Article 43 - Chapter 39 - Conflict Zone
-Volume 2: Subarticle 8-
┬┴┬┴┤ Chapter 39 ├┬┴┬┴
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Inoichi POV)
I wonder if mother regrets being born into this clan?
A door popped open and a quiet whimper followed after.
Mina sat up in her bed to look at her.
Her knuckles were white from strain squeezing a kunai in her clutches.
The woman's eyes leaked profusely, a broken shell of a human who'd died internally some time ago who could never let go of a deep-seated regret.
Was she here to kill me?
A throb in my chest appealed to my humanity. Her childhood wasn't something to be wished onto one's greatest enemy. What more was there to be said other than 'utterly tragic'?
She inched closer to me, her eyes shaking and without her Byakugan active.
The girl scooted backward and pressed her back against the wall.
She took another step, only mere feet from the edge of her bed she was now leaning over.
"I- I wanted to be able to love you… but I couldn't."
I envisioned what my life would be like, absent of parental love that I felt entitled to long ago. How different would I be?
Warm tears oozed out from the edges of her eyes but refused to close them, not even once. Held in a state of shock and terror, she bore witness to every movement, every sound, every smell. Overwhelmed with an influx of stimuli while overclocked to jump to action, she waited for her opportunity.
Win condition...Win condition… How can I win?
This unnatural relationship between mother and child was clearly unsustainable. My gut curled and tossed with the foreknowledge of Yoruichi's death. In the end, there could only be one.
She fell to her knees bringing the kunai up and... and... crudely slit her own throat.
"...?"
Her body fell over in a heap. A crimson pool formed gathering on the ground growing ever larger.
The light faded from her eyes. She gurgled, choking and struggling only to draw another breath or two.
Her soul passed on leaving her body behind, crumpled and slumped out like a quadriplegic opiate abuser.
The pool only grew as it started to stain some of my bed sheets that had fallen to the floor during my retreat.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
What indeed… You poor child.
Slowly she worked up the nerve to creep to the edge of the bed. A little at a time she fought to bear witness to the world's cruelty with no buffer, nothing to shelter her. She stared down the corpse with the hopelessness of a newfound orphan.
Her eyes began to darken and I could see the transition from white to black. Black as midnight, black as her hair.
Her lip quivered, catching my attention.
I was surprised the woman was still alive, a fire in my belly burned to imagine tacking anything else on as final words. Do you really have to say more? I think you've said and done enough.
The voice that followed was eerie and unnatural. My seasoned ears picked up the slightest pitch offset as she spoke despite her neck slit and gashed.
"Your mother wanted to commit suicide before she ever had you, but I waited till today before finally allowing her to have her wish."
"BEING-X!"
Being-X? It seems to be the tether holding this cluster of memories together. What a despicable creature.
In a flash, the scene was replaced by black with a floating orb of light cruising around.
"You truly have no faith. You deserve nothing, so you receive nothing."
"Am I to believe that you are GOD?!" A masculine voice asked.
The voice jarred me. I expected Mina's voice, but who is this?
"... You are, I suppose."
"Impossible, I reject the idea of God from both a logical and philosophical standpoint."
"You are before me, yet you reject my existence?"
"No, not your existence, just your job title. Any being that could stand by and watch the unfairness of life without inclination to help is unworthy of such a title."
"The birds once flew high and sung praises to the heavens... Now birds flock in cesspools of arrogance without true appreciation. One of such little faith, deserved not my attention."
I couldn't believe what I was experiencing. I wanted to dismiss it as impossible, but deep in my gut, I knew a terrible truth. Life is deeply unfair. Could it all have been set in motion by a deranged almighty creator? Drawing on my intuition, I couldn't dismiss the idea. Life has a way of throwing new problems our way the moment we think we have a grip.
"Those who deserve nothing… receive nothing... But perhaps this one time, I will make an exception. Don't disappoint me."
...
"Macular degeneration?"
Inside the office, the white light poured from the fluorescent bulbs overhead. The pungent sterile smell of a health center encompassed all.
"If you keep it in check, you'll still be able to hold onto your sight for some time. It's very possible to go about a normal life."
"So I can still compete though, right Doc?" The young man asked, squeezing his hands together.
His heart thumped hard in anticipation of an answer.
"Heaven's no. I can't in good conscience sign off on contact sports with your condition. That's a malpractice suit for me in the works and a terrible decision to boot."
"Doc, I'm going to need you to lose your diagnosis for me then. If you don't diagnose me, there can't be a malpractice suit. What do you say?"
"I'm sorry champ. Sometimes you have to know when to hold them and know when to fold 'em. Your days of sweating chasing around a ball in live games are behind you. I suggest you write a new chapter in your life, find something else to drive you. You're young and smart. You've got your whole life ahead of you and I mean that. I'd kill to be twenty again, enjoy yourself. You won't have your youth forever."
"Listen, I have $16,000 dollars to my name. You can have every penny, but please, don't submit those results."
He dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. I'm a prideful man, but damnit if I wasn't willing to show my desperation to protect my future as an athlete then it would've been for nothing in the first place. Basketball is my therapy. It's where I've always turned when I had nothing else. It was my comfort drilling countless hours into preparation to be able to build confidence in myself and give me my pride. Without it I am nothing.
Bask-et-ball? What's that?
"Sir, I'm sorry. I understand that these things are difficult-"
"You don't understand shit! Basketball is my life, man! You're taking away my one love in life! You can't do this! This is a death sentence to my career. I'll lose my athletic scholarship and won't be able to afford school. I'm just asking for a little empathy. PLEASE!"
"Sir, there's really nothing I can do. Rules are rules after all. We can only abide by them and keep on moving. Sorry."
Unable to fight back my building rage, I snapped raising my voice and trying a new avenue since the other wasn't working.
"Fuck your rules and fuck you too. Kill yourself. Your greedy ass would've done it for more money, but I'm just too poor to make it worth your while. Is that it?"
"You're going to need to calm down and lower your voice. You're disturbing my practice and I can contact the police if necessary."
"As much as I'd love to watch you deepthroat their shlongs, apparently I can't fuckin' see so it's not like it'd do much for me."
"I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Please vacate the premises."
"Go choke down a palmful of Xan's and kill yourself. You get off on crushing other people's dreams? Is that what this is?"
The M.D. picked up the phone off the hook at his desk dialing. Beep - boop - boop.
"I'm calling 911."
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Iwazumi Nara POV)
To prove my worthiness as a protégé, Shinji challenged one of the three badger's to a spar. If he impresses them, then I'll be awarded a contract. Still, I didn't know what to expect when I heard spar, but this is not at all what I envisioned.
I marveled at the oppressive clash of shinobi titans. Shin zoomed around the battlefield. Shifty changes of direction propelled by bursts of steam kept him out of reach of the revered elder Zane each time he closed in.
"Both of them are still playing with each other. It's about time they got serious." Kisuke said with both hands interlocked at the fingers held near his nose.
The Badger flew past the evading monk, a beam of pure unnatured chakra carried through his punch cannoning past. A translucent white aura barrier appeared soaking up the attack before it reached the walls of the burrow. The barrier was constructed by one of the two remaining badgers spectating from the sidelines.
"They aren't serious yet?! Someone is going to die! What if this whole place caves in?"
"Calm down and analyze the situation. They both are feeling each other out before unleashing their strength. Their outputs are calculated to limit potential fatalities."
Shin dashed this way and that narrowly escaping the badger darting his way at blistering speeds. The game of cat and mouse continued, the cat getting quicker and craftier and the mouse responding in kind until the cat cornered its prey.
The monk was backed into a wall while Zane zoomed in with an inescapable strike.
My heart fought to leap from my chest. My newly awakened fear of death, even the deaths of those around me drove me to a frenzied cold sweat.
A massive outflux of chakra radiated in a wave outward disturbing the air. A cloud of dust gushed out carried by the current. I shielded my eyes while imagining Shin's body, the sturdy hunk of rock crumbling under such tremendous force. The only humans durable enough to withstand that kind of strike could only be physical Kekkei Genkai holders like Mina Hyuga, and even for someone like her, I'd have difficulty believing her pulling through.
"Don't look away, witness Shin-san's true trump card. The reason he earned the moniker Beast Tamer Shinji."
Four humongous white tails curled around into a ball where Shin was, while one wrapped around the Honey Badger rooting it in place robbing its mobility. My mouth fell open in mingled confusion and awe as the badger struggled against his constraints.
"What's that?!" I pointed while tugging on Kisuke beside me.
"That is a partial Tailed Beast transformation that is. He is one of two Jinchuriki of the hidden stone trained personally by the other, our master Roshi."
My teeth clenched together. The shadows of my rivals were alive in these two Stone-nin. The calm awareness and strategic approach of Neji spilled from Kisuke. Shinji wielded oppressive power and defensive prowess far surpassing the dual Kekkei Genkai holder and our years undisputed ace - Mina Hyuga.
"How can I become a Jinchuriki? I want to be strong… untouchable like Mina-chan and Shinji-senpai" I blurted out without filtering myself.
"Hold on there. First off, I don't think you understand what you're asking. The ostracism and responsibility of constantly carrying and suppressing a monster inside. Becoming a Jinchuriki isn't some magic answer like you might think it is."
Of course it wouldn't be that easy… It never is.
"-And secondly… What do you know about Mina Hyuga?"
They even know about her? Of Course, they would… She's too spectacular to ignore. My insurmountable hurdle I can't even surpass in my imagination.
"That she's cut from a different cloth, like Shinji-senpai. Gifted with unparalleled strength and durability. If the singularity loves all of us equal, why does he make us different?"
"You've got it all wrong. Shinji... and me, are nothing like that demon. We are all reincarnates from another life, but unlike us who follow the will of the Singularity to salvage and save the souls of this world from the devil Jashin's corruption, She is a reincarnated soul from hell. She is a very dangerous ENEMY."
"She's… the enemy?"
I couldn't believe my ears. I never liked her with that haughty attitude and air of superiority, but I never would have guessed. Is this real?
"The enemy of all humanity. She wants to drag us all into purgatory with her. If she gets her way she'll turn our planet into a new level of hell and rein as its Queen. Do your best to keep your distance and never let her suspect that I told you her secret. Amadeus, our High-priest and Overseer, warned us she is the Envoy of death and destruction. The world will be thrown into chaos as she recruits followers of her own to fight against the Singularity. She is to Jashin what Amadeus is to the singularity, an Overseer promoted by the supernatural, but she is on the wrong side. Never trust or underestimate her. Do you understand?"
I gulped, swallowing a mouthful of spit that built up while listening to all those unbelievable things. As absurd and unlikely as all that sounded, I couldn't discredit or write it off. The more I thought, the more the perspective made sense through my window of experience.
She surrounded herself with only the strongest shinobi of the village. She must have managed to convince Sasuke to jump a year to gather her own champions like Ama did. Does that mean Sasuke and Neji are reincarnated too? If that's true then they cheated and I was really the number one pupil of our year!
"What about her followers? I know at least two of them she got her claws into. Could they be reincarnated too or are they normal like me?"
"Her champions? Who are they?"
"Uhh… She got both Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyuga on her side. But like I said, I don't know if they are champions or normal like me."
"Champions don't have to be reincarnated. Champions are given the ability to channel divine power through an artifact like Shinji's blade or my bracers. I have no clue if they are souls from hell or only led astray by her, but it wouldn't be wise to go snooping around when you get back. Let your seniors look into this further."
"Hahahaha! Good, GOOD!" The badger cackled. "A most curious human wielding the strength of a tailed beast like his own. You may prove worthy after all. Hit me with everything you've got and if I'm impressed you and your subordinates will all receive a contract."
The area around the Honey Badger's eyes took on a golden pigmentation, same with the irides. He'd been trying harder and harder ever since being perpetually outmaneuvered and evaded by the monk.
"Sage mode…" Kisuke whispered under his breath.
"Sage mode?" I questioned.
"Shhh!" Ki-senpai shushed me. I listened and glued my eyes to watch what would happen next edged as far out of the seat as possible. I hung in deep unsustainable suspense.
Something big is coming. My brain told me.
After images of the monk flashed as he shot around the room, bouncing from here to there. Shin appeared driving a hip forward and unleashing a monstrous haymaker. It blitzes past its target barely off, a savage knee to Pineapple monk's chest concluded the counterattack catapulting the ninja backward into solid rock. An impression of the body formed around the impact point, the silhouette of Shin pressed into the stone.
"I guess I won't be needing to hold back anymore."
Chakra sapped out of my body, a vortex of it channeled through his sword in hand. It vibrated with a hum screeching out like a toddler.
The furnace on his back took in all the energy bloating and distorting its shape.
"Be cautious everyone! This one's even new to me." Shin warned.
My fingertips pressed harder together as my concern grew.
"Tailed… Beast… Bomb!"
A retarded loud explosion popped off rattling my teeth and bones. A blur of the monk slashed through the air like a beam of light. Both figures rebounded off each other with a thunderous crash, the badger rocketing into the wall shattering the 10-foot thick wall like glass.
Sense told me that neither of them should have survived that brutal exchange making it all the harder to believe it when Shinji pushed up off the ground. His clothes were frayed and stretched into holes. Red armamental body armor peeked out from under his ninja kit.
"I thought It'd be a little overkill…" Steve scratched at the back of his head.
"He didn't kill him did he?" I asked, turning to the other monk who peered at the rubble of the former wall that was settling.
Shin clenched his hand open and closed, the right-side plated gauntlet style glove was blown clean apart, only his hardened hand left.
"Han-sensei's engineered steam armor is as exceptional as ever." Kisuke hollered
"Well duh, did you see how much chakra I fit in that? I'm like a tailless beast! I think I might even be able to give Han-sensei some pointers now." His eyebrows jumped up and down like a fangirl.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Inoichi POV)
With the discovery of the inexplicable memories hidden in Mina-chan's head and reporting to the third, my next assignment was sifting through Sasuke's.
It didn't take long before I was headed down the right track. A cluster of memories with Mina as the thread's common denominator was found easier than I expected.
The back of an adolescent with the Uchiha insignia imprinted to the back walked down a narrow hallway. The woodgrain and style alone gave away the location. The Uchiha Compound. Raven black hair flowed behind the lad who towered tall based on perspective.
Itachi of the Sharingan.
"Onii, Why is everyone being weird and all talking about the Hyuga match?"
"They say Mina may surpass my records," Itachi replied.
"But! But you have the Sharingan, and you are a genius… Surely the Byakugan isn't powerful enough to allow for that, everyone knows the Uchiha are better. Dad says that's why they moved us into the outskirts of the village."
A finger flew forward and popped everything around with a few vibrations.
"Don't repeat what father says ever… and the Sharingan is powerful, but it is not invincible, never forget that."
…
No, but looks like we're on the right track.
…
Zzzzzt
Mina popped into view with a greenish blurry background. The girl wrapped up the wrist of a punching hand and burst past out of sight. Everything snapped up and only the sky and clouds were visible. Tremors of red flashed indicating physical trauma of some kind.
"How dare you hurt Sasuke like that! YOU MONSTER! … Here Sasuke." An unbearably loud girl shouted.
The kid weaseled around on the ground a bit. He was having some difficulty getting up and daddy's little princess came over to check on him out of the kindness of her heart. Her hand was slapped away without a moment for consideration.
No he didn't...
His breaths were ragged. His fist struck the ground in an irate hissy fit. The Hyuga girl locked into focus… and finally stumbled to his feet, inching nearer.
"Sasuke stop, Mina was the victor." Iruka reprimanded.
"I...know," he said as everything cut to black. It stayed like that for a brief period, before the shutters to the outside opened once again.
"You are just as amazing as I remembered… and you didn't use your byakugan." He said to the girl.
"Ya… You were amazing too. That was fun."
…
What? Is my little girl not good enough for this prick?
I sighed.
I won't be biased… Just move along Ino.
…
Zzzzzt
The same hallway from the first memory flooded back, this time much darker despite an orange lightbulb putting in some work. There was a pretty good chance it was nighttime, I'd bet on it.
Four legs stretched out side-by-side, the detail of the picture was greater than the ones before. I surmised that it was either that this one is newer, or more significant to him.
The albino pigmented cutie's face was scrunched up in some sort of inner struggle, she kept on being awkward for a bit longer before finally speaking up.
"...Hey Sasuke… there's something I need to tell you."
"Yeah? Does it have anything to do with the question I asked?" The response was quick and snappy.
"It doesn't, but-"
The quality of everything dipped, and after a minute of being jerked around, I considered skipping to the next.
So this is why you were cold to my little Ino… Okay… Alright. I understand.
...
"I overheard something I shouldn't have," she whispered."I understand this stuff might be hard to believe, but I need you to listen to everything ~ okay? Promise me."
It's probably just some childish gossip… but everything shifted into greater detail again, the picture rapidly sharpening.
"Hn."
"-Promise me!" She demanded.
"Okay fine - I promise, happy?"
Her eyes peered through the lens as if searching inside as if looking directly at me.
It's just my imagination.
"Itachi slaughtered your clan. You already know this, but what you don't know is a man named Danzo orchestrated it all."
Red tremors flashed and flashed distorting what should've been seen.
...
The only thing distinguishable were the lips of the Hyuga prodigy moving.
"Danzo… Village Elder… Had to stop the Uchiha's Coup d'état… Ordered … Extermination… NO THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT! I MUST HAVE MISREAD HER LIPS!"
...WHO DID SHE OVERHEAR?!
"NO! IT WAS ALL ITACHI ~ DON'T LIE! " The boy shrieked.
Her hand popped out of nowhere cupping his mouth shut.
"Shh-shh-shh. I wasn't supposed to hear this, and I know they don't want you to know, but I have to tell you anyway."
She admitted to betraying the village!
I fought to shake my head free of her grasp, but she had a surprisingly firm hold and wouldn't let me loose.
"Your clan was planning to overthrow the system of power in the village and claim it for themselves. They had it all planned out and everything, but Itachi decided the village was more important than his clan..."
Sandaime-dono will need to hear about this… and very likely Ibiki-san.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Kogetsu POV)
"Another frick'n D-rank. They think we still ain't ready. How we 'finna impress the brass if they got us runnin' these kiddie missions?" I vented pulling the wagon of supplies along.
"...finish the mission faster so it doesn't look like we struggled with it."
"What are you saying? That eating at the diner was a mistake? You didn't complain while you were stuffing your face Tetsu!" I yelled.
Ari coughed lightly clearing his throat, but then stayed silent choosing to stay out. He'd do anything to stay on sensei's good graces, but I'm not sucking up to ANYBODY.
"Fine. Everyone a critic just 'cuz y'all not the ones making a decision. I see how it is."
"Sensei! Aren't you gon' help us push? Like sheeesh!" Tetsuya whined.
"Lame! You're already basically done. If you guys really care about getting respect, you'd finished without my help. Isn't that right Tetsuya-kun?"
"Oh… Yes mamn!"
Anko-sensei is always tryna pull one over on us. She got this presence that starts to wear on you 'cuz it's like she's always a leg up. The way she smirks when we say something wrong and doesn't even bother to correct us is the worst part. Sadistic to a tee and always ready to watch us walk circles for a kick.
"Don't let her walk on you like that. She just gon' do it again and again!"
"It might be wise to shut your mouth tubby." Her words dropped sharp as a knife, a chill ran down my back. "I'll walk on you whether you let me or not. Better to conserve your energy than to struggle in vain wouldn't you say?"
With a final heave, we pulled the cart to the top of the hill. The wooden outpost stretched up with an observation deck at the tippy top. A tallish brown-headed chunin of the leaf was waiting on us and waved over as we established a line of sight.
"Ah, excellent. Right on time." He nodded.
The Dude looked like they were running low on provisions with that narrow face and black bags under his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! You 'bout to feast today boy! Ya hear?" I sang now the mission objective was practically over.
The douche rolled his eyes and waved us on past pointing up to the observation deck. "Deliveries are dropped off up there."
I deadass starred the dude down for the better part of a minute before shrugging me off. "You 'finna watch us do all the work and just stand there? Weak man."
"I'm ON DUTY. Get your ass's in gear genin, this is YOUR LEVEL of workflow."
Actin' tuff 'cuz you got a few years headstart when you ain't even tryna work? Your nothin'.
"Alright, alright. All you old fogeys standin' by and watchin', I see how it is!"
In a flash, my ear was yanked. I bent over, leaned into Devil-Sensei to take some pressure off the pull on my ear. "Ahh! Quit it you crone!"
"Hasn't anyone told you it isn't polite to call women old fogeys?" She pulled harder.
"Oww oww oww-oww! Okay, okay! I take it back! I said I take it back!"
She let go and I retreated a few steps. My hand flew up to the burning ear working it in my hand to soothe the pain while giving sensei a sidelong glare.
"A ninja supposed to see through deception, ain't that right Anko-sensei?" I grumbled still massaging the earlobe.
"What's your point squirt?" Her eyes narrowed into slits.
"I ain't really take it back." I grinned, victorious in my heart.
A menacing grin appeared on her face, but she drew still and quiet. I almost regretted my cheeky jab, but regret is mad lame and doesn't suit me one bit.
"I love a man with some fight left in him. Since Ko-kun wants to volunteer to empty the load himself, I say we should give him what he wants."
Ari hopped aboard the Anko-Express nodding in agreement like a turd. "If that's what he wants, who are we to say no?"
Tetsuya shrugged glancing between the two. "I'm down."
"This be some bullshit. My boys are out here switching sides! No loyalty, foreal-foreal."
"A feminine touch can make all the difference, remember that little boy."
I knew it wasn't fair, but complaining about it would have been more up Tetsuya's alley and it's not like anything would change. If you ask more than once you're begging, and I ain't a beggar.
They want to stick me with the work? Fine, I'll be the MVP and carry this whole fricken team.
I crouched down and slid off a wooden cargo container onto my shoulder and propped it with my arm. One by one, each made their way to the observation deck lined against the wall into tall stacks, and all by myself.
I brushed off the sweat drenching my forehead and dabbed down my neck. My labored breathing settled having planted my ass in a chair a bit ago.
"I knew I didn't need 'em." I shook my head.
Orange and yellows spilled over the horizon with heavy glare. The temperature of the air chilled in preparation for the coming night.
It was getting late and the work was done. We'll be heading out any time now.
With hastened steps, my feet flew down the stairwell. I kicked the metal door ajar, bumped it with a shoulder, and stepped out of the inner outpost.
A campfire blew blackened smoke into the sky. Two slumped silhouettes parked on a bench near the fire became the destination. The douchebag of a chunin and poon boy Tetsu were a match made in heaven, I could only guess what passed as a conversation between them.
I slowed down, not wishing to alert them after neither made a motion to check to see who was coming, but realized it was all for nothing when neither of them was talking.
"You've got the personality of a brick." I shoved my friend's back heaving him out of his chair.
He caught himself flailing his arms for balance. "Hey, screw off buddy."
I grinned, a hand on his back and Tatsuya at my mercy able to shove him over easily. "Whatever dude." I turned away. "You been actin' shady, ya hear?"
"Nonononono. Listen, no you're not listening! … Anko-sensei is THICC. right? - Okay, and THICC gets what it wants. Mhmmm? Try to tell me I'm wrong after that!"
"You are a beta fuckin' cuck if I've ever seen one. You know girls are like social monkey's right? They swing to the next vine faster if you act like a pussy."
"I'd say we can agree, TO DISAGREE. I'm not trying to hear this garbage right now. You're the social monkey bro."
"Yeah? Well, at least my mom isn't my dad's niece you inbred twat."
"You're right, I'm a pureblood. A higher pedigree than you ya' schmuck. My mom and dad were the best Genjutsu specialists in the whole Izumo clan. Best use your brain before talkin' all 'dat shit before I trap you in my 'Predation Nightmare' Jutsu."
"Genjutsu is for insecure poons…" I trailed off.
"What was that?" Tetsu brought a hand up to his ear. "I thought I heard something?"
…
"Yeah! That's what I thought! Thought I heard something but it must have just been the wind..." A wicked smile spread as the silence dragged. "So anyways, Sensei already took the cart with Ari and headed off. We're supposed to catch up."
"How much a headstart they got?"
"Like 5 minutes, whenever you grabbed the last thing."
"I was taking a moment to appreciate my work fucker, I did it all."
"YEAH, Yeah, yeah."
"... Let's go." We broke into a run. "...You're deadass awkward sometimes."
"Okay, Okay! Don't mind."
"Don't even get me goin' on about how you crawl upstairs like you think you're a bear -or something."
"THAT WAS ONE TIME! I started to fall so I was playing it off." He held out a single finger stuffing it in my face and waving it around for the point.
"...my man, I've seen you do that shit a few times."
"Two times max."
"...Nah."
"There might've been an unlikely third time now that I'm thinking about it, but I'm not going any higher!"
"Whatever helps you sleep at night buddy."
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
I flew behind a tree seeking cover somehow dragging Tetsu by his wrist.
"Cover-up T-dawg."
From my back pocket I withdrew a handful of chalky balls and slung a line of them while burying my face into my bicep. The smoke bombs each burst in succession spouting fat blackened clouds that spread everywhere.
I fumbled around feeling for the flair my mom made me pack. She was not tryin' to hear that I didn't need it so it HAS to be in here somewhere… Ah! Yeah, right here.
I plucked it out of the pouch and snagged a mini branch off a tree along the way and strapping the flair to it with some fishing line I had on hand.
Miracles don't happen twice in a row.
I stuck the flair in the ground and lit the fuse. It was unlikely that anyone would search the smoke and find the flair to put it out before it could go off meaning that if needed, we could turn it into a waiting game and Anko-san could destroy them.
"Run."
My legs were supercharged on some other shit, we needed to go. I tore that dirt up like 'WOOSH.'
Being ambushed is one of the worst-case scenarios for a battle. "Best we find sensei and figure out what's goin' on."
"Uh-huh... Uh-huh."
"We-we goin' the... right way?"
Tetsu shrugged like a dumbass, but then again I needed to ask him in the first place.
We kept ongoing. Our breathing got dead heavy sprinting with everything we had out of there wanting no more of whatever all that metal drumming into the tree right next to us after suddenly changing pace.
"AAAAAAAAGGGHH! Noooooo!"
The snap of singing metal cried out. Tetsuya's stride broke, doing a powerslide into the leaves. A dark grey and rusted iron bear trap clenched around his calf. Rich creamy red stained his tan-green pants especially around the teeth of the sprung trap.
"Holy fuck. Man are you alright?"
"AGHEEEEEM… Help, please!"
I couldn't risk trying to help him get out of the trap with bogies on our tail.
I was torn figuring what options were available.
Loyalty… Loyalty… or Loyalty?
"Get on my back you fucker! Looks like I'm carrying your ass again!"
I stooped down, hoisted him over my right shoulder while leaning to the left for balance and fighting onwards.
POP!
Red and Purple sparks streamed across the sky, the flare signal turned into a resounding success.
"ANKO-SAN!"
Leaves crunched behind us. They caught up.
My hand dug into my back pocket once more, a few smoke bombs still remained, enough to fill one hand, but Tetsuya's weight shifted trapping it in place.
A mask peered out from behind a tree. In horror I clenched my hand, the chalky balls crushed to powder. Smog rushed around dissipating this way and that little by little.
A sharp arid whistle echoed and synched together. Thud, thud, thud.
"Errgah! Epphh…" Tetsu struggled.
A chill-slicing pain dug into my back. The wound moistened before drips snaked down my back.
"Hang in there." I fought out holding myself back from cussing up a storm. "We're gon' get through this together, ya hear?"
That's what I said, but it didn't look good for either of us. It didn't change the fact that escaping from Anbu on restricted mobility was a pipe dream for a genin like me.
HssssSSSS!
Thick greenish-brown serpents streamed through the air out of the smoke. They nimbly wrapped around Tetsu and me, constricting tighter and jerking us forward. We landed at the feet of our sensei while I received a face full of dirt.
"What is it, runts?" Sensei asked, her usual cold demeanor warped by a smidge of empathy.
"Pew-shhtt! Euuuk." I worked to eject the dirt that made its way into my mouth. "Enemy anbu. They hit the outpost as we were leaving."
Sensei's eyes grew wide but nodded with casual acceptance as if that was the most normal thing ever.
Her free arm slung out snakes from the other sleeve too, each fatter and thicker than my balled fist. They snapped forward like a whip, but as they pulled back a nin caught by the neck was dragged back and thrashed to the ground. The throat of the Anbu tore out clean flayed away by the fangs of the reptile. Blood spurted and sprayed out like a hose with a hand covering the nozzle.
Wide-eyed in the wake of death, something else stood out even greater. It wasn't the gore or our sensei's overwhelming strength, but the tattoo on the enemy's arm proving this was not some obscure operative team, but one of the great nation's.
"How many of 'em?" Anko-sensei asked.
"M-minimum of three or four?" I struggled before pointing to the mark on the Anbu's arm. "Look, they prolly Lightning nin!"
"Tch. Is that all? Violating our border with so few? Those lamebrained fools!" She darted off towards the outpost and vanished.
Tink, tink. The sound of metal flying and being repelled hung in the air before a nasty vulgar yelp finished the exchange. After, all was quiet.
"Ari shouldn't be too far behind. I'll take a peek at the outpost and be right back."
"Wait! Anko-san! Please don't leave!" Tetsuya cried while holding his leg still clamped by the bear trap.
"You're gon' be fine now man! Sensei wouldn't run off unless she got 'em all." I tried calming him down.
POOF. Something popped, almost like a balloon but stranger.
"Mamushiki, protect my little neolates. Momma will be right back my darling."
Ssssssss.
What the heck is she on about?
The smoke cleared, and where I expected to find Anko-san instead was instead an overgrown beefy pit viper. The main color of the snake was pale gray with irregular black and brown blotches all down its back and head.
Two additional bodies of Anbu laid motionless in awkward positions slain, dying, or immobilized by our sensei's hand.
The slithering creature stretched further than 2 meters long flicking its forked tongue out of its mouth with another unfriendly hiss.
"Ssss-stay s-still."
The viper's body swayed flinging twigs and other shit to the side. It slithered to us rapidly forcing me to gulp of nervousness.
I didn't dare move an inch to give the serpent any excuse, but Tetsu was another story.
He ground his good leg pushing the heel into the dirt and pushing off to scoot away while whimpering in pain.
It was only then I realized how profuse his bleeding was. Tetsu's face was pale as a ghost, and a new pool of blood half an inch deep splattered as he wormed around.
My heartbeat hastened in fear for my friend.
"That'sss a lot of blood."
The snake reached us and slid up Tetsuya's leg. It coiled around his hip and thigh squeezing tight and cutting off circulation.
"Ah-ahh-ahhh!" Tetsu moaned.
"Peel the trap off while I hold him sss-so he won't bleed out." The snake said.
I pried the teeth open with difficulty before they were far enough apart to slide it off and toss it aside. From there basic training took over, I ripped the sleeve off my shirt to use as emergency gaus wrapping the open wound tight and tying a knot.
"Fuck man! Please stop! Agh."
"I'm already done. That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Tetsuya flipped over on his side revealing two kunai handles sticking out of his back.
"You're lookin' rough, but everythings gon' be fine now, alright? I gotchu fam." I said, slapping his cheek a little as he was nodding out. "Stay with me dude. Now's no time to nap."
"Ko…" A gentle whisper reached me. "I...don't want to die. I'm scared."
"Stop talkin' like that. You're gon' be fine like I said. Anko-sensei'll be right back and we'll take you home and get you all fixed up."
His hand found mine and gave me a light squeeze. "Don't doubt me! We're gon' get back and you'll stop actin' like a puss and ask out Ten-ten like you always talk about, okay? We're gunna eat a big buffet at Yakiniku Q, all the beef you can eat. After we can go find Lee and rip on him some, so just hold on buddy."
I glanced back the way Anko-san came from. There were no hints that Ari was getting close.
"We gotta find our third team member. He was supposed to be right behind Anko-sensei." I announced to my buddy and the snake, mostly just the snake.
The snake writhed its tongue about over in that direction. "Hssssssss…"
"Alright man, hop on." I pulled Tetsu onto my back as gentle as possible to not irritate his wounds.
We took off with the snake leading the way following a scent trail.
Onwards we kept until the snake bolted off in a split second.
A grey rabbit popped out of a nearby bush scurrying away from the serpent.
"Hey! We don't have time for detours!"
"Human!" The snake responded hot on his tail.
"Oh… Ari, it's us!"
The rabbit didn't slow down, still hopping away.
"Ari?" I shouted.
The rabbit untransformed proving the snake's claim. The figure was larger than I expected, and the Owl-shaped Anbu mask petrified my body. I locked up like a stuffed safe.
The snake lashed out with a strike but the Anbu dashed backward avoiding its fangs and creating some separation between us and the enemy.
His hands clasped together and began running through hand signs.
The snake slithered into the shadow of a tree disappearing from sight and appeared out of the shadow cast by the Anbu. It clasped its fangs into his calf before he could finish the Jutsu, but continued on as if it were nothing.
IS HE SUICIDAL?!
"Lightning Release: Running Wolves" the masked Anbu shouted in a masculine voice.
A current of electricity gathered in his palms branched off into three strands. Each strands' end expanded and grew into a waist-high canine-shaped bundle of energy. The snake rebit the fucker over and over in quick succession, but his focus refused to be broken. All of his attention was on Tetsu and me for some reason while getting torn up by that fat nasty viper.
The poison'll do its work, just keep wit' the stallin'.
Unable to really assist Anko's familiar with Tetsu in tote, I took the last of my flash bombs and set them off to blind him and reposition.
The chakra was sucked through the paper like it was dying of thirst, igniting immediately against my expectations also flashing myself in the process.
My ears rang and streaks of white and grey blurred my vision.
My feet carried us around determined for relocation. One arm steadied Tetsuya from falling off my back while the other frantically waved in front of us to feel for vegetation and terrain.
With basically no visibility, there wasn't a point to holding onto the rest of those tags for much longer. I couldn't check to see how the enemy was doing, so I'd bombard him with my very own flash festival to make sure he'd be as useless as me.
Pop. 1...2...3...4...5… Pop. 1...2...3...4...5… Pop. 1...2...3...Pop.
Flashbangs only give a good 5 seconds of complete blindness, so I gotta space 'em out and add some change-ups to keep bein' effective.
Pop. 1...2...3...4...Pop. 1...2...3...4...5… Pop. 1...2… Pop. 1...2...3...4...5… Pop.
These bombs followed the two-second delay as normal, only that damned first one went off instantly.
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. I kept firing them off with some pauses in between while scurrying around.
Every flashbang made the ringing in my ears worse, but that was a small price to pay for the chance of survival against a bloodlusted elite veteran like this special ops Anbu.
My entire body shook and convulsed out of my control. My muscles locked up and unlocked on repeat like 10 times a second in a loop. I lost my balance crashing to my back and rolling over Tetsu who shook too, but maybe a bit less than me.
He still got me wit' 'dat ninjutsu?!
"Kaii$iigaii&iih." The constant ring drowned out whatever Tetsuya was on about, not a clue what he was saying.
[punctured his lung]
Fresh out of auxiliary supplies, I closed my eyes and waited. Waited to see if we'd live or die. Everything rode on how well the viper could handle the brute while the dude's focus was elsewhere and he oughta be downright dazed by now.
I sat up to see the snake wrapped around the man with its fangs sunk into his face, the mask resting on the ground face down. The skin around the guy's bite marks was turning grey and blackish-purple, while all his veins bulged a lighter shade of purple, but no less terrifying.
"Fuckin' prick!" I kicked the side of the guy's head. It whipped sideways with a snappy crack bending awkwardly.
The snake slid off him as I took the opportunity to kick him again, even harder. "Thought you could pick on some fresh meat, did you? Now you're the fresh meat bastard!"
"He'sss dead."
I wanted to kick him again, but the eyes of the slain Anbu caught my attention. Bold empty black. No pupils, no white of the eye, no irises, only black, and from each corner leaked what looked like oozing black tar. I shuddered at the strength of the viper's venom in half disgust while the other half was awed.
"Nawwww?! Dude's eyes are melting that shit's so toxic. I never would have guessed!"
"That was'sssn't me." The snake inched closer inspecting the corpse's eyes. "Very unnatural… My venom doesn't do that."
"Stop playin' games snake! I'm not in the friggin' mood."
Hssssssss. It warned me before coiling up and lapping up more air with its tongue. "Hurry."
It took off through the grove like a vampiric bat escaping the underworld.
I turned to catch Tetsu's body heaving struggling to breathe. I skittered over and took a knee flipping him onto his side. The two Kunai handles were embedded deeper into his back having landed on them. Cracking wheezes sputtered from his lips and he choked out blood in raspy coughs.
"Fuck. Fuck! I'm soooo sorry bro."
Some gurgles escaped his lips, as well as a red goopy bubble he blew out.
He's gon' die. No, not like this.
I pulled the kunai embedded in his lung out of his back. Yellow gunk mixed with blood poured from the wound. I tilted his body a bit before flipping him on his stomach after the blockage in his lungs cleared up.
His breathing steadied marginally. He was still wheezing with maybe half lung functionality, but half was better than nothing.
"I'm… sorry," Tetsu whispered.
"Nononononono. You got nothin' to be sorry about man, this is all my bad. If it weren't for my stupid pride we'd already be long out'a here. Hold on, please don't leave."
"I...was...bad...friend." He coughed some more crap out.
"Stop it. Just blame me like you always do, this time it REALLY was my fault."
His hand reached out trembling before resting it on my cheek. "I'm… wish… got… see… sensei...titties...before-"
"-Shut the fuck up retard! You'll see 'em one day! I promise! So save that damn energy man, focus on stayin' with me."
His eyes shut slow and peaceful.
My whole mouth dried out like the Suna Desert.
"Don't you fuckin' quit on me! Tetsu!" I lifted his neck up to try to help him breathe. "Tetsu!"
I reached for his chest feeling for a pulse, but it wasn't there.
"Nonononono." I flipped my best friend back onto his back and started focusing on given' him chest compressions on his heart and his good lung. "I'M GON' DRAG YOU BACK KICKIN' N' SCREAMIN' YOU QUITTER. YOU FUCKIN' HEAR ME?!"
I pumped and pumped alternatin' between blowin' my breath through his mouth and more compressions.
"Buddy?! Come on." Tears spilled down my cheeks like no other time while I pumped even harder.
I kept goin' but it just wasn't working! Nothing I was doing was workin'!
"Tetsuya!" I folded over him with a fist full of his hair clenched in my hand and drenching him in my waterworks.
"Ko-kun?"
The feminine voice woke me from my stupor, but even if my mind was awake, my body refused to comply. I snorted back the runny snot filling my nose. "Sensei...Tetsuya's gone." My best friend was dead… and worst of all he was finished at my hand. I was the one who dropped him. "I killed him. I killed Tetsuya…"
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Mina POV)
I blinked awake. The murmur of voices rose and faded as my conscious spun to kick into gear. It felt like smoke and fires were breaking out in my head like my nerves were engaged in a civil war with each other.
I held my head with my palm, twisting a strand of my hair around my finger. There was a voice, but I could only pick up about every other word in my state.
"Good job… Send you… See Sasuke."
"S...Sasuke?"
The name stirred something inside me. MY focus reigned in to catch the rest of the conversation.
"Tsukiyomi… Inoichi… Sharingan… Memories."
As hard as I tried, it was as if actual focus was impossible. My brain refused to work.
"Hello?"
I couldn't help but call out, frustrated by my inability to form coherent thoughts. It was like I had fog in my brain and I was sleepy, but I could sleep plenty when I was dead. This could be important.
"Umm. Anyone?"
"You have your assignment. Let me know if you find anything of interest."
"Yes Sandaime-sama."
The rubber squeak of shoes on tile cried out. There were multiple sets, some sounding like they were getting further away, others like they were approaching.
It felt like my sinuses were clogged up and behind my eyes ached, but in moments the Hokage stood before me, and alongside him the figurehead of the Torture and Investigative team, Ibiki Morino.
The elder took a long, drawn-out breath then held it as if pondering what he'd say but instead said nothing. Silence fell beside the faint drip of droplets falling into a puddle. Plop, Plop.
The sound brought back bad memories. Memories I wish could've just been forgotten.
"I'm told you're being persecuted by some kind of Demon? Is that true?"
I gasped, unable to hide my astonishment.
"Yes. You saw in my head then?"
"We heard about it from Inoichi-san," Hokage-dono spoke.
My tireless struggle. I've been alone for so long. Hoping against hope that one day I could share the burden. That I could stop hiding and just come clean. I thought this day might never come. Am I dreaming?
I moved to pinch myself but soon realized my wrists were restrained to the arms of my swivel chair.
Tears flooded down my cheeks as Lord Third's concern for my safety touched me. For once I could look at him as an Ally than some danger I'd have to waltz with while minding my toes.
"I didn't know what to do. I didn't think anyone would believe me."
"There, there. Rest sweet child. Say no more." Ibiki spoke.
"I knew that if I let my little rat scurry around enough, it would eventually corner itself."
I knew that voice. It wasn't Lord Third's or Ibiki's. Who's was it's?
My brain burned trying to remember, but I was drawing a blank.
"You poor dumb animal. How idiotic must a meatbag be to challenge my absolute rule?!"
That was when both of the men's eyes were consumed by darkness, eclipsed in eternal night. A winding plant sprouted from between the crack of a tile, a black vegetative creature appearing between the two leaf ninja.
"Being-X!"
My brain wasn't working nearly fast enough, but it arrived at those words all the same.
"When I choke every bit of life out of you, I'll assimilate with your mind and you'll become a small cog in my collective genius. This is the greatest honor for a stray lamb who's wandered so far off your path."
Hiruzen reached out grabbing me firmly by the throat. His hands squeezed cutting off the circulation. "Euur….Ah...Kaahgagaga."
"What was that? I couldn't hear that?" His hand clenched tighter.
"Khaaaoooog."
My eyes rolled back into my head. The burn of no available oxygen to respire felt like a fire in my lungs.
"Dare to conspire against a God? Hahaha! Worthless pawn. Refuse to take instruction will you? You nearly jeopardized my foothold in this realm with your disobedience."
The grip got even tighter, the building strain becoming far too much to hold out against.
"Ungrateful little shit. I'm going to enjoy every last second of this. I will not tolerate disrespect!"
The pressure behind my eyes became unbearable, until a Pop sounded, my leftward vision skewing and jumbling.
My eye popped and protruded out of the socket dangling about.
"Hahahahahahaha! Die!"
I began fading out.
Crunch.
My neck cracked. Everything became black. Back to the Abyss.
.
..
…
..
.
You are weak.
Weak?
Weak. Pitiful. But Useful.
I don't care anymore. Do your worst Being-X. I give up.
Don't confuse, I am not that leeching sponge never content with his domain. I am the great ascended soul Jashin, shepherd of souls, Avatar of Vengeance, and gatekeeper to the pure land.
Sure. Let's just pretend I'm stupid, shall we?
We have both been disrespected by the abomination referred to as 'The Singularity.' Even its name is presumptuous. Does it not fear the backswing of the pendulum? Does it believe it can continue meddling as it pleases without any repercussions?
No more mind games. Can't you just kill me? I thought you said you'd kill me!
Do you seek release? I can grant you mercy. Refuge from the cold world of the living into the eternal afterlife free from worry.
What's the catch?
No catch, only you have an option. Forget your vengeance and pass on in peace to the afterlife… or foster your grudge, cultivate your vengeance, and manifest your judgment back in the world of the living. Enter a contract with me to buy back time on Terra and use it to disrupt and punish the pretender. The choice is yours.
... So I can either die and live in peace in the afterlife… Or I can stay pissed off and sabotage Being-X?
Yes, but let it be known if we enter a contract, you'll lose the ability to ever pass over into the pure land. You will become a Vengeful spirit shackled to the gates for the rest of eternity.
...What do you mean?
You will become a guide helping souls cross overall while allowed to enact your version of revenge against the abomination you've dubbed Being-X.
So… I'll become Immortal?
If you accept my contract, your first 60 days come free of cost, but for every soul you'll guide to me, I'll extend your sentence on Terra another 30 days. If you remain steadfast, your time will never expire, and you'll become essentially immortal.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
A/N: Tried to meet the deadline of editing this and posting it the same week and I'm utterly exhausted. Pulled an all-nighter to get this one to you.
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