Menma didn't harbor any special feelings toward Haku.
At best, he regarded Haku as nothing more than a whetstone to sharpen his own blade. He didn't hesitate to deliver the final blow — such was the mindset of a true shinobi. You're my enemy. You try to kill me. I kill you. That's all there is to it.
After everything that had happened, the preparations, the bloodshed, and the lessons burned into him — Menma could now face killing without hesitation.
This was the reality of the shinobi world — a world where compassion was a luxury and survival was the only rule.
He had begun to adapt to that truth.
The same could be said for Sasuke.
His onyx eyes watched the Mist-nin lying lifeless on the ground.
There was no flicker of emotion on his face.
Compared to the massacre he had witnessed years ago — the blood of his clan staining the Uchiha compound — this scene was nothing but child's play.
Only Naruto still wore an uneasy expression.
Even though he understood that killing an enemy ninja was a part of missions like these, the years of peaceful upbringing in Konohagakure had sheltered him from such reality.
This was his first true encounter with death, and no amount of academy lectures could prepare him for it.
That hesitation… it was why his hand faltered in the final moment.
While Menma and the others completed their encirclement of Haku, Kakashi's battle had already reached its climax.
Without Haku's protection, Zabuza Momochi — the Demon of the Hidden Mist — stood no chance. This time, Kakashi didn't hold back like before.
He unleashed his full strength as a jōnin of Konoha.
The sound of crackling lightning tore through the mist.
"Chidori!"
Zzzzzttt—!
The shriek of a thousand birds echoed through the forest, followed by the roar of impact.
When Kakashi's ninja hounds fully restrained Zabuza's movements, he charged in without hesitation — his Sharingan spinning, the Chidori blazing in his hand.
Shkk!
The piercing sound of chakra tearing through flesh rang out.
Zabuza's final defense crumbled as Kakashi's lightning blade struck his heart.
A tremor ran through Zabuza's entire body.
Pain and numbness spread simultaneously, stealing the last of his strength. Blood spilled from his lips as his vision dimmed.
"Heh… so this is… my fate…?"
His fading eyes turned toward the dissipating mist — where Haku's small body lay motionless, surrounded by crimson. Memories of countless battles, betrayal, and fleeting companionship flashed like candlelight before his eyes.
Haku…
That was his final thought before the light left his eyes.
The Demon of the Hidden Mist — Momochi Zabuza — died in Kakashi's hands.
Kakashi exhaled, lowering his arm. Though the fight seemed one-sided, he knew better — a single misstep in a shinobi duel could mean death. Even against someone like Zabuza, an elite jōnin, victory came only through precision and timing.
He scanned the area warily — his Sharingan eye still active.
Satisfied that no more threats remained, he released his Summoning Technique, allowing his ninken to vanish in a puff of smoke.
"Release."
He retrieved a sealing scroll from his pouch and carefully sealed Zabuza's corpse along with the Kubikiribōchō — the massive blade known as the Executioner's Sword.
Then, without wasting time, he leapt toward Menma and the others.
⸻
As the fog cleared completely, Haruno Sakura and Dazna cautiously approached, relief flooding their faces.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"Big Brother Kakashi!"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.
"Didn't I tell you to stay by Dazna-san's side? Why are you wandering out here? What if something had gone wrong?"
Though the battle was over, his tone was sharp — a proper scolding was still necessary.
Naruto flinched, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
"Ahaha, sorry, Big Brother Kakashi! I just… couldn't help it! I promise I'll be more careful next time!"
Sasuke remained silent, his expression cold and unreadable.
Menma, however, changed the subject with calm precision.
"This Mist-nin possessed a Kekkei Genkai — Ice Release. That should hold some research value, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Menma wasn't wrong.
The value of a shinobi's remains was something even the Academy taught.
Kekkei Genkai were rare — combinations of elemental chakra that created entirely new techniques.
Sealing Zabuza's body wasn't just about respect; his mind held critical information about Kirigakure. Zabuza had once been one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist — an assassin who dared to challenge the Mizukage himself. His corpse could hold strategic intel.
And Haku… Haku's bloodline alone was priceless.
"Ice Release… a fusion of Wind and Water chakra natures," Kakashi murmured, kneeling. "You're right — it's worth preserving."
He performed a series of seals and pressed his palm to the ground.
"Seal."
A burst of chakra enveloped Haku's body, sealing it neatly within the scroll.
"Bloodline Limit? What's that?" Naruto asked, blinking in confusion.
Sakura sighed and crossed her arms.
"Naruto, sensei already explained this during class! When two chakra natures combine to form a new element — like Ice Release — that's called a Kekkei Genkai. Honestly, you always forget the basics!"
Relieved that the danger had passed, Sakura's tone regained its usual energy.
Part of her couldn't help but think Menma and Kakashi had been overly serious — after all, the enemies were defeated, weren't they?
Still, she knew better than to voice that thought aloud.
Naruto chuckled awkwardly.
"Oh, right… haha, maybe I did forget."
Dazna, following behind, stared at the Konoha ninja with awe and gratitude.
He hadn't expected Gato to hire such dangerous assassins.
To think that men like these — ones whispered about in his country — had come after him…
Yet he lived.
Thanks to these Leaf shinobi.
Maybe… this really is fate, Dazna thought, eyes glinting with determination. The gods want me to finish that bridge — for the future of the Land of Waves!
And as the mist drifted away, so too did the shadows of fear that had hung over them.