Proving your worth (Hon/potential bmod)

[Kiri]

Before he knew it, something struck him. Despite his struggle to keep his senses sharp about him, Uri misread the situation. This experience would, no doubt, be something for him to remember in the coming days. An experience unlike any before, like a teasing of a subjugation that was inevitable for someone like him. All the more did it spark the flames of defiance inside him but it was far too late. He felt the flames burn too much and that his body would wither at any moment’s notice. And just like that, blood trailed as he collapsed to the ground.

Loud heartbeats drowned his hearing as he watched the world on its side. His vision blurred as he gasped for air, but each pant that brought his chest heaving for that wanted oxygen was stifling. It was energy consuming, tiring so to speak. His body was pretty much asking him to just give in and rest, and maybe this was what those people would say having to want to rest without waking up. He gritted his teeth at the thought of dying, furrowing his brows as he saw the figure of the man walking towards him. Whatever words he was saying, they all sounded muffled, filtered, and downward incomprehensible. But he was certain he was being looked down upon, all the more fanning his hatred for this man.

As he turned to glance the man now standing before him, he let his crimson eyes try to focus on his face. It was difficult when the world around him spun like a top. It was crazy that he couldn’t get his senses to work like they used to. It hurt his body and his pride, but as he saw the gathering chakra on the man’s hands, there was a sudden compulsion in his part. A moment’s weakness seeped into his bones as the thoughts flooded his mind. He was about to be killed. He was no longer an asset. It was finally time. Eyes widened as the hand come close to his face. He flinched at the touch but it was too late. Soon enough he saw the world go dark.

It was strange thing to feel another entity inside this realm. This makeshift unknown void that never had a shape for the boy was now shifting to accommodate for the uninvited guest. This alerted her of the disruption. There had only been one person to see her face, one person who shaped her face, and that was Uri. Otherwise, she would not even exist to have this identity, nor would she be represented by the term “she”. After all, she was a will that became an entity by the coursing power that cursed her, and now him. And so was the reason why she bore the face of someone human, yet red scales protruded from her before, covering her limbs, enveloping her and shaping her feminine structure yet burning eternally with blue flame. Her long white hair floated in the streaming chakra from her center as she bore her eyes onto the guest.

“So this is the promised execution? How unsightly,” said the entity as she stepped into the void, each footstep create ripples on the unknown surface as if it were made of water. It was nothing but an empty space. And yet, after each step, small licks of blue flames trailed her path until she stood before the man. She was far larger, far taller, about three times his height. Definitely nothing human about that, and yet the deception of the face was there.

“He would have preferred you cut his neck and be done with it. Yet, here you are, tampering with his will. Ah, but of course. You’re probably here to remove the source of his power and just throw away his body like an empty vessel. That much we know already,” she spoke with cold accusation, “After all, that’s what he’s been left with, what’s he brought up to be. Nothing more than a tool to encase this eternal flame.”

Then, a flitting sad smile fell on her face as if something dawned into her. “If this is truly the end, then it’s sad. Unlike her, he ended up having no desire, after all. He really is as empty as he believed he was. There’s nothing to latch onto.” Then, the smile broke into a fierce expression, her blue flames intensifying. “I will not be extinguished that easily. Not even if this body withers. Until he chooses a successor, I will keep him alive. Now what have you truly come here for, you knave.”

More visions of blue flames erupted all around in differing sizes and distance, almost as if to highlight the endless expanse of this strange realm, their lights reflecting on the surface that continued to ripple as each blue flame touched it teasingly. With barely any light that cast below it, there was unknown darkness the lived underneath, where ripples did not reach nor did the entities of the intruder and her stood

[WC: 842]
[MFT]

 

[Okada Kaji]

“I might have come here with the nerve to pass judgment upon you” admitted Kaji as he set his sight upon the towering figure. His narrow-eyed stare was sweeping over the chakra-spirit’s form, evaluating its potential for aggression. There was no point in locking in eye contact, as this physical form was all but necessary for the inner spirit, just a formality forced by Kaji’s genjutsu.
“However, If my mind were already made up on what must be done with Uri, and you, there’d be no point in my intrusion. ‘What happens next really depends on you” said Kaji, relaxing his posture from the stiff stance he held at first. “I’d wager there is no one closer to Uri Eru than you— in many ways you are one entity… I want to believe that you have the capacity to see a greater potential in your host. Convince me that he is better with you than alone because if he only desires to be a weapon, he can do that without monstrous power.”

Kaji took a few daring paces forward, closing the gap between him and the inner spirit, fearless in the face of the humanoid figure with wisps of blue flames. “The mind’s eye chaos is nearly limitless. In this space, you have the power to show whatever you need me to see— but be warned that any attempt to harm me will end poorly, and I won’t be repelled by you in this weakened state.” The Mind’s Eye Chaos was a fascinating jutsu. In his past, Kaji had joined in a more advanced version of the technique applied by Yuii Kagetsu— one that could construct false realities with sensations of a real world. Within the illusion, Kaji and Yuii entered a disturbingly real world inside of a man on the verge of a psychotic break: Kaen Shinku. This illusion cast by Kaji was a far cry from that in terms of depth, however, he’d be able to see the visions granted by the inner spirit. “What— no, who were you before being bound, spirit? And I want to know the schemes of those who bound you to Uri. Give me something to believe when it comes to Uri Eru.”

 

[Kiri]

Hearing his words made the entity – Chika – all the more cautious. She had always thought that when the time came when they were to be executed as commanded, that she would have relative ease to postpone it until it was truly the right time. However, the manner by which this man spoke held authority in his tone. So he had the capacity to end his life? And yet, here he is. Why would such a man bother at all if not to further the cause that Uri is but a weapon? Truly a sad fate. She thought as she cast a momentary glance beneath the surface, her eyes seeing well through the obsidian surface that held the solitary soul within. But of course, the rest of his words made her recoil. Did he mean to simply execute her? Ah! But of course! She was but an entity – the sole anomaly in this relationship and should she be erased, he would have a normal life… or would he?

Chika crosses her arms before her chest, leaning slightly back in an arrogant posture as she let her eyes scan the human before her. “If you somehow feel obliged to be kind to him, it’s too late. Without me, I would say that he would no sooner to take his own life. He knows it. He has no will of his own, and has long lived to follow the will of his dear friend. That is why I would think it is mercy on his part should you execute him as is, than to strip him of the life that he has lived.”

But the cold gaze broke and she sighed as her body relaxed and her size began to shift until she was relatively similar to Kaji’s. One step at a time, she approached the Vice Captain unit she began to circle him, though there was something to it and not how a predator stalks the prey. It was almost as if the way she looked at his form was calculating but nothing premeditated in any way. Then, she cast her glance elsewhere, exposing her back to him. “He’s weakened from the fight and my soul is as much to your judgment as any. So, you can rid of me from him, if you so desire, but it would have been better if he had already found another to latch on.” She smirked a the thought of a certain raven-haired man, “Even that coy Santaru would be good, but he is far away at the moment and by the time he returns, I doubt the boy will be sane enough to accept anyone at all. He has… trust issues, if you can already tell.”

Sighing once more, she turned to face Kaji once more and as agile as a cat, sprung so weightlessly into the air and reached out to grab the man by the head, to pull him close and to have their eyes inches away from the other, to allow her red orbs to penetrate his darker ones. “If you really want to know, then don’t look away. Not even if it burns.”

Should the man accept the encroaching chakra that was slowly enveloping him, a sudden rush would be felt, like a gale hitting his entire body until the world opens up to a light. It was a beautiful day along the lowlands of Lightning Country, with the open fields greeting the visitor with its endless vista and the silhouette of mountains far to the horizon. And along the fields, there were two children, one sitting on ground and playing with cut grasses, seemingly making something akin to a traditional craft though far from being talented and looks more bulky than anything else. And the other was standing, wearing a full shinobi ensemble, with the Kumogakure headband securing her hair. They were no older than ten.

“I heard you got yelled at again by Ol’Jin,” said the shinobi, making her way towards the boy with the redhair. “You need to listen to them sometimes.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll be gone soon,” said the boy as he crushed the makeshift craft and threw it aside. There was a hint of disappointment in his eyes as he watched it disappear into the tall further ahead. “I can’t stay there forever.”

“That IS sad,” she said, now standing behind the boy and suddenly grabbing his head and ruffling his hair, “But you should stop frowning so much. You’re gonna have wrinkles far too early and be as ugly as Ol’Jin!”

“Cut it out, Chika,” the boy protested and despite the brief wrestle, he easily gets pinned on the ground with an arm-lock. The girl, Chika, makes for a victory wave as the boy gives up. “If only I could be a shinobi, maybe I’d have a better life,” said the boy with a heavy sigh.

“Eh? What did you say? Did I hear you right? Did you finally say you wanted to be like me?” Asked the girl as she pestered him before finally sitting next to him. “But you know. I think the way you are suits you best. You don’t have to be dumped with loads of schoolwork, and training, and… missions that can get really difficult.” She looked aside with a sadness that the boy seemed to understand so he held her hand close.

“Right. Nightmare-inducing-missions, huh? As far as you’ve told me, I think I can handle those. And maybe you’d be far better off being free as me.”

“If that’s your way to cheer me up, you’re really bad at it, Uri.”

“What?! I’m saying that I’d rather be out there to get hurt than you. How is that bad? As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want to see you coming home limping like that last time. And you kept to your house all the time. You then left with just a note and now this… I know that a shinobi may have difficult lives, even for children, but you shouldn’t shoulder it all on your own.”

“And you? The only reason you always get into a fight with Ol’Jin is because you take care of the rest of the kids in the orphanage in your own way. They may not be upstanding caretakers, but next time you decide to steal from the bakery, just imagine what the kids would think if they knew how you got the bread. Seriously, you think it’s easy, but as someone who can’t even manifest your own chakra, it’s stupid to think you can get away with it so easily.”

“That’s right. The boy that looked back at her that day knew the meaning of those words and it cut deep in his soul, but he never made it known. Instead, his red eyes that peered to her eyes were seemingly searching as if it saw a part of me that existed inside her.” This was the voice of the entity from earlier.

“Right,” said the boy as he pulled away from the girl and stood up. “We’re far too different. You have your whole life in front of you. More adventures, as you would say. I, on the other hand, have nothing. And I will never have anything.” Turning abruptly, the boy starts running across the field as the girl tries to call out to him but it was all in vain.

“I don’t understand how humans work. On the one hand, you love to get hold of children you can mold. On the other, you push away those who are different. He was different because no one knew where he came from, and so no one knew how to deal with him. But he was far from being exceptional. He was too ordinary. Too bland. Too… nothing.”

At that point, the world began to tremble and darken, and Kaji would feel the surface he stepped on to liquify and then harden until it resembled mud. And the world around him was a stormy night with screams in the air and destruction nearby. A stone house crumbles and some shinobi can be seen jumping to avoid a stream of chakra. This shinobi bore the headband of Kumogakure, and from the design of their armor, was quite old and seemingly from the ANBU. It appears as though a conflict was occurring, with more chakra streams flashing across, some structures getting destroyed in this small village, and the stench of blood was already in the air.

And just behind the remaining structures, a sight to behold awaits. It was a large bluish entity that emitted flames, waving around madly. No comprehensible form was seen, like a mesh of will-o-wisps, but there was the screaming of a girl and a monster combined.

 

[Okada Kaji]

</FONTFACE>

<FONTFACE fontface="georgia">The confined spirit was so compliant that she set Kaji more off-ease by her surprising behavior. Chika— tho still nameless to Kaji at the moment, was displaying complex human emotion… not only that but intelligence and articulate responses. The Vice Commander’s experience brought him into the Mind’s Eye Chaos with expectations set for the spirit within Uri. Those misconceptions were shattered like a thin glass pane when Chika revealed herself, vastly different from the Lion Volt: an omega level monster errantly sealed within a child. Chika was no simple monster; no, she seemed to be more than the power source Kaji judged her to be. In fact, the results of Kaji’s probing had the spirit revealing a disinterest in Uri, practically rejecting him as a suitable host for her. No wonder Uri thought so little of himself.

Those aged and knowing emerald eyes of Kaji Okada narrowed into a judgemental stare. The bond of Uri and his inner spirit was a dangerous pair, naturally aversed from achieving an essential bond. Imagine sharing a jail cell with your worst enemy— the thought of such an awkward pairing of his own made Kaji grimace. But before he contemplated Uri’s situation any further, Chika came forth, fully intent on utilizing the capabilities of the illusion’s mental link.

Kaji did not shun away when Chika grabbed for him— no, he was a willing participant when the dark room suddenly vanished into a sea of white light. It was as sudden as a roll of a film coming to an end on a reel. The brightness quickly faded away to reveal a change of setting, becoming a meadow in the midst of spring. The yellow wildflowers of the Kaminari no Kuni basin were uncanny, as was the snow-peaked mountain which painted a constant backdrop. Kaji was waist-deep in the tall grass, unperturbed as he watched the flowers pass through him as if he wasn’t there at all. He wasn’t. This was a memory, or so Kaji realized when the sound of children at play caught his attention. The other sounds of nature were absent, as was the scent of the pollen which normally upset Kaji’s sinuses. It all insisted on a focus for the moment— the importance of those two children which were at the center of this manifested reality. Like a ghost, Kaji strode towards the children who seemed unaware of his spying.

Privvy, Kaji watched the conversation between a much younger Uri and an older girl by the name of Chika. The immersion of the scene was suddenly broken as an echoing voice rang out over the memory’s playback. The spirit offered some insight, musing over the scene while Uri went running past Kaji through the tall grass. With Uri gone, the lasting memory was that of Chika calling out for Uri, but to no avail. This was the girl’s memory, not Uri. Kaji stroked his chin with visible contemplation. Meanwhile, the spirit was musing over it all, explaining her theory on the supposed failure that was her host.

“Children are not lumps of clay to be molded— they are alive, and more than ever, changing,” countered Kaji with a simmering tone, bold yet composed.
He took a few more paces until he stood at arms length away from the young kunoichi who remained. By then Chika had already finished calling out after Uri, but naturally remained unaware of the spectator standing in front of her. He knew this girl— not literally but he knew who she was, or what she was made into. “A child is a flower before it blooms. It is they who decide what they’ll become— how they grow— the role of a mentor is merely to guide them. To be water and light.”
Kaji knew the tale of children like Chika well enough, and Uri, given he began life just like them. One was naturally gifted while the other was not. One was plucked from the dirt and thrust into a dangerous life of adventure, and for some time, the other was not. Every pauper dreams of more than their poverty: the life of Kaji Okada began in a similar place on the city streets of Maruishi. Perhaps errantly, Kaji was beginning to understand them, however, another transition of scenery indicated that the trip through memory lane had much left to reveal.

The haunting blue glow was familiar enough for Kaji as he approached the monstrosity through the darkness. All of the destruction was what Kaji imagined if an unrestrained Uri went on a rampage.

“Chika” gasped the aged ANBU, full of awe despite worldly experience.
​

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[Kiri]

​

Through the dark of night, the raging blue flames lit up the small town, leaving some of the structures in total collapse and scorched, while others were threatening to give way. It was useless to think of using the town as a cage to limit the monstrous power that burned without regard. Of course, that hadn’t been the plan from the beginning, but they had thought that the girl returning home would at least ease her discomfort. It was an unexpected incident that led to the current destruction. And in order to contain the power that was going wild all over, a special unit of shinobi operatives were sent, including the supposed handler. The man’s silhouette was dark as he stood atop one of the charred pillars of a destroyed house.

Unknowingly invited to this memory, Kaji would begin to feel the heat in the air as coursing chakra overwhelmingly raced across the sky. Among the dark clouds, bright blue light would begin to gather. It was a sight to behold, yet also familiarly eerie.

Just then, to his side, a young lad appears, racing through the debris-ridden alley. Despite the darkness, it was uncanny how his hair raged like flames against the blue flame’s light from around them. The red haired boy, with dirt smudged across his face and clothes, looked none the least afraid as he charges towards Kaji. Should the man flinch, it wouldn’t do anything as the boy slips past him, stopping, then stepping back after pulling a punch. Gasping, the boy kept his defiant glare, but this time, one could see him looking past Kaji and on the ground.

“Snap out of it, Jin! Everyone is waiting outside! Go to them!” said the boy. “I’ll go do it.”

“No, Uri wait-“ the man on the ground, seemingly trembling and shocked but have recognized the boy, tried to reach out.

“Chika will hear my voice. Now go! Everyone needs you there.”

“But you’re just a child. What can-“

Uri gritted his teeth and walked up to the middle-aged man, kicking him aside and then pushing him up, “I said go!” And before the man could grab the boy, the redhead had turned on his heels and went running towards the broken structures that held back the light of the blue flames behind it. This was not the same child as earlier, seemingly older a few more years, his face sharper and his eyes deep and telling of secrets held within.

Following the boy through the maze-like streets from the debris and collapsed structures would have made one asked if the boy was trained for he moved with ease and seemingly natural finesse. Despite a few trips and slips here and there from the unstable pillars and blocks of rock along the way he had to surmount, he didn’t seem the least worried at all. Instead, he kept his eyes up ahead to the intensifying blue flames. And with every other breath, he called out, “Chika! Stop it! I’m here! Chika! Listen to me! It’s me, Uri!”

He only stopped when a wave of chakra flew past him. Rolling back on the ground, Uri would look up as sparks and flashes and explosions occur, before the thundering roar of the entity. He could almost feel the desperation in the cry amidst the otherworldly voice. And just like that, something large and engulfing shot through the air, swinging towards the sky and then disappearing, and in its wake a destruction of houses and the forest far beyond it. The air was filled with burnt scent, mostly of wood but also of strange flesh.

For a moment, Uri felt his heart waver as he could be seen shaking where he was kneeling on the ground. With most of the houses blown or charred away now, he could see the immense blue entity of a large blue wisp in what would have once been the central plaza, and at its core was his friend, a girl trapped and writhing in unimaginable pain, screaming. His eyes, for the first time, swelled in tears as his boyish pride shattered at the sight of chakra leaving her body and feeding the blue flames that was threatening to expand more and more.

Then, at that moment, the heavens boomed and a great large lightning shot down from a parting of flaming clouds and struck the center of the plaza. In an instant, all glasses shattered, the ground trembled, and some of the weakened structures were blown away as a blinding light flashed. When the world began to recover from the painful light and the dark of night was settling in, the flames had died. And the first thing that Uri saw was the lone body that lay on the ground of a destroyed stone walk. He did not hear what the man spoke, this masked being that had seemingly grabbed him and brought him far enough before erecting a chakra shield that withstood that destruction. All he could think of was her; he recognized the faint ebony hair of the girl that remained unmoving on the ground just as raindrops began to pour. He tried to struggle from the man’s hold but he was helpless… or until he saw more individuals in hoods and mask appear in front and moving towards where once was the central plaza.

At that point, he shoved himself forward and headbutted the man that held him, and in the instant that he dashed through, moving in unknowing speed that surprised the shinobis around, almost like a blur before he stumbled and crashed to the ground near the girl. He ignored the fall, quickly picking himself up and approached the girl, his breath hitching at every step.

“It was the Captain that first noticed it,” said the entity, “At that moment, the chakra was moving and gathering around his body as if it was a natural flow was me.” As this was spoken, there were traces of blue specks that filtered their way into the air and swaying and disappearing, with the last of the traces surrounding the boy’s body as he knelt and embraced the girl’s lifeless form.

“Step away. It’s dangerous here,” said a muffled voice. It sounded young but this particular ANBU operative was almost as tall as an adult, betraying the youth of his voice. The rain swept some of his raven hair across his mask, and washed the dirt on his armor as he came closer to where Uri and Choke was.

“No, she’s still… she’s still…” Uri growled as he held her close to his chest and glared at him like a cornered beast. And against the boy’s red eyes reflected the spark of lightning that was coursing through the ANBU operative’s hand. Slowly it was raised up to the sky with chakra overflowing around them, even blowing away the rain that fell.

“Step away. She will continue to suffer if the demon is not killed. Do you want her to suffer?” Said the ANBU, taking another step closer.

“No, you stay away! Chika’s already weak. She can’t–“ Uri stopped mid-sentence as he heard a struggling voice. Looking down, he saw on her pale face some traces of life. Her eyelids slowly opening up and her mouth gaping to try and breath. And when her eyes looked up to his, he couldn’t help but cry. Blood escaped her lips as she struggled to speak. “Chika. Chika, it’s okay. You’re gonna be okay. You’re…. Chika, listen to me… Don’t close your eyes. I’m here. I won’t leave you, okay?”

A smile amidst her dirtied and bruised face. But it was brief as she began to writhed in pain and cried, “I don’t… want… die… I… don’t…. want to…. die…. Uri…. I don’t…” Her eyes began to glow and it would seem as though the same blue flames was beginning to come alive around them once more, with small wisps sprouting on the ground.

“No, no. Chika, you’ll be fine,” Uri quickly drew her head closer to his, planting a kiss on her head. “Just… calm down… I won’t let them harm you. I’ll be here-“

It was an uneventful feeling. So strange it was too ordinary, almost normal, almost nothing. In fact, he did not even realize it at all as he slowly raised his head and saw the ANBU operative already standing before him, and his hand just behind Chika’s head where a spark was dancing, coating what seemed to be a blade. And as swiftly as it entered, it pulled out from behind her neck, blood splattering across him.

“That Santaru boy should have noticed it. He should have listened to his Captain,” said the entity again.

As another ANBU figure could be seen coming closer, hand outstretched to the younger raven haired one, an explosion of chakra burst from the center. At the wake of the flash, Uri could be seen still kneeling as he embraced the dead girl while his entire body was burning in blue flames. Though shock written across his face, his eyes did not avert away from the ANBU that was shielded by his superior.

“I had to nudge him awake,” said the entity just as Uri coughed and blinked and slowly lowered his head to glance at the girl in his arms, but it was then that he noticed that Chika was holding a dagger that was struck into his side.

“I don’t want to die…” the girl’s voice echoed in his mind as the girl’s body began to charr from the flames, turning into ashes.

“What happened?” Asked one of the gathered operatives.

“Did it die?” Asked another.

“No, it’s well alive,” said the ANBU Captain.

“What do you mean?” Asked the masked youth.

The ANBU Captain disappeared in a flash and then reappeared just before Uri. No one could tell if it was pity that the Captain saw when looked down to the boy that held the remaining charred pieces of bones that slowly chipped off and broke into ashes. But all those gathered were almost certain that when the Captain parted the blue flames with his chakra in ease, and knelt down to grab hold of the hilt of the dagger that was struck into the boy’s side, they knew that it would be merciful to end the boy’s life at that point.

“You’re inside, aren’t you?” Said the Captain as he held the boy’s head with his other free hand. Uri was visibly in pain but he dared to look up to the masked person and glare at him, blaming all the pain to this one individual.

“Ch-chi…ka..” The boy gasped with gritted teeth as he grabbed the Captain’s arm in defiance.

“Chika’s dead. All that’s left is you.”

“N-no… Chika is…” Slowly, the blue flames were dying out yet the same blue light glowed around the boy’s body.

“This is unexpected,” the Captain said as he moved minutely, the dagger pressing further into the wound, making Uri lurch and grab the Captain’s hand that held the dagger. His hand was hot as it tried to pry the older man’s arm away, nails almost digging into the flesh. “Just who are you?”

“Give her… back…”

A throb within his chest alerted the Captain to an impeding surge of chakra from within the boy. “I see.” Mercilessly, he pinned Uri to the ground with his other hand, while keeping the blade digging right into his side, making the boy squirm in pain. “You’ve lost it, haven’t you? Now just stay still. I’ll make it quick so you won’t suffer anymo–“

A burst of chakra cut through and the blue flames engulfed the area once more, but only briefly as an outside collision of chakra easily overpowers it and it dies away. Some of the ANBU operatives quickly ran to the Captain’s side, shocked and helping the man as they saw his entire right arm having been severed easily, the flames even suturing the scorched flesh and bone that was left.

“The bastard’s quite the fighter though, surviving that one,” said the entity.

And as Uri lay on the ground, gasping for air, the ANBU youth approached him with his lightning blade aim and ready.

“Wait!” It the was the Captain, pushing against one of his subordinates, the mask breaking across and falling to reveal his middle-aged face and greying hair. His deep yellow eyes were fixed on both the boy on the ground and the ANBU youth. “We already lost one, we can’t allow this chance to slip away. That demon had bonded with that boy at the very last second. It’s become the new host.”

“But Captain, it’s too unstable, and even when Chika had longer training, she couldn’t control it.”

“No. This one’s different. He already had part of the soul. Now, it’s as if the it has become whole. I don’t know when, but that demon had managed to transfer to a different vessel. We’ll have to let the researchers know about this. So we can’t kill him off. At the moment, he should be weakened already.”

As the Captain was still trying to make his subordinates understand, the others seemingly protesting in the idea, the two youths were on a stalemate.

“Chika…” Uri grabbed the foot of the ANBU youth, prompting the latter to kneel and grab his red hair. “Give her… back…”

“Don’t struggle. Right now, you’re no longer yourself. It’ll be a painful path and you might die just like her. So tell me, would you like to die right here and now. Only then will you be reunited with Chika,” said the ANBU youth as the blade felt cold against his neck. “Or will you live for her sake?”

Uri was surprised as he looked up to the ANBU youth who took off his mask and looked back down at him with tears in his eyes. His was a face of a young lad, beautiful yet experienced of the world. And those grey orbs of his almost seemed to penetrate into anyone's soul. It would be the first time they see each other’s face.

“I wish we had met under different circumstances.” This was Uri’s voice, no longer a child, deep and regretful as it echoed in the air.

Blue flames erupted from all around and quickly burning through the world that Kaji stood at, with the last image that of the wounded red-haired boy on the ground and the youthful ANBU kneeling with the blade to the throat.

And the world was black again.

“She was my very good friend,” this was a different man’s voice, lower in pitch, yet caring in tone, “but I couldn’t help her at all. She believed that if she tried, she could overcome it, but the signs were there. She was dying from the inside. She could no longer be a vessel for the demon that she had been trying to hide from her dear friend from home. Uri is your name, isn’t it? Did you know how much she wanted to be normal just so she could be with her family and you? Saying she wanted to give you hope. But she’s gone now and that demon’s inside you. If you can’t grow stronger than this, then you’ll end up just like her.”

And the world flashed into a dimly lit cell, seemingly somewhere in the Sileo. In the middle of the steel walled cell was the only place were light was cast from the small opening on the ceiling, and on the cold stone floor, a more much older Uri was curled on the floor. A shadow moves from the darkness of the walls and into the light. It was a black-robed ANBU with that familiar grey mask, moving soundlessly towards the center and glancing down to the redhead.

“You promised you’d be different. That you won’t be scared.”

“Go away,” said Uri, not bothering to move at all.

Then, the ANBU sighed and sat right next to where Uri laid curled, reaching out a hand to place it on top of the latter’s head. “I told you I’d be here when the nightmares come. It’s okay. I have them too. But please, don’t lose the fight. Don’t make me kill another friend.”

“I wish we had met under different circumstances,” said Uri.

“… I don’t think we would ever have met if not for that night… but I don’t regret it.” This made Uri flinch and turn to glance at the masked ANBU. “If it were someone else, I would not have forgiven them for killing Chika, nor would they have kept you alive. And I would have lost both of you. So I’m alright carrying this burden if it means you can live on.”

“Shuuten–“

The ANBU covers Uri’s mouth, raising a finger with the other to gesture silence. At that point, the door to the cell budges and makes a sound as it was being opened. The ANBU quickly stood up and helped the redhead to his feet. Swinging open, an older man entered the room, properly wearing ANBU battle gear, though from his additional coat and design, it would appear as though he was of higher rank, but it was hard to miss that the right arm sleeves was folded neatly into the armor. His deep set yellow eyes looked on as he spoke, “We’re leaving now. Remember your training.”

As quickly as he entered, so did he leave through the door. And as the two followed, Uri stopped just a few steps, and the other ANBU looked back at him.

“I’m scared,” said Uri.

“I’m here, Uri,” said the ANBU.

“What if I’m the only one left unburnt?”

“Don’t underestimate my bloodline,” the ANBU reaches out to grab him by the hand and lead him gently. “Besides, you’ve decided that your power will protect this village, right? You won’t burn it down. Trust me.”

Silently, Uri follows. Just as he was about to step out through the door, he glances back into the cell seemingly searching at first, before his eyes fixes itself to one corner, where Kaji would have been standing all this time.

“It’s cold,” said Uri before turning again and disappearing into the light past the doorway.

Coming into being like an apparition, the entity stands next to Kaji, looking on as the world collapses away. “For years, we couldn’t talk because they kept him in cells with chakra absorption stones, and their idea of training always left him busy thinking just how to survive that he could barely hear my words. But it wouldn’t be long before he gives me a name and a face… I, who was his emotions, and her desire.”

And the collapsed world opens to the blizzard of the mountains.