Two figures, very memorable figures, appeared.
"Minato-sensei?"
"Minato-brat?"
"Yondaime-sama?"
Namikaze Minato smiled politely, waving.
"Kushina-san?"
"Kushina-chan?"
"Tomato-brat?"
Uzumaki Kushina, on the other hand, grinned widely and gave everyone in the room a peace sign as she cackled which was quickly silenced when she caught sight of a youth that looked eerily like Minato but beyond the golden hair and blue eyes, the set of his jaw, the shape of his eyes and his broad-shouldered build gives her very memorable vibes of her father.
"M-ma…" Naruto trailed off as he heard that she was called Uzumaki Kushina who he remembered Mito telling him was his mother.
"Na-Naru-chan?" She whispered, walking closer to her son in untold amounts of shock while in the background, Minato was looking on in fondness.
"Wait…" Sakura murmured as she looked between Kushina and Naruto, a light of recognition in her eyes as she saw the resemblances. "God damn, Naruto's Kaa-chan is so pretty!" She squealed causing the other genin kunoichi to nod in agreement while the younger men rolled their eyes, though they internally agreed.
Mother and son found one another in embrace, both of them sobbing and laughing at the same time.
Tsunade smiled gently, glad to see her surrogate son so happy while Jiraiya was slapping Minato's shoulder as Minato looked on at his wife and son with unshed tears in his azure orbs.
"I've wanted to meet you forever, Ma!" Naruto laughed as he pulled back, looking into his mother's eyes. "I got so many questions to ask ya-ttebayo!"
"Dattebayo?" Kushina laughed lightly, tears still sliding down her cheeks. "You really are my child, aren't you?"
Naruto just grinned.
"Well, I am sure these alternate universe stories will explain all your questions." Kushina said, throwing her arm over her son's shoulder. "For now, there is someone else here that has really been waiting to meet you."
Naruto looked confused as she pointed at the Yondaime Hokage.
"Eh? Ma knows the Yondaime?" Naruto wondering, arching an eyebrow as he walked closer to his idol and tilted his head, looking him up and down. "Ma, are you sure this is the Yondaime Hokage that defeated furry? He looks kinda flaky, don't ya think?"
Kushina cackled and Minato grumbled.
"I had the exact same reaction…when I met your father." Kushina said brightly, a knowing smile on her lips as Naruto's eyes widened.
"The Yondaime Hokage is…" Sasuke and Neji trailed off.
"…Naruto's father!?" Sakura and Ino shouted, utterly stunned.
"How troublesome. It was obvious." Shikamaru muttered under his breath, shaking his head at how anyone could think that the Yondaime and Naruto were not carbon copies, except for the fact that Naruto had a broader build than his slender father.
"Ho…so the boy is a Hokage's son." Tobirama murmured under his breath, sizing up this supposed Yondaime Hokage.
"This man seems a fine Hokage." Hashirama commented. "His strength is greater than even yours Saru." Hashirama told his old student while Hiruzen just gave his successor a proud smile.
Naruto was silent for a moment.
"He-"
Minato was cut off when Naruto landed a harsh punch into his stomach causing Kushina and Anko to laugh and for Sakura and Kurenai to fret at Naruto for his immaturity.
"I deserved that." Minato grunted as he stood straight again. "I know that I have no excuse, my son, but I want to tell you that I am proud of you, of the shinobi that you have become."
"Ah! I don't know whether to punch or hug you, old man!" Naruto growled, furiously messing up his hair.
Madara could understand these feelings with his own infuriating father.
"Well, well, now that, that reunion is done, shall we continue!?" Tsuchi said with a laugh, winking at Naruto.
"Tch, whatever." Naruto crossed his arms and took a seat, trying to hid the flush on his cheeks from his father who just smiled gently at him and took a seat on his one side while Kushina took a seat on the other side.
"So, who would like to read next?" Tsuchi wondered, holding the book in his hands for anyone to grab it.
"Give it here, you dopy god!" Kushina laughed as she grabbed the book, opened the necessary page and took a deep breath, ignoring Tsuchi's muttering of 'dopy god'.
The betrayal you can see is trivial. The betrayal you cannot see is much more fatal, frightening, lethal...
"Ain't that the truth." Hashirama said with a glare to Madara who looked away innocently, refusing to look at his old rival.
My Priestess: Seira
"Ah. So, it is explaining how he recruited each of his most powerful subordinates." Hiruzen mused, nodding in interest.
"I do wonder what frightening abilities a priestess could have." Madara muttered, having never met a priest or priestess that was even a slight challenge.
I was born with beauty, talent, and power. In all honesty and without hubris, I can say that I am a special person. Blessed three-fold, they called me. A genius of the highest caliber, they called me. And because of this blessing, I was reared to be the perfect heiress to the Akatsuki clan of Onmyoji, practitioners of the art of Onmyodo, Japanese magic used to exorcise youkais.
"Onmyoji?" Mito was curious. "I have long heard that the Onmyoji did exist and they fought against demons, though I have never myself met one."
"The Onmyoji do exist in your worlds, though they are not called as such." Tsuchi told the wife of the Shodaime Hokage. "Instead, the art of Onmyodo has been separated, with some of its teachings taught to the shinobi and others to the samurai and the rest to the priests." Tsuchi shook his head. "It is an almost dead art in your world."
"How sad." Kushina whispered, wondering what she would feel like if the Sealing Arts were a thing of the past.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, was focused on the 'Akatsuki' part of the equation. Was it the same Akatsuki or was it a clan that just bore the same name? He didn't know but it would be good to remain vigilant.
"The Hyuga Clan, anyone?" Madara whispered to Izuna, Tobirama and Hashirama who begrudgingly agreed with the Uchiha Lord. The idea of putting their greatest member on a pedestal was all the Hyuga knew how to do.
Indeed, one could say that I was born with the sole purpose of inheriting the Akatsuki clan. I had no real purpose of my own. The meaning of my own existence was decided by my family before I was even born - to eventually take up the mantle of leadership of the Akatsuki clan. I was made to usher in a new age for the Akatsuki clan.
Since the young age of five, the head of the clan decreed me to be sent for training - all to mold me to become the quintessential leader. The oldest memory I had was of me training and learning. While others laughed and played with their toys, I underwent rigorous training. How to present myself, tea ceremony preparation and presentation, flower arrangement skills, the Onmyodo techniques of the Akatsuki clan, everything was drilled into me... for the sake of the ideal and faultless leader.
"Because that is exactly how you do NOT break your successor!" Tsunade snapped sarcastically, glaring at the book.
"And I thought the bloody Hyuga were weirdos." Madara whined, ignoring the glare of Neji who felt insulted at the slight against his clan. "Oh, quick getting your panties in a bunch, baby Hyuga." He waved the young Hyuga's anger off.
"I agree with Madara-san!" Naruto said with a grin. "These guys are stupid! Why can't they just let a kid be a kid?" He stuck his tongue out at the book.
"You are so mature, dobe." Sasuke drawled, smirking.
Naruto blew his rival a raspberry.
During what little breaks I had, I often looked towards the streets from the balcony of the Akatsuki mansion, gazing distantly at the sights of children my age frolicking about, laughing in joy. And I always felt a distant sense of hollowness, a faint tinge of envy and resentment towards those children. I wondered, what made those children different from myself? Why were they able to play while I had to engross myself in my studies? As I looked at them prancing about in the playgrounds, I found myself whimsically wishing that I could join them and bask in the same joy. I found myself cursing my "blessing". If only it wasn't for those, I could have been a normal child...
I was a bird caged in a prison of expectations and ideals. I was a hollow creature who held the expectations of those around me, and had none of my own.
"Do you want to get your clan massacred?" Sasuke snapped. "That's how you get your clan massacred." Sasuke drawled, realizing that this could have been the reason that Itachi snapped and turned against the clan as he did.
"Sasuke…" Naruto was horrified.
"What!?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at his rival.
"Did…you just make a joke?"
Sakura smiled, realizing what he was doing.
"Is the world ending?" She indulged in the teasing as she turned to Kakashi-sensei with a horrified expression on her face.
"Something has gone terribly wrong." He played along.
"I hate you guys." Sasuke deadpanned. "Like seriously. So much."
Team 7 laughed, ignoring the disgruntled Uchiha, while everyone else in the room looked at them like they were mad, well except for Anko who was cackling alongside Naruto.
As I grew up, I eventually forgot about the whims I had as a child, forgetting the childish dreams of one day escaping the clan, discarding and suppressing the part of me that wanted to form friends with the children outside. My sole purpose was to become the leader of the clan, and the reason of my existence was to lead the clan... this was what I eventually thought.
"Remember, Seira... We are white. We, the onmyoji, are the light that protect the people. We are justice. The Yokai are black. They are the darkness that pervade every corner. They are evil."
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Everyone turned to Madara and Naruto who were giving a slow clap, obviously delighting in mocking the old clan leader in the book.
"I was wondering what other stupid shit that he could spew from his mouth and Mr. Clan Leader far exceeded my expectations!"
"Yeah! You can't blame an entire race of people for something a few people did!" Naruto growled, getting very high undertones of his own experiences. "Why are people so stupid!?"
"Naru-chan!" Kushina snapped, glaring. "Language."
"B-"
"I said. Language."
"Yes, Ma."
Kushina grinned, pleased, while Minato smiled nervously.
Mito and Tsunade, on the other hand, were pleased that Kushina managed to silence her usually rambunctious son with only a few words since Tsunade personally knew how difficult he could get and Mito knew how bad his grandfather used to be.
"Oh. She really is Mito's relative." Hashirama paled as he looked between his terrifying wife and her equally terrifying descendant.
It was these principles, these belief that onmyoji were justice and youkais were evil that I was brought up with. Hence, as I adopted these beliefs, I exorcised any youkais I was commissioned to without any mercy. Sometimes they were large, malevolent, and easy to banish without remorse... and sometimes they were small, pitiful creatures, whom were merely at the wrong place at the wrong time. But I indiscriminately killed them all, because I believed that they were all evil.
"Tch. This is the price of ignorance." Izuna grunted, annoyed. For all that he was a warrior and killed hundreds in his service to the Uchiha Clan, Izuna had long been a man that despised harming the innocent that were merely living their lives in peace.
Hiruzen, on the other hand, merely shook his head at such an indiscriminate loss of life, being reminded of the guilt that has plagued him as a cost of the Uchiha Clan's destruction.
On the surface, I was perfect. As I fitted every aspect of the ideal onmyoji the higher-ups of the Akatsuki clan held, it was confirmed that I was to be the forty-forth head. I was exemplary and the model all onmyoji should aspire to be, I held strength, beauty, talent - therefore I was to be the leader.
One could say I was blessed.
But beneath the facade, I was cracking. Beneath my demure and gentle personality, I showed to the world, I was stumbling beneath the weight, the pressure of what it meant to be "perfect". But I persevered, all for my false goal of eventually leading the Akatsuki clan.
I ignored the fact that I did not know what else to do after I became the head. For I wholeheartedly believed that being the perfect heiress to the clan was my only role, my only reason to exist.
I ignored the fact that I had no personal hobbies, no dreams, no aspirations of myself. For I wholeheartedly believed that being the perfect heiress to the clan was my only role, my only reason to exist.
"It is because you do not anything outside of your purpose to rule that your rule will not be one of success." Hashirama said calmly, his expression disapproving.
"For when that title means nothing, you will crumble away like dust." Madara said, smirking at his rival.
"What the hell are you old guys talkin' bout?" Naruto wondered, looking at the two like they were senile.
"What, the old guys as you say, are talking about, young Uzumaki," Tobirama smirked as he said 'old guys' louder than necessary causing the two to scowl "is that what will happen if her title is taken from her? When she no longer rules as head? At that time, without any other purpose outside of her leadership, she will not have the strength to stand back up.
Naruto still looked confused.
"Well, think of it like this Naruto, why do you want to become Hokage?" Minato wondered, having heard of his son's dream and feeling very proud.
"I want to be stronger. Stronger than anyone else that exists in this world, or any world." Naruto told his father with a wide grin.
Madara grinned, glad to see at least one Hokage would not be all about friendship and guts and all that bullshit that Hashirama always talks about.
"So, even if you don't become Hokage, will that goal to become the strongest change?"
Naruto shook his head fervently.
"That is your purpose and no matter what happens, it will not break." Kushina added, her expression gentle. "Even if you lose everything, that desire to become the strongest will keep you up but this girl does not have that purpose to keep her up when she falls."
Naruto nodded, understanding now.
Breathing deeply, Kushina continued reading.
Eventually, during the winter, I turned eighteen, the age when I was to ascend to onus of leadership. The day before, I was sent out with a group of my fellow clansmen to exorcise a malevolent spirit residing in the western regions of Japan, near the city of Kyoto.
It was perfect. I was to return, victorious, to celebrate the "honored heiress" becoming the forty-forth head of the Akatsuki clan. I was to take part in the ceremonial ritual commemorate my coming of age, which was when my grandfather then would pass on the position and responsibility of the head to me. My "dream" was to be realized.
But it was not to be.
"And so, the fall begins." Madara said, his expression oddly sympathetic for this girl that reminded him so much of himself.
It was winter.
"Haja Rengekifu!"
I shouted desperately, my hand weaving through the motions for an Onmyodo art. A pale white magical circle formed at my front, summoning a swarm of charms that emerged and threatened to drown my foe beneath it. Each of these charms were poisonous and toxic to a youkai, just as holy light is to devils.
However, I was in a precarious situation. What was originally a squad of five, was whittled down to a two, and out of this two, one was responsible for sustaining a barrier to isolate the battle from the world. In other words, I was now facing the youkai alone. I had no time to grieve for them - for the moment I stopped, I would die.
As the wave of charms neared the youkai, it only smirked, condescension and disdain in its eyes. The charms collided with the youkai and the ground, tossing up debris and smog in the resulting explosion.
I took the momentary lull in the battle to compose myself, gulping down as much air as I could for the next engagement. For no matter how much I hoped so, I knew that the battle was not over. It was not for the first time that I cursed an oni's durability.
As the smog gradually let up and faded away, a silhouette of the oni, a hulking and towering horned beast with fangs and forked tongue, akin to that of snakes appeared. One of its hands grasped a huge and thick club that threatened to smash one's heads into splatters of blood should it connect. It was this beast that emerged unharmed from the explosion, gutturally growling.
"Guhaha! Is that all you got, onmyoji of the Akatsuki?! You disappoint me!"
"Cocky asshole." Ino sniffed, glaring.
I grimaced. Haja Rengekifu was one of my strongest technique - strongest in the sense that it was almost unparalleled in the capacity to slay a youkai. Yet, even that was not enough? I started to wonder if I could even handle this Yokai alone...
"If you do not have faith in yourself, you will fall." Tobirama said, expressionless but the glint in his eyes revealed his interest in this priestess.
No.
Do not think that way.
Tobirama nodded approvingly.
"Think only of the opponent before you, and slay it with every ounce of your power. That is the only thing that matters. Do not waver. Do not hesitate."
Madara grinned, mildly impressed with the priestess.
The words of my mentor, my grandfather resounded throughout my head.
"Yokai are evil. We are justice."
Everyone, even Danzo, rolled their eyes.
If this Yokai were to left unchecked, it would only continue its rampage - leading to greater casualties. This was a monster, one who held no remorse in its action. This was an abomination, one who felt nothing in trampling over innocent lives. There was nothing to think about. All I had to do was to exorcise this Yokai. With that in mind, I closed my eyes and concentrated on gathering power into my palms, channeling reiatsu, the power of the soul, the energy which all onmyoji used for Onmyodo, to fuel my technique.
"Taima Ryuuseifu." I calmly uttered out the name of the Onmyodo art.
"Ho?" The oni let out a sound of interest, its supernatural sense, which every being who were in some way affiliated to the "paranormal" possessed, alerting it to my use of reiatsu.
Calmly opening my eyes, I focused only on my foe, and burst towards it in a single step. The oni only smirked, holding up its club, gladly welcoming me to the duel.
"Guhahaha!"
It swung, each smash of its club colliding with the ground to throw pellets of snowy earth upwards. It took all I had to evade, and attack with my hands with what small openings that lingered. This youkai was indeed... powerful. There was no doubt in mind that this youkai was the strongest I had ever encountered before in my life. But...!
It was not swift enough to evade my attacks - attacks that, as an Onmyodo art, held the power to exorcise it.
THUD!
"Beat the shit out of him!" Anko cheered, grinning darkly.
My fists met flesh. But I did not stop there, I continued attacking, releasing a barrage of punches towards my foe. Even so, even with my fists imbued with reiatsu, my fists felt like they were punching through a wall of steel. That was how strong and thick an oni's hide was. It was then my instincts screamed at me - something was coming! - and I quickly jumped back. Not a moment sooner, the ground I previously occupied was smashed, creating a small crater at the point of impact.
"Gu... What did you do?!" The oni let out a roar of rage and pain. On the surface, it looked relatively unharmed, only the barest of scratches marring its body. But I knew better.
Naruto and Kushina cackled, cheering the priestess on.
Taima Ryuuseifu was a technique that imbued one's fist with reiatsu, then surgically inserting it into an enemy's body through a point of impact, the current case being my landed punches. And as reiatsu, the energy used for Onmyodo, was akin to poison to youkais, Taima Ryuuseifu could be used to bind or destroy a Yokai from the inside. In other words, Taima Ryuuseifu was a technique that adapted ordinary martial arts for combat against youkai.
The reiatsu I injected into the oni previously was quickly proving to be effective, as proven by the beast's loud roar of pain. But I knew that would not be enough to kill it... This oni had proved time and time again its defense was far stronger than its brethren.
The yokai's eyes, two red orbs of fire, then tunneled ominously onto me. Without a warning, it charged, and in an instant, the giant oni was right at my front, its arm raised up ready to deal a final blow, to smash me into a bloody smear on the earth.
Fast.
That was what I thought, as time seemed to compress around me. As my eyes barely tracked the giant's motion, I quickly judged that the oni's attack was too fast for me to evade. In that case...!
"Kekkai Kikyou!"
A spherical dome of purple energy formed in an instant, as wisps of purple light carved shapes of bellflowers in the resulting barrier. Within a second, the oni's club crashed downwards, clashing against my barrier in an attempt to reach me. But my barrier did not yield.
I frowned. We were too evenly matched. I could evade or block all of its attacks - and it could just weather through all of mine. At this rate, this stalemate would continue until either I made a fatal mistake or when the damage it took accumulated until it was too much for its body to bear. It was simply a contest of attrition. And if so, I was sure to lose. After all, the limits of the human body can only stretch so far. Hence, I had to end the battle soon, as quickly as possible. In that case...
"You're better... better than the others, at least, Akatsuki onmyoji. I will give you at least that." The Yokai before me spoke, its eyes glinting in a menacing rage as its club vibrated with a huge force, attempting to cleave through my barrier. "But why do you continue to fight? Knowing that your inevitable fate... is death, just like the others?"
"Who do you fancy yourself as, oni?" I quietly asked back, my voice a mere whisper on the wind. "The new Demon King? Killing, butchering, mindless destruction. I fight because I know that if I don't, you will continue your merciless rampage and slaughter many more innocent lives."
"...So you are one of those, huh? Those who "fight to protect", or some such nonsense? Guhahahah!" It snarled out, condescension obvious in its tone. "What a joke. This is the difference between us... The difference is that I have never once fought for a being outside of myself! The strong lives! And the weak... dies!"
"...I expected nothing else from a vulgar beast such as yourself." I muttered. "Enough talking. Your rampage ends here."
"Don't look at me like that, Hashirama." Madara snapped, glaring at the grinning Senju. "Just because I don't fight for sunshine's and flowers like you, doesn't mean I don't fight for anyone, I fight for my clan!"
"Hai, hai." Hashirama just grinned.
"They are so like a married couple." Mito whispered to Kushina and Tsunade as the three giggled, ignoring Hashirama and Madara's weirded out looks.
I would have preferred not to use this technique. Because not only was it taxing, this technique was only capable of senseless destruction... the destruction that I abhorred. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no other recourse. Only sheer brute force would be enough to pierce through the defensive prowess of this oni. The battle had proved that time and time again.
"...Foolish!" The oni continued its mechanical bashing against my barrier. But that was fine, it only gave me time to prepare my technique. Slowly and carefully manipulating the flow of my reiatsu, I molded it into a shape compatible for my next - and hopefully last - technique. Gracefully moving my hands in a complex motion, I created a magical circle in front of me, and focused my reiatsu into the magical circle. "No matter what you do, it is futile!"
"...Take this."
A faint orb of light gathered before my magical circle, and a howling gale emerged. A brilliant flare of light, an unmerciless flash of aura roared from my magical circle, a missile that sought to consume everything within its trajectory. The attack I unleashed was a beast, starving to bring about utter ruination to everything and anything.
"Akatsuki-ryuu ougi: Dai Konran."
Even as I said that, it was merely a beam of light, a thick laser of pure reiatsu. It held no complexity, no trickery, no intricateness. I failed to see why this technique was called a secret art of the Akatsuki style of Onmyodo... But it was not my place to question it. I closed my eyes as light consumed the world.
When the light let up, it was to the sight of an empty battlefield. My opponent was instantly incinerated, consumed by the overwhelming power that I brought out. It died instantly.
"Ahh... Finally, it's over... I'm so exhausted..."
...
...
...
STAB!
"I will bet anything in this world that she was stabbed by her allies!" Izuna declared, laughing wildly.
"Why the hell would her own allies stab their own future leader in the back?" Tobirama glared at the Uchiha. "Idiot."
"Who you calling an idiot, you white-haired fool?"
"Ho, you wish to challenge me, Uchiha?" Tobirama stood up, prepared to battle the younger Uchiha.
"Tobirama. Enough." Hashirama gave his brother a cold glare, his expression disapproving causing Tobirama to scoff and sit back down.
"Izuna. Silence." Madara's glare was all fire and wrath, and it took Izuna the grand total of three seconds to take a seat.
"Idiots." The two elder brothers mumbled under their breaths.
It happened so swiftly, so silently, I did not sense it until the act had happened and pain flared in my chest. Unbelievingly, I looked down and saw a small silver dagger protruding from my chest.
What...? There was another youkai?
I slowly turned my head, and the sight chilled me to my bones, created a pit of indescribable despair within me.
My eyes slowly traced the path of the palm holding the blade's hilt, along the way to the shoulders, then further up to meet the eyes of the man who wielded the dagger. The stabber was the final of my clansmen remaining in the battle... my brother, Akatsuki Daichi. His eyes glared at me with a wrathful animosity, like a light from an unknown star. And all I could utter was...
"...Why?"
Those with brothers, more so Hashirama and Madara, were annoyed and their chakra showed this as the atmosphere grew heavy, so heavy that every single person in the room except for Naruto who was grinning wildly were breathing heavily.
"Oya, oya, calm down, Madara-chan, Hashi-chan." Tsuchi clapped his hands and the two men lessened their pressure.
"You, boy, you were not breathing heavily." Tobirama realized as he looked towards Naruto who was looked surprised.
"Why would I be?"
Tobirama was stunned silent.
"This child is faced with the Kyubi's chakra daily." Madara told the younger Senju. "You seriously think even our chakra would be a problem for him? There is little in this world that can be overwhelming to a boy that has lived with the chakra of the strongest Tailed Beast daily for over a decade."
Everyone else nodded, understanding.
"Then why was Mito-san and Kushina-san affected by it?" Sakura wondered, looking between the adults.
"That is because I nor Kushina-chan really had much contact with the beast as a result of our seals being different but Naruto-chan was directly in contact with Kyubi since he was a babe and thus has a more seamless bond than either of us did."
"I see."
"Wait, Ma, you were like me?"
"Of course, we were, Naruto-chan!" Kushina grinned. "It is tradition for the Kyubi to be sealed in a member of the Uzumaki Clan because of our incredible chakra."
"Cool…" Naruto whispered as Kushina continued reading.
My brother did not deign me with a response. He merely gazed at me with those disdainful eyes, and pulled the blade out from my chest. Like a marionette who had its strings cut, I collapsed to the ground. I struggled to lift my head, and only witnessed the sight of my brother, my murderer turning his back to me, walking away and leaving me to die here. He stopped after a few steps, and uttered a single sentence.
"Your removal was required for me to become the forty fourth head."
"Ah. Power." Madara realized as he looked towards his fellow shinobi that grew up in the Warring States Era. "How many times have clans changed leadership because of brother being jealous of brother?"
Hashirama hummed in agreement, Tobirama gave a stern nod and Izuna just scoffed in disgust.
Ahh... So, this was your motivation... To usurp my position as the heir of the clan...
It was then a feeling previously unknown to me began to well up in me.
After all that I did for them...!
After all my efforts...!
After all my work...!
"Punch them, beat them, rip them apart!" Naruto cheered with Madara's wild grin backing the golden-haired Uzumaki up.
Hashirama and Sasuke shook their heads at their hot-headed rivals.
A great surge of negative emotions began to emerge, and like a torrent, it refused to abate. Clutching my fists, for the first time in my life, I began to curse my life, my family, everything with every ounce of my being. The hatred which I had previously repressed, the hatred for the world that had oppressed me so, began to reach its peak and burst explosively.
I screamed a defiant cry to the world, as blood slowly trickled down from my lips, painting my skin with red. "...Do all of you really want... the position of the head that badly?! You all want the leadership so desperately? You would crush my life... Do none of you feel any shame at all?! I won't forgive you... I won't forgive any of you for this! All of you, cursed Akatsuki onmyojis who would trample over my life for personal gain... Let my blood taint your dreams! Let the Akatsuki clan be cursed! Let its existence brings ruination!"
Panting in the effort it took for me to scream, I clenched my blood-soaked fist and shook it at the back of my brother. "For your sins, I put a curse on you! Curses on you! Akatsuki Daichi! I will make certain you pay for it! I curse your bloodline for all eternity. For many generations to come... Your sons, your daughters, your grandchildren... And when you fall into the deepest depths of Yomi..."
And as my rage grew, I failed to notice that my auburn brown hair began to meld into white, and grey eyes, started to tinge with a mad red. I failed to notice when the ground around me turned black and bubbled ominously. And I failed to notice when a tendril of darkness shot out and stabbed my murderer in a swift lunge. All I could do was curse this unfair world.
"Remember my rage! The rage of this Akatsuki Seira!"
The world then faded to black.
"Well, good luck to the Akatsuki Clan!" Madara gave a cruel laugh. "They will soon learn the cost of their betrayal. Hopefully."
"I've always wondered what I would do if I was in a position like that." Kiba wondered out loud, humming.
"It is hard to say, unless you find yourself in that position." Kakashi added, often having the same thoughts.
"I know."
"What was that, Naruto?" Kakashi asked his irritated student.
"I would burn them to the ground. I would never forget, never forgive and when the time is right, I will show them Uzumaki Naruto's wrath." Naruto grinned an unsettling smile. "I would ensure their name was forgotten to the sands of time."
"Revenge is never the answer, Naruto." Minato said, unnerved at how vindictive his son's answer was.
Naruto said nothing but it was obvious he disagreed.
Madara and Danzo, on the other hand, were more than a little pleased while Hashirama and Hiruzen were not, at all, pleased.
The other Uzumaki, including Tsunade, nodded in agreement with the youngest of the Uzumaki Clan.
The leaders of my clans had forgotten one important fact - the darkness that was sown in the deepest nature of humanity.
I was too perfect. Too perfect in both mind and body. I was too perfect, that in the end, I received curses from my own clansmen - people who, before then, I "believed" with all of my heart to be my family. People who I "believed" would have never betrayed me.
...But I was only lying to myself. I had already knew of the dark and less than flattering remarks my fellow onmyojis muttered about me. But I deluded myself, choosing to hope that one day - I could become the "perfect" leader, and when that happened, all of them would finally accept me.
How foolish I was. How naive I was. How idealistic I was. Perhaps deep down, I was simply a lonely girl who yearned for acceptance, who wanted friends above everything else, who simply wished for normality... A bird who wished to escape the cage of forced expectations.
Once again, I found myself cursing the talents that I was born with, the brilliance that I was lauded and exalted for in my clan.
Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns hatred... And after that, with hatred, finally comes the deadliest blade of all... The unseen blade, betrayal.
"Ah. So that's why the quote from before was there." Hiruzen murmured to himself, intrigued in the foreshadowing.
What is this? Everything was pure black. Everything was utter darkness, like the abyss of the sea. I was immersed, submerged in a river of unfiltered darkness. I can feel it, the sensation of liquid darkness as it runs over me, covering every ounce of my being, driving itself into my very soul. Darkness... not evil. Somehow, that differentiation came to my mind.
How long have I remained here, floating in this sunless depth? How long more must I wait, in this ichor of darkness, plunged below in this deluge of black mud?
I traveled down the river, the subterranean darkness without direction or a sense of passing time in what felt like an ethereal and transient dream, waiting for what felt like endless eons to awake once more. It could have been any amount of time, from seconds, to minutes, to hours, to days...
Maybe years? Even a decade was possible...
Time seemed to flow on seamlessly, endlessly marching forward...
When I woke up once more, it was cold.
"Ahh, its cold."
I lied among the snow, my eyes facing the dark sky that was the heavens, watching blankly as the clouds flitted past without a care.
"Ahh, its... really... cold."
Among the cold wintery background, upon the expanse of endless snow that seemed to stretch on infinitely... I thought to myself, "So this is death..."
"Nah, you're not dead, you just got the shit kicked out of you." Anko laughed, throwing her head.
"Memories!" Kushina shared, joining in laughter with the younger woman.
Jiraiya joined in cackling, having his own memories of getting defeated so soundly that he felt like he was in a capsule of ice on the edge of death.
Ah. Good old times.
Snow gently fluttered down from the heavens, painting the world in white. Under the dark night sky, I was alone in the endless world of cold and white. It was a serene night, one of utmost tranquility. And it was on this night, alone on this world of eternal snow where I would meet my end.
Using the last bits of strength I had left, I gripped the snow around me and held it up to the sky, watching as the snow, colored red with blood, my blood, trickled through the gaps of my fingers like sand in an hourglass...
"Beautiful... red... snow..." I muttered, my thoughts jumbled. I felt hollow, empty, the rage that had invigorated me so had all but evaporated into thin air. Lethargy and weakness plagued my being, and strength slowly sipped out of my body as each second passed. I closed my fingers, as if grabbing an object invisible to all but myself, and wondered, "Why?"
"Why... was I betrayed?" The words spilled forth from my lips, raspy and coarse. "...What... did I do wrong?"
"You didn't do anything wrong, brat." Anko told her, her eyes hard as she remembered thinking the same when Orochimaru betrayed her. "It was just that you had a family that was no better than a traitorous pack of dogs."
There was hums of agreement throughout the room.
"Remember, Seira... We are white. We, the onmyoji, are the light that protect the people. We are justice. The yokai's are black. They are the darkness that pervade every corner. They are evil."
"Of course, Grandfather."
"Kami, every time I hear about this guy, I feel like blowing my own head up!" Madara complained, slouching in his seat from his annoyance at the priestess' grandfather.
Those words of my former master and grandfather flitted through my mind at that instant. "...If we were justice... why did they betray me? Isn't betrayal a crime? Does that mean that I - I am an evil, I am black, thus betraying me is justice instead?"
I had always lived my life, true to ideals I believed in, protecting the weak from evil. Yet, at the very end, I was betrayed by my fellow kin. Why... why, why, why... Deep down, I knew the answer to my own question, but I denied it, refusing it to surface to my thoughts, if only to hold on to that last shred of faith I had in humanity.
"There is no trying to understand bigots and fools, Seira-san." Naruto commented, ignoring the flinch that all the Hokage experienced at the dig at the dig at their villagers.
Anko, Mito and Kushina nodded in completely support.
"Ah... its... so... cold..."
I inhaled, and exhaled.
"Ah... it hurts..."
Yet, even the simple motion of breathing became painful for me. My lungs ached from the supreme effort that I needed to put forth to live for even an instant longer. I briefly wondered why I didn't simply give up and let go, but that though was soon washed away by another wave of pain. The world began to blur. I gazed at the dark sky for a while longer, feeling the trickle of blood that spewed profusely from my chest from a wound, inking the snow with its red.
"I wished... I could have truly lived for myself..."
"If I know anything about reoccurring patterns, this is where blond boy appears." Izuna commented as he motioned towards Naruto who grinned with a thumbs up to the younger brother of Uchiha Madara.
The clouds began to slide in and out of focus, and the world started spinning. I blinked. Drowsiness crept over me, urging me to submit to eternal rest. But I refused. I wanted to look at this world, this vast sky for just a little while longer.
"Ha..." I let out a brief gasp of pain. Even my voice seemed distant to me now. Everything would end soon. Yes... soon, everything would disappear. I gazed at the gentle rain of snow, awaiting the ending to my story.
"If this is death, it isn't so bad." I thought to myself, as everything became muted. My strength was leaving me, and even the pain that wrecked my body, warning me of my demise, was leaving me, leaving behind a strange numbness and hollowness within me.
It was fine. It would soon be over. Nothing mattered to me anymore. Any hopes I had for the future, any emotions I once held, even the thoughts of my traitorous clansmen soon turned to ice.
Clip, clop. The sound of gentle steps on snow resonated through the air.
"What. Did. I. Say." Izuna pressed, grinning at everyone. "What did I fucking tell you? This is where he appears! HA!" The younger of the Uchiha brothers threw his head back, cackling as if he conquered the world.
"Okay, we get it, stop making a fool of yourself, duckbutt." Tobirama sneered causing Izuna to glare but ultimately silence himself when Madara gave him a warning glare.
Naruto grinned at Sasuke at the similar mocking name causing the Last Uchiha to huff and look away from his best friend and rival.
Kakashi merely shook his head at his quarrelling students, as always.
"Ahh, I must be dreaming." Yes, that was the only explanation I could offer to myself. The shock of my coming death must have caused me to hallucinate, to hope for a savior. But that was impossible. For I was in the middle of nowhere, the cold and snow my sole company.
Clip, clop. Again, that curious echo reverberated through the clearing. And it was getting annoying very quickly, spoiling my final view of the world. How ironic, that even my own delusional creations wouldn't let me die in peace.
Within the deep recesses of darkness my mind had receded to, I wished that that annoying sound would just disappear.
"If I know anything about Naruto, he will not leave you alone until he makes you turn over a new leaf." Ino giggled as Sakura just tiredly nodded her head, far used to her teammates antics.
"Ho?"
I started, surprised at hearing an unknown voice here, in the middle of nowhere. It sounded too realistic, too lifelike to be an illusion. Grunting with effort, I arced my back and looked towards the source of the voice.
...A Yokai. With a glance, I could see the bubbles of youki that simmered beneath the facade of a human which the youkai in front of me took. And that youki took my breath away.
"Oh, trust me honey, you are not the first." Anko whispered so nobody could here but she forgot that Kushina's hearing was enhanced as a result of holding the Kyubi for so long and when Kushina heard her, she felt a knowing smile curve at her lips.
Minato merely smiled nervously, knowing that smile never meant good things.
The sheer, astronomical amount of youki superseded any youkai I had ever met before in my entire life, even the oni which I fought previously. Instinctively, I knew that this youkai was not to be trifled with. Intuitively, I knew this youkai to be a leader, one whom stood at the helm and commandeered a parade of youkais.
"Got it in one!" Kiba declared, grinning as he and Naruto high-fived while the genin girls rolled their eyes at the two most wild of the genin.
And that scared me. After all, I was powerless, weak before him, a Yokai, a creature that was the natural enemy of all onmyoji. Naturally, that included me. My life, or what sliver was left of it anyway, was his toy to play with.
But I could not look away. His gaze connected with mine, curiosity embedded in those blue gems, steadfast and never wavering. It was as if he was examining every facet of my soul, judging my existence and weighing it upon a scale.
"Don't feel bad, girl, even the best of us can't look away from those eyes." Ino deadpanned, grinning at Hinata. "Don't you think, Hinata-chan?"
Hinata squeaked and gave a hesitant nod.
"Wait Ino, do you like Naruto?" Tenten wondered curiously.
"I don't know." Ino shrugged. "But it is almost impossible to say that his resolved eyes do not draw me in."
Sakura and Tenten reluctantly nodded, knowing exactly what the Heiress of the Yamanaka Clan was talking about.
There was just this strange pull in this eyes that no woman, or even man, could resist.
"...Interesting. I didn't think that I would meet anybody out here in the middle of nowhere, much less a fair maiden much like yourself. What is your name?"
"...Seira, Akatsuki Seira." I muttered, carelessly. I normally wouldn't give up my name to random strangers off the road, much less to a youkai that was supposed to be my enemy. But I no longer cared about anything, I simply wished to submerge myself into the never-ending slumber that waited to welcome me into its grasp.
"Hmm, an onmyoji of the Akatsuki clan, huh?"
The world started to blur, but somehow, his words remained as clear as clarion bells, striking through the murkiness that threatened to blot my mind. I felt a tinge of annoyance, as he was interrupting me from the slumber that seemed so alluring.
But I could never have foreseen his next words.
"Kahahah! You seem really interesting. Hey, you. Do you want to live?"
"And…there comes out the true Uzumaki Naruto personality." Tsunade deadpanned at Kushina who was cackling at her son's other version, glad to see that he was not boring in any alternate reality.
"...What?" I gasped, shock at what had just spilled forth from his lips reverberating through my being. His words were akin to fire, burning away the cold and fog that enveloped upon my mind and body. In an instant, my entire life flashed before my eyes, and a revelation struck me.
Did I want to live...? What a ridiculous question! Of course I wanted to live! There was still so much I wanted to do... So much I wanted to accomplish. Deep within my heart, I held an ardent wish... To have truly lived for once. Scrounging up the last of my strength I gasped out, "Of.. of course I want to live!"
"It is a stupid question." Sasuke mocked his rival.
Naruto just flipped the bird.
"Naruto!"
"Sorry, ma." He apologized, though everyone but his mother could tell that his sincerity in the apology was as real as the devil horns on his head, that is to say – nonexistent.
"...Even if it is as a youkai?"
That question stunned me for a moment. Live... not as a human, but as a youkai? A creature that sowed the seeds of fear and terror in mortal men, terrorizing in the night? A... demon?
I wanted to say no, but an invisible force stopped my impetuous response. Looking back at it now, I thanked whatever force that stopped me that day.
Youkais were black. They were darkness. They were evil. That was what I had been taught from young, what had been hammered and nailed into me since birth, what I had been raised with, what I had been indoctrinated to believe. The sole belief that youkais were black, were evil, were darkness. The sole belief that onmyojis were white, were just, were light.
But is that really true?
I was betrayed by those of "justice", and I lied here, in this snowy world of white, alone. My fate was undoubtedly death. And I wanted so badly to smash that "fate" to pieces. But did that single wish justify becoming a youkai... a demon, an apostle of evil?
But are youkais really evil?
A shadow of myself whispered, quested me with those questions. Are youkais really evil?
...And are onmyojis really justice?
"Who cares about justice and good and evil?" Naruto asked, truly confused. "Just do what ya wanna do and forget the rest!"
By Madara and Kushina's cackle, they completely agreed, though by the four Hokage's disapproving frowns, they did not at all care for his opinion which only made Naruto inner creature of mischief laugh.
I didn't know. After all, my entire world, built upon the foundations that were my beliefs had just been shattered a few hours ago.
"You have two choices now, Akatsuki Seira. Embrace the shadows and join my Parade... or die in darkness! Here, and alone, in this never-ending cold!"
"I didn't realize it until now, but your son is unreasonable." Hiruzen told Minato with a solemn expression on his face. "I have never once seen him see a perspective that was different from his own and if there was one, he would just fight and laugh until everyone agreed with him."
"Don't blame me." Minato deadpanned as he looked at the cackling mother and son.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, just enjoyed the misery of his teacher and student and joined the cackling duo in their laughter.
...I didn't want to die. To live was an instinct, a natural urge that all creatures of life held. This was one of the natural law of the world, an undeniable fact of life, an undebatable principle of the universe. A universal law of nature which holds true even throughout time. But to pick the first choice would be a gamble. After all, what was to say that this Yokai before me would not betray and toss me away after my use had run out, just like my fellow clansmen had done?
"She is reasonable, at least." Danzo said, nodding in approval. "She is acting with a cautious mind which will be only an advantage for her in the future."
The others nodded begrudgingly, not pleased in agreeing that Naruto could potentially betray someone.
Suddenly, his face appeared, inches away from my own, staring with an intensity that rivaled a thousand suns. My eyes widened in shock, as I was caught unaware by the sudden motion.
"Let me be clear to you now, Akatsuki Seira. I want you. I need you. So entrust your mind, body and soul to me, and join my Parade!"
"Baka! Be cautious of what you say to an innocent maiden!" Kushina growled, slapping her son on the back of his head.
"Other me, Ma." Naruto groaned, rubbing his head.
"Kushina-san is right, Naruto!" Sakura jumped in, glaring at him. "If you speak to girls like that, they'll get the wrong idea!"
Naruto nodded, though he had no bloody idea what they were talking about.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, was just giggling and taking down notes, or he would have continued to done so if Tsunade did punch him into the wall.
"...Wh-wh-what-" I stuttered, amazed and incredulous at what the Yokai before me had just said. I quickly calmed myself, schooling my features into their previous tranquility. I couldn't believe how this man - no, this Yokai could say such things with such a straight face.
"Trust me, Seira-san, this man has no shame." Sakura and Ino deadpanned, looking at Naruto who still appeared clueless.
Taking a deep breath to collect myself, I opened my eyes and asked, "...What exactly is your goal? Are you a demonic tyrant, spreading tidings of evil, or a just lord?"
"Kahahaha! What an interesting question. To your second question, I will say that I am neither evil, nor just. Why? Because those are subjective concepts. Darkness is simply the absence of light. Light is simply the absence of darkness. Even the most vicious of villains saves something. Even the greatest of heroes destroys something. In this world, an absolute evil or an absolute justice does not exist. That is why I will not proclaim myself either good nor evil. I am simply... myself."
Madara gave Hashirama a victorious grin while Hashirama just scoffed and turned away from the infuriating Uchiha Leader.
"Your brother's being annoying again." Tobirama snapped at Izuna who just smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well, at least my brother is not a unicorn riding fool."
Tobirama had nothing to say that as he just scoffed.
"And you wish to know my goal? The goal of I, Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime Nurarihyon, future lord of all spirits and master of pandemonium? Interesting! Very well! I shall tell you! My goal is simple! To defend this land from any who wish to harms its denizens, and to carve out, with my own two hands, a world where both humans and ayakashi can coexist!" Naruto stood up and roared out his dreams to the heavens, without a single hesitance or uncertainty in his tone. "And to those who dares to impede my way, I shall destroy them with every ounce of my power!"
"Rokudaime Nurarihyon." Hiruzen murmured, interested. "So, the Nurarihyon is not just a name but it is a title of a demon lord, perhaps."
The Hokage nodded, interested.
"His declarations of conquest and war never get old." Madara looked like a child in a candy store as he grinned wildly.
"You cannot tell that does not affect you even a bit, Sakura." Ino said, looking at Sakura who refused to look her in the eyes but as Ino saw her flushing slightly, the young Yamanaka cackled like she was the queen of the world.
...A world where both humans and ayakashi can coexist? Impossible! There is no way such a convenient world can ever be realized!
"...What a foolish dream... There is no way that can come true." Somehow, the thoughts that flitted through my mind found its way through my mouth.
"A dream is only foolish when it is not fulfilled." Hiruzen declared. "For example, when Hashirama-sensei was a child, many called him a fool for desiring to bring peace to the Land of Fire but he did through the creation of Konoha."
The younger generation hummed in thought, considering.
"And when I become Hokage, you'll all be eating dirt!" Naruto declared, throwing his head back with a long and loud cackle.
Sasuke just rolled his eyes, scoffing.
"Indeed, you are right that it is a foolish dream. But what is the point in a goal that is easy to achieve? It is only in completing the greatest of quests can the greatest of satisfaction be found. Furthermore, in the end, the ones who accomplish something are the fools who keep pressing onward, regardless of any criticism. The ones who accomplish nothing are the wise who cease advancing, remaining stagnant and complacent in their position."
The older generation, even Madara, clapped, impressed with the Rokudaime Nurarihyon.
Naruto was just grinning smugly at Sasuke who was attempting to ignore him completely with all his strength.
His dream sounded to me as the height of tomfoolery, the epitome of foolishness.
...But I found myself captivated by his resolve, his unwavering spirit, his sheer determination towards what others would normally call a laughable and foolish goal. I found myself in awe at how he could utter such ridiculous words, words that would be construed as a "child's fantasy" so decisively. And I found myself - believing that if it was him - he could do it. Create such an impossible world, one where humans and yokai's, light and darkness, sun and moon could coexist together.
This Yokai, his resolve, it screamed and thundered of friendship, of love, of glory, of triumph. Like lightning, it struck me and carved itself into my mind, creating an unforgettable impression. It was in that instant which I wished more than anything to see that impossible and contrasting world come into realization.
"And, anyone falls into the net." Kurenai smirked at the grimace on Anko's face revealing her jealousy of all these women that her interest is gathering.
"You! Stop being so charming!" Tsunade and Kushina snapped, pointing their finger at Naruto who appeared confused with glares.
"Now, now, girls, Naruto-chan is a growing boy and as such, young girls will grow interested in him." Mito ruffled Naruto's hair gently. "After all, what girl would be able to resist such a strapping young man?" She grinned mischievously at the genin girls, even Tenten, who all looked away, flushing
His hand reached out, his palm an invitation to join him in his foolish and impossible quest. "Join me. What do you say, Akatsuki Seira?"
"...How unfair..." I muttered to myself, trying to still my beating heart. "To say such a thing... To give me such a purpose to strive for... Something I wished for everyday... Really... how... unfair..."
The younger girls groaned, as if to say 'I get you, girl' in complete unison.
I reached out for his hand, my lips curling up into a slight smile. "...Very well... Lord of Pandemonium... I shall accompany you to the helm as Supreme Commander of all ayakashi, and that impossible world...!"
"Supreme Commander? That sounds nice. Very well! Let us follow this impossible path, and carve out a legend together, Seira! Kahahahaha!"
"Can we talk about how I fucking love his laugh?" Kiba asked, throwing his head back as he mimicked the 'Kahahaha' that Nurarihyon Naruto did.
Shikamaru, Choji, Neji, and even Lee nodded in agreement.
How ironic. To think that I, Akatsuki Seira, the prime candidate to take up the mantle of the forty-forth head of the illustrious Akatsuki clan of onmyoji, would become a Yokai herself... But this was a decision which, at that instant, I could not find it in myself to regret. For I had already fallen, fallen, fallen for this man's charisma...
"Ha!" Madara laughed. "Trust me, girl, it is almost impossible for you not to fall for his charisma – he is Uzumaki Genryusai's grandson after all."
Hashirama and even Tobirama and Izuna agreed.
Uzumaki Genryusai was a man so great and legendary that it was difficult not to be pulled in by his leadership qualities.
The only one who couldn't put the man on a pedestal was Mito and that was only because she grew up seeing her brother pranking the entire village, every day.
Ahh... So this is the rumored "fear" of the Lord of Pandemonium...
"Yes, it is, my dear." Naruto said, acting like a posh noble with an over-exaggerated accent and pushing his imaginary glasses up. "Yes, it is."
"So, that is the third chapter done." Tsuchi told everyone. "After this, we only have one chapter remaining for this universe and then we will move on to another." He told them all, rolling his eyes as groans and whining filled the room. "Well, sorry! But, that universe's events are frozen, it's not my fault!"
"Maa, maa, calm down, Tsuchi-san." Kakashi said with an easygoing eye-smile causing Tsuchi to scoff in annoyance.
"Well, anyhow, before we read the next chapter, let us have a rest and then we'll eat breakfast before continuing on." Tsuchi grinned now. "So, good night everybody!" He declared with a laugh as he disappeared into thin air.
"Well, let's go to bed." Madara declared as everyone filled out, finding their own beds and before long, the room was empty save for the book that resting on the table.
It was now time for rest, for another long day was awaiting them all