Prologue
Land of Fire,
6 years ago
"I never knew such a ghastly place even existed here," Mizuki whispered as she looked over her surroundings, her perfect blue eyes scanning every shadow visible through the thick mist. She was a beautiful woman, tall and slender with flowing black hair that could even make the best models go green with envy. Her flawless pale skin almost seemed to sparkle besides the midnight black silk of her ninja outfit.
"I know what you mean" Taji, Mizuki's husband managed to say. He was tall and well build with shoulder length silver hair that flowed neatly around his broad shoulders, "This place sure has a feeling of foreboding, like something is watching you."
Not being able to take it anymore Mizuki suddenly called to her partner who had been walking quietly in front of them, leading them deeper and deeper into the maze of mist and bog. He stopped and turned his head to look at her not saying a word waiting for her to continue.
"How much deeper are we going into this hell?!" she snapped.
"I guess this is far enough…" Kado answered, finally turning around to completely face Mizuki and Taji.
"The mission ends here for both of you," He said and pulled out a kunai knife.
Mizuki started to laugh wrapping her arms around her stomach, "Very funny Kado now put away that kunai and save it for the real enemies." Taji shook his head and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, "I don't think he's joking." She immediately stopped laughing and looked at her partner with a fierce look in her eyes.
"What is the meaning of this? Why are you…?"
"Shut up!" He cut her off, "It's because I can't take this anymore! The sight of you with that man… when I'm the one that really loves you." He ground his teeth.
"That freak you call a husband who isn't even a real ninja, just a worthless stranger who waltzed into our village. If it wasn't for his worthless psychic powers he would be nothing!"
Taji and Mizuki exchanged looks of worry before turning back to their crazed comrade.
"Kado please, the loss of Toshiro must have gotten to your head," Mizuki whispered as she took steps closer to her friend, "but this is no way to deal with our old comrade's death."
Kado was on one knee now his face covered by oak brown bangs.
"Baka," Kado said sinisterly with a wicked smile on his face. He then suddenly charged at Mizuki, catching her off guard and slashing her across the neck.
Mizuki fell to the ground, wrapping her hands around the open wound at a pointless effort to hold in the never ending flow of blood that was quickly turning into a puddle beneath her.
Kado's smile grew and his eyes were filled with madness.
"I never thought it would be this easy," he mocked. "All these years of watching you fight and I was always afraid of your skills, but seeing you now like this I can see you are trash."
He now turned his head to Taji only to find him gone from his previous spot. He had quickly moved to his wife's side trying to wrap up her neck wound to stop the bleeding. Kado laughed at his effort.
"It's pointless you fool. Soon her body will collapse and she'll slowly drown in her own blood."
Taji turned to him and stood up.
"I'll rip your body to pieces you sadistic monster!"
"You talk big… but I know about you psychics too. You can't do anything without concentration and with the amount of pain you'll be in a moment, I don't think in any way that will be possible." Kado started walking towards Taji, taking his time like a lion on the hunt slowly watching his prey's movement. In defense Taji closed his eyes, concentrating his mind and feeling the energy of the world around him.
However, his concentration was broken by Kado's cry of pain.
Taji looked on before him as Kado fell to the ground blood spilling from his mouth. He turned to Mizuki behind him. She was holding a silver mirror with both of her hands allowing the blood to flow freely now. Slowly she lowered the mirror laying it flat on the ground, her arms shacking from the strain of holding it up. "Taji run," she managed to say before her body gave out her face landing on the puddle of bright blood. Taji ran towards her but stopped once he heard Kado's laugh again.
"Even with Yata no Kagami she still can't beat me," Kado said now back on his feet.
"Her chakra is gone along with any hopes of her surviving that wound."
He slowly raised his hand both eyes fixed on Kado, and then lowered it signaling something. Immediately after a swarm of ninja stars were sent flying at Taji pinning him to the ground in extreme pain and agony.
Two new ninja now appeared beside Kado and said something Taji couldn't make out. His body was screaming with pain and his vision began to blur as he fought back the tears that were threatening to form. Kado nodded at them and bent over on top of Taji.
"Before I kill you I need to know… where is that little brat Tsukiko?" He asked.
Taji's eyes grew, "So this is what everything was about! You're working for him aren't you?"
Kado rolled his eyes and thrust his kunai into the side of Taji's ribcage. Slowly cutting through Taji's flesh, Kado answered him,
"I told you what this was about. I just needed a little help. Well I thought I did anyways. In the end I was wrong I could have handled this on my own. Mizuki cares too much about her partners to fight against them. But anyways, now I need to repay "him" for the help so tell me where the brat is!"
"Bastard!" Taji hissed and spit onto Kado's face, "you'll never get my daughter."
Kado pulled out his kunai knife and stood up facing the other two ninja.
"Lets go, we're not getting anything out of him."
They nodded an answer and disappeared.
"You should have just spoken up." Kado said as he pulled out three matches from his pocket and lit them, throwing them onto the floor. "Then your death would have been a lot quicker."
He then too disappeared, leaving behind the misty bog now filled with human screams.
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Konoha,
Modern Times
"We are sorry to interrupt Lord Hokage." A worn out ANBU member said as he and his group entered the Third Hokage's office, "but we received this note and it was instructed that we deliver it to you right away." He handed the envelope to the Third and stepped away bowing to show his respect.
"Who sent this?" Sarutobi asked as he inspected the plain white paper. On the back side it read: To the Hokage and citizens of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
The ANBU leader looked up, "A man by the name of Tazuna gave it to us. We ran into him while on our mission at the port town. He said he was from the Land of Wave and was there on business. He also added that he was planning on speaking to you in person but it would be faster if we just gave you the information."
Sarutobi rubbed his chin, "Now that I think about it, that name seems familiar, I believe I sent Kakashi's group to guard that man once." He glanced over the bold red letters in the back of the envelope one last time before opening it and pulling out the contents from within.
Dear Hokage and citizens, P.S. Say hello to Naruto and the others for me! - Tazuna, the Master Bridge Builder
I know this is an important time for your village with the main matches of the Chunin Exam starting in a month, but I believe that by giving you this information I will save you from a lot of turmoil. As of late many towns and islands around the Land of Wave have been plagued by a thief ninja who calls himself Black Cat. The Black Cat was last spotted in the island town nearest to the peninsula and it is said that he is heading to the Land of Fire. His target seems to be your village. I'm sorry to say that this is all the information I have. Now I can just hope that this information reaches you on time and that you can catch this thief.
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Japanese translations:
Baka: idiot.
Yata no Kagami: The Mirror Yata
Next Chapter: The Face Behind the Mask.
Please leave comments! And don't worry… I can take it!! Some criticism is always welcome. After all, there is always room for improvement.