Arc 3 - Red

NOTE: There have been many complaints in the previous chapter.

Many people said that I nerfed Ikarus a lot, that he could have destroyed the guards in two seconds,...

I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING. I said so in the author notes: HE WAS HOLDING BACK.

I am partial to realism, an ordinary person raised in a peaceful environment will not be prone to murder. Owen, Ikarus past life, had a life without conflict. He had never been in a fight. A healthy person is not going to resort to murder unless forced to. Ikarus is not a young master from some chinese novel, he won't murder every person who gets in his way. Yes, he will kill people later on- But he will also try to find another way, he is not a psychopath.

Westeros is changing him little by little and there will come a moment after spending some time in this world where he finds himself in a similar situation and he will kill his aggressors without thinking it twice. Is called CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. For now he is only been in Westeros for less than a week and went through zero hardships. He will change.

Now to the actual chapter.

***

Ikarus Senju jumps from tree to tree, moving through the forest like a blur to the untrained eye.

When the last rays of the daylight disappear between the peaks of the trees, he goes down to the ground, but he does not set up camp for the night, he continues moving.

Drenched in sweat and with slight tremors running through his entire body, he continues to run at full speed.

Every time he blinks he sees red.

Red.

Red.

Red.

He clenches his fists and whinnies his teeth.

He speeds up even more, pushing his limits to the extreme—and then even beyond.

"Plus ultra" his voice is low, a sarcastic and mocking growl.

He pushes his body even more.

He ignores the burning in his legs and keeps running.

Night turns into day and Ikarus Senju keeps running.

The sun is high in the sky when he reaches the limit of his body, his legs collapse under his weight.

He falls to the ground and breathes heavily. A thick layer of sweat bathes his body from head to toe.

He tries to lean on a nearby tree to get up but then he sees his hand.

Red.

Red.

Red.

Ikarus collapses to the ground.

He raises his head and screams.

The sound that comes out of his throat is inhuman.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Birds and other animals shy away.

Throat raw, Ikarus sits with his back against a tree.

He looks at the sky with empty eyes.

"Why did I choose this world?!"

The memories of the last few weeks drain the last of his strength.

As the darkness claims him he hears a voice.

"You promised."

*** Weeks earlier ***

"You were going to kill me." Ikarus states looking at the fallen old guard.

"Aye" The old man replied tiredly. "And now you're going to kill us." The old man seems resigned to his fate.

Ikarus picks up the old man's sword from the ground.

"Why?"

The old man looks the other way embarrassed and says nothing.

Ikarus walks up to Ser Gregor and points one of the swords at his neck.

"Speak."

The old man closes his eyes and begins to tell Ikarus everything.

"Lady Alys." Ikarus looks questioningly at the old man. "Samwell's daughter." Ikarus' gaze remains blank. "... the butcher." Ah, Ikarus's eyes light up with acknowledgment but soon after they cloud over with more questions.

"What does this Lady Alys have to do with anything?"

"Lady Alys is married to Lord Frost, the young lord fell in love with her beauty and married her despite her family being of low origin." Ser Gregor sighs wearily. "Since the wedding, Lady Alys's family has been taking advantage of their daughter's status."

The old knight explains to him the many atrocities that family committed, from murders to rapes

Ikarus's expression twists in disgust.

"And no one does anything? They get away with killing and raping?"

"..." Ser Gregor lowers his eyes in shame.

`Westeros is fucked up`

"I will not kill you, Ser. I will give you the opportunity to redeem yourself before the eyes of the gods and men." Ser Gregor looks puzzled at the boy who bested him and his comrade. "Surrender yourself ser. Go to Winterfell and confess your sins and your Lady's. Don't let any more innocents be killed by that cursed family- Do it for all the ones you have failed. Face justice like a true knight." Ikarus lowered his sword, turned around and walked away from the old knight. After taking a few steps he turned around and said looking into his eyes.

"Or die in this forest like a dog. Like a coward." The young shinobi's words are cruel but true. "Will you be able to face your gods in the afterlife Ser?"

Ikarus doesn't wait for an answer, he gathers up his belongings and secures his new swords – one on his waist and one on his back – he has no intention of giving the guards their weapons back.

Ser Gregor looks hopefully at Ikarus. After years of serving selfish, cruel lords who are indifferent to the suffering of others, a part of the old knight died - he lost his sense of justice and became a machine that obeys every order without question, the perfect knight many nobles would say.

This young boy whom he tried to assassinate not half an hour ago urges him to do the right thing - to fulfill his oaths as a knight for the first time in decades.

`Who are you lad?` Ser Gregor watches the boy, he is young and very skilled but still inexperienced. But the old gentleman has no doubt: this young man will become someone important one day.

"Your answer ser?" Ikarus' question snaps Ser Gregor out of his musings, he looks at the boy who is looking at him expectantly.

The old man gets up from the ground and nods his head.

"I will do as you say lad. I will surrender and pay for my sins, even if the payment is my life. I will not dishonor my oaths ever again no matter what."

Before leaving, Ikarus still has a question in mind.

"Ser. What you said before, is it really necessary to have a permit to hunt in these woods?" The doubt worries the Senju, if a hunting permit is really necessary, getting money will be more difficult, he will not be able to use the same method in other villages.

"No, boy. In these woods you can hunt all you want. But be careful, there are lords who don't allow free hunting in their woods." The knight warns him of the places where hunting without the permission of the lord, which is difficult to achieve -almost impossible for a foreigner- is prohibited.

Ikarus listens intently, memorizing the list of forests he won't be able to hunt in openly. He does not intend to comply with the demands of the lords, he will hunt in those places but he will be careful not to get caught.

Ikarus says his goodbyes and continues on his way.

ʻI can't believe that worked. Talk no jutsu sure is OP! Thank you Naruto-sensei!`

From the beginning Ikarus realized that the only guard who looked at him with true malice was the youngest, the old man seemed tired and resigned, his empty eyes devoid of light. The young Senju saw an opportunity to get the young guard out of the way and try to appeal to the old man's sense of honor and duty.

`It was a risky bet but it paid off!`

Several people had seen the guards escorting him out of the village, if he had killed them he would be chased down – he would have no choice but to leave Westeros.

`There are still many things I want to do on this continent.`

"My next destination is Barrowtown!"

***

That night sleep is not placid, Ikarus turns and turns in his sleeping bag. His forehead bathed in sweat.

|"Riku ni wa ikanaide kudasai"

"Gomen boku no ai"

"Tatakau na. Watashitoisshoni nigeru!"

"K#o##... #### ######! ####|

Riku wakes up with tears in his eyes and a deep pain in his chest.

"What was that?"

His voice echoes in the forest clearing, no one answers. He tries to remember his dream but he can't, he only remembers a red blur and the feeling in his chest.

Ikarus tries to go back to sleep, but sleep doesn't come to him.

He prepares to train instead.

"Time to try my first jutsu!"