Akazo

Past of Extinction

    Ketsueki stood before a large group of shinobi that swore allegiance to none of the Five Great Nations. None of the shinobi had a headband from any of the Hidden Villages, and their clothing weren't traditional to any of them either.

    "Now that I've told you all the situation we're in, what will you do? None of you ever swore loyalty to a nation, yet I'm here, asking you to give aid to a village that intentionally wiped out my clan. I want an answer from you guys," Ketsueki started, closing his eyes. None of the shinobi spoke up yet.

    Yes... so long ago, the Hidden Leaf, or rather, the acting Hokage, ordered that large squad of ANBU to eliminate the Kuraiya clan. My brother, Furesshu, and I were the only ones to survive. Furesshu had knowledge of this plan beforehand and escaped, and I was too strong for them to kill. Why am I even trying to help that accursed village for the suffering they caused me?

    Too many painful memories began to fill his head as he awaited a response from the group of shinobi.

. . . .

    "Orochimaru? What are you talking about? Didn't he assist in ending the last war we were in?" asked a much younger Ketsueki. He was only 11 years old but he wore the uniform of the ANBU Black Ops. He had already mastered his kekkei genkai, Reddokaringu, a year earlier. His thinking and fighting skills were praised by the Hokage Kakashi Hatake himself, so he was brought into the ANBU. The boy was the pride of the Kuraiya clan.

    His squad's captain stood before him with crossed arms. Yuo Nimiah was his name. Yuo also participated in the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and assisted the First Division in sealing Kumogakure's Gold and Silver Brothers, Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Yuo's son, Akazo Nimiah, was still at the ninja academy. His dark brown hair was tied into a ponytail.

    "Yes, I mean Orochimaru. One of our ninja, Tenzo, has been keeping surveillance of Orochimaru this whole time, and he reports that he found him with multiple test subjects from Kirigakure. We are to capture Orochimaru, dead or alive. Scatter."

    Yuo and the rest of the squad put on their masks and disappeared. Ketsueki deeply respected Orochimaru as he did indeed help end the last war, but he couldn't go against a Captain's orders. Sighing, he put on his mask and disappeared.

    A short time later, intel from the village helped the squad find Orochimaru, but he escaped before the battle even began. Unfortunately, nobody in the squad was a good tracker, so the village called for their return.

    Ketsueki reported to the higher-ups before returning to the Kuraiya clan palace. Walking into his family's home, he took off his mask and shoes, placing them in his closet.

    "Welcome home, son. How was the mission?" asked his father, placing a hand on top of Ketsueki's head. The red-haired child gently smiled.

    "Orochimaru escaped. We couldn't find where he ran off to, so we came back," he responded.

    "Better luck next time, eh?" his father chuckled out before leaving the room.

    Ketsueki sat down on his bed, staring outside of the window. Crickets outside could be heard, as it was just past midnight. Even the palace was almost completely silent. Ketsueki was the only ANBU from the Kuraiya clan, so nobody else should be coming back to wake anyone up. Ketsueki's attention averted to the full moon, which was slightly red.

   A red moon? That's not something you see everyday. Weird...

    He then laid down on his back before falling asleep.

    When he opened his eyes, it was still dark outside. The red hue of the moon darkened, but Ketsueki didn't bother to look at it again. Yawning a bit, he jumped out of bed, walking downstairs to get a glass of water. He stood before the door leading to the main complex of the palace, stopping to stretch a little.

    "What's that noise?" he asked himself before opening the door.

    As soon as he did, blood splattered over his face. Ketsueki's eyes widened as he was looking at his mother with a sword in her chest. She fell to the ground, already dead, as her blood continued to pour out of her body.

    "Mother...?" he said quietly. Standing in front of him now was an ANBU member, his mother's blood also on the mask he wore. Ketsueki began to hyperventilate as he felt wetness on his feet. It was blood coming from the left side of the room.

    Slowly turning his head, Ketsueki stared at the motionless bodies of his brothers and sisters.

    "Sorry, kid. You're next," the ANBU member said, pulling the sword out of the dead woman's body.

    "NO!" Ketsueki yelled at the top of his lungs, slamming his fist into the intruding shinobi's face, cracking the mask completely. The ninja fell onto his back, coughing out blood as he looked up to Ketsueki, whose eyes gleamed purple. The curse mark he was given upon his birth was finally awakening.

    Ketsueki roared incoherently as he jumped on top of the shinobi, slamming his fists onto his face over and over again. He was already dead by the second blow. His blood coated Ketsueki's body as he ran across the entire palace, slaughtering each and every last ANBU Black Ops member inside of the home. In less than a half hour, all one hundred and six of them were dead. Ketsueki then left the palace in search of the newly appointed Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki.

    It didn't take long before he stood before Naruto.

    "You're alive," Naruto said gently as he turned to him. Ketsueki cried hysterically before falling to his knees, screaming that he wanted an explanation. Naruto noted that Ketseuki survived because he was strong, and offered him to be his right-hand man. Agitated by this, Ketsueki charged forward, and the two fought that rainy night.

    Naruto overpowered Ketsueki, and the two were now standing in front of the village gate.

    "I see that I can't ever convince you to stay loyal to Konoha, so... leave this village, Ketsueki," said the blonde Hokage. Ketsueki looked up to him, tears still forming in his eyes.

    "What?! Why are you letting me go?! KILL ME!" Ketsueki demanded.

    "I said it earlier. You're a very strong, young shinobi. I refuse to let you go to waste like that. But, if you ever return to this village again, I promise you that's the day you're going to die, Ketsueki Kuraiya."

. . . .

    A slight smile formed on Ketsueki's lips as his eyes opened once more.

    Well, Naruto, you died before you kept your promise. But on that day so long ago, you spared my life because I was strong. And now, I'll protect the Leaf for that reason.

    "Lord Ketsueki," started one of the shinobi in the front, "if you intend on protecting a village that condemned your clan, then we, shinobi who have never been hurt by the Leaf, are more than willing to help."

    Ketsueki nodded before turning around.

    "Alright. We now move as the Ketsueki Unit. We are to give military aid to Konoha... and to capture Gyatsō Mataba, dead or alive."