My hands, a small flame burning in each, worked a fixed ellipsoid over Itachi's body. Slowly, the boy's exhausted countenance was replaced by his usual calm and near-stoic demeanor. Just to be safe, I kept it up for a little while more than necessary before dismissing the flames and smiling. "There you go. Now, continue practicing."

He had an easy smile on his lips. "Hai, okaa-san."

I pouted as he quickly rose to his feet and walked a few paces away from the shade of the tree I was currently lazing under. Orochimaru hadn't come to any of our team meetings for the full week. Tomorrow we had unanimously decided to take an off-day from our training to be in good spirits for something no one would tell me about set to happen in the evening, although I wasn't doing much of it visibly. There was a very good reason for that.

"It's a pity that only you can rejuvenate someone's energy like that. Medics would love to get their hands on a similar technique."

I sighed and turned to regard the teenager next to me with a neutral gaze. "Kakashi, if you're not teaching me anything, you must simply remain silent."

"And distract you from… staring at your hands?" he asked, tilting his head.

Ugh, he was so infuriating. "I'm trying to create a technique; I'll have you know." I muttered, cupping my hands to my side. "It's just… difficult."

And it really was. The Kamehameha was not as easy to create or use as Goku had made it seem. Granted, the only information I had on that franchise was the limited exposure to one of the games, Dragonball Z Budokai 3, I think, or at least something along that line. The only information that I had to go on was that it was a beam of some sort. The only other things I knew about the franchise was that he had a monkey tail or something, he had an attack named Spirit Bomb even though it used chi, and there was a dance they could use to fuse two people together. I didn't much like that anime, to be honest.

"Sure." He drawled, in a way that made me want to smack him. "Need any help?"

"No, thank you." I answered far too quickly. "Um… I already have a similar attack that… holy shit! Kakashi, you're a genius!"

"I know." He eye-smiled. "But in what-"

"Silence!"

I stood and walked a couple of steps away. I cupped my hands to my side and concentrated. I'm gathering physical energy in the space between my palms. It's being gathered. Gathered. It's contained in a thin shell. A very easy-to-poke shell. The energy is so volatile, it's barely being contained. It's almost too chaotic, but it's a chaos I control.

I opened my eyes and saw that there was a brightly-shining white ball between my hands. Okay, step one down. Now comes the hard part.

I thrust my hands forward, and imagined the shell gaining a tiny hole…

BOOM!

A beam of pure chi emerged from my hands and shot straight ahead, making a hole in the three trees it passed through.

PING!

[You have created a new skill! Would you like to name it?]

Curious, I selected no.

[Due to a special action, a skill has been created!

Saiyan Move: Kamehameha (Active) Lv 1 (99.0%)

After condensing your chi into a ball, you poke a hole in its shell to launch a concentrated beam of pure energy forwards.

Damage: 100HP

Cost: 250QI ]

It was just like a cero! Well, besides the different energy being used, and the fact that you only had to poke a hole in it rather than rip its shell entirely.

I stood and smirked. This was another skill for my clones to master. I waited the few seconds it took for my energies to regenerate, then created a clone to go off somewhere he wouldn't be seen to enter the Mirror Dimension and practice it. You know, it's odd that the access skill hasn't leveled up even a single percent. There's probably a very good reason for that, one that I'll later curse myself for missing.

"An interesting technique..." Kakashi said from next to me, making me yelp in shock.

Unthinkingly, I reached out and smacked his shoulder. "Don't do that!"

He looked at his shoulder, then at me, and blinked. "Ow."

Huffing, I pointed at him accusingly. "You're an Elite Jonin. That was like a feather's caress or you." … Not. Since I'm a Nephilim and no longer a human, my stats are ten times as effective as a normal person's in this world. I wonder how much pain he didn't let show.

"Ma… you're so overdramatic." He rolled his visible eye. "It's like dealing with a child."

"I'm six!" I indignantly reminded him. "Even in this messed up world, I'm still technically a child!"

"You know what I mean." He waved me off, although his eye tightened a tiny bit.

I groaned, turning around to see my teammates/friends/students practicing Chakra Flow with their respective weapons against one each of my clones – Itachi with his Gunbai and Mai with her Naginata that I gifted her. "Don't you have anything better to do than bug me?"

"Nope." He spoke all too cheerfully. "I'm going to be spending a lot of time with you, so get used to it."

"Go bug Anko!" I hissed, jabbing in the general direction of the girl without looking. She was also practicing against one of my clones but was using regular kunai for weapons. "Ask her on a date or something but leave me alone!"

"I'm wounded." Kakashi clutched at his heart. "You have hurt my feelings."

"Good. Now leave." I nodded resolutely. "I need to find a way to get started on medical studies and sealing, and you're not helping."

"But we haven't done anything fun!" he whined. "You've just been teaching your co-minions for the past few days, and you worked on that technique all day! Let's just settle down and read some books."

Oh, yeah. The day after I began instructing Mai and Kakashi on Chakra Control, Leaping, and Flow, I got a new skill.

[Teaching (Passive) Lv 1 (0.00%)

You are able to coach others in what you know.

10% chances of success.

-0.5% to learning time for your students.]

It quickly built up to its current eighty-seven level of success, courtesy to teaching Naruto and Tenten their alphabet and numbers. When it crosses level ninety, I'll have a hundred percent chances of success, which would mean that nothing I teach others would ever go over their heads. Hell, I'd probably be able to teach animals how to dance! That would mean that I can get started on Naruto's and Tenten's education early, especially given their special circumstances.

"Have you considered that I like to teach?" I grumbled, turning back around to glare at him. "And besides, I would love to read. But," I quickly stopped him from speaking by holding up a finger, "I want to read medical and sealing books, not… not… smut!"

"Excuse me?!" he gasped. "The Make-Out series is a marvel of literature!"

"On the opposite end of the spectrum!" I snapped. "Now either leave me alone or teach me something I don't know!"

He made to speak, then paused. It was disturbing how much emotion of his was unreadable given than only a single eye and a little surrounding skin was visible. "If I teach you something, will you teach me something, too?"

My eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What would you like to learn?"

"I want to trade knowledge. I'll give you a scroll on something impossible to learn in Konoha, while you teach me that technique of yours that you just made." He said plainly.

I narrowed my eyes further. "You do realize that there's nothing I can't deconstruct on my own given enough time and motivation?"

He shrugged. "That's not my problem. I'll give you the scroll that anyone else interested in the field would kill for. It's not much use to me since I can't effectively involve the techniques it's meant for in my repertoire. In return, you'll teach me…?"

I judged him for a moment, looking up and into his eyes to gauge his sincerity. In the end, I sighed. "The technique I just used utilizes only what you know as Yang chakra. Can you separate your chakra into the two?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I learned how to do so while I… was creating a technique of my own."

Ah, the Chidori. "Alright then. Go get the scroll, and I'll teach you the Kamehameha."

"'Kamehameha'?" he asked, tone amused.

"Just go." I waved him off.

He was gone and back in less than a minute and tossed me a crimson-colored scroll. "Here."

I examined the name written on it. "'Dancing Characters'… this is a sealing manual! How did you get this?!"

He looked at me as if I was an idiot.

"Oh. Right. ANBU." I sighed, then created a shadow clone. "Here. He'll stick with you today and teach it to you. Why do you wanna know it so bad, anyway?"

"I have a technique I was thinking about… this might help me learn it." He said simply, then put a hand on the clone's shoulder and vanished.

How strange. Anyway, I've actually got something to do while my clones master all my skills! This is great!

"Well done!" I beamed. I'm glad that they've finally gotten it down! I'm pretty sure this is due to the progress in my skill; never underestimate the difficulty in teaching babies; I have a newfound respect for my parents. "Now that you've learned Chakra Flow and Leaping, and are moderately good with control, I'm offering you a choice. You can tell me anything you want to learn, and I'll teach you." After I learn it myself, of course. It won't take all that much time.

Mai tilted her head and made that cute thinking face that only children our age can. "Well… I wanted to learn Sealing."

I looked at her pensively. "Sure. Just give me two days to gather the necessary materials." Read: steal them. I'm pretty sure I can't master Fuinjutsu from just a single scroll – I think it's high time I raided the Hokage's personal library. He's called the 'Professor', so he's bound to have something on hand. Plus, there was that Forbidden Scroll of Seals that Naruto stole in the start of his story, so at least my efforts won't be wasted; even though by 'effort', I mean waltzing in with a couple of tacked on spells. "So, we can work on chakra control in the mean-time?"

She nodded happily. "Sure! A shinobi should always train chakra control in their spare time, after all!"

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that normal people's skills can deteriorate if not practiced over time, doubly so for control. "Alright." I turned to my other teammate. "How about you, Itachi?"

"I would like to train my bloodline." He spoke, eyeing me meaningfully.

I looked at him a bit oddly. There were these looks he'd give me at times he thought I wasn't looking that unnerved me. Oh god, I hope it's not another crush like Hideki and Ryosuke have on me. Having to put those two down was going to be hard enough, but with him, our camaraderie might be affected. Oh, well, I guess there's no helping it. "Sure." I created a clone. "Mai, this one will instruct you on the Chakra String technique. You can work on it until you're exhausted, and then…"

"Don't worry, Gundan-kun. I have to meditate regularly to focus my clan techniques… I can work on that when I'm low on chakra." She assured me, then followed my clone a few ways away, far enough that we couldn't be heard.

I turned to my other teammate with a heavy sigh. "Alright, Itachi, we're effectively alone. During the past few days, you've been looking at me oddly, as if I should get something you're trying to convey. What is it?"

He looked unsure for the barest of moments before he seemingly steeled himself and spoke. "I know you've done something to my chakra system, Gundan-san."

I froze. "What?"

"Before our Genin Exam." He explained. "Your chakra felt oddly rampant, so I activated my Sharingan to check. When you grasped Mai-san's hand, you injected some of your chakra into her network and caused it to change. It became calmer, and stronger, all at once. Oddly, there was a strange energy signature near her left palm, but I had dismissed it as irrelevant… until you did something similar to me."

Oh. What a relief – he didn't see my system screens. Good. Still, I better play this well. I shuffled my feet in signs of nervousness and wrung my hands together. "What… what did you see happen to you?"

"Orochimaru-sensei's lecture on chakra natures was incomplete." He continued. "Yes, people are born with elemental inclinations. Yes, it is impossible for anyone to have neutral chakra, like you do, because of your bloodline. But what he didn't mention was that every standard living creature has only one elemental inclination by birth. Naturally occurring multiple affinities are a sign of only one thing… a bloodline."

Hey, that's convenient! So, this is how Yagura differentiated bloodline-holders from-

FUCK! I totally forgot about the bloodline massacres in the Mist! I need to get there as fast as possible! Holy hell, how could I just not remember something like this?! But… I need to keep my cool until the end of this afternoon and leave a clone behind to escape quietly. I can go and be back before morning… yes, that's what I'll do. "I… I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way-"

"Nonsense." Itachi resolutely said, putting both his hands on my shoulders. "I feel only gratitude for what you have done. Never feel otherwise. And worry not about your secret – I have not and will not inform anyone that it was you who gave it to me."

I 'deflated' in relief. "Good… Itachi, what I did that day, it's unique to each person. What I do is inject my chakra into someone's system to bring up the latent potential that lies inactive within them. Not many people have this potential and may not believe me when I say so. Once I do it, it also takes a certain number of days before I can do it again – the only reason I could do it twice that day was that I hadn't done it in a long while."

Itachi listened to my spiel with rapt attention and nodded at the end. "I suspected as much. It is obvious that, otherwise, you would have empowered the entire village was it within your capability." He offered a rare smile.

I snorted and punched his shoulder lightly, making sure that my body language was now relaxed. "Meanie. Anyway, do you have any idea what it could be…? Yours has three elements… so it's a Bloodline Selection as opposed to a Limit."

"I… am unsure." He frowned. "I combed through the Uchiha Clan Archives just to see if any of my ancestors had a combination of these elements, but none did. I think I'm going to have to focus on my elemental training and see what happens. I have already begun working on the second stage of Fire Elemental Manipulation – what remains is Wind and Lightning."

"I think I can get Kakashi to teach you about Lightning Elemental Manipulation in exchange for a technique, and Orochimaru sensei can help you with Wind." I mused. "Then we can work on channeling the chakra through your body and creating a technique to see what happens, but we should take it a step at a time, just in case."

"Agreed." He nodded. "If I may ask… what exactly is your relationship with Kakashi-senpai?"

"I have no idea what that scarecrow is thinking by stalking me." I flat out said. "However, if he's around, we should take advantage of his presence. I don't know any Lightning users besides him… do you?"

"No." Itachi shook his head. "I believe that he is the only Lightning Element-inclined ninja within Konoha."

Wow. That… made a lot of sense. "Hm. Okay, then, I'll ask him the next time I see him."

"Ask me what?"

I whirled and threw a dozen shuriken straight at the source of the voice. My situational awareness was top-notch, and I knew that it was Kakashi, but I needed to project some weakness. Hey, this could be my quirk! "Don't do that!" I chastised him the moment he dodged them all.

"That's not a nice way to welcome your superior." He drawled, then walked over to us and crouched down. "So, what do you need my help with?"

Itachi simply smiled and made his way to train on his own. Giving him privacy in his use of what was undoubtedly Uchiha-Clan oriented fire-training, I turned away from him completely and leveled Kakashi with a glare. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"So are you." He shot back, eye-smiling. "Is it not only polite to play along?"

I grumbled, truly this time. Letting people know about you had their drawbacks. "Whatever. Well, I need your help with Itachi's training. He needs to learn Lightning Manipulation later on."

He hummed. "A bloodline. That is a circumstance only seen twice before in the Uchiha Clan."

"Oh, really?" I asked, curious.

"Indeed. Before Uchiha Madara became the clan's most infamous shinobi, there was another – Uchiha Kagome, a woman with strange abilities. It is said she could look into the Pure World, and converse with those present. She could also… bring someone back." He said as if it were nothing.

I was floored. An Uchiha Necromancer? I guess this was the inspiration for Tobirama's jutsu… "What happened to her?"

"She just… went missing one day." Kakashi shrugged. "Some say she still haunts the forests of HI no Kuni, hungry for souls to devour."

"You're a terrible story-teller." I scoffed. But seriously, who would've thought? "And the other?"

"Uchiha Jin." Kakashi continued, eye drifting to the sky. "He had an elemental bloodline called the Typhoon Release. As a bastard Uchiha, he was shunned for the longest time until he awoke it, and became Clan Head three generations before Uchiha Madara."

"You seem to know quite a lot about the Uchiha Clan." I commented. "I didn't take you for the scholar type."

"No one would take you for one either." He shrugged. "What do I get in exchange for teaching him?"

"Another technique, if you want?" I hedged, honestly unsure.

He shook his head. "No… instead, I would like a favor."

I sighed as the memory feedback from the clones hit me. It wasn't a bother to deal with, but it did mean I was all the stronger now. I never could decide whether is was a happy or resigned emotion.

[A skill has leveled up and evolved due to reaching the maximum possible level!

Educating (Passive) Lv MAX

You are able to coach others in what you know perfectly. Due to investing a lot of time spreading knowledge, you are able to bypass the negatives of having an unfavorable reputation with your students and tech them regardless.

-50% to learning time for your students .]

[A skill has leveled up and evolved due to reaching the maximum possible level!

Magic Specialty: Archive (Active) Lv MAX

Using your brain as a pseudo-mainframe and magic to affect the world around you, you transform yourself into a literal super-computer that can compute information and transfer it at a rapid rate. You can also interface with other entities using this skill to lend them its benefits. While Archive is active and you are the sole presence in your network, the flow of time is slowed down.

Features Unlocked: Calculator, Connect, Emulation, Library, Map, Office, Skill Download/Upload, Synchronize, Telecommunication.

Time Dilation: 75% ]

[A skill has leveled up and evolved due to reaching the maximum possible level!

Dark Gaze (Active) Lv MAX

An eye technique developed due to the entwinement of the Mark of the Outsider with your soul, as well as various little bits of your ability that exist quasi-independently from your physical and mental bubble. The Dark Gaze allows you to see energies both in living beings and non-living objects, as well as in the environment around you. Physical barriers mean nothing to your sight. Since you can see these nuances of energy, it is easy for you to replicate a skill you have seen performed in front of your eyes. You are able to use your eyes as a focus to cast magic, along with being able to deduce exactly where the critical points on your enemies are; hitting these points will allow you to instantly score a critical hit. ]

Perfect. This is going to help me a lot with where I'm going.

I didn't want to bother with a disguise – I'd rather people recognize me and know that crossing me is… suicide. Instead, I simply tied my leaf headband actually onto my head and grasped my sword's sheath loosely in my left hand.

"I foresee some interesting things."

"Master Ti." I greeted, turning to look at her with a smile. "Good afternoon. How are the two brats?"

"Out with your clone." She said, looking a bit tired. "Chakra control exercises are… difficult."

"It's because of your Force. It's running through you, forcibly expanding your energy coils now that it had access to it." I explained. "Not only is working large coils difficult but…" here I activated [Dark Gaze] "they're continuously expanding. You already have more chakra than most Chunin, otherwise known as journeymen ninja."

"Will they ever stop expanding?" she asked, frowning.

"I'm… not sure." I hedged. Hm… given that she's going to have so much chakra, though… "Give me your hand."

She looked at me as if I was crazy. "No. No more. I am already-"

"You're going to have a lot of chakra." I patiently informed her. "It is only good sense to make use of it. The midichlorians that live in your body are filling your now-active chakra system with the Force, somehow negating the petrification aspect of Natural Energy. You're almost in a perpetual Sage-Mode that just keeps getting more powerful as your chakra reserves grow, and that happens as you gather more of your Force."

She sighed. "I'm not sure about this decision."

"We seldom are." I shrugged, then gently took her hands and navigated over to the perk menu and selected [Bloodline 3].

[Please select one of the following:

Wind + Lightning + Earth + Water = All-Killing Ash Bones

Lightning + Earth + Water + Fire = Organic Transformation

Earth + Water + Fire + Wind = Regeneration of the Primordial Chaos

Water + Fire + Wind + Lightning = All-Encompassing Light

Fire + Wind + Lightning + Earth = Inorganic Transmutation]

I informed her of her choices and watched the emotions play across her face with an unfair bit of smugness. Ha! Now I'm not going to be the only over-powered person running around!

"I… I don't know…" she bit her lip, looking a bit terrified. "How does anyone make a choice between those?!"

I felt a bit guilty now, damn. "Not sure. I'm guessing you don't want the All-Killing Ash Bones, though?"

She nodded, eyebrows furrowed. "Yes. I… I believe the Regeneration…"

Hm, I could definitely see where she's coming from. Not only does she already have a lot in the way of attack and no defense, but she already has the Ionic Conduit Gene, which means she doesn't necessarily need Lightning Chakra at all. Plus, the bloodline sounds awesome; not that it may be a factor in her deciding, of course.

"Are you sure?" I ask, holding her hand over the option in question. "By choosing this option, you're covering all your bases b having every other basic element that you can't control come effectively under, but you'll forever wonder what the other options would do."

She bit her lip, then breathed deeply. "I would rather not do this altogether, but you're right. I… feel a great calamity approaching. While the Force on this planet does not allow me the skill of foresight, there certainly are vague feelings that I can interpret. Having this sort of power would be… beneficial."

I almost groaned. Of course, there was a calamity approaching – nothing could ever be just sunshine and rainbows, no matter how short a while.

I accepted it anyhow and withdrew my chakra from her body, then looked at her with my new eye-technique still active. "No irregularities in your network, just the continual expansion. However, I can see your elemental inclinations now… how do you feel? You're the first person I've done this to who can talk."

She looked at me with exasperation. "Of course… I feel well – no different than before."

I tilted my head. "Hmm… okay. Well, after my clone puts you through another set of chakra control exercises, I'll see what we can do about practicing your elemental manipulation." Seeing her confused look, I explained further. "For each of the five basic elemental affiliations that exist in this world, there are two exercises meant to allow a person better control, understanding, and feel of their chakra. These exercises will undoubtedly help you control your new bloodline better since I don't know much about it."

She frowned. "Given your foreknowledge, have you really not heard of this before?"

"Nope." I popped the 'p' and deactivated my eyes. "Most of the bloodlines I know about I've already seen. There are many in the options I was presented with that I never even thought existed, honestly."

She hummed but said nothing, brows furrowed in thought.

"Anyway, I'm off to… somewhere." I said lamely. "I don't know when I'll be back, but it will be before morning." I walked up to my clone and had it dispel. Immediately, I was filled with that new sense of pride I started feeling when I fooled around with teaching. Naruto and Tenten both called me 'nii'… I have no idea how to feel about this, so I ignored it for now. I created another in its place. "This one will guide you and take care of the babes until I return, so worry not."

She turned to look at me with a sigh. "Just… simply be here on time tomorrow afternoon."

I arched an eyebrow. "You're in on it, too?"

"You won't dislike what your friends have planned for you." Was all Shaak Ti said on the matter. "On that note, Mai is an excellent origami folder."

Eh…

"Okay." I shrugged. "See you in a few hours." And then I slipped into stealth and the Speed-Force and vanished from the spot.

Okay… so I'm headed to the Mist. Yay. But what do I do there? Do I sneak in the village and use [Serpent-tongue] to turn public opinion on Yagura? Nah, the poor guy is under an illusion and does not deserve it. Wait, Obito doesn't have Shishui's Mangekyo. This means that if I can break him out of the illusion, my work will be done since it isn't an absolute technique. Okay, that should be easy with [Telepathy], right?

Yeah, I guess- HOLD THE FUCK UP.

I backtracked a few paces and, yes, I just passed through Wave. Oh god, the number of times that I've seen the wave mission go through in fanfiction… I just wanted fanfic authors all around the world to just be done with it, seriously. Plus, it totally sucks that a businessman and a corrupt daimyo was all it took for this village to fall into ruin.

I sped around the place a bit until I stopped in an alley. The people here weren't as bad off in canon, yet, but they were well on their way there. How should I handle this…?

Quick-plan – make a bridge, heal the sick, gather food for them. That should give them a big enough head-start in life. Gato can't place a foothold here if the village was never this pathetic in the first place.

PING!

[Side Quest Alert!

Raising Nami

You have seen and read enough iterations of the salvation of the village known as Wave. End this repetitive horror prematurely.

Objectives

Build a bridge connecting the island to the mainland.

Heal all the sick in the village.

Gather enough meat (0/100kg).

Repair the dam.

Bonus Objectives

Sow feelings of gratitude for Konoha in the populace of Nami.

Rewards

10000EXP, ?]

…..

Dammit.

Okay, Mist can wait one more day, right? I mean, it's been a year since I've been living in the Elemental Nations, and no word has come of the bloody civil war happening yet. I shouldn't be too late by just delaying my mission one more day.

Just as I was about to accept it, though, I frowned. A recovering population with nothing in the way of defense… they would be prime targets for bandits and brigands of all kinds. Hmm…

I accepted the quest and created a shadow clone, which leaped off the branch I was currently perched on and made his way back the same path I came, eager to finish one off all the bandits in Nami no Kuni – the Speed-Force and my sensing ought to be enough to track all of them down in a night. I waited a few seconds, and then another clone came into existence and sped towards the capital city to try and get word on Gato – if I fix up Nami, he'll just find another dilapidated town to control; a man like that can't be left unchecked. Another clone a few seconds later was assigned the tedious duty of hunting, skinning, and gathering meat and pelts – useful not only for clothes but also furnishings and stuff.

I, myself, simply leaped back to beyond the island limits, got down onto the main road, and began walking at a leisurely pace, not doing anything to hide my identity and ensuring that my head-band was firmly in place. A few seconds of walking quickly brought me to the shore. I looked around, feeling a bit curious. Nami was a fishing village, so surely there should be-

Aha.

"Um, excuse me." I politely offered to a curious-looking fisherman docked at the shore. "Can you tell me the way to Nami, please?"

"It's just across the river." He answered, eyes flashing to my head-band then back to my face. "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Uzumaki Gundan, a ninja of the Hidden Leaf." I told him. "I was told to visit Nami no Kuni and help to improve life there."

"Why?" the man asked, looking a strange mix of surprise and relief. "I mean, not that I'm not grateful, but we've been neighbors ever since Whirlpool fell, and yet he Leaf hasn't tried to help us."

I shrugged, looking at a loss myself. "I honestly don't know. I mean, I was wondering the exact same thing, let me tell you. I guess we just finally realized we're not the only people we've got to look after in the world." I offered a disarming smile.

He grinned. "You look a little young to be a ninja, but you're far smarter than other kids your age, so that fits. The name's Kaiza. I can take you across and to the village of Suisen, if you want." He patted his boat fondly. "This girl is the fastest rowboat in these waters."

Oh. Wait. Now I know where I remember his face from. This guy is Inari's step-father someone. But wait, I gotta play this cool; I frowned. "So… the only way to get across to Nami is by boat? Sorry, but that would eventually mean that your economy would go into a steady decline, being so cut off from the rest of the world."

The man's grin faltered, and he sighed a heavy sigh. "Ain't that true, kid. You can only grow so much in the same ground repeatedly, after all, and the transport of goods costs and takes too much. There was some talk around town of making a bridge, but we don't have the resources needed to take care of it."

Bingo. "A bridge? Interesting idea…"

"I wouldn't lay that on your superiors, kid. Making a bridge that long and that big costs a pretty Ryo." The man smiled sadly.

I looked surprised. "No, Kaiza-san, I was going to build it myself. With ninjutsu."

He looked shocked, then skeptical. "You can do something like that?"

I grinned and offered him a thumbs-up. "I have a special bloodline that lets me control the elements better than any other shinobi alive. Give me a crack at it, and I promise you won't be disappointed."

He smiled a bit but then deflated. "But… we wouldn't know how to pay you…"

"I don't need payment." I shook my head resolutely. "Just… I can only do so much, so in return for me making this bridge and offering whatever help I can, you have to promise me that you will help these people get back on their own two feet."

He had a strange expression on his face. "Kid, I've not even been around here for long – I just moved down south from Tetsu no Kuni. What makes you think they'll listen to me?"

Tetsu? Kaiza was from the Land of Iron? That… is something not mentioned in canon. "Okay, then lead me to someone who is looked up to around here, and I will do the rest." I said resolutely.

He looked at me for a long moment, as if measuring me. Suddenly, I was struck with a strong feeling that there was much more to this man than met the eye. I scanned him just to be sure.

[Muramasa Kaiza – Level 98

(Legendary Smith)

Race - Human (Immortal)

HP - 78000/78000

CP - 74500/74500

Constitution - 780

Strength - 846

Agility - 892

Intelligence - 745

Luck - 50

Wisdom - 910

?]

Um… WHAT?! No, wait, deep breaths… so I was right – even ascending beyond humanity didn't allow my scans to tell me what I don't already know as background information. But… holy hell – this was THE Muramasa! And… he's immortal. Wonderful… well, at least I know that this definitely wasn't the case in canon. Plus, how does he hide his massive chakra levels from sensors and stuff, being alive as long as he has? Oh, wait, of course. He's learned to seal – that's how he makes his swords so amazing. Damn. But wait, Kaiza died in the original story, right? So, was this more Gamer shenanigans, or was there more to his death than canon told us?

Eh, it's not important. Immortal or not, blood still runs in his veins. If he's a threat, I can take him.

"Alright, kid. Let's see what you can do." He crossed his arms and grinned at me.

I shrugged nonchalantly and turned to leap back up onto the flatter ground, while Kaiza opted to keep his façade and climb like a civilian after securing his boat. Well, I'm not going to call out the man on lying when I do it so much myself.

I walked to a good starting point and turned to look back over at the wide river. Wow, this is going to be like the Bandra-Worli Bridge back home; no wonder Team 7 was so impressed with the construction. On that matter, how did Tazuna even get as far as he had with construction when Gato would obviously actively try to suppress his efforts? Is that a plot-hole right there?

I shrugged and fell into my earth-bending stance, then slammed a foot on the ground. Chi pulsed out in waves from my foot, crossed my sensing range, and then got back to me with lots of information. Alright, so if the river-bed was that deep, and the shore was that far away…

I shoved my hands down, almost touching the ground, and grasped the earth in a long, wide stretch between this shore and the next. Then, I heaved.

An earthquake seemed to rend the area. A mild one, but one, nonetheless. The water ahead of us began to ripple, then wave out from the center as I brought land up.

I heard something behind me but didn't dwell on it as I focused on my goal. The water was rushing outwards towards both sides now, and I could see the earth beneath the water. Soon, it broke through the surface and continued to rise until it was level with the roads on either side. A stomp on the ground compressed it and hardened it into a tough rock. A series of gestures ensured that there was ample space for water to flow beneath. Twin gestured made the rock on either side rise up a bit to act as rails.

And there. A large, very wide, hard-to-destroy bridge.

I dusted imaginary dust off my hands and turned to a gaping Kaiza. "Alright. Lead on."

"Kid…" he looked at the bridge as if he wasn't even sure it existed. He walked past me and carefully stepped on it, then hopped up and down as if it would suddenly give. You now, for being immortal, he isn't much of a believer in people's skills. "I didn't know ninja could do this."

"Not ninja, just me." I clarified, walking up to him. He fell into step beside me without even prompting. "I have a bloodline, as I told you."

"That's a helluva powerful bloodline." He commented, looking at me oddly. "Did you use a lot of energy?"

"Not a single drop." I grinned. "It's a bonus to being me, I guess."

"I never heard of such a bloodline among those big-uns back in Whirlpool." He continued. "Yours must be the first of its kind, eh?"

Ah, curiosity killed the cat – he just revealed too much. However, I wasn't going to call him out on it. "I'm not actually an Uzumaki." I shook my head. "I was adopted into the clan by a survivor because I took care of a baby clan-member in the orphanage we were both at." I smiled sadly. "I wonder where all the Uzumaki are, now… the Leaf would welcome them with open arms."

The rest of the walk passed in fun conversation. Kaiza wanted to know all about the Leaf, Naruto, and Tenten. I told him how much was safe about those three topics. Then, he wanted to know more about me personally. I guess I piqued his interest – not that I blame him, mind; if someone did what I had done in front of me, I'd be pretty curious about them, too. On the way there, a clone popped and let me know that more than enough meat had been gathered, already.

Suisen turned out to be the very village Tazuna lived in. It was a couple of hours' worth a walk away from the new bridge and looked far better than what it did in canon. The people were livelier, there were children playing about, and, perhaps most importantly, it wasn't deathly silent. People waved to Kaiza as he walked about and offered me curious looks. Finally, after walked a little way into town, Kaiza led me to a little larger-than-normal but still simple-looking house.

A young girl opened the door, rather nondescript, honestly, and smiled at Kaiza. A quick scan told me she was just as ordinary as she looked, but she was smarter than average. They had a moment of silent conversation before the door opened wide enough to let us in.

"Ah, Kaiza-kun. And a stranger."

I turned towards the matronly voice to see an old lady sitting in a comfortable-looking chair by the fireplace. When I say 'old', I mean 'she looks like she's going to kick the bucket any second now'. Her hair was almost fully white, she was more wrinkly than canon Hiruzen, and her voice rattled more than my old window.

"Asuka oba-sama." Kaiza greeted her, rushing to her feet and plopping himself there. "How are you? I haven't been here for a few days…"

"You worry too much. I'm fine. Ran is here to take care of me." She smiled. "The real question is for you. There was a tremor a few hours ago…"

"Ah… that is because of him, here." He gestured toward me. The woman's eyes flew to me with renewed interest shining. "He raised a bridge between the mainland and the island. It's huge! You simply must see it, oba-sama."

"Alas, if I could walk that far, I wouldn't even be here." Asoka sighed, but then looked towards the girl. "Ran-chan, go tell Tazuna-kun to go have a look at this bridge and let me know what he thinks."

Ran, who had her mouth agape since Kaiza spoke, shut it with a click and bowed before quickly leaving.

Next, the lady turned to me. "It is a fair day today for Suisen. I must admit, were you not to come along, I don't know what would have happened to this village."

"It was the right thing to do." I tilted my head. "That, and it was also an order from my superiors to help Nami no Kuni. May I ask if Suisen is the only village in the land?"

"Yes. We ourselves are remnants of the civilians of Uzushiogakure that fell more than a decade ago." The old lady informed me with a very depressed tone. I think she could give Kitsuna a run for his money. "But tell me, child, who are you?"

"I'm Uzumaki Gundan, pleased to meet you." I bowed. "I was adopted into the Uzumaki clan by a sole-survivor in the Leaf for a good deed."

"An Uzumaki lives?" the old lady suddenly looked a lot livelier. Wait… no…

"Hai. Her name is Uzumaki Tisha, but she's been hit with selective Amnesia so she doesn't remember much of Uzushio, if at all." I answered, straightening. "I honestly doubt that she is an Uzumaki at all, but Uzumaki Kushina's son is alive and well. I'm his adoptive older brother." I dropped the name because… I had this feeling…

"Kushina had a son? Ha! Serves her right! Now maybe she'll learn how it feels to deal with her type." Asoka grinned a toothless grin. "Ah, but where are my manners, my name is Uzumaki Asoka."

"Please, don't give your name so easily." I sighed. "I could have been a hunter for all you know."

"My eyes see far more than most, Gundan-kun. I can see the sincerity and truth in your words, no matter what masks you choose to put up." She said in reply.

"The Minds Eye of the Kagura." I breathed. Karin's sensing technique, it was. "You have it. You're… really an Uzumaki." I quickly scanned her and yes, indeed, she was who she said she was. "How…?"

"My story is a long one." She admitted, then frowned, causing her wrinkles to grow more prominent. "Have you found any others? And does this… Tisha… treat Kushina's son well?"

"Naruto is cared for as if he were our own." I assured her. "Alongside him, we also adopted a girl so he would not feel alone. She is of not much note."

She hummed. "Come closer, child. Let me have a better look at you."

I hesitated but walked closer, sending a glance to Kaiza, who shuffled out of the way and stood.

"You… are drenched with a strange emptiness. It is foreboding, and yet inviting – it tis hard to decide." She spoke. "However, you have the capability to weather the storm, and already have in an instance – your spirit bears a mark of resilience… no, two of them. You have been broken multiple times… but you do not fall. Tell me, how is it that one so young is so strong in both body and mind?"

I gulped. That was the most insightful thing anyone said about me ever since I got here. "It is my dream to do the best for those I call my own from the shadows, so that they may not need to do unspeakable things for their ambitions to come true. For this, I must be strong."

She looked at me shrewdly. "The Leaf did not send you. You came of your own volition."

"Yes, oba-sama." I sighed, "I heard about the situation of Wave from someone, and felt I had to do something to remedy the situation before it got worse."

Kaiza leveled a slightly betrayed look at me for a while, but neither of us paid much attention to him.

"I won't ask you why." She said finally, after a long staring match. "But I will welcome your help. We have a lot of people ill at the local clinic. I'll have Ran show you there when she returns while Kaiza can go fetch some medicine from the nearest town."

I created a shadow clone which flashed out of there. "It will be here soon. Meanwhile," I turned to Kaiza, "please show me to the sick."

In the Leaf, Kakashi looked on at Gundan from afar, a light smile on his face as he watched the boy play with his adoptive siblings. He was like a packet of sunshine that the Leaf was very lucky to discover. Even if it weren't for the Hokage's orders… he was sure he'd have wanted to protect him anyway just because of what he now meant to Naruto.

The young ex-ANBU was in no delusions – he had a duty to Naruto and he failed to perform it. Even now, he was scared of what would happen when Minato and Kushina would eventually find him in the Pure World… how would that encounter go? What would they say when he would admit that he was too embroiled in his own emotions to accept responsibility of raising a child?

They'd be disappointed, for sure.

He lifted his head-band from the Sharingan just to record this moment and treasure it forever. It was often said that the reason the Uchiha Clan is such a dull bunch is that they're forced to remember forever moments they'd rather not – those of battle, recorded by the perfect-memory-granting bloodline they used. As a way to counteract that, every Sharingan user was given express advice to activate it in moments of happiness as well, just so that they can forever remember it and counteract the number of ill memories they've recorded.

As he watched the scene before him, though… something nagged at Kakashi.

The Sharingan did not allow one to see another's chakra pathways or tenketsu like the Byakugan did, but it could see chakra in general. Ever since Gundan had been assigned a team, he'd developed this strange aura around him that could only be seen with a Dojutsu – a shade of grey so perfectly between white and black that was invisible to the normal eye. The Hokage theorized it had something to do with his Dojutsu since they turned the Sclera of his eyes black when active and changed the two colors each eye was depending on the elements that he 'bent'.

Now, though… that aura was only half of its maximum potential.

The Hatake frowned, not liking this. It was infamous amongst all those who knew that Gundan's natural chakra recovery rate was inhumanly high – theoretically, the brat could replenish his chakra in fifteen seconds or more (he was definitely not jealous!). So why was this aura so diminished? It was as if it had been… cut… into half…

FUCK, not AGAIN!

"There you go, all healed." I smiled at the adorable little child, maybe half my age, looking at his leg in wonder. I pulled the water away with a gesture and let it slowly settle in the pot net to me. "Just be sure to try not to fall again soon, okay?" I looked at his mother. "Another fall so soon might stress the bone again and cause it to snap. Make him take it easy for a couple of days."

"I will." The mother had tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah, thanks, one-san!" the boy beamed.

My smile turned a little brittle. "I am a boy, little one."

"Really? But you're so pretty!"

The mother was mortified enough to bow again in thanks and quickly usher the boy out.

It was almost eight in the evening, and I apparently just finished healing the last person that needed attention in the village. A good portion of that time was spent talking to Tazuna, who wouldn't stop asking me questions about the bridge's composition, something which I couldn't exactly say since I created it using earth-bending. Meanwhile, Kaiza had taken to leaning against the wall of the little stand a kind man offered us to help heal the ailing. A lot of it was injuries from environmental hazards, and the rest were simple sicknesses.

Speaking of that bastard, he was currently laughing at me.

I just glared. "Laugh it up all you want, Kaiza, but I'll have the last laugh when I prank you back in retaliation."

"I look forward to it, brat." He grinned. Some time around when I was healing, he vanished and soon returned holding a simple-looking sword. From his title, though, I knew it would be far from simple. "Let's go visit Asoka oba-sama again. She said she'd be waiting up for you."

I nodded and stood, reaching into my inventory out of sight and pulling out a large roll of money to hand over to the man who gave me his stand. "Here. For your stand. I'm sorry you couldn't sell your fruit, today."

"Nonsense!" the man shook his head, pushing the money back. "You healed our sick, filled our storehouses, and built that bridge for us. You owe us nothing. On the other hand, we owe the Leaf a lot." He seemed to think for a minute before the metaphorical light-bulb went off in his head. He quickly ran into his house and emerged not a minute later with a large scroll that he had quite the difficulty carrying. He looked at it, then at me, and then pushed it in my hands. "A wandering merchant sold this for cheap to me when he passed us by. Unfortunately, I can't seem to open it. I reckon it must be some of that chakra magic at work again – you can make more use of this than I can."

I looked at the scroll curiously. It had strange script all over it… some sort of seal, no doubt. I slung it over my free shoulder by the cord it had. "Thank you for your generosity. If there's anything more I can do…"

The man just shook his head and walked away, muttering about 'brats who didn't know when to stop giving'.

Kaiza seemed to find that amusing, too.

The two of us quickly made our way back to Asoka's, who turned out to, indeed, be awake. She welcomed me with a warm smile this time. "Welcome back, you two. So, everything has been done?"

"Yes, oba-sama." Kaiza replied. "The brat offered to help build us new homes, but I denied him. If the people do nothing for themselves, it might make them overly reliant on help to get by."

I opened my mouth to protest but Asoka's words stopped that train of thought. "Good choice."

I sighed in defeat. "If that is what you two wish…" Honestly, building a house is child's play with earth-bending and then some manual roofing being done, but if these two didn't want me to do so, how could I force them? "… then I have done all I can here."

PING!

[Quest Complete!

Side Quest: Raising Nami

You have seen and read enough iterations of the salvation of the village known as Wave. End this repetitive horror prematurely.

Completed Objectives

Build a bridge connecting the island to the mainland.

Heal all the sick in the village.

Gather enough meat (126.3/100kg).

Repair the dam.

Bonus Objectives

Sow feelings of gratitude for Konoha in the populace of Nami.

Help the populace of Suisen decide to better their own lives.

Rewards

10000EXP, +Random Skill Scroll, +REP with Muramasa Kaiza]

[You have leveled up! You are now level 6!

Received 30 stat points and 100 perk points!]

Nice! I could check my inventory for the scroll later.

"In your efforts, I have judged you." Asoka spoke, drawing me away from the screens. "You may not be an Uzumaki by blood, but you are one by heart – and it does my old bones good to see one of us again."

"Thank you, oba-sama." I bowed.

Her surprisingly strong grip reached for me and straightened me up before pulling me into a light hug. "No, thank you, Gundan-kun, for all you have done. In just one evening, you have transformed the face of Suisen, and thus, Nami no Kuni." I felt… odd. Her embrace felt much like my own grandmother's. She pulled away with a labored breath. "And now that I have met one of my own… I am finally ready to depart…"

That set off alarm bells.

She made a few single-handed hand-signs with surprising dexterity before a small scroll appeared in her hands. "Gundan-kun, ever since the last Uzumaki left the grounds of our village, it has been plundered countless times in search of knowledge and valuables. While the latter we chose not to protect… the former is sealed in a vault deep beneath the village itself under the Central Obelisk… you should know what I'm talking about when you see it. I want you to have the key."

My breath caught in my throat. "Oba-sama…"

"Fulfill an old woman's last wish and take it." She insisted, forcing the scroll into my hands with a growingly-shaky grip. "I hope it serves you better than it ever did us… Pandora's Box."

My blood froze. "Pandora's Box?! Here?!"

Her eyes sharpened and focused on mine. I cursed myself at the slip, but… which universe did the box come from? And how? Why? This was definitely from long before I was ever born so… Was Seonil's grandfather right when he said Jinhan-Han's powers affected the world around him, too?

"You know of it." She concluded, the sighed. "Then its burden falls onto you. My time is over and done, and all I want is to sleep…" she turned to the only other person present. "Kaiza-kun, Gundan-kun will need help on his journey. I want you to stay by his side and help him to the best of your ability."

Kaiza did not protest and only nodded with watery eyes. "Hai… oba-chan."

"I have already instructed Ran in what to do." Asoka sighed as if a great weight was lifted off her shoulders. "And now…" she leaned back in her chair and rested herself fully "I can… finally…"

Silence.

"She's gone." I breathed, reaching forward and closing her eyes. Asoka was an old woman and had she wanted to live, she could have let me heal her. I guess… mental exhaustion is more potent than I ever gave her credit for.

"She waited all this time for someone she could entrust that scroll to." Kaiza answered, looking upon the woman with a teary smile. "Now she can rest in the Pure World."

I tightened my grip on the scroll. "How far are the ruins of Uzushiogakure from here?"

"You wish to go now?" Kaiza asked, shocked. "Are you not to be back in your village by tomorrow morning?"

"I'm a fast boy." I shrugged and stood. I hesitated for a moment, then properly pulled the blanket over the dead woman. "And I owe it to her to lay this burden to rest. Besides…"

"This 'Pandora's Box'" he totally butchered the pronunciation of the name, by the way, "has you worried."

"It is something that has contained the vilest of evils in many times." I solemnly confided. "If one is here, it is my duty to see it destroyed."

PING!

[Main Quest Alert!

Blue Core of Hope

A Pandora's Box exists under the ruins of Uzushiogakure no Sato. Find it and discover its secrets.

Objectives

Find Pandora's Box.

Open or Destroy Pandora's Box.

Bonus Objectives

Do not use any magic.

Do not use any bending skills.

Rewards

75000EXP, ?]

Yes… my duty…

"He's not in the village?"

"No, Hokage-sama." Hizashi shook his head. "Sempai immediately proceeded to fetch me to check his coils, and I'm certain that what we're looking at is a Shadow Clone. Gundan-kun has never shown any regression in chakra quantity."

Hiruzen sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "That boy, I swear…"

Sarutobi Hiruzen owed a lot to Uzumaki Gundan. The boy united most of his village, nipped problems in the bud, and, perhaps most important of all, reunited the Sannin. Oh, he had been watching the boy with his Crystal Ball the entire week, and so he had seen the effect his words had had on his student. Orochimaru and Anko were now off with Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune to god-knows-where. Team 2 were assigned individual training with their clan until the day after, however, so he was certain they'd be back soon.

But it didn't allow the boy to just go wherever he pleased! Gundan should know that he has responsibilities now and that shaking them off like this to gallivant to somewhere was a major risk to his continued existence!

"Kakashi, assemble your squad and prepare for an S-rank mission, deployable in five minutes. You, Hizashi, Riruka, and Ren are to find and monitor Gundan-kun." He ordered. "I'm not entirely certain why he chose to go outside the village, but that boy never does anything without a damn good reason – if he's in trouble, you're authorized to lend assistance." Unlikely, given the boy's prowess, but only Jiraiya and he really knew how far the boy could go.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Kakashi and Hizashi bowed, then vanished in swirls of leaves.

Hiruzen made a face. They could at least have the decency to scatter dirt around outside his office!