Naruto: Blacksmith

Walking silently down the street, Kuro followed the flow of people toward the cemetery.

He disliked being surrounded by crowds, so he slowed his pace, preferring to wait until everyone had finished paying their respects.

Plop

Suddenly, a droplet of water landed on his head.

Feeling the dampness on his hair, Kuro looked up at the sky.

Under the dark clouds, a drizzle began to fall, forming small puddles on the ground.

Around him, people quickened their steps, trying to avoid the intensifying rain. Some clumsily pulled up makeshift hoods or used their hands for cover.

Kuro opened the umbrella Mrs. Yamanaka had lent him and continued walking at a slow, steady pace, seeming out of sync with the general rush.

It was as if he existed in a different world.

The rain gradually intensified, pattering against the ground and the umbrella in a constant rhythm. The streets began to empty as people vanished, seeking shelter.

Kuro shook his head, letting out a small sigh.

The sky had been dark since early morning; it was clear it was going to rain. Yet people still hurried out without umbrellas.

I would've done the same if not for Mrs. Yamanaka's loan.

After about thirty minutes of walking, he finally arrived at the cemetery.

Only a few young couples remained, huddling together under the rain as they hurried away. Once they left, Kuro found himself completely alone.

With a faint, melancholic smile, he approached his parents' grave. Seeing the names etched on the tombstone, a weight of sorrow filled his heart.

"Father, Mother, thank you for allowing me to be born into this world…"

Kuro bowed deeply before the tombstone.

Straightening up, he let out a long sigh before kneeling to pull the weeds growing around the grave. Carefully, he placed the bouquet of white carnations in front of the tombstone.

The rain continued to pour, soaking his clothes. He could feel the cold dampness against his skin, but he didn't care.

When he finished, he frowned at the discomfort of his wet clothing and decided it was time to leave.

However, a sound caught his attention.

Plaf

Footsteps squelched through the mud, approaching rapidly.

Kuro turned toward the source of the noise, seeing a figure emerging through the downpour.

As the figure drew closer, he could make out the details: ninja attire soaked in rain, smeared with mud and dark stains of fresh blood. Amidst the gray of the rain, a glint of silver caught his eye.

Kakashi

Kuro blinked in surprise.

It's strange not to have seen him earlier. Kakashi is always the first to arrive here on October 10th, no matter the weather, and usually spends a long time in front of Obito and Rin's graves.

Just as Kuro was about to turn and leave, a sound stopped him.

Plaf!

Kakashi had fallen to his knees in the mud.

!

Kuro rushed toward him, alarmed.

As he approached, he saw that Kakashi's clothing over his left ribs was soaked with fresh blood.

This guy… he must've returned injured from a mission and didn't even stop by the hospital before coming here.

"I'll take you to the hospital," Kuro said, tossing the umbrella aside and preparing to carry Kakashi on his back.

But Kakashi extended a hand, stopping him.

With effort, Kakashi opened his eyes, squinting to focus on Kuro. His voice was hoarse and weak but firm.

"It's you…"

Seeing Kuro's face seemed to relax him slightly.

"I'm fine. The bandage on my wound came loose, but it's not serious. Just help me… get there."

There…

Although Kakashi didn't say it explicitly, they both knew exactly which graves he meant. Every October 10th, they came to this place for the same purpose.

Kuro looked into Kakashi's half-closed eyes. Though his body seemed on the verge of collapse, his gaze remained resolute.

"…Alright."

He picked up the umbrella, helped Kakashi to his feet, and supported him as they staggered toward Obito and Rin's graves.

In front of the tombstones, Kakashi remained silent, staring at the names engraved on the stone. His dark eyes were filled with sorrow and deep guilt.

Obito, Rin...

It was all my fault. I didn't protect you. I failed you.

Kuro, sensing the emotions emanating from Kakashi, broke the silence.

"The dead are gone. The living must move forward. I'm sure your friends would encourage you to keep going, wherever they are."

"…"

Kakashi gave a faint, bitter smile.

Yeah, Obito would probably say something like that. But... I can't forgive myself.

Seeing Kakashi's expression, Kuro decided not to press further. He knew words couldn't ease that kind of pain.

I'm not Naruto; I don't have that fire that can illuminate even the deepest shadows. I can't be the force to pull Kakashi out of his abyss.

Lifting his head, he gazed at the sky.

The wind howled, and the dark clouds moved swiftly, signaling that the rain wouldn't stop soon. The droplets intensified, pounding against the bamboo umbrella.

Kuro gritted his teeth and said, "I'm taking you to the hospital!"

Kakashi, leaning on him, glanced at Kuro's soaked clothing.

Most of Kuro's body was drenched, as the bamboo umbrella barely covered them both. Despite that, Kuro had adjusted the umbrella to shield Kakashi as much as possible.

"…Okay."

With Kuro supporting him, the two began to walk toward the hospital.

For Kuro, who was significantly shorter than Kakashi, the journey was arduous. With each step, he struggled to maintain balance.

Fortunately, though Kakashi's rib wound was serious, it wasn't fatal. However, the effort of running back to Konoha to pay respects to Obito and Rin had drained his stamina.

The two limped through the rain, the sound of droplets hitting the umbrella and squelching mud surrounding them.

Suddenly, Kakashi broke the silence.

"Are you a student at the Ninja Academy?"

"Mm."

"Why do you want to be a ninja?"

"Because I want to gain strength."

"What do you want strength for?"

"So I never have to experience tragedy again."

"…," Kakashi looked into the distance, his eyes clouded with silent pain. "That's something very hard to achieve... But remember how you feel right now."

"Mm."

.....

Kakashi was taken to the hospital, and Kuro bid him farewell and left.

Half an hour later, he arrived home.

He opened the door, turned on the lights, and closed it behind him. Pausing in the entryway, he felt the chill of his wet clothes begin to seep into his skin.

With a sigh, he removed the soaked yukata and noticed a bloodstain on part of it.

Kakashi's blood.

Though the rain had diluted some of the stain, the dark tone was still visible on the fabric.

"I tried to cover it…"

He knew a simple bamboo umbrella couldn't offer much protection in such heavy rain, but the result still frustrated him.

As he let the garment fall to the floor, the system's notification echoed in his mind.

[Special material "Invincible Blood" detected.

This material can forge the following special items:

"Domain Mirror"

"The Soul of a Genius"

"Guilty Lock"

"Profound Meaning: Thousand Years of Death"

"Innocent Child"

Do you wish to proceed with forging?]

"As expected of Kakashi…"

Kuro sighed as conflicting feelings washed over him. On one hand, the system notification excited him; on the other, it frustrated him to know he didn't have enough blood to forge all the available items.

The rain had diluted the blood, reducing its purity and the amount of usable material.

"If only I could've collected more…"

Finally, he stopped lamenting and said, "Forge."

Suddenly, several items appeared before him, scattered on the wooden floor.

The first was a small mirror, palm-sized. At first glance, it didn't seem special. Its frame was made of transparent plastic that barely drew attention.

The second was a floating sphere of white light, gently illuminating the room.

Kuro stared at it, feeling something familiar about it.

"This looks a lot like what I got from Tenten…"

Before he could dwell on it, the system activated a new notification.

[Special item "The Soul of a Genius" detected.

Effect: This item contains immense talent. Upon absorption, the user will gain the ability to surpass any limits, reaching an unparalleled level of genius.

Do you wish to absorb it?]

________

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