Kenka stood just outside the towering village gates of Konoha, the sun beginning to dip lower into the horizon behind him. He dismissed the air scooter moments before, choosing to make the last stretch of the journey on foot. The rhythmic crunch of gravel beneath his sandals grounded him, each step feeling heavier the closer he got.
Planting his hands firmly on his hips, Kenka stared at the village he called home. The gates stood tall and silent, casting a long shadow across the dirt path. 'There's no place like home they say… Guess they were right.'
With that thought, Kenka exhaled and walked forward with purpose. He strode through the gates with pride, his flak jacket still dusted with sand and dried blood. His mind replayed every moment from the mission—every kill, every tactic, every scream. He had done more than survive. He had won. The number of Sand Shinobi he had taken down wasn't small, and his incursion beyond the Land of Fire's border into the Land of Wind had put even more pressure on the enemy lines.
Most shinobi wouldn't have made it back from such a reckless pursuit. But thanks to Aang—and perhaps a little luck—Kenka had returned, alive and empowered.
As he made his way through the streets, heading toward the Hokage's office, a familiar group came into view up ahead. The sun was beginning to dip behind the rooftops, making it hard to make out their faces. Kenka lifted a hand to shield his eyes, squinting as the silhouettes approached. "Is that Team Minato?" he muttered under his breath.
The closer they got, the clearer their features became. Blond hair. Bright orange goggles. A calm, silent figure flanked by two younger ones. 'They're heading out at this time? That's a little different from the Canon no?' Kenka mused.
The group came to a stop in front of him.
"Kenka, you're back already?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head slightly. His eyes narrowed in quiet scrutiny. "They sent you all the way to the border didn't they?"
Kenka shrugged. "My mission got done sooner than I expected. The Sand's forces comprised of a bunch of Genin, with few genuine Chunin or Jonin."
Kakashi gave a small nod, but his eye flicked over Kenka's shoulder. He scanned the empty space behind him, then asked without malice, "And your team?"
Kenka's expression darkened instantly. He said nothing.
"Sorry," Kakashi murmured, recognizing the silence for what it was.
Rin and Obito, standing on either side of Kakashi, didn't speak. They simply looked on, their expressions filled with quiet sympathy.
Behind them, Minato cleared his throat and stepped forward. His voice was steady and cold, all business. "It's time we get moving. This mission won't be waiting for us."
Kenka watched as the group moved past him. Kakashi gave him a brief nod before walking on. They had once been on the same Genin team, back when life felt just a little less suffocating. But Kakashi's rapid promotion to Chunin had placed distance between them. They weren't close. Not really.
With a sigh, Kenka shook his head, pushing the memories of his fallen team out of his thoughts. He turned and continued toward the Hokage's office.
After a brief walk through winding corridors and staircases, Kenka stood before the door of the Hokage's office. He knocked twice and waited.
"Enter," came the voice from within.
Kenka turned the knob, stepped inside, and bowed deeply. He straightened, then launched into his mission report, voice level and efficient.
The Third Hokage stroked his beard thoughtfully as he listened. "I see. Good job."
Kenka bowed again and turned to leave, but the Hokage coughed softly, halting him.
The old man pulled open a drawer and retrieved a scroll. Unrolling it across the desk, he tapped its contents and spoke again.
"There has been an urgent call for reinforcement at the Land of Waves. Multiple Kirigakure ninja are said to be trying to take the region for themselves. I'll give you three days to recover since you don't look too injured. Go there as soon as you can."
Kenka's teeth clenched, but he bowed again and took his leave without argument. As he descended the steps outside the office, his thoughts began to boil over.
'I'm not injured, but at least give me a damn break. I just came back from the battlefield and he wants me to fight another one. I'm just a damn number to him!'
His hand balled into a tight fist as he reached the final step. 'Fine, if he wants me to leave as soon as possible, I'll leave first thing in the morning. I'll kill as many Kirigakure ninja as I can with this new airbending ability and gain a ton of summons! I'll set these summons free to do whatever they want and wreak havoc on this shitty world. If the leader of the place I called home views me and my teammates as numbers, I'll show him what this one number is capable of!!'
A maniacal smile stretched across Kenka's face as he exited the building. The mask was back on.
'Anyway, the first stop is home! It's been a while since I've seen my mother.'
Walking through the busy streets of Konoha, Kenka's mood soured further. Children laughed and ran around, playing harmless games. Adults strolled by, chatting, smiling, oblivious. The peace and joy in the air clashed violently with the blood on Kenka's clothes and the weight on his conscience.
It made him sick.
A ball bounced in front of him, rolling to a stop near his feet. A small boy ran up quickly and bowed his head. "Sorry, mister!"
Kenka blinked down at the boy, then bent to pick up the ball. He handed it over and ruffled the kid's hair gently. 'I can't bring myself to blame the innocent. The problem is the system…'
The boy grinned and ran off, laughing as he rejoined his friends.
Kenka raised his hand in a lazy wave and resumed walking toward the suburbs.
'If I ruled this world, I could fix all its problems. The problem is that there are so many different rulers! We just need one!'
His pace slowed as he got lost in thought, footsteps becoming more absentminded.
Bringing both hands up, he ran them through his hair and let out a low grunt. His breath was heavy as he tried to calm the storm building inside him.
'I really need to go see my mother and relax for a bit.'