The sunlight filtering through the curtains seemed to pulse with the thrumming of Arashi's anticipation. He stretched, a yawn catching in his throat, and his gaze flew to the brown box perched high on his wardrobe shelf. He couldn't wait any longer. With a silent, fluid leap – the kind only years of rigorous training could produce – he snatched the box. "Shisui's last gift," he murmured, his fingers tracing the worn wood. "Today's the day."
He placed the box reverently on his bed, then caught his reflection in the mirror. His dark hair was, as always, a mess. "Comb it back?" he mused, already running his fingers through it, letting it fall into its usual unruly style. He glanced back at the box, his heart pounding. With a deep breath, he lifted the lid.
Arashi's eyes widened to see a neatly folded letter stuck on the lid. He picked it up, his voice catching in his throat as he read:
"Dear Arashi, finding this letter can only mean one thing. I'm not there. And that's okay. Finding this letter also means you're a shinobi. Congratulations, little brother! You may not see me, but I'm with you every step of the way.
I'm gifting you this weapon in hopes that you won't need it one day. If you've read my other letters, you already know about its material. This kunai should help you with your chakra. Well, you'll soon find out what else it can do. I wish I could find some time to show you more, Arashi.
I'm sorry to end this abruptly. As usual, I'm running out of time. Arashi, as you embark on the path of the shinobi, remember this: live boldly. Protect those who cannot protect themselves. And fight for what you believe in, no matter what."
Your brother,
Shisui
Arashi finished the letter, his vision blurring with tears. He clutched it to his chest, his breath hitching as a wave of grief and longing washed over him. Shisui's warm smile, playful teasing, and the way he always knew how to make Arashi feel safe all came flooding back.
He sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, and carefully placed the letter aside. He hesitated momentarily, his fingers hovering over the box before finally lifting the lid. A chained kunai lay nestled on faded velvet, its cool metal surface gleaming faintly and carrying a subtle scent of oil. The weapon was simple yet elegant—a finely crafted kunai attached to a length of chain coiled neatly beneath it. Arashi carefully lifted the kunai, his fingers tracing the smooth metal.
'I've been dreaming about this ever since that day,' he thought, remembering Shisui's letter. 'A material that can absorb chakra... incredible.' As he held it, the chain stirred, uncoiling with a life of its own.
Before Arashi could react, it wrapped tightly around his forearm, the links settling into place with a gentle clink. A wave of warmth flowed from the metal into his body, tingling his arm. "What...?" he murmured, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Then, a voice, smooth as silk and laced with amusement, whispered directly into his ear, "My, my... I knew you'd be back. Some things are simply irresistible, aren't they?"
Arashi froze, his blood turning to ice. The voice was undeniably feminine and playful, yet it carried an undercurrent of something ancient and compelling. It resonated deep within his bones, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Wh- who the hell are you?" Arashi stammered, his voice barely whispery, his grip tightening on the kunai.
"Mmm... you're not Shisui. No... you're much younger." There was a pause, then a soft, breathy chuckle that seemed to caress his ear. "This could be fun."
Arashi's eyes darted around the room, his heart pounding in his chest. The room was empty. 'Where is she? How—'
He didn't get a chance to finish the thought. The air beside his bed shimmered and distorted like heat rising from the ground on a scorching day. A figure began to coalesce within the shimmering air, gradually taking shape. A woman materialized, reclining languidly on the edge of the mattress, one leg draped over the other. She looked utterly at ease as if she belonged there and had always been there, watching him.
"So this is Shisui's little brother, is it?" she murmured, her gaze sweeping over the room, lingering on a worn training dummy and a shelf overflowing with well-loved books before finally settling on a framed picture on the wall. It was a picture of two boys, their arms slung around each other's shoulders, grinning mischievously at the camera.
She turned her luminous golden eyes on Arashi, a hint of sadness flickering in their depths. "You must be Arashi. My, aren't you serious? Relax a little, child. You and your brother were always so serious." Her voice was soft, almost regretful.
Her beauty was striking, with smooth, dark skin that shimmered faintly and dark hair streaked with white as if touched by moonlight. Faint lines, like shimmering cracks, traced her skin – the residue of chakra, he guessed. She wore a sleek, form-fitting Anbu uniform, the dark fabric clinging to her curves. But her eyes held him captive – those golden eyes that seemed to pierce through him.
The woman stretched languidly, arching her back like a cat waking from a long slumber. Her golden eyes raked over Arashi once more, lingering on his chest, where his heart hammered against his ribs. Her eyes widened, and a playful smirk danced on her lips.
"My, my," she purred, her voice a low, seductive rumble. 'Such delicious chakra... Shisui, you bastard. You dare hide this from me?'
Arashi's patience finally snapped. He scowled at the woman, his fists clenching. "How did you get into my house? And how do you know Shisui?" he demanded, his Rinnegan flaring to life, its purple ripples radiating with barely contained power.
The woman chuckled, a low, throaty sound that seemed to vibrate through the room. "Hmph, my mistake... If this situation is what I imagine, you deserve to know at least who I am." She twirled a strand of her white-streaked hair around her finger, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement. "Friends call me Sae," she purred. "You can call me whatever you want."
"We're not friends," Arashi corrected her, his frown deepening as he folded his arms across his chest.
Sae merely smiled, a predatory glint in her golden eyes. She raised her hand as if beckoning a loyal pet. Suddenly, with a sharp whipping sound, the chained kunai flew from Arashi's grasp, wrapping itself around Sae's outstretched palm and swirling around her arm like a living vine.
"As long as you wield this weapon," she purred, her eyes locking onto his, "you're whatever I want you to be."
This is Shisui's gift? Arashi thought incredulously, his Rinnegan activating, its purple ripples scanning Sae's body, searching for any sign of deception or hidden jutsu. 'That's not possible. Shisui-nii-san would never let this psycho near me.'
"Listen, crazy," he said, his voice hardening, "whatever the deal is between you and this weapon, it's mine now." He raised his hand, palm open, focusing his chakra.
As if caught between two opposing wills, the chained kunai ripped itself from Sae's arm and hovered in the air between them. A high-pitched ringing noise filled the room, and the kunai pulsed with an eerie light, its chain writhing like an agitated snake.
Sae scoffed, a hint of annoyance flickering across her face. "Mhm," she hummed, "aren't you a quick learner? But whether you take my weapon or not makes no difference. Its abilities only work through my will."
"A weapon is only as good as its wielder," Arashi retorted, his voice filled with defiance. Tell me what I want to know," he demanded, his Rinnegan pulsing with power. Where did you come from? How did you know my brother?"
"Hmph," Sae huffed, still reclining languidly on his bed as if this confrontation were a minor inconvenience. "I'll answer, but not because you told me to." She paused, her golden eyes gleaming with a strange light.
"I was asleep," she began, her voice taking on a distant, almost dreamy quality, "waiting for whoever would pick me up from my slumber. Admittedly, I thought your charming brother would be the one. His chakra was unlike any I had ever tasted. Sweet, pure, unlike many Uchiha who were filled with hatred and anger."
"You fought him. Didn't you?" Arashi stated, his voice tight and suspicious.
"And what do you mean, 'slumber'? What are you?"
"Details, details," Sae purred, a mischievous glint in her golden eyes. "We'll have to go over those later. For now, you need to understand what I offer. Only then will you truly grasp the magnitude of this opportunity."
"An offer?" Arashi scoffed, his arms crossed defiantly. "I don't want anything you have. I know your kind. You're a parasite, jumping from body to body, feeding on whatever you can get your claws on. I won't give you anything, whether it's chakra or power."
"So firm, so resolute," Sae chuckled, her voice like warm honey. "You're so much like your brother." She glided closer to Arashi, her movements fluid and graceful, and playfully stroked his hair. "But even he couldn't resist me forever," she whispered, her velvet voice sending shivers down his spine. "And I'm going to give you an offer you can't refuse."
Her golden eyes bored into his, filled with a hypnotic intensity. "With me," she purred, "you can control that vicious, untamed chakra within you. You'll become powerful. Powerful enough to wipe out an army of shinobi single-handedly. Imagine it: killing the Hokage, reshaping the village in your image... You can have it all, but only with my help."
Arashi remained silent momentarily, his eyes trailing her figure, his mind reeling from her words. The power she offered was intoxicating, a siren song that tugged at his deepest desires. But he wasn't a fool. "And what do you want in return?" he asked, his voice wary.
"Simple," Sae replied, her smile widening. "I'll feast on your chakra, taking it little by little, just enough to sustain me." She leaned closer, her breath ghosting over his ear. "A small price to pay for such immeasurable power, wouldn't you agree?"
Arashi recoiled as if burned. "Get away from me!" he snarled, shoving her back surprisingly. "I don't want anything to do with you!"
Sae laughed, a playful, joyous sound that echoed through the room, as if this confrontation were merely a game to her. "Oh, don't be like that," she chided, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm not a parasite, darling. Think of me as a symbiote. Friends with benefits." Her golden eyes glittered with mischief. "You gain control, freedom, power..." she trailed off, running her long, sharp nails across his jawline, sending a jolt of electricity through his body, "and I gain sustenance, a purpose... a reason to exist."
Arashi flinched away from her touch, her mesmerizing presence overwhelming him. He couldn't deny the allure of her offer, the seductive whisper of power that promised to fulfill his deepest desires. But something within him, a deep-seated sense of morality inherited from his brother, screamed in protest. "No," he said, his voice shaking but resolute. "I won't be your puppet. I'll find my way."
Arashi turned and stormed out of the room, his heart pounding in his chest. As he fled, the chained kunai, as if bound to him by an invisible thread, followed close behind, locking itself onto his arm once more.
Sae lay back on his bed, stretching her limbs with a feline grace. A smug grin played around her lips as Arashi slamming the door echoed through the room. "You'll come running back to me," she purred to herself, her voice a low, confident rumble. "It's inevitable." She closed her eyes, savoring the lingering traces of his potent chakra that still clung to the air. "After all," she murmured, a playful smirk curving her lips, "who can resist such a tempting offer?"
She stretched again, her sharp nails extending with a faint snick. "Besides," she added, her voice laced with a predatory amusement, "I have ways of making you see things my way." She opened her golden eyes, their depths glowing with a mischievous light. "This is going to be fun."