Chapter 18

Title: Enigma that is Shun

...

Shun POV

[Silence]. A new Shinjutsu I had come up with. It is a technique that revolves around the manipulation of sound and sensory perception, allowing the me who wields it to plunge my surroundings into an eerie and profound silence.

It instantly nullifies and suppresses all sound within a specific radius determined by me. It renders the area utterly devoid of noise, whether it's the rustling of leaves, the footsteps of Shinobi, or even the sound of one's own breathing.

Beyond merely muffling sound, Silence extends to disrupt sensory perception itself. Those within its influence find their ability to hear, see, and sense their environment diminished or rather, reduced to a point of nonexistence.

It creates a disorienting and claustrophobic experience, leaving victims with a sense of isolation and vulnerability.

It also inducing psychological distress, enabling selective targeting, facilitating silent movement, and serving as a countermeasure against sound-based jutsu, making it a versatile tool for Shinobi in battle.

It had a few limitations but as it was me using it, it was basically nonexistent.

Silence comes with limitations, as it consumes significant chakra, requires precise control to avoid harming allies, imposes mental strain on both the user and target, and lacks direct offensive potential, often necessitating the use of complementary jutsu for offensive strategies.

If it was to be ranked in terms of levels, then this technique was a low level Shinjutsu. Even my Hand of God was of a higher level than it.

...

Looking at the silenced area around me, I couldn't help but Marvel at the events that led to this point in time.

Despite my interference in this world's order, certain events, Nexus events, seem to still happen regardless.

I had wished to Watch the Naruto world as it develops. That was my wish, that is also why I didn't interfere in the battles despite me being in the mirror dimension all this while.

Naruto and Sasuke, despite being the strongest in their generation, needed to experience real life and death scenarios. Not orchestrated ones, but real.

They had to feel their weaknesses, embrace it and work towards improvement.

Exposing them to a fake reality will only serve to stunt their potential.

It may be heartless in a way but it was for the greater good. This generation needs to be the best of them all. The dangers they would be facing would be much more different than what it was supposed.

Gamamaru had already told me he had foreseen a rather bleak fate for the world without my interference. That could only mean that there would be Otsustsukis other than just Momoshiki, Urashiki and Kinshiki.

I looked at Haku who had a dead look in his eyes as well as a fulfilled smile. It really baffles me how these Shinobi misinterprete the meaning of the word Shinobi and throw away their lives for something I deem meaningless.

Well, I wasn't them, or rather, they weren't me who knew it all.

Their minds were one tracked.

They had their dreams, motivations, aspirations and all what nots.

They could readily give up everything for what they held and deemed important, but can't they think for themselves?

Haku here hasn't thought for himself since the day he had killed his father.

To make matters worse, Zabuza didn't see anything wrong with that mentality and just filled his innocent mind with his stupid ideology.

As someone capable of creation, I am well aware that all living beings, safe for a select few, are all created or born with freewill.

It was ingrained in them to think for themselves.

Seeing someone deprived of that basic level of importance was something that deeply saddened me.

"Sigh..." I sighed as I recalled what he had told Naruto about the word Shinobi being coined from the words 'Heart'and 'Blade'.

He got that right, but totally failed to grasp the meaning behind those words.

He saw it as a Shinobi being ready to give up their hearts to a cause and to use a blade to make that cause come to fulfilment.

However, the real intent, was to use your blade to protect what you hold dear in your heart.

This is what happens when people decide to copy from one person.

Tobirama and Hashirama saw it fit to copy Hanagakure system of government while making a few adjustments.

The other four Elemental villages then decided to copy from a copied system of government...

...How in the Nine Heavens were they supposed to turn out alright?

Sunagakure turned their system of government into a monarchy.

Kumogakure turned their system of government into a government based solely on strength.

Iwagakure turned theirs Into one where their stubbornness determined how important they were to the village.

And finally Kirigakure turned theirs into one where the strongest kids had the most chance of making it big in the long run.

In all honesty, this wasn't how it was during the reign of the First Kages... However, time did do it's wonders and here we are...

Kirigakure's situation was only due to Obito venting his anger while also removing potential threats for both him and Zetsu, that much I was aware of, but if Gengetsu, the second Mizukage had reigned for a few more years, Madara wouldn't have been able to use his Genjutsu on him.

The guy was literally a Genjutsu God. Like, literally. If you weren't lightning attuned, you'd be killed without even knowing how. He was that good in Illusions.

Being able to mislead both the eyes, nose, sense of touch and smell, there was only a few who could fight him on equal ground.

However, his enmity with Mu got both of them killed. Two geniuses that could've shaped their villages better, died prematurely due to...

"Sigh... Why am I even monologuing to myself?" I wondered aloud as I placed my hand on Kakashi before moving him away from Haku.

He was only a hair breadth away from impaling Haku, despite the slowed time, wasting anymore on my monologue could endanger the boy's life

"Kai!"

"Huh?"

A short moment of silence fell on the bridge as everyone came to.

Slowing down ones perception of time could go a long way in damaging their minds, so the confusion they all felt was understandable.

With time returning to Normal, so did the area. The mist that previously covered the bridge were all dispelled and everyone bore witness to Shun's exasperated form standing in their midst.

"Shun... How... When?" Kakashi spoke up. His confusion evident as, one moment he was about to finish off his opponents, the next, he was about to kill a child, and then the next, he was a couple meters away from them.

"Shun-Nii!!" Naruto cried out

"Shun-san." Sakura who was already unable to make sense of what was happening also called out.

"Yo." Shun greeted with a toothy smile.

"How and when did you get here?" Kakashi finally calmed down and asked. His Sharingan closed up and chidori deactivated.

At the moment, cold sweats were actually dripping down his back as he thought of how he could've died if Shun had wanted him dead in that moment of appearance.

"Hm... I've been here the whole time...just hidden. As for how... I'm batman!" He finished with a comical deep voice which only he found funny.

"Tch." Seeing no one responding to his humour, he clicked his tongue and then turned towards Zabuza.

"This little charade of yours is over." And without giving him an opportunity to respond, he turned to Haku. "And you will be following me back home."

"Shun-Nii! They... He... He killed Sasuke." Naruto finally caught up and reported.

"WHAT!?" Sakura, being Sakura had to raise her voice to an abnormally high level just to confirm.

I dread the possibility of her learning a sound based attack.

I shivered at the thought of that.

Waving my hand at Naruto, I said. "It's alright. My clone is already seeing to him. He'll be awake in a few minutes."

"What!?" Cried Naruto while Kakashi let out a breadth of relief.

"What? You don't believe me? Look there." I said and pointed towards Sasuke who was being attended to by my clone. "See? He's only got a little hypothermia, I guess."

"That's a relief." Kakashi said before asking. "So what are you doing here? Didn't you have a mission to attend to?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "You see Kakashi, at my level of strength, missions like this aren't meant for me to see to personally. That's why I have my clones."

"You... Sigh... I see." Kakashi gave a resigned sigh and then looked at Zabuza. "And him?"

"Oh. His employer is about to betray him so I wanted to give him a heads-up as he's only a misguided fellow."

"Watch your tone brat!" Zabuza snarled, trying to look threatening for some reason. I would've glared at him if my eyes were exposed, but I wasn't that interested in him.

Ignoring him, I turned towards Haku and said. "You'll be coming with me after this incident, do you have any objections?"

Haku, still pale faced nodded and said. "I am Zabuza-sama's tool. I'm afraid I can't leave with you."

"Oh? And if he's dead?" I asked.

"That impossible. I would die before I see him die before me." Haku said resolutely causing me to smirk.

Kakashi shook his head and looked at Haku with pity, which I found amusing.

I wasn't going to mess with the kid...

Slowly raising my right hand up, Haku stiffened and took a stance to defend, however... "And how would you stop me?"

As if waking up from a bad dream, Haku's eyes widened in horror as he saw his master's neck tightly held in my grasp.

"Hmm? I just took him from your protection and you didn't even flinch. That goes to show how slow your reaction speed is in comparison to my movement... So much for being the fastest, Eh?"

"Y-You...let go!" Zabuza snarled as he struggled in my grasp.

"Ah. Forgive me." I said and let him go as he scrambled to his feet.

"You're him, aren't you?"

"Hmm? Whoever could you be talking about?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"The ghost. The double S-Rank Shinobi rumored to be faster than light itself." Zabuza said as he walked back slowly.

"Eh? I'm very much alive, thank you. And as for being faster than light... That's an understatement. Light? Please. I'm faster than Time itself." I told the Jounin with a disdainful look.

"Anyways. I believe we have been misunderstood... Let's shake hands and go about our separate ways. Eh?" I offered but.

"You can't be serious. They tried to kill Tazuna-san, Nii. We're just letting them go? What if they come back to finish what they started like the last time." Naruto asked.

"Hahaha. That's not how it works kid. Zabuza should be able to make the right call right about now. With his employer disposed of, there wouldn't be any need for the mission to continue right?" I asked as I turned my head to Zabuza who only glared at me.

"Then...then... Sasuke. He's hurt. Y'know."

"Yeah. I know, but it was as a result of your weakness as well as his." I said with my smile still not leaving my face.

"Wha-"

"You've been training since your childhood, yet you both lost to a kid no older than you. Have you forgotten our promise? You said you'd be the strongest. The strongest doesn't need help in battles y'know... They only need themselves to fight against whatever army stands before them... Now I ask you Naruto... What do you think we should do?"

Naruto gulped nervously. Despite what it looks like, I'm sure he knew I was glaring at him despite my eyes being covered.

"I-I am wrong."

"That's right. When you're weak, you must learn to practice the art of endurance and patience. You've survived this battle, albeit with difficulty, don't let it happen again."

"Un." He nodded.

"And you Haku, I know someone with a far stronger Ice than you. Wouldn't you like to learn from her?"

Seeing him remain unmoved by the prospect, I continued. "Her Ice is so strong that she was once able to freeze a bolt of lightning. That lightning still remains till this day, just so you know."

"Huh?" Came the collective gasp from the people on the bridge.

"What? You don't believe me? Ask Kakashi here. It was his lightning that got frozen."

I looked at Kakashi only to see the man admiring the sky with s profound look on his face.

"You see? His Silence is proof of my truthful words." I said. "Think about it. After learning from her, you could truly help your Zabuza-sama properly. You wouldn't have to sacrifice yourself for him next time as you would be able to freeze all deadly attacks."

Meanwhile, with my chakra still on Zabuza from the time I had pulled him towards me, I pulled his consciousness to mine and exposed him to so much pressure that he immediately sank into my sea of forgetfulness.

"Shit!" I exclaimed and immediately reversed the gravity. I didn't want the guy having amnesia on me right now.

"Yo." I greeted with my toothy smile to cover up my blunder as he tried to take in enough air to sustain him

"YO YOUR ASS, YOU FUCKER!"