The meeting ended. Everyone left. Except me.
I stayed in the Hokage tower. Staring at the map. The empty space where the Rain Village used to be.
TICK TICK TICK
The clock. Loud.
Tsunade sat behind her desk. Her head in her hands. She had not moved in an hour.
Shin. Go home. Rest.
I shook my head.
I need to tell you something.
She looked up. Her eyes were red.
What?
I'm leaving.
Silence.
The clock stopped. No. It kept ticking. But I could not hear it.
Tsunade stood. Slow. Her chair scraped the floor.
CREAK
What did you say?
I'm leaving Konoha. Tonight.
BANG
Her fist hit the desk. Papers flew.
WHOOSH
No. Absolutely not. You are the only one who can fight the Collector.
I am the reason he is coming.
She walked around the desk. Stopped in front of me.
You saved the world. You killed Kaguya. You are not leaving.
I looked at her eyes. Brown. Tired. Scared.
He wants me. If I stay. He will attack Konoha. Everyone will die.
Then we fight.
I shook my head.
The village is still weak. The war just ended. People are healing.
My voice dropped.
I will not be the reason more orphans are made.
CRACK
Her voice broke.
You sound like him.
Who?
Naruto. Always sacrificing himself. Always running away to protect others.
HAH.
A dry laugh. From me.
Maybe that's why he's my friend.
She grabbed my vest. Pulled me close.
Listen to me, ghost. Running away is not protection. It's cowardice.
I grabbed her wrists. Pushed her hands away. Gentle.
Staying is selfish. I am a magnet for death. Everyone around me... dies.
Silence.
She stared at me. Her lip trembled.
You don't know that.
I know Madara killed me once. I know Kaguya almost killed Naruto and Sasuke. Because of me.
I stepped back.
The Collector wants my system. He wants to absorb it. Become stronger.
THUMP
My heart. Loud.
If he gets it. Everyone dies. Not just Konoha. The whole world.
Tsunade's face crumbled. Tears fell. Silent.
DRIP DRIP
On the floor.
When will you come back?
I don't know.
SOB
A small sound. From the Hokage. The strongest woman in the world. Crying.
You're a fool, Shin Anaro.
I know.
I walked to the door. Stopped.
Tell Naruto... tell him I said thank you.
For what?
For showing me that being alone was a choice.
I opened the door.
CREAK
Shin.
I turned.
What?
Tsunade wiped her eyes. Her face was hard again. Hokage face.
Don't you dare die out there.
HAH.
A small laugh.
No promises.
I left.
The night was dark. No moon. No stars.
I walked through the village. Empty streets. Closed shops.
CRICKETS
Singing. Like nothing was wrong.
I passed the ramen stand. Closed. Ichiraku's sign swung in the wind.
CREAK CREAK
I passed the training grounds. Empty. The wooden posts stood like ghosts.
I passed Naruto's apartment. Light was on. I could hear him moving inside.
THUMP
Something fell.
OW
His voice. Cursing.
HAH.
A laugh. Quiet. Sad.
I wanted to knock. To say goodbye. To see his face one more time.
No.
If I knock. He will stop me. He will talk. He will make me stay.
And I would stay. Because I am weak.
I walked to the gate. The guards were asleep. Leaning on their spears.
SNORE
Loud.
I stepped over them. Silent. The way ghosts move.
The forest welcomed me. Dark. Cold. Smelling of pine and dirt.
WIND
Whistling through the branches.
I walked for an hour. Two hours. The village was far behind.
I stopped at a river. The water was black. Reflecting nothing.
I looked at my hands.
Why am I doing this?
Kurama's voice. Low. Tired.
Because you are afraid.
Yes.
Of what?
Of watching them die. Of failing them. Of being the reason the world ends.
Hmm. A growl. Then. Naruto would stay.
Naruto is stronger than me.
No. Naruto is more stupid than you. There is a difference.
HAHAHA
I laughed. Water splashed. A fish jumped.
SPLASH
Maybe.
I sat on a rock. Looked at the sky. Still dark. Still empty.
The system hummed. Inside my chest.
The voice. Not the system. My voice.
You are running.
Yes.
Coward.
Yes.
But sometimes... running is the only brave thing left.
I closed my eyes.
The river flowed. The wind blew. The crickets sang.
And Shin Anaro. The ghost. The hero. The coward.
Left home.
CRACK
A twig.
I opened my eyes.
Someone was there. Standing across the river.
A figure. Tall. Mask. Black cloak with red clouds.
The Collector.
HAHAHAHA
His laugh. Like broken glass.
Running already, ghost? The night is young.
I stood. My hands were fists. My heart was racing.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
I am not running from you.
Oh? Then where are you going?
Somewhere you can't follow.
HAHAHAHA
His laugh echoed across the river. Across the forest. Across the sky.
I am everywhere, Shin. Every village. Every grave. Every shadow.
He stepped closer to the water.
You cannot hide from the dead.
I stepped closer too.
I am not hiding.
Then what are you doing?
I looked at the sky. Still dark. But the edge was grey. Dawn was coming.
I am hunting.
His mask tilted.
Hunting what?
You.
Silence.
The river stopped flowing. The wind stopped blowing.
The Collector tilted his head the other way.
Hoh. Brave words for a dead man.
I pulled a kunai. Marked it with Flying Raijin.
We are both dead men. Let's see who stays dead longer.
I threw the kunai.
WHOOSH
He disappeared. Black smoke. Laughing.
HAHAHAHA
See you soon, ghost. Bring your stolen scraps.
Gone.
I stood alone. The river flowed again.
SPLASH SPLASH
My hands were shaking.
But my feet were steady.
I turned east. Toward the Land of Shadows.
Toward the Collector.
Toward whatever came next.
The ghost was gone.
The hunter had begun.