Another week passes by.
Haah…
Izuna stretches his arm and walks out of the hospital.
"I have recovered from my injuries. Time to head out!"
Whoosh…
He flickers out of the hospital.
'I should check on Sasuke, Tatsuya, and Boruto. They have yet to leave for their timeline.'
Shoom…
He opens a portal to the secret headquarter and enters it.
Hmm…
Izuna enters the small space and notices the Konoha group studying the remains of the Otsutsuki puppets.
"Any progress?!"
Izuna asks them.
"Yes, we have found some clue regarding the power source of these puppets."
Adult Sasuke nods his head and produces a small piece of stone to Izuna.
"This is the shattered core of the Otsutsuki puppets."
Hmm…
Izuna grabs the core and flips it in his hand.
"There is some strange chakra flowing through this rock. Back then, during the fight, I failed to notice it because of the heat of the battle. But now you mention it."
Swoosh…
Izuna forks out a similar smaller rock from his storage.
"This is the remains of the meteorite which crashed in Land of bears two hundred years ago. They created the hidden village of Hoshigakure around this rock."
Izuna passes the rock to Sasuke.
"Oh! I remember that mission. The shinobis in that village used a peculiar chakra to perform their unique ninjutsu. They would release purple chakra from their body and manifest it in the form of a feather-shaped array behind them.
It would drastically improve their capabilities, but the cost was too steep to use. I remembered Naruto shattered this rock to prevent the Hoshigakure ninja from misusing it."
Sasuke picks the rock and compares it to the core of the puppet.
"Indeed! Naruto shattered the meteor. But since this meteorite had such marvelous effects on the abilities of a Ninja, I picked up the remains of the meteorite to study them.
Even the RD department of Konoha is studying this meteorite. In the end, they concluded that this rock doesn't belong to this world. Looks like they were right! It's related to Otsutsuki." Izuna briefs him on the origin of the rock.
"I see! Maybe I will look into their study after I return." Sasuke makes a mental note.
"Still, the energy in this rock isn't beneficial for human use. It will slowly corrode the chakra system, physical body, and the will of the user and eventually make them a puppet of the rock."
"Maybe it's the part of the reason, Otsutsuki uses this rock as the power source for their puppets. Those puppets were autonomous and rarely required any instructions." Tatsuya points out.
"Yes, that makes sense! Anyway, studying these puppets will explain a lot about the technological advancement of the Otsutsuki clan. Also, the energy weaponry of these puppets is quite powerful; to be able to easily pierce through a Susanoo."
Izuna picks up a dull blade with many Fuinjutsu arrays and symbols on it.
"Just leave a single puppet behind and take the rest to the future."
Izuna picks up a puppet and stores the rest in a scroll and passes it to Sasuke.
"Also, you should watch out for the Otsutsuki clan members. I am sure they won't remain underlying after this defeat. This is a major blow to their clan. They lost three of their main family members in this small world. The situation will turn more chaotic in the future."
Izuna steps out of the small dimension as Sasuke and Tatsuya follow him.
"Also…"
Izuna raises his head and stares at the moon.
"You should visit your distant cousin on the moon. I am sure he would be in a pinch and requires saving!"
"Eh?!"
Adult Sasuke and Tatsuya's eyes widen in surprise.
"You knew about him!" Sasuke asks him in shock.
"Of course! Who do you think am I? A shinobi must keep his friends close, and enemies closer!"
Izuna smiles at them.
"I think it's about time for you folks to return to your time. Prolonging your stay here would only have negative consequences."
Whoosh…
The three of them flickers towards the village.
"Pick Boruto up and meet me on top of the Hokage Monument!" Izuna teleports away.
--
Inside the Yakiniku-Q,
"Damn! I am still having goosebumps from that day!"
Naruto picks up a piece of meat as he slowly chews it.
"Well, it is the matter of the grown-ups! I am sure they must have sorted it out!"
Shikamaru picks up a piece of meat and dips it in the sauce.
"Yes, I agree with him. It's not our place to worry!"
Neji nods his head.
"We should instead focus on our training." He continues.
"Training?! What a pain!" Shikamaru eats his piece of meat.
Haha…
"That's so like Shikamaru!"
The rest of the group burst out in laughter.
Sigh…
Boruto sighs as he stares at this group.
"Come on! What's up with this sullen face?" Naruto nudges him.
"It's not like that! It's just… it's just I will return to my village!" Boruto sighs helplessly.
"Heh! You are leaving already!" Naruto has a sad expression.
"I guess! I can't stay here forever!" Boruto sighs in melancholy.
"We will miss you!" Choji offers a packet of potato chips.
"This is for you! You won't find it anywhere!"
"Thank you!" Boruto picks up the packet.
"Before you leave, come with me to my house. I want to give you something!"
Naruto drags Boruto out of the restaurant.
"Hey, Naruto! At least pay your share of the bill!" Kiba yells at him.
"Here!" Sasuke places a stack of Ryo and dashes after Naruto.
"Damn it! This Naruto and Sasuke! They always ignore me." Kiba grinds his teeth.
"It's ok, Kiba! You can always compete for the third spot!"
Shino gently pats his back.
Back at Naruto's house,
Boruto silently stares at the house and remarks.
"It's totally different from my memory. Looks like they rebuild it. As much as I would like to meet, Grandpa and Grandma; it's a bad idea to meet with them. Also, Grandma would…"
Boruto strokes his head.
"I don't want to be the target of her anger again! I guess I will pass on the idea."
"Here!"
Naruto dashes out of the house with a bag.
"It's my gift for you!" He flashes a smile.
"Thank you!" Boruto thanks him.
"Boruto! It's about time we leave!"
Adult Sasuke flickers beside Boruto.
"Then see you later!" Naruto waves his hand.
"The next time you see me I will be the Hokage, Dattebyo!" Naruto thumbs up at Boruto.
"I guess you will really be a Hokage the next time we meet." Boruto nods his head with a smile.
Whoosh…
Adult Sasuke grabs Boruto and flickers away.
Whoosh…
Young Sasuke flickers towards Naruto and asks him.
"Who was that man?"
"Oh! He! He was Boruto's guardian!"
Hmm…
'Why do I feel like I know him?' Sasuke stares in the direction of Boruto's departure.
"Forget that! Let's prepare for Nii-san's wedding. It will be a big occasion tomorrow!"
Naruto drags him away.
--
On top of the Hokage Monument,
Whoosh…
Izuna appears in front of Boruto, Sasuke, and Tatsuya.
"Hah! As much as I would like you guys to stay for my wedding! I don't think it is a good idea. There will lots of people tomorrow and it might affect some events if any of them notice you."
He turns towards Tatsuya and passes a scroll to him.
"This is a gift for your mother! I am sure she would like it."
He passes another few scrolls to him.
"This is for Ayaka! Mom! Dad! Shisui! Itachi!"
Tatsuya is buried under the scrolls.
Ehehe…
Sasuke and Tatsuya smiles warily.
"Let's place everything in a single storage!"
Izuna turns towards Sasuke and Boruto.
"Here!" He gives a scroll to Sasuke.
"This is for my niece, Sarada!"
"Nii-san, you?!" Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise.
Shh…
"I told you earlier! I know far more things than you expect!"
He passes a few more gifts to Sasuke.
"I think that covers everyone! Next!"
Izuna turns towards Boruto and taps his forehead.
"You remind of the current Naruto!"
"Really?!" Boruto is excited to hear this.
"But in a bad way!"
These words pour a bucket of cold water on him.
"Your potential to grow is far greater than Naruto and you have a very powerful hidden power lying dormant in you!"
Izuna points towards his right eye.
"You know about it!" Sasuke, Tatsuya and Boruto ask in unison.
"Of course!" Izuna rolls his eyes.
"Jōgan is a double-edged sword. It will prove to be a powerful tool against your battle with the Otsutsuki clan!
Its potential is on par with Rine-Sharingan or maybe even higher. Both Sasuke and I had to work quite hard to awaken our Rinnegan, and yet you are born with such power from birth! Honestly! I am speechless!"
Izuna shakes his head.
'That's the protagonist for you!'
"Anyway! What I mean to say is, Jogan is a power that is strongly inherited from the Otsutsuki clan. This power will try to tempt and erode your mentality as you use it. It requires a strong will to wield this power and resist the temptation and not lose yourself to this power. I believe you can do it!"
Izuna pats Boruto's head.
"As for the troublesome stuff!"
As for the troublesome stuff!"
Izuna grabs Boruto's right hand. There is a diamond-shaped Kama mark on Boruto's hand. Izuna activates his Rinne-Sharingan.
Shoom…
He appears in a mental plane.
A pale figure with pale-blue hair tied in a long ponytail appears in front of him. His hairs are parted in a zig-zag pattern and his head is adorned with a pair of flat, curved horns.
"Gokigenyou! I never expected a low-life like you to intrude in this place. You do possess a certain level of ability to fight on the equal front with us, noble Otsutsukis!"
Momoshiki activates his Byakugan as he gazes at Izuna.
Izuna raises his head and stares him in the eyes.
Tsk…
"You sure talk a lot for a dead man!"
Izuna smiles at him.
"Humph… you low-life were lucky to be able to kill me." Momoshiki harrumphs at him.
"Low-life! If I am a low-life, then what are you? A parasite?! Feeding on others to sustain your existence!"
"Shut up! You lowly being! How dare you insult a noble Otsutsuki?!"
Momoshiki activates his Rinnegan, ready to attack Izuna at any moment.
"Oh! Looks like I hit the sore spot!" Izuna slowly walks in front of Momoshiki and confronts him.
Both of their eyes meet each other as Momoshiki peeks through Izuna, trying to figure out his secrets.
"Momoshiki! You are trying to ride the coattails of this child of destiny to preserve yourself in the upcoming chaos! Do you think you have what it takes to survive in this turmoil?"
Haha… Ahaha…
Momoshiki laughs hysterically and remarks.
"An insect-like you think he knows the big picture of the world! You aren't even worthy of being a pawn in this game!"
Haha…
Izuna burst out in laughter as he activates his Rinne-Sharingan.
"No!"
Shoom…
The surroundings change as a large torii gate falls from the sky and pins Momoshiki down. The Torii gate suppresses Momoshiki as the latter is unable to even resist slightly.
"I am not a pawn! I am a beater!"
Shiing…
Izuna reveals his Rinne-Sharingan to Momoshiki.
"It can't be!"
Momoshiki is horrified to see Izuna's Rinne-Sharingan.
"That pattern! How could it be?"
Cold sweat runs down Momoshiki's spine as he notices Izuna's Rinne-Sharingan.
"Do you still think I don't possess the abilities?" Izuna calmly stares at Momoshiki.
Hmph…
"So what?! Even with your eyes you 're nothing more than an ant! Fodder for the truly powerful beings!" Momoshiki scoffs at him as his nerves calms down after the initial outburst.
"It's indeed true that the current me is too weak to wield this power. But in this mental space where I am not restricted by the limitation of my body, you are nothing more than a worm in my eyes."
Izuna swings his arm as the torii gate presses on Momoshiki, pinning him to the ground.
"I can easily squash you if I want. But I will give you an opportunity!" Izuna slowly walks in front of Momoshiki.
"Hmph… do you honestly think I will agree to you?!" Momoshiki scoffs at Izuna.
"No! I don't believe you will agree, I am sure you will agree!"
Izuna has a smile on his face.
"As far as I can see, you lot are nothing but disposable pawns. But I can see the will to survive burning brightly in your eyes. This is part of the reason you cling to Boruto's fate.
Also, you don't hold any considerable power among Otsutsukis, or else they would surely have taken measures to save you! What does this mean? Either you fulfilled your job or you have lost your usefulness." Izuna smirks at him as he stretches his arms.
"Don't tell me you are also a disposable pawn!"
"You!" Momoshiki's face turns ugly as a figure with crown-shaped horns flashes in his mind.
Tch…
"Fine, I will agree with you! But don't think a measly human like you can control the likes of me!" Momoshiki clicks his tongue.
"Of course! I am proposing a partnership beneficial for both of us! Help this boy with his growth and in return, I will help you with your ambition!"
Izuna walks near Momoshiki and whispers something in his ear.
"What?!"
Momoshiki's eyes widen in shock.
"Fine! I get it!" He nods his head.
"Haha… I was right! You will agree with me! Death sure has toned down your aggressive character!"
He pats Momoshiki's back.
"I won't ask you to utter any Otsutsuki secret since you won't be able to reveal anything either way!"
Izuna walks towards a white gate that appears in the mental space.
"But I am sure, you will be of great help in other matters!"
Izuna steps through the gate and disappears.
"Damn! This human thinks he can manipulate me!"
Momoshiki grinds his teeth.
"Just you wait!"
Swoosh…
Izuna opens his eyes and smiles at Boruto. There is a circular seal around the Kama.
"You don't have to worry about this Kama seal for a while."
Phew…
Sasuke heaves a sigh in relief. One of his purpose besides dealing with Urashiki was to seek Izuna's help with Boruto's Karma Seal. This seal is like a ticking time bomb and it was partially their fault for dragging Boruto through that incident.
"Now then! It's time to return!"
Sasuke pulls out Karasuki from his storage.
"Sasuke-sama! Karasuki at your service!" The turtle briefly opens its mouth.
"Here!"
Izuna feeds some of his chakra to Karasuki, as Karasuki greedily sucks it all.
"Destination confirmed! Initiating Temporal Shift in…"
"Hold on!"
Izuna pulls out a scroll from his pocket and passes it to Tatsuya.
Tatsuya tilts his head in confusion.
"This scroll is the amalgamation of all my Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Kenjutsu, Senjutsu, Fuinjutsu, and Taijutsu technique. This is the path I walked on. I hope for you to learn from my mistakes and take a path of your own. I hope one day, you will surpass me in the future!"
Izuna smiles at his son.
"Of course!"
Tatsuya dashes towards him and hugs him.
"Dad! I will keep my promise!"
"Now! Now! Don't make me tear up even before you are born!" Izuna chuckles and pats his head.
3…
2…
1…
Izuna steps behind as a temporal bubble forms around Sasuke and the group. He activates his Rinnegan to spectate the process.
'This temporal shift involves Time-Laws. If I can figure out even a fragment, my time-related abilities will improve vastly.'
Izuna records the entire process with his Rinnegan.
'I will study it during my free time.'
Shoom…
Blue energy flickers out from the bubble and it vanishes with a flash.
"So, these are so-called temporal tunnels." Izuna notices a portal irradiated with blue energy.
The portal is slowly closing as the energy supporting it dissipates.
"Guess, I will return to the clan!"
--
Back in the future,
Swoosh…
Another portal opens on top of the Hokage Office.
"They are back already!"
Minato, Naruto, Mei, Tsunade, Kakashi, Shisui, Itachi, and Shikamaru warily stare at the portal.
Whoosh…
Three-figure jumps out of the portal and lands on the roof.
"Onii-chan!"
A tall slender figure with fair skin jumps in Tatsuya's embrace. The figure has black eyes and ankle-length, auburn hairs with a tint of blue at the end. Two short bangs are framing the sides of her face, covering her eyes slightly.
She wears a long-sleeved black dress that falls just below her knees. The Uchiha symbol is imprinted on the back of her dress.
"Yes, I am back, Kanna!"
Tatsuya ruffles her hair.
"Ne… Ne… Onii-chan! Tell me more about father! How much different was he in his youth!" Kanna curiously asks him.
"Alright! I will tell you everything. But before that…"
Tatsuya takes out a scroll from his pocket and walks towards Mei.
"Mom! It's a souvenir from dad! He especially asked you to open it as soon as possible or it will be spoiled!"
"Oh!" Mei curiously takes the scroll from his hand and opens it.
Poof…
With a puff of smoke, a bento packed in a blue cloth appears in front of them. A mouth-watering fragrance wafts in the air
"This fragrance…"
Mei hurriedly unpacks the bento as the layers of well-cooked steak appear in front of her.
"It surely is…" Tears rolls from her eyes as she gently picks up a piece of steak and nibbles on it.
"This taste… I have been yearning for years… it is still the same taste!"
Mei wipes her tears and savors the steak.
Kanna and Tatsuya are surprised to see their mother like this. It has been almost ten years since their father left them, but until now they never saw tears in their mothers' eyes.
"Tatsuya, Kanna! These steaks are the reason I fell in love with your father."
Mei closes her eyes as she reminisces about the moments when she first met with Izuna and later how the latter would cook these steaks in wild.
On the side,
Sasuke explains the turn of incidents to the group.
"As expected of Izuna! He is always so mysterious!" Minato shakes his head.
Swoosh…
Suddenly, the surroundings turn dark as a gigantic portal opens in the sky.
The expression of the group turns ugly as they stare at the portal.
"Konnichiwa!"
"Konnichiwa Baa-san!"
Izuna greets an old lady as he strolls through the Uchiha clan compound.
Ha…
He takes a deep breath and stares at the hustle and bustle of the clan.
"It sure is peaceful after that huge battle!"
Currently, he is on a stroll because the ladies have occupied the house.
Ayaka and other female members of the family are busy decorating the house and thus have kicked him out of the house.
"Onii-chan! I will prepare a surprise for you!" Ayaka's cute face appears in his mind.
"How can I say no to such a cute angel?" His inner sis-con wakes up from the slumber.
Ahem…
"It's a surprise from Ayaka! How can I ruin it?" He continues to stroll through the Uchiha clan and arrives near the entrance of the clan.
'After my marriage, I can't continue to stay in the same house as my parents. I will have to move to a new house. The old house will be cramped with the five of us.'
"Also, it's not like I will move out of the village. My new house is very close to theirs."
"Yo! Izuna!"
Kakashi raises his hand and greets him.
"Oh! Kakashi, Guy, Yamato, You guys!"
Izuna is surprised to see the trio at the entrance of the Uchiha clan.
"What are you guys doing here?" He curiously asks them.
"Oh, Izuna! What great timing? Now we don't have to go through the trouble of searching the entire clan district for you. Hurry up and come with us!" Guy drags him along.
"What's going on? Is there some urgent matter?!" Izuna turns towards Kakashi and Yamato for answers.
"You will know once you get there!" Both of them refuse to speak further.
"Well, if you say so!" Izuna helplessly follows them.
Five minutes later,
In front of the Yakiniku-Q,
"Is this your urgent matter?" Izuna stares at the trio.
"Now! Now! Don't be a spoilsport! Just come in. Ignore the small stuff and just come in!" Kakashi and Guy push him in.
"Fine!"
Izuna follows them along.
In a corner of the restaurant,
"Congratulations!"
Kakashi, Guy, Yamato, Asuma, Kurenai, Shizune, and Anko congratulate him as they sit around a giant table. Even Shisui and Itachi are present there.
"You guys!" Izuna smiles at them as a warm feeling runs through his heart.
'This looks like a reunion of old college friends after years of graduation!'
"Thank you, everyone!"
"Now! Now! Let's enjoy ourselves." Kurenai urges them to sit.
"Who would have expected that out of all of us, Izuna would be the first one to get settled?" Asuma laughs and picks up a piece of meat.
"Oh, really?!" Izuna dips a piece of meat into sauce and places it in his mouth.
"Then why do I see a certain couple trying to hide their affair for such a long time? It has been around six years, I presume!" Izuna smiles at Asuma and Kurenai.
"Don't pretend like you don't know!" He turns towards the rest of the group.
Whistle… whistle…
The rest of the people whistle and turn away.
"Is it that obvious?" Asuma gulps his saliva and asks him.
"Of course!" Izuna rolls his eyes.
"I spotted you at Yamanaka flower shop plenty of times. Don't tell me you were buying a bouquet of red roses for the aunt next door!" He chuckles.
Kurenai's face turns red from embarrassment.
Ahem…
Shizune clears her throat.
"Don't tease them like that! We should be the one teasing you, not the other way around!" She shakes her head.
"Hoh! Do you think you can tease me that easily, Shizune?!" Izuna smiles smugly.
"You think you are an expert when it comes to love affairs?" Kakashi rolls his eyes.
He adopts a scholarly pose and remarks.
"Love is like a spring breeze. You can't see it, but you can feel it. Romance is the glamor which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze."
Clap… clap…
"Woah!… Amazing!… I never expected Kakashi Senpai to be so knowledgeable about love! His knowledge of love is so profound!" Yamato praises Kakashi.
"Oh! Really?"
Izuna scoffs at Kakashi.
"To me, it sounds like the rambling of a certain single middle-aged pervert? You can't even impress an old grandma, much less a beautiful kunoichi with such words!"
Hmm…
"Izuna-kun is right! This seems to be a one-dimensional textbook definition of love!" Shizune nods her head.
Ah!
An invisible arrow pierce through Kakashi's heart.
"I would rather date a guy who will buy me unlimited Dango?" Anko drools at the thought.
Haha…
The rest of the group bursts out in laughter.
"Those sure are some simple conditions!"
"Hey! Nothing is better than Dango!" Anko grumbles.
"You are quite brutal, Senpai! It was supposed to be our chance to tease you, but you turned the tables!" Yamato sighs helplessly.
Haha…
"Now! Now! Don't mind the small stuff. Just enjoy yourself!" Izuna savors the delicious piece of grilled meat.
--
Later in the evening,
The Uchiha trio returns to the clan district.
"Time sure flies by! It was like yesterday when we first awakened our chakra!" Izuna remarks as he walks alongside Shisui and Itachi.
"It sure is." Shisui closes his eyes.
"Oh! Izuna, Shisui, and Itachi!"
The group runs in Akira, Yagami, and Fugaku, who walks out of the house.
"Dad! Uncle Yagami! Uncle Fugaku! You all…"
"We got kicked out of the house. The ladies have their plans!"
Akira shakes his head.
"You too!"
"Yeah!" The trio nods their head.
"Yagami… Fugaku! Let's go to our usual drinking spot!" Akira beckons them.
"Why don't you join us?" He nudges the trio.
"Well! Isn't it…" Izuna scratches his head.
"What are you so shy about? Soon, you are going to be a part of the husband gang too! You should get used to it."
The father group pulls them along. The trio helplessly shakes their head and follows them.
Soon, they arrive in front of a traditional Izakaya bar.
Inside the bar,
"Okyakusama!" the bar attendant greets them.
"Serve the usual!" Yagami slams his hand on the counter.
The group walks towards a corner and sits on the tatami mats with low tables in front of them.
The server brings a wet towel to wipe their hands. The trio of middle-aged carefully wipe their hand with the towel. The younger trio also follow them as they curiously stare at their surroundings.
'This is my first time visiting a traditional Japanese bar!'
Izuna inspects his surroundings.
'Although I have visited plenty of bars with Tsunade, all of them were high-end bars, unlike this traditional bar.'
The waiter serves them an otōshi and tsukidashi as the appetizer.
Next up, he brings a bottle of traditional sake and serves it to them.
"Ah! It's so soothing!"
Yagami takes a sip from the sake cup and nods his head.
"Such a fine wine!"
Hmm…
Izuna takes a look at the sake.
The cup is filled with a clear liquid. He slowly picks up the cup and smells it.
A slightly fruity and nutty aroma greets his nose. He takes a slight sip of the sake.
"It's good!" He nods his head.
An astringent feeling runs down his taste buds as the slightly sweet flavor soothes his palate.
'No wonder Tsunade is so addicted to Sake!'
He slowly savors the wine as the waiter serves the dishes.
Gulp… gulp…
Fugaku chugs down his cup as the eternal frown on his face loosens a little.
He turns towards the trio and nods his head.
"You lot sure have grown-up!"
Mm…
Akira and Yagami nod their head.
"I think it's about time for us to retire and pass our responsibilities to you lot!" Yagami nods his head.
"Huh?"
The trio places down their cup and turns towards the elders.
"What do you mean, Fugaku-san?" Izuna curiously asks him.
Hicc…
"What I meant is? It's about time to pick a new clan head. I have served as the clan head for twenty years. It's time to choose a new successor!" Fugaku places down his cup.
"I see!" Izuna nods his head and continues to sip his sake.
"Izuna Uchiha!… Why don't you become the next head of the Uchiha clan? I know it's a big responsibility but with time you will…" Fugaku slams his hand on the table in his drunken stupor.
"I decline!" Izuna calmly places the cup on the table.
"Huh?! You decline!" Fugaku, Yagami, and Akira are surprised to hear this.
"Why? Any particular reason?!" Akira questions him.
"Not really! It's just that stuff like leading a clan is not my cup of tea. I am not suitable for the task!" Izuna shakes his head.
"But… you are the strongest member of our clan!" Fugaku argues.
"No! I am not interested. Besides, those group of old-bones don't like me for my brass attitude. They want to control me for their ambition." Izuna shakes his head in denial.
Sigh…
Fugaku sighs helplessly.
"I am also not interested!" Shisui also raises his hands in denial.
"I am content with leading the Uchiha Police department. I am not interested in the troublesome matters of the clan!" Shisui shakes his head.
"I… I see!" The group turns to Itachi for his opinion.
Itachi calmly places his cup on the table and remarks.
"A clan is built on the foundation of trust. Too bad! In the incident ten years ago, I have already lost the trust of the higher-ups of the clan by acting as a double agent. I don't think they will trust a traitor!"
Itachi shakes his head.
"I think it's better to raise Sasuke as the next clan head. Most of his friends are soon to be future heads of their respective clans. Take Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clan, for example. Then there is Uzumaki, Inuzuka, and the Aburame clan."
Itachi states a few names.
Hmm…
"Now that you mention it!"
Fugaku falls in deep thought.
In a hidden dimension,
A bald monk with a long Mohawk is pinned against a giant tree. There are various vines attached to his body, as his body glows with a green hue.
Shoom…
Jigen slowly opens his eyes as a glint flicker through them. His right eye changes into a dharma wheel.
Fwoosh…
The scene of Izuna beheading Urashiki appears in his vision.
"Looks like Urashiki has fallen to this lowly human."
Hmm…
He notices the Rinne-Sharingan of Izuna as he ends Urashiki's life.
"He awakened the Rinne-Sharingan?!"
Surprise appears in Jigen's eyes as he focuses his attention on Izuna.
Swirl…
The wheel in Jigen's eyes rotates rapidly as tries to peer through Izuna's destiny.
Argh…
Jigen's expression turns ugly. A trail of blood leaks from his eye as he hurriedly closes it.
"I can't see his fate anymore. Looks like the strength of his Dojutsu is far superior to mine."
A grim expression appears on his face as he recalls the pattern of Izuna's Rinne-Sharingan.
"That pattern!"
He attempts to recall any information pertaining to Izuna's eyes.
"I can't seem to recall any information in the clan about the spiral pattern of his Rinne-Sharingan. It must be a mutation of some sort; otherwise, how could a bastard descendant of that Kaguya awaken those eyes?"
Resentment appears in Jigen's eyes as he recalls the betrayal of Kaguya.
Haha… Haha…
A series of laughter ring through his forehead as the consciousness of the real 'Jigen' appears in his mind.
"Karma bides its time, and it's your time for payback."
Hmph…
Jigen scoffs and uses his Dojutsu to suppress that consciousness.
"You are nothing more than a pathetic remnant soul lingering in this body. I would have destroyed your soul long ago if it's not for my unwillingness to stay in this body."
Jigen continues to recover using the chakra of the Chakra tree as he ponders over his next course of action.
"During the previous battle, the unexpected attack from that Izuna Uchiha caused far more damage than I expected. This body is already at its limit; if I try to push it any further, I am afraid it will perish."
Jigen stares at the failing organs in his body.
"I have sustained this body for thousands of years thanks to the chakra I secretly stole from the Chakra tree."
He stares at the small chakra tree behind him.
"This chakra tree results from the chakra I stole during the sealing of the Ten-tails. I groomed it into a new chakra tree once it turns into ten-tails; I will feed this failing body and accomplice my mission. Luckily, I managed to leave a Kama mark on that girl."
He closes his eyes and slowly merges with the tree.
--
In a giant palace on the moon,
"Looks like an Otsutsuki member from the main family has perished on the earth."
A teen with pale skin and shaggy white hair turns in the direction of the earth. Six magatamas are tattooed around his collarbone to resemble a necklace.
"I wonder who could it be?!"
His eyelids are shut close as he continues to gaze in the earth's direction.
Rustle… rustle…
A wooden puppet walks towards him and bows.
"There is a plate of food in the puppet's hand."
The teenage kid turns towards the puppet and dismisses it.
"I am not in a mood to eat anything. You can leave now."
He waves his hand and continues to gaze at the earth.
Since his childhood, after his ceremonial sacrifice to Tenseigan, he has been locked up in this place.
'It has been ten years since father and mother left this world. I have always been myself."
Ten years ago, the centuries-long war of the Otsutsuki clan of Moon ended with the victory of the branch family. The Main family was annihilated by the branch family using the power of the Tenseigan energy vessel.
Toneri recounts his memories as the dying words of his father rings in his mind.
"Toneri! After my death, you will be the sole survivor of the Otsutsuki clan of the Moon. Our clan has lived on the Moon for centuries, as we protected the vessel of the Ten-tails.
However, over time, the sinister chakra of the Ten-tails altered our personality and made us fight among ourselves. Now, with the release of the vessel of Ten-tails and the downfall of our clan; you, as the sole survivor of the clan, should return to earth and start a new life.
You don't have to shoulder the burden of your ancestors."
"No, I don't want to." Tears run down Toneri's cheeks as he slowly wipes them.
"I have always been all alone by myself, locked in this palace. I lived in perpetual fear of assassination by the members of the Main family. Now, when everything is gone and I am the sole survivor of the clan; what is the purpose of my existence?
The culture of the Earth differs from that of our moon. How can you expect me to mingle with such people? Sniff…"
He wipes his tears and turns towards the palace.
"When I was a child, you took my light and sacrificed it to sustain the energy vessel of the ancestor. You did this for the greater good of the earth, to prevent the suffering of countless people on earth, to protect them from the terror of the Ten-tails!
And now look at them… they weaponise chakra and wages wars against each other. Sniff…"
A resolute expression appears on Toneri's face as he walks deeper into the palace.
"Since I have sacrificed my entire life for humanity; then I shall become the judge who will deliver the punishment to these sinners."
Toneri arrives in a giant underground room with a gigantic spherical energy vessel in the middle of the room. He stops and gazes at the energy vessel for a while before walking towards the shelves arranged around the energy vessel.
--
Somewhere in the Land of Swamp,
In an underground laboratory,
Swish… swish…
A fair skin man with long black hair and tan eyes is operating on a person.
His hands move skillfully as he operates.
"It's done!"
Swish…
He flicks the scalpel and stores it in the interior pocket of his trench pocket.
ARGH… HUAAA…
The person on the operating table screams in pain as dark purple chakra rises from his body.
Fwoosh… Fwoosh…
The features of the person change rapidly as his body expands in size. Multiple totem marks appear on his body.
Saliva drools from his mouth as his teeth turn into large canines. His finger and toenails expand and morph into razor-sharp claws.
Fwoosh… Fwoosh…
A pair of flesh wings erupts from his back and the spine of the person extends and morphs into a long tail.
Grrr…
The test subject growls in fury. His eyes turn red as he riles up a massive amount of dark purple chakra.
Growl…
He roars with bloodthirst and lunges at the fair man.
"Another failure!"
Swish…
The man swiftly waves his scalpel.
Slash…
The head of the giant rolls down as the scalpel shines with a dark purple chakra.
"It's hard to find pure-blooded descendants of my Akuma clan. Only an Akuma clan member with a bloodline purity of fifty percent or higher can undergo the process of Demonification and retain his sanity."
Crackle… crackle…
Dark purple flames crackle through his palm as he throws them at the dead body.
The flames engulf the body and disintegrate it completely.
Fwoosh…
The flames morph into a demonic purple snake and enter his body.
"Let me pick up another batch of candidates."
He walks towards a wall and pulls a lever.
Swoosh…
Four containers filled with a transparent amniotic fluid pops out of the wall.
Hmm…
"A fresh batch!"
The fair-skinned man nods his head.
--
.
Yawn…
Kakashi yawns as Guy drags him out of his house.
"KAKASHI! Let's buy a wedding gift for Izuna!"
Guy is fired up.
"Guy… it's five in the morning! I don't think there will be any gift shop open at this hour. Yawn…"
Kakashi rubs his sleepy eyes.
"KAKASHI!"
Guy grabs Kakashi's shoulders.
"What should I gift him? I want to show my hot-blooded passion to Izuna when I present my gift to him. What will be a youthful gift?"
He shakes Kakashi's shoulders.
Hmm…
"So, you haven't decided on your gift yet?" Kakashi stares at Guy with deadpan eyes.
"NO! I haven't been able to find a gift filled with youthful energy!" Guy shakes his head.
"Kakashi! Do you know of such a gift?"
"Well! I don't have any clue about such a gift but you should also consider the bride while presenting the gift. It should be a gift useful to the couple." Kakashi suggests to him.
Hmm…
"A gift useful to both Izuna and Mizukage! Izuna is a very powerful shinobi and Mizukage is also one of the Kage!"
Guy ponders for a while.
"Thank you, my friend, Kakashi! I think I have got a direction for my gift!" Guy nods his head and dashes away.
Phew…
"He left! I am so sleepy; I want to get some sleep. I haven't slept last night due to the patrol duty." Kakashi heaves a sigh of relief and turns around to leave.
Whoosh…
Guy suddenly appears in front of him.
"Oh, by the way, Kakashi!"
Hua… aha…
Guy's sudden appearance scares Kakashi.
"That scared the shit out of me!"
He glares at Guy.
"What is it now?"
"Umm… Kakashi! What are you going to gift the newlywed couple?"
Guy curiously stares at Kakashi, waiting for his response.
"Me! I am going to gift them tickets for a honeymoon trip in a resort in Land of Noodles."
Kakashi fishes out a voucher from his pocket.
"Oh!" Guy nods his head.
"Your gift is quite good, but my gift will arouse the burning passion of youth in their heart. Haha…"
Guy gives a thumb-up and leaves.
"Well! Good luck with your gift!" Kakashi smiles warily and waves at him.
He raises his head and notices the sun rising on the horizon.
"I guess it's too late to go back to sleep. I should probably grab some breakfast and get ready for the ceremony!"
Whoosh…
Kakashi flickers towards the market.
--
In the Uchiha clan compound,
"Yōkoso!"
Fugaku, Akira, and Yagami are dressed in a black kimono with the Uchiha crest on it.
The three of them welcomes guests with a warm smile.
"Congratulations!"
Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga approaches them with some Hyuga elders.
Hiashi presents a bouquet to Fugaku who politely accepts it and passes it to another Uchiha standing beside them.
"This is a joyous occasion for the Uchiha clan and we Hyūga are delighted to be a part of it." Hiashi exchanges pleasantries with Fugaku.
Both sides have a warm smile on their face as they greet each other.
Hyuga clan has become an ally of the Uchiha clan after the Hyuga incident ten years ago. They even lent a helping hand to the Uchiha clan during the attack on the Uchihas.
Hanabi is holding hands with Hinata as she curiously looks around.
"Here!" Ayaka waves her hand towards Hanabi.
"I am coming!" Hanabi dashes towards Ayaka with a smile.
"Haha… the kids of our clan sure get along well!" Hiashi smiles joyously and enters the venue.
"Hinata! Here!" Naruto waves his hand at Hinata.
"Na… Naruto-kun!" Hinata's face turns red from embarrassment.
"Go on!" Her mother nudges her with a smile.
"Yes, mom!"
Hinata walks towards Naruto.
"Oh! Hanna! Hanako! You are here!" Mikoto waves her hand at Hinata and Neji's mother.
Mikoto, Aiko, and Fumiko are dressed in a 'Tomesode' which is a formal, black kimono embroidered with colorful designs.
The ladies gather and chatter with each other.
Fugaku and the rest continue to greet the guests from the other clans.
Soon,
Minato and Kushina arrive with Karin in tow.
"Lord Fourth!" Fugaku greets Minato with a smile.
"Congratulations!" Minato nods with a smile.
Kushina looks around and notices the ladies' group.
"Mikoto! You look so pretty in this dress!"
She hurriedly joins the group.
Karin joins with the rest of the younger Konoha group.
One by one all the guests gather as the environment becomes harmonious.
Soon,
An entourage of Kiri shinobis arrives at the entrance of the venue.
"Lord Fuji!" Fugaku, Akira, and Yagami respectfully nod their head in greeting.
"Haha… there is no need to be so formal with me. We are one big family now!" Fuji laughs heartily.
Akira personally leads the group and caters to their needs.
Soon,
Another entourage of shinobis arrives at the Uchiha clan.
"Suna shinobis!"
Fugaku and Yagami frown as they stare at the group.
"Did we invite them?" Fugaku doubtfully stares at the group.
"It's Izuna! He is the one who invited them!"
Tsunade enters the venue with Shizune.
"Lord Fifth!"
Fugaku and Yagami respectfully greet her with a bow.
"But isn't it a bit of a stretch to invite them after what happened four years ago?" Fugaku has a grim expression on her face.
"I had similar thoughts but Izuna intended to invite this bunch. So, I could only agree with his demand!" Tsunade shakes her head.
"Let's see how things play out! With the last incident, I am sure Suna will be more docile than usual." She places a hand under her chin and stares at the group of the Suna shinobis.
"Yōkoso"
Fugaku and Yagami politely greet the group.
"Congratulations!"
Rasa passes a large bouquet of orchids to Fugaku. He notices the slight frown on the faces of the group and replies politely.
"We are here on this occasion to congratulate the Uchiha clan and also sign an alliance and a new peace treaty with Konoha." Rasa relays his intentions.
"This is just a small token of our gratitude!"
Rasa waves his hand and a group of Suna shinobis bring out some packed boxes.
"This! There is really no need for this!" The Konoha group is surprised by this extravagance.
"No! No! Please accept it! It's nothing in front of our sincerity!" Rasa tries to appease them.
In the end, the Uchiha group could only accept the gifts, seeing the sincerity in Rasa's eyes.
"Please! This way!" Yagami personally leads the Suna group.
Haah…
Fugaku takes a deep breath.
"This is turning more on the political side than just a peaceful wedding!" He sighs helplessly.
"What else do you expect?! The reputation of Izuna, Shisui, and Itachi is widespread! You should have expected such a situation from the start." Tsunade shakes her head.
"I guess the Uchiha clan has restored its lost dignity!" Fugaku has a smile on his face as a burden lifts from his heart.
'Previously, because of my incompetency, the clan suffered a major blow and was almost on the verge of extinction. That was a huge blow to the pride and dignity of the clan. But thankfully, due to Izuna, Shisui, and Itachi's efforts; the fame of the clan has reached new heights.'
Fugaku turns around to leave and host the ceremony.
Tap… tap…
Sounds of multiple footsteps fall in his ears.
"Who is it this time?" Fugaku helplessly turns around.
An entourage of the Kumogakure appears in his vision.
"Kumogakure?"
He questioningly turns to Tsunade.
"Did Izuna invite Kumogakure too?"
Hmm…
"He did send an invitation to all the other hidden villages but even I didn't expect this guy to appear here."
Tsunade nods her head.
"Out of the five hidden villages, we expected the arrival of Sunagakure and Kirigakure, but the appearance of Kumo is out of our expectation.
Given the headstrong personality of the Raikage and Tsuchikage, we expected them to outright reject the invitation. But I never expected him to appear here."
Tsunade has visible confusion on her face.
Tap… tap…
Sounds of footsteps of another large group fall in their ears.
"Don't tell me it's Iwa this time!" Fugaku's expression turns ugly.
"This is no longer a wedding ceremony! It has turned into a huge international political affair!"
Hmm…
A raises his head and notices the tiny Onoki slowly walking towards the venue.
"Hah! Looks like the spine of Iwa is broken just like it's Kage!" A ridicule the Iwa group.
Hmph…
The expression of Iwa shinobis turns ugly as they glare at Kumo shinobis with hostile gazes. Fire is blazing in their eyes as they are ready to pounce on the Kumo group.
Cough… cough…
Onoki coughs slightly and waves his hand.
"We are in Konoha to attend a wedding ceremony. This is not a war!"
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!" The Iwa shinobis lower their guard, but the hostility is still apparent in their eyes.
"Iwa still holds its dignity, unlike a certain someone who lowered his head and begged pathetically to others to rescue their men." Onoki mocks A.
"Tsuchikage! You are asking for it!" A riles up his chakra and presses his feet on the ground cracking it in the process.
"Bring it on! I am not afraid of you and your pathetic village!" Onoki lifts his finger as he slowly floats into the air.
"Enough!"
"Enough!"
Tsunade furiously walks towards them.
Hmph…
Onoki and A stop in their tracks. They snort at each other and greet Tsunade.
"Princess Tsunade! Iwagakure is here to extend its regards!"
Onoki waves his hand and the shinobi beside him carries boxes of gifts towards Fugaku.
"Yōkoso"
Fugaku greets them and signals his men to carry the gifts.
"Hmph! Kumo won't also fall behind!"
A also signals his men to pass the gifts.
"This is a small gift from the Kumogakure to show our regards!"
Fugaku receives the gift with an awkward expression, but he maintains his calm demeanor.
He leads the group of Iwa and Kumo inside the venue.
Onoki and A turns towards each other with a frown.
The wedding ceremony is just an excuse. Their real aim is to test the waters. With their spies weeded out of the Konoha, they have no intel on the current strength of Konoha.
Back in the venue,
Kakashi is in a black kimono as he stands with Guy, Asuma, Yamato, Kurenai, Shizune, and Anko.
"Kakashi! What are you going to gif the couple?" Asuma and Kurenai walk towards him.
Asuma just arrived with the Sarutobi clan. With the death of Hiruzen, the responsibilities of the clan have fallen on his shoulders. His elder brother would help him with the clan matters from time to time.
"I am going to gift them Honeymoon tickets to Land of Noodles." Kakashi takes out an envelope from his pocket.
"That's so like you, Kakashi!" Kurenai and the rest of the group chuckle.
"Then what about you, Asuna? What is your gift? You are representing your clan so your gift will represent the prestige of your clan." Kakashi shakes his head as he is slightly displeased with the bothersome clan matters.
"My gift is the Monkey Fruit Wine from Mount Huaguo. This wine is specially brewed by the Monkey Sage and I got some courtesy of Monkey King Enma!"
Asuma fishes out a transparent gourd with a crystal clear wine.
Hmm…
"That sure is an extravagant gift!" Kakashi nods his head.
"What about you guy? Thought of any gift!" Kakashi and the rest of the group curiously stare at Guy.
"Of course! It took me a while to think of a gift that will symbolize the fiery passion of youth. Here it is!" Guy points towards a large gift box.
"Oh!" The rest of the group notices the giant box.
"What's inside of the box? What's your gift, Guy?" Shizune asks him.
"Hehe… First, I thought of gifting a pair of dumbbells and weights to Izuna. But given his fitness, I thought it wasn't enough since he must train quite hard to maintain his prowess. So, I bought the entire training set for him.
It cost me a hefty sum of money!"
Guy tearfully takes out a wallet from his pocket.
Eh!
The expression of the group turns strange as they stare at Guy.
"Looks like I have to hunt some wild animals for the rest of the month!" Guy bites his lips.
"…"
The rest of the group sweat drops at Guy's antics.
'Well! We can't expect more from this guy!" They shake their head and turn to Shizune.
"What's your gift, Shizune?" Kurenai curiously asks her.
"This!"
Shizune takes out a small bottle from her bag.
"And this is?"
"This is a special lotion from the Land of Medicine. I spent quite a lot of time there with lady Tsunade learning medicine. It is a special paste made of various rare herbs from the gardens of Land of the Medicine.
It will help one maintain a youthful appearance and nourish the skin!" Shizune hesitates for a while as she pockets the bottle.
'This is the only bottle I got from there. I could not think of a better gift, but still!'
She bites her lips in frustration.
"Anko! What's your gift?" Asuma turns towards Anko.
"Let me guess, it's a box of Dango!" Kurenai makes a guess.
"H… How?! How do you know? Am I that easy to read?" Anko has a shocked expression.
"…"
"Is there anything else besides Dango that comes to your mind?" Kurenai shakes her head.
"But Dango is the best!" Anko argues.
She has a box wrapped in gift packing in her hand.
"These are the Kamo Mitarashi Chayo Dango from the Land of Honey! I especially ordered them to be delivered here!"
Gulp…
Anko gulps her saliva as drool leaks from her mouth.
'I want a bite! Just one!'
"This foodie!"
The group shakes their head and turns to Kurenai.
"Kurenai? What's your gift?" Shizune curiously asks her.
Up till now, most of the gifts reflect the personality of the person gifting them. So, she is curious to see Kurenai's gift.
"My gift! It's nothing fancy! It's a matching pair of Kimonos for the couples that I commissioned in Land of Bear!"
"Oh! That came as a surprise. But it matches with your personality!" Shizune smiles and teases her.
"Oh! Looks like you folks came prepared!" Kushina walks towards the group.
"Kushina Sensei!" The group straightens up.
Haha…
"There is no need to be formal with me!" She chuckles.
"Izuna is the youngest among your generation, but he is the first one to get settled! What about you lot? You guys have any plan for marriage!" Kushina teases the group.
Emm…
The faces of the group turn red from embarrassment.
"Asuma, Kurenai! How long are you guys going to be secretive about your relationship? Just marry already!" Kushina turns towards Kurenai.
"Eh! Kushina-Sensei! It's not like this. We just…" Kurenai is flustered to hear Kushina.
Haha…
"Alright! Alright! I got it!" Kushina then turns to Kakashi.
"All of you have hidden your relationship pretty well! But not as well as Kakashi!" Kushina chuckles.
"Kakashi!" The rest of the group turns to Kakashi.
"Me!" Kakashi points towards himself.
"Who else?!" Kushina rolls her eyes.
She takes out a picture and passes it to the rest of the group.
"Look! This is the dream girl of Kakashi! The secret lover affair of Kakashi!"
"That picture!" Kakashi is shocked to see the picture. He hurriedly inspects his pockets and storage.
"It's not there!" He sighs helplessly.
"Izuna-kun is the one who gave this picture to me and talked about Kakashi's secret love story." Kushina flashes the picture of a girl.
"She is Hanare from the Land of Keys. Such long-distance love!" Kushina shakes her head.
"If not a certain someone afraid of political incidents, this girl would be present here attending this marriage ceremony with us!"
"It's not like that Kushina Nii-san! Let me explain!" Kakashi tries to sort the situation.
"Let it be!" Kushina waves her hand.
"I don't want to hear any of your excuses!"
"Broom-haired Nii-san is a bad guy! He breaks the heart of a poor girl!" Ayaka tip-toes to them.
"Yes, my Ayaka-chan is right!"
Kushina pulls Ayaka into her embrace and bear hugs her.
"Kushina-san!" Hanna walks over with Hanabi in tow.
"Oh, Hanna-san! Let's talk about Naruto and Hinata!" She pulls Hanna and walks towards another corner.
"Hmph… Broom-hair Nii-san, you baddy!" Ayaka snorts and dashes away.
Sigh…
Kakashi has a bitter expression on his face as he stares at the back of Ayaka, unable to express his emotions.
Pfft…
The rest of the group burst out in laughter.
"You deserved it for what you did, Kakashi!" Guy pats his shoulder.
Haah…
'How can I explain to this bunch? Anything I would say will be useless!" Kakashi shakes his head in melancholy.
--
Inside the dressing room,
"It's about time!" Aiko enters the room and signals to Izuna and Mei.
Mei is dressed in a white 'uchihkake' with a blue floral pattern. There is a white headdress on her head. She is holding a small folding fan with the Terumi clan symbol imprinted on it.
Izuna is dressed in a black kimono with the white Uchiha symbol embroidered on it.
He is staring out of the window at the vast patch of sky.
'This is the happiest moment of my two short lives!"
"Let's go!"
Mei clasps his hand.
"Everyone is waiting for us!" She has a brilliant smile on her face.
"Yes, let's take our first step towards a new future!"
Both Mei and Izuna walk out of the dressing room while holding hands.
Their wedding will be held in a Shinto Ceremony Fashion, according to the Uchiha tradition. Mei desired to hold the wedding in a Christian fashion, so they opted for two wedding ceremonies.
They will hold the Shinto wedding ceremony in the Uchiha clan and the Christian Wedding in the Kirigakure.
Both of them reach the venue for the wedding. They walk towards the wedding altar present in the center of the venue.
The pair of Itachi, Izumi and Shisui, Yugao are already waiting there.
"Looks like we are the last one to arrive." Izuna smiles as both of them stand beside the other couples.
An elderly Uchiha man in priest garbs is standing to the right of the altar.
Hmm…
Suddenly, Izuna senses an unfamiliar gaze on him. The gaze feels like someone is trying to peer through his secrets.
He turns around and notices a woman with long brown hair and light-colored eyes walks. The woman has pale skin and is dressed in a Shrine Maiden outfit.
The woman has the appearance and bearing of a standard Miko.
But what's peculiar is her eyes. She has violet, ornate pupils which are glowing with a purplish hue.
Hmm…
Izuna secretly activates his Sharingan and inspects her eyes.
'These are…'
His eyes widen in surprise as he notices various strange runes in her eyes.
'I have never seen these runes before.'
The woman's gaze lingers on him before she turns her head away.
Shoom…
Her eyes return to normal.
"Is there any problem, Miroku?" Kushina asks her.
"No. Everything is fine!" Miroku shakes her head as she throws a last glance at Izuna.
Kushina carefully leads the shrine maiden towards the wedding altar. The Miko stands on the left side of the wedding altar.
"She is?!"
Izuna questioningly turns to Kushina.
"Oh! I almost forgot to introduce her." Kushina shakes her head.
"She is Miroku, a high priestess from the Land of Demons."
Kushina introduces her to Izuna.
"The Uzumaki clan has friendly relations with the Land of Demons. A few centuries ago, the founder of our Uzumaki clan, Kenshiro-sama lent a helping hand to the Land of Demons to seal a very powerful demon."
She walks towards Izuna and murmurs.
"During my childhood, Miroku once visited our Uzumaki clan with her guardian. However, shortly after I moved to Konoha and Uzushiogakure was destroyed. I never got an opportunity to meet her again."
Kushina sighs in melancholy.
"Fortunately, this wedding ceremony provided me an excuse to unite with her and invite her as a Miko for the wedding." Kushina turns towards Miroku.
"It's nice to meet you, Miroku-san!" Izuna politely greets her.
"It's nice to meet you, too!" Miroku slightly nods her head.
After the introductions, Kushina returns to her place as the ceremony starts.
The ceremony starts with the rite of purification. The elderly Uchiha priest offers prayer and calls the attention of the benevolent spirits.
Next, the Miko prays to Kami to offer good luck, happiness, and protection to the couples.
The couples are standing in the center of the venue, right in front of the wedding altar.
The rest of the family members are standing right behind them as they offer their prayers to God for couples' happiness.
Next, the elderly priest announces the start of the san-san-Ku-do ceremony or the three-three-nin-times. It reflects the three oaths taken three times. In this ceremony where the bride and the groom share three nuptial cups of sake.
The sake is poured in three cups of increasing sizes. The elderly priest pours the sake into the smallest cup and offers it to Izuna.
Izuna takes a sip from the cup and passes it to Mei, who takes a sip of the remaining sake. Next, the priest pours the sake into the slightly bigger cup and offers it to Mei first.
Mei takes a sip of the sake and passes the rest to Izuna. Izuna down the remaining sake in one sip.
The priest pours the last cup of sake and offers it to Izuna, who empties half of it in one sip and offers the rest to Mei. This ritual symbolizes sharing joys and sorrows as a married couple.
Next up, the couple walks in front of the altar and faces each other as they vow to each other.
Izuna stares into Mei's deep green eyes as various emotions erupt in his heart as he slowly parts his lips.
"Mei Terumi, the woman I love,
I am about to marry,
No matter what your health situation is,
No matter the circumstances,
I will forever love you,
Respect you,
Console you,
Look after you,
Protect you,
Until death do us part,
This, I swear to you,
With Kami as my witness."
Mei's eyes turn watery as she quickly wipes them.
'Mother! I will finally marry the person I love.'
Next up, Mei turns towards Izuna as she stares into his deep black eyes. Her lips slowly parts as he vows.
"Izuna Uchiha, the man I love,
The man I am about to marry,
Be it in the peaceful times,
Or during Sickness,
I will forever love you,
Respect you,
Comfort you,
Look after you,
I will forever stand by your side,
Until death do us apart,
This, I swear to you,
With Kami as my witness."
Mei closes her eyes as various memories of her time spent with Izuna flash through her mind.
She lovingly gazes at Izuna, who returns her gaze with a charming smile.
Sniff… sniff…
"Can you see this, Miko! Our Mei has finally found her soulmate." Fuji wipes his tears as he dotingly stares at Mei.
Akira and Aiko have smiles on their faces as they witness Izuna and Mei holding hands.
"This idiot son of mine has finally fulfilled his promise!" Aiko tears up.
"Here, Mom!" Ayaka passes a handkerchief to her.
Aiko wipes her tears and turns to Ayaka.
"Someday, I will have to see you marry off someone else!" she sighs to herself.
"No! I won't leave Onii-chan's side. He is the only person I love!" Ayaka tightly clenches her fists.
"Silly girl!"
Aiko shakes her head.
For this wedding, Minato acted as the 'Best-Man' for Izuna, while Kushina acted as the 'Bridesmaid' for Mei.
Izuna holds Mei's hand as they walk towards their family members to receive their blessings.
Both of them leave shortly, to get changed for the celebratory meal.
"Cheers!"
Various clan leaders offer their congratulations to Fugaku, Akira, and Yagami for the occasion.
They have a cup of sake in their hand as they occasionally burst into laughter.
The environment is full of happiness, colorfulness, and festivity.
A group of Anbus dressed as performers walk to the front of people. Each of them holds a violin in their hand as they play a melodious tune.
"Wonderful!"
The clan leaders and even Onoki and A are surprised to hear the harmonious tone as it perfectly fits the cheerful environment.
Izuna and Mei have changed into a more casual attire as they return.
"Congratulation, brat!" Tsunade walks towards him with a cup of sake in her hand.
"Thank you, Tsunade!" Izuna scratches in slight embarrassment.
"Look at you acting all shy!" Tsunade rolls her eyes.
Tiing… tiing…
The notes of music flow in their air and pull the attention of Mei and Tsunade.
La la la la la la
You call out to me from somewhere within my fragile soul
Your voice like fantasy, telling me to keep on dreaming
I can't stop these tears from flowing, or the ache inside my heart
But on the other side of sadness, I know I'll find you waiting there
La la la la la la
Mei and Tsunade hum to the tune as Tsunade feels nostalgic.
"What's this song?"
Mei turns to Izuna in excitement.
Last time, he proposed to her with a similar song and now again during their wedding.
"It's Itsumo Nando Demo (Always with Me). It's a love song. I wrote it especially for this occasion."
Izuna shamelessly takes the credit.
'I won't get sued in this word for taking the song.' (A/N:- Please don't sue me.)
La la la la la la
Mei and Tsunade hum the song as Kushina also joins them.
"What a pleasant song! Izuna, are you the one who wrote this?" She asks him.
"Yes!" Izuna nods his thick face.
"Alright!" More and more ladies join them, even Yugao, and Izumi also join the group.
Feeling slightly awkward, Izuna slightly leaves the group. He grabs a cup of sake and walks to a corner and silently stares at the sky.
A pair of white dove takes flight in the sky.
"What a lovely pair of doves? They symbolize peace, love, feminity, hope, and…"
A feminine voice falls in Izuna's ears.
"DEATH!"
Hmm…
Izuna turns around.
"Lady Miroku?!"
He is surprised to see the shrine maiden following him.
"Can I help you with anything?"
He politely asks her since she holds quite a high status as the great priestess of the Land of Demons.
"No!" Miroku shakes her head.
Shoom…
Her eyes change into a violet, ornate pupil. The pupil has a kaleidoscopic geometric pattern, and it emits a holy and sacred power.
"You are going to die within a year!"
Miroku gazes into Izuna's eyes as she remarks such cold words.
Hmm…
Izuna frowns, and his expression turns cold.
"Lady Miroku! It's our honor to have you here in our Uchiha clan. You are a distinguished guest of the village but please don't speak such inappropriate remarks."
"No! My eyes, they are never wrong! I have seen the death of countless people with these very eyes. This cursed power of mine allows me to peer in destiny and gaze at the fate of a person, the matter of life and death!"
Miroku shakes her head.
Izuna has a livid expression as he glares at her. He activates his Rinnegan, ready to manipulate her memories.
'I can't allow her to reveal this news to Mei or my family. I don't want to worry them needlessly. I still have a way out.'
Izuna remembers the chakra fruits he plucked previously.
Shiing…
He infuses some chakra in his left eye to invade Miroku's mindscape.
Shoom…
The kaleidoscopic pattern in Miroku's eyes rotates and violet glows surround her. The runes in her eyes flicker brightly, and a seal appears on her forehead.
Fwish…
Izuna's memory manipulation jutsu cancels midways.
"What?!" Izuna is dumbfounded to see the abilities of his Rinnegan fail.
'I failed!'
He stares at her with trepidation.
'Is her Dojutsu this powerful? Able to counter Rinne-Sharingan's abilities!'
Miroku turns to Izuna and shakes her head.
"You don't have to be so wary against me. I won't reveal this news to any of your close family members and friends." She assures Izuna.
"Really?!" Izuna has a skeptical expression as he stares into her deep violet eyes.
"I assure you with my position as Miko!" Miroku nods her head.
"Alright! I believe in you! But why would you seek and even blackmail me!" Izuna glares at her.
Sigh…
Miroku heaves a sigh of relief. She regains her composure and her Dojutsu deactivates on its own.
"Before I start, I would explain the history of Land of Demons to give you an idea of my request."
"Hmm… I am listening!" Izuna nods his head.
Miroku starts her tale.
"A few centuries ago,
A very powerful otherworldly demon invaded the Shinobi World. Its goal was to conquer the entire world and establish a one-thousand-year kingdom.
The demon led a very powerful ghost army and corrupted the minds of various clans of the Land of Demons to do his bidding.
Many forces rose in resistance but were ruthlessly crushed by the army of the demon."
Miroku pauses and stares at Izuna.
Hmm…
'That demon must be Moryo. As far as I know, the demon sealed beneath the land of Demons is Moryo.'
Izuna nods his head as Miroku continues.
"Back then, the youngest son of the Senju clan leader; Kenshiro Senju ventured through the world to seek a purpose for his life. On his journey, he came across the princess of the Land of Demons who was desperately escaping from the chase of the demons.
He rescued her in that desperate situation. The princess informed him of the grim situation of Land of Demons and sought his help.
Kenshiro Senju and the princess gathered a group of fallen clans to resist the invasion, but they were too powerless to keep the demons at bay.
In the end, the princess used a forbidden artifact from the era before the Rikkudou Sennin and summoned a Shinigami from the other world."
Miroku takes out an old parchment from her pocket and passes it to Izuna.
Hmm…
Izuna glances at her and grabs the parchment. He curiously inspects the parchment.
"This is…"
A cloaked figure is sketched on the parchment. The figure has a scythe in its left hand and a book in its right.
'A book!'
Izuna's mind jolts at the image of the figure.
'Could this be?!'
A certain purple cloaked figure appears in his memory. Izuna intently inspects the drawing and notices a seal on the figure's right hand.
'No way! It can't be!'
His face turns pale.
"This parchment records the incident of the battle between Kenshiro-sama, the princess and the demon."
Miroku is focused on her explanation and fails to notice Izuna's pallid expression.
"To combat against the Demon, the Shinigami enhanced the physical abilities of Kenshiro-sama. He granted him a powerful vitality and a large chakra reserve. The Shinigami also taught him the art of the Fuinjutsu!"
"I… I see!" Izuna nods his head as countless thoughts run across his mind.
"The princess wasn't suited for a direct battle so the Shinigami enhanced the spiritual aspect of her body. With those powers, the princess manifested the 'Reigan' or the 'Soul Eyes."
Miroku points towards her eyes.
"That's the name of my Dojutsu! These eyes allow my soul to return to the past when I die. I will resurrect in my past body with the memories of future events. This allows me to alter my fate to some extent and avoid perilous circumstances.
I can also foresee the death of someone and my eyes nullify all sorts of spiritual attacks."
Miroku reveals her Dojutsu prowess to Izuna.
Hmm…
Izuna folds the parchment and turns to her.
"Why would you reveal such secrets to me?" Izuna curiously stares at her.
"Because your fate is intertwined with mine. If you die, then I will die too." Miroku calmly states the reason.
"Lady Miroku! Your words are quite misleading! Someone might think you are hitting on me!" Izuna chuckles
Ah…
Miroku immediately recognizes the fault in her words.
"NO! NO! I didn't mean it like that!" She has a flustered expression.
"On our first encounter, my Dojutsu activated subconsciously and I saw you perish at the hands of the demon." Miroku tries to sort out the misunderstanding.
"It's alright!" Izuna shakes his head as a calm expression appears on his face.
"I won't die and neither will you!" He assures her.
"But…"
"Izuna! Here! Here!"
Mei waves her hand.
"Coming!"
Izuna gulps down the remaining wine and walks towards the rest of the group.
Miroku stares at the departing back of Izuna with a conflicted gaze.
'Isn't he afraid of death?'
"Miroku! So, you are here! I have been looking for you!" Kushina grabs her hand.
"I will introduce you to my family."
--
In the corner of the venue,
Onoki is silently scrutinizing the various clan heads and powerful shinobis of Konoha.
"While other villages degraded from the third shinobi war, Konoha has prospered even further."
He tightly clenches his fists.
"Not only that…"
Onoki turns his gaze to Minato and Kushina.
"Even the Yellow Flash Minato Namikaze and the Uzumaki princess are still alive!"
Onoki has several questions in his mind, but there is no one to answer them.
'Is this a ploy of Konoha? With such strength and manpower, they can easily annex the rest of the hidden villages. Also, that jutsu two weeks ago!"
He has a grim expression on his face as he weighs the ups and downs of war.
'With this marriage, Konoha and Kiri have formed a permanent alliance. Then there is Sunagakure, who won't even dare to lift a finger in presence of the 'Silent Shinigami'. It will most likely adopt a neutral stance, just like the Third Shinobi War.
That leaves Iwa and Kumo. If we join hands and attack Konoha, then Kiri will flank Kumo from sides and the formation will fall apart.'
Onoki clicks his tongue and gazes at Izuna.
'This brat has become the pillar of Konoha. With him around, it's impossible to win against Konoha.'
Sigh…
Onoki rubs his forehead in frustration.
Similar thoughts run through the members of Kumogakure as they brainstorm to seek a solution and save themselves from the impending disaster of Konoha.
Hmm…
Izuna senses two penetrating gazes focused on his back.
He turns around and notices Onoki and A sitting in corners.
'I almost forgot about them!'
He nudges Mei and Tsunade and points towards the Iwa and Kumo group.
Meanwhile,
Izuna walks towards Rasa, who is happily chatting with Sakumo.
"Lord Kazekage!" Izuna addresses him.
Rasa turns around and notices Izuna. Cold sweat runs down his spine as he remembers the incident four years ago.
"Co… congratulations! Izuna Uchiha!"
Rasa straightens his back and regains the bearing of a Kage, but his voice falters.
"I have good news for you!" Izuna directly jumps to the business.
He waves his hand towards a corner.
Naruto and Sasuke walk towards him with Gaara in tow.
"You can take your son back to Sunagakure! I won't forgive you for your crimes but I won't separate a child from his family."
Gaara walks in front of Rasa and bows his head.
"It has been a while, father!"
'What?!' Rasa is flabbergasted to see Gaara's tame behavior.
'Is he really Gaara, my son?! When did he turn so docile!'
Hmm…
Izuna senses Rasa's confusion and answers.
"The seal devised by you Suna shinobis is so primitive that even a kid can inscribe it. I have tweaked the seals and removed their flaws."
He turns to Gaara and waves his hand.
"You are ready to meet your family!"
Gaara turns to Izuna. Tears flow from his eyes as he slowly opens his mouth.
"Thank you, Sensei!"
--