"I'm here to interpret since I'm not allowed to do anything else," Barchiel explains.
Sarada and Sumire glance expressions at each other; both were confused and alarmed.
"So, is this book useless now?"
"No, no, no. The stone will still give you power. And I know you're after power, so keep it."
"Still clueless here," Sumire shouts.
Sarada thinks about what Barchiel said earlier. "Manifold Engine… Is that what they're after? What is it?"
"The Gelel King's throne. In short, think of it as a supercomputer. But instead of automatic sequences of arithmetic or logical operations, it's paracasual."
"What?" Both girls confusedly mutter.
Barchiel simplifies it further. "The power to create. From idea to material. For example, if the one sitting on the throne decides to create a brand-new fruit. Unseen in the complete history of this planet. With a simple thought, it's possible."
"So, this throne can create anything."
"Somewhat correct. I skipped a lot of information."
"But why does the Academy want it?" Sarada questions.
Sumire crosses her arms and scoffs. "Probably to reach their end goal faster. Whatever that is."
"The Uzumaki Design." Sarada realizes.
"Correct. They have been toiling to finish this project of theirs. With the Manifold Engine, they can achieve their ambitions." Barchiel turns around. "I must take my leave. Don't want to break the agreement. If you have any questions, simply mutter my name and I'll appear."
Barchiel disappears in a blink of an eye. Sarada and Sumire remain in the room. They could feel the awkwardness between them. Sumire crosses her arms and glares at Sarada.
"Care to explain now?"
Growing annoyed, Sarada tells Sumire of the events this past week.
"So I'm here," Sumire mutters to herself. She looks out the window, examining the camp the clones have made for themselves.
"Don't get any ideas. I want to extract as much information as I can."
"Don't assume. If what you say is correct, then things are more complicated than anticipated." Sumire ponders. "People departing the Elemental Villages to form a Hidden Village of their own. How desperate are they?"
"There are many pieces to the puzzle. And after so long now they're falling into place. But to continue..." Sarada groans but swallows her anger. "We need to work together."
"You don't seem fond of the idea."
"You betrayed Konoha. Betrayed Lord Seventh. Betrayed Boruto. So no, I'm not fond of working with someone as cruel as you." Sarada scolds. "But I'll push our animosity aside. I hate the Academy more."
Sumire glares. "Hmph. Agreed." She waves her hand and summons her mask on her palm. "I have experience in infiltration. I'll sneak into the Academy's main building. You stay here with the clones. Someone has to know something."
"I'm not staying here."
"They know you. Seems to have developed a kinship for you. Use it to your advantage."
Sumire also summons a coat and quickly wraps it around her. She jumps out the window and dashes towards the principal city.
Sarada shouts out the window. "Wait! Don't go yet- Dammit, that bitch."
When Sarada looks down, she sees a clone staring at her. Both stare at each other, Sarada waiting for something to happen. The clone had a puzzled look on his face.
"… bi… tch…?"
Sarada sighs. "At least he didn't notice Sumire."
Nasu sits behind her desk, drinking a warm cup of coffee to start her day. She squirms and groans in her chair. Her special bone abilities made it uncomfortable to sit. Even laying down is unpleasant. Nasu would get a standing desk, but she already spends most of her time standing. Any more time standing will murder her legs.
The Leader of Oto Military Force eyes a display case on the corner of her office. Inside is a Kage hat. Purple, with the kanji symbol of sound on the front. She stands up and strolls to the case, opens it, and grabs the hat.
This is her dream. To become the first-ever Otokage. A random supporter that encounter her in the streets gave this hat to her. It's of superb quality. To have the hopes and pride of her people is a hefty weight on her shoulders, but also gave her an unshakable determination for their future.
The Shinobi Union only recognizes the Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, making negotiations much more difficult for smaller villages. Yet there is a movement in each village to finally have other countries represented in the union. From Oto to Kusa and Taki, the people wanted them to be represented. Some even wanted Ame in the union. However, that was something else altogether.
An Oto shinobi enters the office interrupting Nasu's train of thought. "Lady Nasu, the Hokage is here!"
Nasu's eyes widen. "Are you jesting me?"
"No, my lady! He truly is here. And he's accompanied by the Uchiha and the Cherry Blossom Princess."
"I see. I'll be on my way." Nasu stands and leaves the Kage hat behind. She whispers into shinobi's ear. "Don't let my mother anywhere near them."
Nasu enters the war room where Team 7 settles. This is the first time Nasu meets the Hokage in person. She did find it weird that he had red eyes instead of the usual blue. Sasuke Uchiha stood behind him with an emotionless expression. And Sakura Uchiha was sitting next to the Hokage. She appeared to be annoyed by the Hokage, which is apparently standard.
"Mr. Uzumaki." Nasu greets.
Unknown to her, the Nine-Tails in control respond by scoffing.
Sakura gets in between them. "I'm sorry. He's… going through some things."
"Hmph. Well, what is the reason for this visit?" Nasu asks as she sits.
"Don't act innocent. You know why we're here."
Nasu stares, perplexed. "Are you alright Lord Hokage? Your voice seems different."
"I'm splendid."
"We've heard you've captured the Seven-Tails," Sakura interjects.
"It's against the treaty," Sasuke adds.
"The demon landed on of our district. By one of you're shinobi no less. We will handle it as we see fit."
Sasuke questions. "Our shinobi?"
"Yes. Looks quite like you, actually."
"Is her name Sarada?"
"Don't know. She escape while we were handling the Seven-Tails."
"Chōmei? With her? Hmph, how problematic."
"Have you made any attempt to find her?" Sakura asks.
"I've sent some men to search for her. But nothing has come up. She's none of my concern, however. What I care about is you, Hokage."
Kurama raises a brow. "Oh?"
"For the last 20 years, the Elemental Nations have grown tenfold. Economy, population, resources, all to you and allies. What about us? The small nations you promised to help."
"Uh, take them?"
Sakura's facepalms. She knew Kurama would cause problems, but Naruto didn't resurface. So the Nine-Tails was left in control.
"If things keep going as they are, then it looks like we must."
Sasuke cuts in. "Easy. Oto and Konoha have been allies for years now. We've been trading everything."
"But as of late, we've been getting the shorthand of the stick. Promise resources never arriving, no new deals, and Konoha media always making fun of us. Calling us… outsiders."
"There's no need to escalate things."
"You are the ones escalating. I will provide for my people."
"Good luck with that. Now, the Seven-Tails." This time it's Sasuke that facepalms. He'll start a war then complain to Naruto about it., "I want- ".
Kurama shivers, then goes still. Naruto's eyes slowly shift from Kurama's red to blue. Naruto then sits straight, crossing his hands together, looking at Nasu.
"Lady Nasu, we've delivered every promise we made. Every resource the Union has calculated was given."
"What you have given is not enough." Nasu is raising. "You're not the only Village that's growing. We can't keep up with demand."
"That doesn't fall on Konoha. If you want to be a Kage, then you have to behave like one. There is no need to capture a Tailed Beast."
Nasu stands from her and slams her fist on the table. "Naruto, this recession is killing our village! Oto will not survive the decline!"
"The Village will be fine. I won't let the Hidden Sound go extinct."
An Oto ninja comes in and bows. "Lady Nasu, your mother has arrived."
"Oh, for fu- "
Nasu dashes out room with the Oto shinobi behind her.
Naruto sighs.
"Welcome back, Naruto," Sasuke says with a smile.
"I couldn't let Kurama do the talking. Wars will break out."
Inside Naruto's head, the Nine-Tails grunts.
"Are you feeling better?" Sakura asks, knowing full well the coming response.
"No. But I'm the Hokage. Didn't get here sitting in a corner." Naruto takes a deep sign, then gives Sakura a warm smile. "Thank you for asking."
Sakura smiles back. She trusts everything will be alright.
Nasu reenters the room this time with her mother beside her. The Sound Daimyō, Hiriko Matsuda.
"Ms. Matsuda?"
"What brings the Hokage to our lovely Village?"
"Oh, we've come for the Seven-Tails. And to find a shinobi that went missing. We were told she was last seen here."
"Ah, a missing shinobi? Must be someone important if you personally came for them." The Daimyō nods. "Very well. You have my blessings to search for them. Make sure to follow the laws of our land."
"Understood." Naruto tilts his head. Sasuke and Sakura bow then leave in a blink of an eye.
Nasu sits next to her mother. Naruto could tell she felt uncomfortable. All that anger and pride displayed earlier had gone. It made the Hokage ponder.
"Well, let's talk business."
Sarada explores the cave the fabrications lived in. The buildings were of exceptional quality because it turns out some synthetics have access to Wood Style. The Kekkei Genkai is extremely rare in the world, yet here it was common. It made her think what else is these synthetics were capable of.
Watching them from the distance, she studies them.
Some synthetics gather around the power cables on the floor, chattering about technical things. She figures they must be talking about the recent power outages. Among them was Hijiko, the smart one who gave her the goggles.
He notices her walking by and waves to come over, as Sarada's cheeks turn red, getting nervous. Paper float and surround her followed by Hijiko reforming in front of her.
He smiles. "Howdy friend! We need your help with something. Do you have the time?"
"With?"
"This village uses hydroelectricity to power itself. They don't share with us synthetics. So we built one ourselves. Undetected from the higher-ups."
"How the hell did you guys build a power plant undetected?"
"It helps that it's tiny. Since it's tiny, the generator doesn't power anything big. But it's enough for basic stuff like bulbs and radios."
Sarada groans, but to stay on their good side, she decided to help. "What do you need?"
"Nothing serious. You see, people outside have a bad habit of throwing trash into the water source. Clogs up our generator."
"So dumpster duty?"
"Basically."
The Uchiha sighs. "Point me where."
Hijiko tells her where to go. Sarada nods and makes her way to the generator. Walking further into the cave got darker and less populated. Eventually, it was all dark, and no one was nearby. Sarada puts her goggles on her forehead and activates the Sharingan giving vision in the dark. At this point, she thought it could be a trap by the clones. The sounds of water drowned those thoughts out.
Light begins to radiant out of the corner, the water getting louder and louder. Once she turns the corner, Sarada finds an open space with a river at the end. In the middle was the homemade generator. A large water wheel with some devices on the side with multiple cables running back to the camp. It wasn't moving, like something was stuck in the mechanism.
On the side there is someone. A boy, approximately the same biological age as Sarada, with messy brown hair, ragged clothing, bandages covering his neck up to his mouth. He had cargo shorts and a hazelnut-colored coat with a thin metal mesh covering his torso. In his right hand is a golden handbell, which he held close.
Sarada waves her hand. "Hello?"
The boy's head shakes, then gazes at Sarada, panic clearly displayed in his eyes.
"Hey, easy. Hijiko sent me." It was easy to tell this was synthetic. "I'm here to fix the wheel."
The boy calms down but is still worried about Sarada. He points to the bottom of the wheel. Sarada walks over to the water and gags. The river is full of trash. Plastic, cardboard, cigarettes, and many more. Looking at the wheel with the Sharingan, a chunk of metal was lunged at the bottom, preventing the whole to turn.
Sarada whimpers at the idea of getting in the dirty water to remove the metal. The synthetic notices Sarada's hesitation and rang his golden bell. A wall of ice surrounds the underwater section of the wheel. With the running current, the metal chuck is left exposed to the outside.
"Whoa! What technique is that!?" Sarada shouts in excitement.
The boy shivers nervously, looking at his handbell. "... bell..." A voice, very soft and brittle.
Sarada wasn't expecting that response. "Oh, okay."
Sarada jumps down, and with her super-strength removed it with relative ease.
"Ah." The boy claps at her performance, making her slightly blush. Sarada puts a hand to her mouth, pretending to cough to hide her grin. Any praise of her talents made Sarada happy.
Once she jumps out, the synthetic rings his bell again, turning the wall back into water instantly. The water current flows back through the wheel, causing the mechanism to crackle, then roar to life.
Sarada crosses her arms. "Guess that's done."
She shifts her eyes slightly, moving her head, staring at the synthetic. The red glow of the Sharingan shining on the faint shadow on her face. A perfect opportunity to extract information. The boy notices and got anxious.
"You're not telling me your secrets, aren't you?" Sarada commands. The tomoe on the Sharingan moves slowly.
The boy yelps, rings his bell again, turning the water Sarada was standing on to lava. Sarada squeals from the instant heat, making her jump to a stalactite. She is angry. Electricity course through her body, ready for a fight. But then observed him closely, seeing tears forming. He is afraid. Terrified. Sarada's stomach churns. Took pity immediately, regretting her action.
Something stirs inside Sarada. She tries to ignore it.
"Hey, calm down. I didn't mean to scare you." Sarada deactivates her Sharingan and puts back her goggles. "See! I'm a friend."
The boy pants. He looks up, seeing the concerned look Sarada has held. With teary eyes, he shakes his bell once again, turning the now steaming patch of lava back to normal water. Sarada drops and saunters to the boy.
"I only asked for your abilities. I'm sorry for scaring you." It made her sad, seeing people fear her. It had its perks, no doubt, but as someone who wanted to earn the respect of the village, it was unfavorable.
"B-bell..."
"Oh, so you use your bell to perform the technique?"
"Bell."
"Uh, is that you can say?"
The boy glances at the handbell, then at Sarada. "Bell."
"Okay, you can say one word. Hijiko said some clones were different."
"Cold." The boy rings the bell, freezing the surrounding water.
Sarada skips a bit. "Whoa! So you know some words."
The bell rings again. Ice turns to lava. "Hot."
The water hitting the lava causes steam to seep out. He rings again, returning it to normal.
It astonished Sarada. Kekkei Genkai always made her marvel, no matter the circumstances. "That's amazing! Is it a kekkei genkai or do you have both and combine them?"
The boy points at Sarada's eyes. Watching him getting closer, the wonder faded, and she goes back to the defense. For a moment, she forgot she was in enemy territory.
"Red eyes."
Sarada looks him up and down. "You're curious about my abilities?"
The boy nods.
Sarada smirks. "The Sharingan has many abilities. The main ones are enhanced perception and genjutsu. With the enhanced perception, I can follow any movement. It's so great I can even copy almost jutsu I see. Granted, specific abilities I can't copy like that hot and cold thing you do. I'm sure I can't copy that."
Sarada hears intense writing on paper. Hijiko is there on the shore taking notes.
"What are you writing?!" Sarada yells.
"Although Himei has the eyes, we don't know everything about the Sharingan. With an original user around, the amount of data I can collect will be paramount."
"I not telling any of you the secrets of my clan!"
"But you were just telling to Bell."
"The overview of it. Also..." Sarada points at the boy. "Bell? Bell!? His name is Bell?"
"Well, yeah. It seems pretty obvious why."
Sarada deactivates the Sharingan and puts the goggles back on. "The generator fixed. I'm going back to the camp."
She walks by Hijiko, not bothering to look at him. The synthetic raises his arm with the pencil in hand.
"Let's barter."
Sarada pauses.
"I know you don't trust us. Whatever the reason for it. But you can't deny we have the information you want. Information you need."
Sarada turns her head. "What do you want?"
Hijiko spins around to face Sarada. "I would like to study the book. Not take it, I just want to know knowledge inside."
Grumbling under her breath. "For?" She had to hide the book for this very reason, fearing the clones might take it.
"To live."
Sarada recoils in response, shook by the answer. "What?"
His body turning to paper, Hijiko begins to float. "Follow me. Bell, you can join us if you like."
Bell nods. Sarada hesitates at first, but ultimately went with them. They travel through the dark cavern with faint little lights on the ground. Sarada thinks they were markers to lead the way back to the camp. Shortly, a strong, putrid smell became known. A little while more and they encounter an opening.
This pocket in the cave is gigantic. Large enough to fit buildings. In front is a landfill, large enough to have some bodies of dirty water. On the other side is the edge of the city. There is one building, on the very edge of the city, that reaches the ceiling. Almost touching it. The pipes could be seen under the building, steam erupting every once in a while from differing pipes.
Sarada stares in both amazement and dread at the city light in the distance. Eddy-Reborn is much larger than Sarada ever imagined. The city could rival Konoha.
"Wha- what the hell?" There is a part of Sarada that hurts. Harder to breathe. This sight distressed her.
Hijiko points. "That city is the Academy research laboratory. It's where we all are born." He floats over the landfill. Sarada and Bell follow.
"That whole complex is a laboratory?"
"They have every resource in that city. Scientists, talented intellects from dying villages, data from the past experiments, all in one location."
"Everything they've collected to create you." Sarada spat.
"Creating life from scratch isn't easy."
The group stopped near a hill made of garbage. Hijiko stares down wistfully. Bell refuses to look. Sarada gasps.
Bodies.
Corpses of multiple synthetic humans laying in the trash. They were in gowns, stained in dry-up blood, bodies fractured, as if they dry out. In said cracks were gray dust that splattered everywhere around them. Some limbs were fully gone.
"W-what happened?" Sarada croaks.
"Synthetics who bodies failed the Academy's tests. Some live and some… are unfortunate. Either way, live or die, we end up here. Thrown away like trash."
"Everyone in that shelter, they were thrown down here. You gather those who survived and hid deeper in the caves." Sarada deduces.
"We had Himei had to thank for. She rallied the synthetic who blindly wondering the dumps. Myself included."
"So she was the first to disown the Academy?"
"Yeah. Some… events occurred. Forced her to be on the run. She fell here. Hid, scrambled, and learned."
"Learned?"
Hijiko nods his head. "If you noticed some of us…" He paused, glances at Bell, then back to Sarada. "aren't educated."
Bell looks down in shame. "Bell. Idiot."
"Bell, no. I didn't mean to say you were stupid."
Sarada felt sorry, voice shaken. She needed to say something. "Don't look down on yourself, Bell. Hijiko was down here once, and he's super smart now. I've seen his notes. You can be great too."
Sarada just needed to let words out. Hijiko looks at her with a warm smile. The compliment clearly improved his day. Bell takes a glimpse at Sarada. The Uchiha can see the smile under the bandages of the synthetic.
Something stirs inside Sarada. She tries to ignore it.
The group moves deeper into the landfill. Finding scatter bodies along the way. Sometimes only limbs were found. Seeing so many bodies made her question. A piece of the puzzle that didn't fit.
"Why is the Academy throwing you away? From what I can tell, Bell has Ice and Lava Style. You have the powers of an Atkasuki member. Himei has the Mangekyō Sharingan. Why cast off all of that away?"
Hijiko pauses in thought. His mouth agape, trying to find the words. "We synthetics are not perfect. Not like you. Created from the DNA of the greatest warriors in ninja history gave us tremendous power. But…"
From the corner of her eye, Sarada sees Bell removing the bandages from his mouth. Cracks were on his checks, which follow down to his neck. Sarada then knew why Bell didn't talk as much as the others.
"Our bodies are not up to par. It can't handle our powers. We can only use a fraction, even so, there is a chance to break apart."
"Bell,"
Sarada could see cracks in his body move. Small puffs of smoke burst out of them. She could not only see his pain but can feel it. It almost made her tear up.
Bell points towards a dump hill. "Friends."
Everyone looks up and sees Himei, Kū, and an unknown synthetic stood there.
The third member is a male with Tiger-like features across his body. The upper half of his body is tiger-like, while the bottom is human. His hair is orange that reaches down to his shoulders. He has both human ears and tiger ears that poke out of his hair. His teeth and nails are sharper than in the group. Waring red and gold armor that covers his chest, waist, shoulders, and thighs.
"Tora! Your sensory capability is exceptional as ever." Hijiko declares.
Tora gives a prideful "Hmph!" Before they land next to the group.
Kū stares at Sarada. "We notice you missing from the camp. So we contacted Tora to help search for you."
Sarada knew Kū didn't trust her. And the feeling was mutual. They glare at each other.
Himei speaks up, breaking the tension. "There is a story of when knights entered this continent. They held a power completely different from today's world. Laying dormant somewhere."
Himei moves forward and everyone else follows, Hijiko hovering over them.
"I thought you said you didn't care what happens to the book." Sarada questions.
"I didn't say I don't care. I just don't want it in Gaoh's hands." Himei responds. "But it would be a delightful bonus to find the necropolis."
"Necropolis?"
"A city-size graveyard." Ku injects. "The Knights are long gone, but not their Gelel stones."
"Stones? Like the one I have?"
Himei nods. "Yes, thousands of them lying dormant in graves. We even heard of something more inside it."
Sarada lowers her head. She knew what the other was. The Manifold Engine. Sarada raises her head, deciding to stay quiet. She didn't trust them yet. This could be a trap, she screams in her mind. Sarada keeps her composer.
Hijiko explains. "According to the Academy studies, the stones have exceptional healing capabilities. If we can distribute them to every synthetic, it could cancel out of our fragile bodies. We can live normal lives!"
Sarada observes everyone's reaction. They all smile at the idea of normal lives. Living just like humans. To be human.
The information processes in Sarada's mind. She thought to herself she had taken for granted being born "normal". These beings could die just by using their given gifts of this world.
"Again, I'm fine with you keeping the book. I rather wither away than have Gaoh succeed." Himei informs.
Sarada contemplates. All eyes were on her. A chance of living rested on her shoulders.
Something stirs inside Sarada. She couldn't ignore it anymore. An emotion waiting to burst out. These innocent people were looking for hope. Memories and experiences flood her mind. Telling her, deep down, that maybe this is the right thing to do.
Sarada offers her hand. "If you help me take down the Academy, then I'll see what I can do."
The life in Himei's eyes has never been brighter. She gingerly walks over, stares for a while, then shakes Sarada's hand.
"Deal! I'll gather the top heads of our camp. Finally, unite all fabrications under one banner. Together, we'll be unstoppable. Hijiko, fetch me Kanari."
Hijiko's smile fades. "The shark girl?"
"Yes, the shark girl."
"Tsuki 1,478. That Kanari." Sarada notices Hijiko begins to sweat.
"Just go get her." Himei orders.
Hijiko groans, obviously nervous.
Sarada wonders who this shark girl is. She must be someone fierce since Hijiko sweats at the mention of her name. Himei pokes her insides, making her yelp.
"Come on, let's go. I want to show you what we have. Maybe it can help in the future."
Sarada and Himei walk back to the camp. Meanwhile, Kū and Tora cautiously glace at each other.
"Do you believe in what she said? That she'll save us." Tosa questions with his booming voice.
"I doubt the Shinobi Union will allow it," Kū responds. "Governments will always deny the progress of the less fortunate. I've seen it occur too many times. We'll be no different."
Tosa grumbles in agreement. Both look on, trying to stay logical. But somewhere, deep in their hearts, now held hope.
"Mama! Mama! Where are you?!"
A little girl scurries across her home searching for someone. The smoke burns her throat, dryness slowing her down, heat made her vision blurry, unrecognizable from the flames in front of her. From the corner of her eyes, she sees a figure on her knees in the living room.
"Mama!"
The little girl rushes towards her mother, wrapping her arms around her.
The mother doesn't move.
When the little girl shifts in front of her, she wails. Her mother's stomach cut open, exposing the red insides which spill out of her body. On her right hand laid a blade stained in blood now dry from the heat.
The little girl was only 9 years old, but she knew what this was.
Seppuku.
So many questions run inside her head. What would've made her do such a thing? To take her own life. To leave her behind.
Wood creaks, then snaps as the fire burns away the structural integrity. The first thought that came to mind is to protect mother. It's all she had left. Father was gone.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, the little girl hugs her mother and braces for the worst. The wood breaks and crumbles as gravity took its effect, debris falling on top of the little girl. Waves of heat hits the little girl, scorching her skin. The weight of the wood pins her down, preventing her from escaping. Falling ash enters her lungs, suffocating her.
The heat, weight, air, falling ash, it all goes numb. Last thing she could feel was her mother. She hugs her as tightly as she could. A slight chill. Then nothing.
Megami opens her eyes. She raises her upper body, staring out to the Village below her. Oto is a beautiful place. Shame about its current situation.
A spider floats near her using a faint webbing. "Lady Megami, we have found the Academy's base."
"Good. Have you set up reconnaissance?"
"Oh yes, my Lady! Already done."
"Great. Let's fix this mess."
Megami stands up. She can feel her arms shaking, memories flood her mind. The ash filling her lungs. Weight of flaming wood crushing her frame and burning her skin. Her arms wrapped around her mother.
She clenches her fist, takes a deep breath, then let's go.
"I hope you're free, Mama."
Megami jumps, fading into the village lights.
Sumire sits on an L-shaped counter table eating a rice cake. She found herself in the street food market where dozens of stalls rested. Sitting maskless in the open streets made her anxious, yet no one seems to recognize her. Still, the hood on her coat covers her head, keeping those who are aware of her identity oblivious. Just in case.
A restaurant is a perfect place to collect information. This was from personal experience, people too often blabber about things in public. Some hints here and there is a great start for investigations. And the hint she overheard is juicy.
Apparently, the Academy has promised its people immortality.
Civilians telling each other that Academy is close to realizing their goals. How their ill is going to be saved. Telling each other what they are planning for the rest of eternity. They were all confident they will succeed with their plans. Sumire will make sure she'll be the cog in their plans.
On the corner of the restaurant, she listens intently to two men eating ramen. They appear to be construction workers as they were covered in dirt and sweat. The elderly chef is chatting with them.
"So the last chuck is in place?" The Elderly Chef asks.
"Yes sir! The last ruins were near Oto. Wasn't easy working while being hiding but we got it. A few more weeks of work and the old city will be restored!"
The Old Man chuckles. "It better finish soon. An old man like me could drop dead any moment now."
All three laugh.
After a while, the construction workers finish their meals, paid, and say their goodbyes. Soon, Sumire finishes her meal; pulls out a purse she stole from an unaware civilian and pays for her meal. She walks out and follows the two men.
Sumire remained in complete stealth even as she walked in the streets and towards the entrance of the Academy's open project. On the left and right, men and women appeared to be building skyscrapers. While in the middle, further behind, is a large elevator. She sat back and observes the two men enter the elevator and lower.
"That must be where the ruins are." Sumire thought to herself.
Sumire sneaks behind a smaller building next to the construction site and climbs the roof, where she jumps to the middle platform of the right building. Still undetected.
Slowly but surely, Sumire reaches the elevator, slipping under it, and hitches a ride when more workers arrived. She can overhear their conversation. They all seem to be in a panic.
"What the hell is happening?" One man shouts.
"The damn Hokage is in Oto!" someone replies.
"Are you fucking serious?!" The mummers turn into full-on panicked yelling.
"Everyone calm down! All we have to do is anchor the last piece of the ruins. After that, we leave the Land of Sound."
Sumire knew the Hidden Village was mobile. So one of her priorities is to find out exactly how they move.
"The future of this village lies on us. We can not slack off or mess up!" All began to rally.
Sumire sees a light. The elevator exits out into the open, revealing an enormous open space. On the bottom are the ruins everyone talks about. They looked completely different from what Sumire has ever seen.
The elevator is reaching its end, so Sumire observes her surroundings and when the moment is right she jumps. She rolls over, then sneaks to somewhere where she can gather her thoughts.
She runs deep inside the ruins, spotting a camp in the distance. Sumire follows it like a moth to the flame. The camp is made of tents with a few cloak men and women working. Sumire sneaks next to the main tent. She can hear the current conversation.
"Both the Hokage and Ronin are in Oto. That can't be a coincidence." It's a voice of a woman.
"I know." Sumire's body tensed. She knows that voice. The Headmaster. "But we can't leave the Sacral temple."
"If we stay, we lose everything." The female voice gets softer. "I will not lose Eddy again."
"The Uzumaki won't fall again. Never again."
Sumire can hear someone enter the tent. "Headmaster, I bring news from Konoha!"
"Proceed."
"They have declared the Hybrid missing."
Sumire's shocked and so is the Headmaster.
"The future Nara heir and Tsuki 006 is also missing."
"The Hybrid must've convinced them to join her." Speculates the female voice.
"They're after the Uchiha's daughter." The Headmaster chuckles. "Two for one. I'll go recover them."
The people in the tents mumble between each other.
"I know, I know. But rest assured, I will not let you down. Assemble a team to join me. We'll be moving as soon as they arrive in Oto."
"What about Orochimaru?" Someone else questions.
"Right. He hasn't taken a new body yet. What's taking him so long?" The Female asks.
"I don't know what he's up to anymore. Don't tell him of this mission. Once this is over, we'll deal with him."
Sumire thinks to herself. "Looks like there's discord between Orochimaru and the Academy. I can use this to my advantage."
Sumire notices a snake hidden in the vegetation staring at her. Her covers blown. The snake turns and slithers away, leaving Sumire alone. She is confused, but then thought Orochimaru must have wanted her free.
Whatever it was, she wasn't going to complain.
"Are the Flaying Raijin Team ready?" Gaoh questions.
"Yes, Headmaster. We'll be prepared to move around dusk."
"Ah, good. Inform them to stay in post. Since this is an emergency, we need to be ready to teleport at any moment."
Sumire's eyes widen. "So that's how they move. A large scale Flying Raijin Jutsu."
The people begin to move outside. Too many eyes and ears for comfort. Sumire disappeared in a blur and continues with her stealth mission elsewhere.
The rogue trio rest inside a tavern, enjoying a meal together. The group stopped at a small shelter right next to Oto. Yui was nervous, which was understandable. Everyone is nervous. Mitsuki and Shikadai broke the laws of their Villages making them rogues. They all sit at the corner table of the room, finally having a moment to relax.
"I'm sorry, but from here I'm blind," Yui announces.
"It's fine. We can work from here." Shikadai says.
The group order food since they have been traveling for days, two weeks since Sarada's disappearance. After a while of planning and theorizing, the food arrive at their table. Egg Fried Rice, a classic dish of the Shinobi World. Can never go wrong with it. Each enjoys their meal. Mitsuki thought this would be the best time to ask a question Shikadai.
"Shikadai, I have to ask. Why did you join us? Why risk it all?"
Shikadai grumbles. A pregnant pause between them.
"When Boruto died..." Mitsuki felt his heart skip a beat. "The Village went to shit. We all know that. But when you're part of a political family like the Nara clan, you pick up on extra details. You'd be surprised at the number of people who just don't care. Inside and outside the Village."
"Politicians being politicians," Mitsuki interjects.
"Yeah. Only caring about themselves and their interests. Which made things worse. Hearing them do all this crap just angered me."
"Shikamaru, is just letting it happen?" Mitsuki asks.
"Oh no, he's trying. Dad's really trying. But with the Academy, Shinobi Union, and any other crap, it all just become… troublesome."
"Have relations gotten that bad? Family versus family?" Yui grieves.
"Politically, yeah. People are divided. No matter what side you are on, no one does what needs to be done. It all makes Boruto's sacrifice meaningless."
Mitsuki peers down at his dish, disheartened by the story. Yui observes her surroundings, noticing the establishment had empty.
"But now, Sarada…" Shikadai blushes. "Sarada just jumps forward. Follows her heart. Doing what's right."
Mitsuki gave a small smile. "Yeah, she loves the Village. She wants the best for us."
"Guys," Yui whispers. "Where did everyone go?"
They all look around. Everyone is gone, including the staff. Mitsuki glance at Shikadai. He nods. They all stood up, Mitsuki in front, Yui in the middle, and Shikadai in the back. Exiting the building, they see that even the streets were empty.
Shikadai runs every possibility in his head. Without a doubt, this is the Academy's doing. They have been found. Had they set a trap for them? How, when it's so close to the Village?
Mitsuki takes a deep breath and gives Yui a little nudge. Yui nods and activates her Sharingan. With Mitsuki's help, she has been able to better adjust to the eyes' power. Thanks for being Sarada's partner.
Shikadai slowly reaches for his pouch to grab a kunai.
The buildings to their sides suddenly erupt as something rips and tears through them. The red glow of her eyes burns brighter, telling her body to move. She grabs Mitsuki and Shikadai by their belts and jumps with them at hand to a rooftop. It was the fastest she has ever moved.
"What the hell was that!?" Shikadai yells.
The wood beneath them begins to crack. Yui caught it and grab the boy's arms. "Run!"
The roof shatters, launching the group in the air. Mitsuki glances behind them, seeing what is attacking them. Chains glowing a dark tint of yellow. He spins, extending his arms to grab Yui and Shikadai from the air and pull them close to him. They land back on the ground safely.
"It's chains! They're attacking us with chains." Mitsuki announces.
Shikadai gazes at his surroundings. Chains were erupting from the buildings. "Dammit! This entire camp was a trap!" He spat.
There is a glint in the dark. From the dark corners of the camp, a kunai flies by, cutting Mitsuki's right cheek. Yui sees the kunai in great detail. She sees the marking writing on it. Then a purple flash.
Mitsuki feels a sharp pain in his abdomen and arms wrap around his neck. When Yui and Shikadai look back, they all skip a breath. It's him.
"Children shouldn't wonder the wild on their own. Lots of predators nearby." Gaoh sinks the kunai deeper. "Waiting for the right moment to pounce."
"Let him go!" Shikadai waves hand seals.
"I wouldn't move if I were you. His neck is surprisingly squishy."
Mitsuki grits his teeth. "It's you. The leader of the Academy. The one who killed Boruto."
"Boruto, Boruto. It's all you kids talk about. You need to grow up and learn to let go."
"You first."
A large white snake springs out of Mitsuki's sleeve and wraps around Gaoh. She goes for a bite, but in a purple flash, he is gone and bites nothing but air. Mitsuki takes deep now free. The white snake, now on the ground, pounces and bites just above Mitsuki's wound, injecting him with natural energy.
"Whoa!" Shikadai worries, thinking Mitsuki's summon has turned on him.
"It's okay. Shiro is healing me." The wound begins to heal, just like Mitsuki said.
"What do we do? Fight the Headmaster?" Yui dreads.
"Oto is near. Together, we have a chance reach the entrance. We can escape this!" Shikadai declares.
Shiro finishes her healing, warping around Mitsuki's waist. He can feel the Natural Energy course through his body. He stares at the palm of his hand. An idea came to mind.
He clutches his fist and, with determination in his eyes, yells to the air. "I will be your opponent, Headmaster!"
"What?" Both Shikadai and Yui said, stunned.
They hear a chuckle in the forest. "All by yourself? My, how brave."
Shikadai glares at Mitsuki. "What you doing, you idiot?"
"Doing what's right."
Mitsuki waves his hands, ending by clapping his hands. "Shikadai, buy me some time!"
Immediately, Shikadai reaches for his pouch and grabs smoke bombs, throwing them to the ground, spreading smoke everywhere. The Adamantine chains pierce the smoke, yet no sounds of flesh. When the smoke disperses, there was no one. The trio had seemingly disappeared.
From the corner of his eye, Gaoh sees a shadow move into an alley. He grins. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Gaoh catches the shadow as it tries to escape inside the forest. He waves hand seals and takes a deep breath.
"Water Style: Severing Wave."
Gaoh spews a high-pressure stream of water, cutting the earth and slashing the shadow in half. The shadow disperses in a puff of smoke, shocking the Headmaster. He spots more shadows moving in the trees.
He breathes in, then spews more water, cutting as many shadows as he can see. They all go out in a puff of smoke. Yet the shadows persist, all rotating the Headmaster. In and out of the shadows.
Gaoh takes a pause. "Hmph, combining the Nara clan technique with the Shadow Clone. Impressive. However..." Gaoh glimpses at the shadow escaping the scene. "This is nothing but child's play."
Gaoh ignores the rest of the shadows and follows that specific one. Once he was gone, the shadows stop and disperse, all except one. From the one shadow, Shikadai and Yui slowly poke their head out. They watch on as Gaoh leaves.
"Can you see them?" Shikadai asks.
Yui, seeing the faint trails of chakra, replies. "They're gaining a ton of distance between us."
Shikadai scoffs. "Mitsuki, what are you planning?"
"Wait..." Yui's eyes go wild, left and right, up and down. "He's not alone. Ninja hidden among the branches."
"Oh, how great." Shikadai spat. Both lower back down and hides in the shadows given by the trees.
The shadow continues to dart forward. It reaches what appears to be an abandoned water treatment plant. Gaoh quickly gains waves more hand seals and takes a deep breath.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."
A large ball of fire expels from his mouth. Trees burn and crack as the fireball made its way forward. The attack hits right next to the shadow, forcing it to expel Mitsuki and a Shikadai clone. They land in an empty tank filled with a little puddle of dirty water. Mitsuki is able to keep his hands together.
"Ah! Crud!" Shikadai swears, huffing and puffing.
"It's ready," Mitsuki whispers.
"Huh? What's ready?"
"The summoning. I'll take it from here."
Shikadai didn't want to, but the shadow technique took a toll on the clone. He looks at Mitsuki. After a moment, he nods.
"Don't get yourself killed. I don't want to lose another friend."
With a sign, the clone disperses, leaving Mitsuki alone in the tank. Shiro slithers out of his robes. She seems annoyed.
"I don't see why you need them when you have us snakes."
"I'm going to use the training provided for me. Survey the area. I'll face Gaoh."
"Hmph! As you wish. Good luck, Mitsuki." Shiro slithers up the tank and disappears.
Gaoh stops before approaching the tank. Remembering how capable Mitsuki is, he prefers to prepare instead of a direct confrontation. He rotates around the abandoned treatment plant, checking out the area. Planting kunai in strategic places for any moments of worry. Going into the buildings, he plants more kunai.
He smiles, then whispers. "What are planning, little Tsuki?"
Mitsuki takes a deep breath. He slams his palms on the floor, spreading special writing outward.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A large puff of smoke engulfs the tank. The wind blows carrying the haze out, revealing two toads standing side to side. A green frog with white hair styled in a mohawk, thick eyebrows, and a little goatee. And the other is a green with a purple color frog with her head looking like she is wearing a hairnet with hair-rollers under.
"Ah, Mitsuki-boy! I'm surprised you were the one who summoned us." Fukasaku smiles.
Shima peaks. "Oh? Is this the lad you and Naruto have been training?"
Mitsuki straightens and bows. "I'm sorry, Lord Fukasaku, but I need your help."
"I noticed." He looks at the blood-stained side of Mitsuki, then at his surroundings. He couldn't see anything at a glance.
"I need to enter Sage Mode."
Fukasaku's eyes widen. "What? But your training isn't complete."
"I know. But I don't have any other choice. They back us into a corner. So please, lend us a hand."
Shima observes her surroundings. "Where are they sprout?"
"I don't know. Probably setting another trap."
"Traps, ey? Well…" Shima jumps on Mitsuki's left shoulder. "I say it's worth a try. Don't you say Pa?"
"Mmmm." Fukasaku jumps on Mitsuki's right shoulder. "Who is the opponent, Mitsuki-boy?"
"The Headmaster, Gaoh Uzumaki."
Fukasaku and Shima froze, stunned.
Soon Fukasaku growls. "That's the leader of Academy. The ones challenging Naruto?"
"The one who killed his son?" Shima added.
"Yes. That's why I summoned you. I refuse to let this opportunity slip by." Mitsuki claps his hands. "So please, help me avenge my friend."
Fukasaku and Shima glance at each other. Both nod. They clap their hands and harmonize with Mitsuki. Sinking into his shoulders. Fusing.
The clank of wood echoed as Gaoh made his appearance. He looks down at the bottom of the tank, where Mitsuki sits still. He notices the toads sitting on his shoulders. Gaoh scoffs. He is interested in what trick Orochimaru's "kid" had up his sleeve.
Orange pigmentation materializes around Mitsuki's eyes and extends down to his shoulder blades. He opens his eyes, reveling at Gaoh's snake-like irides. Their ritual complete, Mitsuki, Fukasaku, and Shima glare at Gaoh.
The Headmaster sees the determination in their eyes and smiles.
"We're ready. Go for it Mitsuki-boy." Fukasaku whispers.
With speeds, Gaoh hasn't seen since the Fourth World War Mitsuki blitzes forward, forcing him to teleport away. Mitsuki grabs the rim of a storage tank, gracefully spinning and landing on his feet. Gaoh reappears next to a kunai, trying to catch his breath. His smile completely wipes off. He realizes what he's facing.
"No, no, no, no!" He panics.
Mitsuki stands at the edge of the storage tower, ready for the fight. He made the come at a gesture that angers Gaoh. Mitsuki speaks up.
"Get up. Class is now in session."
A/N: So… It's been a while, huh?
Okay, first. The main reason I've gone for so long is college. It's the last months of college and my god, did they hit us hard. Every week I was doing something, minor breaks in between. But hey, in the end, I passed! The college stage in my life has ended.
Second reason: I've become an uncle! My little brother became a father this January. During the months I've been gone, my family was dealing with the pregnancy, which was a whole ordeal. But in the end, we've welcomed a beautiful little girl into the world.
It's a little rough returning to hobby after many stressful months. It's been so long I've forgotten story details. If you planning to write a story yourself, please write every idea in your mind. Even the little details. I had to rethink and flesh out my story again because I forgot the original storyboard. I know the big plot points but how to get there is lost to me.
But hey, now you have an 8,000-word chapter for your entertainment. Hope you enjoy it! Now that I have free time, I can actually revisit my old chapters like I said I would.
The next chapter is Sage Mode Mitsuki vs. the Headmaster. I'm excited about this one. I hope it doesn't take months to write it.
On to the copy-paste outro! Please favorite and/or follow, share, and leave a review. Don't be shy, tell me what you think of the story, and leave me tips on how I should improve my writing. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time.