said angrily. Gyatsō barely turned his head to look at the boy, as he was still answering the various questions coming from the speaker. Was Suzuka's safety that unimportant to him? Hikari wouldn't hesitate to show him that he wasn't an ignorant and callow child. He had already killed two people, and he was willing to do whatever it took to protect Suzuka.
Just as Hikari was about to take drastic action, Gyatsō said fervently, "The girl's at the hospital." Maybe he didn't lie. Hikari's anger dissipated, replaced by a glimmer of hope.
"She is? Can you take me to her?" Hikari asked desperately. Gyatsō shooed him away with his left hand, as his right was quickly jotting down words on a piece of yellow paper. Since he was solely paying attention to his conversation with whoever was talking in the speaker, the blonde boy hurriedly walked out of the door and studied his surroundings.
The boy found himself to be standing in a long hallway crowded by people he had never seen before, their faces a blur of unfamiliarity. They must have been members of this Hidden Dark Nation, as the "dark" insignia on the flags in that musty room were embedded in their forehead protectors, a symbol of their allegiance. Meaning all of these people were actually shinobi, trained combatants with a shared purpose. Hikari didn't know much about the other Hidden Villages, but he was aware that the Five Great Nations only comprised of the Leaf, Mist, Sand, Cloud, and Stone. These Hidden Dark shinobi could only be defectors from the Great Nations then, individuals who had abandoned their former lives to join Gyatsō's cause.
As Hikari wandered the hall, he wondered why so many people would pledge loyalty to Gyatsō, including himself, although admittedly only due to a lack of alternatives. He was just an eleven-year-old outcast, without a family now, and like Suzuka, perhaps this Gyatsō Mataba had come into his life when he needed someone like him the most. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards the man, despite the uncertainty that surrounded him.
"Need any help, little buddy?" a deep voice asked above him, breaking the spell of his thoughts. Hikari had been too caught up in his own world to realise he had caught the attention of a tall, muscular man with brown hair extending to his back. He wondered which Hidden Village the buff ninja originated from and why he ultimately defected from it, but the man's friendly demeanor put him at ease.
"Yes, I'm trying to find the hospital," Hikari replied timidly. The man pointed behind Hikari, to a small, illuminated sign hanging on the ceiling, labeled with a first aid symbol and arrow. How could he have missed that? Hikari thanked the man and followed the sign until he was outside of the building, the cool night air a welcome respite from the stifling atmosphere of the hallway.
A few other people were headed to the hospital, so he decided to just follow them to make it easier for himself, sparing himself any further queries on who came from where and why. Maybe Gyatsō was inputting his own admission to the Dark in some database earlier, a record of his defection from the Hidden Stone Village. It would simply say that Hikari Notori of the Hidden Stone Village had emigrated from the Stone because his execution was to take place the day after, not that his connection with Orochimaru had caused the villagers to despise him for all he was worth... unless Mataba had access to that information, too.
Still donning his tattered grey prison garments, the blonde boy walked into the hospital and was immediately repulsed by his findings. An uncountable amount of the ailed and dying were sprawled all over the cold floor, dismissed by the clearly overworked doctors for having injuries that would inevitably claim their lives. Ghastly red-orange men and women with severe burn marks engulfing their bodies whole, limbless children—infants even—crying and moaning out in pain, death looming around the corner in anticipation. This time, Hikari was utterly relieved not to find Suzuka among them, for that would mean she was critically wounded after the peace officers knocked him unconscious. Either that, or the tracker ninjas had already done a number on her when Gyatsō luckily intervened. Another possible reason to wholeheartedly swear loyalty to the man.
If his efforts to find his best friend were not stopped by the sight of a small bald boy crawling up to his legs, gasping for the tiny amount of oxygen in his lungs, then collapsing to the floor dead, nothing else on the planet could. The boy's lifeless body was a stark reminder of the harsh reality that surrounded him, and Hikari felt a pang of sadness wash over him. He took in a deep breath and shook the motionless hand off his foot, then made his way to the exhausted receptionist donning a face mask. Even though a majority of the dying lot weren't suffering from any contagious diseases, the elderly orange-haired woman surely wasn't taking any chances. She blinked slowly, completely inattentive to the boy in front of her, her eyes sunken and her skin pale.
Hikari impatiently pressed his index finger against the bell on the table, the little ring that followed barely enough to rouse the old woman. As if she didn't even see him, she moved her head upwards for a split second before shifting it back down, her gaze drifting back to the papers in front of her. Hikari's frustration mounted, and he wondered if he would ever find Suzuka in this chaotic place, or if she was even still alive.
"Hello, miss?" Hikari said. The receptionist lifted her wrinkled eyebrows to look at the boy with her dull green eyes, which seemed to hold a deep sadness. The gloomy expression she then gave was so easy to read that a child like him was immediately able to understand her thoughts. No, I can't help you, her face read. Just lay on the floor, die like the rest. The old woman's gaze was a mixture of apathy and resignation, as if she had given up on the world and its inhabitants.
"I'm looking for a friend of mine," Hikari continued, attempting to dissuade the elderly woman from brushing him off as yet another patient out of reach, another sick child bitterly awaiting death. Whether it was due to the raucous cries of the moribund sufferers or the possibility that the old woman's ears were failing her, it seemed that she didn't hear the boy. Still assuming her hunched posture, those dead eyes hardly focusing on his youthful hues. Then, almost as if she was struck by a lightning bolt, the receptionist snapped upwards and flashed the boy with a hearty smile. Exposing teeth that were obviously dentures, as the white things were starting to peel off her gumline.
"Youngins like ya die so early," she said with an uncomfortably cheerful voice, albeit very hoarse. "Breaks ma heart every time. Now whatcha say, boy? Can't barely hear nothin'," the old woman explained. Hikari's eyes locked onto hers, searching for any sign of hope, but finding none.
"My friend. Gyatsō Mataba said she was brought here?" Hikari said, his voice firm and determined. The woman frowned at his words and shook her head dismissively, as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
"I don't sell no medicinal herbs here boy! Ya gotta go to that ol' gal... what's her name now? Lemme look here," she said, her voice trailing off as she rummaged through the mess of papers on her desk. She eventually pulled out a tiny slip of paper littered with illegible words and letters, squinting hard and rotating the paper who knows how many times. Something clearly came to her, as she was opening her mouth to speak again.
"The uh... herb gal, 'er name's Koharu. She's that-a-way," the receptionist mumbled, pointing to a door near the back of the waiting area. Hikari looked at the door skeptically before looking back at the receptionist, who had returned to her strange, huddled position in front of her table. Being surrounded by people who cried out nonsensical gibberish seemed to have affected her in more ways than one. The boy concluded that the old woman was going to be absolutely no help to him in her senile state, but he decided to follow up on her directions and headed for the door. He quickly opened it and nearly jumped past it in an effort to hopefully rid himself of all those terrible noises, slamming his back against it to close it as fast as possible.
"What on earth kind of place is this?!" Hikari exclaimed, frustrated and disheartened. So far, his venture into the Hidden Dark Nation had introduced him to its mysterious—and arguably neglective—leader, dying men, women, and children, and a decrepit old woman who was about as useful as a pet rock. And now he came face-to-face with a long, empty white hallway leading to many other hallways at every corner. Every room at the end of each corner was narrow, confined, and had a dead patient lying in a bed. What a waste.
Gyatsō surely had to know what was going on in his own village. All of this mess was added to the list of reasons why Hikari debated killing him, then fleeing the village with Suzuka. It wasn't too bad of a plan, to take refuge in one of the other Hidden Villages in exchange for information regarding the Stone. He could relish in the idea even more so if not for his growing hunger, exhaustion, and overall dispirited mood. Just one more look into one of the foul-smelling rooms was all it took for the boy to collapse on his way to the next, his body weakened by the sheer weight of everything that's happened.
As Hikari backed his body into the wall, he thought to himself, 'I swear I'll find you, Gyatsō Mataba... and I'll kill you.' Thankfully, the patients who somehow remained alive in this section of the hospital weren't screaming in pain or fumbling around in their beds, likely due to the effects of anesthetics. The patients here remained remarkably quiet, their silence a stark contrast to the chaos that had erupted in the waiting area.
As he sat there, Hikari's ears picked up on a faint noise coming from the room next to him—the gentle snoring of someone he knew. His heart skipped a beat as he recognised the sound, a sound he had grown fond of two years ago when he and his best friend were sleeping in that fateful dark alley. The memory came flooding back, and Hikari's eyes widened with excitement.
'Is that really her?' he thought, his mind racing with the possibility. It took everything in him to rise to his feet, his body weak and exhausted from the events of the day. He pressed his hands against the wall to support his body, as nothing else was there for him to use. Then, he took a slow and wobbly step towards the half-opened door, his legs trembling beneath him.
As he moved closer to the room, his fatigue began to convert into energy, his discontent fading away until only conviction remained. All of these emotions and more consumed the boy's drive, the effects growing and growing the closer he got to that room. He finally stumbled into its chilly atmosphere, his body giving out beneath him. He fell onto his stomach, the little energy he had left barely enough for him to lift his head and look at the resting girl on the bed.
Suzuka really was a peaceful sleeper, her face serene and calm. Hikari watched her, still unbeknownst to her, and felt a sense of wonder wash over him. 'Has anything changed at all since that day?' he thought, his mind wandering back to the past. However, in this case, the constant threat of being pursued by livid villagers was rendered nonexistent in the Hidden Dark. The girl's past warmth on his shoulder was replaced by an inescapable coldness that lured him into another unconscious mode of being.
Rather than worrying over this, Hikari cherished the tiny-turned-enormous amount of happiness that had engulfed his body. Then, he compared it to Suzuka's warmth—immediately denouncing it as inferior. The sight of his friend slowly distorted into a world of pitch black, until even her gentle breathing went unheard. Hikari's eyes drooped, his body succumbing to the exhaustion that had been building up inside him. He let out a soft sigh, his chest rising and falling with each breath, as he drifted off into a deep sleep, surrounded by the silence of the hospital room.
The darkness of the room seemed to fade away, replaced by a warm and comforting light. Hikari's heart was filled with a sense of peace, a sense of belonging. He knew that he had found what he was looking for, what he had been searching for all along. He had found Suzuka, and he had found a sense of purpose. And as he slept, he knew that he would never let her go, that he would always be there to protect her, to care for her, and to love her.
Two faceless figures materialised in front of the blond child, who was shackled from head to toe, completely immobile and at the full mercy of their whims. The air was thick with an unsettling silence as the figures seemed to silently observe Hikari, refusing to press their sharp claws against his red, burnt skin. They circled around him like he was the greatest spectacle they had ever laid their nonexistent eyes on, their movements eerily fluid and calculated.
At first, the figures appeared to be nothing more than dark, amorphous shapes, but as they continued to observe Hikari, the tallest of the two began to undergo a grotesque transformation. Two small eyes grew from its featureless face, both of which were bleeding rapidly, as if the very act of creation was a violent and painful one. The eyes were a deep, burning red, and they seemed to bore into Hikari's very soul.
The figure then grew a large mouth, which drooped at its sides like a macabre parody of a smile. The mouth opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and let out a powerful, ear-shattering scream. The force of the shriek was so mighty that it seemed to shake the very foundations of the darkness surrounding them. Hikari's hair was literally torn off his head, flying into the depths of the darkness like a flock of startled birds.
In his charred and bald state, Hikari closely resembled the young boy who had crawled up to him and died earlier. The similarity was uncanny, and it only added to the sense of horror and despair that was rapidly consuming him. Hikari's own bleeding eyes shot open, and he screamed with the deafening beast in unison. The chains around his body constricted him even more, making his screams harsher, louder, and more anguished.
As soon as his tune of absolute misery outmatched the beast's, a copious amount of water suddenly splashed against his face. The boy's eyes quickly opened again, but this time without the presence of blood. However, they were stinging, and Hikari could taste the faint tang of chlorine on his lips.
"Oh good, that woke you up," Suzuka said above him. Hikari wiped his eyes with the bottom of his green undershirt and sat up straight. He was still sitting where he passed out, next to Suzuka's bed. The girl had roused him with a bucket of water she found in a nearby closet.
"Suzuka... I'm glad you're safe. How long was I out for?" Hikari asked, his voice laced with a mix of relief and concern. Suzuka looked over to the large red clock on her wall.
"My doctor told me the surveillance cameras caught you coming here at around one-thirty, and it's three now," she replied. Hikari dried off his face with the patches of dryness on his shirt, wincing as he touched the tender skin. He painstakingly rose to his feet, his body aching from the ordeal. Just to think that he and Suzuka were apprehended by the Stone not even three hours ago, and at no later than six in the morning, they would have been executed in the village's prison. Gyatsō definitely helped them out back there, but now it was time to book it.
"Listen. We have to get out of here," Hikari said quietly, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. Suzuka tied her red locks into a messy ponytail and looked into his blue eyes nonchalantly, seemingly oblivious to the underlying tension. Hikari suspected she failed to catch wind of his plans, as the girl jumped onto her bed and kicked her feet carelessly, a look of innocence on her face.
"Don't need to. Mr. Gyatsō said that we can stay in the hospital until our quarters are ready," she replied, her voice laced with a sense of security. Hikari impatiently grabbed her feet, stopping them, before sitting next to her. He gave her an intense look that made her slightly uncomfortable, his eyes burning with a sense of urgency.
"No, you didn't understand what I meant," he said, "so let me put this in a different way." Suzuka took a moment to slowly nod her head for him to continue, her expression curious. Hikari's voice dropped to a whisper, his words barely audible.
"There's something really, really fishy about Gyatsō. I mean, did you see how awful his hospital is? He's letting his own people die like garbage here!" he said, his words laced with disgust. Suzuka pouted at his description of the Dark's leader and sat upright, her eyes flashing with defenciveness.
"What do you think we should do, then? I don't think you're being really fair," the red-haired girl replied, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance. Hikari's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unyielding.
"I say we sneak out of here and go somewhere safe like the Hidden Leaf. It's better than blindly putting our faith in someone as shady as him. And what do you mean, I'm being unfair?" he asked.
"Hikari, we don't have any other choice than to live here. If we leave, the Stone will easily track us down and kill us. Mr. Gyatsō saved us earlier, so we owe him enough to just do what he says," she said back. Hikari crossed his arms and looked away from his friend, his mind racing with thoughts of doubt and uncertainty. Wasn't following her lead the reason everything happened like this anyway? He wouldn't have killed Akihito Itazura and his wife if he didn't listen to Suzuka. The weight of his actions bore down on him, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had made a terrible mistake.
As he sat there, Hikari's thoughts were a jumble of emotions, his mind torn between his loyalty to Suzuka and his growing distrust of Gyatsō. He knew that he had to make a decision, but the consequences of his actions were far from clear. The darkness outside seemed to press in around them, a reminder of the dangers that lurked in the shadows, waiting to strike. Hikari's eyes drifted back to Suzuka, his heart heavy with the knowledge that their fate was far from certain.
"If Gyatsō made a promise with you, too, then remember it for the rest of your life," Suzuka suddenly told him. Hikari stared at her quietly before lowering his head. A promise with Gyatsō? What the hell did Gyatsō ever promise him? The only times he ever paid attention to the boy was when he was trying to coerce him into joining the Hidden Dark. So, Hikari tried to remember each brief conversation he had with the man to look for answers.
"I know many things about you, Hikari Notori. You may not trust me yet, but in time, you will realise how much you need me."The first time Mataba talked to him was creepy indeed, but he never mentioned what the boy wanted most to begin with, let alone made a promise with him.
"It's been a while since I last approached you, boy. Hopefully, you came to terms with the futility in your staying here. If you wait for too long, they'll eventually kill you. Before I take my leave, I want you to know there are places where you'd be accepted."Yet again, no promises were made. Although, hearing that three and a half years ago did make Hikari question living in the Stone. He thought harder and harder until only one more conversation managed to cross his mind.
"Either die in the Hidden Stone or come to my Hidden Dark Nation. You'll be able to get your revenge in my ambitions." Bingo. That had to be it, right? It wasn't a direct promise, but it implied Hikari's ultimate goals were sure to come through inGyatsō's plots. And he couldn't really remember anything else with the fogginess still in his head, so he didn't bother challenging it.
"Okay, Suzuka... okay. I guess I'll stay here and ride the wave with you," Hikari said gently, his voice barely above a whisper. The door to the cold room creaked open, its disturbing sound making the two of them swing their heads around in unison. The tall, blue-haired doctor's appearance was unannounced, and his sudden entrance seemed to catch them off guard.
"Little Suzuka was right, you two don't have any other options," the man said sternly, his white doctor jacket swirling behind him as he rushed to the marble desk in the corner. He grabbed a clipboard and red pen, then quickly walked to the girl with a friendly smile. However, Hikari could've sworn the doctor flashed him a dark, hostile glare for a split second, a fleeting moment that left him wondering if he had heard his plan to flee the Hidden Dark earlier.
Suzuka let out a sigh of relief and looked at the incoming man, her eyes still wide with surprise. "You couldn't knock first, doc? Scared the heck out of me," she said as she pressed her hand against her chest, her heart still racing from the sudden interruption. The doctor readjusted his tiny glasses and chuckled faintly, his expression softening.
"We never met, have we, Hikari? I'm Doctor Odoroki. Your friend here has been appointed as my patient for the time being. It's nice to finally meet you!" he chimed, extending his hand to the uncomfortable blonde boy. Hikari reluctantly shook Dr. Odoroki's freezing hand, his eyes slowly looking over to Suzuka for help, hoping she would pick up on his subtle cue to intervene.
'Come on, Suzuka, tell this guy to bugger off...' he thought, but Suzuka seemed oblivious to his distress.
"I'm surprised you know his name," she said, clearly once again failing to catch Hikari's subtlety. The doctor chuckled again and tapped his pen against his clipboard, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Oh, it'd be insulting not to know him! Lord Yamikage wants to make him a member of the Hidden Dark Nation Council, and he's only eleven!" he said, his voice dripping with enthusiasm. The blue-haired doctor then brought his face closer to Hikari's, giving him another hard look.
"That's why you can't leave, boy. You may not look like much, but there's... something within you that only the Yamikage sees. Said you'll bring about a great future for our nation."
Hikari's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the implications of Dr. Odoroki's words. So, the doctor was eavesdropping after all, and the Yamikage must be Gyatsō. Surely, he knew how foolish it was to want an inexperienced boy in an organisation that sounded as important as that. Regardless, Hikari couldn't sit there and be silent forever.
"Thank you...?" the boy eventually half-said half-asked, his voice laced with uncertainty. Dr. Odoroki kept staring at him for a few good seconds, then withdrew and turned his attention back to Suzuka.
"And you, young lady... congratulations! You haven't sustained aaaannyyy long-time injuries! Those Hidden Stone peace officers roughed you up a little, but you'll be in perfect shape in no time," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. Suzuka twirled her red locks around her finger and looked at him in suspicion, her eyes narrowing.
"In perfect shape for what?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of wariness. Hikari's eyes locked onto hers, his mind racing with the same question.
"Hikari isn't the only eleven-year-old that Lord Yamikage wants the nation to recognise," Dr. Odoroki replied, his voice dripping with an air of importance. "You'll be put through immense training so that you'll be able to lead our main battle regiment by the time you're sixteen." Suzuka's eyes widened in surprise as she sat up straight, her eyebrow rising in skepticism.
"Why meeee, though?" she complained. "Before I came here, I was just a... a baker's daughter! I didn't even register for the Ninja Academy yet!" Her words were tinged with a sense of desperation, as if she was struggling to come to terms with the sudden turn of events.
Dr. Odoroki's expression remained calm, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Yes, and the same goes for Hikari. But you kids managed to steal some swords and kill some important people, right? If that doesn't show promise, I don't know what will." His words were laced with a hint of sarcasm, but Suzuka's face fell, her eyes dropping to the floor.
"If you doubt your physical ability, the training provided will help with that," Dr. Odoroki continued, his voice softening slightly. "From what I've seen, you don't need more mental fortitude. Hikari was even bent on leaving... even though he would've undoubtedly failed, it's the thought that counts." Suzuka buried her face in her hands.
'So many expectations and plans for a simple pair of kids,' she thought. But as the doctor explained, they weren't really normal kids to begin with... she was to be a gritty military commandant before she could even celebrate her sweet sixteen. And Hikari was to be a member of the Dark Council, its seats held by Gyatsō's closest and brightest advisors. Now a child would be among them. The thought was almost laughable, and Suzuka couldn't help but chuckle, her laughter mingling with Hikari's.
"I don't think Gyatsō would reveal all of that to just a regular doctor," Hikari said, his eyes narrowing as he inspected Dr. Odoroki closely. There had to be something he was hiding from them, but what was it? He looked into the man's dark eyes, searching for any sign of deception.
"So, Doctor, who are you really?" Hikari asked. Odoroki stopped scribbling on his clipboard and rose his eyes to Hikari, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"I know a lot about you and the Dark because I was recently a spy for the Hidden Stone," he revealed, his voice matter-of-fact. Hikari's eyes widened in surprise.
"I stayed here because our current ninja world took away my baby brother," Dr. Odoroki continued. "Now why would I support a world like that, in the Stone? Lord Yamikage is building a better world for all of us." Hikari's eyes never left Odoroki's face.
'That's a much better reason to pledge allegiance to the Dark than ours,' Hikari thought. 'At this rate, Suzuka and I are just being used as symbols to hype up Gyatsō's plans, whatever they are.'
"I'm sorry to hear about your baby brother. Thank—" Hikari's words were cut off by a devastating explosion that sent a reverberating rumble through the entire area. The windows immediately shattered, covering the floors with a sea of broken glass. New screams of children and the elderly alike broke through the chaos, echoing in and out of the hospital. Pitch black smoke quickly filled the skies, consuming even the heavens. Loud sirens blared in the background, steadily growing closer, along with the sound of quick footsteps.
The door to their room was suddenly kicked open by a skinny masked ninja, who shouted, "Are they okay?" Hikari sharply exhaled in pain and clutched his side, where something sharp was deeply embedded. He shot his eyes open, only to see nothing but smoke. The acrid smell of burning debris filled his nostrils, and he coughed out, "Suzuka?!"
Dr. Odoroki's strong arm wrapped around the boy's side, quickly lifting him up. Hikari was able to see another person in the doctor's other arm—Suzuka—but her now unconscious state only worried him even more. A second explosion came when the doctor took a step towards the masked shinobi, sending shockwaves through the air.
"What's going on?!" Dr. Odoroki demanded, struggling to walk over the tiniest shards of wood and glass that littered the floor. The masked ninja shouted back, "Lord Gyatsō believes Mizuto Junkyosha's forces are finally attacking us! An emergency meeting has been called for the Council members, so I've been ordered to take them both to the underground bunker!"
Before Dr. Odoroki could respond, the masked ninja grabbed the two wounded children and performed three quick hand signs. A third explosion came as soon as they disappeared, leaving behind a trail of destruction and chaos. Hikari heard a feminine voice say, "Get them medical aid!" as they were transported to a new location.
The smoke that had filled the hospital definitely made it hard to see anything, but now all Hikari had to worry about was the lack of light. It was hot and sticky wherever they were now, and occasional explosions above sent sheets of dirt falling to the large table in the metal room. Hikari whimpered as carefree hands prodded against the object in his side, assessing how wide it was, as well as how deep it was cutting into his bruised flesh.
Then the hands quickly dug into the wound and tore the whopping shard of glass out. The boy cried out some more and only began to subside when another pair of hands slapped a moist bandage of some sort over the wound to prevent further bleeding. "It was only some glass. He should be fine," the feminine voice said.
Hikari whimpered again and opened one of his eyes to look at the brunette medical expert, who smiled reassuringly. "See? All fine," she said. The woman then averted her attention to his unconscious friend, Suzuka. Slow footsteps made their way over to them, but Hikari couldn't turn his body to see who it was. The footsteps stopped when the person was standing above him, and Hikari felt a sense of trepidation wash over him.
"Mizuto Junkyosha will pay in blood for what he did to my Instant Flash," he heard Gyatsō growl above him. The white-haired Yamikage then walked to the large table and sat in the circular seat in the middle of it. Several men and women of differing ages were already sitting around the table, whispering and chattering amongst themselves. Gyatsō's powerful voice killed the whispers immediately.
"As you know, I am the one who called for this emergency meeting," he said, his eyes scanning the room. "My spies within the Hidden Leaf have informed me that the Junkyosha clan's leader is attacking the Hidden Dark Nation's capital. I'm taking this as a declaration of war. This is our best opportunity to expand our territory beyond the Land of Lightning."
Hikari lowered his eyes, wincing at the pain that still lingered in his side. He held onto his hurting side again, his mind racing with the implications of Gyatsō's words. If the capital was located somewhere within the Land of Lightning, then that meant the Hidden Dark didn't even own its own territory yet.
A Council member with greasy dark hair covering his right eye spoke up, his voice laced with a sense of conviction. "Yes, I agree. That Mizuto Junkyosha and the Raikage have been in close contact with each other, watching us closely. Since they concluded we posed an imminent threat to them both, I say the Raikage must have given Mizuto permission to attack us, as the Junkyosha clan aren't directly affiliated with neither Cloud nor Leaf. Therefore, neither village would have to take the blame if anything went wrong."
The room fell silent as the advisors pondered this for a while, their faces a picture of concern and contemplation. Most of them nodded their heads in agreement, their expressions somber. Gyatsō stroked his chin slowly, his eyes narrowing as he considered the notion. He nodded at the hunch, his voice measured.
"That's a great assertion, Jukichi. We can declare war on the Junkyosha clan without getting any of the Great Nations involved. As much as I'd like to destroy them now, we simply don't have enough military power to take even two Great Nations on. The Junkyosha should be seen as nothing more than mercenaries for now."
Hikari's thoughts drifted back to his earlier plan to flee to the Hidden Leaf, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of irony. 'Junkyosha... Their home is in the Leaf. I was actually debating fleeing there,' he thought, a wry smile spreading across his face.
Just then, a young female advisor with short black hair spoke up, her voice laced with a sense of concern. "There's one more thing," she said. Gyatsō looked over to her, his expression expectant.
"It's clear that Mizuto and the Raikage know what our intentions are, but how is that so? All information regarding our true purpose has been kept completely secret from the public. Us Council members are the only ones who know it... so there has to be a traitor in our midst."
The room fell silent once more, the advisors inspecting each other carefully, their eyes searching for any sign of deception. Gyatsō's gaze swept the room, his eyes lingering on each Council member's face, including Hikari's.
"Is anyone missing?" he asked, his voice low and measured. The female advisor with black hair sat up in her chair, her eyes scanning the room before settling on the vacant spot at the end of the table. She looked confused, her brow furrowed in concern.
Gyatsō's eyes also home in on the empty seat, his expression growing increasingly tense. He placed his other hand over his chin, letting out an extended sigh. His neck and forehead began to redden, veins bulging beneath his skin as he struggled to contain his anger. He couldn't believe no one noticed the absence until now.
"Damnit... the only Council member absent is Uragiru Tanaka," he said, his voice calm but laced with a sense of fury. The raven-haired female tilted her head slightly, obviously confused by the name.
"Uragiru Tanaka...? Shit, there's way too many names stuck in my head right now. Who was that man again?" the female advisor asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. An elderly man with bushy white eyebrows spoke up, his voice laced with a sense of familiarity.
"He's our only Hidden Leaf refugee... it's all starting to make sense," he said, his eyes narrowing as he added, "That young lad with the long brown hair. You know, with the muscles." Hikari's eyes widened, and he gasped out lightly. He shut his eyes, but even in the darkness, he couldn't shake off the face of the buff man who had directed him to the hospital earlier. There was nothing about Uragiru that had rubbed him the wrong way, and now he was apparently the traitor. And to make matters worse, Hikari was possibly the last person who had seen Uragiru.
Gyatsō's shouts forced Hikari to open his eyes, his voice echoing through the room like a thunderclap. "That incorrigible piece of dog shit! I fed that traitor's mouth, and this is how he repays me... after we wipe the Junkyosha from the face of the earth, I want a squad assembled to find him. Bring him back to me, and I'll show him what I do to traitors!" he shouted, slamming a fist against the table with such force that it made Hikari jump.
The old man's calm demeanor was a stark contrast to Gyatsō's rage. "Lord Yamikage, you shouldn't worry too much about Uragiru right now. He's surely heavily protected since he has a lot of classified information about us. It's a lost cause chasing after him," he said, his voice measured. Another advisor, a woman with violet hair and pink eyeliner, nodded in agreement.
"I agree with Ukyo. The Junkyosha could be sending another attack any second now. And we don't know if they're preparing an invasion yet," she said, her voice laced with concern. Gyatsō scoffed, his expression dismissive, and rose out of his chair, walking around the table with an air of intensity. Once again, he studied the various faces of his Council, his eyes lingering on each member before moving to Hikari and Suzuka. A new, slight smirk appeared on his lips, and he said loudly enough for Hikari to hear him, "Get those two prepared."
Hikari's head slowly moved so that he could look into the leader's eyes with concern. His ears were still ringing from the earlier explosion, but he knew he had heard him right. What about the intense training Suzuka was supposed to go through? He couldn't possibly think a little girl—who wasn't even conscious at this moment—could hold up against the notorious trigger-happy Junkyosha clan. Jukichi, thankfully, voiced his thoughts.
"But they're injured, sir. Besides, why would we let two children fight in a war? We have hundreds of able shinobi at our disposal," he said, his argument supported by half of the assembled group. The other half was yelling that most of their shinobi had to be injured by the bombings.
Gyatsō's expression turned impatient, his voice rising. "I didn't say prepare them for combat," he said. "I have new equipment that I'd like to test for later on. At the same time, this is how the Hidden Dark Nation will acknowledge Hikari Notori and Suzuka Yae. Once word of their bravery reaches the Hidden Leaf and Stone, others may opt to join the Hidden Dark. This is an opportunity to expand our numbers."
As Hikari lay there, he couldn't help but think that he had been right all along—they were being used as symbols, pawns in Gyatsō's grand plan to expand the Hidden Dark Nation. If two kids could leave their village and join the Dark to fight for a new world, then anyone could. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, but he was just hoping that this new equipment would help prevent him and his friend from dying as soon as they joined the battlefield.
With a weak hand, Hikari reached out and brushed his fingers against Suzuka's cheek, the gentle touch sending a wave of pain through his body. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, but it was worth it to see his friend's pale face, even if only for a moment. He wondered what Gyatsō had promised Suzuka, what had driven her to join the Hidden Dark Nation. If they somehow survived this mess, at least, Gyatsō could be more motivated to make good on his promises to them.
Just as Hikari was lost in thought, the room was illuminated by a bright red light, flashing throughout the entire space. An alarm identical to the last one rang loudly, piercing the air and making Hikari's ears ache. A message appeared on the giant monitor behind the table, its bright letters searing themselves into Hikari's vision.
With great struggle, Hikari turned onto his back, his body screaming in protest. He squinted, trying to refocus his vision on the screen, his eyes watering from the pain. The words on the screen were barely legible, but he managed to make out the urgent message:
EMERGENCY—TAILED BEAST WEAPON DETECTED IN VICINITY. DANGER IMMINENT. TARGETING PRESENT LOCATION. ARRIVAL APPROXIMATELY THIRTY SECONDS.