Traumatized

( Events, Places, and Times can be changed )

( " " = Talking )

( ' ' = Thinking )

( ——— = New Pov )

( bNb = Before Naruto Born )

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Toshiro Yuki lay in his bed, engulfed in the darkness of his room. The moonlight spilled through the window, casting eerie shadows across the walls. Ever since his mother's passing, Toshiro had been haunted by nightmares, tormenting his restless nights.

Memories of his dear mother flooded his head as he closed his eyes. His mind was filled with images of her warm smile, gentle touch, and calming voice. Those memories, however, took a frightening turn in the depths of his subconscious. Toshiro became imprisoned in a reoccurring nightmare in which he experienced his mother's death over and over again, powerless to change the ending.

Toshiro stood motionless in this terrifying dream as his mother's figure faded into darkness, leaving him alone and tormented by grief. The nightmare distorted his recollection of her death, increasing his feelings of guilt and bereavement. He could feel the weight of sorrow lingering within him every time he awakened, a continual reminder of the pain he endured.

But it wasn't simply his mother who tormented him in his sleep. There was another presence at school, his deskmate. Despite the fact that they had never spoken, Toshiro felt a weird connection to this person. They were always near him, sitting silently, as though offering silent support. This deskmate emerged as a ghostly person in his nightmares, wrapped in shadows, their face obscured by darkness.

Toshiro attempted to contact his deskmate in the dream realm, seeking for peace and friendship. Every attempt to contact, however, was met with an unnerving quiet, heightening his sense of isolation and need. His deskmate was portrayed in his nightmare as a symbol of missed possibilities, an embodiment of the relationships he never made and friendships he never fostered.

"Huff, huff, huff" Toshiro awoke from his nightmare in agony.

He walked to the restroom and sipped water before washing his face.

Toshiro Yuki found solace in gazing out of the window, his eyes fixed upon the unfamiliar scenery of his new home, the Hidden Mist Village. The Yuki clan, in conjunction with the Funato clan, had recently relocated from the Land of Water, having received official consent from the Mizukage. The decision had stirred controversy and anger from the Water Daimyo, but he swiftly retreated, realizing the futility of opposing the mighty Mizukage.

Toshiro made his way to the academy, his destination for the day, after quickly changing his clothes. It was an important turning point in his shinobi work, as he was about to start his next phase. Today marked the start of his new team assignment, where he would join forces with his teammates and confront unknown obstacles.

Toshiro hurried away from his former spot and entered his assigned classroom, which was empty at the moment. He took a seat at a desk and waited for his classmates to arrive. The door abruptly flung open, exposing the entry of a peer of similar age. The youngster had large, bushy brows and wore his hair in a blond ponytail with curls cascading down his back.

Unbothered by Toshiro's presence, the child ignored him and sat in his own seat, while Toshiro did the same. Both of them had a reluctant air, carrying the weight of recent events that prompted them to take a life, making it difficult for them to embrace the idea of building new connections at that time.

Step!

Shortly after, another person entered the classroom, capturing the attention of Toshiro and the previously arrived child. It was a girl, her lengthy blond hair flowing down her back, accentuated by two distinct strands framing each side of her face.

"Hm?..." The woman uttered, her gaze sweeping across the pair before her, noting their evident distance. "Why are you sitting so far apart?" Toshiro shifted his attention towards the woman as she continued, "Ah, hold on, don't say a word. I get it now. Let me guess, you two are... in love~" Despite her attempt to engage them, both Toshiro and the other individual chose to ignore her. Undeterred, she persisted, "Ugh, you're both that type. Come on, I'm trying to lighten the mood here, so play along, will y-

She was cut off when another person approached from behind.

"Who are you?" The girl inquired of the person who had just appeared behind her.

"Go take a seat" The mysterious individual said to the girl

"Huh? Why should I, And who are you anyway?" The girl countered, expressing her resistance

"Your teacher, now do as I say"

The mentioned teacher was disguised by a hood and a mask, concealing his appearance.

"Now, as you've already heard, I am your new instructor. The only thing you really need to know about me is my name, Kasai Mikio. You can simply call me Kasai. Now, it's your turn. Introduce yourself," Kasai stated, pointing directly at the blond-haired young man.

The young man disregarded his teacher, showing no interest or concern, and chose not to respond to the request for self-introduction.

Kasai took a document from his pocket and began to peruse its contents, reading the text inscribed on it

"His name is Fujiwara Tsuneo," the teacher stated, intending to proceed with the rest of the list. However, the girl interjected, expressing her desire to introduce herself. Respectfully acknowledging her request, the teacher returned the document to its original position and turned his attention towards the girl, allowing her the opportunity to introduce herself.

"My name is Yonami Funato," the girl introduced herself. Toshiro cast a brief glance her way upon hearing the mention of the Funato name. Yonami continued sharing her aspirations, stating, "I have many things I want to accomplish in life, but my ultimate goal is to become the most renowned woman in the world. I strive to be recognized for my strength. Moreover, I have a desire to have a daughter... though a son wouldn't be unwelcome either. Additionally, I aspire to-

"That's enough," Kasai interrupted, putting an end to Yonami's ongoing sharing of her aspirations.

The girl displayed a visible expression of anger towards Kasai's interruption, but he paid her no mind and instead directed his attention towards Toshiro, indicating that it was now his turn to introduce himself.

"The name is Toshiro Yuki, and that's all you need to know," Toshiro curtly stated, keeping his introduction concise and offering no further information.

The teacher nodded, seemingly ready to proceed with his statement, but before he could continue, he was abruptly interrupted by the girl.

"What? You're from the Yuki clan? That's incredible! We should definitely spend time together sometime-"

"Yonami! I haven't granted you permission to speak, so keep quiet, understood?"

"Ahem, cough, my apologies, teacher. I got a bit too carried away with excitement," Yonami responded, acknowledging her mistake.

"So, as I was about to mention, I hold the role of your teacher. However, due to the shortage of fighters in our village, it has been decided that students will be assigned missions without the accompaniment or detailed explanations from their teacher. The village cannot afford any more casualties. Thus, my role as a teacher is merely nominal. I will provide you with the mission document, and it will be your responsibility to decipher the mission objectives and determine your course of action."

"Your first mission will commence in a week, and there's no need to fret—it's not overly challenging. The mission entails assisting a certain individual who is deemed a potential threat, but nothing too perilous."

"How amusing," the girl muttered under her breath, her internal conflict apparent. She was determined to uphold the honor and expectations of her family, and certainly not bring any shame upon them.

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I understand that the story is currently progressing swiftly, but rest assured, there are more exciting events yet to come.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Also, I kindly request that you continue reading.