---
The Rogue Summoner: Kiraku of the Stitched Curse
The air thickened as Kiraku, the rogue ninja, stepped fully into view. His eyes glowed with unnatural chakra, veins throbbing beneath stitched skin. His voice echoed like a whisper in a nightmare.
"You children are… amusing," he said, cracking his knuckles. "But I came for blood."
Behind him towered a chakra beast—a malformed monster stitched together from wolves, bears, and birds, each head snarling in agony. Black steam hissed from its body.
Ino stepped back. "W-What is that thing?!"
Hinata activated her Byakugan, eyes wide. "That chakra… it's unstable. Corrupted."
Raiden didn't flinch. He turned to Shiro. "You three handle the beast's limbs. Keep it busy."
Shiro grinned. "So you're taking the boss?"
"Obviously," Raiden replied, and stepped forward into the clearing, cloak fluttering.
---
The First Clash
Kiraku moved first—fast. Blades of shadow burst from his arms, slashing toward Raiden like a rainstorm. Raiden ducked, weaved, countered with a spin-kick, but Kiraku was slippery, his body reforming mid-hit like sludge.
Raiden's Ultra Instinct flickered on. He moved like smoke, his expression unreadable. Every blow he struck found its mark—but every wound Kiraku took stitched back with cursed chakra.
"You can't kill what doesn't stay dead," the man hissed.
But Raiden didn't speak.
He reached for the summon seal.
"Akairo—full power."
In a blaze of fire, the crimson fox returned—larger now, fur bristling with sparks.
The fox growled, "That's more like it. Let's melt this freak."
---
Meanwhile: The Team's Struggle
While Raiden fought Kiraku, Shiro, Hinata, and Ino battled the stitched beast.
Shiro dashed up the monster's back, slashing with wind-infused kunai. "Come on, ugly! Bet you can't catch me!"
Hinata focused chakra into her palms, striking pressure points in rapid succession. "I… won't fall behind!"
Ino used her mind-transfer technique to briefly freeze one of the beast's heads, giving Shiro a window to slash it apart. The teamwork was clumsy at first—but under Raiden's example, it began to flow.
---
Kiraku's Blood Curse and Raiden's Memory Trigger
Back in the clearing, Kiraku unleashed his final technique: Blood Curse Field—a dome of cursed chakra that locked him and Raiden inside, sealing out others.
"Inside this dome, your chakra bleeds away," Kiraku whispered. "And your memories… unravel."
Raiden's vision blurred.
Suddenly, he saw flashes—of a different life. A white hospital bed. A sterile lab. Scientists. Voices saying "Emotionless. Experiment successful. Designation: Subject Zero."
His hand trembled.
Kiraku laughed. "What's the matter? Remembering something? You're not human, are you?"
The system pinged:
> Suppressed Memory Unlocked: Origin Sequence 001
Warning: Stability at risk. Emotional surge detected.
Activating Emergency Protocol: Core Focus Mode
Raiden clenched his fists. The fog in his mind cleared. He was no longer a test subject. He was Raiden Kageyama—a ninja, a fighter, and now, a protector.
He looked up, calm and deadly.
"You talk too much."
---
Final Move: Foxfire Devastation
Raiden raised one hand. Chakra flared. Flames spiraled into his palm.
Akairo snarled, eyes blazing. "Ready, partner?"
Raiden nodded. "Go."
The two moved as one.
In a dazzling combo, Raiden dashed forward while Akairo circled in mid-air. They performed Foxfire Devastation—a spiraling barrage of punches and flame claws, focused into a final point strike. The cursed dome cracked.
Raiden's final blow struck Kiraku's core—where the stitched chakra threads held his body together.
A flash of light.
A scream.
Silence.
---
Aftermath: Unsteady Bonds, Deeper Truths
When the team arrived, Kiraku was unconscious, barely alive. The beast vanished into black ash. They had won.
Ino stared at Raiden, breathing hard. "What the hell was that?!"
"Flames," Raiden replied, and walked past her.
Hinata stepped forward. "Raiden… are you okay?"
He didn't answer.
But Shiro caught up to him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You're scary strong, you know that?"
Raiden paused. "I know."
"And I'm gonna beat you someday."
"Unlikely."
"…Still gonna try."
They walked in silence together.
---
Back in the Village: Report and Reward
At the Hokage's office, Raiden submitted the mission report.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "You took down a rogue ninja alone?"
"With help," Raiden said flatly.
The system pinged.
> Mission Complete: Major Enemy Neutralized
Rewards:
– Aura Sense (Unlocked)
– Beast Bond Level Up
– New Skill Tree Branch Opened: "Bloodline Fusion (Locked)"
– Memory Fragment: Origin 001 Recovered
Raiden read the last line twice.
Somewhere in his past… was a truth he had yet to uncover.
---
To be continued...