Haku felt a piercing cold spread from his heart, draining away all of his strength in an instant.
The furious hatred, the overwhelming desire for revenge it all collapsed like a punctured balloon when faced with the absolute destruction of his vital core.
His chakra was cut off.
The fragile flame of life, like a candle flickering in the storm, was snuffed out without resistance.
He lowered his head, staring in disbelief at the small, precise wound in his chest, a wound so unassuming yet carrying the weight of certain death. His trembling gaze then lifted, meeting the pale eyes of Hinata standing before him.
Her face was still delicate, but with her Byakugan open, the veins bulging around her eyes gave her features an icy sharpness. In her gaze, there was no hesitation, no mercy, no trace of the gentle softness one would expect of her. Only the unyielding calm of a shinobi who had carried out her duty.
She had stood in his way for one reason only to eliminate the threat.
Haku's lips parted as if to speak. Perhaps he wanted to whisper "Zabuza-sama," perhaps a curse. But no words emerged. Only a mouthful of blood spilled past his lips, staining his chin before dripping down onto the frost-covered ground.
His body staggered. The light in his eyes dimmed like a dying ember, and finally, with a dull thud, he collapsed onto the icy earth.
He fell not far from Zabuza's lifeless body, still shrouded in fading mist. Haku's once-beautiful eyes were now vacant, frozen in a final, empty stare fixed in Sasuke's direction toward the man he had sworn to kill. But the fire of vengeance had been extinguished forever.
Death, after all, was the eternal destination of a shinobi.
Hinata straightened her posture, lowering her arms from her Gentle Fist stance. The throbbing veins at the edges of her eyes gradually faded as she deactivated the Byakugan.
She cast one last glance at Haku's corpse. The cold sharpness in her gaze dissipated, replaced once more by her natural serenity.
There was no joy in her eyes, no pride in victory, not even sorrow for the life she had just taken. Only the quiet, steady composure of someone who had completed her mission.
To her, that fatal strike had not been a matter of triumph. It was simply duty.
From the distance, Sasuke tilted his head slightly, lips curling faintly. Watching Hinata dispatch her opponent with such decisive precision stirred no waves in his heart. To him, it was no different from watching an obstacle being cleared from the roadside.
He shook the last trace of blood from his hand where he had ended Zabuza moments before. He trusted his comrades.
"Give them a proper burial," Kakashi said with his hands tucked into his pockets. "For all their sins, they were still renowned shinobi." His tone was casual, but in his eyes shone a quiet pride.
His students had exceeded expectations. They weren't just talented anymore. Through battle, their talent had been refined into true strength. They were already becoming the pillars of the Hidden Leaf.
Naruto scratched his cheek, nodding absentmindedly. Without ceremony, he created a Shadow Clone. The clone carried both Zabuza and Haku's bodies, laid them side by side, and unleashed a fire jutsu. Flames engulfed them until all that remained was drifting ash, scattered by the sea breeze.
A funeral in the light of day, carried on the wind. To Naruto, it seemed a fitting send-off.
Kakashi twitched at the corner of his eye. That wasn't quite what he meant.
Still, the mission had given them plenty to gain.
Among the spoils were two infamous blades of the Hidden Mist: the Thunder Blade and the Executioner's Blade. Both were forged entirely of chakra-conducting metal, reinforced with rare minerals that could no longer be bought anywhere in the market.
"Thanks for the delivery, old friends," Naruto said cheerfully, tucking the blades away before sealing them into one of Kakashi's scrolls.
Neither blade suited their fighting styles directly, but they would make an excellent foundation for new weapons.
With Gato dealt with personally Naruto had marched into his home and ended him with little fuss and the gang of thugs under his payroll swept aside, the Land of Waves was finally free.
The villagers celebrated. When the bridge was completed, they named it the Great Naruto Bridge, in honor of the one who had brought them hope.
Upon learning the details of the mission, the Third Hokage adjusted the ranking. What had begun as a low-level assignment was now officially recorded as an A-rank mission. The team received upgraded payment and recognition.
After all, they had eliminated two infamous rogue shinobi of the Mist: Zabuza and Raiga. The reward was more than deserved. As for the extra compensation… the Leaf would be collecting that from the Mist directly.
The Mist's weapons now rested in Konoha's hands as war trophies. If the Hidden Mist took issue, well, that would be a matter of politics. And when it came to arguments, no one could out-talk the Leaf.
Naruto later sought out Tenten, a member of Guy's team and an expert in weaponry thanks to her family background.
"Tenten-senpai, can these blades be reforged?" he asked, laying the Thunder Blade and Executioner's Blade before her.
"Let me take a look." Tenten's eyes widened as she examined them. "These are priceless weapons! Naruto, where on earth did you get them?"
"Funny story. They were… delivered to me," Naruto replied with a sheepish grin.
"I don't believe you," Tenten said flatly. No one in their right mind would simply hand over treasures that could serve as family heirlooms.
Still, after a moment of thought, she nodded. "It's possible, but not here in the Leaf. We don't have master smiths capable of reforging weapons of this quality. You'd need to send them to the Land of Iron."
"Do you have connections there?" Naruto asked, his eyes bright with hope.
Tenten smirked. "Of course. My family comes from the Land of Iron. We've got ties to some of the best blacksmiths in the world."
Naruto's grin stretched from ear to ear. "That's great! We'll leave everything in your hands. Payment won't be an issue."
"Alright, but I'll need a design template."
Naruto thought for a moment before replying, "One sword, one blade, and a pair of gloves. The gloves should be light but strong enough for defense. The rest just needs to be sharp and deadly."
"No problem. I'll have the price for you once we get them to the smiths," Tenten said, patting her chest with confidence.
The weapons would take time to forge, and Naruto trusted her to handle the arrangements.
A few days later, when Team 7 arrived at the mission assignment hall, the Third Hokage greeted them with a warm smile. He handed Naruto a scroll.
Naruto unrolled it, blinking in surprise. "A… B-rank mission? For us?"
He looked at the old Hokage with wide eyes. "Seriously? You're giving this to a team of fresh graduates?"
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