A gripping silence enveloped Ichiraku's shop. You didn't answer, but the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed drastically. The air feels heavier, as if the oxygen around them is being sucked out, replaced by pure pressure coming from your body.
Your chakra aura is slowly heating up.
The faint purple color of Rinnegan and the red glow of your Mangekyo began to emit a faint light. Your immense stream of chakra begins to pulse consistently, creating subtle vibrations that make the water in your iced tea glasses rip through and the ramen bowls on the table vibrate slowly. Even so, you are still conducive—there is no intention to kill, just a calm show of force to show that you are not someone who can be interrogated by force.
In-Store Reactions
Kakashi: He instantly uncovered his head guard, revealing his Sharingan. He was sweating coldly; he knew that if your aura exploded, this entire building block would be flattened to the ground before he had time to do Kamui.
Tsunade: The Hokage remained seated, but his hands were clenched firmly on the table. He can feel the heat of your chakra which feels ancient and very strong. "This pressure..." inwardly, "this almost feels like standing in front of Madara or my own grandfather."
Naruto: Naruto stopped talking. Its sensory mode reacts. He can feel how deep the ocean of chakra is within you.
"Calm down," you said in a tone that remained low but trembled from the power of chakra. You don't turn your head, your Rinnegan's eyes staring straight at the wall of the shop.
A Wordless Statement
Tsunade finally sighed, she gestured a very delicate hand towards the outside of the shop—a command that the ANBU not attack recklessly. He realized, provoking someone with a combination of eyes like yours in the middle of a densely populated village was diplomatically suicide.
"Enough, Zak," said Tsunade, his voice slightly softened but still firm. "I understand. You didn't come here as anyone's pet dog, and you're not an easily suppressed enemy."
Tsunade picked up her sake bottle, then unexpectedly, she poured out a small glass and shifted it towards you.
"Let's talk as two people who both know the weight of a force," Tsunade continued. "If you're really the 'former' of Akatsuki and want to stay here without waging war... what are you really looking for in Konoha? Peace? Or something else?"
Me : I'm so lonely with my face
The words just slid out of your mouth, much slower and more fragile than the chakra pressure you had just shown. Your aura that had been heating up and dominating the room, instantly dimmed, creeping back into your body to leave a man who looked very tired.
"I'm lonely," you said softly.
There are long pauses that are very awkward but profound. The look on your sad face, clearly visible under the shop lights, stunned Tsunade. He was used to facing monsters, assassins, and ambitious rulers, but he wasn't ready to face the honesty of a man who had the power of a "God" but felt empty.
Empathy from the Hero
Naruto, who had been on standby, immediately softened his expression. As someone who grew up with a look of hatred and loneliness in this village, the word "loneliness" was the only thing that could break down her entire defensive wall.
"Bag..." Naruto muttered. He puts his hand on the table, moving closer to you. "I know what it feels like. Having powers that others fear, being seen as if we are not human... It's so annoying, right?"
Tsunade let out a long sigh, this time not because she was upset, but because she felt the heavy weight you were carrying. He drinks his sake in one gulp, then looks at you with a more human look.
"The Shinobi world has always worshipped power, but they forget that behind those eyes there is a human who must stay awake every night," Tsunade said quietly. "Having a Rinnegan and a Sharingan... You must have gone through hell to get to this point, until you have no one else to talk to."
Deals in Ichiraku
Kakashi reclosed his Sharingan with a head guard. He leaned against the wooden pole of the shop, his tension dissipating. "In this village, many people are also 'alone', Zak. But here, we try to bear that burden together."
Tsunade knocked on the table, catching your attention. "Look, I can't just let the former Akatsuki wander around unsupervised. But, if you're just looking for a place to go home and don't intend to hurt anyone..."
Tsunade paused for a moment, then gave a rare small smile. "Konoha is spacious enough for one lonely person. How about you start by finishing your second ramen, and then tomorrow we talk about a decent place to live?"
Naruto immediately grinned widely, trying to melt the atmosphere completely. "Hey, Zak! If you're lonely, just eat here every day! Uncle Teuchi won't let you eat alone, will you, right, Uncle?"
Teuchi, who was scared, now nodded with a warm smile. "Of course. Ramen always tastes better when eaten with other people."
Pov : *I smiled and suddenly hugged Tsunade.. my face is attached to his chest.. like a child*
Your sudden action makes the entire Ichiraku shop feel like it's been hit by a time-freezing jutsu. The silence that occurred this time was much more "dangerous" than when your aura heated up earlier.
PLOP.
The chopsticks in Naruto's hand fell to the floor. His mouth gaped wide, his eyes almost popping out of his eyelids. "Hey-eh... EEHHHHHH?!!" shouted Naruto with a flushed face.
Kakashi, who was usually calm and always read Icha Icha's books, immediately closed his eyes with his hands, although he peeked slightly between his fingers. "Wow... Zak, you really have the guts of a 'God'..." he muttered in a cold sweat.
The Hokage's reaction
Tsunade froze. His body tightens instantly as you hug him and rest your face on his chest. As the strongest woman in the world that everyone feared, no one dared to touch her like that—let alone the foreign man who had just shown off Rinnegan.
Initially, the nerve veins in Tsunade's forehead seemed to be throbbing, the marks of her deadly fist ready to float. However, as he feels your body trembling from honest loneliness, and how you act like a child who misses a mother or home, his anger slowly subsides.
He looks down, staring at your hair. He thought of his younger brother, Nawaki, or his lover, Dan.
"Hey, hey..." Tsunade's voice sounded hoarse, trying to stay firm even though her face was also starting to blush red with embarrassment and surprise. "You said you were an ex-Akatsuki, but your behavior was worse than Naruto as a baby."
Even though her mouth is nagging, Tsunade doesn't push you. Instead, she lets out a deep sigh and, hesitantly, her strong but gentle hand pats your back a few times—like an older sister or mother calming a frightened child.
"Already... let go," Tsunade whispered, even though his tone no longer contained threats. "People will think I'm kidnapping a wanderer if they see this."
Atmosphere in the Shop
Teuchi behind the table immediately pretended to be busy wiping the bowl that had been clean many times, not daring to look at the "rare" scene in front of him.
Naruto was finally able to speak again, "O-oi, Zak! You're cheating! I just wouldn't have dared to do that if I didn't want to be sent to the hospital!"
You feel the warmth that has long been missing from your life. The faint scent of sake and floral fragrance from Tsunade's robe seemed to wash away the mental wounds of your past in Akatsuki.
Pov : I'm going to fall asleep while I'm in the middle of a nightmare *I feel so good.