The old life shall cease [IO/NK] {Stein}

"Team Fuku is lost not dead, but they went seperate ways it seems, However Primrose brought Akki to the village , and be it Akki or a Konoha Assassin that followed them, It was Konoha looking for me, and they found Kaede, knowing she leads to me, and they fought. She was not fully back after your attack on her, and so they were able to over power her before I could get to her. And She was beyond my repair ...." Stein stared at his hand as he spoke "Its why I learned a new technique to even bring those back from death , I wont lose anyone close to me ever again" Stein would clench his fist "I Do not blame you mind you, It was several events that lined up, However if I had to place blame, then I Choose Konoha....They just could not let up when it comes to me, I was registered dead, but because she was apart of me, they went after her as well.... And finally got her..." Stein would look up at the sky falling silent for awhile.

To break the silence if Taichi did not, Stein would speak to his old friend, "Would you go with me, to Avenge Kae...Hildr?" Stein's cheeks damp from tears. He was really trying to sell this, because deep down this was the story Stein had to tell himself and others. He had to believe it himself. He wondered if His friend would believe it as he sold it. Stein would lean his chin against his chest as he looked back down, taking a deep breath "I will not allow Konoha to do anything like this again, to anyone" Stein would at that very moment look up to Taichi with tilted head, but his Red Eyes obtained from Hinata shown at Taichi.

Yet another fun story that he will have to explain to Taichi, but for now he needed answers to his questions.

Taichi thought for a long while, basking in the silence that had arose in between Stein’s words. He finally decided to ask more questions, for he was learning more now than he had ever thought he would about the time he was gone, figuring he wouldn’t run into anyone from his past life. Just as he was about to respond to what Stein had just informed Taichi, he noticed the eyes that gazed upon him, the eyes that were not Steins originally. “Those eyes... they are familiar. What did you do to Hinata, Stein? Why does Konoha hunt you do vigorously that they would murder innocents just to get to you? We are both criminals, I’m no innocent bystander, but why?” Taichi’s voice would be curious, with a slight aggravation in his tone.

Stein continued his stare at Taichi "I am an S-rank Missing Ninja from Konohagakure, I killed one of them, stole large sums of Money, got into fights with their shinobi and everything. Kaede was in some underground fights , I saved her and she assisted me in some of those thefts. As for Hinata, she let power get to her head, started attacking Kazangakure, I had just recently took the village over from Zaled Uchiha, I had to end the attacks, and it lead to her death. I took the power she could not handle." Stein looked back towards the village of Hoshigakure " I heard rumors that Konoha is weak, and even under the thumb of Kirigakure, If we attacked like I hope, We could be settling not just my score, but also helping those that are under Kiri's Control."

Stein stood up and took this moment to stretch his back out, not that he needed to, it was more like a habit, he was not one for sitting around for long " Taichi, the only ties left to your past is myself, and if you met Zaled him. I wont be telling any of your secrets, and I dont care if people know mine anymore. Zaled However I left him in control of Kazan, so he wont be a issue either." Stein looked over his shoulder " So what do you say Taichi?"

Taichi listened to Stein speak on the reason for why Kono ninjas had killed the woman that he had once sought, the woman that he had stolen money from, the woman that Taichi thought was a reincarnation of the Valkyrie Hildr, but ended up being nothing more than an imposter. "I hear the reasons for why Kono would hate you. Killing their people, which in turn got others killed just for the sake of getting to you. Their blood is on your hands, and that is something that you should realize. Instead of that, though, you desire to take out the village that hunts you because of the crimes that you have committed against them. Why exactly do you feel that you have the right to attack the village that you once murdered people within, and stole from. I would love to fight alongside you, but if I'm honest with you. I doubt my strength and power is on par with the taking down of an entire village, even if it was in a weakened state."

Taichi was sure that his answer was not what Stein had wanted to hear, but it was the honest truth of just what Taichi was thinking in the situation that they were in. He was unsure what was driving Stein in attacking the village, and just what it was that made Stein do the things that he had done and what he was doing. He hadn't really proven himself in the ring, he hadn't been a fight that would show what he could do against the best of the best in a village, even if it truly was a weak village that didn't have any that would truly approach them to defend their village, he was still not confident in his own skill.

Stein would hear Taichi and nod "Well Let me regal you with a tale, You see I had once grown repentent of my sins and when I ran across Jason Senju's ANBU Captain I turned myself in to him, and I made a deal with Jason Senju, and I went around town, granting miracles and such, doing all I could to help out, and I was called to Jason's office one day, and he rewards me with a Headband " At that time Stein would pull out the Konoha headband granted to him by Jason Senju and then handed it to Taichi " Shortly afterwords, I had let my guard down, and then I saw nothing. I woke up five years later in a unmarked grave in the woods of Konoha. Jason Senju betrayed me after offering me friendship , I had paid for my sins. So You may say it is on my hands, but i was supposed to be pardoned even with my death that was called, it should have put an end to things. But they hunted her down."

Stein would let out a sigh "It is well however, you do not have to go if you do not wish to, It was simply a question to see if you would accompany me, I understand. Maybe we could have a rematch of that spar we had that time ago?" Stein would look at Taichi as if waiting for an answer to his question

Listening to Stein's story, he knew that there was a lot about Stein that he didn't know, and it was always going to be like that. Stein was a secretive person, but he is an honest one as far as Taichi could tell. "I guess I cannot judge, as I wasn't there and it isn't my role in this world, that is for the gods. I would go with you Stein, but I fear that I would be of no use, but quite the opposite. I would be in your way, as I am no master of combat by any means. But I would like that rematch, I do need a chance to renew my confidence and prove to myself and the gods that I am worthy of my place in Valhalla. But I do believe a change of scenery is in order, what say you? Shall we meet in the training grounds?" Taichi would lean back in the bench slightly and look back at Stein, awaiting the response from Stein.

Stein would simply have to grin, he may not have Taichi just yet on his side, but he at least gets to make up for the fact that he knew he almost lost to him back in kazan, granted he was not back into the full swing of things, but that is no Excuse for his Performance. Stein would begin to head his way to the Training Grounds as he said to Taichi "Sure, although we might want to hold back unless we destroy a good portion of the village." Stein would then laugh, remembering the fight that he had with Taichi back in Kazangakure, and all the trees, and how Stein had let lose with the Jugo bloodline to try and help prevent a full uncontrollable rage.

Stein this time was leading the way unless Taichi decided to take a different path. And Upon Stein arriving, he would either walk into Taichi already being there if he took a short cut, or Reach his desired point of the training grounds and turn around and wait for Taichi "Any rules you wish to cover right now?" Stein would ask the man His Sharingan had long been Deactivated, he was just seeing if Taichi wanted to hold back or go all out, short of death of course.

The two shinobi hadn't yet began to walk, about to walk to the training grounds, where he had only been once before within this village. Taichi was unsure just how the spar would go, but he did remember just what had happened in their last spar. It was shortly after he had first arrived in Kazan, he had been asking around for a man named Stein. Little did he know that that was a name that he didn't want to go by, he was instead going by a different name at the time. When Taichi had brought up his old name, that was the moment he saw Stein change. He was overcome with anger, and from what Taichi saw, fear. He feared his old life coming to haunt him, just like Taichi had felt about his own old life haunting himself. 

Taichi was so confused in this time of his life, he didn't know what he wanted, he didn't know what he needed. The only thing he knew was where he was, and that he was with someone that had found a way to live an old life that he had once left behind instead of continuing his new one that he started in Kazan. This was the moment that he had realized that he did have at least one more question for Stein. A question that was going to help him decide just where it was that he was going in his own life. He decided to answer the question directed towards himself before asking his own and possibly final question before their spar. 

"As far as rules go I say we just don't kill each other, I feel there are far too many things that have been left undone at this point for us to go and die now. But I do have one more question. Why wsa it that you decided to live out your old life, and not the new one that you had started in Kazan? You could have lived your life as an immigrant or even a refugee, but you decided to go back to the life that you had originally tried to run from. Why?" Taichi would rise from the bench that they were sitting on and he would face Stein, readying to leave the reserve and head into the village so they could go to the training grounds. He would not begin to walk, not until the question was answered, that way they could be a safe distance away from the general population, ensuring that Stein's secrets were safe.

Taichi finally asked what drove Stein to return to this way of living, maybe it was out of fear of possibly doing the same and wanting to learn from any possible mistakes, or to see if maybe it was inevitable and would stop fighting the return himself. Stein would look back over his shoulder at Taichi and gave a soft smile "Taichi, I took back up the old life because I had no reason to continue to other. Team Fuku is gone, They were essentially Kazangakure, They made me a leader, and a couple of them were experiements of mine and looked up to me as a father . And so yet again someone got close and vanished one way or another. I have yet outlived another set of people who got close to me. This is my life, cannot run from it no matter the moniker I go by, plus if there is any outstanding crimes behind my name i need to pay for, best not let others do it due to a tie to my name. Yes if it seems like Going and Razing Konoha to the ground is suicide, it is because that is what I seek at this time, the actual death of Stein, his story comes to a close. Be it by Life or line, Either Konoha will stand, or Stein dies with Konoha and I will walk out of those fire a changed and different man entirely. Mind you the experiements will still be a thing, I will just find more legal ways of obtaining my material and Do it all under a different name, one I can be more proud of, and hopefully. Make a difference in this world." Stein offered more insight to Taichi than he had anyone else in a long time.

Stein was cautious about those he brought around and life made him be even more so. However he had a feeling Taichi himself would be able to take care of himself so there was no worries there at this time, Hopefully he found a friend in which, they would out live him, but that was for time and fate to tell, and stein may not be one to tempt fate, but the occasional poke was always fun. Stein would once more begin his trek to the Training Grounds "Very well, I will not go for any Permanent Damage, but I am certain we could heal each other back to fine health if that was the case" Stein at this time still needed to study new techniques.

A trip to the library seemed in the near future. But there were several things that he had picked up since his travels he wished to experiment with and his friend here was the perfect person to test with.


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Taichi listened to Stein, appreciating the information that he was giving. He was sure that this was information that Stein did not part with often, for it was quite personal and close to his own heart. Taichi nodded his head as he listened, feeling that he had a much higher understanding of what Stein's situation was and he began walking with Stein to the Training grounds. "I think I understand just what it is that you're going through, the decisions that you have made. I wish you luck in your excursion to Konoha, in my current condition, I doubt I would be anything more than just a burden or an obstacle in the way of your goal to bring it to it's knees." Taichi would speak from a point of uncertainty in himself, and in the path that his life was currently taking.

When the two arrived within the training grounds, Taichi heard Stein speak that he was sure that they could heal each other from whatever injuries they may attain, and to that Taichi agreed. "I think as long as we can keep each other alive, that'll be all the kindnesses that we should show each other, but to that end, the sky's the limit I suppose." Taichi would analyze their surroundings, seeing that the training grounds they were on was 100 meters in diameter, the weather was becoming overcast and a dense fog was rolling in from outside the walls of the village. Taichi was happy with these conditions, and the two soon to be combatants were standing 30 meters away from each other with their backs facing the village walls behind them. Taichi wasn't going to make the first move, but instead, he wanted to see just what it was that Stein was going to do to start with. But Taichi would activate his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, so he would be ready for the fight to come. " I do believe I am ready, Stein. Good luck to you."