Jumat, 01 Mei 2015
Shikamaru Hiden: A Cloud Drifting in Silent Darkness Chapter 11 [Translation Indonesia and English]
Sai memegang sebuah kuas dengan satu tangan, dan sebuah gulungan di tangan lainnya, menggambar dengan berapi-api. Setiap kali ia mengangkat kuasnya dari gulungan, seekor harimau tinta akan menjadi nyata dan menyerang Shikamaru.
Usaha Shikamaru untuk menangkis serangan mereka berakhir dengan ia terguling dari podium ke dalam kerumunan.
Ia tak punya waktu untuk hanya mengkhawatirkan Sai. Pikiran Shikamaru benar-benar kacau.
Mengapa jurusnya tak bekerja?
Mengapa penyamaran mereka bisa terungkap?
Apa Soku baik-baik saja?
Shikamaru menghindari serangan demi serangan dari dalam kerumunan. Dari sudut matanya, ia dapat melihat beberapa Kakusha menahan Rou. Pria itu terus berusaha memberontak, tapi tidak mungkin baginya untuk melepaskan diri dari pria-pria itu sekaligus.
Bagian pipi Shikamaru yang tergores makhluk tinta Sai terasa tersengat.
Ucap Sai dengan senyum lugunya.
“Kenapa kau melakukan ini…”
“Kau mengatakan hal yang memberi kesan kau mengenalku.”
Shikamaru tak memberitahu Sai bahwa ialah yang ada dibalik topeng itu. Ia tak bisa untuk memulainya.
Kau takkan menyebutkan namamu jika kau beresiko ditangkap dan namamu akan dilacak hingga ke desamu. Tak akan. Itu merupakan peraturan ketat Shinobi.
Di belakang para Kakusha yang bergerombol menuju ke arahnya, Shikamaru dapat melihat Gengo masih berdiri dengan tenang di atas podium. Ia tetap bersedekap dan terus melihat pergulatan Shikamaru.
Andai ia berhasil menangkapnya sekali lagi…
Shikamaru melompat ke atas salah satu harimau tinta yang mengepungnya, menusuknya dengan kunainya dan melompat turun dengan gerakan yang mulus. Ia berlari segera setelah mendarat di tanah, membebaskan diri dari kepungan makhluk itu. Dari sudut matanya, ia menangkap sekilas harimau itu menghilang menjadi percikan tinta.
Ada begitu banyak Kakusha menghadangnya, ia bahkan tak dapat menghitungnya.
Shikamaru bergumam pada dirinya sendiri, membuat segel jutsu dengan tangannya.
Sulur gelap yang tak terhitung jumlahnya memanjang dari bayangannya di segala arah.
Karena Shikamaru dapat menciptakan jarum bayangan dalam jumlah besar, jurus itu menjadi jurus yang cocok digunakan untuk menghadapi beberapa lawan.
Sulur-sulur bayangan berbentuk jarum itu memanjang tanpa kendala. Yang sulur-sulur itu butuhkan hanyalah dorongan yang kuat untuk membidik dan keluar dari tanah.
Shikamaru meneriakkan kata itu layaknya jeritan perang. Sulur-sulur itu perlahan bangkit dari tanah, membesar dan bersiap untuk menyambar -
Gengo memanggil dari atas podium. Saat suara itu terdengar, sulur-sulur bayangan Shikamaru dengan cepat kembali ke tanah, dan berubah menjadi bayangan biasa.
Shikamaru berteriak marah pada Gengo karena kegagalannya.
Kenapa suara itu mempengaruhi bayangannya?
Sebenarnya dia itu apa?
“Hm? Aku yakin aku mengenal jurus itu…”
Sai yang berkomentar. Ia sekarang berdiri di depan Shikamaru, menghadangnya.
“Sai, jangan kau berani…”
Ucap Sai tenang, kuasnya dengan cepat menari di atas gulungan di tangannya. Harimau yang keluar dari gulungannya kali ini berwarna hitam putih- dan jauh, jauh lebih besar dari yang lain.
Ujar Sai, menunjuk kuasnya ke arah Shikamaru. Harimau hitam putih yang sangat besar menangkapnya sebagai sinyal, dan membuat langkah besar ke arah Shikamaru.
Gumam Shikamaru, mengeluarkan kunai dan menatap harimau itu, menyiapkan dirinya untuk pertarungan.
Tiba-tiba, ia merasakan sesuatu menghantam kaki kanannya. Detik ketika ia menyadarinya, sesuatu lainnya menghantam kaki kirinya, dan tepat saat Shikamaru menyadari para Kakusha melompat ke arahnya, semua sudah terlambat.
Ia membentur tanah dengan wajah terlebih dahulu, beberapa Kakusha mendudukinya dan menahannya.
Komentar Sai, menunduk melihat Shikamaru yang mati-matian mencoba bernapas dibawah tubuh orang-orang yang menahannya.
Pandangan Shikamaru yang terhambat menangkap bayangan seorang pria mendekat dari belakang Sai.
Gengo.
Gengo memerintahkan para Kakusha.
Sebuah jari menyelinap ke bagian retakan yang disebabkan oleh kuku harimau itu, dan mengupas topeng Shikamaru dalam satu gerakan.
“Lihat, ternyata ini Shikamaru-san.” Ucap Sai.
Suara Gengo terdengar seperti seorang kolektor yang menemukan benda yang telah lama dicarinya.
Shikamaru mendongakkan kepalanya untuk melihat ke arah sepasang mata biru yang berbinar mencurigakan. Tatapan Gengo tak lepas darinya beberapa saat.
“Jika kau tidak melepaskanku sekarang, hal yang sangat mengerikan akan terjadi nanti.”
“Aku tak memiliki rasa takut. Kau akan hidup dengan baik bersamaku.”
Kata-kata Gengo yang meyakinkan itu diikuti dengan rasa sakit yang tajam pada leher Shikamaru, dan ia kehilangan kesadaran.
*
Ini merupakan kegelapan yang sebenarnya.
Tak ada cahaya atau apapun itu, Shikamaru bahkan tak dapat melihat tangannya yang berada seinchi dari wajahnya.
Dalam kegelapan seperti inilah ia duduk dan tenggelam dalam pikirannya.
Tak peduli berapa kali Shikamaru memutar-balikkan kejadian itu di kepalanya, ia tak dapat menemukan jawabannya.
Bukan hanya masalah Sai.
Ia memanjangkan bayangannya menuju ke arah podium dimana Gengo berdiri. Namun bayangannya tak mampu menjerat kakinya, kehilangan pandangan dari targetnya.
Dan Gengo telah mengetahui keberadaan Shikamaru dan yang lainnya. Ia menyebut mereka ‘tikus’. Semua ini terjadi meskipun mereka telah menyembunyikan chakra dengan sempurna.
Rasanya seperti terdapat sebuah penghalang di sekitar pria itu yang membuat semua jutsu mereka tak berguna saat mereka mencapai jarak tertentu darinya.
Shikamaru tak dapat mengatakannya. Tapi tak salah lagi, sesuatu telah mengganggu jutsu Shikamaru dan Rou.
Bayangan Shikamaru tak dapat mencapai Gengo. Juga saat ia mencoba menggunakan kagenui-nya melawan monster harimau Sai, bayangannya tiba-tiba tersendat dan kehilangan kekuatan.
Kesimpulan yang paling sesuai adalah bahwa baik Gengo atau pengaruh dari sekitar Gengo telah melemahkan potensi kagemane-nya.
Mengikuti rentetan pemikiran tersebut, terdapat kemungkinan yang besar bahwa jutsu Rou mengalami efek yang sama dan dilunturkan. Kemudian, jejak chakra Shikamaru sendiri kemungkinan telah menyeruak dari penyamarannya, memungkinkan Gengo untuk menyadari keberadaannya.
Itulah teori yang yang ia yakini saat ini.
Jutsu tak bekerja terhadap Gengo…
Tapi kenapa?
Shikamaru tak memiliki waktu untuk mengumpulkan informasi yang cukup untuk memahami kebenaran dibalik fenomena ini. Ia tak mendapatkan kesempatan untuk menginvestigasi apapun, walau sedikit, jadi tentu saja tak ada yang dapat ia lakukan.
Tak memiliki apa-apa untuk melakukan sesuatu, tak mampu memikirkan penyebabnya, membuatnya jengkel.
Ia kehilangan akal…
“Geugh! Urghh!”
Dari suatu tempat dibalik kegelapan itu, erangan kesakitan Rou mencapai telinga Shikamaru. Jeritan Soku juga datang dari balik kegelapan itu. Mereka berdua terdengar seperti sedang mengalami penyiksaan. Ia hanya mendengar suara mereka dalam erangan dan rintihan.
Untuk beberapa alasan, Shikamaru sama sekali tak disiksa.
Ia bergumam, melihat ke arah suara Rou yang kesakitan, meskipun diragukan apakah pria itu mendengar.
Inilah hasil dari tindakan Shikamaru yang gegabah.
Bukankah akan menjadi lebih baik jika ia sedikit menginvestigasi Gengo sebelum bertindak?
Begitu banyak rencana lain yang ia bisa lakukan …
Shikamaru memberikan tinjunya membabi-buta dalam kegelapan, meninju lantai batu yang dingin di bawahnya. Ia meninju lagi dan lagi…
“Apa kau masih hidup?”
Suara Gengo menuju ke arah Shikamaru dari kegelapan.
Suaranya yang seperti penculik itu membuat nada seolah ia khawatir karena tak ada jawaban.
Chakra Shikamaru sudah habis, namun ia tak mati, dan ia tau Gengo sangat menyadari akan hal itu. Menanyakan pertanyaan yang telah ia ketahui jawabannya merupakan hal yang tak lebih dari sebuah sindiran.
“Aku lihat kau menghabiskan seluruh makananmu.”
Shikamaru memakan semua yang mereka berikan padanya. Tentu saja, hanya setelah memeriksa apakah itu diracuni atau tidak. Kemampuan untuk merasakan keberadaan berbagai racun hanya dengan satu jilatan merupakan salah satu fondasi dasar dari shinobi.
Shikamaru makan karena ia belum menyerah.
Selama ia masih hidup, masih ada celah yang dapat menjadi kesempatan untuk melarikan diri. Jika tubuhnya tak dapat bergerak sesuai keinginannya saat kesempatan itu tiba, ia akan mati.
Itulah mengapa Shikamaru harus yakin bahwah Rou dan Soku juga belum menyerah.
“Apa kau merasa mendengar perkataanku?”
“Kegelapan merupakan teman yang sangat dekat denganku.”
“Aku akan datang lagi.”
“ARRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Shikamaru efforts to fend them off ended with him rolling off the platform and falling right into the crowd.
He didn’t have the time to beconcerned only about Sai. Shikamaru’s mind was in utter chaos.
Why hadn’t his jutsu worked?
Shikamaru dodged attack afterattack from the crowd. In the corner of his eye, he could see severalEnlightened Ones holding down Rou. The old man was frantically struggling against their hold, but it was impossible for him to shake off that many men at once.
Shikamaru’s cheek was stinging from where Sai’s ink beast had gotten in a swipe.
The resin mask Rou had put on Shikamaru to disguise his face was starting to peel off.
Sai said with a simple smile.
His paintbrush hadn’t stopped moving. Inky tiger after tiger materialised, surrounding Shikamaru.
“Why are you doing this…”
“You’ve been saying things that give the impression you know me.”
Shikamaru didn’t tell Sai who he was underneath the mask. He couldn’t, to begin with.
You never spoke your name out loud if there was a risk of you being captured and your name being traced back to your village. Never. It was an ironclad rule of Shinobi.
Behind the Enlightened Ones swarming towards him, Shikamaru could see Gengo still standing serenely on the platform. He kept his arms crossed as he calmly watched Shikmaru’s struggles.
If he could just manage to get to him one more time…
Shikamaru leapt on top of one of the inky tigers surrounding him, stabbing it with his kunai and leaping off in one seamless movement. He ran as soon as he hit the ground, free of the circle of beasts. In the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the tiger dissipating into a spray of black ink.
There was so many EO’s blocking his way, he could barely even count them.
Shikamaru grumbled to himself, forming the seal for a jutsu with his hands.
Countless tendrils of darkness slowly started to extend from his shadow in every direction.
His kagenui, the shadow sewing technique, used tendrils of his shadow to attack and bind his opponents like a needle with thread. Since Shikamaru could create a multitude of shadow needles, it was a good jutsu to use against several opponents.
Shikamaru took aim at the tigers and Enlightened ones surrounding him. The needle-like tendrils of his shadow stretched out without any problems. All he’d need was one strong force of will for them to shoot up and off the ground.
Shikamaru yelled the word like a battle cry. The tendrils raised their heads slowly from the ground, rearing back and getting ready to strike-
Gengo called from the platform above. The moment his voice rang out, Shikamaru’s shadow tendrils woozily sank back into the ground, and drew back into his normal shadow.
“Wh- WHAT DID YOU DO?” Shikamaru roared at Gengo in outrage.
Why was his voice affecting his shadows?
What in the world was he?
“Hm? I do believe I know that jutsu…”
It was Sai who made that comment. He’d now come to stand in front of Shikamaru, blocking his way.
“Sai, don’t you dare…”
Sai calmly said, his paintbrush furiously dancing along the scroll in his hand. The tiger that materialised from his scroll this time was black and white- and far, far larger than any of the others.
Sai said, pointing his paint brush at Shikamaru. The giant black and white tiger took that as a signal, and took one great step towards Shikamaru.
Shikamaru muttered, taking out a kunai and staring up at the tiger, readying himself for battle.
Suddenly, he felt something slam against his right leg. The second he realised that, something else slammed against his left leg, and right when Shikamaru realised the Enlightened Ones were bodily launching themselves at him, it was too late.
He hit the ground face first, several of the Enlightened piling on top of him and holding him down.
Sai commented, looking down at Shikamaru desperately trying to breath under all the bodies crushing him.
Shikamaru’s impeded field of vision picked up the shadow of a man approaching from behind Sai.
Gengo.
Gengo commanded of the Enlightened Ones.
“Now see, it is Shikamaru-san after all.” Sai said.
sounded like he was a collector who’d found an item he’d been seeking for quite a while.
Shikamaru craned his head to look up into a pair of suspiciously glowing blue eyes. Gengo’s gaze didn’t leave his for a moment.
“If you don’t get rid of me now, terribly frightening things will happen later.”
“I have no fears. You’ll be living right along with me.”
Gengo’s confident words were followed by a sharp pain in Shikamaru’s neck, and he lost consciousness.
*
This was true darkness.
There was no light whatsoever, to the point that Shikamaru couldn’t even see his own hands held an inch from his face.
It was in this kind of dark that he sat, and sunk deep into his thoughts.
He wasn’t sure how many days had passed. Judging by how frequently they’d fed him, and the state of his stomach, it had been at least five days.
How did things turn out like this?
No matter how many times Shikamaru turned over the events in his head, he couldn’t find a complete answer.
It wasn’t just the problem of Sai.
He’d extended his shadow all the way to the platform Gengo had been standing on. But his shadow hadn’t been able to ensnare his legs, losing sight of the target.
And Gengo had been aware of the presence of Shikamaru and the others. He’d called them ‘mice’. All this despite them perfectly disguising their chakra.
It was as if there’d been a barrier around the man that rendered all their jutsu useless when they got within a certain distance of him.
Could Gengo really disable jutsu?
Shikamaru couldn’t tell. But there was no mistake that something had interfered with both Shikamaru and Rou’s jutsu.
Shikamaru’s shadow couldn’t reach Gengo. When he’d tried to use the kagenui against Sai’s monstrous tiger, as well, his shadow had suddenly faltered and lost power.
The most appropriate conclusion was that either Gengo or an influence in Gengo’s surroundings, had weakened the potency of his kagemane.
Following that train of thought, there was a high possibility that Rou’s jutsu had experienced the same effect and been watered down. Then, Shikamaru’s own chakra signature had likely leaked outside the disguise, allowing Gengo to notice their presence.
That was the theory he had been going on for now.
Jutsu didn’t work against Gengo…
But why?
Shikamaru hadn’t had the time to gather enough information to figure out the truth behind the phenomenon. He hadn’t had rhe chance to investigate anything, even a little, so of course there was nothing for him to work with.
Not having anything more to go on, not being able to think about the reason, it irritated him.
He was losing his presence of mind…
“Geugh! Urghh!”
Somewhere in the darkness, Rou’s groans of pain reached Shikamaru’s ears. Soku’s cries came from somewhere in the darkness as well too. They both sounded like they were being held somewhere close to him. It sounded like they were undergoing severe torture. He only ever heard their voices in moans and whimpers.
For some reason, Shikamaru wasn’t tortured at all.
He murmured, looking towards the direction of Rou’s pained voice, although it was doubtful the man had heard.
This was the result of Shikamaru’s own hasty actions.
Wouldn’t it have turned out so much better if he’d just investigated Gengo a little more before acting?
There had been so many other plans he could have followed…
Shikamaru struck out with his fists blindly in the dark, hitting the cold, stone floor beneath him. He struck again, and again…
“Are you alive?”
Gengo’s voice came to Shikamaru in the darkness.
His captor’s voice took on a tone as if he worried about there being no answer.
Shikamaru’s chakra was depleted, but he wasn’t dead, and he knew Gengo was perfectly aware of that fact. Asking questions he already knew the answer to was nothing more than sarcasm.
“I see you’ve been eating all your meals.”
Shikamaru ate everything they gave him. Of course, only after checking if it was poisoned. Being able to taste the presence of a variety of poisons with just one lick was another of the basic foundation for shinobi.
Shikamaru was eating because he hadn’t given up.
As long as he was alive, there was bound to be some chance of escape. If his body couldn’t move as he willed it to when that chance came, then he would die.
We are shinobi because we endure.
That’s why Shikamaru had to believe that Rou and Soku hadn’t given up either.
“Do you feel like listening to my words now?”
“The dark is a very close friend of mine.”
“I’ll come again.”
The man’s presence disappeared as soon as it had come.
“ARRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
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