InKirigakure,
Insidethe Mizukage Office,
While Mei is scrolling through the paperwork, Elder Genji is summarizing the recent turns of events to her.
"Mizukage-sama… the next bout of chunnin exam would be held in our Kirigakure. Konoha, in honor of our treaty andgood faith, would help conduct the chunnin exam.This is a huge opportunity for Kiri to wash away its past and reforge a new future."
"Indeed…"
Mei nods her head.
'It's all thanks to Izuna. He had helped Kiri a lot.'
Mei closes her eyes and gazes towards the direction of Konoha.
'I wish I could retire todayas the Mizukage and move to Konoha.'
She turns towards Elder Genji and interrupts him.
"Elder Genji… how is Chojurofaring with his training?"
Elder Genji nods his head.
"Ao has been taking care of the kid's training. After his promotion to chunnin, the kid has grown out of his shell; nevertheless, his personality needs a little extra effort. I am sure with time; he would grow in a fine shinobi. As for the position of Mizukage…"
Elder Genji pauses for a while.
"… Mizukage-sama! I don't think it would be a wise decision to hand over Kiri to a person with such a weak personality."
"No! It will be alright."
Mei shakes her head.
"I have a hunch that Chojuro will make a great Mizukage."
She shakes her head andindulges in paperwork.
On top of Mizukage's Office,
Whoosh…
The Flying Thunder God seal of Izuna glows brightly, and three figures teleport out of nowhere.
Hmm…
Mei and Elder Genji raise their head as they sense Izuna's chakra.
"He is here." Mei has a smile on her face.
She immediately jumps out of the window and scales the roof.
"Yo!"
Izuna waves his hand and hugs Mei.
"Did you miss me?"
He smiles at her.
"Yes, I did." Mei nods her head.
Ahem…
Elder Genji coughs slightly.
"If my memory serves me right, then we met yesterday." He remarks.
"Is that so?" Izuna raises his eyebrow.
"Why can't I remember anything?" Izuna smiles at Elder Genji.
Bam…
Mei elbows him in the gut.
"Stop fooling around! Tell me the purpose of your visit." She questions him.
"Do I need a purpose to visit my wife?" Izuna retorts.
"Fine! Now tell me the reason." Mei sighs helplessly.
'I can't win against him. He is too shameless.'
She notices Zabuza and Haku behind him.
Mei immediately recognizes Zabuza since she knew about him from her academy days.
"He is Zabuza Momochi, and this boy is…"
She turns to Izuna for answers.
"He is the last known surviving member of the Yuki clan. His name is Haku Yuki." Izuna introduces Haku and ushers him in front of Mei.
"I… It is nice to meet you, Mizukage-sama." Haku stammers.
Hmm…
"He is indeed a member of Yuki clan with that appearance." Mei nods her head.
Swoosh…
Izuna produces the Executioner'sblade from his Kamui.
"Kakashi and the kids came across them during their mission. I brought themhere to let you decide their fate."
Mmm…
Mei's expression turns seriousas the demeanor of Mizukage appears to present itself.
"Zabuza is a rogue ninja of Kiri who deserted the village during the Blood Mist era. As such, he has committed treason against the village and his punishment will be decided accordingly."
She turns towards Haku and a gentle expression appears on her face.
"The Yuki clan suffered greatinjustice under the hands of the previous Noble clans. The Yuki clan was a former ally of my Terumi clan. Still, he will face punishment for impersonating as a Hunter-nin."
"Let me handle that…"
Izuna butts in.
"I will take care of his punishment."
Izuna has a smile on his face as he secretly gestures to Mei.
"Hmm… then I will leave it you."
Mei nods her head and continues with her work.
Later in the evening,
Inside one of Kiri's famous restaurant,
Izuna and Mei are seated beside each other, enjoying their dinner.
"So, you want to recruit Hakufor your team?!" Mei asks him.
"Yes! That boy has so much untapped potential. His skills with Ninjutsu are top notch. He can use One-hand seals to cast Ninjutsu. I can count the number of people who can perform this feat on my fingers.
Also, the Ice-Release is thecherry on the top. I will teach him all of my Ice-Release techniques."
Izuna picks a piece of meat with his chopstick and dips it in the sauce.
Aah…
Mei opens her mouth and biteson it.
"Thankfully, I am using the transformation jutsu to eat here or as a Mizukage, I would be too embarrassed to do this in public."
Mei's face reddens.
"What's there to be shy about?!"
Izuna chuckles and takes another bite of meat from Mei's hand.
"This is quite good."
He enjoys the flavor of meat and remarks.
"Still, I am quite sad that you won't be able to assist us with the upcoming chunnin exams."
Mei has an unresigned expressionon her face.
"I finally got a clue of an important mission. I can't miss it at any cost."
Izuna sighs in an apologetic tone.
"Kakashi and the rest should be enough for the task."
Mei and Izuna spent the rest of their dinner talking about trivial stuff.
"Alright! I think that's enough for today. I have other responsibilities too, otherwise, I am afraid I won't leave till next morning."
Mei abruptly breaks the conversation. Izuna's expression turns sour.
"It's just some useless job. Letothers take care of it." He snorts.
"NO! That won't do. I can't slack with the work." Mei shakes her head.
Izuna blankly stares at her as it reminds him of a certain Hokage always whining for more breaks.
--
In Konoha's Yakini-Q,
Achoo…
Tsunade sneezes violently. Shewaves an empty cup towards Shizune.
"Shizune! Do you think I caught a cold from overwork?! Hicc…"
"…"
Shizune helplessly stares ather.
"Err… Tsunade-sama… I think that's enough sake for the day. I think it's about time we return. Naruto must have returned from his mission."
"One more Shizune!!… one more… it won't do any harm to drink more."
Tsunade waves the empty cupin front of Shizune.
Sigh…
Shizune sighs and refills her cup.
--
"Let me pay the bill." Izuna places a stack of Ryo on the table.
Both of them walk out of therestaurant and scrutinize the nearby area.
"Kiri has improved quite a lot in these past three years."
Both of them notice the hustle-bustle of the surrounding area.
"It's just the light of Kiri. Blood and all sorts of evil still taint the darkness of Kiri. Unless I uproot the problem from the root, Kiri has to bear the burden of its infamy." Mei sighs.
"Hey! At least, you are giving your best. Things will work out with time." Izuna assures her.
Both of them continue to walk through the streets of Kiri. Soon, they arrive near the residential area of the lower class -the slums of Kiri.
"There is not much improvement in the status of the Lower class." Izuna remarks.
"My hands are tied in this case." Mei helplessly remarks.
"The elders of the village don't trust these war prisoners and captives. The least I can do is to hire them for odd jobs and increase the number of missions directed their way."
"That's fine too. You are their leader, not their nanny."
Izuna chuckles.
Suddenly, a girl in a tattered pink dress walks towards Izuna.
"This is for you, Mister."
She passes a small scroll to Izuna and turns around to leave.
"Wait!"
Mei stops the girl while Izuna inspects the scroll.
'Hmm… there are no traps orother such seals on this scroll. There is no sign of poison either. It's just a plain scroll.'
"Girl! Who gave it to you?"
Mei interrogates the girl.
"It was a masked man with glasses who gave this scroll to me. He told me a man and a woman will shortly pass throughthis area and told me to give this scroll to the man.
In return, he gave me some money."
The girl produces some coinsfrom her pocket. There is a hint of worry and fear in her eyes.
"It's alright. She is as clueless as us."
Izuna takes out some Ryo and gives it to girl.
"Thank you, Mister!"
Izuna waves her off.
"Now for the message on this scroll. Let me see…"
He opens the scroll and checks its content. There is only a single line carved on the scroll.
"Izuna Uchiha! Let's meet near the Land of Origin of Shinobi World."
"Land of Origin?! Huh!"
Mei reads the scroll and tilts her head in confusion.
"If I remember correctly, then there is no such place." Mei tilts her head in confusion.
"You are right! There is no such place." Izuna nods his head.
'Still, the Land of Origin of Shinobi World."
Izuna ponders over the details.
"Is it some kind of prank? Or is someone messing with you?"
Mei's expression turns ugly.
"No!"
Izuna shakes his head.
"I think I have a good idea of what it means."
Izuna pockets the scroll and turns towards Mei.
"Looks like that's my cue to leave. We will meet tomorrow."
He kisses Mei's lips and teleports away.
Hmph!
"He and his secrets." Mei snorts and turns towards the streets.
"Since I am out on a patrol, might as well inspect the situation of Kiri with my eyes. The current Kiri is hung on a fragile balance. One wrong move can overturn the entire scale. Although I claim to be a fair and justful Kage; still my rule is built on a brutal civil war.
So, some people might still have some misgivings. Those lurking in shadows waiting for an opportunity to topple my position could easily manipulate such people."
With such thoughts, Mei enters an abandoned alley. She makes a hand signal and three anbus appear in front of her.
Sigh…
Mei takes a deep breath and stares at them.
"You people don't need to keep following me around."
One of the anbu members walks in front of her and bows.
"Mizukage-sama, it's our duty to protect you. Elder Fuji entrusted your safety in our hands."
Sigh…
"Father is too overprotective of me." Mei shakes her head.
"Since you are already here, I have a task for you all."
"Yes, Mizukage-sama!" The Anbus nods their head.
"Although one faction of the lower class helped us during the civil war; the other faction kept a neutral stance. Now, this neutral faction is creating trouble for us. Gather intel about their whereabouts and their next course of action." Mei orders them.
"Disperse"
She waves her hand and disperses them.
"A Kage's job is really tiring. I think I need to learn some tips from Lady Tsunade on my next visit."
Whoosh…
Mei flickers from her position.
--
Izuna returns to his secret base in Konoha. He takes out a scroll from his pocket.
Swish… swoosh…
He makes some hand signs and infuses chakra in the scroll.
Whoosh…
The scroll lit up with a red glow, and three apparitions appear on top of it.
"Leader!"
The three figures instantly greet him.
Mmm…
Izuna nods his head.
"Let's cut to the chase. I have summoned you here because I am about to enter the home ground of our enemy. I received an invitation for a talk from them. Though I don't know their purpose; we have to still entertain precaution to ensure safety."
Izuna shares the content of the scroll with the rest of the members.
"Stay near the borders of the Land of Ancestor. I will send a distress signal if I am caught in enemy schemes. Immediately vacate the area and inform the Hokage and others. If nothing else, then the conversation went smoothly. Do you understand?!"
"Yes, Leader!"
The group nods their head.
"Very well! Then I will be on my way to the Land of Ancestors. Let's see what does the head of Kara's research and development section wants to talk about."
Whoosh…
Izuna flickers out of the secret base as he travels towards the Land of Ancestor.
'Land of Ancestor can be considered as the Land of Origin of Shinobi World. It was at this place where the God tree sprouted.
Although I have my doubts about the motives of Amado and it could very well be a trap to lure me in; but I am willing to take the risk. Besides, I have a few countermeasures in place. It's not like I won't be able to escape from their clutches.
I already have a pretty high mastery of Space-time Ninjutsu. I can break through most of the spatial confinement and escape with my life.'
Izuna weighs the pros and cons of this meeting and shakes his head.
'This is as far as the memories of my previous life can help me. I died too early without knowing how Konoha dealt with Kara. Maybe Kara is similar to Akatsuki; it is the main antagonist of the Boruto series.'
Whoosh…
He arrives in the Land of Ancestor. He takes out the summoning scroll from his pocket and makes some hand signs.
"Flying Thunder God Technique: Reverse Summon"
Poof…
With a puff of smoke, three figures appear in front of Izuna.
"Take your positions."
Izuna instructs them.
"Yes, Leader." The group nods their head.
"Alright, I will head towards the root of the Shinju Tree."
Whoosh…
Izuna flickers towards the location of the previous Shinju tree.
A vast desolate desert appears in his vision. There are numerous cracks on the ground and a vast patch of barren land is spread far in the distance.
"The land has lost all of its vitality. It's not a barren piece of land; it is a dead piece of land. Barren land can be restored but this can't be."
Izuna surveys the vast patch of barren land around him.
Swoosh…
A giant crater, about the size of a hidden village, appears in his vision. There are various cracks and indentions spread throughout the crater.
Hmm…
Izuna bends down and scoops up a handful of soil.
"As expected, no trace of life, not even microscopic."
He dusts away the sand from his hands and turns his attention to a small hut in the center of the crater.
"Is that the meeting place?"
Shiing…
He activates his Mangekyo Sharingan and inspects the surrounding area.
'There are no Fuinjutsu seals around here, no sign of any sealing formation.'
He turns his attention towards the hut. There is a single person inside the hut. Izuna's gaze pierces through the hut and lands on the figure. He scrutinizes the figure but is unable to sense the chakra signature of the person.
Hmm…
'It's similar to Jigen. I can't sense his chakra signature. Looks like these Kara members utilize some sort of secret technique to mask their chakra, such that even Sharingan can't see through their disguise.
No, I bet even Byakugan would be useless against this technique. Isshiki is an Otsutsuki clan member with quite a high status. Since Byakugan and Sharingan are derived from their clan; he must have some countermeasures against them.'
As if sensing Izuna's gaze, the person inside the hut waves his hand.
Izuna tenses up and gathers Nature energy ready to fight it out.
"Relax, I am not here to fight!"
A man in his late thirties walks out of the hut. The man has black hair, black beard, and a well-trimmed mustache. He has green eyes and wears thick glasses with orange lenses.
There is an unlit cigarette in his mouth as he walks towards Izuna.
Izuna immediately recognizes the latter as Amado, the head of Kara's research and development division. Although not much is known about his combat capabilities, he certainly possesses extraordinary prowess to be able to keep even the like of Jigen on tenterhooks.
"You must be Amado, the head of Kara's research and development division."
Izuna remarks as he awaits Amado's response.
"Oh!"
Surprise flashes past Amado's eyes. He couldn't help but nod his head in admiration.
"As expected of the most renounced shinobi of this era; not only your combat capabilities are noteworthy, but even your intelligence-gathering abilities are top-notch."
Tiing…
Amado takes out a lighter from his pocket and lit up his cigarette. He casually walks in front of Izuna and stands facing against him.
"Izuna Uchiha! The Silent Shinigami of the Shinobi World…"
He peers in Izuna's Mangekyo Sharingan and asks him.
"What are your thoughts on Kara?"
What are your thoughts on Kara?"
Amado's questions resound in Izuna's ears. He calmly stares at Izuna, awaiting his response.
"Kara is the next Akatsuki… No, it's even a greater threat than Akatsuki. If Akatsuki is an S-Rank threat then Kara can be considered above S-Rank threat, a threat to the entire shinobi world."
Izuna calmly replies to Amado.
"Hmm… Quite an apt response."
Amado nods his head. He takes a puff from his cigarette and exhales a ring of smoke.
"So… what would be your response Izuna Uchiha if I give you an opportunity to work with Kara?" Amado stares him in the eyes.
Izuna's gaze turns chilly as he replies with a heavy tone.
"Will you believe me if I say I will loop off your head in the very next instant?"
Swoosh…
Izuna swiftly draws his blade as a flash of purple lightning flickers in his surroundings. His surroundings turn dark as the world comes to a standstill.
Shoom…
Amado's eyes flicker slightly for an instant, but he maintains his position.
Hmm…
Although the flash in Amado's eyes was brief; Izuna still noticed it with his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Whoosh…
Izuna's blade stops at a hair's breadth from Amado's neck. The icy blade almost touching Amado's neck, ready to behead him any instant.
"I see."
Izuna withdraws his blade and calmly walks inside the hut.
Hahaha…
Amado chuckles. He adjusts his spectacles and follows Izuna.
Inside the hut,
Izuna is calmly sitting on a chair opposite Amado.
"I have no interest in Kara. On the opposite end, I am eager to destroy Kara from its Root. I want a peaceful and stable life." Izuna remarks.
"A peaceful and stable life in this world?"
Amado chuckles and shakes his head.
"That's just a pipeline dream. This world is more chaotic than you can imagine. Various forces lurk in this world and Kara is just one of them."
"Oh?!"
Izuna raises his eyebrow.
"Then how high will you rank Kara compared to other forces?" Izuna calmly asks Amado.
Tiing…
Amado lights up another cigarette. He takes a deep puff of smoke and exhales a ring of smoke.
"The current Kara is in its infant phase. Still, I will rank it in the top three just based on our leader's strength." Amado replies.
"That's low!" Izuna's brows scrunch up as numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.
'Does this mean there are other forces which are on par with Kara?'
Izuna raises his head and stares at Amado.
'The intelligence-gathering abilities of Kara can be said to be a notch higher than any other organization. So, his words are most probably true. If so, then I can't delay the formation of my organization. This is such a pressing matter.'
"What did you expect?" Amado rubs the cigarette on the table and extinguishes it.
"No! I expected that much. However, the position of other forces surprised me a little. Though I have a rough idea about their identities." Izuna replies without any emotion.
'Maybe the other forces have something to do with that, Lord Kishin. I will have to more attention to them too.'
Izuna makes a mental tone.
"Enough with the chit-chat. Now tell me the reason you sent a letter to me. Don't tell me it is just to recruit me in Kara."
Izuna has a solemn expression as his Sharingan pierces through Amado, trying to peer in his secrets.
"NO!"
Amado shakes his head.
"Everything I told you until now was a test. The recruitment to Kara, info on other forces. Truth be told, I never expected you to already know about most of these things. I am a little surprised."
Amado adjusts his spectacles as the atmosphere turns tense.
"To be honest, I have a proposal for you. If you agree then I will disclose the details otherwise forget about this conversation."
"Oh! I am a little interested. But your proposal is something which crosses my moral and bottom lines, then sorry to disappoint you, I am not interested." Izuna's expression turns serious.
'Morals and Bottom lines, Huh!'
Amado stares into Izuna's eyes as his eyes flicker with a faint light for an instant.
"Very well! But first, let me ensure our conversation is truly private."
Amado draws a small bottle from his pocket. There are two red and two blue round pills in the bottle.
He unscrews the bottle and takes a red pill out.
Gulp…
Amado swallows the pill.
Argh…
Amado's expression turns grim as a seal appears beneath his eyes. The seal is similar to roman numerical VIII.
"This seal is out."
Amado takes out a blue pill and gulps it down.
Whoosh…
The seal flickers brightly for aninstant before fading away.
Sigh…
Amado takes a deep breath andturns to Izuna.
"Let's talk now."
Hmm…
Izuna notices the earlier series of events as he stares at Amado for an explanation.
"Despite his strength, Jigen is a calculative man. He doesn't trust anyone besides himself. This seal can monitor all of my activities and can even share my memories with him if required. However, I have already decodedthe sealing formation, and it is quite easy to suppress this seal and fool Jigen's eyes."
Amado pockets the bottle.
"Alright! Let's talk business." Izuna nods his head.
"Quite straightforward, aren't you?! Then let's cut to the chase. I want to get ridof Otsutsukis for once and all and for that, I need your help."
Amado relays his intentions to Izuna.
"You want to get rid of Otsutsukis." Izuna raises his eyebrows and stares into Amado's eyes.
"Looks like you are either underestimating Otsutsukis or are overestimating my abilities. I am strong, but only according to Shinobi's standards. Otsutsukis are God-like beings capable of easily destroying worlds. Do you think I can hold my own against them?"
Izuna scrutinizes Amado.
"Of course, you can't by yourself.But with my intellect and your strength, there is a slight possibility. The choice is all yours to make." Amado remarks.
Hmm…
Izuna ponders for a while as he weighs the pros and cons of such possibility.
'There is also the possibility of Amado backstabbing me. All of it is a façade and his real intentions are to get rid of ahindrance from Kara's path.'
Numerous possibility flashes through his mind. In the end,
"Alright! I will cooperate with you. But you mustn't hide anything from me.Also, you have to beware of Jigen." Izuna has a serious expression on his face.
"Naturally!"
Amado nods his head.
"Jigen has locked himself in anisolated dimension. The previous fight with you took a toll on his body and according to my calculations, it will take him at least five years to recover."
"Very well! I agree with our cooperation." Izuna shakes hands with Amado.
"So, what's the first step in our plan?" He asks Amado.
"The time is not ripe yet. I still need to make a few preparations. For now…"
Amado takes out a syringe from his pocket.
"I need some of your blood. Your Uchiha clan is a descendant of Otsutsuki. So, your blood possesses some of their secrets. I need to research it to get some fruitful results."
Hmm…
Izuna ponders for a while before he nods his head.
"Alright!"
He stretches his arm. Amado takes a sample of Izuna's blood.
'With his blood as a template, I can lay out most of my plans.'
Amado nods his head in satisfaction.
"A healthy partnership is built on equivalent exchange. So, I will share some of my intel with you."
Amado takes out a scroll from his pocket and tosses it to Izuna.
"Here is the information which is currently most relevant to you. I am sure you will make good use of it."
Izuna catches the scroll and nods his hand. Amado takes out another scroll from his pocket and makes some hand signs.
Slam…
He slams his palm on the scroll.
Poof…
With a poof of white smoke, Amado disappears from his position.
"Reverse Summoning"
Izuna senses the changes in surrounding space.
"These space coordinates… they aren't of the Shinobi World. They are coordinates of another small dimension similar to Kamui.
No wonder the Sins weren't able to trace the location of Kara's headquarters. It's located in a separate dimension protected by a barrier. That Jigen has been accumulating resources for thousands of years. Kara is on an entirely different level compared to Akatsuki."
Izuna nods his head as a smile appears on his face.
"Still, this intel came right on time. I can finally rest easy."
Izuna flickers to the borders of the Land of Ancestor. He makes a hand sign and releases a signal to summon the rest of the members.
The three Sins appear beside him.
"Here! Finally, I have a lead on Five-tails location."
Izuna tosses a scroll towards them.
"Collect the chakra of the Five-tails and report to me in Konoha."
"Yes, Leader!"
Whoosh…
The group disappears from his vision.
Sigh…
Izuna takes a deep breath and enters the Grimoire Space. He appears in front of Minato's and Kushina's soul.
"Minato-san, Kushina Nee-san! After eleven years of wait, I can finally fulfill my promise to you."
Sob… sob…
Kushina's eyes turn teary and she hugs Izuna.
"Thank you… thank you… Izuna-chan. I can't describe my happiness in words."
Hu… Hu…
Minato nods his head as a smile appears on his face.
"Of course! I have to take good care of my little brother."
Izuna smiles sheepishly.
"His eleventh birthday is close and I want to make it memorable for him."
"Yes!" Kushina wipes her tears.
"I can finally hug him in person. All these years, it has been hard for him."
Yin Kurama opens one of its eyes and stares at the group. The old memories of his family wash over him.
Humph…
He snorts and closes his eyes.
"Humans and their emotions…"
--
Later in Konoha,
Inside the Hokage Office,
"Tsunade! I have something very important to tell you."
Izuna's expression is serious as he sits opposite Tsunade.
Hmm…
Tsunade's expression changes and she waves her hand to dismiss the Anbus.
"What's the matter? It has been a while since I last saw you with such an expression. The last time was during the attack on the village. Is the village going to suffer another calamity?"
Tsunade slams her palms on the table, anxiety clear on her face.
"No!"
Izuna shakes his head.
"But the situation is in no way inferior to the previous one."
Tsunade's expression turns grim.
"If so, then I have to summon the clan leader and the village council. We can't delay this matter any longer."
Tsunade takes out a scroll and brush from her drawer, ready to write a summon letter.
"Wait!"
Izuna stops her.
"The circumstance this time are different, and it isn't wise to inform so many people. After all, I don't want the process to fail."
Tsunade places down her brush and asks him.
"So! What's the situation you are talking about?"
"It's better to see it in person. Besides, others are already present there."
Mm…
Tsunade nods her head.
--
In a Secret Underground room,
"We are already here! Now won't you fill me on the details?"
Tsunade and Izuna walk through a passage as Tsunade asks him.
"Have some patience! You will understand once we get there."
Tsunade observes her surroundings and remarks.
"Danzo has built quite a fort here. I never knew his Root had grown to such an extent. The number of resources required to build this base must be quite high."
"What do you expect?! The third Hokage turned a blind eye to most of Danzo's questionable actions, thus giving him an incentive to be more unbridled."
Izuna shakes his head.
"Well…"
Tsunade has a conflicted expression on her face.
She can't deny Izuna's words since there is some truth to them. But she also can't blame her Sensei for Danzo's deeds.
'This reminds me of the situation with Jiraiya and Orochimaru. One grew in the shadow of Sensei, the other in Danzo's. If only…'
Tsunade shakes her head and discards her thoughts.
Soon, both of them arrive in a large hallway.
There are a few people already present in the hallway. Tsunade recognizes all of them.
"Sakuma-san, Mizukage-san, Kakashi, Guy, Itachi, Shisui, you all…"
"Greetings Hokage-sama."
All of them greet her.
She turns to Izuna for answers.
"These are a few of the people I trust the most in the village. Today, I am going to perform a crucial forbidden technique and I need all of you to watch over me. Though the chances of failure are slim still I can't afford to take any risk."
Izuna enters the hall, and the group follows.
Whoosh…
As soon as the group enters the hall, a dense wave of chakra assaults them.
Swoosh…
A Fuinjutsu formation lit up and erects a barrier.
"This is…"
The eyes of the group turn into slits as a massive Fuinjutsu seal appears in front of them.
The seal extends to the other end of the giant hall, spanning a distance of almost fifty meters.
"Such complex seal…"
Tsunade takes a deep breath as she stares at the giant seal.
"Even the barrier formation surrounding Konoha isn't this complex." She remarks.
"Yes! Although I don't have any detailed knowledge in Fuinjutsu still I have paid a few visits to the Barrier team's headquarters and that seal lacks compared to this seal. No… there is no comparison at all."
Sakuma nods his head in agreement.
"Hmm… I remembered Izuna made some changes to the barrier formation around the village after the chunnin exam event. But this is on an entirely different scale." Kakashi remarks.
Shisui and Itachi silently agree with the fact.
"Of course… I have exhausted all of my Fuinjutsu knowledge to create this seal. You can say it to be the finest masterpiece. This seal took me ten years to complete." Izuna remarks with a smug expression.
"Ten years…"
The group sucks a breath of cold air as they stare at Izuna with wide eyes.
"What… what kind of seal is this? You are a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster and it took you ten years to complete this seal."
Tsunade peers in Izuna's eyes.
Kakashi, Itachi, and Shisui activate their Mangekyo Sharingan and inspect the seal.
There are eight different circular nodes on the outer edge of the seals. Various seals which are connected to a giant central node surround the other circular nodes.
The central node is a giant Tai-chi symbol. One-half of the circle is black separated by a curved line. There are two giant white dots in the black half instead of the usual one. Similarly, the other white half has two giant black dots instead of one.
The seal is absorbing vast amounts of Nature energy from the surroundings.
Tsunade senses the abnormal flow of Nature energy whereas the trio of Kakashi, Itachi, and Shisui can see the flow of Nature energy with their Sharingan.
"Wha… what's the purpose of this seal?"
Tsunade questions him.
"I am also interested in this seal. Somehow, I can sense an abnormal amount of energy from this seal."
Mei remarks.
"How do I say it? This energy is similar to chakra, but it is also a bit different."
Mei shakes her head in confusion.
'What?! Mei can sense Nature energy.'
Izuna raises an eyebrow.
'When I met her for the first time, I sensed her aptitude for the Sage Mode and it was average. She wasn't suited to learn Sage Mode. But now, she can sense Nature energy without any help. What's going on?'
Many thoughts flash through Izuna's mind and he is unable to conclude.
'Is it because she bore my child?
NO! NO! What am I even thinking of?'
He furiously shakes his head and discards such thoughts.
"It's the Nature energy. This seal is absorbing large amounts of Nature energy to sustain itself. But I am not sure of the details."
The group turns to Izuna for answers.
Ahem…
Izuna clears his throat and enters in his professor mode as he explains.
"…"
The group rolls their eyes as they stare at Izuna. Still, they attentively listen to Izuna's explanation.
"The basis of Fuinjutsu is to use your chakra as a medium to create desired effects since your chakra is completely under your control. However, not everyone is proficient enough to draw using chakra. It requires a certain degree of mastery to achieve that feat…"
Izuna stares at them with a smug, as if implying something.
"…"
The rest of the group silently nods their head in understanding.
'Narcissist! This guy is a Narcissist.'
After a short pause, he continues the explanation.
"Thus, the Fuinjutsu seals are drawn using the ink made from the ingredients grown in the Shikkotsu Forest. Those ingredients are rich in Nature energy and can easily act as a substitute for one's chakra.
However, the effect of such seals is not that great, and it limits the potential of the seal. But in this case, I substituted my chakra with the Nature energy. The reason being, if I used my chakra to create this seal; the seal will crumble apart once I left this place.
It is part of the reason why sealing scrolls are made of the bark of trees grown in Shikkotsu Forest. That paper has special chakra conductive property and can retain the external chakra for almost a millennium." Izuna finishes his explanation as he ponders to himself.
'Also, this seal is a test of my fuinjutsu abilities. I have been stuck at the Grandmaster level of Fuinjutsu for nearly 14 years.
Finally, after so much pondering, I saw a new hope to reach the next level. To touch on that level, I have to return to basic. Since Fuinjutsu affects Nature and Nature energy is derived from Nature; then what will happen if I use Nature energy infused with my will to draw the seal.
Only one way to test it out.'
·
Whoosh…
As Izuna was explaining the intricate details of Fuinjutsu to the group, three shadows flicker beside him.
Hmm…
Izuna notices them and nods his head.
"You are here, which means…"
"Leader! That task you gave us is complete."
Wrath takes out a giant scroll and passes it to Izuna.
"Good!"
Izuna nods his head.
"You three can stay and watch the entire process"
The rest of the people also notice the three and nods their heads. They are already aware of Izuna's organization, though they do not know about their identity.
Izuna turns to Tsunade and the group.
"Since everything is here, let's start the process."
Swoosh… swoosh… swoosh…
He takes out seven giant scrolls from his storage. The scrolls paired with the new scroll have various Fuinjutsu seals on them and are almost the size of a person.
Swish… swish… swish…
Izuna infuses some of his chakra into the scroll and they float in the air.
Fwoosh…
Izuna waves his hand and the scroll lands on the Eight Trigram nodes around the seal.
Swish… swish… swish…
Izuna makes some hand signs and slams his palm on one of the seals.
Whoosh…
An enormous amount of chakra flows through the seal and connects with the eight nodes.
Swoosh… swoosh… swoosh…
The scroll opens up to reveal a Kanji for 'One'. Similarly, the rest of the scrolls also open up to reveal Kanji for 'Two', 'Three', 'Four' to Eight.
Wham…
The chakra in the scroll resonates with each other and the Kanji letter glows with different chakra colors.
Phew…
Izuna takes a deep breath.
"The first step is complete."
Next, he infuses some chakra in the Sin Seal.
Swoosh…
Two large coffins appear in front of the group.
Hmm…
The rest of the group are flabbergasted to see the coffins. Izuna removes the lids of the coffins and takes out two bodies.
He places the bodies in two different black circles in the white half of the Tai-chi symbol of the central node.
"They are…"
The expression of the rest of the group changes as they recognize the two bodies.
Swoosh…
Tsunade instantly flickers in front of Izuna and grabs his collar.
"IZUNA UCHIHA!! What's the meaning of this?"
Her expression turns scary as she subconsciously riles up her chakra.
At the sidelines, the expression of Sakuma, Kakashi, and Guy also changes. They have a hint of shock on their faces. Only Mei, Shisui, and Itachi are a little calm.
"Sensei!"
Kakashi mutters as sorrow, grief, and remorse appear in his eyes.
Haaah…
Izuna takes a deep breath and places his hand on Tsunade's shoulder.
"Calm down, Tsunade!"
He releases some of his chakra and suppresses her chakra.
"Listen to me first!"
Humph…
Tsunade calms down a little and glares at Izuna.
"Mind explaining why you pilfered the grave of Kushina and Minato. Even if you ignore the fact that Minato was the Fourth Hokage, at least you should respect the peace of your teachers."
Tsunade's anger flares again.
"How will you face Naruto in the future? You should never disturb the dead."
SWOOSH…
Izuna riles up his chakra, and instantly an immense pressure bears down on the group.
"I don't have time for this emotional drama, just inspect Minato and Kushina's body."
He nudges Tsunade towards the center of the seal.
Humph…
Tsunade snorts and approaches the seal. She places her hand on Kushina's body to check her condition.
'Kushina has grown up under the care of her grandmother and was like a younger sister to her. If not for Izuna's identity, she would have punched out the daylight out of him.'
Lub… Dub… Lub… Dub…
Tsunade feels a very faint heartbeat.
"What?!"
Her expression turns grim, and she releases a loud cry. She quickly turns towards Minato's body.
Lub… Dub… Lub… Dub…
Similarly, she could feel a faint heartbeat from Minato's body.
The rest of the group is startled to hear Tsunade's cry. Mei quickly approaches her and asks her.
"Tsunade-san, is something wrong with them?"
Tsunade takes a deep breath and turns to Izuna.
"Minato and Kushina are… Alive! NO! They are in a near-death situation. But how could it be?"
Her gazes penetrate through Izuna trying to seek the truth behind the matter.
"Very Well! Then watch carefully…"
Izuna makes some hand signs and dispels the illusion.
Fwoosh…
The rest of the group turns towards Minato's and Kushina's bodies and notices various sealing chains erupting out from their body.
The chains are holding a mass of ethereal energy together. If not for the chains, that ethereal mass would have escaped already.
As the group identifies the ethereal mass, the trio of Kakashi, Shisui, and Itachi is able to see much more.
A drop of tear falls from Kakashi's eyes as he mutters.
"Sensei! You are alive."
The trio can see the outline of the ethereal mass. It looks exactly like Minato and Kushina.
Izuna points towards the ethereal mass and remarks.
"These are the souls of Minato-san and Kushina Nee-san. Minato-san used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to seal the Yin half of Kurama and thus his soul was contracted to Shinigami.
As for Kushina Nee-san, if not for my seal, her soul would have already passed away to Pure Land."
Numerous emotions fluctuated through the eyes of the group as they stare at the scene. However, all of them are amazed by Izuna's response.
"So… so… Can you save them?" Sakuma questions him.
"Yes!" Izuna nods his head.
"If it was a natural death, I would have been helpless to do anything; but since I was present during the time of their death, I was able to save them using a Forbidden Jutsu of my Mangekyo Sharingan."
Izuna mixes the truth with lies.
Earlier, he had a conversation with Minato and Kushina and they decided that it would be unsafe to disclose the secret of Grimoire.
"I… I see…" Tsunade nods her head as she calms down.
"It took me ten years to research a method to fuse their soul and body."
Izuna walks towards the central Tai-Chi seal and infuses a large amount of Nature energy as he explains to the group.
"This revival technique is based on the Forbidden Technique 'Edo Tensei' of the Second Hokage.
Edo Tensei summons the soul of the dead from the Pure Land. It requires the body of a living human as a sacrifice to host the summoned soul. This body acts as a medium to connect the Pure Land and the living world.
However, there are various flaws with 'Edo Tensei'. Firstly, the strength of the soul summoned is nowhere near as powerful as it was during the time of their death. Secondly, the body of the medium turns into ashes and dust, which are inorganic in Nature…"
Izuna allows the group to digest the information.
All the preparations are complete. He asks Kushina's and Minato's souls to move inside the white circles present in the Black half of the Tai-Chi symbol as he continues his explanation.
"However, I was able to remove these limitations thanks to Orochimaru's research on 'Edo Tensei'. Paired with my research, I came up with this technique. I call it…"
Izuna claps his hand and enters Sage Mode.
A cyan clock of Nature energy appears around his body. There is a giant Magatama on his front and back.
"Yin-Yang Technique: Summoning: Heavenly Pure World Reincarnation"
Swish… swish… swish…
He makes multiple consecutive hand signs and slams his palm on a Kanji seal for 'Balance'.
Fwoosh…
The entire seal lits up with a cyan glow and the surrounding Nature energy pours into the seal.
"Yin and Yang represent the Dualism of Nature. How the two contrary forces are complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world.
The body of a living being represents Yang, while their soul represents Yin. Now, I have to search for a balance between Yin and Yang.
Therefore, those white and black nodes which you see in the Yang and Yin Half are the balance nodes. The souls are placed in the white node of the Yang Half since the soul is seeking a balance with the body. Similarly, the body is placed in the Black node of the Yin Half since the body is seeking a balance with the soul.
My body will act as a conduit and will transfer this massive amount of Nature energy to their body and soul. So, I have to focus the entirety of my concentration on the process lest it may fail. So, stay on guard everyone."
The rest of the group raises their guard to the max and focuses on the process.
Swoosh…
A similar seal appears around Izuna's naval region and his body floats atop the central node.
Woosh… woosh… woosh…
The seals with the tailed-beasts chakra light up and release large amounts of chakra towards Izuna.
Fwoosh…
Izuna's body absorbs the chakra of the Eight-Tailed beast and eight small Magatama symbols appear on his chakra cloak beneath the giant Magatama.
Swoosh… swoosh…
Numerous changes occur on Izuna's chakra cloak as more and more seals appear on his body.
Swirl…
The Sin seal activates and more totems and seals erupt from it. These seals merge with his cloak and stabilize the massive amount of chakra.
With the Sin Seal as a medium, numerous strings of Izuna's chakra connect with Kushina's and Minato's body.
Shoom…
The Tai-Chi symbols rotate slowly and a bright glow appears in its center.
The rest of the group closes their eyes because of the blinding light.
Whoosh…
The process lasts for five minutes and the bright glow fades away.
Haah… haah…
Izuna breathes heavily, and his body falls to the ground.
Swoosh…
Mei immediately catches and hugs him with a worried expression. Izuna's face is pressed in between two large mounds.
A smile appears on his face as he weakly raises a thumb.
"I am fine… just a little exhausted. Just hold me like this for a few minutes and I will recover."
Mm…
Mei nods her head, but soon understands Izuna's intention.
A blush appears on her face, but she quickly hides her embarrassment.
"Is it successful?!"
Tsunade asks in trepidation.
"Izuna-kun succeeded."
A sweet voice falls in their ear as Kushina slowly opens her eyes.
Kakashi and Tsunade immediately flicker beside them and help Minato and Kushina.
"We are alright!"
Minato nods his head as he sits up.
"Izuna-kun is successful."
--
."Sensei!"
Kakashi has tears in his eyes as he stares at Minato and Kushina.
"You have grown well, Kakashi!"
Kushina ruffles Kakashi's hairs.
"YOUTH!! This is YOUTH!!"
Tears stream down from Guy's eyes as he clutches his fists.
"You too, Guy!"
Minato sweat drops at Guy's antics.
"Move aside for a while; let me check their body."
Tsunade pushes everyone aside and inspects Minato and Kushina.
Guy and Kakashi obediently move aside as there is a hint of worry on their face.
After inspecting for a while,
Hmm…
Tsunade's expression turns grim. The others notice her expression and Minato asks her.
"Tsunade-san! What's the matter? … Is there something wrong with our body?"
"No!"
Tsunade shakes her head.
"On the opposite, both of your bodies are brimming with vitality. It's like… like… both of you have been reborn."
Tsunade has a conflicted expression on her face.
"Wow!"
Kushina checks her complexion, which is as smooth and healthy as a baby.
"It looks like I have reverted to my teen years."
Kushina happily pinches her skin.
Ziiiiii…
Mei intensely stares at Kushina's skin as envy appears in her eyes.
"Oh!"
Izuna notices the envy in her eyes. He takes out a bottle from his pocket and passes it to her.
Ahem…
"I got this souvenir from my recent journey to Land of Valleys. This is a special lotion filled with vitality. It nourishes skin and helps retain youth. I brought it especially for you."
"Really!"
Mei immediately grabs the bottle and a smile blooms on her face.
Hah…
Izuna heaves a sigh of relief and snuggles into Mei's bosom.
Eh!
He feels an intense stare on his face. The stare is almost penetrating, as if it wants to burrow holes in his body.
Izuna lifts his head and notices Tsunade, who is glaring at him with a murderous gaze.
Humph…
Tsunade harrumphs and cups her hands in front of her chest.
Boing…
Her massive chest shakes with her momentum.
Gulp…
Izuna gulps his saliva and takes out another bottle from his pocket.
"Ehto! Tsunade Sensei! This is for you."
Hmph…
Tsunade snorts and grabs the bottle. There is a slight hint of joy in her expression, but she hides it quickly and a stern expression appears on her face.
"…"
The atmosphere turns awkward and silence descends on the surroundings.
'It's a good thing that the vitality of that tree has condensed in this liquid. I will gift the remaining liquid to my parents and relatives to slow down their aging. Tsunade is using her transformation Jutsu to maintain her appearance."
Suddenly, it reminds him of Mito Uzumaki who maintained a youthful look through her middle-age. It was only during her later years that she aged rapidly.
Cough… cough…
Sakumo coughs slightly to break the ice.
"Lord Fourth! We have already heard about Izuna's narration of the event. We would also like to hear your part of the story. Izuna withheld most of the information of the incident."
Sakumo glares at Izuna and turns to Minato.
"Enough!"
Tsunade's shout calms everybody down.
"Escort them to Konoha Hospital. I need to do a thorough check-up. Your questions can wait for a while."
--
Later in the hospital,
"All the preliminary procedures are complete. Now we have to just wait for the Blood Sample Report."
Tsunade heaves a sigh of relief after the check-up. She turns to Minato and Kushina.
"Let's talk now."
"Alright!"
Minato nods his head.
"Wait!"
Izuna makes some hand signs and creates a barrier around the room.
"It's to prevent someone from eavesdropping. The things we talk about today can prove detrimental for Konoha's safety if words get out."
"Then shall I leave?"
Mei asks him.
"It's alright! Just stay here." Izuna holds her hand.
"Ok!" Mei nods her head.
Kushina notices this, and a mischievous grin appears on her face.
Izuna notices the grin and grimaces.
'Looks like this prankster is up to no good. Ayaka will get along well with Kushina Nee-san.'
"Alright!!"
Minato adopts a serious expression and narrates.
"A few months before the Nine-tails attack, Kushina and I sent Izuna-kun on a secret mission to Uzushiogakure to investigate the remains of the Uzumaki clan.
However, the investigation took longer than expected and Izuna-kun didn't make it on time; otherwise, I would have entrusted him to protect Kushina."
Mm…
Izuna nods his head.
"About that mission…"
Izuna rummages through his storage and takes out a scroll and passes it to Minato.
"This is the report of that mission."
Minato takes the scroll from Izuna. Izuna turns to Kushina and reports.
"Kushina Nee-san! I found the origin and the heritage of the Uzumaki clan. Nee-san… you should pay a visit to the heritage with Naruto."
"Really?!"
Kushina curiously asks him.
"I thought the elders of the clan destroyed the heritage."
"No! What they destroyed are just the superficial things. The real heritage is hidden deep down in the village."
Whoosh…
Izuna takes out the Shinigami Onii-mask.
"This mask is the key to the seal. The other mask is in the Noh Mask Hall."
Izuna passes the mask to Kushina.
'I have already checked the Uzumaki secret chamber for dangers. It's safe for Kushina and Naruto.'
"Alright!"
Kushina grabs the mask and keeps it.
Meanwhile, Minato briefs the entire incident to the rest of the group.
Minato's eyes turn to Izuna.
Previously, while being sealed with Kurama for ten years; both Minato and Kushina have picked a bunch of skills from Kurama. Kurama's years of experience in the Shinobi world had led him to develop a plethora of skills.
Telepathic communication, long-distance chakra transfer, creating chakra constructs, knowledge of unique Fuinjutsus are few among them.
When Izuna asked him why he never used these skills?
Kurama rolls his eyes and replies.
"I can easily smash everything with my size and chakra. As for other times, I was suppressed or controlled before I could do anything."
Minato establishes a telepathic connection.
'Izuna-kun! Should I reveal about the other cloaked figure who attacked us that night?'
'Umm… Let's put it on hold for now. We will talk about it later. Also, another powerful enemy will visit us soon. We have to prioritize him first.'
Minato withholds the information about the other cloaked figure.
"So, that's what happened?!" the group exclaims.
"Izuna's account of the incident is similar to yours." Tsunade nods her head.
"But?! Do you a clue about the identity of the perpetrator? The Nine-tails was under a Sharingan Genjutsu, so it has to be a member of the Uchiha clan or someone who possesses a powerful Sharingan."
The group turns to Uchiha clan members and Kakashi.
"If we exclude the Uchiha clan members and Kakashi, then our only suspect is Danzo and Orochimaru." Sakumo speculates.
"Danzo and Orochimaru! Both of them are dead." Shisui remarks.
"Then who else it can be?" Kakashi frowns.
Izuna slowly stands up from his bed and walks towards Minato's bed.
"Minato-san, I think it's about time you reveal the truth to Kakashi."
Minato and Kushina's expression turn sour. Kushina bites her lip, and a tear appears in her eyes.
"Yes! eventually, Kakashi will learn the truth." Minato sighs and turns to Kakashi.
"Kakashi! You have grown enough to not be overwhelmed by your emotions and sentiments. Still, you must promise me to not take any reckless action."
Kakashi senses a feeling of foreboding. He clutches his fists and nods his head.
"I am ready, Sensei!"
"The person who attacked and killed the wife of the Lord Third, the person who released Nine-tails seal and controlled it to attack the village, the person who attempted to kill Naruto and almost killed us is…"
Kakashi takes a deep breath and steadies his nerves.
"OBITO!"
OBITO…
OBITO…
OBITO…
These words resound in Kakashi's ears. His eyes widen to the extreme as he stands rooted on the ground.
"O… Ob… Obito?! How could this be? It can't be! Obito is dead!"
Kakashi incoherently murmurs as his body shivers incoherently.
"Wake up, KAKASHI!"
Izuna pats Kakashi's shoulder.
"Wake up to reality! Face the truth!"
Izuna infuses chakra in his voice to disrupt Kakashi's sense of mind.
Bam…
Kakashi falls on the ground, his body covered in a layer of cold sweat.
Sigh…
Sakumo sighs to himself and silently pats Kakashi's head.
'Once I too was fallen into such a state. This is the life of a shinobi. Blood, hatred, and betrayal plague this land.'
"Son! I won't say much. But keep in mind, your father always has your back." Sakumo pats Kakashi's back.
A few minutes later,
Sigh…
Kakashi takes a deep breath and calms his nerves.
"I am sorry, Dad! Sensei! I was overwhelmed by emotions. I am fine now."
"Good!" Sakumo nods his head.
"Here!"
Izuna extends his hand to Kakashi, who grabs it and stands up.
"This is the reason why I never told you about the killer. If I did, you would recklessly chase after Obito, abandoning everything. I won't stop you now, but I suppose you will be able to figure everything on your own."
"I will." Kakashi nods his head.
"Still, how did Obito get this strong? He was an average chunnin, but how did he turn into such a powerful shinobi capable of fighting toe-to-toe with Sensei in just under one and half year." Kakashi turns to Izuna for answers.
"Well, about that… why don't we talk later? For now, we have a birthday party to attend."
--