Scene Fourteen
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A Grand Organization
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Silence... Stillness... Pitch-black darkness.
I had no awareness of my surroundings, nor could I tell how long I had been unconscious.
"Are you sure about this?"
I heard muffled voices swirling around me.
"Don't worry, idiot. Just leave it to me."
I slowly began to open my eyes, grimacing in pain. My blurred vision revealed an abandoned, decrepit place—perhaps an old factory, no longer in use.
I couldn't focus clearly, for my attention was drawn solely to the two figures in front of me.
Izumi, and beside him, Mizuki. From the looks of it, they were members of the same gang—or something similar.
"What do you want from me...?"
I spoke weakly, the pounding pain in my head still unbearable.
"Isn't it obvious, kid?"
Mizuki crouched down near my head, a wicked smirk tugging at his lips.
I didn't answer. I merely stared at him, dazed, desperately trying to come up with a way to escape this situation.
My body was sprawled across the ground, arms and legs tightly bound with rope.
"Look at you now—tied up and waiting to be beaten to a pulp by me. Where's that cocky mouth of yours you flaunted in front of that slut?"
I chuckled, then burst into loud laughter at his words.
"What's so funny?"
Izumi's voice cracked with anger, clearly irritated by my mockery.
"So the girl you claimed to love was just a slut?" I raised my head and stared at him, eyes blazing with fury. My voice came out cold. "Do you really think you're even worth talking to? Scum like you, ruled by lust—you're the real whore here, Izumi!"
Izumi's face turned red with rage. Gritting his teeth, he stormed toward me with his fist raised.
Boom.
He delivered a powerful punch, hard enough to make me cough and spit blood. It dripped from my lips as I grinned at him.
"Use your fists. It's the only thing your empty mind is good for."
"Shut up!!"
Boom... Boom...
He rained punches down on my face, venting all his fury upon me.
"Hey, hey! What do you think now, huh?! Naruto!!"
Through my bruised and bloodied face, beneath the shadow of my golden hair, only a wide smile remained.
"Is that all you've got?"
"NARUTO!!!"
He raised his fist again, but this time Mizuki grabbed his wrist.
"Calm down. Can't you see he's just provoking you?"
"But..."
Izumi clenched his jaw and looked away, clearly unable to defy Mizuki.
"You little runt... You're too smart to be just an ordinary middle schooler. What's your background?"
I looked calmly at Mizuki and said, "I don't need a name to deal with trash like you."
"Heh... All this pride and courage at your age. Impressive."
Mizuki smiled wider. "How about this—I'll untie you and let you go, if you agree to join our organization."
"What a tempting offer," I replied, lifting my head and smiling at him. "But no thanks. I've had enough of you. I'll chase you down—all the way to your boss—and bring you to justice."
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA!!"
Mizuki burst out laughing as if I had just told the joke of the century. His laughter was genuine, full-hearted.
"Bring us to justice? Now that's a good one." He smirked and waved his hand arrogantly. "Our organization runs this country from the shadows!"
My eyes widened in shock. Wait—what was this man even saying?
"Don't believe me? That's understandable."
He raised his hands in a helpless shrug.
"What is your organization aiming for?"
"Even I don't know exactly. It's a massive institution, and I'm just a pawn that can be discarded at any time," Mizuki admitted plainly, his tone honest.
I lowered my head, staring at the floor.
A massive institution... A criminal overlord controlling Konoha from the shadows... Who could it be?!
"So... have you changed your mind?"
Mizuki looked at me curiously after my prolonged silence.
"No. Even now, I'll still come after every last one of you." I lifted my head, my voice sharp and firm.
"What a pity... You're choosing to lose."
Mizuki sighed, stood up, and walked to his motorcycle, rummaging through one of the bags attached to it.
!!!!!
My eyes widened in shock as I saw what he pulled out—spiked gloves. That lunatic was planning to torture me?
"You've learned too much. I have to silence you now. It's hard to maintain the organization's secrecy without sacrifices."
He approached me slowly. From the corner of my eye, I saw Izumi grinning in anticipation.
Damn it... That guy is insane.
"Do you think torturing me will change my mind that easily?"
"Of course not. You've got iron will and bravery. I doubt pain will shut you up."
He raised his fist and brought it down with all his strength.
BOOOOM...
I felt as if my skull split in two.
"AAAAAARGH!!"
I screamed in agony as blood gushed from my head.
"Torture may not work, but what if you die... in an unfortunate fight?"
"So this was your goal all along..."
I lifted my blood-soaked head, my golden hair now indistinguishable from the red.
"You think this is a storybook where I'll let you live after hearing all that about the organization? You have to die here!!"
Mizuki delivered another crushing blow to my face.
"AAAGH!!"
Damn it... it hurts so much.
Is the human body really this weak?
Damn it... Is this punishment just for trying to protect Sakura from a bully?
Mizuki continued his assault with twisted glee. My consciousness began to fade...
Am I going to die again? Here, in this place?
After finally getting a chance at a peaceful, happy life... is this what I get?
Why me... damn it...
I was starting to lose all hope—
But then the sound of the door being smashed open jolted me awake.
I turned toward the shattered entrance, where four shadowy figures stood. I couldn't quite make them out.
"I hope you're ready to be punished for what you've done to that boy."
A familiar voice rang out. I couldn't tell who it was... but could I say I had been rescued?
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Scene Fourteen
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A Grand Organization – End
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Scene Fifteen
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"Rin"
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Narrator's POV
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"Aren't the kids late?"
Rin asked with a trace of concern in her voice.
"Yeah... they've both been gone for quite a while," Kakashi replied calmly.
"Let's go check on them..." Rin stood up, about to leave, but paused as she saw Sakura approaching—with someone who wasn't Naruto.
"Look..."
"Yeah. Something's happened..." As always, the two adults were sharp and observant. Just one glance at Sakura and Sasuke, and they understood the situation.
"What happened?"
Rin rushed to Sakura, worried.
"Naruto... someone attacked him and took him away..."
"What?!"
Shock painted the faces of both Kakashi and Rin.
"Let me explain everything in detail..."
Sasuke, more composed than expected, began relaying the entire incident to Kakashi and Rin.
After understanding the situation, the two adults exchanged a glance, while Sakura and Sasuke looked on in confusion.
"It's them..."
"Without a doubt."
Sasuke looked up at the adults, speaking quickly and anxiously, "You know what's going on, don't you?"
Kakashi gently placed a hand on Sasuke's head, ruffling his hair softly.
"This is grown-up business, so don't worry yourself about it, okay?"
"I'll make a quick call..."
Rin took out her phone and started scrolling through her contacts until her eyes stopped at one name:
"Uchiha Obito"
"Who are you calling?" Sakura asked, surprised.
"A very important contact—this will help us find Naruto faster."
"That easy...?" Even Sasuke was stunned.
"As I said, this is grown-up business," Kakashi murmured with a gentle smile as he closed his eyes.
"Alright, let's move out."
Rin finished the call and led the group swiftly toward their destination.
After climbing into Kakashi's car, the four sped off like lightning toward the abandoned factory.
In less than thirty minutes, they had arrived.
They jumped out of the car in a hurry.
"Naruto's really here?" Sasuke asked with concern.
"Stand back, both of you..."
Kakashi stepped in front of Sakura and Sasuke as Rin moved ahead, approaching the sealed iron door.
Fwoooosh.
Rin exhaled sharply. Her eyes flickered with a radiant light.
She assumed a combat stance, and the air around her began to shift, stunning both Sasuke and Sakura.
"HAH!!"
Raising her leg, she kicked the metal door with such force that it flew into the building, destroying it and leaving the two teens with jaws dropped in disbelief.
Upon seeing Mizuki holding those spiked gloves, Rin shouted in seething rage:
"I hope you're ready to pay for what you did to that boy!!"
Mizuki stumbled back, stunned.
"H-How did you find this place?!"
"That's none of your concern." Rin marched forward slowly, her eyes blazing with fury.
Mizuki could feel her aura—it was terrifying, overwhelming. Just the sight of her made it clear: he wouldn't be walking out of this.
Clenching his teeth, Mizuki made a reckless decision. He thought he might have an advantage since she was just a woman—and he had those gloves.
"Idiot..."
Kakashi muttered, acknowledging the foolishness of Mizuki's choice.
Rin moved with blinding speed, dodging Mizuki's punch and thrusting her palm into his stomach.
Wham!
The impact sent him flying backwards—completely unconscious.
Izumi stood frozen in shock, watching the brother he relied on be taken down with a single blow.
He had no chance.
And strangely... that overwhelming pressure from Rin had suddenly vanished, as if it was never there.
"Izumi!!"
Sasuke shouted in anger, but Kakashi caught him before he could lunge forward.
Izumi had no choice but to flee—like a rat with nowhere left to run.
Rin rushed to Naruto, unconscious and battered, and gently cradled him in her arms, eyes full of sorrow.
"Poor thing..."
She held him close, tears falling silently down her cheeks.
"She might not look it, but she's incredibly kind to children," Kakashi said softly. "Sometimes I wonder how someone so gentle was once Japan's national karate champion for five consecutive years."
"B-B-Five years?!" Sasuke and Sakura exclaimed in disbelief.
But after seeing what she had just done... it made sense.
"Let's get him to the hospital."
Rin carried Naruto out of that cursed factory, the four of them heading straight to the hospital to treat his wounds.
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Scene Fifteen
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"Rin" – End
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The blonde girl with grassy-green eyes walked alone through the streets of Konoha, softly humming a song by the rising star, Immoral Scarlet.
She entered a pastry shop and bought a pie for her older brother, who had told her he'd be coming home late that night.
She wanted to surprise him—it was his birthday, after all. For the past seven years, she'd had to master cooking, cleaning, all the household chores, study hard, and keep her older brother from slipping further into darkness.
She had seen sides of him no child should have to witness, and so she chose to become perfect—so he wouldn't disappear from her life.
Her entire world... was her brother, Deidara.
Ino, who felt a sharp pain in her chest at the thought of losing him, placed a hand over her heart and hurried home before nightfall could catch her.
"Let's hurry... Naruto's in danger..."
A strange voice brushed past her ears, prompting her to turn toward the source, eyes wide with curiosity.
!!!!!
She saw four figures—an adult man and woman, and two teens about her age. One of them was injured.
And the other... a girl with long, beautiful pink hair.
Thump... Thump... Thump...
What was this feeling suddenly creeping into her chest? Something she'd never felt before, something that slipped silently into her carefully sealed little world.
Her face flushed softly. Reflexively, she turned her head away from the source of the sensation—as if afraid she might become addicted to it.
What was this sweet and unfamiliar warmth?
She didn't understand it. She hadn't been taught it. She didn't even recognize it in that moment.
But... she wanted to feel it again. She wanted more of it.
And yet, she feared this unknown intoxication, not wanting to lose herself within it.
She gently slapped her own cheek and whispered, "What's wrong with you, Ino?!"
She let out a small sigh and looked back again.
But the five of them... had vanished, like ghosts.
A strange sense of relief washed over her, and she continued on her way home, determined not to think about that feeling anymore.
It had been precious—irreplaceable, even—but her brother was more important than that sudden emotion she couldn't name.
That... was the decision Ino had made.
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#To_Be_Continued.