21. I’m Far from Good

As he stood there, Naruto looked around scanning for Haku.

Soon he felt a chakra signal speeding towards his direction, tensing up, he pulled out his black sword.

"Naruto? Is someone else here?" Sakura asked in a tensed expression.

"Mm, they should be arriving any time soon".

*Swoosh*

A person wearing a white mask and hair tied in a bun appeared a few metres away from where team 7 stood.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked.

"…..".

"Don't bother trying to speak to them" Naruto said as he walked towards Haku, "Sasuke, don't interfere this time, protect mister Tazuna I'll fend of this person until Kakashi arrives".

"No, I'm fighting as well".

"You'll be a burden, didn't you have enough being beaten around by the rogue ninja? You didn't even get a single hit on him".

Sasuke's body shook, fighting against Zabuza was his most embarrassing moment, it was even more embarrassing than fighting Naruto.

Looking back, Naruto saw Sasuke's footsteps frozen mid-stride, seeing his goal achieved Naruto lightly smiled.

"Now then, I can't have you getting near Mr.Tazuna, I may not be strong but I will not let you fulfill your mission".

Hearing Naruto's determination, Tazuna felt a warm sensation coursing throughout his body.

As Naruto and Haku faced each other, their eyes clashed, the tension in the air was almost insufferable. With a sudden burst Haku dashed forward, he weaved hand signals with incredible speed and precision.

Ice shards hurtled towards Naruto, but he evaded them with nimble footwork.

Naruto's eyes gleamed with determination, he threw a barrage of kunai blocking Haku's escape routes. Haku swiftly countered deflecting the projectiles with his own senbon needles.

Naruto smiled "you're really ridiculous, I'm already having a tough time", without giving Naruto a breather, Haku attacked again as his speed increased.

Sasuke and Sakura could see injuries starting to appear on Naruto's body and his clothes tearing apart.

"NARUTO!!", seeing the injuries on his body, Naruto had a pained expression on his face as he backed away from Haku, crouching he held his sword up, panting, trying to catch his breath.

"I-it's fine, I can deal with this much", Sakura seeing this felt her eyes turning moist, Sasuke also clenched his fists angry at how weak he was.

Haku underneath the mask felt sympathy for Naruto and looking at his pained face but determined expression, a small amount of respect and admiration formed.

But he knew he couldn't disappoint Zabuza, so he planned on finishing it off with this attack.

Naruto got up slowly as he held the sword with one hand, he ran towards Haku, his speed rising.

Haku swiftly weaved signs once more as new ice shards formed, "Armageddon: The Departure!", Haku felt like Naruto's attacks had become desperate as none of the slashes was connecting with him.

Sending a vicious kick to Naruto's stomach, Naruto was sent flying into the forest.

"WIND STYLE: GREAT BREAKTHROUGH!", with precision Naruto sent a wind storm towards Haku before he disappeared into the forest.

"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed as she saw an injured Naruto crashing against trees, Haku also was sent flying into the sky due to Naruto last minute jutsu.

"Naruto used his remaining chakra to send Haku away, this jutsu wasn't meant to be an offensive one" Sasuke said as he calmed down assessing Naruto's last attack.

"He bought us time to escape this area", Sasuke felt annoyed, he knew Naruto was thinking about them, but he was also puzzled.

Naruto stopped his momentum after he felt like it was enough acting, getting up he dusted his clothes and cracked his neck "haaa, this goody two shoe act is really draining, well now I can get rid of him rather quickly".

Naruto then disappeared as he arrived where Haku was, seeing Haku get and preparing to go back to the battlefield, he appeared from behind the tree.

'Hmm? He's back?' Haku was pretty surprised to see Naruto.

"You really care about your teammates".

"You are good comrade", Haku gave a rare compliment to the enemy standing infront of him, he saw Naruto face turn into a shocked expression.

"Me? A good comrade?".

"Yes".

Naruto looked at Haku weirdly, although he knew Haku was a kind and gentle person, he was still caught off guard by that statment.

Silence permeated the surroundings, but was soon broken by a laugh that sounded like that of the devil.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA, ME? A GOOD COMRADE?!", Haku face changed as he started feeling an invisible hand wrapping around him.

'Is this his killing intent? Why is it so dark?", as Naruto laughed, his dark nature that was suppressed this whole time exploded when he heard that sentence.

*Boom*

Trees swayed as leaves escaped from their branches, a whirlwind of leaves and grass formed due to his dense bloodlust, Haku looked with widened eyes as the expression on Naruto's face contorted.

"I'm far from good".

Sweat formed on Haku's forhead as his body started to unnoticeably tremble, Naruto then walked ever so slowly towards him, his bloodlust increasing with each step.

Naruto then lifted his sword as he prepared a finisher, seeing his own reflection in the sword Haku knew if it connected he'd die.

With one last effort to save his life, ice mirrors appeared around him as he disappeared into the mirrors.

*WOOOSH*

Their fight reached a crescendo, Naruto disappeared as he appeared right before the mirrors, Haku also emerged from the mirrors with his speed reaching near the speed of light.

Time seemed to have stopped as their attacks inched closer to their destination.

"The Depature".

"Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals".

*SHIIING*

Haku's head was violently detached from his body, blood spurred from the jagged wound that Naruto created, dark-red fluid painted Naruto's entire body as it dripped from his sword, standing there Naruto felt comfortable.

Beside him, a head with a facial expression frozen in death, even in his final moments Haku had never felt terrified of someone as he was of Naruto, but he'll never know why.

"Now it's time to help Zabuza".

"I hope you're still alive".