Chapter 36: The Tool and the Man
Zabuza's eyes widened as he saw the brilliant, chirping ball of lightning coalesce in Kakashi's palm. The Chidori. He knew the name, and he knew it meant death. Held fast by the ninken, he was a statue awaiting destruction.
Haku, from where he had fallen, saw it too. He saw the certain doom descending upon the man who had given his life meaning. Without a second thought, driven by an instinct deeper than loyalty, he pushed himself up. His body screamed in protest, but his will was iron. He saw Kamikawa Hiraoka merely watching, making no move to stop him, and a sliver of confusion cut through his desperation—but there was no time.
As Kakashi lunged forward, a blue-white comet of pure annihilation, Haku threw himself into its path.
Pfft.
The sound was sickeningly soft. The Chidori did not tear; it pierced. Kakashi's hand, wreathed in lightning, erupted from Haku's back. The brilliant blue light was instantly stained crimson.
Time seemed to freeze. Kakashi's Sharingan-eyed gaze met Haku's. There was no accusation in those dark eyes, only a profound, peaceful acceptance. Haku's hands, trembling, came up to grip Kakashi's arm, not to push it away, but to steady himself. A trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.
Behind him, Zabuza stood frozen, the ninken having released him in the shock of the moment. The world had narrowed to the horrifying image of Kakashi's arm buried in Haku's chest.
Zabuza's laughter was a raw, broken thing that tore from his throat. "Well done! A perfect block!" he roared, the sound masking a agony so deep it threatened to shatter him.
But as the laughter died, a feral rage took over. He hefted the Executioner's Blade, his muscles coiling. "Now, die with him!" he screamed, bringing the massive sword down in a sweeping arc aimed to cleave both Haku and Kakashi in two.
Kakashi's eyes blazed with fury. "You would strike down your own comrade? Even in death?!"
The word "comrade" was a physical blow. Zabuza flinched. The decapitating sword wavered, its momentum faltering for a crucial second. That hesitation was all Kakashi needed. He wrenched his arm free, catching Haku's falling body and leaping back, away from the deadly arc.
Zabuza stood panting, his sword biting into the bridge where they had just been. He stared at the empty space, then at Haku's limp form in Kakashi's arms. He had told himself a thousand times that Haku was just a tool. But a tool doesn't make you hesitate. A tool's loss doesn't feel like a part of your own soul being ripped out.
As Kakashi gently laid Haku on the ground, a cold, righteous fury consumed him. This man, who saw his most loyal follower as disposable, represented everything Kakashi had sworn to fight against.
He moved. A blur of speed, he was upon Zabuza before the missing-nin could recover. Kunai met sword in a frantic, one-sided exchange. Kakashi was a storm of controlled violence, his movements fueled by grief and anger. A sharp kick to Zabuza's arm sent a sickening crack through the air. The Executioner's Blade clattered to the ground.
Zabuza staggered back, clutching his broken arm, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Damn you... I can't... keep up..."
"Go to hell!" Zabuza spat, making a final, desperate lunge with his good arm.
Kakashi sidestepped it effortlessly and planted a powerful kick in Zabuza's chest, sending him flying backward to land in a heap.
Somehow, Zabuza pushed himself up. His body was a wreck, trembling violently, but his eyes were fixed on Haku's still form. The hatred was still there, but now it was mingled with something else—a devastating, soul-crushing grief.
He took a stumbling step. "Haku... Haku..." his voice was a broken whisper. "This time... I will protect you."
It was a vow made far too late.
Kakashi appeared behind him like a ghost. "It's over, Zabuza," he said, his voice heavy with a sorrow that mirrored the scene. He held two kunai, poised to strike.
But Zabuza didn't try to dodge. In a final, twisted act of defiance, he spun, his remaining arm swinging wildly, aiming to take Kakashi with him in a mutual kill.
Kakashi's strike was true, but his aim shifted at the last second. The kunai sank deep into the muscle of Zabuza's other arm, not his heart. The decapitating sword, now too heavy to wield, fell from Zabuza's nerveless fingers with a deafening clang.
Zabuza stood, both arms now useless, his great strength gone. But the fire in his eyes remained, burning with a pain that went deeper than any physical wound.
"You've run out of chances," Kakashi said, raising his hand once more. The familiar blue light of the Chidori began to form, casting a cold, judgmental glow.
Zabuza didn't look at him. His gaze was locked on Haku. A low, broken chuckle escaped his lips, which then twisted into a grimace of utter despair.
"Haku," he whispered, the name a confession and a farewell. "I'm sorry... I was too weak to even avenge you."
He closed his eyes, accepting the end. The tool was gone, and with it, the man who wielded it had nothing left to live for.
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Which World would you isekai into? I would go to Pokemon. Safe and Fun
Your Stones Urge me to Write more. Like from the inside yk