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Thunder and Black Wings 27
🕑 Added 2025-05-25 17:01:02 +0000 UTCI was gonna do a Fox Hole chapter today but the muse of this story was calling to me so ill update that one next.
Chapter 27:
– Blake –
Freaking ninjas were seriously trying to assassinate Iroh—arguably the chillest, kindest daimyo around. Even worse, they'd actually gotten terrifyingly close.
I didn't even have a chance to catch my breath or process what had just happened, because suddenly the entire ballroom seemed to erupt into panic. More enemy ninja dropped silently from the rafters above, blades flashing as they began attacking random nobles left and right.
Panic spread instantly, filling the grand hall with frantic screams and cries for help.
I quickly glanced around and saw that most of the nobles had at least one or two samurai guards doing their best to hold their ground, trying to shield their terrified employers. But they clearly weren't prepared for this kind of onslaught, and many were quickly overwhelmed.
Next to me, Iroh had stood up, and the gentle, cheerful expression I'd come to associate with him was suddenly gone. In its place was a hard, intense look of fury.
“You dare attack my home?” he growled deeply, flames suddenly erupting around his fists in a roaring blaze. The temperature around us instantly spiked, searing heat washing over me in waves.
I blinked in shock, stepping back slightly from the sudden intense heat. Holy shit, was this the legendary flame-based kekkei genkai of the royal family?
The previously gentle daimyo thrust his arms outward, palms open wide. Two ninjas who'd foolishly decided to charge straight at us barely had time to react before they were instantly engulfed in a blazing torrent of fire.
Their screams lasted mere seconds before they collapsed, reduced to smoldering heaps of charred flesh.
Damn. Azula’s uncle Iroh was hardcore when he needed to be.
He took a slow breath, steadying himself, then glanced over to me, his fierce gaze softening slightly. “Blake,” he said, his voice heavy but sincere. “Thank you. You saved my life. I owe you a great debt. But right now, please go and find Azula and Zuko. They’re all the family I have left, and I fear for their safety.”
I nodded instantly, my chest tightening at the thought of Azula and Zuko caught in this chaos. “Of course,” I said without hesitation, leaping smoothly over the toppled Pai Sho table we'd been playing at moments ago. “I'll find them!”
Electric currents of holy lightning crackled fiercely around my body, chakra surging through my limbs and enhancing my speed to new heights as I rushed back toward the main ballroom. People were running everywhere, nobles desperately seeking cover, and samurai trying to hold their ground against the sudden overwhelming enemy attack.
A lone samurai guard, covered in deep, bleeding cuts, barely managing to hold onto his sword. He stood protectively in front of two terrified noblewomen, both cowering behind him as two enemy ninja closed in, their blades gleaming cruelly.
Shit. I needed to move.
I launched forward, channeling chakra to amplify my speed as I rushed the attackers from behind.
“Hey assholes!” I shouted sharply, sparks of holy lightning flashing brightly around my clenched fists. “Didn’t anyone teach you it’s rude to interrupt a birthday party?”
They were already too slow to react.
Electricity surged through my fingertips, crackling violently with holy lightning as I rammed my palm into the first ninja's back. I didn’t bother holding back this time—not against an asshole who’d willingly cut down innocent people. A sharp, sizzling sound filled the air, accompanied by the pungent scent of burnt flesh. The ninja’s entire body seized violently, a strangled scream choking in his throat before he collapsed limply to the floor.
His heart probably just stopped dead. Good riddance.
“NO!” a voice roared nearby, raw with anguish and rage. The second attacker turned fully toward me, eyes wild and furious. “You bastard! You killed my brother!” He charged at me, drawing out a kunai in a desperate fury, his face twisted into a mask of hatred and grief.
I felt a momentary pang of pity, but only a moment. These guys had forfeited any right to sympathy when they’d stormed in here intent on murder.
I immediately fell back on the brutal training sessions Mom had forced me through all week. Compared to Shuri’s relentless assaults, this guy barely measured up to a decent chunin. He wasn’t anywhere near her speed or skill level.
I kept my stance relaxed but ready, waiting calmly even as he lunged, his kunai aimed directly at my throat.
“Die!” he screamed, voice ragged and desperate.
I watched his blade closely, tracking every tiny motion of his muscles. At the very last moment, just as the sharp edge flashed toward my jugular, I pivoted smoothly and tilted my head out of the kunai’s path. The blade sliced harmlessly through empty air, mere inches from my neck.
He stumbled forward, thrown off balance by the sudden absence of resistance. Instantly, my hand shot out, grabbing his wrist tightly. With a grunt of effort and a surge of chakra pumping through my muscles, I spun my body and flipped him completely over my shoulder.
The ninja slammed down onto the marble floor with a brutal thud, knocking the wind clean out of him. He lay gasping desperately, eyes wide and frantic, but before he could regain his senses, my heel came crashing down hard onto his throat. A wet crunch echoed up through my leg. The guy’s eyes bulged out as he twitched briefly, his struggling fading fast as his life slipped away beneath my foot.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself, then glanced over toward the wounded samurai who had been protecting the noblewomen. The man was clutching his side painfully, his armor stained red from numerous deep cuts, but he still managed a grim, respectful nod. I nodded back in understanding.
With that settled, I took off running deeper into the chaotic ballroom. The grand hall was now a horrific mess of panicked nobles and frantic servants sprinting in every direction, screams and shouts ringing painfully in my ears. Dammit, this was making it nearly impossible to spot Azula and Zuko.
A sudden explosion of brilliant blue fire erupted violently in the far corner of the ballroom, immediately drawing my attention. The scorching flames roared upwards, licking hungrily toward the ceiling as they engulfed several enemy ninja at once. I could hear their screams of pain, brief and terrible, before they fell silent.
Well, damn.
That was probably either Azula or Zuko.
I leaped swiftly over a group of fighting samurai and ninja, mentally apologizing to each warrior I passed by. I knew I couldn’t save everyone, as shitty as that felt. It sucked, but it was the truth. In the end, my friends—my new friends, apparently?—were a priority.
Not all lives were equal in my mind, and they never would be. I’d protect my family and those important to me first, every time.
As I pushed closer, Azula finally came fully into view. She was standing amidst several charred corpses, blue flames dancing around her fingertips like deadly sapphire ribbons. Her eyes weren’t wide with fear—they sparkled brightly with excitement and battle lust. Her lips were twisted into a wild, bloodthirsty grin as she glared hungrily at the three remaining ninja facing her.
“Hot damn…” I whistled softly in admiration before immediately wincing internally at my unintended pun.
It wasn't just Azula, though. Ty Lee—sweet, bubbly, cheerful Ty Lee—was fighting like some badass taijutsu master, dodging and flipping gracefully while kicking a chunin’s ass across the polished marble floor.
Mai, meanwhile, stood utterly calm. Her expression never shifted from that trademark bored look, even as she launched a precise volley of deadly kunai into the crowd. She was taking ninja down with effortless precision, blades embedding perfectly into throats and chests while nearby samurai kept them occupied.
And then… there was Zuko.
I winced slightly at the sight. The crown prince wasn’t exactly… thriving under pressure. He was clearly struggling against a single ninja opponent, red flames sputtering unevenly from his outstretched hands. His form was sloppy, and it was painfully obvious he didn’t have his sister’s skill or his uncle’s deadly power
Weren’t princes supposed to be badasses or something? Even his little sister was kicking way more ass right now.
Shaking my head, I moved quickly toward him first. A blue lightspear formed quickly in my right hand. I hurled it with all the strength I could muster.
The ninja Zuko was facing sensed it coming at the very last second. His head whipped around sharply, eyes widening in alarm, but he wasn’t nearly fast enough. My lightpear slammed hard into his chest, lifting him clean off the floor. Momentum carried his body through the air before pinning him brutally to the nearest wall.
He screamed—briefly—his body jerking violently as the heat of the lightspear itself scorched and fried his insides. Within seconds, he fell completely limp, smoke drifting from his charred body.
Zuko grimaced deeply, staring at the gruesome sight for a moment, clearly disturbed. But then he exhaled slowly, regaining some composure, and turned toward me with a reluctant but genuine nod of appreciation. “Thank you, Blake Himejima,” he said stiffly, managing a weak smile. “I still don’t particularly like you since you're obviously going to break my little sister’s heart. But… you saved my uncle’s life, and you probably just saved mine, too. So... thanks.”
I blinked rapidly in confusion, caught completely off guard by his words. “Wait, hold on—what? Break Azula’s heart? The fuck are you even talking about, man?”
Zuko shook his head dismissively, clearly not interested in explaining further in the middle of this shitstorm. “Later,” he snapped impatiently. “Just hurry up and come with me so we can help my sister.”
Azula honestly seemed like she was doing perfectly fine without us.
By the time Zuko and I reached her, the princess was standing over at least half a dozen burned and smoldering ninja corpses, blue flames still flickering around her fists. Her eyes glittered wildly, and she wore a satisfied, bloodthirsty grin.
“Is that all you pathetic assassins have got?” Azula cackled, practically daring anyone else to step up and try her. "Honestly, you’re all disappointing!"
Nearby, Ty Lee finished off the last of her opponents with a decisive kick to his jaw, leaving the poor bastard unconscious at her feet. As she brushed herself off, I caught her muttering softly under her breath, “Sometimes Azula, you're seriously too much...”
Mai, meanwhile, looked a bit drained, her breathing heavy and kunai blades still clenched tightly between her fingers. But the instant she saw Zuko beside me, her usually impassive expression lit up in relief. Without sparing me a second glance, she rushed past me and straight toward the prince.
I chuckled softly under my breath. Damn, she had it bad for him.
Then Ty Lee spotted me and let out an excited squeal, sprinting across the floor to throw herself into a tight, enthusiastic hug. “Blake! You came to save us! Thank you, thank you!” she said cheerfully, squeezing me tightly.
I chuckled awkwardly, gently patting her back as she nearly crushed me with affection. “Technically, I only ended up saving Zuko, you know…”
Ty Lee giggled, pulling back to grin brightly at me. “Eh, it's the thought that counts!”
Azula was still laughing darkly over the bodies scattered around her feet, but her laughter quickly trailed off into silence when she finally noticed my presence. Her eyes widened briefly, cheeks turning an intense shade of crimson. For a split second, she stood completely still, clearly mortified that I’d caught her in such a bloodthirsty moment.
I smiled reassuringly at her, shrugging lightly. “Don’t look so embarrassed, Azula. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of kicking their asses. Fuck these assassins, they deserve every bit of it.”
Ty Lee immediately groaned beside me, covering her face with one hand. “Oh no, Blake, don’t encourage her… You're just gonna make her crush on you even worse!”
Wait—what?
I gave Ty Lee a confused sideways glance, but before I could question her, Azula’s blush intensified. Her startled expression quickly shifted into a delighted smirk as she straightened proudly.
“Yes!” Azula declared boldly, fire dancing around her fingertips again. “Exactly as you say, Blake… Fuck these assassins!”
I blinked—I’d just gotten the royal princess to curse…
Unfortunately, the fighting wasn’t quite finished yet. A handful of enemy ninja still battled the remaining samurai around us, and I could see they needed help. Chakra surged through me again, lightning already crackling back to life around my fists as I prepared to join the fray.
But before I could take a single step, the ornate windows shattered loudly nearby, raining shards of glass across the polished ballroom floor. All eyes instantly turned toward the source of the sound.
I recognized her immediately.
It was Mom—fully decked out in her ANBU gear, the anbu raven mask covering her young face. Shuri zipped swiftly and silently through the crowd like a deadly phantom, tanto blade flashing out over and over. In seconds, she was slicing through the remaining assassins with brutal, merciless efficiency.
“Woah…” Azula whispered beside me, her eyes wide in amazement. “Who in the world is that?”
“That’s my mom,” I muttered distractedly, too stunned and impressed myself to realize I'd spoken out loud.
Instantly, I felt my stomach drop.
Shit. Did I seriously just say that? Only a handful of people even knew Mom’s identity! I quickly glanced at Azula and her friends, hoping desperately they wouldn’t pry further. Thankfully, Mom’s face was hidden behind her ANBU mask—there was no way they could know how young she actually looked.
Azula, however, just grinned even wider, completely oblivious to my momentary panic. She practically bounced on her heels in excitement, flames dancing around her fingers again as she turned toward me with an eager gleam in her eyes. “Your mother is such a badass, Blake!” she declared excitedly. “I would absolutely have to meet her!”
I sighed softly to myself.
Great. Just great.
– Konan –
“If you want something done right, you apparently have to do it yourself,” the glasses wearing ninja muttered irritably. “Too bad I don’t feel like doing it myself, so I’m outta here. Sucks to be Prince Ozai when they find out he planned all this…”
Konan hovered silently in the darkness above him, suspended effortlessly by her white paper wings. Her cold amber eyes narrowed dangerously as she recognized the arrogant voice below.
Kabuto Yakushi. Orochimaru’s little lapdog himself.
Kabuto continued muttering to himself bitterly, unaware of her presence above. “What an unexpected little surprise that Blake Himejima himself is here in the capital. My master will be quite pleased with this bit of information…”
Konan’s blood immediately boiled at his words, rage rising hot and sharp inside her chest. The audacity of this traitorous worm—threatening her angel? It was unforgivable!
She dropped from the sky, descending swiftly and landing on the tiled roof directly in front of Kabuto, her paper wings dissolving into countless fragments behind her.
Kabuto stumbled backward in shock, eyes widening sharply as recognition flashed across his pale face. “You? Konan? What the hell is the Akatsuki doing here!?” he sputtered, his usual calm confidence suddenly replaced with confusion and alarm. “Shouldn’t you be back in Konoha, desperately searching for my master?”
Konan rolled her eyes with open disdain, unimpressed by his pathetic assumptions. Clearly, Orochimaru and Kabuto had entirely misunderstood the nature of her stay in the Hidden Leaf. Why she was there in the first place.
“You really are a fool, Kabuto Yakushi,” she stated coldly, her voice dripping venom. “I honestly couldn’t care less about your traitorous snake of a master. But I absolutely will not allow you—or any of his pathetic little pets—to threaten or harm my angel, Blake-sama. That is a crime punishable by death!”
Kabuto’s expression twisted into an ugly grimace, sneering with visible disgust and irritation. “Seriously, how is that little nuisance who popped up out of nowhere getting all these powerful women to fall for him?” he mocked harshly. “Is it seriously just because he’s handsome…? How pathetic and shallow of you, woman.”
Konan’s eyes blazed furiously, chakra flaring through her body in response to the insolent remark. Her voice lowered dangerously, resonating with icy contempt. “Worthless scum like you, who only exists to hurt and manipulate others for your disgusting master’s twisted pleasure, could never understand what Blake means to me!” Her paper wings reformed instantly, stretching out behind her menacingly as she lifted her hands. Kabuto visibly stiffened, sensing her chakra spike and the imminent threat. “This twisted little attack you orchestrated ends now!” Konan shouted, thrusting her arms forward forcefully.
Immediately, hundreds upon hundreds of razor-sharp paper fragments surged forward, slicing viciously through the air toward Kabuto like a violent swarm of white hornets.
Kabuto’s eyes bulged in shock and fear as he desperately leaped backward off the rooftop. “Shit!” he hissed, his movements frantic as he narrowly avoided being torn apart completely. Still, he wasn’t fast enough. Multiple paper shards sliced mercilessly through his clothes and into his flesh, cutting deeply and painfully.
Kabuto cried out, blood pouring heavily from his wounds as he landed hard in the alleyway below. He staggered to his feet, clutching his shredded side, chakra already glowing faintly around his fingers as he began rapidly healing himself.
Konan glared down coldly, entirely unsatisfied that he was still breathing. Still, seeing Orochimaru’s prized pawn bleeding and fleeing for his miserable life was a good consolation prize—for now.
Kabuto’s pained voice echoed back up through the darkness, bitter and furious. “You’ll regret this, Akatsuki!”
“...”
A voice suddenly spoke up from behind her, sending an icy chill racing down Konan’s spine.
“Hmph. The pawn of a traitorous dog thinks he can threaten us? Pathetic…”
Konan’s heart seized painfully in her chest. She knew that voice. Swallowing hard, she slowly turned to face him, dread pooling deep in her stomach.
“Nagato…” she whispered shakily.
Standing there before her was the painfully familiar body of Yahiko, long dead yet now animated by the Rinnegan’s unsettling purple gaze. Nagato’s puppet, the very embodiment of Pain itself. Yahiko’s once-bright, hopeful features were pale, expressionless, and frozen in death, with those unnatural eyes staring back at her coldly… judgmentally.
She fought down the overwhelming sadness surging within her chest, forcing strength into her voice. “What are you doing here, Nagato?”
He ignored her question completely for a tense, silent moment, gazing at her with a distant contempt she’d never felt directed at her before. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and cutting. “You know, Tobi informed me that you had betrayed us,” he said calmly, each word carrying a brutal edge. “At first, I refused to believe it. Then I became furious—furious enough to personally raze the Leaf Village to ashes and drag you back to Ame, whether you wanted to come or not…”
“Nagato,” Konan pleaded desperately, her voice cracking slightly as her throat tightened with emotion. “Please, you know me. I never betrayed us. I’ve only found another path, another way to peace in this cruel world of ours.”
The reanimated corpse snorted derisively, cutting her off with clear disdain. “And yet, now I find the truth even more insulting. That you haven’t truly betrayed our ideals, no—you’ve simply become distracted…over a boy.” His lip curled slightly, voice dripping with disgust. “Perhaps I should correct that little distraction?”
“No!” Konan snarled fiercely, rage flaring in her amber eyes as she immediately took a defensive stance. In an instant, countless paper bombs swirled violently around her body. Her heart twisted painfully at the thought of harming Nagato, but she wouldn’t hesitate—not when Blake-sama’s life was on the line. “I swear to you, Nagato, if you lay even a single finger upon Blake-sama, I will fight you. I will fight Pain itself if that’s what it takes!”
Nagato’s undead eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise at her defiant outburst, before quickly narrowing again. After a brief silence, he finally exhaled sharply, visibly irritated. “Fine,” he relented bitterly. “I won’t harm your precious Blake Himejima. But you will return with me to Ame immediately, Konan. And if you refuse… well, you already know exactly what the consequences will be…”
Her heart shattered within her chest hearing the harsh finality in his voice. She could see it clearly now—the rigid, brutal path Nagato had chosen, and the vast chasm that now stretched between them. He couldn’t understand. Not yet. But perhaps she could still reason with him, make him understand…
“Nagato, please, just listen to me!” she pleaded desperately, trying to reach him one last time. “Blake-sama isn’t merely some foolish distraction—he’s genuine. An actual angel from beyond our world! He’s shown me real peace. I’ve seen it now. Violence isn’t the answer, Nagato. Other worlds have found harmony by talking things through and—”
But before she could finish her plea, the tiled roof beneath her feet cracked violently. Without warning, a dark, orange-masked figure emerged swiftly and silently from the shattered surface below. Konan gasped sharply, staring in horror as she found herself face-to-face with that terrifying, spiraling pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
– Pain –
Pain watched impassively as Konan's body sagged suddenly, her eyes dulling and slipping closed after staring into the swirling Sharingan eye of the masked Madara—or whoever the hell he truly was.
Instead of his usual irritatingly cheerful Tobi voice, the masked man now spoke in a deep, gruff, and authoritative tone. "I'll ensure her memories of that… distraction… are properly sealed away. My genjutsu should hold firmly for at least a few years." He paused, glancing toward Pain briefly. "Although, personally, I still believe it would simply be quicker and more efficient to annihilate Konoha immediately."
"We're in no rush," Pain finally replied. "The statue isn't fully prepared yet. We'll require at least another year or two before we're ready to begin the sealing ritual and capture all of the tailed beasts. Only then will the world truly understand pain—and learn to fear the Akatsuki."
He shifted his gaze slowly toward the ornate, sprawling palace in the distance—the very heart of the Fire Capital—and felt fresh anger boil inside him, raw and searing. His fingers twitched involuntarily, fighting back the impulse to summon devastation upon that damned place right this instant.
He had nearly lost Konan—his last, closest friend in this cruel world—all because of some stupidly handsome brat. It took every ounce of restraint and self-control Nagato possessed not to stride directly into the heart of the capital city right now, personally hunt down Blake Himejima, and tear that arrogant bastard limb from limb!
Konan belonged to him and the Akatsuki and no one else!
Yet, Pain knew better. Exposing himself openly here, of all places, would inevitably turn the entire world’s wrath against Ame far too soon, before the Akatsuki was fully ready to face such opposition. It was frustrating, but patience remained his greatest weapon.
After all, Orochimaru’s foolish assassins had just spectacularly failed in their idiotic attempt to kill the daimyo. Security around the capital was undoubtedly heightened.
He turned his head slightly toward Madara. "Did you place “Konan’s letter” inside their hotel room?"
The masked shinobi inclined his head briefly. "Yes. With my Sharingan, I was able to perfectly replicate her handwriting. The letter clearly explains that Konan had no choice but to return immediately to Ame due to an unexpected emergency. They’ll undoubtedly be suspicious of her sudden departure, but they'll have no concrete proof of foul play."
Pain exhaled quietly in satisfaction, the sharp tension in his shoulders easing fractionally. "Good," he said coldly. "With any luck, they’ll waste their time chasing shadows rather than suspecting our involvement." A moment of dark silence stretched between them before Pain finally allowed himself a small, cruel chuckle. "Who knows? Perhaps that arrogant fool Orochimaru will end up succeeding in destroying the Leaf for us after all."
Madara chuckled darkly alongside him, the sound dry and humorless beneath his swirling orange mask. "Wouldn't that be convenient?"
XXX
Comments
2010supersonic
I doubt that Blake will believe that Letter he will rush towards Amegakure and free Konan
Josh
Fuck i hate this type of stuff i want to say thx for the chap but this story and mc always feels like one step forward three steeps back
WhatAFungi
Nooooo Konan!!!!! Taken before she fully drank the Harem juice. This is so sad. Thanks for the chapter
RiceMan
Hopefully konna comes back next chapter I personally don't really like stuff like this happens but that's just a personal opinion
