Chapter 30 - Evil's Shadow

Ekyt smile stayed in place, even in the ‘Forest of Death’. He knew very well that he would be attacked by multiple groups. He was by himself, so he HAD to have a scroll. He was named ‘top genin’, so that put a bullseye on his back. And after what happened in the Mist Village, it was pretty obvious that they would target him. It was just as obvious that Ekyt could do nothing to stop it. He could only react and deal with what his reaction yielded.

I wonder when they’ll spring their trap? Unlike them, I’ve had some strange training. Still…I’m not great by any means…The only advantage I might have is pure studying time. That’s what got me this far to begin with.

Ekyt had to jump between to pieces of razor wire. He guessed that a trap was about to be sprung. The dirt below had footprints that had been ‘camouflaged’, along with the wire. He had to be careful now. He decided to land, forcing himself to keep that stupid smile on his face. It was part of his mask. It hadn’t paid to show depression, and pretending nothing was wrong didn’t help either. So pretending everything was alright was something new, and therefore had a shot of being the correct response.

You don’t feel emotions…you don’t feel pain…only duty…
I wish.

“Okay, we’ve got him!” someone shouted. Ekyt stepped to his left as a net suddenly fell. That step turned into a roll as an exploding tag detonated. That roll turned into a dive, as a pit opened up below him. And that dive turned into a quick attack, as one eager Shinobi made his move. Unsuccessfully, as Ekyt’s foot had seen to stopping him cold. Ekyt pushed him off, kicking him back over to his friends. They didn’t dare break their gaze on Ekyt to check on him.

Rain…Mist…Stone…Sound…that accounts for twelve ninja. That leaves only the Grass ninja unaccounted for. I can assume they’re enemies…I knew I’d get ganged up on, but this bad? How do I solve this? They didn’t waste any time, either. If I could have gotten to a better location, I might have stood a better chance. Now I’ve either got to give up my scroll, or attack. If I give up my scroll, I’ll still be killed. That leaves attack…but how? I can’t use a jutsu on that many people at once. I’ll have to improvise…

“I should warn you…I’m accurate at 100 yards with this jutsu! Dragon’s Ember Jutsu!” Ekyt shouted, using his signature fire jutsu after an uncharacteristic taunt. It was easily dodged by the ninja he had been aiming at.

“One hundred yards, huh?!” the ninja taunted. Ekyt shrugged, still wearing the same stupid smile.

“What can I say? Aside from ‘You lose’.”

It was about then that it hit everyone- something was burning. As they turned, they realized that Ekyt hadn’t been aiming for anyone- he had been aiming for a tree that had been burned by an exploding tag instead! The tree caught fire easily, and that fire was spreading fast. It burned and crackled, and soon spread to the thick green canopy above. The trees in the forest were close together, so if ONE caught on fire…

“This nut will burn down the entire forest! We’ve got to get out of here!”

“We’re from the Rain Village, we’ll just put the fire out!”

The loose coalition that had gone after Ekyt was falling apart, little by little. They could decide they wanted Ekyt dead, but they couldn’t decide who was going to put out a rapidly growing fire. And apparently, they couldn’t pay attention to their target, either, as Ekyt shimmied up a tree and waited for a good moment to strike. When the fire reached his tree, Ekyt decided that a flaming tree branch might make for an imposing weapon. Using a kunai to saw at the branch he was above, Ekyt gave the burning branch a smart kick and watched it fall to the ground. It didn’t hit anyone, but it DID create an opening for attack. From up on his perch, using the fear the other ninja were already feeling, Ekyt could use genjutsu to his advantage. The “Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique” that he chose projected an image across each individuals mind. The fire had engulfed and killed them all, and the individual was slowly, agonizingly burning to a crisp. This trick only worked on three ninja, leaving nine to deal with. Still too many for hand to hand combat. That genjutsu would wear off eventually, too, if it wasn’t released first. Thankfully, the calvary came: The Grass ninja had come.

“Alright, hand over your scrolls! You clowns don’t scare us!” one Stone ninja declared. He seemed to be wearing an eye patch, and certainly didn’t LOOK the part of a genin. He looked like a bandit, or maybe a weathered old jonin.

Perfect, Ekyt thought from his treetop hideout, This will give me a chance to see what kind of fighting styles my opponents use. And maybe a few will get taken out in the process. If nothing else, I’ve got a little time to plan my counter-attack.

--

Yuushi read the letter one last time, now certain of it’s content. Tucking it into a pouch in his sleeve, Yuushi left Naruto to sleep. Yuushi had to make his move, and he had to do it now, without anyone else. Besides, no one would have to know. It was just to get his mother back, no big deal.

Ekyt-sensei was always doing things like this. Breaking the rules to do the right thing. Now I’m doing the same, to save my last remaining bit of family. I will return to the Hidden Leaf, and finally face my teacher in combat, and I’ll best him, and truly become an adult!

After securing his sword in his belt, adjusting his hakama and gi top, and making sure that he had everything he needed, Yuushi closed the door. The light from the hallway illuminated Naruto’s face for a moment, but the light shrank as the door closed. Naruto’s eyes never even fluttered after a long day of teaching, making it that much easier for Yuushi to leave undetected.


The letter says to wait at the bridge near the border…there, if it comes to combat, I will have the advantage. My sword will work better in close combat. And if not, I know enough jutsus to defend myself with. This is for my mother. I must rescue her, no matter what!

It was with that in mind that Yuushi set out towards Otogakure, which was better known as the Sound Village.

--

Okkuu sat in his hospital bed, sipping at his apple juice and wishing he could see the Forest of Death for himself.

What did Ekyt mean? He would have died for me? What a stupid concept! You live to serve your purposes, not to further the lives of someone else! And yet…he seemed to do both, and called it the ‘true way’ of the Shinobi. How can some genin even understand. The guy is a total failure anyway. I should just forget this whole thing and train harder. Then I’LL make HIM see the real Shinobi way!

Okkuu’s enthusiasm just wasn’t working. Deep down, he knew his bacon had been saved by someone he had cursed out. Someone he had hated for no reason at all. But somehow it made sense. For SURE Okkuu hated Yuushi. That was reason enough to hate his stupid friend, too!

“Okkuu, right?”

Okkuu looked up from his bed to see a scary-looking kunoichi. Being twelve, he also saw she was pretty.

“Yeah, that’s me? And you are?” Okkuu said, trying to impressive the cute older kunoichi with his firm tone of voice and his eyes that his mother swore were pefect.

“I’m Temari. I heard you’ve been giving a friend of mine a hard time…” Temari sat down on the edge of Okkuu’s bed, her fan clanging against the floor. Okkuu didn’t seem impressed by the fan; he was more interested in Temari herself.

“And who’s this friend of yours? If I kicked his @$$, he deserved it, rest assured,” Okkuu sneered back, remembering that girls liked the ‘cool’ guys. The sneer, of course, was the epitome of cool!

“His name is Ekyt. And you know, he SAVED your @$$. Too bad a knucklehead like you couldn’t see that gesture for what it really was. It wasn’t some sign of weakness on his part, it was a show of strength that he’d protect a mouthy brat like you.” Temari leaned back, nodding to someone outside the door. Kimimaro walked in, following Temari’s lead, as she had instructed.

“Oh, and who’s this? Some freak you also felt sorry for, right? What’s this guy’s problem? Is he weak, like that idiot who ‘saved’ me? Or is he just retarded?”

Kimimaro reached into his shoulder and pulled out a bone.

“He just can’t keep his bones in his skin, you know?” Temari commented. Okkuu promptly fainted, leaving Temari to laugh, and Kimimaro to feel good about defending his cousin.

--

Ekyt watched a brief fight ensue below him. Things turned vicious very quickly. One Sound Ninja went down hard, bleeding heavily. He was going to die. Ekyt cursed himself, but leapt down, deflecting a kunai and kicking the offender attached. Rolling up his right sleeve, Ekyt used the Chakra Scalpel. He was no medic, but he could at least TRY to save this guy’s life. As the sounds of battle clanged all around him, Ekyt desperately tried to save the life of his sworn enemy, the Sound.

“Hang on, hang on…” Ekyt muttered, as much to himself as the ninja on the ground. The ninja’s eyes flickered open long enough to see that Ekyt wasn’t trying to kill him.

“What are you doing?” came the whisper from the Sound Ninja.

“Trying to save your life,” Ekyt responded, focusing his chakra. The dawning realization hit him: I can’t do it…he’s lost too much blood…he’s reached the end…

“Hey, anyone a medic?!” Ekyt shouted, hoping that the battle lines would be dropped long enough to save a life. No one responded, they only kept fighting. Ekyt noticed a medical pouch on another Sound ninja’s waist. What kind of people are they? They can’t save their own comrade? This is ridiculous! Someone help this guy, I can’t do it! Please, I’ve done my best, at least let him die in comfort!

The Sound ninja looked Ekyt in the eyes. “You are no enemy of mine…I hold one of the scrolls…take it…”

The Sound ninja had spoken his last. He coughed up blood, closed his eyes, and his head fell to the side.

By now, the Sound Ninja had disengaged from the fight and walked over. Ekyt expected them to feel bad, but instead:

“Damn you, Watashi! You choose NOW to die?!” the kunoichi of the group said, giving the dead man an angry kick.

“You idiot…too weak…” the other muttered. He had a look on his face as though he was looking at dog crap. Ekyt was suddenly consumed by anger. His carefully thought out battle plans were scrapped. He charged at the two Sound ninja, planted a hand on each of their stomachs, and kicked forward. His chakra-enhanced strike sent the two flying, through trees, and finally out the fence that marked the out-of-bounds. This not only meant they were disqualified for not having a 3rd team member, but that they had just been embarrassed.

Ekyt landed next to them, the body of their teammate in hand. Very quickly, Anko and two ANBU agents came rushing over.

“What happened here?!” Anko demanded. As Ekyt was the only conscious person, he answered.

“This one was killed, I don’t know by who. Those two…I just removed them. They’re trash. They let this one die, and then kicked his dead body. That’s why they’re out here. I wanted to make sure this one (Ekyt hands the body to an agent) got a proper return to the outside of the forest. I know he’s not ‘one of us’, but…” Ekyt’s voice trailed off, looking at the dead face.

Anko could sympathize.

“…and you tried to save him, didn’t you?” she asked quietly. Ekyt nodded.

“I couldn’t do it, my medical ninjutsu doesn’t extend beyond first aid. I have no talent for it. No one even tried to help him. It was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. Oh, yeah, I’ve got their scroll, and they’re out a team member. Am I allowed to keep the scroll? It was given to me before that ninja died.”

“Absolutely, you can keep it. Nothing in the rules against it. Okay, we’ll take it from here, Ekyt. You go finish in there,” Anko said, shaken up by Ekyt’s story. Ekyt bowed and started to return. Anko called his name once more.

“Ekyt…You’re a good kid.”

Ekyt returned to his forced smile and walked back he Forest of Death. But now the odds were closer. Apparently, the Grass Ninja were on his side. The Stone, Rain, and Mist were against him. Still, three-to-one odds weren’t so bad.

--

Orochimaru had that smirk on his face. The one that said ‘I’m evil, and I’m winning’. Everyone in the Leaf thought Orochimaru was dead, except for Sasuke who, in fact, had revived him. Not that Sasuke had a choice in the matter.

“Soon, Kabuto. That little fool will come looking for his mother. And the best part of all this…” Orochimaru’s smirk grew a little.

“…is that it will have been Sarutobi’s last student that created my next host!”

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