Chapter 39: Chapter 39 A Woodsman’s Wrath

The rain had eased into a soft drizzle by the time Kristian left the cottage, his axe slung over his shoulder and Gristle plodding faithfully at his side. The wet ground squelched under his boots, but he paid it no mind. His jaw was clenched, his tics subdued for the moment by sheer force of will. He didn't know exactly where he was going, but the churning storm of grief and rage in his chest urged him onward. The forest stretched ahead, dark and endless. The scent of damp earth and wet leaves filled the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood still clinging to his clothes. The axe felt heavier than usual in his hands, its weight a grim reminder of what he'd just endured.

"Keep moving," he muttered to himself, his voice low and hoarse. His shoulders jerked involuntarily with a sudden tic, and his throat emitted a sharp grunt. "Just keep moving."

Gristle let out a low snort; his ears swiveled as he picked up on something ahead. Kristian froze, his hand tightening on the axe handle. He crouched low, his body tense as he listened.

Voices.

Hoarse, shrill voices, with one or two bursts of laughter. Kristian's heart fell because he could tell that they were approaching. He crouched behind a clump of heavy shrubs and looked through.

A group of six men trooped through the forest. Their clothes were not matching; weapons hung anyhow over their shoulders. It was the leader that riveted Kristian's attention.

He wasn't like the others. He was too confident, his movements too calculated. He wore a tattered flak jacket, its fabric stained and torn, and a scratched forehead protector hung loosely around his neck, the village symbol slashed through with a deep gash. A rogue ninja.

Kristian's stomach twisted. He'd heard stories of rogue ninjas—killers for hire, men and women who had abandoned their villages and morals for a life of lawlessness. This one had a cruel, predatory gleam in his eyes as he surveyed the forest ahead.

"Boss, are we stopping soon?" one of the bandits whined, shifting the weight of a sack slung over his back. "I'm starving."

"We stop when I say we stop," the ninja growled, his voice sharp and cutting. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. "And keep quiet. Something doesn't feel right."

Kristian held his breath, his grip on the axe tightening. He could feel his body tensing, his tics threatening to break free at any moment. He turned to Gristle, who was watching the men intently, his small black eyes gleaming.

'We could run', Kristian thought. But the idea of fleeing, of leaving these men to trample through the woods unchecked, made his blood boil.

The decision was taken out of his hands when one of the bandits spotted Gristle's dark shape in the underbrush.

"Hey, boss!" the man called, pointing toward the boar. "Looks like dinner found us!"

Kristian's stomach twisted as the rogue ninja's gaze snapped toward him.

"Well, well," the man said, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "What do we have here? A kid with an axe and a fat pig. Today's our lucky day.

Kristian emerged from the bushes, his heart thudding within his chest. His body sputtered with violent jolts, his head flying to the side with a sharp tic. He sought to steady his breathing, making his shaking hands grasp the axe more firmly.

"Stay back," he said in a shaking voice.

The bandits laughed, the sound ringing out through the trees. The rogue ninja didn't laugh, though. His eyes gleamed with interest as he sized Kristian up, 'This chakra… is he a shinobi?' He thought to himself as he scrutinised Kristian.

"You've got a lot of chakra, huh kid," the man said, stepping forward. "But chakra alone won't save you. Hand over the axe, and maybe I'll let you and your pig walk away."

Kristian didn't budge. His fingers tightened on the axe handle, the knuckles white.

"I said, stay back!" he shouted, the voice breaking with a series of involuntary grunts and barks.

The ninja smiled wider. "Oh, I see. You got some fight in you." He lifted a hand, his fingers flying through a quick series of seals. "Let's see how far that gets you.

Kristian little as he was able to react, before the ground at his feet suddenly exploded. Flames shot up in a sudden burst, forcing him to leap backward. The rogue ninja's laughter sounded again as he wove another set of seals, spitting out a wave of fire streaking toward him.

Gristle charged, his tusks gleaming in the dim light. The bandits scattered, shouting curses as the boar barreled through their ranks. Kristian didn't hesitate. He surged forward, his axe cutting through the air as he swung it at the nearest bandit.

The man cried out as the blade bit into his arm, sending him sprawling. But Kristian didn't stop. He turned toward the ninja, his body jerking with violent tics as he raised the axe again.

The rogue ninja smirked, his hands forming more seals. "You're out of your league, boy," he taunted.

A stream of fire erupted from his mouth now, but Kristian was already moving. Instinct overrode thought; his feet were carrying him forward in a blur of motion. He swung the axe with all his strength, aiming for the head of the ninja.

The man dodged, but not fast enough. The blade grazed his shoulder, drawing a line of blood. His face twisted into one of fury.

"You'll pay for that," he snarled, his hands moving even faster now.

The rogue ninja's sneer widened as his fingers flew through another sequence of hand seals. "You've got guts, kid,"

Flames burst from the man's mouth, roaring toward Kristian with blistering heat. The boy's heart was racing as he clutched his axe tighter, surges of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Time seemed to slow.

The tics bubbled in his skin, but it was a deeper bubble. A burning—hot and freakish—fanned through the lines of his body. Not the good heat of exertion but something that felt raw and wild and primeval. His muscles scorched as if they lit themselves from the inside, causing a steam to flow from his body as well as a small green glow eminating from his body, and it didn't hurt; it made him alive.

The world was sharper around him: droplets of rain lancing through the air, the curling of the ninja's lips into the cruel grin, the almost acrid scent of fire hanging in the dampness of the air.

The ground exploded beneath Kristian as the ninja tossed another fireball. But before he could be engulfed by the flames, his legs were moving, propelling him forward in a blur of speed. He hadn't even thought about dodging-it just happened.

His feet barely touched the ground as he lunged at the rogue ninja. His axe cut through the air with impossible force, the sound of its swing like a thunderclap. The ninja barely managed to sidestep, but the sheer force of the strike sent him staggering.

"What the hell—" the man hissed, clutching his side. He stared at Kristian, his expression no longer amused but cautious, almost fearful.

Kristian didn't notice. His entire body buzzed with energy, his skin tingling as if alive with electricity. His tics flared violently—his head snapped to the side, his arms jerked, and sharp, guttural noises escaped his throat—but they didn't slow him down.

The rogue ninja weaved more hand seals, summoning another burst of flame. Kristian charged straight through it, his body seeming to shrug off the heat as if his muscles were coated in steel. He reached the ninja in seconds, his axe slicing down with earth-shaking force.

This time, the man wasn't fast enough. The blade buried itself deep into his other shoulder, eliciting a scream of pain.

"Stay… stay down!" Kristian growled, his voice broken by tics and anger.

The rogue ninja stumbled backward, his eyes wide. "This isn't possible, was that… the forbidden Eight Inner Gates technique?!" he rasped, blood welling from his wound. "You… what are you?"

Kristian didn't reply. He couldn't hear his words above the beating of his own heart, a deafening roar in his ears. There was a fog in his head, and his body kept on moving with instinct at this point.

The other bandits didn't wait to see what happened next. They scattered into the woods, their terrified shouts fading into the distance. Gristle let out a guttural roar, goring one bandit before returning to Kristian's side.

Dropping onto his knees, the rogue ninja grasped his mangled shoulder. Twisted with fear and pain, his face turned to Kristian, whose eyes seemed to be completely empty, devoid of any emotion.

Kristian raised his axe, the muscles surging with unnatural strength. The rogue ninja opened his mouth to plead, but the axe fell before he could utter a word.

The forest fell eerily silent as the man's lifeless body crumpled to the ground. The rain softened, washing away the blood pooling around Kristian's feet. He stood there, chest heaving, his hands trembling as the axe slipped from his grasp.

The warmth that had surged through his body was beginning to dissipate, leaving a bone-deep ache in its wake. His legs buckled, and he fell to his knees.

Then the memories hit him.

His parents' lifeless forms, huddled together in death. The scent of peaches mingling with the metallic tang of blood. His little brother's empty bed, the silence of the cottage broken only by the sound of his own ragged breathing.

"No," Kristian whispered, his voice trembling. His tics flared violently, his head snapping to the side with sharp jerks. "No, no, no!"

His hands clawed at his head, his nails digging into his scalp as he tried to drown out the images. But they wouldn't stop. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his mother's pale face, his father's calloused hands, his brother's empty eyes.

Gristle nudged him, letting out a low, mournful grunt. But even the boar's presence couldn't pierce the storm raging inside Kristian.

He looked down at his bloodstained hands, his vision blurring with tears. The bodies around him blurred into one—his family's bodies, lifeless and broken.

"This is my fault," he muttered, his voice breaking into a series of harsh grunts and animalistic barks. His shoulders jerked uncontrollably. "I should've been there. I should've-hah! Hah!-stopped them!"

Now, the rain fell harder, but the droplets seemed to evaporate when they touched his skin. His body shook with exhaustion and grief, but somewhere deep inside, that low buzz of power still hummed. He didn't know what it was, only that it had saved his life.

But he didn't know that he, out of desperation, had subconsciously opened the Second Gate-the Gate of Healing. His body surged with chakra, lending him strength and speed far surpassing human limits.

To him, it had seemed easy, as natural as breathing. Now, the payment for that power weighed heavily upon him, heavier than he could bear.

For the first time in his life, Kristian was truly alone. The endless and empty forest seemed to press in around him.

…

Riku and Jiraiya sat in the clearing, their training session about to begin.

Jiraiya stood with his arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face as he watched Riku, who was seated cross-legged, his eyes closed in intense concentration.

"Alright, kid," Jiraiya called, "you're smart, I'll give you that, but brains alone won't get you out of a genjutsu. Tell me—what's the first thing you do when you realize you're trapped?"

"Distinguish the illusion from reality?," Riku replied, not opening his eyes, sounding so much calm.

"Great!" Jiraiya clapped his hands. "And?"

"Then break the caster's control over my chakra by halting my chakra flow, or send it surging in order to break his grip."

Riku opened his eyes and looked over at Jiraiya, his silver white eyes glinting faintly in the fading light. "But you're forgetting something, Jiraiya. That only works if I realize I'm in a genjutsu in the first place."

Jiraiya chuckled, stroking his chin. "Fair point, kid. The best way to deal with genjutsu is not to get caught in the first place. But since you don't have the Sharingan or Byakugan to help you see through it, you'll need to sharpen your senses. Genjutsu exploits your perceptions, so if something feels off-sounds, smells, anything-you have to trust your instincts."

Riku nodded, standing up and brushing off his clothes. "Alright. Let's try again."

Jiraiya grinned mischievously. "You sure? You've been caught every time so far."

"I learn from my mistakes," Riku replied evenly.

"Suit yourself." Jiraiya wove a quick pattern of hand seals; in an instant, it seemed that the forest around them shimmered and blurred, the air growing cold as the once-lively clearing fell silent and desolate. The trees warped, branches stretching toward Riku like grasping hands.

Riku took a deep breath, closing his eyes to focus for a moment. The world is wrong. he thought. The air was too cold, the shadows too still. He knelt down, placing a hand on the ground, and felt the texture of the grass beneath his fingers. This isn't real.

"Focus," he whispered to himself, surging his chakra in a sudden burst. The illusion shattered, and the clearing returned to normal. Jiraiya stood a few feet away, hands on his hips, a proud smile on his face.

"Not bad, Ruki," Jiraiya said. "You're getting the hang of it."

Riku exhaled, his shoulders relaxing. "Still takes me too long to figure it out. In a real fight, I'd already be dead."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Jiraiya said. "Genjutsu's tricky business, and you've got a natural knack for staying calm under pressure. That'll serve you well."

Riku nodded a little, but his expression turned contemplative. A moment later, he faced Jiraiya. "Hey, is it okay if I show you a technique I've been working on?"

Jiraiya arched a brow, his interest piqued. "Something new?"

Riku stepped back, hands flowing into a series of seals in practiced precision. "I call it Shadow Submersion. It's not perfect yet, but…"

As he completed the final seal, his body seemed to dissolve into the shadow beneath him. It rippled like liquid, swallowing him whole.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Well, I'll be damned," he muttered, crouching to examine the dark puddle where Riku had vanished, touching the hard surface that Riku had seemingly sunk into.

Under the shade, Riku was weightless, as if submerged into some sort of cool water. Beneath him was an inky expanse dotted with glowing white lights above—other nearby shadows. He focused on one, kicking towards it with powerful strokes.

In an instant, he materialized from the shadow cast by a tree several feet away, stepping out onto the clearing as if he'd simply walked there.

Jiraiya whistled. "Well, I'll be damned-that's one hell of a technique. You outdo yourself, kid."

Riku shook his head. "It's still too slow. Traveling in the shadow space consumes much time, and I cannot do it over long distances just yet. I'm trying to mix in a speed-enhancing mechanism on the basis of Raiden's White Spark Chakra Mode, but it's not quite enough."

Jiraiya snorted. "Tricky? That's the bloody understatement of the year. I don't even know where to begin creating a technique like that…"

Riku allowed himself a small smile, but his tone remained serious. "It has potential, but I can't rely on it in a real fight yet. I need more speed, more precision. Otherwise, it's just a parlor trick."

Jiraiya clapped him on the shoulder. "Kid, if this is what you're calling a parlor trick, I'd hate to see what you consider a masterpiece. Keep at it-you're onto something big."

Riku looked at Jiraiya, his silver eyes gleaming with quiet determination. "Thanks, Jiraiya. I won't stop until it's perfect, any advice?"

"Good," Jiraiya said with a grin. "But for me to help you improve it, I'm going to need to know how it works."

Riku thought this over, but quickly accepted, after all. It would help him develop it more if anything.

Riku nodded thoughtfully, pacing a few steps before turning to face Jiraiya. "Alright, the principle is relatively simple. Every shadow is connected, no matter how far apart they seem. They exist as extensions of the same space. When I use Shadow Submersion, I align my chakra with the properties of shadow—intangibility, fluidity, and darkness. Then, I phase into the shadow beneath me and navigate the shadow space to reappear at another point."

He gestured to the long shadow of a tree. "The lights I see when I'm submerged represent exit points-other shadows within range. The trick is controlling my chakra flow to keep my body in that state while moving through the space."

Jiraiya whistled low. "Sounds easy when you say it, but I bet maintaining that balance is anything but simple."

Riku shrugged. "It's not just maintaining the balance, but also precision. Too much chakra and I'll destabilize the shadow, forcing me back out. Too little, and I'll sink without control. To swim through the shadow space is to move underwater-resistance slows you down, and the deeper you go, the harder it is to reach the surface."

"Hmm," Jiraiya muttered, tapping his chin. "What if you didn't swim?"

Riku arched an eyebrow. "Didn't swim?"

"Think about it," Jiraiya said. "You're already aligning your chakra with the properties of shadow. Why not take it further? If shadows are fluid and intangible, maybe you don't need to move through them at all. Maybe you could flow through them, like a shadow does naturally."

Riku's eyes widened slightly as the idea took hold. "Flow through them…" He glanced down at his own shadow, his silver eyes gleaming with realization. "If I could shift my chakra to mimic the nature of a shadow more precisely, I could bypass the resistance entirely. It wouldn't be swimming-it would be… merging."

"Now you're getting it," Jiraiya said, crossing his arms with a grin. "It'll take some work, but with your skill, I'd say it's doable. And while you're at it, you might want to figure out a way to sense enemies through their shadows. If this technique gets refined enough, you could ambush opponents before they even realize you're there."

Riku's lips twisted into a rare smile. "Leave it to you to think of a way to make it even more dangerous."

Jiraiya burst into a fit of laughter, clapping Riku on the back. "Hey, that's what I'm here for. Now, how about we try this new flow concept? I'll keep an eye on your chakra levels while you experiment. Deal?"

Riku gave a small nod, the seriousness evident in his eyes. "Deal."