From Hero to Rei

by sapper92

Yuudai died as a soldier fighting on the front lines. Now he's a shinobi of Iwagakure doing the only thing he knows he's good for, killing his fellow man to survive, however, things are just a bit more complicated this time. He will soon know his enemies lurks in places he never knew they would be. (Dreaming of Sunshine and Sugar Plums AU) (Self-Insert)

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

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A\N: (Rakuhouha: Falling Feng Crush). (Death Captain: one of the 8 captains who lead the squads of the Executioner Forces)

"The next match will be Rank 20, Yuudai vs Rank 3, Keita,"

I was shivering with glee, I knew Keita was a gifted fighter and now he was furious on top of it. He would try to kill me right here in this arena, the thought of it made the butterflies take flight within my stomach. The rage I could see swimming around in his eyes, I loved it I couldn't control the smile that began to creep onto my face. Honestly, I was confused, the way my body was responding to the waves of killing intent that was hitting it, instead of fear there was anticipation, I didn't want to run I wanted to fight, I didn't want to cry or frown I wanted to laugh and smile. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Yuudai! I hope you are prepared for death you hear me!"

I began to laugh, he couldn't kill me I wouldn't allow that hell my family wouldn't allow it. I rubbed my hands against my pants to wipe the sweat from them and settled into my stance facing Keita. The proctor looked at both of us and raised his hand.

"When both of you are ready you may begin!"

Keita exploded towards me, I reflexly went for a palm strike. In that split second, I heard an explosion to my right and got socked in the jaw from my left. I rocketed across the ring away from Keita who gave chase, I quickly regained control of my body and threw shrunken at him which he began to dodge until one popped into a clone and drove a flying knee into his face. He grabbed hold of the clone and made it explode, I rushed through the smoke only to get a fist to the gut.

"Nice try, but I see through your little tricks," he said before sending me flying back in the direction I came from. I landed on my feet not too far away but enough where he wasn't within striking distance. "Is this all you got?! Just a bunch of parlor tricks and deception techniques, fight me like a man Yuudai!"

"I'll fight how I please," I said not falling for his taunt. That was exactly what he wanted for me to fight him head on, he would win the fight that way if I tried to beat him with force instead of picking my spots and attacking through his blind spots. Remember your training I quickly formed the seals for Twin Phantasm. My shadow began to form in front of me.

"Not that old trick again, I told you I see through all these smoke and mirrors you put up if you want to keep fighting like a coward fine," Keita said before charging me. My shadow bolted in his direction and I ran off to the side but Keita came right for me ignoring my shadow, my body froze for a split second before I prepared a Replacement Jutsu, but Keita floored me in the mouth and continued the attack following up with knees and kicks before I could finish. My shadow appeared to his right but he completely ignored it. I broke the chain of attacks and hip tossed him but instead of slamming him to the ground I just threw him as hard as I could to get him away from me. Keita stopped his momentum by setting off an explosion with his hands facing his direction travel and landed on his feet.

"You see now, that cheap little shadow trick you use won't work on me either, I'm surprised no one else noticed it up to this point, but hey that's what happens when you don't have insider information,"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

Keita began to laugh "Come on you did you really think Jin kept it a secret about you and your family, he told us everything, how your family are Genjutsu masters and the majority of your attacks use Genjutsu," I clenched my fist, so Jin sold me out again?! That bastard. "So the only thing I have to do is guard my mind against all of your silly illusions and this fight is as good as over,"

Okay stay calm so his figured out one of my jutsus secrets, and maybe Jin told him about my family and our way of fighting. Settling back into my ready stance I took in a deep breath, I felt a bit of pain near my lungs it was a dull aching kind of pain. I pushed that to the back of my mind.

"Don't think you've won just yet Keita, I'm still breathing over here. For someone who talked about killing you have not done much to bring me closer to death, in fact, I feel even more alive than before," I said with a smile. Keita's face dropped the smug look of confidence and was replaced rather quickly with one that was a mixture of anger and rage. Once again he charged and again I waited for his first attack. He tried the same tactic as before using his Kekkei Genkai as a way to maneuver faster than I could counter but I rendered that strategy obsolete against me. I parried the attack he threw at me and countered with my own, this went on for a while neither one of us giving an inch to the other. If one landed an attack the other was soon to land one as well, this became a chess match. Keita was actually tiring me out, my breathing had become labored. It was hardeven with the assistance of chakra to move as fast as I wanted to. My arms were starting to feel like wet noodles, and making it difficult to defend myself.

We traded blows once more and I backed off to take a breath. Unfortunately, I would get no such reprieve as Keita appeared on my flank, just as I was about to evade a clone had appeared opposite to his real body with both of their hands extended.

"Explosion Release: Blast Chamber!"

I couldn't avoid his attack in time and took the full brunt of it. The explosion robbed me of my hearing, my skin began to burn like I was thrown into a fire. The pain was indescribable to the point it overwhelmed me, I blacked out.

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6…..7…..

I could faintly hear the count, the ringing in my ears just wouldn't let up. My head pounded with pain like someone was trying to split my skull open. I could barely feel my limbs it felt like nothing would respond to my brain's commands.

8…. Get up, my legs listened and began to move slowly, the proctor stopped his count. 'Get up' I told myself as my hands began to grip the rubble beneath me, not yet I'm not done yet. The ringing continued and it felt like my head was about to explode at any moment, but I pushed myself to my knees. My eyes had been closed up to this point and once I opened them my vision was double no triple what it should have been. Dizziness assaulted my body causing me to hurl the contents of my stomach below me, despite this I got to one knee still trying to get my bearings.

"Impossible," I heard Keita faintly say as I worked my way to my feet. The crowd was just as stunned I could tell by the silence, I was shaking violently as I stood, my clothes were in tatters ripped and charred in different places but I was still decent. I tried to take a step back and almost lost my balance, my vision was still bouncing between two and one Keita standing in front of me.

"Are you able to continue to fight?" the proctor asked. I hesitated, was I? I could barely stand, see and feel my body, just how much more could I take? I could stop here no one would look down on me for this performance I've put on this far. I was tired and severely hurt.

'Just quit, this is your limit,' I told myself. I began to raise my hand ever so slowly. This was it I was done.

"YUUDAI!"

My hand froze in mid-air, It was Akako's voice that rose above the silence.

"You better not dare give up. I didn't acknowledge a quitter! You still have more to give I know you do!" she yelled. The crowd began to clammer amongst themselves.

"She's crazy,"

"What else does he have, look at him he's a mess,"

I agreed it was hard not to agree, I was gassed both physically and mentally. I just wanted the pain to go away.

"DON'T YOU LISTEN TO THEM OR YOURSELF!" she cried out to me. "You still have more I know you do. LISTEN TO ME! You; AKAMU YUUDAI STILL HAVE MORE TO GIVE SO GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU GOT!"

I dropped my hand. The pain was still bothering me my vision was still messed up. I could barely hear anything, but deep down that flame was reignited. I felt a rush of adrenaline. Despite what my body was feeling, despite what my mind was telling me my spirit refused to bend a knee to it all. I forced my hands together and began to form the twenty hand seals for my strongest jutsu. I ended it with the rat seal.

"Akamu Secret Art,"

Keita charged me.

"Like hell, I'll let you use that!" he yelled in his mad dash to finish me off. I pulled all the chakra that I had left and concentrated it into my right hand, and I waited for Keita to get within the range I wanted him close so he couldn't escape the attack that was coming. Keita closed the distance and got within range. I took my fist that was packed with chakra and slammed it straight down to the Earth.

"Rakuhouha!*"

I released the chakra and waves of energy blasted outwards. I didn't see what happened in that second, hell I couldn't even feel it. It was like being in the eye of a hurricane. There was this peace and calm around me while there was chaos everywhere else. I slowly picked my head up, my vision still hadn't returned to normal, neither had my balance but I could see Keita spalled out feet away from me. My legs shook violently as I stood to my full height and with every step was like winning a battle against my body. I nearly toppled over a few times but I finally stood over Keita's body. He wasn't dead but he was out cold, I spit to my left and returned my gaze to him.

"Winner of this match is rank 20 Yuudai,"

The crowd erupted in cheers, it made my headache worse due to all the noise that assaulted my ears at once. I couldn't even believe that this happened, I made it to the last two. I found it hard to process anything at this point I didn't know how to feel right now.

"Kid!"

My attention snapped to the proctor.

"Yes?"

"Can you keep going?"

"Yes I-"

The excruciating pain hit me like a tidal wave. I began coughing uncontrollably and I could feel blood hitting my palm. My heart was racing like I had just stopped running a marathon and with each pump of my heart, a jolt of pain followed. I could barely breathe, I was fighting for air to make it into my lungs but it seemed like my airway was so constricted nothing was making its way into my body. I started to feel cold as ice like I was dropped in a pool of ice water. I lost my balance and hit the ground with a thud. Next came the convulsions, I couldn't control anything my body was doing which sent me into a panic internally.

Was I dying? Again?

My eyes rolled up and my vision was robbed from me. The last thing I remembered was the screams and cries for a medic.

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"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The voice was unfamiliar to me it sounded distorted like someone was speaking through a microphone or water. "You still have a long way to go, however, I must say the performance you put on was quite admirable…" I couldn't see whom it was talking but I just heard them in my head. "The time for us to meet is still too soon little one, but when that day comes I hope you'll have the strength to subjugate me. Otherwise, your life will be mine,"

I slowly began to regain my consciousness, my hearing was the first thing to return to me. I could hear people talking about what and who they were my brain couldn't discern yet. Then my sense of touch came as I felt the wool cover, I moved my fingers ever so slightly just so I could feel again the fabric to ensure I wasn't just dreaming again.

"He moved!" someone said. The room fell silent I'm guessing they were waiting to see what else I'd do. I tried opening my eyes, my muscles controlling my eyelids would twitch but they strained to do the simple task.

How long have I been out?

I attempted the task again, this time I was able to see a slight band of light. I didn't stop and eventually, I could see fuzzy shapes of things and people. My vision remained blurry and my hearing was also abnormal it felt like people were talking to me through a wall. I felt someone hug my body and then my shoulder became damp. Was someone crying?

"Yuudai, my child, thank God you are alive," I barely heard the person hugging me say. I tried sensing people through their chakra but even that was like trying to make out shadows on a black canvas that was tossed in a mud puddle. I literally had nothing all my senses were out of whack, so I just laid there and fell back asleep just the simple movements and energy I used was enough to tire me out again.

The second time I regained my senses it was evening. The soft orange-red glow of the setting sun bathes the white stone in my room. My vision had returned to me a bit more focused but still, my hearing was damaged. My chakra senses had recovered a bit so I could make out who was in the room at the time even if I couldn't see them that well. I could tell there were three people in the room, my mother, Aoi, and someone who I wasn't familiar with.

"How much longer will he be in here?" Aoi asked.

My mother let out a deep breath. "I have no idea, his doctor said he has fought off the worst of it but it will still be a while before he regains full consciousness and motor functions,"

"How did this happen?"

"Well it was a number of things, but mainly that jutsu he used at the end, there is a dual effect and if one's body cannot handle the shock of a mass amount of their chakra being used in one go then this is the result," my mother explained. "That's why he needed all those chakra transfusions, his coils were damaged to the point that they couldn't produce enough chakra that his body was demanding to keep him alive, had we responded maybe a few seconds slower he'd be…"

My mother choked on her words, it must have been painful to watch, her only child almost died in front of her. I couldn't imagine the absolute despair she must have felt she has probably lived in this hospital room with me since I could have visitors. What the hell this wasn't supposed to happen, why do I have such fucked up luck, even now I get reborn and I'm already messing things up?

"What about you Aoi are you ready for selection training?" my mother asked.

"Oh? Um, I'm as ready as I can be," she said timidly.

"You'll be fine after all Akako selected you after your match with Jin, she has a good eye for talent," my mother said. "By the way Noriko, how does it feel to be free once again?"

"It's wonderful, I am thankful I get to hold my daughter close once again. I wish I could have seen her in the tournament and be there to celebrate her victory," she said.

So Aoi won the tournament huh? Well good for her she was able to get her wish whatever it may have been. She should be out enjoying herself so why is she here in this room with me?

"Um, Yuko-san do you think Yuudai can hear us?" Aoi asked.

"I'm sure he can go on talk to him,"

Aoi was silent for a moment.

"Yuudai, I want to apologize to you, for saying I don't have time for friends. I really just wanted my mother back free again, I didn't mean any harm towards you. Your aunt selected me to join one of her squads in the Executioner Forces so I'll probably be stuck in training when you wake up. I just want you to know two things, one I am your friend from this day forward and I'll never betray that bond between us, the second thing is that I believe that you are the true winner of our class tournament. You did things that were remarkable, you fought through so much pain and exhaustion just to fall at rank 3. To be honest I don't think I could beat you as I am right now but that's why I'm joining the Executioner Forces. So get better and promise me, that one day we will be in the Force together and I promise you if I ever become a Death Captain* I'll make you my vice-captain, but I need you to get better, you have to, please,"

If I could do anything right then I'd smirk, she admitted she was weaker than me and that I was her motivation to push herself beyond her limits right now so she wouldn't have to ever say that again. I tried to move but this time my body stayed motionless, and once again my consciousness was dragged back into oblivion.

Again my consciousness returned, and with it some sense of normalcy I could see clearly it was the dead of night, my senses were picking up very little until there was a slight wind and my aunt appeared through the curtains. She was dress in what I assumed to be her shinobi wear, her headband glistened with the light of the moon, her clothes were all black even the robe she wore. If it wasn't for the fact that I knew who it was I'd be petrified of the thing that just entered my room so quietly.

"Yo kiddo, see your still alive hmm," I tried to talk but nothing came out so I just stared at her. "You must hate me, don't you? I taught you something that put you in this state, I thought you could handle it I mean you had been taking everything I was throwing at you in stride, I must have misread the situation, after all, you not me or your mother or your father, you're you." Akako drew closer to my bed and gently brushed one of my bangs away from my face. "You know, you shocked a lot of people that day, did you know you were the first rank 20 to ever crack the top 5? You are special in a way I couldn't see at first, and now I just may have permanently messed you up for the rest of your life,"

I could look up at her face but I felt a drop of wetness hit my cheek. Was she crying? Why? What had she done? It was my choice to use the jutsu, this was my fault she shouldn't feel guilty about my decisions. She collapsed at the side of my bed and the sobs began to shake her body.

"I should have known better, Inever should never have gone against my sister. Now she won't even speak to me, all because I thought I understood your abilities better than she did!" her cries continued for a while, I felt bad as far as I could tell her and my mom had a very good relationship, and now my mom doesn't speak to her?

"So, you need to get better little Yuudai, not for my sake but for your mother's. She doesn't want to admit it but these last few weeks have been hard on her and your father, so please-"

Just then the door slid open.

"Akako, what are you doing here?" came my mother's voice. Akako stood up slowly almost fearfully.

"I came by to see him before I head back out into the world," she said.

"I told you to stay away from him, you've caused him enough pain,"

No Okaa-chan, you got it wrong this was all my doing, don't be upset at her.

"Is he not my nephew Onee-chan? I should be able to-"

"Just get out," my mother cut in coldly. "You are nothing to him as far as I'm concerned,"

Akako let out a sigh and made her way to the window. She gave me one last look and then was gone from sight. Just what in the hell is my mother doing? Akako could die out there and this is possibly the last conversation they could have with each other, is this what they want to be the last memory they have of each other? I need to recover and stop this madness. Fuck I wanted to win so bad now look what I've caused, I should have listened to Aoi but my pride blinded me, the grudge in my heart I held for the heirs, I allowed it to blind me from thinking rationally. I knew damn well I didn't have the chakra to pull off that jutsu…even still I used it because I wanted to win so bad.

Never again I will never allow my judgment to become that clouded because I never want to put these people my family and Aoi through this again. Once again my consciousness began to slip back into the darkness, when will this all be over?

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I began to slowly stir but this time it felt like I was waking up normally. I stretched my limbs as best I could, my bones cracked and joints cracked due to lack of movement. My eyes fluttered before fully opening and coming into vision first was my mother who had just walked in. I turned to her and blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't still in a semi-comatose state.

"Yuudai? Are you awake?" she asked. I opened my mouth to speak but my throat was so dry that I didn't even want to attempt to push words through it. I nodded to show her that yes I was awake and fully alert. She quickly rushed over to me and brought me into a tight embrace. "Oh, Yuudai, you silly boy, don't scare your mother like this," she said as she began to cry. "You missed out on so much these past two months, Aoi just passed selection and made it the medic qual course for the Executioner Forces, your Father was promoted to become one of the captains in the infantry," she released me from her hug and looked at me. "For now I'll go let the doctor know you are awake and we will get you something to eat,"

My mother stood up and made her way to the door she gave me one more longing look before leaving the room. I began to slowly look at my body, I looked weak a long call from my physique before the tournament, but I guess that's what happens when you float in and out of consciousness and haven't eaten anything for the last two months. Two months huh?

My room door slid open and a person from the medical corps came in with my mother. I was administered all the typical test one would normally receive, a cognitive test, basic motor function, reflex, the whole nine, my blood pressure was taken, and a blood sample was also taken from me to find any other lingering illnesses. From how the doctor was reacting to my abilities to complete each test he must have been pleased.

"Well, Yuko-san physically he's fine, however, his results on the state of his chakra network came back," I could tell this wasn't going to be good news. "His coils are damaged to the point that molding chakra will be rather difficult for him from this point on, he can still use ninjutsu and genjutsu, but to what extent I have no idea. This is the first time I'm seeing a case like his,"

"Will he ever progress as a shinobi?" my mother asked.

"I highly doubt it especially once people get a hold of his medical records, he'll probably remain a genin for the rest of his career, at that point, I'd say there is no reason for him to remain a shinobi,"

So my chakra network has been crippled, I'm basically this world's shinobi version of a paraplegic, but my system felt fine I mean chakra was being made in my body normally, I could still sense things like normal. I tried pushing chakra to my feet and felt no resistance, I looked to see if the adults were still paying me any attention before I began forming seals for Dark Hold. I tried activating the jutsu and a wave of pain struck me to the point I cried out.

"Yuudai! What's wrong?!" my mother asked in a panic.

"It hurts to try and use genjutsu too," I said as I gripped my chest. The doctor looked at me directly, he made eye contact.

"Maybe you need to think of other things you can be other than a shinobi, you will not be effective for the village like this, especially if you are unable to use your family's staple techniques,"

Was this it? Was I done as a shinobi before I could even begin? I gripped the cloth beneath covering my body. There was no way I was giving up, Rock Lee couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu and he still made it, sure this may have been before his time, but still, as long as I had the will to be a shinobi then I was going to put forth the effort. My eye caught my headband sitting on the desk, I earned that before many in my class did, I beat the 3rd best person in my class my story won't end here.

"No, my entire family have been shinobi. I will follow in those footsteps, no matter how hard it may be. I may not get promoted but I will not stop being a shinobi until I die," I looked the doctor in the eyes. "I will walk the shinobi path just like my mother, my aunt, my father, and those before them, I will make myself an effective shinobi if I can't grow into one, but this is all I know and if I die as a shinobi then I will die happy," I said.

"Yuudai, there are plenty of other paths you can take," my mother said. "We can find something else for you, you don't have to force yourself,"

"No, Okaa-chan, I must do this. I've chosen this path, anything else and I'll hate myself for not trying. Please let me struggle through this on my own," I pleaded

My mother was torn, she had no way of saying I could or I could not do what I wanted.

"How about this," the doctor jumped in. "We will let you fully recover and then we will see what you will do from there, how does that sound Yuudai?"

I nodded in agreement, however, I had no plans of changing my mind. I didn't know how to live as a civilian anymore, all I knew was war, shedding blood, and conflict. I couldn't become a civilian, not after the life I lived in my old life. I was a warrior and nothing would change that not even the medical staff would stop me, no diagnosis would stop me, I just can't imagine a life without a weapon in my hands. That was me, it's what made me who I am and I can't turn my back on it.

They say God grants the wishes of the warrior because it is they who live near him. Well God, if you are real, grant me just one thing: allow me to be a shinobi… let me live as a warrior one last time, then I will have no complaints no matter what hell I live through.

If only I knew then the chance I was given. A chance that would never show itself to me again for decades, a chance at peace in my life for the first time in my wretched existence.

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A\N: Whew that took some time but I finished it for you all. Let me know what you think, I hope I've been improving in my writing if not then tell me I want to make this story better for you to read. Thank you again for taking the time out to read my work and as always…. Until next time my friends.