The Chosen: Chapter 6
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 6: The Meaning Of Discovery…
Unknown
'The depths of a man's soul can not be measured in a manner of meters, but rather it is my opinion only quantified by his proximity to heaven or hell.'
Quietly he set the scroll down, the ink still drying on the page. He had been traveling now for 16 days, and based on the pulse he could feel, another ten or so days lay before him.
'Not long…' He thought, the two meanings hanging heavily over him.
Not long before he faces again his most deadly foe, one empowered by the infection…and not long after he arrives, will the Blessing leaves him…allowing only for four days to hunt his prey. Glancing down at the scroll, he sees that the ink has dried enough to roll it back up and place it away. Taking a moment to reflect on his thoughts, he stands, turning to the north. Having left the Land Of Tea, traveling through the Land Of Fire, he estimated that his final destination lay in Hot Springs, or perhaps Frost…his experience told him it was the former, but he wouldn't know till he arrived.
'I will trust Ashemu's Pulse to guide me.' He thought as he finished packing up and setting out.
The pulse…almost like a heartbeat thumping in the distance. It guided him to his target, a dark cloud on the far-distant horizon. Long ago when he'd sworn himself to the cause, he hadn't yet understood the depravity of the infection…he hadn't yet seen for himself what they could do…what they become…
'Oh did I learn…' He thought as he crested the hill. 'Oh did I learn so quickly…'
First, they had taken his daughter, and he was thankful that killing her was the worst of their deeds.
His wife had followed, and of her treatment, he would never speak…but his dreams were never far from nightmares of the event.
He had dedicated his life to the destruction of that accursed cult and spent year after year traveling the nations with the sole goal of eradicating the infestation wherever he could.
'Will this be the last you ask of me, Ashemu?' He asked but knew better than to hope for an answer.
Amegakure
It had only been nine days since my promotion to Jonin, and I was already reaping the benefits. Ame, having one of the largest militaries in the Elemental Nations, Jonin were not exactly rare. Of the total force, around 11% were Jonin, which made me one of 215 'Elite' Ninjas. Despite this, Jonin were still treated exceptionally well, even compared to the rest of our force. I could expect better missions, better base pay, and respect at every corner. My name recognition had even grown, with several people I'd never even met respectfully bowing, a soft murmur of my name on their lips. Which led directly to my current situation…I'd gone to one of the civilian bars, well known to be frequented by girls who wanted a man who could last hours in bed, hoping to cash in on some of this new fame.
I'd flirted, bought a few drinks, and gotten some attention…but it wasn't the civilians that caught my eye in the end. Somehow, it had been her hair that drew my attention first. It drew my eyes to her as she watched me from the end of the bar…and watching me she was, of that I was quickly certain…but her hair?
'My god the hair…' I thought, studying her, as she studied me.
The color of blood…not the bright red of blood as it sprays from an artery, no…a red that reminds of fresh blood beginning to dry. Despite having lived in Ame my entire life, with its huge population…I'd never seen anything like it before. I could almost taste the blood from here, and only a moment passed before I realized I could smell the blood from here. Only then did I notice her name and my heart pounced within my chest, a thrum unlike any other I had ever experienced. Her name, Hiiro no Shi…was as red as my own, something I'd studied closely in the mirror not long after the change. She was unranked, unaffiliated with a village, yet was clearly a Ninja. Just the way she stood there told me as much, surrounded by people and in complete control of herself.
She lazily reached in front of her, taking the bright drink that had been resting on the bar in front of her and brought it slowly to her lips. Every motion was restrained, controlled, as though there was something hidden just beneath the surface, waiting to break free. Her lips, soft and moist, caressed the lip of the glass as daintily as a kiss you'd give your lover. I could feel the heat building up within me, and I was sure my cheeks were flushing. Her form-fitting dress, dark blue almost black in the pulsing light, was nearly as enticing. I wanted to go talk to her, and as I prepared to stand to do just that, my vision blinked and cleared.
GENJUTSU DETECTED!
I looked down for half a second, and when I looked up, she was smirking slightly as my eyes narrowed. Something about her had drawn me in, and had it not been for my abilities, I might have found myself in danger. Though…
'Was it wrong of me to be somehow grateful that her looks aren't the Genjutsu?' I thought as I watched her.
She was still gorgeous, perhaps even more so now that I saw how bold she was…She finished her drink, setting it carefully on the bar, before turning to leave. She took the back exit, and I went out the front. Her name was so easy to see that losing her was impossible, so I simply kept my distance, ensuring that something was between us at all times. There was no chance she could have seen me following her, and yet, now and then, she would stop and seemingly wait for me to catch up. This game of cat and mouse continued for quite some time before she, at last, scaled a tall building in one of the more touristy areas.
'A hotel?' I thought as she stopped at a window far above, slipped it open, and entered. A room that was already occupied by an Ame-affiliated civilian.
I stood silently across the street from the hotel, hidden in the shadows of an alley, considering my next options. So distracted, lost in my thoughts I was, that I didn't hear the approaching footsteps till they were right on me. Well, that and that he spoke up from a short distance away.
"S-Sir?" A soft male voice asked from a few feet behind me.
Only the fact that he spoke up stopped me from instinctually ending his life. Even then, I still whipped around, a Kunai appearing in my hand at a thought, pulled back to be thrown into his throat in a split second. I managed to hold back, startled by his demeanor…and his outstretched hand. I glanced around quickly, and finding no one else, stepped forward as the Kunai disappeared back into my inventory. His hand was shaking, and I could smell the nervous sweat before I got within a meter of him. I reached out, plucking the item from his hand, and studying it.
'A hotel room keycard…' I realized, looking up at the man, and then back to the hotel. 'An invitation if I've ever seen one.'
Without so much as a glance back, I turned and headed for the hotel, and a short moment later was hitting the 14th-floor button in the elevator. I had no idea what awaited me, but I would know soon enough.
Room 1408
I hesitated for a moment at the door, my hand outstretched to knock when I reconsidered the card in my hand. Instead, I slipped it into the port, and as the light turned green, I turned the handle and entered. A short hallway, off the side of which an opulent bathroom. Further down the hall a soft flickering of light, where I knew the living room to be. The red-haired woman's name was floating there, along with whoever else awaited. As I approached the entrance to the living room, I found a sheet of clear plastic blocking my path forward.
"It's open…" Hiiro's voice drifted through, muffled by the plastic.
I reached forward, my hand pushing the plastic aside as I entered the room, the soft crinkle of more plastic lining the floor interesting, but not the most interesting spectacle in the room. That was reserved for the room's second occupant…who was currently tied to one of two plastic sheeting-covered chairs, completely naked. Tears streamed down her face, and her wrists and ankles bled from where the rope had cut into them from her struggles, dried blood coating the plastic beneath her in little droplets. The smell of blood permeated the air, and within me my heart pumped harder, building anticipation. My eyes slid from her to Hiiro, who I found leaning casually against the wall, watching me closely. Her hands were devoid of weapons, or any other item for that matter.
"My name is-" She started, but I interrupted.
"Hiiro, I know," I said, cutting her off.
She seemed surprised at first, but then her eyes sparkled with mirth, a smile forming slowly.
"I haven't been called Hiiro in quite some time…how interesting that that is the name you've learned." She spoke softly. "I'd ask how you learned it…but I think I'd have more fun answering that mystery myself. I of course know your name as well, Kureizu. Despite neither of us doing an introduction…I think I'll consider us introduced regardless…and normally I would chastise a person for interrupting, but I think for ones such as us, we may…dispense with the pleasantries."
"Ones such as us…" I spoke quietly. "And what exactly do you think we are?"
"A follower of Jashin, of course," She said, smiling prettily. "I've been here long enough to know that for a fact, so don't attempt to hide it. A string of dead bodies is hard to hide when you know what you're looking for."
I contemplate what she said for a moment. I wouldn't say I follow anyone, despite the circumstances. Still though, this was a potential source of information, experience, and expertise. I would be a fool to turn her away.
"I had thought I was careful…" I replied, shrugging.
"Oh, you were!" She replied, pushing off of the wall, as she began to pace slightly as she spoke.
"I actually wasn't one hundred percent sure till I arrived. There were rumors, though not quite widespread. I paid a pretty penny for the information to point me in the right direction. Of course, when I'd heard that the light of Ashemu had been spotted, well…" She spoke rapidly, as though happy to finally have a reason to share.
I suddenly had several questions and was grateful when she paused looking up at me. "Yes?"
"What is the light of Ashemu?" I asked, deciding to go with what I thought was the most important question.
"Not a what, a who. The Light Of Ashemu is a man and a dangerous one at that." She spoke quickly, cocking her head to the side.
Her lips pursed for a second, before she pushed the plastic sheeting nearest to her aside, grabbing a large bag. I tensed slightly as she dug through it for a moment, but relaxed as she came out with a book. She opened it, and rifled through a few pages, before pulling out a photo. Carefully holding the book in her off-hand, she walked over to me, her steps barely making a sound on the plastic, and handed me the picture. He was young in the photo, but the photo itself seemed quite old.
"That is the Light Of Ashemu, Seijin The Hunter…he is perhaps Ashemu's greatest follower in this age, and he hunts us down like dogs. That he was spotted means something has happened, and that spells great danger for us all." She says, before taking the photo back.
As she replaced it in the book, and set both outside of the plastic sheet, I considered what I'd just learned. I'd already fought one of these Ashemu followers, but from her tone and words, this one seemed particularly more dangerous.
"I-" I started, but this time she interrupted me.
"Sorry, Kureizu," She said, holding up a hand. "Before we talk any more, I should perhaps introduce our guest. I know you have questions, we all do…but her presence…."
With that, I remembered there was indeed another occupant of the room. I had been so engrossed in Hiiro, lost in the information I was learning, that the woman's existence had completely escaped me.
"Right…Who is she to you?" I asked, motioning to the pretty blond.
"Her name is unimportant," Hiiro said, smirking, as she walked around the blonde, "It's what she knows that's so important!"
I expected her to continue, and when she didn't, nearly rolled my eyes before asking, "What does she know?"
"Your secret, silly boy." She laughed, actually rolling her eyes. "You did just as much admit to being one of the accursed just a few minutes ago. They don't hold trials for accused Jashin followers, you understand…"
I was confused. "Then why the fuck did you have her here for this conversation?"
She laughed then, shaking her head as she turned back to me. "To ensure that when the time came…you'd kill her, of course."
"And why would I kill her?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "She doesn't know much of anything, not with any proof. I am a Jonin of this village, they wouldn't take the word of a civilian over my own."
"Oh!" Hiiro gasped, "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that she knew your secret only because you blurted it out." She explained. "This little blonde bombshell actually works for Ame, specifically in one of the labs."
I'll admit to being slightly confused, unsure how that explained anything. "I'm not following…How would one of the lab workers learn my secret?"
"Hmm…Perhaps it's a newer invention than I thought, here in Ame," She replied, eyes narrowed. "An Ame ninja died, and then two men fell from one of the skyscrapers, smashing into the ground. One, a young man, carried a very recognizable weapon."
I could see it in my mind, the white Tanto that gleamed with white light…I could remember the burn as it slid into my chest.
"I see you remember it…one of the 13 famed Blades Of Aman, the weapons given to the Ashemic Hunters." She said as she trailed her hand through the blonde's hair. "The other, after quite the fall, was able to get up and run away, disappearing into the crowds. That blade, found at the crime scene, was covered in blood…and it was that blood, that little blondie here, has spent the past three weeks testing against sample, after sample, after sample."
She looked up at me then, a dangerous smile on her lips. "That rumor is what sent me running for Ame, by the way…but regardless, when I arrived last week, I immediately began my own investigation…it didn't take me long to discover what I needed…to find you. All thanks to her…"
"F-fuck!" I exclaimed, leaning weakly against the wall. 'Ame knows! Ame fucking knows!'
I glanced around at the city, searching for any suspicious names, specifically Kiyoshi Mei, or a group of Hunter Nin staging nearby or at my home or apartment. I jumped when the tense silence was shattered by Hiiro's giggles.
"What are you looking for, Kureizu?" She asked, standing behind the unfortunate girl, her arms reaching around her, hefting her tits, one in each hand. "Do you think they are hiding the shadows, preparing to take your head?"
"You just said they tested the blood, that they had matched it to my own!" I replied heatedly. It was easy to figure out what she had meant, now that she had explained, even if she hadn't said as much.
"You jump to conclusions so quickly, Kureizu." She replied, dropping her hands, walking around, and sitting on the blonde's lap, draping an arm around her shoulder. "How do you think I got this information?"
I didn't respond, motioning her to continue.
She pouted, before continuing. "Once I'd heard what had happened, it was simple enough to figure out where the Tanto had ended up and to infiltrate the labs. I spent the last week working there, cleaning floors, working both to undermine their progress and discover your name before they did. You're welcome, by the way. I haven't cleaned floors since I was a child."
"What? I-That is…What?" I replied, gaping.
"Little Miss here tested her final sample last night, and at last got her match. Her elation told me everything I needed to know, as she rushed to give her report. Taking her, and her report…well, let's just say that their final clue ends with her." Hiiro explained, sliding off of the woman's lap, no longer laughing. "Had I not, they certainly would already know your secret, and your head would be starving in a vault somewhere. So when I said that you'd kill her, I meant it."
She spoke those final words in a whisper, and it was only then that I noticed how close she had gotten to me. Close enough that I could smell her breath, tinged slightly with alcohol…but it was the smell of blood that filled my nose, and sent a shiver through my body.
"You will kill her…right Kureizu?" She asked, closing the distance even more. "You wouldn't waste all my effort, right?"
I was trying to concentrate on her words, but the smell of blood was intoxicating, much more than any drug ever could be. Energy pulsed within me, and with it, my willingness to resist crumbled with it. It wasn't a Genjutsu, it wasn't manipulation…it was need, pure and simple. The moment the blonde's death was secured in my mind, I needed it.
MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING
"Fuck…" I whispered as the redhead pulled away from me, moving off to the side, and settling down into the other plastic-covered chair.
A Kunai appeared in my hand, clenched so tightly I swear I could hear the steel groaning…but it wasn't the steel groaning…Something within me had awoken, a desperate need for this.
"Make it slow, Kureizu…show off for me.' Hiiro whispered, her words caressing me like soft hands.
My breaths were coming fast, and shallow, as I stood before the blonde who was looking up at me in terror. This felt right to me, now, in the moment…though I would in the future look back and see this moment for what it truly was…I stepped forward, and with that step my fall was complete.
"Is what she said true, Aki?" I asked softly, studying her closely.
She was shaking her head, her blond hair waving wildly with it, sticking to the tears and drool running from her mouth. I twisted and backhanded her hard enough to tip the chair, only my speed and reflexes stopping it from crashing to the floor. She screamed now, and the sound sent a jolt of pure pleasure through me. I backhanded her again, the other cheek, and caught her by the hair, yanking her back in place.
"Aki…tell me the truth…Is what she said true?" I ask quietly, nearly whispering. "Do you know my secret?"
Aki nods, slowly at first, but quickly speeding up with a desperation that sent a thrill through me. I hadn't needed to know…but knowing somehow made it even more right. Killing her to protect myself, my family, my friends…it felt right. Yet…as Hiiro had said…no reason to rush, not when I still had so many questions about my abilities. I slide the tip of the Kunai into my palm, the wound pulsing pleasure through me with every beat of my heart. I pressed my palm against her mouth, soaking the gag, and waited…and waited.
Behind me, I could feel the question on Hiiro's mind, but didn't bother to answer. She would see…she did ask me to show off, after all. I groaned then, loudly, as the energy building within me exploded, coursing through myself, and Aki, overwriting what she was with what I wanted. As my vision cleared, I found my free hand clenched around her throat, hard, and with effort, I let go, stepping slightly back. I took a moment to center myself, the pounding of my heart pulsing with energy that made me feel so, so good. I had answered one of my questions…how much blood was needed? Not much at all…
"Aki? You're only going to speak when spoken to…No screaming, no matter what. Nod if you understand." I ordered, and with her nod, removed the gag.
"Tell me your full name," I order, sensing the wonder of our voyeur. "Be truthful from here forward."
"A-Aki Ha," She responded, surprise and terror filling her face as she responded.
Behind me, a soft whispered word filled the air, "Wha?"
"Tell me about the blood testing Aki…" I whispered, concentrating on her. Between us, I could feel a pulsing of energy, in time with my heart.
"T-The Jonin Commander…he…he requested us to find a match, if possible, against the blood r-records we keep." She explained. I nodded, motioning her to continue. "They didn't explain why, just that the blood on the Tanto was important…I…I didn't know, I'm sorry, please don't kill me, please I-"
"Silence," I ordered, her mouth snapping shut with a hard click.
"How are you doing that?" Hiiro asked behind me.
I glanced at her, before looking back at Aki. "Did you tell anyone, Aki? Did you leave anything behind that will implicate me? Think hard."
Her eyes were wide as she thought, before shaking her head. "My team were each given a subset of the full roster to test against. We only had one profile to test against and she took the profile, the samples, and the blade. Unless they kept a sample off-site, which they had no reason to, there will be nothing to test against or show where I was at in my test."
I thought about her response for a moment, before nodding. "Will anyone have noticed you're missing?
"Y-yes, my boyfriend expected me home hours ago." She replied the tremor in her voice like music to my ears.
"That's unfortunate…" I whispered in reply, that it was unfortunate for her left unspoken.
"Tell me…" I whispered in the pretty blonde's ear, "How hard is it not to scream?"
Every cut I inflicted sent surges of pleasure through my body, every stab, every gout of blood, another torrent of ecstasy. I was addicted…I was obsessed. My audience was silent but for a small groan of pleasure, or gasp, now and then. Around me burned the etheric symbol of Jashin, my skin as black as night, except for the shock white of the bone effigies splashed with blood.
"Not hard at all, master…" She replied as tears ran down her face, the sharp blade in my hand digging into the flesh of her leg.
The air was scented heavily with blood…but beneath it, I could smell her need.
"How about now?" I asked as with a slash I cut off her toes, the blood adding to the growing puddle beneath her.
"I want to scream but I can't master…" She replied, her eyes wide with horror, her voice almost to the point of being weak from the blood loss.
As my vision cleared, the rictus of pleasure washing over me, I tried my best to hold back. I wanted to hurt her, I wanted to kill her. I wanted to use her, taste her, and sacrifice her.
"Tell me what you want," I ordered, digging the blade into my own leg, only my will holding me back from making good on my wants. Another experiment had occurred to me, and now was the perfect time to find that answer.
"I want to go home I want to forget this ever happened I want you to stop hurting me I'm so sorry please let me go I won't tell any-" She began speaking rapidly, a surge of energy.
"Shut up," I ordered, quieting her down again.
I needn't fear anyone hearing her, not with the silencing tags placed all over, not the strict orders to remain no louder than a normal conversation. A glance behind me told me what I expected, Hiiro's hand was still hidden under her dress, her eyes wide and dark with pleasure as she watched my work.
"You're no longer allowed to want to go home," I ordered. "Tell me what you want."
"I-I-," She started, but froze, a look of wonder, horror, and awe on her face.
'Interesting…' I thought, studying her. "You want to stay here forever…" I whispered.
"I want to stay here forever, I want you to stop hurting me I want to stay I want…" She answered as a surge of energy filled me.
"You want me to hurt you!" I ordered, stepping closer.
"I want to stay here forever I want you to hurt me I want you to hurt me!" She replied as she began to sob once more.
Something within me then broke, and as Hiiro's moans reached a fever pitch I slammed the Kunai into my chest and everything went white.
Her hands were on me, touching, feeling. Her lips were as soft as I had expected, her body lithe, taut, and warm. Where the pain ended, and pleasure began I couldn't speak. I tasted her, I felt her, I used her. Her teeth dug into my throat, and blood spilled, as I came. Our energy mixed, repulsed, expanded. As we danced, so did the putrid energy within us, and as we faded into one another, so too did that which made us what we were.
An unknown time later I had come to, our bodies still mingled. She slept softly, our bodies covered in drying blood from where we had rolled together on the floor. I pulled myself off, and out, of her, our sticky skin peeling apart, half-dried blood dripping and flaking off. As I looked around at the mess we would need to clean up, it was only then that I noticed the new pop-up.
Skill Absorbed: Chi no Yūwaku - Blood Seduction Rank 1
The Smell of your blood is seductive to the ones that interest you.
A/N: Sorry for the wait! Work was busy, and I didn't have the right mood to write this chapter. This one is gonna be contentious, I think, as it really does fit the motif of "Gore Fest" like a scene from a Saw Movie. Take note please that I am aware of that, and that there is a reason for that. There WILL be a payoff in the end based on this scene(And a few others), as more information becomes available to the MC, and the reader. Have no doubts, there is a method to this madness.
All is not lost, however, as Kureizu has learned even more than he expected. The name of his enemy, the nature of his 'friend'…and that his abilities are more expandable than even he expected. Next chapter we learn more from Hiiro, as questions still remain…and the Light Of Ashemu shines once more on Ame.
Until next time, boys and girls, this is Klldarkness!
