Article 32 - Chapter 28 - A Recipe for Disaster
Warnings: I do not own Naruto, it's intellectual property is owned by none other than Masashi Kishimoto. I own the OC's that I've added to the story and nothing more.
Notes: Sorry this took a while, I avoided completing it for some time worried that it would never be good enough, but there's only so long you can procrastinate, so here's the next chapter.
-Also, still accepting Beta readers! Hit me up with a PM-
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Last Chapter: Excerpt)
(Mina POV)
Screw all other comparisons. I am a mighty figure of only myth and legend. I'm a dragon! Fuck the stories of Ryu Raitofangu! Long may they sing the legacy of Mina Hyuga - The living incarnation of Izuna. A reshaper of worlds and slayer of 'gods.'
My fingers and legs still twitched from my abnormal state of panic.
I was right, tonight was the perfect night to unhatch this scheme. Hinata's lips and this Summoning Jutsu instructional are my trophies. What more could I ask for from a night?
Tossing the document into the bag I swung off my back, I held it firmly in my grasp imagining a dark void swallowing the bag — Transferring chakra into the void in exchange.
Poof.
The bag disappeared from my grasp.
Everything went perfectly...
┬┴┬┴┤ Chapter 28 ├┬┴┬┴
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Mina POV)
"Do you believe you've actually hidden anything from me?"
My jaw set. My teeth grinded in maddened aggression.
"Show yourself!" I screamed. "Show Yourself and I promise to repay you for your last MIRACLE."
"What happened? Are you alright?!" My earpiece chirped.
Not Now Neji! FUCK! I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS 'THING' RUINING EVERYTHING. I WILL NOT.
Turning my earpiece off, I surveyed my environment.
Empty enough...
"Everything has gone according to my plan. It is larger than you, larger than this entire world. I must work in mysterious ways to impart a fraction of my divine knowledge."
"Humanity doesn't need your charity. It's long been time for you to retire. Did you come to get your severance package?"
"Ah~ As nothing but a mortal, I can't comprehend how you imagine your futile resistance is going to change anything. You will accept your role, gracefully or otherwise."
"Yeah? -And what role is that?"
"You will become a beacon of hope. You will sing praises unto my name and thy works shall be in remembrance of your creator."
"-What use is that to a God?"
"It is my sole purpose. What purpose is there to create if nothing appreciates? My will be done - sing praise young lamb, repent your transgressions and spread the word."
My necklace around my neck tugged along it's chain, feeling like the sapphire was being pulled away from me. The gemstone erupted into blue light rapturing into pockets of glistening translucence.
"What have you done?!"
"I had long since blessed this object with my holy power. You may call upon my name ~ GOD ~whenever you are in peril energy will be provided to the stone. The more faith that will awaken, the greater that power will become."
It's been defiled! That demon has tainted Ayasha's last momento.
"NOOOO! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! REVERT IT RIGHT NOW! UNCURSE THIS ITEM. YOUR CORRUPTION IS UNWELCOMED! WHY!?" I screamed seething in a bottomless rage.
"It is often the lessons we are not ready for that are our most necessary."
"Don't give me that bullshit! … I will spend... the rest of my life... in pursuit of your destruction. I only hope it comes by my hands." My fingers curling into fists. "I want you to know who your dealing with. You WILL fear me. You WILL cower - And you WILL DIE."
There was no response. None at all. The drowning silence enveloped everything for a long moment.
A deafening lack of acknowledgement. He still doesn't see me as a threat.
"-I think it is YOU who does not understand who they are dealing with. Are you mad? You will never win. Written into existence at a whim and you expect to challenge a God? I will fear YOU?! I will die?!"
"...No - I'll let you in on a little secret. Your history has already been written. Your birth, life, and death - Yes! - I see it all - all at once in fact. I am everything that matters, and control everything that will ever be. Your life? It will be miserable... full of hardships, with you having learned nothing useful. Such is the difference between Man and GOD."
Elation rose inside me. A true and calming peace.
How could I not be happy? I was ecstatic at my discovery that Being-X had a true weakness. Not simply theorized anymore.
"In the end, when I've finally stripped you of everything, you will die having already outlived your usefulness and became my mouthpiece. You will sing my praises and faith will grow due to your words. It must be hard - realizing that all the effort you've ever spent is meaningless. That in the end, you still become my pawn. That there is nothing you can do to stop it. After all - I AM INEVITABLE."
I was right! Being-X does have a weakness. He has defined it well to me. His Hubris will be his downfall. I've arrived at an answer. I can't act on it yet, but I know what must be done!
"I think we are well past words - Demon - Be gone."
"..Your death will be unmatched agony for your insolence."
"Yes, yes. Just the way you have always seen it yes? Time is linear and you know it all correct? You've established how insurmountable you are and your 'all knowing' nature quite well haven't you? You are... Excused."
"Your disrespect will be your end."
It was comical how hard it was trying to establish itself as above me. Why would a "GOD" need to do something so petty?
My shoe dug into the earth.
"Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you." I said.
"I'm going to enjoy breaking you. I was just setting the tone all this time - but now I will show you my unbridled wrath."
"Words are empty False-God. Show me."
I was being crushed. An unimaginable weight bearing down on me. Greater than the weight of the world.
My enemy will now come at me in earnest? Perfect - I'm ready.
A surge of electric current shot into the air. It was met halfway between the darkening clouds with a bolt of light stretching to complete it.
Lightning flashed in the sky, the ground trembling beneath my feet.
BOOM.
With Lightning properties I can accelerate my nervous system to the brink of insanity. The Raikage's notable technique will be a great asset to myself, but my Sharingan puppet will be the key to holding Being-X at bay in the meantime. He can't kill me yet. He hasn't stroked his own ego enough. By the time he finds out what I can do, it'll be too late…
"Mina - I came immediately! Are you okay?" Neji asked in genuine concern.
The tension drained from my body.
It was all a joke. This life was a joke.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Neji - Fighting against destiny is a worthy goal indeed."
"What?! ...Who did you end up running into?" He asked, peering at me oddly.
"Fate. I looked fate in the face and my spit tarnished its face. I imagine it's pretty upset…"
He kept staring at me with even more questioning eyes.
If I didn't know him any better I'd almost say he was afraid of me, but that couldn't be right.
"You have time for riddles now? It's about to storm and the fire has been put out, let's go back." He finally said.
"...Your right - as usual - My apologies Neji…"
"Your kinda starting to creep me out…"
"Sorry…"
"It's not your style to apologize. Keep being you, that's enough."
Oh Neji - You say the damnedest things sometimes. I wonder if he has romantic feelings for me? I couldn't imagine, I've honestly never seen him as anything but a treasured friend and a foot-soldier for my ideals. I'm thankful for him, but I acknowledge that it can be taken away at any instant. Just like my Hinata can, but that won't stop me from cherishing them. They are forever immortal inside my memories. I'll never let YOU touch them in here!
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
At my first opportunity, much before the crack of dawn, I was restless to gain more information about the summoning jutsu.
Sleeping is better suited for the dead.
I sat outside in the darkness upon a smooth topped rock, nature all around me, the trickling stream feeding into the mouth of the clans pond.
Having the opportunity to retrieve the document, I stared at the simplistic words before me.
"Hand Signs: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram
Instructions: After forming the last hand seal, enter your imagination."
"It couldn't just be that fucking simple could it?!" I fumed.
Did I really waste 6 months on such a stupid clause to use the summoning Jutsu?!
Well… Either way, I guess I can try testing this with a clone now…"
I brought my hands together into the classic clone hand sign.
Shadow Clone
I watched the clone go through the hand signs: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram.
Finishing the last hand sign, I watched the clone phase out, but I felt the energy of the clone merge back with me.
It popped? Why?
I tried again and again, but only continued getting the same result.
At this point I guess I'll give up on pre scouting. I know that around here is Mount Myōboku, apparently the entrance is even around here somewhere.
I didn't want to have to use my EMS puppet when someone affiliated with the village would hear about it.
So I either have to escape any registered summons… or kill everyone I show it to. Can't be letting Jiraiya or anyone hear about my Susanoo while I'm still a part of the village.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
My eyes were dry. A tingling burning sensation came from them. I hadn't let them rest in some time, always alert, always scanning, and never complacent.
Self preservation - An easy concept to introduce someone to, but with endless possibilities of things to learn and anticipate, it was impossible to master.
Impossible is a word I can't stand. Sometimes I let it slide if I use it, but for anyone else to tell me something is impossible creates a need in me. A need to show them that anything is possible. Is this why I basically declared war on Being-X?
The gears turned and turned. My mind whirring ceaselessly. Bit by bit I was closer to understanding - Myself, this world, and the demonic Being-X.
How can I not think of these things, while looking at what I've done…
A man laid atop the sterilized sheets, covered in gauze and ointment. The burns couldn't be cured in one shot with medical ninjutsu.
"Itomi…-san"
His chest heaved and caved in an unnatural rhythm. The scarred lung tissue causing each breath to be a great difficulty. A tube from an oxygen tank was fed through his nostrils.
I had done this, the least I can do is accept my acknowledging what my actions have caused. I won't delude myself. What I did was for me, and it hurt someone as innocent as Itomi who was never anything but kind to me.
My hands clenched into fists. I wanted to fight, to punch, to skewer, to destroy, but my enemy is almost like an idea. He's abstract. How do you kill something as abstract as an idea?
The smoke of exhaustion clouded my mind, but it was not welcomed. Through willpower, I conquered my fatigue forcing it to submit to my vast motivation.
The electrocardiography machine let out a faint beep quicker than once per second. The beeps blending into a ringing obfuscation of background noise.
The patients foot twitched in his sleep, a gruff low moan audible simultaneously.
"Get well soon Itomi-san."
I might be a monster, but I'm a monster of necessity. It is not my goal to watch people suffer, I'd rather everyone be okay, but that's just not the way the world works. The law of equivalent exchange purposes that to gain something, something else must be lost. As scientific as that might sound, it is also true in life.
The simplistic clock affixed to the wall clicked seven times. Checking it's accuracy, I drew my stopwatch from my pocket.
Yeah its right… I Killed more than 30 minutes here sulking - Like that can change anything…
I exited his room. I had prior engagements I agreed to, which were later today because it was a saturday. Hinata often likes to sleep in a bit on the weekends as a reprieve for how early we start training on weekdays so that she can still make it to the academy on time.
The hospital's stench grew more foul every time I visited. I wasn't sure whether it was in my head or if they started using stronger cleaning agents.
As another way to occupy my mind, I avoided stepping on the cracks between the set tiles as I walked down the hallway. An open window allowed a swift wind to find its way through the corridor, the gust catching the curtains making them dance.
Using my discovery as a shortcut, I dipped out the window landing on the concrete walkway below. Still consciously avoiding stepping on the cracks, I walked forward sharpening my self-discipline and mastery.
After the walkway shifted from concrete to gravel, my self-imposed contest came to an end. I had only grazed a single crack with the tip of my toe, an imperfection nonetheless, but a small one at that.
My feet carried me to the edge of the forest. The Hyuga princess was waiting for me. She was in one of the best moods I had ever seen her. She radiated positivity brilliantly.
She was a shining star in the bleak world we found ourselves - My shining star.
Grinning from ear to ear she waved enthusiastically to me, to which I could only return the favor.
I approached her with my arms extended. She ran towards me. Crashing together she wrapped her arms around me while bouncing up and down.
Now I was interested. Interested in why she was in such a good mood.
Was it our kiss?
Her cheek snug with my own. she let out a nervous chuckle.
"I did it - I finally did it!"
"You did what?" I asked.
"-You know how you always say just go for what you want? Just do it and find out the consequences later?"
"Yeah, of course. That was always the lesson from day one."
I was confused.
"Weeeeeeeeellllllll! There's this boy I like from my class - Naruto-kun - And I finally worked up the nerve to-"
My world quaked. My gut tensed and I became dizzy. My balance was becoming harder to maintain.
She… She was still obsessed with Naruto? After everything I've done for her?!
"So then after that, I pulled the scarf he gave me way back when out of my bag and gave it back to him. I told him that I liked him and I wanted to spend time with him. He was so cute the entire time. It took like 3 tries for him to figure out I Like-liked him - he's so dense sometimes."
Her treasured ratty scarf? The one she wouldn't let me touch? That was originally Naruto's?
All the puzzle pieces began fitting together. I was an idiot… To assume that she would ever see me like that… Even our kiss was just a warm up for Naruto wasn't it…
I hadn't expected it. I probably should have seen it as a possibility, but I hadn't. I was entirely blind-sided.
"He's… Mina-Senpai are you crying?" She asked startled.
NO?! Of course not! I wouldn't be so easily defeated!
Reaching for my face, the damp trails on my cheek provided evidence otherwise.
"I'm j-just...S-so happy for you Ya-know?" My voice trembling despite trying to collect myself.
I can't do it. I just can't anymore…
Why did I think she would be any different. They all leave after I make them better. They just use me 'till they get what they want. It's the way of the world - did you think it would be any different this time YOU IDIOT!
I turned away from her, clenching my teeth holding back my emotional gasps from spilling out.
"...Mina?" She asked in a somber inflection.
She can tell your full of shit. She could always tell couldn't she - thats why she used me. I had to give per props, I never expected her to outcannive me - my mistake.
"T-Train by yourself!" I shouted.
"Wah-"
I ran. I didn't know where, I just wanted to leave. I didn't want to be next to her for another moment.
A slideshow of our best memories flashed through my head. I was burning hot, the memories only serving to destroy me further.
My heels dug into the earth with each stride carrying me further away from the person I formerly believed to be my love.
She kicked my heart in the dick. The pain is immense.
A river of snot leaked out of my nose. The hot waterworks shamed me greater than any other instance.
Is all I can do fucking cry?! Am I so incompetant that I've regressed into a little Shonin girl who needs to be saved? So out of touch to believe that I could ever find love in this world that Being-X manipulates? Fine! I get it! Power is the only way I'd dismantle his deathgrip on my life.
I was gritting my teeth, and I felt capable of tearing someone apart, but my sorrow had mostly shifted to emptiness.
I didn't need that shit anyways. It's always been just me, and I can do it all by myself.
I nodded.
This is the only logical solution… that I came up with so far at least.
I need a day… One day to catch my breath. To regain my bearings. To redefine what was important. I will allow the rest of this single day for myself.
Unable to determine what I would use this day, I returned to the compound, and then mindlessly to my residence.
The home was empty. Filled with shit that didn't matter and devoid of people.
It was so empty.
Walking past the kitchen entry I stopped.
My stomach grumbled. I stared longingly at the pantry door taking the moment to make a decision.
What did I want?
I moseyed over to the pantry then opened it.
"What would Izuna do?" I asked myself.
I simply wanted escape. Even if it was only for a day. For 24 hours - 1440 minutes - 1440 times 60 is… 85 thousand seconds? - or something? … I don't know! I JUST WANT TO ESCAPE!
I lifted my hand into the air, my skin pushed aside to allow my bone to extend past the tips of each finger growing longer. They shot up like a heroin addict to fetch me my poison.
A humongous bottle was the first to catch my eye, and as such was the first to be snatched.
The label was yellowish with the recognizable Land of Fire Logo visible. Tanzaku Gai Fire Whiskey.
Even in my last life I could barely tolerate liqueur with a chaser, so I knew what I would need next.
Pulling on the prehistoric refrigerator box's top and pulling it open, I leaned over.
Milk...Water… Hot sauce… Lemonade?
Grabbing a hold of the cool damp plastic container, I pulled it out shutting the lid to the fridge.
Grabbing two spare glass cups, I returned to my personal quarters.
The ceiling fan, which I absentmindedly left on, circulated warm humid air throughout the room.
Setting the glasses down, I stabbed the cork plugged into the whiskey bottle with a bone - morphing to get leverage - and pulled the cork out without issue.
I poured beverages into both cups.
I took one in each hand knowing full well what I was prepared to do.
A glass reached my lips, tilting it up pouring lemonade into my mouth.
Without swallowing it I raised the other glass, pouring the entirety of the alcohol down my throat in shuddered gulps quickly following it with more lemonade.
The whiskey burned my throat, the taste foul yet masked. It was tempting to gag, but this is the decision I chose.
"One down…"
I took another… and another… and another...
My intoxication crept along little by little. The ceiling fan blurring more than usual as I watched it violently twirl.
I felt sick to my stomach but my pain was dulled. The dizzying debilitating haze not allowing me to focus on my problems.
It was not true escape, and if 'God' were going to use this opportunity to kill me he would be…
A painful clench in my abdomen caused me to pull the wastebasket on the floor to my face.
A stream of vomit shot out of my mouth and nose burning on its way out. The feeling causing me to reflexively gag and start the process anew.
It didn't stop until I was dry heaving, having fully emptied my stomach.
"...Time for roound twoo I guesh." I mumbled miserably.
...If Being-X wanna kill me tonight, I win anyways. Needing me to be debilitated to kill me? I can't imagine a creature so prideful considering that a victory, and that itself would be some consolation.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
The shrill cries of morning birds was too much to sleep through, especially now.
My sleep had been shallow and unreplenishing. The alcohol's buzz never allowing me to reach my REM cycle.
It had been some time since I allowed myself to gaze upon my adoptive mothers tombstone. I never feel worthy to show my face their of all places, but I want to hope that my circumstances had forced my hand.
I leaned over and vomited again into my waste-basket.
I will not be a puppet! No one can pull my strings - their mine Damnit!
The night before was a bit of a blur. I couldn't remember what I had done with the Whiskey bottle or the glasses, but I probably cleaned them or stashed them out of sight.
Perspective can mean many things. Knowledge alone is useless, it is only knowledge that you act upon that derives power. I would learn what it meant to defy a demon. I don't mean to boast, but I can't wait for that shitty god to make a play. I'll be ready and waiting.
After getting dressed, I found myself outside.
I'm extra pale and pasty today. Hopefully nobody will dwell on it.
My attention focused on the street before me. Several crows resting on the cable wire being strung feeding power to the Comerse District. I located the familiar Yamanaka Flowers shop.
I'm proud of my research into flowering plants as expected of a kunoichi of at least a fragment of 'her' brilliance.
The choice was simple, there was no choice. I selected a Blue rose assortment that would do Ayasha justice.
Those blonde locks - There's no doubt - The cashier girl Is Ino today...
Errrrphhh I groaned internally.
"Hi. I would like to purchase this assortment."
"Why? You gonna go burn it somewhere?" she asked not hiding her malice.
"Just the flowers please, I'm not paying for anything else."
The girl scowled at me making more stable eye contact. Her eyes were uncomfortable. I showed no weakness because I couldn't afford it - but those eyes piss me off.
"Slut." Ino whispered.
I was trying to ignore the comment. I get it, she's pissed because I'm better than her, smarter, more beautiful, and was the reason her dream lover ascended classrooms. I can be the bigger person here...
Accepting my change for the flowers and quickly pocketing it. I scooped the flowers into my left arm.
...But something about her fucking eyes.
In that day, In that moment, I wasn't strong enough to hold back the flood of negative emotions from spilling out.
I grabbed Ino's planted elbow she was leaning on and pulled hard. I watched her fall forward, her hand covered chin smacking into the countertop.
"Idiot." I said.
"-You're the worst! Nobody likes you! Get out - Get out!"
One of these days my emotions will kill me. I can't seem to deal with them lately…
I was ashamed. I had stooped to her level.
It was hard not to when you know their soooo stupid.
It's unreal - it's almost like anyone here was never taught to think for themselves and everyone just expects me to do all their thinking for them. Like I can fucking afford that shit. I don't have enough juice for my own problems.
Walking out of the store, I couldn't help but to mentally relive her last words to me:
"-Nobody likes you! Get out - Get out!"
I can sympathize with how she's feeling. It was the same way I felt about Being-X , and if she only knew she would totally take my side.
My rationalizations helping settle the sour feeling of falling short of my mark of mastery.
If I am to become a godslayer - I need the complete dominance over my emotion. I can't allow my jealousy, pride, or vengeance to overtake me. I need to find out the depths of Being-X's limitations to draw up a proper plan of attack.
Along the pathway to the graveyard my feet fell a hundred times over. Another Step and another, all in a vain attempt to get closer towards her final resting place.
The last few times I visited, I hadn't been able to force myself the full way. I was too unclean and unpolished to present myself before her.
I just needed some extra time to work on myself before I could return. Before I could stand before the woman I was never worthy of.
Today I'm feeling… kinda -iffy... I don't think -iffy's good enough…
"Even If I don't make it all the way today... I'll just get further than I did last time. As long as I'm making progress its fine - right?"
While I internally was debating whether my happiness could be equated as directly proportional to the peace I would rob Ayasha from visiting her, I was interrupted.
Tokuma was visiting her first.
He deserves to see her more than me…
I set the flowers down beside the pathway. I knew there to be some type of afterlife in this world.
I don't know if they really watch down on us. If they follow our struggles or only see a greatest hits compilation of our most important deeds. All I knew - Ayasha deserves my respect and honor.
I said my farewells expecting to leave quickly, but something was bugging me.
My father figure clutched an empty bottle of Land of Fire Branded Whiskey at his chest.
He was mumbling something… I couldn't hear it, so I took a few steps closer. I only wanted to have my curiosity quenched that he was alright.
Who am I kidding - I won't be spending time trying to improve him. I don't care if he's alright - Do I?… I... just want to understand him better. Yes, ofcourse. That's it.
I became close enough to not only hear his words, but also the raw unfiltered emotion escaping him.
"It's… It's been really hard without you. I've been trying my best but It feels like my best might not be enough… I've been making more scatterbrained mistakes and all anyone can do is ask if I'm okay… Like they think asking about it makes it easier to deal with."
I can sympathize with that. I hate when people ask if I'm okay. Who do they think they are to question if I'm alright? Look at yourselves before you judge me.
Tokuma's difficulty of putting his feelings into words cut me deep. It caused me to realize that all the time he was preaching to me, it was in part to himself as well.
"Losing you… Is also losing the best part of myself. Ever since You came into my life, I shaped it to fit you perfectly. The gap is so vast I can't bare my own reflection anymore…"
How can someone, who is a lecherous drunkard, be capable of this level of self-reflection? Or is it because he is in this state that he is capable of it? Did all the dates and intoxication pull this from him, or has it always been there?
"I know that I'll never be the same. But still, I used to think I was the one in the sorriest state - but our daughter is doing much worse. Aya~ I'm a terrible role model… Our little girl d-d-drunk herself to sleep last night… and s-she is so filled with hatred. It pains me. I hurt physically from just thinking about the damage I can't shield her from... I can't shield her from herself. I hate myself-"
My legs were weak. They felt like jello. As a puppet that had cut herself from the invisible hand that controlled me, I finally fell. The fall more grounding than any lack of freedom. Reality showing itself to me through the very perspective I ignorantly thought I understood.
I really understood nothing...
"I-I see her t-t-trying to cope e-everyday… Sorry…" He said his sentence stalling out in emotional gasps. "-and-and it's not fair! I know as a parent it's my responsibility to watch, but I can only endure watching the same cycle of hatred ravage humanity for so long. It's my fault our daughter has turned to the bottle! I inadvertently showed it to her! I TOLD HER WITH MY ACTIONS THAT IT WAS OKAY!"
He grew silent for several moments, swallowing back the emotions so close from overtaking him.
"M-My sanity is slipping by the day. I can finally see what you saw all those long years ago. I understand your shift and feelings much better now… This is what you felt all along, isn't it?"
The mulch my knee's rested on pricked my skin. The pain felt pleasant.
I am guilty of causing Tokuma all this trouble… How could I ever be expected to make amends?
Digging through the library of logic and knowledge that I had accumulated over every experience between both lives, I still didn't have an answer.
"But I'm not you, and I'll never be you. All my damage control is just that. Things aren't getting any better, I'm hoping that everything doesn't fall apart but I know its coming-"
"No - I won't let things fall apart." I said.
Or maybe I didn't. The sound caught in my throat, unable to voice my thoughts.
"God... why did you take her?! I know that I still have a lot to learn and all… but the world would be a better place if you would have just taken me instead."
Don't say that. You are a fine parent in your own right and have nothing to be ashamed of. I am not a product of your dysfunction, I was wholesomely defective before you met me.
Where did it go? My courage, my determination? I was scheduled to battle a god, and yet now when I can speak up to save Tokuma from his suffering - I am voiceless. I am a coward.
"I've always been selfish, I didn't understand how selfish I was until it was put in perspective for me. But it's hard for an old dog to learn new tricks… so please… god… I have one final request-"
No… I'm the selfish one… Please don't pander to Being-X… He's the one that took her away!
"- Please - Give her back. Let me take her place. Drag me to the depths of hell or whatever you want - just return Ayasha in my place…Lord - I'll do anything..."
Tokuma was bent over in the dirt, groveling in front of the grave.
"R-return my daughters mother. You see don't you? I'll sacrifice everything for this one favor… Let my last selfish act do some good… I beg you..."
I couldn't… I couldn't bare to listen to it anymore. The grim reality of Tokuma's heart weighed heavily upon me. I retreated - hardly able to walk, I hobbled emotionstruck away.
Maybe Being-X was right all along? Maybe I was never worthy. Maybe I brought all of these terrible things to myself. Maybe I had been fighting against only myself…
Something fractured.
"NO! IT CAN'T BE! - THE DEMON IS JUST FUCKING WITH YOU AGAIN MINA! IT WANTS TO SEE THIS! IT WANTS TO MAKE YOU WEAKER! DON"T TURN BACK, ELSE ALL OF OUR SACRIFICES WILL BE WASTED, I WON'T LET THAT EVER HAPPEN WHILE I CAN STILL MOVE, WHILE I CAN STILL THINK, AND WHILE I CAN STILL BREATHE."
The string of words was not my own, but unlike Being-X's, they came from my mouth.
I knew something was off. Something wasn't normal with me anymore. Something changed.
Did I lose my sanity? My persona? My pride? I didn't know. There was me - and then there was Izuna. We had conflicting Ideals and goals, but somehow it felt right to micromanage in this way. To allow Izuna to combat Being-X, and to allow me to protect everything that made me...well me.
I couldn't afford another moment alone. I had to become something greater than myself. I had to combat a God - and I saw no way to do this alone. I didn't have any foolish sentiments that I could beat him by myself anymore. I bore witness to my weakness, and to beat a God there couldn't be any weakness.
Izuna was my strength. He could carry me when I am too weak, And I can lead him to where he needs to go. A group effort as it should have been from the beginning.
Despite acting tough, I didn't have any of the fire in my belly that I might normally have. I was deflated like a balloon robbed of air.
My cowardice was good at hiding. I stripped as much of it away as I could. But like cancer often times a trace will remain and fester into something formidable again.
Staring at my palm, I knew what we must do.
SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP - SLAAAAAP -
In my frenzy, we were relentless. If we showed ourself a trace of compassion it would all be in vain. we hit harder… and harder… We needed to cement my prior mistakes as exactly what they were. Mistakes of the past. We needed to believe in our joint ability to change, in our ability to learn.
I wasn't ready to stop. I deserved this much.
Blood spilled down my face, we accidentally smashed my nose somewhere along in our self destructive rage. My inability to come to terms with the disgusting humanity I couldn't escape from until now. The differences between my ideal self and the one here and now was too vast to close alone.
The pain awakening my slumbering masochism. I was excited to chase my sorrows away with the pain, an acceptable alternative.
The curtain had pulled back exposing the nasty stage I used to trick myself in believing that what I was doing was actually justice - It was not. I did it all because I wanted to, and anything I used to say about it is a lie.
It wasn't right - and that didn't matter - not anymore at least. All that mattered was results - And my results better at least be good… or else - why did I do all of this in the first place?
The inside of my mouth had cuts and gashes opened up by the assault and my teeth. The Coppery-Iron taste soothing the hurricane of inferiority that I felt trapped in.
The skin around my eyes swelled up causing my vision to narrow. The folds of skin getting in the way.
I came to a conclusion under my self inflicted duress.
I didn't care anymore. Nothing matters. I'm just going to go for it.
Throwing caution to the wind, I gave into my flesh, my desire.
Byakugan! - Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram!
I imagined myself being sucked inside my imagination. The very idea felt paradoxical, but I could tell something was happening.
My senses were flooded with data, so much that they hurt. The environment around me buzzed like static. Crashes and silence meshed in the strangest noises I've ever experienced.
My lungs filled with water, and my environment shifted to a sea, some level below its surface.
Crimson oozed through the water in thin streams rising upwards. It was my blood.
My lungs convulsed and spurt, bubbles shooting from my mouth.
-But I could only watch in horror.
My Byakugan showed me a swarming school of sharks closing in on me.
My brain despite striving to work in overdrive kept clanking and skipping. My mind was blank.
The closest shark to me broke off from his encirclement bolting towards me.
I sent a narrow hollow bone shooting to the surface having noticed where the bubbles were going - up.
I encased myself with bone, shooting out a lance of bone to skewer its head, but it spun narrowly avoiding it missing me and swimming past rejoining the circle.
A vortex of water appeared thrashing me this way and that. I was desperately stretching the hollow bone to fetch me air.
A screech resounded through the water, the vibrations more distinguished than the actual noise being drowned out.
The whirlpool still held me hostage.
Sweet oxygen arrived in my lungs, but I still chortled and coughed weakly.
The eyes of the sharks around me transitioned to full black.
BEING X!
Time froze, the bubbles floating to the surface looked more like a still frame on a paused movie.
They broke their formation, still moving encasing me from top to bottom too now drawing ever nearer.
Insolence is repaid with DEATH. I heard inside my head.
The sharks all curving their coursed directly for me.
They swam so quickly.
From the black void, I retrieved Leon. my chakra threads stretched from my chakra points, including threads which made their way out between my eyes and eyelids attaching to the puppet.
"Never again. I'm done with your shit Being-X!"
My chakra and Leons were now one.
White eathernal twine to thin and narrow manifested, binding a shark in place. The threading pierced into the skin, and drawing from the Shark-nin's chakra, I called forth my impenetrable defense.
A golden hue colored the environment. It was if a wealthy king's sparkling treasury was down here.
A skull rose over me, the skeletal bone arriving quickly after. A ribcage encased me. I pulled the hostage shark into my incomplete susanoo.
I struggled to form more of the susanoo, but the shark snapped and popped like a broken battery.
My eyes fixed on the only shark which looked like it could make its way between the gap of my susanoo ribs, spearing into it with the Heavens Twine.
I nicknamed it this out of spite, I wonder how Being-X feels about this!
My chakra system burned. Every pathway felt hot and under stress. Being the conductor between the puppet and my external energy sources was searing my pathways.
Instead of making the susanoo bigger, I had a thought to attempt to move it's pre-existing bones like I control my own.
With strained difficulty, they fought against my will only serving to piss me off further.
BEND TO MY WILL DAMNIT!
A snapping crack entered my ears. A rib fractured falling off.
But I could still feel the disconnected susanoo bone, and imposing my will on it, a thread shot out hooking back onto the susanoo body. After re-linking, I sent all the sharks chakra to it and commanded it to grow.
Before I could blink, it flashed - the bone hyperextension lancing through more sharks.
Witnessing the spectacle of gore and violence - I felt like singing of joy.
This was my element. This is what I was waiting for. Come at me you fucking demon.
I shook in ecstasy, my front teeth resting on my lips.
Hooking into the additional sharks, I got access to their chakra system as well, I converted all their chakra into calcified bone. It looked like they exploded, but more accurately they were tore apart from the inside as their skeletal system grew - creating white stonelike pillars stretching in every direction from it.
So this is what you had in mind… Did you think it would be enough?
The unexpected voice broke me from my pleasant revorie.
My entire body was numb, it appeared like bruises were developing under my skin.
As painful as it all was, the chance to spit in Being-X's face again was too tantalising.
My lips curling back showing him the most demonic smile I could muster.
He will learn to respect me! To respect humanity!
I compacted the susanoo smaller and more dense.
The rest of the school of sharks went for me, but as they neared, I told the susanoo to extend in impossibly different directions.
The susanoo shattered at my command - skewering the soulless black eye'd shark-nin with countless fragments ripping them into hunks of severed meat, skin, and-
The frozen time restored itself, everything bursting into vivid motion.
-dissipating blood.
It looked like one or two survived, but they were swimming away as fast as it could.
The scene looked like it could be an aquatic horror story. Strings of intestines, cartlidge, teeth, and all were either floating or sinking to the depths.
I fought with my tired battered body to swim to the surface - through the water I had stained red.
Countless feet I swam upward, my ears popping uncomfortably all the way.
I was going up too fast, and I could tell that I needed to wait and chill for a second to be better safe than sorry.
Treading water tirelessly, I thought about where I had found myself.
In the middle of a god-damn ocean just waiting to be ambushed?! I can't believe my luck! Why sharks? Wasn't I supposed to at least be close to Mount Myōboku? There would never be an Ocean right next to a mountain. The very idea is nonsensical.
Unless… perhaps the summoning Jutsu brings you to a species your most compatible with - since the while jutsu has to do with imagination and whatnot. There must be some sort of compatibility.
After waiting a few minutes, My legs struggled against the water, rising upward until my head crowned out of the water, my mouth finally able to fully open and taste the air without a pipe.
The surface was chaotic, waves crashing into each other, water being tossed this way and that. However I saw far off land.
Being the resourceful lad I am, I decided to make a bone vessel, and that probably sounds grand and all, but the reality was more like a hollow piece of driftwood I clung to. The idea was to keep it the least dense it can be without taking on water.
I paddled slowly to shore. The distant land becoming larger in perspective the closer we became. The sand beach didn't extend far until it lead into a forest.
It was now that I was suffering from my impulsive decision to set off to the summons realm without my gear, food, or anything.
I could have brought shark meat with me if I had thought about it, but it was honestly the last thing on my mind.
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On land, I took time to tend to my injuries and bandage myself. The surface of my skin closest to my chakra pathways had discolored bruising and pain during movement.
Small critters scurried hurriedly throughout the forest.
My eyes, oddly enough, were my least fatigued part of me, carefully scanning around me at all times.
That being said, my eyes did infuriatingly itch. The salt water of the ocean had an effect on me and caked my drying lips.
A lone furred creature approached me, recognizing it, I stared into its eyes. A brown squirrel with a long bushy tail walking on two legs - upright.
The creature barely reached to my knee it was so short, but it's tail was several feet long trailing behind it.
"Why does a squirrel swim on his back summoner?"
I had no answer. The absurdity of the question was more confusing than anything, but then again, that could be its intention.
I paid more attention to my surroundings retrieving Leon from his void.
"To keep his nuts dry."
It was more absurd an opening statement than my imagination could have expected. I snorted and giggled because of the serious nature the squirrel carried himself.
"You must have traveled far." The squirrel emphasizing by pulling his paws apart. His tail swaying through his speech. "I mean you no harm. I noticed that you are human."
It's been a while since anyone called me that.
"The squirrels observational skills are so keen. Did you know this was a tree?" I said pointing to the closest one to us.
"Hehehehehe," it squealed. It's high pitch laughing graded on my patience.
"What do you want?"
"We want information about the other world. We have compiled stories and legends from most intelligent animals, but we have never had a summoner."
Compiled stories and legends of most animals? What about Dragons?
"Do you have information on any Dragons?"
"If you become our Summoner, you will have access to our stores of knowledge."
I was hoping I'd get better intel out of him before I spilled the beans,but it looks like now is as good of time as any.
"Your species is beneath me. I am a living legend. I am searching for Dragons."
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Reviewer Question: - Favorite Heist Movie/Story? (Mine would probably be "Ocean's Eleven" which I partly used for inspiration for last chapter.)
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