The Demon's End-Zabuza's Death

"All right, looks like Kakashi is angry. I won't keep giving you the cold shoulder either. Next, next we'll settle this," Issui said.

"Hmph, don't get too cocky, brat. I may not be able to use Ninjutsu, but Taijutsu and swordsmanship are my strengths. Don't forget, I'm the Demon Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure and wielder of the Kubikiribōchō..." Zabuza said calmly, drawing his Kubikiribōchō from behind his back.

"Hmph, when it comes to Taijutsu, the Byakugan has never been afraid..." Issui assumed the opening stance of the Gentle Fist.

"Hmph, just putting on a show. Take this..." Zabuza charged at him with his greatsword.

Zabuza was incredibly fast. Issui had a little trouble keeping up, but only a little.

This brat's Taijutsu is good too, Zabuza thought. Last time, I only knew his Genjutsu and Ninjutsu were strong. He's a real genius, even his Taijutsu is this good. But if I go a little faster, I wonder if he can still keep up.

Zabuza quickly dodged away, then flung a handful of Kunai and Shuriken before charging in himself.

"Hmph, Rotation!!!" Issui unleashed the Byakugan's absolute defense, sending all the Kunai, Shuriken, and the closely following Zabuza flying in one go...

On the other side, Kakashi had already finished his fight without even using Ninjutsu. Zabuza and his subordinates were on entirely different levels, and with the Sharingan's help, Kakashi quickly finished the fight.

Naruto had also shattered Haku's Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, and the two were talking. Sakura and Tazuna rushed toward the place where Sasuke had fallen, and Kakashi also came to Sasuke's side.

When Sakura saw Sasuke lying unconscious, she immediately burst into tears. Kakashi didn't notice either and thought Haku really had killed Sasuke this time. After all, with so many Senbon in his body, who could guarantee none had struck a fatal spot?

Haku also began telling them about her past and how Zabuza had taken her in. She had willingly become Lord Zabuza's tool, and now that she had failed, there was no way for her to go on living as his tool. She asked Naruto to kill her quickly and end her painful life...

Zabuza, who had been knocked to the ground, struggled to his feet. He had already suffered serious injuries.

"Zabuza, all your subordinates have failed, and your time is coming too. The grudge from six years ago will end here today, and I'll begin a new journey of my own..." Issui felt his state of mind rising to a higher level. His great vengeance was achieved, the obstacle in his way was about to be eliminated, and the third stage of the Heaven Eye opened with it. The purification of his soul allowed the Eye of Heaven to evolve to yet another stage.

"Hmph, it's too early to celebrate, brat..." Zabuza stared at Issui in surprise. Why has his aura risen another notch? His strength has improved again. What a terrifying brat. The Taijutsu he's using must be the Gentle Fist of Konoha's prominent Hyuga Clan. How can he use the Hyuga Clan's ultimate technique? Is it that eye on his forehead? My Ninjutsu has been sealed, cutting my strength in half. If this goes on, I'll surely die.

"You've realized you've reached your limit too, haven't you? Unable to use Ninjutsu, you no longer have any strength to match mine. So accept death. You're in my Eight Trigrams Domain right now. Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms..." Issui said calmly.

During Issui's fight, Kakashi and the others also felt his aura. Just as Naruto was about to kill Haku with a Shuriken, she stopped him with one hand.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, I can't die yet..." Haku quickly formed Hand Seals with one hand and left using the Body Flicker Technique...

Kakashi was shocked. What is she going to do...?

"Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms... two palms... Four Palms... Eight Palms... Sixteen Palms... Thirty-Two Palms... Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms... one hundred twenty-eight palms..." Issui advanced swiftly, striking Zabuza with a fierce Eight Trigrams Palm. No, it wasn't Zabuza, it was Yuki Haku. How did she get here? What are Kakashi and the others doing?

"Cough, cough, cough..." Haku spat out a large amount of warm blood. Indeed, Issui's palm technique contained an enormous amount of his Chakra, attacking sixty of his opponent's tenketsu twice in succession. The internal organs in her meridians might also have been swept up by the tremendous Chakra energy, and her lungs had very likely ruptured. Haku didn't have Naruto's freakish constitution. After the intense battle just now, followed by an Eight Trigrams Palm attack, it was very likely...

Issui had thought Haku couldn't hold on any longer and would either fall unconscious or really die from her organs shattering. But unexpectedly, as Haku passed out, she used the last of her strength to clutch one of Issui's hands tightly to her chest.

So springy. Issui could now be certain Haku was a woman, because she had a woman's "organs" on her body. Regardless of whether Haku was male or female in the original story, in the world Issui inhabited, Haku was a woman. Although his hand was holding a soft mound of flesh, Issui didn't dare let himself be distracted now. Zabuza was waiting for just such a golden opportunity.

"Hmph, hmph, brat, you actually told me to accept death. Brat, you've failed again. I really did pick up something good, giving me such a fine opportunity at this crucial final moment..." Zabuza said with a laugh, looking at Haku, whose head had dropped as she fell unconscious.

Kakashi and the others were stunned by what Haku had done. They hadn't expected her to protect Zabuza even at the very end. She was such a good child.

But Issui was in trouble. Kakashi turned to worrying about him. Quick, dodge Zabuza's attack...

Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō suddenly slashed toward Issui, with Haku caught in its path as well. He was truly a ruthless man.

"Hmph, Eye of Heaven-Frost-Ice-Sealed Armor!!!" Issui held Haku in his arms and used the newly awakened Frost Stage Secret Technique. Four shields made of frost appeared around his body, completely blocking Zabuza's attack.

"What? How can you use ice-attribute Chakra, and even block an attack from my Kubikiribōchō?!" Zabuza could no longer remain calm. Is this kid a monster? Aren't the Yuki the only ones who can use ice-attribute Ninjutsu?

"Unforgivable!!! My anger is burning now. Zabuza, you really are a cold-blooded animal. She lost her young life for you..." A large amount of frost had gathered around Issui, caused by a great quantity of ice-attribute Chakra escaping from his body.

"Ice Shuriken!!!" Issui reached into the air and grasped. Several Shuriken made of frost appeared in his hand, and he threw them straight at Zabuza.

"Hmph, petty tricks..." Zabuza promptly dodged the Ice Shuriken. At that speed, they couldn't hurt him at all.

"Tch, look behind you, idiot!" Issui reminded him.

Zabuza looked back. The Shuriken had actually turned around and were flying at him again. This time, he couldn't fend them off. Every one of them struck his arms, leaving both useless.

"All right, I don't need to waste Chakra maintaining the Sealing Domain anymore. I still have plenty of Chakra, but wasting it is shameful." Issui released his Sealing Domain.

"You, how did you do that with your Shuriken? I saw that you weren't using Chakra Threads to guide them. How did they come back?!" Zabuza asked.

"Hmph, that's the new ability of my Kekkei Genkai, Ice Comprehension. Anywhere my eyes can see, weapons made of frost can move according to my thoughts!!!"

"What?! That's terrifying..."

"Hey, Zabuza, look at you. You're absolutely disgusting. And you call yourself the Demon of the Hidden Mist? How ridiculous, haha..." Gato's sudden appearance made everyone's hearts jump. What was going on now?

"Gato, what are you doing here? And why did you bring so many men?" Zabuza turned and asked.

"What am I doing? There's been a slight change of plans, Zabuza. I want you to die here. Hiring proper ninja costs too much, so I hired runaway ninja like you instead. And if both sides end up badly hurt, I won't have to pay a penny. I'm so clever!" Gato said arrogantly.

Then Gato walked over to Haku, paying no attention to Issui beside her. As far as he was concerned, a brat like that couldn't be very strong, and after fighting for so long, he couldn't have much stamina left.

"Hmph, speaking of which, this brat is hateful too. She actually crushed my hand..." Gato said angrily, kicking her hard...

"Hmph, did you forget I'm right here? Kicking my spoils right in front of me? I won't forgive you for that." Issui grabbed Gato by his coat and threw him straight out...

"Zabuza, you're truly heartless. She's ended up like this, and you don't feel anything at all? Weren't you always together?" Issui asked Zabuza, completely ignoring Gato and his men.

"Just as Gato used me, I was only using Haku. We ninja are nothing but tools. What I wanted was her ability, not her as a person. I have no regrets at all..." Zabuza said calmly.

"Do you really think that? This girl clearly likes you very much. Don't you have even the slightest attachment to her? Don't you... believe in her at all? For you, she could fight enemies nonstop and become as strong as you. Even at the very end, she was willing to die for you, yet she couldn't earn even a little recognition from you. In the end, after she died, an outsider like me had to protect her dead body from being desecrated. Zabuza, you really are heartless..." Issui said sadly. Haku, listen. I know you're not dead yet. Ninja need feelings. Zabuza will kill that bastard Gato for you. In the last moments of his life, let her protect you just once.

"All right... brat, don't say any more. Haku was like a pure child, completely untouched by corruption. For me, she would fight everyone through her pain. She always bore all that pain silently in her heart. Brat, I know I won't live through today. Let me do one thing for Haku in these final moments and kill the man who insulted her..." Tears ran down Zabuza's face. Sure enough, ninja needed feelings.

"Hmph, all right. Ninja should be full of feeling. Although you're my enemy, since you've realized that at the end, I'll grant your wish. I imagine the Heaven Village villagers who died would also be happy to see a ninja world like that. Here, take this Shuriken and complete your mission..." Issui happily tossed Zabuza a Shuriken.

"Thank you..." Zabuza caught the Shuriken in his mouth and charged fiercely at Gato and his men. The Demon of Kirigakure began his final slaughter...