As consciousness returned to Akaashi, it did so like the slow unveiling of a foggy morning. His eyes blinked open to a dimly lit room, and for a moment, he couldn't remember where he was or how he had ended up there. Disoriented and still throbbing with pain from the earlier encounter, he tried to push himself into a sitting position but was met with a wave of dizziness that sent him back down onto the bed.
A gentle hand on his shoulder steadied him, and he turned his head to see the elderly woman from the cemetery sitting beside him. Her warm, wrinkled face bore a mix of relief and concern. "You're awake, dear," she said in a soft, soothing voice.
Akaashi managed a weak nod, his throat dry as dust. "Where... am I?"
"You're in my home," she replied. "I brought you here after you collapsed at the cemetery. You took quite a hit."
As the fog in his mind slowly lifted, Akaashi remembered the confrontation with his so-called brother. The memories were fragmented, like shards of glass, but the emotions attached to them were raw and vivid. The accusation of weakness, the blame for their parents' deaths, it all swirled in his mind like a storm. He also couldn't help but think that he saw his face before, even though that was legitimately the first time they met.
"That guy... He was my brother?" Akaashi asked with a shaky voice.
The woman nodded solemnly. "Yes, he's your younger brother, Hayate. It's been years since I've seen both of you together."
Akaashi's gaze dropped to his lap as he processed this information. He could swear he'd heard that name before, probably from the TV show. He wracked his brain to satisfy his curiosity and then remembered something crucial: his brother looked nearly identical to himself, except without the bandana. That triggered his memory.
During the final round of the Chunin Exams, there was a referee who matched those descriptions. He resembled Hayate and wore a bandana back then. Akaashi recalled how that man met his end and his connection with an Anbu lover. Akaashi felt relieved that his curiosity was finally satisfied, but his mood took a turn.
A realization hit him hard, like a sting in his chest. Hayate Gekko, the Chunin Exam referee, was nothing more than a plot device in the story, used solely to advance the narrative. Akaashi came to a grim realization that he, too, might be just a tool in this tale. A character whose purpose was to make the main cast seem cooler. This realization weighed heavily on him.
What made it worse was that if he tried to change his fate, he'd lose his only advantage—knowledge of the future. But if he followed the plot, he might lose his life in the process.
The woman offered him a glass of water, which he gratefully accepted. As he sipped, he noticed a framed picture on the bedside table. It showed a younger version of himself, alongside the woman and another boy who bore a striking resemblance to Hayate.
"That's from a long time ago," she said, following his gaze. "Back when you were all just children."
Akaashi took another sip of water and cleared his throat. "Thank you for helping me. I should probably leave soon, though."
The woman shook her head. "You're in no condition to go anywhere right now, dear. Rest a little longer."
Akaashi shook his head. "I'm actually very busy today, and I'm already feeling pretty refreshed, so no need to worry."
The woman took a minute to ponder. "I know that trying to convince you is impossible, you've been that way since you were little. Please just take care of yourself, dear," she said.
Akaashi slowly lifted the blanket off of his body and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. He slowly got up, his dizziness subsiding slowly but surely until he finally got a hang of himself.
"Try not to speak a lot, My weak medical ninjutsu was only enough to fix your voice box but it's still in pretty bad shape. Don't overexert yourself," she reminded. Akaashi took note of her ability to use medical ninjutsu, a quite rare form of jutsu, before he nodded and headed for the door.
He exited the small shed-like home and started making his way back to his own apartment. Thankfully, her house was right on the outskirts of the central lobby of the village where Akaashi lived so he could easily find his way home. He still had a lot of things on his mind, but he needed to move forward, and so he did.
Heading back home should've been straightforward, but somehow, he managed to get lost in the labyrinthine streets of the village. A muttered curse slipped past his lips as he berated himself for losing focus. He decided to wing it, picking one direction and sticking to it like he always did. Luck, for better or worse, intervened when he ran into a familiar face.
"Hey there, Akaashi-senpai. What brings you here?" came a voice from behind. He turned to find Ryo emerging from a crossroad he'd passed while following his single-minded path.
Akaashi's expression remained unamused. Sometimes, his luck took a nasty turn, and this was one of those moments. Ditching the team meeting had crossed his mind, even though he knew it was a perilous choice. Offending the shinobi hierarchy wasn't on his agenda.
"Morning," Akaashi replied.
"Why are you here, Akaashi-senpai? Aren't you heading to the meeting? And what's with the throat bandage? Plus, are you sure about wearing that?" Ryo fired off questions in rapid succession, revealing a newfound chattiness. It annoyed Akaashi, but he held back judgment; perhaps this was a good sign.
"I had errands, and the rest isn't your concern," Akaashi curtly answered.
"Well, want to walk to the meeting together?" Ryo offered, his optimism dimming as he noticed Akaashi's brief excitement, only for it to be concealed again behind a deadpan expression.
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
Together, they walked towards the meeting point, navigating the eastern part of the village. The landscape shifted from buildings to lush greenery. Unfortunately, Ryo remained talkative throughout the journey, much to Akaashi's growing irritation.
After about twenty minutes, they reached the meeting place. Akaashi guessed they were the last to arrive. Two individuals were already there in this secluded forest spot, hidden perhaps for confidentiality or comfort.
One was a guy with beige hair, a pale complexion, and eerie white eyes—no pupils or irises—a telltale sign of the Hyuga clan's formidable power. The other was a blonde woman with no particularly striking features. Both wore shinobi uniforms with headbands adorning their foreheads, and they appeared no older than 15 or 16.
As soon as they laid eyes on Akaashi, their expressions soured. The Hyuga wore a scowl, while the woman quickly averted her gaze, also sporting an unfriendly demeanor.
Akaashi turned to Ryo. "What are their names?"
Ryo seemed perplexed. "Why are you asking me?"
"They're still your teammates, aren't they? Or have you forgotten their names?" Akaashi pressed, intensifying Ryo's confusion.
"Um... They're Yasu Hyuga and Inora Yamanaka," Ryo answered.
"Good. When I retire, you'll lead this team," Akaashi declared as he walked toward the two other shinobi, before Ryo could throw a fit.
Akaashi approached them both with a steady expression and greeted, "Good morning, you two."
His greetings were met with silence, and the young Hyuga's face grew even grumpier. Akaashi sighed, seeing the futility in this and decided to be straightforward.
"Look, I've already been through this with Ryo, and I don't want to waste any more time. If you two became shinobi expecting it to be a breeze, then hand in your headbands right now," Akaashi said firmly, raising his hand as if expecting them to surrender their headbands.
The two had an interesting response. The Yamanaka girl, whom Akaashi had just learned about, looked at him in disbelief. Meanwhile, the Hyuga kid's eyes twitched, and he adopted a threatening tone as he asked, "And what right do you have to take our headbands?"
Akaashi remained unfazed, keeping his arm extended and his point unchanged. They stood in silence for a few minutes before the Yamanaka girl finally spoke up.
She let out a sigh, her expression filled with resolve. "I'm a branch family member of the Yamanaka clan," she began, "and the only reason I became a shinobi was to raise the name of my family with the names of the main branch of the Yamanaka family."
"As you might already know, the main family has a sort of long-standing alliance with the Nara clan and the Akimichi clan, but our branch side was basically cast aside as viable 'sensory' ninjas, nothing but a tool."
"I want to change that," she continued, determination gleaming in her eyes. "I want all people who bear the name Yamanaka to be feared by all. That's my ambition. Happy?"
Akaashi responded with a confirming "hm," expressing his satisfaction with her answer. Ever since Ryo had started calling him senpai, he felt confident in front of these guys, even though he knew they could probably defeat him effortlessly. Now, he turned to the Hyuga kid.
The boy scoffed. "I have nothing to tell you, and my ambition is none of your business. We both know you cannot take away my headband even if you wanted to."
Akaashi let out a more drawn-out "Hmmmm" this time. "Well, yeah, you're right. But I could drop a word or two about you to the Hokage, and that might leave a mark on your career, wouldn't it?"
The boy's confident, or rather, arrogant demeanor shifted into a scowl. He was likely offended by the threat, but the fact that he didn't retaliate meant that Akaashi held some authority over these kids. The boy let out an annoyed grumble, his fingers moving reluctantly to undo the clasp of his headband. As the band slipped off, it revealed the distinctive green seal emblazoned on his forehead. Akaashi nodded approvingly. "You don't have to say more," he remarked.
The boy quickly put his headband back on, his expression souring a bit before returning to a neutral one. Akaashi clapped to regain the attention of his teammates. So far, his leadership act was progressing fairly well, with a few hiccups here and there.
"You guys have your ambitions, and you also have the skills. Achieving the rank of Chunin at such a young age is impressive. But, you lack one thing," Akaashi asserted, improvising as he went, much like before.
"You don't have the right mindset. I'm sure you understood the dangers that come with being a shinobi, yet you still accepted the challenge to achieve your goals. Sacrifices have to be made along the way, no matter what you attempt to change."
Akaashi noticed his teammates' faces turning somber as soon as he mentioned sacrifice.
"The death of our comrade was entirely my fault, and I'll admit it," he confessed, taking a risk. "But I won't give up on my ambitions. If you can't move on, then you don't deserve to be shinobi. And if you don't want me as your leader because you think I'm lacking, you can always request a team change, and I'm sure you'll get it. But as long as you stay here with me, prepare for the worst. I can't protect you, keep that in mind."
His speech left his teammates looking contemplative, as if they were deciding whether shinobi life was for them, whether they'd stay on this team or leave. Akaashi expected them all to leave his team, which would honestly be a win for him.
"So, what will it be?" Akaashi concluded.
A heavy silence hung over the group, and Akaashi waited for five long minutes, deciding to sit down beside a tree while he waited for a response. Unsurprisingly, the Hyuga kid was the first to speak.
"I… wish to stay in the team." He declared. A surprised look briefly crossed Akaashi's face before returning to neutrality, but everyone noticed it as they raised their eyebrows.
"Me too. I'm willing to stay with you, Akaashi Senpai!" Ryo chimed in right after.
The Yamanaka girl hesitated for a moment before stating, "I guess... I'll stick around for a bit longer."
Akaashi's plan for retirement went up in smoke. He was internally tearing up, but his face remained impassive. He had tried to demonstrate his incompetence, yet they still chose to stick with him.
"Alright. Now that that's settled, we can move on."
"Hold on," the lone girl interjected. "Just because I'm sticking around for a bit longer doesn't mean I forgive you for what you did."
The two boys next to her seemed to share her sentiment, silently conveying that they were not ready to forgive him. Akaashi chuckled softly. "Even if you want to hate me, go ahead," he replied.
Things seemed to have ended amicably between them, but then Akaashi realized that this meeting likely had a purpose beyond getting along again. Ryo was probably the one who knew what was going on.
Akaashi adopted a more relaxed posture and expression. "By the way, Ryo. What was the purpose of this meeting again?" he inquired.
"Oh yeah, I got a letter from HQ. We will be getting a new mission in three weeks and were told to start training. It's a B-rank mission taking place in Sunagakure. They said it's an escort mission, but we won't know the details until the briefing," Ryo explained.
Akaashi's heart sank. "Y-you said a mission?!" he exclaimed involuntarily.
Ryo nodded affirmatively. Akaashi calmed himself and sighed. "Good job, Ryo. From now on, you're my right-hand man."
Ryo looked proud, while the Hyuga kid glared at him. If Akaashi were to compare this team to any in the anime, it would probably be Team Guy. Ryo was charismatic and loyal, similar to Lee. The Hyuga's were all quite alike, and the Yamanaka girl acted as a mediator between the two, much like Tenten.
"Well, you heard him. The meeting's over. I'm sure you guys can't stand to look me in the eyes, so I'll let you train alone. See you later," Akaashi said before walking away.
With one of the larger obstacles out of the way, Akaashi was satisfied with the conclusion of this meeting. Although an even bigger challenge awaited in three weeks, he felt more prepared for it now.
_
The meeting didn't drag on, which Akaashi appreciated. So far, it had been a good day in this new world. It was still the afternoon, and the issue with Mizuki lingered, but Akaashi had a plan in mind and was just waiting for Mizuki to take the bait.
As Akaashi made his way home, he used any landmarks he could spot to guide him. Along the way, his mind raced with a few pressing concerns. The most crucial one was what he should do about the mission coming up in three weeks. He couldn't just bail or feign sickness; that would likely get him caught. His only choice was to go on the mission, even though it seemed riskier since he'd be leaving the safety of the village. But he had three weeks to prepare and learn whatever jutsu he needed to ensure his survival.
He had the info he'd extracted from the diary and the knowledge he'd gained from watching the anime. It should give him a better shot, even if it was just a slight one. Three weeks wasn't much time, and Akaashi knew it. It had taken him three whole months to grasp the basics of boxing in his previous world, and that was considered impressive.
Finally reaching his home unaided for the first time, Akaashi was met by someone standing at the door. It was a shinobi with a hefty shuriken strapped to his back and white hair hidden under a bandana. It was Mizuki.
He stood in front of Akaashi's apartment door, his presence oozing tension. "You didn't come to our meeting," he said, a hint of hostility lacing his words, a direct reference to his earlier threat regarding the consequences of Akaashi's absence.
Akaashi, however, remained unfazed. He responded with a calm and collected demeanor, "I had a more important meeting." He welcomed the confrontation; in fact, he wanted it.
Suddenly, an unsettling aura emanated from Mizuki, like a thousand tiny knives stabbing at Akaashi's heart. He questioned if it was killing intent, but he didn't waver. If there was one thing Akaashi had learned about Mizuki from his anime knowledge, it was that the man had once tricked Naruto into stealing a scroll for him rather than doing it himself. He was a bad guy, no doubt, but one who feared the consequences of his actions. In Akaashi's blunt terms, Mizuki was nothing more than a coward.
Akaashi kept his gaze locked on Mizuki and confidently stated, "You don't have to get so worked up. I know you won't do anything, or rather, you can't." Mizuki looked puzzled, commenting, "Wow, this isn't like you, Akaashi. Usually, you cower at the slightest hint of my killing intent. Did guilt change you this much?"
Akaashi felt his temper rise. Mizuki's words hinted at a strained history between them, similar to his strained relationship with his brother. Despite the animosity in the air, Akaashi's expression remained unwavering. "Well, it doesn't matter now. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a shower," he replied as he walked past Mizuki.
His hand rested on the doorknob, but before he could open the door, Mizuki threatened with malice in his voice, "Do you really think I won't kill you?"
Akaashi turned his face toward Mizuki, locking eyes with him, his stoic expression hiding a simmering animosity. "Listen, here's what would happen if you tried to kill me," he began, weaving a convincing lie to deter Mizuki. After all, that was his entire plan. "If it comes to a fight, I won't go down without taking a few limbs with me. And even if you somehow manage to kill me, I've told people about this meeting. If I die now, you're guaranteed to get caught. That's the reality of it, that's why I told you that you can't do anything to me."
Mizuki's face contorted into a scowl. He had expected Akaashi to be his pawn for stealing the forbidden scroll from the Hokage's office, but that hope had crumbled upon feeling Akaashi's killing intent. Akaashi's transformation from a timid weakling into this resolute figure baffled him.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I smell really bad," Akaashi concluded, opening his apartment door and stepping inside, slamming it shut behind him. Mizuki seethed with anger, vowing to seek revenge for this humiliation, though that would have to wait.
Akaashi heaved a sigh of relief once the door was closed. The pressure of Mizuki's killing intent had been intense. How could someone make you feel like you were being killed just by their desire to do so? It was unfair. But Akaashi pushed the thought aside. He began to strip off the clothes he'd been wearing since yesterday and headed into the small one-by-one-meter bathroom for a shower.
At least, he thought, everything had ended somewhat well. Mizuki might seek revenge, and he had to start training for his next mission. Retirement felt like an enticing dream, but Akaashi knew he had to persevere. Life in this world wouldn't be easy, and he never expected it to be.