Legacy of the Rin'negan
Episode 1: The Pointless War
The hill was silent. Huge, monolithic standing stones stood silent and stationary over the gentle land. A small band of people crouched underneath them, all ninja. Tensions were high.
Our mission was unorganized and poorly funded, typical of the bureaucracy of Amegakure. We did not know how many enemies would come, or where they would come from.
"Nagato!" came the impatient voice of the ANBU squad leader.
"We don't have time to dawdle!" He was a large man with a short beard. He looked old, but he was more that a match for even a Jonin.
I got up from the sitting position and looked around. All around me, ANBU were sharpening blades or writing scrolls. The less nervous ones were creating sparse chatter or exchanging Jutsus. In short they were preparing for the mission to come. As for me, I was content on sitting there, contemplating.
Here I was, smack-dab in the middle of another of Amegakure's many futile wars. The government was petty, and violence ruled supreme. The government drafted those who had the abilities into the black ops, which is the reason I am here now. Many spoke out against this, but those were the ones who were taken to the alleys and killed. All others became quiet and didn't speak out any longer.
One day I will rally them, and reform the government, and all will have peace in the village of rain. At least… that was my dream. I knew I would never live up to it. It was too far away, even for someone who became ANBU at age 14. No one could stop the endless war, any more than one could stop the endless rain of Amegakure.
"You seem… tense." That voice came from my brother, Yahiko. He was slim but tall, and one of the most talented shinobi in our squad. I would always be shadowed by his enormous accomplishments, but I was content to stay out of general view. "What's bothering you?"
"Nothing," came my reply. It was a blatant lie, even he could see that, but I didn't want to say what was on my mind.
"You were always a horrible liar. Oh well, I see it's futile to persuade you to tell. I'll be with the squad leader if you need me."
"KA-CAW KA-CAW!!" came the crow call that was our signal to take our positions in the rocks. The enemy would trot down the path and BAM! they would be slaughtered. The idea sickened me, but it had to be done.
Beside me was Yahiko.
"Hey little bro," he said in his always-cool voice.
"Ya see 'em? They're coming down that path there. We'll be waitin'."
The squad leader rapped out orders.
"Get down!! Shut up!!"
The ANBU fell into silence. We heard the footsteps of our targets coming across the path right above the outcropping. It was lucky for us that they hadn't noticed us. Once again I cursed the bureaucracy for its lack of intelligence.
"Eight of 'em. Six guards, four chunin, two jonin, and two diplomats," Yahiro reported to the squad leader. He had an amazing talent of obtaining facts about people or situations because he could hear the noise they made. It had saved the squad many times over.
The statistics meant good news. Six able enemy fighters versus ten of ours. And the six enemies had two to guard too. We'd get through this scrape in no time… But as usual my confidence faded. I'd have to fight. I'd have to dispassionately take a human life. I didn't even know the guy that I would be administering death to.
One of the jonin guards looked up. He had spotted us. He spoke to the other jonin. After right now, there would be no better chance to attack.
At the signal of our leader, the squad leapt into action, my brother throwing knives all about. The six guards formed a protective circle around the diplomats and summoned a shield of earth to surround them. But it was too late. Yahiro's knives found two of them, and the shield faltered. One began to form hand seals, but was pierced by hundreds of senbon, and fell. I threw all the senbon I had. They landed on the last chunin's feet, tripping her and sending her smashing into a boulder. The two Jonin then sped into the attack and flashed around our troops. One of our chunin fell, their legs cut from underneath them.
One of them began to head towards me at insanely fast speed. I gripped my knife. I was no match for a Jonin who had killed several of my teammates in a few moments. Time seemed to slow. I saw him hurtling toward me, yet I stood, rooted to the spot. His Kunai knife shone as it sped toward my face, and my hands slowly moved to block it…
A shape hurled between me and my assailant. I heard a pained groan and the Jonin halted to a stop. There, between both of us, was Yahiro, his knife in the enemy's chest. The Jonin toppled over, dead.
I gasped in relief. The enemy was defeated, and neither I nor Yahiro were killed. And then Yahiro toppled over too, the Jonin's knife in his chest. I rushed over.
"Yahiko…" The remaining ANBU gathered in a ring around us. Yahiro's head tilted to face mine.
"Nagato. It was… worth it… but I think… I'm tired of this war…" The tears came freely, mixing with the blood.
"Shining eyes," he moaned. "What?" I asked, confused. "Shining eyes…" and then he lay still.
I looked up at the ring of people, confused.
"Look! His eyes!"
"What could it mean?"
"Rin'negan," the squad leader said, his face showing a mixture of fear and awe. "He has the eye of legend. It is the greatest of the eyes of insight!"
Rin'negan. I had not heard much of it - just a few rumors and legends. But even then I knew enough to realize I could not have it.
I stared into a puddle formed by the endless rain. There I saw my reflection, with shining eyes. They had multicolored concentric rings around them. It was Rin'negan!
I looked at the dead body of my brother. Did he need to die? Was this war necessary? Is war itself necessary? No. With the Rinnegan, I had the power. I had the power to stop this madness.
MY NAME IS PEIN, AND I SHALL SAVE THE WORLD!
Chunin: Journeyman ninja
Jonin: Elite ninja
Amegakure: Hidden village of the rain
Senbon: acupuncture needles, commonly used for medical purposes, also used as weapons in some villages.