Gatou shows up with his men on the bridge and dismisses Zabuza of his ninja responsibilities. At that moment, Zabuza apologizes to Kakashi and tells him the battle ends here. He now has no reason to fight them.
Gatou walks up to Haku’s lifeless body and kicks it. Naruto screams and tries to run up to him, but Kakashi stops him. Zabuza tells him that Haku is already dead. When Naruto protests in Haku’s defense, Zabuza says that he used Haku just as Gatou used him. He wanted his abilities, not him. Naruto cannot believe that and prepares to fight again. He defends Haku and Haku’s affection for Zabuza. He can’t understand how Zabuza could act so coldly when Haku loved him so much he sacrificed his own life for his. Haku can’t die as a tool. It’s just too painful.
The intenseness of Naruto’s soliloquy brings Zabuza to tears. He knows just what Haku did for him and thanks them for being his final opponents. He then asks Naruto for his knife. With the knife in his teeth, he charges into Gatou’s group of men, whipping his head to and fro until he is able to reach Gatou. With a couple of swings, Zabuza kills Gatou. Everyone looks on in horror that Zabuza could possibly be still standing with several swords sticking out of his body.
After Gatou dies, Zabuza looks at Haku’s body and collapses in the middle of Gatou’s men. He tells Haku goodbye. Naruto starts to look away, but Kakashi tells him that Zabuza deserves his respect and to keep looking.
At that moment, Sasuke regains consciousness. Sakura explains that Haku is dead and Sasuke realizes that Haku didn’t kill him on purpose. Everyone is relieved.
Suddenly, Gatou’s men interrupt the intenseness to declare that they want revenge. They rush, but are greeted by Inari and all the townsmen, who have stepped up to defend their town. Naruto and Kakashi have just enough chakra to Shadow Replicate and soon Gatou’s men retreat.
Zabuza’s last wish is to see Haku’s face. Kakashi carries his limp body over to where Haku’s body lies. He tells Haku that they’ve been together all this time, so he will die next to him. He uses his last bit of energy to touch Haku’s face and wish to go to the same place he has gone.
As the ninjas bury Zabuza and Haku’s bodies, Naruto vows not to become an emotionless tool and to follow his own ‘way of the ninja’ - to live as though he will regret nothing.
When the bridge is finally completed, the ninjas leave. Tazuna names the bridge in honor of Naruto - the Naruto Big Bridge - so that one day the bridge will be known throughout the world.