Naruto: La nuova era nel sequel del manga di Kishimoto

Pages 182-183

Kakashi embraced Kahyo to his chest in order to shield her field of view (from the sight of Rahyo falling from the Tobishachimaru). Grief-stricken that she had lost her older brother, Kahyo sadly beats her fists onto Kakashi’s chest. Kahyo buries her face into Kakashi’s chest, freely screaming and crying out. Her wailing then changes into sobbing. Kakashi holds her close and tightly. He must tell her something, so he starts to speak. But even after Kakashi's words, Kahyo’s face is still buried into Kakashi’s chest. She murmurs back in response: ‘What should we do?’ Kakashi responds that they will create a hole in the air sac of the buoyancy component. Since he heard from Tazuna, the old man who manufactured the ship, Kakashi knew that the air sac was filled with helium gas. It’s non-flammable and non-combustible. And so, even if there’s a fire, there will not be a huge explosion. If they can skillfully create a hole in the air sac, perhaps they may be able to land the Tobishachimaru.

「……上手くいかなかったら？」 “What if it doesn’t turn out well?”
「パンパンに膨らんだ風船に針を刺したことは？」 “(Have you ever) pierced a bulging, inflatable balloon with a needle?”
「……」 「……」
「こんなでかい風船を割るのは、 オレもはじめてだよ...」 “As for popping such a large balloon, it will also be my first time…”

Abruptly, Kakashi stopped speaking. Kahyo bawled her eyes out, and then raised her face. She asks him what’s wrong. Kakashi waved his hand at Kahyo to motion her to be quiet, as he couldn’t hear Ino very wellin his head. Kakashi asks Ino if Garyo has been secured. Ino answers that he’s been taken care of, but Shikamaru and the others are still pursing the other escaped prisoners. Just a few moments ago, Ino was in contact with Tsunade. She was told that the Tsuchikage is heading towards them.

Kakashi looks out from the tear in the ship. Beneath the swirling grey sea of clouds, Kakashi can see their preparations as well. There’s three objects that are emitting light, which are approaching at a staggering speed.

Pages 184-185

Kakashi reminds Ino that before the Tobishachimaru enters Iwagakure, the Tsuchikage intends to shoot it down. Kakashi urgently thinks to himself while looking down at Oonoki’s comrades below: If that’s the case, then creating a hole in the air sac may backfire. The gas will escape the hole, and should push the ship. If he creates the hole at the front of the ship, then the power should work in the opposite direction. It should push the ship back the other way…

The wind is tussling Kahyo’s long, curly hair. Seeing that, Kakashi realizes that the wind is blowing from an East to West direction. Kakashi must reconsider creating the hole at the front of the air sac. The Tobishachimaru will be going against a stream of wind. In the worst case, they might be jostled by the air current. If such a thing happens, they would be thrown about and possibly die, as if they were in a washing machine.

The speed of the points of light have declined, and seem to be standing still from below. Kakashi doubts for only an instant, but then he understands the situation. The Tobishachimaru is not within the limits of the Tsuchikage’s flying range. In fact, the ship has risen higher in altitude than they can reach. Kakashi then resumes contact with Ino:

"この船は、撃ち落とさせない" “I won’t let them shoot down this ship”
"ええ、そんなことにはなりません" “Right, such a thing won’t happen”
"よく聞いてください、カカシ先生" いのが言った。"綱手様からの指令です、ただちに 飛鯱丸を爆破してください" “Please listen closely, Kakashi-sensei” Ino said. “They’re orders from Tsunade-sama. Please immediately blow up the Tobishachimaru”
"ちょっと待て……船にはまだ生存者が…" “Wait a minute….There are still survivors onboard the ship”
"分かってます" 通信を切りあげるまえに、いのは感情を交えずにそう言った。"それは 綱手様だって分かっています" “I understand” Before terminating communications, Ino spoke without emotions. “Tsunade-sama understands that as well”

Kakashi’s eyes travel to inside the kitchen area, to the people who are crouching on the floor. Several people have already collapsed. Their mouths are open wide, struggling to breathe. There was a sudden decline in temperature, so everyone is shivering and shaking. Kakashi then asks the pilots what the altitude is right now. One of the pilots, who’s squatting and holding onto his knees, raises his face. His lips have changed colour to purple.

He responds back that they don’t have the instruments necessary in order to read exactly how high they are… So he isn’t able to say much for certain. However, judging from the thin atmosphere, he thinks that a while ago, they have already exceeded 13,000 metres in altitude. It hasn’t even been ten minutes since the Tobishachimaru had suffered extensive damage.

Pages 186-187

Originally, the ship had been flying at 5,000 metres in altitude. But because of the previous chaotic situation, their flying altitude had risen. During that time, Kakashi assumes that the altitude was 7,000 metres. And so, he assumes that they have risen 6,000 metres in ten minutes, if the pilot estimated that they are currently flying at 13,000 metres. In ten more minutes, they should rise another 7,000 metres in altitude. In other words, if they continue to rise at this rate for the next ten minutes, the ship will reach an altitude of 19,000 metres. The blood within their bodies will boil! He cannot allow such a thing to happen. Kakashi is frantically trying to think up a solution. Firstly, due to the difference in atmospheric pressure, the air sac will explode. To prevent that, they should just create a hole in the air sac by their own means in order to lower the altitude. At least in that case, the air sac will not suddenly explode on its own and take them by surprise.

が、この気流の中で気嚢を破壊して、いまのオレに飛鯱丸をコントロールできるのか。。。？ However, if I destroy the air sac within this air current, will I be able to control the Tobishachimaru…?
「あの光の点は？」 “What is that point of light?”
華氷の声は、しかし、 カカシの耳にはまったく入らない。 もう一度同じことを訊かれて、 ようやく我にかえった。 It was Kahyo’s voice. However, it did not reach Kakashi’s ears at all. Hearing the same thing once again, he finally returned to himself.
「岩隠れの土影だよ」と、どうにか返事をした。 “It’s the Tsuchikage from Iwagakure” One way of another, he responded.
「この船に青火粉がたっぷり積まれていることを知っていて、岩隠れに入る前に撃ち落とすつもりだ」 “Since they know that this ship is fully loaded with Aobiko, they intend to shoot down this ship before it enters Iwagakure”
「それだけじゃない。たったいま、木ノ葉から指令が入った……オレは、この船を爆破しなきゃならない」 “It’s not only that. Just now, I received orders from Konohagakure…I have to blow up this ship”
「そんな！」華氷が叫んだ。「この船には、まだ生存者がいるのよ！」 “That (sort of command)! Kahyo yelled. “There are still survivors onboard this ship!”
カカシは苦しげに眼を伏せた。 Kakashi painfully lowered his eyes.
「ごめんなさい……」と、華氷。 「ぜんぶ私たちのせいだわ」 “I’m sorry…..” Kahyo said. “It’s all because of us”
「オレは忍だ。死ぬ覚悟はできている。だけど……この船に乗っている人たちは、きっとこの遊覧飛行をとても楽しみにしていたはずなんだ。まさか、こんなことになるなんて……」 “I am a shinobi. I am prepared to die. However….as for the people who are onboard this ship, surely they should have been really looking forward to this sight-seeing flight. By no means (should they have expected) something like this to happen……”
「すまない……」カカシは続けた。 「きみを責めるつもりはなかったんだ」 “I’m sorry…." Kakashi continued. “I did not intend to blame you.”
「ううん」華氷はかぶりをふった。「責められて当然よ」 “No” Kahyo shook her head. “It’s natural to blame me”
「草隠れの里を出る前に、この船を着陸させればいいのね？」華氷は顔を、決死の表情で染めた。 「だったら、気嚢を破りましょう」 “Before entering Kusagakure, should we make this ship land?” The colour and facial expression of Kahyo’s face indicated that she was prepared for death. “If that’s the case, then let’s destroy the air sac”

Pages 188-189

As Kahyo was speaking, Kakashi faced towards the stern of the ship. Across the scaffolding that was suspended in midair, there was an iron ladder. It’s the one that he had initially used to sneak aboard the Tobishachimaru in the propulsion component. He finally managed to reach the area. Because the pilothouse and the guest room gondola have both fallen down, the propellers in the propulsion component have stopped rotating. He climbs up the ladder and scaffolding that the workers typically use for maintenance inspections. From there, he was close to touching the air sac in the buoyancy component with his hand.

このまま飛鯱丸が上昇を続ければ、どうせ全員が死ぬ。いや、その前に、風に乗って草隠れの領空を出たとたん、土影に迎撃されてしまう。気嚢を破っても、たちまち火の手が回って、みんな焼け死んでしまうかもしれない。 If the Tobishachimaru continues to rise at the current rate, everyone will die anyway. No, before that, it will just arrive within the territorial airspace of Kusagakure because of the wind. As soon as that happens, we will be intercepted by the Tsuchikage. Even if we destroy the air sac, flames will suddenly surround us. Perhaps everyone will be burnt to death.
「行くも地獄、退くも地獄か…」 “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t?...”
搭乗客たちは、すでに船倉へ避難させている。 The passengers have already taken refuge in the ship’s hold.
深呼吸をひとつつくと、カカシは気合もろとも、チャクラを込めたクナイを気嚢に飛ばした。 Taking a deep breath, and all together with a scream of fighting spirit, Kakashi hit the air sac with a kunai (that was charged with his) chakra.
ガキンッ！ “Gakinn!” (Boom!)
クナイの刃が気嚢を貫き、火花が散った。 The edge of the kunai pierced the air sac. Sparks scattered.
バチバチ、とい、という小さな音が耳朶を打つ。続いて、ヘリウムガスが勢いよく噴出した。 Cracking with a ‘bachibachi’ noise, the small sounds tapped against his earlobes. The helium gas continued to vigorously spurt outwards.
「!」 「!」
そして、やはり恐れていたことが、起こった。 And then (the situation became) just as he had feared.
はじめは小さな、赤い火だった。それが、ほんの十秒後には、気嚢の後部を焼き尽くしていた。 It was the beginning of a small, red fire. Merely ten seconds later, it burned down the stern of the air sac.

ゴオオオオオオオ！ Gooooooo! (/Sound of flames bursting)
気嚢の外皮が一気に燃えあがり、その炎が空気を巻き込んで吠えた。またたく間に火は浮力部全体に回った。 At once, the exterior layer of the air sac burst into flames. The blaze was swallowed into the air with a roar. In a flash, fire surrounded the entirely of the buoyancy component.
それと同時に、飛鯱丸が鼻面を地面に向けて、落下をはじめた。 Simultaneously, the nose of the Tobishachimaru pointed towards the ground. The ship began to fall.
カカシは梯子を飛び降り、宙吊りの足場を駆け戻った。その頭上では、炎になめられた気嚢が、まるで神に消しゴムでもかけられているかのように、骨組みだけを残して、どん どん消えてなくなった。 Kakashi jumped off the ladder. He ran back onto the scaffolding that was suspended in mid-air. Overhead, the airsac was being licked by the flames. It was even as if it was beginning to be completely erased by a God. Only the skeleton remained as it gradually vanished.
浮力が失われていく。 The buoyancy was lost.
厨房に飛び込んだときには、すでに華氷が印を結び終え、術を発動していた。 When he jumped into the kitchen, Kahyo had already finished her seals. She had unleashed a jutsu.
「氷遁・地鎖連氷!」 Hyouton: Jisarenhyou!
その声は風にかき消されたが、彼女の術のほうは、そうじゃなかった。 Even though that voice was erased by the wind, her jutsu seemed (to not be drowned out by the wind).
落下する船体を、大きな衝撃が突き上げた。 A large shock pushed up the falling hull of the ship.
「!?」 「!?」

Kakashi’s monologue at the end is really worth reading!~~

(Plus, Kakashi quite literally makes it rain )

The Tobishachimaru jumped up for a moment. Subsequently, the ship dropped onto a plank of ice that was produced by Kahyo’s Jisarenhyou.
その衝撃で、またゴンドラの一部が崩れ落ちた。 Due to that impact, another portion of the gondola crumbled apart.
華氷は、印を結んだまま、険しい顔つきで術に集中している。よほどの負担がかかっているのだろう、その腕はブルブル震え、髪は逆立ち、ぎゅっと結んだ口の端からは流血していた。 While Kahyo activated the seals, she had a grim look on her face as she was concentrating on the jutsu. Since it was probably a great burden that was dependent upon her (will), (Kahyo’s) arms shivered and trembled. Her hair stood on end. From tightly (clamping her mouth shut), there was bloodshed from end of her mouth.
チャクラをまとった氷の板は、まるで飛鯱丸の船底から生え出してくるかのように、その行く手にどんどんのびてゆく。 Because of the chakra embedded into the plank of ice, it seemed as though it was beginning to completely grow forth from the bottom of the Tobishachimaru. That path gradually continued to extend.
雲海に頭から突っ込むと、雲がブワッと押し広げられ、船を吞み込んだ。 Beginning to plunge into the sea of clouds, they were forcibly spread apart with a ‘buwa’ (/whoosh) sound. (The clouds) engulfed the ship.
気流に流されそうになるたびに、氷の触手が船体を強引に引き戻した。 Every time the air current (attempted to derail) the ship, tentacles of ice forcibly restored the hull (back onto the plank of ice).
「このまま船を着陸させる…」食いしばった歯のあいだから、華氷は言葉を押し出した。 “I will make the ship land as it is…” Through the space between her gritted teeth, Kahyo pushed out her words.
「絶対に成功させてみせる」 “I will certainly make it succeed”
雲の中は灰一色で、なにも見えない。 They could not see anything, aside from the single ashen colour from within the clouds.
急激な落下に、耳が気圧の変化についていけない。固唾を呑むと、耳をふさいでいた空気が抜けて、風の音が鮮明になった。 Due to the sudden drop, their ears could not adjust to the change in atmospheric pressure. They gulped the saliva that they were holding within their mouths due to the tense situation. Closing up their ears, the air escaped. Then, the sound of the wind became distinctive.
気嚢は、ほんの一分足らずで、ほとんど骨格だけになった。燃え残った骨組みが、黒くくすぶっている。 In just under a minute, the air sac had become merely a skeleton. The remnants of the burning framework (was emitting) black smoke.
The fire should still have things to burn through, as though it could invade further and towards the front. Overhead Kakashi and Kahyo, there was nothing but blue flames and grey clouds.
飛鯱丸は雲を突き破って、落下を続けた。右に左にぶれたが、そのたびに華氷がつららでガードを作って、船が板の上から滑り落ちないようにした。 As the Tobishachimaru continued to fall, it broke through the clouds. Each time the ship shook right or left, Kahyo produced guards of icicles in order to prevent it from slipping off the top of the plank.
大破した飛鯱丸は、ぐんぐん高度を下げていく。 The Tobishachimaru sustained serious damages. Steadily, the altitude continued to drop.
と、体がふわりと浮き上がるような感じがした。 Then, they felt as though their bodies were gently floating.
破れた厨房の床から下をのぞくと、それまで飛鯱丸をのせていた氷の板は、跡形もなく消えていた。 Peeking through below the torn kitchen flooring, (Kakashi saw that) the plank of ice that the Tobishachimaru was placed upon….had vanished. There were no longer even traces of it.
はるか下方には、黄色の大地が広がっている。紅葉している山々、そしてキラキラ光る川が流れていた。 Far away below, the yellow ground stretched outwards. The mountains were an autumn colour. And then there were glittering and sparkling rivers that were flowing.
氷の支えを失った飛鯱丸は、ほとんど垂直に落下していた。 The Tobishachimaru lost it’s supportive ice. It was almost falling vertically.
高度が五千メートルを切ったことは、待ちかねたように飛来した土影を見て、分かった。 As the altitude cut through 5,000 metres, (Kakashi) knew that the Tsuchikage would be impatiently waiting and come flying (towards them)
黒ツチと赤ツチをしたがえたオオノキが、飛鯱丸にならぶ。 Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi were accompanied by Oonoki. They lined up at the Tobishachimaru.
「おい、カカシ、どうやらこれまでのようじゃぜ！」土影が呼ばわった。「お前らだけなら助けてやれる……女、カカシ、飛び移れ！」 “Oi! Kakashi, one way or another, it seems like this is it!” The Tsuchikage shouted. “If it’s just you guys, I can save you… jump (onto us)!”
カカシと華氷は、眼を見交わした。 Kakashi and Kahyo exchanged glances.
華氷がうなずく。 Kahyo nodded.
それだけだった。 (That was the only thing he needed).
それだけで、カカシは彼女が自分と同じ気持ちであることが分かった。 With just that, Kakashi understood that they both felt the same way.
「なにをやっとる！？ さっさとせんなら、お前らごとその船を撃ち落とすしか。。。」 “What are you doing!? If you don’t (jump over) quickly, both of you might be shot down with the ship…”
が、 相手に最後までしゃべらせるほど、カカシは悠長ではなかった。 However, Kakashi deliberately did not let his comrades finish talking.
華氷の口から、あっ、という驚きの声が漏れる。 From Kahyo’s mouth, an ‘Ah!’ escaped with a surprised voice.
ドッと突進したかと思うと、カカシは破れた床板を蹴って、船外へ飛び出していた。 Suddenly thinking about whether or not to rush off, Kakashi kicked off from the torn floorboards. He leapt out of the ship.
その体が宙を舞った。 His body fluttered in mid-air.
カカシと大地の間には、数千メートルの、空っぽの空間しかなかった。風がその銀髪をなぶり、その眼には氷のように固い意志が宿っていた。 The wind tussled his silver hair. A strong will was dwelling within his eyes, albeit they were like frozen ice.
「よし、こい!」 “Alright, come!”
However, Kakashi suddenly jumped over Oonoki, who was leaning backwards. Kicking off Akatsuchi’s head with a ‘tonn’ sound, he jumped about again even higher in the sky.
「な、なにをやっとるんじや！」 “B-but Wha- What are you doing!”
「カカシ！」華氷も、土影に負けじと叫んだ。 “Kakashi!” Kahyo shouted after the Tsuchikage had also undauntedly yelled at him.
カカシは、全身のチャクラを右腕に集めた。「オレが絶対に雨を降らせる！」 Kakashi gathered all of his chakra into his right arm. “I will absolutely make it rain!” That's what he said to Kahyo.
「カカシ！」 “Kakashi!”
「あとは頼んだぞ、華氷！」 “I entrust the rest to you, Kahyo!”
まぶしいほど白熱している右腕を大きく後ろに引くと、カカシは渾身の紫電を雨雲にたたきつけた。 Grandly drawing back his right arm, which because of the lightning was becoming incandescent to the extent that it was radiant, Kakashi struck all the Shiden's power, with all of his might, into the giant rain clouds above.
「うおおおおおお！」 “Wuohhhhhhh!”
ドオオオンッ！ Dooooon! (Boom!)
そのあまりのすさまじさに雲が割れ、一瞬、青空が垣間見えた。カカシ自身、自分の技に、自分自身が吹き飛ばされたほどだった。 With the excessive intensity, the clouds parted. There was a sudden glimpse of blue sky. It was (a tremendous force), to the extent that Kakashi himself was blown back away by the power of his own technique.
土影が、眼を見張った。 The Tsuchikage’s eyes completely widened.
カカシの全身からほとばしった雷は、まるで触手のように四方へのび出し、雨雲を貫く。 たちまち雷が雷を呼び、雨雲が寄り集まって、バチバチと放電をはじめた。 Lightning surged forth from Kakashi’s entire body. Completely, as if they were tentacles, blades of purple lightning extended outwards in every direction and pierced through the rain clouds. Suddenly, the lightning caused thunder. The rain clouds gathered, and began to cackle with a ‘bachibachi’ sound from the electrical discharge.
「危ない、土影様！」赤ツチが叫んだ。「早くワイの影に隠れるだに！」 “We're far, but it’s still dangerous, Tsuchikage-sama!” Akatsuchi yelled. “Quickly, hide behind me!”
「いらぬ世話じゃぜ！」オオノキが一喝した。「まったく、木ノ葉のもんは無茶をしよるぜ…」 “I-I can watch my back alone!” Oonoki, still watching the Shiden's power in complete awe, yelled in a thunderous voice. “Seriously, the people of Konoha behave recklessly… I didn't expect ... even him....”
ゴロゴロと雷鳴を轟かせる雨雲。。。ピシャッと落ちた稲妻が、地上の楓の大木を、まっぷたつに引き裂いた。 The rainclouds roared with thunder with a ‘gorogoro’ sound. ..Flashes of lightning crashed with a slamming ‘pishaa’ sound. A large maple tree on the ground split in half.
「黒ツチ！あのバカを助けてやれ！」 “Kurotsuchi! Save that reckless fool!”
土影の命令に従って、気を失って落下してゆくカカシを、黒ツチが即座に追いかける。 降りだした雨の最初のひと粒が、黒ツチの頬に当たった。 In accordance with the Tsuchikage’s command, Kurotsuchi immediately flied after Kakashi, who at that point was falling back in mid air. There was one bead of rain at the onset of the downpour. It struck Kurotsuchi on the cheeks of his face.
ずいぶん気を失っていたように思えるが、実際にカカシの意識が飛んでいたのは、ほんの数秒のことだった。 Becouse of the extraordinary effort he put in the Shiden, however, he had actually lost consciousness for about a few seconds.
顔に降りかかる冷たい雨に、カカシは薄目を開けた。 Cold rain fell upon his face. Kakashi then opened his half-closed eyes
とたん、巨大な影が、目の前をかすめて飛んでいった。 .Just then, a huge shadow flew right before his eyes.
「！？」 「！？」
Kakashi opened his eyes. Within the torn gondola, (he could see) the figure of Kahyo, who was frantically making seals.
降りしきる雨が、地鎖連氷に呼び寄せられ、いまや残骸と化した飛鯱丸の船底に、氷の結晶を作ってゆく。 The rain down poured incessantly. Having invoked Jisarenhyou, now the bottom of the Tobishachimaru had changed into wreckage. (Kahyo) continued to make crystals of ice.
船底からのび出した氷の結晶は、 天空に輝く白銀の滑り台をどんどん継ぎ足していった。 The crystals of ice extended forth from the bottom of the ship. A sparkling silver slide gradually extended into the sky.
その上を滑走する、飛鯱丸。 Gliding on top of that was the Tobishachimaru.
船が通り過ぎるそばから、その軌跡がどんどん砕け散り、キラキラ輝きながら宙に舞った。まるで飛鯱丸が、ほうき星かなにかになってしまったかのように見えた。 As soon as the ship passed through, the tracks steadily broke apart. (The ice) glistened with radiance in mid-air. It seemed as if the Tobishachimaru had become something like a comet.
もしも天国への階段というものがあるとしたら…… If there was something to be called a ‘Stairway to Heaven’…
轟音を鳴り響かせて滑り落ちてゆく飛鯱丸を見送りながら、カカシは考えるともなしに、そんなことを考えた。きっと、こんな感じなんだろうな。 A thunderous roar resounded as the Tobishachimaru continued to slide. As Kakashi was seeing it off, he absentmindedly thought (about the ‘Stairway to Heaven’). He pondered such a thing. Surely, he thought that a (‘Stairway to Heaven’) would have such a feeling.
天空いっぱいに、青白い氷の結晶が、音もなく漂っていた。 The sky was full of pale crystals of ice. They were drifting about without a sound.
カカシは、黒ツチの肩にかかえられていた。 Kakashi was being carried on Kurotsuchi’s shoulder.
「こいつは、本気で死ぬつもりだったようじゃぜ」土影が言った。「どうもこうもあるかぜ」 The Tsuchikage said. “We had no other choice. It seems as though that burdensome ship won’t fall into our village. And so, we have no business in such a place”
「あっ」と 、赤ツチが素っ頓狂な声をあげた。「鬼燈城から、 なんか飛んでくるだに」 “Ah” Akatsuchi raised his hysteric voice. “Something is flying towards us from the Houzukijyou”
サイは無言で、鴻を黒ツチに寄せた。 Sai silently approached Kurotsuchi with his large bird.
土影がうなずくと、黒ツチが「あらよっと」と、カカシを鴻の背に放り出した。 The Tsuchikage nodded. “Arayotto” (/’Off you go!) said Kurotsuchi. She tossed Kakashi onto the back of the bird.
「戦勝気分もそろそろ終わりにしろと、綱手姫に言っとけ。ワシらもそろそろ次の世代に道をゆずる頃合いじゃぜ」 “Tell Tsunade-hime that the victorious feeling will also steadily end. Even we will gradually hand over our ways, in due time, to the next generation”
それだけ言い残して、オオノキは飛び去ってしまった。 After imparting only those words, Oonoki flew away.
このときはじめて、カカシはずいぶん地上へ近づいていることに気がついた。見下ろすと、白煙をあげている鬼燈城の中庭で、人間たちがアリのようにうごめいていた。 Then for the first time, Kakashi noticed that they were considerably approaching the ground. Overlooking (the scene), white smoke was rising from the courtyard of the Houzukijyou. The human beings were wriggling like ants.
城を取り囲むだだっ広い草原に、飛鯱丸は滑り降りた。鬼燈城の季節の過ぎた草原に、もうもうと土煙が舞った。 Surrounding the castle was a spacious meadow. The Tobishachimaru slid down and onto it. Seasons had passed through the meadow of the Houzukijyou. A dense cloud of dust fluttered about.
飛鯱丸は草の上を滑り、そして、前のめりになって静止した。 The Tobishachimaru slid on top of the grass. And then, the ship leaned forward. It then stood still.
城のほうがどよめき、すぐに小さな人影が城門を飛び出して、飛鯱丸に駆けつけた。それは、どうやらサクラのようだった。 The commotion was on the side of the castle. Immediately, a figure of a small person rushed out from the castle gates. It came running towards the Tobishachimaru. That figure seemed to be Sakura.
城の南側では、激しい戦闘が行われていた。旋風が巻き起こり、逃げ出した収監者たちがいっぺんに吹き飛ぶ。リーの木ノ葉旋風に間違いなかった。 On the South side of the castle, intense battles were being fought. A whirlwind arose, which blew away the escaped prisoners one by one. There was no mistaking (that attack), it was Lee’s Konoha Senpuu.
城の中庭で伸び縮みしている影を見て、シカマルが踏ん張っているのだと分かった。 収監者たちをなぎ倒してゆく大きな球は、チョウジの肉弾戦車だ。 In the courtyard of the castle, he saw an expanding and contracting shadow. He understood that to be Shikamaru, who was bracing himself. A large ball continuously mowed down the escaped prisoners. It was Chouji’s Nikudansensha.
シノの蟲、テンテンの忍具、キバと赤丸。。。そんな仲間たちを眺めていると、熱いものが胸に込みあげてくるのを、カカシはどうしようもなかった。 There were Shino’s insects, Tenten’s ninja weaponry, Kiba and Akamaru…Gazing at such comrades, something hot began to well up inside Kakashi’s chest. It couldn’t be helped.
土影の言うとおりだ、そろそろオレたちが、道を受け継ぐ番なんだ。 As the Tsuchikage had said, it will gradually be time for us to inherit those ways.
カカシの中で、決定的な変化が訪れたのは、このときだった。 At this time within Kakashi, a definitive change occurred.
オレは写輪眼を失ったことを、火影という地位から逃げる口実にしていたんじゃないだろうか？ Since I lost the Sharingan, I suppose I was using that as in excuse to escape from being in the position of Hokage, right?
ふと、そんなふうに思った。 Suddenly, he thought of that in such a manner.
火影になるということは、守るべき者たちが増えるということだ。つまり、いつ何時、 オビトを失ったときのような悲しみに襲われるか、分からない。オレは、そんな悲しみを背負う覚悟を、まだ持てていないと思い込んでいた。 Speaking of becoming the Hokage, the number of people I must protect will increase. In other words, at any given moment, I will not know when I will be attacked by sorrow; (Grief) that will be similar to the time as when I lost Obito. I will be resigned to being burdened with such sorrows. I was under the impression that I was still unable to endure (those feelings of sadness).
里の仲間たちは、いま、この瞬間にも、黙っておたがいを支えているのだ。まるで朝が来たら眼が覚めるみたいに、当たり前の顔をして。ナルト、綱手様、シカマル、いの、ガイ、リー、テンテン、チョウジ、サクラ、サイ、ヒナタ、シズネ、イルカ、シノ、キバ 。。。 As for the comrades of the village, even now at this moment, they are silently supporting one another. It’s as if morning is approaching, and they are seemingly awakening (to the sunrise); they make (supporting one another) look (like a natural instinct). Naruto, Tsunade-sama, Shikamaru, Ino, Guy, Lee, Tenten, Chouji, Sakura, Sai, Hinata, Shizune, Iruka, Shino, Kiba…
。。。みんなの顔が、次々にカカシの胸中をよぎった。 …Everyone’s faces successively flashed across Kakashi’s mind.
そして、そんな木ノ葉隠れの里を、仲間たちを、心から誇りに思った。 And so, for such comrades and Konohagakure Village, I thought that I was proud of them from the bottom of my heart.
もしも、こいつらがオレを必要とするなら……と、カカシは思った。オレはこいつらの悲しみを、みんなまとめて呑み込んでやろう。そう、当たり前の顔で。そして、こいつらといっしょに、悲しみにのたうちまわってやろう。 And so, Kakashi thought:" If those guys need me, then I will swallow all of their collective sorrow. That seems right, (like a natural instinct). And then I will writhe in sorrow with them, together."
火影になるというのは、たぶん、そういうことなんだ...。 "Speaking of becoming the Hokage, perhaps that’s (the meaning behind) such a (position)..."

Shikamaru didn’t even try to hide the shivers running up his spine from sitting on the cold, concrete floor.

There was no window to speak of. The walls, the ceiling, everything was concrete. He, Rou and Soku were sitting in acircle in a completely grey room.

All three of them were wearing thelong cloaks of the enlightened ones. All stolen, of course. Even the room they were currently residing in didn’t belong to them. The real owner was an enlightened one stuffed in a closet in the room next door, knocked out by one of Soku’s paralysing Chakra Needles.

Of course, they hadn’t forgotten to do their interrogations in the midst of their thievery. The result of all their cross-questionings was quite a bounty of information.

“It seems that Lord Shikamaru was correct in his initial conclusion.” Rou started speaking first. “This country does indeed look like it’s being ruled by this Gengo character and his frighteningly strong charisma.”

Shikamaru had to agree with Rou about the charisma. They’d had to lure another male EO [shortened term for Enlightened One/s] to get a long cloak for Rou, and the one female EO for Soku’s cloak. Counting Minoichi, that made three EO’s that had been interrogated over all.

Three enlightened ones, and yet the one thing that didn’t change in every single scenario was their obsessive, unshakable faith in Gengo.

The faith the EO’s had towards Gengo was clearly different from the trust that Konoha’s shinobi put in the Hokage, or Naruto.

Humans feeling love and respect for another human. That was, in Shikamaru’s opinion, the bond between Konoha’s shinobi and their leaders. People respecting other people.

But the way the EO’s treated Gengo was different. They spoke of him with the same fear and reverence that one would use for a living god. As if they believed that while they were humans, Gengo’s existence was something else entirely. It was an unshakeable, disturbing faith.

What kind of a man could make people adore him to that extent?

Shikamaru noticed with mild alarm that deep down inside, he himself felt curious about the answer.

“Well, it’s been said from the start that this whole thing’ll end if we end Gengo, y’know.” Soku bluntly said. “That’s why the old man and I came along in the first place. If that hadn’t been the case, we wouldn’t be needed. Though I’d have liked it if that haven’t been the case, y’know.”

Although her last comment was a little rude, Soku’s input was pertinent to the conversation.

“It seems that their thoughts towards Gengo have already turned into a religious fervour.” Rou said.

“I think so too, y’know.” Soku nodded. “Something has to be up for them to be so fervently attached to him.”

“What do you mean by something, Hinoko?”

“Shikamaru-san! I told you not to call me by name!” Soku sat up in a fit of temper, her index finger pointing at Shikamaru’s face, the tip of it crackling with orange chakra. “If you call me by name again, I’m seriously gonna pound you!”

She was so worked up, she didn’t even add “y’know” to the end of her sentence.

“Why don’t you like it? It’s an adorable name…” * [Translator’s Note: Hinoko means sparks of fire.]

“That’s why I don’t like it!” Soku’s chakra blared brighter with her temper. “A cool name like Gourai [roaring lightning] or Shippu [swift gale] or Kimidare [summer rain] would have been so much better!”

It turned out that no matter how capable a shinobi she was, Soku was still a fourteen year old child on the inside. Her line up of ‘cool’ names were all so unbelievably cheesy, Shikamaru was desperately trying not to laugh.

She must have mistaken the strained expression on his face for an apologetic look, because the chakra buzzing at the tip of her finger suddenly went out.

“Sorry,” Shikamaru said, regaining control of himself. “I didn’t know you hated your name to that extent. I’ll be careful not to use it.”

“A-as long as you understand…” Soku looked somewhat embarrassed at her outburst now, looking down at the floor.

Spread out on the floor in front of the three was a map of Curtain Village. This had also been procured from the owner of the room.

“I say, the shape of this city is truly like a spider’s web.” Rou said, crossing his arms in thought.

Shikamaru looked down to study the map as well. His eyes fell on the picture of the large castle at the centre of the city. The text next to it declared it as ‘Floating Prisoner Castle’.

“Floating prisoner…” Shikamaru muttered to himself.

“It is a derogatory term.” Rou explained with his old-fashioned knowledge. “Used for prisoners of war, or savages living near the borders of a metropolis.”

“Derogatory, huh…” Shikamaru’s mind was whirring as he murmured out loud. “Did Gengo give it that name? Or was the castle called that long before he became its master?”

“The Country of Silence has always avoided contact with other countries, and as a consequence even we Anbu of Konoha do not have any information on this castle.”

Shikamaru somehow had a feeling Gengo had given the castle that name. It was just a vague sort of intuition though, so he didn’t say anything about it.

“Why give your own castle an insulting name like that…”

“It comes to this sort of meaning, does it not? ‘As the Five Great Nations and other smaller countries claimed their land on the continent, we were savages forced to live on the outskirts.’ They are insulting themselves.” Rou said.

“That’s definitely what it is.” Shikamaru commented, deep in thought.

“That’s stupid, y’know.” Soku scornfully interjected. She’d kept quiet until now, listening to them talk, but looked so worked up she couldn’t stop herself from talking. “Insulting yourself, declaring yourself to be scum, what kind of a crazy cruelty is that? And these twisted, pessimistic guys are trying to overturn the world of shinobi? Ridiculous.”

She forgot to add ‘y’know’ again.

Soku, Shikamaru realised, was genuinely angry at the people of this country for giving themselves such a self-deprecating name.

“It’s probably by insulting themselves that they find the ferocity to bare their fangs and fight the rest of the world.”

Soku’s reply to Shikamaru’s explanation was to look away in disgust. He continued speaking.

“Revenge is born out of hatred for your opponent. And hatred is never something that can exist in someone without them starting a fight or provoking the other side.”

“Then, Lord Shikamaru, are you saying that the people of this country resent the other countries in this continent?”

“That’s a ridiculous idea, y’know.” Soku cut in, still steaming. “All the EO’s who run this country are former shinobi from other countries, aren’t they?”

Soku was right. The fact had come to light during their interrogation of the three EO’s. Every single EO who was involved with governing this country had originally been a shinobi from another country. Part of them were shinobi who’d gone missing in action during the war, while the rest were those who’d become missing-nin during the past year, but they were all governing authorities who answered to Gengo.

They’d learnt that this country had once had a Daimyou as well. The one who had driven the Daimyou out, raised up the Enlightened Ones and changed the country from the root up was, of course, none other than Gengo.

It would be a fitting summary to say that the current Country of Silence was being run completely by shinobi.

“If they hate other countries,” Soku continued, “Then that means they hate their own villages as well. That can’t be right.”

The concept seemed alien to her.

“There are shinobi like that too.” Shikamaru carefully said, explaining in a calm tone. “The group that was the cause of the last great war, the ‘Akatsuki’ were mostly made up of missing-nin. They were a group with exceptional abilities who hated the world of shinobi.”

You’d find yourself trapped in a bad situation, and dark feelings would begin to stew. It wasn’t surprising if all that resentment and anger made you lash out at your own country. You’d blame your village for your misfortunes and suffering, say that it wasn’t your fault, but the structure of your country- no, the very structure of the world that was to blame.

It was through that kind of thinking that members of the Akatsuki or Enlightened Ones were born.

“But, I say, if this is true…” Rou spoke, and Soku and Shikamaru both fell quiet. “If this is true, and the Enlightened Ones feel dissatisfaction towards the current state of shinobi…”

Rou glanced at Shikamaru, who nodded for him to go on.

“And they came to this country with those feelings of dissatisfaction…But, well, what they’re doing here isn’t any different from what’s done in the shinobi world, is it?”

Rou was referring to how the Enlightened earned a livelihood. The Country of Silence had opened a unique messenger route for business, and was taking on mission requests from all around the continent. What’s more, their standard prices were cheaper than the Union’s. While large and powerful countries like the Five Great Nations didn’t care much about lowered prices over credibility, it was a relief for smaller countries around the continent who had less gold to spare.

It was no wonder the mission requests made to the Union had significantly decreased.

It was exactly as Rou had said. Shinobi who felt resentful towards the shinobi world ran away to the country of silence- only for them to keep taking on mission requests as only shinobi would. It was a truly ridiculous scenario.

“A ‘true revolution’…” Soku thoughtfully murmured.

When Rou and Shikamaru both turned to look at her, the girl looked embarrassed.

“It’s what Minoichi said. ‘Our goal is to create a true revolution in this world together with Gengo-sama,’ and all…”

“You think they’re taking on mission requests for the sake of reaching that goal?” Shikamaru asked.

Soku nodded.

“Well, either way…that Gengo fellow is a threat that must be eliminated.” Rou muttered.

“We’ve been blessed with a good chance, y’know.” Soku said, pointing at the plaza in front of Floating Prisoner Castle.

“The town square reserved for speeches…It’s a fitting stage for an assassination, is it not?” Rou laughed, and looked at Shikamaru with mirth.

The man who was always so simple and sincere was now talking about cold-blooded murder with a smile on his face. Shikamaru felt like he was just now realising, deep in his bones, that Rou really was a part of Anbu.

“To summarise what we discussed before: Rou, you’ll use your jutsu to help us blend into the crowd at the plaza. I’ll extend my shadow to reach and restrain Gengo. Soku, you’ll be placed at a nearby rooftop with a bird’s eye view. The moment you see Gengo stiffen, you have to send your Chakra Needle flying immediately.”

They both nodded at his orders with those same disturbing smiles, as if they were looking forward to the thrill.

“We’ll be depending on you, Hinoko.”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?!” Soku got to her feet, steaming with indignation.

“…Forty times.” Rou whispered.

“Huh?” Soku glared at her senior, her mouth twisting down in temper.

“Lord Shikamaru’s name has ‘shi’ for ‘4’ and ‘maru’ for ‘0’, so…forty.” Rou meekly said.

Soku was furious.

“Again with the puns!” She strode forward, “And bad ones, at that! What happened to the ‘ka’, then?!”

Rou hurriedly got to his feet and –despite being 40 years old, significantly larger than his short-tempered junoir, and an Anbu- quickly hid behind Shikamaru for safety, cowering from the fourteen year old’s rage.

Of course, he could’ve been playing his reaction up for laughs, but that didn’t stop Shikamaru from feeling more than a little embarrassed on the two’s behalf.

“Is everything really going to be alright tomorrow…?” He sighed.

Both Anbu straightened at once, reassurances spilling out of their mouths.

“It’ll be fine, y’know!”

“There is absolutely nothing to concern yourself over, Lord!”

Looking at them, Shikamaru let out another sigh.

They were so many people gatheredat the plaza in front of the castle that Shikamaru wouldn’t have been surprisedif it was the city’s whole population.

It wasn’t just the EnlightenedOnes with their long, black cloaks. Men and women, boys and girls, people ofall ages and classes had all gathered in one large, muddled crowd, waiting for their leader to appear.

All of them wore the same enthused, feverish expressions on their faces, their eyes fiercely blazing with devotion. Their voices mixed together, murmuring in praise and exaltation as they waited. All in all, Shikamaru found them loud and annoying.

Stuck in the middle of the crazed crowd, and in a cloak on top of that, Shikamaru could feel his skin getting slick with sweat.

Rou was next to him. Soku was lurking around the roof of a concrete building across the castle.

Rou’s jutsu had disguised Shikamaru’s chakra to look like the chakra of the cloak’s original owner. From the quality to the quantity, everything was an exact copy of the EO. Rou had of course, done the same for his own chakra and the EO who had worn his cloak.

Naturally, they’d disguised their faces too. That had been Rou’s skills at work again. No matter how well they hid their chakra, if the enemy ranks held someone with sharp eyes and a good memory for faces, they’d be discovered in an instant. Rou’s skills had ensured they were hidden more than enough, both on a chakra and visible level. Even if their faces were examined, it’d be almost impossible to tell the difference between them and the original EO’s.

And on top of that, Shikamaru and Rou were hidden in the midst of a large crowd.

Everything had been arranged so the enemy would have no possible way of spotting them out.

“For now, let’s head towards that place.” Rou murmured in a low voice. He barely moved his mouth as he spoke, eyes never moving from the platform placed in front of the crowd. It was raised quite a bit off the ground, with its own wooden staircase to the side. There was nothing on the platform, not a single microphone or bodyguard. The crowd was jostling forward close enough for them to touch the wood.

“I say, I wonder if Gengo will really appear?” Rou doubtfully murmured.

He was right to feel unsure. For the leader of a country to stand on such a completely defenceless platform was beyond dangerous. If Gengo did appear, it would be the same as saying that he didn’t have the feel the slightest suspicion that anyone could aim for his life.

“For now, let’s just get closer and wait. If Gengo doesn’t appear, then we’ll just silently draw back for now.”

“Understood.”

They just had to get within a distance that Shikamaru’s kagemane could reach the man on the platform. If Shikamaru could stop Gengo’s movement, then Soku’s Chakra Needle would do the rest.

“If he would just make an appeara-”

Rou’s murmuring was cut off by a sudden roar of joy from the front of the crowd closest to the platform. The elated shouting rose and spread like a tidal wave across the plaza. As Shikamaru tried to push his way to the front, all the people around him were screaming so loud he felt like his eardrums were going to burst.

A single man had appeared on the platform.

He wore a long, black coat similar to the design the Enlightened Ones wore, but his was covered in countless colourful ornaments as well as the large silver buckles. On top of that, his sleeves were embroidered with silver snakes running down his forearms.

His hair was a dark indigo blue. He had a strong jaw, a masculine physique, and his features were clear and well-defined. He calmly looked down at the cheering crowd with clear and intelligent eyes. There were slight traces of stubble around his jaw. He looked about 30 years old.

“That man is most likely Gengo, isn’t he?” Rou murmured, and stopped walking for just a moment.

Shikamaru kept walking without giving an answer. He felt a firm conviction that the man in front of their eyes was definitely Gengo.

Slowly, the man raised his right arm into the air. Instantly, all the wild cheers fell silent. Gengo closed his eyes as if he felt satisfied by that reaction, a small smile pulling at his mouth. He took in one deep breath, then opened his eyes and began to speak.

“First of all, I would like to express my thanks to all of you who have gathered here.”

His voice was deep and heavy, soothing to listen to. It had a mysterious quality to it that made you feel like you weren’t listening to him with just your ears, but your whole body. Shikamaru felt a bothersome, itchy feeling inside his chest, as if the man’s voice was brushing against his heart.

Rou’s eyes met Shikamaru’s as they silently moved closer to the platform. It was clear that he seemed to feel that same, uncomfortable sensation. The two shinobi’s steps became in sync, keeping their movements slow, subtle and silent.

Gengo gave a small bow towards the crowd to convey his gratitude, and then started to speak again.

“It has been ten years since I came to stand at this podium. We have gained many who share our ways of thinking, and our country has begun to prosper. However, not a single one of our desires have been realised.”

Everyone had been listening in utter silence. As the man’s words stopped, a strange atmosphere sifted into the quiet of the crowd, as if every inch of the plaza was under the man’s control.

“I have a question for the citizens of our country of silence!”

Gengo’s voice which had been so calm and composed now rang out with a tempestuous fury. His shouted words seemed to come from his very soul.

“The country that was ruled by a Daimyou, and this country now…Which world do you think is better? Who is that better world ruled by?”

“GENGO-SAMA!”

The citizens shouted their approval as one, their voice roaring across the plaza like a tidal wave.

“There is definitely no mistake, that man is Gengo.” Rou murmured.

Shikamaru silently nodded to him, turning to the platform. They were almost there, several meters left to the distance which would allow his kagemane to reach and bind the target.

The whole mission would be decided in one moment…

Gengo raised his right hand, and the crowd quietened again.

“I have received your answer. The days we were ruled by Daimyou who saw power, wisdom and us, the shinobi, as unimportant- those dark days are long past! Citizens, you may now find peace of mind. We enlightened ones shall forever protect you, with our power and our lives. All you need to worry about is comfortably living your lives. Because that is all that we enlightened wish for.”

Everyone around them seemed to get drunk on those words. They were strangely overwhelmed with emotion. Some were even crying.

Shikamaru honestly didn’t think Gengo had said anything all that important. No matter how he turned over the words in his head, it didn’t even seem like a relatively good speech. However, he did acknowledge the fact that Gengo’s voice had a mysterious power to it. The man possessed a power that made you listen to his voice no matter what he was saying.

“Our country of silence is at the very outskirts of the continent. Our history is that of foreigners, oppressed and downtrodden. Our ancestors did not cut off contact with the outside to sever our exchanges with others. It was to protect our own. As long as we stayed out of contact with the outside, we stayed weak. But now, that is over.”

Gengo’s voice increased, incensed.

“The ones who rule this world should not be the Daimyou, but we who carry the power of shinobi! That is true justice. It is because of shinobi’s struggles that the citizens are protected. The existence of shinobi who carry powers beyond a normal human’s have always been found throughout the world. And yet, we were ruled by Daimyou, who live selfishly, only for themselves, while crushing shinobi and citizen alike beneath their feet! Look at this country. It has been 10 years since I exterminated the daimyou. Look at the prosperity this country has gained!” Gengo’s chest expanded with pride.

“Almost there.” Shikamaru murmured.

Only a few steps more, and Gengo would be within range of his kagemane.

“I will exterminate the Daimyou from this world, and create a new world for us. Why aren’t shinobi recognised and distinguished? We hold a greater power than any daimyou. We hold a greater power than any human! Why are we who transcend others constantly downtrodden? Aren’t our merits far greater than other peoples? It is because the daimyou fear the age of shinobi that they discriminate against us, isolate us, and keep us under their influence! Citizens and shinobi alike, we are all victims to the selfishness of the daimyous!”

They were getting closer to Gengo. From this distance, it almost looked like blue sparks were coming out of the man’s fiercely glaring eyes.

“Revolution…”

Just a little more until they were in range. Just a little more.

The man standing in front of their eyes was almost certainly Gengo, and yet they’d been able to easily approach him unnoticed- so easily that Shikamaru felt weary.

He thought about the possibility of this being a trap.

But there was no way the enemy could have noticed them, and they couldn’t just let this chance pass them by.

“The Akatsuki had once stood with the intention of changing this world. But they were destroyed. They were destroyed by the world of shinobi that remains unchanged with time, no better today than it was yesterday, with shinobi still overruled and discriminated against. But the Akatsuki lived up to their name…they were the dawn. They were the sign of a dazzling morning to come. Listen, you people who hold the morning sun that will rise from the Silence’s darkness.”

Gengo slowly raised both his arms, as if he was welcoming a god from heaven.

“The first rays of sunlight to dawn in this new age, they will shine from our Country of Silence!”

The citizens cheered, the noise of their yells covering everything else.

This was their chance.

Shikamaru let his shadow free. A tendril crawled smoothly through the crowd like a black snake, creeping up the platform and stopping at Gengo’s feet.

As soon as that shadowy snake caught hold of hold of Gengo, his movements would be stopped, and Soku’s chakra needle would end the business.

It would’ve been fine if everything had turned out the way he’d planned it.

Only the kagemane…

Couldn’t seize Gengo.

“Wha-!”

He should’ve been in range. He was in range! Why couldn’t his shadow reach-

“The mouse creeping over there.” Gengo’s gaze slowly turned to look Shikamaru right in the eyes.

“He’s sensing us, Lord-!” Rou shrieked.

Several shadows leaped out from behind Gengo and came flying towards Rou, restraining him.

Shikamaru frantically tried to reach Gengo with his shadow one more time.

“It’s useless.” Gengo callously called.

Shikamaru’s shadow, once as familiar to him as his own hands and feet, suddenly turned into a kite with cut strings. Its tendril missed the target completely, turning round and round in circles, writing uselessly on the ground.

Fine then…

Shikamaru leaped onto the platform, slipping out a kunai from his cloak. If the plan had been ripped apart, then he would fight and do the deed himself.

Gengo didn’t move to run from Shikamaru. There was a faint smile on his face.

Shikamaru ran towards him, swinging his kunai towards the man’s throat with expert precision.

Someone came at Shikamaru from the side of the platform, kicking him sharply in the stomach. He rolled to the side of the wooden construct from the impact, and quickly sat up on one knee, his kunai at the ready.

He stared.

“You- what’re you…?”

A single man stood between Gengo and Shikamaru. He had an ashen grey complexion. Vague eyes, with depths of unreadable emotion. A straight, honest mouth.

“What’re you doing…?”

There was no mistake as to who it was.

Shikamaru called the man by his name.

“…Sai.”

Sai held a paintbrush in one hand, and a scroll in the other, drawing furiously. Every time he lifted his paintbrush from the scroll, an ink tiger would manifest and attack Shikamaru

Shikamaru efforts to fend them off ended with him rolling off the platform and falling right into the crowd.

He didn’t have the time to beconcerned only about Sai. Shikamaru’s mind was in utter chaos.

Why hadn’t his jutsu worked?

Why had their disguises been seenthrough?

Was Soku alright?

Shikamaru dodged attack after attack from the crowd. In the corner of his eye, he could see several Enlightened Ones holding down Rou. The old man was frantically struggling against their hold, but it was impossible for him to shake off that many men at once.

Shikamaru’s cheek was stinging from where Sai’s ink beast had gotten in a swipe.

The resin mask Rou had put on Shikamaru to disguise his face was starting to peel off.

“Soon, that mask will be torn off completely, so I imagine you’ll feel more comfortable.” Sai said with a simple smile.

His paintbrush hadn’t stopped moving. Inky tiger after tiger materialised, surrounding Shikamaru.

“Why are you doing this…”

“For a while now,” Sai noted, “You’ve been saying things that give the impression you know me.”

Shikamaru didn’t tell Sai who he was underneath the mask. He couldn’t, to begin with.

You never spoke your name out loud if there was a risk of you being captured and your name being traced back to your village. Never. It was an ironclad rule of Shinobi.

Behind the Enlightened Ones swarming towards him, Shikamaru could see Gengo still standing serenely on the platform. He kept his arms crossed as he calmly watched Shikmaru’s struggles.

If he could just manage to get to him one more time…

Shikamaru leapt on top of one of the inky tigers surrounding him, stabbing it with his kunai and leaping off in one seamless movement. He ran as soon as he hit the ground, free of the circle of beasts. In the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the tiger dissipating into a spray of black ink.

There was so many EO’s blocking his way, he could barely even count them.

“Will it work?” Shikamaru grumbled to himself, forming the seal for a jutsu with his hands.

Countless tendrils of darkness slowly started to extend from his shadow in every direction.

His kagenui, the shadow sewing technique, used tendrils of his shadow to attack and bind his opponents like a needle with thread. Since Shikamaru could create a multitude of shadow needles, it was a good jutsu to use against several opponents.

Shikamaru took aim at the tigers and Enlightened ones surrounding him. The needle-like tendrils of his shadow stretched out without any problems. All he’d need was one strong force of will for them to shoot up and off the ground.

“Work!” Shikamaru yelled the word like a battle cry. The tendrils raised their heads slowly from the ground, rearing back and getting ready to strike-

“Stop your pointless actions.” Gengo called from the platform above. The moment his voice rang out, Shikamaru’s shadow tendrils woozily sank back into the ground, and drew back into his normal shadow.

“Wh- WHAT DID YOU DO?” Shikamaru roared at Gengo in outrage.

Why was his voice affecting his shadows?

What in the world was he?

“Hm? I do believe I know that jutsu…”

It was Sai who made that comment. He’d now come to stand in front of Shikamaru, blocking his way.

“Sai, don’t you dare…”

“Your pointless actions are unsightly.” Sai calmly said, his paintbrush furiously dancing along the scroll in his hand. The tiger that materialised from his scroll this time was black and white- and far, far larger than any of the others.

“You will experience it first hand, and understand, soon enough.” Sai said, pointing his paint brush at Shikamaru. The giant black and white tiger took that as a signal, and took one great step towards Shikamaru.

“You shithead…” Shikamaru muttered, taking out a kunai and staring up at the tiger, readying himself for battle.

Suddenly, he felt something slam against his right leg. The second he realised that, something else slammed against his left leg, and right when Shikamaru realised the Enlightened Ones were bodily launching themselves at him, it was too late.

He hit the ground face first, several of the Enlightened piling on top of him and holding him down.

“To think that someone as sharp as you didn’t notice that the tiger was merely a distraction…your mind must really be in chaos.” Sai commented, looking down at Shikamaru desperately trying to breath under all the bodies crushing him.

Shikamaru’s impeded field of vision picked up the shadow of a man approaching from behind Sai.

Gengo.

“Take off the mask.” Gengo commanded of the Enlightened Ones.

A single finger slipped into the crack caused by the tiger’s claw, and peeled off Shikamaru’s mask in one go.

“Now see, it is Shikamaru-san after all.” Sai said.

“So this is Konohagakure’s genius, Nara Shikamaru, huh…” Gengo’s voice sounded like he was a collector who’d found an item he’d been seeking for quite a while.

Shikamaru craned his head to look up into a pair of suspiciously glowing blue eyes. Gengo’s gaze didn’t leave his for a moment.

Shikamaru cracked a smile. “Just so you know,” he said, “If you don’t get rid of me now, terribly frightening things will happen later.”

“I have no fears. You’ll be living right along with me.”

Gengo’s confident words were followed by a sharp pain in Shikamaru’s neck, and he lost consciousness.

*

This was true darkness.

There was no light whatsoever, to the point that Shikamaru couldn’t even see his own hands held an inch from his face.

It was in this kind of dark that he sat, and sunk deep into his thoughts.

He wasn’t sure how many days had passed. Judging by how frequently they’d fed him, and the state of his stomach, it had been at least five days.

How did things turn out like this?

No matter how many times Shikamaru turned over the events in his head, he couldn’t find a complete answer.

It wasn’t just the problem of Sai.

He’d extended his shadow all the way to the platform Gengo had been standing on. But his shadow hadn’t been able to ensnare his legs, losing sight of the target.

And Gengo had been aware of the presence of Shikamaru and the others. He’d called them ‘mice’. All this despite them perfectly disguising their chakra.

It was as if there’d been a barrier around the man that rendered all their jutsu useless when they got within a certain distance of him.

Could Gengo really disable jutsu?

Shikamaru couldn’t tell. But there was no mistake that something had interfered with both Shikamaru and Rou’s jutsu.

Shikamaru’s shadow couldn’t reach Gengo. When he’d tried to use the kagenui against Sai’s monstrous tiger, as well, his shadow had suddenly faltered and lost power.

The most appropriate conclusion was that either Gengo or an influence in Gengo’s surroundings, had weakened the potency of his kagemane.

Following that train of thought, there was a high possibility that Rou’s jutsu had experienced the same effect and been watered down. Then, Shikamaru’s own chakra signature had likely leaked outside the disguise, allowing Gengo to notice their presence.

That was the theory he had been going on for now.

Jutsu didn’t work against Gengo…

But why?

Shikamaru hadn’t had the time to gather enough information to figure out the truth behind the phenomenon. He hadn’t had rhe chance to investigate anything, even a little, so of course there was nothing for him to work with.

Not having anything more to go on, not being able to think about the reason, it irritated him.

He was losing his presence of mind…

“Geugh! Urghh!”

Somewhere in the darkness, Rou’s groans of pain reached Shikamaru’s ears. Soku’s cries came from somewhere in the darkness as well too. They both sounded like they were being held somewhere close to him. It sounded like they were undergoing severe torture. He only ever heard their voices in moans and whimpers.

For some reason, Shikamaru wasn’t tortured at all.

“I’m sorry…” He murmured, looking towards the direction of Rou’s pained voice, although it was doubtful the man had heard.

This was the result of Shikamaru’s own hasty actions.

Wouldn’t it have turned out so much better if he’d just investigated Gengo a little more before acting?

There had been so many other plans he could have followed…

Shikamaru struck out with his fists blindly in the dark, hitting the cold, stone floor beneath him. He struck again, and again…

“Are you alive?”

Gengo’s voice came to Shikamaru in the darkness.

“Or are you dead?” His captor’s voice took on a tone as if he worried about there being no answer.

Shikamaru’s chakra was depleted, but he wasn’t dead, and he knew Gengo was perfectly aware of that fact. Asking questions he already knew the answer to was nothing more than sarcasm.

“I see you’ve been eating all your meals.”

Shikamaru ate everything they gave him. Of course, only after checking if it was poisoned. Being able to taste the presence of a variety of poisons with just one lick was another of the basic foundation for shinobi.

Shikamaru was eating because he hadn’t given up.

As long as he was alive, there was bound to be some chance of escape. If his body couldn’t move as he willed it to when that chance came, then he would die.

No shinobi gave up the hope to live. To continue to survive no matter what, to keep carrying out your duties no matter what, that was a true shinobi.

We are shinobi because we endure.

That’s why Shikamaru had to believe that Rou and Soku hadn’t given up either.

“Have you calmed down a little, after so many days spent in the dark like this?” Gengo asked. “Do you feel like listening to my words now?”

“Unfortunately for you,” Shikamaru said, “The dark is a very close friend of mine.”

“You’re an interesting one.” Gengo laughed. “I’ll come again.”

The man’s presence disappeared as soon as it had come.

“ARRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Rou had started screaming again.

The Hokage’s office back home couldn’t even be compared to the enormous size of this hall.

Shikamaru was crouched down in themiddle of a deep crimson carpet rolled out from the extravagant double doors atthe entrance towards the interior of the room.

Both of his hands were in manacles behind his back. Two of the Enlightened Ones stood by his sidesso he wouldn’t get any ideas about standing up and causing trouble. Well, theywere originally shinobi, so they’d notice the moment Shikamaru did anythingsuspicious.

Rou and Soku were behind him. They, too, had their hands in manacles behind their backs, and guards by their sides. The only difference was that both their faces were covered in dark bruises and gashes, clear evidence of the torture they’d been suffering.

Going by the number of meals and the state of his stomach, it had already been 10 days since they were captured.

In all that time, Shikamaru hadn’t been tortured even once. Gengo had visited him countless times, staying a bit to make some meaningless small talk, and then leaving. He would always say things like ‘should I make a speech today I wonder’ or ‘what should be eaten for lunch?’ useless, stupid stuff like that.

“Lower your head.” the Enlightened on Shikamaru’s right side ordered, and slammed his forehead onto the carpet.

“These are important guests. You mustn’t handle them roughly.” Gengo’s voice came from some distance ahead of Shikamaru.

The moment he said that, the EO let go of Shikamaru’s head in a hurry, straightening up as if deeply embarrassed at being scolded.

“My subordinate has been rude.” Gengo said. “Please, raise your head.”

Shikamaru had already been lifting his face even before he was given permission. A marble staircase started where the crimson carpet ended ahead of him. At the very top of the staircase, there was a wide floor with a long, extravagant statue of a dragon with a throne carved into it.

Gengo sat there, one leg thrown over the other. His left elbow was leaning on the armrest, and he casually cradled his cheek in his left palm. The cool, composed gaze with which he looked down at Shikamaru was exactly that of the ruler of a country.

“Bring them closer.” Gengo commanded.

The EO’s at Shikamaru’s sides put their arms through his, dragging him to his feet. They hurried him across the carpet, until he was at the bottom of the great staircase. Rou and Soku were dragged along in the same manner.

“Have you gotten a little bit curious about my words now?” Gengo asked.

“Sorry but, I have no idea what you’re trying to say.” Shikamaru said.

Gengo let out a small laugh at the immediate and resolute reply.

There were several EO’s lined up along each side of his throne. All of them were looking down at Shikamaru with the kind of haughty eyes that made him suppose they were Gengo’s advisors or close aides. Shikamaru saw Sai’s figure among their ranks, already adorned with the black cloak that all Enlightened Ones wore. Although they were supposed to be comrades, Sai’s eyes looked down at Shikamaru without any uneasiness or hesitation. Sai’s eyes had never been very expressive to begin with, but they’d never looked as blank and empty as they did now.

“Someone as intelligent and well-known as yourself…” Gengo said, “I think you’ve long figured out what I want from you.”

Of course Shikamaru had noticed what Gengo wanted. He’d sensed it ages ago, but it was a ridiculous notion. It wasn’t ever going to happen. So he kept his mouth shut, and didn’t even waste his breath on it.

“Become my right hand man, Shikamaru. If it’s you, then you will be able to bring a new world into existence alongside me. I can see that you are a man capable of that.”

“I’ll pass.”

Shikamaru immediately spat out his reply. His eyes seethed with murderous rage as he glared up at Gengo.

But the country’s ruler didn’t seem the least bit affected. He calmly met Shikamaru’s bloodthirsty gaze as if it was nothing more than a passing wind.

“Someone who reacted to my sudden proposition with immediate joy and acceptance would not have been someone I would want. You’re doing very well, Shikamaru.”

“You’ve been pissing me off more and more with that all-knowing tone of yours, acting like you can see through everyone. What could you possibly understand about me?”

Shikamaru wasn’t actually pissed off. He wasn’t the sort of person who let things like this anger him enough to make him lose his cool. He was just acting like he was itching for a fight because he wanted to see his opponent’s reaction. That was all that it was.

“It’s impossible for one person to completely understand another.” Gengo said, “Isn’t that why I’m holding a conversation with you? I’m not seeing through you. I’ve simply lived a little longer than you have, so I can perceive your emotions a little. If that somehow seemed to manifest into an arrogant tone, then I apologise.”

“It’s exactly that kind of tone that pisses me off.”

“I see…” Gengo closed his eyes and laughed in a self-deprecating way.

For a while, there was silence. Gengo’s gaze wondered around the room as if he was thinking.

He had deliberately created a chance for Shikamaru’s ‘anger’ to cool down…

If you looked at the situation from afar, you’d think Gengo was simply pausing to gather his own thoughts and prepare for another conversation.

However, the reality was that if Gengo had continued the conversation with its current atmosphere, then Shikamaru’s ‘anger’ would have continued to brim over until he was so incensed he would obstinately refuse to listen to anything. Gengo had deliberately created a lull in conversation to avoid that outcome.

Creating a pause for both parties to breathe and calm down would effectively change the strained atmosphere between them. Even if Shikamaru had insisted on spitting out vitriol, with the absence of Gengo’s reply it would’ve been nothing more than empty howling that would release more anger than increase it.

Gengo was pushing the conversation down the path that he wanted it to go.

This man had a lot of practice with negotiating…

Finally, after a long pause, Gengo’s eyes returned to look at Shikamaru.

“There’s just one thing question I have for you, but would you be willing to give me an answer?”

“What?”

Shikamaru regretted the word the moment he let it pass his mouth. But it was too late to take it back.

“Why are shinobi so oppressed and downtrodden?”

Oppressed? Shinobi?

Shikamaru didn’t understand what the man was getting at.

His silence encouraged Gengo to continue speaking, reinforcing his question with more talk.

“The villages that shinobi live in are always, without exception, described as ‘hidden villages’. Why must shinobi stay hidden? In all the countries in this continent, how much land do shinobi really get to call their own? You’ll find that it’s a very small portion. And why is that? Because there are others who rule the majority of this continent. The daimyous.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. Shinobi villages did have the title of a ‘hidden village’ added to their name. The majority of the continent was indeed governed by Daimyous.

So what?

So the Daimyous governed the countries, so the shinobi stayed in villages that were called ‘hidden villlages’. That didn’t make shinobi oppressed.

Shikamaru held a job in the very backbone of the Shinobi Union, so he knew a little bit more about the state of the world than others. The Daimyous, and the citizens who lived within the countries that they ruled, they all co-existed alongside shinobi in a satisfactory, mutually beneficial relationship.

“Think about it, Shikamaru. Why are shinobi oppressed by the daimyous?”

“When have shinobi ever been oppressed by the Daimyous?”

“It’s not just the daimyous. We’re oppressed by every single person who isn’t a shinobi.” Gengo’s eyes looked like they were spitting flames as he looked at Shikamaru. “I will ask you one more question.”

“You said you were just going to ask one…”

“I’m asking another.” Gengo sharply cut him off. “Shinobi hold a power different from all other humans in this world. Do you agree?”

Chakra and ninjutsu…

Well, you couldn’t deny that they were abilities that clearly separated shinobi from normal people.

Shikamaru silently nodded.

Gengo seemed satisfied by that, and continued speaking.

“And the power that shinobi hold is one that far surpasses the limits of a human’s abilities.”

Again, Shikamaru nodded.

The Great War that took place two years ago had been a battle that would decide the fight of the whole world. If the shinobi alliance back then had been defeated, then neither Shikamaru nor Gengo would be here talking now.

Whether it was Uchiha Madara, who had planned to drag every human on earth into a giant genjutsu’s dreams, or Naruto Uzumaki, who had taken all the tailed beasts into his body so he could end the battle, both were prime examples of living beings that simply couldn’t be called ‘human’ anymore. It was possible that with the developments of the last era, shinobi had broken away from the path of ‘humanity’ all together.

“Why must shinobi who surpass the limits of human beings be forced to live in ‘hidden’ villages? Why must we endure living that kind of life? Why must we be forced to work for our daily income as the daimyous’ errand boys? In the Great War two years ago, who was it that saved this world from destruction? It wasn’t the daimyou. It wasn’t the citizens.”

Gengo’s voice increased in power, pushing down on Shikamaru from every direction.

“Wasn’t it we shinobi who saved this world?”

What was this power…?

It was making his heart thump erratically in his chest.

Shikamaru felt something he hadn’t felt at all until this moment: exaltation.

Why did he feel like that?

…Maybe because Gengo had taken the same dangerous feelings that lurked in some repressed corner of Shikamaru’s heart, and clearly put them into words.

He was right…

Two years ago, shinobi had saved the world.

“Countless shinobi fought and sacrificed their lives to protect this world, but just how many citizens actually know about that fact? The name of Uzumaki Naruto, someone adored all across the shinobi world for being the hero that ended the war— it isn’t even known to a handful of citizens! Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi, the Five Kage, the Akatsuki, all of them, isn’t it a fact that nobody outside of the shinobi world ever talks about them?”

It was exactly as Gengo said. No matter how much shinobi put their lives on the line to protect the world, none of the citizens living within society would ever hear about it.

“This era of peace was built upon piles of shinobi corpses, and yet the daimyou come and sit atop it without a moment of hesitation, comfortably continuing to rule the citizens without a single thought for us. It’s for the sakes of those bastards that we shinobi went out into the battlefield at the time of the Great War. We became living barriers for the daimyou and citizens. And yet, in return?”

Nothing had changed.

Well, Shikamaru thought that wasn’t an unreasonable outcome.

The antagonists against the shinobi alliance during the war, Uchiha Madara and Ootsutsuki Kaguya, had intended to pull all the people in the continent into a genjutsu so they could use their chakra as a living battery.

The result had been that in the height of that fierce battle, all the citizens and daimyou had fallen into a deep sleep.

But still…

The fact remained that it wasn’t as if no one knew what happened during the Great War. They simply didn’t speak of it.

“Why are we shinobi who hold the greater power forced to live in ‘hidden villages’, constantly lurking in the shadows as we go about our daily lives?” Gengo stood up from his throne. “Is it really for the best?”

Gengo took one step down the stairs. Then another. He slowly descended, holding Shikamaru’s gaze as he kept speaking.

“Shikamaru. The next question is what I really want to ask you.”

Gengo reached the bottom of the stairs, walking forwards so he stood right in front of Shikamaru’s eyes.

“Wouldn’t it be for the best if shinobi governed this world instead?”

‘You’re wrong.’

Shikamaru couldn’t say those words. No, he couldn’t answer the question at all.

He didn’t know what was right anymore.

‘We are shinobi because we endure.’

No matter how great the powers you held were, you served the people unseen and from the shadows. That was what shinobi were defined by.

However.

Endless possibilities stemmed from the chakra and ninjutsu used by shinobi. If shinobi really took control from the daimyous the way Gengo said, and if they governed all the countries, then wouldn’t the world make even more remarkable progress than it has up to now?

What was really the best choice for the people?

He couldn’t give an answer.

“With the power of shinobi, I am slowly going to elevate this country.” Gengo said. “I am going to put a clean end to this this unrelenting era of war lords. With the power of shinobi, it’s possible!”

Killing the man called Gengo…was it really for the best?

Shikamaru wasn’t so sure anymore.

He couldn’t refute what Gengo hadsaid…

Shikamaru was bewildered by theshaken state of his own heart.

He had come all the way here tokill Gengo.

He’d firmly believed that he was ahindrance to the road to peace for shinobi.

It was because he believed that that Shikamaru started out on this pathwithout telling a single one of his comrades the truth.

But now that Gengo was standing in front of his eyes, now that he was listening to what he was saying, Shikamaru wasn’t sure if his way of thinking was really the right one.

“Have you ever thought about why wars keep endlessly repeating in this world?” Gengo asked.

The truth was that Shikamaru had never once thought about it.

From the moment this continent had come into existence, there had been a great number of countries who went kept repeating the same skirmishes with each other, again and again, going through their own ups and downs as they did.

And in the space between the relationships of those countries, shinobi existed and offered their skill sets for a price, thus gaining provision. That was just the way things had always been, so the word ‘war’ didn’t even seem to apply.

Shikamaru had always been concerned with the affairs of the world of shinobi alone. Unlike Gengo, he had never considered the rest of the world.

Shikamaru’s thoughts had always been about how to secure the future of shinobi. How to preserve the reconciled bonds between villages. How effective the union would be for that. How to make Naruto hokage. How to build a strong foundation for his generation.

Shikamaru’s concerns seemed impossibly small in the face of what Gengo was considering. His focus wasn’t the world of shinobi, but the whole earth.

“Don’t you think the reason all the fighting hasn’t stopped is because the daimyou are governing everything, instead of shinobi? Because these people who hold neither chakra nor jutsu keep meeting together, every time they pass by each other, these wars never end. Because they have no extraordinary people among them, there is no country which is stronger than all the others, and thus no one to keep them in check. So the countries keep fighting and reconciling, again and again, and this world of war continues. I am telling you about a method that will put an end to all that. With the power of shinobi, I and my Enlightened Ones will achieve what no one else has before: the unification of the continent.”

“Unification of the continent…” Shikamaru murmured.

Gengo gave a satisfied nod at him echoing the words.

“From the start, this world has always been about ‘survival of the fittest’. This way of life doesn’t only extend to beasts. Even the beasts called humans haven’t been able to rid themselves of it. In that case, isn’t it only fitting that the holders of true strength, shinobi, reign as the strongest, at the top of this hierarchy? The revolution I’m speaking of carrying out is exactly that: to turn this atypical world into the best that it can be.”

Thinking that shinobi are the ones who should be controlling the world…

…might not be wrong.

“Lord Shikamaru.”

Rou’s voice came from behind him. Shikamaru turned his head and looked over his shoulder at the man.

“Is it not exactly as Lord Gengo has said?” Rou asked. “Why must shinobi always be used by the daimyou? I am a member of Anbu. I have seen the foul side of the daimyous many, many times. They think of us shinobi as nothing more than convenient tools. My best friend was a man used as a tool in the wars between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. The moment both countries declared a ceasefire, he was gotten rid of.” A single tear overflowed from Rou’s wet eyes. “A hindrance.”

“…I think so too, y’know.”

This time, the subdued whisper came from Soku’s mouth. As Shikamaru turned to look at her, he could see dark purple bruises colouring her young face. Even though she was a child, Gengo had mercilessly given his subordinates the order to torture her along with Rou.

“I think that what Gengo’s saying is right, too, y’know.”

“Hinoko…”

“It’s not just the daimyou, it’s those people living in the countries they govern, y’know.” Soku didn’t even care that Shikamaru had called her by her real name, continuing to speak with a heated anger. “No matter how nice you are to normal people, the minute that they hear that you’re a shinobi, they start watching you from the corner of their eyes. The look in those eyes…horrified…suspicious…marking us as ‘different’. Why do we have to spill our blood, sweat and tears for bastards like that? I- I don’t understand why, y’know!”

Even though Gengo was the one to order all those bruises onto her skin, Soku was looking up at the man with admiration, as if she’d forgotten that fact completely.

“You see? Even your comrades are agreeing with me. What I want to do is the most meaningful action for all shinobi. Shikamaru, come with me. Together, couldn’t we stop this age of war?”

Gengo held out his hand.

If Shikamaru took hold of that hand, he wouldn’t be able to go back home.

No, wasn’t it strange to think of going back?

If Gengo really united all the countries, that included the world of shinobi. If that happened, then surely Naruto, Chouji, Ino, everyone, he would be able to meet them all again.

No, in fact he could extend an invitation to them himself, and they could all come together to build the world of shinobi.

“Shikamaru. Become my right hand man.”

Gengo’s words pressed against Shikamaru’s spine.

“I…”

Shikamaru wanted to take that hand.

But…

There was also a part of Shikamaru that was desperately trying to stop himself from doing so.

“Come now,” Gengo prodded.

“W- wh…”

Something was firmly clogging up Shikamaru’s throat. Shikamaru struggled to push his voice past the foreign, thorny lump, and finally spat out the words:

“Why do I have to become the subordinate of someone like you?”

“Oh? To think you’ve listened to my words up to this point, and still refuse to understand. You seem to be a very stubborn one as well.”

Something wasn’t right.

Somewhere deep in Shikamaru’s heart, there was still something inside him that didn’t believe Gengo. That part of him said that it wasn’t a good idea to submit to this man. There were no well-reasoned words or explanations. Just some part of him that couldn’t stomach this. A bad feeling.

Every other part of him was utterly convinced that Gengo had the right idea.

“Very well then, we’ll do this…” Gengo nodded at the guards beside Shikamaru, and then turned to walk back to where the stairs began.

The Enlightened Ones that had been guarding Shikamaru up until now undid the manacles that had been holding his hands behind his back. The sudden disappearance of the constraints that had been forcing him into a crouch made his body go limp with relief. Shikamaru barely stopped himself from crashing to the floor, somehow holding himself up with his right arm. He looked up at Gengo.

Gengo was standing at the bottom of the stairs, just several metres away. He had thrown out both of his arms, holding out his chest.

“If you truly can’t trust me, then just kill me here.”

“K-kill you?” Shikamaru’s voice was shaking.

“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to strangle me to death with that shadow manipulating jutsu of yours. Go on. Let’s see you kill me.”

Why was he so confident as he told Shikamaru to kill him?

The uneasy feeling in Shikamaru’s gut was slowly growing.

There was something he was missing, somewhere, he wasn’t thinking properly, there was something he overlooked…

Shikamaru placed a shaky hand onto the floor.

Sunshine was shining through a large window at the side of the hall. The brightly glowing light fell easily on Shikamaru’s arm and torso, clearly making a shadow. The pitch black shadow began to quiver slightly. The trembling was slowly increasing, his shadow rippling, and then shaking violently as it tried to shake off its original form.

“Go…” Shikamaru ordered his shadow in a weak voice. The rippling shadow changed into a long, dark tendril that headed in a straight line for Gengo.

“Now, don’t stop, Shikamaru!”

Gengo’s called out, his eyes burning brightly. He sounded like he was enjoying this.

His voice brimming with confidence pressed down on Shikamaru from all sides.

His shadow…

Stopped.

It stopped right at the edge of Gengo’s toes. No matter how much Shikamaru willed it, it wouldn’t go any further.

“What’s wrong?” Gengo asked. “Why aren’t you using your shadow?”

Why wasn’t his shadow moving?

Something was strange, something was off, something was wrong…

Think, think, think, think…

Think, Shikamaru!

What aren’t you noticing?

His head felt like it was going to burst into flames.

Rou and Soku…

The feeling in his gut was because of them.

Rou and Soku. They were both dedicated members of Anbu that specialised in remaining loyal even under duress… so why were they both accepting Gengo’s words so quickly and so easily?

After undergoing such severe torture under his orders, why weren’t there any feelings of hostility?

For their feelings to change to adoration so quickly and easily— it wasn’t possible.

There had to be a trick. A trick.

One word clearly rose to the forefront of Shikamaru’s mind.

Genjutsu…

It was a ninjutsu that manipulated your thoughts and plunged you into delusions. Rou and Soku looked like they were under a genjutsu.

In that case, then was Shikamaru under the genjutsu too?

That was probably the case.

But, genjutsu was a doujutsu, a technique rooted in the eyes. A prime example of that was Konoha’s Uchiha clan, and their special sharingan eyes, a bloodline limit that let them plunge their opponents into a genjutsu.

The incident at the plaza. At that time, something had weakened Rou’s jutsu and exposed their presence to Gengo. That something couldn’t have possibly been doujutsu, because until Gengo spoke out and called them ‘mice’, neither of the men had looked Gengo in the eye. Eye contact with your opponent was an absolute requirement for doujutsu. There had been no way he could make eye contact with them at that time.

Then, what was casting the genjutsu on Shikamaru and the others?

He couldn’t think. His thoughts were sluggish.

When you were caught in a genjutsu, you always needed someone else to help you escape it. But both his comrades were already well under Gengo’s grasp.

Shikamaru felt like he was walking through a thick and murky swamp, slowly sinking in deeper and deeper. In the end, he knew his head was going to go down under as well.

Soon, he was going to fall completely under Gengo’s control.

“I really can’t stand this…” Shikamaru’s thoughts helplessly fell out of his mouth.

Gengo was looking at him with victorious eyes. Even now, Shikamaru’s shadow quivered mere inches away from the man’s feet.

“Wouldn’t you like to just give in now?”

His voice was gentle and soothing. Shikamaru could feel his whole body melting against the warmth of it. The remaining slivers of his conscious were slipping away…

The true nature of Gengo’s genjutsu…

A vague answer had been materialising in the depths of Shikamaru’s mind, but before it could manifest clearly, he erased it of his own free will.

He didn’t care anymore.

“Come now, Shikamaru.”

Gengo held out his hand.

As long as Shikamaru grabbed hold of that hand, then he’d be comfortable.

He wouldn’t have to think about troublesome things anymore.

Shinobi would govern the world…that was how things were supposedto be, after all.

As long as he took that hand,everything would be easy again.

He wouldn’t have to be confused anymore…

“Let’s go together.” Gengo’s voice felt like it was pressing down on Shikamaru’s spine.

Shikamaru slowly lifted his right hand, reaching out to the wide palm offered and waiting to engulf him.

Their fingertips were just about to brush-

But there was something noisy happening behind him…

The same moment he thought that, Shikamaru’s body was suddenly being lifted up into mid-air, soaring up and towards the ceiling. His bird’s eye view let him see Gengo where he’d left him, bracing himself against a staggeringly great wind. Even the Enlightened Ones at the top of the stairs were struggling against it.

However, the only one rising into the air was Shikamaru.

He rose so high, he ended up crashing into the ceiling. For a moment, his whole body felt sore from the impact, and then the next thing Shikamaru knew the wind had stopped, and he was falling back down.

“Gah!”

Although he’d attained a relatively safe landing, Shikamaru’s back hit the ground so hard that his breath caught in his throat.

He’d been flung away from Gengo, all the way to the other side of the room.

“SHIKAMARU!”

Someone called his name in an angry bellow that echoed across the hall.

A woman’s voice…

A very familiar voice.

“What are you doing in a place like this…?” Shikamaru leaned up to look towards the voice’s owner.

A woman was standing at the hall’s entrance, her blonde hair tied into two bunches on each side, and a sharp look in her eyes. She held a giant tessen in both her hands, no doubt the source of the wind that had blown Shikamaru up into the air.

Temari…..

“What are you spacing out for?!” She demanded, “Behaving diffferently just because someone told you to, that’s not like you, is it? You’re the man that I marked out from all the rest! Get a hold of yourself, you idiot! That guy’s troublesome lecture should be nothing more than hot air to you! Am I wrong? Say something! Shikamaru!”

Gengo’s heavy voice was nothing compared to the piercing roar that was resounding in Shikamaru’s ears. His eyes were prickling.

“Ah…”

The fog that had been clouding Shikamaru’s mind vanished without a trace. All the foreign ideas that had been crammed into his heart were leaking away, spilling out of his chest.

It was an incredibly relieving feeling.

Shikamaru took in a deep breath, and then slowly let it out.

He couldn’t help but break into a smile.

One scolding had let him escape the genjutsu…

“What’s with you, suddenly showing up and saying all those things?” He said to Temari, getting up to his feet and rubbing a hand behind his neck.

“Hey, I came to save you, so you better thank me instead of grumbling.” Temari said, folding up her fan and staking it into the ground. She leaned against it, her chest puffed out in pride.

Several shinobi were lined up in ranks behind her. They all had the mark of Sunagakure carved into their hitai-ate.

“I couldn’t just let you die, after all.” She grinned at him.

Temari’s smile was like the blazing desert sun. It cleared up the darkness in Shikamaru’s heart.

Inside his mind, he recalled one phrase in particular that Temari had just used.

‘that guy’s troublesome lecture’

“Troublesome…huh.” Shikamaru turned to look at the villain in question.

Gengo was turning to give signals to the Enlightened Ones who had stiffened in the face of danger at the top of the stairs. As soon as they saw his signal, the EO’s started spilling down the stairs.

All the Sunagakure shinobi moved to stand between the enemy and Shikamaru.

Even though the EO’S feet had refused to move from the floor in the face of the sudden enemy attack, one signal from Gengo had them heading out to face the enemy. That was the kind of capable man that ruled this castle and country.

The sounds of metal clashing against metal rang out as the battle began.

Strangely enough, Shikamaru felt incredibly calm.

He took one composed step forwards.

Some way ahead of him, he could see Gengo’s squaring his shoulders and raising his guard.

Calmly, quietly, Shikamaru kept walking.

When he passed Rou and Soku, Shikamaru briefly put his hands on their shoulders.

“It’s alright now.” He said to them, and walked on.

When there was one step between him and Gengo, Shikamaru came to a stop. He levelled his gaze at the man.

At that moment…Shikamaru yawned.

“Ahhhhh…”

It was such a big yawn, he could feel his eyes tearing up, and his vision blurring.

“Oi.” Gengo was pointing at something on Shikamaru’s face.

“Hm?” Shikamaru put up a hand to feel around his mouth, and felt something wet leaking out of his left nostril. Blood.

Without even noticing it, he’d gotten a nosebleed.

“That Temari…” He murmured. He must’ve hit his nose when her wind had blown him all the way up to the ceiling.

“Sorry about that.” Shikamaru said to Gengo, rolling his neck. “Now, do you have anything to say?”

“I see your reinforcements have been called in, but-”

“Huh?” Shikamaru cut off Gengo’s words with a loud, surprised voice. “Reinforcements? Where?”

Gengo stared at him with wide eyes. Shikamaru realised how crazy his words must have sounded.

“Oh, you’re talking about the people behind me.” He said. “Nah, you’ve got it wrong. They’re not reinforcements.”

“…Then what would you call them?”

“I dunno. They just came here of their own accord, so…”

Gengo was staring at Shikamaru with more and more bewilderment. He seemed stunned at the sudden change in Shikamaru’s behaviour.

“Whatever you call them.” Gengo said. “While we may have received a surprise attack from these opponents, my country will not so much as waver-”

“Pff.” Shikamaru laughed without thinking.

A vein was starting to throb in Gengo’s forehead.

“Won’t waver?” Shikamaru asked, amused. “Are you sure? When your castle is in a state like this?”

“Don’t underestimate my followers.” Gengo said. “They won’t be defeated by shinobi of this level.”

“Yeah, sure, I’ll look forward to seeing that.”

“Now, listen, Shikamaru-”

“Nope, I don’t think I will.” Shikamaru bluntly said, holding out a palm. “I know that if I blankly listen to your words, I’ll end up falling under your genjutsu.”

“…” Gengo’s right eyebrow gave a very faint twitch.

“Thanks to that woman, I’ve finally woken up.” Shikamaru said. “I’m not going to go under a second time.”

“Naïve…You’re naïve, Shikamaru.”

“You fill your voice up with chakra while making those long speeches of yours, and plunge your opponent into a genjutsu as they listen to it, right? It’s a really fitting jutsu for a revolution-crazed guy like you.” Shikamaru said. “I thought about it long and hard. The reason my shadow weakened that day at the plaza was because I was already being affected by your speech’s genjutsu, huh?”

“Genjutsu? Foolish talk. My speeches are stimulating, inspiring. Every word I’ve told you up to now was sincere. And every word of it was true. Shinobi are the ones who should be governing this world. That is the grave reality. You are the one who is naïve, for not understanding that fact.”

Gengo’s words were so packed with chakra that they were making Shikamaru’s earlobes tremble, but he didn’t so much as clamp his hands over his ears to try and defend himself.

He was completely unconcerned.

Shikamaru’s heart that had been as disruptive as a stormy sea, was now strangely calm.

No matter what happened, he wasn’t afraid anymore.

No, it was more like…

“Somehow, everything’s just really troublesome, huh?” Shikamaru let out another yawn. “I wonder why people’s eyes tear up when the yawn?”

Gengo didn’t answer. He was so thrown off, he couldn’t say another word.

Shikamaru hadn’t really intended to confuse him into silence.

He wasn’t carrying out a strategy.

He was just being his true self.

Temari’s scolding came to mind…

‘That guy’s troublesome lecture should be nothing more than hot air to you!’

She was right. Shikamaru had never been someone who thought about the fate of the whole world. He was just a guy who found everything troublesome, and wanted an average life.

Thinking about how his actions could change the world, wasn’t that incredibly troublesome? He didn’t have to burden himself with such thoughts….

He didn’t care. Gengo could go ahead and change the world however he liked.

–No, wait a second.

If Gengo did as he liked, then what would happen to Naruto and everyone?

What would happen to Temari?

“At the end of the day,” Shikamaru sighed, “It turns out that I can’t let you do as you please, or it’ll become a problem later on.”

“Wh-where did your ambition go?” Gengo asked. “You were thinking about changing the world, Shikamaru! Open your eyes!”

“What’re you babbling about?” Shikamaru asked. “It’s only now that I’ve finally woken up.”

Shikamaru took one more step towards Gengo, a smile pulling at his mouth.

“This is my original self.”

The time had come for Shikamaru to fight.

Poster #212:

サスサク関係あるん？

Is it related to SasuSaku? (Referring to the last page, デコ遁 (Dekoton) posted about it on #208)

デコ遁 (Dekoton) responds on #219:

めっちゃある　正直鼻血シーンでは� �る

Excessively so. Honestly, it's a nosebleed scene

デコ遁 (Dekoton) did not answer questions about Sarada's appearance

デコ遁 (Dekoton) #463

腕をサクラがつけたという描写はな� �けど

Even though there's no depiction of Sakura attaching the arm,


腕の調子どう？悪かったら診るから� �ってサクラがいってる

How's the condition of the arm? If it's bad, Sakura will examine it.

Might be referring to ch.699 flashback or something. Dekoton goes on to talk about Sasuke being armless in the movie. Posting person doesn't mention if they mean actual book or if they're just thinking about it while referring to something unrelated that they're reading.

It seems like the other couples are already established within the novel. Shikamaru and Temari, Sai and Ino, and Chouji and Karui. They're hanging out, based on what I can tell.

929 ：マロン名無しさん：2015/04/01(水) 14:25:18.72 ID:???
>>903
腕の会話は腕の傷の話？それともち� �んと義手付いてる描写ですか？

Rando asking:

Is the arm conversation a chat about the arm wound? Or you mean exactly the description of the artificial arm (attached)

941 ：デコ遁 ◆RHxC84tOUU ：2015/04/01(水) 14:26:35.02 ID:???
>>929
腕が付いてて「具合悪くない？」

Dekoton:

About the attached arm. " The condition isn't bad?"

-----------------

Cryptic spoilers ):<

----------

945 ：マロン名無しさん：2015/04/01(水) 14:27:03.83 ID:???
サスケは自分から木の葉に帰って来� �の？
それとも任務中にカカシとサクラが� �ったの？

Rando:

Did Sasuke return to Konoha on his own (==like on his own volition)?

966 ：デコ遁 ◆RHxC84tOUU ：2015/04/01(水) 14:29:59.72 ID:???
すまないけど誰か次すれの準備お願� �…

>>945
サスケは自発的に帰ってくる
帰還の理由はお察しの通り

Dekoton

((After Dekoton asks for them to make the next thread, because 2ch locks at 1000 comments))

Sasuke's return is voluntary.

The motive for repatriation (is up for us to consider/guess?)

でもね本当にサスケは…サスケの出� �はひどい…

But really about Sasuke.... Sasuke's turn(==part? role?) is terrible.....

I don't know what that is supposed to mean at all.


From this page posted by Dekoton

視界の奥の森――一瞬、人影がよぎ� �たような気がした。ターバンとコー� ��をつ(???) ろ姿

From within their field of vision in the forest――For an instant, it seemed as though a shadow of someone flashed by. A turban and coat (???) appearance.

______________

Dekoton's twitter babbling:

サスケが柱間細胞性の腕を動かして� �せるという描写がある。

もちろん夢の中である。

There is a depiction of Sasuke moving his arm that's made of the Hashirama cells. But of course, that's within a dream.

Highlights from Dekoton:


* Sasuke and "The Last" fraud again

* Chronological order is several months after The Last, before Naruto and Hinata wedding

* There's many instances of SaixIno, NarutoxHinata, ShikamaruxTemari, and ChoujixKarui

* Sai, Ino, Sakura: Three-Man-Cell (Means their mission is the three of them?)

* Tailed-Beast Drug

* Sharingan Drug

* Within a dream, a conversation with Sasuke. He has his arm. Hashirama cells.

* During Sakura's pinch (=crisis), Sasuke hastens to return for her sake.

※ However, he does not talk to anyone. He quietly departs. At this time, there is no confirmation of whether or not he indeed has his arm.

* 'I'm home, Sakura"

That's how it goes.

-------------------

Also from Dekoton #313

ただいまの時系列は明確になってな� �けど

However, as for 'I'm home', the chronological order is not clear.

#321:

つまり

サスケ、サクラのピンチに登場→去� �

In other words, Sakura's big pinch--> Sasuke returns--> Sasuke leaves