The Shadow (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 8

Kozuri followed the man who claimed to be his friend to a pier far from the village. There Kozuri saw a bunch of people dressed similarly to the man waiting. "Is that truly lord Azak?" That was what notice Kozuri the most. How excited the people waiting were for him. Kozuri felt tense the last time someone was this excited to see him life treated them like garbage. "Lord Miza you actually found him!" Kozuri looked to see a man who looked like he was trying to copy the man's style walk up to him. "I sure did Kotal let's sail home." Kozuri looked back in the direction he came from. Naruto and Sasuke will be ok without him but it was like a part of him wanted to stay regardless. "Lord Azak is everything alright my lord?" Kozuri turned to see everyone looking at him. Instead of answering Kozuri just started walking along the river. He heard the others talking amongst themselves excitedly but he just kept walking. Kozuri felt numerous voices calling to him from far away and he knew it was the Nine. "Lord Azak do you remember Salazar's teachings how are you walking on water?" It took Kozuri a second to realize he was being spoken to so when Kozuri looked up to see everyone on the boat looking at him Kozuri felt anxious. "Azak do you even remember your name?" The one called Miza spoke up and Kozuri glared at him. "My name is Kozuri and I will kill you all if you call me that wretched name again." Kozuri winced internally for he didn't mean to grow angry at that name. Miza noticed the pained expression Kozuri had before seeing how his sudden anger made him stressed out. "It's fine Kozuri. No probably my friend but would you kindly answer our questions? We haven't seen you in so long." Kozuri looked at Miza, searching for an ulterior motive, before relaxing when he found none. "First do any of you know what chakra is?" All of them shook their heads making Kozuri nod before explaining everything. By the time he was finished the island was visible. "Wait so you know how to access this energy inside us called chakra but you also can still use the Nine's power?" Kozuri nodded. "It was Paarl who helped me pick up chakra actually. Why does that Beast do so much for me Miza?" At his question Miza suddenly looked incredibly sad and depressed which concerned Kozuri. "I'll tell you when its just us Kozuri so please wait on that." Kozuri just nods and he answered more questions until the boat docked. There he was swarmed by more people and his walls went up. Miza noticed the shadows creeping out of Kozuri's back which surprised him. "How are you so far ahead of the rest of us?" Miza was told Kozuri would be capable of creating shadows out of nowhere when his connection to Paarl grew stronger. But to see it happen was a different story and he knew Kozuri was about to attack. "Everyone back off! He just got home leave him alone!" Everyone looked at Miza before the man jumped down in front of Kozuri. "Kotal have the boat unloaded I need to take Kozuri to see someone important." Miza's words made the crowd part and Kozuri walked passed them which Miza noticed was with tense shoulders. He caught up to his friend to see Kozuri clawing at his arm which rapidly healed. Kozuri whipped around to see Miza who saw the feral eyes staring at him like a predator to prey. However they vanished and Kozuri's eyes had a terrified look before finally settling back to their emotionless state. Kozuri was traumatized by something horrifically so in fact that he has  a fractured mind. "Is that who I think it is Lord Miza?" Both men look to see a lady wearing a beautiful dress that seemed to shine like the night sky and had her hair in a pony tail. Her hair matched the dress as it was a deep dark blue that seemed to radiate light. "Yes it is Lady Ashira. I have brought your son back from the mainland." Hearing that shut Kozuri's brain off. He has a mom? Why was he on the mainland? Kozuri was brought out of his storm when he felt a soft touch to his cheek. When he focused he saw it was Ashira. "My son you have grown so much from that young boy I watched." Kozuri felt an ache in his heart that made it hard to breathe. It felt like his lungs were on strike refusing to work and Kozuri was panicking wanting to breathe. "Lady Ashira get away from him." When the woman backs away Kozuri went to reach for her but that's when he saw his hand and his expression turned to shock. Kozuri's entire arm was incased in hardened shadows that gave him a monstrous paw that had claws that looked like it could cut through anything. Kozuri just stared at his arm in shock before feeling an intense heat. When he looked up Miza had flames wrapped around him and was watching Kozuri intently. "I know you didn't mean to Kozuri but you need to relax friend. We want to help you so badly it hurts us." Kozuri heard the pain in Mika's voice so he tried his hardest and when his arm turned back to normal Kozuri felt incredibly weak. Kozuri stood tall though and when he looked both of them were surprised. "Incredible he is still capable of standing even with using so much of Paarl's power." Miza spoke up but what Kozuri was focused on was a panther like beast walking from behind the two out of the trees. Kozuri walked passed the two adults up to the panther. "Kozuri don't hurt him he's someone you know very well." Kozuri wanted to make a sarcastic remark to Miza but he was more focused on the beast in front of him. Kozuri dropped to his knees when he got to the panther before wrapping his arms around the cat's big head. "It's been so long Kozuri. I've missed you so terribly." Kozuri felt like a piece of him came back to him. "Paarl I've missed you as well." Paarl felt Kozuri's grip tightened and the cat just kept rubbing his massive head against Kozuri's chest. The two stayed like that for a lengthy amount of time. "Lord Paarl did you know he was coming home?" Paarl opened his purple eyes to looked at Ashira. "Yes but he isn't home are you Kozuri? The Leaf is where you belong." Kozuri nods without even thinking. "You all need to learn Azak is dead the boy died after what happened back then. He left in hopes of hunting down the one who killed his father and died." Kozuri looked at Paarl who seemed nervous. "Who killed him?" Paarl looked Kozuri in the eyes. "My child the one who saved you did."