
I didn't answer right away.
I could see why he was asking. Haku and Zabuza were shinobi, just like us. They were strong, they had goals, and yet, in the end, they still died.
But I wasn't Haku.
And Naruto wasn't Zabuza.
I exhaled, turning my gaze toward the trees. "Only if we let ourselves."
Naruto frowned. "Huh?"
I gave him a small smirk. "Haku fought for someone else's dream. He lived for Zabuza's sake, not his own. If we fight for ourselves, if we have something real to protect—" I tapped his forehead lightly. "—we won't end up like them."
Naruto blinked, taking in my words. Then, slowly, he grinned. "Heh… I guess that makes sense."
Sasuke scoffed. "That was a long-winded way of saying 'don't be weak.'"
I chuckled. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
For the first time since the battle, the air felt lighter.
Maybe we weren't fully okay.
But we would be.
And soon, we'd have our next challenge—because the Chunin Exams were right around the corner.