AN/ not much to say here expect an update 10/14/20 enjoy the interlude and omake
Orochimaru's interlude part 1
Orochimaru stood idly by in her lab, basking in the pride she felt with her latest success. The computation storage device was the pinnacle of the merging of Fūinjutsu and shinobi ware. It was truly an intelligent device. Unlike those pathetic automatons.
Her only lament was in the wasted time lost to deciphering old Uzumaki Fūinjutsu scrolls. 'Yes,' she thought it was quite the waste of time. At one point she was sure that she had lost it. Well, more so than usual. It made her sword arm ache to go out and slaughter those stupid kage. Yes, it was frustrating having to figure out the intricacies of Fūinjutsu without an Uzumaki who instinctively understood the art. An art that mind you was just chock-full of higher dimensional math and science. Something that took her a good six months to understand.
Honestly, Orochimaru knew she would be screwed had it not been for the work Naruto had left behind on the practical applications of Fūinjutsu on time-space ninjitsu. It was what amounted to a thesis on how to bend physics over your knee. All while telling reality to fuck right off.
Orochimaru said it then, and she would say it now. 'Uzumaki were bullshit. Just completely bullshit. It honestly made her wonder just how the combined forces of Kumo, Kiri, and Iwa managed to destroy the clan. If one lone Uzumaki could casually make reality his bitch. Then just how did they manage to murder an entire country of the monsters?'
She let out a small sigh, putting that question to the side for now. As she sensed Kabuto along with her children coming.
He had just opened the door yet, like always, she was aware of his presence. Smiling that ever-present smile of hers. "Orochimaru-Sama," Kabuto greeted. Her smile, her genuine smile that she only gave to her loved ones. Only grew even wider at the sight of her children.
"Mother," her youngest Izayoi greeted.
While her middle child Mugetsu gave her a quiet, "hello mom."
The eldest of the triplets Mikazuki had forgone a greeting entirely. Her gaze locked onto the five intelligent devices bobbing gently in the suspension fluid that kept them in a dormant state.
Kagura scowled at the disrespect her sister was showing to their mother. She was about to correct said oversight when her mother waved her off.
"Now,now Kagura you of all people should know that your sister takes after me. In this regard, especially."
Mikazuki was practically vibrating with excitement as she spun to face her mother, "mom, are they ready?"
"Kukuku, of course Mika-Chan, why else would I have called you."
Stepping up to the counsel next to the five devices, Orochimaru input a few commands into the terminal. Her children watched idly as the fluid drained from the tanks. The glass of the tanks lowered into the base of the pedestals the devices rested on.
The intelligent devices no bigger than the size of a pearl. Started to rise from their resting spot in their receptacles. With a steadily growing light. Their once spherical forms now fractal in nature. As they drifted in a lazy arch towards Kabuto, Kagura and her sisters.
The devices stopped within arm's reach of the five. Pulsing with light, constantly shifting between dimensions.
"Reach out with your chakra," Orochimaru advised.
They did as instructed, reaching out with just a sliver of chakra. Like an eager child, the devices latched onto that tendril of chakra bonding with their hosts. Their once fractal forms shifted to suit their new masters.
Held in Kabuto's hand was a card no bigger than a playing card, all black. Set in the center was a golden gem in the shape of a pointed cross.
A swirl of wind marked the transformation of Kagura's device into an ornate bracelet with a small feather and fans. Two on each side while at the top was a golden obsidian gemstone.
Resting in Mikazuki's hands was a choker with a moonstone dangling from the jewellery. While her sister, Izyoi's hand was an ornate ring. Resting in the center was a bloodstone like no other.
Finally, Mugetsu received an ornate earring. Hanging from a small chain attached to it was a small crystalline spike the deep red of a ruby.
Orochimaru couldn't help but smile at the success of her project. Yet feel melancholic all the same. She knew what this meant for her children and Kabuto. It would not be long now that they were bonded to their devices. Once the devices located Naruto based on his unique chakra signature and gathered enough natural chakra to make the journey. They would embark on their mission to find Naruto. With any luck, they would be successful in doing so.
"So what do we do now?" Kagura asked.
"Kukuku, now you wait, dear. It's all up to the devices to pick up on Naruto's chakra and calculate the best path to get to wherever he is." Orochimaru explained. "I however need to inform the Hokage of our progress."
With that, Kabuto, Kagura and the triplets left her to report her progress.
]|[
Itachi Uchiha, named after his namesake, current Hokage and leader of one of the few two remaining hidden villages. Sat at his desk in a video conference before a counsel of his fellow Kage and the daimyo of the five great nations.
"Thank you all for making time in your busy schedules to be present of today's meeting." announced the new Mizukage, a man by the name of Jiro Tanaka. A man with rather plain features, a stout build making him rather short over all. An overall improvement over the previous Mizukage. But still an untrusted full politician.
"Yes, quite.'' The current fire daimyo said, rather lackadaisically. Giving off the impression that he was rather unimpressed by this meeting. That he would rather be off spending his fortunes elsewhere.
Itachi hated this, hated their lazy condescending attitudes of the other four kage as they simpered to the gathered Daimyo. Calling this a summit would be a mockery of what the Gokage summit stood for. Now they merely gathered to curry favor with the daimios and one another. A mockery of the once vaunted gathering was used for in the past.
Itachi tuned out the droning bleating of the other Kage, almost literally counting the seconds until the meeting was done.
Itachi found it rather ironic that they slogged their way through another meeting. With not one major incident of note even brought up. Considering the civil unrest in their countries. That was mildly disturbing to the aged shinobi. Itachi found it frustrating and thanked his ancestors for the patience they gave him to deal with these insufferable twit's. Given that even before Naruto's banishment most shinobi clans saw the writing on the wall when the position of Kage was made into one decided by election rather than merit.
Yes, one by one shinobi flocked to the Leaf or Uzu to maintain their way of life. Once the elected officials directed money towards cheaper soldiers wielding jutsu casters and automaton puppets. Nowadays, Konoha was a melting pot of ideals and traditions. A sanctuary to those dedicated to the shinobi Arts.
When the video call app on his computer went off, it broke Itachi from his idle thoughts. Scrolling down to it, he clicked on the tab. A window popped up, connecting the call. Revealing the amused visage of Orochimaru.
"I take it that there is a reason for this call?" Itachi asked, quirking an eyebrow in curiosity.
Her smug smile only grew. Frustrating Itachi to no end.
"Damn her," he thought as she chuckled. "Kukuku my, my, Itachi-Kun, can't I just call to say hi?"
His eye twitched the lone showing of his true emotions, his frustration rising. Hiding his true emotions behind the thin veneer of a smile. "Orochi!" he said in a warning tone.
All humor fled her features as the Sannin crossed her arms and pouted…
Itachi blinked blankly, staring at the woman in disbelief.
He couldn't believe what he was staring at, Orochimaru, one of the most deadly shinobi Konoha ever raised…
'I'll kill you for fun,' Orochimaru…
And she was pouting like a child. 'Oh god,' he thought. 'Motherhood really must have mellowed her out.'
"Fine party pooper," she huffed. "the project was a success. The girls and Kabuto will be ready to go. As soon as the devices absorb enough nature chakra."
"And how long will that take?" Itachi asked.
Orochimaru shrugged, "I don't know it could be as soon as two days from now or as far off as a week. It all depends on how far Naruto's chakra signature is from us." she said in explanation.
Itachi nodded, "thank you for letting me know." he ended the call.
]|[
Omake chapter 26.5 romans punishment
Roman had expected some blowback given his actions at the docks. Given Kitsune and Ryu aka Naruto Uzumaki and Sarada Uchiha's utterly terrifying reputation. Especially given how swift they were in dealing with those involved with the knights of Walpurgis.
Just thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine. He had been expecting that same swift retribution for nearly three days. He was so stressed out he spent those three days in a caffeine and tobacco fueled fugue state. Getting very little sleep in the process.
It was a weight off his back when Cinder had informed him midway through his fugue. That what happened at the docks while at a loss, did not affect her overall plans. They were in fact moving on to the next stage of her plan.
It was at some point during that seventy-two hours of continuous consciousness. Between the hallucinations and paranoia, he passed out.
He should have figured that this was just one part of the long game. At this point Roman was in no state to notice the fact that Neo, his partner in crime. Was nowhere to be found. In fact, she had cleared out some time during day two of his paranoia induced fugue. Not that he noticed her absence.
That she was nowhere to be found should have been his first warning. The second should have been the plate of pancakes and all the fixings with a side of coffee. Left on the table of the dining room with a note that read.
"Left you a plate hope you feel better ~ Neo", it also had a covenant snickering fox at the bottom of the note.
Roman however was too tired to care as he sat down in the chair.
Had he been in the right frame of mind, he would have felt the seal on the bottom of his chair take effect. In his current state, he did not.
He grabbed his fork only for it to slip through his fingers. He tried his coffee, it too fell from his grasp. It was rather fortunate for him that it came in a thermos. He tried the other utensils only for them to fall from his grasp.
Annoyed, hungry and tired, he growled in frustration as he stared at the note. The same note that now had a very different message. 'Roman considered this payback for the docks.'
'Yea,' he thought to himself, 'I should've seen this coming.'
He let out a sigh of defeat. His pride demanded that he simply ignore the food. His stomach rumbled in protest to that thought. After finding that the zero friction effect applied to anything he touched, he gave in and sat back down. Planting his face in his food, who's plate was ever so helpful transformed into a bowl.. His dignity be damned.
