You're Hurt

When Naruto charged out, Chiya saw only a red blur.

Haku flashed out from the Ice Mirrors, the Senbon in his hand just about to fall when Naruto punched the mirror.

Boom!

The Ice Mirror that Chiya and Sasuke had failed to break even together exploded outright!

Ice shards flew everywhere. Haku emerged from another mirror, but before he could steady himself, Naruto was already upon him.

His speed was terrifyingly fast. Red chakra bubbled off Naruto's body, boiling and churning as though his blood had been set aflame.

Haku raised a hand to block.

The next instant,

Bang!

He was sent flying, crashing through two Ice Mirrors before stopping.

"Sasuke..."

Naruto lowered his head, his voice terrifyingly hoarse.

"Give Sasuke back to me!"

Haku braced himself against an Ice Mirror and got to his feet. His breathing beneath the mask faltered for a moment. He looked at Sasuke lying on the ground, then at Chiya slumped against the Ice Mirror.

"I didn't kill him."

But Naruto could not hear a word of it. He charged again.

Haku was fast, but Naruto smashed one Ice Mirror after another, leaving him less and less room to move. Senbon shot out from every direction and pierced Naruto's body, only for most of them to be bounced away by that layer of red chakra.

Chiya leaned against the ground, pain darkening his vision.

He wanted to tell Naruto to stop, but his throat was full of the taste of blood, and no sound would come out.

Bang!

Haku was knocked flying again. He rolled several times across the bridge, and his mask cracked open with a snap, exposing half of a pale face.

Naruto rushed over, raising his fist high.

At the same time, several dull impacts sounded from the other end of the bridge.

"Summoning Technique!"

The ground suddenly split open.

Several Ninja Hounds burst up from beneath the bridge and clamped their teeth around Zabuza's limbs and shoulders. Just as Zabuza tried to struggle, Pakkun bit down on his wrist, his voice lazy.

"Don't move."

Zabuza's expression darkened.

Kakashi stood before him, lightning flaring in his right hand.

The piercing chirp of birds instantly drowned out the wind sweeping across the bridge.

Kakashi looked at Zabuza, pinned down by the Ninja Hounds, his voice cold.

"Zabuza, this ends here. Are you still going to cling to your delusions?"

Zabuza was covered in blood, yet he grinned.

"Don't put on that look, Kakashi."

He took a breath, his eyes still fierce.

"I'm a ninja. Taking money and doing the job—that's a ninja's duty."

Kakashi was silent for a moment.

"Then there's nothing more to say."

The lightning brightened.

Chiya's heart clenched, and half his body went cold.

No.

Haku would definitely block it.

Teacher Kakashi, stop!

Chiya gritted his teeth and tried to stand, but Senbon were lodged in his leg. The moment he exerted himself, his body pitched forward.

"Kaguya..."

He called out in his heart.

"Help me."

There was no answer.

Chiya nearly cursed aloud.

"Please, help me!"

His chest suddenly turned cold.

A faint layer of white light rose from the edges of his wounds, like moonlight pressed against his skin. The bleeding slowed somewhat, and the numbness in his legs faded by half.

Enough.

Chiya braced himself against the ground and abruptly rose to his feet.

On the other side, Haku moved as well.

The instant he saw Kakashi raise his hand, his entire body nearly turned into a white shadow as he vanished from before Naruto.

Naruto's punch struck nothing, and he froze for a moment.

"Where'd he go?"

Haku was already in front of Zabuza.

He spread his arms, blocking the Lightning Cutter.

Zabuza's pupils contracted.

"Haku!"

Haku did not turn around.

Kakashi's expression changed as well, but the Lightning Cutter had already been thrust out. He could not stop it.

Just as Haku closed his eyes, another figure suddenly appeared in front of him.

Chiya.

Haku only saw a blur before that Uchiha Clan kid, covered in blood, forcibly squeezed himself between Haku and Kakashi.

The next instant.

Squelch!

Lightning pierced through his chest.

Chiya's body suddenly stiffened.

Blinding lightning shone through his back, and blood splashed across Haku's face.

The entire bridge fell silent for a moment.

Naruto stood stunned.

Sakura covered her mouth, her eyes reddening instantly.

Kakashi's pupils shrank sharply, and he withdrew his hand almost immediately.

"Chiya!"

The lightning faded.

A bloody hole had opened in Chiya's chest, and his body fell backward.

Haku caught him instinctively.

He seemed unable to process what had happened, staring blankly as he held Chiya.

Only when blood streamed down Chiya's clothes and onto him did he sink to his knees, still holding Chiya.

He laid Chiya on the ground, his voice frantic.

"Why..."

"Why did you help me?"

Chiya's eyelids felt unbearably heavy, and his ears were filled with a constant buzzing.

He looked at Haku's cracked mask, at those reddened eyes. His lips moved, but no sound came out.

"I'm only a tool." Haku's voice shook badly. "My death isn't worth mourning."

Chiya forced a faint smile.

"No."

Chiya's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

"You're not a tool."

"Tools... don't care whether others live or die."

Each word made more blood spill from his chest.

Haku's tears suddenly fell.

Chiya looked at him, his vision already beginning to blur.

"But you spared us several times."

"So..."

"I can't let you die here."

As the final word fell, Chiya's vision went black, and he completely lost consciousness.

Haku held him, his entire body frozen in place.

Naruto finally came to his senses and stumbled over.

"Chiya! Chiya!"

He reached out, but did not dare touch him. Tears nearly spilled from his eyes in his panic.

"Teacher Kakashi! What do we do?!"

Kakashi crouched down, about to inspect Chiya's wound, when his expression suddenly changed.

A faint white light had appeared around the edge of the bloody hole in Chiya's chest.

The flesh was slowly closing.

Very slowly.

But it truly was healing.

Kakashi stared for a moment.

"This is..."

Before he could finish, applause suddenly came from the bridgehead.

Clap, clap, clap.

"How touching."

Gato emerged from the mist with a large group of subordinates.

He adjusted his glasses, his face full of smug satisfaction.

"Ninjas fight and kill each other, and in the end, I'm the one who profits. Hahaha."

Zabuza, still bitten by the Ninja Hounds, looked terrifyingly grim.

When Gato saw Chiya in Haku's arms, he laughed even louder.

"And this brat is even stupider. Taking a blow for two enemies? Are Konoha's ninjas really this stupid?"

Haku slowly raised his head.

Tears still hung on his face, but his eyes had turned cold.

Gato waved a hand.

"Enough. Kill them all. Saves me from paying another fee."

A group of subordinates charged onto the bridge with vicious grins.

Haku gently laid Chiya beside Naruto.

Naruto stared at him blankly.

The next instant, he vanished from sight.

The smile had not yet faded from Gato's face when Haku appeared before him.

"You..."

Splat.

A Senbon pierced his throat.

Gato's eyes flew wide open. The cane in his hand fell onto the bridge with a clatter.

All the surrounding subordinates froze.

Haku raised a hand and removed his mask, his voice as cold as ice.

"Shut up."

Several ronin charged forward with strange cries.

Haku's figure flashed through the mist, Senbon flying out one after another. Every time he moved, someone clutched their throat and fell.

Zabuza watched the scene in silence for a long time.

Then he suddenly gave a quiet laugh.

"Kakashi."

Kakashi glanced at him.

Zabuza grinned, blood flowing down from the corner of his mouth.

"Let me go."

Kakashi frowned.

"What are you still trying to do?"

Zabuza looked toward Haku's back.

The boy who had always called himself a tool was now raging for someone else's sake.

The smile on Zabuza's face slowly faded.

"Kill them."

Kakashi fell silent for a moment, then waved his hand.

The Ninja Hound released its bite.

Zabuza staggered to his feet and picked up the Kubikiribōchō from the ground. He was badly injured and unsteady even when walking, but when he raised the blade, the rōnin on the bridge still instinctively backed away.

"Hey."

Zabuza's voice was hoarse.

"You just said you wanted to kill someone. Who was it?"

No one answered.

The next instant, the Kubikiribōchō swept across the bridge.

Screams exploded across the bridge deck.

Mist, the stench of blood, and screams mingled together.

Naruto knelt beside Chiya, his eyes red and his fists clenched tight.

Sakura ran over. When she saw the wound in Chiya's chest healing, she froze in shock.

"H-How is that possible?"

Kakashi did not answer.

He stared at the layer of white chakra over Chiya's chest, his expression complicated.

Meanwhile, Chiya's consciousness had already sunk into that pale blue space.

There was still shallow water beneath his feet.

The enormous moon still hung overhead.

Kaguya stood some distance away, her white hair trailing down to the water's surface as she looked at him coldly.

Chiya lowered his head and looked at his chest.

Though there was no longer a hole there, waves of pain still pulsed through his chest.

It hurt so badly that he bared his teeth.

"Kakashi-sensei's Lightning Cutter really lives up to its reputation."

He raised his head and looked at Kaguya.

"Great-aunt, why did you come so late? I was practically turned into a pincushion just now."

Kaguya sneered. "Aren't you quite capable? Didn't you say you'd tell me next time? Then how about I help you next time?"

Chiya immediately fell silent, giving an embarrassed, sheepish laugh.

"Haha, um, don't be mad. I was only joking."

Kaguya suddenly said, "If there is a next time, I may not be able to save you."

Chiya looked at her, and every flippant remark he wanted to make got stuck in his throat.

Only then did he carefully examine Kaguya's condition. Her face was deathly pale, and her form looked weak, as though she might collapse at any moment.

Her complexion had always been pale, though, so he had not noticed it at first glance.

"You're injured?"