12 DIE

I was in disbelief that something was actually picked up on my human radar. I wanted to check again, but I knew shinobi moved fast, and I didn't want to be the reason we were caught with our pants down.

Kushina was asleep, but odds are she would wake up when the fighting started anyway. "6 people coming in fast from behind!"

Ashita looked at me, wondering how I knew such a thing; meanwhile, the trio guarding us prepared for combat. 9 chains burst from the backs of both Nitta and Konya while Konya and Seto sprinted up to the ship's deck.

Nitta began weaving a complex arrangement of seals, which had a few hundred I recognized; it still wasn't enough to understand what it did, though.

A few seconds later, the clash of steel on steel could be heard from above. This went on for a few seconds before the seals Nitta created took effect and created a protective area around us, which blocked the sounds coming from above.

Ashita's brain finally clicked into action, and nine chains burst out of her back. She told me in a no-nonsense voice to stay below deck and followed Nitta up to the main floor of the deck.

I may be ambitious, but I know better than to fight against adults at this age, let alone experienced shinobi. I wouldn't even have a clue what killed me if I stepped up there.

I wouldn't participate, but that didn't mean I couldn't observe their fight. I focused my senses on the Nature Energy on the deck and flinched while clutching my head. 

I stopped doing that right away as I hissed in pain from the splitting headache. Apparently, trying to keep track of 10 people moving at superhuman speeds is too much for my still-developing brain.

I waited a few seconds until the headache passed, and then I tried sending a pulse instead. I wouldn't get many details, but at least I wouldn't be blind to the happenings above.

I could tell the fight was chaotic, and the ten shinobi moving were now only seven, but not much else. I waited a few seconds and saw that it was still the same. A few seconds later, another one fell.

At this point, I had a better idea of what was happening. Nitta and Seto were in the back line Ashita was in the midline, and Konya was kicking ass in the front line.

The snapshots I'm getting show his incredible spatial awareness and masterful control over his chains. Ashita was blocking things, supporting the three and blocking any openings Nitta and Seto had.

Meanwhile, those two were working to reduce damage to the ship and crew since the other two seemed to control the situation.

The next few pulses showed another stop moving, and the last one showed the four around a kneeling individual who wasn't moving.

It seemed the fight was over. I stopped releasing my energy pulses and was hit by a wave of exhaustion. It wasn't enough to make me pass out, but I was sure that I wouldn't have any trouble falling asleep if I wanted to.

I waited a full minute, but no one had come down yet. I knew the fight was over, so I decided to see what they were doing.

Once I left the barrier Nitta set up, I could hear the loud voices of the 4 of them, with Ashita being the loudest.

"THERE IS NO WAY! HE IS TOO YOUNG!"

I heard her yell when I reached the top of the deck. On there, I saw a shinobi bound in sealing chains attached to Konya's back. He was standing on one side with Nitta facing Suto and my mother.

"He has to do it eventually. He is young, but he is no normal child; he is a true prodigy. He could sense ninjas before us without formal training, make things no one has heard of, and he isn't even three yet?! For fucks sake, he has made millions of Ryo already. Doesn't he at least deserve to be asked?" 

Konya made an argument, which made Ashita open and close her mouth like a dying fish. I thought it a good point to interject, so I made my presence known.

"What should I be asked?"

It looks like the four of them were so engrossed in the discussion that they completely missed my arrival. Four heads swivelled in my direction while the chained man looked up at me with eyes filled with hatred. He was bound completely with the chain, even between his teeth, to prevent him from killing himself by biting his tongue off.

Ashita seemed to be struggling with something, so Konya was the one to answer my question.

"You wanted to be a shinobi, right?" I nodded my head in confirmation. "Do you know what it is they do?"

I know they are killers, but I can't outright say that as a kid—time for my specialty, Bullshit-no-Jutsu. 

"They protect their home and their friends. They are strong and cool."

This drew a smile from Nitta but a frown from both Ashita and Seto; however, neither said anything.

"That is right and also wrong. We protect our homes and friends; we can do some cool things. What I should have asked is do you know how we do that?"

'Crap, they're going to make me do my first kill, aren't they.'

I nodded in response to his question like a kid my age should.

There was a heavy pause where Konya took a deep breath before answering. "We kill those who attack us. That is how we protect our home and our friends. That is what it means to be a shinobi. I wanted to offer you a chance to do that yourself. It is something every ninja has to do at some point or another. It is thanks to you that the ambush was unsuccessful."

He pulled out a Kunai and extended it to me handle first. "I would like to ask if you wanted to take the first true step in becoming a Shinobi. Do you want to try killing the enemy?"

I took the knife in his hand and looked up at Ashita's face. She wasn't happy, but she wasn't screaming. She just had a sad or melancholic look on her face. 

I turned back to Konya. "I will be a strong ninja to protect mom."

He smiled at my answer. "I am sure you will. You will be the strongest. Come over here."

I approached the man bound in chains and watched them part around his chest. 

"Feel his chest. There is a gap between his ribs; you want to place the tip of the knife there. Then, when you are ready, push it in as hard as you can. Then, pull out the knife."

I felt the man's chest just under his pectoral muscle. I searched for the spot between his ribs and found it. I also felt his heart beating hard against his chest. It was apparent he didn't want to die. However, he had no choice in the matter.

I knew killing was something I had to do eventually. Certain emotions could make things easier. I lined up the knife where I was told and thought about what those six ninjas would do to my family without our guards.

I was flooded with anger, and I whispered, "DIE," and plunged the dagger into his heart as hard as I could.

A/N:

Man that is one hell of a cliff hanger... 

I won't do ya like that though. Enjoy the double chapters!