-2 months later
Blake was in a routine. He would wake up, eat some breakfast and then go train with either Nagato or Konan. After training, Nightmare would sometimes go on a mission with the Akatsuki, usually coming back in a dishevelled state. However, Blake couldn't say anything, since most of the Akatsuki were usually injured as well.
Nevertheless, Yahiko was clearly using Blake's summon as a meat shield, since Nightmare would be able to heal most of his injuries anyway. Due to that, Blake had a bit of falling out with Yahiko, but he had grown closer to both Konan and Nagato.
Under their guidance, he had learned a lot. He had learned how to control the chakra within him and direct it to his body part, finally learning how to walk on walls and water. Then, he had learned how to throw shuriken and use kunai's, but he realized those weapons were not his forte, neither did he liked using them.
Taijutsu was also part of the training, and Blake had sparred multiple times against almost everyone within the Akatsuki and Nightmare. He had hated combat with hands, though he realized it was essential for surviving in this freaking world.
He had learned a substitution technique and a cloning jutsu, which Blake thought was really useful yet difficult to both implement and use. His chakra reserves would get either drained and the jutsu often failed. It was the hardest thing to learn so far. Konan had said that Blake was pretty talented, and Blake had been happy to hear so. In his opinion, Blake's knowledge of physics, chemistry and basic anatomy had guided him in chakra control, but actual control over this energy was still difficult for him.
"When people imagine shinobi, the first thing that pops into their mind is something like breathing fire or creating a water dragon. In reality though, it is extremely hard to learn those techniques, and only the most talented know how to do those. Learning any ninjutsu, which is going to be the next step in your training, is already a feat deserving of respect." Konan taught in her stoic voice, switching her gaze from Nightmare to Blake. "The first step in learning ninjutsu is understanding your affinity. There are five affinities in total. Fire, Lightning, Wind, Water, Earth. Each of them are strong in their own retrospect, yet have their own weaknesses."
Konan took out two papers from her pocket.
"In order to test your affinity, you simply have to infuse some of your chakra into this paper and see what happens to it." Konan gave Blake and Nightmare their respective paper, nodding at them. "Everyone has an affinity, so there is not need to stress. The affinity is closely related to your personality. Some people, of course, have more than one affinity, but it usually comes from their bloodlines or clans."
Blake nodded, glancing at Nightmare, smiling slightly. "I dare you to go first."
Nightmare took it as a challenge. He had managed to finally feel the chakra, but he was still struggling with pushing and controlling it. It took him a few moments to channel some chakra into the paper, when it suddenly turned murky and slowly fell apart. Nightmare huffed some smoke out of his nostrils, looking at Konan expectantly.
"Earth, not bad. I would say it reflects your stoic personality." Konan smiled and winked at Nightmare. "Usually, earth implies a desire to protect to someone."
Nightmare seemed to stand straighter when she said that. Blake giggled slightly, pushing some chakra into the paper. For some reason, it felt cold. Blake's eyes widened, as did Konan's. The paper in Blake's hand was frozen solid. "Mhhh…Konan? Is that ice?"
"It is." Konan gulped as she stared at the paper, putting a hand on her temples. "How is that possible? You said you are from some ancient clan, right? Did they know how to control ice?"
Blake shrugged as he continued staring at the frozen paper. "Not to my knowledge. They never really practised any ninjutsu. Maybe they had the blood, but never tried?"
"That…would make sense, but still, that's ridiculous. What kind of clan did you come from?" Konan stared at Blake, some awe hidden deeply within her eyes. "Not only some strange summoning technique, but also an ice Kekkei Genkai?"
"Yeah, my clan was…fascinating for sure." Blake gulped slightly, his brows sweating. His confusion was replaced by excitement. He could control ice. Freaking ice. That was crazy. His theory was that the people on Earth actually had their own affinities, and perhaps, Blake's parents had an ice affinity, which was passed down to him. Anyway, the good part was that he had a freaking Kekkei Genkai!
"So, what does that mean for me?" Blake asked the still clearly shook Konan. Nightmare simply stood by the side, barely understanding anything, but knowing that his master had done something cool, so he was both happy and prideful.
"Kekkei Genkai's…are naturally much stronger than normal affinities. I don't know much about ice, but I know that shinobi with Kekkei Genkai's can naturally mix multiple affinities and create powerful ninjutsu." Konan explain, seemingly in a stupor. "I really didn't expect to see a Kekkei Genkai today, and I don't know how to proceed with your training now, Blake."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, no one in Akatsuki knows anything about Ice ninjutsu. You will have to create your own techniques, or try to find someone who can guide you. Of course, even though you have this affinity, you can still learn ninjutsu of other affinities, but they will have much less firepower and will take significantly longer for you to learn."
"Oh…" Blake suddenly had a headache. So he had to freestyle from now on?
"As for Nightmare, I can continue to guide him, but, for you, I believe just gaining inspiration from other techniques and trying to do something similar would work the best for you. Creativity is essential. My technique, for instance, came from the fact that I loved origami…"
Konan blushed slightly at the last sentence, which was so uncharacteristic of her that Blake blinked a few times. "I guess…I will try my best." Blake smiled. This was a bummer, but Blake was happy nevertheless.
"Okay, this was definitely interesting, but it is time for the mission." Konan turned to Nightmare, and the creature nodded.
"Hey, Konan." Blake stepped in front of her as she was about to leave, making eye contact with her. "Can I finally participate in a mission? I have been training for two months already, and, so far, I have not been to a single one."
"Blake, you know that Yahiko is strongly against that. Having Nightmare as our front has saved a lot of lives, and Yahiko doesn't want to put your life on jeopardy when you aren't really needed. If you die, we also lose Nightmare, you know that."
"So, you are just going to keep me holed up here until Nightmare dies because of your reckless tactics?"
Konan averted her gaze. "Yahi-"
"Is bad at strategy." Blake stated, his voice irritated. "Come on, I have heard the reports. Usually, Yahiko just sends Nigthmare to act as a meat shield, whilst the rest of the Akatsuki bombard the enemies from behind."
"But it works!" Konan almost shouted, also growing slightly emotional.
"Of course it works, because Nightmare is basically immortal as long as I can heal him, but what happens when the situation goes astray and Nightmare actually dies? Not only would I lose my summon because of Yahiko's recklessness, but you would lose a powerful asset."
Konan gritted her teeth. "Okay, you might be right, but what do you suggest? We talked about this, Blake. You think sending you will help solve this issue? Respectfully, but you are not even capable of conjuring one ninjutsu, what can you do? Yahiko is trying his best, and that's the plan that currently works."
"Currently." Blake almost shouted the word, glancing at Nightmare. "Listen, Konan, I am not strong. I know that, but…" Blake pointed at his brain. "I understand strategy. Yahiko is underutilizing his shinobi and abusing Nightmare. It's a simple tactic, but it is stale. Soon, you will face someone who is prepared, and you know it. Talk to Yahiko, let me join you at least once."
Konan sighed, listening to Blake's arguments. In the end, she nodded and urged Nightmare to come with her, who nodded at Blake before leaving. Blake followed their backs with his eyes. It wasn't arrogance, Blake simply analysed everyone's abilities and the situations that they were put and he came to an understanding that Yahiko's plans were usually too simple, too head on.
Blake had at least three more plans that would work better in every situation that Akatsuki had faced so far. He was confident in them as well. Sighing, Blake saw the door close as his summon and Konan left. Calmly, he sat down on the ground, calming his nerves.
Ice.
Blake sat cross-legged on the cold floor, staring at his hands. His affinity for ice felt like a gift and a burden. A Kekkei Genkai was rare and powerful, but without guidance, it felt like being handed a sword with no knowledge of how to wield it. He closed his eyes, reaching deep within himself to feel the flow of chakra. The sensation was cold, sharp, and oddly serene, much like ice itself.
Blake thought about ice. It wasn't just frozen water. Ice was a phenomenon of transition, a state between fluidity and rigidity. It could be delicate, like frost on a window, or devastating, like a glacier carving through stone. Ice didn't yield; it adapted and reshaped its environment to survive.
His mind raced. What could he create with ice? It wasn't about copying someone else's techniques—it was about innovation. If Konan could create devastating techniques from something as delicate as origami, then surely he could craft something from ice.
Blake's Earth knowledge came rushing back. Ice was more than just a weapon; it was a tool. Could he freeze moisture in the air to create barriers? Could he craft sharp projectiles or even trap enemies in solid ice?
The possibilities were endless.
Blake pushed himself off the floor and walked to the training ground behind the Akatsuki base. It was quiet now, a perfect place to experiment. He stood in the middle of the open field and focused.
"Okay, Blake, start small," he whispered to himself. He extended his hand, concentrating on the chakra flowing through him. He imagined the cold, the frost, and the solid, unyielding nature of ice. Slowly, moisture in the air began to crystallize in his palm. A tiny shard of ice formed, shimmering in the fading sunlight.
Blake stared at it, awe and pride swelling in his chest. "Not bad for a first try."
Over the next few hours, Blake experimented with ice. It was unyielding and required a lot of chakra to control, but Blake had a vision of what he wanted to with it. Blake kept trying, his head hurting as time passed. However, in the end, Blake managed to create an ice dagger. It was crude and probably not that tough, but it was a beginning.
All he needed was a vision.
If he could create a dagger, then maybe he could create other weapons from his world.
A gun, for instance. It would certainly not be the easiest of feats, he understood that from the few hours that he experimented, yet it was a possibility. He would have to figure out how all of that stuff with gunpowder would work, but that was a task for later.
As the evening deepened into night, Blake grew slightly anxious. The Akatsuki had still not come back, and Blake waited at the entrance into the base nervously. Blake stood up at once at the sight of them.
Nightmare limped into the room, his massive frame covered in cuts and burns—Blake's stomach churned—his left arm was completely gone. The Akatsuki followed behind, their expressions grim.
Konan's face was pale as she stood next to Yahiko, whose robes were stained with blood, though his injuries appeared minor compared to Nightmare's. Nagato walked silently, his Rinnegan scanning the room with an unreadable expression. The others seemed largely unharmed, exchanging brief glances with each other.
Blake ran to Nightmare, his heart pounding. "What the hell happened?"
Nightmare rumbled weakly, collapsing onto his side. Blake knelt by him.
"He's stable for now," Konan said softly, kneeling beside him. "We stopped the bleeding."
Blake ignored her, his voice rising. "Stable? He's missing a freaking arm, Konan!" His hands trembled as he pressed them against Nightmare's wounds. He hoped that he could regrow a limb once Nightmare was unsummoned.
Yahiko stepped forward, his expression hard. "Blake, I am sorry. Nightmare did his job. He protected the team."
Blake's head snapped up, his eyes blazing. "His job? Protecting the team? He's not a damn shield! You sent him into a death trap again, didn't you?!"
Yahiko's jaw tightened. "I sent him where he was needed. Everyone came back alive, didn't they? That's all that matters."
"You're reckless, Yahiko!" Blake shouted, standing to face him. "You treat Nightmare like he's expendable, like he's not a living, breathing being. And you refuse to let me come with you because I might 'jeopardize the mission'? Are you serious?"
Yahiko's eyes narrowed. "You think you understand the weight of these decisions? It isn't a game. We make sacrifices to achieve our goals, and Nightmare is part of those sacrifices. I like Nightmare, but he is extremely tough and you can heal him from most of the injuries."
Blake's fists clenched, his anger bubbling over. "Sacrifices? How noble of you to say, standing there without a scratch. What happens when your sacrifices stop being enough, huh? He is missing a limb, Yahiko."
The room fell into tense silence. Konan shifted from left foot to right awkwardly, whilst Nagato remained quiet, watching the exchange with a grim expression.
Yahiko stepped closer, his voice low and cold. "You don't get to question my leadership. I do what's necessary. If you think you can do better, prove it. But until then, keep your mouth shut."
Blake's chest heaved, his anger barely contained. "Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "I will prove it. Just don't come to me when your recklessness gets someone killed."
Yahiko turned away, signaling for Konan to follow. The rest of the Akatsuki dispersed, leaving Blake alone with Nightmare.
Blake sat beside Nightmare, his anger slowly disappearing. The creature's eyes blinked slowly, glowing faintly in the dim light. Blake rested a hand on his head. "I am sorry, Nightmare."
Nightmare let out a soft rumble, pushing away Blake's hand and flexing his bicep.
Blake smiled slightly. "I know you can handle this, but this is still ridiculous."
Despite the resolve in Nightmare's eyes, Blake knew that his summon wasn't happy with the situation either. He wanted to fight, but usually, he would just be sent first to get blasted from all directions, so that others get an opportunity to make a sneak attack.
Blake took a deep breath, his resolve hardening.
"From now on, I will be attending every mission with you."