Chapter 3: Killer B's Nightmare

As the current Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails in Kumogakure, Killer B held an unparalleled position within the village. Moreover, his lineage added to his significance—he was the nephew of the Third Raikage, A, and the cousin of Tsukigami Kouichi. (Yes, this is canon.)

With his noble heritage and formidable strength, Killer B was deeply trusted by the Third Raikage. Whenever the Raikage left the village for battles or diplomatic missions, Killer B was often left behind to safeguard the village, a role akin to the position Rasa held in Sunagakure. Even the Eight-Tails, Gyuki, had a certain level of respect for him, allowing Killer B to reach the pinnacle of mastery as a Jinchuriki. His control over the Tailed Beast's power rivaled that of Mito Uzumaki from Konoha and Bunpuku, the wise monk of Sunagakure.

However, despite his exceptional lineage, abilities, and character, Killer B lived under the shadow of fear and disdain from the villagers of Kumogakure.

This animosity stemmed from a traumatic incident—a rampage by the Eight-Tails.

Back then, Killer B was still a child, newly chosen as the Jinchuriki. Lacking the experience to control the Tailed Beast's power, the Eight-Tails had broken through the "Iron Armor" seal, escaping his body and wreaking havoc in Kumogakure.

The chaos caused immense destruction to the village. Many elite Jonin sacrificed their lives under the Eight-Tails' horns and massive hands.

It was only after the Third Raikage personally intervened, battling the Eight-Tails for three days and nights with his indomitable body, that the beast was finally subdued and resealed. (The scar on the Third Raikage's chest came from this very battle.)

Although the Third Raikage and the village's leadership worked tirelessly to downplay the incident—after all, Tailed Beast rampages were not uncommon in the history of ninja villages—the villagers of Kumogakure were not so forgiving. Their resentment toward the young Killer B was unrelenting.

This hatred was deeply rooted in Kumogakure's ancient tradition of "blood vengeance."

In truth, this tradition was not unique to Kumogakure. Most ninja villages, originally formed by clans, shared similar practices. The interests of the clan were paramount. Harm inflicted upon one member was seen as harm against the entire clan; retaliation was often directed at the family of the perpetrator.

This tradition was a double-edged sword. In external battles, leaders loved to group blood relatives into the same squad. If an enemy killed one, the rest would fight with unparalleled ferocity, united in vengeance.

But internally, this led to endless cycles of blood feuds, causing severe internal strife within the village.

Killer B's childhood was marked by constant assassination attempts from vengeful clans. If not for the Third Raikage's precautions, he might not have survived to adulthood.

Despite the Third Raikage repeatedly and publicly declaring that the Eight-Tails' rampage was an accident unrelated to Killer B himself—and even punishing several would-be assassins—the villagers refused to relent. The attempts on his life continued unabated.

Whenever Killer B walked through the village, he was met with hateful glares and whispered curses. Each look felt like a dagger piercing his body, each word a stab to his heart.

What had he done wrong? He had been just a child at the time.

The Third Raikage often consoled him: "The fault isn't yours; it's the Eight-Tails within you that lost control. If you want to change how the villagers see you, you must find a way to harness that wild power. When you become the village's pillar of strength, the villagers will naturally come to accept you."

Killer B took these words to heart. He trained tirelessly day and night, striving to communicate with the Eight-Tails. Eventually, he succeeded in mastering its power, achieving great feats during the Second Shinobi World War by repeatedly defeating Iwagakure forces and earning significant accolades.

Yet nothing changed. The hatred remained. The assassinations persisted.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Killer B was consumed by despair. Night after night, he was jolted awake by nightmares, haunted by the fear of an assassin appearing in his room at any moment. These nightmares had become his torment, leaving him physically and mentally drained, and often imagining the horrors of death.

If Jing Hang were here, he would probably pat him on the shoulder and say:

"Hey, man, you're dealing with a psychological condition called persecution delusion. You need treatment. The best solution right now is to find a secluded place to hide out for a while (to avoid assassination), paired with therapy and medication. Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and perphenazine are all effective options."

Recently, the ninja world was in flux. The Third Raikage and Tsukigami Kouichi were both leading forces away from the village, leaving Killer B and Dodai in charge of Kumogakure's daily affairs.

After finishing the last document on his desk, it was already late at night. Killer B rubbed his temples in exhaustion, got up slowly, washed up quickly, and went to bed. Before long, he drifted into sleep.

In his dreams, countless red-eyed shadows wielding kunai and ninja blades were relentlessly chasing him.

All he could do was run aimlessly, desperately, but no matter how far he ran, he couldn't escape...

Meanwhile, in his bedroom, a faint rustling sound echoed from an unknown corner, as if something was crawling and slithering.

A figure slowly emerged at the foot of Killer B's bed, its yellow eyes gleaming as it silently watched the tormented, dreaming Killer B. Through the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains, the intruder's identity became clear—it was Orochimaru.

"Stay away! Stay away! It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" Killer B muttered in his sleep, his voice trembling.

Orochimaru licked his lips and chuckled softly. "What a frightened child you are."

"Who?!" Killer B suddenly jolted awake. But before he could react, Orochimaru moved with lightning speed, covering Killer B's mouth with one hand while slipping a small pill into his mouth.

The pill dissolved instantly upon contact with his throat, spreading its effects throughout his body in mere moments. Killer B's entire body went numb; he couldn't move a single finger.

Orochimaru smirked as he observed the results, pulling out a kunai and pressing it gently against Killer B's throat.

"So, this is it? It's finally happening... but maybe... this is for the best. At least it will all be over," Killer B thought, closing his eyes in despair.

But Orochimaru didn't strike. Instead, with a sharp "rip," he tore open Killer B's shirt and began forming hand seals with both hands.

"What is he doing? Isn't he here to kill me?"

Killer B opened his eyes, staring intently at Orochimaru's hands.

"No... it can't be... he's—"

"Iron Armor Seal: Release!" Orochimaru's palm slammed into Killer B's abdomen.

A wild and overwhelming force broke free from its restraints, surging out uncontrollably!

Killer B's eyes turned red, and his body began to swell and transform.

Orochimaru cautiously stepped back, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "It seems the hallucinogenic pill worked perfectly. Now, go on, unleash your destruction. Show me the extent of your power."

With that, he slowly sank into the ground, disappearing without a trace.

"ROAR!!!"

A colossal figure burst through the roof of the building, letting out an earth-shattering roar that shattered the tranquility of Kumogakure's night.

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~

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