28: A Gruesome Reminder

In the westernmost reaches of his battlefront, Sakumo Hatake unsheathed his signature weapon as he overlooked the valley below. The blade glimmered with a white-gold gleam, sparking with electricity as he formulated a technique.

His and three other squads of Konoha shinobi stood at his back, frozen in shock at the sight of their commander.

Sakumo's face was dark, bearing a grimace of anger never before seen on the man. Normally he was stern and kind, usually with a tired smile, but today his eyes glared at those below with the promise of death.

Those eyes stared unflinchingly at a small village, or rather the ruins of one, that used to be inhabited by people of the Land of Grass. A village used as one of Konoha's supply depots in the area, one explicitly placed under Sakumo's protection as occupied territory.

There were no villagers left alive here. Instead there was a group of men shrouded in black and red robes parading around a scene of utterly nightmarish slaughter. They dragged mutilated corpses around, making contorted shapes and patterns of their victims, spilling entrails and dragging them into a vast ritualistic circle surrounding the perimeter of the ruins.

The robed men bore injuries of their own, but seemed to revel in their own pain and suffering, shouting with delight and insanity at the sight of their own blood.

Up on the cliffside above, Sakumo's chakra condensed around him in his rage. A silent, icy rage. Before fifteen other Konoha shinobi stood a man whose enraged anger was not conveyed with shouting and bluster, but with total silence and a drawn blade.

None of Sakumo's men knew why their commander reacted so powerfully. They had lost comrades before, they all had seen sights of despair and death, but never had they seen such a reaction from their stoic commander.

But what lay focused before Sakumo's eyes was only one sight. The sight of a woman and her child, horribly butchered, stabbed hand and foot against the door of her own home, both her and her child impaled with the same spear through their hearts. It was clear they had been been tortured slowly and killed agonizingly.

A woman and her child, who through the single tear in Sakumo's eyes, were overlaid with memories of his own family.

The Konoha general had seen enough.

The White Fang's hands formed eight seals in rapid succession, all of them around the hilt of his legendary blade. In a circle around him, sixteen chakra-cloned copies of the sabre appeared with a cloud of smoke, forming a halo around his head and connected with threads of Raiton1Lightning Release.

Twisting his body into a long windup, Sakumo whirled the halo of blades behind him like a lasso, took a hefty step forward, and thrust his body in a full follow-through throwing motion.

The fifteen men and women behind him watched in awe as the halo spread out and expanded, the blades descended towards the village ruins below. Sixteen blades sunk into the ground, a wall of lightning arcing around between them and originating from the real sabre still in Sakumo's hands.

The robed murderers barely had time to gesture and exclaim before Sakumo uttered six steely and grim words.

"Shiroi Kiba Taiso Tō no Jutsu!" [White Fang Great Funeral Sabre Technique]

With a roar of wind and electricity, the air all around the entire valley crackled. The Konoha shinobi grunted and braced themselves against the intensity. Many of their faces showed awe at this never-before-seen jutsu.

In the distance, from each of sixteen blades grew a ten meter tall arc of white lightning. All of them grew and arced into a ring of pillars resembling fangs before converging at a central point high above. For a brief few seconds, the entire village and valley was encased in a sort of birdcage-like prison of lighting.

With one more handsign, Sakumo murmured "Release."

In seconds, the whole world seemed to glow white. All save one man shielded their eyes as the brightness burst into a thunderous explosion. A scorching lightning charred and vaporized everything in the village, near-instantly killing anything left alive.

Sakumo turned to face his comrades, framed by the crackling remnants of electricity behind him. A complicated look grew on his face, showing his inner conflict.

"I am withdrawing from command for now. This...these developments... I need to return to Konoha immediately. I need to discuss with the Hokage. Katsuro Nara will be in command of the remaining missions."

"Wha-" Katsuro sputtered after suddenly being called upon, still unsure of what he'd just seen and heard. The White Fang had been a comrade for the better part of a year now and they'd been through the worst together. But the man before him now looked more ardent than he had ever seen. Ardent and Mighty.

Their mission was the stabilization and organization of supply routes for the northern front, spanning across the borders between the Ame2Hidden Rain, Konoha3Hidden Leaf, and Kusa4Hidden Grass. It was only due to Sakumo and their victories in the Land of Rain that they had achieved primary control of the region.

However, it was not merely the forces of the major shinobi nations that the Konoha forces in the region needed to handle, but also rogue ninja, bandit groups, starving refugees, scared locals, and most recently, mysterious bands of psychotic murderers. Katsuro Nara was one of the northern unit's strategists, and naturally he knew this situation and the many implications they would need to deal with.

He understood why Sakumo would want him to take charge now, but he didn't quite understand why Sakumo himself was withdrawing. The northern army would be severely handicapped without the White Fang at the helm. Moreover, they were supposed to send reinforcements southward in a few days to fight Suna's5Hidden Sand's incursions.

Figuring this to be the most urgent priority, Katsuro found his words, his deep voice only slightly disgruntled, "Sakumo-sama, what... what of the Suna suppression mission? Hadn't we decided that you would lead it personally? Without your presence, we won't be able to spread our forces to defend the north and send troops south. Do you need to leave immediat-"

"Yes." Sakumo interrupted firmly, conviction in his eyes. The weight of Sakumo's gaze pressured Katsuro, who visibly squirmed in reaction.Still, Sakumo could see Katsuro doubting him, so continued on, "Regardless of the suppression mission, this takes precedence. I wouldn't be able to fight effectively knowing what I know. If I don't report this personally and immediately, I won't be able to concentrate. If I die with this knowledge, which involves critical village secrets, I would be failing a mission even greater than ours, Katsuro. We both would be."

Katsuro's eyes shone with skepticism, but eventually he caved. "I trust you Sakumo-sama. I won't tell you to hurry back, but at least send us some reinforcements, eh? We'll have to scramble here, you know."

The White Fang nodded before flickering away. The last thought on Sakumo's mind before he left brought wetness anew to his eyes.

Ah, I want to see my family. I want to see you Harumi, I want to see you and Kakashi. Now more than ever...

"Fuzō-san, let me help you" Kana repeated, more confidently this time, "but to do that... I need you to help me too."

Fuzō was shivering uncontrollably and had tried to glance around, no doubt because she felt that horrible pressing hostility all around, but Kana's words brought her attention back.

The woman's shoulders continued to tremble, but she nodded slightly, maintaining eye contact.

"P-Please!" she eventually managed to say, body wracked with tension.

"I understand what you meant now, I felt it too. I know what you're feeling. But I can tell you that it isn't real. Something is wrong with your chakra and I need you to help me figure out what." Kana spoke the truth and spoke simply. It was much easier to speak comfortably and firmly when she didn't have to think so much about what she wanted to say. For now, they were alone, and Kana could speak from her heart. Still, expressing herself with words always felt uncomfortable.

"I'm going to try and help. Please tell how this makes you feel... better?" as she said this, Kana began to channel her chakra into the woman's body in small amounts again, not enough for Kana to feel the Phantom Monsters, but still enough to detect Fuzō's chakra flow.

Fuzō's eyes widened as she stared back at Kana, raising her voice weakly, "You- you are... this is?! So strange. I recall? So you know, then? Have you been with me for a while now?"

"Yes and yes, I know. But that is not most important right now. Please answer my question." Kana said softly, parsing the woman's mumbling while simultaneously concentrating on three things at once: the conversation, her chakra channeling to assess Fuzō's condition, and maintaining her Henge disguise. It was not easy.

Fuzō looked a bit baffled at the unexpectedly serious attitude from such a young girl, but answered promptly "Yes, it's- it's better? If you know then... whatever you're doing, then it's like that- that hateful feeling is being blurred. Like a thin film is distorting it. It's still there. It's still everywhere, but it doesn't feel so close, so pressing. Nor does it come from you!"

She looked eager to explain it to Kana, probably worried her moment of lucidity would soon end.

A few heartbeats passed before she winced in pain, "Oh, this- this pain? My arm? No, the whole left half of my body... feels like it's on fire." The woman's jaw clenched and she seemed to have difficulty speaking from the pain. A worried Kana increased the amount of chakra she channeled, hoping it would help. Kana knew those wounds must be agonizing, but there wasn't much else she could do. Very briefly, the green light of medical ninjutsu wrapped Kana's fingers before it flickered out.

Kana pressed on, eager to reach some basis of understanding, "Okay, is it enough for you to talk to me? I know it must hurt, you've been seriously wounded. Can you keep yourself calm if I keep this up?"

Receiving a hesitant nod in return, Kana took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh before continuing once more, less urgently this time, "Ahh, okay then. I'll... keep this up, so you don't need to.... to fear for now. But please listen and answer some of my questions first and then I can answer yours. I need to find out what happened to you... to bring this on you."

It was getting difficult to converse again, but Kana tried her best. For now, reciting the details of their situation bluntly was something she could do while she thought about what else to ask. This was a rather sudden development and Kana didn't have much time to organize her thoughts.

"First, you are currently among friends. The Yuka Group's convoy specifically. You've been unconscious for at least forty days, but I don't know if that's all. Your left arm and leg have gash and burn wounds, but you've received treatment for it all.  If possible, please remain still as much as you can to keep from reopening them or dislodging the bandages. I've been carrying you on a stretcher... and treating you like this... as we return northward, currently we're in the northernmost reaches of the Land of Fire and away from immediate conflict-"

Kana recited the most pertinent details of their situation one by one, which was about all she could do and still keep up her concentration. Fuzō listened obediently, giving a slight nod after every sentence in acknowledgement. Even with Kana's help, it looked like enduring the pain as well as sensing the Phantom Monsters was rapidly exhausting the poor woman.

Seeing this, Kana gave up on getting to questions until Fuzō had some time to rest again. They would have to do this in phases, anything else would be futile. Clearly the afflicted woman was fighting this much just to barely retain her consciousness, let alone answer the complex questions and details that Kana wanted to know.

It would probably be best to use the time they had now to calm Fuzō down and help her rest peacefully. If she was able to relax, then there wouldn't be so much risk of her aggravating her wounds. And if she healed, then she could speak to Kana more easily. A new plan in mind, Kana made her decision.

"Ah, we'll leave it there for now. Lastly then, we will be alone together for some time. No one is to disturb us, so you don't have to worry about being attacked or waking up in danger. I will be here the whole time. So please rest well..."

"Thank.. You.." was the struggling reply she received in turn, but the woman didn't stop there. Much to Kana surprise, Fuzō brought her uninjured hand to grip Kana's wrist, the one holding Fuzō's right shoulder.

Fuzō seemed to be trying to lift it and hold Kana's hand, but a bemused look crossed her tired face when she realized that she couldn't. Kana realized her grip was too strong for Fuzō and removed her hand, taking Fuzō's own.

Satisfied, Fuzō spoke once more, with desperate forcefulness "Please... one last thing. Please keep doing this... while I'm out. The nightmares- I can't.. I don't have dreams when you do, so please!"

"Of course. So rest well"

Kana admired Fuzō's willpower in resisting all of that pain, her unique affliction. This woman was strong, and Kana was willing to help, respecting that strength. She had waited this long, so she could wait a little longer to ask her questions. Questions about their shared red hair, their shared vitality, about Kana's origins. Kana refused to let this lead go, for any other she had was far less promising.

Suddenly noticing Fuzō's mouth still trying to speak, Kana leaned down and placed her ear to the woman's lips.

"Also please... your name?" came barely a whisper.

"Call me Kana" she replied instantly, in a whisper of her own.

"...Kana..." was the last word on Fuzō's lips before she gave in to slumber.

Leaning back to sit on her heels, Kana let herself relax a bit. She still held Fuzō's hand gently in her lap.

That was all... strangely tiring. It was much worse for Fuzō though, it might actually be preferable for the woman to sleep until she was healed. Closing her eyes to begin her meditation, Kana continued to channel her chakra to help Fuzō sleep.