Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Esoteric ❯ Encounter ( Chapter 7 )

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The Esoteric

VII

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Iruka was currently wading in a lake. Gai and Genma were also scattered around him, sputtering mouthfuls of water after their rather abrupt drop from the air. The Chuunin looked up and saw Sora drifting above them guiltily.

"Next time, Sora, tell us when you're feeling tired," he remarked as he began moving towards the shore.

The eagle laughed uncomfortably. "Eh, sorry, Iruka. You know how I like to push myself. But you're out of the Earth Country now. I'll be heading back home if that's all right," he said.

Iruka nodded absently as he waved a hand. "Sure thing. Thanks, Sora," he called out before the eagle disappeared with a large puff of smoke. He glanced back at Gai and Genma apologetically. "You'll have to excuse Sora. He hasn't been summoned in a while so he got a little carried away."

The two nodded understandingly.

"I do love swimming so it's of no consequence!" exclaimed Gai as he rapidly began treading back to the shore.

Iruka watched him with mild awe before following after him. Once out of the water, he wrung out his clothes and hair with a sigh. He eyed their surroundings inquisitively. The Metal Country looked very much like its neighbor-mountainous and vast. However, it was much warmer and the sky shone a brilliant blue. The sun beamed down on them, quickly drying up their clothes. Iruka smiled slightly. So this is mom's home, huh? He turned around suddenly when he heard a loud snap.

Two shinobi appeared before them, each with an unsheathed katana in hand. Iruka narrowed his eyes and looked at the emblems on their forehead protectors. They were that of Hidden Shade-two half circles horizontally cut, leaving a tiny gap in the middle with the top half black and the bottom half a darker grey. The Chuunin blinked in surprise.

"Umm…"

"Umino Iruka?" interrupted one shinobi.

Iruka glanced at Gai and Genma, who slowly nodded back at him. "Yes," he said.

The shinobi lowered his weapon but his partner remained on guard as he walked forward to greet them. "I am Shinya. Welcome to the Metal Country," he greeted, offering his hand.

Iruka grasped it unsurely before Shinya suddenly turned his hand over, piercing it with the tip of his kunai. The Chuunin gasped in momentary surprise before pulling his hand away viciously. "What do you-?" he began before Shinya raised his kunai.

Iruka's blood gleamed on its edge and he watched as the young shinobi took out a vial filled with a strange green liquid from his pocket. Shinya uncorked the bottle to place several drops on the places where Iruka's blood had fallen. As soon as the two met they issued a violent hissing sound before evaporating altogether. Shinya's kunai was left spotless. He pocketed it before smiling at Iruka.

"So you are the real Umino Iruka," he said before looking at Gai and Genma warily. "Who are they?"

"We are Iruka's protectors!" exclaimed Gai fearlessly. Genma rolled his eyes.

Shinya frowned slightly. "No outsiders are allowed in Hidden Shade," he said pointedly before turning his eyes on Iruka. "Did Tsunade send them with you?"

The Chuunin nodded. "Please, let them through. Their Konoha's elite, they won't do anything to harm your people," he said pleadingly.

Shinya snorted with obvious amusement. "Harm our people? I was more worried about their safety. But if you insist, I guess I have no choice. Follow me," he replied before turning away. He walked up to his partner. "Oh, and this is Takeshi. You can lower your weapon by the way."

Takeshi grunted and sheathed his katana warily. He glared at Iruka and the others before turning away to walk ahead haughtily. Shinya shook his head at his partner's behavior. "He's a little antisocial. Don't worry too much," he said reassuringly to Iruka.

"So where is Hidden Shade? It looks like there's nothing here," quipped Genma.

Shinya studied him for a moment before slowly smiling. "Oh, you'll see soon enough. There's a reason why no shinobi has ever been able to find our home. You'll be the first outsiders we've welcomed in over a century," he explained wryly.

"A century? That is quite an honor indeed!" gasped Gai as he grinned happily.

Iruka chuckled before looking at Shinya curiously. "What was that green liquid you took out before?" he inquired.

"That will be explained soon enough as well," replied Shinya enigmatically.

The Chuunin frowned slightly but kept his protests to himself. There was no point in causing conflicts now that they had just been introduced. The five continued forth on a dusty path that was about as smooth as a rusty blade. They climbed over boulders, jumped over running streams, and came across several spouting geysers. Iruka marveled at the diversity of creatures roaming around. The Metal Country's terrain varied with each turn they took and this was probably how Shade kept hidden from outsiders for so long.

After a while, Iruka realized they were journeying upwards. The temperature seemed to be increasing and drops of sweat were gathering at the corners of his forehead. He wiped them away with his sleeve and breathed in deeply. The ground was gravelly and layers of black soot covered it. The Chuunin narrowed his eyes and looked ahead where Shinya and Takeshi were walking, not bothered at all by the smoldering heat.

"Are we…?"

"Yes, we're nearing the top of a volcano," replied Shinya without glancing back.

Iruka's eyes widened.

"What? A volcano?" cried out Gai in dismay.

"Is your village in a volcano?" queried Genma offhandedly.

Shinya turned around and smiled amusedly. "If our village was in a volcano, we would have been reduced to cinders a long time ago. No, our village is near the volcano-in a deep cave underground," he replied.

Iruka blinked in surprise. "Your village is underground?" he asked in wonder.

"Well, the pathway is. The village itself is above ground."

"Wait, then why are we going underground to go above ground?" inquired Gai confusedly.

Shinya looked at him. "There are many entrances to our village and the reason why we are leading you to this one is because it is the most difficult one to go through," he answered.

"So that it will discourage us from coming again," concluded Genma.

"Precisely," said Shinya, eyes glittering. "Had Iruka come alone, we would have led him through an easier path but because you two are here, we won't be taking any chances. Our village has a reputation to keep you know."

Iruka could see the reason in this, though he didn't understand it fully. He had no idea Hidden Shade was so adamant about keeping their secrets. Gai and Genma were silenced by Shinya's words and continued on quietly. No doubt they were taking his words into consideration. Iruka thought them to be somewhat cruel but accepted them as Shinya's duty in protecting Shade's honor.

The heat was almost unbearable by now. Iruka could see the top of the volcano clearly and the red glow that it was emitting. Shinya and Takeshi then made a sharp turn that took them on a detour slightly further away from the volcano's top until they reached a rocky cliff where a large and dark pathway welcomed them. There they stopped to rest for several minutes. Takeshi went on ahead into the cave and Shinya passed on a large canteen of water to the others.

"Takeshi will inform the village of your arrival. We'll be there shortly," he said.

"You're not affected by this heat?" gasped out Gai as he wiped his forehead with a sleeve.

Shinya smiled. "I've traveled this land every day since I was a child. You get used to all sorts of conditions here," he replied.

"I noticed that," remarked Genma dryly. "Is there any particular reason why this region is so unstable? One moment we're walking through an ice field, the next a grass field. It doesn't make any sense at all."

Shinya shrugged. "That's the geography. My people have never solved its riddle nor do we care much about it. Home is home," he said before standing up. "Are you all ready now?"

"How much further is it?" inquired Iruka.

"Not too long. After we leave this cave it's pretty much there," answered Shinya as he placed the cap back on the canteen Gai handed to him. "And a little warning, don't expect Shade to be small. We may be an obscure shinobi village but there are plenty of us. And we don't take to living in the…traditional way as you would say."

Iruka arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked. Shinya was being all too mysterious and his implications were near torturing him.

The young shinobi grinned brightly. "You'll see soon enough. Come!" he said as he began directing the way into the cave.

The others followed quietly, all the while sharing confused glances with one another. Iruka could barely suppress his curiosity from leaking through to interrogate Shinya relentlessly. He merely lagged behind Gai and Genma, recording every detail of his surroundings into his mind. It wasn't as dark as the cave in the Earth Country, but it was a good deal hotter considering its location. Iruka noticed, however, as they moved on the air seemed to get cooler and less humid. Eventually, water could be spotted gathering in small pools in the corners and Iruka could feel a slight chill lingering in the air. He looked onwards towards Shinya and frowned slightly. His earlier words still echoed in his mind. Perhaps it would have been better if he had gone on this mission alone. A brief smile crossed the Chuunin's face. But Tsunade would never have let him get away with that.

"Is it just me or have we been going through a lot of caves?" murmured Genma mildly.

Iruka grinned at the older man. "That does seem to be a reoccurring theme," he replied.

"Are there any other shinobi coming with you, Iruka?"

The dark-haired man thought to himself for a moment. "I don't think so. But Hokage-sama can be unpredictable. I don't know what she'll do. But as far as I'm concerned it's just the three of us," he answered.

Shinya nodded. "Right then," he murmured to himself.

Light soon approached the dim cavern. Iruka looked up questioningly as the end of the cave drew closer. He hadn't even noticed it before, but there had been small torches lining up the walls of the cave. He narrowed his eyes at this. If Shade was so careful about keeping their village a secret, then wouldn't leaving a bright path of fire be contradicting that entire idea?

"Did Takeshi light these up for us?"

Shinya arched a slim eyebrow but did not face Iruka. "Yes. Leading three men in the dark would have been too challenging even for me," he said calmly.

"Oi, we would have been all right!" exclaimed Gai indignantly.

"I'm sure," replied Shinya with a hint of sarcasm.

Gai pursed his lips but didn't say anything in response.

"So the village will be there when we get out?" inquired Genma.

Shinya nodded. "Yes," he answered shortly.

The foursome soon came to halt at the cave's exit. The scene that greeted them was greatly unlike the region they had just walked from. Tall blades of grass stood swaying in the breeze and the air was refreshing and dry. The sky was an endless sea of blue and not a single cloud tainted its uniformity. Beyond the horizon, a tall mass obscured the scenery. Iruka narrowed his eyes and scrutinized it further before realizing what he was seeing.

"Is that…?"

"Yes, that it the Hidden Village of Shade," cut in Shinya before Iruka could finish.

The village was in the shape of a mighty fortress made up of tall edifices. It was unlike anything Iruka or the others had ever seen before. Around the main village there stood a high gate made of metal, but that did little to hide what it was protecting. Iruka breathed a gasp of amazement.

"It's larger than any city I've ever been to," remarked Genma impressively.

"How did you manage to build all that?" asked Gai in astonishment.

Shinya smiled slightly. "We are in the Metal Country. There are plenty of resources available to us," he answered as he waved his hand. "Come now. I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to look at it."

Iruka barely suppressed his excitement as they trekked through the plains. The wind was cool, and every worry that had crept up in his mind was erased at the very moment he saw his mother's home. Iruka focused on the metal fortress and thought to himself. This was the place my mother grew up in-the same place that exiled her once she married father. The Chuunin narrowed his eyes but chose to ignore that thought. This was not the time for reminiscing on the past nor to hold any grudges. He had a duty to perform for his home now-Konoha, and let any enemy be damned if they tried to interfere with him and his goal.

"This is quite thrilling, no, Genma?" remarked Gai with a wide grin on his face.

"Hm," the Jounin replied, though there was a glimmer in his eye.

Shinya glanced at the three companions. "You'll be welcomed as guests of course. Our people aren't all that hostile to outsiders. Some may be very cruel to you at first, though. There was quite the controversy in even allowing Iruka to come. But then the Council decided that we would have to throw away our policy of isolation to ensure the safety of the other villages and to regain our honor," he explained.

Gai arched an eyebrow. "Eh? Council? Your village doesn't have a Hokage like ours?" he inquired curiously.

Shinya smiled slightly. "Our methods of ruling are different as well," he remarked amusedly.

They walked on for several more minutes before finally approaching the front gate. Iruka gazed up at it wonderingly. It towered before them like a lead giant and not a single glimpse of the city behind it could be spotted now. Shinya walked before the door and placed his hand on a small circular indentation on the gate. Suddenly, a low groan was sounded throughout the barren plain and the doors slowly swung open. Iruka blinked in surprise before Shinya turned to him and the others with a charming smile.

"Welcome to the Village of Hidden Shade-known by few others as the metallic wonder of the world. Industry and science are firmly integrated within our culture as well as the study of the dark arts and concealment. Woe to those that betray our home and people."

Iruka stared at the bustling city before him. Crowds of people were strolling about, minding their own business as they shopped and talked. They were dressed in strange attires made up of silver, blue, black, and white shades and all of them held a dignified look as they walked. Iruka smiled in small astonishment. They seemed so different, the people of Hidden Shade, yet when he saw the children and teenagers running around playfully, he knew they really weren't.

As they continued walking down the streets, Iruka allowed his curiosity to run full throttle. He took in everything he saw-the paved roads, the tall and glittering buildings comprised of metal and glass, and the sophistication and ingenuity behind the scientifically advanced gadgets that ran about everywhere. Shinya had been right on target when he that Hidden Shade was an industrious city; Iruka just never imagined how far they had gone with their technology. It was like being in a completely different world.

"People are staring," remarked Genma casually.

Iruka looked at him in slight surprise before slowly realizing the truth behind his words. People on the streets had blatantly stopped what they had been doing just to stare at the three foreign shinobi strangely and with wariness. Iruka smiled sheepishly and tried to remain calm. Shinya didn't even seem to notice their observers.

"I'm taking you up to the main tower where the Council meets. They've been awaiting your arrival with anticipation," he explained.

"Um, right," replied Iruka, albeit a bit more nervously than he wanted. He cowered a bit from the people's unwavering scrutiny. It was one thing to acquire people's attention through making a loud commotion, but all they were doing was just walking and the people stared at them as if they were some kind of spectacular exhibition. Their gazes were also empty and cold. Iruka could read nothing of what the people were thinking and that did little to soothe his mind.

"Oi, oi! We are the three shinobi from Konoha Village! I am known as the Proud Green Beast, Maito Gai! These are my companions, Shiranui Genma and Umino Iruka! Now that we are through with the introductions, and you are well aware of who we are, you may stop looking at us like we are your ENEMIES because we most certainly are NOT!"

Iruka barely managed to suppress his surprise at Gai's sudden declaration. Even Genma was staring at the Jounin with a mixed expression of amusement and shock. The people, however, were the ones most affected. Apparently, they were not accustomed to such loud and boisterous individuals and quickly returned to their own business with a certain air of shyness. Had it been anyone else who said those words they might have been mobbed, but because Gai had said it in such a reassuring and enthusiastic manner that was routine for him, he managed to not only ease the citizen's minds but also acquire a great amount of respect from them as well. Iruka smiled at the Jounin.

"He's an interesting character. In a matter of a few sentences he managed to gain a few admirers," quipped Shinya, before eyeing Iruka seriously. "And that's a hard feat to accomplish here with our people being so critical."

Iruka arched an eyebrow. "Why's that?" he asked.

Shinya shrugged. "Most of the people here are well-established workers with trades of their own. They're used to being criticized and criticizing, so that makes us a rather cold-hearted bunch of people. People like Gai are rare around here. Only the children retain a similar kind of attitude. Even our shinobi are very strict and disciplined due to their upbringing. Our people take everything with a grim sort of seriousness and respect. Gai would basically be considered a radical in our society, and for that people will come to respect him eventually, though very grudgingly I assume," he said.

Gai continued giving winks and grins to the people, even eliciting some chuckles from the women. Iruka smiled warmly at his friend. Sometimes being oblivious to the world around you was a good thing. He had long respected Gai's outgoing nature and his willingness to not fall into the status quo. It was something Iruka wished he could do-not care so much about other people's opinions.

"Ah, here we are. Let's get ready shall we? Don't worry; I doubt the Council has anything to say that will last too long. I know you're all tired and well in waiting for a rest."

They stopped in front of a tall tower. Iruka stared at it for a while. There were no windows and he couldn't even see what the top looked like. It seemed like a strange place for a council to meet considering there seemed to be no way to keep track of what was going on outside. Shinya led them through the doors-this time made of glass-and almost immediately they were enveloped in a gloomy darkness. The doors slid shut and Iruka looked around in mild confusion.

"Is it supposed to be this dark or is it just me?" came Genma's usual bored drawl.

"Oi, I seem to have misplaced my matches. I suppose using ninjutsu is out of the question, eh?" quipped Gai, somewhere on Iruka's left.

The Chuunin focused on the breathing patterns of his companions before estimating how far away he was from them. It was then that he realized that Shinya was missing from their group. He tapped his foot against the floor and heard echoes, meaning there was nothing else in the room. Iruka narrowed his eyes.

"Hm, this does seem rather discourteous to leave us alone in the dark," remarked Genma. He began feeling for his weapons and remained on guard to everything around him.

"This could be some sort of test," suggested Iruka, though his mind grew heavy with that thought in mind.

"Well, these people certainly have an interesting culture! I am quite fascinated!"

Genma clicked his tongue. "Are you ever discouraged by anything?" he inquired.

"Nope!"

A cold wind then descended upon them at that very instant and all three of the shinobi were knocked to the ground from its force. Iruka closed his eyes and tried to imagine the scenario if there was light, but he could little against the rising uneasiness within him. And just then, a burst of light flooded their visions and Iruka heard Gai and Genma protesting to its sudden emergence. Iruka opened his eyes slowly and saw the dim silhouette of a tall figure before them.

"Umino Iruka. Let's see how much of your mother's blood runs through you," came a deep and raspy tone before the figure raised one arm.

The last thing Iruka recalled was a resounding force pushing him back against his own will and the silent darkness that pursued.

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TBC

Yay, they're finally in Hidden Shade. And Iruka is attacked. Woo.