THE NEW INNER

IT WAS SILENT.

Only the slight rippling of clothing was audible-

Along with a low hum of susserating whispers.

Yoshika was wrong.

Or rather-

Han, the only one who passively filled him in, was wrong.

Yoshika didn't resent Han for this. In fact, he wished Han had been right.

Jigen had summoned all of Kara.. but this was something else.

I know I'm at headquarters. We- we traveled here- but this..!

Yoshika felt chakra slithering across his skin. It then pressured deeper, a terrifying and invasive sensation that made Yoshika fall to his hands.

Wetness met him then.

"What's happening?!" Yoshika screamed.

It was at that moment his eyes began to adjust to the darkness.

"Silence.. this is her jutsu..Otogane Gamou." Yoshika heard Han's voice nearby.

The sound of waves curled around them.

Yoshika frowned at Han's dim shadow. The man's painted eyes seemed to be looking down at him.

"Why wouldn't you warn me of this beforehand?" Yoshika's wounded glance left Han's drawn pupils, before focusing on the shifting figures that seemed to pool upwards from the black ocean.

"I didn't know it was like this until it happened. No doubt, we will both forget this place until we are summoned here again." Han said softly.

"But this is headquarters.. right?" Yoshika asked breathlessly as he rose.

"No, not anymore, Yoshika Ito." A voice began from behind the waves.

"Get up. We've wasted time looking for you both."

This voice Yoshika recognized.

"Of course, Lord Deepa," Yoshika rose, turning with a half bow as Han joined him, doing the same with a blind, robotic accuracy.

Deepa grimaced at both of his Outers, but said nothing. Yoshika's eyes were drawn to the shinobi who stood beside Deepa-

The man was young, and very short. He had jet black hair, and four diamonds stitched into the skin of his cheek.

He wore a strange, tribal scarf that was arrayed in runic markings. A kimono spread almost as if a dress from his body, while both arms hid within large sleeves.

The man glanced over and up at Deepa, black hair parting to reveal piercing blue eyes.

"Forgive me, Lord Deepa. But I don't believe I've been introduced to these two in person." The man smiled-

Yoshika was surprised. Despite his strange clothing, the man had a kind and welcoming face. He bore a mysterious charisma and handsomeness, and a grin that could charm you as easily as it could be the last thing you saw before he killed you.

Deepa turned a cloaked back to them all, walking away as he spoke.

"Then hurry and do it. Jigen is known for his patience, but even he has his limits. Especially now." Deepa hissed.

It was strange- Deepa seemed far more subdued than normal.

What's going on..?

The small man's voice brought Yoshika out of his musings.

"I am Jieshi Of Uzushiogakure, Upper to our Lord Deepa." Jeishi closed blue eyes with a small smirk.

"No- how?!" Han blurted.

"Your clan- it was exterminated long ago. I spent years learning what I could of ancient Uzumaki fuinjutsu- for there to be a survivor.. not just that, but as young as you are- " Han stepped forward. Yoshika's eyes widened.. he'd never seen Han act like this.

Jeishi gave a polite chuckle.

"I can feel it upon you, Han Sifu. That state."

Jeishi closed eyes once more.

"Yes.. it's incomplete..you are, however, skilled to have gotten so far with nothing but bygone texts." Jeishi opened his eyes, giving both Yoshika and Han a humble laugh.

If you cannot sense it within me, Han Sifu, I am allowing you to now." Jeishi spoke while simply raising one finger.

Han immediately fell to his knees. But it wasn't out of pain-

No- it was obeisance.

"For a fully realized Entropic Sage to exist in this world.." Han's voice was shaking.

Jieshi gave Han a warm and genuinely loving expression.

"You have dedicated yourself, Han Sifu. Allow me to help you to your feet as a fellow Sage." Jeishi extended a hand to Han's shoulder, guiding the blind man to his full height- Han now towering over Jeishi.

"I am the one who sent you all to Konoha. It took.. time to discern the location of surviving Death scrolls. I doubt even Konoha knew that it had been in their possession." Jeishi looked away-

For the first time, his smile seemed to falter.

Yoshika narrowed his brows-

"Deepa has gone ahead of us. We shouldn't keep our many Lords waiting."

Yoshika followed Jeishi in stunned silence. Deepa had in fact, gotten ahead of them. Yoshika couldn't even see the man anymore.

"It would be best not to trust your eyes within this realm," Jieshi said upon Yoshika's sullen question.

He felt childish, but he genuinely felt as if this jutsu, if it could be called that, bent the realities of existence itself.

"I understand your fear. It is a jutsu that allows Jigen, by way of Lady Otogane, to communicate with all of us. Though, if it is of any consolation, you will forget of this place." Jeishi turned back to give Yoshika a friendly, closed eye smile.

"Will I forget you?" Yoshika replied.

Jieshi laughed, turning back ahead.

"No. You will remember the.. presences you meet, and the information you hear. But the world itself will be lost to you for a time."

Yoshika nodded, before seeing something far away in the distance. It looked to be a large glass dias, lifted slightly above the water on a tablet of onyx stone.

Figures stood amongst the dias..Yoshika couldn't exactly make them out... but he could tell that some of those standing were not physical at all, but quivering, erratic shadows.

The air, if it could be called that here, grew colder.

Yoshika shivered.

"Kara awaits, my comrades." Jeishi motioned to them, before striding to the strange constructs.

"This.. it feels wrong, Han. The chakra.." Yoshika whispered.

Han.. paused for a moment- something Yoshika hadn't expected.

But the blind man continued, following Jeishi and leaving Yoshika to the sound of his wake through the black water.

Yoshika swallowed heavily.

To fulfill my dream..

He shut his eyes- the bloodied faces of his parents and younger siblings flashing across a mind that would give anything to reverse that day.

I'll do whatever I have to in order to bring you all back.

A tear goaded by memories fell down Yoshika's cheek. He stepped forward with determination, ignoring alien surroundings as fate seemed to bark within his ears.

Yoshika stepped upon the dias.

"And with that.. they're all here. The ones you wanted." A shadow closest to Yoshika mumbled.

He vaguely recognized the shadow's voice-

That scientist- Amado!

So even he's he-

?

Confusion.

Fear.

Anticipation.

Hatred?

Yoshika.. he wasn't sure of what that sensation just now was.

It was as if, for a second, he had lived a thousand realities within a singular moment- before one outcome was finally and methodically chosen.

It came with a kiss of air, and a slight tap of wood upon the glass.

Yoshika's eyes were instantly drawn to the new being that sat among them, seated within a simple black chair.

It had pale skin, with wide, intelligent eyes that were almost entirely black. Its face was youthful- but also distant with a cruel aloofness.

Long black hair was tied into a braid behind its forehead, falling behind shoulders garbed in strange ceremonial robes.

Jigen-

Jigen's eyes directly met Yoshika's.

After a few moments, Jigen smiled.

"I'm sorry. My jutsu.. has become more draining with each passing day. Forgive me." Jigen whispered.

Amado's shadow gave a disappointed chuckle.

"You're overdoing it." The man said.

Jigen's grin became harsher- Yoshika could tell a wave of pain had just shook through the man.

"Perhaps." Jigen answered simply.

Jieshi, Han and Deepa were standing across from Jigen- but Yoshika didn't dare move.

It was strange- he felt other presences here-

But they were all basked in shadow.

A protective method? And.. it looks like this Otogane or whatever isn't amongst us now. so what's-

"It is good to gather like this. It.. has been some time. For many of you.. we may have never met face to face until now." Jigen started.

"You are here to witness something. The beginning of the future." Jigen continued.

"Reality.. The predetermined song of fate has afforded us a solution. A key..." Jigen spoke as he rose his head to sudden movement within the dias circle.

Three shadows suddenly burst with light, hissing with smoke as blackness crawled away from the figures.

A masked man with long white hair stood in the middle. He was tall, well built, and dressed in the cloak marking him as an Inner within Kara. The mask he wore covered his entire face, but one could see the man's eyes vaguely within his brow's shadow.

To the masked one's left, another man of similar height lurked. He had strangely pale skin, with bright blonde hair tied into a long ponytail. He had an almost.. feminine appearance- if it weren't for his build, Yoshika would've thought the man was a woman.

Finally, Yoshika's eyes fell upon the shortest of the three, a kind looking young woman with shaggy green hair. Her eyes were black- but Yoshika could see the woman's pupil's were slanted, as if a snake's.

"These three.. are the instruments of our evolving will. These three.. are the ones who will return Kawaki to us." Jigen said softly.

Kawaki!

Yoshika hadn't heard much about Kawaki.. but he knew the boy was important. Something had happened to Kawaki before Yoshika was recruited into Kara.. an event that seemingly nearly killed the boy.

"The man with the mask is Kashin.. Koji. He will hold the rank of Inner. Beside him, is Khitan Yafuei. He shall serve Kara as an Upper. That leaves us with Mouri Sechime- Outer. A dangerous woman, I'm told." Jigen nodded to Mouri.

Mouri nodded back, smiling with those strange eyes.

"Thank you, Lord Jigen." Mouri bowed.

Surprisingly, Jigen's eyes turned to Yoshika once more.

Once more, Yoshika froze.

Then, Jigen glanced over to Deepa.

"I have personally called your team here.. Deepa.. to escort Kashin Koji to the land of Rivers, then provide him with all the intel he will need on assignment over Konoha." Jigen instructed.

Deepa swallowed heavily.

Does Deepa have some sort of issue with this guy.. this Kashin Koji?

Yoshika wasn't sure if maybe Deepa had past history with Kashin, or if he was simply upset that some newcomer had attained the rank of Inner.

Whatever Deepa's thoughts, he did not voice them. Deepa simply bore a false smile, and gave Jigen a curt bow.

"Of course, Lord Jigen." Deepa answered.

Jigen seemed happy with this.

"We will usher in a new era. All of us." Kashin said suddenly.

The masked man stepped forward.

"With Kawaki. Then.. the Divine Tree." He said, bowing his head forward as bright eyes stared from a darkened mask.

NEXT TIME, DOUBLE CHAPTER! LOG'S DISCOVERY/ BORUTO AND HIMAWARI 12/4/2021