"False Barrage!" I called the name of my new jutsu, more for dramatics than anything else. A genjutsu wasn't much use if you had to always tell your enemies that you were casting it.
Only dumb villains called out the names of jutsu or well people like Naruto who have only 2-3 jutsus.
Aiko's eyes widened as the single kunai I'd thrown at her turned into ten. She dodged one, attempting to deflect another, but her hand passed through empty air. All of the kunai were illusions.
"It multiplies whatever I throw and fills the air with fakes while simultaneously making the real projectiles invisible. See?" I pointed at her feet where I'd thrown the actual kunai. It phased into being as the technique faded.
"It works really great with all the projectiles I throw with my chakra strings and shadows. It makes ten copies of each projectile I've thrown, so if I throw just ten, then there will be a hundred fake projectiles flying through the air." I ranted on about my new technique.
I had taken the inspiration of this genjutsu as I remembered the third Hokage's shuriken shadow clone jutsu. And unlike that jutsu where you created real shuriken, here it does not take that much chakra.
If I used the jutsu, people would probably think that I am using a Hokage technique instead of them being a genjutsu.
My enthusiastic smile turned to a frown as Aiko didn't look at me. She was still staring at the kunai at her feet, a frown on her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
Shikaku, who had stood to the side and silently watched me demonstrate my technique, walked forwards and knelt in front of me. "Your parents' team returned today. They encountered a strong enemy nin and suffered heavy casualties. Both your mother and father are believed to be deas in the battle."
X
The funeral was a grand affair. In addition to my parents, ten other Konoha ninja had been killed.
Apparently, when missions went this bad, a big event was held to mourn the dead.
What was the mission that went so horribly? It was a standard patrol. Five standard patrols. Four teams of three chunin that were watching the borders of the Land of Fire.
All four teams were lured to the same location by a Konoha chakra signal that called for help. The teams converged at the spot around the same time and were ambushed. It was a trap.
I didn't have all the details, but I'd heard people whispering about a lone ninja and purple snakes that fought with him. That, combined with the fact that the enemy nin took the bodies of the ninja they killed told me everything I needed to know.
The disgraced Sannin and Snake Summoner – Orochimaru had killed my parents. What other ninja operating close to the borders of Konoha was strong enough to defeat five teams of chunin simultaneously?
Why else would they take the bodies of the fallen if not to let him experiment on them? My parents alone, two Nara, were a prize I'm sure he would be dying to dissect.
I should have been enraged. I should have been plotting my revenge on Orochimaru. I should have felt something, but I didn't. I was numb.
My parents were dead, but I didn't feel anything. Was it wrong that it felt more like two passing acquaintances had died than my mom and dad? I hadn't really known either of them.
The vast majority of the time we spent together was spent training. The only time I could recall us having fun was that weekend we picked up my poison plants and played board games. Did it make me callous that I didn't feel crushing pain at their loss?
But I think that the real reason that I was not taken back by this loss was because my parents dead bodies were not found.
And there was no way Orochimaru would give up taking living subjects than taking dead ones. I knew that it was a far off assumption but I just knew that he was alive.
From what I knew from the show, Orochimaru was not a killer. No, he was a researcher at heard and I am sure that he would try to keep my parents and his experiment subjects alive. Alive until I am strong enough to take them away from him.
I hadn't really paid attention to the funeral service. There were rows of wooden benches set up facing a roaring fire hat was supposed to symbolize the dead in some way. I don't remember what was said.
The Hokage himself said a few words about the Will of Fire, but it all went in one ear and out the other. I'd always hated funerals.
Everyone talked about how horrible the loss was, but all that talking didn't change the fact that the people were still dead. In my first life, I'd done everything I could to avoid them. It appeared that dislike had carried over to this life as well.
Everyone around me stood up, and I took that as my cue to rise with them. People started milling about, hugging and comforting each other as they shared their grief. I only felt grief for my lack of grief. Did that even make sense?
My thoughts shifted back to my parents and Orochimaru.
Yes, I know how cruel it would be for my parents to be subjected to his experiments. But a small part of me hopped that they would be alive and I might be able to get strong enough in future to save them. I might not consider them as my parents but the truth was, they were the ones that gave me birth here and were also good to me.
"Kagen Nara."
I turned around and my heart nearly stopped. Standing in front of me was an elderly man with bandages wrapped tight around his body. He held a cane in one hand that he leaned on as he looked down at me.
"Elder." I greeted, bowing low. We were taught the names as well as shown the photos of the elders in the academy. So it was not strange that I recognised him.
"Please, that is unnecessary here." Danzo Shimura said, an expression of sorrow on his face. I wasn't sure if it was fake or not. But from the reputation of the man, I would probably say it's fake. The man did not mourn a bit when the entire clan of Uchihas were exterminated by his orders.
"I am sorry for your loss, child."
I straightened my back and said, "My parents did their duty. I will miss them, but I will honor their sacrifice by living." That was a suitably indoctrinated reply, right?
A small smile graced Danzo's face, telling me I'd picked the right dialogue option. "I have heard you are quite the talented young man. I have heard you even managed to create your own genjutsu. That is unheard of for one so young."
I forced myself to stay calm, not reacting to his words. This was bad. Danzo not only knew my name but was taking an active interest in me. My parents were supposedly dead. I was the ideal ROOT recruit now. I needed to find a way to get out from under his thumb without making it clear I was trying to get out from under his thumb.
"I have, elder. I hoped to show it to my parents when they returned, but…"
Danzo's features softened. "I am sorry to remind you of your pain, child. Let us not dwell on the past, but look to the future. With your parents passed on, you will need to be looked after until you reach genin."
I wracked my brain, trying to think of some way to get off this topic. It was a clear ploy to offer refuge for me and snatch me up into his machine. I opened my mouth to try to change the topic when a hand fell on my shoulder from behind.
Aiko Nara stepped up to my side and smiled warmly at Danzo. "We are grateful for your concern, Shimura-sama, but the Nara Clan take care of our own. Young Kagen will be living with me from today on. I could never replace his parents, but I will do everything I can to be a deserving guardian."
Danzo stuck his nose up, looking down at each of us in turn, his one visible eye calculating. In the end, a small smile broke out across his face. "I am glad to see the boy will be cared for. Aiko-san, please help Kagen through this difficult time and teach him well. I could not think of a better guardian."
---------Author Notes--------
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