It was early in the morning when the sun was just rising.
Kuro got out of bed with groggy eyes and a few saliva around his mouth.
After stretching for a few seconds, he got up and walked toward the bathroom to get ready for the day.
After getting out of the bathroom, he put on his daily wear and sat down on the side of the bed.
Last evening events flash through his mind. He thought about how things could have ended if he wasn't lucky to hit the Shadow Bullet and injure the shinobi.
'I could have died.' He thought. 'Even if I was only used as bait, they would have killed me after using me afterward.'
Kuro shivered when he thought how close he was to death. 'I need power. I was complacent. I have been given this power and all I do is train and relax.'
Kuro opened his inventory and took out the Key to the Tower of Heavens.
[Item: Tower of Heavens Key]
Rarity: EX
Type: Key
A key that transfers you to a world within the first floor of the Tower of Heavens. Get rewarded for ascending each floor. Once inside, you can leave at any time but will not have the opportunity to climb the tower ever again.
Warning: The time does not stop once you are inside the tower. The Tower of Heavens has a time ratio of 10:1. Every 10 minutes that pass inside the tower, 1 minute passes in the outside world.
Kuro pauses looking at the information of the key in his hand. Looking at the warning, there is a chance that he could spend years inside the tower.
He needed to inform his parents and Lady Mito about his possible disappearance.
Kuro thought about all the different lies and stories he could use. After a few seconds, an idea appeared.
The idea is plain and simple. He will tell his parents and Lady Mito that he will be going out to train with his master and that he has been training under him for the last few months.
If they ask who his master is, he will tell them that his master wants to keep his true identity a secret but can call him Shadow Lord.
He uses his class as a smoke screen.
Kuro let out a deep sigh thinking he would be deceiving his parents and Lady Mito.
However, he needed power and he doesn't want to rely on luck to get him out of a deadly situation again.
Kuro looked at the key once more before he slipped it back into his inventory, then stood up, brushing his hands off as if to rid himself of the heavy thoughts.
Kuro recalled the Shadow Bird and Niji into his shadow as he made his way toward the kitchen where his parents were having their morning meal.
"Morning, Mom. Morning, Dad," Kuro greeted, walking in.
"Look who finally decided to show up." Kokomi stated.
His father looked at him for a while. It seems that he wanted to say something but struggled to say it.
Kokomi felt irritated by his hesitation, so she hit him in the head before turning toward Kuro.
"Listen, Kuro," Kokomi began, her voice tinged with sadness. "You know your father and I just returned from our mission not long ago. Just yesterday, we were assigned to patrol the area between the Land of Fire and the Hidden Waterfall."
Kuro's heart skipped a beat as he saw the sadness in his mother's eyes.
Kokomi continued, her tone softer now, "We wanted to spend more time with you and watch you grow up. But the village also needs us. Protecting the village means protecting you."
Kuro swallowed the words that almost slipped out—words about the village that was supposed to protect him, yet almost killed him. But he held his tongue. His parents weren't strong enough to stand up to Danzo and his Root. The Nara clan didn't have the power to protect them if Danzo ever set his sights on them.
"I'm fine, Mom. I'm not a kid anymore," Kuro said, using the situation to his advantage. "I've been training with a master for a while now. He will be taking me out to train tomorrow."
His father, who had been quiet up until then, stared at him intently. "And who is this master of yours? How long will the training last?"
Kuro steadied himself, glancing down at his hands before meeting his parents' eyes. "He doesn't want to reveal his true identity. He prefers to stay in the shadows, but you can call him Shadow Lord. That's how he introduced himself to me. He said he will take me around the shinobi world to let me learn about the world I am living in. It might take months or a few years."
"Shadow Lord?" Kokomi asked, a surprised laugh escaping her. "That's an unusual name for a master... and for such a long training period?"
Kokomi's mind seemed to drift, as though recalling something faintly familiar from the past. 'I think I've heard something about a 'Shadow Lord' before, but... I can't quite remember the details.'
"Yes, he wanted me to experience the world." Kuro answered quickly.
Kigan, still silent, watched him carefully. After a long pause, he gave a small nod. "You're old enough to make your own choices, Kuro. But remember, we and the village are always here if you need help."
Kuro nodded, but a bitter scoff escaped him at the mention of the village.
After chatting with his parents a few more times, Kuro made his way toward the villa.
However, he was stopped by the ANBU halfway.
Kuro stopped in his tracks as he was approached by two ANBU members, their white masks hiding their expressions. One of them, a tall figure with a jagged, animal-like mask, spoke first, his voice neutral but with an underlying seriousness.
"You cannot go further without the permission of the Hokage." The Anbu agent said.
"Why?" Kuro asked.
"A dead body of an unknown assailant was found ahead. The area is closed for investigation. No one is allowed to pass without permission." With that, the ANBU went silent.
Kuro wanted to ask the ANBU but looking at his demeanor, he knew the ANBU would not budge.
With a heavy sigh, Kuro finally relented. "Alright. But could you pass a message to Lady Mito for me? Tell her that her student, Kuro, will be leaving with his master for training."
The 2 ANBU looked at each other before the one with the jagged, animal-like mask, nodded his head.
Kuro didn't look back and went to his usual training area.
He felt something was up since the ANBU behavior seemed deliberately obstructive, as if they were preventing him from contacting Mito.
Knowing Danzo, it wouldn't be surprising if he had planted a few of his Root agents within the ANBU ranks.
'I can't wait until tomorrow,' Kuro thought. 'I need strength—strength to protect myself and those I care about.'
Kuro took out the Tower of Heavens Key. 'I already said what I needed to both mom and dad. I hope Lady Mito gets my message. I can't sit around and wait anymore.'
With that, Kuro activated the key. An archaic door appeared in front of him.
Unlike the time with the dungeon keys, it seems he needed to use the key to physically open the door.
Kuro looked at the door and found a hole that seemed like a keyhole. He brought the key toward the hole and inserted the key. The key went in perfectly so he turned it to 'unlock' the door.
CLICK
With a clicking sound, the key disappeared and the door creaked open with an otherworldly hum. A light blasted toward Kuro so he covered his face with his hand.
The light faded and Kuro disappeared from where he was standing.
***
Inside the Hokage office
Mito was staring deadly at Hiruzen with a decapitated head on the table.
The head was from the attacker that attacked Kuro last night.
"What is the meaning of this, Hiruzen?" Mito's voice was laced with fury, her gaze fixed on the decapitated head on the table. "This man was an ANBU, pronounced dead during the First Shinobi War."
Hiruzen sits frozen, struggling to find the right words. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the impossible. How could a dead man be alive again?
"I—I don't know," Hiruzen muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. The truth was, he had no answers. Not a single one.
Mito's expression darkened, her frustration boiling over. "Not even a day has passed since Kushina arrived, and already this happens. Are you truly this incompetent as Hokage?"
As Hiruzen was having a hard time coming up with something to say, she got up to leave.
"I am disappointed in you, Hiruzen. From this day onward, I will no longer get involved with the village matters. Even when the village is on the brink of destruction."
With that, Mito left the Hokage office.
Hiruzen watched her go, his heart sinking with every step she took.
"DANZO!!!" Hiruzen roar echoed within the office. He was not an idiot to not know who was behind the attack. But he couldn't bring himself to go after Danzo. They have been through life and death together.
He could only take measures so something like this doesn't happen again.
ARK ONE END