Life and Death

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Author Notes-

The incidents in this chapter and the next are explained in Chapter 167

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"Naruto... are you going to fight me too?" Haku asked.

"I don't want to fight you either….. But if you are still bent on killing old man Tazuna then I have no choice..." Naruto said as he looked gloomily towards Haku.

"Why?" Haku asked.

"The bridge is the hope for the people of the country, and by killing Tazuna you are taking their hope away." Naruto explained

"Zabuza was the one who gave me hope…. His wish is my command…." Haku tried to explain by recounting her past with Naruto.

But Naruto knew there was no way to turn this around in their favour as Haku and Zabuza depended on Gato's business to live in peace as a lawless mercenary.

"What would you do if Zabuza had not taken you in that day? That is what you are doing to the people right now….." Naruto explained causing Haku to frown.

"Looks like we can only choose to continue this battle" Haku said as he merged his image into the mirror and took out his needles.

"Here I go…." Haku said as he launched from the mirror, readily sending his needles to where Naruto was

Naruto did not remove his weights, but that his where his mark from that morning in the forest came in handy.

<Flying Raijin Level 1>

(Boom!) Haku's mask was smashed as he was sent flying away crashing through one of the crystal mirrors by Naruto's powerful kick.

(cough)

(cough)

Haku coughed as he stood up while puking a bit of blood.

His mask cracked into pieces revealing the face that Naruto had seen back in the forest when Haku looked like a harmless boy who could not be pictured as a ninja.

("Zabuza….I am unable to defeat this boy…..")

Haku knew he had failed his duties upon being defeated by Naruto.

"Please kill me Naruto…" He begged.

Naruto walked feeling only sadness, lawless people like Haku and Zabuza did not have a choice to go back after becoming rogue ninjas, so even if he freed them, one day or the other they would get killed, if not his team, some other team would face a similar situation.

The hardest part being that he liked them both, in this world and the previous one too as they were the ones who first showed him how a ninja should live, This deep respect could not be shaken, but he had to watch the duo die in the present once again. As he was not in a position (as in hokage) to grant them protection regardless he had strength or not.

Neither was he willing to risk showing his abilities which could in theory bring a bigger disaster in form of Akatsuki or maybe a retribution of some sort by going against fate itself, because this matter not only concerned him but most importantly the people who he wanted to protect once again,

Naruto knew that the universe worked on the principle of exchange, for example the jutsu that had played a major part in the war was the reanimation jutsu which worked by exchanging one's life. He would be risking someone else's life for example saving Jiraiya could maybe lead to having Kakashi killed as a principle of equivalent exchange.

"I won't kill you...." Naruto said as he walked forward.

"You took away the reason for my existence….." Haku continued.

"That still wont change my decision..."

"Then I can only continue….." Haku said as he started running towards Naruto.

(slash!) Naruto had used his kunai to tear through the tendons on Haku's arms

"With this you won't be able to perform your jutsu again….." Naruto said sadly as though he mocked himself.

…..

…..

…..

<Ninja Art Summoning - Earth Style Fanged Pursuit Jutsu> Kakashi said as he unleashed the technique.

…

At the edge of the bridge where Zabuza was standing the ground vibrated as eight dogs appeared from the ground as they dug their way out , latched onto different parts of his body with their fangs.

"If you can't use your eyes or ears, simply just use your nose" Kakashi said as he appeared out of the fog in front of Zabuza.

"That's what happens when you're closing your eyes in the midst of fog."

"I deliberately shed my own blood to stop your attacks only to use it as a way to track you for this one moment"

"Your weapons have a thick scent of my blood on them now"

"My adorable ninja dogs just followed the scent, because when it comes to smell, they have no equal….."

"You're the one who was playing in my hands Zabuza…"

"The fog has lifted and your future is death"

Kakashi said as he raised his hands

"Here's something I didn't copy, a jutsu of my own….. To enlighten you"

Kakashi then started forming seals

<Ox><Rabbit><Monkey>

And lifted his right hand which was gathering blue lightning energy while being supported by the left.

"Aaaaarrrgghhhhhhh!!!!!!!"

<RAIKIRI>

He shouted

…..

…..

…..

Meanwhile

(knock)

(knock)

(knock)

"Old man Giichi!" Inari called as he knocked on the door

"Please Open Up!"

"Let's go to the bridge!"

"If we all do it together, we can beat Gatô and his men this time!"

The door opened as a weak voice spoke

"Inari, I made up my mind not to fight anymore. Even your father….The man we called a hero…He's not with us anymore…."

"If we were to fight, many lives would be lost….. I don't want to lose something that's precious to me anymore"

"No one wants to regret again"

..

..

..

"I don't want to regret either, That's why we must fight!"

"I love Mom, Dad, grandpa, you and all the people here"

"I've finally realized, nothing is accomplished if I just cry all the time!"

"I finally got it!" Inari said as he ran off.

..

In the house old man Giichi stood by the door ashamed of what he had just said, as sounded like a coward trying to save his own skin

"Inari… has grown into a fine young man"

"Will you just let Inari go there by himself?" Giichi's wife asked.

…

"Open Up!"

"Hey!"

"I'm asking you to fight with me" Inari said as he went around knocking at everyone's door in the village.

…

….

…

Meanwhile at the bridge

Kakashi talked with Zabuza about his past and how a great ninja like him had aligned with scum like Gatô.

"Zabuza, you were too full of yourself….." Kakashi said as he ran forward with his Raikiri.

….

Haku was facing Naruto with crest fallen eyes until he suddenly felt Zabuza's life in danger.

Haku new at this point he couldn't do anything as his arms were no longer usable but he still chose to run towards Zabuza, but unfortunately he couldn't make it and watched Kakashi zap Zabuza with his Raikiri.

"No!" Haku screamed as he ran towards Zabuza.

Zabuza couldn't believe as he fell to the floor, looking towards the sky, while he was stepped on by an unexpected arrival.

"Gatô!" Haku shouted feeling his anger rushing to his brains

Gatô almost fell over from remembering how powerful Haku was.

He observed Haku carefully and grinned

"Oh! You've really got it bad this time"…"The both of you really disappoint me" Gatô said as he slowly got surrounded by his entourage of handymen.

"Sorry to say this, but you both are going to die here..." Gatô said as though he was assured he could deal with all.

"What?!" Haku reacted with Hostility.

"Since hiring a regular ninja costs a lot of money, I hired rogue ninja like you guys…And it would have been more ideal to save my money and effort if Ninja - to- Ninja battles ended in killing each other off"

"If you are to ask me, i'd just call you a cute demon!" Gatô mocked as all his men supported the comment by laughing at Haku.

Zabuza knew he would close his eye's anytime now and be dead, but Gatô had completely destroyed the only pride he had left.

"Kakashi…I apologize!, Our battle ends here he said"

Upon which Haku ran over as he started to take down Gatô's men one by one getting riddled with weapons all over.

Gatô had already ran to the back, thinking he would be safe, yet he was done in by Haku.

Haku slowly walked back to Zabuza, as just like him he reached the end of her life as well.

Zabuza suddenly saw all the memories of his life flash by, mostly seeing only the gruesome scenes the mist village's bloody test, and all the missions in which he had taken part killing countless….At this moment he had realized that the only good memories he had was how he had spent his time with Haku.

Haku apologised for not being able to protect him.

Zabuza teared up as he saw Haku.

He raised his hands with the remaining strands of life force he had as he patted Haku's head "Its all right Haku, You are not to blame….."

"It was me who brought you up in this wretched lifestyle of mine…." He said deeply regretting not living a life with his head held up high.

"I'm glad we could fight with you at the end…" Zabuza said to Kakashi and the rest as he turned towards Haku and passed away.

Haku turned towards Zabuza as he said "I hope we can spend more time together in the afterlife…" After which he had departed as well.

Naruto then turned towards the sky while tears over flowed.

("They both died even though I Thought one of them could be saved...") Naruto thought as he looked towards the sky...