Chapter | XXVII |
We'll replenish our supplies here, go take on tasks to earn a penny or two for tonight's stay... You don't want to sleep in the streets, do you now?" Kakashi's nonchalant tone left no room for argument. However, Asashi couldn't help but be taken aback by the imposing atmosphere that surrounded the enigmatic ninja.
"You won't pay for our stay?" Asashi inquired, hoping to receive a more favorable response.
"Did you misunderstand me?" Kakashi's stoic gaze sent an involuntary shiver down Asashi's spine. Hastily shaking his head, Asashi took a step back, choosing not to push the issue any further. Rumi and Naruto followed suit, silently acknowledging their leader's decision, and set off to find odd jobs to earn their keep.
Asashi lingered for a moment, contemplating the journey that had led them here. They had spent two nights in the welcoming village, preparing for the arduous path that lay ahead. Finally, after five days of unyielding travel, they reached their mysterious destination. Naruto squinted his eyes as he gazed into the distant, cloud-covered sky.
"Is that a... Thunderstorm?" Naruto questioned, concern evident in his voice.
Kakashi's frown deepened, his mind drifting back to the village they were about to enter—a village shrouded in perpetual darkness. He chose to shed light on its peculiar history.
"No, that is not a thunderstorm. Those grey clouds have hovered above that village for the past two centuries, denying them sunlight."
Naruto's baffled 'eh' was carried away by the howling wind, his golden locks dancing in its wake.
'Never seen sunlight...? What could have caused that?'
As they ventured forward, an unsettling aura surrounded the village. Naruto's heart raced, and he couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something far beyond their understanding.
Crack! Boom!
The distant thunderclap made Naruto flinch, its reverberating echo resembling a haunting symphony. He cast an admiring glance at Kakashi, whose back seemed to bear the weight of countless enigmatic tales.
'You mean to tell me that... This guy right here had cut through lightning before?'
Naruto recalled a rumor circulating in Konoha—a story of Kakashi slicing through lightning with ease, a feat seemingly impossible. Lightning was relentless and unforgiving, yet the idea of someone cutting it with a Jutsu defied reason. The very thought sent shivers down Naruto's spine, as he tried to grasp the depth of his mentor's power.
As he brushed his hand over the mark of Hakashirra—the ancient Daemon's lineage—he couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The mark held a potential for immense power, but it also harbored something dark and inscrutable, something he dared not explore fully. The temptation to wield this forbidden strength warred with his determination to resist its allure. A trump card against his enemies was enticing, but at what cost?
Before they realized it, they stood at the village's edge, stepping into the dimly lit enclave where shadows and secrecy intertwined. Suspicion and hope shone in the villagers' eyes as they observed the strangers' arrival. Kakashi remained unfazed, his poise unwavering as if immune to the prying glances.
At last, they arrived at a relatively larger building, and Kakashi knocked on its door. A frail-looking man with a trace of sadness in his eyes welcomed them with a faint smile. Mr. Shin, as they later learned, invited them to sit, and as they settled on the floor, the weight of the mission was unveiled.
Shin's voice resonated with sorrow as he revealed the true nature of their quest, leaving Naruto, Asashi, and Rumi spellbound by the secrets hidden within the village's perpetual gloom.
A/N: Stones... Stones...