43 2/4

For years we experimented with our new gift, until one day, a bright young researcher of the clan invented what would become our strongest technique. Both to help heal the mentally scared, as well as to crush our enemies.

Decades of using this technique allowed us to dive straight into the very core of a person and pull their very soul from the depths of despair. Men and women whose next action would be to take their own lives to end their pain were leaving our compound happier than they had been in years. Our work was called the work of the divine. We were heralded as miracle workers across the world!

Alas, with techniques that people don't understand comes fear. With fear, comes war. We were attacked by a powerful clan that would later become what is known as the Uchiha. They claimed their eyes would protect them from our illusions and mind tricks. They attacked, sending in 100 of their strongest warriors.

We have and will always be a clan that prefers peace above all else. However, as our notoriety grew, we feared a day like today would come. So we trained our warriors just in case. They came through. That day 100 men and women attacked our clan. That day, 100 men and women didn't return home to their families. We didn't kill a single man or woman. However, their drooling husks were enough to turn the public's view against us. In a single day we went from being heralded as angels, to demons. We were driven out of our home once more, and we migrated further east.

We found lands in rolling hills of endless grass and plains. We settled there, isolating ourselves from the world. People still journeyed to us to ease their suffering, but eventually people forgot what our techniques were originally invented for. Years and years of fending off attacks had turned our peace loving clan into a clan prepared for war at a moment's notice. Our enemies respected our strength, and for over a decade we had real peace. All until the night that would break our clan and scattered them to lands unknown.

That fateful night, our strongest warriors stayed behind to cover the retreating forms of our families. Before he died, our clan leader performed a final technique. He sealed the knowledge of our ancestors away where no one could find it. Only someone with the bloodline of our people could ever access. Our knowledge was never lost as we believed for 1000 years. It was simply unable to be accessed, for the clan leader never told anyone the way to unlock the memories sealed away and passed down.

Need. Pure, desperate need in a time of emotional turmoil and crisis. It seems so simple, but none to this day has ever desired our lost arts so badly that the soul seal would unlock and grant them the knowledge.

For our clan was never feared for our ability to gain access to an opponent's mind. No, it was fear that we could gain access to their very souls.

For our clan's greatest treasure to humanity soon became its greatest nightmare.

***************************Kenta Better Be Praying Erry Sunday Now!***********************

I blinked away the ache in my eyes. The knowledge of our history completely assimilating with my current memories. I wanted to laugh. My ancestor was a genius! Hiding knowledge inside the minds of a clan that specializes in mind techniques? The irony and genius was something to celebrate. However, I could celebrate later. For now, I had an immortal to destroy.

Hidan's eyes snapped open, bloodshot and furious orbs glared absolute loathing hatred towards me.

"OI! YOU GOD DAMN SINNING ASSHOLE! DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD THAT SHIT HURT?!" He screamed in rage. "I TOLD YOU! LORD JASHIN REWARDS THE FAITHFUL! AS LONG AS I HAVE HIS FAVOR, I WILL NEVER DIE! MY SOUL IS TETHERED TO THIS EARTH! ALL I NEED IS A SINGLE CELL TO SURVIVE AND I WILL BE REBORN AGAIN AND AGAIN! YOU FAILED! DADDY IS STILL DEAD, AND I'M ALIVE!"

A deadly calm had settled over me. I would mourn my father soon. I would take comfort in my family as we mourn together. For now though? I was fulfilling the second promise to my father. The promise to regain the glory our clan once held and make the world tremble at hearing our name. I began to speed through ancient handseals. The handseals of today are the basics of Ninjutsu. The signs I was using, the signs the knowledge granted me, were from the ancient philosophy of Ninshu. This technique was originally designed to heal the souls of the suffering. Today, I would use this technique to destroy a soul. He said his soul was tethered to this plane of existence? Let's remove it. I landed on the final seal, taking aim at my opponent. The irony that our staple technique of today used the ancient hand seals of Ninshu wasn't lost on me. 'Mind-Body Transfer.'

"NO! Kenta, you can't! If that misses, he will kill you!" Ino screamed out.

"Yamanaka Lost Art: Soul Transference," I said in my eerily calm voice.

No splitting of chakra, no chakra even required for this technique. My pure, untainted soul launched forward. It hit my opponent once more dead in the chest. My world went white.

***************************** Too OP? Meh. Gotta Kill An Immortal!*************************

I opened my eyes to a dreadful sight. The sky was the color of fresh blood. Dark storm clouds loomed ominously. A towering black cathedral ascended towards the heavens directly in front of me. The tall spires piercing the clouds at their highest peak. Grotesque statues loomed along the façade. I turned my attention to the heavy stone doors before me.

I walked forward, and pushed on one of the doors. It effortlessly and silently swung forward. I peered inside. Pews lined either side of the nave. Each was hand carved in intricate detail. The images they depicted were those of people in pain and suffering. Kneeling in prayer at the bema was my target. My prey.

"Nice place you got here. Could really use a woman's touch though, dontcha think" I called out mockingly.

Hidan's head whipped around, pure hatred etched his face. "What are you doing here? How did you get in here?" He hissed.

I shrugged. "That's for me to know, and you to never wrap that teeny tiny brain around."

He jumped to his feet. His look of hatred morphing quickly to a visage of pure elation. "Well. I've never sacrificed someone in the sacred halls of Lord Jashin. Thank you for offering to be my first. I promise, I won't go easy on you."

I began to walk forward, uncaring of where I was. This may be Hidan's mindscape, but what he didn't know is that I was master here. He was simply my plaything.

He let out a cackle of insane glee and charged forward, scythe appearing in his hand. He was on me quicker than what should have been possible, red blades glinting off the dull candlelight.

It passed right through me.

I sneered, feeling a sick pleasure at his look of absolute shock.

"I think you were trying to do this." I said, as I launched my arm forward. My fingers extended in a 'knife' hand piercing easily through his weak shell of protection. It seems that his only defense to mental attacks was his pure belief in his deity. In here, that didn't mean anything. My hand gripped his heart, and I applied pressure ever so slightly. He let out a moan of pain, sweat creating a thin coat across his forehead.

"What… Are you doing to me?" He growled through clenched teeth.

"If I can't destroy your body, I'll simply destroy your soul. Your body may be immortal, but even you admitted to it. Your soul is anchored to our world by whatever demon you worship. If I take that out of the equation, you're as good as dead." I said with no small amount of vindictive pleasure.

His eyes widened, true fear marred his face. "No! Not that! Anything but that! Don't! I can- ACK!"

"Disappear." My emotionless voice interrupted. My hand crushing the sphere of spiritual energy as easily as snapping a bone-dry twig . Hidan's eyes went dead, the light of the living vanishing forever.

I closed my eyes, and within a single second I was back into my body.

******************************No toying this time around!********************************

I opened my eyes and found my prey. I smiled in grim satisfaction. Hidan had fallen to the ground. His eyes were open and staring blankly into space. His chest rose and fell with regularity. A trail of drool escaped his lips and puddled on the ground beneath him. I turned to Kakuzu.

"Immortal doesn't mean unbeatable. Take your partner with you if you want. He's nothing but a vegetable now." I said haughtily.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Watch your tone, brat. I could erase you from existence. I went toe-to-toe with Hashirama Senju and survived. Don't think some wet behind the ears child scares me."

I snorted derisively. "That's not something I would brag about. If you lived after you fought Lord First, it's because he let you. It was said he was just as naïve and forgiving as he was strong. If you had said you survived against Lord Tobirama or Madara Uchiha, then I would be worried."

Kakuzu moved, his speed wasn't a joke. Too bad I was faster. I flickered right into his blind spot, lightning coated kunai aiming directly for a vital. It sunk hilt deep into his right kidney. He grunted in pain and disengaged. He yanked the foreign object out of his sit and tossed it away. I frowned at the complete absence of blood.

"You have passed my test. You intrigue me. One day I will return and claim that quickly growing bounty on your head, little boy." His gravelly bass bluffed. His chakra screamed extreme unease. I narrowed in on Kakuzu, determined to get a good read on him before he fled.

'Five separate chakra sources? What is he?' I pondered to myself. Before I could delve any further, Kakuzu had flickered to Hidan's position. He grabbed him effortless and tucked him under one arm before disappearing in a burst of speed. Within seconds he was out of my range.

I let out a sigh of relief, too drained to get into a death match at this point. I trudged over to my father's body and collapsed next to it. I don't know how long I sat there, staring off into nothingness. Eventually Ino and Ami coaxed me to my feet. Ino did the honors of sealing father's body into the appropriate scroll for a shinobi killed in action. She handed it to me. I took the scroll with shaking hands and held it close to my chest. The sorrow, loss, and heartache overwhelmed me once more. The tears fell just as hot and furious as they did earlier.

********************************Big Feels For Kenta ***********************************

One Week Later

Lord Fifth had begun the ceremony. He launched into a speech about dad. Listing his achievements, his accolades, and his prestige. His entire life story. On and on the speech went, until it finally ended. I sat there, numb and unblinking, holding Kono's hand the entire time as she silently cried next to me. A new speaker took the stage and began to rattle of old stories. Person after person, story after story, each passing second, the slowly simmering rage in my belly got hotter.

How dare they talk about my dad like this?! Like he was already some distant memory. That his entire life could be summarized by these fake words and pathetic faux sympathy! I grit my teeth, doing my best to control the raging storm deep within me. Finally, my name was called.

I gave Kono's had a reassuring squeeze and a quick kiss to the top of her head. I made my way to the podium.

I looked out across the see of black, hundreds of faces stared back at me. Some tear-filled, others blank masks of apathy. They all disgusted me. I found a familiar mop of blonde hair. Naruto was staring back at me. Sorrow, grief, and pain rolled off the boy in waves. I sent him a small smile, but he simply nodded back in return.

I made eye contact with Lord Third. Pity.

Ami. Pity.

Genma. Pity.

Ino. Pity.

Uncle. Pity.

Pity. Pity. Pity. Pity. Pity! PITY! Pity PITYPITYPITYPITYPITYPITYPITYPITY!

Shocked gasps and whimpers escaped the audience. All eyes immediately zeroed in on Naruto. Not noticing anything strange, their eyes slowly made their way towards me. Those either brave or foolish enough made eye contact with me. That was a mistake, they flinched, one and all, and quickly averted their gaze.

Waves of pure malice, hatred, and bloodlust crashed down on every single person in attendance. The last time the general public had felt such malice was 16 years ago when the Kyubi escaped. That furball was absolutely nothing compared to the hatred I felt at this moment.

"You're all pathetic! How dare you look on me with your PITY filled gazes? My father was a HERO! He died protecting his comrades! I don't want your filthy, fake pity! I don't want your sympathy. I don't want any of your shitty, fake emotions! I had a speech prepared, celebrating who Inoko Yamanka was as a father. Not a shinobi, or a comrade, or an old friend. How Kono and I saw him every day. Now? I want to rip all those pathetic looks off your faces. None of you deserve to know who my father truly was. None of you deserve to even be here! Half of you never said more than a few sentences to him in his entire life! You're all posers. You're here to make yourselves look good, because deep down you know my father was the epitome of the perfect Konoha Shinobi."

"He was loyal, brave, and hardworking. He cared for his troops, in both their professional career and personal lives. He was honorable. He was kind. He was perfect. For you all to sit here and feel anything other than overwhelming PRIDE for even knowing who he was is an absolute disgrace! I won't stand for it! I will personally gut the next person that so much even LOOKS at me with any emotion even CLOSE to pity!" I roared the last three sentences. My chest was heaving, my ears felt hot. The simmering rage was an absolute inferno now. My eyes swept the crowd. Fear. That was the new emotion. The inferno became absolute hellfire. The hatred and malice were overwhelming the crowd now. I was prepared to leap over the podium and kill every last pathetic piece of-. I cut off my internal raging.

Kono was in tears. But not in sorrow anymore. She was terrified, petrified of me. Of ME. Her brother. The person she loved more than anyone in the world. The person who was supposed to protect her above all else. The one person she could go to for comfort her during this loss.

And she was sobbing, attempting to flee. To get away from the absolute demon that had replaced her brother. The hellfire died, ice-cold guilt replacing it instantly.

I did the only thing I could think of. I fled.

**********************************Kenta beebee *************************************

I landed as far away from that farce of a ceremony as I could. I screamed at the top of my lungs, releasing all these pent up negative emotions. The guilt, anger, hatred, fear. All of it. I bellowed as loud as I could, the tears were rolling fat and heavy down my face. It wasn't enough. I needed something else. I needed to destroy.

Lightning lashed out from me in uncontrolled arcs, striking indiscriminately at everything that surrounded me. Water was forcibly yanked from the atmosphere in my rage. It crashed against stone and wood alike, the force cracking both without remorse. My chakra surged, arcs of light erupted from my fingertips, sweeping over the landscape felling trees like a hot knife through butter.

It wasn't enough. This RAGE was still burning. I pumped more chakra out, every ounce I could muster. The elements responded to my fury, for that is what a storm is. Nature's fury lashing out and washing away the impurities of the world.

Why my dad, why?!

It should have been ASUMA! WHY WAS MY VISION WRONG?! WHAT DID I DO TO DO DESERVE THIS?!

Why me…? Why Kono…? Why Mom…? Why… My dad?

The fire reignited, the demons inside me feeding into the darkness.

It was Kurenai. Her and her unborn bastard spawn! SHE is the one who set off this chain of events! SHE is the one who's so weak she can't even carry a BABY properly! The one thing she was intended to do by nature, and she FAILED. Because of her failure, my dad was DEAD!

I screamed once more. Lightning and Water lashing out around me.

I was going to kill her. I was going to make her suffer. I was going to take EVERYTHING from her, and watch her die slowly from the inside.

I smiled in insane glee. Now that I had my plan in place, I just needed to work out the details.

First things first though. I needed to see exactly how my father died.

*******************************Kenta Is NOT OK Y'all!************************************

The next day…

I knocked on the door in rapid succession until it opened.

"Kenta? What are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked tiredly.

"I need to see your memories of what happened before we showed up." I said, the perpetual rage I had been feeling since that day lurking just beneath the surface.

"Kenta, I don't think that's such a good idea…" Shikamaru said slowly. Too bad.

"I'm not asking." I growled, moving like a viper, hands latching onto his head in a vice grip. I activated my technique, uncaring of the consequences. I didn't care if I was technically assaulting a clan heir and fellow shinobi. I didn't care if a forced mind walk was painful and could lead to serious issues. I didn't CARE if Shikamaru hated me forever, or if he pressed charges. Consequences be damned. I would HAVE my answers, I would HAVE my vengeance, and then I would become a god damn missing nin if I had to! I had the knowledge, no one was at my level anymore, not even Lord Fifth!

I watched the scene unfold from Shikamaru's point of view.

Akatsuki knew they were being followed. They laid an ambush. Team 11 engaged.

I watched as Shika's 'Shadow Sewing' technique pierced Hidan in multiple vitals, including the heart.

I watched as Shika trapped Hidan in his shadow and Ino lopped his head off.

I watch as Dad effortlessly dodged the berserker, using his 'Body Disturbance' technique with masterful precision to save Shika and Ino time and again.

I watched as Choji and the two Chunin kept Kakuzu busy. I watched as Choji and Deku pounded Hidan into a bloody paste.

It was all as I was told. Maybe it WAS just bad luck. Maybe Hidan was more skilled than the berserker I have been watching this entire fight. MAYBE it was a clever ruse to get Team 11 to drop their guard.

The logical and rational part of my mind were forcing their way to the surface. The demons inside were being beaten back.

And then, I saw it.

Ino has been working her ass off over the last four years. Her sword training with Yugao was no joke. Yugao pushed her to breaking, every single session. Then she pushed even harder. Ino was well trained, Yugao did an excellent job. She trained Ino so well, TOO well, it was YUGAO who got my dad killed.

Ino has been trained to fight technical and tactical opponents. A fight between Shinobi, even two that wield swords is a game of Shoji. You attempted to outsmart your opponent, create an opening, and then strike. Yugao had been pounding these lessons into Ino, and she had taken to them like the prodigy she was.

So when faced off against a berserker like Hidan, she overthought everything. She was looking for openings, she was attempting to lead her opponent into her trap. Her lack of experience was the reason my dad died. When fighting a berserker, there are no tactics, there are no traps. An opening is an opening. You strike. Hidan's swing went wide, he was wide open. Ino didn't take it, she thought it was a feint. Berserkers don't feint. Ino waited, and she struck when she THOUGHT there was an opening. Hidan's eyes went wide, his mouth stretching into a smile of triumph. The 'opening' Ino thought she had was nothing more than Hidan bringing his scythe back to him. He reacted, using the chain attached to the weapon, he changed its trajectory. What was simply a mistake on Hidan's part, quickly became the death blow.

Then my Dad flickered in, knocking Ino away, the scythe digging deep into his shoulder, then Hidan yanked it back to him. He created his ritual circle and ingested dad's blood.

I pulled back from Shikamaru, gasping. The furnace was roaring deep inside my chest.

Ino.

It's always, Ino. ALWAYS!

But this was perfect! Ino was the student of BOTH Kurenai AND Yugao! Hurting her is the first step to crushing the both of them!

I grinned in triumph.

"Thanks, Shika." I tossed a few pills at his feet. "Should help with the headache."

With that I stretched my senses, honing in on the ONE chakra signature I was looking for. I locked in on my target. She was off training with another signature I recognized. Ami. Perfect. Ami would have my back through and through after she finds out who was actually responsible for Dad's death. I disappeared in a gust of wind.

************************************Psychotic Rampage!*********************************

The two women were locked in a furious battle of hand to hand combat. Ami had the upper hand. Despite her small and lithe stature, Ami was absolutely terrifying in hand to hand combat. The personalized style taught to her by Anko was deadly. It used lightning quick strikes to vital and vulnerable areas. Joint locks and grapples also played a key role. If Ami got you in an arm bar, she wouldn't wait until you tapped out. She would yank as hard as she could, either breaking the arm, or dislocating the elbow or shoulder.

Normally, I would be in awe watching the two high level kunoichi attempt to maim the other.

Today though? I was out for blood.

Without thought my most potent paralytic senbon was in my hand. I tossed it seemingly at random, but Ino appeared right in the direction I threw the weapon. It pierced deep into her flesh, the effects near instant. She turned around, eyes wide.

"Kenta? What the hell?!" She yelled. She took a threatening step forward, and promptly fell to one knee. "What… What did you do to me?"

"Paralytic poison." I growled out. Ami was by Ino's side.

"What the FUCK, Kenta! Are you insane? What has gotten into you?!" Ami yelled, face reddening with anger.

"What's gotten into me?!" I shouted right back. "I'll tell you! I just watched the memory of how my dad died. Let me tell you. That!" I pointed at Ino who was now laying on the ground. Only her eyes were moving. The rest of her was completely paralyzed. "Pathetic piece of shit is the reason my dad is dead! She made a mistake! She left herself wide open! It should have been HER funeral we were at, yesterday! Not my dad's!"

"Kenta! You're upset! You need to calm down! It wasn't Ino's fault." Ami pleaded. Her plea fell on deaf ears though. Utter terror was assaulting my senses. I gave my full attention to Ino, a feral grin in place. Her terror spiked.

"Oh yes, Ino. You should be afraid. I'm going to break you. I'm going to make you beg for the sweet release of death. You're going to feel everything my father felt, I can promise you that. And then, when your spirit is crushed, I'm going to take everything you hold dear in your life." I was crouched down now, whispering my threats with a lustful tone.

"Kenta, Wh-" Ami cut off abruptly. My paralysis tag activating.

"Don't worry, Ami. I won't kill her. But if she's left in a similar state that Hidan was in, well that just proves her weakness." I purred. Eyes never leaving Ino's.

She attempted to speak. Terrified grunts and moans escaped her frozen lips. But that was all she could manage. I took a deep inhale in, savoring the sheer, unhinged panic Ino was experiencing.

"Now, as I said, you're going to feel everything my dad felt before he died. An eye for an eye, as they say." I made a hand sign. A sign no one had seen in over four years. The last time I used this technique was during my first mission outside the village. The anger and hatred I experienced then were NOTHING compared to my churning storm of emotions right now. I would savor every. Single. Minute.

"Yamanaka Clan Technique: Mind-Body Sear" I whispered almost lovingly into Ino's ear.

Despite the paralytic coursing through her veins, Ino didn't disappoint. Her body, the sheer amount of agonizing pain she was experiencing, pushed some of the effects of my poison out of her system.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ino screamed in sheer agony.

"Yes, Ino. Scream! Louder! My dad can't hear your pain! This was the first technique he ever developed! My father was a genius! Our clan needed him! You should have died! You're useless! You're pathetic! Yes! Feel! His! PAIN!" I shouted right along with Ino's shriek of pain.

I cackled loudly as Ino's body began to visibly quiver due to the pain she was experiencing.

'Dad, I know you're watching. I know you know this is justice for her weakness!' I thought with euphoria.

Blood began to flow out of my nose at a steady pace. I held the technique. This was necessary. This was needed. This was JUSTICE!

"Louder, Ino! Maybe Dad will lighten up if you-"

CRACK!

I was sent hurtling ten feet away. My body hit the ground and rolled. I shot to my feet, teeth bared in near animalistic fury.

"Kenta Yamanaka." Ami said in a dangerous tone. She too was shaking, but this time in fury. "You have gone TOO FAR! You have no right, NO RIGHT, to be 'Judge, Jury, and Executioner!'"

"Yes I do! She's the reason he-" I was cut off again, as dozens of snakes had erupted from Ami's sleeves. They struck like lightning. Had I not felt the chakra building, I might not have dodged in time. Even in my insane rage, I could still appreciate Ami's growth.

"Your father is absolutely ASHAMED of you right now! It isn't Ino's fault! You KNOW THIS! Your father CHOSE to save Ino. She is his family, his comrade. THAT IS THE TYPE OF PERSON YOUR DAD WAS! You SHAME his memory by acting this way! Leave! NOW! Get out of here! I don't want to see your face until MY KENTA is back. Not this insane imposter! This isn't my captain! This isn't my friend!" Ami's voice was cracking with strain and emotion.

I stared in shock at my teammate. Finally, my brain restarted, the rage fueling me. I sneered at her. "Of course. You pick HER side. I was never anything to you besides a means to an end. You knew you could ride my coattails. Using my name and influence to pull in favors. You disgust me. The weak are drawn to the weak. I don't need you, Ami."

Her chakra roiled, her rage was all consuming. She charged me. I danced effortlessly out of the way. The blazing rage was back to a slow simmer. My emotions were mine, my control was perfect. I leaned casually out of the way as Ami's rage fueled and sloppy punch sailed harmlessly by my face. As fast as the Storm that coursed through my veins, I lashed out. I backed handed her, and as her momentum carried her off balance, my foot lashed out. It connected solidly with her abdomen. I pulled my foot back, and brought it crashing into her side for a final hit. Sending her flying back a dozen or more feet. She hit the ground with a grunt of pain, but was quickly on her feet again.

"Give me the antidote, Kenta, and get the fuck out of here." She hissed in pure hatred. "I don't know who you are. Your dad is gone, dead. He isn't coming back. Your family still needs you. Your team still needs you. Your clan still needs you. Your VILLAGE still needs you! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

I tossed a tiny vial of the antidote. Let her have a small victory. I sent her a scathing look. "Take it. You need to train more, clearly. Your emotional control is shit."

"Fuck you, Kenta! Get. Out. Of. HERE!" Ami screamed, blinking away tears of sheer anger and frustration.

I turned on my heel, tossing a wave over my shoulder. I stopped after a few feet though, and turned back around. Ami had already administered the antidote and was helping Ino to her feet. Whispering comforting words to the crying girl. I smirked.

"Oh, Ino. I've decided. In three days you and I will battle for the title of Clan Heir. It has already been approved by The Three Elders and your dear daddy-dearest. You aren't worthy. A new age is dawning on our clan, and you are too weak to lead us. I have The Knowledge. All our lost history. All our lost techniques." I pointed to my temple. "Right in here. Seeya in a few days, cuz."

I expected Ino's face to match Ami's. Disgust, revulsion, rage, hatred.

I was momentarily stunned. Ino did not show a single one of those emotions. Her face had fallen. Hurt, Betrayal, Sadness. None of what I expected. The bigger surprise was her Chakra was matching. Sorrow, Fear, Betrayal… And Guilt. Ino felt guilty. She knew what I said was right. It should have been her! The rage returned. I left the grounds before I really snapped.

The Mind-Body Sear would have seemed like a tickle technique had that happened.

*********************************KENTA STOP BEING EMO!*******************************