《Luciel Arashiden: Book of Dawn》


 Prologue

    "Luciel... You are truly the king of the fifty storms."


    Befitting of its name, Kirigakure is surrounded by a luminous mist, embellishing the glorious mountains that encompass the contemporary architecture, modernized since the great war for humanity. Typically, citizens are brimming with cheerfulness, distinct from the village''s history as the bloody mist.


    During the reign of the Fourth Mizukage, the village developed a reputation for it''s cruelty, often coercing young children to massacre each other for the opportunity to become shinobi. Corruption plagued those in charge, leading to the famed Mass Exodus of Kirigakure. Relations between Kirigakure and other influential villages grew sour, especially Iwagakure of the Land of Earth.


    During the reign of the following three Mizukage, the once economically poor and non-industrialized village reformed internal policies and improved it''s image abroad as an open-minded municipality, bringing home astonishing development. Following the Fourth Shinobi World War, which marked a union between the shinobi villages, Kirigakure became a modern and thriving city, popular for tourism. Since then, the village has been nothing but bright and happy.


    Suddenly, the liveliness stopped. Streets were filled with a bit of confusion, a bit of panic, and a shitload of sorrow. The Seventh Mizukage was suddenly found dead in his dining hall the previous evening. Medical shinobi found traces of Wolfs-bane in his bloodstream, and the fear of domestic terrorism swept not only the city, but the entire nation as well. Usually secretive from the general public, several Anbu shinobi transported his casket to a graveyard.


    The office of Mizukage oversees the activities of Kirigakure, making the hard decisions regarding the village''s safety, and serves as the chief commander of the shinobi military. The Water Daimyo is the political leader of the entire Land of Water, responsible for all decisions concerning the country, from alliances to the annual budget to the privileges allowed to the hidden village. As the highest political figure in the country, the Water Daimyo is instrumental in the appointment of the Mizukage, often gathering with the Kiri council to select a candidate.


    Following that tragic supper, citizens'' presumptions were aroused. "I suspect the Iwagakure shinobi were behind the assassination!" or "Jashinist extremist groups from the Land of Hot Water are to blame, the shinobi should prepare for invasion" or "The Seventh Mizukage''s death was merely accidental!"


    That following week, citizens were expecting the country''s Daimyo to appoint a new Mizukage. Several rumors floated about, but the most popular decision was Sakane Mototsune. The head of the honored Sakane clan, Mototsune''s famed techniques earned him a reputation when acting as the Mizukage''s hand.


    Burdened with the fear of conflict, Yamada Daisuke, the Anbu squad commander, approached his childhood friend, Kurogane Yoshiro, outside the Mizukage''s office during the funeral. "Long time, no see," Yoshiro said, stroking his blue beard that complemented his spiky hair.Stolen story; please report.


    In the Academy, Yoshiro always played second fiddle, graduating from the academy a salutatorian, behind Daisuke. They were partnered into Team Mototsune as genin, becoming fierce rivals for the attention of their instructor. When Daisuke was appointed the title of Anbu commander, Yoshiro began teaching a trio of Genin - who recently graduated to Chuunin status - but nevertheless, they had remained close friends with an unbreakable bond.


    "It seems Kiri''s in some deep shit, huh?" Daisuke commented, lighting a cigarette and placing it between his lips. "I doubt it. The cooks probably just made a mistake." Yoshiro said. Daisuke laughed, prepared with a rebuttal. "It would take a pretty incompetent cook to accidentally sneak wolfs-bane leaves into green tea."


    Daisuke stomped his cigarette to unlight it, attempting to hide his uneasiness, and continued. "The Daimyo is scheduled to speak with the Kiri council in a few days, and rumor has it Mototsune is his popular choice." Yoshiro patted his friend on the shoulder, acknowledging the stress he must be enduring. "My team can escort him to the village tomorrow. In the meantime, you should be investigating this alleged assassination."


    Whenever Mototsune appeared at a bar, an entourage would follow. He was annoyed by the attention, but humored every question asked. A journalist for the Kirigakure Times asked, "Was the Seventh Mizukage assassinated, or was his death a mere accident?" Mototsune had no answer. Another journalist asked, "If the Seventh Mizukage''s death was a premeditated assassination, who was behind the attack?" Mototsune still had no answer.


    Suddenly, a pale figure emerged from the mist. He was skinny, with long navy hair and a black cloak adorning his bare shoulders. The missing shinobi Shizuka Yuto, founder of the Shiryoku group, stood before the Mizukage candidate as citizens watched in awe. Yuto was brave to stand in the public, especially under current conditions. He was the former hand of the Seventh Mizukage alongside Mototsune, supposed to function as his successor until he was banished for promoting the philosophy of the Bloody Mist. His followers accompanied him, dressed in similar attire and doll-like masks.


    Mototsune gritted his teeth as Yuto slowly approached him. Yuto spoke with a cold voice that sent shivers down the spine of the audience. "It''s been a few years since we last spoke, hasn''t it?" Yuto silently grinned to purposely spook his former friend. "Those few years have been prosperous to the village, especially without that bullshit you encourage", Mototsune responded.


    Yuto laughed at the insult, leering at Mototsune''s blonde ponytail. "You still look as young as ever. Always the flirting type, since we were teenagers. It''s surprising that such a handsome face could belong to a cold-hearted killer." Yuto said with audacious confidence.


    "Since you consider me a killer, would it be out of character if I killed you right now?" Mototsune said, concentrating wind chakra around his concealed hand. Yuto simply pressed against his forehead in a taunting manner. "Yes. You''re a little too smart to do something like that. These few years since we last spoke have been filled with nothing but weakness within the shinobi ranks. Kirigakure deserves a powerful leader with an equally powerful military."


    "Kirigakure deserves a leader who isn''t cruel." Mototsune argued. Yuto stared deeply into his former friend''s eyes, piercing through his confidence, and departed from the village with an incensed expression.


    The threat of imminent civil war loomed over Kirigakure that night.

 Chapter 1

    <u>1</u>


    Luciel was an experienced chuunin notorious for his prowess in combat. Born to a family distantly related to the Hyuga clan, Luciel managed to inherit a single Byakugan in his left eye socket. His mastery of Water Release techniques allowed him to create vast quantities of the substance without a present water source, which was by all accounts no easy feat. He often dressed in oversized black clothing, imitating the Kuratenshi fashion statement popular in Kirigakure. His versatile abilities, in addition to his unique dark personality, earned him respect among the Shinobi ranks.


    But respect was something Luciel had to earn. In the Academy, he struggled to rapidly produce hand signs, limiting his potential in ninjutsu. After graduating, he was assigned to Team Yoshiro, partnered with his childhood friends Roku Yuuki and Hoshigaki Osame. Luciel improved his ninjutsu skills as a Genin, eventually mastering Water Release ninjutsu and activating his Byakugan, a feat his entire family couldn''t accomplish.


    Roku Yuuki was always a prodigy in the Academy, plausible because of his clan''s abilities. He inherited shadow manipulation techniques from his father, an immigrant Nara clan member from Konohagakure, and developed a strong affinity for Lightning Release ninjutsu. His genius intelligence astonished his teachers, though his laziness caused him to fail a year in the Academy. He was scrawnier than his classmates, and typically shorter, but his body type advertised his superior speed. His dark hair complimented his slightly darker skin tone, a trait indicative of the Roku clan, which flattered his black pants and white vest.


    Hoshigaki Osame was exceptionally tall with a distinctive shark-like appearance, complete with pale skin and sharp teeth. Despite her threatening exterior, Osame was very calm and cheerful. She often wore standard shinobi attire, a slate grey flak jacket and a waistband to hold her broadsword.


    Typically, when not partaking in missions, the chuunin would train in the Ninth Training Ground, adjacent to the glorious mountains surrounded by mist, but the recent death of the Seventh Mizukage diminished their ambition, substituting it with unease.


    Kurogane Yoshiro was the team''s sensei, responsible for commanding the chuunin on missions. He thought anxiety would slow his pupil''s performance during their big assignment the following morning, so he decided to lift the team''s mood by buying a dinner they could all enjoy.


    From the outside, the pizzeria was peaceful and welcoming. Clay bricks and huge, stone pillars made up most of the building''s walls. It was almost impossible to see through the stained glass windows, but the sounds of happy families conversing could clearly be heard.


    It was as enchanting inside as it was on the outside. Stone beams supported the upper floor and the chandeliers attached to them. The walls were littered with so many different memorabilia, the chuunin were not sure if they tried going for a specific style at one time or just put up anything they liked. The pizzeria itself was packed. Even most of the stools at the bar were occupied, though nobody seemed to mind more company.


    "Now that I''m in a better mood, I feel even more hungry!" Luciel was instantly excited. The teenagers loved pizza, especially with as much different meats as possible.


    "Right! I''m really gonna stuff myself today!" Despite his skinny physique, Yuuki could probably eat an entire pizza by himself without problems. Maybe even two boxes if he was hungry enough.


    "Hey, can I take your order?" The waitress was tall with cream skin and knowing green eyes. Her pale, unkept hair stuck out of the black cap she was forced to wear as a uniform, along with a white shirt and black skirt. Her beauty caught Yoshiro off guard, and the jounin could barely hear her speak.


    "We''ll take two large three meat pizzas, please." Osame ordered for her teammates. Her sharp teeth were already prepared to sink into the overpriced meal.


    "Alright. I''ll be right back with your order." The waitress said. Yoshiro was still stunned by the time she turned around and walked into the kitchen.


    "Sensei, you''re paying the bill right?" Luciel asked, snapping his sensei out of his trance.


    "Of course, consider this my treat," Yoshiro smiled, standing up from his seat. "But if you''ll excuse me, I have to use the restroom."


    The chuunin didn''t have to wait that long. Before their sensei even exited the bathroom, the waitress came to the table with their food. "Did the older guy just leave?"


    "No, he''s just in the bathroom," Luciel said. "We''ll make sure to save him a few slices."


    He lied. The chuunin ate both boxes of pizza within seconds, still having room in their stomachs for more. Yuuki sneakily took the jounin''s wallet which he left on the table with a mischievous face. "Can we have a few more boxes?!"


    Needless to say, Yoshiro was pissed when he returned to the table. "You didn''t even save any pizza for me?!"


    "Sorry. You took too long." Yuuki, who definitely ate most of the pizza, licked tomato sauce and cheese from his fingers. He handed Yoshiro the dinner''s receipt, and the jounin''s jaw absolutely dropped.


    "Fifty dollars?! What, do you think I''m made out of money?! How much pizza did you eat?!"


    "Only like -- four or five boxes." Osame burped. The sensei just signed as Yuuki handed him the wallet, veins popping from his head as if he were to explode. His skin was bright red, possibly more red than the tomato sauce on the chuunin''s pizza, and he was so angry that steam erupted from his ears.


    "You bastards!"


    The four left the pizzeria with full stomaches, all except for Yoshiro who was still a bit pissed off. They walked through the busy streets of Kirigakure, passing by villagers who would normally be filled with glee, but the recent tragedy littered the village with uncertainty about the citizen''s futures. Excluding shinobi, workers were off duty to relieve stress and spend time with their families until the inauguration of a new Mizukage.


    There was still enough time to train before nightfall...


    x--------------x


    "Kirigakure was always a weak pile of trash, even before the fourth shinobi world war." Two mercenaries walked through a snowy pathway, far away from said village. "Doubtlessly the second weakest village in the entire world."


    The other mercenary was shorter and evidently younger. "How sad... The mist is even cowardly, bowing down to the federal government for extra funding on their bullshit modernization project. A tyrannical jinch¨±riki ruled the village just a few decades ago, now all of the sudden they''re the biggest tourist spot in the five great shinobi countries."


    "I bet you a hundred bucks there''s gonna be a coup d''etat by next month and it won''t inconvenience us at all. Just think of how much money we''ll make for assassination attempts. So many people want the office of Mizukage, meaning so many people are wanted dead by their competitors."


    "Y''know... I grew a lot since I left that village. I was probably the most powerless shinobi in the academy, and now even jounin fear me in combat. This mission is a monumental honor for mercenaries. Not only are we gonna be famous, but think of the payroll for killing a Daimyo!"


    "Just remember, if any shinobi pursue us, leave no survivors." Neither mercenaries were doubtful of their own abilities. Hell, they never failed to execute a single assignment. Any shinobi encountering them should have amazing luck if they want to survive a confrontation...


    <u>2</u>


    As soon as the distant sun levitated into the orange horizon, the bothersome alarm clock woke the members of Yoshiro''s team. Despite the importance of the Daimyo in selecting the next Mizukage, they were barely prepared for the assignment they were tasked given.


    "What a pain in my ass," said Yuuki. "I should be at home playing Shinobi Bout. If I wanted to escort a random old man, I''d become a prostitute already."


    "You idiot! He''s not some random old man; he''s the political leader of this country!" Luciel scolded him.


    "I''m an idiot? Well you''re nothing but my second fiddle, so what does that make you?" Yuuki snickered, his insult triggering his teammate''s volatile temper. Luciel tried to punch Yuuki, but the latter caught his forearm. "Exactly what I said. Second fiddle."


    "That''s enough!" Yoshiro reprimanded his students. "Shinobi who don''t value their comrades are scum. The two of you have been working together for years, fighting flawlessly on the field, but I can never get you to stop bickering!"


    Luciel was agitated, but even more than that, he was embarrassed. Reading in-between the lines of the situation, Yoshiro slowed his pace. "We need to talk."


    "Look, I''m sorry for bickering with him all the time," Luciel apologized. "I''m just tired of being his shadow. That kid''s been lazy since the academy, failing almost every class he took while I worked my ass off to get excellent grades. Even though he lacks a work ethic, he''s always been considered the prodigy."


    "You sound like me when I was your age." Yoshiro understood his student''s point of view.


    "What?"


    "You''ve met my former teammate, Yamada Daisuke. I was always jealous of him, especially since he became Anbu commander. We got into a lot of fights back in the day, until I realized that every shinobi has their strengths and weaknesses. Daisuke was never promoted to jounin-status because he can only perform one nature transformation. He''s still a tokubetsu jounin."


    "Sensei, I''ve never met your third teammate. Is she still in the mist village?"


    This silenced Yoshiro, filling the atmosphere with an unpleasant mood. His uplifting grin morphed into grief-stricken gloom. "Luciel, I need you to always remember something: Never take your comrades for granted. You never know how much you love something until it''s gone..."


    "... I can promise you that."


    x--------------x


    Surrounded by camellia, the Daimyo''s palace was aesthetically beautiful. The large cylindrical building imitated the architecture of Kirigakure prior to it''s modernization, despite being so far away from the city, out of sheer respect for the Third Mizukage.


    The Daimyo, considerably younger than his past several predecessors, wore his traditional Daimyo headgear when approached by Yoshiro and his students. The shinobi bowed to their political leader, though the Daimyo showed a less formal attitude, inviting his escorts inside for tea and walking them through the carpet hallways into the golden dining hall.


    "It''s unbelievably dismal that the Seventh Mizukage died. I''ve always favored him among the leaders other villages," the Daimyo spoke, sipping his tea while the shinobi listened. "He always cut the ass-kissing bullshit when we talked. I was heartbroken to hear that a dear friend of mine had died at such a young age."


    "I couldn''t imagine the feeling of losing a close friend," Yoshiro responded. "Plenty of comrades have died since I became a shinobi, but never someone too close to me." He finished his cup of tea and refused a refill from the Daimyo''s maid. Unlike his teammates, Luciel preferred sweetened tea, and asked for sugar.


    "I''d love to continue talking," the Daimyo said, drinking his last drop. "But we should be heading out soon." The shinobi followed orders, escorting him to the hidden village. The Daimyo continued to converse with Yoshiro, discussing his opinions on the mist village''s development, while they trek toward the hidden village.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "My predecessor was often weary of Kirigakure''s strength, fearing the threat it''s military could impose. Civil wars in this country are often forsaken by bloodshed, with dozens of clans massacred to resolve trivial political disputes." the Daimyo said.


    "Civil war is a genuine concern for the citizens of Kirigakure. Conflicts regarding the Mizukage''s successor are inevitable." Yoshiro commented, reasonably worried of the recent confrontation between popular candidate Sakane Mototsune and the missing-ninja Shizuka Yuto, adverse contenders for the Mizukage office.


    "My predecessor differs from me in many aspects, but we both assent on several things. I believe the shinobi are incredibly powerful, even in this time of peace. The Mizukage that I appoint will certainly quell any disturbances or conflicts in the village." The Daimyo said, reassuring his confidence in triumphant peace.


    After trekking across the nation''s elegant lakes and rivers, the shinobi soon reached the Valley of Yotsuga Pass, marked by it''s tall mountains with alluring trees and wintry peaks. The valley''s breeze was frigid, numbing the shinobi''s skin with relentless shivers.


    The mountains were typically surrounded by a haze of mist at night, concealing the hidden village; but in the daytime, Kirigakure was illuminated by bright sunlight, informing nearby travelers or tourists of it''s beautiful buildings. The shinobi were close to their destination.


    "I haven''t seen the mist village in a while," the Daimyo said. "Last time I visited, video games were still a new invention. The Mizukage would normally be escorted to my office instead of vice-versa."


    "You were elected shortly after the Forth Shinobi World War, right? It must''ve been a pain in your ass trying to fund the modernization era." Yoshiro commented.


    "I became the Water Daimyo during the Sixth Mizukage''s reign, so it was mostly my predecessor that dealt with that stuff. With the village''s leaders kissing my boot every twenty minutes, my job has been more irritating than difficult."


    Abruptly, Luciel''s left eye twitched. He activated his byakugan and observed his surroundings. "What''s wrong?" Yoshiro inquired his student. Suddenly, numerous needles of ice shot toward the Daimyo, but Luciel immediately exhaled a massive barrier of water to repel the needles. The shinobi were instantly on guard as two mercenaries emerged from the mist.


    On the left was Kimura Daiki, a well-known ice release user with emerald hair and paper tag earrings, wearing a sleeve-less black top and navy pants. Confided in his brown camo belt were lightweight pouches carrying the blood of his massacred clan.


    On the left was Hozuki Jingetsu, a well-known kenjutsu user with spiky black hair, wearing a battered cloak complimenting a bandaged mask. Yoshiro commanded his students, so the shinobi sprung to action. "I''ll take the one on the left. You guys take the other one."


    <u>3</u>


    Yuuki quickly thought of a strategy, nodding to his teammates who already understood the plan. Luciel released a high pressure stream of water toward Jingetsu, prompting him to leap backward. Osame followed up with a quick sword strike, but Jingetsu liquefied his body, causing the blade to move through him.


    Jingetsu responded with a swift kick, launching Osame backward. The shinobi landed on her feet and wiped blood from her nose with a smile. "Water Release: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu". With only a few hand seals, Osame propelled water in the shape of a large shark at the mercenary, causing Jingetsu to liquefy his arm and contain the technique.


    Luciel watched the opponent closely, unraveling his every move with the byakugan. With a quick stroke of his blade, Jingetsu reflected a shuriken from Yuuki with ease. "You''re effort is pitiful."


    "Damn it," Yuuki cursed. "I wanna get a hit in somehow."


    "You shouldn''t. If you get too close, he''ll cut your head off." Osame warned her comrade.


    "I''m more adept than you think." Yuuki conjured several shadows clones to sprint toward the swordsman.


    Jingetsu disregarded the figures running toward him, instead aiming for the most important body. "You''re too incompetent to face someone like me!" All of a sudden, the doppelganger evaporated into a cloud of smoke, shocking the mercenary. That was only a clone, modeling as the original Yuuki while the real shinobi maneuvered behind his opponent.


    "Ninja Art: Shadow Strangle Jutsu!" Yuuki''s shadow manifested arms and hands, extending to Jingetsu''s neck with a tight grasp. Jingetsu liquefied his body to pass through the shadows and solidified behind Yuuki.


    "You''re not that bad, honestly." Jingetsu said.


    "I think you forget," Yuuki responded. "Water is vulnerable to lightning."


    Yuuki created several shadow clones infused with lighting chakra. Jingetsu dodged the clones'' strikes and threw kunai at their heads, forcing them to disperse into a lightning state, and proceeded toward his opponent. The two brawled with acrobatic punches and kicks deadlier than car crashes.


    Luciel jumped next to his teammates after analyzing the mercenary''s attack patterns. Osame joked, "Took you long enough."


    "I know. I apologize."


    Yuuki explained the circumstances of the battle. "This guy''s reaction time is extremely fast, but he struggles when his guard is down. Hopefully we can use that to our advantage."


    "I was already aware," Luciel said. "Trust me, you''re not the only intelligent shinobi on the team."


    Yuuki tried to punch Jingetsu but was effortlessly blocked. The mercenary followed up with a swift kick to the ankles. Yuuki almost tripped but managed to recover, striking Jingetsu several times in the stomach and launching him backward.


    Luciel swiftly leaped behind Jingetsu, attempting to kick him into the ground, but Jingetsu caught his footing and threw Luciel into the air. Osame rushed toward Jingetsu with her sword, but Jingetsu''s blade was swift enough to block the strike. "You''re more proficient with the blade that I expected." Jingetsu applauded. He pressed his knee into Osame''s back, cracking her spine, and kicked her into the air toward Luciel.


    Yuuki threw an explosive tag at Jingetsu''s feet, causing him to jump out of the explosion''s radius. While in mid-air, Luciel threw Osame at the mercenary like a missile. Jingetsu blocked a punch from Osame with his forearms, not expecting Luciel to strike a tenketsu from behind.


    "You were right," Yuuki said. You''re actually stronger than I thought, Luciel..."


    The chuunin reassembled, looking for a new strategy. Jingetsu attempted to slash through his opponents, causing Luciel to spit a barrier of water and buy time. "Shadow Stitching Jutsu!" Yuuki said, his shadows manifesting as several sharp needles that pierced through skin and tissue, throwing Jingetsu to the ground.


    The three chuunin attempted to strike Jingetsu but were effortlessly outmaneuvered by his intangibility. Even in taijutsu, Jingetsu dominated the battle. "This is pretty fun! I could do this all day," Jingetsu said, mockingly. "But unfortunately, I don''t have all day." His sword slashed through Yuuki''s cheek and Luciel''s back. Osame attempted to parry the opponent but was overwhelmed.


    "Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Luciel shouted, performing a single hand seal and spitting water from his mouth. The water embodied the form of a dragon and crashed into the mercenary, dealing significant damage, as the chuunin caught their breaths.


    Using the technique''s fallout as a water source, the impaired Jingetsu created several clones that charged at Luciel. Using his Byakugan to detect the clones, Luciel threw a large fuma shuriken at the original Jingetsu, causing him to become intangible again. The shuriken unexpectedly changed direction, catching Jingetsu off guard and luring him to evade.


    "Shadow Possession Jutsu!" Yuuki shouted. He created several shadow clones, using their shadows as extensions of his own. The shadow under his feet penetrated through the distracted Jingetsu''s shadow, restraining the mercenary and surging electricity throughout his body.


    Even in a liquefied state, Jingetsu was still vulnerable to the lightning chakra. Too damaged to move, all he could do was call out to Daiki... Then, he remembered those beautiful words from many years ago. "People that turn their backs on comrades are scum..."


    When Jingetsu was younger, he was deemed physically unfit to be a shinobi. He failed the academy several times, developing a feeling of worthlessness.


    "I''ll show you, and everyone here, that I''m not weak!" Jingetsu shouted at his instructor.


    "You''ll never be a shinobi. Not in a million years!" The instructor made Jingetsu''s heart sink, skipping a thousand beats and plummeting to the depths of a dark abyss where no fruit grows. Jingetsu ran away from the village, bawling his eyes out. All he ever wanted to be was a powerful shinobi...


    "Why''re you running?"


    Jingetsu found himself unable to move; his legs refused to work, and all he could do was tremble in the presence of the mercenary. After all, Kimura Daiki had a reputation for murder.


    "People that turn their backs on comrades are scum," Daiki said. "And I treat scum with a thirst for blood." Ever since then, Jingetsu and Daiki formed a brotherly bond. Under Daiki''s tutelage, Jingetsu developed brutal abilities and was feared by the same village that doubted him; but his greatest catalyst was also his greatest weakness:


    Doubting the mist shinobi...


    <u>4</u>


    Desperate to assassinate the Daimyo, an honorable commission for a mercenary, Kimura Daiki formed the ram seal with his hands, releasing the blood of his massacred clan from the pouches on his waistband and converting it into ice needles. Yoshiro eluded the needles with great swiftness, performing several hand seals of his own, and expelled a blue scorching flame from his mouth. "Blue Flame Art: Flame Bomb!"


    Daiki quickly froze the wind around him, enclosing himself in a solid dome to protect himself from Yoshiro''s jutsu. The blue flames slowly melted through the glacial barrier, allowing Daiki time to recuperate. The two shinobi fought to a stalemate in hand-to-hand combat with no clear advantage to either combatant, surprising Yoshiro of the assailant''s pure skill. Daiki parried several strikes from his opponent, springing backward and shouting, "Ice Release: Ice Dragon Jutsu!" Suddenly, his family''s blood froze, taking the shape of a dragon and advancing toward Yoshiro''s direction.


    "Your kekkei genkai is impressive," Yoshiro said, catching his breath. "Blue Flame Art: Dragon Flame Bomb!" The shinobi exhaled blue flames mimicking the dragon-esque shape. The two techniques clashed, causing the frozen blood to eventually melt. "You''re starting to annoy me," Daiki said.


    His family''s blood took the shape of a sword, held in the hands of it''s last survivor. "With this crimson spirit blade of the Kimura clan, I shall slay any enemy that stands before me."


    They got ready for another go when they listened to the sounds coming from the mist, making Daiki smirk at what he was hearing. Yoshiro threw several shuriken, infusing them with lightning release chakra to increase their destructive capabilities. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Daiki said, blowing the shuriken away with a powerful gust of wind.


    "That blue fire of yours," Daiki interrupted the fight. "It''s a kekkei genkai, isn''t it? Possibly a combination of fire and lightning release chakra?" He was intrigued at the technique''s unique color. Throughout his entire career as a mercenary, Daiki never saw a fire release technique with a blue appearance, capable of melting through his ice barriers.


    "It''s the kekkei genkai of the Kurogane clan." Yoshiro commented. He charged at Daiki, causing the mercenary to surround his fist with his family''s frozen blood and counter with a swift punch to the gut. Yoshiro coughed, dodging a kick from Daiki and stabbing him in the leg with a kunai.


    Daiki removed the kunai from his leg, encasing it with his family''s frozen blood, and threw it at the shinobi. Yoshiro dodged, but the kunai unexpectedly rotated around him, lacerating his left eye. This eyeball gushed blood like a waterfall, clouding his already impaired vision.


    Yoshiro clutched the wound, gritting his teeth, and placed a summoning contract in front of him. Dripping blood onto the paper, Yoshiro slammed his hand down with marvelous gallantry.


    "Summoning Jutsu!" Yoshiro shouted. The legendary white tiger summoning of the Kurogane clan, Byakko, appeared out of thin air, leaving behind a trail of smoke. The tiger was gigantic, large enough to dwarf a susanoo, with a long tail and black patterns covering his body.


    With an intimidating roar, Byakko created a large eruption of wind that pushed the mercenary back. Yoshiro mounted his summoning, finally turning the tables in battle.


    "Ice Release: World of Eternal Winter," said Daiki. The ecosystem around the combatants froze at a rapid pace, creating a vast glacial forest cold enough to instantly turn water into ice.


    "With this technique, I''ll kill you within seconds." Frosted roots encompassed Yoshiro and his summoning, ensnaring Byakko with a tight grip capable of crushing mountains.


    The pinnacle of ice release ninjutsu...


    Yoshiro''s summoning released an electrical discharge from every direction, slicing through the frosted roots with ease. As Byakko disappeared, Daiki was dumbfounded at the shinobi''s technique, briefly trembling in place until his resolve encouraged him to continue fighting.


    Yoshiro was acrobatic, dodging frozen roots with incredible flexibility. He was nauseated, feeling his heartbreak slow from hypothermia, but his adrenaline rush pushed him to persevere with all his might.


    Daiki performed several hand signs with fascinating dexterity and slammed the floor with the palm of his hand. The ice beneathe Yoshiro''s feet bared it''s teeth into his legs, immobilizing him.


    "Lightning Release: Thunder Genesis." Yoshiro unleashed a stream of violent electricity. The ice and lightning brutally collided, severing the icicles around the combatants.


    Punch against punch, kick against kick, the battle between Yoshiro and Daiki was faster than the average human could witness.


    Daiki braced the frozen blood sword, determined to finish the fight early. "I''ll have no remorse when I run this blade through your neck."


    Yoshiro produced a seal with his left hand and prepared to perform ninjutsu. "Blue Flame Art," he said, watching his opponent sprint with tremendous velocity. Barely avoiding the strike from the mercenary''s blade, Yoshiro retaliated with a powerful counter-attack. "Big Flame Bomb!" He expelled a stream of blue fire from his mouth, critically wounding Daiki in the process.


    Daiki collapsed with insufferable anguish but managed to salvage his diminishing vigor. His skin was blistering and visibly disfigured from the burns he suffered.


    Initially struggling to stand, Daiki leered at his adversary with deep enmity. He dashed toward Yoshiro, gripping the hilt of his blade tightly, and circumvented several of the shinobi''s kunai.


    "That boy over there," Yoshiro noticed the young Hozuki. "I''ll make sure he''s safe."


    The jounin pierced Daiki''s heart with a small dagger, causing the mercenary to abruptly halt and cough blood. Jingetsu, injured from his encounter with the chuunin, hastily crawled toward his mentor, weeping as Daiki''s consciousness slowly began to fade.


    "It''s okay," Daiki said, refusing to implore survival. "I''ve been confronting death for a while now, so I guess it''s finally time to see my family again..." Daiki gathered the blood of his clan into his pouch, adding in a bit of his own blood, and touched his pupil''s cheek with cold hands.


    "Promise me you won''t let me die in vain. Avenge my fallen clan, Jingetsu. I believe in your strength, and I assure you that I''ll always remain beside you throughout this dark, scary road. Please reach toward the light at the end of the tunnel..."


    "... People that turn their backs on comrades are scum."


    Daiki succumbed to his wounds, leaving Jingetsu in desolation. He glanced at his mentor''s killer, infuriated with bloodthirsty desire. The cold weather froze the somber tears flooding from his eyes and running down his face.


    "You shinobi are all scum!" Jingetsu cried. "So kill me, torment me, turn your back on me! You''re all sick, twisted bastards! Every last one of you!"


    "Who sent you?" Yoshiro demanded an answer, but Jingetsu neglected to respond, instead fleeing with Daiki''s corpse on his shoulders. The chuunin braced to pursue the mercenary, but Yoshiro silently turned down their proposal with the elevation of his hand.


    Sometimes, it''s better to let people grieve...

 Chapter 2

    <u>1</u>


    The shinobi continued to escort the Daimyo to Kirigakure, finally arriving a little less than an hour later. By the time they entered the village, the Mizukage''s office was flooded with citizens dressed in formal attire, while kiri shinobi were dressed in their standard grey flak jackets. Daisuke and his Anbu squad accompanied the Daimyo into the conference room, followed by the Kiri council.


    "Members of the council, and Daimyo of this beautiful country, have been tasked with a crucial assignment essential to the future of this hidden village," Daisuke began speaking, presiding over the conference to substitute the fallen Mizukage. "The recent death of the Seventh Mizukage has sparked concern over the well-being of his constituents. We are gathered here today to appoint a successor."


    All of a sudden, an elderly woman of the council interrupted the rhetoric. "I nominate Mototsune, head of the Sakane clan, as a candidate for office." Karatachi Tsumugi was the oldest member of the kiri council, serving for the Mizukage since the Third Shinobi World War. During that war, she advocated to make Nohara Rin of Konohagakure the jinchuriki of the Three-tails.


    Despite her often cutthroat endorsements, Tsumugi detested the Fourth Mizukage''s reign of the bloody mist, leading a mutiny that ultimately resulted in the Fourth Mizukage''s death and eventual capture of the Three-tailed beast by the Akatsuki group.


    Several members of the kiri council concurred. Mototsune aided the Seventh Mizukage on plenty occasions, making him the obvious choice. "I assent to her nomination," said the counselor to her left, Saito Kyosuke. Kyosuke was a veteran of the Fourth Shinobi World War, fighting alongside the Third Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces.


    "I assent to her nomination." said the counselor to Tsumugi''s right. Ikeda Hajime was a close friend and rival to the Seventh Mizukage. The chief''s death disheartened many shinobi in Kirigakure, but none more than Hajime.


    Selecting his friend''s successor was important to Hajime, wishing to carry the Seventh Mizukage''s legacy at all costs. He was very familiar with Mototsune and recognized the close connection they possessed.


    "I assent to the council''s nomination." the Daimyo declared, concluding the meeting rather quickly. After the council appointed the candidate, they scheduled the official inauguration for the following week. The Daimyo planned to stay at a hotel, bodyguarded by several Anbu, and attend the ceremony.


    x--------------x


    The chuunin of Team Yoshiro spent the evening of their escort mission contemplating the events that transpired that afternoon. The training grounds were virtually desolate. Most shinobi took a break from missions to prepare for the Mizukage inauguration, but Yoshiro''s students were far too distressed.


    "I have a really bad feeling," said Luciel. "It''s been tearing at my insides since we returned to the village."


    "Assassination attempts aren''t that uncommon, y''know." Osame said.


    "I agree with Luci. It''s pretty convenient that the Mizukage was suddenly found dead, and then man supposed to choose a successor was targeted," Yuuki responded. "Plus, the route we took was kept under wraps by the Anbu."


    "That means someone close to the Seventh Mizukage hired those mercenaries." Luciel said.


    "I''ll talk to sensei about this later," Osame asserted. "But until then, we should probably get some rest."


    Needless to say, neither chuunin got any rest that night...


    x--------------x


    Yoshiro''s injures from the mercenary were quite severe, forcing him into the hospital for the night. He used a substantial amount of chakra, and his eyeball was critically damaged, advertising a large vertical scar. Because of the latter, he wore a medical eye-patch to prevent traumatizing other patients.


    The next morning, Yoshiro woke up to pee, but he completely missed the toilet because of his injured vision. He struggled to fall back asleep, watching the clock in anticipation for lunch. His three chuunin were instantly altered by his condition upon first glance.


    "When the hell do I get to eat?" Yoshiro asked.


    "You can''t eat solid food until after the procedure." The nurse answered.


    "How long until then?" Luciel was more worried about Yoshiro'' physical health than his hunger.


    "I''d say about a week, but I can''t promise his eye will be in perfect condition." The nurse answered.


    "I want chips." Yoshiro complained. Unlike his student, the jounin was more worried about his hunger than his physical health.


    "Good work, Yoshiro." Daisuke entered the hospital room to acknowledge his friend, passing by the baffled nurse.


    "How''s your work at the Anbu been?"


    "Pretty boring, honestly. Beside protecting the Daimyo from any bandits, I haven''t had too much fun in a while."


    "Y''know, I was protecting the Daimyo last night, and I assure you I had a lot of fun." Yoshiro''s voice was completely sarcastic, given the circumstances.


    "It seems Kirigakure''s made a lot of enemies. Hell, this village is it''s own enemy at this point."


    "Don''t worry about it, dude - The Daimyo''s targeted by mercenaries, the threat of civil war is looming over the village, and I can''t see for shit. What the hell is there to worry about?" Again, Yoshiro was sarcastic.


    "Easy for you to say - you only have to deal with one of those three things."


    "I still want chips, god dammit," Yoshiro''s hunger still bothered him. "I''d kill for honey butter chips right now." He was anything but sarcastic at that moment.


    "Is there anything we could possibly do?" Osame asked.


    "Well, the Water Monastery reported signs of suspicious activity, but we''re currently running low on active shinobi," Daisuke said. "This could possibly have A-Rank difficulty, but I trust you three with this mission."


    "What about sensei?" Yuuki asked.


    "You''ll be fine without me," Yoshiro struggled to look his pupil in the eye. "Yuuki, I entrust you with the responsibilities of temporary team leader."


    Luciel wasn''t keen on following Yuuki''s instructions, but he was happy to help nonetheless...


    x--------------x


    With the corpse of his fallen mentor on his shoulder, Jingetsu traveled across forests and rivers, determined to find shelter. He stumbled upon a small village, knocking door to door to convince any compassionate person for help; not one person was compassionate. Instead, they turned a blind eye and refused to open their doors.


    Jingetsu left the village with a distaste in humanity before he was approached by his employer.


    "Did you accomplish your task?" It was Shizuka Yuto, dressed in his ordinary clothing. Next to the banished shinobi was a mysterious figure in a black cloak, covering his face with a hood.


    "No," Jingetsu said, unsheathing his sword. "I don''t give a shit about meaningless conflict. Kirigakure will fall, no matter who claims the title of Mizukage."


    Jingetsu charged at Yuto with killing intent, but the cloaked figure safeguarded with untraceable speed, breaking the steel blade with nothing but his forearm.


    All Jingetsu could see was the figure''s auburn hair...


    <u>2</u>


    Traveling to the Water Monastery reminded Osame of horrific memories...


    Osame spent her childhood years far away from Kirigakure. The Hoshigaki clan didn''t have a favorable reputation in the hidden villages following the Fourth Shinobi World War. They were notorious for being a nuisance during the peaceful time, so the family name no longer appeared on memorials.


    Prior to her birth, Osame''s parents fled from Kirigakure to a small village in a nearby island, hoping to give the young child a more comfortable life. Osame''s mother died during childbirth, completely breaking her father''s heart. Blamed for this loss, Osame was abandoned at a small monastery near Kirigakure.


    Growing up in this monastery was very lonely. The monks despised her for the Hoshigaki clan''s reputation, leading to daily beatings by the abbot during training. Osame''s body was often covered in bruises, and she slept crying. The blistering pain was unbearable to the young child.


    "You''ll never amount to anything, Hoshigaki trash!" The abbot once said. "You''re nothing but a future killer! Nothing more, nothing less! Not even human! If I killed you right now, your death wouldn''t even matter!"


    The abbot grabbed a staff from the display rack, beating Osame for several minutes until she could barely stand. The monks encouraged this abuse, cheering on the abbot as he bashed the helpless child''s skull into the floor.


    "You''re nothing but a monster! You might as well kill me right now!"


    The abbot took his last swing, cracking Osame''s spine. The child tried to stand several times but failed. The monks laughed at her, hurling insults at the kid.


    "Hoshigaki trash!"


    Osame finally got to her feet, trembling violently. She could barely see her abuser, limping toward the abbot with a paralyzing laugh and piercing through his chest with her bare hands. The monks were terrified, wrestling to run away. Osame took a sword from the wall, slaughtering the temple''s inhabitants before they could escape. By the time the shinobi arrived, Osame was evidently deranged from the blood she shed, sitting silently in a pool of blood.


    "Are you okay, buddy?" A younger Yoshiro wiped the blood from Osame''s cheek, noticing several wounds. "You don''t have to be afraid anymore. I''m here to protect you." Osame was still shaking, but the feeling the shinobi gave her was alleviating.


    Osame finally felt cared for...


    "Aye, you good?" Yuuki said, interrupting the bittersweet reminiscence.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Just daydreaming." Osame never told her teammates about her past, and she didn''t plan on it so soon...


    x--------------x


    The Water Monastery was one of the oldest buildings in the Land of Water, built before Kirigakure was established. It was surrounded by iron walls, enchanted with impenetrable durability by the ancient monks. Numerous monks dressed in blue robes trained in the grand courtyard. Unlike the shinobi of the hidden villages, monks used ninjutsu to achieve understanding and peace rather than using it as a weapon.


    The monastery''s entrance was adorned with statues of the Sage of the Six Paths, whose appearance was unknown until the Seventh Hokage described it in full detail after the Fourth Shinobi World War. Because of this, the statues were later corrected by the temple''s most trusted sculptors.


    An elder monk, Mamoru, greeted the chuunin in the courtyard with a smile. "Are you from the hidden mist village?"


    "Yes indeed." Yuuki answered, cherishing his temporary role as team leader.


    "Welcome to the monastery, and thank you for coming. This way, please."


    Mamoru accompanied the chuunin into the head monk''s office, a wooden room in the temple with a green mat and several kanji reading spiritual proverbs. They stood before a beautiful young woman with long brown hair and green eyes, wearing a purple kimono.


    "I assume you''re the mist shinobi. It''s a pleasure to meet you." The girl said.


    "You''re the head monk?" Yuuki asked, reasonably surprised by her age.


    "No, that''s my father. He''s been pretty ill lately, so I''m just filling in for him. My name is Asami."


    "What''s the deal with the suspicious activity?" Yuuki asked for details.


    "The monastery is a popular tourist attraction for foreigners," Asami explained. "We feature the largest collection of scrolls in recorded history, sealing away powerful jutsu since the Warring States Period."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "They could be trying to sell them. I bet these scrolls could make a hell of a profit." Luciel said.


    "Asami, you have our word, a shinobi always puts their mission first." Yuuki declared.


    "That''s exactly what I wanted to hear," she said. "Just don''t screw up. Sightings of dangerous missing ninja were reported by monks all over the monastery. This could be a big problem for not only my temple, but your village as well."


    x--------------x


    The shinobi pursued the targets vigilantly, jumping from tree to tree in the surrounding forest and searching for any traces of them. Luciel activated his byakugan, allowing his vision to penetrate through trees and inspect the entire forest.


    "I found something." Luciel asserted, leading his teammates to a bridge overhead an alluring river. Trees stood proud and tall on the side of the river, defending fragile creatures from the sunlight. The chuunin prepared for combat, confronting an obscure individual dressed in a black cloak, disguising his face in his hood.


    "You''ve found me, after all..." He revealed a young face with black eyes and medium-long auburn hair. "You''ve got guts coming here alone."


    "He must be the suspicious activity, but he doesn''t look too scary," Osame pointed out. "What''s your name?"


    "Aizen, but I don''t think that''s any of your business."


    "This guy has an affinity for Yin release," Luciel delineated with his Byakugan. Although he wasn''t raised by strictly Hyuga clan parents, Luciel taught himself how to use his ocular abilities to a staggering extent. "It doesn''t seem like he''s great at ninjutsu, but I''d be wary of his genjutsu if I were you."


    Luciel tried to land a swift punch to the face, already predicting his opponent to anticipate the strike and dodge. The shinobi threw a large fuma shuriken, attempting to catch his opponent off guard, but Aizen caught it with unexpected speed.


    "You really interest me," Aizen said, biting his thumb as a cursed seal spread throughout the right side of his body, extending to his eye. Luciel''s jaw dropped as his opponent''s chakra pathway network was flooded with extraordinarily powerful chakra. "This tingle will be your downfall."


    It seems Luciel underestimated his opponent...


    <u>3</u>


    After a long period of silence, Osame brandished her broadsword and charged in to close the distance between her and the opponent. Aizen simply stood still, creating several afterimages with genjutsu and moving between them with untraceable speed. The sword''s blade harmlessly passed through the afterimage and Aizen returned to his original position.


    "The hell?!" Osame was completely baffled at this technique. She swung her sword again, and Aizen''s torso was bisected, but the blade simply phased through him. Over and over, the broadsword slashed through Aizen. No matter how Osame slashed and chopped, however, her opponent created several afterimages and passed through the blade.


    "This is getting boring." Aizen said, kicking Osame in the stomach. The shinobi spit blood, but her considerable endurance allowed her to shrug off the pain.


    "Is that all you got?" Osame said with a great smile. "Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks."


    Placing her hand on the ground, Osame converted her chakra into five sharks composed of water that circled around Aizen with high speed. Aizen threw several kunai laced with explosives tags into the sharks'' mouths, evaporating them into a cloud of steam, and water droplets precipitated from the aftermath.


    The water droplets regenerated into a multitude of sharks, and Osame laughed with an arrogant grin. "You''re pretty fast, but there''s no way you can dodge all of these."


    Osame tried to slice through Aizen''s body with her sword, but the latter again used afterimages to become impalpable. "I stand corrected..."


    Aizen withdrew a kunai, and the combatants traded strikes from their blades. Osame gathered water around her broadsword, unleashing a strong surge of water to assault his opponent. Aizen''s body flickered and appeared behind Osame, much to the shinobi''s surprise.


    "He''s combining genjutsu with the body flicker technique," Luciel tried to gain insight with his Byakugan, but the results worried him. "However, this chakra isn''t normal. It seems pretty tainted."


    "I guess the best strategy is to catch him off guard." Yuuki said, leaping toward his target. A storm of blows in rapid succession assaulted Aizen. Kick, thrust, palm strike, elbow, knee, fist- neither strike was able to cause injury, instead striking the afterimages. Yuuki struck, and struck, and struck, but it was no use.


    The hell is he doing?! Luciel watched in disbelief, but everything was going according to plan.


    Yuuki threw several kunai laced with explosive tags, but the projectiles passed through an afterimage before Aizen returned to his original position. The kunai pierced through his shadow, allowing Yuuki to wave a seal and paralyze him into place. "Shadow Possession Shuriken Jutsu!"


    Yuuki''s own shadows extended as tentacle-shaped tendrils, grabbing the explosive kunai and pulling them toward the immobilized Aizen. Electricity surged through the shadows as the explosive tags were ready to detonate. This technique was the pinnacle of Yuuki''s abilities.


    "Demonic Illusion: Phantom Chain Hegemony Jutsu."


    Before he could be blown up alongside the explosive tags, Aizen established eye contact and altered the chakra flow in his opponent''s body, casting a powerful mind-control genjutsu to counteract the effects of the shadow possession jutsu. Yuuki''s hands involuntarily became separated, allowing Aizen to become impalpable and maneuver behind Yuuki before the massive explosion.


    "You''re pretty skilled, I have to admit. You''ve impressed me," Aizen applauded. "But this cursed seal of mine absorbs energy from nature, strengthening my physical abilities as well as my genjutsu. I doubt there''s anything in your arsenal to counter that."


    "Water Release: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!" Osame attempted to surprise the opponent with an unforeseen ninjutsu, manipulating water chakra into the shape of a large shark, but Aizen jumped over the jutsu with impulsive reflexes.


    Now was Luciel''s time to strike. He caught Aizen in mid-air, delivering two consecutive strikes into the opponent''s tenketsu. Then another two. Then another four, then another eight, making a total of sixteen strikes. Aizen was launched backward, allowing Luciel to shoot a high-pressured stream of water from his mouth and catch his foe.


    Despite the intensity of the attack, Aizen managed to brush it off, though barely landing on his feet. "You three are full of surprises, huh?" He replenished his chakra pathway with natural energy, causing his curse mark to momentarily glow.


    Effortlessly parrying the trio''s attacks with his kunai, Aizen''s body suddenly flickered, leaving behind several afterimages to distract the shinobi. He kicked the back of Osame''s head, pushing her into Yuuki, and threw several shuriken to lacerate the shinobi''s skin.


    "Aren''t you tired of fighting back?" Aizen asked, leaping onto the bridge''s handrail.


    "I could do this all day." Luciel responded. After kneading chakra in his stomach and converting it into water, Luciel expelled it in the shape of a dragon. Taking advantage of the highly conductive nature of water, Yuuki imbued it with lightning-natured chakra. The collaborative jutsu launched at Aizen with great speed, dealing significant damage and numbing his body to leave him susceptible to other attacks.


    Osame silently emerged from behind her opponent, prepared to strike with her broadsword, but Aizen adjourned. "I''m not only disappointed in you, shark-face, but I''m also puzzled at the fact you''re fighting for the village that hates your guts. Hell, the Hoshigaki family name doesn''t even show up on memorials anymore. What a shame."


    Osame was briefly frozen, attempting to gather her thoughts, but she remained unfazed. "Whether Kirigakure likes it or not, I''m a shinobi, and a shinobi''s number one priority is her village!" She trapped Aizen in a prison of water, restricting his movements with the intent to drown him. Aizen struggled for a moment, wrestling to breathe, but simultaneously released natural energy-infused chakra from his tenketsu, therefore destroying the prison.


    Aizen overpowered his opponents in close-quarter combat, tiring them out with ease. "What''s your deal?!" Yuuki demanded an answer.


    "I am Aizen, the right-hand-man to Shizuka Yuto," Aizen began explaining. "For many years, Kirigakure has sinned against it''s own people, treating it''s real heroes with contempt while cherishing cold-blooded killers with honor! Yuto was banished from the village by the Seventh Mizukage, his own mentor, for preaching wisdom through the village. How is that jurisdiction?!"


    The chuunin were silent, too shaken to speak. Aizen continued, "Let me tell you a story about the takers, and the taken! One day, far west of here, there was a simple Sheppard. He was very normal. He did everything a normal Sheppard does. He guarded. He fed. He was a great leader to the sheep. Powerful, smart, strong willed. He knew order, and he knew responsibility, but most of all... He knew fairness..."


    "And there were wolves. The wolves were cunning and easy to manipulate. Wealthy with power. Strengthened by greed. The Sheppard knew the greed of the wolves. He thought he knew all their tricks. One day, the wolves followed the Sheppard and his sheep. The Sheppard, obviously, was on the defensive. Everyday, he killed one wolf. Two wolves. Three wolves. The wolves never attacked a sheep..."


    "... Finally, on the fourth day, the Sheppard had a change of heart. ''The wolves aren''t trying to kill my sheep!! They''re protecting!'' The Sheppard trusted the wolves, and everyday the wolves would follow the sheep and protect them from danger..."


    "... The Sheppard''s wife was critical of the wolves. ''Don''t trust them! Don''t be manipulated by the greedy wolves'' cunning!'' But the Sheppard didn''t listen, instead reprimanding his wife. ''How dare you accuse these wolves?!'' He continued to trust them for several more days, and the wolves continued to protect the sheep from danger..."


    "... Finally, on the tenth day, the wolves attacked. They killed one sheep. Two sheep. At the end of the day, all ten sheep were dead. Their bloody bodies laying on the countryside..."


    "... The reign of the Mizukage, a wolf in paladin''s clothing, is no more..."


    <u>4</u>


    "You, the one with the Byakugan," Aizen pointed to Luciel. "I feel something strange from you. What clan are you from?"


    "My mother is from the Kuromiya family. It''s descended from the Hyuuga clan of Konohagakure."


    "And your father...?"


    "I''m not sure. My father was an orphan."


    "My cursed seal tingles around you. What''s your name, again?"


    "Luciel."


    "This cursed seal was passed down the Igarashi family of the Arashi islands prior to it''s massacre. Those who didn''t inherit the cursed seal were banished from the Arashi islands. Through self-harm, this cursed seal activates, and absorbs energy from nature to mix with my chakra."


    "Self-harm?"


    "The last time I felt this euphoric tingle... I was surrounded by my family. And it was all taken away from me. I cut and cut and cut into my skin, and the cursed seal activated, so I slaughtered my family''s killers."


    "..."


    "This tingle... It means I''m in the presence of someone who shares my same blood."


    Aizen concentrated chakra into his hands, charging at the shinobi, but Yoshiro appeared and protected his pupils from the attack with a quick block.


    "Yoshiro?!" Osame was shocked, alongside his teammates. Yoshiro was still wearing a medical eye-patch, still half-blind from his injuries at the hands of Kimura Daiki, but he was nevertheless still determined to protect his students.


    "I figured you guys would have some trouble, so I made sure to keep an eye out for you." Yoshiro joked, referencing his injury.


    Yoshiro stared at Aizen with a long silence. Leaves fell from the forests'' trees into the river underneath the bridge. Aizen chanted, "This cursed seal is the pinnacle of my fallen clan. It won''t lose to any low-life shinobi!"


    The two combatants charged at each other, engaging in hand-to-hand combat. Yoshiro struggled against his opponent''s enhanced speed, but he still held his own.


    "Blue Flame Art: Dragon Flame Bomb!" Yoshiro exhaled blue flames in the shape of a dragon. Aizen created several afterimages to diverge his opponent, appearing behind the shinobi with his kunai in hand. Already aware of his opponent''s strategy, Yoshiro unleashed a stream of violent electricity from all directions, causing Aizen to spring backward.


    "Demonic Illusion: One Thousand Chirping Birds." Aizen caught the jounin in a genjutsu, forcing him to hallucinate. Yoshiro was incapacitated with chains as a thousand sparrows surrounded his body, chirping with a volume at deafening levels. Intense pain surged throughout Yoshiro''s body, causing his muscles to tense, and he screamed in agony. He tried to lift his arms to block his eardrums, but the chains weighed them down.


    Yoshiro was intelligent enough to realize he was put under a genjutsu. His three chuunin fed him chakra, allowing him to disrupt the genjutsu and break free from its influences.


    "What the hell is taking so long?" Shizuka Yuto seemingly appeared from thin air. He wasn''t as adept with the body flicker technique as his apprentice, but he was still skilled enough to travel across great distances at high speeds. Yuto and Aizen were on the opposite side of the bridge to the shinobi.


    Although the banished ninja''s appearance was complete legend to the chuunin, Yuto immediately recognized Yoshiro, and vice-versa. Before his banishment, Yuto was the Seventh Mizukage''s assistant, alongside Mototsune, and would assign important missions to jounin and Anbu. Since then, Yuto established his own organization, the Shiryoku, composed of many missing-ninja from the Land of Water and surrounding villages. The Shiryoku were determined to end the Mizukage''s rule, each member having their own reason for this motivation.


    "I''m going to take care of Yuto right here and now." Yoshiro mumbled under his breath before charging at the adversary.


    "How embarrassing," Yuto said, dodging Yoshiro''s strike without difficulty. "Wind Release: Wind Scythe Jutsu." With a wave of his hand, Yuto caused a blade of wind with great cutting power to slice through the bridge''s suspension cables. The bridge collapsed under the shinobi''s feet, allowing Yuto and Aizen to escape.


    All the shinobi could do was catch their breaths. "Our mission isn''t over yet," Yoshiro said, still vigilant. "The Shiryoku hideout must be near."


    "Sensei, the moon is starting to rise. We should take a moment to unwind for the night." Osame replied.


    "I guess you''re right. We''ll stay the night at the monastery, then continue our reconnaissance in the morning."


    x--------------x


    The Shiryoku hideout was entirely underground, a few kilometers away from the bridge neighboring the Water Monastery. The hideout itself had many rooms inside of it, including six floors of barracks housing the organization''s members and a major meeting room within the seventh floor. Several black-cloaked executives of the organization sat in black thrones, waiting for their leader to arrive at the meeting.


    "Where the hell are they?" Gorou was incredibly large, having gigantic muscles and a hunchback. His skin was rock-like and nearly impenetrable. Several blades protruded from his elbows and shoulders, so he was shirtless. His brute appearance complimented his often volatile temper. "They''re fifteen minutes late already."


    "Just be patient, they''ll arrive shortly." Saburou was skinny with an androgynous figure. He wore a white coat over his black cloak, and a butterfly-shaped gunbai war fan was detained on his back. His missing left arm was replaced with a green chakra limb.


    Shizuka Yuto and his apprentice, Aizen, suddenly appeared in their thrones. "Sorry we''re late," Yuto apologized. "We ran into some trouble near the Water Monastery."


    "We haven''t met like this in a while!" Ryouta was a former terrorist from the Land of Earth, renown for his explosive origami paper. He was radical with his political beliefs, considering himself the world''s chaotic hero or the shinobi''s robin hood.


    The only female executive of the organization, Momiji was ironically a former hunter-ninja. She was blonde and wore black leggings with a white top. Her chokuto''s blade was blessedand absorbed chakra from those it cut. "The last time we met like this... Was after Gorou''s rampage in the mountains, am I right?"


    Gorou was embarrassed.


    "Oi, I remember that!" Ryouta recalled. "It took both me and Noe to deal with him!"


    Noe was always absolutely silent. His face was hidden under an expressionless mask, possessing only holes for the eyes. He would rarely move during battle, instead manifesting tentacle-like chakra appendages from his back. His ability to abnormally regenerate wounded cellular tissue, as well as his very high pain tolerance, struck the hearts of the shinobi nations with fear. Most shinobi were ordered to flee on sight when encountering him.


    "We only have a few more weeks before Mototsune''s inauguration as Mizukage," Shizuka Yuto announced. "During the invasion, the shinobi will likely be on the defense. The Shiryoku will breach the front lines and assassinate the Kiri council."


    "What about you?" Ryouta asked.


    "Saburou and I will combat the Anbu and assassinate Mototsune. Without any leadership, the shinobi will be forced to surrender."


    "Even after we take Kirigakure, the other villages will still be a giant obstacle. The clans in Konohagakure produce some of the smartest, strongest, and most skilled shinobi on this planet. Hell, I heard that Yakushi Kabuto is still wandering around Konohagakure, even after his involvement in the Fourth Shinobi World War." Momoji commented.


    "He has an entire army of sharingan-wielding clones, too." Gorou added.


    "Kumogakure dominates in terms of military strength and economy," Saburou argued. "If any village is gonna be a challenge, it''ll be the cloud village."


    Noe was still silent.


    "The hidden villages have grown weak during this era of peace. The Shiryoku probably has enough supporters to emerge victorious during conflict, if we take it slow." Aizen said.


    "After the Kirigakure shinobi are forced under our whim, we''ll invade the smaller villages, then Sunagakure, then Iwagakure, and leave the other two for last," Shizuka Yuto concluded. "I guess that''ll be all for today."


    The executives body-flickered out of the hideout...

 Chapter 3

    <u>1</u>


    Yoshiro and his chuunin returned to the Water Monastery, beaten up from their encounter with Aizen. Mamoru met the shinobi at the entrance, noticing their cuts and bruises. Yoshiro wasn''t a familiar face to him, so he was even more alarmed. He disregarded it all with a fake but obviously worried smile, trying not to cause awkwardness.


    "Is everything alright?" Mamoru noticed the jounin''s eye-patch.


    "Does it look like everything''s alright?" Yoshiro responded.


    The Shiryoku was formed shortly after Yuto''s banishment, and the hunter-ninja of Kirigakure had trouble dealing with them. Most of it''s membership is completely unknown, aside from its'' executives, but the Military Police Force estimated a population of four thousand members. The thought of civil war already scared the entirety of Kirigakure, but Yoshiro knew better than anyone else that civil war would not end well for the hidden village.


    "I apologize for asking, sir." Mamoru walked the shinobi into the monastery''s courtyard. The monks were eating supper in the dining hall, but Luciel lost his appetite during the battle on the bridge. Thoughts of the Igarashi clan plagued his mind, whether he liked it or not. Yoshiro didn''t have an appetite either. He was tired, and all he wanted was sleep. This wasn''t normal for him; despite his fitness, Yoshiro was typically hungry all the time.


    "Yoshiro?" Luciel approached him. He respected his sensei a great deal, and it was evident. Yoshiro was not only very powerful, but also kind and humble.


    "What''s up."


    "Have you heard anything about the Igarashi clan?"


    "Of course. Their water and lightning release techniques were phenomenal, and their Cursed Seal of the Fifty Storms were feared across the entire Land of Water. I was surprised to notice Aizen had one of those curse marks."


    "Can you teach me lightning release?"


    "Not a problem. We can start tomorrow... Y''know, you could make a great sensei one day. It''d be a hell of a responsibility, but I believe you have what it takes."


    "I might think about it."


    "Don''t stress yourself about it too much. Teaching is an amazing experience, and I think it suits you well."


    The shinobi entered the dining hall, catching a glimpse of monks eating a simple meal, just smoked fish with dark breads and fresh vegetables, off a small round table and sitting on the floor with legs crossed. Outside the hall''s entrance was a peculiar set of kanji that instantly struck Yuuki, enticing him to read aloud. The kanji themselves were incredibly hard, struggling to fit on the plaque, so they were hard to read.


    "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."


    Asami noticed the fascination of the chuunin, and it was amusing to her, so she felt obligated to elaborate. "The original proverb was ''Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves''. This was my father''s favorite proverb. He even created this plaque himself."


    "For some reason, this quote interests me. My father is actually an immigrant from the Land of Fire, and my uncle is the Nara family''s head. Maybe it''s the shadow aspect of the proverb, I dunno. But I like it." Yuuki had no idea what the quote meant.


    "I''ve read that quote before," Osame asserted. "It''s probably one of my favorite too."


    "My father often incorporated this into the monk''s training sessions. Instead of the elemental nature transformations, we focus more on yin release, employing the energy of the spirit or imagination, and yang release, employing the energy of the physical world. There is nothing more beautiful than the amalgamation of the mind and flesh." Asami said.


    Mamoru overheard the conversation and decided to join in. "Y''know, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, scientists throughout the shinobi world discovered that the strongest nature transformation ever recorded in history was a kekkei tota involving yang release. Legend has it, one of the few known inheritors of this kekkei tota, Hashirama Senju, possessed a strong connection to yang release."


    "After that war, my father heavily associated himself with the head monk of the Fire Monastery, due to the legends surrounding the founders of that country''s hidden village and their connection to the Sage of the Six Paths."


    "Asami, You keep mentioning your father, but I still haven''t seen him around the monastery." Yuuki inquired Asami, causing her sparkling eyes to turn dull and her smile to fade into a bleak expression. Mamoru''s face turned pale - err, paler than it already was - and exhaled with a heavy sigh.


    After a few moments of silence, Mamoru decided to explain. "Asami''s father, who was also my brother, worked together with the Fire Monastery''s head monk to reproduce that nature transformation on any willing volunteers. Konohagakure''s clandestine foundation slaughtered them all, and I''ve been raising Asami ever since."


    "Osame," Asami wanted to change the conversation as soon as possibly. "How is your name spelled? It sounds very strange to me."


    "The first syllable is written as tail; The second syllable is written as shark; My surname is Hoshigaki as in dried persimmon."


    "Why''d your parents choose that name?"


    "Actually, I never knew my parents growing up. Yoshiro came up with it, and the name kinda stuck ever since."


    "Yuuki, how is your name spelled?" Asami turned to the other chuunin.


    "The first syllable is written as distant or leisurely; The second syllable is written as brightness." Yuuki said.


    "Yuuki, I can tell you''re the smart guy in the group. I''ve heard of the Nara clan before - one of it''s members played a large role in the Fourth Shinobi World War... That Luciel guy though, I kinda like his style. He gives off this weird dark vibe, but in a good way. I bet he''s very wise about the world around him."


    "What about me?" Osame asked.


    "You obviously have the biggest heart in the group."


    Osame blushed. Due to her Hoshigaki heritage, this was never assumed of her. "Wait, do you think you can do me a favor?"


    "Sure."


    "I heard you''re pretty good at medical ninjutsu. Do you think you can repair my sensei''s eye? If you couldn''t tell by the eyepatch, he got injured a few days ago."


    "Me and Mamoru can try tomorrow morning, but no promises... Hahaha, I think you''re big heart is starting to show."


    Asami would frequently stare out the window of the head monk''s office after supper, catching a clear unobstructed view of her father''s grave. Most monasteries valued the suppression of emotions and attachment, but her father was always different, instead teaching about the importance of relationships whether platonic or romantic.


    Asami picked up a sacred text from her father''s shelf and started reading. She sat in the office chair, the same chair her father used to fall asleep in while writing proverbs. Inheriting the same behavior, Asami seized paper and pen and went to work. The two had the exact same posture and sat in the chair the exact same way. It was almost like a mirror.


    Her uncle Mamoru went to check on her, as always. "Are you doing alright?"


    "Yeah. I''m just writing proverbs. I think I found a new favorite."


    Mamoru poured a cup of hot tea for his niece. Asami started to snooze, and her uncle noticed the similarities between the way she and her dad slept. "Like father, like daughter."


    He noticed the paper, embellished with the words, "Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. My family is my strength, my family is my weakness. Family is not an important thing. It''s everything."


    <u>2</u>


    Asami wasn''t the kind of person to go back on her word. As soon as nine o''clock struck, she and Mamoru visited the guest bedrooms that the shinobi were sleeping in and woke them up. "Wake up!" She yelled so loud the monks could hear her in the dining hall.


    "Is it finally time for breakfast?" Yoshiro muttered. The monks were already eating, but Asami''s commitment was more important at the time.


    "I''ll walk you to the dining hall once your eye is healed." Asami removed the eyepatch and placed her palm on the jounin''s eye socket. She sent chakra into the wound to accelerate cell regrowth and restore damaged tissue. Within a couple of minutes, Yoshiro''s eye was completely healed. A procedure like this was very extreme and illustrated great medical talent.


    "Y''know, Kirigakure is a bit short on medical ninja. You could probably make a great addition to the Medic Corps." Yoshiro said.


    "Sorry, I''d love to... But I have too many responsibilities here at the monastery." Asami was reluctant to turn down the offer, but she knew the monastery needed her more than ever.


    Something out the window caught the corner of Yoshiro''s eye. A black figure stood in the same place for several moments then suddenly vanished. "I think my eyes are playing tricks on me... I should probably eat before I pass out."


    The shinobi were escorted to the dining hall where they ate a considerably large breakfast: chicken, waffles, dumplings, and soy milk. "I didn''t know monks eat this kinda stuff!" Luciel was hungry and very eager to dig in.


    "We''re only allowed to eat meat if we know for a fact the animal wasn''t killed on our behalf. Other monasteries usually restrict meat, but we''re relatively relaxed about stuff like that." Asami said.


    After the shinobi stuffed their faces, Yoshiro took Luciel to the training grounds of the water monastery while the monks were writing scrolls in the entrance courtyard. "Today marks the beginning of your water release training..."


    Yoshiro continued, "I already see you''re quite skilled in water release, probably to an extent that many jounin wish to achieve, but lightning release is a very different nature transformation. For example, take Lightning Release: Thunder Genesis. I''ll focus chakra throughout my body, and change it''s nature into an electrical current as I release it..." The sensei''s body slowly sparkled with electricity for a moment, triggering Luciel''s amazement.


    "... Shinobi can learn multiple basic nature transformations. For example, I can use two of them: My affinity is fire release, but I can also use lightning and earth release. When you have several elements that you can control, it''s not that difficult to use them separately. But combining multiple nature transformations to create a new element requires a kekkei genkai, which are passed down within families. My kekkei genkai is the Blue Flame Art of the Kurogane clan, a mixture of fire and lightning release. Even though I possess both fire and wind release, I cannot combine them to create scorch release because I don''t have the required kekkei genkai..."


    "... But even people with kekkei genkai have a dominant affinity for one of the basic nature transformations..."


    "... If you recall, when you first became a genin, I asked you and your teammates to discover your affinity with Chakra Induction Paper. When exposed to even the slightest hint of chakra, it reacts according to the chakra''s latent element. A fire-nature shinobi causes the paper to ignite and turn to ash, due to fire release kneading chakra into heat. A wind-natured shinobi causes the paper to split in two, due to wind release''s precise cutting power. An earth-natured shinobi causes the paper to turn to dirt and crumble away because of earth release''s ability to manipulate earthen materials. A water-natured shinobi causes the paper to become wet and damp, due to water release kneading chakra into a liquid substance. This is the result you and Osame gave me..."


    "... A lightning-natured shinobi causes the paper to wrinkle," Yoshiro demonstrates, withdrawing this special paper from his pocket and causing it to wrinkle with ease. "This is the result Yuuki gave me."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "What''s the purpose of reminding me all this?" Luciel asked.


    "Do you remember when I taught you three to generate these same effects on a normal everyday leaf?"


    "Of course. I was surprisingly the first to finish this part of the training, when I was learning water release. Then you told me to finally generate that same effect but on a larger scale."


    "Well, for your lightning release training, we''re gonna repeat that same process." Yoshiro handed his student a leaf and the training officially started. For the first several hours, the leaf barely wrinkled, but Luciel noticed his progression. "Sensei, I think I''m getting the hang of this."


    "I can tell. You''re learning pretty quickly, almost as quick as Yuuki did." Yoshiro said. Luciel finally felt like an individual, rather than a mere shadow, and was lucky to have a teacher who always believed in him.


    Luciel and his teacher decided to skip lunch that day. It was very strange for Yoshiro, but not so much Luciel. When passionate and determined, he always put his task above everything else. It only took a little after two o''clock to finally cause the leaf to wrinkle.


    "I''m actually impressed at you''re talent. It seems you have an aptitude to lightning release, just like water release." Yoshiro commended his pupil. "Don''t stress yourself out. Learning a second chakra nature isn''t that easy. Just take a break for the night and we''ll continue training in the morning."


    Despite the clear instructions, Luciel was extremely stressed out...


    x--------------x


    "Gorou. Momiji. I have a mission for you." Aizen spoke to the executives in a daunting manner, fitting his cold voice. Beside him was his assigned partner, Saburou, as well as the Shiryoku''s most silent member, Noe. The seventh floor of the organization''s hideout was doubtlessly the smallest in actual size, but the numerous corridors connecting the executives'' meeting room and the staircases provided amazing places to assign secret missions.


    "A mission, you say?" Gorou responded.


    "When the shinobi accosted before the meeting, I could feel my cursed seal tingle. There''s something off about them, and I think I know why... Noe was able to scout the nearby monastery and sketch the exterior. If we somehow weed out the shinobi, I could possibly get closer to the source of the tingling."


    "You want us to... cause a distraction?" Mojiji asked.


    "Not exactly," Saburou said. "You''re mission is to abduct the former head monk''s daughter. The shinobi will surely follow, so suppress them until Aizen arrives."


    "Make sure the girl doesn''t get hurt..." Noe said. This startled Gorou and Momiji, for obvious reasons. He''s always been the quietest member of the organization, only speaking when absolutely necessary. "She could be a valuable asset to the organization."


    "I haven''t heard you speak in a long time, Noe." Momiji was sincere, but it was impossible to tell what Noe was feeling under his emotionless mask. "Your voice really is annoying..."


    <u>3</u>


    "Momiji," Gorou and his assigned partner were already close to the monastery. The Shiryoku hideout itself was only a few miles away, so traveling to their destination wasn''t too much of a hassle. The missing-ninja were already prepared for the mission, and Momiji had a sketch of the monastery in her hand. "Can you describe the monastery for me?"


    "This monastery has a total of five halls. The entrance hall is south of the courtyard; The quartering hall is west of the courtyard; The dining hall is north of the courtyard; The lecturing hall is east of the courtyard; A five-story pagoda is in the center of the courtyard, housing the the head monk''s offices, shrines, and libraries." Momiji said.


    "At noon, the monks should be eating lunch in the dining hall. You will distract the guards posted at the entrance hall while I take the girl."


    "Who made you team captain of all a sudden?" Momiji was a malcontent, but she knew her partner''s plan was clever.


    "I don''t see you coming up with any plans." Gorou struck a chord.


    "Don''t get cocky, Gorou." Momiji warned him. "Just because you''re bigger... That doesn''t mean you could beat me in a fight."


    "One of these days, I''m going to kill you. I swear it." It was almost impossible for these two to get along during missions, habitually bickering over the smallest disagreements. However, they never once failed to execute a task...


    x--------------x


    "Alright. Today marks the second stage of your lightning release training," Yoshiro was in the training grounds during lunchtime again, already prepared for his lessons with Luciel. The sensei withdrew a kunai from his weapons pouch and handed it to his pupil.


    "A kunai?" Luciel asked.


    "This kunai is made of a special material that absorbs chakra. Lightning release chakra can be channeled into ninja tools in order to increase a weapon''s cutting power."


    "I''ve heard of shinobi in Kumogakure doing that."


    "With enough training, you''ll be able to infuse your fuma shuriken with lightning release... Now, let me demonstrate what a simple kunai can do... Earth Release: Mud Wall!" The ground in front of him quickly ascended to form a defensive barrier. Yoshiro surged electricity through the kunai and threw it with tremendous speed. The blade cut straight through the mud wall, and even multiple trees and boulders before making a dent in the ground. "Now, you try."


    Luciel clutched his fuma shuriken, trying his hardest to pour lightning release chakra into it, but the task proved too difficult. This was evidently much harder than his water release training from a few years prior. "If I don''t finish this by dinner, I guess I''m not eating that meal either."


    "Hey, don''t be too hard on yourself. It takes a huge amount of time to learn a nature transformation," Yoshiro was worried about Luciel''s mental health, but he really had faith in the student''s talent. "It took me several weeks to complete this second stage."


    And thus, many hours passed. Again and again, again and again, Luciel concentrated only on continuing his training. He was always passionate, stemming from his days in the academy. Memories of working hard to gain the respect of his teachers were always in the back of his mind. He eventually managed to create a quick sparkle in the shuriken, and he felt as though his hard work finally paid off.


    "You''re getting close... But you''re not there quite yet." Yoshiro was flabbergasted by his student''s development and was quite proud, but Luciel didn''t interpret the jounin''s attitude that way. He interpreted it as disappointment.


    "Dammit!" Frustrated tears welled in his eyes, and he threw the fuma shuriken before storming off. However, Yoshiro didn''t chase after him. He noticed the shuriken penetrating several trees and boulders before coming to a stop, illuminated by bright static. It seems through his rage, Luciel managed to channel lightning release into the weapon...


    "L-L-Luciel..." Yoshiro called out, causing paralysis in his student before bursting with pride and delivering a tight bear hug. "You did it! You actually did it!"


    Luciel was as surprised as his teacher, if not more. Maybe he was more talented than others gave him credit for. Maybe Luciel was a prodigy...


    x--------------x


    Gorou and Momiji didn''t waste a single minute on their mission. As soon as the clock struck twelve, Momiji leaped onto the entrance halls rooftop, cracking the bricks below her feet as she landed.


    "Intruders!" Several monks charged at the assailant, but Momiji was too nimble and acrobatic. Her fighting style was elegant yet chaotic and brutal, slaughtering monks with ease.


    "Come on, guys. I know you can do much better than that! I''m tired of these easy fights, give me a challenge!" Momiji was as flexible as rubber, easily dodging incoming strikes and countering them with the strength of a boar and speed capable of cutting lightning.


    Several monks surrounded the assailant, persisting a hand seal to activate a collaborative sealing technique. Numerous different symbols appeared on the ground, trapping Momiji within the sealing barrier and preventing her from moving.


    "That''s more like it. Finally, a challenge." Momiji''s sheer strength allowed her to break the sealing barrier. She generated lightning in her fingers, directing it through her fingertips to form a whip. The monks'' limbs were sliced off with deadly precision, and the ensuing bloodshed left no survivors.


    Gorou pursued the main pagoda, sighing at the discovery that the target''s caretaker, Mamoru, was obstructing the hall''s entrance. "If I were you, I would step aside," Gorou demanded, but the caretaker didn''t budge. "I''m not going to ask twice."


    "I never expected you to ask." Mamoru still didn''t budge. He was determined to protect his niece at all costs.


    "You''re really pissing me off, and you''re not gonna like it when I''m pissed off." Gorou stomped his foot on the ground, causing a large chunk of earth to elevate in the air, and kicked it toward his opponent.


    Mamoru still didn''t move, instead taking a graceful stance. He had a large scroll on his back containing many dangerous techniques and weapons of the monastery''s antiquity. Forming a half-ram seal with his left hand, Mamoru coated his body in a buddha statue of pure chakra that deflected the attack. "Your stone skin is rumored to be unbreakable. Let''s see if I can bust that myth."


    "I doubt it. You don''t look the part," Gorou clenched his fist. "I won''t lose to a bald son-of-a-bitch like you!" The stone-man charged at Mamoru, but the chakra statue''s hands defended him from the attacker''s fist.


    Gorou dodged several punches from the chakra statue, pummeling Mamoru into the ground like a rag-doll. Mamoru caught his footing, unsealing a large staff from the great monastery scroll.


    "What''re you gonna do with a big stick, huh?!" Gorou yelled, directing a strike at the monk.


    Mamoru swung the staff, creating a great gust of wind to blow his opponent backward. "This is the Staff of Daruma, passed down through the generations of head monks. It''s so much more than a big stick."


    "We''ll see about that!" Gorou charged at the monk once more, dodging several punches from the chakra statue. Mamoru waved his staff, but Gorou barely circumvented it and knocked his opponent into the pagoda''s walls with enough force to even shove the thousand-armed kannon. "Stay down."


    Momiji sprung to her partner''s side. "Go ahead and take the girl. I didn''t think it would be this easy."


    "Asami..." Mamoru struggled to get up but was unable to move, laid in a pile of rubble. He was too weak to do anything, watching the criminals take off with his niece...


    <u>4</u>


    The havoc caught the attention of the monks in the dining hall, causing them to flood into the courtyard. The entire crowd was silent. Mamoru''s muscles were still sore and the inside of his head was pounding insistently. His consciousness felt far away. It all felt like a nightmare, but the pain running through Mamoru''s body told him this was no dream.


    "Mamoru." The monk''s eyes blinked for a moment, and he saw the face of a jounin staring back at him. Yoshiro lent his hand and helped Mamoru to his feet. The caretaker monk''s brain was scattered, and it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts.


    "They took Asami," Mamoru struggled to keep standing, falling into Yoshiro''s arms. He tried to hold back tears, but couldn''t help but cry. "I was too weak to protect her..."


    "We''ll get her back. I promise you." Yoshiro was sincere, and his eyes were full of anger. What sort of monsters would steal a child from a monastery...?


    "I can use my Byakugan to find them." Luciel suggested.


    "What if we''re too late?" Osame was worried.


    "I have an idea! Since the monastery''s bridge was destroyed, and the river is too deep to cross, the only other passageway is through the Shinrinyoku forest. I could probably stall them long enough for reinforcements to arrive." Yuuki was worried too, as this strategy wasn''t completely foolproof.


    "Good idea. Osame and Mamoru should accompany you. Meanwhile, Luciel and I will pursue the criminals." There wasn''t even the slightest hesitation in Yoshiro''s words. After the jounin''s reassurance, not a single one of them had any doubts, even in the face of formidable foes. They all believed they would rescue Asami. "Let''s go, shall we."


    The ninjas took off...


    x--------------x


    "Your reaction time was a bit off." Momiji criticized her partner, perhaps only out of spite. Gorou was proud of his abilities, and he definitely earned his spot as a Shiryoku executive. Momiji definitely earned her spot too, and was probably the partner with the higher caliber in battle, but she often nitpicked herself like a perfectionist.


    "The hell are you talking about? I pummeled that bastard into the ground!"


    "That weird statue shit he pulled off. You almost got hit numerous times."


    "But he didn''t, did he?!"


    Aizen suddenly appeared before them, startling the pair and making them flinch. But it wasn''t really Aizen, it was a projection-type genjutsu to communicate with people over long-distances. In reality, he was inside the Shiryoku hideout.


    "Gorou. Momiji. Do you have the girl?" Aizen asked in his familiar, spine-chilling voice.


    "Of course. It was easy as hell." Momiji asserted. Asami''s comatose body was settled on her partner''s shoulder.


    "Momiji, suppress the pursuing shinobi. The chuunin should be easy to defeat; however, you should be wary of the jounin. He packs a bit of a punch... Gorou, bring the girl to the hideout. That being said, I want the girl alive at all costs. Got it?" Aizen ordered.


    Gorou growled. "Not a problem..."


    x--------------x


    "I see something," Luciel''s sole byakugan was activated. Him and his sensei were scouring the forest for any traces of the kidnappers. "But something''s off."


    "What do you mean, off?" Yoshiro asked.


    "There''s only one of them. And she''s coming toward us," This unsettled the shinobi, but they had no choice but to engage. "Water Release: Water Wall!" Luciel expelled a surge of water from his mouth, forming a large barrier as Momiji sprinted toward them.


    Killing intent. Those two words were what Momiji was feeling...


    x--------------x


    Yuuki finally reached the Shinrinyoku forest, accompanied by Osame and Mamoru. The branches cracked as they walked, and light danced through the trees to illuminate the dirt below them. The forest was colossal, shadowy, and verdant. Curving vines held onto every tree, and an array of flowers, which were scattered sporadically, adorned the otherwise emerald terrain. A medley of animal noises, most belonged to bird songs, echoed in the air, and almost completely muffled the trickling sounds of the shinobi''s footsteps. It was all strangely beautiful...


    Suddenly, the liveliness stopped. Birds flew away, and the forest became desolate. Mamoru and the chuunin jumped into the trees and looked out for the inevitable. Gorou was approaching...


    Mamoru noticed the incapacitated body on the kidnapper''s shoulders, and this upset him a great deal. "Asami..."


    The trees'' shade provided Yuuki with a massive range for his hiden jutsu. As soon as Gorou entered his sight, Yuuki''s shadows materialized as sharp needles that targeted the criminal. Despite his large size, Gorou managed to evade them all and was instantly alert of the shinobi''s presence. "How was that for reaction time, huh?! Who knew the Kirigakure shinobi were so cowardly? Come and face me like men!"


    Yuuki started to sweat. He whispered, "I don''t know how long I can keep this up..."


    "I''ve heard so many legends about Gorou the Stone-man," Mamoru said. "But I thought they were only rumors until I experienced his might firsthand."


    "Why is he called Gorou the Stone-man?" Yuuki wondered.


    "That skin of his... It''s almost unbreakable. His body itself is not only a defense mechanism, but a weapon of some sorts."


    "So what do we do?" Osame was troubled.


    "Our best bet is to immobilize him, but we should move quickly. For someone who hates to be kept waiting, he must be very frustrated."


    Mamoru and the chuunin dropped from the trees, confronting the kidnapper with staggering bravery. Their opponent was visually intimidating, matching his short temper. His herculean strength was easily discernible, but all of the sudden the rescuers were alleviated of any fear.


    "Oh, you again," Gorou pointed to Mamoru, tossing the monk''s niece to the floor. "I thought I already kicked your ass. Are you here for a second beating?"


    "I thought you''d say something like that." Mamoru didn''t expect to leave this fight without any bruises, but his adrenaline rush served as a harbinger of victory.


    "I see you''ve brought quite the cavalry. Two puny teenagers?!" Gorou mocked, bursting in laughter that occupied the whole forest.


    "Watch who you''re calling puny." Yuuki cracked his knuckles, and the others took fighting stances. The prodigy''s shadow started to slither on the ground like a rattlesnake ready to sink it''s poisonous teeth into flesh. "Mamoru, you guard Asami. Me and Osame will deal with the kidnapper."


    "Aw, you''re so adorable. Shouldn''t you be playing with dolls or something?" Gorou was so arrogant that he couldn''t keep a straight face.


    "Keep talking, I''ll rip out your tongue." Yuuki threatened.


    "You''re pitiful cockiness," Gorou began to advance toward his opponents, winding up a punch, but Yuuki''s expression remained nonchalant. "It really does put a smile on my face!"

 Chapter 4

    <u>1</u>


    Yuuki''s shadow became like steel, piercing through Gorou''s shadow and restricting his movements before the punch could land. The criminal was in instant shock, trying to move his claustrophobic body from the shadows'' constraints, but he couldn''t manage to escape. He was utterly debilitated.


    "Gorou, this is the Shadow Possession Jutsu. It''s like a rite of passage for the Nara clan," Yuuki explained, refusing to soften his hand seal''s grip. "Once a user of this jutsu merges their shadow with a target''s, the target cannot move on their own other than to talk, making this technique an excellent weapon in a shinobi''s arsenal."


    "You talk way too much." Gorou disparaged.


    "This jutsu has it''s drawbacks, though. It requires a great deal of chakra to maintain, so using it for long periods of time is a burden."


    "What the hell are you trying to say?"


    "What I''m trying to say is..." Yuuki put more strength into his shadow as it crawled along Gorou''s body. The hand-shaped shadow hovering around the criminal''s neck latched on to his Adam''s apple, causing him to cry out in anguish. The shadow''s fingertips tightened their grip as electricity flowed through it. "You''re a pain in my ass."


    Gorou completely tanked the attack and managed his wrestle his way out of the shadow''s grasp. Not even a scratch or wrinkle on his skin. "Even with cutting power like that, your jutsu won''t even come close to damaging me."


    "As I expected; His skin isn''t a normal earth-release jutsu. That must be some sort of bloodline limit." Yuuki pulled out the kunai sheathed at his waist, set his sights on the other man''s throat, and swung. He created several lightning-infused shadow clones to assist him. Gorou perforated the clones, completely invulnerable to the subsequent electrocutions.


    "How many times do I have to tell you? Those attacks won''t work on me!" Gorou muttered with distaste, retracting stone blades from his elbows. He punched the ground, causing a landslide to sweep his opponents off their feet.


    Yuuki caught hold of a tree branch and threw dozens of kunai. It was no use, however, because they simply rebounded off of Gorou''s dense skin. "Just give up already, will you?"


    "Nah, don''t think so. I have you right where I want you." Yuuki created five shadow clones and assaulted his opponent callously. Gorou''s large physique became a detriment when dealing with the chuunin''s formidable speed.


    "You should''ve surrendered when you had the chance!" Gorou caught hold of the prodigy''s leg, throwing him into a nearby tree. Despite the aching in his muscles, Yuuki managed to reclaim his stance.


    "I''m starting to get the picture here," Yuuki watched as his opponent charged toward him. "Still, this isn''t gonna be a cakewalk".


    Barely evading his opponent, Yuuki placed an explosive tag on Gorou''s back. The detonation didn''t make a single dent on the criminal''s impenetrable skin, but the consequent smoke blinded his vision for a moment.


    "In any good strategy, the first step is always a fake-out. The tactic is to score on the second move." Yuuki''s shadow formed a long rope, snatching Osame and swinging her through the forest into a meticulous attack position. At the same time, the remaining shadow clones held Gorou in place with the shadow possession jutsu. It was the ultimate shadowy set-up.


    "Water Release: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!" Osame spit a great volume of water from her mouth. This water source took the shape of a shark and crashed into the criminal with undetectable speed. The fallout turned the forest into a small lake.


    Still not even a scratch...


    "Aargh." Mamoru erected a large iron gate to shield Asami from the water. She was just starting to wake up.


    Osame ran across the newly formed lake, flourishing her broadsword, but the blade shattered when colliding with Gorou''s skin. Disconcerted by her opponent''s durability, Osame jolted backward and thought of her next move.


    "Summoning Jutsu!" Osame summoned a shark and mounted it, riding through the water toward the criminal. Gorou wrestled the shark, punching it in the eye and cutting it''s brain with his elbow-blades. Osame swallowed the water surrounding them, exhaling it as a powerful torrent while Yuuki infused it with lightning.


    "Please, I''m barely even trying!" Gorou challenged the ninjutsu, pushing through it and sluggishly making his way toward the chuunin. He uppercut Osame in the jaw, sending her flying through the air and eventually crashing into a boulder.


    Yuuki was desperate, but he knew there was nowhere to run. "I can tell you''re not from here. I should know, my father isn''t from here either."


    "What''s the deal with you talking during a battle?!" Gorou was irritated. "Can''t you see you''re about to die?!"


    "I don''t mind." Yuuki insisted on having a conversation. After all, he was trying to buy some time. "Anyway, what''s the source of your hardened skin?"


    "None of your business."


    "Ah, come on. What''s the purpose of an all-powerful jutsu like that if nobody knows what it is?"


    "It''s not a jutsu." Gorou was unnerved. "I was born with this skin."


    "Born with it, ehh? So I guess I was right about it being a bloodline limit? In that case, there must be soooo many people in your family with skin like that."


    "I''m the only descendant in two hundred years to possess this genetic trait. This skin is the reason I''m the sole survivor of my village''s destruction."


    "Natural disaster, am I correct?"


    "Yeah. You''re correct."


    "Then I guess I got you all figured out." Yuuki smiled. The ground underneath his shoes absorbed so much water it became a deep mud. "Mamoru, let''s switch positions."


    "Not a problem." Mamoru braced the grand seal of the water monastery on his back. He took a graceful stance and coated his body in a Buddha statue of pure chakra, prepared to brawl with his niece''s kidnapper once more. "Sacred Art: Enlightenment of the Buddha."


    "You''re a nuisance." Gorou complained.


    "I''m not just a nuisance," Mamoru''s eyes started to swell and tear up. "I''m an uncle. And I will never forsake family."


    Gorou finally felt something, remembering the faces of his family before their deaths, and that one moment that crushed his entire future... but those days were far too beneathe him. "I respect you... Deep inside, I understand the feeling of loving family and wanting to protect them; but life isn''t a fairytale fantasy. Sometimes there is no redemption, and this world''s only principle is survival. It''s not a gift, it''s not a curse, it''s the purpose of life..."


    "... That''s why the real fight starts now."


    <u>2</u>


    The wind, which would normally be vibrant with the sounds of a hundred diverse critters, carried nothing but silence for a few painful moments. The two combatants, Gorou and Mamoru, stared into each other''s eyes in genuine contempt. The latter was the first to launch an attack. Gorou expanded the blades on his forearms composed of his own skin, and counter-attacked, but Mamoru nimbly evaded him. He was considerably agile for his old age.


    The monk unfolded the long scroll, unsealing a multitude of shuriken and kunai in rapid succession, but nothing pierced through criminal''s skin. Out of the blue, the thrown weapons were manipulated by wire string attached to the thousand armed kannon''s fingers, but didn''t even manage to scrape Gorou''s skin. This really proved to be a challenge...


    "That technique of yours. I''ve already knocked it down before." Gorou was confident, chasing Mamoru through the trees. The Sacred Art: Enlightenment of the Buddha technique was summoned to defend the technique''s user and attack enemies, but could be overwhelmed by someone significantly stronger than the monk performing said technique.


    "You''re right. Under normal conditions, I wouldn''t be strong enough to survive multiple hits from a fighter like you, even with this technique''s defense, but I have a few things up my sleeve." Mamoru sidestepped his opponent like a bullfighter, erecting an iron gate for his opponent to crash into, and Gorou could only see the color red. The elder monk placed the scroll in front of him, biting his scrawny fingers and smearing blood onto the paper. "Yuuki, lend me a hand."


    The prodigy knew exactly what was expected of him. He woke his partner, Osame, and whispered directions into her ear. The chuunin circulated chakra into Mamoru, providing enough to complete the summoning jutsu. The elder monk pressed his hand onto the sticky dirt, channeling chakra into the ground, and successfully summoned five large creatures: the Five Animals of Priest Daruma.


    Daruma was the founder of the water monastery and the first head monk, devoting his life to the ninja creed. He invented the Sacred Art: Enlightenment of the Buddha technique to ward off any invaders or mercenary shinobi during the Warring States Period and crafted the Staff of Daruma, both passed down through the subsequent generations of head monks. His five animals possessed massive amounts of chakra and wisdom.


    The tiger offered the power to shake the earth and to be the authoritative king of its lair, often attacking with brute force and lethal claws. The leopard was nature''s master of precision and prowess utilizing sharp, efficient, and lightning-fast movements. The crane was graceful and danced with accuracy and control, offering weightlessness to rise above crises. The snake had extreme chakra and was down to earth, often targeting vital points in the body with fatal accuracy. Finally, the dragon was filled with ancient wisdom and folklore, incorporating traits of the other four animals.


    Needless to say, these creatures scared Gorou shitless.


    Grasping the Staff of Daruma within his feeble hands, the chakra provided by these five animals gave Mamoru enough caliber to triumph. He refused to die a week geezer, and his tenacity motivated the observing chuunin.


    "Goroooouuuu!" Mamoru screeched his opponent''s names and sprinted toward the criminal, moving so fast he appeared to be teleporting, and smacked Gorou with a barrage of swings from the sacred staff. The stone-man''s skin started to crack, although at a slow pace. For the chuunin, this was truly the sight of something marvelous. The elder monk leaped backward, and the hands of his thousand armed kannon delivered an abundance of powerful blows into the criminal. "Sacred Art: Grand Karma of Angelic Renewal!"


    The final punch from the thousand armed kannon hammered Gorou into the ground, creating a stupendous crater and immense chain reaction that woke Asami and knocked back the chuunin, but the criminal''s skin still wasn''t shattered.


    "That''s it. You''ve actually pissed me off!" Gorou yelled, concentrating chakra throughout his body as his skin transformed into stone scales. His sclera became golden with vertical slit pupils. A muscular neck ran down from his head, and four large teeth poked out from the side of his mouth to reveal only a fraction of the terror hiding inside. Delicate wings sprouted from his back, and his lengthy tail ended in a sharp, arrowhead-shaped tip covered in the same stone-like scales as its body. "Fear the authority of my Stone Dragon King Transformation!"Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mamoru and the dragon king clashed fists, shaking the entire forest. This wasn''t the power of some bullshit eye ability that hacks space-time reality. This was the might of the most powerful living monk colliding with one of the most feared criminals in the world. The size of Gorou''s fists even frightened Mamoru. As the two combatants traded blows, the trees around them downright collapsed.


    "Dance of the Dragon King: Dragon''s Breath!" Gorou produced a strange flame from his mouth, feeding on the chakra of his opponent. The flames burned a bright blue and almost nearly melted through the monk''s thousand-armed kannon, exciting a cloud of smoke. Mamoru''s chakra began to deplete, and he thought this was troublesome.


    Mamoru created a few shadow clones to assault his opponent, but the dragon king easily bisected them with his wings and took flight. "Sacred Art: Eightfold Noble Path of Nirvana!" The elder monk conjured an intangible bow and repeatedly fired arrows toward Gorou to shoot him out of the sky, but to no avail.


    "Dance of the Dragon King: Dragon''s Mirror!" Gorou''s body absorbed one of the elder monk''s arrows and discharged it from his mouth. The arrow pierced through Mamoru''s chest, causing him to cough blood. His niece screamed his name, practically drowning in her own tears while Yuuki and Osame held her back. Even the efforts of the most powerful monk was no match for the dragon king...


    "Asami... This scroll belongs to you. I never want you to feel hopeless..." Barely able to stand, Mamoru manifested his chakra into extremely durable chains, physically restraining Gorou''s body while he struggled. "Sacred Art: Convergence of Heaven and Earth." He sucked every ounce of the dragon king''s chakra out of his body, effectively killing him, and sealed it inside the grand scroll of the water monastery.


    Then, the elder monk passed away. The five animals of Daruma stared at Asami with looks of endorsement before vanishing, returning to their dwelling. The young girl spilled tears on her uncle''s body, holding the grand scroll of the water monastery in her trembling hands.


    This scroll truly did belong to her...


    <u>3</u>


    Silent branches embraced a couple of trees, and a range of flowers, which were found in the most quiet places, clashed with the otherwise brown and green backdrop. A hodgepodge of beastly noises, belonging mostly to insects, brightened up the trees, and were strangely synchronized with the sounds of a fight over dominance between larger animals.


    "Don''t intervene, Luciel. Even if I don''t make it out alive. This is my fight." Yoshiro ordered.


    Momiji''s golden eyes painted her cutthroat resolve as brilliant cerulean lightning illuminated from her fingers. The discharge took the shape of a lacerating whip, slicing through trees as she ran. "Lightning Release: Scorpion Whip!" She almost caught Yoshiro, but the jounin managed to evade at the last second.


    "I can see your whole history in your eyes!" Momiji cracked her lightning whip again.


    "Earth Release: Mud Wall!" Yoshiro adroitly slammed his palm on the ground, erecting a defensive wall of earth before jumping high into the air. The lightning whip bisected the wall but barely missed the jounin.


    Luciel was paralyzed with fear as the lightning whip soared toward him like a predatory bird, but Yoshiro snatched the chuunin in gallant fashion. The scorpion''s stinger lashed his back and the jounin winced in searing pain as Momiji let out a homicidal laugh. Yoshiro threw five kunai at once, but his opponent dodged them all. The combatants engaged in hand to hand combat for a moment, knocking each other backward a few feet.


    "Momiji," Yoshiro salvaged his composure and glared at his opponent, provoking an unusual silence in her throat. "You were formerly a hunter ninja, right? Momiji the Deathstalker? You earned that nickname for setting a record on the most missing ninja killed by a single hunter."


    Yoshiro was correct. Momiji''s name was recognized across the entire Land of Water.


    "It''s a shame you switched teams," Yoshiro performed a few hand seals, preparing his next move. The wind ruffled his fragile azure hair, and a single strand flew away like a stray leaf. "Blue Flame Art: Flame Bombs!"


    The jounin exhaled a massive sapphire flame hot enough to melt through steel and evaporate entire rivers, but with enough control to sway it''s direction and safely prevent the incineration of allies. This was the scorching technique of the Kurogane clan that led to it''s notability in the water country.


    Momiji had spider-like reflexes, avoiding the flame as soon as her hair became sensitive and stood straight up. Her lightning whip flogged Yoshiro, but the jounin substituted himself for a shadow clone and dropped from a nearby tree.


    "How many missing ninja have I killed?" Momiji withdrew a chokuto, the straight one-edged sword, and pointed it at Yoshiro. The amount was common knowledge for not only shinobi, but even normal civilians in the mist village. "Tell me, how many missing ninja succumbed to this blade?"


    "Two hundred forty-six." Yoshiro was confident in his answer.


    "You''re lucky. It''ll be an honor to die by my hands!" Momiji''s face remained unchanged. She charged at her opponent, parrying several strikes, and threw two kunai laced with explosive tags at the jounin''s feet. Yoshiro back-flipped to avoid the explosions, not expecting the criminal to follow up with a swift kick to the stomach.


    "Earth Release: Mud Dragon Jutsu!" Yoshiro released mud in the shape of a dragon from his mouth. Momiji concentrated a uniquely crimson lightning in her hands, piercing through the opponent''s jutsu before it could reach her. Yoshiro channeled a current of lightning from every direction in his body, challenging his opponent''s similar technique.


    The combatants danced around each other, racing to land the first hit. "Blue Flame Art: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Yoshiro spit a volley of blue fireballs, but Momiji evaded them all as her lightning took the shape of a whip. She swung the whip acrobatically, but the jounin succeeded in dodging and maneuvered behind her with his kunai in hand.


    Momiji quickly rotated her body, kicking her opponent before the kunai could penetrate her skin. Her chokuto sliced the jounin''s cheek, dropping blood onto the blade, and the criminal caught her breath. She concentrated more lightning into her hand and sprinted toward Yoshiro, so the jounin repeated his jutsu and did the same. The lightning clashed, and both combatants found their chests impaled by the other''s jutsu.


    "Do you remember me, Momiji?" Yoshiro''s eyes were flooded by tears as the two coughed blood.


    "Of course I do, brat. That day I abandoned the village, you wereordered to kill me," Momiji burst into laughter recounting the event. "Your teammate, the girl with the ponytail, was the first shinobi from my own village to die at the hands of my blade.Ipummeled you into the ground, and you cried and cried and cried. You had once chance to prove yourself to your sensei, and you blew it. Even with that ridiculous beard, you still have the same exact face."


    The two collapsed backward, falling to their knees. "I finally did it. I killedyou." Despite his tears, Yoshiro had a vivid smile on his face while staring into the hole in the criminal''s chest.


    "This sword of mine," Momiji braced her chokuto as glowing symbols appeared across the long blade. The gap in her chest slowly regenerated, leaving only a small scar. "It absorbs chakra from those it cuts."


    After the battle with Gorou, Yuuki and the others arrived too late. Asami immediately tended to Yoshiro''s injuries, channeling chakra into the severe wound. She managed to heal the jounin pretty quickly with the assistance of the five animal''s chakra radiating from the grand scroll of the water monastery.


    "Where''s Mamoru?" Luciel asked, noticing the large scroll on Asami''s back. He didn''t want to assume the inevitable, but deep down he knew the answer.


    "He didn''t make it." Yuuki said with a heavy throat, struggling to hold back tears. Osame was too despondent to make eye contact and instead stared at the ground with a mournful expression. The elder monk truly did pass away as a hero...


    Asami was willing to carry her uncle''s legacy.


    "Momiji," Aizen seemingly teleported next to his fellow executive. "The Shiryoku is holding an emergency meeting following your partner''s death. You''re expected to report to the hideout immediately."


    "Aw man, I didn''t even get to finish him off." Momiji genuinely didn''t care about her partner''s death. Gorou was a significant asset to the organization, but she frequently found him annoying and difficult to work with.


    Aizen startled Luciel, instantaneously moving right in front of him with his mouth to the chuunin''s ear. "I believe your name was Luciel, right? It''s funny, my cursed seal still tingles when I''m near you. Someone tainted with the genes of an outsider doesn''t deserve the blood of the Igarashi clan flowing within their veins. I could stop the flow from your heart right now, but it wouldn''t be fun if it was too easy. When you''re prepared, face me in the islands you don''t have the right to walk on. I''m itching to kill you."


    "Aaargh!" Asami took a kunai from Yuuki''s pouch and attempted to kill Aizen with it, but the mysterious boy anticipated the strike and clutched the young girl''s throat with a tight grip.


    "This is pathetic. I thought the daughter of the head monk would be much more capable than this."


    "Don''t you dare talk about my father!" Asami struggled to speak. "His death was felt a hundred times more than your death ever will."


    "Your father isn''t dead." Aizen dropped his grip, leaving Asami on the floor gasping for air. The two criminals just walked off, and the shinobi were too weak to do anything...


    <u>4</u>


    The death of Gorou sparked an emergency meeting at the Shiryoku hideout, not too far from the forest he was killed. The executives sat in their respective thrones, but one was still empty. Because of the dire situation, they spoke very little for a while to fully comprehend what just happened. The stone-man was definitely not the most popular executive, but losing him was a gigantic blow to the organization.


    "Sorry for calling you out so suddenly," Aizen sighed. "But a situation occurred that requires our immediate attention. Some of you probably are already aware but, one of our executives have been killed in battle."


    "I believe he was your partner, Momiji," Saburou was critical. He was the second-in-command, behind Shizuka Yuto himself, and his competence in battle validated it.


    "I''ll pardon her on that," Yuto asserted, which was a saving grace for Momiji. The leader of the Shiryoku was possibly the strongest shinobi in the Land of Water. His depth of knowledge and level of skill in ninjutsu was greater than any other shinobi in the country. "She was unable to protect her partner because of the instructions given to her. Please be a bit more cautious with your accusations, Saburou."


    "Let''s not lose our composure." Ryouta reassured. Noe was silent as usual.


    "He''s right. Even with this heavy loss, Kirigakure will pose a minor threat to the organization by the time Mototsune is inaugurated. Dozens of powerful runaway ninja from all over the world are recruited every week." Yuto assented.


    "Whose gonna fulfill Gorou''s duties now that he''s gone?" Momiji asked.


    "He governed over a substantial portion of the Shiryoku." Ryouta added.


    "His share should be equally distributed among the remaining executives." Saburou insisted.


    "I am in agreement with Saburou." Yuto ratified. The other executives didn''t have any objections, as the positives outweighed the negatives. More influence over the organization as a whole, at the cost of slightly more responsibility. Without further ado, they adjourned the meeting and vanished from the hideout in puffs of smoke.


    x--------------x


    Right before the funeral mourning the loss of Mamoru, the temple''s monks gathered in the courtyard as a hearse carried by a muscular white horse undertook the monastery. Asami followed the horse through the entrance hall, accompanied by her new shinobi friends. Most people in her situation would scorn the shinobi who were incapable of protecting her uncle, but instead she was mature in the situation. The missing ninja that murdered her uncle was dead, and the old man could rest in peace.


    Although she accepted the unwanted passing, Asami was still overwhelmed by sorrow regardless and experienced every stage of grief at once. Her skin was still numb from the shock. Vengeance crossed her mind a couple thousand times, to the extent she wanted every member of the Shiryoku dead. She believed it was partly her fault, as she was too powerless to prevent her own kidnapping; if she was never abducted, Mamoru wouldn''t have sacrificed his life rescuing her. Finally, she acknowledged an ultimatum...


    She had to be strong...


    There were two large candles on wooden pillars against each side of the casket. Monks sung hymns about chakra purification and eternal bliss, wishing him pleasure in the pure land. Proverbs about the afterlife, written by Daruma himself, were chanted as the service''s climax. Even after the service, the temple was stricken with silence and gloom. No death would be mourned more than that of Mamoru.


    The shinobi were still shaken up from the confrontation with the Shiryoku. The threat of civil war was no longer a fear, but rather certainty. Luciel was stressed, facing a pending deathmatch with the shinobi untouchable by his entire team even without trying. Despite his young age, Aizen was more frightening than anything else.


    Nobody was more distressed than Yoshiro. The team''s sensei could still feel his wounds, even after the hole in his chest was healed by Asami. The challenge faced by his pupil was straight suicidal, and Yoshiro wanted to protect him at all costs. That is why he never expected critical words to escape Luciel''s mouth:


    "Sensei, I think I''m gonna leave the village for a while. I have things to take care of."


    "L-L-Luciel..."


    "Thank you for teaching me how to perform lightning release, even if it''s just the basics. That''ll come in handy when fighting someone like Aizen."


    "A fight like that is dangerous to take on alone."


    "There''s no other way," Luciel stifled his sensei, whose eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "If I''m really a descendant of the Igarashi clan, this fight should be between me and him. I''ll spend some time devising a jutsu capable of killing even the untouchable. Then, and I promise this, I''ll return to the village and we can make up for lost time."


    The young chuunin gave Yoshiro a tight hug, both of them spilling tears onto the other''s shoulder. By the time midnight rolled around, Luciel had already said his farewells to his teammates and departed from the monastery. He walked down the cobblestone steps outside the entrance hall into a stone pathway leading to the Shinrinyoku forest, already wary of the footsteps behind him.


    "It''s the middle of the night," Luciel said. "Why''re you hanging around here?"


    He turned around to see Asami and her wretched countenance. Her typically long, brown hair was cut down to her shoulders, and the grand scroll of the water monastery embellished her back. "This is the only route out of the monastery..."


    "So why''re you following me?" He came off as rude and irritated, but he was genuinely confounded.


    "I want to come with you," Asami broke into tears. "I want to get stronger too. In order to find my father, and protect those I care about, I have to be strong..."


    "I admire your willpower. You''d make an amazing shinobi, that''s for sure. Let''s get stronger, together." Luciel was lighthearted, despite the immense pressure he was obviously enduring. He welcomed her presence as they walked off into the night, leaving only traces of footprints behind them.


    As Luciel and his new companion departed from everything they knew, and the mist village plunged into civil war, a new chapter was beginning to unfold for all those involved...