Chiba was a man who kept his promises.
Even if his methods seemed somewhat extreme to others.
But when Zabuza Momochi looked at Chiba, much of the hostility in his eyes had faded.
"Since Gato is already dead..."
Zabuza's hands hung at his sides, blood dripping onto the ground.
Drip, drip, drip!
Like sand steadily slipping through an hourglass, Zabuza, too, was holding back the murderous intent within him.
Haku was dead, and the world had turned dark once more.
"Then there's no reason for us to keep fighting."
"Kid, lend me your kunai."
With his sharp, beastlike teeth, Zabuza tore away the bandages wrapped around his face.
At those words, the kunai spinning around Chiba's finger flew straight toward Zabuza.
Clink!
The sound of teeth striking the kunai rang out crisply.
Though Zabuza Momochi was gravely wounded, he had not earned the title Demon of the Hidden Mist for nothing.
Even without the use of his hands, when he charged into the samurai before him...
He was like a savage tiger among sheep, utterly unstoppable.
In an instant, corpses littered the ground.
Just then, Naruto Uzumaki came over, supporting Sasuke Uchiha.
"Is he... dead?"
As he looked at Haku lying on the ground, Naruto Uzumaki's voice trembled.
"Yes."
Chiba's expression was calm, tinged with sadness.
"Haku fulfilled his dream before he died."
"His name was Haku?"
Naruto Uzumaki lowered his eyes, his voice growing subdued.
"He was as pure as his name."
At those words, Chiba looked at Naruto Uzumaki with a hint of surprise.
He had never expected to hear something so philosophical from Naruto.
It seemed this mission really had helped him grow a great deal.
But Chiba himself had also made considerable progress.
Not just in strength, but even more so in his mindset.
Zabuza Momochi had taught Chiba that the world of ninja was always cruel.
To him, this was no longer a fictional world.
This was reality.
One wrong step, one careless moment, and he could fall into a bottomless abyss.
After a sigh, he looked toward the other end of the Great Bridge.
Zabuza Momochi's battle was drawing to a close as well.
Gravely wounded, with several weapons embedded in his back, he looked terrifying.
The samurai stared at the man before them in fear.
Even the weapons in their hands were trembling.
Zabuza no longer even had the courage to look at them.
He spent his last scrap of strength trying to reach Haku's side.
Thud!
He collapsed to the ground, unable to move again.
"Haha, this one's down too!"
"Brothers, it's time for revenge!"
"Cut down all these ninja, then loot the town clean!"
This rabble was nothing but a pack of bullies who preyed on the weak and feared the strong.
Chiba stood behind Zabuza, facing the crowd, his hands rapidly forming hand seals.
Ram-Rat-Ox-Monkey-Bird-Yang-Rat-Boar...
Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!
Chiba's cheeks swelled, and the air around him seemed to be sucked away in an instant!
Whoosh-
A raging blast of wind erupted from Chiba's mouth, engulfing every one of the samurai!
They offered no resistance whatsoever to the cannonball-like Vacuum Great Sphere.
Before they even had a chance to fight back, they were all sent flying into the air.
The bodies of those at the very front split open, blood covering them in a gruesome sight.
"I already held back as much as I could."
Chiba shook his head, marveling at the fragility of life.
"If that had been the full-strength Vacuum Great Sphere, wouldn't they have been blasted into pulp instantly?"
He did not spare the crowd another glance. They had already lost the courage to resist.
Besides, even the weakened Vacuum Great Sphere had left them dead or crippled.
Kakashi Hatake and Chiba approached Zabuza.
"Could you... let me see him one more time?"
Zabuza Momochi's voice was already extremely faint.
Kakashi reached out to help him up, but Chiba moved first.
As he laid him beside Haku, Chiba also delivered the finishing blow.
Chakra flowed from his palm, shattering Zabuza's heart.
"Haku, I really hope I can go to the same place as you..."
Tears slid down his face.
The curtain had finally fallen on Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist.
A system notification sounded in Chiba's mind as well.
[Land of Waves sign-in mission complete. Distributing reward...] [Mission reward successfully distributed. Congratulations, host! You have obtained the Eight Gates!]
Some of the gloom weighing on his heart lifted.
Chiba felt a flood of related knowledge suddenly pour into his mind.
"Just what you'd expect from a forbidden technique. It's truly terrifying!"
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