Shikamaru Hiden: A Cloud Drifting in Silent Darkness Chapter 10 [Translation Indonesia and English]

シ カマル秘伝 闇の黙に浮ぶ雲 Shikamaru Hiden: Yami no Shijima ni Ukabu Kumo (Shikamaru Hiden: A Cloud Drifting in Silent Darkness) ● Dalam Bab 10

[Indonesia]

Begitu banyak orang yang berkumpul di alun-alun depan istana hingga Shikamaru tak akan terkejut jika mereka merupakan seluruh populasi kota.
Bukan hanya para Kakusha dengan jubah hitam panjangnya. Pria dan wanita, laki-laki dan perempuan, segala umur dan golongan berkumpul dalam sebuah kerumunan besar yang kacau, menunggu kemunculan pemimpin mereka.
Mereka semua memasang ekspresi antusias dan penuh minat yang sama di wajah mereka, mata mereka berapi-api dengan kesetiaan. Suara mereka bercampur, menggumamkan pujian dan pengagungan sembari mereka menunggu. Setelah dipertimbangkan, Shikamaru menganggap mereka berisik dan menjengkelkan.
Terjebak di tengah kerumunan yang menggila, dan terlebih lagi di dalam jubah, Shikamaru dapat merasakan kulitnya mulai licin karena keringat.
Rou berada di sebelahnya. Soku mengintai dari atas atap gedung beton di seberang istana itu.
Jurus Rou telah menyamarkan chakra Shikamaru agar terlihat seperti chakra pemilik jubah yang digunakannya. Baik kualitas maupun kuantitas, semua sama persis dengan Kakusha itu. Rou, tentu saja, melakukan hal yang sama pada chakranya dan Kakusha yang sebelumnya menggunakan jubahnya.
Tentu saja, mereka juga menyamarkan wajah mereka. Sekali lagi, itu merupakan hasil dari ketrampilan Rou. Tak peduli seberapa baik mereka menyembunyikan chakra, jika pasukan musuh memiliki seseorang dengan mata yang tajam dan merupakan pengingat wajah yang baik, mereka akan diketahui dalam sekejap. Kemampuan Rou telah menjamin mereka tersembunyi lebih dari cukup, baik chakra maupun kemungkinan mereka dapat terlihat. Meskipun jika wajah mereka diperiksa, tidak mungkin akan ditemukan perbedaan antara mereka dengan Kakusha yang sebenarnya.
Terlebih lagi, Shikamaru dan Rou tersembunyi diantara kerumunan besar.
Semuanya telah dipersiapkan agar musuh tidak akan menemukan cara untuk melihat keberadaan mereka.

“Untuk sekarang, ayo kita menuju tempat itu.” Gumam Rou dengan suara pelan. Ia hanya sedikit menggerakkan mulutnya saat berbicara, matanya tak pernah lepas dari podium di depan kerumunan itu. Podium itu sedikit lebih tinggi dari tanah, dengan tangga kayu di sisinya. Tidak terdapat apa-apa di podium itu, tak satupun mikrofon ataupun penjaga. Kerumunan itu berdesak-desakan ke depan, cukup dekat bagi mereka untuk menyentuhnya.

“Saya katakan, apakah Gengo benar-benar akan muncul?" Rou bergumam ragu.

Tidak salah jika ia merasa ragu. Untuk seorang pemimpin negara, berdiri di podium tanpa penjagaan merupakan hal yang sangat berbahaya. Jika Gengo muncul, maka itu sama dengan mengatakan bahwa dia tak memiliki sedikitpun kecurigaan terhadap siapapun yang dapat membahayakan jiwanya.

“Untuk sekarang, lebih baik kita mencoba mendekat dan menunggu. Jika Gengo tidak muncul, maka kita akan mundur secara diam-diam."

“Dimengerti.”

Mereka hanya perlu mencapai jarak dimana kagemane Shikamaru dapat menggapai pria di podium itu. Jika Shikamaru dapat menghentikan pergerakan Gengo, maka Jarum Chakra Soku yang akan melanjutan sisanya.

“Jika dia hanya akan munc-”

Gumaman Rou terpotong oleh sorak sorai dari depan kerumunan terdekat dari podium itu. Teriakan gembira muncul dan menyebar seperti gelombang tidal di alun-alun. Bersamaan dengan Shikamaru yang mendorong untuk membuat jalannya ke depan, semua orang bersorak kencang hingga gendang telinganya terasa ingin pecah.

Seorang pria muncul di podium itu.

Dia mengenakan jubah hitam panjang yang sama dengan para Kakusha, namun diselimuti oleh ornamen yang penuh warna, begitu pula dengan sabuk perak besar. Lebih lagi, lengan jubahnya dibordir dengan ular perak di sekeliling pergelangannya.

Rambutnya berwarna biru indigo gelap. Dia memiliki rahang yang kuat, perawakan maskulin, dan posturnya jelas dan tegap. Dia melihat dengan tenang ke arah kerumunan yang bersorak menggunakan matanya yang jernih dan tampak cerdas. Ada sedikit jejak jerami pada rahangnya. Dia tampak berusia sekitar 30 tahun.

“Pria itu kemungkinan besar adalah Gengo, iya kan?" Gumam Rou, berhenti berjalan sesaat.

Shikamaru terus berjalan tanpa memberikan jawaban. Ia merasakan keyakinan yang kuat bahwa pria itu pastilah Gengo.

Perlahan, pria itu mengangkat tangan kanannya ke udara. Seketika, sorak-sorai menjadi diam. Gengo memejamkan matanya merasa puas karena reaksi itu, sebuah senyum kecil tersungging di wajahnya. Ia menarik nafas dalam, kemudian membuka matanya dan mulai berbicara.

“Pertama-tama, aku ingin menyatakan rasa terima kasihku kepada kalian yang telah berkumpul disini."

Suaranya dalam dan berat, menenangkan untuk didengar. Suara itu memiliki sesuatu yang misterius yang membuatmu merasa mendengarnya bukan hanya dengan telingamu, tapi dengan seluruh tubuhmu. Shikamaru merasakan perasaan yang mengganggu dan membuat gelisah dalam dadanya, seolah suara pria itu menggores hatinya.

Mata Rou bertemu mata Shikamaru kemudian perlahan mereka mendekati podium. Sudah jelas bahwa ia juga merasakan sensasi tak nyaman yang sama. Langkah kedua shinobi itu menjadi seimbang, menjaga agar pergerakan mereka tetap lambat, halus dan senyap.

Gengo membungkuk kecil kepada kerumunan untuk menyampaikan rasa terima kasihnya, dan kemudian mulai berbicara lagi.

“Sudah sepuluh tahun sejak aku datang untuk berdiri di podium ini. Kita telah memperoleh banyak orang yang mengikuti cara berpikir kita, dan negara kita telah mulai makmur. Namun, belum ada satupun keinginan kita yang telah terwujud."

Semua orang mendengarkan dengan penuh keheningan. Saat kata-kata pria itu terhenti, sebuah atmosfir aneh berubah menjadi kesunyian dari kerumunan, seolah setiap inchi dari alun-alun itu berada dalam pengaruhnya.

“Aku memiliki sebuah pertanyaan untuk kalian seluruh rakyat Negeri Sunyi!”

Suara Gengo yang tadinya tenang dan teratur kini mengeras dengan amarah yang menggelora. Kata-katanya yang diteriakkan tampak berasal dari dalam jiwanya.

“Negara ini dulu dikuasai oleh Daimyou, dan kini negara ini... Dunia seperti apa yang menurut kalian lebih baik? Siapa yang lebih baik memimpin dunia ini?"

“GENGO-SAMA!”

Para penduduk meneriakkan persetujuan mereka, suara mereka menggema melintasi alun-alun layaknya gelombang tidal.

“Tidak salah lagi, pria itu adalah Gengo." Gumam Rou.

Shikamaru mengangguk dalam diam, berbalik ke arah podium. Mereka hampir tiba disana, beberapa meter lagi menuju jarak yang memungkinkan kagemane Shikamaru mencapai dan mengikat targetnya.

Seluruh misi akan ditentukan dalam satu waktu...

Gengo mengangkat tangan kanannya, dan kerumunan kembali terdiam.

“Aku telah menerima jawaban kalian. Hari-hari dimana kita dipimpin oleh Daimyou yang melihat kekuatan, kebijaksanaan, dan kita, para shinobi, sebagai hal yang tak penting- hari-hari yang kelam itu telah lama berlalu! Rakyatku, kalian kini dapat menemukan kedamaian. Kami para Kakusha akan melindungi kalian selamanya, dengan kekuatan dan hidup kami. Karena semua itu adalah yang kami, para Kakusha, inginkan.”

Semua orang tampak dimabukkan dengan kata-kata itu. Mereka diombang-ambingkan oleh emosi. Beberapa bahkan menangis.

Sejujurnya Shikamaru tidak merasa semua yang Gengo telah katakan merupakan hal yang terlalu penting. Tak peduli bagaimana ia memutarbalikkan kata-kata di kepalanya, itu tidak tampak seperti pidato yang terlalu bagus. Akan tetapi, ia telah mengetahui bahwa suara Gengo memiliki kekuatan yang misterius di dalamnya. Pria itu memiliki kekuatan yang membuatmu mendengarkan suaranya tak peduli apa yang ia katakan.

“Negeri Sunyi kita berada di daerah yang sangat terpinggir di kontinen ini. Sejarah kita adalah orang asing, tertindas dan ditindas. Leluhur kita tidak memutuskan kontak dengan dunia luar untuk memutuskan pertukaran kita dengan orang lain. Itu untuk melindungi milik kita. Selama kita tetap berada di luar kontak dunia luar, kita akan tetap lemah. Namun kini, semua telah berakhir.”

Suara Gengo meninggi, sangat marah.

“Orang yang seharusnya memimpin negara ini bukanlah Daimyou, tapi kita, yang memiliki kekuatan shinobi! Itulah keadilan yang sebenarnya. Karena perjuangan shinobi lah para penduduk terlindungi. Kehadiran shinobi yang memiliki kekuatan di atas manusia biasa selalu ditemukan di seluruh dunia. Dan malah, kita dipimpin oleh Daimyou, yang egois, memikirkan diri sendiri, sementara mereka menghancurkan shinobi dan rakyat di bawah kaki mereka! Lihatlah negara ini. Sudah 10 tahun sejak aku melenyapkan Daimyou. Lihatlah kemakmuran yang telah diraih Negara ini!” Dada Gengo dipenuhi oleh rasa bangga.

“Hampir sampai.” Gumam Shikamaru.

Hanya beberapa langkah lagi, dan Gengo akan berada dalam jarak kagemane-nya.

“Aku akan melenyapkan Daimyou dari dunia ini, dan menciptakan dunia yang baru untuk kita. Mengapa shinobi tidak diakui dan dihormati? Kita yang memiliki kekuatan yang lebih besar dari Daimyou. Kita memiliki kekuatan yang lebih besar daripada manusia lain! Mengapa kita, yang melampaui yang lain, terus tertindas? Bukankah ciri khas kita jauh lebih hebat daripada orang lain? Karena Daimyou takut akan era shinobi, maka mereka mendiskriminasi kita, mengasingkan kita, dan membuat kita berada dalam pengaruh mereka! Rakyat dan shinobi adalah sama, kita merupakan korban dari keegoisan para Daimyou!”

Mereka semakin dekat dengan Gengo. Dari jarak ini, hampir tampak seperti ada percikan biru keluar dari mata pria yang berapi-api itu.

“Revolusi…”

Sedikit lagi hingga mereka mencapainya. Sedikit lagi.

Pria yang berdiri di depan mata mereka hampir dapat dipastikan adalah Gengo, dan mereka dapat dengan mudah mendekatinya tanpa disadari- begitu mudah hingga Shikamaru merasa bosan.

Ia memikirkan kemungkinan bahwa ini adalah jebakan.

Namun tidak mungkin musuh menyadari keberadaan mereka, dan mereka tak boleh melewatkan kesempatan ini.

“Akatsuki pernah berdiri dengan niat untuk mengubah dunia ini. Namun mereka dihancurkan. Mereka dihancurkan oleh dunia shinobi yang tetap tak berubah dari waktu ke waktu, tak ada hari ini yang lebih baik dari kemarin, dengan shinobi yang masih dikuasai dan didiskriminasi. Namun Akatsuki hidup dalam nama mereka…mereka adalah fajar. Mereka merupakan tanda bahwa pagi yang cerah akan tiba. Dengar, kalian yang memiliki mentari pagilah yang akan bangkit dari kegelapan yang sunyi.”

Gengo perlahan mengangkat kedua tangannya, seolah ia sedang menyambut dewa dari surga.

“Sinar mentari pertama saat fajar di era yang baru ini, akan bersinar dari Negeri Sunyi kita!”

Para penduduk bersorak, suara teriakan mereka menutupi segala sesuatu yang lain.

Inilah kesempatan mereka.

Shikamaru membebaskan bayangannya. Sebuah sulur merayap melewati kerumunan seperti ular berwarna hitam, merayap ke atas podium dan berhenti di kaki Gengo.

Begitu ular bayangan itu menangkap dan menahan Gengo, pergerakannya akan dapat dihentikan, dan jarum chakra Soku akan menyelesaikan urusannya.

Semuanya akan baik-baik saja jika berjalan sesuai rencananya.

Hanya saja kagemane-nya…

Tak dapat menggapai Gengo. 

“Ap-!”

Dia seharusnya telah berada dalam jaraknya. Dia berada dalam jaraknya! Kenapa bayangannya tak dapat mencapai-  

“Ada tikus yang menyelinap di sana.”

Pandangan Gengo perlahan mengarah tepat ke mata Shikamaru. 

“Dia menyadari keberadaan kita, Tuan-!”

Jerit Rou. Beberapa bayangan melompat keluar dari belakang Gengo dan melayang ke arah Rou, menahannya. Shikamaru segera mencoba untuk menggapai Gengo dengan bayangannya sekali lagi. 

“Tak ada gunanya.” 

Gengo berkata tanpa perasaan. 

Bayangan Shikamaru, sesuatu yang sangat akrab dengannya seperti tangan dan kakinya sendiri, berubah menjadi layang-layang yang terputus dari benangnya. Sulurnya sama sekali tak mengenai sasaran, berputar-putar melingkar, bergerak sia-sia di tanah. 

Baiklah kalau begitu…  

Shikamaru melompat ke atas podium, mengeluarkan kunai dari balik jubahnya. 

Jika rencana itu telah gagal, maka ia akan menyerang dan melakukannya sendiri. 

Gengo tak bergerak untuk lari dari Shikamaru. Sebuah senyum tipis melengkung di wajahnya. Shikamaru berlari ke arahnya, melemparkan kunai ke arah leher pria itu dengan penuh perhitungan. Seseorang datang ke arah Shikamaru dari sisi podium, menendang perutny dengan keras. Ia terguling ke sisi benda kayu itu sebagai dampaknya, dan dengan cepat duduk di atas satu lutut, kunainya telah siap.
Dia menatap. 

“Kau- apa yang kau…?” 

Seorang pria berdiri diantara Gengo dan Shikamaru. Ia memiliki kulit abu-abu pucat. Mata yang sayu, dengan emosi yang tak terbaca. Mulut yang lurus dan jujur. 

“Apa yang kau lakukan…?” 

Tak salah lagi.

Shikamaru memanggil nama pria itu. 

“…Sai.” 

Bersambung...

English]

They were so many people gatheredat the plaza in front of the castle that Shikamaru wouldn’t have been surprisedif it was the city’s whole population.

It wasn’t just the EnlightenedOnes with their long, black cloaks. Men and women, boys and girls, people ofall ages and classes had all gathered in one large, muddled crowd, waiting fortheir leader to appear.

All of them wore the sameenthused, feverish expressions on their faces, their eyes fiercely blazing with devotion. Their voices mixed together, murmuring in praise and exaltation as they waited. All in all, Shikamaru found them loud and annoying.

Stuck in the middle of the crazed crowd, and in a cloak on top of that, Shikamaru could feel his skin getting slick with sweat.

Rou was next to him. Soku was lurking around the roof of a concrete building across the castle.

Rou’s jutsu had disguised Shikamaru’s chakra to look like the chakra of the cloak’s original owner. From the quality to the quantity, everything was an exact copy of the EO. Rou had of course, done the same for his own chakra and the EO who had worn his cloak.

Naturally, they’d disguised their faces too. That had been Rou’s skills at work again. No matter how well they hid their chakra, if the enemy ranks held someone with sharp eyes and a good memory for faces, they’d be discovered in an instant. Rou’s skills had ensured they were hidden more than enough, both on a chakra and visible level. Even if their faces were examined, it’d be almost impossible to tell the difference between them and the original EO’s.

And on top of that, Shikamaru and Rou were hidden in the midst of a large crowd.

Everything had been arranged so the enemy would have no possible way of spotting them out.

“For now, let’s head towards that place.” Rou murmured in a low voice. He barely moved his mouth as he spoke, eyes never moving from the platform placed in front of the crowd. It was raised quite a bit off the ground, with its own wooden staircase to the side. There was nothing on the platform, not a single microphone or bodyguard. The crowd was jostling forward close enough for them to touch the wood.

“I say, I wonder if Gengo will really appear?” Rou doubtfully murmured.

He was right to feel unsure. For the leader of a country to stand on such a completely defenceless platform was beyond dangerous. If Gengo did appear, it would be the same as saying that he didn’t have the feel the slightest suspicion that anyone could aim for his life.

“For now, let’s just get closer and wait. If Gengo doesn’t appear, then we’ll just silently draw back for now.”

“Understood.”

They just had to get within a distance that Shikamaru’s kagemane could reach the man on the platform. If Shikamaru could stop Gengo’s movement, then Soku’s Chakra Needle would do the rest.

“If he would just make an appeara-”

Rou’s murmuring was cut off by a sudden roar of joy from the front of the crowd closest to the platform. The elated shouting rose and spread like a tidal wave across the plaza. As Shikamaru tried to push his way to the front, all the people around him were screaming so loud he felt like his eardrums were going to burst.

A single man had appeared on the platform.

He wore a long, black coat similar to the design the Enlightened Ones wore, but his was covered in countless colourful ornaments as well as the large silver buckles. On top of that, his sleeves were embroidered with silver snakes running down his forearms.

His hair was a dark indigo blue. He had a strong jaw, a masculine physique, and his features were clear and well-defined. He calmly looked down at the cheering crowd with clear and intelligent eyes. There were slight traces of stubble around his jaw. He looked about 30 years old.

“That man is most likely Gengo, isn’t he?” Rou murmured, and stopped walking for just a moment.

Shikamaru kept walking without giving an answer. He felt a firm conviction that the man in front of their eyes was definitely Gengo.

Slowly, the man raised his right arm into the air. Instantly, all the wild cheers fell silent. Gengo closed his eyes as if he felt satisfied by that reaction, a small smile pulling at his mouth. He took in one deep breath, then opened his eyes and began to speak.

“First of all, I would like to express my thanks to all of you who have gathered here.”

His voice was deep and heavy, soothing to listen to. It had a mysterious quality to it that made you feel like you weren’t listening to him with just your ears, but your whole body. Shikamaru felt a bothersome, itchy feeling inside his chest, as if the man’s voice was brushing against his heart.

Rou’s eyes met Shikamaru’s as they silently moved closer to the platform. It was clear that he seemed to feel that same, uncomfortable sensation. The two shinobi’s steps became in sync, keeping their movements slow, subtle and silent.

Gengo gave a small bow towards the crowd to convey his gratitude, and then started to speak again.

“It has been ten years since I came to stand at this podium. We have gained many who share our ways of thinking, and our country has begun to prosper. However, not a single one of our desires have been realised.”

Everyone had been listening in utter silence. As the man’s words stopped, a strange atmosphere sifted into the quiet of the crowd, as if every inch of the plaza was under the man’s control.

“I have a question for the citizens of our country of silence!”

Gengo’s voice which had been so calm and composed now rang out with a tempestuous fury. His shouted words seemed to come from his very soul.

“The country that was ruled by a Daimyou, and this country now…Which world do you think is better? Who is that better world ruled by?”

“GENGO-SAMA!”

The citizens shouted their approval as one, their voice roaring across the plaza like a tidal wave.

“There is definitely no mistake, that man is Gengo.” Rou murmured.

Shikamaru silently nodded to him, turning to the platform. They were almost there, several meters left to the distance which would allow his kagemane to reach and bind the target.

The whole mission would be decided in one moment…

Gengo raised his right hand, and the crowd quietened again.

“I have received your answer. The days we were ruled by Daimyou who saw power, wisdom and us, the shinobi, as unimportant- those dark days are long past! Citizens, you may now find peace of mind. We enlightened ones shall forever protect you, with our power and our lives. All you need to worry about is comfortably living your lives. Because that is all that we enlightened wish for.”

Everyone around them seemed to get drunk on those words. They were strangely overwhelmed with emotion. Some were even crying.

Shikamaru honestly didn’t think Gengo had said anything all that important. No matter how he turned over the words in his head, it didn’t even seem like a relatively good speech. However, he did acknowledge the fact that Gengo’s voice had a mysterious power to it. The man possessed a power that made you listen to his voice no matter what he was saying.

“Our country of silence is at the very outskirts of the continent. Our history is that of foreigners, oppressed and downtrodden. Our ancestors did not cut off contact with the outside to sever our exchanges with others. It was to protect our own.  As long as we stayed out of contact with the outside, we stayed weak. But now, that is over.”

Gengo’s voice increased, incensed.

“The ones who rule this world should not be the Daimyou, but we who carry the power of shinobi! That is true justice. It is because of shinobi’s struggles that the citizens are protected. The existence of shinobi who carry powers beyond a normal human’s have always been found throughout the world. And yet, we were ruled by Daimyou, who live selfishly, only for themselves, while crushing shinobi and citizen alike beneath their feet! Look at this country. It has been 10 years since I exterminated the daimyou. Look at the prosperity this country has gained!” Gengo’s chest expanded with pride.

“Almost there.” Shikamaru murmured.

Only a few steps more, and Gengo would be within range of his kagemane.

“I will exterminate the Daimyou from this world, and create a new world for us. Why aren’t shinobi recognised and distinguished? We hold a greater power than any daimyou. We hold a greater power than any human! Why are we who transcend others constantly downtrodden? Aren’t our merits far greater than other peoples? It is

because the daimyou fear the age of shinobi that they discriminate against us, isolate us, and keep us under their influence! Citizens and shinobi alike, we are all victims to the selfishness of the daimyous!”

They were getting closer to Gengo. From this distance, it almost looked like blue sparks were coming out of the man’s fiercely glaring eyes.

“Revolution…”

Just a little more until they were in range. Just a little more.

The man standing in front of their eyes was almost certainly Gengo, and yet they’d been able to easily approach him unnoticed- so easily that Shikamaru felt weary.

He thought about the possibility of this being a trap.

But there was no way the enemy could have noticed them, and they couldn’t just let this chance pass them by.

“The Akatsuki had once stood with the intention of changing this world. But they were destroyed. They were destroyed by the world of shinobi that remains unchanged with time, no better today than it was yesterday, with shinobi still overruled and discriminated against. But the Akatsuki lived up to their name…they were the dawn. They were the sign of a dazzling morning to come. Listen, you people who hold the morning sun that will rise from the Silence’s darkness.”

Gengo slowly raised both his arms, as if he was welcoming a god from heaven.

“The first rays of sunlight to dawn in this new age, they will shine from our Country of Silence!”

The citizens cheered, the noise of their yells covering everything else.

This was their chance.

Shikamaru let his shadow free. A tendril crawled smoothly through the crowd like a black snake, creeping up the platform and stopping at Gengo’s feet.

As soon as that shadowy snake caught hold of hold of Gengo, his movements would be stopped, and Soku’s chakra needle would end the business.

It would’ve been fine if everything had turned out the way he’d planned it.

Only the kagemane…

Couldn’t seize Gengo.

“Wha-!”

He should’ve been in range. He was in range! Why couldn’t his shadow reach-

“The mouse creeping over there.” Gengo’s gaze slowly turned to look Shikamaru right in the eyes.

“He’s sensing us, Lord-!” Rou shrieked.

Several shadows leaped out from behind Gengo and came flying towards Rou, restraining him.

Shikamaru frantically tried to reach Gengo with his shadow one more time.

“It’s useless.” Gengo callously called.

Shikamaru’s shadow, once as familiar to him as his own hands and feet, suddenly turned into a kite with cut strings. Its tendril missed the target completely, turning round and round in circles, writing uselessly on the ground.

Fine then…

Shikamaru leaped onto the platform, slipping out a kunai from his cloak. If the plan had been ripped apart, then he would fight and do the deed himself.

Gengo didn’t move to run from Shikamaru. There was a faint smile on his face.

Shikamaru ran towards him, swinging his kunai towards the man’s throat with expert precision.

Someone came at Shikamaru from the side of the platform, kicking him sharply in the stomach. He rolled to the side of the wooden construct from the impact, and quickly sat up on one knee, his kunai at the ready.

He stared.

“You- what’re you…?”

A single man stood between Gengo and Shikamaru. He had an ashen grey complexion. Vague eyes, with depths of unreadable emotion. A straight, honest mouth.

“What’re you doing…?”

There was no mistake as to who it was.

Shikamaru called the man by his name.

“…Sai.”