While the lovers moaned and kissed on the big bed, basking in each other's arms and sharing an orgasm, the neat black pattern on Kasumi's lower abdomen suddenly glimmered with faint light and completely vanished.
At that very moment, Kasumi reconciled with her subconscious and suddenly saw herself as a little girl who was very cold. Behind her, with grim faces, stood all the Nara Clan members, led by Shikaku.
Opposite the little girl, twenty meters away in the sun's rays, stood a young man smiling at her with a kind, bright smile. Behind the young man stood two girls holding babies, smiling too. The little girl smiled back and tried to step forward, wanting to rush into the young man's arms and feel warmth for the first time in a long while.
As soon as the girl tried to step forward, she realized she couldn't move even a step. Turning around, she saw her own shadow inextricably linked to the shadows of all the clan members. She tried to step forward again but couldn't budge.
Turning back to the clan members, tears streamed from her eyes. Suddenly, she waved her hand, and the shadow holding her tightly snapped. Glancing at them one last time, she saw faces distorted with rage.
The little girl cried even harder and barely found the strength to turn away. Seeing the radiant youth before her, she took a step toward him, then another, and another. With each step, she sped up, then broke into a run. The closer she got to that bright youth, the more her tears turned from sorrow to joy. At the last moment, she jumped, and was caught in strong but gentle arms, then enveloped in loving embraces, feeling warmth for the first time in ages.
Evening of the 189th day.
On a richly decorated veranda sat two people. A stately forty-five-year-old man with a neat goatee and hair tied in a spiky bun. Opposite him sat his younger copy. A ten-year-old boy with extremely clear eyes for such a young age. Between them was a shogi board and two cups of the finest tea.
Looking at his little son, Shikaku squinted contentedly. More than peace, the current Nara Clan head loved watching his son. In every action of his, Shikaku saw pragmatism unusual for other children, and double or even triple meanings.
Nara Clan members had always been renowned for their intellect, but little Shikamaru surpassed all his peers in this, and even his father and grandfather at that age. Shikaku saw in his son a future pillar of strength for the clan, and possibly someone who could break through the hitherto impregnable barrier for Nara Clan members—the coveted rank of Kage.
In all history, only the Nara Clan founder had held the title of Kage, laying the strongest foundation for the now-prospering clan in just twenty years. From him, clan members inherited shadow manipulation and superb intellect.
Suddenly Shikaku's smile froze, then slid off his lips entirely. He felt something he couldn't explain. Like a taut string snapping in his brain. The last time he'd felt something like this was during the Second Shinobi World War, when his cousin died at the exact moment he was in headquarters assisting his father.
He still hated himself for wiping benches and devising strategies instead of covering his brother's back. But most of all, he hated the one who'd killed his brother—and best friend. Now that killer bore the title of Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village.
Even then, Rasa was a renowned shinobi who'd taken countless lives with his golden sand, terrorizing the battlefield, and that fateful day was no exception.
Shikaku, then just a Jonin, knew he wasn't a match for Elite Jonin Rasa. But that didn't diminish his desire to kill him one bit. Now, having learned the clan's deepest secrets and at Elite Jonin rank, Shikaku dreamed of facing Rasa on the battlefield. He wasn't afraid of Kage-level shinobi at all, only slightly wary of figures like Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju. But by all accounts, such shinobi were gone from the world.
"The game's over. Go to the Training Ground and train Shadow Needles until sunset. – commanded Shikaku, standing up and heading outside unhurriedly."
"Yes, Father… - sighed Shikamaru. He had no intention of arguing with his father—not when he was enraged. The young clan heir knew his father's temperament well and noticed the slightest changes in his behavior and expressions. He hadn't seen his father this angry in a long time and decided to retreat quietly to avoid his hot temper."
Shikaku silently descended the veranda and strolled along the neatly laid stones by the pond with koi frolicking and sparkling in the sun. Right now, he wanted no contact with anyone and tried to dispel his rage in silence and calm.
Suddenly his sharp gaze caught an unusual sight. One small koi was trapped, buried under a large branched tree limb that had fallen into the pond. The little koi was incredibly beautiful, but the shadow from a big rock kept it from shining in the sun, and the snakelike black branches prevented escape.
Shikaku was about to help the poor fish but stopped. Before his eyes unfolded a completely atypical scene. A larger koi burst through the branches, circled its kin, then shot outward, clearing a path for the smaller but stunningly beautiful koi.
As soon as they broke free from the shadowy trap, they immediately displayed their full splendor, gleaming in the sun's rays. They swam joyfully side by side, sometimes spiraling, creating an incredible spectacle.
"Shikaku-sama. – interrupted his thoughts one of the clan elders."
"Yes, Yoshiro, speak."
"Kasumi's tablet has been destroyed. – reported the elder curtly."
Shikaku said nothing, just took a deep breath. He already knew, so the news didn't surprise him. With each rank, shinobi sensed the world better and had incredible intuition. That's why Kage-level shinobi rarely died by the sword.
"Good. Pass on my decree. Any reliable info on Kasumi earns a reward based on value. Announce a one-million-ryo bounty on her kidnapper, and five million if brought to the Nara Clan alive. – said Shikaku."
Suddenly spotting the same frolicking koi in the pond, he added: - The kidnapper must be alive and unharmed, or no reward.
"Yes sir! – reported Yoshiro, and upon seeing the nod, retreated immediately."
Shikaku glanced again at the koi rejoicing in freedom, took a deep breath, and headed into the house.