Menma had no special feelings about Haku.
At most, he saw Haku as a whetstone for his own skills. He felt no hesitation whatsoever about killing Haku; in fact, he considered this the mindset a normal ninja should have. You are the enemy. You want to kill me. So I kill you. That is only natural.
Besides, after the previous preparations and experiences...
Regarding killing...
Menma could already face it calmly. This was the true nature of this world, and it was the "daily life" Menma had to adapt to quickly.
Sasuke was the same.
Looking at the Mist ninja lying lifeless in a pool of blood...
Sasuke's expression didn't change in the slightest.
Compared to the hell he had once witnessed...
This was child's play.
Only Naruto still wore an unnatural expression. Even though he knew clearly that killing attacking ninja from enemy villages was normal, after 12 years of greenhouse-like education in the Hidden Leaf, this truly wasn't something anyone could adapt to instantly.
That was the reason for Naruto's hesitation at the last moment.
While Menma and the others completed their encirclement and killing of Haku, on the other side, having lost Haku's cover—and with Kakashi not holding back as he did in the original story but releasing his full power instead...
Zabuza really wasn't Kakashi's match.
It could only be said that even among Elite Jōnin, there were gaps.
Zzt zzt zzt zzt zzt!
Lightning bloomed wildly!
Boom!
A terrifying power roared and surged.
With the ninja dogs completely restricting Zabuza, Kakashi thrust straight forward.
Splurt!
He effortlessly broke through Zabuza's last desperate defense, piercing his heart!
"Ugh?!"
In an instant.
The excruciating pain and intense paralysis spreading through his entire body...
Caused Zabuza to tremble uncontrollably as he spat out a large mouthful of blood.
"Gah!"
His strength drained away rapidly.
His vision darkened quickly.
Looking into Kakashi's cold, emotionless pupil right in front of him...
Heh, is this my fate?
Just as this thought surfaced in the depths of his mind, he forced his head to turn, casting one last glance at Haku's corpse lying in a pool of blood as the thick fog quietly dissipated.
A look of infinite complexity appeared in his eyes. Countless memories from the past flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.
Haku...
Zabuza's head dropped, and his breathing ceased.
He died directly at Kakashi's hands.
Only after confirming Zabuza's death did Kakashi finally breathe a sigh of relief. Even though in the battle just now...
Kakashi had consistently held the upper hand, in a battle between ninja, a single moment of carelessness could turn the tables.
Kakashi was stronger than Zabuza, but the gap wasn't infinite.
Not to mention, Kakashi had to constantly divert some attention to Menma, Tazuna, and the others.
There were many factors to consider.
Fortunately, they had secured the final victory.
"Release."
Glancing at Zabuza's limp corpse on the ground, Kakashi confirmed with his ninja dogs that there were no other scents around, then dispelled the Summoning Jutsu.
He took out a sealing scroll from his vest.
He sealed Zabuza's corpse and the Executioner's Blade into it. Only then did he leap toward Menma and the others.
In the distance...
Seeing the thick fog disperse and realizing the battle was over...
Sakura and Tazuna walked over together.
"Kakashi-sensei (Big Brother Kakashi)!"
"You three... Didn't I say to protect Tazuna-san? Running out one by one... if something had gone wrong, what would you have done?!"
Although the result was good...
A scolding was still necessary.
Kakashi deliberately put on a stern face, looking at Menma, Naruto, and Sasuke, his tone slightly heavy.
Naruto instinctively shrank his neck and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Ahaha... I couldn't help it, Big Brother Kakashi! Next time, we'll definitely be careful! Definitely!"
Sasuke maintained his icy expression, completely unmoved.
Menma, however, changed the subject directly. "This Mist ninja possessed the Ice Style Kekkei Genkai. I think he should have research value, Kakashi-sensei."
The value of a ninja's corpse.
This had also been taught in the Academy.
Kekkei Genkai was one aspect; the intelligence in the brain was another.
Kakashi had sealed Zabuza's corpse considering the important intel about the Hidden Mist Village that might be in his brain. After all, this "Demon" was one of the former Seven Ninja Swordsmen and a ruthless man who had assassinated the Mizukage.
His research value was immense.
As for Haku, the value lay in the bloodline itself.
The Yuki Clan!
That was once a prominent ninja clan in the Hidden Mist.
"Ice Style, huh? Indeed, it has research value."
Kakashi nodded and took out another sealing scroll.
He squatted down.
"Seal."
Forming hand seals...
He smoothly sealed Haku's corpse into the scroll as well.
"Kekkei Genkai? What is a Kekkei Genkai?"
Naruto blinked, asking with confusion.
"A so-called Kekkei Genkai is when two chakra natures are combined to create a new nature transformation. That is called a Kekkei Genkai, Naruto. The teacher taught this in previous lessons! Did you forget again?"
Sakura, who had just arrived, immediately explained upon hearing Naruto's question.
Previously, Sakura had been somewhat uneasy, but seeing the powerful enemies successfully defeated, her mood recovered quickly. deep down, she even harbored a tiny bit of resentment toward Menma.
She felt Menma had made a mountain out of a molehill.
See? The enemies were defeated smoothly, right? What was there to worry about?
Of course, Sakura only thought these things; she wouldn't be foolish enough to say them out loud.
"Oh? Is that so? Ahaha, I guess I forgot."
Naruto laughed it off with an awkward but polite smile.
Beside them, Tazuna looked at Kakashi, Menma, and the others with lingering fear and awe.
The old man really hadn't expected Gatō to hire such powerful ninja to kill him.
I really am lucky!
For the price of a C-rank mission, I got such strong Leaf ninja to protect me.
Even the heavens want me to build this bridge! This is the hope of our Land of Waves!!
In this moment, Tazuna's heart was filled with confidence.