Chương 12: A Massacre Followed By Another
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
(WARNING RABBIT BRUATLITY IMMINENT READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. NO RABBITS WERE HURT IN THE MAKING OF THIS CHAPTER!)
-Story Start-
-Evening Time-
-11 Months Following The Entrance Ceremony At The Academy-
-Third Person POV-
A familiar office, with 2 individuals making themselves comfortable as they both sip on some Green Tea.
The first is an old man easily recognized throughout the Village and especially renowned among the Nara. He is Nara Eiichi. The individual fitting his age and expertise sits comfortably, radiating wisdom and sheer confidence. Even while doing something as mundane as sipping on tea.
The second, individual, sitting in front of Eiichi is the exact opposite. A young 7-year-old boy. His spiky brown almost black hair stands out in his visage. The boy wears a calm and relaxed expression as he sips his tea in tranquility an expectant glance thrown towards his elder every now and then.
The boy is of course our protagonist Nara Akira.
However, as expected, the tranquil expression of the boy is clearly a facade.
For obvious reasons...
-Akira POV-
Can you really blame me for being apprehensive about going on a rematch with those murder rabbits?
At first, when I summoned them I suspected they might resemble those murder Rabbits from ReZero.
But you know, suspicion is just that, suspicion. Nothing concrete!
...THEY WERE ALMOST BLOODY IDENTICAL!
Do I HAVE to mention how painful a rabbit bite is?
Those Bugs Bunny buckteeth ain't fooling around.
And it would've been much simpler were they just regular rabbits. But according to Eiichi who observed my first attempt from afar, they were pretty enhanced in their capabilities. Especially in the speed department.
Rabbit Escape my ass! More like Rabbit Assault!
Anyway...
Knowing how Eiichi my lovely sensei runs things around here, I can't really refuse attempting to exorcise these guys once again.
But as I've learned so far, there really isn't much to be afraid of besides the getting hurt part, Eiichi is overlooking the entire process in case it becomes iffy and I can still resort to using my... Morally questionable equipment that would most likely be categorized as War Crime level weaponry back on Earth.
All is fair in love and Rabbit murder though!
Don't call PETA.
Anyway, If I have to fight a murderous army of Rabbits might as well do it with style, no? Last time was more of a brute force tactic anyway and that sure as hell didn't work out...
It seems a more delicate and intricate approach is needed for an easy victory.
So, in the name of avoiding that agonizing, trauma-inducing rabbit bite, I've devised a plan to defeat and tame these rabbits, or at least I hope it works. The exact mechanics of how they get tamed by dying at my hand are quite vague, but my new plan hinges on its flexibility.
The real problem though is that the plan also depends on whether my Sensei feels generous.
Eiichi grew impatient with my expectant glances. "What is it you want, boy?" he asked.
"Well, I have a plan to defeat the Rabbits today!"
"I see, and that plan depends on me somehow?" He guessed with a raised eyebrow, meeting my eyes with his own glaring at me.
"Erm... Yes, that's right." I reply with hesitation
Damn this old man and his creepy people-reading skills!
"Actually, I'd like you to teach me a jutsu..." I request with a lowered tone and head, losing confidence in his glare
An awkward silence envelops the room especially myself, I bring my head up to get a read on him.
He seems to be thinking about it, but that's all his poker face is letting me see...
"What is your plan boy?" He asks stoically
"Pardon?"
"*Sigh* Akira, you know that jutsu are not to be taken lightly. They're powerful and can be dangerous when misused. My concern is ensuring your safety. However, if your plan truly hinges on a jutsu for its success and you can demonstrate the necessity for it, I'm willing to consider teaching you." He lectured tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose
Ah, that makes sense.
"Understandable Eiichi-sensei. My plan, since the conditions of a successful taming convey nothing about environmental setup, I planned to use that to my advantage." I begin to vocalize my plan to Eiichi.
"Can I grab that?" I ask, pointing to a stack of papers and a pen on his side.
"Go on" He motions
Oh, he'll love this!
"My plan is this," I blurted out, excitement evident in my voice. "A large, deep pit. I summon Jeff at the top, wrap myself in his tongue for a quick escape, then dive into the hole to initiate the exorcism ritual. All the Rabbits will be in one dense cluster. Once I signal Jeff, he'll pull me out, and I'll unleash a fire-style Jutsu or a water-style Jutsu, taking them all out in one go, and I'll be safe."
I look expectantly at Eiichi as he considers my plan
Come on man! it's Genius admit it!
"It's a decent plan," he responded, his words coming out measured. "But it hinges on several variables."
Well true, but...
"I know, but I can't really discover the limits and intricacies of my Kekkei Genkai and taming rituals without testing things out," I respond with certainty in my eyes. Understanding what he was trying to imply.
He mulls over it for a moment and asks another question he seems to have prepared ever since my initial drawing.
"And how exactly do you plan to dig the pit?" He asks with his finger on the large hole sketch I made.
...I was definitely not expecting that kind of inquiry
"I mean... That's not that big of a problem, is it? You surely know some Earth-style jutsu that could do the trick, right?" I asked with a hint of confusion in my tone.
At that, a small smirk forms on my Sensei's face.
A smirk I've grown familiar with over these past months with his guidance.
"I most certainly know of some Earth-Style Jutsu that would be able to create the ideal environment you seek..."
"But...?" I grimace.
"You'll have to figure out how to dig it on your own. I'll teach you a Fire-style jutsu for your plan other than that." His smirk widens a little at that
...You've got to be kidding me. He has no issue teaching me a literal DANGEROUS Fire Style jutsu, a flamethrower for short.
But digging a large pit for me is apparently a problem?!
How hypocritical can you be?!
"Now, don't be ungrateful Akira. I'll give you some advice, the scale of the Fire Jutsu you can do with your current capabilities won't allow you to eliminate all the Rabbits. That's another flaw of your plan. What I do suggest, is getting a cover for the hole prepared once you make your way out of there, so they suffocate from the Gas released by the Fire." Amused by my annoyed and bewildered look, the Great Eiichi threw me a bone.
"That would result in the same result as last ti-" I deadpan at my Sensei's faulty reasoning
Which apparently wasn't so faulty as he interrupted my sentence with his reasoning.
"You plan to test whether Chakra-induced phenomena allow you to tame them, do you not? The Gas that suffocates the rest of them should also in theory count as a Chakra-induced phenomenon. The Noxious Gas you used previously was not a Chakra-induced Phenomena that was sourced from you, so it was clear that it would invalidate your ritual." He finished the explanation
...It seems my plan is not as perfect and simple as I initially thought it'd be.
Ah... What a bother. Thankfully Shikamaru isn't here, he'd demotivate me by reasoning how much of a drag this entire plan is to execute.
Well, learning to create literal flames is certainly a fun bonus!
"Thanks Eiichi-sensei! Let's get to learning the jutsu shall we?" I announce in excitement as I get up from my chair, gulping the whole tea at once.
"You have two weeks to learn the Jutsu I provide you as well as prepare the environment for the plan. Use whatever methods you'd like as long as you don't bother me or hurt yourself needlessly. If you are not able to use the Jutsu adequately until then. You are to dismantle your plan and defeat the Rabbits another way." Eiichi announced getting up from the chair and leading the way to the Underground Training Area where we always train.
...Great, another deadline!
Well, two weeks isn't too bad.
"Do take heed Akira. What I'm teaching you is a Chunin-level Fire Style jutsu. But before that as well, I'll have to teach you the Flame Resistance Technique. Can't have you burning yourself can I?" He says with a hint of sadism as he turns around to look at me.
Turning around once again to make his way towards the training ground, having said his piece.
I carefully process the information to draw a simple conclusion.
...The FUCK?
2 WEEKS FOR A CHUNIN LEVEL JUTSU?! I'VE NEVER EVEN DONE JUTSU! NO, TEN SHADOWS DOES NOT COUNT!
I couldn't hold back my frustration. "Eiichi-sensei, with all due respect... HAVE YOU GONE SENILE?!" I yelled as I hurried to catch up to his distancing figure.
"Don't doubt yourself Akira. If my Old Age has indeed not caught up to me. This should prove to be an achievable goal for you." He says with certainty and slight amusement, as I am at his side.
Achievable? Is he serious?
"Glaring at me won't solve your insecurities Akira." He chastised easily, as we arrived at the door leading us underground.
"What an ass..." I muttered under my breath.
In addition to my usual Taijutsu and Ten Shadows Training, I've added a Jutsu exercise on top of that.
All for the sake of defeating those measly rabbits.
Lovely.
Well, Uncle's lucky Eiichi decided to teach me a jutsu, or else I'd have to nag him to death. Or threaten him with accusing him of being drunk again to Auntie.
That shit works every time.
-Scene Change-
-1 Week Later-
-Night Time-
-Third Person POV-
In the privately owned Nara Forest grounds, an unusual scene unfolds.
A young boy wields a shovel with determination, vigorously digging within an already substantial pit. Drops of sweat glisten on his furrowed brow.
Yet, what truly distinguishes this sight from the ordinary is the presence of two wolves, each gripping a shovel in their mouths, diligently aiding the boy in his labor.
Not to be outdone, a large toad joins the effort, using its mouth to scoop dirt and then inexplicably spitting it in the boy's direction.
*SPLAT* The softened dirt finds its mark, smearing the boy's face with a layer of grime.
In a mechanical motion, the boy turns to fix his gaze on the large toad.
"One more time Jeff... One more time and your target practice for my Jutsu." The boy's voice now tinged with impatience and simmering frustration. It's apparent that this isn't the first time today he has endured a dirt-based toad assault.
The boy splashes water from a nearby bucket on his face to clean off the Toad-induced filth.
With a weary sigh following the threat towards the toad and subsequent cleanup, the boy gazes at the fading evening sky. That is now transitioning into the night.
'Auntie won't blame me for staying late, would she? It's our private grounds after all! Private and safe as can be!' The boy thought in amusement
'Hurray for inherited riches and hierarchy!' The boy seems to sorely lack tact.
-Akira POV-
I think my situation is pretty self-explanatory.
In the name of easy victory and flawless planning.
I am currently brute-forcing the creation of a large enough pit for my Rabbit Genocide scheme.
Since my Ten Shadows thing is a bit of a secret, I can't really ask anyone else for assistance in this. Anyone that is preferably with Earth-style Jutsu in his arsenal for that matter...
For the better part of the week, I've managed to dig an 80-foot pit. which has a radius of about 12 ft.
I'd like to think in like 3-4 Days this should be ready. Noc Mir and Jeff were certainly a Cheat Code for digging this thing.
At least whenever I had the Chakra.
Speaking of...
"Alright guys, good work today! I'll cya tomorrow." I wave goodbye as I dismiss them, Chakra running low.
My full Chakra can keep them all up at the same time for around 10 Minutes. So that's a considerable growth improvement from when I could only keep Noc and Mir for roughly 5 Minutes when I started.
Truthfully, I have no way of estimating how good that is in relation to the more powerful Shikigami, fusions as well as using Jutsu in tandem with the upkeep of the Shikigami.
Well, I'll figure it out.
As the bodies of my Shikigami melted as per usual I noticed a pile of dirt dropping on the ground where Jeff was.
...Was he planning on spitting at me again?
Never mind that... I think I'll take a break for now.
I take out a bento box from the Shadows that I asked Auntie to prepare for me in addition to the usual one I take to the Academy.
I sit down on the cold, dirty ground. As I am about to take a bite out of the Tempura Shrimp, I hear an unfamiliar voice.
"Akira." A serious and mature tone of voice called out to me, its echo carrying through the dimly lit and dark forest.
"W-What?!" I screamed, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum at the sudden, unexpected voice. My senses heightened, and I instinctively dropped the bento box, its contents spilling onto the ground.
MY FOOD?! YOU BASTARD!
Ahem...
I take a look at the man who arrived in front of me inside the pit I'm sitting in. His face accentuated a scar across his left cheek and a charred chin. He is Nara Haruki, a well-known and respected individual in our clan. He is a familiar face, one of the Jonin escorts Shikamaru and I had when going out without our parents prior to the Academy.
Loyalty allowed for such a high-level Jonin to resort to being our makeshift babysitter funnily enough.
Nevertheless...
"Haruki? What is it? What happened?" I tried to calm down my beating heart, forcing my voice to stay steady as I refocused on Haruki.
Knowing him... Whatever caused him to seek me out meant serious business.
"I am to safeguard and accompany you back to your home this instant. Uchiha Itachi has betrayed the Leaf by Massacring the entirety of the Uchiha Clan, as of the latest information. He has been designated as a Kill On Sight S-Rank Missing Nin. His whereabouts are currently unknown." His words carried a grim note, and his expression was etched with urgency.
Haruki's hand gripped my shoulder firmly as he prepared to use the Body Flicker Technique, a simple yet high-level technique mastered by few.
My eyes dilated at that chilling information. But I didn't let panic take over. Instead, I responded with a simple, "I see," my voice devoid of emotion.
My body functions went on autopilot as I dove deep into my mind to run damage control before I guilt-tripped myself.
"This might get uncomfortable," he warned, his voice now tinged with empathy, as he began forming the hand signs for the Body Flicker Technique.
"Okay," I responded mechanically, my thoughts already racing ahead to the internal crisis.
I... I never did manage to come up with a solution to this catastrophe.
This... Wasn't my fault. I knew this would happen. I couldn't do anything to stop it. You KNOW there wasn't anything you could do to stop this without laying down my own life and even then it isn't guaranteed.
But isn't that just an excuse?
No, it isn't an excuse. You are not a Hero; it never was, never is, and never will be your responsibility.
But I let an entire Clan be massacred helplessly?
How arrogant of me. I LET them be massacred? Who do I think I am? That I could stop someone infinitely stronger than me? Letting them die is relying on the assumption that I am responsible for their lives. Which I am not. Just because I have foreknowledge and am a reincarnated individual I have to save them? Surely not.
And yet... Isn't that an excuse?
*WOOSH* All of a sudden I find myself with Haruki at the front door of my home.
Whether it was the sudden nauseating movement or whether it was my internal crisis...
I don't know, nevertheless the result was the same.
"BLEGHHH" I puked my entire dinner and lunch on the floor, the mess on the ground mirroring the turmoil within me.
"Easy does it," Haruki says placatingly as he lifts the mess that is me up and carries me over into the house.
"Akira!" Auntie, yells out in worry her voice barely registering in my muddied psyche.
She grabs me from Haruki's hands.
"What happened to him?! He's sweating like mad!" She accused the awkward Jonin. A murderous glare set on him.
"S-Sorry Yoshino-sama. I didn't think he'd react this badly to a Shunshin. Though... He did eat only a few moments prior..." He apologized with a slight grimace, which only got worse once he realized the error of his ways
Ah... It's so cold.
After a moment's pause, Auntie softens her glare "Fine, thanks for getting him home safely. I can't blame you since the situation's gotten this bad. Stand guard for now in case that... Maniac gets any funny ideas," she ordered at the awkward Jonin, whose seriousness had been easily subdued in the face of Auntie.
He nodded easily at the Nara Head's Lady and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
"SHIKAMARU!" She yelled out suddenly
"W-What?!" Shikamaru responded in exhaustion from the Living room.
...You've got to collect yourself Akira.
"DON'T WHAT ME! YOUR COUSIN IS ILL GET THE BATH READY FOR HIM!" At her words, Shikamaru suddenly sprang up to his feet, making his way towards the front door, and saw me.
With a look of genuine concern on his face, he asked
"What happened to him?" pointing at my currently stewing self.
Don't let them know the truth behind your state.
Shikamaru could probably figure out that something isn't right... Say something! Get your mind out of the gutter!
"I-I'm alright," I manage to say weakly.
Auntie's quick intervention saved me from attempting further explanation.
"Haruki is what happened! That bum used a high-level movement jutsu to get here with Akira. After he just ate... Never mind that! Prepare the bath; he'll be alright! This is a normal reaction!" Auntie commanded, her tone laced with concern.
Normal... Is it? I thought to myself
Shikamaru immediately responded to Auntie's instructions. He rushed over, genuine concern on his face.
Auntie gently guided me to the sofa, her motherly instincts taking over. She smiled weakly, attempting to ease my discomfort.
"Here, Akira, rest for now." She said softly
"Thanks, Auntie," I replied with a small and genuine smile, closing my eyes to rest, using the facade of illness to hide my internal turmoil.
...What a convenient excuse, I mused silently as Auntie made her way to the kitchen.
I took the opportunity to observe Auntie's condition as I reopened my eyes.
Auntie's face twisted into frustration and sadness. Grabbing her head with the palm of her hand, trying to process what I assume warranted that Reaction.
The Uchiha Massacre.
She mumbled something, I could not hear it. But from simple lip reading, the sentence was all too obvious.
"It's just one disaster after another..."
Ah... That's right. Auntie had a few friends from the Uchiha as well, didn't she?
...I hate myself.
But... I shouldn't.
-Scene Change-
-11 Months And 2 Weeks Following The Entrance Ceremony At The Academy-
-Noon Time-
-Third Person POV-
The Academy 1st Year classroom is only 2 weeks away from the end of the Academy Year. Usually at a time like this, the kids as well as the teacher would be ecstatic.
However, thanks to the recent Uchiha Massacre the Village has been in a state of turmoil.
The sudden death of an entire major clan, the strongest clan to be exact was too hard a pill to swallow.
The Economic and Public Safety implications as well as the significant blow Konoha's military strength suffered hits that would be on the scale of the Nine Tails attack itself, perhaps even greater.
Many Jonin have been sent to the Village borders and over time missions to create the illusion of strength.
The greatest blow was those that lost among the Uchiha their... Lovers, Friends, Business partners, and so on.
Even a week after the Massacre, the somber atmosphere is yet to pass, the attitude of the Village children a great indication as to the current state of its being.
The current Classroom of 1st years is no different, even a week later, a sense of normality has yet to return and the mood is only steadily being lifted by the more cheerful bunch.
A couple of missing former Uchiha classmates would do that to you. Friends to some, rivals to others.
The realization of Death slapping across the face of these young kids would do that.
There are also those who try and hide their turmoil from their classmates, masking it with a smile obviously seen through by those closest to them.
Much like our Protagonist who's currently wearing a static smile on his face. A miserable attempt at trying to fool others into thinking he's fine.
Surely he knows it wouldn't fool his Cousin, who's currently "sleeping" beside him.
-Shikamaru POV-
I've known Akira my entire life. We've been together since we were babies and up till now and hopefully for the distant future, as much of a drag of a brother he is.
He always gets lost in that head of his, mostly for dumb reasons that I remind him of every time.
Most of the time, it works against him. When something bad happens, he closes up inside the shell of his mind and keeps it all to himself. Only to open up every here and there when either I or Choji nag him enough or he's internalized whatever drag he cooked up in there.
What I'm trying to say is that he is someone who bounces back on his feet rather quickly even when bad things happen.
But... it was never this bad.
I have no idea why, but ever since the news of the Uchiha Massacre came out, he's been reacting the exact way I've just described.
All symptoms point to the: "Akira Sad Syndrome", as Choji kindly puts it.
As I said, this state doesn't usually last very long.
But a week? That's abnormal. A week of him dodging both my nagging and questions and only responding with a fake smile. He'd even left Sakura and Ino completely unscathed from his usual witty remarks. Causing even the latter to be worried.
Then how does the Uchiha Massacre come to affect Akira, as unrelated as he is to such an event?
I can come up with two factors, that when working in tandem, create this situation.
First, Akira has a tendency to act like an adult and take responsibility for things that are really not his business, especially when they are friends of his or have somewhat of a connection.
Whether it was that one time two years ago Choji accidentally destroyed a Civilian kid's sand castle and cried when the Kid's parents chastised him. Akira went and started giving the Parents a verbal beatdown. As heroic as that is, he could have let Choji's parents handle that one. Those words had no effect or result coming from a child in the face of a grown adult.
That's only one example of his tendency to get involved and take responsibility for others' troubles.
That's also the one factor that explains somewhat why he's avoiding Naruto this badly. He has this odd inclination to avoid the troublesome classmate whenever possible. I amount it to a level of self-awareness that would suggest he knows he'll try and get involved in the clearly troublesome blonde's life were he to make prolonged contact.
And we both know Blondes are trouble.
Second, Sasuke Uchiha. The Last Uchiha. I'm not blind, it's clear to notice the competitive nature of their relationship.
Combining these two factors, Akira feels remorseful and somehow responsible for Sasuke's situation.
Complete nonsense and disgustingly self-centered in my eyes, but that's how his mind works as I've observed.
I'd wager he'll get better once Sasuke returns to the Academy sometime next week as he is still recuperating.
He'd probably do something absurd and stupid like apologize to Sasuke for something he clearly didn't do.
Or maybe he'll do something sensible and say his condolences without making himself the center point of the conversation.
The only plus side of this situation is he doesn't bother trying to convince me to join his training during evening times.
Though, I've had to join him the last 2 days, since he's been coming home looking weathered to an extreme degree.
Training until he drops again...
*Sigh* What a drag. That brother of mine. It's good I'm the calm one of our group, else Choji would have died a horrible death from worry.
It'd be fantastic if Akira could direct his self-awareness in our direction and understand he's making us needlessly worried with his doom and gloom.
But who am I kidding? He likely understands at least that much.
And that is definitely not a mood to be in when he's planning on having a Taming Ritual today, the Rabbits if I recall the purpose behind the pit he's been digging these past 2 weeks.
Guess I'll have to come and watch despite the Elder's presence.
What a drag.
-Scene Change-
-Akira POV-
After we finished up with classes today, Shikamaru, Choji, and I headed towards the gate leading outside.
I mostly kept silent the entire time. My worries now focused on the imminent battle I've been preparing this hard for.
Today's the day I have to fight Rabbit Escape.
As we reached the gate, Choji knew the drill about Thursdays.
"Good luck in your Secret Nara Training!" Choji wished me, his awkwardness around me apparent as he fumbled with his words.
"Thanks, Choji," I replied with a small, genuine smile.
"Later, Choji," Shikamaru nodded and smiled as he headed in the opposite direction.
"Bye, Shika," I waved to Shikamaru before turning to make my way towards Eiichi's mansion.
As I walk a few minutes I notice a familiar presence that has rejoined me in my venture.
I ignored it for a bit, but now opted to investigate a little.
"Is there a specific reason you're following me?" I inquired, maintaining a neutral tone.
"No reason," he simply shrugged.
Ah... This guy.
"Fine," I grumble
-Scene Change-
We entered Eiichi's office and took our seats across from him. A steaming cup of tea was placed in front of each of us.
"Shikamaru-sama, it is an honor to see you again." Eiichi gives a small bow of his head
"The feelings mutual Eiichi-san," Shikamaru responds tiredly, already losing his patience at the formality stuff.
"Why did you bring the Clan Head's son?" Eiichi asked, raising a brow.
"He decided to follow me," I shrugged, my tone flat.
Eiichi narrowed his eyes at me.
What's his problem?
"What happened to your usual enthusiasm?" He asked, more bluntly.
"Nowhere... *SIP* I'll be fine, let's just do this." I respond tiredly, taking a calming sip of the tea
Can't they just let me be sad in peace?
"Then lead the way, you are welcome to join our training any time Shikamaru-sama." Eiichi dismissed my attitude and gestured towards the exit as he got up, adding a suggestion to Shikamaru.
"Thank you for the gracious offer, but I'll only be observing for now." He says in a deadpan that somehow amused Eiichi, judging by his smirk.
"As you wish." He responds in amusement.
-Scene Change-
Arriving at the Privately Held Nara Forest Grounds where my Pit has been dug, Eiichi sports an impressed look, seeing the 140-foot deep pit. Shikamaru made sure to climb a tree and take a seat on it's branch. A good view of the Pit and us for him to spectate.
"Impressive, Akira. How did you manage to make this?" He questioned with a hint of pride.
Is he proud of me? Now that's rare.
"I dug it," I reply simply.
"Dug it? You mean you learned Earth-Style Jutsu? Had someone else dig it for you?" He questioned, clearly confused.
"No, I literally dug it, with the help of my Shadows and Shovels." I give him a straight answer.
"...Why have you not sought out someone proficient in Earth Jutsu to dig this out for you in a matter of seconds? You have the resources and connections to leverage someone's time for a few minutes." He pressed me
"Well, I can't just bring anyone here, right? It's a secret - my whole Taming Ritual and Kekkei Genkai." I explain simply, in my words.
At that, in what seemed like a minute, Eiichi's face managed to at first convey pride, then confusion, and now... Disappointment?
"Boy... You do realize you're just a child, right? You could have easily dismissed this as a child's whimsical request to an Earth-style Jutsu user. There were countless plausible explanations you could have given if anyone asked. I was testing your resourcefulness, and I must say, this choice was far from wise," Eiichi lectured, his voice tinged with disappointment as he shook his head.
After a moment's pause to digest his words, I found myself agreeing with him. To my dismay.
...Oh yeah. That was an option, wasn't it? I'm probably the dumbest Nara, aren't I?
I only nodded mutedly at Eiichi's chastising lecture.
"*Sigh* Regardless, you may commence your battle. Have you prepared a cover?" He sighed as he asked
"Yes, I hid it beside that tree." I pointed at a tree as I went to get a cover that took me the last 2 days to make out of hardened mud.
"Have you checked whether it will cover the entire pit? Any holes in the cover?"
"Yes, I specifically made it larger than what is needed to cover the pit in case I messed up, As far as I checked there aren't any holes."
"And are you confident you are proficient enough with the Jutsu I taught you?" He asked the most pressing question. The question that dictated whether this plan would work or not.
"I believe it will work." I give him a confident nod
"Then proceed. Just keep in mind our protocol: we won't intervene unless you declare the taming's success or find yourself in danger," Eiichi reminded me while making a thoughtful gesture.
"Yeah, yeah." I wave at him dismissively
Will I feel better if I beat them? I hope so...
As I stand here, I can't help but think about everything that's been weighing me down lately. The Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke, the somber atmosphere in the village, and the feeling of helplessness that's been consuming me. I need something to break through this, even if just for a moment.
Maybe Taming Rabbit Escape can be that comfort I need. A sense of victory, success, proof that I can win and am not helpless.
...Stop with the self-pity. Get to work. I cut myself out
And with that, let's get started.
I stretched my body and cracked my neck, preparing for the Rabbit Genocide scheme.
"Toad," I mumbled while forming the Shadowgraphic hand signs, summoning Jeff.
"Remember the drill, Jeff, no fooling around," I instructed him.
*CROAK* He agreed and extended his tongue, securing me.
"Urgh, this stuff is disgusting." I can't help but express, with the mucus wetting my body and clothes, an uncomfortable sensation.
Step 1 is done.
Now for Step 2.
I hop down into the large pit.
I lower my hand into my own Shadow and grab a gas mask, just in case the plan fails and I have to resort to using my Collection to defeat them.
I wear it on my face and now resolve to start the battle.
*Inhale*
*Exhale*
Let's go.
"Rabbit Escape" I say as my hands form a Shadowgraphic Rabbit
At that, from the shadows burst out 1, 2, 10, and 30 Rabbits rapidly rising in quantity.
"NOW!" I yell out as Jeff pulls me with all his strength
*WOOSH* At Jeff's strong pull, my body is launched above the Pit, a good height above even the Hashirama trees. Jeff's tongue is still attached.
But that has all been taken into account.
As I fall, I focus on forming the correct hand signs for the jutsu.
Snake.
Dragon.
Rabbit.
Every moment, I fall closer and closer to the Pit.
The Jutsu has a mid-range effectiveness, working best within a distance of approximately 16-32 feet. For it to be effective in this situation, I needed to be inside the pit as I used it...
And so...
I fall into the pit, Only to dangle at around 30 feet inside the pit, thanks to Jeff. The rabbit swarm managed to fill up a whole 100 feet of the pit before slowing down in its growth.
They hop around attempting to reach me but fail.
I form the final hand sign.
Tiger.
I Inhale the deepest breath of my life.
and I roar out in my mind.
'FIRE STYLE: DRAGON FIRE JUTSU,' as the name implies, I unleashed a torrent of flames from my mouth, scorching the rabbits in its path.
A collective agonized screech echoes out from most of the rabbits. As they are charred and burned alive.
Some of them even melt to ashes.
The beauty of this jutsu is that as long as you have Chakra. You can keep channeling it.
As such, for a good few seconds, I managed to melt 40 feet of those Rabbits. But those extra 60 feet of them down below... Are still a problem.
As Eiichi said, I lack the Firepower and Chakra to get rid of them all with just this jutsu. The Pit cover is a good call.
I think this through, my Chakra running extremely low at this point I cancel the jutsu, leaving out the toxic gas generated by it and lack of oxygen, as flames and heat spread around the rabbits themselves.
"JEFF GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I roar out.
At my word, the tongue pulls me out of there, launching me slightly less hard as I had instructed Jeff in the plan.
I land on the ground and run towards the Lid, I lift it up in an impressive feat of strength for a kid and with a huff.
*BAM* Slam it down and cover the hole.
At that, even before I can thank Jeff for his hard work, I dismiss him, my Chakra already reaching the metaphorical Red.
"Now I guess I have to wait," I announced aloud to no one in particular.
I make my way to sit beside the Pit, calming down my breath and relaxing. Waiting patiently for the overall result.
If need be, I'll wait for multiple hours for my Chakra to regenerate and use it on the leftovers...
Silence, but after 15 minutes of it and Eiichi's glare on my back.
A familiar feeling envelops me.
A shadow was sent in my direction.
...I have tamed Rabbit Escape.
I... did it.
With a burst of excitement, I raise my arm, a small, genuine smile lighting up my face in response to the hard-earned success.
"I won!" I yell out to my observing party.
...I needed at least this to go well. Else I would've been truly pissed off. It wasn't easy learning the jutsu. It really wasn't.
It was a two-step process. First, I had to master the Flame Resistance Technique, and then I tackled this Chunin-level jutsu that drained my entire chakra reserve in a matter of seconds. All within the span of just two weeks.
At least it was a good distraction and a way to vent my frustrations... Victory does feel good when reality slaps you with your own helplessness and weakness for a week straight.
Guess Eiichi wasn't wrong about me doubting myself here, was he?
Eiichi arrives at my side, conveying his pride with a simple sentence. "Well done, Akira." A small smile full of pride on his face.
Wow, I could addicted to this feeling... The hard work I had done in order to make this plan work so flawlessly, and its actual result.
As well as recognition from my hardcore Sensei for my efforts.
I'm not starved for praise, but this is... Pleasant to say the least, especially when I'm proud of my own actions and results.
"That'll be enough for today. Once again, Well done." Eiichi praised one last time as he turned around to make his leave
"I bid you farewell Shikamaru-sama, Akira. I'll see you Saturday Akira. I'll have to excuse myself, I have an important meeting to attend to in an hour." He added before he left.
"Bye Eiichi-sensei!" I waved goodbye
"Thanks for the hard work Eiichi-san." Shikamaru nodded towards him as he jumped off the branch and joined me at my side.
...What do you mean by hard work?
"I'm glad to see someone's mood has improved.," Shikamaru mentioned teasingly a smirk on his face.
"Buzz off..." I glare at him.
"Well, If I knew killing a bunch of rabbits with flames was what would have improved your dampened mood I'd have nagged you to do this earlier," Shikamaru added happily
"*Sigh*, Don't get the wrong idea, I'm just happy my efforts proved fruitful." I sighed
"Well, do you feel like talking about why you were and still are a drag this past week?" Shikamaru bluntly asked
I shook my head "No, again I'll be fine, it's just something temporary. I-I just need to see Sasuke and talk to him once he's back and I'll be fine."
I hope.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru shrugged, and dismissed the topic quickly, seemingly expecting that to be my response.
As a comfortable silence enveloped us, Shikamaru broke it with a decent suggestion.
"Yakiniku Q?" He simply suggested
Hmm... Sure.
"Heh, fine let's go. I'll go get Choji." I respond with a smile. I got up, patted myself off any dirt and grime, took off my gas mask, and placed it back into the shadows.
-Scene Change-
-Third Person POV-
As the evening sun painted the office's window with its fading hues, Eiichi sat in his chair, calmly sipping tea, engaged in a conversation with a figure of great significance in Konoha.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Danzo-sama?" Eiichi inquired politely, his tone laced with formality.
"Eiichi, please, no need for such formality," Danzo replied with an air of ease.
"It's been a while since we've had the chance to converse. How have you been?" he added
Eiichi chuckled lightly. "I've been managing, as you can see. Peace and paperwork can take a toll on these aging bones."
Danzo leaned forward, getting to the heart of the matter.
"I'm sure you're aware of the recent tragedy that has befallen us."
Eiichi raised an eyebrow, perplexed by the direction of the conversation.
"Indeed, but I fail to see the relevance to the Nara clan. We extend our condolences to Uchiha Sasuke and offer our full support."
Danzo's smile remained unaltered.
"Ah, but you see, Eiichi, I'm here to discuss something rather specific. I seek your assistance in channeling funds from the Uchiha's assets into ROOT, as well as your support should Hiruzen decide to investigate further." He dropped a bombshell
Eiichi's eyes widened, and his expression shifted from confusion to suspicion.
"Danzo, what game are you playing? This request is audacious and foolish! Root? You must be out of your mind!" Eiichi slammed his hand on the desk
Undisturbed by Eiichi's reaction, Danzo continued to wear his enigmatic smile. "I assure you, Eiichi, you'll find my proposal to be quite beneficial for the Nara clan. It's an opportunity that should not be dismissed lightly."
In the moments following that sentence, keen observers would detect a distinct concentration of chakra in Danzo's right eye. Unfortunately, no wielder of the Byakugan was present in this meeting.
Eiichi's demeanor shifted once more, from shock to contemplation.
"Very well, I will assist you in this endeavor, Danzo-sama. I trust you'll honor your word. Additionally, if this arrangement proceeds smoothly, I will stand by you should Lord Third choose to confront you."
Danzo's pleasant smile widened at Eiichi's artificial change in attitude.
"I'm delighted that we're in agreement, Eiichi. Rest assured, this collaboration will prove even more advantageous than you anticipate."
With a nod, Danzo extended his working left arm for a handshake, and Eiichi reciprocated without hesitation.
"On that note, for the sake of the village's continued prosperity, do you perhaps have any valuable insights or information you'd be willing to share?" Danzo inquired, attempting to extract further knowledge.
Eiichi nodded without hesitation and gladly provided Danzo with - normally top-secret Nara-related information.
But it's fine!
After all, Danzo-sama is to be trusted. Danzo-sama acts for the benefit of the Leaf and the Nara.
Danzo-sama can be leaned on and given everything, and the end result would always be to the best of everyone's interests.
Danzo-sama deserves to be the Hokage, more than "Lord" Third.
But... Is that right?
To be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Hey guys! I hope this chapter was to your liking and interesting! Hopefully, It's up to par and stuff.
I'll be real with you guys, this has been REAL hard to write, I had to rewrite multitudes of sections until it was "Fine" for me. Hope the Rabbit Escape fight was to your liking! It was pretty short, but this one took preparation and practice (Fire jutsu) from Akira so I believe it makes sense!
I'm still iffy about this chapter in general, so I do hope it came out fine!
Anyway! In this chapter, the plan for Rabbit Genocide was planned and executed. Also, the Uchiha massacre happened so that's kind of yikes.
Oh, and there's Danzo running around with Shisui's completely busted eye. That thanks to Hashirama cells can be pretty much spammed for convenience's sake.
As always people! If you see any inconsistencies, wrong information, Illogical statements etc... Notify me, please! I'll fix it ASAP! And or explain it later on in case I had planned to make it vague in the first place.
Also, all comments, reviews, constructive criticism and so on Are much appreciated! I especially love Constructive criticism because it allows me to improve the story in real time! I try my best to follow your advice!
I enjoy responding to you all! So do send them comments! Also, ideas are also welcome! I'm not that creative so assistance from you guys is always nice! Yup!
I hope you lovely people have a fantastic rest of the day/week. And I'll see you in a week's time :P
Australia is wider than the moon. Another random fact of the week
-Author Note End-
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