Chapter 7 : What awaits Next

The wind was unusually cold that night, carrying an eerie stillness across the training grounds. Rayne sat on the roof of the Academy, his usual spot for thinking. The village seemed peaceful from up here, yet he could feel an unsettling tension brewing beneath the surface.

His mind kept drifting back to that encounter with the masked men. They had been skilled, too skilled for ordinary shinobi. And their intent—those cold, calculating eyes—they weren't sent just to observe him. They were testing him. But for what?

Rayne gripped the edge of the roof, his eyes narrowing as he replayed the fight in his head. He had felt it during the clash—something more sinister lurking behind their actions. They weren't after him out of mere curiosity. These men were part of something bigger, something hidden.

Danzo's Root.

The name was whispered among the village's underbelly, a secret group that moved in the shadows, doing the dirty work that others couldn't or wouldn't do. Their methods were ruthless, and their loyalty was absolute, but to whom? And why were they interested in him now?

Rayne clenched his fists, trying to piece together the puzzle. He had no family, no connections to the village's politics—at least, none that he knew of. So why him?

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft shuffle of footsteps behind him. Turning his head slightly, he noticed Sasuke, standing a few feet away. The Uchiha heir had been keeping an eye on him more closely since their last team exercise. Rayne wasn't surprised.

"What do you want?" Rayne asked, his voice neutral.

Sasuke didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked over to the edge of the roof, staring out at the village just as Rayne had moments before. After a few moments of silence, he spoke. "Those men... they weren't regular shinobi, were they?"

Rayne glanced at him, but Sasuke's eyes remained fixed on the horizon. There was something in his tone, something Rayne recognized—familiar pain, the burden of loss. He knew it all too well.

"No," Rayne finally answered. "They weren't."

Sasuke's grip on the railing tightened. "They were from Root, weren't they?"

Rayne raised an eyebrow. Sasuke was sharper than most gave him credit for. But then again, the Uchiha clan had their own history with Root. It wasn't surprising that Sasuke would recognize the signs.

"Why do you care?" Rayne asked, his curiosity piqued.

Sasuke finally turned to face him, his dark eyes reflecting an intensity Rayne hadn't seen before. "Because I know they don't act without a reason. If they're after you, there's something you're not telling me."

Rayne looked away, his mind racing. He couldn't explain it, but something about his connection to these men felt personal—like they knew something about him that he didn't.

But what?

He had no answers, only fragments of a past he couldn't remember. His mother's face was a blur, and his father... nothing. He had always assumed they were just victims of circumstance, like so many others in this village. But now, doubt was creeping in.

Why had they been targeted? Why had his mother disappeared?

Before Rayne could respond, Sasuke spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "Don't let them control you. Root... they manipulate people, twist their lives until there's nothing left. They did it to my family, and they'll do it to you if you let them."

Rayne's jaw tightened. He had no intention of being anyone's puppet, but Sasuke's warning felt more like a glimpse into a shared future—a future neither of them wanted.

As the night deepened, Rayne's thoughts grew darker. The pieces of his life weren't adding up, and now, more than ever, he needed answers. His past wasn't as distant as he had believed. The shadows of Root were closing in, and Rayne knew they wouldn't stop until they had what they wanted.

But he wasn't about to let them take anything from him. Not without a fight.

The clip of metal against stone echoed through the night as Rayne stood up, turning away from Sasuke.

"Stay out of this, Sasuke," Rayne said quietly, his voice firm. "This isn't your fight."

Sasuke didn't reply, but Rayne could feel his eyes watching him as he disappeared into the night, leaving the Academy and its hidden dangers behind.

Tomorrow, he would begin searching for the truth.