A-Rank: If Death Drives, Let Chaos Hold the Reigns

Black and white, black and white..black and white-the lines on the newspaper whizzed through Nietzsche’s mind; the pictures rolled by like the landscape rolls by on a horse. It had been three weeks since his mission to eject the crimson crusaders from the village hidden in the mist had been completed. He had killed the religious groups assistant priest and for a while their activities seemed to die down. Until Nietzsche saw a article in the paper he believed they had left:

Family found dead in slums: cult activity suspected

"A small family of four was found dead in the alleyway earlier this morning with their throat stabbed out. It is believed that the fanatic religious group the Crimson crusaders are behind this attack. The village guard has been alerted and the people of the village should be warned that anyone may be targeted. Please make note that this group is usually cloaked in red cloaks…"

The article went on, but Nietzsche had read enough. The rest of the article broke down into trivial talk of politics and mass murders of the past. The media sure skews the situation. Nietzsche knew that the trademark of the crimsons crusaders kills was stabbing in the throat with a golden sickle. Nietzsche only knew it was golden, because four weeks prior he had been at one of the crimson crusader’s sermons where he watched helpless as a woman was scarified to their supposed god: Methos. A strong hate for the religious group had grown in Nietzsche the past few weeks. At times he had mad up his mind to go hunt down every last one, but he always thought better of it. Now he could hold back no longer he needed to stop these abominable people; killing whole family was too far.

While packing up to go hunt down the fanatical group Nietzsche heard a sharp rap on his door. Running over to the door with his tanto half wrapped up for travel Nietzsche looked through the peep hole. What he saw was rather surprising: it was a man who wore a number on his head. Not really seeing any harm in letting him in Nietzsche opened the door. Instantly the man started talking: “Nietzsche Mizushima, I have an urgent mission delivery from the command center.” With that the man took out a scroll and handed it to Nietzsche. The man then promptly left in a hurry running to who knows where?

Nietzsche unfurled the scroll and read its contents. The scroll had a A-rank mission seal on the very top. Nietzsche smiled this was going to be interesting. Reading further his heart skipped a beat as he read: Nietzsche Mizushima, because of your previous experience and the shortage of higher ranking ninja you have been selected for this special mission. As we are sure you are aware the Crimson crusaders did not heed your threat. Now they insist upon continuing to kill the innocent. The task falls to you. You must go to the Lion’s pride and burn the place to the ground; let no one escape alive. Act as soon as possible. The scroll had been signed by the jonin presiding over the mission command.

Nietzsche finished packing. Making sure he brought all he would need. With him he took his full arsenal of ninja tools (kunais, shurkien, and an exploding tag), but he also brought along a healthy supply of ryo he would need to buy some fire propellant if he hoped to burn the inn down to cinders. Turning off all the lights Nietzsche strode out of his house into the late afternoon sun. He made his way to the market place.

The streets were unusually crowed. Life seemed to be going on as usual. Mothers chased their mischievous children. Beggars sat on the street asking for any change. Vendors pedaled their goods to any passerby who would listen. Shinobi walked fro street corner to street corner watching over the village. All seemed normal; Nietzsche found it odd. It went to show even after so much death people would carry on without batting a eyelash.

Nietzsche ignored the vendors who tried to pull him in like a fish on a hook. He was going to one shop in particular. The owner there had always treated him well and always had the right materials for the job. Nietzsche neared the shop and when he saw the rickety wooden sign, which read: “Thor’s goods and materials”. The shop was small, but Nietzsche hoped it held what he needed.

Before Nietzsche could even take a step over the entrance a old man was there waiting. “Mizushima my boy! How can I help you today?” Nietzsche smiled being here brought back memories. “I need some fire propellant Ryuu. Anything will do as long it is readily available.” The old man, Ryuu, nodded and walked back into the back room of his shop leaving Nietzsche to fall into a momentary time lapse. Looking around the shop Nietzsche saw it through the eyes of child. His father used to bring him here before Nietzsche’s dad went on a mission. Nietzsche remember that fateful day that would be his last trip in “Thor’s goods and materials” with his dad anyway.
***Flashback to when Nietzsche was seven***

It was a misty morning and Nietzsche’s dad brought him to the shop. Walking in Nietzsche’s father greeted Ryuu with a smile and asked for something in the back room. Ryuu came back in an instant with a package in his arms, which he handed Nietzsche’s father. Even though Nietzsche was still young he could feel what ever was in that package exuding a evil aura. Nietzsche asked his father about it and he simply replied with a smile and said it was fine and Nietzsche must have been mistaken. Nietzsche’s father spent the next hour talking with Ryuu about some political matter Nietzsche could care less about. In the mean time Nietzsche wandered the store. Each wall was piled high with all sorts of things. One huge pile was balanced on a kunai while another pile of books was scattered haphazardly across the floor. Looking through the piles Nietzsche’s mind was set then and there to become a ninja like his parents. Just so he could come back over and over to marvel at the varying trinkets displayed on the walls.

Nietzsche wandered back up to the front of the store where Ryuu and his father were speaking. It seemed that they had finished up their business. Nietzsche’s father motioned for Nietzsche to come over to him. Nietzsche obediently walked over as his father stooped down to Nietzsche level and smiled. He then pulled out a shell necklace. The necklace was arranged with varying shells from many different sea creature from round the land of water. Nietzsche naively asked what is was. Nietzsche dad stood up then.

He then smiled again and told Nietzsche that he would tell him a story of the shells when he retuned from his mission. With that the two walked out the door into the misty atmosphere. Later that day, unbeknownst to him, Nietzsche would say goodbye to his parents for the last time. Nietzsche’s father would never return from the mission. Nietzsche would never learn the significance of the shell necklace, but to this day he wears around his neck in remembrance of his after and mother.
****End Flashback to present time****

Nietzsche was snapped out of his dream land by the sound of Ryuu’s footsteps. Ryuu came back with small bag of what looked like marbles. “These marbles are filled with a high density chakra infused gas. Once you throw them where you want them light them with this lighter.” Ryuu handed the bag to Nietzsche and also handed him a silver lighter. Nietzsche dug in his pocket for his Ryo, but was stopped by Ryuu. “There is no charge. I know you will be back anyway. Good luck with whatever you need those for.” “Thank you, Ryuu. I will be back don’t you worry.” With that Nietzsche tuned and left the small store.

Upon retuning to the streets Nietzsche noticed a vast decrease in the number of people roaming about-that was good. Nietzsche made his way to “the lion’s pride”. As he neared it he looked into the sky to see there was no moon. A new moon was a perfect time for a massacre Nietzsche thought to himself. Hearing footsteps in the next street over Nietzsche hid himself in the shadows. A group of red cloaked people walked by and into the inn.

Now was the time to strike Nietzsche knew that, but he had to be sure no one escaped through the underground cellar. The only way he saw that he could prevent people from escaping that way was to go in and kill as many people as possible and clog up the escape somehow. This tactic would be more dangerous than just burning the place to the ground, but it also assured a 100% mission accuracy. Sighing Nietzsche came out of the shadows and walked into the inn.

The inn keeper walked up to inform him that the inn had no vacancy. Nietzsche smiled and answered “Allow me to make some room then.” With that Nietzsche pulled out a kunai and slit the inn keepers throat. No one seemed to notice right away that the inn keeper was falling to his death and not to a drunken sleep. Nietzsche pulled out seven shuriken and threw them with perfect precision killing the other seven people in the room. Seven dull thud could probably be heard in the cellar. Nietzsche hoped that they would start to scurry like rats in fear of the now unknown attacker.

Nietzsche slowly walked towards the stair well to the cellar; each footstep seemed to make the ground creak and shake. A red clad woman came running out exclaiming: “What happened up here?” “Nothing” replied Nietzsche with a sinister smile. He drew his tanto and chopped down the woman with a killing blow through the heart. In the same movement Nietzsche removed the tanto and made his way slowly down the stairs. He could hear worried voices coming from below. “No one leaves here alive!” yelled Nietzsche. This started a panic as people ran this way and that in vain attempts to escape.

With that Nietzsche ran into the crowd and began to chop people down one by one. Nietzsche became a tornado of death and destruction. No one seemed able to block him, in fact many people did not even see him coming. In his seemingly endless flurry Nietzsche made his way methodically towards the hidden exit. None of the fanatics tried to escape out the unguarded stairwell, because Nietzsche had places a clone there, not that it could do anything to harm the people, but it could scare people off. Nietzsche then quickly attached a exploding tag to the ceiling above the emergency exit. Nietzsche knew it would be over soon. Not bothering to kill anyone else Nietzsche dashed upstairs and began throwing the marbles of propellant down behind him.

At last Nietzsche made it to the front door. With a glance behind him Nietzsche saw some of the cult clamoring up the stairs in their last ditch attempt at escape. Grimacing Nietzsche took out the lighter and lay it on the ground. At the same time he blew up the exploding tag. A large sea of fire instantly erupted throughout the inn complex. Nietzsche dove out the door to avoid getting fried himself, though the edge of his jacket did end up getting burned. Getting to his feet the hot dry air of the crackling fire could be felt on his skin. Nietzsche turned and watched the blaze as it burned on. The flames danced like a devil with glee as it consumed precious human life. The rancid smell of burning flesh filled the air. The mist would be truly bloody this evening.

It was then that Nietzsche saw a black figure framed in the front door. To Nietzsche’s surprise the man walked through the flame with ease. Being even more surprised Nietzsche saw that it was the head priest who he had seen earlier in his previous mission. Nietzsche remembered that he had the highest chakra level of anyone in this organization. And Nietzsche had a wager that he was a fire element user, because the fire seemed to merely back away from him as walked through it. The priest did not look like he was in talking mood either. As the priest drew a long golden sickle that glinted in the fire light. Nietzsche knew it would be a fight to the death in the streets of the hidden mist village.

The priest stride from the burning skeleton of the inn like a zombie back from the dead. His clothes and hair were badly singed. Nietzsche did not want to wait to be attacked so he made the first move. Drawing his tanto Nietzsche ran at the priest aiming for his legs. The priest was faster than Nietzsche thought and Nietzsche found himself unarmed as the sickle was used to hook the tanto from his hands. Nietzsche now lay on the ground only three feet away from the dangerous priest.

The priest inhaled and made a quick hand sign and brought the hand up to his mouth . He then breathed out and a shower of fire spheres rained down toward Nietzsche. He could do nothing, but curl up into a ball and take the burning hit. Two fireballs hit Nietzsche in the back sending a burning sensation through his body. Pushing through he pain Nietzsche formulated a plan but he could not think every time a coherent thought came to his mind a spasm of pain shot through him. The priest advanced laughing ever so slightly.

The priest rolled Nietzsche onto his back and rise the sickle above Nietzsche’s throat. Nietzsche watched as the sickle came closer and closer to his throat. The priest was now chanting something. Nietzsche thinking as fast as possible activated a chakra scalpel and moving his head to avoid the sickle. At the same time Nietzsche swept he chakra scalpel through the man’s legs. Nietzsche heard a violent snap as all the bones broke, or to be exact were cut in half. The man fell down with a thud right onto Nietzsche. Groaning the priest started begging for mercy and Nietzsche could only say sorry as he dug his chakra scalpel though his internal organs ripping up the priest’s entire body without placing scratch on the outside.

The priest died almost instantly form internal bleeding. Tuning his head to the right Nietzsche looked right into the golden sickle, which now stuck in the ground an inch away from where his throat had been. Nietzsche pushed the body off him and stood up. His back still burned, but he would make it. The inn seemed thoroughly burned down. Nietzsche smiled the cults wave of ear had passed and he had been the catalyst that made them leave. He then tuned in to the blackness of the night to retune to the mission command, but first he planned to stop at the hospital.

Nietzsche reached the hospital and found that his burns had been harder to bare than he first thought and he nearly collapsed in the doctors arms. He was taken into a room and bandaged around his entire chest and lower back. Nietzsche had fallen into a comma like sleep where his dreams mixed reality and reality mixed with dreams.

Nietzsche’s dreams were populated by the faces of the people he had killed. Most of them would never know what had killed them. Nietzsche despaired as the faces started to twist together into a whirlpool of flesh until finally he felt like he was flying above the village. He could see everything below him: the mission command , the hospital, the mizukage’s offices, the market square and even the old farm on the outskirts of town. This was why all those Crimson Crusader had died. For the good of the village they had died had they lied on the village would, have been in danger. He felt a strong feeling of relief come over him-he had done his job and he had done it well. But before he could fall into a dreamless sleep. A weird demonic face of blue rose through the darkness of Nietzsche’s mind. It seemed to rise out of the darkness. The face moved to swallow Nietzsche whole, but right before it did everything went black Except for a vision of a waterfall in far off outskirts of the main island of the island of water. And then blackness enveloped Nietzsche’s mind

Finally after what seemed like forever Nietzsche regained consciousness. He blinked a few time s as his eyes adjusted to the morning light. Looking around he found himself still in the hospital. Though he was unsure of why exactly he was there. The n the events of last night flooded back to him. He had destroyed the last of the Crimson crusaders, but Nietzsche wanted to be sure. Getting up he felt a slight tweak in his back, but he ignored it and pulled on his clothes that were at the end of his bed. Nietzsche then slipped out the window, because he doubted that the hospital staff would allow him to go.

Nietzsche could smell the smoke long before he could see the column of smoke rising from the location of the inn. All that remained was a pile of cinders. Bt in the morning mist Nietzsche thought his eyes deceived him. Standing over the dead body of the priest was a hooded man. This was the last crimson crusader. Nietzsche had a plan for him. This man was not to die, not yet at least. Nietzsche planned to bring the man into custody for questioning.

Nietzsche body flickered next to the man and hit him over the head. Nietzsche smirked as the man fell right into his arms. The man was not heavy. Taking one long look over the brunt wreckage Nietzsche body flickered from roof to roof back to the mission headquarters. Arriving at the headquarters Nietzsche kicked open the door.

He then walked swiftly to the chunin in charge and handed over the man. “Who is this?” “This my friend is the last of the crimson crusaders. I figured we mine as well see if there are anymore around. And interrogation is not my strong point so I brought him here.” “Very well. I assume you completed your mission?” “Naturally” Nietzsche smiled and tuned to leave, but went back to collect his pay and then left.

His back still twanged with pain every once and a while but Nietzsche did not care. He had to go back and see Ryuu. He promised he would see him again. Plus he had to thank him for supplying him with such a vital part of his mission. Nietzsche arrived at the shop in matter of minutes.

Entering the store Nietzsche found Ryuu sitting behind his desk going over some papers. Ryuu looked up and smiled taking off his reading glasses. “Ryuu your equipment worked flawlessly. I gotta hand it to you.” “Oh of course they worked I made them. But I warn you Nietzsche do not be used by the village as a killing tool. Loyalty is good to a point. But blind loyalty will get you killed. Keep that in mind. I always told your father that and look wher…” Ryuu trailed off and stayed silent for a while. “Listen Nietzsche I have to work right now come back later ok?” Slightly downcast and dismayed Nietzsche left the store for the journey home.

It was mid day but the streets where devoid of life. Now and then Nietzsche would hear a dog bark far away. But, none of that even reached Nietzsche’s mind he was thinking of his father. Who had died on an A-Rank mission along with his mother. Had his father known he was going to die? Was that why he gave Nietzsche the necklace made of shells? Nietzsche’s mind was saddened by these thoughts and he needed time to clear his head.

He deviated from his path home and made his way down to the beach. The sky was now churning with rain clouds, but Nietzsche did not care. He arrived on a precipice far above the ocean. Looking down Nietzsche started blankly at the water. Until he sat down cross legged and looked out to sea. He could see a storm coming. It would not be long before it reached land and from what he saw it looked like a bad one. Regardless as the first raindrops fell Nietzsche closed his eyes in mediation. Each drop of rain that hit Nietzsche’s head brought him more and more peace of mind. It was like nature was washing away his bloody deeds. Nietzsche caught himself thinking. Was he feeling…guilty for having killed those cult members? Most of the members had probably been deceived by their higher ups into doing what was “right”. And then it occurred to Nietzsche that is what he had done. A higher up had told him that there was a threat and he eliminated it. Reconciling this realization Nietzsche told himself that he had done the right thing and the cult members had done the wrong; one would always be governed by higher ups it was the job of the individual, which higher ups he listened to though that made him good or bad. Opening his eyes Nietzsche sighed; the world was a funny place.

The storm was now going full force a wind whipped in Nietzsche face as the sea splashed up at him. He decided it was time to head home, before he caught something. Lightning flashed through the sky as he entered town. The guards were in their shelter playing a card game too busy to notice Nietzsche walk in. He did not mind if he was not noticed. Halfway to his house the heavens opened up and sheets and sheets of rain poured down; like some heathen god was crying his heart out. The lanterns of the streets were a light like small fairies sheltered from the downpour. Gazing through the rain Nietzsche could make out the outline of his house. At last Nietzsche knew he could get a good nights sleep.

Pulling the door open Nietzsche sighed. He was done with missions for a while. He planned on applying for a vacation later the next day. But, right then he slipped into a cool soothing bath for his back. After he almost fell asleep in the bath he got out and made his way to bed. His bed was inviting and warm. He instantly fell asleep before his head hit the pillow. His dreams were devoid of hate and killing; he was at peace. (3830/3800 A-Rank mission done )