A disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (it belongs to Kishimoto Masashi).
Tags: Rating M for character death, dark, violent and psychological. AU. OCs. No slash.
Prologue
A hasty meeting with far-reaching consequences.
Today was a gloomy day.
It was after four p.m. when I woke up.
There was no need for me to open my eyes to know that the sky was just a grey array.
However, in the land was named "Kiri no Kuni", expecting a sunny day was would have been impossible.
Stretching the back abused by a cold and hard bench, I reached for the bottle of sake on the hips.
It was empty.
The alarm was ringing again, that makes my head dizzy.
I sigh as stand up.
Like the other days, I was going to sit in my hash house, even not a house just a small booth on the sidewalk, hoping to have more guest than yesterday.
Unfortunately, it has never come true because my place was in front of the cemetery's gate. Dark and dreary. Whenever the night was falling, the temperature also went down, my small booth made by screws and iron rust was frozen everyday cause of the thick fog. Feeling the same with some mysterious places which appear ghosted.
By this reason, there was a rumour saying my booth was a special booth for the dead.
That was bullshit.
Of course, not all my guests were kind and normal. For example, shark guy and a guy wore an orange mask with swirl patterns could eat anything without removing the mask or bloodthirsty pursuers. But there was certainly no sign of evil spirit. I had never seen anything like that around here since I had been here.
Anyway, we were getting off track here… Let's get back to the story.
In such an atmosphere, time passes very quickly. When the clock reached over ten and a half I still did not have a guest.
It looks as I had forgotten something very serious.
I had close up a booth and decided it was timing to go for a walk.
But to walk to the public square, I would be having to go through an abandoned underground path has a horror name "Dai Haka''.
A Mass Grave. Sounds like a scary and demonistic place, right? Truth is, there was nothing special about here – except for the rustling of the rats, the splash of sewage and the hum of flies and mosquitoes at work… then this the sewer was just as normal as any other sewers in the village.
To me, a few steps inside of the mass was felt like entering another world where I could completely forget myself and enjoyed a moment's peace.
...It was supposed to be like this.
Screams rang out.
.
.
.
Why?!
Why are my peaceful moments always were broken?
I had just overcome with surprise at the scene before my sight.
A helpless child curled up on the ground and the wicked who had a screaming, kicking child.
This's a scene 'bullying the weak' in a classic drama Chivalrous Hero of actress Fujikaze Yukie, it is?
If that sounds interesting, consider that the next scene was a hero appeared defeating the wicked, upholding the true justice and getting unconditional love in return.
This is... Is my destiny set for me as a hero?
"..."
Oh, just kidding.
Life was different from a fairy tale. This was a country that 'the weak are meat, and the strong do eat', in other words, where such examples are not rare.
I witnessed an idiot, who playing hero being killed by the 'victim' he saved. The furniture was also robbed, and underwear was nothing left behind.
Little does I realise that about 1 week after that, I would be the protagonist in the same scene.
Honestly, I was not planning to play a hero and I didn't like playing the next prey. So, I have decided to run. But, my appearance has made the man warily.
It's…
I couldn't shake off a bad feeling about this one.
Please don't look at me, consider me an invisible someone or something, I promise to invite you for a free dinner at my hash house. Okay?!
Ugh, to be honest speaking, he just had a crazy look in his eye. Now, I immediately knew what he meant.
Killings to silence people… My mind whispered. This was really bad to do and would only make the situation extremely awkward.
I really wanted to curse a lot. It was too late for that now, so why should I waste my time?
Just think about it. Now was eleven o'clock, back to a booth also take ten minutes, pull his tooth, shaved hair, cut the meat and bones into manageable pieces, toss them with spices, packaged and refrigerate for up to one hour. Then scour the blood, clean up the mess left behind.
Although saying it this way is also part of the job. But, I didn't stay up all night.
I need eight hours of sleep per night was essential for energy and good health. Hence, I refuse to do work regardless of how troublesome it is.
This was why I bow down, a face was frozen in fear, the hind legs were preparing to flee. When he hesitated, I would run away.
Imagination was wonderful, the reality was ruthless. Just being at the moment, a strong hand grab my neck. How he appeared behind, I did not know. My eyes were watering from something, maybe poison fumes. Damn ninja's paranoid delusions and their equipment. I sighed, not knowing how to respond, an interrogative word began to form in my ear.
He asks me who I am? What to do here?
I believe that my answer was truthful. Voice, heartbeat or expression is flawless, prove I just an unlucky passer.
Thinking up to this my poor neck, I started begging him to lightly squeeze. But the word he muttered makes me feel slightly confused.
On the one hand, I wonder who is Akatsuki no Hidan. "Daybreak," which is a pretty fascinating name but I had never heard anything like that before. On the other hand, from a technical point of view, I was curious about the strange language he was using. Its melody was like that acquired from surrounding language, rather than from a common language. As a result, I've never really understood what he was talking about and makes converting a lot harder.
But, swear to my God, this person has a mental health problem worse than all the people I've ever met.
Seems he was not satisfied with the conversation or believe I was just a normal civilian because, in the next second, a kunai slitting my throat.
In a panic, I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm before aiming for the unguarded private parts and kicking hit there.
When he leant over as he was holding his private parts, I suddenly realised I couldn't stay here much longer.
The killer does not need a reason like him flooding the streets. Violent crime, tyrannical bullies, also known by other names such as 'ninja' was commonplace in Chigiri no Sato. There was not a problem when the hash house crowded. But now my freezer and refrigerator were full of neatly packaged meats and vegetables seem to only increase, not decrease.
My dream of getting rich was really so far away.
Should I go back to the mainland? Although it just makes the situation even more uncomfortable.
Clutching at my poor throat, I looked at the man who began to get back his consciousness with an incredulity that bordered on uneasiness. Worried he was going to do something stupid, I was forced to crush his elbow and two legs.
Eventually, I turned to the child and the green caught my eye.
As vibrant green leaves during the summer.
Too naive, too sweet.
Like her...
I smiled as buried the memory of all that and try to be as friendly as possible. Fortunately, he looked curious instead of scaring me, so I can easily observe the injury on a child.
One of his cheeks was bruised, the skin broken, but there have been no serious injuries.
We stared at each other in awkward silence, for a minute or so before his arm suddenly moves forward.
I squinted, wary of any suspicious activity, but his arm remained in place. Looking in that direction, I felt buried head in my hands. Instead of fainting with pain, the man was still sober enough to try to get in my way. His bones have been destroyed, come to my place is also useless, or before dying wanted to pull me down with him? Why waste the energy to do something like that? Ah, I see. This is the so-called 'Indomitable spirit', right?
Should have sacrificed him then, but I did not foolishly let him go my God. Although my god is great, he was also mad and very selective. I dared not imagine what would have happened if I send an idiot to him. The last time I tried something like that, it did not end well. And the work was troublesome.
I sigh before kicked him down to the water. Watching him struggle made me suddenly associate such a sight with the dolphins gasping for air. Unfortunately, his face had been purple was not nice to watch.
Soon afterwards, the swirling water drowned him under. I prayed silently for himself, hope the cops probably drift out to sea. If not, his soul would only be able to stay in the stomachs of predatory fishes in below.
Looking at the blood on my shirt, it seems I couldn't to reach to a square in tonight. This was just a waste of energy and time. Maybe I should go home to sleep better. But before that, I had a problem to solve.
The child, who reminded me of a long forgotten memory made me wonder. If in the past, I would not hesitate to free him from the cruel life he has been pushed into. But gradually, I surrendered to the reality that my frozen heart has been turned into mildness. My God could wait. That was why I found myself talking.
"Here, take it,"
I draw the last money in my pocket and the dead man's kunai.
"Faking yourself weak is also a way to defend yourself," I said, did not worry about the child's precautions "But when you give up your fight, you die. Do you understand?"
The child bowed, before looking back at me with his lifeless look, he said in a cracked voice.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Living ... alone is not very lonely? So living for what?"
I rub my chin, a little surprised by the question. How familiar.
"Life is a beautiful thing, and there are so many things to see. If you die you won't see it. Is not is?"
Of course, if you want to die I will gladly send you away to my God.
The child stared at me for a moment, before nodding slightly. But instead of taking the money, he grabbed a kunai in my hand and squeezed it.
"S-so," His voice trembling "Can I follow you? I can serve you."
I tilt my head, confused by the question. Normally, those who pursue me were usually those who want to kill me not serve. Suddenly, I feel like there was a giggle from my God somewhere. For that reason, I resisted prompting refusal immediately or frowning at the child. Misunderstanding that I was hesitant, the child immediately added.
"I..I can do anything you want. Anything..."
"Why do you do this?"
I interrupt, curious about the purpose of the child. We were just meeting for the first time. I was not like a rich man or a good person who had a golden heart or lolicon. I killed a person in cold blood. I should die as soon as my neck was cut not to continue to talk. In this case, normal people would probably find this creepy and run but want to follow me.
"Because I want to live."
That determination made me suddenly want to laugh.
It's really the same thing, huh?
I patted his head.
"I don't need a servant. But..." I muttered, loud enough to be heard, "That's not how to hold a kunai. If you want to learn how to use it, then follow me."
Then was turned and walked off into the shadows of sewers.
Since that day, a stray who has white hair, green eyes usually followed me.
Sadly, the business does not improve, even food reserves were also running out. At last, we had to leave this place.
When the smuggling ship moved to the mainland, I just knew Kirigakure in the civil war.
That's why I got so little money.
Never mind, it was not important.
# Footnote:
1- All place's name, names in stories will use their Japanese names.
2- Correct grammar errors/7-2017