Three months ago.
Jada stood alone at the top of the Leaf Village gates, lost in thought.
The events of that day replayed in her mind. She had believed in the beauty of the Naruto world, the camaraderie of its characters. But Arthur had shattered her illusions, revealing the harsh reality of existence.
To her, he was nothing more than another antagonist, indifferent to the suffering of others. But she held that judgement for another day.
A part of her still clung to the hope that he was not evil. Perhaps he was simply a product of his environment, a victim of circumstance. Perhaps, given the right opportunity, he could be redeemed.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. It was a dangerous line of thinking, one that could lead to her downfall.
Arthur was a threat, and she had to be prepared for anything.
She turned around to see the current destruction Orochimaru was causing to her new home. Many citizens had already scurried to a safe hiding spot, while the Leaf ninjas were out defending their territory.
She had to do something. She had to protect those she cared about. So with a determined look, she leapt into the fray.
As she was running through the streets, she heard a scream. She turned to see a young girl running aimlessly, her face pale with fear.
It was Moegi Kazamatsuri.
Moegi was written to be a cheerful and optimistic kunoichi, known for being a member of Team Konohamaru, alongside Udon Ise and Konohamaru Sarutobi, the third Hokage's grandson.
While initially portrayed as a somewhat spoiled character, she matures significantly over time, demonstrating bravery and leadership qualities. Right now she was eight years old.
A building collapsed, its bricks and mortar raining down on the terrified girl.
Without hesitation, Jada sprang into action. She ran towards the collapsing building, her body moving with incredible speed. She reached the girl just as the building blocks crumbled, sweeping Moegi up in her arms.
The little girl was crying hysterically. Jada held her close, offering words of comfort.
"Don't worry, Moegi, I've got ya."
"Thank you," she whispered in a trembling voice.
"You're welcome," Jada replied with a smile. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
Moegi shook her head and answered no. When she looked into Jada's eyes, she was a little frightened.
"What's wrong?" Jada asked. Moegi kept her eyes closed, not wishing to answer. Only when Jada looked at a reflection did she understand. "When did awaken the—"
Suddenly, an explosion occurred close by. She looked around at the destruction.
The buildings were turning into a pile of rubble, and the surrounding area was still in chaos. She knew that there were others trapped inside who needed help.
So she turned to the girl and softly said, "I need to help the other people. Can you stay here and wait for me?"
The girl nodded, finally mustering up enough courage to open her eyes.
Jada gave her a reassuring smile and promised, "I'll be back!"
With that, she turned and ran towards the ruins of the closest building. She knew that the rescue effort would be dangerous, but she couldn't turn away.
She had to help.
As she entered the rubble, she was immediately able to see multiple trapped citizens. She moved through the debris with ease and rescued several of them by carrying them to safety.
But there were still more trapped inside. She had to hurry.
The building was unstable, and it could collapse at any moment. So she pushed herself to her limits, ignoring her burning eyes.
As she worked, she noticed something strange. She looked down at her hands, and to her horror, she saw that her eyes were bleeding.
They hurt, but she wouldn't give up. Focusing, she took a little time to deactivate her newly acquired Mangekyō Sharingan.
When they finished swirling into her normal eyes, she heard Moegi scream again. Quickly, she dashed in the little girl's direction.
Three Sound ninjas were closing in on Moegi, but Jada landed from the sky, directly in front of the girl.
To think Sound ninjas would dare harm a helpless little child. Jada had faced powerful opponents before, but none had come with the weight of Orochimaru's backing.
"You're going to oppose us?" one of the ninjas sneered.
Jada ignored the taunt, her focus on the three men before her. She knew that they were skilled, but she was prepared to face any challenge.
"I'm going to protect this village," she said in a firm voice.
Moegi clung to her protector's leg.
The three Sound Ninjas exchanged glances, their expressions turning from contempt to caution upon recognizing their opponent.
"Isn't that who lord Orochimaru told us not to engage with?" one of them asked.
"What does that snake want with me?" Jada wondered.
"It is her!" another answered. "She's the second option."
What did that entail? Everyone knew that the Sannin was still after Sasuke because of the Uchiha's Sharingan. Perhaps she was also a target since she also had the Sharingan.
"She's blocking our path," the last ninja announced. "Let's just take her down and explain to lord Orochimaru what happened later."
Without warning, they launched an attack. Jada reactivated her Sharingan and moved with lightning speed, dodging their blows with ease.
They were slow to her.
She countered with her own attacks. By the time she landed several blows without being dealt a single damage, the Sound ninjas were forced to back down slightly.
Their bodies were all battered and bruised. But they were not easily defeated.
After regrouping, they launched another attack. This time with greater coordination.
Jada met their assault with equal force. She was like a whirlwind, dodging, weaving, and countering all their advances.
Whether they were using sound-based techniques or martial arts, the battle raged on without a single one of them being able to touch her.
They were all taken aback by her tenacity, who's gentle appearance belied her status as a ninja.
"I promised I'd protect everyone," she announced, "and I intend to keep that promise!"
The Sound ninjas, realizing that they were outmatched, retreated, their tails between their legs. They had underestimated her, and they paid the price.
Jada turned to Moegi, who was still trembling but in great admiration at what she had witnessed. Jada picked up the girl and decided to carry her to safety.
The village was in ruins, but she knew that it could be rebuilt. With the help of the villagers, they could overcome this tragedy.
'Where can I take her?' she asked herself while dashing from rooftop to rooftop. 'Oh yeah!'
Eventually, she found a hidden entrance to the academy, a secret passage known only to a few. It was a haven, a place where students could hide during times of crisis.
As she descended the stairs, she could hear the faint sound of children bickering.
Moegi clung to her, saying that she could also hear Konohamaru's voice.
When the two got toward the end, they both saw Iruka Umino guarding the entrance. He looked relieved to see them.
"Thank goodness you're safe," he said in a tone filled with relief.
"Iruka-sensei," Jada greeted, handing Moegi over. "Here. I managed to save a few before I found this place."
Iruka was impressed. From what he knew about her, it was that she had recently graduated the academy not even two months ago.
Yes, she was making a name for herself as a rising kunoichi, but to think a Genin was contributing this much during an invasion.
"You don't have to go back out there," he said. "The other teachers can handle the situation."
Jada shook her head and replied, "I can't leave them. It's my duty to protect those in need of help. That's what being a Leaf ninja is all about, right?"
Iruka looked at her with admiration and said, "You're a true kunoichi."
The other students, who had gathered in the underground shelter, looked at her with awe. Some had heard stories of her bravery, but seeing her in person was even more inspiring.
Jada smiled at them, trying to reassure and quell their fears.
"You're all safe here," she said. "Iruka and I won't let anything happen to you guys."
The students nodded, their anxiety slowly subsiding. They knew that they were in good hands.
The next day.
The village was slowly recovering from the attack. The damage was extensive, but the spirit of the citizens was unbroken.
Jada sat in the Jōnin Station filing a detailed report of her actions that took place yesterday.
Anko Mitarashi was the one who collected it. Her eyes widened as she read about Jada's heroic deeds. She had saved countless villagers and thwarted many of Orochimaru's men singlehandedly.
"You did a fantastic job," Anko said with respect. "No, without you, things would have been much worse."
As Anko continued to read the report, she added, "You even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?" Jada was ready to be ostracized until she heard, "That's incredible!"
This caused her to blush. Not many knew about the Sharingan's advancements. Anko, who had been Orochimaru's lab rat, clearly had an idea of what it was.
The reports themselves didn't detail exactly how Jada awakened it. All she knew was that her eyes were fine a moment before Arthur's departure, and then they were throbbing.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him," Jada said with regret. "He escaped."
Anko shook her head and replied, "It's not your fault. Arthur is a rogue ninja now, a traitor to the village."
Jada nodded, accepting things. She knew that he was a threat, but she also knew that he was a complex individual. He was driven by some kind of desire, but he was also capable of great compassion.
Why else would he have spent so much time with her, even helping her awaken the Sharingan in the first place?
Little had she known, these things all happened by chance.
"We'll find him," Anko assured. "And when we do, we'll bring him to justice."
Jada remained compliant. She would do whatever it took to stop him, too, and protect the village she'd grown so fond of.
As she left the Jōnin Station, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. Arthur was not just a power-hungry villain. Something else, something deeper, was driving him.
She returned to her apartment.
The others were already there, most of their faces etched with exhaustion. The invasion took its toll on them. Perhaps not physically, but definitely mentally.
"They had me write essays about what happened!" Margaret blurted out, stretching on a chair.
Jada casually found a comfortable seat on the couch as everyone greeted her. She listened in on the topic at hand.
"Let's get back on track now that Jada's here," Alex said. "We're talking about Arthur's little stunts."
"I think he's just acting," Jasper said. "The dude doesn't even know anything about Naruto."
Alice shot him a glare and said, "You shouldn't say that."
Alex, surprisingly, agreed with Jasper and added, "He's onto something. Arthur might have an ulterior motive."
Margaret was taken aback by Alex's statement. In a tone of disbelief, she asked, "What are you talking about? Alice saw him take out Sasuke. And did you hear what happened to Lee?"
There was a moment of silence. Everyone in the room knew how strong those two characters were. To fight both of them and come out victorious in a single day was an achievement.
Jada decided to break the silence and revealed, "Ugh… Guys, I unlocked my Mangekyō…"
The room slowly fell into shock. The others stared at her in amazement. Only she, out of all the players, had the potential to awaken such a powerful dōjutsu.
"You're incredible!" William praised.
"Kidding?" Margaret added. "She's more than incredible; she's gonna be the best out of all of us now!"
"What sort of jutsus did you get with it?!" Alice beckoned.
They were all excited for her. Jada laughed alongside her friends until she remembered something crucial.
"I… I think Arthur might be responsible for it," she hesitated to say.
The room fell silent once again. The idea that Arthur could be the cause of Jada's Mangekyō Sharingan was indeed a shocking revelation.
Because if he was, that meant he was Jada's designated "best friend," that or her emotional baggage to help fuel her Kekkei Genkai.
"We should go after him," Margaret said, pumping her fist. "We can't let him get away with—ya know what, screw it. Let me track 'em down!"
Jasper disagreed, saying, "I think we should just leave him alone. Maybe he'll come crawling back to his senses when he finds out he's too weak to handle the world alone."
"How can you say that?!" William shouted, standing up. "He's a criminal. We can't just let him roam free."
This sudden outburst caused the two to yell at each other. The room then became filled with tension, arguments about what to do with Arthur filling the atmosphere.
Alex finally stood up and cut through the chaos with a firm voice, saying, "Alright already. That's enough. We need to calm down and think about this rationally."
The room fell silent. Everyone looked at him for an answer.
"I think out of all of us Jada should be the one to handle this alone," he said. Everyone, including Jada, looked confused. "She's the one who saw Kiba and Akamaru dead bodies. Plus, she knows Arthur better than any of us. She's the one who has the right to go after him."
Jada looked at Alex, surprised by his suggestion. She had been prepared to face Arthur with her friends by her side, but now she was being asked to do it alone.
It was clear to everyone that, while Arthur was against the notion of repairing this world's tragedies, he was only a liability in the grand scheme of things.
Any one of them could be tasked with tracking him down and capturing him. They were all very strong, after all.
"I… I can do it," she finally answered.
"Wait!" Margaret shouted. "Let me join—"
"No!" Jada interrupted with a determined face. "I can do it without help. I won't let you guys down."
The others nodded at her boldness. They knew that she was capable of anything, especially after awakening her Mangekyō Sharingan.
To her, they were like family—her support system that she deeply cared for. They would also help her in her time of need, so she believed.