A/N: Hey hey, I'm back! And this time it only took me...*checks last updated date*...nine months?
Oh.
Oh god.
Chapter 13: The Price One Pays
Naruto sat on the railing of the Minami estate's balcony, watching as the people below rushed by. Unlike certain moments in Konoha however, they weren't doing it to avoid him. Instead, these folk moved with a ready sense of purpose, for they were making preparations for tomorrow's battle.
After their previous success at repelling the mercenary forces, the Namikaze clan heads had advised him to make a decisive strike at their camp. Relaying their advice to the rest had been easy enough, the tough part was making sure that everyone else would be ready. After all, there would be no second chances. If they did not manage to completely rout Daichi and his men, they risked losing all the momentum they had built up over the last couple of skirmishes.
According to the Third, morale was a fickle thing. Even the smallest setback could spell disaster if not properly managed. With that in mind, the people of Wave set about preparing as best they could. It did not matter if they were man or woman, elder or child. Each one tried to contribute in their own ways.
Some carried around vital supplies for the coming conflict, ranging from weapons and shields to food in the event that the battle became prolonged. Others crafted and maintained said equipment, sharpening their fishing spears, fashioning shields out of whatever scraps of wood and metal they could find, and crafting as many usable arrows as they could for the archers. While the rest, namely the people who would be partaking in the fight, organized themselves into separate units and rested in order to conserve their energy for tomorrow.
[With this, these people will have a fighting chance.] The Fourth observed. [Not just for this upcoming battle, but for future conflicts as well, now that they have an idea of what to do.]
[Let us focus on getting them through this situation first.] The Fifth replied. [Naruto, once they've finished organizing, you should drill them on some basic formations. Naturally, we'll guide you through the process.]
Rolling the Jewel forward as a nod, Naruto continued to watch until he heard footsteps from behind him.
"Mind if I join you?" Arisa asked from behind him, stepping out into the balcony.
"It's your house." Naruto shrugged, giving her a playful smirk.
"True!" She giggled as she approached the railing. In one swift motion, she hoisted herself up next to Naruto, garnering a surprised glance from him.
"Woah! Aren't you scared of falling?" He asked, taking note of the nonchalant way that she leapt up onto the railing.
"Even if I did, I'm sure you could catch me, Mr. Ninja." Arisa teased, kicking her feet playfully in the air. "But no, I wasn't scared. It may come as a surprise, but I'm actually a bit of a tomboy. I used to sit on this railing all the time!"
"For real?!"
"You didn't have to be that surprised!" The redhead laughed. "But it's true. I gave my parents all sorts of headaches growing up. I wonder what they'd think right now, seeing everyone come together to protect our home…"
She trailed off, face settling into a small, sad smile. Naruto stayed silent, unsure of what to say. As someone who never had parents growing up, he didn't know how it felt to lose one. Heck, if someone were to ask him if he'd rather either scenario, he didn't know which he would pick. He supposed the closest thing now would be if one of his ancestors suddenly disappeared from the Jewel, or if one of his teammates ended up dying.
Unconsciously, Naruto's fists clenched. No matter what, he would not let that happen. He just couldn't.
Noticing Naruto's rising tension, Arisa coughed lightly into her hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring down the mood. I actually have a favour to ask of you."
"A favour?"
"Remember back when we first met? I wanted to make a request back then too, didn't I?"
"Ah…" Naruto trailed off. He vaguely remembered something along those lines, but it just didn't click.
[She's talking about Erisa-chan's Gem, you idiot!] The First roared.
Realization soon dawned on Naruto's face. Of course, Arisa had wanted him and Sasuke to steal back one of her family heirlooms, one that was apparently a Gem. But why mention this now?
"Don't tell me…" Naruto mused. "It's the one Daichi has?"
"I see you've come to the same conclusion." Arisa smiled bitterly. "Yes, after confirming it with my own eyes, there's no doubt that that man is using my family's Gem."
[WHAT?!] The First roared again. [HOW DARE THAT BARBARIAN! Why I oughta-]
[Look in the mirror before calling anyone else a barbarian.] The Second sighed.
"I understand that it may be selfish for me to ask this, but, if possible, I hope that you can help me retrieve it. If that man ends up escaping after tomorrow, who knows where he'll run off to?"
"That's…" Naruto hummed in thought. He could understand why she would want it back. He didn't like the idea of Arisa's heirloom being in the hands of someone like Daichi forever either. It was simply too dangerous, and it just wouldn't sit right with him anyway.
Nodding determinedly, Naruto gave a confident smile. "Just you see, I'll get that Gem back, no problem!"
"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Arisa returned his smile. "Well then, I should help organize our forces. Thank you again for the conversation, and for accepting my request."
"Ah actually, I needed to talk with the militia too." Naruto said, moving back onto the balcony. "Got a couple of plans and formations to go through."
To say that morale was at an all-time low would be an understatement. Even as the morning sun rose above them, casting a warm light across the forest, the mood in the camp was akin to a dark storm.
Two consecutive losses had shaken the wills of the mercenaries, especially since they had been under the assumption that they were fighting against untrained civilians that didn't even have their own militia. Even shinobi shouldn't have been able to coordinate them this quickly!
And yet somehow, they clearly did. What should've been an easy victory had now turned into a failing campaign, in just the span of a couple of days. Their supplies lost to the sea; their men reduced to half their numbers, and zero progress to show for it.
Just the thought of going up against their enemies sent a shudder down every mercenary's spine. Those that had faced off against the shinobi during the original attack on the bridge were reminded of the sheer terror they had felt when their enemies multiplied right in front of their eyes, while those that hadn't were quickly learning why their comrades retreated in the first place. The only reason why they hadn't tried deserting was because those who had attempted it had already been cut down personally by Daichi.
Uneasy stares and hushed whispers were commonplace within the makeshift base they had set up within the forest, as people looked towards their recently-instituted leader for guidance.
He however, could provide none. Daichi was an ambitious man with goals of leading a legitimate mercenary group that was well respected. But ambition did not translate to having the actual skills necessary for leading such a group. He had sufficient charisma, enough drive, and the strength to back it up. But what he lacked was experience. As such, he was at a loss.
Fuming inside his personal tent, all Daichi could do was to glare balefully at the map before him, countless wooden markers strewn about its surface.
Twice already, he has been beaten completely. And both times, he had been powerless to stop it. Even with this Gem of his, he had no answer to his opponent's stratagems.
Even when one of his most trusted men burst into his tent, frantically shouting about the surrounding mist growing thicker and the clear meaning of this phenomena, he had no answer.
Even as reports of the Wave forces advancing on their position as they spoke, he had no answer.
And yet, he would not, could not let it stop him.
For the sake of fulfilling his ambitions, he would sacrifice everyone and everything.
For the sake of achieving his dreams, he would cut down anything in his way.
For the sake of reaching his goals, he needed more power.
"If they want my head, then they'll have to come here and take it." He growled lowly to himself, hand tightly grasping the Gem around his neck.
MORE! He needed more! More power!
His story shall not end here!
Daichi grabbed his battleaxe and strode out of his tent, intent on killing all who opposed him.
And as he did, the Gem glowed a pale, almost imperceptible red light; one that slowly seeped into the mercenary's body.
"Archers, take aim!" Arisa commanded, raising her spear into the misty air. Bringing it down in one swift motion, she continued. "Fire!"
At her order, a salvo of arrows – the best ones they had left – was released into the opposing force's disjointed formation. Meanwhile, their vanguard took point at the front of their own formation, makeshift shields and fishing spears at the ready.
Standing at the front of the formation alongside the rest of his team, Naruto snapped his eyes open. Turning to Arisa, he nodded grimly.
"That got a few of them, but they're starting to regroup." He said, frowning at the redhead. "You sure you wanna be at the front?"
"More than sure." Arisa nodded back determinedly. "I have a responsibility to see this through to the end. I can hardly afford to hide behind my people as they fight to defend our home."
"Fair enough." Naruto grinned. "Don't you worry, we'll be here to make sure nothing bad happens!"
[That's rather optimistic.] The Fifth sighed. [This is a skirmish, remember? Keeping everyone alive is nigh impossible.]
He knew that. Despite his reputation, he wasn't a complete idiot. Trying to protect everyone during the chaos of battle was tantamount to suicide. Most people would scoff at the idea, calling it naïve and foolish.
But Naruto wasn't most people.
Naïve?
Foolish?
That didn't matter to him! He had been called that for most of his life. What did matter, was that he wanted to keep everyone safe.
And right now, he had the means to do so. He wasn't the kid who had nothing to his name any longer.
"[All]." Naruto whispered as he felt his senses expand around him. He had been applying the Second's Skill to people via direct contact previously, but his ancestor had corrected him on its usage. Instead of directly applying the Skill, he could instead pick out targets within a radius around him.
Feeling out the presence of the people behind him, he started to apply his next Skill.
"[Full Over]."
Shocked gasps erupted from the men behind him, their bodies surrounded by a warm blue glow. Even as it faded away, the effects of the Skill remained within them, the men standing taller and more stalwart after the boost.
Having been no exception, Arisa stared at Naruto, surprised. The blonde grinned once more. "Just a little insurance. Make sure to stick close to me though, or it'll wear off."
"R-right!" Arisa nodded, swallowing her surprise. Adjusting her grip, she tried not to bask in the lingering warmth that had surrounded her earlier.
"They're here." Kakashi observed.
True to his teacher's words, Gatō's men started dashing out from within the camp, slowly forming up in a haphazard formation. They brandished their weapons, but even from afar, Naruto could tell that they were shaken up. It was clear that the previous battles had been effective in damaging their morale, a fact that Naruto's side was all too happy to exploit.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto and Kakashi yelled as multiple clones sprung to life around them, recreating their feat from the bridge. Except this time, they weren't running on fumes, so the clones were more than a simple feint. The sound of rushing water also indicated that Zabuza decided to contribute to the clone army, a few Water Clones stepping forward into the crowd.
The already shaken mercenaries paled as their opponents practically doubled themselves. But the fact was that they were on an island with barely any supplies left to make the trip back to their base, so they had no other option but to stand their ground.
Taking note of their terrified appearance, Arisa braced herself as she addressed the people she led.
"Brave men and women of Wave, today is the day we rid ourselves of those who would seek to enslave us! Today, we rid ourselves of Gatō's influence, the man who brought our nation to its knees and heartlessly murdered your brothers, slaughtered your fathers, raped your sisters and mothers! Today, we stand united to show the world that Wave will not crumble!"
"My name is Hino, nay, Minami Arisa!" Arisa declared as she raised her spear high. "Will you stand with me, people of Wave?"
Cheers roared out from the fighters of Wave, their hearts set ablaze with a fervent desire, one that had been broiling within for over a year. Smiling briefly to herself, Arisa turned back towards the battlefield.
It was time to end this.
"Charge!"
Chaos erupting around him, Sasuke ran forward with a kunai in each hand. Ducking low under a sword, the last Uchiha lunged forward, plunging a kunai into his opponent's chest. The man let out a pained gasp as the blade pierced his heart, collapsing not long after.
Sasuke grimaced as he tried not to look at the body. He thought he had steeled his heart and mind to the concept of killing a long time ago, but actually doing the deed was a different experience altogether. Killing was an inescapable aspect of a shinobi's duties. Sasuke knew that, but it didn't make it any easier.
But if he couldn't get past this, then he would never be able to achieve his goal.
For the sake of killing him, he had to come to terms with the act of killing itself.
(Though right now,) Sasuke reminded himself as he dodged another attack. (I have to survive.)
He'll deal with his emotions later, he decided as he threw a kunai into his assailant's throat, disengaging from the heat of the battle as he did. Turning towards the squad of men following him, he reassessed the situation around him.
The battle was well under way at this point, with the Wave forces engaging groups of mercenaries in separate melees. That was good, all was going according to plan so far. They wanted to keep the mercenaries' morale low by preventing them from regrouping. To do so, Naruto had proposed last night for each shinobi to each lead a squad of militia against the mercenaries, with the goal of cutting them off from each other. By dividing the already disrupted enemy into even smaller units, the hope was that even the hastily-trained militia members would be able to handle them.
In the entirely possible event that it was not enough though, that was where the ninja leading each squad jumped in. Not only were they meant to give orders to their men as they deemed necessary, they also had the duty of keeping the pressure off of them as much as possible.
Though if Sasuke were to be honest, it was a task that he held in no small amount of incredulity when he had first heard it. After all, loathe as he were to admit it, he was no leader. Even with the supposed legion of fans he had back in the academy, that was mostly an instance where people followed him around while he ignored them. Hardly anything that could be called leading experience.
Still, when Hinata of all people had readily stepped up and agreed to take on the role, Sasuke couldn't exactly back down.
Brows furrowing, Sasuke raised his voice as loudly as he could.
"All of you, regroup! Stick to line formation and advance with your spears out!" He ordered. Thankfully, the militia members obeyed with no complaints. Looking down on the Uchiha boy simply wasn't a thing on their minds at the moment. They knew what was at stake, and they knew how skilled the shinobi were.
No longer standing in a single clump, the twenty-four Wave fighters that Sasuke led formed three rows of eight. The front row stood shoulder to shoulder with one another, spears in one hand and shields in the other. Behind them, the middle row readied their spears, prepared to stab at the enemy through the gaps in the front row. Meanwhile, the back row stood alert, ready to rush in and fill any gaps should any of their countrymen fall.
Despite having only been drilled in the formation the evening before, the simplicity of the formation meant that the Wave militia were able to execute it admirably. Bracing themselves as the mercenaries rapidly approached, the sounds of clashing steel soon filled the air.
Sasuke watched as the disorganized gang of mercenaries tried to break through the formation, only to be pushed back by the militia's shields. Even though the mercenaries slightly outnumbered them, having thirty men on their side, their disjointed nature meant that they had difficulty coordinating an attack. Their blades bit viciously into the torso-sized shields the Wave fighters wielded, though they were stopped right there, leaving them open for a counterattack. Spears thrusted at the mercenaries during those opportunities, scoring hits on their bodies, but not quite killing them.
Conversely, this meant that the mercenaries were able to apply pressure upon the front row. After all, they only needed a single man to falter for the line to collapse. Knowing this, Daichi's men continued to bear down on the Wave fighters.
Realizing that his squad would eventually be overwhelmed, Sasuke's hands blazed through a set of hand seals. Knowing that a Fire jutsu had the risk of spreading across the grassy terrain they were fighting on, Sasuke instead opted for his newly-acquired jutsu instead.
"Raiton: Sanda (Lightning Release: Scattering Drops)!" Sasuke yelled as he leapt up, easily rising above the ongoing melee. Flicking his wrists outwards, small bolts of lightning arced towards the middle of the mercenaries. Screams of pain rang out as ten men were struck by the lightning, the distinct smell of burnt flesh soon filling the air. Their bodies spasming involuntarily, the unfortunate mercenaries let go of their weapons as they collapsed into a charred pile.
The number advantage suddenly being flipped, the spearmen lunged at the dismayed mercs, their spears piercing into their bodies with a wet squelch. The back row jumped in as well, surrounding the mercenaries with more spears and shields. It wasn't long before the group of mercenaries met their untimely demise, unable to fight back against the onslaught. The Wave fighters panted heavily once they had finished them off, propping themselves up with their blood-stained spears.
"We…We did it!" One of the men cheered triumphantly once he regained his bearings.
"We killed those bastards!"
"We can do this!"
Cheers soon spread across the squad, drawing attention from their surroundings. Lost in their revelry, they did not notice that one of the mercenaries was still breathing. Having feigned being struck, the man had collapsed with his katana still in his grasp. Laying limp as the men cheered, he waited until the closest man's back was turned. In a burst of motion, he leapt up from his prone position into a crouch. Coiled up like a spring, the merc yelled and shot forward with his blade outstretched, intent on killing at least one of the Wave fighters.
Before he even moved two steps forward however, his forehead found itself to be the new owner of a kunai, courtesy of Sasuke. Collapsing for real this time, the man's katana fell limply onto the ground.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Sasuke turned towards the startled men with a glare. "Don't let your guards down. We're not done yet, regroup and join our allies!"
"S-sir, yes sir!" The Wave fighters instinctively replied, the shock of almost losing one of their own snapping them out of their cheering.
As he continued to give out orders to join up with the other squads, Sasuke allowed himself a small, wistful smile.
If the rest of the Uchiha clan were still around today, Sasuke might have become a squad leader, or even the police chief. Would have leading around these men been similar to that?
"Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Release: Gunshot)!" Water splashed around Hinata as she sent a group of mercenaries flying. As they laid a distance away from her – limp, but breathing – she turned worriedly towards the squad she was meant to be leading.
Not that she was going a good job of it, mind you. When Naruto had brought the idea up, she had leapt at the opportunity, seeing it as a way to finally contribute more. Unfortunately, real life soon showed that she was in over her head.
Ex-heiress though she may be, she wasn't exactly the most outspoken person. In the heat of battle, her attempts at commanding were little more than whispers in the wind, unable to be heard. Guess there's a reason why she was an ex-heiress, she bitterly thought.
"Are you all unhurt?" She blurted out, trying to shake herself out of her funk. Immediately though, she realized how stupid her question sounded. They were on a battlefield fighting for their lives, why would they be unhurt? Ohgodwhywassheso-
"We're fine, Hinata-sama!" One of the men shouted boisterously, much to her surprise. Nods and calls of assent soon followed from the rest of the squad.
"Thanks for the save, Hinata-sama!"
"Don't you worry, Hinata-sama!"
"Cuteness is justice!"
Utterly bewildered by the response, all Hinata could do was blink rapidly. Why were they so enthusiastic? This was the part where they should be blaming her for not doing a good job, for putting them in danger when she was meant to be leading! The moment the battle began, her squad had been beset upon by the mercenaries. It took their own hardiness and some desperate fighting for them to be able to break through the encirclement.
And they certainly didn't get out of it unscathed. While all of them were still alive, visible cuts and wounds lined their bodies. Nothing fatal, but that they got hurt at all meant that she had failed at her job.
Noticing her gaze, the man who first answered her smiled determinedly. "What, are you bothered over these little scratches?"
"Um…I'm sorry." Hinata bowed her head regretfully. "If I had led better…"
"Nonsense!" The man laughed. "We rushed ahead without listening to you, so we would've been injured anyway!"
"Hell, we would've died if you hadn't help!"
"That's right, if anything we should be apologizing!"
"Cuteness is justice!"
"We'll obey your orders this time, so please instruct us, Hinata-sama!"
"Eh?!" Hinata squeaked. "T-then, um, get into formation?"
"You heard her, men!"
"Don't show her your unsightly side anymore, you hear!"
"OUOOOO CUTENESS IS JUSTICE!"
The Wave fighters got into formation with renewed vigour, and in unison, charged towards the nearest group of mercenaries. Caught off guard, the mercenaries were knocked left and right by the charging militia.
"Guah!"
"What's with these guys?! Are they possessed?!"
As the mercenaries' screams filled the air, Hinata continued to stare dazedly, utterly bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Realizing that her squad was starting to get further and further away from her however, she started dashing after them in a panic.
Well, this was fine, right?
Kakashi dashed across the field, taking out mercenaries as he went. Deftly throwing a flurry of shuriken into a group of fighters, Kakashi allowed himself a grim sense of satisfaction as each one of them lodged themselves into their heads with perfect precision. Weeks of babysitting a trio of teens hadn't dulled his skills one bit, it seemed.
Taking a moment to observe the chaotic battlefield, Kakashi hummed to himself in interest. Sasuke was performing just about how he'd expected. While obviously inexperienced, the Uchiha scion still managed to wrangle those under him well enough to maintain a cohesive unit. The pre-determined formations and drills done by Naruto the day before certainly had helped.
Kakashi allowed himself a chuckle at the thought. No doubt that none of the people who were familiar with the blonde would have believed that Naruto – of all people – was acting as a war strategist. If he hadn't known what was actually going on, Kakashi would be inclined to assume that he was under the influence of a Genjutsu!
A series of shouts from across the field snapped Kakashi out of his musing. Watching his other student chase after her squad, Kakashi hid a wry smile. In stark contrast to Sasuke's performance, there was Hinata's attempts at leading. While not exactly abysmal, her lack of confidence was clearly hampering her potential to lead. It was something Kakashi entirely expected, though he was sure that the experience would do her good in the long run.
At the very least, it was a part of her that she had to eventually overcome.
Interestingly enough, despite the lack of leadership on her part, Hinata's squad seemed to have galvanized around her. One could even say that the level of morale and coordination on their part exceeded the one led by Sasuke. While Kakashi didn't know the exact reason, if he had to hazard a guess, she had enough innate charisma to stir the protective instincts of the men she led.
It was a bit too soon to consider it, but at the rate they were progressing, they just might be ready to attempt the Chunin Exams, despite it only being their first year. It was an uplifting thought, that the team he had finally decided on after years of rejecting potential pupils turned out to be this promising. Of course, he'd have to think about it more once things calmed down.
But for now, he had a job to do.
"Doton: Doryūsō (Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears)!"
Jumping into the fray once more, Kakashi slammed his hands onto the ground, moulding his chakra and channelling it into the dirt beneath. Moments later, thick spires of stone jetted out in the middle of an enemy squad, skewering them easily.
(I wonder how Naruto's doing.) Kakashi idly thought as he proceeded to methodically extinguish the scattered remains of the squad.
The main vanguard of the Wave forces continued to crash against the mercenaries, spears digging deeply into flesh. Under normal circumstances, the fishing implements would not have done so much damage. The blades were meant for piercing the scales of fish, not human skin. And their wielders were humble fishermen, not trained warriors.
However, the battle had been anything but normal.
Not only were Daichi's men barely armoured, with some of them even having bared their chests in a misguided show of machismo, but the Wave vanguard were currently under the effects of Naruto's [Full Over]. The boost to their capabilities meant that their thrusts drove the spears deeper than they would've otherwise.
Coupled with the disorganized and terrified nature of Daichi's forces, the Wave vanguard had been able to deal a heavy first strike, pushing steadily toward the mercenaries' forest encampment.
But it was exactly that: a first strike.
Once the initial blow had been dealt, the mercenaries were slowly able to regain their bearings. Even with the casualties they had suffered in the previous battles, the mercenaries greatly outnumbered the Wave vanguard. After all, the archers had not charged with the vanguard, remaining behind under the protection of Haku as they tried to disrupt the mercenaries from afar.
The problem was that once the skirmish had begun proper, it was getting increasingly harder to shoot at the mercenaries without accidentally shooting their own people in the back. They were not professionally-trained archers, after all.
Understanding this, the archers stuck to shooting at pockets of mercenaries that were far enough back from the bulk of the fight, despite the added cover the trees provided. That meant however, that those at the frontlines received no support.
The Wave vanguard started to find themselves getting pushed back, the experience and better weaponry of the mercenaries forcing them backwards until they were trapped in an encirclement.
If it had been them in the past, they might've given up. Lay down and die as their country fell to the machinations of evil men. It had been their lives for more than a year, after all.
However, they were no longer those people. No longer were they content in stewing in their misery, in letting their lives be trampled by the greed of others. No, they stood united in a single cause:
Protecting their home.
Red hair dancing wildly in the wind, Arisa's spear lashed out at all who would dare approach her fellow countrymen. The members of the vanguard felt a surge of pride well within their hearts, even at their dire circumstances.
"FOR ARISA-SAMA! FOR WAVE!" With grips tightened and teeth gritted, they joined their young leader's side, stabbing at the mercenaries with all their might. Steel met flesh as they thrusted their spears into the bodies of their enemies, even knowing that with every one they took down, another would surely strike them down in retaliation soon after.
Indeed, they were prepared to lay down their lives for the sake of defending their country.
Even as they were slowly getting pushed back, their formation slowly collapsing as the bulk of their opponent moved from the encirclement and pushed into their center, they did not give up.
For they knew that the trap had been sprung.
As a mercenary raised his katana overhead to cut a Wave man's head, his legs were swept out from under him. As the man fell backwards, he could do nothing but let out a wet gurgle as a kunai lodged itself into his chest.
His comrades did not fare much better. The flanks of the formation that they had been pushing into – the stragglers that they had believed to be easy pickings once the core of the formation collapsed – suddenly burst into white smoke, revealing themselves all to be orange-clad blondes. The struck swiftly at the few that maintained the encirclement, before positioning themselves around the mercenaries that had charged into Arisa's squad.
And as if a signal had been lit, the Wave vanguard pushed back with a renewed vigour, forcing Daichi's men backwards into the clones. Before they knew it, the encircled were now doing the encirclement.
"Now is our chance!" Arisa shouted, raising her spear to rally her men. "Crush them!"
Spears at the ready, Arisa led the vanguard as they slowly tightened the circle. With nowhere to run, the mercenaries could only futilely struggle as their surroundings with slowly enveloped in sharp steel.
"You alright?" Naruto asked as he moved up to Arisa. With the enfoldment complete, it was only a matter of time before the mercenaries died, something that he left for his clones to handle.
"Thanks to everyone." Arisa sighed in relief.
"Good to hear." Naruto gave a brief smile, before turning towards the encampment. "I'll leave the rest to you then."
"Where are you going?"
"You asked me for a favour, didn't you? Time to deliver on that."
"GURK!" A man gurgled as a large sword pierced through his back. With practised ease, Zabuza slid his blade out from the man, frowning the whole time.
Zabuza wasn't against killing. Oh no, far from it. As far as he was concerned, killing was one of the easiest things that came to him. But that didn't mean he liked to waste his time killing random mooks. Not when he'd already had a target in mind.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" Zabuza growled under his breath, slowly stalking through the encampment. His eyes scanned around for his prey, seeing through his own fog with little-to-no difficulty.
Suddenly, years of honed instinct screamed at Zabuza to dodge. Not one to second-guess himself, the Mist jōnin leapt up onto a nearby tree. A crescent wave of energy crashed where he once stood a mere second later, gouging out the dirt beneath.
"Looking for me?" A familiar voice growled. Daichi stalked out from the trees, axe at the ready.
Something about him was different though, Zabuza noted. An almost feral light gleamed within the man's bloodshot eyes, his muscles bulging as if they were about to burst. His presence felt completely different from the last time he had faced him. Zabuza's eyes narrowed cautiously as he gripped Kubikiribōchō tightly. Things might not go as simply as he had hoped.
"What, scared?" Daichi laughed as he lifted up the red Gem dangling off a leather cord wrapped around his left arm. "You should be! So long as I have this Gem, I'm unbeatable!"
"I'm not scared of someone who solely relies on a trinket to grant him power." Zabuza shot back as he brandished his sword. In a burst of speed, Zabuza leapt from the tree and swung in a wide arc.
The sounds of steel clashing against steel rang out within the misty forest as the two men duelled. Zabuza bit back a growl of frustration as Kubikiribōchō swam through the air once more, only to be parried away. In contrast, Daichi let out an amused chuckled, lashing out with a [Slash] from his battleaxe. Remembering his mistake from last time, Zabuza leapt away from the deadly attack, shielding his eyes as dirt was sent flying in all directions.
A cold sweat started to run down the Mist jōnin's spine. Something wasn't right here. Zabuza wasn't at a hundred percent. He knew that. But neither had he been back when he first fought Daichi at the bridge. And yet, he was having far more trouble against him than before. How could a man have changed that much in a matter of days?
"Bet you're surprised?" Daichi grinned maniacally. "It's an amazing thing, isn't it? Skills? They grant me unimaginable power, that even a mercenary like me can stand toe-to-toe against a ninja like you."
"But you know what's even more amazing?" Daichi took a step forward, the red light shining from his left arm steadily getting brighter. "Turns out they have more than one stage!"
In a burst of speed that belied his size, Daichi charged forward at Zabuza. The ex-Mist ninja only barely managed to bring up his blade in time to block the attack, shattering it as a result. Zabuza grunted as he was sent flying back into a tree, recovering just in time to plant his feet against it instead of crashing.
"Awww, did your little sword break again?" Daichi's booming voice taunted. "Guess my [Greater Boost] and [Slash] was just too much for it! And now you can't even do that freaky blood thing to repair it!"
"I'll just have to get that blood from you then." Zabuza scowled. "And you seem to be forgetting something."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
"I may be a swordsman," Zabuza said as he leapt up into the air, hands moving in a blur. "But first and foremost, I am a shinobi! Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)!"
With practiced ease, Zabuza undid the wrappings around his face and let loose a torrent of water from his mouth. The water twisted and twirled, coalescing into a watery serpent. The mighty serpent opened its mouth as if to roar, its liquid body continuing to swirl rapidly as it shot forward towards Daichi.
To Daichi's credit, he did not falter even in the face of the monster jetting towards him. No, instead he watched as the draconic bullet approached him, letting it draw closer and closer. He sucked in a deep breath. Waiting, watching. Until finally, it got into his range.
Gritting his teeth, he brought up his axe with both hands and with a loud roar, he swung it against the dragon's head. Steel met water violently as the jutsu crashed into the mercenary's axe, the force of the blow threatening to sweep Daichi off his feet.
"Like hell am I gonna lose!" Daichi dug in his heels, red light gleaming from his left arm once more. [Slash] activated once more, a baleful red glow emanating from the battleaxe's blades. Little by little, Daichi pushed back against the torrent of water, as if he were a fish trying to swim upstream. The draconic water kept raging, trying its best to devour the mercenary, but eventually its body ran out. Daichi's axe cleaved through the jutsu, leaving behind only puddles as evidence of its rampage.
The mercenary panted heavily; the battle having slowly taken its toll on him. However, he still stood. Bringing his face up with a maniacal grin, Daichi opened his mouth to taunt his opponent, only to realize that he was no longer there. His face fell. When had Zabuza moved?
A chill ran down Daichi's spine as he turned around, eyes darting frantically in search of the ninja. That's right, it began to dawn on him, his opponent was a ninja. One who worked in the shadows, masters of stealth and deception.
Or in Zabuza's case, assassination.
Before he could react, a hand wrapped around his neck from behind. The water left behind by the water serpent started moving once more, swirling around at his feet before rising into a sphere around him.
"Always plan two steps ahead." Zabuza's cold voice pierced through the sounds of distant battle. "That's something any warrior should know."
Daichi started to struggle, but it was far too late. Zabuza's strong grip held him down as the sphere fully formed around him, the insides filling up with water. Immediately, Daichi was beset with a heavy feeling of sluggishness. His limbs felt as if they were moving within the thickest of mud, despite not being obstructed in any way. His lungs, though he was still barely able to breathe, felt as if they were being crushed slowly. It was all he could do to not let go of his weapon, even as he was slowly getting choked.
"While it's impressive that you were able to repel my water dragon, I'm afraid this is the end for you." Zabuza's vicious grin could be heard in his voice. "Unlike the last time I used this, there isn't anyone here to save you."
Despite himself, Daichi trembled. Was he right? Was his story, one that had barely begun, going to be snuffed out here?
No! Daichi's fingers twitched. He couldn't let it end here! He was going to become the strongest! The mightiest mercenary the world ever knew! His story was going to be the one passed down for ages as a legend, not as a footnote in someone else's!
Power! The power to rip apart everything in his way! To rend asunder even the heavens themselves!
(And you are a tool for just that!) Daichi's eyes moved to the Gem strapped to his left arm. (So do it! Give me power! Give it all to me!)
And, just like in the morning, the Gem glowed in response.
In a burst of motion, Daichi swung his axe within his watery prison. He bellowed out a loud roar, even as water entered into his mouth. His axe shone with a crimson light, sending out a [Slash]. At least, that's what Zabuza thought the mercenary was doing.
So it came as a surprise to the ex-Mist jōnin when not only did Daichi's axe cleave a hole through his Water Prison, a shockwave fired out at the apex of his [Slash] disrupting the rest of the jutsu. Grunting in surprise, Zabuza grip loosened for a brief moment, but it was enough for Daichi to break free. Turning around, Daichi's axe swam through the air in a wide horizontal arc.
Zabuza did his best to leap backwards, but the mercenary movements were faster than before. His axe struck true, leaving a wide gash across Zabuza's chest.
The jōnin collapsed into water moments later.
Eyes widening, it was Daichi's turn to leap backwards as he narrowly avoided several kunai aimed at his head. Zabuza, who had leapt from above, clicked his tongue in annoyance. Seeing that, Daichi's bravado returned. Grip tightening on his axe, the mercenary grinned as his eyes tracked Zabuza's movements. In stark contrast to how he felt within the prison, his body now felt like it was set ablaze. Red lines spread all across his body as if it were a tattoo. A rising heat boiled from within him, as if he was about to explode.
It wasn't an unpleasant feeling though. No, it was exactly what he was hoping for. Power surged through his veins, his entire being! Nothing could stop him!
Pushing against the now-muddy ground, Daichi struck at Zabuza with a renewed fervour. Zabuza dodged the flurry of attacks as best he could, but without his Kubikiribōchō to defend himself, Zabuza found himself at a disadvantage. He couldn't even use a kunai to deflect the axe, for he instinctively knew that the dagger would be easily crushed by Daichi's brute strength.
A cold sweat began to drip down Zabuza's neck. Spotting a red light coming from Daichi's arm once again, Zabuza quickly leapt to the side of Daichi's [Slash], only to be met with a shockwave that followed. The blow knocked Zabuza off his feet sending him crashing into a nearby tree.
"Oh, what's wrong?" Daichi taunted. "Didn't plan for my new [Burst Slash]? Heck, you're moving more sluggish than before! Or am I just too fast now?"
Zabuza growled as he slowly picked himself up. A sharp pain from his chest made him glance down at his shirt, slowly darkening with the stain of blood.
"Ah, I see now. Your little ninja tricks didn't let you run as well as you thought, did it?" The mercenary sneered, having noticed the wound as well.
Indeed, when Zabuza had been caught off guard and slashed across the chest by Daichi, he had substituted with a Water Clone at the last second. But having been at the last second, that meant that a bit of the attack went through. While it was far from the most grievous of wounds he had suffered, the bleeding sapped his stamina, causing him to move slower than before. Having been found out, Zabuza glared balefully at Daichi.
"HAHAHA, looks like it's all over for you, ninja!" Daichi brandished his axe, his body ready to spring forward at a moment's notice. "Be glad, for you'll be the first stepping stone in my climb to greatness!"
"Like hell I will!" Zabuza drew a kunai out from a pouch on his waist. He was never one to lie down and die, and he wasn't about to begin now. Even if it meant getting hit, the least he could do was to plunge his dagger into his opponent's neck. Even if his insides were to be torn apart, he'll make sure to rip out his enemy's throat.
That's how the Demon of the Hidden Mist lived, and if that was to be how he died, then so be it!
Zabuza and Daichi rushed forward at each other, weapons outstretched with the intent to kill. Their battle cries resounded across the forest, drowning out everything else. Time slowed to a crawl as the two fighters drew ever closer, step by step. Despite himself, an idle thought strayed into Zabuza's mind.
(Sorry Haku. Guess I'm not coming home.)
The two swung their weapons.
"Fūton: Toppa (Wind Release: Breakthrough)!"
"GUOOOOH?!"
An explosive whirlwind cut through the forest air and into Daichi's flank, knocking the large man to the side.
"Need some help?" Naruto landed next to Zabuza moments later, sending him a cheeky grin.
"…Never thought I'd ever be glad to see orange in my life." Zabuza muttered, letting himself slowly relax. The moment he did however, he fell on one knee.
"Woah woah woah, you alright?" Naruto rushed to Zabuza's side. "Need a heal?"
"I'll live." The Mist-born man grunted. "Never mind me, focus on dealing with him. He's a lot more tenacious than expected."
"Right." Naruto turned to see Daichi recovering, the mercenary glaring at him with bloodshot eyes.
"You fucking brat! You'll pay for that!"
"Make me!" Naruto shot back, flipping a pair of kunai into his hands.
"Be careful, as he is right now, those things might as well be toothpicks against his axe." Zabuza warned as he stumbled to his feet. "And he has some annoying new Skills too. One that makes him even stronger than before and one that sends some kind of shockwave right after he does one of those slashes."
[New Skills?] The Fifth head muttered pensively. [He can already use up to a Skill's second stage then?]
[Be cautious, Naruto.] The Fourth head added. [We don't know the full extent of what he can do now.]
Naruto nodded, both to his ancestors and to Zabuza. Silently activating [Full Over] and [Speed], Naruto leapt into action. The blonde swiped dashed past Daichi with great speed, slashing as he did. While his kunai scrapped uselessly against Daichi's iron-armoured chest, it did draw the man's attention. Daichi barrelled towards Naruto, chasing him deeper into the forest.
Naruto frowned as he dodged a swing from Daichi's axe. He had been hoping that the trees would hinder the mercenary's movements, but with the way he continued to rampage around, it was clear that it wouldn't be the case. And true to Zabuza's words, Daichi's new Skills proved to be a threat. His enhanced strength let him swing his axe with a single hand with no issue, cutting through bark like it were paper, and his [Slash] attacks outright obliterated them, nevermind the shockwaves that followed.
[Body strengthening, weapon enhancement, a Skill that shoots out shockwaves and a Skill that creates a devastating blow…I don't know if they all came from the Hino household, but they are remarkable Skills indeed.] The Second head observed.
[Hehehe, one of them has got to be Erisa-chan's Skill.] The First sounded happy.
(They could at least be a little worried about me!) Naruto grumbled internally even as he struck back, drawing angry red lines across Daichi's arms. Still, there was no denying the fact that the Skills Daichi was using were strong. But Naruto had tricks of his own.
[All]
"Why can't I hit you?!" Daichi's axe sang its deadly song as it sailed through the air horizontally. Naruto dodged, jumping above the slash and throwing a kunai back at Daichi. He then grabbed a nearby tree branch, using it swing himself towards Daichi. His foot rammed straight into Daichi's face, disorienting the axe-wielding man, but not knocking him out.
As Naruto landed behind Daichi, the mercenary swung backwards in a large arc, only for the blonde duck low to the ground and letting the axe swim past harmlessly.
"This brat is dodging without even looking?!" Daichi gasped in shock, taking a few steps back in caution.
[All] was a Skill meant for granting other people the user's Skills. However, its true value laid in a side effect of how it worked. As the Skill needed a way to locate and apply the user's Skills when used remotely, it had to grasp the surrounding situation and determine the distance between the user and target. That meant that it granted the user a form of spatial awareness within the spherical radius of the Skill.
With this, Naruto had been able to feel every movement Daichi made thus far. Coupled with [Full Over] and [Speed], that allowed Naruto to avoid getting hit thus far. Thankfully so, since even a single direct hit would've spelt doom for the genin.
"Tch, I ain't got time to spare for a brat like you…" Daichi growled.
"What, scared to lose to a kid?" Naruto grinned. "Sounds like Gatō needs to hire better guys. Where is the guy, anyway?"
"Pah, Gatō? He's old news. Made us run with our tail between our legs when we could have easily killed all of you." The mercenary sneered. "So, I proposed to him a little change in leadership. With my axe."
Naruto was shocked to say the least. Gatō was dead? But that changed nothing. His influence had brought all these mercenaries to Wave's doorstep. Excising them was simply putting the finishing touches to his death.
"Never mind that, I need to get back to my men and slaughter those peasants!"
And there was Exhibit A. If Daichi didn't fall here, he would just become another Gatō. Especially since he had effectively taken over. Still though, there was a certain impatience in his words.
Naruto smirked. He could tell. Daichi wasn't concerned about the lives of his men. No, he was scared of them dying and him getting surrounded. Even with the power of a Gem, a man like him could never go up against an army alone. He'd wreak a lot of havoc but ultimately, he would run out of steam and die.
"Give it up, your little bandit crew isn't capable of surviving against Kakashi-sensei and the others. I made sure of that before coming here too."
"What?!"
"Haven't you noticed yet?" Naruto's grin grew larger. "You're fighting in the middle of your camp, and yet no one came to help you. Even you should've had some reserve members handy. But there's no one else but us here. Why is that?"
Daichi's heart shook as he realized what Naruto was implying. It was true, he didn't send every single one of his men out to fight. Even disregarding the ones he sent on a special mission, he should've at least had his closest comrades in the camp with him.
But none of them were here. Their familiar voices did not call out to him, their reliable figures did not rush to his side. Why?
"Because my Shadow Clones and I already got to them." Naruto answered as if reading his mind.
[Having a reserve force is a basic tactic in warfare.] The Third head's grin mirrored Naruto's. [But what happens when those reserves are removed before even being deployed? Why, they might as well not exist then!]
"YoU! YOU FUCKING BRAT!" Daichi's enraged roars resounded throughout the forest. "DON'T FUCK WITH ME, YOU COCKY BASTARD!"
Like a raging bull, Daichi charged towards Naruto with amazing speed, the red Gem's glow engulfing his entire body. The red lines around his body grew thicker and pulsated like blood vessels, his bulging muscles swelling out to the point where his iron armour shot out from his body. Naruto watched as the enraged man's figure rapidly approached.
[Naruto…Beat his ass!] The First declared.
[Limit Burst]
In a stark contrast to Daichi's red, blue lines spread across Naruto's body like an ornate pattern. As the mercenary swung his axe, screaming incoherently all the way, Naruto dodged the attack and redirected Daichi's trajectory with his kunai. Unable to stop himself, Daichi rammed headfirst into a tree, shattering it into splinters.
"DaMn yOU! DAMN YOU!" Daichi spat as he swung at Naruto in a flurry of blows. The forest violently shook and trees were cut apart wherever Daichi struck, but not a single one managed to hit its intended target. Naruto kicked strongly at Daichi's stomach, shattering what remained of his armour.
"EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS MY FAVORITE! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL TEAR YOU APART!"
"You already broke it yourself, idiot!" Naruto yelled back as he sent several shuriken at the enraged mercenary. With a mighty swing, Daichi blew most of them away, but they provided enough time for Naruto to get some distance.
"Fūton: Toppa (Wind Release: Breakthrough)!" Naruto sent a raging gust of wind straight into Daichi's chest, causing him to careen into a fallen tree. He started getting back up moments later, causing Naruto to grimace.
"What will it take for this guy to stay down?" The blonde groaned to himself. The merc was already injured and tired out from his fight against Zabuza, he's crashed into entire trees multiple times, and Naruto got some hits in here and there. And yet Daichi refused to go down!
For a moment, Naruto doubted himself. Did he misjudge his opponent? Should he have healed Zabuza after all, so that they could fight together? Thoughts swirled around his head like a dark cloud. But then, the First's voice rang out.
[Your body won't be able to move if you get cold feet, Naruto!] The First yelled. [Besides, as you are now, you're already able to track your opponent's movements, aren't you?]
Naruto nodded silently; eyes fixated on Daichi as he finally recovered.
[Then it's simple. The only weapons you need here are your fists.]
His suggestion caused a wave of shock to ripple through the Jewel.
[Are you insane?!] The Fourth objected. [He can barely deflect attacks with his kunai here, what is he going to do with his bare hands?]
The First merely laughed.
[Y'know, this takes me back. There used to be this guess from a rival tribe that was stupidly tough. We tried to kill each other again and again, but neither of us could suppress the other. That guy had a Skill too, one that strengthened him just like mine. And then, I got really pissed at him and fought him barehanded.]
Was he seriously asking him to fight Daichi with only his hands? Sure, his kunai didn't do much, but it was something. And yet, Naruto felt that there was more to the First's suggestion. There wasn't much time before Daichi reached him again, so he had to take whatever ideas he could get.
[I'm not asking you to stop that axe with your bare hands. Not even I could do that. What I'm saying is for you to watch that guy's movements. Match them. Use that raging bull's strength against him. Slip under his guard-]
Daichi descended on Naruto once more, his axe about to fire off another Skill. Dirt flew as the mercenary's foot impacted the ground. The hairs on Naruto's body stood on end, every fibre of his body warning him about the attack Daichi was about to unleash. It told him to dodge, to run away, to block, to do anything at all to survive the oncoming attack.
So, Naruto acted…and threw away his remaining kunai to the side.
"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU EVEN IF YOU SURRENDER NOW, YOU FOOL!" Spittle flew from Daichi's mouth, his expression set in a victorious, maniacal grin. His face soon turned into shock as Naruto darted straight towards him, his body crouched low as if to crawl on the ground. Startled by the sudden move, Daichi's swing grew awkward and unbalanced.
Without pause, Naruto seized the opportunity and slipped past Daichi's axe, coming within close distance with the mercenary. In a swift motion, the young Jinchūriki grabbed tightly onto Daichi's belt. With all his strength, Naruto matched his movements with Daichi's and directed his momentum – where Daichi had been moving towards with all his strength – and swung him towards the ground.
[-and drop him onto his head just like that!] The First finished.
"UUUOHHHH!" Naruto yelled as he followed the First's instructions. Daichi was slammed straight into the ground, a large crater forming as his head impacted against the soil with all of Naruto's might. A loud crash boomed, shedding the nearby trees of their leaves.
Panting heavily, Naruto let go of Daichi's body, letting it collapse back down limply. Somehow, Naruto knew that the mercenary wasn't getting back up from that one. Naruto deactivated his Skills, a dull ache across his body taking their place. He took a brief moment to swallow his saliva in an attempt to wet his parched throat, taking slow, shuddering breaths afterwards.
Having caught his breath, Naruto carefully observed Daichi's limp body, slowly approaching him. He pried the merc's axe away from his fingers, though he could not lift it. The axe was much heavier than Daichi had made it seem, with Naruto struggling to pick it up even with both hands. He ended up resorting to quickly reactivating [Full Over] before he was able to toss the weapon aside, far beyond Daichi's reach.
Speaking of the man himself however, his body gave Naruto pause. While he was now without a doubt unconscious – or perhaps even dead – his body remained bloated, thick red lines still flowing throughout his body. It was honestly a disturbing sight, as if he was looking at a corpse that had been left to rot for days.
When he murmured that to his Jewel, a grim mood fell upon its inhabitants.
[How do you even-] The Fifth shook his head. [Nevermind. Take a good look, Naruto. This is why we didn't teach you how to use Skills until we were sure you were ready. A Gem will generally teach its Skills to anyone, but if their body can't handle it or if they overuse them-]
Suddenly, Daichi's skin frayed and tore, dark red blood oozing out from his bloated muscles. The red lines permeating his body slowly faded away, a testament to the fact that the man's body had finally failed him.
[-that will happen.]
"So I wasn't taught how to use Skills until now…because I could've ended up like this?" Naruto shuddered. The dull ache in his body felt more concerning now, but he took solace in the fact his body was definitely in a better condition than the body in front of him.
"Oh right, can't forget this." Naruto bent down and took the red Gem off from Daichi's corpse. The baleful red glow it showed during the battle was nowhere to be seen, leaving only an ordinary – though beautiful – piece of jewellery.
"Naruto-kun!" Arisa's voice rang out. She rushed into the newly-made clearing in the forest with his team in tow, each of them gasping at the devastation that Daichi's rampage had caused. Her grey eyes scanned around the clearing, before finally locking onto Naruto's figure.
"There he is!" She said, sighing in deep relief.
"You look a little worse for wear." Sasuke noted, smirking as he approached.
"A-are you injured? I should still have some salve if you need it." Hinata asked, expression twisted in concern.
"I'm fine, though I could use some ramen right about now." Naruto laughed. "I guess the battle's over?"
"It is." Kakashi nodded, glancing towards the bloated remains on the ground. "I see you've had your fair share of trouble as well."
"Nothing I couldn't handle!" Naruto proudly exclaimed. He took a step forward, only to falter. "Woah!"
Swiftly, Sasuke caught his body. With a dramatic sigh, he slung Naruto's arm around his shoulder, supporting him as he walked.
"Now we're even."
"Really? I seem to recall saving your life before. Seems a little uneven, dontcha think?"
"Hmph, you didn't save my life, I could've won eventually. You just…sped up the process."
"Whatever lets you sleep at night."
Kakashi smiled at the scene. With this, the mission was practically over. All they needed to do was to wait for the bridge to be completed and they could finally return to Konoha. God knows he could use a bit of a break after this mission. Perhaps he should go for a walk once they got back? Have a drink or two with Asuma and Gai? Or with any luck the latest edition of Icha-
"Huh, the town's under attack?!"
…Of course, things couldn't be that simple.
A/N: Sooooooo...Yeah. Nine months. I'm not super satisfied with how this chapter ended up, especially since I haven't had time to let someone proofread this, but I do hope some of you'll will enjoy this one. Can't say for sure.
What I can say for sure however, is that this will not happen again. I'm not planning on disappearing for the better part of a year again. And I can say this for confidence because as of today, I'm done with my National Service. And that means oodles and oodles of time to write! *fanfare*
What it also means is that I'm effectively jobless now. *fanfare dies*
And I won't lie to you guys. This is something that's been on my mind for quite some time now. But I'm considering starting a p. treon Yes, yes, I know, it's a really contentious subject among the fanfiction community. But morally, I don't see it as any different as someone who profits off of fanart. Both are derivative off of someone else's IP. And if you're on going to be on a site about writing and tell me that writing is fundamentally less transformative, valuable and requires less effort than art, then I seriously question why you're on the site in the first place. And that's not to disparage artists, by the way, I have nothing but respect for them.
Hypothetical criticisms aside, I want to make this clear: I do want to continue writing for as long as I can, and while I will continue to write for as long as I'm interested even if I don't make money of from this, I will say that writing becoming an additional source of income for me is going to ensure that I'm going to be doing my darndest to make this a good quality, long term thing.
It'll mean that I won't have to worry as much about paying for food, bills, etc.
It'll mean that I won't have to worry that I'm wasting my time doing something that, while I love, won't be able to sustain me.
It'll mean that I can effectively enjoy the fruits of my own (albeit digital) labour, beyond simple self-satisfaction.
Now, if I do go through with this, one thing I will promise is that I don't plan on paywalling any main content. The most I'll do is to give early access by like, one or two chapters. That means that I'm not going to post a single chapter once in a blue moon here while people who pay are like, 10 chapters ahead. I'm not that kind of guy, and that'd be a disservice to all of you who have supported me thus far. The benefits will be mainly centered around things like voting for which story gets updated next (once I have more stories going concurrently), or what new story that I have an idea for I should start next (once I finish a story to make way for a new project). And of course, early access like I mentioned.
Alright, I think I've gone on about this for long enough. I...can't say that I'm looking forward to seeing the response to this, but I do hope you'll review all the same. And at the very least, your experience in reading this chapter isn't soured by this author's note.
Another update soon, I promise.
~Sul