Chapter 8: Traces of the Beast and the Lies of the Elders
"Sometimes enemies are silent. But it's really scary when allies fall silent..."
Morning. Konoha Command Post
Iruka-sensei:
— Today we have a D-rank training mission: guarding a caravan passing through the southern forest.
Naruto:
— Eee! Where are the traps? Where are the monsters? Where are the cool battles!?
Hirito (aside):
— You're your own trap. A monster. And a battle at the same time.
Iruka holds back a grin, and Hinata almost giggles. Ino looks at Hirito — a tenacious gaze.
The path through the forest
The weather is cloudy. Fog. Hirito walks ahead, slightly to the side of the group — he feels... wrong.
🌀 Passive ability "Yin Echo" is active: you sense the chakra distortions associated with the Nine-Tails' shadow.
"This isn't just a forest. There was something here. And it wasn't a person."
He moves forward - and finds a crater surrounded by charred trees. On the ground - a black and red trace of chakra.
Flashback: 6 years ago
Kurama's roar. Screams. Death. The seal divides: half of the chakra remains in Naruto - yang. The second, dark part - Yin - goes... into another baby.
Present
Hirito looks at the trace. His forehead begins to ache - a faint bite of pain inside.
Kurama's chakra shadow moved for a second.
🌀 The Yin aspect of the beast responds: "You are again near the place where I was born ..."
"This is not just a mission. Was I sent here specifically?
Side: Observer
A strange man in a mask sits in a tree, higher up in the treetops.
- So you found it. The shadow of the Nine-Tails. The younger brother of the one who shines.
He disappears in smoke, but Hirito manages to notice the clan symbol. Very familiar. Very ancient.
Uzumaki.
- Someone from my clan... but not from the village?
Evening. Campfire rest
Naruto is frying noodles over a fire, Ino is sitting next to Hirito.
- You've been silent all day. Are you okay?
- I'm thinking. I just... felt something in the forest.
- Dangerous?
- Not yet. But I don't like it when the world suddenly stops being stupid. It means it's become serious.
Ino sighs:
- You always act like an adult. Do you have... someone you trust?
— I don't know. Maybe you're on that list.
— Maybe? — she smiles. — We'll work on "more precisely."
🎯 [✓] Ino's level of closeness increased: 43%
Mission conclusion
The caravan passed without problems, but Hirito knows that it wasn't just a delivery. Someone was checking his reaction, his sensitivity to chakra, and maybe activated something.
🌀 The system is silent.
🌀 Gacha timer — until next year: 360 days.
🌀 Intuitive feeling: you've gotten into a game whose rules haven't been told to you yet.
Hirito finds the place where Kurama once raged. His chakra — responded.
Someone from the Uzumaki clan is watching.
Ino is getting closer — and the second half of the harem is gradually opening the doors.