Kurayami Heiki (Nukenin. W.I.P)

”The shadows are our friend Heiki. It is welcoming to us; it always shows us forgiveness and utter compliance to our wishes and dreams. It is what led me here; it was what brought us all together. I lived in a dream. It was beautiful, almost surreal and impeccably filled with ecstasy. But now…I do not dream. The dream has collapsed, shattering all of its pieces to nothingness. You’ve seen what happens to dreams. My dream, your dream, all of it is crushed. Dreams are no longer what I desire. I ask for its authority. With authority, there is no betrayal. With authority, there is no deceit. I will have all control for one day…even I will control the darkness and out of that darkness, we. Will. Conquer.”

Too long has the story been told and too long has it been with held by certain entities that do not wish to retell the story of the man who was born out of turmoil. A philosopher once said that even within the midst of destruction, there is something that rise out of that chaos in order to bring balance and help create. Within destruction, there is creation. Within death, there is life. Such philosophies shook the community of those within science and philosophy, calling it ridiculous as in terms. The shinobi philosophy has only seen more destruction than creation and in results creates a bias view within the limited minds of man. Such philosophy is ridiculous.

Despite such ideals, there was only one that believed it to be true. She knew the bias attitudes of the shinobi would not accept such ideals. Foolish they said to her, unacceptable from another. Such ideals will never come apart of this world. This was fine in her eyes; she didn’t expect anyone to take these ideals. After all, the ideals that came from a woman could not be taken into consideration. She was, however, willing to teach anyone among those seeking knowledge and wisdom unconditionally. From country to country, continent to continent she was teaching those who were thirsty for the teachings.

Her name was Sesami Akiko, a young woman from the far continents over from the Far East who was banished from the temples because of her specific teachings. She was known for her highly adept mental capabilities. Her mind was sharper than a fine blade crafted by the best of blacksmiths. Though this is not what attracted attention. Children with high intelligence do not show wisdom early on. Some children even grow up having no wisdom at all. Yet Akiko was different in that aspect. Her knowledge and wisdom combined made her a taboo in a sort. How could a child achieve such level of wisdom and yet be so young and has yet to experience life. This initial prejudice made her a bit of an outcast among the community. The less communicative they were, the more incline that Akiko wish to leave. Before her twentieth birthday, she decided it was time for her to leave this country and perhaps seek a path where she would not be judged by this waking prejudice. Leaving what family she had left and taking all she thought was valuable, she took the first ship towards the shinobi countries where the story continues.

She arrived on the coastlines of Lightning country. A young man with snow white hair greeted the young raven headed woman. He presented himself as one who wished to acquaint oneself to a woman with beauty unseen by his eyes. Charming yet the affect did not work on Akiko. She smiled at him, excusing herself out of his presences. It did seem odd that he was so bold in his actions to say such charming things however; she would not come into temptation. She was a woman who desired knowledge and skills. The young man was resilient in gaining this woman. This was the first time any woman had ever resisted him which, in term, made him wish to have her more than when he first spotted her raven black hair. As she walked, the young man wished for her name. She was reluctant, new to a place where she knew no one and regardless of where she had come from, men were usually the same. However, something about him that caught her attention. She did see that hint of lust within his eyes but there was something else that she couldn’t describe at the time. Years later she would later find out that it was his determination that she saw. Another smile peeked from her lips again and the young man grinned, helpless because of hers.

Would the story seem odd that these two star crossed souls fell in love the moment they placed eyes on each other. Perhaps, no one is denying that it was cliché but these two didn’t see it that way. Like all paths, they cross one another. Whenever a door opens, another one may close. If that door of opportunity closes then another will arise. These two souls came together and became one. These two souls, over the years before settling, brought forth our stories true main protagonist. Thirty three years before the current, Kurayami Heiki was born in a small house outside the village of Kumogakure no sato.
Birth Arc
“I sought forth complete and utter destruction. But you ask me why I sought it out” he shook his head at Heiki who appeared befuddled to him but in actuality it was his curious nature that made him appear as such “It is like someone had pried everything out of my hands to make me suffer. In suffering, it brings forth pain. Within pain comes forth anger and within that anger is what brought this place to destruction”

“Perhaps” Heiki said. He lay back on trunk of the tree, adjusting himself so he wouldn’t be too uncomfortable with the roots pressing against his bottom.

“You seem to be thinking about what I said, is that it?”

“What you say does bring truth sensei.” Heiki thought back to the time when he was betrayed by his countrymen of Kumogakure. The way they looked at him as he was escaping from the demise of meeting the shinigami; how within that moment, he felt that hatred.
A protagonist or an antagonist? It is like a question that one man had said “To be or not to be?” It seems like a silly thing to say and perhaps it is. But Heiki’s story in saying that he is the protagonist would be like saying that blue is blue and there is no other color like blue. There are different shades of blue and not all blues are one in the same. This story is somewhat like that for it is not the same in one view to another.

The young Heiki grew up near his clansmen of the Kurayami. To the public eye, they just appeared to be another family who apparently has ties to the Daimyo at the time. In actuality, they were just men and women who resided at the outskirts of Kumogakure only to keep watch and look over Kumogakure. Heiki, along with his father and mother, began the simple days before the academy in peace. The father, Seishin, was one who was very supportive as a father and a husband. Because Heiki was his only son, he didn’t give him the royal treatment like most children who are only child experience. Instead, he particular put Heiki through the early and later stages of the regimen that was not intended for a young boy. This treatment wasn’t necessarily bad in the eyes of the Kurayami, they have heard few children at the early ages of three or four going through this process but the likelihood of survival was slim.

This lack of faith was what made Seishin and Akiko a particularly powerful couple when it came to it. They seem to show a lot unethical and seeming unorthodox methods and they were usually the ones that prove the bandwagon wrong. Heiki was particularly one of the exceptions as well. Like his father and mother, Heiki inherited that will to prove those who doubt them wrong. Of course, he didn’t understand it at first. His view on the issue wouldn’t even come up as he got older. He explains that because he was training with his father and clansmen, he felt closeness with them. He was with his family, through thick and thin. Heiki, at a later age, came to a conclusion that it was mostly thick and not a lot of thin.

What truly brought his interest at a young age was his sense of curiosity. He couldn’t explain this deep thirst for understanding even the minute of detail. His eyes would gaze up in his room and stare at all and he would think calmly about what he wants to be when he became older. A young six year old just looking at the small droplets of water created by the rain and wondering what will this little droplet traverse in the cycle of life. Such questions ponder the little six year old. As a young child, there was a hill that appeared to stretch a long distance. It didn’t seem like it when he was older but to a young child, the world is a much bigger place. He would sit on the grassy plains and look at the sun. It is going away for now he would say to himself. Going to another part of the world where it’ll need light because we can’t be selfish and hold onto these things. It just wouldn’t be fair.

The young Heiki attended the academy at the age of six of Kumogakure. This was a new thing for him, he’s never really been in a classroom filled with children who were his age and a little older. Children of different skin color, different backgrounds and origins. There was a type of harmony that Heiki felt within those confined walls of the academy classroom during those days. They were interesting to him as he sat alone in the corner just watching everyone be what they are. It wasn’t that he was shy with new faces and new people, he felt like he was just an observer. He felt as he was far off somewhere as a spectre just watching them. So close his physical body is, his mind and spirit seem so far off. He was quite polite in his speech and didn’t wish to offend anyone, even if he was the one that had been offended. He was one to smile most of the time, showing no signs of being hurt whenever a person tried to pick on him for being odd.

He wasn’t one to conform to the crowd. Whether it was what his mother and father taught him in not being with a large centralized group or he just didn’t particularly like large he, he appeared odd to the children in his class. In such events of not conforming to the typical norm of the students, he was look down upon as an odd person. Girls thought he was weird; the older boys would pick on him. Yet within that small era of time, he didn’t feel the pain at first. It was far off and distant at the time. He didn’t feel it. Such pain was stored inside of his soul holding it there for a long time. When asked by his small network of friends as to why he doesn’t fight back, Heiki responds that there is a time and place for everything. He believes there is nothing to prove when showing that he can fight back. This kept him as an odd fellow to the small circle of friends he had. They respected him for what he was and not as a violent person. This, however, may see like the last time he’ll ever experience these feelings and philosophies.

“There is only emptiness. I feel nothing sometimes. As if I was a glass filled with nothing. This nothingness is an entity and perhaps it is the deadliest of entities to exist for within it is not external conflict. There is no blade that’ll cut you, no fist to blunt you, no flames nor earth nor wave nor can wind hurt you. It is the internal conflict that ultimately kills you in the nothing. It is this self destruction that will be your tomb”

After graduating the academy at the age of nine, he began his journey as a shinobi. In the academy, he excelled highly in taijutsu. It was the teachings of his father and clan that gave him that advantage from the students. He had done above average in ninjutsu and genjutsu but those particularly didn’t have any interest with Heiki. He was one who wanted to get close in range and do damage to a person so it will end quickly rather than prolong a fight. It was the personal preference that placed him on a team that was meant for specialists. They were the three basic specialists; one was a female genjutsu user, who fondly keen on kunai and senbons as well; the other, a male ninjutsu user. He specialized in lightning as most shinobi that hail from lightning usually have. Then, there was Heiki.

His relationship with these two people did change much of his peaceful nature over the course of three years. The genjutsu user, Hana, was particularly the one that was liable to get hurt during missions, especially missions in which there were many enemy shinobi who tried to do her harm. She was weak spirited and at times unwilling to cooperate with Heiki out of fear. Out of this, Heiki began his way of becoming a fearless shinobi. He didn’t wish for anything to harm Hana and when faced with an adversary in which seem impossible to defeat, he never stood away and kept his ground.

The ninjutsu one, Kuroi, was sometimes hard-headed and egotistical to an extent that would cause some tension within the group. He was always one who charge at the enemy head on and not thinks on what’s the next plan should be. His impatience caused Heiki to become patient with him. Although Kuroi was older, he was mentally unprepared when in the face of danger and was almost like a child younger than Heiki himself. Within patience, he gain understanding with Kuroi and long before which he started to cooperate better and better with him. These two became long and ongoing friends. Such sadness is on the way but let’s continue the story.

Heiki’s sensei and mentor at the time was also a taijutsu specialist, Kyuusho Jiyuu. He had put a deep impact in Heiki’s life seeing that Jiyuu saw the potential in the young man with his skills as a taijutsu specialist and later into a taijutsu master. The two of them would train often, Jiyuu would notice how well he would heal and adapt to harsh conditions despite the training which would normally harm young genin, chunin and even some jounin. This made Jiyuu believe that he had potential in living on his legacy with the two taijutsu techniques passed down from his teacher. The Butoukai Mugen and The Shinryakuteki. Jiyuu believed that these two styles would further live on after Jiyuu was gone seeing the hidden potential that kept on surprising him. Later in life, Heiki would always remember him as one of the few mentors that inspired him. Whether or not we’ll see Jiyuu is another story completely. This is not what we are focusing on and let us continue our story.

As Kumogakure began to falter shortly, there was a need for chunin and jounin in order. The use of exams was useful as a means for examining potential shinobi of these ranks but it appeared as if Kumogakure was ready to go to war. Heiki’s father explained this to him as they were ones who saw all. It was saying that the villages will be going through a long and agonizing war that will create streams of crimson. The image didn’t terrify Heiki (though he believes that was what his father intended to do) but rather only came to the conclusion that he’ll protect his nation if he had to. Letting those who wish to conquer will come into contact with his fist and his kunai. He smiled at his father and his father smiled back though how genuine his father smile was Heiki knew was little.

“I wanted it all Heiki. Perhaps it was too much for me to handle but perhaps that is what makes gods and what makes them ruler. Achieving such power is something that we humans crave for. It is put into our design Heiki, don’t you think?”

The life as a chunin and jounin were particularly the roughest in his early shinobi career. As war between neighboring countries and nations ensued, he was moving farther and farther away from the philosophy he once loved and cherished. The peace loving child that once went to the hill to look at the sunset began to dwindle slowly away as he saw the heavy carnage of battle. Every battle the Raikage had sent them to, there was more bloodshed than Heiki could possibly handle. For every blood that was split on the ground, the colder Heiki’s heart would become. Perhaps he was changing for the better or perhaps he was changing for the worse. Perhaps this is where the protagonist falls into the depths that cannot be reached for ever again. Who knows for only the one who tells the story can know.

His works and methods were becoming renowned among the neighboring countries. For a young man, he has showed a lot of potential when it came to killing and mass murder but Heiki was not one to just use this as a method of causing fear. Over the years up to his seventeenth birthday, he was beginning to understand the full basics of psychological warfare. He was beginning to understand the method of fear, how it was used upon Kumogakure’s enemies in order to gain advantages in battle. It is said that there was a battle where only one man survived. The young Heiki took upon himself to capture this said enemy and begin the process of manipulation via torture. Because of his understanding of anatomy, his understanding of the faults of the human mind, he was becoming more and more sinister in his actions and morals.

This, in essence, began twisting him entirely. No longer was he looking at life through that small and narrow hole that only saw the narrow path. He saw the entire world and all of its tragedies. He didn’t wish to face it with people and he became distant with his parents and clansmen, untrusting of comrades and even his closest of friends. His distance made him the loner; a wolf which vicious teeth were the portraying aura that most who saw him could feel. His presence was cold and empty. Kuroi was the first to notice this but he was not bold enough to confront him with the issue. Kuroi would regret later on this decision. Kuroi wished for his friend to return, the old Heiki that looked at the tiny little raindrops and wondered what path it would take. He missed the Heiki where he saw the glimmer of hope whenever there was a dire situation. He wanted to see Heiki, before the war and before the destruction of many villages.

The war between Kumogakure was not just happening externally but also internally as well. Secrets within the walls of Kumogakure were the slow poison within those small veins. The Daimyo was beginning to have concerns about the leadership of Kumogakure no Sato, seeing that there could be a matter of espionage within the midst of Kumogakure. His mind claimed espionage but his heart claimed revolution. The paranoia and fear drove him to this conclusion. He couldn’t confirm the hidden accusation that had and it was only natural for him to gain some type of access. This is what drew Heiki even further into the darker aspects of the world. The downfall began the moment he was given the opportunity to meet the Daimyo of lightning country. The proposition was made to spy on the Raikage and all of his actions.

Heiki’s answer was simply, no. He refused the offer given to him and made it clear that there would be no agreement with him being a spy towards his comrades for the sake of one man. This initial response made the Daimyo to attack Heiki with his elite guards. The fight was not long fought but it appeared that the Daimyo had escaped. It wasn’t long before the Daimyo had sent more men after the young Heiki. But he escaped from his palace. The Daimyo had to act fast for he knew Heiki would tell the Raikage of this treachery. What a guard saw, when told later a decade later, on the Daimyo’s face was nothing short of malicious “like seeing that Cheshire cat smile only with fiercer canines” one guard had added.

Days had past after that event. The Daimyo had presented evidence against Heiki to the Raikage. Forged documentations was presented, the debate of whether Heiki should be executed for his actions or imprisoned. The Raikage could not make due what was truly the right thing to do. The war had dragged on for so long now, many lives lost and many sleepless nights gone by. The years did not bold well, betrayal among his own entourage was nothing short of maddening. If the circumstances hadn’t stress off from war, then the Raikage would have known surely that Heiki would never betray his countrymen and his country. Fate’s curtain was beginning to close on this particular chapter in Heiki’s life and the Daimyo was the one made sure it would stay close.

Heiki’s last few hours in Kumogakure was spent with Kuroi, now a teacher at the academy. The bar they were in was past closing but the tender had seen these two young ones since they were first promoted. The friendship these two had were indeed inseparable. Through death and madness, the two had not wish to part ways for the bond they had were strong. Two hours before the conclusion. Kuroi had asked Heiki “What is it that you wish to do after this war is over?” Heiki never gave a definite answer. He simply smiled and said “Probably sail away somewhere I guess.” Heiki left the bar paying for both his and his friends drink. Heiki was never been one to say goodbye but he did wave off to his friend expecting to see him tomorrow.

Heiki reached to his apartment but couldn’t enter seeing that Special Forces were at his door. Lined up with their blades out, they began to approach Heiki with caution. Heiki asked what could possibly have Special Forces out. The captain, walking out from behind, said in a cold tone “You are under arrest for the assassination attempt of the Daimyo of lightning”. Heiki did not have the heart to kill these men, not at the time. He couldn’t bear to see the bloodshed of his own countrymen. As Special Forces attacked, Heiki only option was to do one thing: escape. Leaving behind everything he believed in, everything he thought highly of his brethren he had been lied to about this accusation. He was now an outlaw and a man without a home or a place to stay.

His escape was swift. He escaped to the lower regions of Lightning country by the border of Fire Country. Nineteen years old, once a proud hero of Kumogakure now an outlaw and a wanted man, how could all of this had happen to one person? Heiki life had turned for the worse. It wasn’t the fact that he was now separated from his family and the few friends he had and it wasn’t the fact that he was a wanted man. It was a long sadness. In it, he could only bear away at the pain and sorrow that he once loved and now has lost. There was no need for this emotion any longer and perhaps that is the simple case. He knew he was innocent but words were powerful and no one would ever see his case as it was. The only option he had left was to continue on moving. The path behind him had crumbled away and all that was left was the sunset horizon that made him unsure of his future. He would have to think of something for without that, he wouldn’t have a future…

“The loneliness no longer bothers me anymore. Such emptiness I use to feed among myself and now it is time to use this emptiness to form a new path”

His time away from Kumogakure was spent rummaging through the forest of the countries. He was a criminal and because of the severity of this crime, he was hunted down consistently. Every day, the nights seemed to hold him in longer and longer. Why it was, he did not know. Or maybe he did know and he just didn’t want to come to a proper conclusion. Heiki would hunt for his meals, hunting down the venison of fire country, the boars and the fish that swam up stream. He began to learn how to do things on his own, honing in on his survival skills. He avoided conflict mostly, not out of fear of killing but out of fear that he’ll attract unwanted attention. He stayed under the limelight for the longest time possible for any wanted criminal.

But his days were numbered. Kumogakure had caught up with him. Special Forces had made all possible escapes impossible for Heiki to cross over. Indeed, the days were limited and they were getting closer and closer to killing the man. Heiki only continued to run out of what would happen if he confronted them. Over the few months, he was beginning to see the reality of how life was. The hardship of the rain made his problems fall off of him but like the cold and bitter weather, he was becoming more and more unforgiving. He remembered what his mother said on how it was in our best interest to forgive those that persecute you. Even if they do you wrong and cause you pain, this is only a temporary thing and pain should always be a quick cut to heal rather than a slow wound. Heiki was beginning to question that philosophy now seeing how this pain wasn’t healing. Only in time would tell whether or not it could be healed. The question now was, would he survive to see the next month, or the next week, or the next day.

All blood flows downward and downward it went. The rain picked up the blood soaked earth, leaving it muddy underneath Heiki’s feet. He looked down and saw how the blood was mixing in with the mud and water. He shivered at the cold feeling he had when he saw it. He sat underneath a tree, leaning his head back to rest his legs. He would get up soon; they weren’t hurting or anything of the sort. If he rest now, the likelihood of him resting again like this would be very slim.

Heiki had killed the group of shinobi who were after him. Not a long fight, he made sure it was quick. They were confident, the shinobi. They had licked their lips out of bloodlust and had that gleam in their eyes that wouldn’t satisfy itself unless they had the blood of Heiki on their palms. The mask told them that they were from an old shinobi village, black ops of course with the mask of the tiger. They heard that Heiki was now alone and probably out of his mind enough to defend. They thought it was easy kill. They got blood but it was not his but their own. He hanged them up over a tree he was sitting under, tying them by the legs while the blood dripped down slowly. He did it not out of disrespect but out of psychology. He’s done this killing thing long enough to understand how much fear there need be in order for those who would be following him would at least slow their movements. With the slow dripping blood of their comrades falling on their faces, it would indeed bring out that rational fear that humans have since the beginning of time to avoid danger.

Underneath the pouring rain, he heard footsteps. Heiki’s eyes looked up immediately, his mind was moving at light speed and his body felt limber and ready to move. He stood up from the trunk of the tree, moving his hands away from the cloak that covered him.

There stood a man wearing a grey and black uniform. Heiki didn’t recognize it. He felt this man presence was stronger than his own, much stronger than one man could stretch. The man came closer but Heiki didn’t move.

The man stopped. A drop of blood had splattered on his cloak. He moved his arm up to his face so he could look at it more closely then he looked up and saw the men that were hanging upside down. He turned to Heiki “Did you do this?” Heiki stood their silent but nodded his head. The man posed a smile on his face and rubbed his face with his hand “Killed them brutality too. What did you use, only a kunai?”

Heiki raised his hands up “Just these.” he said plainly, as if he was talking about his day. “I only use kunai to hunt for food. No need to bloody them up with the flesh of human beings.”

This made the man raise an eyebrow. He looked at Heiki, battered and his clothes are tattered up from being in the forest for God knows and he only used his bare hands to kill these men. The man understood that these were Special Forces from a former village. Of course highly trained and highly specialized in tracking and killing quickly, to have murdered them with that much ease…

The man put a hand out, moving slowly to Heiki. He knew he had to tread carefully, he didn’t wish to startle him. “Why did you hang them up?”

“Them?”

“Yes, them. Why did you do that?”

Heiki took a glance up at the tree as if he just saw those men just hanging there and he just happens to stroll on by, bloody and mud ridden “I understand that this wasn’t the full squadron that was attacking me. It would’ve been foolish on whoever is leading them to find and try to kill me with everyone. It was really a scouting team, to track my movements, to watch what I do, how I reacted. They’ve been stalking me for a good three days now and I acted as if I didn’t notice. I couldn’t attack them where I was three days ago since there has been large clearings all about. When I moved through a tangled in the forest, that is when I struck and killed them. I hanged them up to show them that I’m not here to fuck around or get killed.”

“It’s kill or be killed.” the man said

Heiki nodded. He didn’t know why he told him this, for all he knew it was just another trap to set him up. Heiki wasn’t afraid if that was the case. He’s been through hell, what could this man do that he hadn’t been through?

The man had stepped forward. Heiki watched him eerily but relaxed just a moment. The way the man was stepping towards him was like a person moving towards a large predator. Heiki just looked at the man, then he glowered at him saying with his eyes “what the fuck are you doing?”

“If you wonder why I asked this question, it was because I too was attacked by these same men. Not as gruesome as you pulled but easily disposed of. I take it they aren’t friends of yours”

“If they were, I would’ve bought them drinks or taken them out to lunch. Wasn’t too keen when they pulled out their kunai and they start chanting ‘feast on the entrails’”

The sudden laugh from the man made Heiki smile a bit. It’s been a very long time since he heard someone laugh like that “A man who kills like that must have a good sense of humor. This made Heiki relax a little at a time. This was the man’s intent for he did not have interest in hurting Heiki.

“We are common allies. Both of us have no home and both of us are on the run. What makes us differ is that I have provisional’s and shelter. I can give you these things if you follow me” He put his hand in the air. Heiki looked at it then back at the man. The man still had that smile on his face. Heiki had thought how a monkey would smile but not because it was happy but how truly aggressive and monstrous that creature was. As their hands met, Heiki had a feeling of despair run up his arm. He could feel the emptiness of this man without even knowing it though him. The years of betrayal, anger, endless torment was like drinking tea that had an extremely bitter taste.

“Kengen. Mezon, Kengen.”

“Kurayami Heiki”

“Well then Kurayami-san. Let us get you out of this rain…the blood doesn’t do well for the complexion”

Thus begins the master-student relationship. We cannot say what happen to these two and whether or not Kengen asked or forced Heiki to join the group. Knowing Kengen, it was asked and knowing Heiki, he did not refuse the offer.

Birth, Death, Revival.

“Like all things, it must return to the earth.”

Through the months of escaping possible execution, Heiki was grateful that crossed paths with Kengen. He seems too…well to Heiki, unlikely a person that he would meet in his lifetime. He wasn’t a person that you met in your dreams or someone out of fiction. He was, perhaps, a man who walked through life one step at of time and with each step he took, there was something that could either unite people together or destroy an entire nation. Chaos was always behind him however. Heiki took notice of during the first few weeks of his new life. It would seem whatever he wish to destroy, despite the amount of conflict inflicted and how many losses one took, chaos would abide to him. He took control of it like a witch with a wand performing magic. He claimed that he was a god of chaos since he sold his soul to the devil many years ago. Whether it was true or not, Heiki couldn’t deny his destructive capabilities.

The organization, the Shantakai, had other prominent members that were also interesting to Heiki. The older members, the ones who joined Kengen in the beginning, particularly gave Heiki a deep impression. If Kengen was like a father then Aburame Sakumo and Juguro Han would either be uncles or older brothers to Heiki. The time he spent with them and the other assortment of characters within the Shantakai was probably the best time spent in his life. Kengen, as promised, taught him what he needed to know to not be a powerful shinobi. “Anyone can be a powerful shinobi Heiki” he said to him one night while travelling. “That’s not the point of the matter. See, you are a powerful shinobi. Sakumo is a powerful shinobi. Jun is a powerful shinobi. But what makes these two different from you is the fact that they have the mentality to become greater than themselves. They try to achieve something that is impossible to see with the eyes. They grasp at it with as much faith as one falling off a cliff with a blindfold on. Whether you take the jump or not is highly up to you.”

Kengen was the one who began teaching Heiki the Fuuinjutsu that he has today. It was unknown to Heiki as to why he taught him. He didn’t think he was particularly good at it (This is not true. Heiki show a lot of promise with Fuuinjutsu, probably more promise than most Fuuinjutsu experts made in a few years time. He made this comment once only because it really “wasn’t his style of fighting”). Kengen believed that his legacy would live on with the boy, now a young man and in his early twenties.

But deep in Heiki’s mind, he couldn’t help but stop and look at the Shantakai. There was something in the organization that just felt completely out of place. Whether it was paranoia or not, he could not say; it was a gut feeling. The newer members who joined the Shantakai didn’t come off as suspicious; perhaps all great spies never come off as suspicious. Maybe no one saw it at the time but Heiki did see something about the newer members that he couldn’t displace at the time. He didn’t need to; Heiki wrote his journal one night explaining the situation four months before the war between Sunagakure, Iwagakure and the Shantakai.

Whether or not I believe it to be so or not, I cannot say whether the definite opposition will bring out the worse out of our organization. Despite the fact that we are well versed, skilled and have an assortment of weapons and skills that would indeed make us a small nation, I feel something troubling.

All great nations do not fall by the blade. If the fortress walls are impenetrable, then indeed war will not stop them. It is the structures within that can fall and crumble easy; if the foundation within falls then the nation is weak on the inside and out. I do believe this to be the case with the Shantakai though who it is and what is leading to our demise is unknown, even to me.

I feel as if there is a small parasite within our midst. It is small because it doesn’t try to attract itself attention. Like the body, if the immune system sees it as a threat then it’ll do whatever it takes in order for this parasite to leave the body. I believe it has integrated within that immune system and the immune response doesn’t recognize it all. Perhaps there are cells within that see it but the initial response doesn’t take effect. If only I knew then I would tell Kengen-sensei this. It is, however, difficult to determine who it is.

Kengen-sensei…what has happen to you? Once, your mind was brilliant, seeing only what you wanted to be a bright future for the Shantakai and the future generation. When I first met you, the man I saw was a chaotic soul but within those depths of it, you were merely a man who saw potential within one another and you were the knot within the loop that held us together. When I see you now, I no longer see it. You are nothing more than chaotic, twisted in anger and resentment that lost its way.

Let us continue on but not from this perspective but from Heiki’s perspective. It is better to understand the tale from the source itself. We reach deep within the psyche and memory banks of Heiki as he tells his tale.

“We are infiltrating Sunagakure” Kengen stated boldly. All four, Sakumo, Han, Kengen and Heiki, had met together for the last time. All of them had no clue that it would be the last time but indeed they didn’t make it seem as if it was the last. Heiki and Han were playing a game of poker. Heiki had a three of kind in his hand but it was likely that Han had a much better hand than his. Their attention drifted to Kengen now, Heiki setting down his cards and twisted his body around to face Kengen.

“When?” Sakumo asked, scooting out and away from the desk. “We knew we had plans to attack but when is truly my question”

“Tomorrow” Kengen said simply “We have our organization sneak in and rid of that God-forsaken place once and for all”

All three of them just looked at Kengen. All three of them were thinking the same thing though it might’ve been said differently in Heiki’s mind. Kengen had his hands folded together with his head leaning against both of them. He didn’t even seem sure that it was necessary to attack but what was leading him to make this hasty decision now Heiki didn’t see.

Han raised an eyebrow “What about Ayam-“

“What the fuck about her?” he quickly interrupted him, not wanting to hear that name “Didn’t I put Sakumo in charge of watching her?”

“You did” Sakumo said “Her activity of murder has been on a all time low. We all know that she is too valuable to kill.” His hands clasped together in a fist unseen by all of them as his hands were in his pockets “If she is someone who is truly a threat to us, all the better for me to kill her. I’ve been itching to have her blood”

The words didn’t even reach Kengen, he continued on saying “I wish for the attack to be short and sweet. If it is prolonged, I’ll make the decision whether we will stay and fight.”

“There is too much conflict within internal affairs” Han said “We should at least wait till it is the right time. With too much-“

“This is our perfect opportunity Han. The gate of opportunity doesn’t happen every fucking day. It doesn’t even matter what the hell is going to happen with us, our main goal since the beginning was to end this regime.”

“It’s foolish that’s what it is Kengen” now Han wasn’t giving up on the subject. “Opportunity? Let’s not forget what happen two years ago when we invaded snow country. We thought that opportunity was keen until we were attack by the Rogue shinobi group. Granted, easily disposable, but this isn’t like that. This is one of the main arteries in the shinobi world. We would be foolish to attack all at once”

Kengen looked at Han. He seen that look before, it’s only been recent and it happen often but he seen that look. He looked around to see if there was any means of escape or at least to ignore it. When his eyes glanced to Sakumo, he had a gesture on him that said to accept what was about to happen. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

“We’ve put years into this organization Han. If you believe that it is foolish, then perhaps it was foolish on my part to let you join. I didn’t think you were such a coward”

“I’m not cowering away from this Kengen. The fact of the matter is that I’m putting scenarios in my head and with our current structure, the wisest choice would be to wait for our current issues to resolve rather than face through and go into another conflict”

“No” Kengen said plainly and finally “If you wish to stay, then fine. But consider yourself banished from this organization if you do so. Tomorrow we will end this regime and change the shinobi world forever”

Han got up from the table. He shook his head, defeated and exhausted almost. “I came into this group in order to change the world. I do not believe we should increase our internal conflict among ourselves. I will fight alongside you Kengen” he bowed his head “I believe I shall return to my quarters. Good game Heiki. Perhaps next time we will play chess since that is your favorite”

“See ya around” Heiki waved him off as Han left the room.

Heiki turn about and Sakumo was walking past him, silent as how Heiki always saw him. It was just Kengen and Heiki now. Kengen’s head rose up and looked at his apprentice. Heiki’s eyes met his. They were devoid of anything that Heiki could remember which was frightening to be honest. Not to Heiki personally. He wasn’t afraid of his sensei, he respected him but to be absolutely terrified of him was something he wasn’t capable of. But in that instant, during that locking of eyes with Kengen, he felt that fear that people saw when they necks were about to be cut. Heiki rubbed his nose and got up from the chair.

“Well” Heiki stretched his arms cutting away of this unwanted tension “I’m going to head to my quarters as well. Need to rest up and what not. Early in the morning ya?” Kengen didn’t respond “Ok then, early in the morning. As usual. Night” He left the room feeling that the air out of the room was clear. He didn’t know how long Kengen stayed in that room though he could imagine time didn’t seem to be a factor when one’s life is on the line. Risking everything, Kengen didn’t waste any time or effort to accomplish and Heiki sensed that this may have been his downfall.

Now they were in Sunagakure, the night gone and the sun had risen. The organization had infiltrated into Sunagakure with little ease but Heiki sensed that it was too easy, even for the organization. They did realize, however, that they were surrounded by the army of the Shogun, the Kazekage and the Tsuchikage.

Caged in a circle, the group could only see their deaths ahead of them. The only four who didn’t fear it were Han, Sakumo, Kengen and of course Heiki. Heiki scratched his head “Hmm, a 100 to 1 disadvantage. Odds to be in our favor”

“Now is not the time” Han said, kunai drawn and out.

“Trying to lighten the mood. Though I still believe it is in our favor”

“How is that even possible?”

“Well, like the game of chess, all you gotta do is make sure you take out the king. Simple. Bing” he raised a finger at points at the Tsuchikage, The Kazekage and the Shogun. “Bang” he raised his hand back as if the gun had recoiled from a invisible shot. He could hear the irritation from one of the three, though which Heiki couldn’t determine.

The battle had begun. The large organization that which for the change of regime, the Shantakai, versus the old regime and the shinobi who wished to hold it together. Of course, death was a part of it. The Shinigami was raising his scythe all around and it is in fact hard to decipher whether he (or she for that matter) was enjoying this bloodbath. Many of the organization members fell the hands of the army’s blade but the four that remained did not falter and proceeded into wiping out part of enemy army. Sakumo took a charge at the Kazekage but the traitor, Ayame, defended against him.

The Shogun was retreating back. This was the opportune time for Kengen and Heiki to move about. The four of them split apart, Han and Sakumo would handle the Kazekage and Ayame while Kengen and Heiki would handle The Shogun.

Let us focus on Kengen and Heiki for now. We’ll continue with the outcome of Han and Sakumo but for now, let us be on our way to this battle.

The shogun stood face to face with Kengen. Both of them met eye to eye. The shogun, whose two large scimitars carried that of the fallen Shantakai and Kengen, a shinobi who held the kunai holding the blood of mass army of the Shogun. They had that moment where time had stop. Both of them saw every passing by second by second; they heard their own breathing pass into their nose and out there mouths; the thumping of their hearts beating lup dup, lup dup…every passing second making a difference. Kengen could see a group of men charging at him. Lup dup, lup dup, lup dup. Heiki turned to Kengen, telling him to snap out of it. When that wasn’t working, the only thing left for Heiki to do was charge out.

Heiki had jumped in the air. He cocked his arm back. Steam was coming out the sleeves of his left arm. He drove himself downward towards the amass army, creating a large crater dispersing and spreading out the army around The Shogun. This didn’t stir The Shogun but it did wake up Kengen. He shook his head out of that dazed state and he jumped backwards. When Kengen jumped back, The Shogun also jumped as if mimicking the leader. Heiki turned about “Heiki!” Kengen’s hands were moving a mile a minute “Do what you can to distract him. I’ll finish him off!”

“Crazy!” he said in excitement. This usually meant he understood but his bloodthirsty personality was coming about. The Shogun turned in mid-air and breathed out a blue flame. Heiki immediately dodged, rolling to the side before recovering. The Shogun didn’t stop there. When he landed, his hands slammed on the ground. Rising up from the earth were large pillars that broke off and began to break apart. The fragments shot out honing in on Heiki. Heiki immediately flipped backwards at a continuous rate seeing that they were coming at him in a linear path at first. He moved to the side and the fragments were still shooting at him. They were moving fast but Heiki saw every movement and moved faster.

Heiki pressed his foot back and he sprints towards the shogun. The trail behind him caused the wind to kick up dust. Heiki moved to the left or was it to the right? He moved to the right or was it to the left? Heiki’s movements were moving within each other, creating mirage after mirage after mirage. In that short distance, it was confusing where he was. The Shogun didn’t have time to react. Heiki fist was aimed at The Shogun’s face but that was merely a mirage as the heel of his foot rammed into the side of his face. “Too fast” thought The Shogun. He soared back but amazingly caught himself, sliding on the ground. His head rose up, Heiki was immediately upon again only this time The Shogun had his arms cross in order to block the incoming attack. Again, the fist made contact and The Shogun went soaring but this time into his army. His army caught him but they were pushed back by the momentum of The Shogun.

Heiki bounced on the tips of his heels. He was remembering everything his sensei in Kumogakure was talking about “Don’t have a particular form” the voice of his former mentor said “This makes you unpredictable. They won’t be able to read you, not even the best of eyes can predict that. Move like a crashing wave” He was. He moved towards The Shogun again.

“DAMN YOU SHANTAKAI!” The Shogun cried out. He took out his two blades and spun them around in his hands. He wasn’t going to get sideswiped again. He meets with Heiki with his blades. He swings downward but Heiki dodges doing a cartwheel thus spinning on his hands to create a whirlwind with his feet. The Shogun blocked the spinning kicks with his blades; the clinging of the blades was fierce against the feet. Heiki jumped back to recover for a tad moment, hoping to push forward with another sprint charge.

The Shogun had jumped in the air. One of his blades had caught on fire. The other blade had caught a spiral of wind. With these two things, he rose them linearly and swung them downward creating a large blaze of fire towards the earth. It’s large

“Well fuck me sideways” Heiki said. He was now hoping that Kengen had something up his sleeves otherwise he’s going to be a roasted chicken and he didn’t think he would be tasty.

The blaze of flames came down onto the earth, shattering the earth around it. Heiki had dodged in time, moving away from the blast but the shockwave drove him back. Part of his right sleeve on his cloak burned away as Heiki rolled back on the ground. He recovered almost immediately. He took a look at his sleeve and at the blacken marks around his now bear arms “Damn. I don’t think I’m going to get a re-“ he was stopped in mid sentence as a scimitar was ready to slice at his neck to decapitate. Heiki body became limber, bending his body backwards to avoid the slash. He could feel the heat from the scimitars pass on the tip of his nose. He stood up immediately. The Shogun’s stabbed at him, Heiki jumped up, splitting his legs parts that he wouldn’t get the tip of his foot. The Shogun stabbed air. Heiki landed on back of the scimitar balancing with one foot. The other food drove into the Shogun’s left side of his face. The Shogun took a few stumbling steps back while Heiki jumped off and landed on his feet.

This guy got a lot of spunk in him. Heiki decided it was best to remove the weights off of him. This would definitely be an advantage and he was needed of this. But there was no opportunity for him to do so. The Shogun was on him again only this time Heiki was also ready for his attack. Heiki had pulled out a kunai swiftly. The swift barrage of the scimitar was meeting with the small but agile and strong kunai. Heiki moved to the left to reverse roundhouse kick. The Shogun stepped back but Heiki didn’t give him a moment’s chance. He landed on his hands and twisted his body and arms to create a moment with a power roundhouse. It made contact with The Shogun’s arm which sent him backwards.

The shogun quickly recovered from this. It seemed all of his plan blunt attacks were not going to work. What a chore. If he was going to use the Shinryakuteki-No, not here. He couldn’t reveal it. Anything that he did with that particular taijutsu style was only meant to kill if absolutely necessary. Those were his master’s words. Well, he never said about a all powerful Shogun who was most likely getting stronger every minute. Maybe that wasn’t in the handbooks when whoever created the style thought but it should be added in there.

The shogun had his scimitars ready. “A fight to the end. It is well known that you are most likely one of their members that can pull of feats as such. You amaze young man” Heiki realized something at that very moment. He had been fighting Heiki for two minutes. Two minutes of them clashing about with fist, feet and blade. Heiki hadn’t realized it till but the Shogun had forgotten about Kengen. Hell, even he did up to this point. What made him come to this realization is when Kengen was immediately behind him. Two rods struck into each shoulder and then into the thighs of the Shogun. Heiki heard one of the rods crunch into the clavicle of The Shogun. The Shogun was surprised by this and his body shuttered from the impact. Kengen had one hand in the seal while the other hand grabbed onto The Shogun’s head.

In an instant, the seal was done. Both The Shogun and Kengen fell limp onto the ground. The army that stood maybe fifty feet away from them had stopped marching. They then went the other direction, moving back quicker than they were charging forward. Heiki ran over to Kengen. He kneeled down, pushing the corpse of the Shogun off his body. Kengen lay motionless; his body was still and, to Heiki at least, he looked rather calm. Kengen was not one to leave this world without a little bit of a smile on his face. He could envision a large burden coming off of Kengen’s body now that everything was complete. Heiki hover a hand over his face. He remembered what his mentor had to said in respect of the dead “Resquicat in pace” Heiki said in a low and cool voice. He stood up and did the same thing to The Shogun. Even if they were enemies, he did give Heiki one hell of a fight and in that, he respected him even in death.


Of course, as history states, the troops of the Shogun only retreated so that the Tsuchikage could release his dust Kekkei Genkai. The Tsuchikage had examined all of the fight up onto this point. Seeing how it was a complete failure, he believed that it was not too late to succeed in wiping out the existence of the Shantakai.

Heiki didn’t remember much. He did remember feeling a jolt of electricity go through his body. But once he woke up from the sand, he realized he just ran into a large boulder. There was sand in his hair and there was sand in his ear. He moved his legs around and felt sand in his boots. “Geez, what the hell happened?” he glanced around and saw nothing but sand. There were once buildings that stood now there is nothing but an empty vast of space that once held a great village.

“Brilliant” Heiki said brushing off all the sand in his hair “I turn my back for one second and suddenly shit hits a large industrial size fan.” He picks into his ears to clean out the sand “Damn, whoever did this is going to get his ass kicked.” He punched into his hand. “I better go find the others”

It didn’t take him long to find Sakumo, brushing himself of the sand. Heiki landed in front of him “Where’s Han?” of course, it was naturally for Heiki not to ask Sakumo whether or not he was ok.

“Dead. He was killed by Ayame. The bitch escaped during the blast by the Tsuchikage”

“Ah, so that what that was.” He rubs his head which was mildly tender “I think I hit my head from the shockwave so that’s probably why I don’t remember who effing sent me flying.”

“I’ll assume Kengen is dead as well?”

Heiki lowered his eyes and confirmed by nodding “He sacrificed himself to seal away the Shogun.”

“Don’t take it too hard Heiki. That was Kengen’s desire. There was nothing that either you or I could’ve done to stop such a maddening desire.”

“I know” Heiki looked to Sakumo “I knew his desire was a bit too much but I guess it’s like losing a father or someone of that nature.”

“Mourn for him later. For now, we’ll have to think of the current” Sakumo looked around him “Seeing that our organization is down to two members, it would seem it would be time for us to perhaps rebuild back our organization but with…different philosophies than we had before…”

Heiki looked at Sakumo. For a moment he saw Kengen in his eyes. Perhaps that is what Heiki wanted to see or perhaps it is the truth