Chapter One
By
Squall Morpheus Leonhart
Many millennia ago, there were three sects of military, the Summoners, the Shinobi and the Samurai. All three were used as protection against the demons and evils of their time until civil war broke out from the once united country of Kessoku. The Summoners and Samurai perished and the Shinobi rule all until five Shinobi Generals began the next civil war. From then came the Five Great Shinobi countries.
The Summoners were magicians of sorts. They were able to summon demi-gods that they attained from their trials as apprentices. They also wielded the elements more closely than their other counterparts. Though, a summoner was not as physically strong as the Samurai or swift at stealth like the Shinobi, they commanded their magic and talents better than their counterparts. It was from them, did the Shinobi learn to master their magic of Chakra whereas the Samurai learned Ki and Chi. In the magic department, the Summoner ruled all.
Samurai were the legendary honorable warriors of their time. Merciful when most cruel, loving when most hated, they were all of these. They balanced spiritual awareness with physical strength and talents. They were the best for the front line whereas the Shinobi were behind the scene warriors and the Summoners, behind the lines. The Samurai prided themselves on their different ways of fighting, from Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu to Kamiya Kashin. Diverse in all weapons, they taught the Shinobi awareness and the Summoners patience.
Shinobi were shadows of death, assassins in shadow but honorable just the same yet only a few were ever all three. Often known as Shinobi or Ninjas, they used stealth and speed to overcome their enemies. Talented in using projectiles more than close combat, they choose swift deaths for their opponents. Until the Summoners help them master their Chakra, they could do no magic. Most Shinobi died because of lack of unawareness which the Samurai shown them. In return, the Shinobi helped the Samurai become swifter and the Summoners more able to hide and attack.
Sometimes, there will be one that mastered all three branches of the military. They became the Shinigami. Emotionless soldiers of war, these Shinigami. Their name means God of Death and yet, they are dead. They were the unity of all three branches of the military. However, they lacked humanity, the ability to be human, to feel, to love and to have mercy on their enemies. They were the most hated and the most feared.
Some say that the Shinigami still live to this day, under the masks of humans. Others believe that they are gone for good. Yet they still managed to live to this day, these Shinigami. There are only three left and when the last dies, then perhaps the Shinigami legacy will finally disappear for good. This is the story of the last Shinigami...
This is the story of Umino Iruka, better known as Shikyou Rei, the Last Shinigami and the only one bound to another, or others...
"...Iruka-sensei..."
"Hai, Naruto?"
"What are Humans? Is Life just that Simple?"
"When a person dies...Doesn't matter if it's the past, present or future- they will everything...He died fighting in a mission- Death caught him unaware because life was that simple. It's like a dream, it's all the same even if you haven't reached your goal...But everyone knows that the most important thing is to die for a cause...
"Family, friends, lovers, and all the other villagers- To me, those are the most important people...We trust each other, help each other...From the day we're born to the die we die, we start to feel that love is the most important.
"And...that kind of relationship takes time to develop...and trust...Anyone with this headband knows...Because it's very important......"
"............Yeah...I know that as well. But...Death is still painful..."
"The Hokage wouldn't think it's painful because we both agree that people should not be hurt for no reason..."
"Kakashi-sensei?"
"But... it's no use even if you do understand..."
"Right...! But not knowing is better than knowing..."
"Bye Iruka-Sensei!"
"Bye."
Shinobi of the Konoha...Hokage...This "spirit of the fire" you speak of, it will shine no matter where it goes. Even though it is a little fire, it shines brightly......At the same time, overlooking this village, protecting it......
And the Shinobi once again head towards a new tomorrow...
The words I told Naruto that day, at the ceremony for Sandaime's death, have never truly left my heart nor my mind. I took me a long while to comprehend the words I spoke. I have not even realized speaking them. My voice was so different than what I know the one that is mine. I have never shone myself to be so wise, nor so calm except when I was teaching. It was like Sandaime was speaking through me, like my father speaking through me. The only other time was when Naruto learned the Kage Bushin no Jutsu.
Life and Death...The endless circle of everything mortal. I know that I would die one day truly, though I am already dead, twice so. I know it not if I would be mourned or even perhaps remembered but I know I will die. I accept that. As a child I was only considered a delinquent, a troublemaker that is in reality a nobody, no one truly important. I'm just there, teaching, living, hiding and, also, running. Most wouldn't know that I was- still am- running.
My life has no true meaning except that I am a Guardian, a pawn, a puppet for everyone. My life is not my own. My decisions are not mine. My entire being is everyone's to play with. I am nothing but a Dead man still living long past his day...
I am a Shinigami...
"Are you ready, Hokage-sama?"
Tsunade quickly holstered the kunai that appeared in her hand when that dead voice spoke, even after a year as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, she still have yet to fully stay off her guard when he was concerned. . She knew she could trust him but the feel and sight of him, left him wary beyond belief. He was a shadow separated from shadows, death made into physical form unlike the Shinobi in its entire essence at night, both he and one unwittingly other. There was a reason to why he was here, this Shinigami. There was always a reason.
He served since until fifteen years ago and the other had undergone training for but a year without knowing the trainings true purpose, the purpose to be a new Shinigami. Tsunade and her guardian were thinking of revoking the latter of his training, best to revoke now when the latter still did not know the training's purpose.
Tsunade nodded once in the Shinigami's direction before walking toward the forested area around the Konoha. Putting a strand of loose hair behind her ear, Tsunade spoke, "Better get this done and over with..."
A whispered sound of wind singled that her guardian had merged once again with the shadows. Tsunade quickly scanned for other forms of chakra being used but found none of the sort, yet she kept wary. Tonight, she and another Kage would meet to discuss a coalition against the frequent attacks of a powerful rogue Shiniobi-tachi regiment. It was meant to be a secret meeting between the Kage-tachi there was only one Shinobi guardian for the each Kage.
The meeting place was to be near the river some fifty kilometers away from the village, away from prying eyes. Tsunade paid great attention to make sure that none had followed her into the forest. She was almost certain that her fellow Kage and done the same. Yet, Tsunade almost completely knew that her Shinigami was a one of a kind save for his sensei and the leader of the Rogue Shinobi Regiment, at least to her knowledge. If one Shinigami leader could cause so much, what can a multitude could do?
A small light of glowing red appeared as the fog rose from the river beside her. A soft breezed touched the back of her bare hand and Tsunade managed not to start. The Shinigami looked at her from under his hooded cloak. Two glowering bluish white eye-shaped lights stared at her from the darkness inside of the hood. A black gloved hand held her own and squeezed it tight as if to reassure her before he fell in step behind her. No one had followed and there was no one in a ten-kilometer radius, so far. Tsunade sighed in relief, "All right, let us go meet with them," she said looking back at her companion.
The hood bounced once to signal a nod and the light emitted by him dulled to nothingness. Then they both entered the fogged area that surrounded the red light as the fog came up to engulf them and transport them to the true meeting place. Due to a powerful and forbidden jutsu, the Kage-tachi managed to arrange a meeting without leaving their respective country's bounds. Instead, at a designated spot and time frame, they will end up in a higher realm similar to the two spots in both countries, which were supposedly similar.
Without warning the two appeared in a small shrine area, very different from the area in which they were teleported from. However, the same type of trees and river ran through the holy grounds. A small whistle in the still wind called out to them from behind the deepest parts of the fog. From the fog emerged a Kage with the symbols of the Mist Country. Behind her, a Shinobi dressed in dark blue stepped out from behind her.
Tsunade and the other Kage bowed to one another in respect as they approached each other at the entrance of shrine but the Shinobi guardians remained where they were, they were here to protect, not eavesdrop. The Shinigami and the other Shinobi walked back to the vortexes that allowed them to enter this realm. No one would pass, whether it had been his or her intention or mistake.
Back at the Shrine, Tsunade offered her arm to the old Kage as she led her up the steps of the stairs before them and into the main hall of the Cathedral like Shrine. The Mizukage nodded to her and showed her the way to their specialized meeting room. The room had guard safes made by the Ancient Extinct race of Summoners that once called this Realm home. Impervious to any sort of intrusion or eavesdropping, it was the perfect place for talking in private and would have no worry of anyone listening.
The Guardian watched them go in from his post and his indifferent face fell to something in the likes of a smile, yet it held no emotion, it remained false but a smile nonetheless. Let us hope that this alliance will not befall like that of the Stone Village Kage, he thought. Just weeks prior, the Kage of the Stone Village was assassinated during one of the Hokage's rendezvous for alliances. The Shinigami wasn't able to prevent that and since then he kept beating himself for it when he walked back to his daily façade.
Shikyou Rei was the name, he given himself when he was on the job and the other...well, that was his day charade and nothing more. Shinigami's weren't able to have feelings or anything that makes humans so human. He lost all chance of that when he accepted his training. That was the first death he faced and the one that remained the most revealing.
With each day since Tsunade became Hokage, he began to regret that he did not die in his second death and now he was waiting for his third, the one that would finally be his last. He lived for far too long for being so young when he compared himself to his master. Yet his master was never bound to another and Rei was. Rei was bound to the Hokage because of a simple promise he made and sealed with the Sandaime. He had sworn himself to be his dark protector but when Sandaime died...
Now, he was getting emotional, a surprise to even himself. Shinigami were no longer human but here he was, giving into emotion just like earlier. Was being a teacher getting to him? Was he starting to actually becoming his charade? Or is his charade becoming him?
His false smile grew and somehow emotion of contradict humor shone through and he did not notice. Perhaps he was becoming human; Naruto can do that a person. Life seemed so simple now, it was an endless cycle of life and death but this time he wanted to end the homicide and genocide before it got worse. This time, he wanted to be the hero. However, was that not a human thought that just ran through his head?
For a moment, he thought he would laughed but somehow managed to stay indifferent save for the smile that still graced his lips and grew wider by the second. A sound, too soft to be heard with normal eyes, came from his left. His face grew hard as he created a clone of himself before disappearing into his own shadow.
Merging with shadows was a mastery of itself. One must learned to be able to be absorbed by shadows completely and wholly so that no physical form could be seen. Instead, Shadow merge was a way of transportation by shadow. Shadow molding however was different. Merging brought one into a parallel dimension.
Rei looked to the floor as he ran from shadow to shadow in this parallel plane. The floor of where he was mirror of the floor from his original spot. At the mirror Shrine, he created another clone that parted for the room Tsunade and the Mizukage met. Satisfied, he ran back to where he heard the sound but heard swift sounds of running Shinobi to his right. Another clone departed to the place where the original sound was most likely located and Rei ran after the Shinobi-tachi.
Tsunade watched the moon reflect on the stream from the window. She and the Mizukage had ended their meeting long ago but both decided to wait until the moon graced the sky for another hour. Tsunade did not like the feeling in the air when she suggested that the Mizukage stay. The alarms in her head had long ago ringed of danger. Tsunade did not want another Kage to die and frankly neither did the Mizukage.
The door to their room creaked and both turned, kunai in each hand. Yet it was not from the door that their intruder came from but the shadows. Shikyou's clone had emerged from the shadow of the doorway. With a quick nod, the emotionless, monotone rang from inside the clone's hood, "Hokage-sama, Mizukage-sama," it bowed, "Intruders have trespassed this sacred plane, you both must escape. I will guide you to your respective vortex by shadow travel."
Tsunade allowed the clone to lead her to the mirror realm. She knew this was not the original, she had been with his clones long enough to tell the difference between the original Shinigami from a fake. The Mizukage was not convinced. "Where is Shuuichi," spoke the ragged voice of the Mizukage.
However, the clone did not answer as it took both of the Kage-tachi's hands and pulled them toward the mirror realm. Tsunade answered her fellow ally and leader, "Most likely dead by now."
The Mizukage bowed her head and allowed the clone to finally lead her willingly. Tsunade gave her an encouraging smile and the two disappeared into the shadows.
Rei watched as his multiple clones sped behind the mirror realm's copies of the Rogues. That only left him the leader to find. One thought that ran through his mind was how did they reach the realm? Through some secret vortex that he did not know about? Or was he not as thorough as he thought? Neither question gave him comfort.
He had long ago discovered the body of the other Shinobi guardian. Mutilated beyond belief, even Rei who had done some such acts could not believe the cruelty. His past actions were for the good of his kind but this was mere massacre!
Rei decided that he could do no more in the Mirror Realm and so he stepped out of shadow and into the sacred realm. It was time for him to be the Shinigami. It was time to be Shikyou, to be the reaper of Death. It was time to kill and protect. Now was not the time to be his day charade. The night is now and the time is for Death.
He looked to the sky and to the red moon that shone above. Pushing his hood back, his eyes glowed bluish white before darkly red, no pupil lay among the whites of his eyes, only the glow of crimson blood red. His loose hair played with the breeze as the ends where now dipped with red, it was time for the Shinigami and there was the reason one why he was called the Ghostly Red Death.
Shikyou listened to the wind, having long ago able to speak with the elements; he knew where the enemy was and how many were left. The smell of blood mingled with that of the Sakura tree's fragrance. Life dispersed like ants in the rain and most likely by his clone's hands that brought death new souls. A sound of a Kunai aiming for his head from the right made him smirk coldly and emotionlessly.
With a quick flick of the wrist he managed to grasp the throwing knife in his right hand. His glowing eyes searched for the origin. Rapid footsteps seemed to run away to his back and toward the stream. He ran in pursuit. It would seem that he miscalculated on how many was left for this Rogue was no leader.
His cloak had long fell behind him as the Shinigami chased one of the Rogue's minions into the Realm's forest. The stream of water grew louder as they drew nearer, the Shinigami's black scarf flowing swiftly behind him, passing through anything that might slow the Guardian down, phasing through the very much physical shrubbery. Starlight glittered against the black metal armguards and shin guards, making it glimmer dark silver. His two leather boots made no sound on the forest floor as he ran after his prey.
The Rogue soon stopped in the middle of the rapid river, apparently waiting for him. Smirking coldly, the Guardian teleported in front of his prey but the Rogue moved the second the Shinigami touched the water. Flipping back, the Rogue tossed several kunai-tachi at the Shinigami, which the Guardian deflected with the movement of unsheathing his long sword katana that was bound to his sword belt near his left hip, its black blade shining dark grey as the Moonlight reflected on its smooth surface. With another strike, the second and third waves were warded off.
The reddish light that emitted from his eyes glowered at his opponent, gauging the strength of this weak Rogue. No irises were exposed, no pupils just plain white that emitted a red light that surrounded the eyes, they brought fear to any and all the laid their own sight on them. For a moment the Rogue stilled, almost afraid of the light that came from the Shinigami's eyes. If possible, the Shinigami's smirk grew even larger and much colder.
Crouching low, the Shinigami drenched his katana into the river allowing the water to flow around it until it glowed blue, dark blue. Tilting his head to watch his opponent, he saw that the Rogue managed to move in that small time frame. A soft sound behind and then the Shinigami turned quicker than the normal eye could see. An arch of water sprang up from the river as the katana moved swiftly into the air in a one-eight degree turn but the Rogue dodged the attack. The katana still blazed the blue light.
Yet the water instead of falling back into the river arched even higher into the air as the Shinigami made one-handed seals with his free left hand. The katana rose upright and the hand made a final seal behind it, the pointer and middle fingers outstretched as the rest remained curled, making a perpendicular angle with the sword, near the hilt but still touching the metal. The water soon solidified into a new being as the Shinigami spoke in his cold dead voice, "Ryuu no...!"
From the water, a serpent dragon emerged and glided hastily at his opponent before incasing him in a column of water as it wrapped itself around him. The elemental dragon bowed its head toward its master before it dissipated back into the water in which it rose from. The Shinigami nodded once back before sheathing the katana once more.
"That was too easy," he chuckled as he walked back to the shrine and grasping his cloak from its spot high up in a birch tree. "One down, ten more to go lest they already escaped, which they most likely did but oh well," then the Shinigami stopped as if to remember something, "Almost forgot..."
Reaching into his black vest's front pocket, he retrieved a small piece of paper with the Kanji of Purify on it. The paper glowed white before zooming out of his hand and heading back toward the place where the Rogue was killed. A Shinigami always remembers to Purify his or her killing grounds, less chance of taint.
Slinging his cloak over his shoulder, the Shinigami walked back to the Shrine. Blood drenched the holy grounds and scurried the air. Reaching back into his vest pocket, the Shinigami took out several of the same type of papers which also blazed white light before planting themselves in a circle with about a five kilometer radius from where he was, from the catalyst.
As he finished he began to feel a small pain in the side of his neck, reaching up, he noticed a small pin dart embedded in his neck. With a grunt, the Shinigami pulled the accursed dart out before he collapsed unto the holy grounds of the Shrine. A seizure shook his body so much that he felt the agonies of his first death come back to him once again. With a growl, he flung his head to the sky, "Where are you?"
A voice responded back as fleeing footsteps reached his ears but he was still immobilized, "Watching you, ore no itooshi from miles away. I have what I need. Your beloved Shinobi will not last, my dear. Soon our reign will come. Very soon."
The red glow dulled to blue as the last of the Rogues disappeared from where they came. "I will not join you, omae no Temee! I will not allow myself to be used by you!"
"We will see, itooshi..."
Rei was soon able to stand on weak knees as he scanned for more intruders. His paper spells were done with their purifying. It was time to go back, to go back home. Using his sword as a walking stick, he walked back to his vortex, certain that Tsunade would be waiting for him on the other side. Dawn was approaching.
He almost collapsed as he stumbled out of the portal but did not fall on to the ground. Tsunade caught him long before that. As he looked into her eyes, his eyes retained their pupils, brown russet eyes looked into those of the Hokage. Blood gushed from his wound in the neck as another opened on his back. As he coughed, blood specked his gloved hand. "Hokage-sama," he gasped.
"Iruka," she stated as the dolphin teacher fainted there in her arms. "What am I going to do with you fainting every time you go back to yourself? How am I going to get a substitute teacher for your class, when everyone is on mission? Huh? You better wake up soon or else! Argh!!!"