Naruko's canines grew even further until they were unnaturally long and sharper than before. Her fingernails grew out as well, turning into makeshift claws that, if she wanted to, could tear into flesh.
"Ghcck!" In an instant, Haku found himself hoisted up into the air by Naruko's one hand, one that was enclosed around his mask.
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"Hoisting the petite boy up, Naruko slammed him against his mirror, cracking the tough ice crystal with the back of Haku's head. The ice user's head bounced between his mask and his mirror, held up in the air by Naruko's clawed hand. She pulled him back out and lifted him up again only to bury him into the floor of the bridge. Rage blinded her completely. She didn't care if Haku was barely able to stand. All that mattered to her was to break him completely.
Haku released a weak, pained groan, his nerves overloaded his brain with an incredible amount of pain. It was like a hundreds nail were being hammered throughout his body, alerting him constantly of just how badly hurt he was. A foot slipped under his back and with a slight lift with her ankle, Haku was brought up into the air. Naruko jumped up with him and delivered a powerful punch to his face just like before, caving his mask in with a single hit. The strong ceramic was unable to withstand Naruko's new-found strength and shattered into multiple pieces, falling apart instantly and revealing Haku's beaten face.
The punch sent Haku slamming right through one of the ice mirrors and, finally, the mirror Haku had been thrown into shattered into a million particles that melted away. Soon, the rest of the mirrors vanished, melting away once Haku lost grip of his abilities and allowed them to finally leave the cage they had been in. With a roar, Naruko took this as the perfect opportunity to pick him up again and flung the poor boy off the side of the bridge, pitching him like a fastball into the sea.
Haku slammed into the surface of the sea, crashing into it like it was concrete. With barely enough chakra to keep him afloat on the sea, Haku could do nothing but lie there and pant, which came out in short rasps. His ribcage had all but collapsed in on itself, preventing most of his lungs from working and his body was utterly mangled from being tossed and thrown around so violently by Naruko.
Naruko landed next to Haku's disfigured form, her eyes still a deep crimson red. Water rained down from above from when she landed with a splash, soaking both of them, but it she didn't even acknowledge the fact that she was wet. She was absolutely focused on Haku. It seemed as if her rage had subsided a little. Not by much, but a little since she wasn't throwing him around yet.
"You took her away from me." A deep growl escaped her throat, displaying her current emotions just in case her aura failed to do so.
"I'm guessing..." Haku coughed, his battered chest rattling as he did, "I'm guessing that... you've never seen someone you love... die before you..."
Naruko kept silent while Haku spoke, but her eyes still bore holes deep into his now visible face.
"That's why I wanted to... protect Zabuza-sama... So I wouldn't have to see someone I cared for... die again. I wanted to protect the person important to me… I wanted to work for that person. I wanted to fight for that person... I wanted to make that person's dream come true… And I'm happy that I did to some extent..." He coughed again, this time harder than before. Death was creeping up on him, and both of them knew it. "The bridge where we fought, both our dreams collided. Me, for my dreams, and you, for yours. Please don't resent me... I didn't mean to kill her."
"What do you mean?" The crimson haired girl's eyebrows knitted together as she narrowed her eyes at Haku. "What do you mean you didn't mean to kill her."
"I've never... never killed a person before." He admitted, "I only knock them out. Your sister... she moved to protect you, so the senbon I aimed to knock you out may have hit her vitals instead... Please... believe me. I didn't mean to do it..."
The malicious aura surrounding Naruko dissipated almost immediately and she fell to her knees on the sea, staring at her twitching hands.
"I wish you luck in your future endeavours."
Then it became so clear. She understood what Haku meant. Haku could've easily killed her from the start by flinging an endless barrage of senbon her way but he didn't because... because he never intended to kill her.
"Oh god..." Naruko's eyes started to waver again, "Oh god..."
Haku raised his broken arm shakily and placed it on Naruko's knee in an effort to placate her fear and comfort her.
"Don't worry... It isn't your fault either. I don't resent you... And I hope you don't hate as well..." Haku muttered, "You should go... Leave me, return to your friends and check on them... At least... in the end... I died trying to protect the person most important to me... My purpose is complete. I am happy..." Haku drew a last shuddering breath and left the world with a small pleasant smile.
Haku's words about dreams had struck deeply within her. Her dream to become Hokage? If she couldn't even resolve issues without ending in conflict, allowing her anger to take control of herself, how could she even become the Hokage?
While she was close to the position of the Hokage, a decent candidate as the future Hokage, she still had a lot more to learn before she could proudly proclaim herself as a true candidate to the seat.
But why was there a deep feeling within her heart? The familiar feeling of grief. The feeling of losing someone close to her. She knew that feeling.
Perhaps, somehow, in that short amount of time, Haku had managed to befriend Naruko, even during their battle, they spoke with actions and not words. Haku's dreams resonated within Naruko, and the girl felt horrible.
Naruko bit her lip and clenched her hands tightly, eyes watering heavily before she wiped her tears away with her forearm. She couldn't cry now. Not yet. Scooping up Haku's body, she cradled him close to her as she ran back to the bridge.