"…all of our lives will be put at risk."

  My words echoed across the cave as silence spread in response to my declaration. A single lamp placed on one of the numerous wooden crates illuminated the wide-eyed faces of the two children before me.

  I lightly bit down on my inner cheek and sat back down on the floor into my previous position. Legs crossed and hands propped on my knees. An unfamiliar knot tightened in my stomach as my gaze alternated between looking at Yahiko and Konan's tense expressions.

  Any signs of the happiness and jubilation the two of them had expressed so freely after I jump-started their chakra had vanished. They appeared every inch the orphans of war that they were.

  My heart clenched.

  Is this really the right thing to do? They've already gone through so much…adding to the pressure that’s already on them…it would be…immoral.

  As if to break the tense silence, Inu, that way too intelligent dog, barked softly and closed the distance between us. He met my eyes with his own brown ones and made himself at home in my lap.

  I exhaled a deep breath and lifted my gaze to glance at the two children before me. There was no point in dragging this out any longer than I already did.

  "What I am about to tell you... it will sound unbelievable. Sometimes, I find it hard to believe myself, and so…I will not blame you if you decide that you doubt my words after I‘m done explaining things. All I ask, is that you hear me out and let me finish without…too many…interruptions. I promise that I will answer any questions you might have after I‘m done. Is that alright?“

  My grip on the dog in my lap tightened as two hesitant nods answered my question.

  Maybe I should wait… We only just met…and they’re still just children. It's almost too much for me…and I‘m years older than them.

  I cleared my throat. "Like I said…it concerns these eyes of mine. There is more to them than just their special appearance…However, for you to truly understand, I will have to…start earlier in the story. For me, it all began a few days ago."

  It doesn’t matter. They need to know. It would be even more unjust if I kept this from them.

  "You see…my clan, the Uzumaki clan…they were destroyed years ago. At the start of this very war. The Great Shinobi Villages deemed my family as too strong to be left alone, and because of that…they weren’t. Shinobi came in full force and razed the island my clan used to live on to the ground. Those who survived were scattered to the winds in the aftermath…My mother was one of those survivors…that is how I ended up here in this country.“

  A sigh escaped me as I averted my eyes from the earnest expressions on the young faces staring at me with such undisguised interest. I didn’t want to see the look in their eyes when they heard what I had to say next.

  "The reason why I am telling you this…is so that you understand that my family…well, they had to experience their own fair share of misfortune….And yet, despite all of the terrible things she was forced to endure, my mother, she was…kind. She used to tell me…that to wallow in pain was to be trapped by it. That appreciating the good things in life was better than fixating on the bad things we can’t do anything about. She was…someone who abhorred violence and never wanted to hurt anyone….That is why when the shinobi came for us…she did not fight them. She didn’t know how to.“

  My gaze darkened. "And for that crime, they killed her. The crime of being kind in an unkind world.“

  This is it.

  "And in return…I killed them.“

  ——-

  Yahiko flinched back as if struck. His hands balled into fists.

  He had seen too much in the weeks he spent aimlessly wandering the country for him not to suspect where Nagato's story was going the moment he mentioned his mother. How could he not know? The boy was an orphan. It was a foregone conclusion.

  However, what he had not expected to hear at all was how the story ended.

  He…killed them? He killed those shinobi…How?

  Despite his best efforts to suppress them, the memories of thundering booms following fiery explosions and desperate human screams reverberated through his mind.

  From one moment to the next, he was no longer sitting in a cave surrounded by new friends, but standing amidst the ruins of a devastated village. Surrounded only by the dead and dying.

  "Yahiko…you need to live.“

  "The emotions I felt after I saw what the shinobi had done to my family…they were the catalyst that awoke something long dormant in me. The Rinnegan. It opened in my eyes and granted me its power."

  Nagato's voice tore Yahiko out of his involuntary recollection of the not-so-distant past. His tight fists unclenched as he directed his undivided attention back onto the boy in front of him.

  The young redhead was staring directly at him with piercing purple eyes. "I immediately use them to both avenge my parents…and to protect myself from the shinobi that would have tried to kill me next. Without these eyes…I would not be here right now.“

  Yahiko's breath eased when the Rinnegan shifted away from him. "Unfortunately…that was not and will not be the end of things.“ The scrawny dog in the boys lap whined when Nagato stopped stroking his fur.

  "I am not the first person to possess the Rinnegan…far from it.“ His tone lowered until it resembled a whisper. "The original and most famous wielder of the Rinnegan was…the Sage of Six Paths.“

  A sharp gasp echoed out from beside him. Yahiko cocked his head to the side and threw Konan a glance. There was clear recognition shining in her amber eyes.

  The Sage of Six Paths? Who‘s that supposed to be? I’ve never heard that name before.

  "I am unsure of exactly how widespread that man's legend is amongst the civilian population of the world…but amongst shinobi…there is not a single person who does not know about the story of the Sage and the mythical feats he accomplished in his lifetime…. Nor is there even one who would fail to recognize the thing that all of those legends have in common. The source of the Sage‘s strength. The origin from where his godlike power came from. His eyes…the Rinnegan. The eyes that I now wield.“

  Yahiko's brow rose.

  His godlike power? Is he calling himself a god? That‘s…pretty cool.

  "While we branched off from an ancient clan…my immediate family wasn’t exactly made up of shinobi. Still, I grew up hearing about the Sage and his many stories. It is that knowledge that allowed me to recognize what my eyes are as soon as I saw them… And just like I recognized th—"

  "Wait! Hold on for a second, Nagato! You keep on mentioning some Sage…I have no idea who that is!“

  The boy's head pulled back as his mouth hung open slightly. He blinked and then chuckled. "You’re right. Of course. That was stupid of me. Coming from civilian families yourself…naturally you wouldn’t know."

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  He exhaled slowly and continued petting the dog. "The Sage of Six Paths…he is also known as the Father of Shinobi. If the legends are to be believed...he was the first person to have ever used chakra for something other than just keeping himself alive…It is said that even though his power was beyond compare, he didn’t use it to conquer anything, nor to dominate anyone…In fact, the only times he ever fought were in order to protect others. He traveled the world and spread his knowledge on chakra with all he crossed paths with. He didn’t hoard it…unlike the shinobi of today.“

  The "Father of Shinobi"…So it’s his fault that they exist?…Why is Nagato making him sound like he was some sort of good guy?

  "There are many, many tales that make up his full legend. If you want me to…I would be more than happy to tell you all of them later, but for now…the most important one you should know is that the Sage gained his initial fame by defeating a terrible monster…It is said that the entire world felt the tremors of their clashes. He won at a great cost to both himself and the environment and atonement for the destruction his fight had wrought, he spent the rest of his life rebuilding everything he broke. That is the reason why there isn’t a single country anywhere in the world that doesn’t at least have one story about the Sage… His children ended up forming the first of what would later be called Shinobi Clans. The level of fame he enjoyed in his life ensured that he has not been forgotten in the millennia since…Nor have his eyes…my eyes.“

  Just where is he going with this?

  Konan‘s voice was hesitant when she spoke up. "Nagato…is that what you meant when you said that our lives would be put at risk?“

  The boys nodded slowly. "Yes…should the shinobi find out that the eyes of their…father…have reappeared…should they find out that the source of the mighty Sage’s power is in the possession of what is essentially a civilian child…they will not leave me be.“

  Shinobi…it really always comes back to them. I wish they all just died.

  "I can’t say for certain what exactly they would do if they discovered me. Would they kill me? Recruit me? Rip the eyes straight out of my head? I have no idea…I…want to believe that they wouldn’t do any of those things and just ignore me…but I have met shinobi before…and they did not make the best impression.“

  Nagato's spine straightened as he glared at them with gleaming purple eyes. "I am unwilling to put myself at the mercy of those people…just the thought of it makes me…As I am now, there would be nothing I can do to resist them. I simply lack the strength.“

  "Yahiko…remember…in this world…the only thing that matters is strength. That is all there is to it. Without strength, all the weak can do when bad things happen…is cry…Did you know? That is why this country is always crying.“

  "That is why, for now, I need to hide. I need to keep these eyes a secret from the world for as long as it takes…until I gain the strength necessary to defend myself. And when that day comes, no shinobi will be able to walk all over me ever again.“

  He is like me.

  ——-

  Konan stared at the boy in front of her with wide eyes.

  A smile curved his lips upward.

  "So…now that you’ve heard all of that…do you have any questions?“

  Konan’s mind blanked.

  He…wants to…fight the Shinobi? All of them? What?

  "Yes…Nagato…why did you tell us this? Didn’t you say that you want to keep it a secret? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just…cover your eyes or something like that?

  The boy met her amber gaze and exhaled softly. "Because you have offered me your aid when you did not have to…without expecting anything in return. It would be wrong of me to accept your kindness without making sure that you know exactly what being with me entails. What it could mean for you, if my eyes are discovered before I’m ready. It is not…safe…for you as long as I’m here….You know I really would not blame you if you decided that I should lea–"

  "Screw that!“ Koan's head abruptly snapped to the side to the direction of the harsh voice. "This country is at war. We are never safe! Nowhere is safe as long as those foreign shinobi make our home into their battlefield!“

  Nagato's mouth was agape as he stared at Yahiko with slightly widened eyes. "You…I mean…yes. You are right. Of course, it is not really safe anywhere…but what exactly does that mean…to you?“

  Konans answered his hesitant question with a nod of her head. "It means that we don’t want you to leave, Nagato."

  Two distinctive voices echoed in her mind, as she held the boy's purple gaze.

  "Konan…you must never abandon the people you treasure. In this world…the bonds you make with others are even more precious than life itself!“

  "Konan! Run! We will hold them off!

  She cast Yahiko a sidelong glance and smiled when she saw the agreement in his eyes. She turned back to Nagato. "It doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous. We will not abandon you. I told you to come with me, didn’t I? You’re already one of us now!“

  "I…I see.“ The boys stared into her eyes without blinking.

  "Konan is right! Besides…you’re not the only one who wants to get even with the shinobi! These jerks don't scare me at all! If they want to get at you…they will have to get through me first!“

  A bright smile grew on Nagato's lips. "You're going to fight them all by yourself? How valiant…Lord Yahiko. Truly, I’ve never felt safer.“

  "I…well…maybe not all of them.“

  Konan raised a hand to her mouth to cover the giggle that threatened to burst out of her at the sudden change in mood. The air in the cave felt warmer against her skin than it did before.

  "You said you would teach us how to use our chakra, didn’t you? We will train with you. We will also become stronger….You are not alone, Nagato.“

  The boy's unique eye blinked rapidly as he abruptly tore them away from her own gaze. He cleared his throat and then looked back at them with a shaky smile on his lips.

  "I…that…is nice to hear." His voice steadied. "But…what I plan to do. The battles I plan to fight…it will not be easy.“

  "Nothing is ever easy.“

  A chuckle burst out of the boy's throat. "Oh, isn't that the truth? But still…are you sure you want to do this? Awakening your chakra was one thing… learning how to use it is another entirely… Training to actually be good at it? It will be hard. It will be painful…. Are you really prepared for such a level of hardship?“

  Konan gritted her teeth. Two-week-old memories flashed before her eyes.

  I will not be weak again… I will never abandon anyone again.

  "I am prepared.“

  "Bring it on!“

  "Alright then.“ The boy's voice firmed. "However…just to be clear. Be aware that I am not a trained shinobi. Yes, my mother was from a clan...but she was just a civilian in life experience…The only thing I really have is the Rinnegan and the…advantages…it grants me when it comes to chakra usage. I can teach you to do some of what I know…and I will learn even more that I can teach you the longer we practice together. However…“ His gaze hardened as he locked onto them. "When we’re training…especially in the beginning…You will have to trust me. You will have to trust me when I say that I‘m doing the best I can to teach you, as effectively as I can…. Can you do that?“

  Konan smiled.

  Does he really still need to ask?

  ———-

  A strange warmth spread through my chest as I met the earnest eyes of the children in front of me.

  The tension that had suffused my body throughout our conversation abated slowly as I petted the dog in my lap. He had fallen asleep some time ago.

  Coming here was the right choice. Trusting them with this much…it was the right choice.

  They were even more exceptional than I had initially expected. It truly should not have come as a surprise. Not only had they survived, but they had also thrived in situations where most others their age would have died in days. Nobody who experienced what they did could ever be normal.

  "You are not alone, Nagato.“

  The corners of my mouth tugged upward.

  That girl definitely had no idea what kind of effect those words had on me.

  Looks like I was wrong. This world isn’t hell after all. It can’t be. Not when people like this exist here.

  "There is…something else.“ I straightened my posture. "The legends of the Sage…they not only speak of his power and adventures, but also about his teachings…About what he spent his life preaching to the world.“

  Sounds of confusion answered my words. "His teachings?…Do you mean Ninjutsu?“

  I carefully lifted Inu from my lap and placed the lightly snoring dog on the floor next to me. "No…not Ninjutsu. Actually, as far as I know, the Sage never once used Ninjutsu in any of his battles. It was his descendants that ended up inventing that particular shinobi art…No, the school of thought the Sage was a part of and spread throughout his journeys…it was the opposite of what shinobi practice today… He did not only unlock people's chakra, but he also taught them a very special way of using it. He called it...Ninshu.“

  My voice echoed around the cave as I allowed silence to settle between us.

  "…Ninshu? What's that?“

  "It is what the Sage of Six Paths originally had in mind when he shared chakra with the rest of the world…He never intended for the people to use his gift to kill and destroy endlessly as they are now. If the legends are to be believed…he intended for chakra to be the tool that would finally bring about lasting peace.“

  I leaned forward. "It is said that when two people share their chakra with the desire for unity and connection…they are able to understand each other in a way that transcends mere words and even actions." My gaze sharpened as I looked into two widened eyes. "The Sage believed that, if everybody used Ninshu to connect with one another…war would cease to exist.“

  My voice lowered as I leaned back. "Naturally, he was wrong. I don’t think anyone really knows what happened back then…. Maybe his teachings just didn’t stick? Maybe he underestimated how truly…wicked people can be. We can’t know for sure…but…if you are as curious to know why someone like him would have ever thought that a universal cure for war and strife could exist…just why he would believe in this Ninshu so heavily.“

  I raised my arms and extended my hands toward the motionless duo in front of me.

  "Do you want to give it a try?“