Ark 4 Begin
A Few Months Later
It was early in the morning with the birds chirping and the crows ahoying in the distance.
Kuro's eyes crack open slowly as he lazily twists and turns in the bed. A thin shaft of sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, drawing a golden line across his face. He blinked, groaned softly, and rolled onto his back.
Outside, the crows had grown louder—impatient, perhaps, or hungry.
Kuro exhaled and sat up, rubbing his temples. With sluggish, grouchy steps, he made his way toward the bathroom.
By the time he finished his morning routine, the smell of breakfast drifted through the house. Kirama was already at the table, making demands as usual.
Kuro's eyebrow twitched. He wanted to give the fox a good smacking, but one sharp glare from Kisara froze him before his hand even rose.
He sighed, sank into his chair, and muttered, "Morning's already ruined."
After breakfast, Kuro slipped on his sandals and made his way out of the house before he gave in to the urge to smack the little fox.
The door slid shut behind him, and the cool morning air brushed against his face. He drew in a slow breath, the faint scent of dew and woodsmoke filling his lungs. But when his eyes lifted toward the mountainside, his mood soured again.
The colossal faces of past Hokage watched silently over the village, their stone gazes proud and unyielding. Kuro cringed, his lip curling.
"Yeah, yeah… heroes of the village," he muttered. "Bet they never had to deal with a mouthy fox first thing in the morning."
He shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way out of the Nara Clan compound. The village was already stirring with shopkeepers sweeping storefronts, vendors shouting their morning greetings, and shinobi darting across rooftops on early missions.
A group of academy students ran past him, laughing as they waved their practice kunai around. One of them tripped and nearly collided with Kuro.
"Watch it," he grumbled, sidestepping just in time.
The kid muttered a quick apology and scurried off. Kuro watched them go, his expression softening for a heartbeat before he shook his head and kept walking.
Kuro stretched his arms behind his head as he wandered through the busy streets, letting the morning noise fade into a dull hum. His stomach gave a small growl as the little fox took most of his breakfast. Before he knew it, his feet were already carrying him down the familiar path.
The red-and-white banner of Ichiraku Ramen fluttered gently in the breeze. The comforting aroma of broth and freshly cooked noodles drifted through the air, cutting through his sour mood.
"Guess the universe is telling me to eat again," he muttered with a smirk.
He pushed aside the curtain and stepped in. Young Teuchi looked up from behind the counter, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Well, if it isn't Kuro. Early for once," the man chuckled.
Kuro took his usual seat, resting his elbows on the counter. "Couldn't stay home. The fox was driving me insane."
Teuchi laughed as he reached for a pot. "Kirama again, huh? One day, that fox'll get you to dance like how you made those Hyuga kids dance."
"Over my dead body," Kuro said flatly.
A few minutes later, a steaming bowl was set in front of him. He picked up his chopsticks, ready to dig in when the curtain rustled again. Someone else had entered.
The curtain rustled again, and a familiar voice called out,
"Morning, Teuchi! Smells amazing already!"
Kuro looked up from his bowl just as Minato stepped inside, grinning like he always did. His blond hair was a little messy, his headband slightly askew, and his usual calm energy filled the small shop.
Teuchi waved a ladle in greeting. "Minato! You're early today."
"Training starts later," Minato said, sliding onto the stool beside Kuro. "Thought I'd grab breakfast before Jiraiya-sensei runs me into the ground again."
Kuro snorted. "You mean before he makes you chase that toad up and down the training field for an hour?"
"Hey, that was one time!" Minato laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And it worked, didn't it?"
Kuro gave a lazy shrug, slurping his noodles. "If you call smelling like pond water 'working,' sure."
Teuchi set down a fresh bowl in front of Minato, who clasped his hands together. "Thanks, old man!"
The two of them ate quietly for a few minutes, the shop filled with nothing but the sound of sizzling broth and soft chatter from the street outside. Eventually, Minato leaned his elbow on the counter and glanced at Kuro.
"You've been looking a little off lately," he said. "Everything alright?"
Kuro paused mid-bite, his expression unreadable for a second before he sighed. "Same old, same old. Fox doesn't stop talking, Kisara won't stop glaring, and the village still looks at me like I grew a second tail."
Minato chuckled softly. "You know, for someone who claims to hate attention, you sure get a lot of it."
"Yeah," Kuro muttered, pushing his bowl away. "Lucky me."
…
After bantering with Minato for a while, Kuro made his way toward Mito's villa.
He has the feeling that the peaceful days are going to end soon. His shadow soldiers have not contacted him in the last months.
Whenever he reached out, their answers were always the same: "Our Almighty Lord should also enjoy some vacation."
The first time, it had almost made him laugh. The second time, it felt annoying. By the tenth, he'd stopped trying to respond. Although he can force them to obey, he doesn't feel the need, as all of them are loyal to him.
The most irritating part, though, was Niji and Sanji. Those two had apparently made it their permanent duty to "protect the Lady and ensure future generations."
Kuro shook his head. Overachievers, he muttered under his breath. They didn't even treat him as a priority anymore.
And yet… as much as he hated to admit it, their loyalty had saved him more than once. Which only made it worse.
Soon, he arrived at the 'dilapidated' villa and walked in. As usual, Mito and Kushina were seated at a low table, enjoying tea. Mito's calm smile greeted him, while Kushina's fiery red hair caught the morning light as she poured another cup.
"Ah, Kuro," Mito said softly, setting her cup down. "It's been a while."
"Yeah, well," Kuro muttered, dragging a hand down his face, "you know how it is. Busy. Exhausting. Fox at home. Shadow soldiers are ignoring me. Same old, same old."
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like someone's in a sour mood."
Kuro grunted, plopping down onto a cushion across from them. He then turned to Mito.
"Any progress on your revenge against the Hidden Mist?"
Mito set her tea cup down, fingers lingering on the rim. "You feel it too, then. I've sensed a shift, something stirring beyond the borders of the village."
Kuro nodded as he leaned back. "I've been hearing whispers, too. Strange disappearances near the borders. Not the usual rogue ninjas or bandits. They are too organized. Whoever or whatever it is, they're not playing around."
"So are you going to get involved if the conflict escalates?" Mito couldn't help but ask.
Kuro shook his head. "If it is the work of the Hidden Mist, I leave it to you to exact your revenge. I also don't have the "Will of Fire" to defend the village."
Kushina leaned forward, elbows resting on the low table, her fiery hair cascading around her shoulders. "He's right," she said firmly. "Everyone who followed the so-called "Will of Fire" all die young."
"True," Kuro nodded as he thought back to Naruto and how the "Will of Fire" was used to cultivate cannon fodder for the village.
Kuro discussed a few more topics with Mito before getting up to take his leave, as Kushina had already gone out to start her training. Before he stepped out the door, he turned back toward Mito.
"Although you can no longer die as a reincarnated shadow, still keep vigilance. It seems that the Zetsus knows a few tricks to mess with the shadows."
Mito's calm expression didn't falter. "I will," she said softly, her fingers brushing the rim of her teacup.
With that, Kuro stepped out, the morning light catching the edges of his clothes. Outside, the village stretched quietly and serenely, but beneath that calm, the undercurrents of conflict already began to stir.