Land of Waves.
When Haku saw himself defeated on the screen, guilt immediately filled his eyes.
He had failed Zabuza.
If he couldn’t defeat Zabuza’s enemies, then what right did he have to remain by his side?
And yet—
Haku felt no hatred toward Naruto, the person who had defeated him.
From what little he had already seen of Naruto, Haku understood something.
Naruto had the same loneliness in his eyes.
In some ways, they were very much alike.
Perhaps that was why Haku couldn’t bring himself to resent him.
Then the screen continued.
[On the bridge—
Haku walked toward Naruto.
There was no anger in his expression.
No resentment.
“Naruto.”
“Please kill me.”
Naruto instinctively stepped backward.
His body trembled.
“What…?”
Haku looked at him calmly.
“What are you hesitating for?”
“Kill me.”
But Naruto couldn’t understand.
After hearing Haku’s story, he found the whole thing unbearable.
“How can you say something like that?”
“Weapons…
tools…”
Naruto clenched his fists.
“Is that really what it means to have someone precious to you?”
“Are you seriously satisfied living like that?”
Haku quietly asked,
“Why shouldn’t I be?”
“What is wrong with that?”
Naruto opened his mouth.
“Because…”
But he couldn’t find the words.
Tears slowly ran down Haku’s cheeks.
“Zabuza-san still expected something from me.”
“He needed me.”
“But I’ve lost.”
“I no longer have any value as his tool.”
His voice trembled.
“Zabuza-san won’t need me anymore.”
“That’s why I’m asking you.”
Haku looked directly at Naruto.
“Please.”
“Kill me.”
Naruto shook his head.
“I don’t accept that!”
“Do you really think being strong enough to fight is the only reason you deserve to exist?”
“There have to be other ways for people to value you!”
Haku’s expression softened.
“When I met you in the forest, I thought we were alike.”
“I thought you might understand what I wanted.”
He lowered his eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m asking you to stain your hands for my sake.”
Naruto looked miserable.
“Is there really no other way?”
Haku answered without hesitation.
“No.”
Naruto stood silently for several seconds.
Then he slowly drew a kunai.
“If we’d met somewhere else…”
His grip tightened.
“Maybe we could’ve been friends.”
Naruto rushed forward.
]
…
The shinobi watching throughout the world could hardly believe what they were seeing.
Were there really two people this naive on the same battlefield?
Ordinarily, a shinobi clung to life until the very end.
If there was even the slightest chance of victory, they fought.
Deception.
Ambushes.
Dirty tricks.
Whatever it took.
Yet Haku still had the strength to escape and was instead asking Naruto to kill him.
And Naruto—
rather than immediately finishing an enemy—
was struggling because he genuinely believed Haku might have become his friend under different circumstances.
Maybe the older generation really didn’t understand people like them anymore.
…
[Live Chat Group One]
[Kurotsuchi: I can’t believe these two somehow turned a fight to the death into this.]
[Darui: Seriously.
Only these two could end up feeling sorry for each other in the middle of a battle.]
[Chojuro: Maybe that’s exactly why they understand each other.
They’re more alike than they realize.]
Kankuro frowned.
[Kankuro: Haku is way too rigid about this.
If one purpose in life disappears, find another one.]
[Kankuro: He doesn’t have to spend his entire existence as Zabuza’s tool.]
A short response appeared.
[Gaara: You don’t understand.]
Temari’s attention was elsewhere.
[Temari: Haku really is too kind.]
[Temari: He’s asking Naruto to kill him and he’s still worried about what doing it will do to Naruto…]
Sakura stared at the screen nervously.
[Sakura Haruno: Is Naruto really going to kill him?]
Then the footage continued.
…
[On the bridge—
Kakashi stood opposite Zabuza in the thick mist.
He bit his thumb, smeared his blood across a scroll, and completed his technique.
“Summoning: Earth Release: Tracking Fang Technique!”
Eight ninken erupted from beneath the ground.
They found Zabuza through the scent of Kakashi’s blood still clinging to his weapon and locked their jaws around him, pinning him in place.
Zabuza’s eyes widened.
Kakashi faced him through the thinning mist.
“If my eyes can’t find you…”
“Then I’ll use their noses.”
“Your weapon is covered in my blood.”
The mist gradually cleared.
Kakashi stared directly at Zabuza.
“You thought the Sharingan was the only reason I’ve survived this long?”
“Then this time…”
“I’ll finish you with one of my own techniques.”
His hands moved.
Lightning erupted around his right hand.
Chidori-like screams filled the air as concentrated lightning chakra became visible to the naked eye.
Zabuza stared at it in disbelief.
“What…?”
“His chakra is visible!”
Kakashi lowered himself into a charging stance.
“Your future ends here.”
Then he moved.
Lightning Cutter!
Kakashi shot toward Zabuza at incredible speed.
At the exact same moment—
Naruto charged toward Haku with his kunai.
But just before the blade reached him—
Haku caught Naruto’s arm.
Naruto froze.
Haku looked at him apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Naruto.”
“I can’t die yet.”
Before Naruto could react—
Haku formed a hand seal with one hand.
He vanished.
Kakashi’s Lightning Cutter was only an instant away from Zabuza’s chest.
Then—
someone appeared between them.
Kakashi’s eyes widened.
Zabuza stared in shock.
Haku.
Kakashi’s hand tore straight through Haku’s chest.
Blood splashed across the bridge.
For one terrible moment, nobody moved.
Haku’s body trembled.
The wound was fatal.
Yet even as his life faded, he used the last of his strength to grab Kakashi’s arm.
“Zabuza…”
Kakashi looked at him in disbelief.
He rushed here just to shield Zabuza…
He’s already dead.
Zabuza’s expression twisted into a savage grin.
“So much for predicting my death, Kakashi.”
Even now—
Haku had given him one last opening.
Kakashi stared at Haku’s lifeless face.
Zabuza laughed.
“Well done, Haku.”
Then he raised the Executioner’s Blade.
And swung.
Kakashi’s eye widened.
“You’re going to cut through him too?!”
Zabuza didn’t hesitate.
“What a useful tool I found.”
“Even in death, he gives me the perfect chance to kill you.”
The enormous blade came crashing down.
Kakashi pulled free and moved, taking Haku’s body with him just before the strike landed.
He retreated to a safe distance.
Then gently laid Haku on the bridge.
Haku’s eyes remained open.
Kakashi reached down—
and quietly closed them.
]
…
The moment Kakashi unleashed the Lightning Cutter, most viewers had assumed the battle was over.
Zabuza was restrained.
He couldn’t escape.
Against an attack as lethal as the Lightning Cutter, there seemed to be no possible outcome other than death.
Then Kakashi’s hand pierced Haku instead.
Only then did everyone remember the profile shown earlier.
Haku’s cause of death had already been revealed.
Killed by Kakashi Hatake’s Lightning Cutter.
…
[Live Chat Group One]
Kurenai was stunned.
[Kurenai Yuhi: He can form hand seals with one hand?]
[Kurenai Yuhi: And he moved fast enough to intercept Kakashi’s attack…
Haku really is extraordinary.]
Guy immediately spoke up.
[Might Guy: This isn’t Kakashi’s fault!
Haku deliberately threw himself in front of the Lightning Cutter!]
Kakashi stared at the scene for a long moment.
[Kakashi Hatake: …I’ve seen something like this before.]
Asuma’s expression was grim.
[Asuma Sarutobi: I thought all that talk about being Zabuza’s tool was just Haku’s way of thinking.]
[Asuma Sarutobi: I didn’t expect him to literally give his life for Zabuza.]
Darui responded next.
[Darui: Even after taking a fatal hit, he held Kakashi in place so Zabuza could counterattack.]
[Darui: Whatever else you think about him, Haku lived by his convictions to the very end.]
Chojuro’s disappointment was directed elsewhere.
[Chojuro: Zabuza…]
[Chojuro: I thought there might actually be something admirable behind your desire to change Kirigakure.]
[Chojuro: But Haku died protecting you and your first response was to swing straight through his body.]
[Chojuro: Did you really only see him as a tool?]
Ao sighed.
[Ao: If Haku had never met Zabuza, maybe his life could have turned out differently.]
Mei immediately disagreed.
[Mei Terumi: Perhaps.]
[Mei Terumi: But without Zabuza, would Haku have survived long enough to become this strong in the first place?]
Naruto’s anger exploded.
[Naruto Uzumaki: Damn you, Zabuza!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Haku gave everything for you!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I won’t forgive you for treating him like that!]
Sakura stared at the bridge in horror.
[Sakura Haruno: Is this what being a shinobi means?]
[Sakura Haruno: Are we really going to have to face things like this someday?]
Temari was furious.
[Temari: Haku devoted his entire life to Zabuza, and that bastard was willing to cut through his corpse without hesitation!]
[Temari: Haku deserved better than that.]
Kurotsuchi’s message followed.
[Kurotsuchi: That’s what makes his life so tragic.]
[Kurotsuchi: Haku gave Zabuza everything he had…]
[Kurotsuchi: And from what we’ve seen so far, he got nothing in return.]