Naruto looks down at the sizzling laptop before his feet.
Bloodied Neji is getting treated by a medic just beside him.
Akamaru is barking like crazy, seeing the rookies are coming out to check the spawner.
The smell of burnt plastic morphed his cute face into different shades of disgust.
"It went silent minutes ago", Neji blurts while winching in pain.
"The soldiers turned into goo", Kiba says.
Shikamaru touches the ground, squeezing the goo between his fingers.
"Where is Sasuke?" Naruto asks Neji.
His tone, his body language, none of them seemed right.
Everyone took a step back except Shikamaru.
Neji, as vulnerable as he is.... tenses up.
"The blast probably took him,, He states nonchalantly.
People could literally hear something snap.
He grabes Shikamaru by the collar.
"Stop jokin' around", Naruto says in a low voice.
Then the sky suddenly darkened.
The veil that had covered the forest in rainy clouds has now been lifted, and rain started to pour.
Neji immediately activates his Byakugan.
"I see him. He points east.
Naruto moved so fast that it seemed like he body-flickered.
Choji looks anxious as he sees a dear friend rush into who knows what dangerous situation.
"We should go with him", he suggests.
"No", Shikamaru almost screams.
All eyes turn to him.
But none can see the smart guy's face as his back is turned.
"Just let em be", he says.
He couldn't explain why.... he couldn't dare.
Shikamaru couldn't master the courage to talk about the abyss that looked back at him through Naruto's eyes.
Or was it the tear in a boy's eyes who refused to ever cry.
#######
Hairuzen sits down beside the lifeless body of the Uchiha who fought beside him minutes ago.
It's getting cold by the second as the rain hits the ground.
A pungent smell of Urine and blood, along with a gaping hole in the boy's chest.
A very nostalgic seal mark on his stomach.
"The goo guy got away", Mei Sama walks up beside him.
She notices the bloodbag flopping about her wrist.
Lava Queen pulls the empty bag out of her wrist, which also had seals on it.
"That was one hack of a kid", she admits.
Hairuzen stays silent.
Closing his eyes for a silent prayer. Wondering if it will reach Kami from the likes of him.
A lot of younger and promising Shinobi have died before him.
Died beside him.
Died for him.
Died because of him.
Heck, he killed most of them with his own fuckin' hands.
It's nothing new.
Just another day in the life of a shitty Hokage who had to cancel his retirement.
Nothing but a job....
Yes...
Yes....
That's what it is.....
It's just "shigoto"
Slowly opening his eyes, he sees pink.
A girl wrapped in bandages is here.
Has the boy's head in her lap as she weeps silently.
Sakura Haruna.
He... didn't even sense her coming.
When did she get here? How did 2 Kage not notice her?
He looks at the Mizukage. She hasn't even noticed.
Is... is he in a genjutsu? Hallucination?
"I will call for my bodyguards. Let's call a meeting, Hokage sama", Mei sama says as she looks around.
Hairuzen seems to be in a trance of sorts.
"Still holding up, Jiji?" she asks with a smirk.
Hairuzen snaps back.
Looking back and forth between Sakura and Mei.
He clears his throat.
"Yes... I'm fine, Mizukage-sama. Why don't you go ahead? We will start with a meeting as you suggested, but.... I would like to assess the damage that has been caused first", Hairuzen says with a slight cough.
"All right, see you,, she says.
"And Mizukage sama", he calls.
"Thank you for the support you've given me. I am grateful", he says with a slight bow.
"Don't thank me just yet. It will cost you big time if you want me to keep it between us", Mei sama rubs her fingers.
"I will make sure whatever compensation is required ", Hairuzen says.
With a slight nod, she jumps away.
Hairuzen then takes his attention back to the phenomenon at hand.
The living ghost in front of that is holding onto a dead person.
He can't feel any chakra, any presence.
Just a girl holding a dead body.
Even a civilian has some chakra signals.
The figure before seems like an illusion.
He slowly approaches Sakura.
Reaching out his hand as if he expects it to be severed.
Only to be met with a worm head of a worm, shaking with grief.
She flickers in and out of light.... as if she is some kind of static.
Words don't form in his mouth to console this poor child who is mourning a beloved.
Then ..... he senses something.
Something dreadfully..... bitter.
Marching on his way like an unstoppable hurricane.
It was nostalgic.
As nostalgic as 13 years ago.
He remembers it as if it were yesterday.
The Oldman tightens his headband and grabes a dull kunai off the ground once more.
Once more, he will take up his weapon to fight and protect whatever is there to protect.
Cause that's what he signed up for.
Cause that's his job.
Just another day in [shigoto].
#######
School finishes at 12.
I take off my uniform, wash my mouth, and sit in the shop, starting the day.
The dusty street is filled with cars, bikes, and rickshaws.
The distinct smell of motor oil has become so common that I almost can't smell it anymore.
A burning light and smell of burned phosphorus came from the shop on the other side.
He got a welding job at this early hour.
Lucky bastard.
People start bringing in pumps, fans, motors, and whatever else comes to mind around this time.
That's why Grandpa is usually the one sitting here, taking on the more complex jobs.
He has been under the weather nowadays.
"The ages are getting to him, huh?" A concerned customer asks.
"Please pray for his health", I say with a smile as I take the fan off his hands.
"I'm pretty sure you will be running the shop after he kicks the bucket?" The unnecessarily nosy old man blurts.
I don't answer.
"Well, he does a better job than the Oldman, that's for sure, " says another waiting customer.
My hands trembled, and my breath almost seemed to get stuck in my throat.
But I keep on working. These motors ain't gonna fix themselves.
Time flies by as my hands and feet darken from work.
I look at the hanging cuckoo clocks that spit out a duck to tell me it's 6 pm.
"Move, kid", Grandpa comes out holding a stick.
"What? You wanna sit around?" I ask.
The Oldman spits on the dirty, grizzled floor filled with junk and spare parts.
"Come on, move it. Go do your homework", he swings his cane.
I move away reluctantly. Going upstairs, I turn my light switch on.
"How was work?" My brother Moni pops into the room.
Yeah .... we share a room.
"Nothing special. Some guy came along with a fan as old as our grandpa," I say with a chuckle.
I see him rustling in his school bag.
"Vai! Look what I found", he then pulls a shiny metallic object.
He holds it and points the barrel at me. I reflexively tense up and move away.
"What the fuck! Stop pointing it at me!", I silently scream.
"It's an actual gun, brother!" he sounds excited.
He hands me the gun like it will explode.
"Be careful with it", I remind him as I take it.
"Shit! I might be a kid, but I'm not dumb", he scoffs.
"You were not dumb, you wouldn't have picked it up", I pull his ear.
"Ow ow ow, you're hurting meee", he rants.
Cute bastard.
"Why did you bring it to me?" I ask.
"Let's open it up! See what's inside!" he says with bright eyes.
Bringing his hands closer to his chest, he jumps up.
"I wanna see how it works!" he says excitedly.
"Alright! But do your homework first", I say.
"Okay", he tries to grab the gun.
I push him away by the forehead.
"I will safekeep it", I say with a chuckle.
"Eeeee! No fare! I found it".
"If I put this in your hand, you might kill someone", I say while holding it above him.
My serious tone really bumbed him out.
"I.... I found it near the drainage ", he says while fidgeting.
"Probably some mugger left it there", I put it in the secret compartment I made in my drawer.
That is where I keep my smartphone. The only source of my entertainment.
Credit to a certain light Yagami.
I turn to see Moni making a dark face.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Maybe we should... give it to the police?" He murmurs.
I kneel to reach his height, gently rub his head.
"I thought you wanted to dissect it", I ask with a smile.
"Yees! But....", he fidgets on the spot.
"But?".
"It's bad, right? It kills people", the kid says.
Again.... cute fuckin' bastered. This is the reason people don't believe I'm his brother.
Who would believe this cute piece of shit is the little brother of someone as shady and tall as me?
People can't see me against a black wall.
"I can kill someone with a screwdriver", I say abruptly.
"You can?", he asks as if I said I can make a shot like his favourite football player.
"Yes..... but does it make the screw driver bad?", I ask.
"No!" Moni shakes his head.
"It's the same for the gun. People use it to kill people. Remember, people can be bad. Not the thing that was used. It's just a tool", I say.
"Hm! Hm!" He nods.
"Okay....let's make a deal. You let me dissect it? Once we are done, let's turn it in", I rub his cheek.
"Okay!!!!", he jumps up.
I make some light snacks for him and coffee for me.
And the session starts.
Only the murmuring sound of 2 kids memorising history could be heard from outside the room.
########
I open my eyes.
Not eyes.... I ... don't have any.
But I open them.
Not being able to do and being able to do is confusing for some reason.
To be or not to be.... that is the question.
A vivid structure of limbs and torso forms around my vision.
As if it's but a vessel to occupy.
Moni is sitting with me on the floor.
But..... his eyelashes are white. Unlike his usual black and soft ones.
I hug the fake Moni. Taking in the warmth, the smell, the feeling.
"I'm shinigami", he says with a very feminine voice.
"I know", I admit as I take it all in.
Might not have a chance again.
"You were scared of me earlier", she says.
"Yes, that was kind of embarrassing", I answer.
"That's why I took the form of your brother, I hope you are not offended ", she says.
I can't help but let out a laugh.
It echoes through the white void.
"Sorry for the trouble. I thought you were angry with me", I say.
"I wasn't. I was trying to smile", she says, looking up with Moni's big eyes.
"Trying to smile?" I ask.
She nods.
"Can I..... see it again?", I ask
"No...", she shakes her head.
"Please! One last chance", I beg.
"You will find me scary", she shakes her head.
"I won't ".
"You will".
"I won't... I promise".
Shinigami slips out of my hug.
She morphs into different shapes... finally settling for a tall girl with white hair, blue eyes.
Earrings with a small aquarium that seem to have live fish in them.
Pretty lively jewellery for a goddess of death.
But a very ragged and torn kimono to top it all off.
Her face forms the last as if someone were drawing her in real time.
Quite the baby face for someone this tall.
"You looked different earlier", I state.
"I did?", she checks her appearance.
"Oh... now I remember ", I poke her own cheek.
"I look ugly for those who are ugly", she says.
"By ugly?".
"Soul..... by how ugly a life someone leads, the uglier I get", she says with a smile.
"Even if you were ugly.... Your clothes were a lot shinier", I point out.
"It represents how much you sacrificed ", she says.
I ponder over her words.
"So, I sacrificed everything.... You would be naked?" I ask.
"I'm afraid so", she smiles.
I laugh again. This time, she laughs with me.
Her voice echoes through the void like a river.
"So, am I stuck here? Where are the others?" I ask.
"No... you are not".
"I'm not?".
"You are not".
"Then where am I?"
"You are with me".
I furrow my eyebrows.
"Oh .... okay...", I try to understand her angel.
"Then am I... stuck with you?".
"It's your choice".
!!!????!!!
"What do you mean?"
"It's your choice, you are free to leave if you wish to", she says as a matter of fact.
"Is that so?" I ask with concern.
"You are free to leave whenever", she answers.
"Then... what about the others?".
"Oh.. they can't leave...." She says.
"But I can?", I ask.
She nods.
"Emm.... why is that?" I ask.
"It's because it's you,, she says.
"Me?".
"Yes... You are special", she points her finger at me.
"Oh yeah? Why is that?" I ask.
"Cause you are my husband".
.... .... .... .... ....
"Like .... what kind of husband?".
"The HUSBAND husband".
"If I'm your husband, how come you don't call me darling?".
Silence sticks to the air like humidity.
"I don't know, I never had one before", she says with genuine concern.
She then ponders for a bit.
"Do you want me to?".
"Absolutely ".
"Dar... Darr...", her pale skin goes red as she tries to utter the word.
"It's okay! You don't have to force yourself ", I wave my hand.
"Daaaaaaaaaaaarrerreeeer...daaabiii", she says.
"Dabbi?", I perk my ear.
"I didn't say that?".
"But I prefer it", I snap my fingers.
"Nooo.... I can't....", she cups her face in embarrassment.
"Why? It's easier for you to say?" I say with a smile.
She shakes her head while hiding her face.
I clap my hands. Clearing the air.
"How about this? Let's start over, hmm?" I get close to her.
She looks down at me through her fingers.
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. What's your name, my dear wife?" I ask.
"I'm shinigami", she answers.
"Then I'm a ninja. That's not a name, that's your job", I shake my head as I raise my hand to pull her hands out of her face.
I feel no resistance.
But her eyes dart all over the place.
"My name is..... Shi...ri", she says in a low voice.
"Shiri?" I get my ear close to her.
"Shiori", she whispers in my ear.
"Shiori... that's a nice name", I say with a smile.
"Yours is nice too", she says shyly.
"So dear wife.... what do you want to do now?" I ask as I get up and look around.
She raises her eyebrows.
"Don't you want to go back?" she asks.
"Do you want me to?".
She stays silent.
"You seem sad", she says, tilting her head.
"I guess I am", I admit.
"If it makes you sad.... then I don't want you to stay here", she says while looking away.
"Why is that?" I ask
"Why?" she asks as she is confused.
"Why do you care so much?" I ask.
"It's because....", her words get stuck.
"I..... don't know", she says.
I grab her hands.
Here eyes are pretty.
"Why don't you think it over? I will ask you again, the next time we meet?", I say.
"Will there be a next time?" she asks.
"Of course. Be careful... You won't have much time. I will be here sooner than you think", I warn her.
"I ..... I will try to come up with an answer", she says.
"Then..... see you? I guess?", I say.
"Farewell?" she says as if unsure. Still holding her hands.
She slowly let go.
From my wrist, then my palms... then my fingers.
"Can I come see you?" she asks.
"Of course! Whenever you want!" I smile.
"Whenever?".
"Whenever and wherever! Doesn't matter. My doors are always open", I say.
You can't stop death itself from visiting you. The fact that she is asking for permission is disturbing.
At last, her sad face forms a smile.
I let go.
#########
I wake up with a shit amount of rain in my mouth.
But I see a face covering my head.
"Sakura?", I recognise her.
For a second.... it looked like she was .... glitching.
Then she opened her eyes wide.
Red from an absurd amount of tears.
"Sasuke kun....", she calls me with hiccups.
What the fuck?.... why is she crying like that?
Did someone die?
Is Naruto all right?
Is the Hokage alright?
Oh..... he is right there looking at the trees.
I .... don't sense anything except Naruto coming this way.
Is he fighting someone? Why does he seem so angry?
I get up and cup Sakura's face in my hands.
"What happened, baby girl. Talk to me", I ask.
She doesn't stop crying.
Her hiccups with constant wailing don't stop.
Sakura wipe her tears, but they just keep on flowing.
The rain is making her cold, not to mention that she is injured.
I summon some fire chakra in my hands to keep us warm.
"Hokage sama", I call, pulling up Sakura on my arms like a toddler.
She also doesn't seem to let go of my shirt.
He turns around, and immediately his eyes almost pop out.
Hairuzen looks at me like he is looking at a ghost.
With shaky hands, he points at something behind me.
I look back to find nothing.
Turning back around to see, his mouth started foaming, and he fell to his ground.
Instantly dropping face-first into the mud.
I somehow get up with Sakura on my lap and immediately turn Hairuzen over to clear breathing space.
What's happening to him?
What did he see?
What the fuck is happening?
Are we being attacked?
Where are the fucking Anbu when you need them??
Naruto made it here at last.
He... didn't seem right at first glance.
He saw Sakura and then Hairuzen.
Not knowing what's going on in his head, I ask.
"Naruto?" I call.
As angry as he seemed before, he calmed rather quickly.
"What the fuck, dude! I told you to take care of the fickin spawner! Not run around blowing shit up!", he stomps his way here. Back to his usual self.
Naruto, just as I taught him... checks Hairuzen's pulse.
"He is alive", I inform.
"No shit! You are here", Naruto scoffs. I shudder at the amount of praise I'm getting for my medical skills these days. If anything.... I'm a seal master..... at least think I am.
He then notices Sakura glued to my torso.
"Where'd Sakura chan come from!!" Naruto has eyes popping out of his head.
"I don't know, man! She was crying like crazy", I shook her like a baby.
At last, someone is coming this way.
I don't know the chakra signatures.
Are they enemies?
"Someone's here", I inform Naruto.
He immediately summons 10....15? Clones.
I spread the shield seals. They grab them and form a wall of defence.
I go through seals to form fireball jutsu.
Sakura seems really out of it.
If I have to, I will have to fight with her on my body.
Fuck....
I don't know a single chakra signature.
"Who the fuck are they?" Naruto asks.
Yeah.... unlike the usual anbu.... these guys feel different.
All of them seemed to be just lurking in the woods.
These guys aren't spawns.
They are professionals with chakra as dense as Kakashi.
As rigid as Gai sensei.
One of them has the fluidity chakra of Genjutsu users.
"Maybe these guys are here to help?" Naruto sniffs the air.
As optimistic as ever.
But even he can sense the blood lust.
Of course, they are going to be a lot careful.
I'm a Uchiha who beat a sanin.
Naruto, who just dominated a whole battlefield for 3 hours straight with one fuckin' jutsu and is still standing.
Sakura.... who might be out of commission for now, but will snap back soon, I'm sure of it.
I ready myself for another fight.
They stopped behind the trees.
Here they come.
"Hey, it's Kakashi, look", Naruto points as his clones relax.
Someone is entering the clearing.
"Naruto uzumaki!!! We are guarding the Fuckin' hokage here!!! Nobody is our friend!!", I screamed so loud that I surprised myself.
He is taken aback by my words.
"Yeah! Yeah, I get it. Basterd, don't fuckin' lecture me, He scoffs and gets back into stance.
The person who comes out looking like Kakashi has his hands up in the air.
"Sasuke, Naruto! I'm your sensei! Let go of the Hokage and put him on the ground and back away slowly", he orders.
"This whole place is rigged with mines! Don't you dare come closer", I lie.
He actually stopped walking.
"Sasuke! I'm giving you the easy way out! The anbu aren't gonna listen to you once they get here. They will put you behind bars for [YEARS], if you don't do as I say right now!", he says.
Guess they will blame anyone to keep it under the rug?
"I don't fuckin' care! Let them come! I'm not letting the Hokage be taken by anyone unless they can prove it! I don't believe anyone! If you are my sensei, then prove it!" I point my Kunai at him.
Shit, fuck! I know Sensei's chakra like the back of my hand.
It's the same, but different. Like..... it has a scream.
The smell, though.... the smell of that sweat-drenched laundry that he rarely washes is there.
Always shifting his weight from left to right is there.
That wrinkly nose that he always has when he is angry is there.
Why can't I believe it's him? Why are all my senses too banged up?
The con man approaches again.
"Stop right fuckin' there!! I said this whole place is rigged", I scream.
"You are lying, Sasuke! It's safe! You don't have to do this", he says.
I winch from sweating.
Naruto looks entirely convinced he is Kakashi.
The only reason he is holding on is because of me.
Only my word.
Then I suddenly felt as if a thousand hands were creeping onto me through my asshole.
I look behind me.
Asuma .....or his look-alike is here to sneak up on me.
This guy has some wild screams in his chakra.
"What the...", he clicks his tongue. Didn't expect to be spotted by a mere genin from 10 feet away.
Now I'm surrounded.
These guys aren't joking.
My vision almost distorted.... my chakra feeling like it's being pulled with a thousand strings.
But those screams.... the wailing of thousands of people in pain snapped me out.
Kuranai sensei pops out of a tree.
Or.... she was a tree just now?
Our eyes meet.
Oh.... she is as beautiful as ever.
Sakura is holding onto me, and Hairuzen is on the ground between my legs.
I ... I have no way of escaping.
"Well, people, why don't we talk this through, huh?" I try to make a deal.
"Sasuke! We aren't the enemy!" Asuma says while face-palming.
"Every fuckin' person here is an enemy! The Hokage is being targeted by people inside!" I'm losing my cool here.
"That's some bold acquisitions, Sasuke", Kakashi at last has his serious face on.
"Care to back them up?", he just walks past Naruto like having a stroll.
"Hei! Don't just walk up!" Naruto screams and attacks.
Only for him to end up below Kakashi's feet.
What? What happened?
What did he do?
With one senbon to his neck, Naruto is knocked out, and his clones drop like flies. How did he know which one was the real Naruto?
Well, whoever this is, IS AS good as Kakashi.
The seals drop around him, flapping in the air.
He simply walks up to my face like some Souls boss.
He didn't kill Naruto... that's a plus.
Maybe he IS Kakashi.
But even if he is Kakashi, can he keep Hairuzen safe?
He doesn't seem to believe me.
Okey.... I have no way of escaping from this.
After going through all this trouble, the old man, who is named the god of shinobi and the professor will die in a hospital bed from a heart attack or his wounds being too grievous.
Load of bullshit.
And I will end up in some cell in TI since I'm the only one here with the Oldman.
Mei sama isn't gonna open her mouth, since she won't be wrapping herself in it.
I'm fucked.
If I want to get out of this cleanly... I need Hairuzen to vouch for me.
"Sakura", I whisper.
I can feel her nodding.
"Sorry for dragging you into this", I apologise.
Then suddenly, I feel a surge of chakra coating me from head to toe.
Then they started acting weird.
Looking around frantically.
"Where'd they go?", the fake Asuma sensei asks.
I can almost see the vein on Kakashi's head popping.
"Search the area. Don't let them get away", he spats.
Woo!!! That.... does NOT sound like Kakashi at all.
Am I invisible?
Controlling my chakra around my feet to not splash or make a single sound, I pick up the Oldman.
He was invisible along with me, since I was kind of keeping him between my legs.
The fake Kakashi sighs as he lets go of the veil.
As if a gust of wind was released from his body and his disguise flew away along with it.
Fuckin' wind transformation jutsu? A disguise made out of wind??
There stood a man with an eyepatch and a hand sling.
A very common Japanese face you would forget after a day.
Danzo.
Wow..... Danzo came all the way here to finish the job?
Too bad.
"It's always these damn Uchihas ", I hear him murmur to himself as I slowly slip away.
No shit!! I would scrap that name if my inheritance money wasn't tied to it.....
Ha ha ha ha.....
Good thing the rain washed away my smell of piss.