Naruto: Akatsuki

A few weeks passed. Contrary to my worry, our lives in this camp were considerably better than ever.

"You kids remind me of my son back at Konoha. Man, I can't wait to get back already."

"You are so cute! What's your name?"

Contrary to my belief, most of the ninjas greeted us with kindness.

"Hey, you kids! Come and eat!"

Though we weren't given food pills that were reserved for ninjas, Jiraiya, the kind white-haired man, would catch the wild animals himself and feed us.

Day by day, the rate at which Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato smile, has been increasing. It seemed that they didn't harbour any malicious intention toward us—except select few.

That snake-like man named Orochimaru. Though Jiraiya said that he's a nice guy, I doubted it. Whenever he looked at us, I found nothing but suspicion in his eyes; he didn't trust us, and he never will.

And there also was a dog-like ninja, who was always together with a huge dog. The way he glared at us—I was easily able to deduce that he had a hatred of some sort, for whatever reason it may be, to us.

"Loosen up a little already!" Even when Tsunade smacked my back in annoyance,

"A little shy, aren't you?" Even when Jiraiya said with a sweatdrop, thinking that I was paranoid, I kept myself sharp.

Meantime, I learnt. Although the war seemed to be at a resting period for the current moment, I saw many of them training and honing their skills on a daily basis to ensure that they are at their maximum before another battle.

The way they throw their weapons. The way they hone their bodies. The way they make seals with their hands, and the way they generate amazing ninjutsus afterward. The way they hide themselves among the woods.

It was probably nothing but the tip of an iceberg that I managed to get a glimpse of. Nonetheless, I remembered their actions, and replayed them over and over.

Place my hand back, at an angle where an enemy can't see, and flick my wrist... like this.

"Hey Akashi! What are you doing over there?" A shout from Yahiko, who was sitting with Konan and Nagato by his sides. He waved his hand at me in a friendly manner, and I couldn't help but let out a smile.

Stopping what may be considered a bizarre dance from a crazy kid, I walked to the three of them.

"Hehe, I'm Konan!" Konan said with a smile to a kunoichi who lowered her posture to match Konan and Nagato's eye level.

"Wow, that's a nice name that you got!" The woman said with a smile, before turning to Nagato, "And you are?"

"I... I'm Nagato..." Nagato muttered with a shy smile.

"What's your age?"

Yahiko scratched the back of his head, "Uh..."

"S-seven."

Yahiko and Konan turned to the source of the voice, Nagato, before opening their mouths,

""Seven.""

"You guys are so young." Kunoichi muttered dryly before turning to me, who was walking closer to them, "And how about you, Akashi?"

...Seems like I already am quite famous here.

Nonetheless, disregarding my thought, I stated casually, "Eight."

Yahiko deadpanned at me. His eyes said,

Not that I cared.

Kunoichi made a warm smile, "I too have a little sister at home, whose age should be seven by now. I wonder if she's grown as big as you guys are~"

I felt complicated. All these ninjas had a family of their own at home. They too wished to live peaceful lives.

'How ironic,' I thought. If you want peaceful lives, why did you start a war in the first place?

...No.

I suppose that it wasn't them who started the war. These ninjas here—they were brought here without choice.

'The leaders. Their petty minds, their egoistic and haughty beliefs, along with their superiority complex over all else. They started the war, and sacrificed the lives of their underlings to fulfill their dark desires.'

War was the system where only a select few benefited.

'If so, in order to attain peace through war, what must be done?' I contemplated for a brief moment, 'A small group of powerful ninjas, enough to wipe out all the enemies by themselves?'

Returning my attention back to the conversation, I stared at the kunoichi, who was again conversing vibrantly with Konan.

And in the end,

"I hope that you return safe then, Kunoichi-san."

Giving my blessing to this kunoichi was all that I could do.

Making a weak smile, I stated truthfully, "Make sure that your sister doesn't grow up like we do. Give her lots of love."

Kunoichi stared back at me with surprise, "You..."

BOOM.

All of a sudden, a huge explosion occurred at the edge of the camp. The ground shook from the vibration, and everyone within the site tensed up.

"W-what is going on?!" Yahiko shouted in shock as he lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Yahiko and Konan weren't exceptions either. With surprised yelps, they were flown off of a wooden crate that they were sitting on top of.

I grimaced while gazing at the huge smoke that arose from the nearby area. Lowering my arms that I previously raised to shield my face, I hurriedly jumped to the side, to dodge... the corpse of one Konohagakure shinobi, which was flown out of the area of the explosion.

'Damn it.' Gritting my teeth, I looked around and saw that there has been a huge casualty of Konoha ninjas.

"...An invasion?" The kunoichi, who held her arms around Yahiko, Konan, Nagato next to her, whispered with narrowed eyes, "By who—"

She froze, and so did the rest of us. As the smoke cleared, there stood a huge salamander with one full-armoured man standing on top.

"..No way." The kunoichi said with a shaky voice, "Why now of all times? He hasn't shown up a single time during this war, and all of a sudden..."

I too knew who that man was. Hell, everyone from Amegakure probably knows that man. He is the man known to be the reason why Amegakure still stands in this crossfire between three major villages—

—Hanzo of the Salamander.

"Peace." Hanzo said in a low tone, "I would've left your war unbothered as long as my peace was preserved. However,"

He gazed down at three strongest ninjas within the camp, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru,

"Such a rule has been broken, and I was left in a dilemma where not acting will lead to the loss of my reputation."

I moved slowly to the three children, and tapped Yahiko's back.

"For such, I will demonstrate my wrath to the world," Hanzo said coldly, "by using you as the examples."

A battlefield that this camp has become. It was no longer safe, and I knew that if we were to stay here, we would die for sure.

"Tch..." Orochimaru clicked his tongue with a cold sweat, "Because of your daughter?"

"Orochimaru!" Tsunade said sternly, "Don't provoke him any further!"

Jiraiya turned back and looked at the four of us. Though he didn't say anything, I could read his intent.

Run.

"Get out of here." Kunochi, who was staring at Hanzo with a serious expression, whispered to me, "You can do that much, right?"

I couldn't help but lower my head. If only I was more useful, and running away wasn't the only option. However, such was the case. Running away. If that's all that we can do, then we will do it to our best.

"...Heh, worry about yourself first, kunoichi-san." I replied with a whisper of my own, "But... thank you."

"Thank you as well." Kunoichi gave me a kind smile, before readying herself for the battle.

I shifted my eyes to Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, who looked back at me with anxiousness.

I feigned confidence, "Don't be afraid."

Slamming my fist on my chest, I said, "Have I ever failed you before?"

Yahiko let out a chuckle, "No, you haven't."

Konan and Nagato gave me determined looks.

"Then place your trust in me, and follow me well.

We are getting out of Amegakure,"

'Away of this heavy rain.'

Gathering my resolve, I awaited the right moment. Then,

"Come, weaklings."

"""RAAAAA!!!"""

As the Konoha ninjas began their pitiful battle against Hanzo, we began our sprint toward the opposite direction, unknown of what lies beyond this rainy land.

But I made a crucial mistake here. Out of fear and panic, I failed to see,

One shinobi from the Inuzuka clan, peering at us with a predatory gaze along with his ninken (ninja dog).

"It's hunting time, Sanimaru." The shinobi turned his head back and stared at Orochimaru, who nodded slightly in response.