Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to Patreón @ for +20 chapters
[ https://www̧̧.patreón.com/azureawakening ]
The link is also in the synopsis
<<<>>>
'Haku? Huh?' Kaoru's eyes widened as he looked at the boy again. It was difficult to recognize him just based on his memories. 'I completely forgot about him.'
Haku's life was one of the most tragic stories in this world. He was the son of an ordinary farmer and a woman from the Yuki clan, whose kekkei genkai was the ice element. Haku's father would one day discover that his wife and son possessed a kekkei genkai - a forbidden and shunned power. Brainwashed by Kiri's politics, he, along with the rest of the village, would try to kill both of them. But Haku, after witnessing his mother's death, would massacre the entire village and become an orphan. Later, he would meet Zabuza, who would use him as a tool until ultimately, both of them would die. At least, that's what Kaoru remembered.
'Should I try bringing him with me? But how exactly can I do that?' Kaoru was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Haku and his mother entering the house and closing the door. Anaki noticed Kaoru's weird reaction but assumed the woman's beauty had caught his eye, so he simply chuckled.
'It's so nice to be young,' he thought, glancing at Kaoru's thoughtful expression one more time before wiping the smile off his face and turning around.
"Let's go get those warm clothes for you."
<<<>>>
"Old man, are you going to let me help or not?" Kaoru complained as he rubbed his shoulders, trying to warm up a little. He was supposed to be helping Anaki fish, or at least trying to, but the old man adamantly rejected his every attempt.
"You're going to use that power of yours again, and I keep telling you that the villagers hate people with unique powers. You'll cause trouble for both me and yourself," the old man grumbled, turning to throw new bait back into the water after the old one was eaten by a fish.
"Using my powers is much more effective than standing for hours like that" Kaoru murmured, but was completely ignored.
"Why do they even hate people like me? What have we done?" He shrugged, looking at Anaki with curious eyes.
"During the last rebellion, it was people with… what do you call it? Kekkei Genkai, right?" Anaki asked but continued without waiting for an answer. "People with kekkei genkai caused the most harm. They massacred ordinary civilians like us, those who had no power to defend themselves. You're young and don't remember, but compared to those times, the current war and rebellion are child's play." He chuckled happily as a fish finally bit into the bait. Anaki lured it nicely before yanking the fishing rod, pulling the fish out of the water.
He was pleased with his work and was removing the struggling fish from the hook when he noticed Kaoru's dark and displeased expression.
'Did I say something wrong?' Anaki was confused, but not for long.
"Child's play, you say? Do you know how many of my friends died because the Mizukage simply decided to attack us? We did nothing wrong. We simply wanted to live in peace, but no! Kirigakure's forces attacked us, slaughtering our families. My grandma and my two best friends died that same day. Was that also child's play?" Kaoru was genuinely angry, his voice rising to a level that could no longer be called talking.
"Relax, kid, I didn't mean it that way," Anaki said, slightly apologetic. "My son, wife, and daughter died during the last war. I know very well what losing loved ones means." He met Kaoru's gaze, forcing him to lower his eyes. The sadness and pain in Anaki's expression were simply too much for Kaoru to handle.
There was an awkward silence for a while, with Anaki putting a new bait on the hook being the only source of sound, until Kaoru spoke again.
"Still, this doesn't answer why the villagers hate us. What has Takimura done to cause you any trouble?"
"I didn't say anything about Takimura, but fine, I'll explain. Don't start yelling again, but you're looking at this situation solely from your point of view. Try seeing it as a villager. Several clans are dissatisfied with how Kiri operates and decide to rebel, creating their own village. And this village becomes the cause of a new war. Not just an internal war, but now Kumo is also attacking us." Anaki spoke so calmly that one might have thought the topic didn't concern him at all.
"Just think about this - is there any village that would allow a new one to appear and grow in their nation? If it were Konoha, Kumo, Suna, or Iwa, would they allow Takimura to exist?" Anaki finished and threw the hook into the water, a satisfied smile appearing on his face as he saw how far he managed to cast it.
"I've never thought about that, but that changes nothing. We didn't leave Kirigakure out of our own free will. We were chased out," Kaoru defended their reasons, but Anaki shook his head.
"That doesn't matter, kid. Just like how you don't care about the problems you're creating for civilians, the civilians also don't care about the reasons behind your actions." He turned his head, looking at Kaoru. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're to blame. I'm just answering your question about why villagers hate people like you."
"So you are saying that…" Kaoru was interrupted by Anaki.
"I'm saying that people like you, shinobi, have different priorities and different values. You risk your lives for secrets, techniques, and power, but when it comes to normal humans, civilians who've done nothing wrong and just want to live peacefully, you don't give a damn." There was a hint of anger in the old man's voice, but it quickly disappeared as Anaki caught another fish, his focus shifting back to the task at hand.
'Are shinobi really like that? Do we really cause nothing but pain and suffering to ordinary people?' Kaoru tried to come up with arguments that would invalidate what Anaki claimed. He wanted to argue, to prove that the old man was wrong, but he hesitated. He knew shinobi weren't saints, but he had never tried to consider how ordinary humans viewed them.
'Is Takimura's existence really causing despair and death for those who have nothing to do with the shinobi world?' Kaoru's mind struggled with questions he had never asked himself before. He thought about the battles, the wars, the constant struggle for power and survival. He thought about the villages burned, the families torn apart, and the lives lost - not just shinobi lives, but the lives of farmers, merchants, and children who had no part in the conflicts.
The rest of the fishing trip passed in complete silence, broken only by the occasional exchange of a few words when Anaki caught a fish. Kaoru's thoughts, however, were anything but quiet. He was beginning to see the world through a different lens, one that wasn't colored by the ideals of shinobi or the pride of his clan.
'Maybe Anaki is right,' Kaoru thought, his gaze drifting to the icy horizon. 'Maybe we've been so focused on our own struggles that we've neglected the people who suffer because of us.'
…
Since his talk with Anaki, Kaoru decided to walk home alone. But on the way, he took a different turn, wanting to clear his head and spend more time thinking. Without realizing it, he reached a small pond at the end of the street. It was almost completely frozen, with only a small hole remaining in the center.
Kaoru was about to pass by when a small dog ran toward him, barking in a high-pitched voice. It was one of the most annoying sounds Kaoru had ever heard, it felt like his brain was being pierced by tiny needles.
'Where did this thing come from?' Kaoru loved animals, especially dogs, but not this one. The creature was clearly aiming for Kaoru's leg, its jaw already inches away when Kaoru moved away quickly. The dog struggled to stop, unable to gain balance on the ice, and slid toward the hole.
'See? Now I'll have to save your ass,' Kaoru grumbled inwardly and tried to grab it, but the dog was already gone, popping into the open water. Kaoru was about to use his powers when a kid appeared behind him, crying with crocodile tears, followed by an older man with unsteady steps and a clearly angry expression.
"Please save my dog!" the boy cried, sobbing.
'Haku?' Kaoru looked at the man behind him, who was drunk and barely standing. 'His father is definitely different from what I thought.'
Kaoru couldn't jump into the icy water, and using his powers could be problematic, but he was leaving the island in just a day and he felt sorry for Haku.
'Whatever, what can they even do? Besides, who would believe this guy?' Kaoru shot a glance at Haku's father, who was murmuring something to himself. From the words Kaoru managed to catch, the man was talking about wine.
"Don't worry, I'll save your dog," Kaoru said, his eyes brightening instantly. He scanned the water for the dog and then quickly pulled it out using a water tentacle. The creature was gently placed on the ground, wet and shivering, looking even uglier than before.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Haku smiled, tears still streaming down his face as he hugged the dog tightly.
"What's the name of your dog?" Kaoru asked, feigning interest.
"His name is Roy," Haku said, hugging the dog again. "What was that power you used? I've never seen anything like that," he asked, still holding Roy tightly.
"It's my unique power. No one else can do that, at least, I don't know anyone who can," Kaoru said proudly. "How about you? Do you have any unique powers?" He wasn't expecting Haku to be able to use his kekkei genkai yet, but he still asked.
"I also have a unique power, but my parents told me to keep it a secret," Haku said, lowering his voice.
"Both of your parents?" Kaoru asked, glancing at Haku's father, who was standing under a tree covered in snow, relieving himself.
"Yes, my father was angry when he learned about it. Mom and Dad even fought a little, but then they said there's a new village where we could move if others found out…" Haku was interrupted as his father finished his business and called out to him.
"Haku… let's… :hiccup: go home," he slurred, but Haku immediately obeyed and stood up.
"Thank you for saving my dog," Haku said, bowing respectfully before running toward his father, clutching the tiny, wet dog in his arms.
'So Takimura's presence changed Haku's fate in this way, huh? Still, there's no guarantee that his father won't change his mind and decide to kill his child and wife…' Kaoru suddenly had an idea.
"Haku, if you and your family ever need a place to stay, come to Takimura. I live there," Kaoru smiled brightly. He had provided Haku with a chance to survive, one that he might need someday. He also wanted to save Haku's mother, which is why he mentioned the family. He couldn't outright say "mother," as it would seem weird and maybe even suspicious.
'I was wrong to doubt Takimura, thinking that its presence might have created more pain and despair for others. In this world of cruelty and injustice, there must be a beacon of hope, and Takimura will become that light that guides those lost in darkness. I don't care what people think, as long as I stand on the right side and my family and friends are safe.'
Kaoru stood up, happy that he'd be returning tomorrow. He had even offered a new home to Haku, a kid who could become a very strong shinobi. If someday Haku needed a purpose and a new role, instead of Zabuza, he would become Kaoru's loyal ally.
'It's time to return. Who knows how the war against Kumo is going?'
**
A/N -
I hope you enjoyed Haku's side story. I felt like it was the right time for Kaoru to start touching on the main theme of Naruto, not too deeply yet, but enough to set the stage.
On a sidenote, it's been raining like crazy this weekend, so I ended up stuck at home. Normally I'd spend the time writing Azure Awakening or working on my new original novel (still in the early stages, mostly worldbuilding), but I got all melancholic and ended up playing Witcher 3.
Enjoyed it so much that I got the itch to write a Witcher fanfic… but sadly, I can't juggle three novels at the same time, xD.
----------------------------------
If you can, please support me on P@treon
pat reon.com/azureawakening
(no space)
You can read up to 20 chapters ahead on P@treon!
The link is also in the synopsis
----------------------------------
When weekly Power Stone number reaches 200 I'll upload a Bonus Chapter! Currently 11/200