033 - A Strange Encounter (Patreon)

NADESHIKO ISLAND

Shizuka felt her heartbeat quicken—her chest tightening—as the oppressive chakras in the distance flared ominously. A thunderous explosion echoed from miles away and the earth beneath her feet tremored violently. She stared ahead in awe at the artificially formed cumulonimbus, birthed from the massive, rising column of steam in the distance before turning to face her master racing ahead just a few meters in front of her.

For a moment, the temptation to plead with the older woman for them to turn back rose in the back of her mind before she mercilessly squashed it. It was a pointless thought after all.

Shizuka did not fancy herself a traitor or a coward.

A chain of explosions, much larger than the one before it, rocked the island moments later. She raised her arm to protect her eyes from the emanating glare as the resulting shockwaves slammed into her as she charged head-first towards the battle. Tempestuous winds whipped at her lithe form, tossing and pulling her hair painfully to the back. She didn’t stop, nor did she slow down.

To say she wasn’t dreadfully worried about confronting what lay ahead would be a lie. But her island—her village … her home—was beset by a possible threat to its very existence.

She would find herself a discarded corpse before any harm could befall her home.

Shizuka pulled herself to a stop at the fringes of the battle just outside the edge of a newly formed crater. Rivulets of seawater seeped into the hole at a rate that would fill it up in just a few dozen minutes. But that was not what caught her attention; as the thick cloud of smog dispersed in the wind, she noticed two battered figures near the centre of the crater.

The first was what looked like the corpse of a middle-aged man. It was hard to tell given his lower half was currently missing. The corpse—no, man—pushed what remained of his body up, inclining himself on the inner curvature of the crater, uncaring as muddy seawater ran over his cracked, decaying skin. Shizuka would have found his inattentiveness to his current condition morbid and disturbing had she not been as distracted as he was.

Just a few dozen meters away from the corpse of a man was a boy who appeared to be somewhat around her age—about sixteen or seventeen. He knelt on the muddy floor, his right arm missing and his left dangling limply by his side. Horrible burns covered the left side of his body, the skin on his face and upper torso visibly charred.

A towering, winged, humanoid chakra construct enveloped the boy protectively. Staring at it hurt her head and made her eyes itch somehow; some esoteric technique, no doubt. In response, Shizuka raised her guard further as she averted her gaze, focusing instead on the figure within.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Tobirama,” the boy said hoarsely, glaring at his foe across from him with strange eyes that glowed crimson. In response, the other shinobi said nothing, simply vanishing the next moment.

Afraid.

“...And who are you lot?” the boy said out loud as he rose to his feet, seemingly to himself. Shizuka looked to her master who shared perplexed glances with the village elders and the elite kunoichis accompanying them.

Did he sense us? Shizuka asked herself as she turned back towards the monstrous youth. As she did, the boy turned around to glare straight at them, the chakra construct enveloping him turning with him. Shizuka’s eyes widened in shock.

We are well hidden amongst all this debris! How in Kami’s name did he find us?

“Ladies, I know you are there,” the boy continued, his cold glare unabating. “Come out. I am starting to really dislike having stalkers hovering around me.”

Shizuka turned back towards her master, her gaze finally catching the older woman’s own.

“Alright! We are coming out!” her master said without breaking eye contact. Subtle nods were exchanged and Shizuka tightened her grip on the kunai in her hand.

The mysterious boy barely reacted at the sight of all twenty of them coming out of hiding, his eyes sweeping over their entire group before immediately settling on Lady Marika. Shizuka moved to stand between her master and the boy not trusting him to remain civil under such disadvantageous conditions, outnumbered as he was. His expressionless gaze shifted to focus on her before returning to Lady Marika the next moment, his head tilting slightly to the side as if studying her.

“And who would you be then?” he asked, carelessly raking the fingers on his sole remaining hand through his long, messy hair.

Shizuka did not need to turn around to sense her master’s annoyance.

“You invade my peoples’ territory and wage such a destructive battle as to scar our lands, yet you have the gall to ask who I am?” Lady Marika replied, angry lines appearing on her aged visage. The boy blinked, heaving a tired sigh a moment later.

“...And where would this be?” he asked.

Stunned, no one responded. The beachside fell silent with only the sound of water filling the crater and the noise of waves crashing against the shore riding on the ocean winds.

“Is this a joke to you?” Shizuka snapped, no longer able to contain herself.

“Do I look like I am in the mood for jokes?” the boy asked, as he raised one brow in inquiry.

“...You truly don’t know where you are?” Tokiwa, who stood by Shizuka’s side, asked him.

“No, I do not. Where is this place? And, who are you? You still haven’t communicated anything of significant value to me yet; makes me wonder if my decision to let you all keep your lives was the correct one…”

The chakra construct enveloping the boy crossed the first pair of its skeletal arms ominously. Shizuka paled as a flood of yin-cold, viscous chakra washed over her.

“You dare threaten us!” Elder Yui—irrational as her nature consistently dictated she behave—scowled and unsheathed her ninjato from its scabbard by her waist. “I will have your hide, boy—”

“Yui! Behave!”

“...Yes, Chīfu-sama.”

Lady Marika turned back to face the boy. “I am Marika Yamato, Chief of the Nadeshiko village.”

“Nadeshiko... You mean the settlement north of O’Ozu Island?”

“Yes. I want to assume you are a Konoha-nin?” Lady Marika asked gesturing with her chin towards the headband sewn to the obi by his waist. As if just remembering the existence of the insignia he glanced down at it.

The boy’s placid expression twisted into a rabid snarl as he ripped the metal piece off his person before crushing it in his fist. His expression smoothened out the next moment as he tossed the crumpled headband carelessly behind him.

Shizuka blinked, unsure if what she just saw actually happened.

“...Or …I guess not?”

“We are going to have to ask you to leave,” Elder Fubuki said, moments later, her expression hardening.

“What do you mean leave?” Elder Himeko countered. “We have been searching for a suitable replacement for that filthy mongrel Shizuka brought home for ages now. Kami drops one right in our lap, and you want to chase him away? Insanity!”

What? Shizuka asked herself, confused. Filthy mongrel… Sagiri?

“You are asking we shelter a defector from the Hidden Leaf in our ranks,” Elder Katsura replied. “I see you haven’t outgrown your death-seeking tendencies at all, Himeko…”

“What! Is that cowardice I hear, Katsura?”

“You would rather start a conflict with Konoha than let Shizuka indulge in her selfish, childish impulses?”

Wait. What?

“Can’t you see the embroidery on his clothes? The fabled Sharingan in his eyes? He is an Uchiha, for Kami’s sake! And if the rumours are true, he is possibly the last of his kind! Of course, yes—”

“Himeko! Katsura!”

The two middle-aged women seized their bickering. Shizuka looked on in confusion, struggling to comprehend what was going on. Lady Marika’s attention returned to the boy.

“I am sorry about that, Uchiha…”

“Sasuke,” the boy helpfully supplied.

“Uchiha Sasuke,” Lady Marika repeated, nodding. “I apologise for that. You can dispel your technique now. I don’t imagine you would be too comfortable straining your body like that after what you’ve just been through. You can rest easy, we no longer have any intentions of attacking you.”

“We don’t?” Elder Yui asked, confused.

On cue, Elder Fubuki smacked her on the back of the head.

“No, we don’t, Yui,” came a sigh from Lady Marika. “If I can avoid it, I would very much prefer we do not fight this young man. So, behave.”

The boy’s gaze panned over their entire group, evaluating. Seemingly content with whatever he found, his shoulders rose in a small shrug. “Very well then. I will be taking my leave,” he said, the towering chakra construct enveloping him dispersing the next moment as he turned to leave.

“Uchiha-san!”

The boy stopped, shooting a sideways glance at Lady Marika. His left brow rose in inquiry. Shizuka also turned to stare at her master in confusion.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I hope you won’t mind having a conversation with me over a cup of tea; in exchange, we could help you with those injuries of yours.”

The boy stared at her in silence for a few minutes before responding. “How far is the Land of Wave from this place?” he asked.

“About two weeks by ship, why?”

“Nevermind then, I’ll manage.”

“I am not sure if you are aware, but the Land of Mist is in the midst of another civil war and there are rumours of the conflict spilling well outside their borders. Most sea routes are currently unsafe to travel. You might seem fine now, but even I can tell your body is gradually failing; until you receive proper treatment, you will only get weaker with time. Is the risk really worth taking, Uchiha-san?”

The boy sighed.

“...I guess not.”