Naruto Bridge

Gatō looked as though he had everything under control and began spouting nonsense.

"Zabuza, I never intended to pay you from the start. Hiring proper ninja costs too much, which is why I sought out runaway ninja like you. You'll both end up badly hurt here, and then I won't have to spend another cent. I'll also crush the faith of the Land of Waves' people completely. Three birds with one stone. You're all going to die here."

Zabuza struggled to stand, but his injuries were severe. The fact that he had not passed out already spoke to the strength of his will.

Naruto laid Haku on the ground and said to Zabuza, "Hey, Bandage Uncle, does that mean our fight is over?"

"Yeah, that's right. Continuing would only waste your strength," Zabuza replied, glaring viciously at Gatō.

Naruto tilted his head slightly, looked at Kakashi, and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, it's fine if we kill them all, right?"

Kakashi nodded, lowered his forehead protector to cover his Sharingan, then walked over to Tazuna. "Naruto, Sasuke, I'll leave the rest to you."

"Yeah!"

Naruto created dozens of shadow clones and charged forward. Sasuke was not about to be outdone. He activated his Sharingan and rushed into the fray, using Sharingan genjutsu to control Gatō first.

These thugs called themselves samurai, but they were really just a gang of petty crooks. After some of them died and Gatō was killed by Sasuke, the rest scattered like monkeys when the tree fell, throwing down their weapons and dropping to their knees in surrender.

Besides Naruto and Sasuke, the villagers of the Land of Waves also surged forward in great numbers. Inari held a crossbow and had a sword strapped to his back. Sakura stayed at his side, her clothes stained with blood as well.

"I can't keep falling behind Naruto and Sasuke. I'll catch up to you," Sakura said. Clutching a kunai, she was the first to charge at the fleeing thugs. With a valiant, murderous air about her, she cut off their escape, while the remaining villagers of the Land of Waves beat the rest bloody with hoes, shovels, and whatever else they had.

Inari looked at Naruto, smiled, and gave him a thumbs-up. "Big Brother Naruto, the past can't be changed, but the future can still be saved."

"Yeah! Inari, you're a real man now too!" Naruto replied with a grin, raising his thumb.

Zabuza collapsed from exhaustion. His injuries were severe, but he had not died. Kakashi even treated his wounds.

After Haku woke up, Naruto carefully explained the situation to her bit by bit. Once she learned that Zabuza was alive as well, she finally lowered her guard. For a while, everyone got along quite harmoniously. Their mission in the Land of Waves was finally coming to an end.

This mission in the Land of Waves had taken nearly a month. With the help of the other villagers, the remaining work was completed quickly.

Zabuza was covered in bandages, and Haku had been taking care of her. Zabuza's injuries were no light matter, so she still needed to recuperate in the Land of Waves for a while before leaving.

On the night before their departure, Haku and Team 7 came before a grave. The Kubikiribocho was planted beside it, and the tombstone read: Grave of Zabuza Momochi.

Looking at the tombstone, Haku said softly, "Lord Zabuza intended to bury everything from his past here forever. From now on, she planned to live under a new name, Peach Shadow, and find somewhere to settle down."

"Peach Shadow..." Kakashi looked deeply moved. That Demon of the Hidden Mist had actually given up her ambition, given up everything. Even after being branded a rogue ninja, she had not intended to cast aside her identity as a ninja of the Hidden Mist Village. Yet now, she had given that up too.

Naruto asked, "Big Sister Haku, where will you and Bandage Uncle go from now on?"

Haku shook her head. "I don't know. We can't leave until Lord Peach Shadow's injuries have healed. The Land of Waves isn't a place where we should stay."

"Are you going to live as wanderers again? Big Sister Haku, why don't you come to Konoha with us?" Naruto asked expectantly.

Sakura found it unbearably cheesy. An indescribable feeling rose within her, especially when she saw Naruto, who had once pursued her, being so nice to someone else. She muttered under her breath, "Big Sister Haku this, Big Sister Haku that. So cheesy. Damn it, how can she be this unfairly pretty?"

"Brat, we're rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist. How could we possibly go to Konoha?" Zabuza said with a cold smile. Leaning on a crutch and draped in a coat, she refused when Haku hurried over to support her.

Zabuza sneered at Naruto. "Brat, ninja live with their lives on the edge of a blade. You never know when you'll die. I advise a simple-minded guy like you to stop being a ninja too and retire already. Maybe then Haku can go find you in Konoha."

"Whoa!" Kakashi and Sakura both wore blatantly gossipy expressions. Sasuke did not react as openly as they did, but the look in his eyes and that faint smile made it clear he was enjoying the show too.

"Lord Peach Shadow!" Haku blushed, her lovely face taking on a bewitching charm.

Naruto said seriously, "Yeah, retirement. I have thought about what life would be like after becoming Hokage and retiring. Like watching movies, reading books, eating Ichiraku Ramen once a week, and..."

Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, and Zabuza narrowed their eyes slightly, all wearing expressions that said this kid was beyond saving.

"Looks like someone still has a very long way to go before becoming Hokage," Sasuke quipped, earning emphatic nods from Kakashi and Sakura.

Haku smiled. "Naruto, Lord Peach Shadow and I found Gatō's treasury. It's enough for us to find somewhere peaceful to live. We'll be saying goodbye tomorrow. Tonight, the people of the Land of Waves are holding an event called the Naruto Festival. Make sure you have fun."

"The Naruto Festival?" Naruto asked in surprise.

"That's right." Haku raised one finger and said gently, "And the bridge in the Land of Waves is called Naruto Bridge too. Maybe after you become Hokage in the future, it'll become a famous landmark as well."

"Really?" Naruto's eyes lit up.

That night, to commemorate the completion of the bridge and their defeat of Gatō, the people of the Land of Waves decided to hold the Naruto Festival every year on that day. Naruto, the protagonist of the story, was the center of attention that night. Sakura and Haku also appeared in kimono, and Haku in particular became the center of the festival along with Naruto.

The next morning, Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura said farewell at the bridgehead to Tazuna's family, Zabuza and Haku, and the people of the Land of Waves, then set out on the road back to the village.

Upon returning to Konoha, Naruto truly felt as though his heart were racing home. After saying goodbye to everyone, he hurried eagerly back to his Household. Kakashi went to the Hokage Building to turn in the mission and report the special circumstances of the Land of Waves mission. Sasuke also went home to prepare for training. Sakura, who had planned to ask Sasuke out on a date, froze where she stood, left all alone.