The cold kunai pressed against Tazuna's throat. Terror of death left him rigid, unable to make a sound. By taking him hostage, Haku had seized control of the entire battlefield in an instant.
"Let him go!" Kakashi's voice was cold as iron. His Sharingan locked onto Haku, the light of Lightning Blade flickering in his palm, but fear for the hostage kept him from making a reckless move.
"Hmph, nicely done, Haku!" Although Zabuza was somewhat displeased that Haku had changed the plan on his own-from killing to taking a hostage-the outcome seemed more advantageous. Dragging the Kubikiribōchō, he slowly moved toward Haku, facing off against Kakashi, Ling, and the others.
The dark red tailed beast chakra around Naruto continued to surge restlessly. Yet his severe injuries and unconsciousness seemed to have kept him from going completely berserk; he merely twitched without awareness. Sasuke stood guard in front of Sakura and Naruto, glaring helplessly at Haku with murderous intent in his mismatched Sharingan-two tomoe in the left, one in the right. Sakura, meanwhile, struggled to stop Naruto's bleeding with the rudimentary medical knowledge she had just learned.
Ling stood where he was, seemingly motionless, but his mind was intensely focused as he rapidly exchanged words with Tobirama.
[An opening!] Tobirama's voice carried a trace of cold calculation. [Zabuza's attention is entirely on Kakashi and Haku. He's moving toward Haku, leaving his flank exposed! Kakashi is still maintaining Lightning Blade. He's looking for a chance to kill him in one strike! Ling, work with him!]
[Feint at Haku with Water Release. Force him to defend or dodge, even if it only makes him hesitate for an instant! Give Kakashi a chance to finish Zabuza! Don't worry about Tazuna. Haku's priority right now is keeping his hostage useful. He won't kill him lightly!]
"Understood!" Ling grasped the plan immediately. Hidden behind his back, his hands began forming hand seals as chakra quietly gathered.
It happened just as Zabuza was about to reach Haku, at the instant when his guard was lowest and he believed victory was assured!
Ling moved!
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
A massive jet of water shot out, but it did not target Haku. Instead, it struck the ground precisely in front of and to one side of Haku and Tazuna! Water sprayed everywhere, throwing up great waves and chaos. It was not meant to injure anyone, only to create a distraction and obscure their vision!
The sudden attack made Haku instinctively pull Tazuna backward. At the same time, he turned slightly into a defensive stance, his attention diverted for the briefest instant!
But for an elite ninja, that instant was enough!
"Now, Kakashi!" Ling shouted!
This was the opening Kakashi had been waiting for! He vanished from where he stood as though teleporting, and in the next second, he was at Zabuza's flank! His Lightning Blade, charged with the last of his chakra and shrieking like a thousand birds, drove straight toward Zabuza's heart with relentless, murderous resolve! His speed had reached its absolute peak!
"What?!" Zabuza had never expected Ling to attack so suddenly, much less that Kakashi could unleash such speed while maintaining Lightning Blade! Ling's ninjutsu had indeed drawn his attention for an instant, and in that instant, the deadly lightning was already upon him! He had no time to block with his sword or dodge completely!
The shadow of death swallowed Zabuza whole! He could even feel the stinging heat of the savage lightning release chakra scorching the air!
It's over! A cold gleam flashed through Kakashi's eyes.
Yet at that critical moment!
A slender figure suddenly darted in from the side, moving at a speed beyond his own limits, beyond even what the eye could follow!
It was Haku!
He abandoned Tazuna completely, letting the old man collapse to the ground. His eyes saw only the deadly lightning about to pierce Mr. Zabuza!
There was no thought, no hesitation, as though this were the only choice etched into his very instinct to live.
Shlkk-!!!
The teeth-grating sound of flesh being pierced and torn apart by highly concentrated lightning release chakra rang clearly through the silent mist.
Time seemed to freeze once more.
Kakashi's Lightning Blade had not pierced Zabuza's heart. Instead, it had plunged completely into the chest of Haku, who had suddenly placed himself in front of Zabuza!
Haku's body jolted violently. Beneath his mask, his eyes flew wide, then rapidly lost focus. Like a blossoming crimson lotus, blood instantly stained his white clothes and Kakashi's arm.
He lowered his head slightly, as though trying to look at the lightning piercing his body, but lacked the strength to lift it again.
"Haku...?! You..." Watching the boy who had suddenly appeared before him, pierced through by Lightning Blade, Zabuza's savage expression froze. His pupils contracted sharply with incredulous shock. This boy he had always regarded as a tool... why had he...
"Mr... Zabuza..." Haku's voice was barely audible, thick with bloody foam, yet carrying an indescribable sense of... relief? "I'm sorry... in the end... I still couldn't... become... the perfect... tool... you needed..."
His body fell limply backward, and the lightning faded from his chest.
Kakashi stared blankly at his blood-covered hand, then at the fallen Haku, a flicker of complicated emotion crossing his eyes. He had never expected this boy to die for Zabuza without a moment's hesitation.
"Haku!!!" Zabuza let out a roar that sounded almost bestial and caught Haku's falling body. He stared at the boy's face as life swiftly drained from it. Those eyes, always so calm, now seemed to be telling him something he had never understood. An unprecedented, agonizing pain called "loss" seized his heart.
Even the thick mist seemed to become still.
Everyone was shaken by the sudden, brutal, and tragic sight of him taking the strike.
Sasuke looked at Naruto, who had taken a blow for him, then at Haku, who had died taking one for Zabuza. His eyes wavered intensely as some of his beliefs suffered a tremendous shock.
Sakura covered her mouth.
Ling watched it all in silence, and Tobirama offered no comment either. Even the Second Hokage, who had seen countless lives and deaths, remained silent before such pure, unhesitating sacrifice.
Tazuna scrambled and crawled away to one side, frightened out of his wits.
All that remained on the battlefield was Zabuza holding Haku's gradually cooling body, letting out low, stifled cries of anguish like a wounded lone wolf.
This sudden sacrifice seemed to have brought the battle to a bloody, sorrowful halt.
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