###
"Hei!" the puppeteer sneers.
I look at him while rubbing my eyes. The scope had wedged into my eye socket — I'd been watching for three hours straight.
He throws a paper at me.
It's a simplified map of the area, with three marked spots.
He waits a few long seconds for my response.
"Turns out the barriers in this village are made by amateurs," Kankuro scoffs as his patience runs out.
These are the node points in the veil — like how a tent works.
Practically weak points, but not the obvious ones.
Not gonna lie… Kankuro's right. It has that *"It's my first sealing jutsu"* vibe to it.
I can practically see a glass wall in the distance… at least with my Sharingan.
"Hmm…" I rub my chin.
Maybe the ANBU put an extra layer on?
"What? You want us to just sit on our ass? Don't we have to go to those spots?" Kankuro taps his arm.
"You're the leader… you decide," I keep rubbing my chin.
Kankuro is literally growling right now. The weight of leadership is bearing down on him.
Then, suddenly, he calms down. With a subtle sigh, he realizes I'm just a tool in his arsenal.
"What do you think? Will he be in these spots?" Kankuro is serious at last.
"These seal nodes… if he touches them, the barrier will fall," I shrug.
"And we fail."
Is he still worried about that?
"Yes… I know this type of barrier. The moment he touches the nodes, it'll start breaking from that exact spot, giving away his position," I add.
Then the professionals will jump in and save the day.
He could be in any one.
"We… hah… we can split," I suggest. Kankuro can feel the tremble in my voice.
I'm not at all comfortable with the plan. In fact, I'm scared. But I have to match my leader's intentions.
"One will have to hold on just long enough for backup to come," Chojuro has woken up and joined in.
"Remember, Captain, we also fail if one of us dies," I get back to watching the tree lines.
"Tch." Kankuro frowns as if I'm the nuisance.
That actually works for me. For the Sand Village to be in the finals, one of them has to pass.
Or else they'll have an early farewell party.
So, he has to keep us alive.
What will he do? Gamble our lives and fail?
Or wait it out and fail?
Either way, it's a loss for him, because there's no chance we can win against Ichibi.
At least… not at the moment.
"We split," Kankuro decides.
There it goes… we're screwed.
"But… we won't engage. The moment one of us spots the enemy, we'll break the node and put the barrier down," he says something unexpected.
???!!!
"But we… will fail…" Chojuro speaks my thoughts.
"Yes… but I'd rather keep my village's secrets intact without killing you," Kankuro wraps his puppets.
"The secrets you guys need to even have a chance at surviving the fight." He pulls them onto his back.
"And I don't want anyone to die for a screw-up my village made," he says in a low voice.
"So yeah!" He looks at me.
"I'm willing to throw it all down for your worthless lives. You'd better be grateful." Kankuro grabs my collar again.
I know the Uchiha high collar is a satisfying thing to grab… but there are razors in it. He'll lose a finger for real. It's a wonder he hasn't yet.
"I get it, Kankuro-san. You can put me down," I say dismissively.
"All right, quit smirking and get your ass moving," Kankuro orders.
---
They jump away while I simply walk toward my spot.
I'm going south, while the other two go east and north.
Now that the exam's over… it's the same old quiet forest all over again.
Yes, I know I need to rush.
But… knowing Ichibi, even a little… I'd say he had the same idea.
He'll send clones to all three sides.
The sun is almost up.
Ah… what a beautiful sun. The shimmering red rays pierce the thin veil of genjutsu laid over the sealing tag.
The tag that's supposed to keep enemies in… while the ANBU hunts them down.
Nobody knows who will come out on the outside.
It takes allies and enemies alike.
That's why it's called the Forest of Death.
A shadow looms over my soul.
I hear the leaves rustling, morning dew drying on the spot.
With the cold breeze in my hair, I look back.
The enemy is here.
"Tsk tsk… Hiruzen did it this time," Ichibi enters the scene with his hoarse voice.
"He's been doing it for a while now." I can't help but smirk.
Ichibi shakes his head with a sad expression.
"Still… how old are you? Twelve?"
"Thirteen."
"Yeah… thirteen. Hashirama went through all that trouble to lock me and my brothers up in those shitty-ass guys… just so this doesn't have to happen!" Ichibi fakes a tear.
"You mean sending children to die?" I ask.
"Yeah! Genius! Exactly. Gosh! He was even proud about it!" Then Ichibi makes Hashirama's face.
*'No children will have to go to war if peace is achieved.'* He imitates.
Then goes back to his old mundane Gaara face.
"Bunch o' crap," I steal his words.
"Tell me about it!!" Ichibi huffs. "That guy was full of shit!"
"Say what, kid, I like ya." He folds his hands.
I raise my eyebrows.
"You can pretty much guess the other two are dead by now, and the Kage ain't doing shit to me. If he could, he would've already done it," Ichibi says calmly.
"I know… 'cause he's not the Kazekage," I add.
"Bingo! Kid, you're sharp. Dangerous, even." Ichibi points his finger.
It has unusually long nails.
"It's that fucker Orochimaru, and I don't plan on being his puppet," Ichibi walks leisurely around.
"We're all someone's puppet," I say with a straight face.
"I am not! Your fuckin' Kage put me in this cage! In this… deranged kid that's used as nothing but a tool," Ichibi gets close to my face.
Bloodlust dripping like liquid, he meets my eyes.
"I am not a fuckin' puppet! None of my brothers are," he whispers.
"Why me?" I ask.
"'Cause that fucker ain't gonna kill you for it, and I have use for you later."
There it is… my one and only gift in this godforsaken world.
The plot fuckin' armour.
I look at the rising sun one last time.
"You know what, Ichibi-san?" I ask.
"What?"
"I don't get paid nearly enough for this," I sigh.
"I thought so too!" he says with a smile.
I step aside as Ichibi touches the seal… and tears it off.
He takes a deep breath as the veil drops, as if tasting fresh air after so many years.
"Haah… kid… nice knowing ya'," he waves his hand.
I wave back.
Wow… he's really letting me live.
But then he gets stuck.
Unable to move his body even an inch, he moves his eyeballs toward me.
He notices the single tanto lodged into the ground, its shadow stretching along the horizon.
"How…" Ichibi manages to speak.
It's a simple conductive blade pumped full of shadow-binding chakra from the infamous Nara clan.
One of many Uchiha heirlooms.
Father got it many years ago… from one of his colleagues.
To be notedThat colleague was a girl.
Yes… he could've used it to kill Itachi.
But… who knows what was going through his head that day.
"Why…" Ichibi struggles.
I take out a knockout tag and wrap it gently on his forehead like I'm treating a wound.
"I… just can't, man…" I whisper.
I pick up the tanto, undoing his shadow bind.
The tag kicks in as Ichibi falls to his knees.
"I get it… kid…" Ichibi whispers.
Points a finger at my face.
"You… are stuck… just like me…"
He falls asleep with a smile.