Blood Prison
Dead waves crashed into the rocky walls of a lone fortress. The tower fought with the lightning storm above it. The electrical surges unveiled the black mortar bricks holding the structure together.
A single dim light revealed the utmost floor of the Blood Prison. Peering through the window, you could see a man hunched over. The glow from his oil lamp died down, flickering occasionally. He would scribble with precision and speed. His forehead was peppered with tiny drops of sweat. After running out of ink, he dipped the quill into a bottle.
Stacks of papers and scrolls littered the room. Thunder reverberated throughout his entire being. His hands moved faster and faster. The man muttered to himself as his head quivered. Slight, inaudible sounds escaped his mouth.
His head snapped when he heard a knocking on his door. He paused. Then the knocking came again.
"Who? Who is it?"
A scruffed voice responded, "Captain Naoiki, do I have your permission to enter?"
The man swiftly slid his desk drawer out and hid the parchment paper away. "Yes, you may come in."
The door swung open without wasting a single second. A large man stepped inside. His shoulders were broad, and he wore a grey uniform. The hair follicles on his head were cut down and rough.
"Captain, how may I help you?"
The visitor turned around and shut the door behind him. He placed a paper tag on the door, and a soft blue glow captured the entrance.
"Captain, how may I help you?" The man repeated.
Naoiki's head dropped, hanging on his neck. He lifted it back up. This time, he had a red glow around the pupils of his eyes.
"Warden, you haven't upheld your end of the bargain." Captain Naoiki's voice deepened. The Warden sprang out of his seat.
"Who are you?"
The Captain tilted his head, "It doesn't matter who I am; what matters is that there is a certain prisoner still held in custody, who you should have released by now."
"I can't. Every single village has it out for him. If he escapes, I'll be the first to receive the hammer."
"We had an agreement," Naoiki said; his eyes spun, and three dark marks appeared as the red enveloped his pupils. The Warden gasped as he backed away.
The red-eyed Captain unsheathed a short sword. He marched forward, inching closer to the Warden.
"Please, don't do this, I'll give it back; we can act like this never happened," he pleaded.
No response came his way; the Captain backed him into a corner. The air dispersed as an instant strike impaled the Warden. His abdominal skin gashed open as his intestines split. The end of the blade exited out of his back.
"Ahh-" His scream was cut short by Naoiki's hand crushing his windpipe.
The Captain shushed him, "It's fine; let's get him out of here, one way or another."
Sirens blared, alerting every single prison guard. They rushed through the halls to their stations. Prisoners grew wary, shifting inside their cells. Waves of guards ran through the halls, their boots thumping on the stone floors.
"Over here," one of the guards called out.
They rushed toward the shouts. All of them stopped dead in their tracks. Their eyes shook, a sight no one wanted to see but couldn't look away.
The sealing room. One guard hung from the ceiling by his guts, and another sealing specialist was skewed to a wall by a sword. The lucky few were still slightly recognizable. They stood still, watching as the siren continued to blast.
"We need to send a message to the mainland," a prison guard said.
"What do we say?"
"Tell them to prepare for a catastrophe." A giant explosion vibrated from underneath their feet.
A red-haired man with long locks sat on the cold stone floor. His hair nearly covered his whole face, and his arms and legs were paper-thin. The skin on his torso showed a detailed outline of his rib cage. The man's body was engrained with lines of symbols and calligraphy.
The seals on his body started to glow a dark crimson red. Small grunts came out of him, and the markings seized him. They shrunk slowly. Finally, not a single one left.
His shallow breaths became deep and drawn out. The red-haired prisoner lifted himself, but his body tried resisting. A distant explosion shook his cell. He stumbled and leaned against a wall. The prisoner pushed himself further and reached the thick metal door. He placed his thin hand on the frigid metal surface.
The man whispered, "Sealing Art: Nine Singularity."
The door creaked and moaned as the edges collapsed and condensed into a metallic ball. He limped out of the cell.
Violent vibrations nearly prevented his escape. Each step made his legs feel like they were walking through a swamp. Light was scarce in the solitary confinement section, so most information came from feeling his hands ahead of him.
His eyes winced as soon as light radiated from the end of the hall. It took some time, but he finally made it.
Unfortunately, dozens of prison guards stared at his arrival, exchanging weary glances. The guards and the prisoner had a momentary standoff until the red-haired man collapsed onto his knees and hands.
The prison guards sighed in relief, "Looks like solitary confinement took a toll on him."
One of the guards watched the prisoner closely. He noticed the red-haired man moving his hand. "Oh shi—" The guard was cut off.
"Sealing Art: Silent Puddle," the prisoner slammed his hand on the ground. A massive sealing circle of symbols permeated through the floors. All of the guards attempted to flee, running in at every exit. The nearest guards felt shorter and shorter. They sunk into the floor as their bodies melted into red puddles.
The furthest guard witnessed his colleagues liquify until he looked down and saw his legs shorten into a red liquid. He tried to let out a wretched scream, but his vocal cords had already melted as his vision turned red.
Captain Naoiki's body was positioned upright against a wall. His uniform was intact, and there was no scratch on his body. However, his soul no longer remained in his vessel, possibly due to the missing chunk of his skull and brain in the shape of a bite.
Two figures hovered over the corpse of the former Captain. One had an orange-swirled mask and a cloak with red clouds, and the other one had blue-grey coloration with gill-like slits on his cheekbones. The shark man chewed with his triangular teeth crunching while blood leaked out the corners of his mouth.
The mask held a hole at the center of the swirls, which glowed a deep red with three tomoe.
"Sharingan?" The shark man smirked, "Who might you be?"
"You may know my identity after joining the Akatsuki, Hoshigaki Kisame," the masked man said.
"Secretive, huh? At least tell me you have Samehada," Kisame said.
The masked man nodded, "Let us take our leave."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Kisame crossed his arms. Space distorted and swirled around the two men. Their bodies spiraled away.
"Wait!" Kisame tried to halt the masked man. "Did you feel that?" He smiled like a lunatic, eyes wide open.
The masked man said, "I'm not here for anyone else; we're moving on."
"That's just too bad," the shark man chuckled.
Konohagakure
Sunlight filled the bustling markets of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Stalls and shops lined the streets. A flower store offered a slight hint of minty scents but was overshadowed by the roasting meats from the food stalls nearby.
A blonde kid flew across the air and rolled as his body hit the dusty ground. He felt stinging burns on his arms and legs.
"Stay out!" An older man in an apron and a chef's hat shouted.
The villagers' side conversations died down. Their gazes shifted toward the young boy lying on the streets. "Hey you, geezer, what do you think you're doing-" He stopped when he saw the boy rising to his feet.
This child's unique traits include whisker marks, blue eyes, and fun yellow hair. The man about to intervene spit on the ground and scoffed, "Never mind."
"It's that brat."
"Why is he around regular people? I don't understand."
The crowd whispered and gossiped amongst themselves. "Why? Why can't I eat here? Why do I get singled out when I have money, just like everyone else?" The boy didn't garner any sympathy.
"You were banned from this establishment; now leave and never return," the chef shouted.
"I've never been here before; how am I even banned?"
"You were banned the day you spawned in this world," the owner slammed the entrance shut.
The blonde boy shook, his knuckles nearly popping from the squeeze of his fists. He pushed through the waves of villagers, and his legs carried him away. His teary eyes sought for a path of escape.
"Damn them!" His muscles tightened and stretched. He ran until he couldn't drive further; his lungs felt submerged in ice-cold water. Sweat glazed his skin. The sun slowly hid behind the horizon—his back against the chilly grass.
"I hate them!" His voice traveled throughout the forest.
"Don't pass your judgment so soon, Naruto-kun."
The blue-eyed boy jumped up onto his feet, rapidly scanning his surroundings. "Who's out there? Show yourself!" His knees nearly buckled under the pressure of the stranger.
Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder; he twisted around like a fish on a hook. The boy fell backward, inching backward from the newcomer. He couldn't see him entirely as the sun disappeared from the sky.
"What do you want?" Naruto begged. He talked with the dark figure.
"It's not about what I want; it's about what I need, specifically from you, Naruto-kun." His voice sounded raspy and commanding.
"An-and what would that be?" Naruto stuttered over his words.
The dark figure said, "You're a special boy, and though this village may treat you unkindly, they are your responsibility."
"My responsibility?"
"You must herd them. You must demand respect."
Naruto said, "How do I do that?"
"Power, my boy," the stranger whispered to him. Naruto saw a stream of flames light up all around him. The man blew a steady stream of fire, and the flames splashed against the ground surrounding the two.
The stranger was an older gentleman. Linen wrapped around his head and right eye. He stood with a cane in his hand and a dark robe situated on his body.
Naruto's eyes lit up, "Wow, what was that?"
"That was power; accumulate as much of it as you can, and no one will be able to harm you again. Understood?" The elderly man said. The boy nodded, his eyes still set on the blaze around him. "Ask that old crook to put you in the ninja academy."
"But..." Naruto sounded dejected.
"Yes?" The stranger said.
"Can't you teach me?" The blonde kid asked.
"Now is not the right time; we will cross paths again, hopefully under the right circumstances," the elder said.
Before Naruto could ask anything else, he felt his head lightened and his body loosened. The world got darker as the man in front of him became blurry.
Amegakure
"Eat up; I see that you're still hungry," a brown-haired woman placed her hand on a young boy.
"But mom, what are you going to eat?" the boy said. His features resembled his mother's, but his eyes were grey and hazy.
"Don't worry, I'll be eating with you," she chirped.
"You promise?" His voice wavered.
"Yes, now eat." She stared at her son, who finished the last few bites of a fish. "Alright, let's head off to bed."
She held his hand, guiding him through the small living quarters. A small mat awaited the boy. He lay down as she covered him with a thin blanket.
"Goodnight, Shingen." His mother kissed him on the forehead, and he grabbed her wrist before she left.
"Can you tell me stories about my dad?" Shingen said.
The woman felt her heart shiver and tug. She tried to speak but only bit her lip. Her breathing became short and unsteady.
"Mom? Is everything alright?"
She said, "I'm sorry, but now is not the right time." His mother walked out of the room, and he heard quiet sobs across their apartment.
"When is it ever going to be the right time?" Shingen whispered. Suddenly, he heard an aggressive knock. His mother's chair scraped against the floor as she stood up, and the apartment door's hinges squeaked.
"Kaito, what are you doing here?" Shingen's mother asked.
A large man towered over her, his cheek scarred. He looked around the apartment, his eyes capturing everything. "You know why I'm here." His neutral facial expression turned into a menacing grin. The smell of alcohol reeked from his mouth.
She backed off and swiftly slammed the door in his face. "Please leave. I told you I wasn't ready." She turned all the locks.
The man drove his fist through the door and felt around with his fingers. He unlocked the door and busted through. "And when are you going to be ready? Your husband died years ago; it's time for you to move on." He licked his lips.
Shingen's mother crept away from Kaito without turning her back to him, "I still love him," she cried.
"Lord Pain brought peace and stability into your life, but you still love a traitor." He raised his voice as he smashed the dining table. "There is no hope for you; I'll just take what I want." Kaito stomped toward the frightened woman.
He grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the wall. Kaito brought his face close to her ear, "I've wanted this for a long time."
"Mom? What's going on here?" Shingen was under the doorway to his room. The boy's tiny body trembled.
Kaito turned to look at her son, "Is that his-?"
"No, Shingen, go back to your room." The woman's voice broke. The boy stared at a wall, and the intruder took a kunai from his pouch. He sent it flying in Shingen's direction. It splintered and stuck inside the wooden frame.
Shingen didn't flinch at all. Kaito looked back at the woman, "He's blind?" She didn't make eye contact with him. Instead, her focus was on the boy. The man let his head hang, "Damn it!" He threw her on the ground. His nostrils flared up. Kaito paced around the room relentlessly.
"Fine." Kaito marched toward Shingen and picked him up.
"Leave him be; you can have me. Just don't do anything to him."
Kaito said, "No, he is between us. We can start anew and leave everything behind. I have a way of getting us out of this forsaken village. But first, the boy must die."
"No!" She screamed, but the man disappeared from the room with her child.
Kaito dangled the blind kid off a roof. "Why do you have to exist?" he screamed as the rain washed over them. His arm shook, but the boy was lighter than anything he had held before.
Shingen's face softened, "Are you going to get rid of me?"
The man's expression darkened. Shingen continued, "I'll be grateful; my mom can eat as much as she wants and doesn't have to take care of me anymore."
Shingen hung above a long drop to the streets of the Hidden Rain Village. However, the standstill was interrupted by an orange-haired man with glowing dark purple eyes and metal rods piercing his skin and limbs.
The mysterious man floated up from beneath the skyscraper. He hovered above Kaito and Shingen.
Kaito immediately pulled Shingen to his side, carrying him with one arm. "Lord Pain."
"What is the meaning of this?" His mouth hid behind the high collar of his coat.
"I was teaching this brat a lesson," Kaito said, "Maintaining the stability of the village." He smiled at his leader.
"What crime has this child committed?" Pain questioned him.
Kaito swallowed any ounce of confidence in one gulp. "He planned to rebel against you, my lord."
Pain raised his hand with the blue ring and squeezed. The drunk man collapsed to his knee as he dropped Shingen. He clutched at his ribcage, "My lord, please stop!" He called out. His lungs and heart nearly imploded as the ribs around them tightened.
"No court of law is outside my hands." The leader of the Hidden Rain Village announced.
Kaito struggled to get a good gasp of air. He bit his thumb and formed a succession of seals with his hands.
"Summoning Jutsu: Phantom Eel!"
The building shook as a transparent white eel swam through the floors and peeked its head out of the roof. Kaito's summon flung its tail and wrapped around Pain. A small electrical surge began at the eel's head, and as it traveled to its tail, it grew in voltage and lethality.
Pain received the full blast head-on, his body spasmed midair. The tail burst open, and the orange-haired man raised his index and middle fingers. Kaito's arms snapped backward at his shoulder joints, and Pain tied them into a knot.
Kaito slammed his forehead on the rooftop and let out a desperate cry. The eel shrunk and wrapped around its summoner. It puts its head near his mouth, and the man whispers a message to his summon.
The phantom eel grew to its former size and opened its mouth., but the floating man extended a flat palm at the duo. Kaito jumped in front of Shingen, his body torn off from his head as the eel swallowed Shingen.
Both the eel and Shingen exploded into a puff of smoke.
Pain floated above the corpse of Kaito, only the body remaining. A blue-haired woman with a red cloud cloak descended with paper-like wings attached to her back.
"You killed him over a kid?" She asked nonchalantly.
The orange-haired man remained silent. He landed on the rooftop, "I had a feeling he was a traitor, but the evidence presented itself today."
"And what about the kid?" She said.
"A blind child is of no concern to me." Pain stated.
Phantom Sea
The transparent eel regurgitated the contents of its stomach. Shingen rolled around on a grey sandy beach. When he landed on his back, a cool breeze swept over him. Shingen felt around with his hands in the unfamiliar environment. His right hand landed a face, "Sir, is that you?" He felt around a nose and mouth and ran his hands through the hair.
"Sir, wake up, please; where are we?" Then, he felt a warm liquid and a fleshy touch. Shingen's heart slid down his chest, but he had to confirm. The boy lifted the head by its hair and dropped it immediately after it came off the ground. He scooted away as fast as he could. His hand trembled, and tears built up in his dull eyes. Shingen lifted his knees and sank his face into them as he wrapped his arms over himself.
The boy quietly sobbed as he rocked back and forth.