Same As It Never Was (BNHA/Naruto x Reader)

First Villain Encounter

        The moment you felt the atmosphere shift into something tense, you instinctively hid away from the vantage of the see-through glass entrance, crouching behind the nearest aisle. You were somewhat at ease that the store was somewhat huge, giving you enough movement to maneuver your way in stealth. After years of training, battle experience and paranoia, your senses sharpened and were overly cautious of your surroundings; your muscle memory already having you reach for a weapon that you failed to supply yourself with.

Dammit, You don't even know if your current body is capable of any jutsus. Even if you're capable of performing them, you can't exactly explain to people that your body now has two quirks-- acid and fire (as a signature chakra-natured jutsu of yours)—if this news were to spread to the public; especially that her quirk bio was already documented at an early age of four. What are you gonna tell her parents? That your second quirk bloomed late?

That's not how this superpower thing in this world works. Or at least, you have yet to learn of complications of quirks. You can't rely on Mina to know and teach you everything. After all, she only told you of the basics, and she still had trouble recalling them. There's still more for both you and her to learn.

For now, you can't take risks.

'What's wrong? Why are we hiding?' As if to answer Mina's inquiry, three masked men entered the store; their aura you recognized to be the ones where you felt the sudden hostility come from—their killing intent may be nothing compared to what you faced before, but that doesn't erase the fact that they won't hesitate to kill someone.

And, of course, Kakashi was at the very front of the threats.

The moment they entered the store, the lanky masked man emitted small sparks of green electricity from his hand, before targeting the CCTV cameras; immediately hindering them offline and useless. The security guard instantly took action by the time his eyes traced the sparking energy to the suspicious group.

"Hey, d--" However, once his presence was acknowledged by the criminals, the giant of the three did not hesitate to charge and grab the uniformed man's head and crush it within his hand-- the appendage's size comparable to the guard's head; instantly gaining various reactions from all the people present in the store. It was a swift death, but brutal and absolutely disgusting, with the splattered brain remains and shattered skull fragments serving as emphasis that the group was ruthless. It was a wordless intimidation and a warning.

You remained unaffected, however...

'H-he... They-they just...'

You can't exactly say the same for this body's former owner.

Having to live a sheltered life would've been nice and desirable, however, to be naïve to bloodshed and murder would take a heavier toll to a civilian's psyche, compared to a war veteran's. But then again, there's nothing left of an experienced shinobi's psyche to break. To be constantly exposed to death, you'd eventually be numb to its supposed impact.

To normalize death—to feel nothing for it is simultaneously both desired and despised by a ninja.

It was convenient.

But inhumane.

If Mina and Kaminari were really serious of entering a career that involves violence for the sake of protection, it was only a matter of time when they get to see death in various forms.

It's best to start early.

You did, after all.

"Everyone gather here now!" The person that seemed to be the leader exclaimed, the people already cooperating and herding themselves in front of the empty counter and kneeling-- the cashier already joining the group, once he realized there was something jamming the signal that made him unable to call for help. "Remove all your valuables and surrender them in front! If we find out you hid any one, you die the way that cop did!"