Chapter 38: Bonds Beyond Death
"Let you go?" Zabuza's voice was a low, chilling rasp, devoid of any mercy.
"Yes! Spare me!" Gato kowtowed frantically, his forehead smacking against the bloody planks. "That dead brat— I mean, your companion! I'll give him a burial fit for a king! The grandest funeral the Land of Waves has ever seen!"
Clatter.
The kunai fell from Zabuza's mouth, hitting the wood.
For a fleeting second, hope ignited in Gato's eyes. He bowed his head to hide the venomous hatred twisting his features. Just you wait, he seethed internally. The moment I'm free, I'll sell you out to Kiri's hunter-nin. You'll both be rotting in a ditch—
His vicious plotting was cut short by a wave of agony so profound it stole his breath.
Zabuza had not discarded the kunai out of mercy. He had discarded it because he had no need for it. He lunged forward, and with the last of his formidable strength, he sank his teeth into Gato's fleshy neck.
A sickening tear of flesh was followed by Gato's gurgling, helpless scream. As the businessman clutched his ravaged throat, Zabuza brought his knee up in a brutal, final arc.
CRACK.
The sound was definitive. Gato's body slumped to the ground, a lifeless heap of expensive cloth and broken ambition.
Zabuza stood over him, chest heaving. He tilted his head back to the sky, the falling snow cooling his fevered skin, and let out a long, shuddering breath that carried the weight of his entire life.
He turned, his body a ruined vessel held together only by will, and took a stumbling step towards Haku. He didn't make it far. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the cold bridge.
Lying on his back, he felt the snowflakes melt against his cheeks. "Boy," he whispered, his voice fading.
"I know," Hiraoka replied softly. He walked to Haku's body, carefully and respectfully gathering the boy into his arms. He then carried him the short distance and laid him down beside his master.
With a trembling, bloodied hand, Zabuza reached out. With infinite tenderness, he brushed the dirt and strands of hair from Haku's peaceful face. His other hand found Haku's, their fingers intertwining in a grip that even death seemed reluctant to break.
"Haku..." Zabuza's voice was the faintest exhalation. "This time... we won't be... parted."
His eyes remained open, fixed on Haku's face, his final sight one of the only person who had ever mattered. The fierce grip of his hand did not loosen.
And as if in a final, silent farewell, a single tear traced a path from the corner of Haku's closed eye, mingling with the melting snow.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the snowfall ceased. The world held its breath.
The mission was over. The silence on the bridge was one of exhaustion and somber reflection.
"Mr. Tazuna," Kakashi said, his voice weary. "The threat is gone. You and your people can finish the bridge in peace."
He looked at the tragic scene of Zabuza and Haku, his own heart heavy with the ghost of a past teammate. "We should bury them," he stated.
When they tried to move the bodies, they found Zabuza's hand locked fast around Haku's. It was Hiraoka who stepped forward. He leaned close and murmured, "Let go. You'll see him again soon, I promise."
As if hearing the vow, Zabuza's grip finally, slowly, relaxed.
They were buried side-by-side on a hill overlooking the sea, Zabuza's massive Executioner's Blade standing as a silent, stark headstone for the Demon of the Mist and his most loyal companion.
A month later, the Great Naruto Bridge—named by a beaming Tazuna in honor of the genin who had protected its builder—was finally complete.
Upon their return to Konoha, they were greeted at the gate. Yamanaka Ino rushed forward, a bright smile on her face. "Hiraoka-kun! You're back!"
Beside her, Hinata Hyuga offered a shy, happy wave, her cheeks tinged with pink.
Hiraoka, falling back into his preferred role, grinned and slung an arm around each of their shoulders. "Did you miss me?" he asked, walking back into the village flanked by the two girls, the horrors of the Land of Waves momentarily forgotten.
In the Hokage's office, Kakashi gave his full report. Sarutobi Hiruzen listened intently, puffing on his pipe.
"From your account, Hiraoka's performance was... exceptional," Hiruzen remarked, exhaling a thoughtful plume of smoke.
"To say the least," Kakashi agreed.
"It seems a conversation with young Kamikawa is long overdue," the Third Hokage mused, his eyes glinting with a mix of appraisal and concern.
Later, as Hiraoka walked the two girls home, they delivered their own messages.
"Hiraoka-kun," Ino said, suddenly looking at her feet. "My father... wants to speak with you tomorrow."
Hinata, even more flustered, added in a near-whisper, "My... my father also wishes to see you... the day after tomorrow."
Hiraoka's casual demeanor faltered for a split second. A meeting with Yamanaka Inoichi and Hyuga Hiashi back-to-back? This isn't a chat; it's an inquisition. He took a deep, steadying breath.
"Don't worry," he said, forcing his signature confidence back into his voice. He gave them both a reassuring pat on the head. "I'll be there. Can't keep my future fathers-in-law waiting, can I?"
After saying goodnight, he walked to his small apartment alone. The moon was high, casting a silver light over the village. A sense of melancholy, a leftover from the bridge, clung to him. Pushing open his door, he stopped. The lights inside were already on. He wasn't alone.
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Would you change your country if you had a choice?
STONESS