A/N - I hope you all enjoy this story. Finally nearing its completion once I've checked through the spelling and stuff. It's gonna be a slow-burn romance, following the story but through the eyes of Hotaru Kazama. Please review it!
The village of Iriegakure, nestled within the secluded and rocky coves of the Land of Strange Rocks, was a place of tranquility and mystery. Its villagers lived humble lives, their days spent fishing, farming, and tending to the peculiar, luminescent rocks that gave the land its name. These rocks, glowing with an ethereal light at night, were a well-kept secret, believed to bring prosperity to the village on the island.
Among the villagers was a young girl named Hotaru, known for her vibrant and wild red hair and striking, deep red eyes. She lived a peaceful life with her parents, basking in the safety of their secluded home. Hotaru's days were filled with the warmth of her family's love and the simple joys of village life by the seaside. Every day she would freely run and play with her friends, assist the elders, and go about her day with carefree joy.
But the serenity of Iriegakure was shattered one fateful night.
Unknown to the villagers, rumors of the luminescent rocks had spread far beyond the borders of the Land of Strange Rocks. Tales of their mystical properties reached the ears of shinobi nations, hungry for power and control. And so, the village found itself under attack, the once quiet cove filled with the sounds of chaos and destruction.
Hotaru's father, a brave man, stood resolutely to protect his family. "Run, Hotaru! Run with your mother!" he shouted, his voice thick with desperation as enemy shinobi swarmed the village.
Her mother grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the terror unfolding around them. "We have to go, Hotaru. We have to stay hidden," she whispered urgently, her voice trembling with fear. But Hotaru didn't want to leave her father behind and tried to pull back, desperate to stay with him.
"Papa!" Hotaru cried, her small hands reaching out as she fought against her mother's grip. The sight of her father, standing alone against the invaders, burned into her memory.
As they fled through the labyrinthine alleys of their village, Hotaru's mother led her through secret paths known only to the villagers. They stumbled upon a hidden alcove, the entrance concealed behind a cluster of luminescent rocks. "In here," her mother said, pushing Hotaru inside before following her in.
The sounds of battle echoed through the caverns, a haunting symphony of destruction. Hotaru's mother held her close, her voice a soothing lullaby against the terror. "It's going to be okay, my little firefly. We'll be safe here." She stroked Hotaru's hair softly, but the young girl's sobs only grew as she clung to her mother.
Their safety, however, was short-lived. The enemy shinobi, relentless in their pursuit, discovered their hiding place. Hotaru's mother fought bravely, wielding a hidden blade with desperate skill, but she was no match for the seasoned warriors. With a single, devastating blow, she was struck down.
"Hide, Hotaru! Don't let them find you," she managed to say, her voice fading as life slipped away. Blood pooled around her, the dark liquid creeping toward Hotaru, who stood frozen in shock, her eyes wide and filled with tears.
Consumed by grief and terror, Hotaru hid in the shadows, her body trembling. The sight of her mother's lifeless body and the approaching invaders was too much to bear. Something inside her snapped.
Her eyes, already deep red, began to glow with an otherworldly light. The Yumeseigan, her dormant dōjutsu, awakened with a ferocity she could not control. The world around her erupted in blinding radiance, the light drawing energy from every living being in its path, including Hotaru herself.
The invading shinobi screamed in agony as their life forces bled dry, their bodies withering under the intense power. The radiance grew, feeding off the energy around it, until it became an inferno of heat and light.
Hotaru's vision blurred, the power searing through her eyes, leaving her blind and burned. The devastation ended only when there was no life left to sustain the inferno. Everything around her, plants and people alike, lay withered and unrecognizable, drained of their energy.
In the aftermath, Hotaru lay among the ruins of her village, her body trembling with exhaustion and grief. The realization of what she had done, the destruction she had caused, was too much to bear. She had lost everything—her family, her home, her sight. The excruciating physical and emotional pain became overwhelming, and Hotaru succumbed to her injuries, passing out almost immediately after the light dissipated from her body.
It was then that a figure emerged from the shadows. Itsuki Kazama, an elite ANBU captain from Konohagakure, had been sent to investigate the disturbance. Known for his keen perception and tactical prowess, he had arrived in Iriegakure following reports of strange energy fluctuations that had alarmed even the most seasoned shinobi.
Itsuki had anticipated finding conflict, but the sight that greeted him was beyond anything he had imagined. The village was in ruins, the once vibrant community reduced to ashes and lifeless shells. Amidst the devastation, his sharp eyes caught sight of a small, trembling figure—Hotaru. She crawled on her knees, reaching out to grab onto something - anything - to help her navigate the destruction that surrounded her.
He approached cautiously, his senses alert for any remaining threats. As he drew closer, he saw the girl looking up at him amidst the wreckage, her body broken and eyes now a milky white hue. Despite the destruction surrounding her, Itsuki saw potential in the girl. The power that had unleashed such devastation was once dormant within her, it was a raw force that needed to be controlled and guided.
Taking pity on the young girl, Itsuki decided to take her back to Konohagakure. He saw in her not just a victim of tragedy, but a powerful asset that, if trained properly, could become a formidable shinobi. He gently lifted her frail body, cradling her as he made his way back through the decimated village.
From that day on, Hotaru wore a black blindfold to cover her blinded eyes, a constant reminder of the power she could not yet control and the tragedy that had befallen her home. As she left her village, she couldn't shake the feeling that her destiny was now intertwined with those who would challenge her beliefs and push her to discover what true strength really meant.
Itsuki's training was harsh and unyielding, aimed at making her resilient and disciplined. He knew that for Hotaru to harness her dōjutsu, she needed to master her emotions and control her chakra with precision. Hotaru grew into a disciplined and focused individual, her cold and distant demeanour matched in her attire. She kept everything hidden from those outside her home. With her eyes blindfolded, Hotaru also adorned her head with a deep burgundy headscarf to conceal her hair. Her attire was a simple, dark blue kimono-style top, secured at the waist with an off-white obi-style belt and black trousers to finish. To complete her look, she often wore bandages on her arms and legs, a sign of her intense training rituals with her guardian, Itsuki..
Under his guidance, Hotaru began to understand the true extent of her abilities and the responsibilities that came with them. She learned that strength was not just about power, but also about control, discipline, and the will to protect those she cared about. As she honed her skills, Hotaru vowed to honour the memory of her parents and the legacy of her village, determined to use her power for a greater purpose.
Thus began Hotaru's journey, a path fraught with challenges and discovery, as she sought to unlock the full potential of her Yumeseigan and carve out her place in a world that had shown her both the depths of despair and the heights of hope.