1 Chapter 1 - I am Noctus of House Gaunt
Konoha Year 34.
Land of whirlpools.
The moon hung high overhead and the thick unpleasant smell of blood permeated the air.
*swish*
*clang*
The sound of hurried footsteps and shurikens mixed together under this bloodstained night.
It's been 34 years since Konoha was founded and the world entered the ninja village era.
Shortly after the turn of the times, the death of the "God of Ninja" Senju Hashirama following his fateful battle with the "Shura" Uchiha Madara marked the beginning of a new age of turmoil.
First came the First Ninja World War. Countless battles and deaths forced the fledgling villages into a short-term peace to recuperate their wounds.
Now, 18 years have passed since the end of that great war and a new storm is brewing.
The First Ninja World War was also the first stage for proving the effectiveness of a tailed beast on the battlefield.
Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the first Hokage, Senju Hashirama, used the exclusive sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan to show the world for the first time how terrifying a Jinchuriki can be.
One tailed-beast bomb after another reaped countless lives and paved the way for Konoha's victory in the First Ninja World War.
Although Senju Hashirama shared the other eight tailed-beasts to the four surrounding nations as a gesture of peace and goodwill, they did not have the power or means to control them, often leading to more harm to themselves rather than a useful battlefield weapon.
However, what Mito did not expect was that her might and prowess on the battlefield would lead to the demise of her clan.
…
"It's going to be okay Hana, just keep your head down and cover your ears, hun."
In a tattered shed, a red-haired couple tried to comfort a ten-year-old girl as the fire of war raged in their village.
The child sniffed and tried her best to stifle her tears for fear of the intruders outside hearing her.
The young red-haired man did his best to comfort the girl, patting her head as the sounds of war grew ever closer to their village and the smell of burnt wood filled the air.
A strained smile painted his face as he noticed his daughter's gaze.
"Just like we talked about, okay? Hana. Later, I want you to go to your uncle Ichiro's house by the sea and find a boat to the land of fire. You remember your uncle, right? You played with his little boy when you were young."
"M-mhm."
The little red-haired girl Hana nodded slowly while holding back her tears.
The young man let out a relieved sigh and smiled happily for the first time in days, although a deep sense of worry still remained in his brow.
"Dear, are you sure about this? Maybe we should just take Hana with us. Or maybe we should just wait together, maybe reinforcements will arrive soon."
The woman grabbed her husband's arm, the fear in her eyes was clear to everyone.
To this, the man simply shook his head, with slight anger in his eyes.
"We can't, although the Mist Ninjas are held outside the village for now, soon the next wave will arrive. It's been days since the envoy from Konoha left with our request for aid, but aside from sending a small regiment to escort away Lady Kushina, what else have they done? It's clear that we're alone."
The red-haired man clenched his fist as he cursed his allies to the west in his heart.
"Anyway, at this point, there's no use discussing this anymore. We need to buy time for Hana. They've got the entire village surrounded, including the sea area off the port. We need to draw the sea patrols away and make room for Hana to escape. We have to do this, Haru."
The woman, Uzumaki Haru, glanced at her teary-eyed daughter trying to be brave and a resolution slowly filled her heart.
"I understand. What do we do now, Hachi?"
The red-haired man, Uzumaki Hachi, stood up and quietly surveyed the area around the shed. His gaze then locked towards the breached barricade at the village gate.
"It's been 10 minutes since I last heard any fighting. Now's our chance, let's go!"
"Okay."
Uzumaki Haru hugged her daughter Uzumaki Hana into her arms and then patted her head lovingly.
"No matter what happens, know that we both love you very much."
Uzumaki Hana hugged her mom tightly, hoping to imprint this feeling deep into her memory, fearing that this may be her last chance.
Uzumaki Hachi glanced at the scene between his family but did not say anymore, steeling his heart for what was to come.
"Okay, come! Let's go!"
The three gather at the door of the tattered shed, preparing to rush out.
"Remember Hana, once we reach the port, go all the way to the right, your uncle Ichiro's house. Got it?"
"Yes. O-okay."
Uzumaki Hana nodded tearfully.
"Let's go, quickly!"
Uzumaki Hachi opened the door and the three rushed out of the shed. Their hurried footsteps echoed in the eerily silent village that was just full of screams not half an hour ago. Only the remaining tattered buildings and raging fires proved what had happened here.
"We're almost there, hurry!"
Uzumaki Hachi rushed with his family, his eyes darting about behind every corner, looking for signs of any movement, but he could not find any. Just when he was starting to feel some elation in his heart, a cutting sound whistled toward him and landed just at his feet, prompting him to come to a stop.
Hachi glanced down and saw a kunai handle inserted deep into the ground.
"Damn! Haru, Hana, get behind me!"
Hachi formed seals with his hands and brilliant gold chains spurted out from his back, protecting his wife and daughter.
*swish*
"Oh? It must be my lucky day. I thought all the remaining Uzushio ninjas were killed. Looks like I'm getting a promotion."
A Mist Ninja stood on the roof of a burning building with a murderous gleam in his eye and a chuckle in his voice.
*swish* *swish*
One by one, the family of three were surrounded by squads of Mist Ninjas, numbering 15 Ninjas total.
Uzumaki Haru held her daughter tightly in her arms, looking at the surrounding Mist Ninjas with fear and worry, while her husband Hachi wrapped his Adamantine Sealing Chains around them to defend against the incoming attacks.
Uzumaki Hachi glanced around and gauged the level of the surrounding ninjas, after which he locked his eyes on the leader who had spoken before.
"One Jonin, Two Chunin, and Twelve Genin level Ninjas. You must be the leader. You don't really think these cannon fodder can deal with me, do you? Back off now, or I'll have no choice but to take action."
Hachi raised his voice and stared grimly at the Jonin captain leading the regiment, hoping to scare him away.
"Hmhm, don't look down on my men so much. It'll make me, the captain, a little embarrassed, don't you think? Allow me to introduce myself, Kaguya Arimoto, Jonin Commander and an Elder of the Kaguya clan."
The leading ninja stood up and jumped down from the roof, a delightful chuckle in his voice and a spring in his step.
At this moment, the moon shone clearly overhead and illuminated Kaguya Arimoto's face, highlighting the two red dots above his eyebrow to prove his lineage. His crazy murderous eyes playfully scanned the family of three red-haired Uzumaki members in front of him.
The surrounding ninjas all started snickering as they heard their captain's voice and as the light illuminated them one by one, it was clear that this regiment of 15 ninjas were all from the Kaguya clan. Their blatant mockery clearly displayed their disdain for Uzumaki Hachi's provocation and threat.
Hachi gritted his teeth and exploded all the chakra in his body, conjuring even more chains than before.
"You murderous bastards! Don't look down on me! Even if I die I will seal each and every one of you in the stomach of the God of Death with me!"
Uzumaki Hachi held his hands together, ready to start performing the hand signs for the Reaper Death Seal of the Uzumaki clan, intensifying his threat.
To this, the surrounding ninjas stopped snickering and Kaguya Arimoto's smile dropped from his face as he raised his arm to his spine pulling out a sharp bone sword from within. A chill spread in the air as murderous intentions rose.
"It's quite disturbing that mere prey dare to threaten their predator, Uzumaki scum. No matter, it looks like I really am lucky after all. Adamantine Sealing Chains and the Reaper Death Seal, is it? It looks like I've got a big shot on my hands. Why don't you kneel down and surrender and maybe I'll consider giving your family a swift death."
"You wish!"
However, as soon as Uzumaki Hachi wanted to step forward to attack Kaguya Arimoto with his chains, countless kunai and shuriken rained down on him and his family from the surrounding mist ninjas.
*cling* *cling* *cling*
Uzumaki Hachi tried his best to defend against the onslaught of projectiles, however, as his focus was split between defending his family and guarding against Kaguya Arimoto in front of him, a kunai slipped past and stabbed him in the shoulder.
"Ah!"
Uzumaki Hachi gritted his teeth in pain and then retreated closer to his family, his chains forming a denser wall of defense around them.
"Dear!"
"Papa!"
Uzumaki Haru and Hana shouted with worry upon seeing the kunai lodged in Hachi's shoulder, however, there was nothing they could do to help.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, Kaguya Arimoto raised his voice and the surrounding Kaguya mist ninjas ceased their attacks upon the order.
"Last chance, little prey. Surrender, or watch your family die screaming."
Kaguya Arimoto raised the bone sword in his hand and pointed at Uzumaki Hachi threatened one last time, his lack of patience clearly stained his face.
Uzumaki Hachi breathed heavily as he felt the warm blood flowing under his clothes. He glared angrily at Kaguya Arimoto and the surrounding mist ninjas. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for what he decided to do next, as he glanced back lovingly toward his family.
Fixing his gaze back on Kaguya Arimoto, Uzumaki Hachi raised his hands, preparing to seal. However, at this time, a bright light flashed overhead all of the surrounding people as the space seemed to warp around them.
"What, what's going on? What manner of Jutsu is this? I'm warning you, stop or the next round of kunai will be covered in detonation talismans!"
Kaguya Arimoto was panicked for the first time, speaking hurriedly, and reached into his ninja tool bag to grab a detonation talisman and backed away.
"This, this isn't me!"
Uzumaki Hachi defended his family behind him, he himself displayed equal worry for the unknown phenomenon appearing above him.
At this time, the space warping stopped and a figure fell from the sky spinning rapidly.
The figure wore a black trenchcoat, with a suit underneath and a green tie around his neck. Although he was spinning rapidly toward the ground, he did not scream but instead had a surprised look on his face.
He reached into his pocket and took out what seemed to be a wooden stick.
"Arresto Momentum."
With the sound of his unhurried voice, his rapidly descending figure quickly slowed down, and then he smoothly landed on the ground.
The young man looked to be no more than 17 years old. Black suit, white undershirt, green tie, and a black trenchcoat. His attire was like a spotlight under this dark night compared to how everyone else was dressed.
He looked around to survey his surroundings in a leisurely manner, his behavior so stunning compared to what was taking place in this abandoned and broken fishing village that everyone could not help but stop their actions and stare at him.
The young man then grabbed his chin with his left hand, as if pondering something.
"Hmm. Somebody jinxed my Portkey. Very funny. Unfortunately, it seems I'll be taking my N.E.W.T. exam in the detention office."
The young man sighed and then started to walk away into the night, completely ignoring everyone around him. At this time a kunai suddenly flew through the air and stabbed into the ground where his next step would have been.
The young man then paused and turned around, staring blankly at Kaguya Arimoto, who just attacked him, without any care in the world.
"Yes?"
Kaguya Arimoto glared warily at the young man's leisurely behavior but signaled his men with his eyes around him to be on guard.
"Who the hell are you? Which village are you from?"
The young man raised an eyebrow at Kaguya Arimoto's question and behavior and briefly scanned his strangely dressed ninja attire, as well as the outfits of the surrounding Kaguya mist ninjas surrounding him on the roof of the burning houses.
"Hm. I see. I didn't expect this level of savagery to still exist today but no matter, manners maketh the man."
The young man bowed gracefully with one arm behind his back and the other in front.
"I am Noctus of the House of Gaunt. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
