Abyss of Fire (Finished)

Tale of Horrors

Disclaimer: I own none of the art or the franchises involved in the story, they belong to their respective owners.

Council Room

Walking into the council room, Raijin saw all the clan heads that could attend the meeting as not all of them were present from what he could tell. The clan heads bowed to the Hokage, he nodded back to them in respect as he walked to his spot in the room, Raijin stepped off to the side and didn't really care about all the looks that he was getting, most of them were curious and somewhat weary. Except from a woman with spiky brown hair and red marks on her cheeks, he could not tell what type of look she was giving him. Hiruzen looked at all of the clan heads before speaking, knowing that he would have a lot to explain.
"I thank you all for coming to this impromptu meeting, but I imagine you all have questions concerning the man standing in this room." Oddly enough, it is Yamanaka that is the first to speak, asking the question that has already been asked many times.
"Who is he... What is he?" Raijin steps forward once again, heels snapping together as he rattles off the information once again.
"Death Korps Guardsmen 55515, Raijin Krieg." His voice called from behind his mask, Hiruzen had to stop himself from chuckling at the display.
"Where do you come from, where is your home?" Yamanaka asks, trying to make sense of who this stranger is, the other clan heads being silent until they can pose their own questions.
"I am from Krieg, that is my home." Raijin answers in his own monotone way.
"There is no such place as Krieg, so tell us the truth."
"He is telling the truth, there are no lies in his words." The spiky haired woman spoke out, a little hint of irritation in her voice.
"What he says is true, my friends. Raijin Krieg is not from any lands we know of, he is a mystery in the absolute sense of the word. Only thing is, is I don't know how powerful he is or can be. Hiashi, would you be willing to look at his Chakra?" Hiruzen looked to the head of the Hyuuga clan, because of their Byakugan he wants to know how powerful Raijin is or how powerful he can be if trained. Hiashi, never being one to argue with the Hokage, activated his Byakugan and gazed at Raijin, trying to see his Chakra levels. A few seconds pass before Hiashi turns his gaze to Hiruzen, his eyes returning to their original state.
"Judging by his Chakra, I would be put him at Hatake's stage, but as you have said he is not from our lands so he will need a lot of shinobi training." Hiruzen nods in understanding, he figured that Raijin would need training, but he didn't expect him to have Chakra levels that high.
"Wait, are you considering allowing a complete stranger to be apart of the shinobi that protect our village?" Yamanaka asked, his voice raised to show his outright distaste at the thought. Before any of the other clan heads could say anything, Raijin made himself known once more.
"I know all of you are shinobi, and I know all of you have killed or seen killing before, but none of you have seen it on the level that I have. I have seen tens of thousands die, cities burned in cleansing fire, I even participated in purging worlds from the taint of the ruinous powers. The wars I have fought in, would make the wars of this world seem petty by comparison." Looking at Inoichi Yamanaka, he asks him a question that would disturb many of lesser wills.
"You, sir, have you ever driven a knife straight through a child's throat because they were driven mad and attacked any who came near?" Not even allowing him to answer he looks at Hiashi next, still posing his questions.
"Or you, have you ever seen a man who was more dead than alive, charging at you with his entrails hanging from his body? Because I have seen all of this, and done things none of you would have the spine to handle. All in his name and for the continuous survival of Imperium, and yet you think I cannot be trusted." His gaze turns back to Inoichi who is looking at him wide eyed, not really knowing what to say. The other clan heads in the room were just as easily shaken, many of them have fought and killed countless times in their lives, but not near the scale that Raijin speaks of. Hiruzen himself decides to break the tension filled silence.
"Raijin here is around 17 or 18 years old, he comes from a people were their lives mean nothing, but the sacrifice they make goes toward atoning for some great sin he hasn't yet spoken of. I believe he is more than trustworthy enough to join the ranks of the shinobi, but that decides on the vote of the council. Should he be allowed to join or ranks, or should we send him on his way out into the world? All those in favor of letting him stay, raise their hand." Surprisingly, many of the clan heads raise their hands, the spiky haired woman that Raijin noticed raised her head, but then spoke aloud.
"I vote for him to stay, but I want to spar with him after this meeting." Hiruzen and many of the other clan heads sighed, wondering when the head of the Inuzuka, Tsume, would make her thoughts known.
"All those against." The first and only to raise his hand was Inoichi Yamanaka, as he still did not think trusting this stranger was a good idea, oddly enough he was shocked that his partners of the Nara and Akimichi didn't follow him in his vote.
"The vote stands, Raijin Krieg, you will be placed with a Jōnin sensei for training. However, despite circumstance of your age and other such matters you will still have to be placed on a team to complete the Chūnin exams. What team that will be, will be decided on at a later time, I do have someone in mind, but I will have to speak with them personally. Until then, I will allow you to take one of the guest rooms here in mansion." Raijin snaps his heels back together at attention to show respect and thanks to the man, he turns his gaze to see the female with spiky hair staring at him with what he knows now as eagerness for a fight, he didn't know what a fight with these people would be like, but he'd never step down from a challenge.