"So, you really think that we are ready for the chunin exams Isamu-sensei?" A chubby boy with long brown hair and matching eyes asked his teacher with an enthusiastic tone and glimmer of joy in his eye as he stood atop the roof of a building.
"Just remember everything I thought you Kouki and you will be fine. I know you are destined for great things but you must believe in yourself!" the man addressed as sensei replied firmly.
"Do you here that Kouta-chan? Let's become chunin together!" Kouki exclaimed.
"I'll try my best." A nervous Kouta-chan replied. Kouta-chan was a young girl with short black hair which she kept straightened. Her eyes were jet black.
"Are you with us, Kokoro?" Kouki turned his attention to his male teammate who had been standing aside. Kokoro thought for a moment before his sky-blue eyes lit up like the stars.
"Don't get left behind, zaidan!" Kokoro remarked.
"Like I'd ever lose to you, Toride!" Kouki retorted.
"Now now, I want to see that spirit in the chunin exams." Isamu-sensei interrupted.
"You count on me sensei!" Kokoro assured his sensei.
"Don't forget about me." Kouta spoke but not loud enough to be heard. Kouki just stood there, hands on hips and a grin on his face that spanned from ear to ear. The pleasant atmosphere passed quickly as a man crash landed on the roof the group were standing on. He was bleeding from his head and abdomen. Isamu-sensei sprang into action, rushing over to the man.
"Emer…gen…cy! Get to…! The man whimpered before the light behind his sky-blue faded. Isamu noticed that he was clutching a scroll and took it.
"Otōsan!" Kokoro screamed as he recognized the bloodied man. Rushing to his father's side he dropped to his knees and desperately tried to get the man to respond. "Please don't go! You said you would always be there for me! Keep your promise… don't leave me… dad…"
Kouki stood in horror as he watched his teammate's futile attempts to resuscitate his father. Kouta's legs failed her and she collapsed. Isamu inspected the scroll for a second before pure horror occupied his face.
"Th- Th- This is…" Isamu began, drawing the attention of Kouki and Kouta. "Listen up team; I have an order for you! You are to take this scroll directly to the director. Make sure only she lays hands on this, no one else. Do you understand your orders?"
"Uhh-" Kouta began but was interrupted by her sensei.
"There is no time to waste, get going!" Isamu-sensei tossed the scroll to Kouta and pulled a kunai out of his leg holster. Without another word he leapt off the rooftop and in the direction from which Kokoro's father had come from.
"We should do as he says." Kouta urged her teammates. She received no answer. "Did you guys hear Isamu-sensei?"
"Go on ahead, Kouta-chan. We are right behind you." Replied Kouki as his gaze fell upon Kokoro.
"Umm, okay. Catch up soon!" Kouta pleaded. She turned and dashed in the opposite direction from which her sensei went. Kouki contemplated what to say before breaking the silence.
"Kokoro, I'm sorry you this happened to you. Your dad was like a father to me as well… But we need to go or his-" Kouki cut himself off when Kokoro's head shifted slightly. "Your dad gave up his life to protect this village. Don't make his actions be for nothing. We have to regroup with Kouta and deliver that scroll to the director." Kouki placed his hand on his friends shoulder.
"He's gone… I'm all alone again…" Kokoro murmured. "He lied to me… He said he would never go…" Kokoro kept rambling on till Kouki intervened.
"Kokoro, we have to go! Your father is gone; there is nothing you can do for him!" Kouki shouted as he grabbed Kokoro's collar and brought him up to eye level.
"How can you be so insensitive? I have no one left… I'm all alone." Kokoro said.
"You have me-"
"You don't get it! You can't replace a father. He is all I had left."
"Your father was a great ninja and the coolest dad I know! He sacrificed his life for the village, for you! Are you going to waste the opportunity he gave you to survive? We have to go!"
Kokoro's face was tear-stained and his sky-blue eyes appeared grey. "We can't just… leave him here."
"I'm sorry, we can't help him, but we can help Kouta-chan deliver that scroll for your father."
With one last look at his father's body Kokoro gathered himself.
"That's it. Let's do this." Kouki comforted. The duo sped off in an attempt to catch up with Kouta. Though silent, Kokoro was enraged. A fire burned in his stomach as he fathomed the thought that he was running away instead of fighting. 'BOOM!'Rubble exploded all around the duo knocking them to the ground. Kokoro was knocked out cold but Kouki managed to stay conscious enough to see a man in a blue robe walk up to his limp body and unsheathe a sword. A shriek filled the air.