Allfour of them walk out of the room.
Izuna turns towards Hashirama.
"Lord First, beforeyoustart, I have an important revelation for you."
"Well, it is nothing important. Goahead."
Hashirama nods his head.
"Mom, Dad, I think it is about time to reveal the name of Grandfather.
Though, I already figured it out on my own. But still, I would like to listen it from your mouth."
Izuna's expression turns serious.
Sigh…
Akira takes a deep breath as he stares at Izuna's serious expression.
"Fine, I can't hide it anymore. One day or another, the truth will come in front of you."
"But… Akira-dear…"
Aiko holds Akira's hand.
"It's fine Aiko. Izuna deserves to know the truth of his heritage." Akira assures her.
He turns towards Izuna and Hashirama. He bows in front of Hashirama.
"Lord first, I apologize on behalf of my father, Madara Uchiha."
"What?!"
Hashirama eyes widen in surprise as he stares at Akira.
"As ridiculous as it may sound, but I am the son of Madara Uchiha and Izuna is the grandson of Madara Uchiha."
Akira takes a deep breath as he reveals the truth.
"I am sorry for hiding this truth from you. I did it for the safety of our family."
He turns towards Izuna and apologizes.
"Well, that took you long."
Izuna shakes his head.
"There is no need for any apology, Dad. Iknow you did it for our sake."
Izuna comforts Akira.
Ah!...
"Now after taking a close look at you. You do resemble Madara in his middle-age."Hashirama scrutinizes Akira.
"As for you… Hmm… your appearance does match with Madara's younger brother Izuna. You even share the same name as him."
"Yes, we named him after Uncle Izuna." Akira nods his head.
"I see… but still, I am curious to know about the identity of his wife. That guy was pretty dense; he never had any interest in any woman."
Hashirama curiously turns to Akira.
"Kasumi Uchiha! Mother's name is Kasumi Uchiha."
Akira reveals the name of his mother to Hashirama.
Hmm…
"Kasumi… Kasumi?! Where have I heard that name?"
Hashirama tries to recall the name.
"Yes, I remember now."
He bumps his fist on his palm as he recalls the name.
"Isn't she the little girl who would eavesdrop on Madara and me during our friendly spars?
She would usually treat Madara's wounds and would follow him around. But that dense friend of mine never paid any heed to her.
Well, can't blame him. It was the era of war and Madara shouldered the responsibility of Uchiha clan as the eldest son of clan leader. Haha…"
Hashirama laughs heartfully as he reminisce some old memories.
"Still, he never married her… So when?"
Hashirama turns towards Akira.
"Well…"
Akira forks out a scroll from his pocket.
"On her deathbed, mother passed this scroll to me with these parting words.
'When a man learns to love, he must bear the risk of hatred; much so for the Uchiha clan.
The loss of his younger brother was too deep for him to overcome.
Perhaps I was also blinded by my love that I failed to notice the hatred in his heart.'
Till that day, I held on it this letter and I could never bring myself to open this letter again."
Akira tightly clutches the scroll as tears flows from his eyes.
"I don't know what her words meant back then. But… but I could never bring myself to face the truth.
Maybe, this is the reason I am not as strong as father. I don't have a strong resolve like him."
"Father… weakness is not a sin; but stayingweak is."
Izuna supports Akira.
"Thanks son."
Akira slowly opens the scroll as he reads its content.
'Son, if you are reading this again, then this means you have grown out from the shadow of your father.'
"Yes, Mother! I have a family now… a genius son and a loving daughter."
Akira wipes his tears as he continues to read the letter.
"Son, as much as it pains my heart to say this; but I believe your father isn't even aware of your existence. If he was, then I am sure he would have searched every corner of this worldto get a glimpse of you."
"Mother!"
Akira gently touches the letter as a tear drop falls from his eye.
'I see. That makes sense. No wonder Grandfather made no attempt to search for his son. But what could be the reason for it?'
Izuna curiously stares at the letter.
Akira reads the contents of the letter aloud to Izuna and Hashirama.
"Hmm… I see. So, that's how it was. No wonder he was pissed when he fought against me."
Hashirama rubs his forehead.
"But still... to think that, he would face such circumstances."
Crack… crack…
Hashirama's edo body starts to glow brightly as it slowly dissipates.
"Looks like I don't have much time remaining, so I will relay some information about the person you fought against."
"Yes, Lord First." Izuna supports his father as he turns towards Hashirama.
"During the First Shinobi War, a number of shinobis died in the battle…"
Hashirama narrates the incident of his death to Izuna.
"So, Lord First? You mean to say that the same person is responsible for your death?"
Izuna asks Hashirama.
"Yes, I felt a similar chakra signature from the figure that attacked you."
Hashirama nods his head.
"But it has been almost forty years sinceyour death. How could that person be still alive, if he was responsible for your death?"
Izuna curiously questions Hashirama.
'Jigen pretty much lived a thousand years; but still I want to hear the thoughts of Hashirama Senju.'
"Well… I have no idea about that." Hashirama scratches his head.
He grabs Izuna's hand as his eyes shine brightly.
"I can't entrust the responsibility of leading the village to Tsuna; but if you help her, then I can rest easy."
Ah…
"I think Tsunade-san is doing a great job."
Izuna scratches his head as he laughs awakardly.
Haha…
"That's good."
Hashirama nods his head.
"But still… don't let her ruin the village." Hashirama clutches his hands tightly.
Whoosh…
Hashirama's edo body slowly dissipates.
Sigh…
Izuna takes a deep breath and turns to his parents.
"Let's meet with the rest of the people."
The group returns to the room.
Whoosh…
An anbu member flickers in the room and bows in front of Tsunade.
"Hokage-sama. It's about time…"
"I see."
Tsunade nods her head.
She slowly walks out of the room.
"Funeral ceremony?!"
Izuna questioningly turns towards the people in the room.
"We lost Lord Third."
Yagami closes his eyes as he answers.
'I see. So, some things will never change.'
"I will join you later."
Izuna sits beside Mei as the rest of the people depart from the room.
Izuna gently caresses Ayaka's head as hesilently sits there.
"You are hiding something from me."
Mei notices his expression.
"No… no, I am not."
Izuna immediately shakes his head.
'I want to share my worries with her, but I can't inform her about my encroaching death, at least not yet. She has yet to overcome the grief of loss of our child.'
"Keep her company. I will return soon."
Izuna stands and walks towards the door.
Whoosh….
In the Leaf Village Cemetery,
The members of the various clans are gathered in black clothes as they mourn for the loss.
Tsunade walks in front of the group as she addresses the ceremony.
"When a person dies, he disappears, along with his past life, current lifestyle, and his future. Lord Third is no different. He was kind, loving, caring, compassionate and most of all protective."
Tsunade closes her eyes as she reminisces her time with Hiruzen.
"He weaved the bonds of faith, trust and love in our heart to create this family of Konoha."
Crackle… crackle…
Omnious dark clouds gather in the sky as rain falls on the group.
Tsunade slowly raises her head as she faces the sky.
"Looks like even the heavens are mourning the loss of our beloved Third Hokage.
Saruto Sensei sacrificed his life to protect the village. He has passed down his burning desire to protect the village in the form of Will of Fire."
"I will miss the grumpy old man."
Naruto grabs Izuna's sleeves as he has tears in his eyes.
Sigh…
Izuna takes a deep breath as he pats Naruto'shead.
"Naruto!... Every person has goals and dreams. We dedicate our entire life in pursuit of these dreams. But everyone has someone important to them… parents, siblings, friends, lovers. These people trust you and help you achieveyour goals.
These bonds are formed at the time of birth and they grow thicker as time goes by."
Izuna closes his eyes as the contents of his grandmother's letter resonate in his ears.
Fifty-five years ago,
In a small village in Land of Rice Paddies,
Outside a small hut,
Chop… chop…
A man in his early thirties is chopping some firewood.
Huff… huff…
He raises his head and wipes the sweat.
The man has spiky, long black hair with a slight blue tint to them. There are prominent creases under his eyes.
Chop… chop…
He continues to chop the firewood.
"Here! Have some water, Madara-sama."
A fair-skinned woman with long, straight black hairs walks out of the hut. Her long black hairs parts into bangs and frame her cheeks and black eyes. There is a small beauty mole under her right eye.
She hands over a glass of water to the man.
Gulp… gulp…
The man gulps down the water. He picks up the axe and continues to chop the firewood.
"Kasumi! Sometimes, I think that living such a life in this remote area ain't that bad."
"Madara- sama! For me every day is a blessing as long as I have you."
Hah…
Madara swings his axe and chops the last firewood.
Kasumi wipes his sweat as he sits beside her.
"Perhaps leaving the village wasn't that bad of an idea. The uneasy feeling I felt in the village is slowly fading away. People changes with time and circumstance, maybe I am still holding on to my old views and can't see the light in Hashirama's idea."
Madara shakes his head.
"No matter what decision you make, I will always support you."
Kasumi nods her head.
Mm…
Madara picks up his axe and walks towards the forest.
"Let me hunt some wild boar for dinner."
Whoosh…
He disappears in the forest.
"Madara-Sama!"
Kasumi closes her eyes as she reminisce some old memories.
"It has been two years since Madara-sama had a fallout with Lord Hashirama.
Out of fear or respect, the clan members offered the position of clan leader to him, which he declined.
I can't blame him; many clansmen secretly accused him as an evil person who murdered his brother to steal his eyes."
Kasumi shakes her head as she enters the hut.
"I will make preparations for the dinner."
Whoosh….
A white figure pops out from the ground. There are Venus- flytraps like protrusions exuding out from its body.
"Found them."
Zetsu stares at the hut for a while.
"Quite a lonely place to live in." He murmurs to himself.
Whoosh…
He enters into the ground and disappears.
Swoosh…
White Zetsu pops out at a nearby place.
"Oye Black! I found them out."
Swirl…
A black mass rises from the ground and wraps around White Zetsu's body.
"You already know what to do next."
The Black Zetsu speaks in a heavy tone.
"Of course…"
White Zetsu nods his head.
"Let's welcome Madara-sama. Kuku…"
Whoosh…
Both of them disappear into the ground.
--
Somewhere at outskirts of Iwagakure,
Whoosh…
Zetsu pops out from the ground.
Swirl…
Black Zetsu separates from his body.
Crack… crack…
White Zetsu's body starts to expand as his bodily features changes slowly.
The protrusions on his body disappear as his skin gains an even tone and facial features appear on his body.
An Iwa headband, together with a flak-jacket, appears on his body.
Hmm…
White Zetsu checks his body and nods his head.
"The chakra signature and the body proportion are perfect. It is time to play some games. Kuku…."
He slowly walks towards the Iwa entrance.
"Stop right there!"
A loud voice greets Zetsu.
Hmm…
Zetsu raises his head as his eyes meet with the village guards.
Another nearby guard closes his eyes and senses Zetsu's chakra.
"I am sorry, Daichin-sama."
The guard bows his head and apologizes to Zetsu.
"It's fine. The safety of the village is our priority. I have some vital information to report to Lord First; so I will be on my way."
Whoosh…
Zetsu flickers inside the village.
A few moments later,
Swoosh…
Zetsu in Daichin's form flickers out of Iwagakure with a bunch of other shinobis.
"We have to deal with Madara Uchiha as soon as possible. He is away from the leaf village and it is an ideal opportunity to get rid of him, when he is alone." Daichin addresses them.
"Yes! Daichin-sama." The group nods their head.
Daichin passes a map to one of the Iwa shinobi.
"Lord First has assigned another task to me. So, all of you have to move without me. Is there any problem?"
He scrutinizes them.
"No! Daichin-sama." The shinobi shakes their head.
"Good." Daichin nods his head and flickers in the nearby forest.
Whoosh…
Zetsu transforms back into his original form and enters in the ground.
Swoosh…
He pops out at a nearby place and unites with Black Zetsu.
"Is it done?" Black Zetsu questions him.
"Yes, of course! These shinobis are a bunch of low intelligence creature. They are so easy to fool. Kuku…" White Zetsu laughs smugly.
"The job isn't done yet. These people aren't enough. They won't even act as a distraction." Black Zetsu replies in a monotone voice.
"Let's visit other hidden villages."
Swoosh…
He sticks around White Zetsu's body as both of them disappear in ground.
--
A few days later,
In the Land of Rice Paddies,
"I will hunt for some rabbits. It has been a while since I had some rabbit stew."
Madara picks up his axe and flickers in the forest.
"Then, I will make necessary arrangements."
Kasumi nods her head and enters the hut.
She rubs her belly as a shy expression appears on her face.
"How should I tell him?"
A few moments later,
Various shinobis from Iwa, Kuma, Kiri, and Suna gather in front of the hut.
Whoosh…. Whoosh…
They draw their weapons as they get ready to strike each other.
"You Kuma scum, what are you doing here?" The leader of the Iwa group confronts Kuma leader.
"I could ask the same from you?"
The Suna group also draws their weapons.
"Hold on!"
The leader of the Kiri group stops them.
"If I am correct, then all of our goals align with each other. We Kiri shinobis are here to deal with Madara Uchiha."
The group stops their fight as they reach an agreement.
"Yesterday's enemy is today's friend. Fine, Iwa will co-operate with you."
"Suna will help too."
"Humph… Fine! Kiri will co-operate too."
"Then… let's get rid of Madara Uchiha." The Kiri leader stares at the hut.
"Sensor Ninjas sniff him out."
The Iwa leader orders the sensor unit.
The sensor ninja closes their eyes as they sense Madara's location.
The group splits into two as the smaller group surrounds the hut.
The larger group dashes towards the forest.
Whoosh…
The Kiri leader separates from the rest of the group.
Crack… crack…
He shapeshifts into White Zetsu and enters in ground and unites with the Black Zetsu.
"The preparations are complete."
Black Zetsu nods his head.
"Just get rid of the woman. She is his weakness. As long as she is alive; he will overcome his curse of hatred. He doesn't need any emotional attachments to reach his full potential." Black Zetsu orders White Zetsu.
"Very well!" White Zetsu enters in ground.
--
Inside the forest,
"That makes it three."
Madara hunts another rabbit as he walks back towards the hut.
"Living such a life ain't that bad. Izuna, my brother! I will live for your sake, too. You entrusted me with your eyes to watch this world."
Madara is lost in his thoughts as he slowly walks towards the hut.
Hmm…
Whoosh… swish… swish…
He jumps back and performs a summersault and avoids a barrage of kunai.
Madara raises his head and notices the shinobi from other villages.
"So, you weaklings finally decided to cooperate."
Madara places down his game as he riles up his chakra.
"You had the entire world to live; yet you choose this remote place for your grave."
Whoosh…
He disappears from his place and reappears behind the group.
Slash… slash… Splash…
Fountain of blood rises in the air as the heads of enemies rolls down.
"Let's dance."
--
Half an hour later,
Madara wipes his hands as he stares at the remaining shinobis.
"You monster!"
The leader of the Iwa group slowly raises his head as his body is soaked in blood.
"It seems that you still want to dance but… You will not be able to make steps anymore."
Slash…
He picks up his hunt and walks towards the hut.
"After that exercise, I am quite hungry. Kasumi's rabbit stew is quite delicious."
Hmm…
He raises his head as the scent of blood permeates in air.
Madara's expression turns serious as he flickers towards the hut.
"This is…"
His eyes widen as the hut is lit on fire.
"KASUMI!"
Madara immediately makes some hand signs.
"Water Style: Water Torrent"
He extinguishes the fire and search for Kasumi.
"Madara-sama!"
A weak and frail voice fell in Madara's ear.
Whoosh…
Madara flickers towards the forest and notices the blood-soaked body of Kasumi resting against a boulder.
"Madara-sama!"
Kasumi calls weakly.
"I am here, Kasumi." Madara quickly approaches her and holds her hand.
"Everything will be alright, Kasumi!"
Tears appear in his eyes as the memory of Izuna's death flashes in front of him.
Haah…
He picks her up and dashes towards the village.
"There is a doctor in the village. Everything will be alright."
He holds her hand. Madara reaches the nearby village and yells.
"Doctor! Doctor! please treat her. Her condition is serious."
An old man with a walking stick and white tunic walks out of a house.
Madara slowly places Kasumi down as the doctor examines her condition.
"It's too late." The doctor shakes his head.
"NO!… there must be another way."
Madara breaks down as he clutches the collar of the doctor.
"Examine her again. She can't die."
The old doctor shakes his head.
"She is already dead."
The doctor closes his eyes.
"NO!"
Madara releases a scream of pain as he picks up Kasumi's body.
Crackle… crackle…
Dark cloud looms in the sky as the rain drizzle on his face.
"How good can there be in power if you cannot protect those you love?"
Clang… clang…
He slowly digs up a grave as he gently places the cold body of Kasumi.
"Kasumi!... I am all alone again."
Madara closes his eyes as a drop of tear trickles down from his eye.
He turns around and slowly walks away.
--
A few hours later,
Rumble… rumble…
The ground around the grave shakes as a hand appears out from the grave.
"Aw man! It is a terrible feeling to get buried alive."
Inside Konoha Intelligence Division Department,
In the Torture and Interrogation Force,
Splash…
One of the jounin splashes a glass of water at one of the Suna Elder.
"Wake up!"
Argh…
Jōseki groggily opens his eyes as he confronts the member of the Torture department.
Spit…
He spits on the jounin and yells.
"Never! I will never reveal any intelto Konoha scums. No matter what torture you use, I won't open my mouth!"
Hmph…
BANG!*
The Jounin angrily kicks Jōseki's sack as he turns and walks out of the room.
"So, how was it?"
Ibiki is calmly sitting on a chair as he turns towards the Jounin.
"No success! No matter what method we try, he won't budge."
The Jounin shakes his head.
Hmm…
"Give me a minute and he will singlike a canary."
Ibiki stands up from his chair and saunters towards the interrogation room.
The Jounin reverently stares at Ibiki's back as he murmurs.
"If it's Captain Ibiki, then even a mute can sing an Opera!"
--
"Inoichi! Any leads?"
Izuna and Tsunade follow Inoichi as Tsunade question him.
"Er… Hokage-sama! I think it is better if you question the person. He holds the same position as you after all." Inoichi replies.
"Very well." Tsunade nods her head.
"Aaaaaaaaah!!"
Screams echo through the hallway.
The group turns towards the Torture and Interrogation department.
"Looks like Ibiki is cracking a hard nut!" Inoichi remarks.
The group enters the Analysis Team Headquarters.
A person with auburn hair is strapped to a chair. His hands are tied behind his back and a suppression seal is placed on them. A blindfold covers his eyes.
Tap… Tap…
Rasa raises his head as the sound of footsteps echoes in the room.
"I have said it before and I will say itagain! I have nothing to say."
Swish…
Inoichi removes the blindfold as Tsunade and Izuna stand in front of Rasa.
"Hoh! So, the Kazekage of the Sand is such a coward. He can't even bear the burden for his crimes." Tsunade taunts him.
"Say whatever you want! But I hope you will still treat me like a fellow Kage."
Rasa closes his eyes.
"I see."
Izuna steps forward as he lifts Rasa's chins.
"Kazekage or not! I don't give a shit about your position. It was because of you; I lost my unborn child. It was because of you; I lost my arm. Tell me, how do you want to repay this debt?"
BAM!!*
Izuna tightly clutches Rasa's neck and lifts him. The seal on Rasa's body breaks as Izuna lifts him into the air.
'Finally, the suppression seal is lifted. I can exert my chakra."
Rasa tries to rile up his chakra as he resists Izuna's grasp.
Humph…
Izuna snorts and exerts his chakra.
BOOOMM!!*
The floor beneath them collapses as a small crater is formed.
"Hokage-sama, at this rate, he will…"
Inoichi tries to interrupt Izuna.
"It's fine, Inoichi."
Tsunade stops him.
"The Sand Village has crossed their limits this time. Despite the peace treaty with Konoha, they dared to plot against us; not only that, they even conspired with the traitor of Konoha and brought a calamity to the village.
If not for Izuna, the entire leaf village would have met its doom by now. Thanks to his efforts, there were no war casualties. The only person who suffered is Izuna and his family.
Let him vent his feelings. Besides, I have faith in Izuna. He won't do something reckless."
"I see." Inoichi stops in his tracks as he waits for orders.
BAMM!!*
Izuna smashes Rasa on the floor.
Guffaw…
Rasa pukes a mouthful of blood as he weakly sprawls on the floor.
"You want respect, then I will give you respect."
BAMM!!*
He smashes Rasa again.
Crack…
Rasa's bones crack as he weakly sprawls on the ground.
Aah…
He releases a weak squeal as he lifelessly stares at Izuna.
"Had enough respect?… Or you wantmore?"
Crack… snap… pop…
Izuna grabs Rasa as his bone snaps and pops.
"Izuna! I think it's enough. Let me take over."
Tsunade stops Izuna.
"Fine!"
Izuna drops him on the ground.
Tsunade walks in front of Rasa.
"Kazekage! Every action has consequences, and you must be prepared to face them. If I could, I would get rid of you this very instant."
Tsunade clutches her fists.
"But I won't. I don't want to prematurely start another Shinobi war and embroil the entire shinobi world in chaos. "With the death of all elite shinobis from Sunagakure; the Land of Wind will be defenseless, and it will unleash the greed of other nations.
Fourth Shinobi War will break out as relentless struggle to claim the territory and resources of Land of Wind will start."
Swoosh…
Tsunade uses the 'Mystical Palm Technique to heal his injuries.
"Still, I can't allow you to leave scot-free. My disciple bled from this attack and Suna will pay the price for this."
Tsunade turns towards Izuna and asks him.
"What do you think about this proposal?"
"I don't agree." Izuna shakes his head.
"Eh!… why?" Tsunade is stunned to hearthis.
"This matter involves Kiri, too. Mei suffered greatly in this battle. He is also a culprit of Kirigakure for attempting murder on their Mizukage. I will let her decide his fate.
As for me, since I lost my unborn child due to him; he will pay the price in kind."
Izuna activates his Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Kamui"
Whoosh…
He opens a swirling portal in front of Rasa.
Swoosh…
An asleep Gaara appears in Izuna's hand.
"GAARA!"
Rasa's eyes widen in horror as he struggles to stand up.
Whoosh…
Izuna waves his hand as Gaara disappears into a portal.
"The price of blood shall be paid by blood. From now onwards, your son will be a 'Guest' of Konoha."
"But… But he is a jinchuruki!" Rasa protests.
"I agree with him." Tsunade nods her head.
"NOOOO!!"
Rasa screams in despair as Izuna walks out of the room.
Bzzzt…
A sealing formula appears in Izuna's palm.
Hmm…
'A message from Wrath.'
Izuna infuses some chakra into the seal as a scroll appears in front of him.
He opens the scroll and reads its content.
"Leader, I have caught the real culprit of this incident."
"Huh! The real culprit?"
Izuna continues to read the contents.
"The real culprit who orchestrated this event and manipulated Suna is none other than one of the elders of the Suna council.
His name is Tojuro."
Izuna rolls down the scroll as a picture of Tojuro is imprinted on it.
'Tojuro holds the number two position in Suna council and his authority is only below the Council leader Honorary Grandfather Ebizo.
A few years after the Third Shinobi War,Elder Ebizo retired from the council which left all power and authority in the hands of Tojuro.
Tojuro is very ambitious, and he aims to gain control of Suna through the Suna council. Most of the decision-making power lies in his hand and… and it was him who ordered for my assassination.'
"I see."
Izuna tightly clutches the scroll as anger blazes in his eyes.
"TOJURO!"
'… after further investigation, I think he has some involvement with Kara and he could be one agent of Kara.
After searching through all hisbelongings, I saw various shady transactions of Suna's resources. If my speculation is correct, then elder Tojuro may very well be the sole reason for theeconomic downfall of Suna and the funder of Kara.'
"I see." Izuna burns the letter into ashes.
He takes out a scroll from his pocket and scribbles something on it.
Whoosh…
He activates his Flying Thunder God seal and teleports the scroll.
'Rasa might be innocent and a part of some big scheme; but it doesn't change the fact that he partook in it.
I am no Saint. Those who mess up with my family must be ready to face the consequences."
Whoosh…
Izuna teleports away.
--
Inside an underground hideout,
Whoosh…
Obito walks out of a portal.
"Madara Uchiha! What brings you here?"
Pain and Konan turn towards him.
"I am here to remind you that Akatsuki has only one goal, and it's about time to take a step towards that goal."
Whoosh…
He throws a scroll towards Pain.
"It has all the necessary intel in it. Because of the interference of Izuna Uchiha; we have to change our original plan."
"I see."
Pain grabs the scroll and reads its content.
"The time for the salvation of this true world has come."
He dissipates the scroll and walks out of the underground sewage system of Amegakure.
"Release the six paths of pain from their slumber."
A few moments earlier,
In the underground hideout in Mountains Graveyard,
Tap… tap…
Obito is sitting on a throne near the remains of God Tree as he raps his finger on the armrest.
"Izuna Uchiha! Why?!… Why must you interfere with our every plan? As long as you exist, Akatsuki could never achieve its goal of world peace.
You are preventing the world from achieving true peace."
BAMM!!*
He slams his fist on the armrest and cracks it.
"Losing your temper over pointless musing won't lead you anywhere."
Whoosh…
Zetsu slowly gets out of the ground and stands in front of Obito.
"Still, Akatsuki had made no progress in these past few years."
Obito stands up from his seat and walks towards the God tree.
"The Eye of the Moon Plan is necessary for the salvation of this world. We must seek some other way to put our plans into action. Anyway…"
Obito turns towards Zetsu.
"Report me about the situation in Konoha! One of the spies of Sasori informed us about the cooperation of Fourth Kazekage with Orochimaru. They planned to launch an all-out attack on Konoha to wipe it out.
How is the situation over there?"
Obito inquires.
"I recorded the entire series of events in my memories."
Zetsu nods his head.
"And?!"
"… As expected, Sunagakure never stood a chance. Current Konoha is way too strong for other hidden nations to take on by themselves.
Even without Izuna Uchiha, Konoha has many other powerful shinobis like Sakumo Hatake, Tsunade Senju, Fugaku Uchiha, Akira Uchiha, Yagami Uchiha, Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and various other clan members…"
Zetsu lists a few names. He pauses for a while.
"… also Hiruzen Sarutobi the Third Hokage died in this battle."
"I see."
Obito nods his head.
"It won't affect them much, but Konoha lost one of its spiritual pillars. So… how about the battle of Izuna Uchiha?"
"No… I didn't get a glimpse of it."
Zetsu shakes his head.
"There was a barrier erected to prevent outsiders from intruding on the battle, and I didn't venture closer because of the fear of being discovered.
Hmm…
"But he lost an arm in the battle." Zetsu adds.
"That won't affect him in any major way. Re-growing an arm isn't a major deal."
Obito slowly caresses his body.
"I am more concerned about the person who left him in such a state. Izuna Uchiha by himself is enough of a threat to ruin over plans, and now another person with similar strength appears out of nowhere." Obito muses over the matter.
Hmm…
Black Zetsu ponders the details.
'From the memories, I inherited from mother; mother prepared the white Zetsu army to combat a very powerful enemy. Could it be him?'
'NO! It isn't possible. Izuna Uchiha will never stand a chance against Mother, much less the calamity mother was prepping for.'
Zetsu shakes his head.
'More and more variables are appearing in my plan. Till now, I have been manipulating the shinobi world to create the present history; but with the appearance of Izuna Uchiha, everything seems to go out of my control. I have to get rid of him at any cost.'
Black Zetsu stresses his memory for a method to overcome the current predicament.
"Found it! This should work."
An idea clicks in Black Zetsu's mind.
Hmm…
Obito raises his head and turns towards him.
"Zetsu! Do you have a plan?"
"Yes, I do."
Zetsu nods his head.
"You are aware of the fact that I am Madara-sama's will and have inherited all of his memories!"
Mm…
"That's true." Obito nods his head.
"… after his battle with Hashirama Senju; Madara-sama seemingly lost his life, but he defied death through the use of Izanagi…"
Zetsu continues.
Hmm…
"… disgraced by his death, Madara-sama swore to pay the debt to Hashirama Senju. So, Madara-sama wandered the shinobi world to seek greater power.
On his journey, he came across an ancient ruin hidden deep in the Land of Sea hidden away from the mainland."
Whoosh…
Zetsu rolls out a map of the Shinobi World as he marks a certain spot.
"This hidden ancient ruin is filled with many deadly traps and seals, and it is almost impossible to unlock the secret buried in its depth.
Madara-sama could only venture to one-fourth of the ruin before being forced to stop. Still, with only one-fourth of the exploration; he could come across such marvelous weapons and treasures."
Zetsu points towards various weapons and scroll decorated on the walls of the hideout.
He points towards the ring on his hand and remarks.
"These rings were also a part of the treasure of those ruins."
"Zetsu! If even Madara Uchiha failed, then how do you expect me to succeed. It would be pointless suicide if dared to attempt it." Obito scrutinizes Zetsu.
"Back then, Madara-sama was alone and had yet to awaken his Rinnegan. But now with the help from the members of Akatsuki and Pain; I am sure we would be able to dig out the secrets of this ruin."
Zetsu assures Obito.
"Hmm… that's reasonable. If this could give us an edge in our plan; then it is worth the shot." Obito nods his head.
"Very well, I will visit Nagato and make preparations." Obito picks up the map and swirls out of the hideout.
"You make a fine storyteller, Black!"
White Zetsu remarks.
"I told him half the truth."
Black Zetsu scoffs at White Zetsu.
"There are four Otsutsuki ruins spread throughout the corner of the shinobi world. I learned about them from Mother's memories.
After her war with Hagoromo and Hamura; Hagoromo sealed one of the ancient Otsutsuki ruins with a powerful seal. The second ruin became a part of the seal which sealed mother and now it resides on the moon.
The Third ruin was forever lost in that chaos. Even I am not aware of its location.
As for the final ruin, it is located on an unnamed island located in the Land of Sea. These ruins are our sole chance of turning the tides in our favor."
Swoosh…
Zetsu enters the ground.
--
Inside the Hokage Office,
Tsunade is sitting on her Hokage chair as she turns to Izuna.
"Izuna! Are you sure it is a good decision to let two jinchuruki meet each other?"
Tsunade peeks out of the window as Gaara is talking with Naruto.
"Yes! It is the right decision." Izuna nods his head.
"I would have just straight up killed Rasa to give this kid a better future. But I will let things play out like this. Besides, this child will only suffer in Suna. I don't need to remind you about Naruto's childhood."
"Naruto!"
Tsunade clutches her fists as the schemes of Danzo freshen up in her memories.
"If not for us, he too would have become a tool for the village, just like this boy. I am no saint when it comes to these matters, but I am humane enough to consider the feelings of this innocent child.
The people who seek to manipulate such a pitiful child are the real monsters. TSUNADE! Power in itself is neither evil nor good. It is the people who wield them that ultimately decide its nature.
The tailed beasts are sentient beings made of energy. Like us, they too desire to live a peaceful life; but it is the greed of a few power-hungry people who attempt to use them for their nefarious purposes."
Izuna remarks.
'Sorry, Grandpa, I am selling you out on this one. I hope we will be able to reconcile over this.'
Izuna closes his eyes.
"But still! How do you plan to raise him?" Tsunade asks him.
"Well, for the time being, he can live with Naruto. He is a shinobi by birth; so of course, I will train him as a shinobi."
Whoosh…
Izuna raises his hand as a small sand ball form in his hand.
"Besides, I can easily teach these party tricks of Rasa to him."
"You never change, do you?!"
Tsunade shakes her head.
"Well, it won't be me; if I change." Izuna shrugs his shoulders.
'I hope I will never change. The fear of death doesn't faze me; it is the fear of being unable to see my loved ones that shake me to my core.
Death! Huh!… Let's see who will win this race.'
--
In a secret underground hideout,
Puff…
A man with shaggy brown hair sporting a pair of small, circular black glasses takes a deep puff from his cigar. He wears a black suit with a purple tie, a yellow shirt underneath his black coat.
Puff…
He takes another puff from his cigar before extinguishing it by rubbing it on the tabletop.
Another man in a hooded cloak with a colored lining, fastened at the right shoulder is sitting in front of him.
"So, you want to offer protection to me?"
The spectacled man takes out another cigar from his pocket.
Clack… clack…
A nearby goon lights up his cigar with a lighter as he takes another puff of smoke.
"Matter of life and death are whimsical in your line of business. Having a strong bodyguard adds an extra layer of protection and can be death-defying when things go south." The hooded man remarks.
"Well… well… that's indeed the truth. But we are a legal shipping company which provides transportation facilities to fisherman and we need no such protection." The man in glasses remarks.
"Gato Company! I know how much of a legal company you are, but the choice is yours."
The hooded man stands up and strolls out of the room.
"Boss, who was he?"
A light-skinned man with bluish-white hair and black eyes walks out from another room. A long Katana with a blue handle is strapped to his waist.
"Oh! He… He is just another random penniless guy seeking to earn some quick bucks by offering protection to my business." Gato takes another puff from his cigar.
"So, he is another guy with all talk and no weight."
Another man of tall stature walks out of the room. He wears a black eye-patch over his right eye and has brown hairs parted in three, finishing in an elaborate topknot. There are various intricate tattoo marks stretched across all over his body.
"Ignore him, Zori! Waraji! You two are more than enough to take care of these minor matters."
"Yes, boss." Zori and Waraji nod their head.
Gato extinguishes his cigar as he turns to them.
"So, how is the matter with the Land of Waves? I want to establish headquarter for our company.
You two are mercenaries from that place, right? So, you must have some idea about the place." Gato questions them.
"Lord Gato! As you know, it is just a small island nation with no hidden village of its own. They don't have any shinobis to rely upon for protecting the land." Zori answers him.
"I see." Gato nods his head as he plans another evil scheme.
--
Outside the secret underground,
The hooded figure takes out a strange device from his pocket. He presses some buttons on the device as it lights up.
"How was it?"
A deep voice questions from the other end of the communication device.
"He refused." The hooded man answers.
"I see. There is no need to waste any more of your time. Just visit another person. We require some funds to continue my research. Just approach someone else. Beep…"
The voice cuts off as the hooded figure curiously stares at the small strange device in his hand.
"Is he monitoring me using this device?"
The hooded man pockets the device and flickers away.
--
Inside an underground research lab in Land of Ancestors,
Beep…
Amado places down his communication device.
"The research requires an extensive amount of funding, and our only source of money is now out of commission. We have to look for somebody else to fund the organization."
Amado adjusts his spectacles as he stares at the test subjects.
'I am ready to sacrifice my morality as long as I can achieve my goal.'
Swish…
He tears off a small sample of flesh from one of the test subjects and experiments on it as he continues to ponder on recent events.
'The Otsutsuki clan members have God-like powers, and they shaped the shinobi world to its current form. But it's all a facade, in the eyes of Otsutsuki clan; the natives of this world are nothing more than livestock.'
Amado shakes his head.
'But still… Izuna Uchiha! Looks like I need to pay a visit to him. He is a man who bears a mighty fate.'
Amado continues his research.
--
Achoo…
Izuna sneezes as he slowly opens his eyes. Various small purple orbs are floating around him.
'I have finally gained a basic understanding of Electromagnet Release Kekkei Shi. That previous explosion in my fight against Jigen opened a new possibility to use Electromagnet Releases.'
'Electromagnet Release: Shinra Banshō'
Whoosh…
Izuna wills one of the floating purple orbs to appear in his hand.
He stretches his right palm as the purple orb floats in front of him.
'They are still short of being a true truth-seeking orb, but we can consider them as fake truth-seeking orbs.
Their powers are severally lacking compared to the real deal and I can't shape-shift them freely, but I can replenish them however I want; though the amount of chakra they take is phenomenal.'
Whoosh…
The orbs return behind his back.
'Light Release: Camouflage Cloak'
He cloaks the orbs to hide their presence.
'The amount of concentration they require is quite high and I can only control a maximum of five of these orbs at a time; any more than this and I will lose control over them and they will explode violently.'
Izuna stands up and stretches his body.
"It has been a month since the Konoha Crush incident. Mei has somewhat recovered from the incident, but the trauma is still present.
Besides, she is also burdened by her Mizukage duties and she won't allow me to help with her matters.
I will pay a visit to her after her Mizukage duties are over. Maybe the fresh air of Shikkotsu forest will ease the burden from her shoulders."
Izuna jumps from the top of the giant tree of Shikkotsu Forest and lands on the ground.
"As for our marriage, it is a major political issue and will have serious implications. I don't give a crap about that, but I cannot convince the council members of Konoha and Kiri.
After the dust from this previous incident settles, nobody will be able to stop us from getting married."
He wipes the dust from his clothes and walks towards a nearby waterfall to clean himself.
"Izuna-kun! I heard about the details from Tsunade-sama and I am very sorry for your loss."
The tentacles of giant Katsuyu shake frantically.
"It's fine, Lady Katsuyu."
Izuna shakes his head.
"Time is a great healer."
'It can take the edge off the pain in my heart, but will it be able to fill the void left by the loss? Only time will tell.'
He turns towards Katsuyu.
"Lady Katsuyu! I will return for now. Maybe I will pay you a visit in the evening."
Whoosh…
Izuna teleports from Shikkotsu Forest. He reappears on top of the Hokage Monument in Konoha.
"Power doesn't forge a person; pain and suffering do. Maybe it is a lesson for me to never lose sight of my goals.
Every person suffers from pain. Either it is the pain of discipline… Or it is the pain of regret. I would rather suffer the pain of discipline for my entire life than suffer the pain of regret even once."
Izuna closes his eyes as he self-reflects.
Whoosh…
He jumps from the Hokage Monument and walks towards the Uchiha clan.
"Nii-san… Nii-san! train me."
He spots Naruto, who is running towards him.
Swoosh…
Naruto stops in front of him.
"Naruto! Ask your Kakashi-sensei for more training! I am sure that lazy ass must be goofing somewhere reading that holy scripture of his."
Izuna shakes his head as Naruto continues to pester him for training.
"But… but… Nii-san! I feel like I am not improving with Kakashi Sensei's training." He complains.
Hmm…
'Maybe I was too harsh with my training leading to their quick improvement. Their abilities as shinobi might have improved vastly, but as such, I failed to incorporate the values of a shinobi.'
"Naruto! I think you are quite strong as you are. Why don't you request some high-rank missions? I think it will provide you with more experience and you will see your improvement."
Izuna suggests.
"Mm… That makes sense. I will immediately ask Granny for a B-rank mission."
Whoosh…
Naruto flickers away.
"Well! Good luck with that." Izuna shakes his head.
Ina giant metallic skyscraper In Amegakure,
"PAIN!Do youthink it is a good idea to leave Ame unguarded?"
Konan address DevaPath as she stares at the perpetual rain falling on the metallic jungle of Amegakure.
"Konan... Akatsuki's soleaimis to achieve true peace in this world. The safety of the Ame is of secondary importance."
Deva Path Pain approaches thewindow as he gazes upon the residents of Ame flocking through the streets.
"But... Pain!..." Konan argues.
"KONAN! Izuna Uchiha is a threat toAkatsuki. He is a threat to our dreams and goals. We won't be able to achieve our dreams without getting rid of this threat."
Deva Path cuts off Konan.
"I am sure Yahiko also wants the same."
"I... I see..." Konan swallows her words.
"Besides... I am sure you will take care of matters in Ame in my absence."
"I will." Konan reassures him.
Swirl... Whoosh...
A swirling portal appears behind them as Obito walks out of the portal.
"That won't be the case."
He takes out a scroll from his pocket and throws it towards Deva Path.
Swoosh...
Deva Path catches the scroll and questioningly turns towards him.
"Madara! What do you mean?"
"Take a look at the scroll." Obito calmly replies.
Deva Path opens the scroll and reads its content.
"Intel on the location of the hidden Jinchuruki of Iwagakure!"
"Yes!" Obito nods his head.
"The tailed-beasts are an integral part of our plan. Without them, it is impossible to complete the 'Eye of the Moon Plan'." Obito remarks.
"We will capture them at all costs. The decree of God can't be defied."
Pain clutches his fist.
"Currently, the jinchurukis of One-tails and Nine-tails are in Konoha. The jinchuruki of Two-tails and Eight-tails are in Kumogakure. Three-tails have yet to revive from its previous death. The jinchuruki of Six-tails has gone rogue and the jinchuruki of the Seven-tails has yet to be identified.
This only leaves us with the jinchuruki of Four-tails and Five-tails. The information pertaining to them is hidden quite well by Iwagakure."
Obito slowly walks towards the window ashe stares outside.
"Recently, one of Sasori's informant found out some intel regarding them."
Obito turns towards Konan and remarks.
"Nagato and his Six Paths of Pain will be crucial to explore the ruins. So, I would like you to visit this informant and dig out the intel."
"But..." Konan hesitates.
"Very well, she will do it." Pain nods his head.
"Only through pain and suffering the world shall achieve true peace.
Even a foolish child can grow up in the rightway when he learns what pain is. Knowing pain controls one's thoughts anddecisions. The world shall know pain."
Deva Path spreads his arms as he gazes atAme.
"I... I see. Then I will follow your plan." Konan weakly nods her head.
--
Outside Konoha,
In an underground secret hideout,
Whoosh...
A shadow flickers in front of the entrance.The shadow takes out a seal from its pocket and unseals the formation.
Hmm...
Izuna raises his head and remarks.
"Pride... you are here."
"Yes, leader."
Pride flickers in front of Izuna and passes a scroll to him.
"Leader, this is the information you requested."
Mm...
Izuna nods his head and opens the scroll.
"I have already gathered the chakra of all tailed beasts except the five-tails."
Hmm...
"Valley of lies! It is a small landmark located at the border of the Land of Mountains. The informant is a resident of Shangri-La; a small village situated in between a gorge."
Izuna folds the scroll and pockets it.
"Great job, Pride! You can take a break and pay a visit to your family. But keep in mind, you can only do so from a distance; for that is your sin and retribution."
"I will bear that in mind." Pride nods his headand flickers out.
Whoosh...
Izuna teleports from his location and reappears in his room.
"Finally... I will be able to gather the chakra of all tailed beasts and perform the Yin-Yang: Balance in All things technique to revive Minato andKushina-san."
Bzzt...
Hmm...
Izuna takes out a scroll from his pocket. The scroll shines brightly with a purple glow.
"A summon from Ryuchi Cave!"
Izuna's expression turns serious.
"Well... it won't hurt to pay a visit to that old hag snake Sage."
Izuna closes his eyes and senses the location of Ryuchi cave.
Whoosh...
He teleports at the outskirt of Ryuchi cave.
"Let's see what the Snake Sage has to say?"
Izuna saunters in the Ryuchi cave.
HISSS...
A giant purple snake with black rings appearsin his vision.
"Oh! Isn't it the boss summon Manda himself? You like quite good with that fresh look."
Izuna remarks as he stares at the charred skin of Manda.
"You too. This new look suits you well."
Manda snorts as he stares at the left hand of Izuna.
"At least, we can agree on something. Haha..."
Izuna laughs as he walks towards Manda.
Bang...
He launches Manda in the air and walks deeper into Ryuchi cave.
"Bastard! I will repay you for this." Manda releases a weak squeal.
"Lad! You are here."
An old, grumpy voice greets him as a giant, white snake appears in front of him.
"You should be more gentle to that Manda brat." She remarks.
"Let's say we are cut from the same cloth."
Izuna shakes his head.
"You should better look for another successor." He remarks.
"He is the most powerful of his generation. But it is his arrogance and ignorance that holds him back." The White Snake Sage remarks.
"So, where is the boy?" Izuna questions her.
The giant white snake points her tail towards the pool.
"There!... The boy has overcomethe trial. Now he has officially become a Sage."
Hmm...
Izuna turns towards the pool as he senses a massive surge of Nature energy.
Whoosh...
Kimimaro absorbs a large amount of Nature energy in his body as his pupil changes to resemble a snake.
Various tendrils of Nature energy gather around his body and morph into snakes.
Whoosh... shoom...
Kimimaro disappears from his place and reappears in front of Izuna.
Swoosh...
He directs a punch at Izuna's face.
Swish...
Izuna stretches his palm and catches his fist.
"Not bad."
Whoosh...
Kimimaro takes a step back and disappears again. He flickers around Izuna in an attempt to confuse him.
Whoosh...
Kimimaro reappears in Izuna'sblind spot and tries to stab him with a bone infused with the Snake Sage Mode.
"Your reflexes have improved greatly. But there are still many unnecessary movements."
Izuna raises his palm and brings it down.
Bang...
Kimimaro is smashed into theground and forms a crater.
"Ouch!"
He clutches his forehead as the Sage Mode disappears.
"I am sorry, Angel-san. I couldn't live up to your expectations."
Kimimaro performs dogeza in front of Izuna.
"No!... you did quite well. I am happy with your improvement."
Izuna shakes his head as he picks up Kimimaro.
"Boy! You should be a little prouder of your achievement. It took you only two years to master Snake Sage Mode. You succeeded where others failed. It has been thousand years since the Ryuchi cave had a human Sage."
Slam...
The Snake Sage slaps its tail on the ground.
"But... but... Angel-san is already a sage." Kimimaro meekly replies.
Slam...
"Boy! He is an exception. Don'tjudge him in the same light as others." The Snake Sage remarks as she turns to Izuna.
"With this, the Ryuchi Cave has fulfilled its part of the promise. Since there is no other matter; you may see yourself out. I have to enter into my mediation to recover my energy."
The snake sage closes her eyes and enters into a deep slumber.
'She is still holding a grudge for losing the bet.'
Izuna shrugs his shoulder and flickers out of the Ryuchi Cave.
Whoosh...
Both of them exit the separate isolationSpace Barrier of Ryuchi cave.
Shoom...
Izuna activates his Mangekyo Sharingan and inspects Kimimaro's body.
'Hmm... there is no sign of cancer anymore. The poison must have acted as an inhibitor to the cancer cells. Paired with the rich Nature energy of Ryuchi cave, he has recovered from his bone ailment.'
Izuna nods his head.
'Also... his bones... they have mutated.'
Izuna notices various greyish marks on Kimimaro's bones.
'From the looks of it, his Kekkei Genkai has attained a perfect state and now it is inharmony with his body and chakra. Now he won't suffer the same problem as earlier.'
"Well done, Kid!"
Izuna pats Kimimaro's shoulders.
"Angel-san! I am ready to serve you."
"Uh! Huh!... Let's talk about it later. For now, let's go on another journey like the previous time." Izuna scratches his head.
'I don't know what kind of laxatives his clan fed to him to make him this loyal.'
"Yes, Angel-san. I will follow your lead."
Kimimaro nods his head.
He takes out a small diary from his pocket and scribbles on it.
At the border of Land of Mountains,
"We are here."
Izuna and Kimimaro scale a very tall mountain as they gaze at a gorge located in between two mountains.
Hmm…
Izuna takes out the map from his pocket to assure the location.
"This is the location, but I can't see anything out of ordinary here."
A long river flows through the gorge, parting two mountains in half.
"SHARINGAN!"
Izuna activates his Sharingan and gazes down on the slope of the hill.
"I see… that makes sense."
He nods his head as the truth appears in front of his eyes.
"No wonder… they call this place as the 'Valley of Lies'. This entire mountain range is shrouded in a very large-scale genjutsu.
To any outsider, the place will just look like a normal mountain range, but it can't fool my eyes."
Izuna turns towards Kimimaro.
"Have you done skydiving before?"
"SKYDIVING?!"
Kimimaro tilts his head in confusion.
"No problem… there's first time for everything."
Izuna lifts Kimimaro and points him towards the base of the hill.
Gulp…
"UH!… Angel-san! I am afraid."
Kimimaro gulps his saliva.
"Daijoubu! Daijoubu! Besides, I am also here with you."
Whoosh…
"Here you go!"
Izuna swings his right arm and launches Kimimaro towards the foothill.
"This is the actual test of your skills."
Whoosh…
Izuna takes a leap of faith from the peak of the mountain.
--
At the base of the Mountain,
Ha… ha… ha…
Kimimaro is breathing heavily as there are various bruises on his body.
"I… I did it."
"Well done." Izuna nods his head.
"Mystic Palm Technique"
Izuna heals Kimimaro's wound.
"With the Snake Sage Mode, your body has gained the traits of a snake. Your body has become more flexible and it will help greatly with your Kekkei Genkai."
"Yes, Angel-san." Kimimaro nods his head.
'Maybe I am too harsh to him. But only life-threatening situation can awaken the true potential.'
Izuna shakes his head.
"Kimimaro, our destination is here." Izuna remarks as he stares at a giant boulder.
He walks towards the boulder and investigates it.
"Found it."
Kacha… click…
He activates the mechanism and a passage opens in a nearby hill.
"Let's go."
Kimimaro stands up and dusts his clothes. Both of them walk inside the cave as Izuna explains the details.
"Shangri-La is a small village hidden deep in the valley of Lies. This village is a haven for rogue ninja who abandoned the life of shinobi and aims to live peacefully.
A genjutsu barrier is erected on the hill and is maintained by the villagers to deter bounty hunters from the village. The ninjas of the village use Transformation Jutsu to hide their actual identity."
Izuna turns towards Kimimaro.
"So… let's change our appearance."
Izuna makes some hand signs.
"Transformation Jutsu"
He transforms into a burly middle-aged man with a scar on his right eye.
"As for you, Kimimaro… you are fine as you are. You just need some touch-ups."
Whoosh…
Izuna takes out a make-up kit from his storage scroll and 'paints' Kimimaro's looks.
"Well… I think I did a good job with my make-up." Izuna nods his head as he stares at his masterpiece on Kimimaro's face.
"Just a few touch-ups here and there!"
After half an hour later,
"It is a nice cosplay. You are ready to go."
Izuna stores his make-up kit and nods at Kimimaro's new appearance.
Kimimaro takes out the small diary from his pocket and scribbles on it.
"Cosplay is good."
Both of them continue to walk through the underground passage as they approach the village.
Whoosh… whoosh…
Three masked ninjas appear in front of them. They draw their kunais and point them towards the duo.
"Halt!"
Both of them stop as they warily stare at the group.
"Outsiders aren't allowed are here. Please return to where you came from."
One of the shinobi walks in front of them and threatens them.
"No… no… we aren't here for trouble."
Izuna shakes his hands.
"My name is Akihito, and this is my son, Akifumi. We are from a small shinobi village from the land of Grass.
The head of our village was a lecher and a sexual deviant. While I was on a mission; he assaulted my wife.
Out of guilt and sorrow, my wife committed suicide. When I came back from my mission, I learned about the truth. Enraged by this, I murdered that son of a bitch and fled the village.
Since then, I have been on a constant run with my son. It has been five years since then."
Izuna gently pats Kimimaro's head.
"He is my only family in this world. I want to give a stable and peaceful life to him. A life where he would never have to live in fear of death.
Recently, I heard about this place from someone. So, we climbed all the way to this mountain to reach this haven."
Tears fall from his eyes as he hugs Kimimaro.
Sob… sob…
The eyes of one of the guard shinobis tear up.
"I feel you, brother. I share the same story as you. But in my case, I had no family."
"We share the same sentiment as you, brother. All the residents of Shangri-La have suffered one way or another."
The remaining two shinobi also nod their head as their eyes tears up. They withdraw their weapon and guide them towards the village.
"Shangri-La welcomes you. All of us are the rogue criminals of this cruel world. We hope you will be able to achieve peace here."
The group continues to walk deeper into the cave.
'Damn! I never expected my third-grade drama to melt their heart. Does this mean I am a natural-born actor? Maybe I should have opted acting as a career path rather than medical studies.'
Izuna silently stares at their back as they walk along the bank of the river.
"Would you mind telling me more about this village?"
Izuna turns towards one of the shinobis of Shangri-La.
The shinobi nods his head as he explains.
"Shangri-La was originally a small cave which was part of this giant mountain. After the end of the First Shinobi War, a group of shinobi from smaller nations fled to this place to preserve their life.
They dug out the mountain and found this village. Since then, the village has continued to expand. As the village is carved out from the mountain, there is always a risk of landslide.
So, the previous village Head planted a giant tree to acts as a support for the base of the mountain."
The shinobi points towards a gigantic tree situated in the middle of the cavern.
"I see."
Izuna nods his head as he secretly activates his Sharingan to investigate the tree.
'Hmm… there is nothing unusual about this tree other than the fact that it is surrounded by large amounts of Nature energy. Maybe it is the effect of its immense vitality.'
"We are here."
The group stops as they reach the base of the giant tree.
Knock… Knock…
One of the shinobi knocks on a small door embedded in the tree.
Creak…
The door creaks open as an old man with a long white beard walks out of the treehouse.
"What's the matter, Fusao?"
Fusao bows in front of the old man.
"Chief, there are newcomers."
He points towards the 'father-son duo.
Hmm…
The old village chief scrutinizes Izuna and Kimimaro and nods his head.
"Good! It has been almost three years since someone new joined the village. Fusao! Explain the drill to them."
The old chief turns around and returns to his treehouse.
Fusao turns towards the duo and remarks.
"You must have already encountered the barrier around the village."
Izuna nods his head.
"Yes, we came across the barrier. Since we were specifically seeking for the village; it didn't fool our eyes."
"Hmm…" Fusao nods his head.
"The barrier requires an enormous amount of chakra to maintain, as such many of the villagers spent four hours a day to help maintain the barrier.
Since you are now a member of the village; you would also have to fulfill this duty."
"I will fulfill this duty."
Izuna nods his head.
"Good! Let me escort you to an empty house. Whenever a villager dies; he leaves behind an empty house. You can live in one of these houses."
He directs the pair to one of the old houses.
Hmm…
Izuna inspects his surroundings as he closes the door.
"All these people are in disguise. Can't blame them; all of them are criminals or rogue shinobis.
I have little to do with the village, but the informant is from this place. I wonder who he is?"
"Seal"
He makes a hand sign and places a Fuinjutsu seal on the door.
'It has become an instinct of mine to place sealing formulas everywhere.'
Izuna shakes his head and turns towards Kimimaro.
"Kimimaro!… your Kekkei Genkai Shikotsumyaku is an integral part of your combat. Paired with taijutsu and Senjutsu; you will become a force to be reckoned with."
"It's all thanks to you, Angel-san."
Kimimaro bows in front of him.
"But… it's not enough."
Izuna shakes his head.
"… you don't have any talent for genjutsu and even your ninjutsu skills are very poor." Izuna remarks as he makes some hand signs.
Crackle… Snap… Pop…
Kimimaro snaps his bones and takes out a bone sword from his arm.
"I don't need ninjutsu or genjutsu to kill my enemies. I can just slice them off with my bones." A hint of bloodlust appears in Kimimaro's eyes.
Izuna notices the bloodlust in his eyes.
'It must be the effect of his bloodline. As he reaches adulthood, more and more of his bloodline potential will be released and he too will slowly turn insane, like his clan mates.
No wonder the Snake Sage Mode suits him. But he needs to keep his bloodlust in check.'
"I see." Izuna nods his head as he lifts his finger and points it towards Kimimaro.
"Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique"
He casts a simple genjutsu on Kimimaro.
Argh…
Kimimaro clutches his forehead and shakes in fear as he hugs his body.
Snap…
Izuna snaps his body and dispels the genjutsu.
"This was a D-Rank genjutsu meant to be used against chunnins and genins, and yet it turned into a nightmare for you."
"I… I am sorry."
Kimimaro lies down on the ground as his entire body is drenched in sweat.
"Having self-confidence is fine and all. But you must never underestimate your enemies. Since… you know your weakness; it is time to get rid of it."
'What about you, brat? Most of the time you underestimate your enemies. Hmph…'
Kurama snorts at him.
'Let's not talk about that.'
Izuna turns his head away in embarrassment.
Haha… ahaha…
Minato and Kushina chuckles.
'I agree with Kurama on this matter.' Minato nods his head.
'Not you too… Minato-san.' Izuna drops his head in shame.
Ahem…
He clears his throat and turns to Kimimaro.
Whoosh…
Izuna takes out a chakra paper from his pocket.
"I never checked your chakra nature; maybe it is time to do so."
He hands over the chakra paper to Kimimaro.
"Infuse your chakra in this chakra paper."
Swoosh…
Kimimaro grabs the paper and infuses his chakra into the paper.
Drip… drip… Crumble… crumble…
The paper turns soggy before it crumbles apart in the dust.
"I see!… So, you have a dual chakra nature of Earth and Water. That's pretty good." Izuna nods his head.
"In these upcoming days, I would train you in some basic ninjutsu techniques. Since you don't have an affinity for genjutsu; we will skip that part. I will only teach you how to dispel a genjutsu. So, get ready for the training."
"Yes… Angel-san." Kimimaro meekly nods his head.
--
Outside the Land of Valley,
Whoosh…
Konan climbs the mountain as she reaches the peak of the summit of the mountain.
"This is the place."
She takes out the map from her scroll and checks the location.
Swoosh…
Icy winds blow in the mountain as a chill runs down her spine.
She pockets the scroll and gazes at the bottomless end on the other side of the mountain.
Scramble… scramble…
'Dance of the Shikigami'
Various paper sheets gather behind her. The paper sheets form two giant wings behind her.
Swoosh…
The paper wings create a thrust as she flies to the bottom of the hill.
Whoosh…
She smoothly lands at the bottomof the hill.
"It must be somewhere around here."
Konan searches for the hidden mechanism to enter the village.
She founds the mechanism.
Swoosh…
'Paper Transformation Technique'
The paper gathers around her as she changes her outer appearance.
Whoosh… whoosh…
Three masked shinobis with kunaisblock her way.
"Halt!"
--
"Kimimaro, I have taught the basic technique to you. Practice it diligently and you will master it in no time." Izuna instructs Kimimaro.
"I am on my way to barrier maintenanceduty." He steps out of the house.
"You are right on time, Akihito! I will teach you the method."
Izuna comes across Fusao, who guides him towards the location of the barrier squad.
Both of them approach the center ofthe village, near the giant tree.
"This giant tree serves as the foundation of this village. It not only supports the weight of the entire mountain on itself but also acts as a core for the barrier.
The roots of this tree are spreadthroughout this mountain range and thus act as a chakra circuit to maintain the barrier."
Fusao explains the details of the barrier to Izuna.
Whoosh… whoosh…
Both of them scale the giant tree asthey land on one of its branches. There are two giant blue leaves on the branch.
Swish… swish…
Fusao makes some One-hand signs as he places another hand on the leaf.
Swoosh…
A surge of chakra rises from Fusao's body and enters leaf.
Hmm…
Izuna curiously stares at the process as he activates his Sharingan.
"This is…"
His eyes widen in surprise as variouschakra veins and circuits appear in his vision.
The chakra veins on the leaf absorbFusao's chakra and the chakra circuit circulates it through the tree before spreadingthe chakra to the roots.
'Wonderful… truly wonderful… I have never seen such a method of creating barriers. There are no fuinjutsu seals involved at all. Not only this, but this entire tree; I have never seen such a thing even in the Mount Myoboku; Ryuchi cave, or Shikkotsu Forest.'
Izuna curiously surveys the entiretree.
"It's your turn now."
Fusao interrupts Izuna's thoughts.
"I…"
Izuna helplessly stares at his left arm.
"…"
Fusao notices the missing left arm of Izuna.
"Eh!… why don't you try to place yourleg on the leaf? Just make the necessary hand signs with your right hand." He suggests.
"That could work." Izuna nods his head and follows the instruction.
Swoosh…
A massive surge of chakra rises from his body as the tree greedily absorbs the entire chakra.
"This… at this rate, this tree will suck me dry."
Izuna's expression turns ugly as he wrestles control of his chakra.
'I have been sucked dry for almost ten years. My chakra control has grown to the point that I won't even waste a single drop of my chakra.'
He directs a small amount of his chakra to the tree.
An hour later,
Huff… Huff…
Fusao breathes heavily as the treecontinues to absorb his chakra.
"You don't look so well." Izuna notices the pale expression of Fusao.
"It's nothing." Fusao shakes his head.
"I have to do my share to protect the village. Also… it's not like we have to do it every day. We need to do this once per week… asfor the rest of the days; someone else will take over. Huff… huff…"
Fusao assures Izuna as he pants.
Hmm…
Izuna activates his Sharingan as he inspects Fusao's body.
'The rate at which his chakra is draining, I am afraid he will suffer from Acute Chakra Deficiency (ACD) within next twohours.
His body will lose its bodily function, and it will compensate the rest with his vitality. What accurate calculation? Three hours is the perfect time to stop.'
Izuna analyses the situation as the gears in his mind churns.
'Don't tell me, I have come across another trouble. Am I a trouble magnet or something? Why does every unknown trouble of shinobi world cling to me?'
Izuna closes his eyes as he muses over the matter.
'Still… if my hunch is right, which usually is. Then something is fishy about this place. Not just fishy; I can smell the entire fucking ocean here.'
Sniff… sniff…
Izuna takes a deep breath as a soothing fragrance enters his nose.
Haah…
He takes a deep breath as his body relaxes automatically. Alarms ring in Izuna's mind as it lowers his guard.
'What's going on? What's the deal with this fragrance? Why my body is acting strangely?"
Fusao notices Izuna's tense expression and chuckles.
"There is nothing to worry about. This is the scent of the glaze snow lilies grown in the nearby pond. These lilies producea fragrant aroma which soothes mind and body."
Fusao takes a deep breath and calmly closes his eyes.
'Glaze Snow Lily?! It sounds like some sort of chakra laxative. Well, whatever it is; I will face it head-on.'
