Red Blade (9)

On his way to the site, he saw numerous corpses.

The hub of Ame was painted with blood and ruins—more than it has ever been.

Such a sight terrified Yahiko, one who sought peace more than anyone ever did.

For once, Yahiko regretted trusting Akashi.

"Why..."

Akashi's strength was unreal. Yahiko found his entire body shaking just to hold his own against Akashi, who didn't even seem to be applying full force onto Ryuma.

"Why did you do this, Akashi?! What was the point of all these deaths?!"

Yahiko cried as he gritted his teeth.

"What difference is there between you and those corrupted bastards?!! Uncaring for others... falling into selfishness..."

When Akashi returned, he was no longer the same.

Yahiko initially tried to understand. However, the way in which they did work differed drastically. While Yahiko followed the belief he set with Akashi from the past, Akashi was more cold-hearted than ever, killing those who were deemed to pose a threat to him and his family.

For a little, Yahiko wondered if he was wrong. It was because of his naivety that they fell into the danger.

But... that didn't mean that Akashi's action was the right thing to do. Far too much blood was shed.

Letting out a war cry, Yahiko pushed Ryuma back with all his might. And surprisingly... Akashi simply let Ryuma be pushed back, taking back the force behind the blade.

As Yahiko stood in front of Akashi with the fallen Hanzo on his back, he growled in the midst of his heavy breathing.

"Of course I know, Hanzo is a flawed man!! We were wronged by him!! But that doesn't mean it is right for you to kill him!!"

Yahiko yelled from the core of his soul. His eyes contained nothing but a genuine will, vowing to bring peace to the Amegakure.

"The entire nation depends on him!! Killing him doesn't mean killing him alone... it is equivalent to killing off every single citizen of this nation!!!"

Akashi didn't say anything back. He didn't attempt to engage in a heated discussion of peace. That wasn't why he started all this.

"...Not everything can be solved with one's combat capabilities."

For quite some time, Akashi contemplated.

"Humans gain motivation to live off their values. My values center on my family. Yahiko, Konan, Nagato..."

After living with them again for three years, Akashi learned—that just as how he grew, they too were no longer the kids who needed someone to rely on.

Logical-wise, Akashi was someone with a huge bounty on his head. His presence alone was a nuisance to his family.

"If it's for you..."

It would mean giving up the last thing that he had. Perhaps, he won't see them ever again. He will become an evil one—just as evil as the foes whom he fought before, or more even.

He will be wandering around, targeted by all around. The comfort that he experienced will likely not return.

"...I'm sorry, shinobi-san. It seems that I wasn't the one."

There was no hesitation. Akashi killed many tonight—for the sake of three people.

Akashi closed his lone eye. As the stench of blood emanated throughout the cold downpour, he salvaged the atmosphere of Amegakure for the final time.

"You know very well what the consequences will be from this!!! The peace that—"

As Yahiko continued his roar, Akashi reopened his eye. Simultaneously, Ryuma was raised with its tip pointing straight at Yahiko.

"Quit with the bark. Where is the bite?"

It was the killing intent, blasted at full force from Akashi. Yahiko felt his eyes wavering. He grew goosebumps all around his skin. The whole world felt colder than before all of a sudden.

and it wasn't just him.

The ninjas surrounding with their feet petrified seemed to be dealing worse with it. Some were suffocating themselves by clasping their necks. Others were holding kunais toward their chests with shaky hands, as if about to commit a suicide.

In this state, Yahiko saw beyond Akashi, the full moon that was briefly exposed beyond the cloud in the night sky.

Perhaps he was hallucinating, but for a brief moment... the moon appeared blood-red in colour.

And Akashi's eye gleamed—in that of a deadly blue.

"You should know far too well by now that I am not someone who can be persuaded. If you want to save Hanzo of the Salamander... fight for it."

Yahiko was barely able to react as at the next moment, Ryuma came from the side, trying to cut through his neck.

CLANG!

Yahiko's vision shook as he managed to bring his kunais to the blade at the last second. From the force alone, the kunais were flown out of his grip and he was knocked up.

"TCH—!!"

With his eyes widened, Yahiko quickly performed a substitution technique, switching his place with a piece of brick that was lying around nearby. Just after, said brick was cleanly sliced into two as if it was butter.

"Huff... huff..."

Yahiko watched with shaky breathing as Akashi leisurely walked toward where he stood.

'I knew that there was a gap in strength between the two of us, but to think it would be this much...!'

Yahiko formed a hand seal. His cheek bellowed before he spat out a jet stream of water,

"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"

Having been utilized in a rainy environment, the high-pressure stream of water was more powerful than its usual magnitude. It flew toward Akashi, and meantime, Yahiko flipped out three shurikens and quickly threw them alongside.

And to the approaching stream of water, Akashi swung Ryuma. At the last second prior to the collision, Ryuma was suddenly ignited in a vigorous red fire.

In an instant, the steam suddenly exploded forth, covering Yahiko's view. Gritting his teeth, Yahiko took out a spare kunai and held it in a reverse grip.

Immediately after, the shurikens came out flying from the steam; they were the exact ones that Yahiko had thrown previously.

At the same time, Akashi revealed himself from the steam.

'Here it is!!'

Knowing that Akashi's physical strength far surpasses him, Yahiko didn't attempt to meet force by force. Instead, he side-stepped and met the side of Ryuma with kunai, letting the former slide by.

Then, Yahiko's eyes widened in realization.

Ryuma which he dodged just now, was not held by Akashi. It was thrown.

'A misdirection—'

A force struck Yahiko by his chin, knocking him upward.

Then came a fist straight into his abdomen. Without giving him a chance to puke even, a roundhouse kick was blasted into his cheek, sending him crashing into the ground.

Immediately after, Yahiko rolled to evade an incoming stomp. Huffing and coughing in pain, he backflipped to bring himself back into a standing position. As he moved nimbly, his hands were already undergoing hand seals.

"Water Release,"

From the corner of his lips, the blood was dripping. Nonetheless, Yahiko brought his attention to Akashi who was dashing at him with Ryuma back in his grip.

"Tornado of Water!"

Spewing the water out of his mouth in a circular fashion, Yahiko generated a vortex of water surrounding him. Such technique was completed just in time as fire-encased Ryuma arrived once more.

The water exploded into steam, and from the force, Akashi and Yahiko were blown away from one another.

"..."

Through the light steam, Yahiko panted as he looked at Akashi through his fatigue-filled eyes.

Akashi didn't even seem fazed. Yahiko bit his lips out of frustration.

It was a pitiful, one-sided fight. Those watching this scenery couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by how strong Akashi was.

However, Yahiko didn't yield. With his shaky, stressed body, he was still holding his own, trying to prevent Akashi from doing any further harm to Hanzo, to others.

"Don't you... huff... huff... dare think... that I am... huff... going to... give up...!!"

One of the watching ninjas' fingers twitched.

What about connection with Akashi? What about being an outsider? Yahiko in front of them... was a hero that the nation needed.

"It isn't a matter of you giving up."

Then, as Akashi replied coldly, everyone realized.

Hanzo. Akashi was standing aside him once again. Yahiko, before he realized, has failed in his duty to prevent Akashi from reaching the man.

Akashi raised Ryuma.

And this time around, it wasn't just Yahiko who moved.

All the Ame ninjas surrounding them, having overcome their fear of Red Blade, launched themselves at Akashi.

"...!"

Time seemed to be slowing down as Akashi saw numerous enemies rushing toward him from all directions.

He couldn't help but smile ever so slightly.

It was only Yahiko who caught that smile.

"You aren't being recognized. You are being estranged and betrayed because of the status of being a rogue."

All of a sudden, Akashi's words from before struck his mind.

Yahiko's breathing stopped.

"This nation would've appreciated your work. Hailed you as a hero. All those would've happened if... you were recognized as one of them."

The kunai in Yahiko's hand was heading toward Akashi, and so were the other weapons of the others.

Then came, the huge explosion of fire centering Akashi, one that knocked all of them out. After, there was smoke that briefly overtook the entire area.

And in this state, Yahiko, standing still with a dazed expression, felt a hand on his shoulder.

"...Yahiko."

Yahiko felt tears filling up in his eyes.

"This is the only way."

Yahiko now understood.

Akashi was a miserable man. One whose hope was sliced away by the world, yet held on the tiniest bit that was left in him—the hope named family.

That's all that he had.

The smoke muffled out all the outside noise.

"...I will leave the rest to you."

"Akashi—"

There was heavy rainfall, with the smoke having dissipated.

Akashi was nowhere to be found. The only ones found in the center were the unconscious Hanzo and... Yahiko.

"Quick!!"

One of the jonins quickly ordered upon gathering his senses.

"Search the area!! Red Blade hasn't gone far!!"

It was their victory. Upon their courage, Red Blade decided to retreat.

And in the center of this miraculous victory, there was Yahiko.

The raindrops fell on Yahiko's visage. He looked up at the sky, and saw that the moon was now hidden behind the cloud—yet again.