Then as if to seek respite from the pain, it reasoned with itself "Are we mere pawns to kneel before these mortals? I—I refuse."
The darkened space quaked with those words as if acknowledging the creature`s resolve, and the world dimmed once again, this time encroaching even on the vibrant aura of the beast.
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On the left side of Hokage Rock, nestled close to the Village wall, lay the Hyuga Court, a place shrouded in a cacophony of misery and agony. The night was dark and the upcoming day offered no respite from this hell.
Within a bustling hall, a young boy lay on a stretcher in a quiet corner, his small form still and pale. Prior to his arrival, he had suffered from profuse bleeding from his upper orifices. However, due to his supervisor's quick thinking and action, the boy got the immediate first aid, he so desperately needed.
An immediate scan of his brain by the medical sensory ninja yielded no possible cause of the bleeding. Due to other pressing priorities, the disaster relief medical staff had temporarily set aside the mystery surrounding the boy's condition, as nothing seemed to be wrong with him, at the moment.
The room was filled with other crying children, women, and injured personnel. Some were ninjas; however, most of the gathered people were civilians. Doctors from the Leaf Hospital were scurrying about, and dozens of makeshift nurses were handling the injured with care. Tension and despair permeated every inch of the hall, as a consequence of the sequence of events in the village.
Suddenly a huge tremor reverberated throughout the entire hall. Women crouched down screaming, little children stopped crying as dread overcame their countenance, while the ninjas stood alert for any other surprise, the new situation could cause. Fortunately, the tremor proved isolated, and the hall gradually settled back into its uneasy calm.
Moments later, a Kunoichi from the medical core, overseeing the operation, spoke up reassuringly, "Don't worry, everyone, We have just received word, Lord Third has driven out the Nine-Tails from the Leaf village."
The boy on the stretcher in the north-left corner of the hall was surrounded by an attendant and two small boys. The bigger lad had signs of weeping visible across his face. Along the journey, he had shed so many tears that no more would come out. Yet, beneath the weight of painful memories, his heart still ached. He shelved his feelings and consoled his little brother who still appeared to be weeping albeit a bit less than before.
Dai looked over the two children and wanted to say something to provide comfort. However, no words would come out. His own grief was just as raw. He placed his hands on both of the boys and hoped that it would provide some solace to their pain.
Another nurse approached the stretcher, preparing to change the boy's IV once again. In the past half-hour, the drip had been adjusted thrice already. The boy's vitality was damaged and seemed to be weakening with no other symptoms of a chronic illness. Thus, he was currently connected to an IV filled with Katsur juices.
Turning to the nurse, Dai inquired anxiously, "Will he recover? What does the doctor say? Any updates for us?"
The nurse's facial expression already gave away the answer; however, she still affirmed it, "I am very sorry. The attending doctor has much more urgent priorities to look after. He hasn't shown any clear sign of pain, only his vitality being drained continuously. And we are treating it right now. It all depends on him at this moment. When he wakes up, we will have more answers."
Akiko and Hiro who optimistically hoped for some good news became downcast again.
"Hey... come here", Dai wrapped his hands around the two boys. "Trust me, he will wake up sooner than you know".
Akiko nodded in silent agreement, finding solace in Dai's reassurance amidst the uncertainty that surrounded them.
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Leaf Village, Somewhere in the Outskirts,
Minato emerged from a teleportation near a marked Kunai, staggering forward. His Hokage robes were disheveled, his face adorned with a grim outlook as he sensed the spiraling void gate materializing behind him.
The masked man emerged from the spiral in a bizarre manner. His cloak remained pristine despite the unique series of events. The gleaming eye under his mask betrayed the hateful nature of this individual, while his overhead cloak cast a sinister shadow across his protected covering.
Observing his opponent for a moment, Minato formulated his thoughts on the events that had unfolded since the invasion of the Leaf village. With conviction, he spoke, "You defeated the ANBU black ops assigned by Lord Third, got passed the highest seal protection barrier—and you knew that the Nine-Tails seal would weaken during the child birth.... even more than that, you undid the Nine-Tails seal and tamed the creature. You slipped in and out of the Village`s barriers without trigering any alarms..."
".... As far as I know, there is only one shinobi who can do all that", Minato locked eyes with the man. "....Are you Madara Uchiha?".
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
A brief silence settled over the conversation, broken by Minato himself. "No... That would be impossible—He is dead after all".
The masked man removed the hood, tilting his head as if finding the situation somewhat amusing. "Oh, I wonder about that..."
"In the end, it doesnt matter who you are... But, Why attack the Hidden leaf?"
In a bemused tone, he replied while looking upwards, as if giving it a thought, "Hmm, What you like to hear—I could say I did it on a whim, or that I planned it, or that it was for War.. or that it is for peace—".
A chain came slithering down his sleeve, the metallic melody reverberated with a sinister undertone.
As Minato readied himself, kunai raised high, his eyes gleamed with conviction. 'Tch, either way, he is not ordinary. His teleportation techniques surpass even mine and Lord Second. If I dont stop him, his dangerous ideology will foster more hate'
As the man, fixed the cufflings attached to the barbed chains around his hands, Minato decided to end the fight here, if the fight was allowed to occur in the village, it would cause much more chaos.
"Now that I have freed the Nine Tails, there is no hope for any of you.", the man declared, unhinged as he ran forward towards the hokage.
Minato threw a kunai in other direction and moved towards the opponent, intending to strike. Just as before, Minato`s entire attack and body passed right through his opponent. The masked man clutched his hand and the chain slinging on his back, wrapped around Minato, almost capturing him. Mianto teleported instantly to a new spot.
'My physical attacks have no effect on him. But... he did managed to capture me back then, that means he makes himself solid at some point—I would have to aim for that moment, a mutual attack and precisely timed.' Minato strategized, eyeing his opponent. He looked back at enemy preparing himself for another bout. 'But he must know that he is vulnerable during that moment. considering the time remaining on the Nine-Tails summoning Jutsu, He wont want a lengthy battle'
'Whoever acts the quickest, will win this battle', with that thought Minato advanced towards his opponent, who followed suit. As Minato shoved his Kunai forward, intending to strike at his forehead. The masked man raised his hand intending to forcefully teleport his opponent. As his hand neared Minato, His eye gleamed with delight, anticipating victory.
Minato readied a giant rasengan and teleported moments before point of contact, materializing above the opponent at the place, where his kunai just passed through. He struck down. "Flying Raijin: Level Two"
A giant vortex bomb exploded as the masked man was pushed down by the brunt of the blast. The ground under the man caved in and small cracks in the surroundings soon followed. The trees reverberated with the sound of the explosion.
As Minato's hand left the man`s body, another flying raijin seal appeared on his body and then vanished from sight.
As the smoke cleared, the masked man retreated backward and jumped on the rock platform, formed from the resulting blast. He clutched at his left shoulder weakly, with exhausted breath. A goo-like substance emerged from his sleeve, a palm attached to the fluid. The chains fell to the ground, no longer bound to his hands.
"You got me, you really are a slippery one. I was too quick to judge you", his words reverberated through the air menacingly.
As he finished speaking, Minato appeared in front, striking a palm at his chest. A seal spread, covering the masked man's entire torso.
"AArgh!!!!!"
'A contract seal', the man realized. "Trying to separate the Nine-Tails from me."
"With this, the Nine Tails is no longer yours.", Minato replied.
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Leaf Village,
In the aftermath of the Nine-Tails rampage across the leaf, every able-bodied ninja in the leaf, suitable to fight was summoned to confront the tailed beast. Hiruzen had already driven it out of the leaf and the entire force of the leaf surrounded it, intending to bring it under control oncemore. Countless paper bombs attached to kunai were hurled in its direction. Still under the control of the masked man, Nine Tails absorbed it all as if impervious to pain.
*Roooooaooor!!!*
The beast bellowed ferociously at its new opponents, intending to remove the weaklings from its path. In the next moment, the creature eyes that reflected the Sharingan transformed once more back to its usual vertical slit.
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In a certain hall of the Hyuga Court, a child was still lying on the stretcher bed, encircled by all of his family from the orphanage. The other childrens were lying in the children area, exhausted from the day`s catastrophic event. Only Akiko remained by Shin`s side, a result of his threat of causing a tantrum. The boy was currently sprawled on the floor, getting a much needed rest.
A beautiful doctor was standing beside the stretcher, the girl looked very young. Her ebony hair flowed with grace and elegance. With emerald eyes and sharp features, wearing a beautiful white cloak that seemed to be protected by a screen. Unblemished, with a leaf insignia on the back, the girl despite her youth, radiated confidence and trust.
Dai was currently sneaking glances at the doctor, checking Shin`s condition. After deliberating for an instance, he excused and asked the beautiful doctor, "Doctor Aina, Ca —Can you tell me, when is he going to wake up?"
"Hmm, he has been given a thorough work up. We have ruled out anything dangerous for the moment. Until he develops a new symptom, we really cant treat him, as his body is still fine."
The girl stopped for a moment, noticing the concern strewn across Dai`s face, succumbing to the emotion, added, "Umm, I will give him a check up with another colleague". As she reexamined Shin, a spark of recognition lit up her expression, exclaiming , "Ahh, I knew I recognized him from before". She turned towards Dai again," He was admitted to the Leaf central an year ago, right?"
Dai nervous at the girl's sudden enthusiasm, nodded his head.
"Hmm, we had a full department working on this boy. Even Dr.Harumi couldnt source the underlying cause of his pain and yet—just out of nowhere he recovered, like there was nothing wrong with him, We were baffled for weeks post his discharge", Aina shared with intrigue. Observing Shin's transformed appearance, she marveled, "Whoa, What diet have you been keeping him on, he's changed so much."
Attempting to steer the conversation back on course, Dai interjected, "Umm, Doctor please, when can we expect the doctor's visit?"
"Uhh, His name is Koji, and he should return by tomorrow, I believe," Aina responded.
As the echoes of Nine-Tails' havoc reverberated through the air, a new roar shook the surroundings, prompting everyone to seek shelter in anticipation of another assault. The Hyuga clan chief swiftly invoked "Earth Style: Mud Wall," with the clan members following suit. They erected protective barriers or performed Eight Triagrams in order to deflect the huge pieces of debris falling on the hospital.
"Dont worry everyone, As long as I am here, your safety is assured under my protection", reassured Hiashi, the clan chief.
In a momentary lull, the Nine-Tails paused in its movements, freed from the masked man's control. At that precise moment, the boy lying on the stretcher stirred, his eyes fluttering open.
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*Kunoichi* = female ninja