Naruto: The Seraph Project

Chapter 95: Cracked

Once outside, we immediately go to Lady Tsunade's office to explain what happened. I'm still in shock. I never thought that this group could kidnap me in broad daylight. I still don't know why they didn't take me to one of their laboratories to quietly conduct their exams.

I let my guard down, and Naruto knew something was wrong—no, I knew something was wrong. The one who has worn the appearance of Yamato uses Henge no Jutsu perfectly; he copied my kohai's scent brilliantly, and I was completely fooled. Additionally, he made sure to separate me from my student and isolate me. Like an imbecile, I blindly trusted this thug instead of trusting Naruto, who tried to hold me back, to warn me... I also ignored my intuition and this strange voice, which screamed at me to turn around. I feel so, so stupid...

In all of this, my odour puts others off, and I weigh my words. They look at me with disgust, refrain from pinching their noses while standing as far away from me as possible. The stench of the sewers has anchored itself in my skin, but according to their nauseated faces, it's worse than the smell of shit; to believe that they're facing a corpse in an advanced stage of decomposition.

The aggressive presence of the blond covered in blood doesn't help at all. He clings to my hips, hissing loudly like a dire warning; at that, his black tail is wrapped around my legs. He lets them know to keep their distance. I can't calm him down. Even Shikamaru, like Shizune, found refuge behind the Hokage's office. I feel like I'm carrying a contagious disease...

"This group is interested in my mark," I continue, stroking the back of my neck. "They don't have the slightest idea what it is. Apparently, I would be the first marked human." I touch the wound in my neck, where this psychopath stabbed me with his syringe. "They knocked me out in order to examine me and find answers. They had time to collect my blood before Naruto arrived. They wanted to take another sample, and I have absolutely no idea for what..."

A silence settles in.

Everyone dives deep into their thoughts. I sink into my own mind, reliving the scene a second time to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. In fact, a detail that I've not revealed troubles and worries me. I bit someone like a savage, and I didn't hesitate for a single moment to do it. I can still feel these fangs easily piercing the delicate flesh; I still taste the blood on these killing weapons that I licked. The urge to sink my teeth into him and tear his hand away was so strong that I couldn't choose. This is such that I bit him by instinct. I would never do such a thing, even in this kind of situation. In panic and helplessness, I no longer was who I am.

I had become feral. This realization terrifies me more than being the target of this group.

Am I really losing my humanity...? Even if I don't turn into one of these creatures...?

"Damn it," Lady Tsunade blurts, clicking her tongue in her mouth. "They didn't wait to attack you. It concerns them as much as us to act so quickly. Even they have no answer regarding this mark. This doesn't bode well at all."

"Do you think they're looking into whether he's becoming a chakra devourer?" Shizune says.

"Or if they can turn him into a chakra devourer," Shikamaru adds darkly.

"We can't wait any longer. They have already started moving again, and quite aggressively. We have no choice but to move forward with our operations." Godaime lands her gaze on me. "Kakashi, we'll probe his mind tomorrow morning, when he's most weakened. In the meantime, please! Take a shower! Did they bathe you in the sewers or roll you in a pile of dead animals?!"

"Listen! I have no idea what's going on with me! These guys said I give off pheromones that give me this putrid smell, and I don't know why or how!"

"Stop spreading them then!"