Kuru

**Kuru** are an antagonistic force in Ninja’s of the Dead aka Everything Dies, they serve as the primary catalyst for the events within the AU.

## History

It is heavily implied the virus originated from the ocean and from a shark bite. The Kuru virus was discovered by Orochimaru. While recorded incidents were initially scarce, cases were eventually discovered by the public within four months. Media outlets reported on a virus that caused aggression and cannibalism, other reported on incidents of dead people coming back to life but different.

## Infection

The Kuru are the result of infection by the ‘Kuru’ or ‘Fish people’ virus resulting in bites and scratches from the infected or from bodily fluids such as blood and bacteria that resides in a zombies mouth. The origin of the infection itself is said to come from the bite of a shark as well as it is said to be waterborne. The infection may spread to the fetus of an unborn baby thus turning them infected however, the infected also can reach partway to an unborn baby thus turning them into hybrids as many are seen throughout the AU excluding the children of the cast of Naruto / Glad you Came. The host appears to stay in some state of consciousness once the virus has taken control. They retain a certain ability to talk, always heard as violent cries for help especially if they are newly infected. The virus is known to be smart / incredibly intelligent keeping its host alive long enough to mutate them. The cause and reason for this is unknown.

### Signs and Symptoms

The following are symptoms after being infected by the virus:

* Pale skin
* Cold and flu like symptoms
* Blue tint or bruising around the eyes (periorbital ecchymosis ('raccoon eyes'))
* Bleeding from the eyes, nose, and mouth
* Blindness whiting of the eyes or the eyes turn a bright blue
* Surfaced veins around the neck and head
* Blue-gray skin
* Gills on the neck
* Asphyxiation
* Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
* Drooling
* Tiredness
* Sharp shark-like teeth
* Discoloration of the skin or the bite wound
* Necrosis of the bite wound
* Death
* Reanimation

### Treatment

There is currently no treatment for the infection but there are ways to prevent it in some way by amputating the infected limb however, if the bite is on the neck, head, or torso, amputation would be impossible another method would be suicide by gunshot or mercy killing to prevent reanimation. While the virus has no cure, there have been instances of characters becoming cured with an experimental vaccine, the case being with Itachi Uchiha.

## Abilities

The infected are partially or fully blind and rely on their enhanced hearing and smell to find intended victims.Some infected are incredibly smart knowing how to climb, open doors, etc. The average infected person displays low intelligence and often push and shove other infected to get to their intended target much like small children. Some also have the ability to run indicating they may have been newly infected. They are also incredibly dangerous in large numbers.

## Nicknames

* Bad ones (悪いもの, Warui mono)
* Dead ones (死んだもの, Shinda mono)
* Dead people (死んだ人たち, Shinda-hito tachi)
* Fish people (魚人, Gyojin)
* Ghouls (グール, Guru)
* Sick (病気, Byoki) - Due to the world not knowing what was going on during the apocalypse
* The dead (死んだ, Shinda)
* Them (彼ら, Karera)
* The passed (合格したもの, Gokaku shita mono)
* They (彼ら, Karera)
* Undead (アンデッド, Andeddo)
* Walkers (ウォーカー, uoka)
* Wendigos (ウェンディゴス, Uendigosu)
* The gone (消えたもの, Kieta mono)
* Virus Nicknames
* Kuru (くる, kuru)
* Fish people virus (魚人ウイルス, Gyojin uriusu)
* Nasu virus (那須ウイルス, Nasu uriusu)
* Solanum virus (ナスウイルス, Nasu uriusu)
* Seishu virus (青州ウイルス, Seishu uriusu)
* Same (saw- may) Flu

## Disposal

Killing the infected is usually achieved by stabbing them through the head or heart which often does the job. Decapitation usually works but can often fail similar to that of snakes and eels whose nerves are still active after decapitation before death.

### Known Infected:

* Itachi Uchiha (cured)
* Wakisaka (deceased)
* Hisashi Igou (deceased)
* Hidan (cured)
* Aikoku (deceased)
* Atomu (deceased)
* Choei (deceased)
* Eishun (deceased)
* Hayata (deceased)

## Variant(s)

Over the years, The Kuru virus has evolved into mutating its hosts.

### Death Stenches

Nikiru a death stenchThe most common variant is a death stench. After infection, the infected swell to an enormous size and fuse with sea life that is the person is closest to such as seaweed, dead corpses, coral, and a shark. The virus rewrites the victims genetic code causing the mutation to spiral out of control. Some Death Stenches are capable of speech albeit by mimicking voices. The mutation can rarely cause the infected to take on a grotesque human-like form.

#### Nikiru

Nikiru was a shinobi who was infected with the Kuru pathogen while walking home from the academy. He fell ill after returning home and eventually became a death stench but not before annihilating his family. Nikiru has served as a major antagonist turned anti hero protagonist in Ninja’s of the Dead. And has served as a friend towards Boruto and the other survivors. In life, Nikiru was a teenage boy who kept to himself, but was outgoing towards family and friends. After becoming infected, he has lost all the humanity in him, but has learned speech and how to get part of his humanity back by Himawari Uzumaki out of kindness. He was voiced by Youko Matsuoka in Japanese, Maïk Darah in French, and Frances de la Tour in English.

Nikiru in the mangaNikiru in the live spectacle/ live actionNikiru meeting Boruto Uzumaki in the anime