Naruto Akkipuden

Prologue

P r o l o g u e

 

Solitude became one of the many traits of Konohagakure No Sato (Village Hidden in the Leaves) after the war. The incident had left them scattered, lost, hopeless even though the war was long won. Some strongly believed they were caught in some strange, eternal Genjutsu. Consuming all the village, the grief and sorrow rolled in never-ending clouds, and brought the darkness along with it, and remained for two whole years.

     The village knew what had happened, and responded unusually. Usually, when a shinobi were to pass, the villagers weren’t to think any of it, and go about their normal daily lives. Few would attend the small funeral, the closest of family and friends. Such sadness was inflicted across the village like the black plague, their mourning was rooted by one fact. This shinobi had touched every one of their soul in the way only family could have ever done. They were his family. Many mourned, but the three who were affected most of all, was what was left of Team Seven.

     The Remainder.

     Kakashi was caught in a dazing blur the first few months, eyes pinned to a specific tree, remembering when his pupil measured his height in hopes to be as tall as he was. Soon knowing, he went with Sai and Shino—the only three willing to go on that specific mission. A year passed when they returned with a piece of his clothing tainted with coppery crimson blood. ­His blood. Kakashi’s student was pronounced dead.

     Sai, before leaving on his mission with Kakashi and Shino, was in no mood to speak to anyone — even requested to leave Team Kakashi. He laid no grudge against his members, but seeing them only made it more painful than it was for him. The way he looked at them, the remembrance was always obligated to pass his mind. Experiencing such massive grief, he swore to himself never to feel such an agonizingly painful emotion again; thus, locking his feelings away deep within his heart and joining the AnBu.

     The most tormented throughout the village was Sakura. The mentality of the situation’s fault being hers and only hers, she was unprepared for the demons that questioned her inside her very mind. Why did she think so highly of herself that day? If only he hadn’t rushed to her aid . . . if only she delayed telling him her true feelings just a little longer, then it wouldn’t have happened. Too corrupted by her thoughts, Sakura requested to be off missions for the many months that passed to emotionally recuperate. And even when she forced herself back into it, she was not allowed to be given missions above C rank. Preoccupied was her mind on these events would have distracted her from her mission. The severity was too great.

     As for Konoha 11, they knew they couldn’t have done anything to change the past. All the boys in Konoha 11 came together at the end of every week, and spoke of their many outings with him when he was alive, while the girls attempted to move on. Many of them could, except for Sakura, who locked herself for months in her bedroom. Hinata, on the other hand, used her grief to become the strongest of the Hyuuga clan, and became Jounin. But any reminder of Naruto had her flustered and upset.

     Konohamaru differed himself from the rest. Indeed he was upset, caging himself for days to mourn, but then left with Ebisu-Sensei and his team to Tetsu no Kuni (Land of Iron) for unique training. Konohamaru swore he would protect the village, and become the Hokage, as his best friend should have been. He, too, took the strength of Asuma’s and Hiruzen’s death to become Konoha’s Monkey King. And the Jinchuuriki of the four tails Son Goku after being captured.

     Tsunade was offered the choice for retirement. Considered it, even. But the state the village was in, there was no one she saw fit enough to replace her.

     There would be moments of regret, though, and a question or two about the life of a shinobi. She would walk to her dusted windowpane and watch the sulky mornings, and the dull dusk where the sunshine would set behind the clouds that loomed over the dark Konohagure No Sato.

     “Was all of this . . . his fate?” she asked herself.

     Nothing was the same, and no one was the same. Not a single soul.