Article 25 - Chapter 21 - A Plunge Forward And That Which Is Left behind
Warnings: I do not own Naruto, it's intellectual property is owned by none other than Masashi Kishimoto. I own the OC's that I've added to the story and nothing more.
Notes: OMG, thank you everyone for your support. 100 Favorites in a single month is an awesome achievement and I couldn't have done it without you guys! I have a special chapter (Like 8k words apparently… WOW) coming at you and spent a lot of time trying to iron it out so that it would do justice to how awesome it was supposed to be in my head. I feel like it could have still been better, but revising it anymore will just slow down the progression of the story so here it is! THANK YOU EVERYONE!
*** Call To Action: Looking for someone capable of being an editor/proofreader. Also accepting Beta's to hear opinions about chapters before I release the final draft to FFN (If you're interested, hit me up with a PM. Thank You!)***
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(Last Chapter: Excerpt)
This was it. This was my chance to make a big play. To plant seeds to nurture at a later day. It had to be now, while he was looking so pathetic. There was no better time.
"...I found out who killed her... listen good because this is a secret and I won't say it again kay? -I'm making it my life mission to destroy this person. This person is the face of evil and has killed countless of people without remorse. He is a war criminal, a missing nin, and a blight upon this world. I will erase him with my full prejudice."
The Uchiha's mouth fell open at my words, staring at me first with disbelief, but quickly pulled together his composure. His eyes scanned mine looking for something. Maybe he was trying to see if I was lying to him, or checking my resolve. The flames of hatred burned endlessly inside me. I could tell he saw them, he looked unnerved and… perhaps even a bit impressed by my display.
"I understand. If I were in your position, I think... I'd likely do the same." He replied honestly.
Yes! That went splendidly. Perfect. Now I'll just lie in wait until his whole clan is massacred. You will become my instrument Sasuke Uchiha. You will bend to my will.
I fought back the urge to laugh. It would probably only make me look insane. I need to hold all my cards close to the chest on this one. I finally have a bit of control, I'll never let it go again.
┬┴┬┴┤ Chapter 21 ├┬┴┬┴
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Over 1 Year Later - Age: 7 Years, 3 Months. )
I crept through the forest scanning my environment thoroughly. I didn't like the idea of being surprised or snuck up on. My heart fluttered in my chest, I knew the time was very near. The air about the entire village has shifted. What exactly is a hidden village? - It is a ninja cultural melting pot, we are basically bred to be able to sense danger, or at least train ourselves into the ground to achieve it.
The tensions in the village were hard to notice if you didn't know what to look for, but once you saw it there was no way to unsee it. The apparent disjointed harmony which played like a song in reverse.
I reached for the sapphire pendant chained around my neck; my final memento of the late Ayasha Hyuga. I received it shortly after my return from T.I. - Instantly it became my most treasured possession. When I am stressed or worried, I squeeze this and it oddly sets my heart at ease. It's likely some type of placebo effect, but it was warmly welcomed regardless.
"Transformation."
My body melded, adopting the form of a simplistic rock, meant to blend into the surroundings. Normally the transformation jutsu used this way would impair visibility, because of the lack of eyes, however the Byakugan was honestly some 'HAX' next level shit. The longer I stayed in this world, the more I realized this world favored birthright over that of hard work. It's like Being-X wanted me to feel the joys of being born 'this way', but the idea left a sour taste in my mouth.
I've prepared so long, and endured so much hardship throughout my journey. I managed to somehow make myself the prime target for T.I. and then fell off their radar entirely. I've since had to live up to my agreement sending the sandaime reports about the inner workings of the clan despite my low clearance.
The greatest lesson I've learned in the span of both lives has been one thing: If I want something, I take it.
You think I'll be content with the Byakugan and the (Shikotsumyaku) Dead Bone Pulse? Being content with that is the same to me as being content as an Ant. Ready to be crushed by any of the absurd existences that I know should very well exist, not to mention the existence that stands above them all - My enemy above all others.
The possibilities of the Susanoo, paired with the two abilities that are determined by the type of trauma they experience, and most of the standard sharingan capabilities at my fingertips without the accompanied pain of using said abilities? - The prospect seemed too good to be true, the idea was bound to fail, correct? It was like stripping motherhood from the curse of the pain of childbirth - a circumvention of the design of 'god'.
- And worst of all, I knew these abilities are available and would be wasted if I just let their potential rot in the ground or get incinerated alongside the corpses of the Uchiha massacre.
I sat and waited patiently… Patiently… seeming like forever. I had time to think about a lot of things, like the complexities of the plan, especially after it would be put into motion. There were many things that could go wrong, but the coup was ever approaching.
I once thought that the Uchiha massacre was a silent mission where only the highest leveled village officials were aware. I thought that with all my past knowledge, that I knew what had happened better than most people would in this entire world.
This could not have been further from the truth. - How did so little people notice that nearly all of the ninja forces were currently away, or being sent on missions to leave the village, and that the Konoha Guard Patrol was completely overhauled just yesterday? We are in a period of peace, not at war with other countries, but revolution's ghastly presence loomed secretly trying to not be discovered. Some people just hid it worse than others.
Hiashi had been very wound up lately, and all of the Hyuga clansmen guarding the village were given different tasks and missions - No doubt to keep us busy.
Nearly the entirety of the clan's fighting force was taken outside the wall for a clan training exercise. Hiashi knew of the incoming slaughter… or at least knew something was going down in the Hidden Leaf, and had been tasked with staying away.
-I wanted more information, but I couldn't safely gleam much from him.
The clearing I was in stretched to the west, eventually meeting with a treeline, the mouth of a forest, and to the east was a cliff-side that dropped into a river and rocky jagged waterfall. The buzz of violent water drowning the surroundings, and a thick misty vapor enveloping the area.
I thought of this idea to scout this area as a final alert to when I would need to start - what I call "Project: Acquisition." It would be my first meaningful step to be able to compete with the power of Being-X.
Flashbacks keep replaying over and over in my head… When time freezes and I'm defenseless. When there's nothing that I can do in the face of such overwhelming power. NEVER AGAIN. Izanagi is a cheat likely able to let me escape the stasis, not to mention many of the Mangekyo powers could likely be used even with my body frozen because my mind seemed to work just fine.
A fast incoming blur kicked my mind back to focus, I tasked it with identifying the blur. A bleeding man was braced on the shoulder of a younger male shinobi. I instantly recognized the form of Itachi Uchiha and the rough shape of the man in his presence. That one must be Shisui Uchiha - I thought.
"Unfortunately… it seems like there is no way to stop the Uchiha's coup." The man I had identified as Shisui announced.
That was enough to overhear for me to put my plan into action.
"Release!"
The Clone jutsu was released causing my consciousness and chakra to merge with my original body. The experience of many versions of your psyche merging into one collective data bank was a strange and unnerving feeling, but everyday I'm getting more used to it. It's usefulness is truly superb.
Another shadow clone was set in place to be my alibi in case anything went wrong on the mission, then I just needed to be able to get in range and substitute with my alibi clone and I was 'home free' basically.
I was inside one of Orochimaru's laboratories underground in the winding sewer systems. My old laboratory I had formerly used had somehow been discovered and my research papers which had been stored there were gone.
I hoped that those documents never reached the view of the public, but just for good measure, I stopped writing super incriminating information down at all. I realized that any information that required a code that strong would be under heavy suspicion, and if that code was ever tied to the old research papers I wrote up, I would be in for hell.
Who found my papers? Was it the leaf, or was it someone else? Could Orochimaru have found my papers while he was in the hidden leaf… Could Orochimaru still be roaming the halls of the sewers?
The thought sent chills down my spine and thoroughly terrified me. Up until now, I had not 'connected the dots' to the fact that it could have been him that got their grubby hands on my papers. I briefly wondered whose possession I'd rather have them fall into… I guess if I had to pick, it would be Orochimaru, simply because they wouldn't be much use to him in the grand scheme of things - especially if I discontinue using that code.
I won't be able to even drop my guard in the sewers now. If Orochimaru discovers me, especially with the Uchiha's in tote, It would be like the combination of every missing birthday present he never received from his dead parents all being repaid to him by me. I could accidently provide one of the most terrifying ninja in the world with resources that could make him potentially undefeatable… ouch.
A cold wave froze my ambition temporarily, however no matter the risks I must persevere. This upcoming moment would define how the rest of my life would play out, and I'm not about to let a little paranoia keep me from my goal. My dream.
The dark and dreary lab was transformed into my work space. Several lighting fixtures were added along the ceilings, and I cleaned the room thoroughly to make sure any patients wouldn't be at risk for disease or illnesses.
I was humane enough I guess. They would die anyways, so once I cultivate their powers, I'll let them die in peace. No unnecessary human suffering.
The lighting did much to liven up the space, making it much more tolerable. I quickly thumbed at the latches to the case that lied on the metallic counter top.
The case clicked, the sprung open like it were spring loaded. It contained blowpipes which were made from my own bone structure. They were the final product, the most ideal model from over 40 different designs I had created. These were the best tools to steathfully deliver the toxin to my targets.
I quickly broke the supplies up into 3 different sets. Each set containing a Blowpipe, aerodynamic darts, a dropper full of powerful chakra blocking toxin, and a dropper containing a powerful tranquilizer.
I had once tried mixing the two compounds together, however the Chakra toxin denatures the tranquilizer eventually making it useless. This can be circumvented by storing them separately and only mixing them right before their use.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu" I commanded.
A puff of smoke materialized alongside three clones of myself.
"Alright, Everyone knows what needs to get done!" I announced with a clap.
The clones began throwing on additional clothes overtop themselves as a disguise in the event that any [Transformation's] became undone.
I was playing with fire, and I needed to make sure I wasn't going to be burned.
The disguises varied, but all consisted of dark, easily missed, bland clothing. I made sure they all wore face masks and headgear. Can't be too safe can we?
The clones were prepared in no time at all; all seeming like soldiers working toward a unified goal with rehearsed precision. The clones rushed out the room in unison, officially putting Stage 1 of "Project: Acquisition" into motion - "Infiltration."
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The clones morphed into that of low ranked Uchiha members; I was one of those clones. I was responsible of carrying out my dreams, but oddly enough I felt a camaraderie between the different projections of myself.
Every twist and turn of the tunnels dredged up a bit more fear. I considered that even with my Byakugan, Orochimaru could potentially have some way to not be detected.
One of the clone up ahead signed with their hands "Exit ahead. Byakugan active."
Relief flooded over me as the exit was in sight.
I could finally escape these damn sewers.
There had been no reason to waste chakra on byakugan on all the clones at once, so to conserve resources, only the lead clone would need to have her Byakugan active… at least until they were going to leave the sewers. We need to not be seen by anyone if we can prevent it. The disguises, both the transformation and clothing for backup are only fail safes in case of the mission encounters issues.
"Byakugan." I activated with a whisper.
We crowded the top of the ladder, surveying the surroundings carefully. It was the evening and several peoples days were winding down, so the streets were quite crowded. The side-street that this manhole cover lead to was quite dead in comparison to the surrounding streets, however several people still walked along the dusty road. It lead to several Uchiha residences, so several returning members caked this pathway.
I had already surveyed the internal structure of the compound during trips with Sasuke. I was able to spy on my targets secretly. He was never the wiser and I managed to gain great intelligence that helped me confirm that they were indeed my highest priority.
Two siblings, one with a guaranteed 3 tomoe fully mature set of sharingan, the other likely not far behind. They seemed to care for their family so the fuel to force awakening were present.
We waited patiently for an opening, a gap large enough to throw ourselves out of the pipe without being spotted.
Every second that passed compounded the fear that I would never be able to leave. Every second wasted is a second closer to Itachi's return, and if he caught me abducting his clan mates, I was likely dead.
I could also run into Fugaku, which would solidify my demise as well. I was staking everything with this mission. For the sake of the rest of my life, I couldn't afford for it to be anything but a resounding success.
I felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. I was being spurred to do this of desperation. Not trying to grab this power is akin to accepting Being-x's reign. While doing it risks my life and future. It was a gamble, but I had prepared for this gamble for many years, and now all that was left was to grab fate by her dainty neck and force my visions to succeed.
My clones and I all quickly mixed together some of the toxic compound. We needed to be prepared from this moment onward. Every second that passed served as a reminder of another second I wouldn't have for my mission. Even less time before Itachi returned. I need to hurry… but not overly rush.
(I was walking a mental tightrope, where leaning too far to one side would mean getting sloppy and ruining my chances because of my anxiety spurring me to do something stupid, but on the other side this matter was VERY time sensitive. Itachi could very well slaughter the entirety of his clan tonight, right? If that's true, then I need to get my damn pieces NOW. I refuse to give up on them, I've spent too much work and time planning to allow this golden opportunity to slip between my fingers.)
I reached toward my neck compulsively, but my transformation had hidden my pendant. I couldn't calm my heart with that item at the moment. I just need to suck it up and perform.
My heart softly protested, causing me to bury any thoughts or doubts weighing me down.
A break of new pedestrians entering the street eventually left it deserted. A quick second check helped me confirm the absence of anyone that would spot us, the clones and myself piled out of the sewer entrance, careful to replace the manhole cover tentatively in silence.
The sky was dyed red like it understood the impending bloodshed which would ensue. The setting sun causing the shadows to stretch to their utmost limits. The agonizingly calm atmosphere causing my mind to stress to be even more aware.
I didn't know any jutsu that could silence my movements, so I was stuck with basic body control paired with the manipulation of my skeletal system to remove as much of its density as possible.
If I were blindsided with an attack in this state, my bone structure would be shattered like glass and likely dispel the clone jutsu. This was good because my identity wouldn't be found, however bad because I only had 3 clones to carry out the mission.
I had no reserves in wait. 4 clones altogether felt like I was splitting my resources thin already.
We walked briskly attempting to balance stealth with an image of innocence. We are not standing out, only your typical everyday Uchiha to see here. -Hn. Hn. Hn.
Our feet fell in waves over the walkway. Signs and buildings passed by, but my paranoia painted all the surroundings grey. Unimportant. Only people, animals, and anything with chakra were of any concern.
The background blurred while a cold sweat dripped from my brow. The feeling reminding me of my vulnerability. My weakness.
We arrived outside the destination, It was a very traditional design often replicated in the Uchiha compound. An Overhanging roof left a porch encircling the home with wooden support beams. The home was surrounded by a retaining wall which every separate concrete slab sported the Uchiha crest like a banner of honor.
Katydid's chirped in unison drowning the area in sound.
With the Byakugan I confirmed only one individual was inside the house. I signed to the other clones "One inside, other targets M.I.A." which they repeated back to me. All of my clones were of the same opinion that we were alone besides the single chakra presence only appearing as marginally stronger than a typical civilian.
I gave the clone beside me a nod, and we both re-[transformed], now adopting the shape of the main two targets of this mission.
The leftover clone stayed outside to be a lookout, while the other clone and myself headed into the building. A woman appeared in my vision, turning around at the sound of the opening door. Her silky black locks swayed with the breeze thanks to an open window. A smile appeared on her face having noticed us.
"Hey boys. I'm finishing up dinner so it should be ready shortly." She said while shaking a skillet full of frying vegetables. She squirted soy sauce, olive oil, and simultaneously sprinkled sesame seeds into the pan with skillful grace.
(This woman's husband had died in action, meaning that I could reasonably expect that we wouldn't be interrupted.)
I approached the woman alongside the clone beside me with an odd calm. My heart which I expected to be racing was now eerily quiet. A cold detachment swept over me while eyeing the woman before me. I couldn't become emotionally involved.
The distance was closed quickly in the most innocuous manor I could manage. As the distance approached zero, a speeding dart sprung forth from the clone's blowpipe beside me, lodging itself into the back of the woman's neck.
She was so woefully unprepared. She noticed nothing until now.
I quickly reached out, clasping my hands over the woman's mouth, muffling her screams before the tension drained from her body, and then all her muscles relaxed. Her unconscious body was scooped in my arms. I carried her to a back room, binding her with wire string to prevent her from escaping in the event she wakes up.
The makeup of the woman smeared, leaving blue and black streaks across her face. Her lustrous black hair reminded me of my mothers, causing an unexpected surge of jealousy.
I hated my white hair. Ayasha called it silver, but it was snow white, devoid of pigmentation. It wasn't beautiful… or at the very least, it didn't approach the enchanting aesthetics of this woman's hair before me.
It wasn't fair.
I had hog tied her limbs together using a special technique to restrain a person's hands to prevent the completion of hand signs. This woman was supposed to just be a civilian, but being of the Uchiha bloodline, There's no way I could be certain even civilians were completely ignorant of ninjutsu.
Afterwards, I walked out into the main room and took over the frying pan. I tried to salvage the cooking which started to chard just to keep up appearances. The clones quickly paced about the residence making soft audible observations of the homes interior.
"The living room is spacious and would be a decent place to spring the surprise attack." I heard.
The Clone tasked with lookout had entered the home now that the mother had been taken care of. The carried an entryway table out into the back where the hostage was being held, then came back and transformed into the table taking it's spot. The other clone transformed into a pillow which sat on a sofa in the living room.
Wood paneling stretched a quarter way up the walls then transitioned into beige wallpaper. Lamps hung from the ceiling with long rods being shaded by white covers which just so happened to have the Uchiha symbol embroidered on it. The floor-plan was quite open besides the entryway which is probably why the clone took up residence as the table in that room, to block off any exits from the house.
A Hidden leaf insignia was sewn into a colorful tapestry pinned to the wall in the living room.
Their home looked so nice… It's a shame they won't be able to use it anymore.
I had slowly eased into a shameful calm. I needed to focus. How was the plan coming along? - I asked myself.
So far so good. The mission was going splendidly.
I added the diced meat which was already laid out on the counter to the dish causing oil to spit and shoot from the pan. The meats flesh hissed against the metallic surface starting to brown.
My Byakugan alerted me to an approaching chunin leveled ninja on coarse to the house.
Only one? I strained my eyes pushing my vision as far as it could go to see if there were anyone accompanying the one. I was really hoping for both brothers to return, but if only one brother arrived I could still get my mangekyo.
Only one figure I could sense was approaching the home.
My stomach became light, and the ticklish, sickening sensation of butterflies swelled internally. I was losing my nerve? No. I was just anxious. Everything's gonna be okay. I'm going to succeed.
I calmed myself quickly before the man could reach the door. I let out a deep agonized breath. Creek. The door swung open behind me, causing me to turn back and acknowledge the figure entering through the door.
"Dinner's almost ready. How soon till your brother is here?" I mimicked in the woman's voice as best as I could.
"Leon is probably caught up figuring out what Aki's lips taste like." The figure behind me responded in a tired sarcastic tone.
Perfect… His guard doesn't seem up at all. Not to mention that we get to single out each member one by one. Today seems like it could be a very lucky day, thank goodness.
I turned around, exposing my back to the enemy, however because of the byakugan he never strayed from my vision. I took note of a shift, some odd muscle tension from the man who until recently had been relaxed, so I turned around trying to draw even more focus to myself.
"Do you want a quick taste?" I offered, digging around in the pan with a serving spoon.
He never looked away from me, slowly drawing closer.
He's definitely noticed.
I pointed to the pan as he neared. His movements felt a bit sharper than his tired sloppy movements after his entry.
A popping noise sounded, causing the boy to leap backwards from me. A volley of darts rained down on him implanting themselves in his skin. He managed to make a loud yelp before we could silence him. We gagged him, and tied him up with wire string, and tossed him in the back with the other hostage.
Making a human puppet is very difficult. Preservation of the specimen was the most difficult part, so having three test subjects would make for a higher chance of success than just two. Also, just in case the the kid didn't awaken the mangekyo, I wanted a spare.
Emotional states are volatile and wouldn't it be the worst if one child secretly held no love for their mother? Or her death in front of them just wasn't enough to evolve their sharingan.
Such an eventuality would be unacceptable. I must obtain the Mangekyō.
The clones quickly helped wipe any traces of our actions from the visible area of the home to people entering. We quickly got that finished, then we returned to our stations and waited… waited for the other brother to arrive, the final piece to be acquired.
I paced around the home now having nothing to do. I needed to mix more toxic tranquilizer soon to be sure they were of the highest effectiveness. As those thoughts swirled in my head, a hallway wall caught my attention thanks to all the frames lavishing it.
The framed experiences documenting the lives of these people. The smiling persona's displaying the luster of a real family. The canvases allowing me glimpses into their lives. It started from the target's childhood with each of the brothers comfortably riding on the shoulders of a parent.
I found my hand instinctively grab the frame before realizing what I was doing.
Dark emotions pulsed through me. Their ignorance of the world is what let them live such sheltered lives...
I had enough of looking over their pictures, It was starting to make me sick inside. I quickly mixed more of the toxic compound and reapplied it to the tips of my darts.
Minutes flew by into an hour. I was getting antsy and worried that the teenagers yelp had outed me. That some punishment force was going to arrive ready to squash my dreams. I could dispel the clones and keep my identity a secret, but I would miss the only point when I could probably snag these pieces. I NEED THEM.
Time trickled by like it was slowed down. The past hour seemed more like a week. Every second crawled, my paranoia sharpening my focus and senses. I was already feeling physically taxed because of this damn uncertainty.
I wanted to bite my nails… or eat the food which I had long finished preparing as a cover… but neither would be acceptable actions. Everything up to now was for this upcoming moment. I couldn't jeopardize it in any way.
So I waited, and waited, Waiting at attention for any new approaching to the home. Three simultaneous Byakugan were depleting my chakra. I need to be more frugal with my remaining reserves.
I kicked my own Byakugan off, and the pillow transformed clone also kicked theirs off. The table transformed clone was now tasked with being the first defense of detection. Night was falling and I felt it would be a bit weird if no lights were on inside the home. I kicked on a few fixtures in the living room and sat in wait again.
The hardest part of this whole mission was just waiting patiently. I hate waiting. Patience, after all, is one of my least developed talents.
The anticipation ate at me… making me doubt and rethink my choice to wait for the extra brother. I could leave right now with both and have two claimed pieces… or I could keep fishing for this last piece and risk them all...
A smile crept onto my face. I was never one for gradual. My conviction solidified again after thinking about the potential gains. This was all or nothing, at least for another hour or two, perhaps if he isn't here then, then I'll be forced to give up.
As if answering my doubts, a figure approached the home. They strode confidently up to the door, throwing it open. "I'm home! Sorry for being late I was-" The man yelled.
My deep anxiety caused me to huff into my blowgun, attacking prematurely. FUCK, how could I let the pressure get to me like this?! Now of all times?
Darts sailed across the air, floating past the man with inhuman juking movements. His eyes jerkily transitioned from normal to blood red, sporting three tomoe in each sharingan. The darts embedded in the walls with soft taps. He was forced deeper in the home because a clone behind him blocked his escape.
"Byakugan!" I recited alongside a clone.
I quickly peered at the man who had his back to me, unleashing another gust from my lungs, pushing the darts in my blowpipe out into the air. They streamed by, also missing their mark as he acrobatically spun.
I ran at the man, Pushing my spine from my body. It snapped out, catching the man's arm, wriggling and expanding.
"AGHH-" the spine snaked its way to the man's neck constricting around it making it impossible for him to continue screaming.
My eyes' traced the trajectory of the incoming darts launched by a clone. Closer and closer they came, finally making contact with the man's skin… However a puff replaced him with a chair. A substitution!?
My true 360 degree vision instantly alerted me to his new position, despite also knowing because of my acquired knowledge of where those chairs particular were located - The kitchen.
The man was frozen for a moment after substituting, and all versions of myself unleashed a massive volley of darts at his new position. At least one made its mark, lodging into his skin. He was quickly restrained and suppressed by my bones. The tremors of fear and anguish escaping through his eyes while desperately shout-humming before falling lax. He was unconscious.
The shouting will likely cause someone to do some investigating, so I'll need to leave now. If I had the chakra to make an additional clone to clean up I would, but I just don't have the chakra or leisure.
All 3 pieces acquired. "Stage 2: Recovery" had now finished spurring on "Stage: 3 the Return."
My clones each grabbed one of the family members, then used a combination transformation to only appear as them.
The transformation jutsu is so incredibly useful. Its no wonder it's such a staple.
(The transformation jutsu doesn't let you create a form with dramatically increased mass, however it is possible to dramatically reduce the original mass transforming into something much smaller. This being the main limiting factor of the jutsu, however it's very possible to perform the jutsu in combination with something or someone else.)
I first had this idea when thinking back to my memories of canon Naruto, when he combined with Gamabunta into the nine tailed fox. I then thought of Kiba and Akamaru's joint transformation and realized just how useful it was. The Inuzuka had practically rose to power because of advanced variations of this simplistic jutsu. That is what sparked this idea.
The transformation was very risky, especially here. Advanced sharingan's should be able to see through my trick easily which meant the rest of the mission would likely come down to dumb luck.
All three of my clones (merged with the unconscious bodies of the family) walked out of the building. My body felt much heavier and less responsive. If I encountered an enemy along the way there was no possible way I could fight while holding this transformation.
An elderly Uchiha was outside prowling around, and noticed us leaving. "Jade, what was all that racket about?"
"A spider landed on Leon's face and he screamed like a girl!" I shouted teasingly, hoping that would be enough to quench their curiosity.
"I didn't scream! It was more like a gasp!" My clone retorted in fake embarrassment.
"Hehehe. Ahhh the beauties of youth, you two better not take-it if for granted, ya hear?" The elderly man scolded.
"Are you sure you haven't forgotten what it was like to be young?" My clone in the form of the younger brother said before the clone masquerading as the mother slapped him gently.
LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE. You're ruining everything old man!
"You need to respect your elders!" She barked, before turning to the elder and finishing with: "Sorry about that. This one still needs to be reminded of his manners."
The old man waved off her statement with a grin, chuckling to himself while wobbling back to his residence.
"Phewww" I sighed in relief. A great majority of my anxiety melted away after watching the old man limp away.
With all my clones I could be a traveling theater. HA! I even constantly surprise even myself with my improvisation and stagecraft. Surely this talent could be used in more tasteful ways.
We quickly made our way back to the sewer entrance, and slipped into the manhole, covering it behind me.
Well… hopefully the darts that are stuck in the walls of the home just look like they got there from Itachi's fight.
I rushed along the interior of the winding pipes trying to reach the lab quickly. I was sandwiched between a clone both in front of me and behind me.
We drudged through the piping slowly and alert. A bit of tension had started to finally drain my tension having been drained from the unlikely event of now running into Itachi, Fugaku, or any advanced sharingan users. I was basically in the clear!
I was worried about my chakra reserved falling too low to be able to keep my alibi clone material so I quickly cut my Byakugan off along with the clone behind me.
I followed behind the leader as it jerked and swerved into entrances like it lived underneath the surface it's entire life, like this was it's home.
A smile spread on my lips and a warmth spread through my body. Exhilaration overcame me, I had won.
All that would be left would be to recreate the blood puppet technique. I had a test body after the mother was killed, and then I had two real attempts assuming both brothers awoke the mangekyo.
I need to get it right this time… But even in the event that I can't get it to work, at least I'll still have their eyes to work with in the future. I had gained very valuable assets regardless.
"This is quite interesting." A deep voice sounded behind me.
I panically spun around, peering over the shoulder of the transformed clone.
I felt dizzy and all the heat in my feet and hands vanished like magic. They instantly became clammy, and profusely sweat. Goosebumps arose over my entire body. My knees became weak at the sight of something I hoped I would never have to see in person... At least not so soon...
No...FUCK! WHY?!
My whole body shook like a leaf in the wind, I couldn't stop it… Nothing worked. I 'm going to die.
My stomach felt drained and all the blood in my body seemed to be getting sucked into my head. My dizziness and nausea made me want to throw up just to see if I could make it end.
"So… What exactly is this?" The dark voice cut through the silence.
I'm so going to die… I'm dead, I can accept that right? NO! I CAN'T FUCKING DIE! PLEASE - WHAT CAN I DO!?
My jaw shivered making my teeth chatter quickly before the clone behind me jabbed a finger into my ribs.
I stared at the figure in front of me. It was dressed in a long black cloak adorning red clouds. The face was covered by a orange mask with a single dark hole that faintly glowed with a red tint.
"Ah! Obito Uchiha, It's nice to finally meet you." I choked.
The demeanor of the man completely changed, even going as far to take a retreating step backwards.
"Who are you?" He demanded, discarding his old voice to the wind.
Oh no!? Who can I pretend to be so I wont die!?
The pipes quickly became hushed beside the slow trickles of dripping sewage. "I am the reincarnation of Izuna Uchiha." I said confidently, dropping only my transformation jutsu.
A quiet gasp sounded behind the mask the man wore. I could tell that had changed the game completely. If Sasuke is Indra's incarnation, that would mean Madara is already dead, meaning Obito will have a very hard time commemorating a story involving all this knowledge I shouldn't have! YES! YES!
I reached compulsively to my neck, running my fingers over the polished stone.
"I have watched over you and elder brother for some time… until he finally died, and I entered the cycle of reincarnation… being stuck in this abomination of a body." I said, pulling my face-mask down, and stripping myself of my cloak. My ethereal white locks dangling about caused me to nervously blow the strands from my face.
"You… are the reincarnation of Madara's brother?" He asked clearly confused.
"Yes. I watched over you guys for some time. I refused to pass on to the pure land and anchored my soul to this world, to make sure my brother's dream could be achieved. I believe you call my brother's dream - The Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Obito's stood eerily still. Not moving a single muscle as far as I could tell. A long paining pause becoming a deafening hush.
"You expect me to believe you are Izuna Uchiha just because you spout out some nonsense!" He shouted, anger evident in his voice although I didn't know whether it were real or fabricated.
What the fuck?! Is the canon plot not what was going on in this world? Did I fuck myself on an assumption? Well I'm in it too deep, so grit my heels and dig, dig deep and never let go!
"Being reincarnated into a new body didn't leave room for all my memories. I saved the most important ones that I could in this new mind, the rest being scattered and forgotten. Would you like me to prove that I am who I claim?"
Obito scowled at my words, and I could tell that I needed to keep this up. This is the only lie that can save me!
"What happened to your sharingan from your past body?" He asked cryptically.
Hmm… He could be asking whether Madara stole my eyes or I took them… Or maybe…
"I gifted them to my brother after his light faded. He unlocked the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan with those eyes, fought Hashirama, died, used Izanagi to return to life, He awoken the rinnegan, then his eyes were implanted into Nagato Uzumaki." I recited carefully.
Obito raised a hand up - Causing the rest of my body to freeze in anticipation. The hand continued up, and found its way to his mask, which he ripped off, revealing the two-toned face of Obito Uchiha. He had short black matted hair. Long wrinkles and scarred tissue clung to one side of his face. I couldn't pull my eyes away from him even if I knew about the sharingan's genjutsu.
The Byakugan was supposed to make us Hyuga immune to genjutsu, but not necessarily to the Mangekyō's optical prowess. I hardly had practiced any defenses against genjutsu yet because it was low on my priorities… My mistake.
Obito's jaw had already dropped open and just stared at me. His eyes scanned over me, looking both heavily conflicted and confused.
"WHY DIDN'T MADARA TELL ME ABOUT THIS!?"
It was like the man's psyche was cracking just looking at me. I need to defuse him or he will be the bomb that wipes me away!
"He would not have known, I myself didn't expect any of this. To be able to watch over my brother in spirit form. To be able to be re-birthed with my soul intact. It all is astonishing. I've just been trying to train this unruly body without catching too much attention, however the standards for Konoha's children are far too meager. I still stand out like a sore thumb." I said with a vicious laugh.
The absolute sensation of danger screamed out from every cell in my body. It felt like it was asking me how I could keep lying in the face of this demon.
Obito seemed to be unable to say anything… fumbling over his words… His lips separated, but then closed again, happening in a cycle as he couldn't seem to formulate words. He was likely trying to get a grasp on just the new ideas he was exposed to. He finally adopted a scornful scowl and peered into me with his petrifying gaze.
"... What are you doing with them?" Obito asked, pointing to the Uchiha laying in the sewage stream, along with my two other clones.
"I actually was inspired by one of your subordinates… I plan to make a human puppet with one of these Uchiha bodies to give me access to… to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan." I said.
I didn't know if I could recreate the EMS, but with Obito's assistance paired with his ability to pull research on Sasori's human puppets, I knew it was certainly possible. I would milk this man for everything he's worth.
My mind flashed back to the photo's upon the Uchiha families wall. To snapshots of all the people framed in my mind I established a bond to… To Lee, to Neji, even to Sasuke, and to everyone else I established a bond with.
I'm going to have to swear allegiance to him… I'll need to promise him my future to get any cooperation… or likely to even get out of this alive at all...
My mind roamed to the betrayed expressions of the people I held those bonds with. All of them regarding me as their enemy. I didn't like the idea… but I knew it to be necessary.
I might as well get something out of the deal. Also I bet he could even break my cursed birdcage seal! This could be the most fortunate - unfortunate series of events in the entirety of my existence. I guess I'm selling my soul to a different devil here. Fine by me.
Obito's eyes narrowed at my declaration. He seemed to be deciding whether it was worth killing me or leaving me alive. I felt like I was being scrutinized by the advanced eye of a appraiser. Was I going to survive the night? It was now all left up to this man infront of me.
"I see… What are your future plans?" He asked still on guard.
"Well, now that you're here, I imagine that recreating a human puppet will be much easier. I ask for your assistance in the forced manifestation of the two boy's Mangekyō Sharingan. It would also be very helpful if you could fetch any data on Sasori's blood puppet jutsu. In return, I will give you an EMS sharingan, and as soon as I age enough…"
I swallowed quickly to moisten my scratchy throat before finishing with: "-I will enter the Akatsuki to assist you in the capture of the tailed beasts."
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
Authors Notes: Zemptai-sama again, I spent a bit of my time sick or constantly revising over this chapter, so my Yugioh GX fanfic CH.1 should be released tomorrow. Sorry for the delay, I am King Procrastinator and I feel like it isn't quite ready for public view yet.
Reviewer Question: - If you could only have one mentor from the Naruto-verse, who would it be? (Why?)
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**SPECIAL THANKS to the great people below who left me a review, It means a lot!**
-Zdraco - " Currently, Mina has not encountered any spies following her, she had been effectively cleared of her suspicion enough that the Sandaime doesn't want others to think he's being paranoid about her. The Byakugan seems to be one of the most powerful and useful kekkei Genkai because even while they are off, the exceptional vision you have is phenomenal, so I agree."
-APimpNamedSlimpback - "If I was placed into Naruto's world, the learning curve that would come with managing emotions with Jugo's bloodline, paired with the fact that it would be overshadowed by the true 'Sage Mode' would be enough for me not to want it, but I could definitely see why other people would still want it. I'm fairly greedy and think about efficiency so if I chose that I feel like I would always have regrets."
-The Jingo - "I agree, right now Sasuke is indeed the most suited for a pairing, however the fact that she is so manipulative with him could spell trouble in the future. I guess we'll just have to see what happens ;) "
-AGConn - " Very strong ability, and also very adaptable. A respectable choice for sure. The only potential problem that I would have with it is that Kimimaro, one of the only known human users, managed to get so sick, and it is of my personal opinion that his bloodline was responsible for that sickness- But who knows."
-Irina Akashira - "Your and Mina's confliction over whether Hiruzen's offer was real starts to matter a bit less now that Mina is presented the opportunity to defect to the Akatsuki. IF everything goes well with Obito, she will have her way out of the village. All she needs to do now is become strong enough to leave the village behind. "
-Redderthanred31 - "Thanks for all the messages you've been sending me lately. You've been key to making the story better and I appreciate you a lot for it. Thanks for your suggestion with her code name "Silver Wing" as it was marginally better than what I had thought up previously ;)"
-lizyeh2000 - "Thank you for following! Here's your update :)"
-SteveTheBeast - "Long live Lee, the "Godslayer" tamer. Super biased when it comes to Lee and love that you seem to hold him as high as I do haha. Rock Lee is life"
-GiantPsychoGecko - "The characters are like squirrels, They live in the tree's and all day I think about the rocks I'll throw at them =D, Conflict is what causes tension and drama so of course I'm going to pelt them almost nonstop."
-Mysterious Goat - "Oh yes, hopefully this chapter will be a lingering reminder of the true nature of Mina Hyuga. Paranoid, Power starved, Self-loathing, and incredibly manipulative."