The Chosen: Chapter 5
A/N: "The following is a fan-based work. Naruto is owned by Shueisha, Viz Media, and Masashi Kishimoto. Please support the official release."
Chapter 5: As It Burns…
"Happy Birthday Kureizu," Kaede says, handing me a small box with a delicate ribbon tying it closed.
I smiled as I took it, carefully untying it and opening the small box. Within was a set of tools, all very small…a locking picking set unlike any other I'd ever seen.
"I had Dad reach out to a special smith over in the Hekai district, he was the only one I knew who could forge chakra metal this small…" She explains as I stare down at them. "They're nearly indestructible, and after your last set was stolen I-."
I moved forward and hugged her, holding her tightly, while I whispered my thanks. My last set had been given to me by my uncle, who had since passed away while on a mission. They had been special to me, and I'd been inconsolable when I'd found them missing. This set would be as important to me as those were.
"There's…one more gift…" Kaede says, leaning back from the hug slightly.
I turn my head to look at her and find her face inches away. Her lips touch mine and the feeling is explosive. My first kiss and-
BAM
I jerk awake as the fist slams into my cheek again, and this time I feel a tooth fly out with the hit. We'd been at this for an hour now, and I'd still refused to speak up. After he finished with the rope, and remarked that he was impressed I hadn't broken, he promised that the next part would fix that. As the tin snips had taken my pinky toe, the gush of pain and splattering blood, I had even begun to laugh. The man had smiled, clearly thinking he had won, before looking down and discovering that my toe had already started to stop bleeding. He studied me now, noticing the lack of cuts, and bruises, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. As lost in the torture as myself, he hadn't seen it before now.
Cuts, bruises, and broken bones all healed within half an hour; Missing limbs, however, I had so far needed to press the limb back in place for my body to start healing. I wasn't sure what would happen if I lost a limb entirely, and wasn't yet ready to find out. The man bent down, looking under me, before jolting back upright.
"You have a healing bloodline…" He says, a wild look in his eyes. "You've just tripled in price…and made this a whole lot easier for me."
The heady mixture of pain and pleasure from my missing toe had finally subsided. I'll admit that at times it was hard to concentrate, my brain overwhelmed and oversaturated by the sensations. It was horrid to say…but torture was better than sex. I lifted my head lazily, smirking, breathing through my nose. I opened my mouth, the blood from the teeth he'd knocked out pouring down my front, soaking me.
Bloodletting
1000/1000
It had taken quite some time to finally reach it, but something inside of me had told me that whatever this was counting up to, it would end up being very important. As the counter finally reached 1000, I felt, more than heard, a soft Bing!
New Jutsu Unlocked!
Buraddokurōn Rank 1 - Blood Clone
Amazed as I always was with my ability, it still managed to surprise me. The new ability had unlocked at 50%, meaning I was able to perform it with only one hand. I laughed then, as I started the sequence, as the man looked at me in disgust. He turned to his bag as I finished the 9th Handseal, almost like providence.
'Buraddokurōn!' I whispered, as I finished.
The blood that coated the floor rippled as my Chakra passed into it, little sparks of sensation covering my body as the blood that coated me, had begun to dry, moistened once more to run off of me. As it pooled to the floor, the man turned back, a sparking baton held in his hands. His look of surprise at all the blood that had coated me being gone would be etched to his face forever more, as my clone formed in an instant, a Kunai appearing from nothingness in its hand as it lunged forward, slamming it to the hilt in the man's throat. There is a gurgle from my victim as my clone carefully lowers him to the ground, and the ropes around my hands fall free, sliced with a deft throw from my clone. I reach down, remove the last bit from my legs, and stand up. I take a step towards him, feeling something squishy beneath my foot, and pause.
"Ah…" I say, bending down and pushing my pinky toe back in place. A moment later it's already healed. "Mustn't forget that…"
My clone steps away from Li-Ju, as I approach. It touches my shoulder, and with the strangest feeling, is absorbed into my body once more. The Chakra I had spent to create it is returned, though only about 80% of it remained. Along with it, I now remembered all that it had done while it existed, from its point of view. I dropped to my knees next to my victim, concentrating now on the symbol that burned within my mind. I dip a finger into his blood as he twitches and shakes, his life slowly ebbing away, and taste it.
Blood Sacrifice Activated
The symbol that burned within my mind flared to life around us, glowing with a putrid purple color that filled my mind with agony and ecstasy in equal measure. I ripped the Kunai free from his throat and slammed it into my heart with a thrust. As the blade pierced through, soaked as it was with his blood, I was afire. Every muscle in my body vibrated, every synapse and nerve sparked. If I could have moved I would have been screaming as the pleasure was replaced by pain, true pain, the likes of which I hadn't felt in months. For a moment I was sure I was dying, as my mouth filled with blood, my ears with the ringing of bells, reminiscent of horrid laughter, my eyes with the color of the energy that surrounded me…when it stopped. Silence…darkness…no taste, no feeling, no sense of gravity. All was gone as I floated in a pool of black.
My eyes snapped open, and with a twist, I pulled the blade from my chest. A gout of blood followed, already my heart was healing as the flesh knit itself back together. I fell back from my knees onto my ass, taking a deep breath, startled by the turn of events. For a while, it felt as though I hadn't even been in control of myself, just following the script my body had already known. I looked around then, searching for the people I'd seen around the buildings here, to see if anyone had heard the commotion. Thankfully it seemed that no one had, as everyone seemed to be where I'd seen them most recently. As I breathed a sigh of relief, several alerts popped up.
Sacrifices To Jashin: +1
Total Sacrifices: 1
30D 23H 59M 12S
Blood Sacrifice Calculating:
+1 Str Permanent
+2 Cha Temp 13D 23H 59M 12S
'Woah…' I thought, seeing the popups. ' I knew I'd get stats from Blood Sacrifice, but the time till I needed to kill again…By using this ability it takes even longer before I need to kill!'
A laugh begins to bubble up in my throat, but I force it away, there are still enemies nearby. I look around, spotting each name from before through the walls. See that each was roughly where I last saw them, I made my way to the door of the little building they had kept me in. Haga was out near the road, according to my map and the distance and direction of his name. The two Genin were still in the buildings to my left.
'What to do with them…' I thought, weighing my options. 'Ikka I should attempt to capture, if possible. Kill and take his head…and balls…if all else fails…easier to carry sealed in my inventory, than to carry his tied-up body…I'm an idiot.'
A third option had presented itself to me, one that I hadn't thought of till that exact moment. I wondered at the logistics of it, and after double-checking the location of Haga, I unlocked the door and made my way out.
Seeing the buildings with my own eyes, I could now place things much better. The sun was setting, which would only help me as even in the darkest night I could see the information above everyone's heads. The buildings had plenty of tree coverage, and from where I was Haga wasn't even visible. Regardless, I made my way quietly to the other building, and after listening at the door for a moment, began to undo the outer locks. There were small movements from within the room, but neither child moved very far, telling me they were still tied up. I slipped the door open, and moved in, closing the door behind me.
Ikka and Yamanoie were tied together, back to back. Both could see me as I entered, their heads turned. Both looked worse for wear, clearly having gone through their own rounds of torture…but much less than me. Either they were treated much better…or had broken quite quickly. Their room is better lit than mine ever was, so both can see clearly as I hold a finger to my mouth in the universal sign of 'shhh'. I make a show of carefully looking around, and up, ensuring no one else is there, before moving over to them.
I pull off Ikka's gag as I ask, "Who are you two? Why were you captured?"
Ikka starts to speak up, but hesitates, "I-I'm Hosue, this is Jin…we're Genin from Konoha…I don't know why they captured us."
'Interesting…At least he's aware enough to know his name being known would be bad for him. The other kid must be important too though, otherwise, he wouldn't have hidden his name too.' I thought as I nodded to his answer.
"I'm Kureizu, Chunin of Ame…I'll be honest, kid, it doesn't look good out there. At least two Jounin, a few Chunin, and a couple of Genin. I'm going to need both of your help if we're to escape from here alive." I explained, motioning to see his binding.
"We can help…" Ikka replies, "We're strong for Genin. The only reason I'm not a Chunin was my team last year was disqualified."
I help him to his feet, and he turns so his arms, tightly bound behind his back, face me. I dig the knife into my palm as I step forward, dropping it into my inventory, reaching around, and slapping my palm against his mouth and nose as I grab the binding with my other hand. I clench his nose and mouth tightly, cutting off his air supply.
"Drink!" I order, "Drink damn you!"
He struggles, trying to pull away from me, but even the best of us can only hold our breaths for a few minutes under the best of circumstances. But forest Ninja, held hostage and abused for an unknown time? He starts to shake, and I knew then I had him. His mouth opens, his teeth snapping shut against my palm biting deeply, the blood I had already produced dripping into his mouth, more blood joining it as his teeth gnash against my palm. The pain, the pleasure, the feeling of everything he was being overwritten with my wants, needs, and desires was a cascade of euphoria. I nearly groaned, holding it back only because the other child was now kicking my leg, having caught on that something isn't right. Ikka's name shimmers for a moment, before turning blood red, darkening to a crimson so dark it was nearly black.
I release him then, "Stay quiet, don't move!"
He does so.
"You may speak quietly. Answer my questions clearly, Ikka," I order, as my eyes turn to look at the other child. "Do you have the Mokuton?"
"Y-yes sir…" He replies, "It awakened once more in my father, but weakly. It's much stronger in me, though still not as strong as the legends tell."
"...How interesting…" I reply as the other child's eyes widen in a mixture of terror and surprise. "And Yamanoie? What's so special about him that he was captured along with you?
"He's a d-descendent from one of the branch families started by Hinata Hyuga, and the Seventh Hokage, U-Uzumaki Naruto Sir," Ikka responds, still not moving, the cries of his friend ignored.
I had to think for a moment to remember who they were, the history of so long ago was barely taught even in our long academy classes.
"Ah, the Byakugan, right? Does he have it? And stop stuttering," I ask, as I finally step forward and cut the binding on Ikka's hands.
"No, it died out several centuries ago in his family." He answers, "There is a chance it could one day come back, but no one in his family truly believes that."
"Turn around Ikka," I order, as glance towards the street where Haga last was, checking that we remained hidden.
"Would Yamanoie make a good spy? Is anyone in his family important enough to even be spied on? His Sensei?" I ask, considering my next moves.
"No Sir," Ikka responds, turning around, fear and terror in his eyes.
"That's unfortunate…" I respond, as my mind's eye begins to burn with the symbol that haunts me. "Very unfortunate…"
Mission: "What Are You Looking For?.."
Rank A
Objectives:
1. Find Nai On'na Li - 1100xp
2. Hidden
3. Capture Ikka Uiji - 1600XP - Success!
4. Capture Yamanoie Taikyaku - 300xp - Fail!
5. Hidden
6. Hidden
My eyes snapped open, my hand clenched tightly around the Kunai buried in my heart. With a gasp I pulled it free, blood pouring from the gaping hole that had already begun knitting itself together around the handle of the blade.
Sacrifices To Jashin: +1
Total Sacrifices: 2
30D 23H 57M 41S
Blood Sacrifice Calculating:
+1 Per Permanent
+2 Agi Temp 13D 23H 57M 41S
It had taken me a few minutes to awake this time, lost to visions as I had been. It would take me a long time to puzzle them out, but weeks later I would conclude that what I'd seen had been the boy's life, from his point of view. Splashes of color in the crimson-black murk, little spritzes of sound and noise. I look around from where I lay on the floor, my back soaked with blood. Ikka stood where I had left him, as quiet as he could be with tears pouring down his face, his breaths coming in deep sobs. It would seem seeing my treatment of his little friend had bothered him.
'And now to take care of that.' I thought as I climbed to my feet.
"Ikka…" I spoke at last, grabbing the child's attention. "Listen to me well…You are no longer loyal to Konoha. You will defect to Ame, and be loyal to Ame, its Ninja, and its goals. You will be loyal to me above all."
He nods as I speak, and with each sentence, I notice a timbre to my voice that isn't normally there.
"You will never communicate in any way, to anyone, what has happened here." I continue, "You will tell all who ask that by saving you, having been left to die by Konoha, you felt beholden to me as your savior…Ame will interrogate you, they will watch you. It will likely be years before they trust you. You will do all in your power to gain the trust of Ame. You will share any, and all secrets of Konoha that you are aware of."
Each sentence seemed to vibrate in the air, and through it, I could feel the commands writing themselves to his very soul.
"You will never communicate in any fashion my abilities, these commands, or anything that may place suspicion on me. If you somehow discover a loophole in these commands, you will immediately come to me and tell me as such. If you are unable to reach me, you will kill yourself, leaving no note, last words, or communications of any sort." I finish.
"Yes sir." He replies, his voice firm at last.
"You may move now, we need to leave." I release him from my previous order.
He stumbles for a moment, before gaining his feet once more. He barely glances at the mutilated body of his friend, taking stock of the room around us. "What are your orders, sir?"
I held up a finger as I looked around us, trying to spot Hara from where he last was. "Shit."
Unluckily, while I had been…distracted…Hara had moved. No longer at the road, he stood more to the center of the camp. He was no longer alone.
"Do you recognize the name Seimei no Tōnan?" I asked then.
"No sir," Ikka replied.
"Hmm…neither do I…He's Jounin ranked, Sound Village…but that's all I've got." I explain, "Likely the buyer then…Any chance you've got a super amazing super easy to perform S Rank Mokuton Jutsu that can destroy the entire area in a moment?"
"No sir…I've been studying the family scrolls, but my Chakra reserves are not large enough for anything over high B rank." Ikka replies.
"No matter…Two Jounin ranked Ninja would likely kill us anyway…" I answer, watching them warily through the wall. "Ikka, what is rule 7 of being a Shinobi?"
"When no other avenue is available, a retreat is preferable to death. Fighting another day is better than dying." He responds immediately.
I flip through 5 Handseals, having access to both hands this time, and with a whisper, the blood on my back, the floor, and the walls swirl together. A moment later, the puddle had coalesced into an exact clone of me. Ikka cursed in surprise, but I understood.
"The two outside will reach the building I was held in shortly. As soon as they do, my clone will run out the door, and head north by northwest, making as much noise as he can. Once they follow, you and I will quietly exit, and head south by southeast. Understood?" I ask fervently.
Seeing Ikka nod, I grab a Kunai from my inventory and toss it to him. He catches it deftly from the air, staring at the spot it had appeared from midair. A moment later my clone had thrown open the door, running out, and with a leap, landed on the roof of the building Hara and Seimei had just entered. The roof, a type of metal, clattered loudly as he leaped off, heading in the direction I'd ordered. There was a moment of surprise, hesitation even, but they quickly exited the building, giving chase.
"Come!" I ordered, making for the door as well.
Minutes later we had put several kilometers between us, and the camp, tree-hopping as we were. I'll admit, even with all the practice I'd had at it, Ikka was a natural. As we landed on another branch, the large tree barely moving an inch as we landed together, I stumbled as an alert told me my clone had died. I expected an influx of memories, but it would seem that only happened if I reabsorbed them.
8. Study Your Surroundings. (Complete)
9. Remain Tied Up and Prepare For Interrogation. (Complete)
10. Escape. (Completed)
Mission: "What Are You Looking For?.."
Rank A
Objectives:
1. Find Nai On'na Li - 1100XP
2. Escape From Captivity - 3100XP - Success!
3. Capture Ikka Uiji - 1600XP - Success!
4. Capture Yamanoie Taikyaku - 300XP - Fail!
5. Kill Manto No Hara - 2500XP - Fail!
6. Kill Seimei No Tōnan - 4150XP - Fail!
9. Remain Tied Up and Prepare For Interrogation. (Complete)
10. Escape. (Completed)
11. Return To Ame For Debriefing*
The sudden update surprised me, but I took it in stride. My main objective had not been marked as a failure, which meant somewhere along this path I would still find Nai On'na Li. With a shrug, I updated my map marker, and after a glance at the map, adjusted our path. I would take a circular path, skirting past Castle Li, and the traitorous Team Torrent. As much as my blood burned with the thought of vengeance, my heart knew that they would likely kill me. There was the possibility that Hara could reach them, and warn them of my escape. Better to head for Ame as quickly, and safely, as I could.
"Toss me your forehead protector, Ikka," I ordered, snagging it from the air as he complied.
I dropped it in my inventory, banishing it from existence. Better not to leave anything behind for potential pursuers to find. The next step would be to make the path as confusing as possible. I reached out, grabbing Ikka's shoulder, and with a thought, the world exploded around me in a torrent of color. The world was black and white, and one moment from the next we moved, appearing almost 1000 meters from where we started. The chakra cost hadn't been as bad as I'd expected, and with another thought, we repeated the process. Another five such actions and a new pop-up appeared.
Kinjutsu: Kage O Aruku(Shadow Step)
C Rank
Rank 2 Mastery Unlocked!
Medium-range travel through shadows.
Escort: 1
The next Shadow Step was three times as far, but at nearly half the cost as before. I did this five more times, before when we appeared, I dropped to one knee, breathing heavily at the Chakra usage.
"M-master!" Ikka cried, grabbing my shoulder. "Are you okay? What the fuck was that!"
From his point of view, having moved a dozen kilometers in just two or three seconds, I'm sure it was confusing.
"Don't ask questions," I ordered, shutting him up. "And what's with the master shit?"
"I don't know…it just felt right," Ikka responds.
"Don't call me master, that's an order," I responded, getting back to my feet. "Let's go."
Amegakure
I'd made the trip to Team Torrent in 6.5 hours, but the kidnapping attempt had taken me a further half days travel away. With Shadow Step, however, I'd managed to make up the difference enough that it only took the two of us eight hours to make it to Ame. As we approached, I had taken a set of cuffs from my inventory and cuffed Ikka. I knew he was loyal to me, but it would not do to simply walk into Ame with an unknown Ninja at my side, no matter how well-liked I was. I carried him on my shoulder and entered the Ninja queue to enter Ame, which only took a few minutes as it was much shorter than the Civilian, or business lines.
"Chunin Kureizu, ID# 2181387, returning with a compliant A Rank Captive," I informed the Nin at sign-in, his eyes widening in surprise. "Please also call ahead, and have the Commander meet me at Interrogations."
As he spluttered, I held up my free hand, forestalling any further blustering. "I have a code black. Call ahead." I ordered then, brushing past him.
It says something about Ninja villages that no one even batted an eye at the fact that I was carrying a restrained child on my shoulder, my outfit torn and blood-stained. The aptly named Interrogation unit was only a five-minute walk from the front gate, someone had of course realized that having it as close to the main entrance was a good idea. I was about halfway when the air turned frigid, a fog sweeping into the street I had been traveling down. The others on the street turned to watch, a few turned tail and ran. Myself, a moment's hesitation to realize what was happening, I dropped Ikka off my shoulder, allowing him to fall hard to the ground. A rush of dread coursed through me as I raised both hands above my head, dropping to my knees, making it clear that I was not a threat.
A moment later the fog, so thick that it was impossible to see through, formed into the shape of a man. Kiyoshi Mei, S Rank Ninja of Amegakure…and the only man alive in the Elemental Nations with a universal Flee On Sight. His face was hidden behind a featureless mask, but even had I not been able to see his name as clear as day, I'd have recognized him from the fog alone. Held tightly in his fist was a dagger, with a slight curve to it, about 16cm long. As the fog cleared, more Ninjas whose names I'd seen approach appeared. No one was as highly ranked as Kiyoshi, or as dangerous, but it was clear from the response that something had gone wrong here.
"I-" I began, before being hushed by Kiyoshi.
I felt someone approach from behind me, a cuff being attached to first one wrist, then the other. They sparked for a moment as I felt my Chakra drain into them, and then a dark hood was placed over my head. Then, and only then, was I hauled to my feet. Ikka was picked up, and carried, as I was silently marched to my original destination…but this time as a captive.
Six hours had passed since Ikka and I had been dropped in one of the many cells under Amegakure. We'd both been chained to the table in the middle, our hands locked in front of us, stretched to the middle of the table, our legs to the chairs bolted to the floor. I'd spoken to no one so far, and I'd ordered Ikka to remain silent until told otherwise. The hood had been removed, thankfully, not that it stopped me from seeing the many names around us. I'd watched for a time, studying the movements, but nothing I saw explained what was currently happening. Down the long corridor I knew was outside of this cell, a door opened and then closed. I turned, spotting two names I recognized.
Aya Natsu, Chounin Commander…and Hageshī Ame, the 4th leader of Ame. A Kage in all but name, Amegakure having abandoned that system long before becoming a world power, Hageshī Ame had earned his name, and title as all good Ninja did. In battle…and in war. The two walked slowly to my cell, talking quietly, trailed by several others of no rank and name I recognized. A moment later the door opened, clicking as the lock came undone. Aya entered, a folder in her hands, as did Hageshī, the others remaining in the hallway. He was tall, with a small scar on his chin. I'd never met him personally, having only ever seen him from afar during speeches. Ikka was shaking, which was understandable. I'd pity him if I cared for him at all, but what I cared for was discovering what had happened. My mission remained the same, with no update, which was confusing.
Aya sat in front of me, Hageshī in front of Ikka, studying him closely. Aya read from the folder she'd carried in for a moment, before looking up at me.
"Twenty-one hours ago a messenger hawk was received from one of our teams, reporting the death, and MIA report of one Kureizu Dasshu," Aya said, studying me closely. "So tell me…who are you?"
I was silent for a moment, considering her words. It made sense in a way…How else would Team Torrent explain my disappearance?
"We have a code Black, Commander, Leader." I said, "Team Torrent has betrayed Ame. During my mission, after noticing several inconsistencies at Castle Li, I was captured by them and transferred to another location. I believe Team Torrent is behind the disappearance of Nai On'na Li, and this entire mission was set up specifically to get me out there for this very reason."
"I see…" Aya responded, making a note in her folder. "Let's say I believe you. What happened next?"
I explained then about the Ninja and his attempted interrogation. I claimed he was amateurish, and slipped up, allowing me to get the upper hand, and easily dispatched. How I'd learned other Ninjas were being held in the camp, and carefully tracked them down for help in escaping. I explained how I'd found Ikka, who had been there for some time, and believing himself abandoned by his village, was more than willing to help me.
"Ikka, you said?" Aya asked, making another note. "Are you claiming this child is Ikka Uija, of Konoha? One of the eleven?"
She, of course, was referring to the 'Eleven', a group of Ninjas within our Bingo Book marked for Capture/Kill on Sight.
"Yes Commander, that's right," I replied, nodding. "You'll also be happy to know that he does have the Mokuton."
At that she looked startled, catching the eye of Hageshī. A silent conversation passed between them before Aya turned back to me.
"What of the other child?" She asked, making another note.
"He was dead already," I replied, catching a slight movement from Hageshī out of the corner of my eye. "...but I didn't tell you about him yet."
My eyes narrowed then, suspicion filling me. Was Aya involved? Had she set me up to be captured? Had I played directly into their hands? I was trapped now, and my heart began to race. I couldn't die, but I could certainly be held for eternity. I would need to bide my time and find a way to escape. I-
"Oh god damnit, Aya," Hageshī said at last, his low voice startling me out of my racing thoughts, facepalming.
"Fuck! I'm sorry Leader, I got ahead of myself!" Aya exclaimed. "I was reading ahead, and didn't realize!"
"You're never going to make Rank 3 at this rate," Hageshī said, shaking his head.
"I-What?" I asked, more confused than I'd ever been. I'd missed something, clearly.
"Leader?" Aya asked then, making a pointed look at me.
"He'll do." He replied, "Just tell him, the jig is up."
"Thank you!" She exclaimed, before closing the folder and dropping it.
She took out a key, unlocking my cuffs as she began to explain. "Okay, so, first off…congratulations on your promotion!"
Rank Update!
New Rank: Jounin 1
I gaped at the pop-up, as things began to click in my head.
"Sorry for all the cloak and dagger, that's just how things are!" She explained, "First, rest easy, Team Torrent hasn't gone traitor, thankfully."
As my chakra slowly returned to me, she explained. Team Torrent's leader, Kensaka, had been given a mission nearly a year before to track down a missing Ninja. When he did, he'd realized that the missing-nin, and several others, were running a trafficking ring…their product? Rare Ninja.
"We'd recently gotten word that the group had captured two children from Konoha," She said, nodding toward Ikka. "We didn't know who, but we knew that now was the best time to take them down. So we had Kensaka reach out, and tell them he had access to you…the best Sensor in Ame. They immediately agreed to the purchase, and so we set up this mission to get you out there."
Mission: "What Are You Looking For?.."
Rank A
Objectives:
1. Find Nai On'na Li - 1100XP - Success!
2. Escape From Captivity - 3100XP - Success!
3. Capture Ikka Uiji - 1600XP - Success!
4. Capture Yamanoie Taikyaku - 300XP - Fail!
5. Kill Manto No Hara - 2500XP - Fail!
6. Kill Seimei No Tōnan - 4150XP - Fail!
Mission: "What Are You Looking For?.." - (Complete!)
"And you couldn't tell me…?" I left the question hanging.
"That was my idea, actually," Hageshī said, having been silent so far. "I oversee all Jounin trials. Each one is unique and completely secret; Beyond that it is a trial, of course. When you showed yourself capable of tracking down that serial murderer, among your other accomplishments, I reached out to Aya and set this up. What better way to test someone's skill, than a situation like this? A completely unpredictable situation, with true danger."
Aya nodded, "And I'd say you did very well. You overpowered several Ninjas stronger than you, thought on your feet, and even escaped with an asset of truly untold value."
"You showed patience, fortitude, intelligence, and skill," Hageshī said. "It's rare for me to be impressed…but for someone thrust into a perilous situation, you handled yourself well. Not only that, but upon return, accused of being an imposter, you made sure to warn us of what you thought was a threat, before even defending yourself. That's loyalty, and commendable at that."
"And if I'd died?" I asked finally, taking it all in.
"Team Torrent was in the woods, biding their time. If you hadn't escaped the first building, they would have mounted a rescue mission not long after. They saw you escape and simply watched to see what would happen next. They trailed after the remaining missing Ninja, who of course was following what I suspect was a clone?" Aya explained.
I nodded, letting her continue. "They thought it was you, so they followed too, and engaged the two Ninja not long after. You were nowhere to be found, and by the time they returned to the camp, you were nowhere to be found… Despite being fantastic trackers, they lost your trail a few kilometers away. You'll have to tell me how you did that at some point, Kensaka is dying to know!"
My thoughts were swirling…the past two days had been crazy, a tumultuous wave of emotion, after emotion. I had truly feared I'd been betrayed…
"Finally…" Hageshī said, turning to Ikka. "Tell me, are you who Kureizu claims?"
Ikka looks at me, and I nod. "Answer them, it's okay."
At Aya's questioning look, I quickly explained. "I promised him we wouldn't kill him if he helped me. That if he willingly came to Ame, we would protect him, and perhaps one day even allow him to join our ranks."
Ikka spoke up then, no longer silenced by my earlier order. "Yes sir, I am Ikka Uiji, and what he said is the truth. Konoha had abandoned us, it seemed."
I held back the smile that was forming on my face, but only just barely. Despite my story being a complete fabrication of the details, he was agreeing with each part as though he truly believed it. I would have to test how far this ability could truly go when I had the time…what else could I order someone to do? I could only imagine…
The conversation kept on for a while, as Aya asked further questions. Hageshī had left not long after Ikka had answered, taking him along. They had not removed his cuffs.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Kureizu!" Aya exclaimed after she finished writing another note. "We should have headed for my office an hour ago!"
I laughed then, surprised. "It's fine, here is as good as there, no worries."
"Oh I know, but I don't want you to feel like a prisoner!" She said, standing up. "Either way, we're done here. Hageshī didn't say it but thank you. You did amazing out there. I know it was…a tough situation…but you handled it better than a lot of people I know would have."
"To be honest with you Aya…the scariest part was when the fog rolled in," I told her, involuntarily shivering. "Kiyoshi freaks me out."
She blinked once, twice, three times, before bursting into gales of laughter, clutching at her stomach. Her laughter followed me all the way to the exit, and out into the cloudy sky, and drizzle of rain. I was home…and at peace.
I just wished I'd known then how shortly that peace would last.
A/N: And thus ends Part 1! Kureizu was tested…and passed. His secret remains just that, and along with it, he gained a new rank. A few of you guessed that this was the Jounin Trial, and I am impressed that you did! Hope you guys enjoyed how things turned out. Sorry for the wait, work is being work, and I hadn't had as much time to write as I'd thought. (Character Sheet for Chapter 5 will be posted sometime before Chapter 6)
Next Chapter:
Powerful enemies awaken while Kureizu finally begins to explore his powers in earnest. Having held back for so long, he has quite a bit of catching up to do… Questions abound! Who is the man stalking him, attempting to destroy him? What is Ashemu, and who are his Chosen? And finally…who is the beautiful redhead, and why is her name as red as his own?
Find out next time…In Part 2 of "The Chosen."
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