Haku Dies

The instant Haku heard the thunder, his entire body tensed sharply.

The clones restraining him could clearly feel the muscles beneath their hands turn hard as iron in an instant, followed by violent struggling.

"Lord Zabuza..."

Haku's voice changed abruptly. His previous calmness and resignation vanished completely, replaced by frantic unease and anxiety.

He twisted desperately, trying to break free from the clones' restraints, but several clones held his joints tightly, making every burst of strength futile.

"Let me go!"

Haku's voice grew shrill, carrying a despair that bordered on collapse. "Naruto, let me go! Lord Zabuza is in danger..."

Naruto glanced back at Haku and said flatly, "You're this worried because you think Zabuza will die at Kakashi-sensei's hands?"

"I don't know, but I can't let him die!"

For the first time, tears welled up in Haku's eyes. All composure vanished from his exquisite face, revealing the truest emotions beneath. "Everyone has something they want to protect... What I protect is Lord Zabuza!"

He raised his head to Naruto, his voice nearly a scream. "Naruto, let me go! Please!"

Naruto froze.

He knew Haku would block the Lightning Blade, and he naturally knew Haku would die because of it.

According to the original plot, Haku's sacrifice would awaken the last shred of humanity buried deep within Zabuza. Zabuza would then rise up and kill Gato before finally dying in the snow while holding Haku's corpse.

It was a tragedy, but it was also the most pivotal emotional climax of the Land of Waves arc.

Should he change it?

Naruto weighed the matter for less than a second.

With that thought, Naruto slowly said, "Are you sure? Even if it means death?"

Haku raised his head, his eyes bloodshot and his voice incomparably firm. "I can do anything for Lord Zabuza!"

Naruto looked at the resolute eyes on Haku's impossibly exquisite face and fell silent for a moment.

More than anyone else, he understood what it felt like to risk everything for someone.

In his previous life, that very impulse had gotten him killed.

But Haku's situation had nothing to do with the scum who oppressed the common people. Haku was protecting someone who had truly pulled him out of hell.

Besides, he had only just transmigrated and had not even figured out his own circumstances completely. How could he have the mind to meddle in other people's affairs?

With that in mind, Naruto raised a hand and made a gesture.

The clones restraining Haku released him at the same time, then dissolved into puffs of white smoke that scattered through the air.

Haku sprang up from the ground. As he rose, he had already adjusted into a sprinting stance.

Without any hesitation, he poured all his remaining chakra into his legs and charged with all his might toward the dense mist flashing with lightning.

As he passed Naruto's side, Haku tilted his head slightly and spoke softly.

"Thank you, Naruto."

His voice was so soft that the wind kicked up by his running should have drowned it out, yet Naruto heard it perfectly clearly.

There was gratitude in it, farewell, and the relief and happiness of finally being able to be useful to the person who mattered most to him.

Naruto stood where he was, watching Haku's slender figure shoot into the dense fog like an arrow released from a bow. He ran farther and farther away, growing blurrier and blurrier until the mist swallowed him completely.

You won't regret this, right?

Naruto asked silently, then turned and walked toward Sasuke.

He did not need to interfere with what happened next.

Deep within the dense fog, lightning raged.

The Lightning Blade in Kakashi's hand had condensed to its limit, blue-white currents leaping madly in his palm.

The high-voltage light tore through the surrounding fog, leaving twisting trails of light behind him and casting the contours of Kakashi's ever-lazy face into sharp relief.

Ahead, Zabuza was trapped by Earth Release and a summoning technique. The mud beneath his feet locked his legs in place, and no matter how hard he strained, he could not move an inch.

"It's over, Zabuza."

Kakashi spoke coldly, then pushed off the ground. His entire body became a blue-white bolt of lightning that stabbed straight toward Zabuza's chest.

At that very instant, a slender figure rushed into the fog from the side, charging straight toward the light of the Lightning Blade like a moth flying into a flame.

The instant the figure appeared between Zabuza and Kakashi, he spread his arms and stood firmly before Zabuza like a shield.

Haku!

Kakashi's Sharingan contracted sharply.

He wanted to stop, but the Lightning Blade was a high-speed thrusting technique. The faster it moved, the more lethal it became. With less than a foot between them, there was no time.

Damn it, it's too late...

Before Kakashi could even finish the thought, the Lightning Blade had already pierced Haku's body.

Squelch...

The sound of a hand piercing flesh rang out.

It was not loud, yet it cut through the shriek of thunder, through the cover of the dense fog, and reached the ears of everyone present.

Kakashi's hand entered through the center of Haku's chest and emerged from his back.

Blood sprayed outward from the edges of the wound. In the electric glow of the Lightning Blade, it instantly evaporated into a crimson mist, then condensed into countless tiny droplets the next second and scattered in every direction from the impact.

Some of the droplets splashed onto Kakashi's face, while others landed on Zabuza's. Warm and sticky, they slowly trickled down his cheeks.

Haku did not let out a single scream.

Blood poured from his mouth and dripped down his delicate chin.

He opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but his throat had already been blocked by the blood rising up inside him. Only faint bubbling sounds came out.

Kakashi's mind went blank.

"This scene feels so familiar..."

"Rin..."

The fog began to dissipate rapidly.

Zabuza's restraints were also released at that moment—or rather, Kakashi no longer had the strength to maintain the chakra for his Earth Release.

The instant his legs regained their freedom, Zabuza wasted no words and did not pause for a moment to grieve Haku's sacrifice. He directly swung the Executioner's Blade and brought it down viciously on Kakashi.

The massive blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, carrying terrifying force enough to cleave through stone.

The blade's gleam drew a silver-white arc through the air, reflecting Haku's figure lying in a pool of blood as well.

Kakashi came to his senses at the very last instant.

Holding Haku's body, he twisted sharply to the side. The edge of the Executioner's Blade grazed past his shoulder, cutting off a corner of his forehead protector as metal fragments scattered through the air.

Kakashi retreated several steps in succession with Haku's corpse in his arms, opening up some distance.

He raised his head, and the look in his eyes as he faced Zabuza had changed completely.

"You'd even cut down the corpse of your most important companion along with me, Zabuza."

Kakashi's voice was icy. "You're even less human than I thought."

Zabuza said nothing.

No expression could be seen on his bandage-wrapped face. But when his exposed eyes saw Haku's deathly pale face, something seemed to shatter deep within them.