I do not own any of the Naruto characters or settings.  I only own my OC, Akuma Izoku.

This chapter does not contain any contents of blood.  

I hope you enjoy the story of Akuma Izoku, Avenger of the Akuma Clan of the Village Hidden in the Shadows!

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The next morning, Izoku woke up on her bed, warm and comfortable. She groaned a little as she rolled over, pulling the blanket up more to cover her nose. This was ridiculous; there wasn't even a trace of light outside and she had to get up already?

Sighing, Izoku hauled herself up to get ready. She pulled on her ANBU wear underneath her usual baggy kimono top and pants. Tucking her mask under her dark green kunoichi vest, Izoku set out. She opened her front door to find Kakashi standing to the side, casually reading his godforsaken books of Icha Icha Paradise.

“Oh Kami, Kakashi.” Izoku rolled her eyes. “How much of a pervert can you get?”

“There are worst things people do as perverts,” Kakashi said bleakly, his nose still buried in the small orange book. Izoku sighed and exited her apartment, locking the door behind her.

“Shall we?” Kakashi mumbled, storing the book inside his back pouch.

“Hai.” Izoku nodded once and she set out to the staircase, Kakashi at her tail.

The two ninja reached the main street by the time the first hint of rays beamed weakly across the dark sky. They had breakfast at a porridge house, Kakashi paying once again.

“To prove I'm a gentleman.” He smiled.

“You paid yesterday.” Izoku crossed her arms as she slouched back on her seat. She slammed her own money into the waiter's hands as he walked away, leaving Kakashi flabbergasted.

“But I'm the man,” Kakashi protested. “I'm supposed to be supporting you!”

“Are you saying I can't take care of myself?” Izoku snapped, her violet eyes brimming with crimson. Kakashi leaned forward.

“Maybe I am.” Kakashi smirked. “Maybe I'm not.” Izoku broke out into a choppy laugh.

“What makes you think that? I've been on as many missions as you have!”

“The amount of missions doesn't prove skill.” Kakashi leaned his elbows on the table, resting his chin on the backs of his clamped hands. “It's the effort that goes into the missions that make you a good ninja.”

“But your incredible skill provides more missions for you,” Izoku insisted, leaning in and mimicking Kakashi. “Therefore, better ninja have more missions.”

“Like I said, the amount of missions doesn't prove anything.”

“Why don't you prove it?” Izoku sniffed, her chin up. The silver-haired shinobi raised an interested eyebrow.

“Prove what?” he chuckled.

“Your strength. Prove your strength to me by the end of this week.” Izoku let out an evil grin.

“Challenge accepted,” he sneered. “And the wager?”

“The one who loses,” Izoku slammed her palms onto the table, making everyone in the restaurant jump up in surprise. An evil glare glinted in her eyes. “Confesses their deepest darkest secret.”

“What is this, child's play?” Kakashi waved his hand at her, crossing his arms. “This isn't truth or dare.”

“What, are you scared?” Izoku pouted her lips. She lifted her nose away from him. “My, I could have never imagined the oh-so-great-prodigy Hatake Kakashi backing down on such a simple challenge,” She opened one eye to see him boil.

“Fine.” Kakashi clenched his fists. “The loser reveals their deepest, most darkest secret that absolutely no one knows about them. The competition ends within a week from now. In that time, we must battle three times. Best two out of three.”

“Deal.” Izoku smirked, holding out her gloved hand. Kakashi took it without hesitation and they shook on it. The challenge was on.

Izoku and Kakashi changed at the restaurant and arrived at the Hokage's office around the crack of dawn, with the edge of the pale morning sun barely peeking over the mountains. In the office were ten more ANBU members, masked and in uniform. Izoku pulled on her mask as she walked in, her flowing black hair rippling past her hips. She took position, standing up straight with her feet slightly apart and her hands behind her back, chin high, as the Hokage made his rounds.

“There has been rumors about a certain village plotting evil against the others.” the Hokage started. “They claim they have the last known member of a clan that possessed one of the darkest of any kekkei genkai in existence: the Akuma Clan from the Village Hidden in the Shadows.”

Izoku almost toppled onto her face as she let out a choked sound. The Hokage heard, unfortunately, and turned to her.

“Is there something wrong, Shedo?” he asked her, using her ANBU alias.

“N-no sir!” Izoku stammered. The Hokage raised an eyebrow.

“Izoku,” the Hokage said sternly. It made her flinch a little. “Take off your mask.”

“Hai.” Izoku bowed. She lifted up her mask with a shaky hand, making eye contact with the great Hokage.

“Tell me what's wrong,” Sandaime demanded with a soft voice.  "Is there something you know about this case?"

Izoku gulped.

“N-no sir," she breathed. “But this village...doesn't happen to be In'ei, does it?”

“It does,” the Hokage nodded once, eying her carefully.

That doesn't make sense, Izoku thought to herself. Last known member of the Akuma Clan? That's me! But the Shadow ANBU must have concluded that I died off in the wild after I escaped twelve years ago... Is there another Akuma member that had survived the attack?

“Rumor has it from visitors to Konoha that this specific village has been plotting a coup d'etat. On behalf of everyone outside of the Village Hidden in the Shadows, an elite ANBU squad of the Leaf will be deployed to In'ei immediately.

“Shikashi (however),” Samdaime nodded to Izoku, motioning her to put her mask back on. The kunoichi obeyed without hesitation. “I must have the consensus of everyone on the squad, which is why I brought twelve of you here; this mission requires a team of six.”

“Sandaime-sama,” Izoku spoke up, bowing deeply.

“Shedo-san,” the Hokage dipped his head slightly in reply.

“I promised to you twelve years ago that I would repay you by my loyalty and service. Not only that, I love the people of Konoha, who have accepted me into their land with open arms and wish to ensure their safety. I volunteer to go,” she said, still bowing.

“Very well.” The Hokage motioned to his scribe, who scribbled down Izoku's alias furiously.

“I volunteer to go as well, Sandaime-sama,” Kakashi murmured next to her. Izoku's mouth twitched, threatening to crack a smile.

The scribe wrote down Kakashi's name as well, with the Hokage's approval.

“And I too, Sandaime-sama.” A tall man at the end of the line bowed. He wore a green-streaked duck mask, a mound of lighter green hair rested on top of his head.

By the end of fifteen minutes, there were six volunteers.

“Niramu-san,” the Hokage addressed the green-haired ANBU. “You'll lead this mission.”

Niramu nodded. He walked up in front of the squad, for the rest of the ANBU nin had left.

“Team,” he said firmly. “We leave in an hour. Pack only bare necessities; we're going light to increase our speed. The Hidden Shadow Village isn't far away at all, but we'll need our strength if someone catches us. Understood?”

“Hai!” The five of the ninja nodded once and immediately dispersed.

Izoku appeared at her apartment door in just five minutes, Kakashi at her tail.

“I'll be waiting.” Kakashi waved to her.

“Okay.” Izoku nodded, stone-faced.

She quickly slithered inside her room, closing the door tightly behind her. She threw her mask on her bed, clutching at her face in despair.

This wasn't happening! Her first mission as an ANBU kunoichi and she gets this? After twelve reserved years in Konoha, she gets this; now, her peace will certainly be ruined forever. She furiously shoved a thin blanket and an extra pair of sandals in a small pack, stocking up her pouches with kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, wires, and other shinobi weapons; she tucked two scrolls inside her light gray vest. She threw her pack over her back, claiming her violet-streaked panther mask from her bed once again and pulled it on. She opened the door to find Kakashi waiting, his bag already packed and leaning against the wall, reading.

“Ready?” He closed the book and tucked it in his back pouch, lowering his ANBU mask over his face.

“Mm.” Izoku clenched her jaw and nodded once. The two launched themselves towards the north gate.

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