One-Tail Naruto

Naruto, in his inner world, fell silent. Especially when Haku held him like that, he felt utterly humiliated. "Kurama, didn't you say that my current strength was already on par with the me from the early part of Naruto: Shippuden in Awen's memories? So why did I still lose so badly?!"

"Yes, I said that. Now do you understand just how much she held back? You're too weak. If you don't become stronger, your dream will be nothing more than empty words. I'll lend you this power for now. Go do what you want to do!"

The Nine-Tails' chakra surged through the gaps in the iron gate, sending Naruto's consciousness out of the mental space.

At the shore, Haku gently set Naruto down. Her gaze sharpened, and she quickly ran toward the bridge.

"Don't go!"

Naruto's voice rang out, making Haku shudder. That voice sounded like a beast's, as though something terrifying had fixed its gaze upon her. She abruptly turned around.

The red chakra around Naruto's body began to take physical form. A red fox head appeared, while the Senbon embedded all over his body, including the ones in his neck, fell away. His wounds healed, his blue eyes turned crimson, and his pupils narrowed into slits. The whisker marks on his face became thicker and fiercer, radiating astonishing heat as his soaked clothes dried.

It was not over yet. Red chakra wrapped around Naruto, and a chakra tail emerged behind him. One-Tail Naruto now resembled a small fox, exuding an overwhelming aura.

"Th-This!" Haku stared at Naruto in shock. "What exactly is this transformation? He should have had his pressure points struck and fallen into a state of suspended death. What is this terrifying chakra?"

Naruto's crimson pupils fixed on Haku. His low voice suppressed a certain madness. "Haku, I won't let you pass!"

Bang!

Naruto shot toward Haku like a sword leaving its sheath.

"So fast!" Haku formed hand seals, and an Ice Mirror appeared. The instant she entered it, Naruto shattered the Ice Mirror with a single claw. Glittering fragments drifted gently onto the ground.

Haku fell out of the mirror. Just as she was about to plunge into the sea, Nine-Tails chakra attached to Naruto's palm stretched forward and grabbed her around the waist. The chakra retracted, pulling Haku before him.

"Kill me!" Haku looked at One-Tail Naruto and smiled calmly, ready to welcome her death.

"I can't do that. I can't kill you, Sister Haku. I won't kill you." Naruto's voice sounded brutally violent, yet exceptionally resolute.

Haku remained expressionless. "Zabuza kept me by his side as a tool. Now that I've lost, Lord Zabuza has no need for a useless tool like me. Kill me."

Naruto looked at Haku with a serious expression, then smiled in relief. "Sorry, Sister Haku. I'll have to put you to sleep for a while."

Haku had said the same thing to Naruto before. A tremendous force struck her, and she lost consciousness, falling into a coma.

The Nine-Tails chakra around Naruto dissipated. Holding Haku in a princess carry, he said, "This ends here. Get some good sleep!"

Naruto and Haku's battle had ended, while on the bridge, Kakashi and Zabuza's battle had also entered its final stages.

Kakashi deliberately exposed an opening and allowed Zabuza to injure him, staining Zabuza with his blood. He summoned his ninja hounds, and using the scent of his blood, they found Zabuza in the mist and pinned him in place. Kakashi had also broken the Hidden Mist Technique.

As the mist dispersed, Kakashi sneered. "Zabuza, your end is death. You went too far. Your ambition is too great. Did you think I could only use the Sharingan? Now I'll show you one of my own original ninjutsu."

Sasuke was still protecting Tazuna, worried about how Naruto was doing. Sakura was nowhere to be seen and had yet to return, still protecting Tazuna's family.

Raikiri!

Kakashi formed hand seals with both hands. Blue chakra gathered in his palm as arcs of electricity flashed, startling Zabuza. Sasuke was dumbfounded as well. The sound was like the cries of a thousand birds.

"W-What kind of technique is that?!" Zabuza's pupils constricted as Kakashi charged at him with Raikiri in his right hand.

I'll die! Zabuza struggled desperately. At this moment of life and death, he unleashed every last bit of his potential.

Splat!

Kakashi looked at Zabuza in shock. The Raikiri in his hand had pierced through the center of Zabuza's chest, leaving a bloody hole. The ninja hounds restraining Zabuza all returned to the Summoning World.

Zabuza's struggle had worked. It caused Kakashi's attack to miss his vital heart, preventing him from dying on the spot, though he was still gravely injured.

"Argh..." Blood spilled from Zabuza's mouth as he used his final strength to swing his blade at Kakashi.

Kakashi withdrew his hand and leaped backward, widening the distance between himself and Zabuza.

Clang!

Kubikiribōchō fell to the ground. That strike had been Zabuza's last bit of strength. His consciousness had begun to blur, yet he still supported himself with one hand and refused to yield. His eyes shone with their final light, the bandages on his face had fallen away, and his expression looked somewhat ferocious.

Kakashi casually flicked the blood from his hand. "You truly live up to the name Demon of the Hidden Mist. You can still struggle in that state. But you have no strength left now. Your ambition has failed, Zabuza."

"Hey... Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke!"

Naruto's voice suddenly came from below. He climbed up along the bridge supports, carrying a very beautiful girl in his arms. Her clothing was exactly that of the person who had previously worn a mask as a disguise.

"Naruto!" Sasuke and Kakashi, who had been worried all this time, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Naruto and Haku had fallen into the sea together earlier, terrifying them. They had never expected Naruto to be unharmed and even defeat Zabuza's companion.

"Impossible! How could Haku lose to that brat?!" Zabuza could hardly believe it. He knew Haku well and understood her strength. She might have spared that blond brat out of kindness, but being defeated—defeated alone by him—was something he simply could not accept.

"Naruto, you!" Sasuke unconsciously tightened his grip on his Kunai. Naruto had actually defeated that masked person by himself.

"Just how strong are you now?" A crimson gleam flickered in Sasuke's eyes. At last, two crimson Sharingan emerged—one eye with two tomoe, the other with one. His hatred of his own weakness and his refusal to remain weak had awakened the Sharingan.

Naruto was surprised as well. Kakashi-sensei had not used Raikiri to kill Zabuza outright.

Zabuza and Haku had lost this battle, but it was not completely over. At one end of the bridge, Gato and his samurai looked at Zabuza with disdain. "Tch, what Demon of the Hidden Mist? What a useless fool!"