NSFW Good Luck Smiles On The Daring Waifu Catalog SI

by ThrowAway675

Not mine, report if you have nothing better to do support og author on Questionable Questing Xavier843766

3. Chapter 3

"So, why didn't things improve if the Third Hokage found out about all of this at 14?" Kabuto asked Naruko bluntly.

"Cause it was too late." Naruko said flatly. "By then, I was just hoping that I'd be able to move into one of my team mates houses or apartments. It was something I was counting on, actually. The problem is that for all the powers of the Hokage, grandfather couldn't enforce his rules 24/7. Not when most of the shinobi also didn't give a damn."

Kabuto nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "Then why didn't he remove you from the apartment?" He said quietly, writing things down on a notepad.

"Because, honestly, I didn't care at that point, I was too used to it. And... I didn't mention anything about the apartment." Naruko whispered quietly.

"Why?" Kabuto asked patiently.

"Cause I've heard a lot of people complaining about their stuff not working, cockroaches, bed bugs. To me, it wasn't worth complaining about what l thought everyone went through. I actually felt proud, like I was a grown up for being able to figure out ways around it." Naruko responded, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Really?" Kabuto asked dryly.

"Well, yeah! Being a shinobi is all about being self-sufficient! Moldy cold water? Boil it! The red guck in the faucet dissolves as it boils, and it kills everything in the water. Strain it with a shredded paper bag, and boom, clean drinking water and cleaning water!

The cockroaches in the microwave get fried when you start it for two minutes. Kill them, clean it out with some of the red guck, and now you can use the microwave for ramen!

The bed bugs are still a nuisance, but some of the boiled water with some of the red guck in a plastic bottle and you can spray them. It won't kill them but it'll make them run. Kinda stains the carpet though, so you really want to aim for the walls."

Kabuto stared.

Naruko's face flushed even harder. "And the landlord even gave me a huge discount for not complaining! Only 2,000 yen a day!"

"A day?" Kabuto clarified faintly. Naruko nodded.

"Yep! Especially since the streets get creepy at night. All those weird older guys come out sometimes and try to give me money to go 'home' with them." Naruko shuddered.

Kabuto's eye faintly twitched. His smile looked frozen.

"I also got a bunch of the orange jumpsuits, for free! They were on super discount! I only had to pay 50,000 yen for the kunai. They don't work very well though, so they don't really cut into the targets at the Academy, and you gotta throw them at a weird angle."

"And the super hot water in the shower works great for when the oven stops working! Free boiling water!"

"I... see." Kabuto's voice was strangled.

"Naruko, do you know your primary physician? The Akimichi Clan are struggling to find your medical records." Kabuto changed the subject.

Naruko felt confused.

"Uh, no. I've never needed to go to the doctors. I've never gotten sick enough to need one. Besides, I don't like doctors! I've heard they really like to drain people dry of blood, like vampires! They even inject things into people! Who knows what's in those things!"

Naruko shuddered.

"I am going to have so much fun delivering some of these animals to Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto whispered quietly to himself, and Naruko felt her confusion grow.

What animals? And who's Orochimaru?

"Do you know where babies come from?" Kabuto asked her abruptly.

Naruko felt her face darken as she vividly recalled the Talk with her grandfather.

"Yes." She said shortly.

Kabuto sighed. "Who taught you?"

"My grandfather."

"Good. So at least that's accurate."

"Yeah, but for a reeeaally long time, I was told that monsters like me don't deserve to breed. That hurt to hear."

Kabuto's eye twitched again.

The worst part of being subtly compelled by a contract that demands absolute loyalty, was that it was made to feel natural, Danzo mused grimly.

His careful plans for the past thirty years were now gone, burned to ashes.

Civilians were a suspicious lot, by nature only trusting the shinobi they grew up with, and even that was a distant trust. It had been almost too easy, simply plant some subtle rumors and whispers to turn the civilian population against the Kyuubi Jinchuriki.

The fear soon developed into hatred, and it was too easy to fan the flames about how they could keep the Kyuubi from regaining its past strength if they hamstrung it. Weakened it.

It was trapped in a human body, and worse, it pretended like it was human. Those tears were fake, it was laughing at you. Those cries for help and food, were lures only meant to weaken your guard as it corrupted you and your children. Give it no shelter. No warmth. No food. No kindness. Starve the beast. Make it suffer like it made your loved ones suffer in their final moments.

From there, it became too easy. The same rumors that had allowed Danzo to mold the 'undesirables' to be guided into Root and his line of thinking, had worked perfectly for breaking the spirit of the Jinchuriki.

After all, it had worked before. It was how he molded Orochimaru. How he had been able to sway Konoha against the 'red eyed demons that lurked under the Uchiha's skin'. Civilians were almost too easy to be molded to suit his needs, and when he had needed them to change their minds for Sayuri?

The death of her Clan had been a sign from Kami that, as the spared, she was innocent of her Clan's crimes for harboring demons in the blood and soul.

And all of that work was slowly becoming undone as Shikamaru used the cracks he'd made in the spirit of those same undesirables, in the spirit of the Jinchuriki, to make them stronger and more loyal by filling those cracks, making them entirely loyal to Shikamaru in turn, even if it made them temporarily vulnerable emotionally during the process.

Shikamaru had taken the process he'd painstakingly mastered and honed, and subverted it entirely for his own purposes. He couldn't even be upset about that fact: a part of him even admired the young man's willingness to take on such projects.

Danzo knew he was slated for death. If not by Sayuri Uchiha's hands, then by Shikamaru's hands. He knew it, and had accepted it. Everything he'd done, was for the sake of Konoha.

And if that meant to take on the responsibility of being the monster, of being the one whose stories were told in hush whispers for his crimes and horrific actions, Danzo accepted it wholeheartedly.

It was the nature of what it meant to be a shinobi. Something Hiruzen Sarutobi could never understand. That for the good of the many, sacrifices must be made.

It was always the case. It was what he had learned as Tobirama-sensei had sacrificed himself for the mission.

That to get things done, sometimes one must be willing to do even monstrous acts for the sake of progress. Even if it means ruining relationships. Ruining families. Destroying reputations. Breaking promises.

Burning entire villages to the ground. Whatever it took for Konoha to stay on top.

Danzo didn't feel regret or guilt for his actions, nor the problems he had caused. It was not in his nature. He had no sympathy or empathy for those who still tried to be human and Shinobi. To be a true shinobi in his eyes, was to kill all heart, to be a tool of war and death for one's country.

He had no regrets. No guilt. He did what he had to do, and he'd do it again if it was required of him to do so.

So why was he feeling this sense of dread and cold wash over him?

Oh, pitiful Danzo. You think you can die and leave this mortal coil so easily? No, I think you'll be an excellent Wendigo when the time comes, after my Mortal Lover has his fun stringing you along.

Danzo shivered as the Wendigo laughed rasply, not able to hear or see the figure as it licked its lips hungrily at the prey whose soul was drenched in sin.

"So, a Genin has a permanent Space-Time Jutsu around themselves?" Homura said with disbelief. "How?" He demanded to know.

The Third puffed from his pipe. "Shikamaru Nara may be a simple Genin on paper, but his intelligence nothing to be scoffed at, nor his determination. Tell a regular person that Space-Time Jutsu is impossible and they will believe you. Tell a Genius like Shikamaru, Minato, and Orochimaru that it is impossible, and they will investigate to find out for themselves."

Homura nodded slightly. "I see."

The Third laughed. "No, you don't. Shikamaru Nara's technique doesn't even qualify as a Jutsu. No chakra is being used to maintain the technique, and it is subconsciously active. Even sleeping, Shikamaru was able to repel the paralytic gas that they put into the room. A barrier that is on 24/7, with little to no visible detriments in long term use."

"Shikamaru Nara is already more than capable of becoming the Hokage in strength, if not yet in experience. Nor in aptitude: Shikamaru has stated multiple times that Naruko is his pick for the position."

Homura looked unnerved. "The Jinch, the Uzumaki?" Homura immediately corrected himself at the Third's narrowed dark gaze.

The Third nodded. "Indeed. Naruko Uzumaki has passed the first month of treatment. It seems that all she needed was some support and a listening ear from someone her age. Something I'm very grateful to Shikamaru Nara for doing for her."

"She's been reinstated to return to going on missions with Team 7 under Kakashi Hatake, and has likewise fully moved in with the Nara Clan while the second stage of treatment with the Akimichi Clan takes place."

Homura nodded slowly. "Were they able to find her records?" He asked cautiously.

Hiruzen's eyes darkened. "No. Naruko has not been seen by any physician since the age of 3. The rest of the medical record was falsified. Kabuto Yakushi has fully volunteered himself as her primary physician as well as indicating he wishes to have... words with those who falsified her records and spread the rumors about how doctors were "vampires who drained people of blood, injected horrifying things into them, and butchered people like they are meat at the market"."

Homura's face turned green. The Third smiled coldly.

"I, of course, fully granted his request. I will have my ANBU escort you to meet him after this meeting, seeing as one of the sources of those rumors was you, Homura."

Homura's mouth opened silently, his protests dying before he could open his mouth.

"I've also informed Kabuto to please pass along a message to Orochimaru that he, sorry, she was more than welcome to return to Konoha as evidence has been obtained that while she had been experimenting on civilians and shinobi of Konoha, it had been under the orders and permission of Danzo. Something I had not learned about until recently."

Homura hung his head as an ANBU appeared with a wolf mask next to him, taking Homura away from the Third's sight for the last time.

"Kami, it felt so good to finally throw the book at the man. It's not against Danzo, but baby steps, Hiruzen, baby steps." He chuckled darkly.

While he still wouldn't trust Orochimaru, she had given up her humanity, at the very least he could use her here as a deterrent, a weapon to be aimed at another village if they crossed the line.

Calling me on my bluff after I find out about how my granddaughter contemplated suicide is not how to keep your village alive and stable, Raikage-dono. I'm in a very bad mood, and I think some teacher-student bonding time on experimenting/torturing the Lightning shinobi and civilian population would go a long way to make me feel better.

I wonder if Orochimaru has a middle ground for aches and joint pain? I'd prefer to stay as myself for a little while longer, but if it improves my health and combat capabilities by ripping those younger muscles and joints off of a few dozen shinobi that may or may not go missing, well, I'm sure the Raikage could understand wanting to stay fit.

The Third chuckled darkly. As the Hokage he couldn't condone experiments on his own people and citizens. It sent a bad message, and it messed with Konoha's PR as the 'good guys of the shinobi world'.

Other civilians and shinobi outside of Konoha?

Well, as long as no one's around to complain about it, it's still fair game.

Hiruzen hummed as he drank from his cup of tea. Naruko's therapy is going well, Kakashi Hatake is actually showing up on time and even apologized to him for how he had been acting in his grief and pain, Shikamaru Nara is an up and coming S-rank monster that could give Hashirama and Tobirama-sensei a run for their money, and Hiruzen even got to finish his paperwork early!

Today, is an amazing day. Hiruzen smiled as he looked over the village at a nondescript building at the edge of the village.

It almost felt like he could hear their screams and begs for mercy. Today was definitely a good day.

[Ino Yamanaka. Stamped. +26.

Choji Akimichi. Stamped. +16.

Asuma Sarutobi. Stamped. +16.]

Asuma Sarutobi was no slouch, but he had picked his first team as the generational squad because he knew that they had their formations and exercises down from when they were kids. He was there to help them realize their full potential, and to train them if they decided to deviate from their parents. Generational Squads like the Ino-Shika-Cho formation really only lasted three or so generations, as other villages would learn to pick apart the formation, and the formations would change and deviate to avoid being caught flat-footed by the enemy.

Still, he was surprised and pleased to see how just an extra four years at the Academy had lead to these three Genin already more than ready for the Chunin Exams. Choji knew how to survive in the wild, forage food and water, find shelter, analyze his opponents Taijutsu for openings so he could grapple him and then break them upon his Human Boulder Jutsu. Ino knew how to cast her Mind Transfer Jutsu without needing to stay still, and had already picked up on being able to telepathically reach to her team members, which often led to what he called 'Silent Idea Sessions' as Shikamaru would relay his plans silently to Ino. She had even created a brief offshoot of the Mind-Transfer Jutsu that she called her 'Disruption' Jutsu. Basically she cast the same jutsu as the Mind Transfer, but only sent a 'thought' bubble that had a specific command or idea. An enemy hit by the jutsu would receive the thought or command, and would end up acting upon it instantly. This allowed Ino to lead enemies into traps or committing grave mistakes as they ended up losing control of the battlefield.

To be honest, both were frightening. Choji had the skills and capability of taking down Jonin by being much faster than most would expect someone his... size to look, and had the strength to crush rocks without much thought. Choji even commented that it was annoying sometimes, since he had to regulate himself to not accidentally break something at home! Ino Yamanaka was a prodigy, and was even scarier than her father in how easy it was for her to pick apart the tells and the mental weaknesses of a person, breaking them down with ease as she whispered doubts and fears into their minds, making them make fatal mistakes.

While both of them were commendable, easily Chunin rank in Asuma's opinion, neither of them compared to the horrifying nature of Shikamaru Nara. Honestly, if Asuma hadn't seen it first hand, he'd have thought the reports he was handing in were inaccurate.

Shikamaru Nara was an absolute monster, there really wasn't any other way to put it. Ignoring his immunity to ninjutsu, taijutsu, and targeted/area of effect genjutsu, Shikamaru Nara didn't fit the playbook of the Nara Clan. Oh sure, he could bind others in place with shadows, kill them with spikes, blind them in their own shadows as they flailed helplessly, but that was when he was 'shaking off the rust' of his abilities, as he put it. No, Shikamaru Nara prefer using his 'advanced bloodline limit', as he took to calling it, to fucking teleport into the enemy, and then knock them out if he needed them alive. Or crush them against a solid surface if he felt truly sadistic.

Asuma still cringed at the memory of the bandit begging for Shikamaru to stop as he pressed him against the wooden wall of their bandit camp, the sound quickly being choked out, replaced by the sound of bone snapping, flesh crushed under itself as the eyes popped out and turned into paste, the heart briefly exposed and beating only to be burst open with a solid gushing noise against Shikamaru's field.

Of course, Asuma had brought them to a bandit camp so that way he could get his kids 'bloody', so they would know what it is to kill. Some shinobi quit, others... enjoyed it too much and were often sent to be trained further into ANBU as a result, since the ANBU were all about either protecting the Hokage or killing in the name of the Hokage, and some felt nothing from it, like it was taking out the trash.

Ino had felt nothing, her blue eyes cold as she tore out the memories and emotions of the bandit she had been assigned. A brutal young man that had done a lot of crimes in the Land of Fire, and all that was left him was an empty gaze, blood and drool going down his face as he had chewed his tongue off in his screaming. A swift kunai, and the man died, turned into little more than a husk.

Choji had felt disgusted, complaining the whole way back to Konoha about how nasty it felt to feel the man's blood and organs all over him. Not an uncommon thing with the Akimichi, as their clothes were often red in color for that reason.

Shikamaru claims to have felt nothing, but the cold terrifying grin on the young man's face as he relished in taking on most of the bandit camp probably said otherwise. The fact that the teen had been absolutely livid at the sight of the raped victims who weren't exactly mentally aware anymore, and the dead ones thrown into a ditch probably didn't help. Ino had been the one's to identify the bodies that weren't too decayed, their last moments often being a replay of their lives which allowed Ino to figure out who they were.

Shikamaru Nara was fully capable of flight, something that he used to his advantage by creating a Shadow Clone of himself to act as his 'eye in the sky' during their operations. While he could only create three or four Shadow Clones before running empty, it was a very good plan since the Shadow Clone carried the same 'advanced bloodline limit' to defend itself without popping. Asuma, in the back of his head, wondered what that would do in combination with the Uzumaki's own endurance/vast chakra pool.

The image of hyperactive, hyper-intelligent, little toddlers running around causing pranks and eating all the ramen in Konoha while being both untouchable and capable of flight, scared Asuma so bad that he swore he'd retire the moment he heard of Naruko Uzumaki's pregnancy. Fuck. That. He wasn't helping with that. Not for all the money in the world.

Then there was the dark stuff, the stuff that Asuma filed away because while they were a Capture Team, they weren't necessarily required to bring them back alive. Sometimes it was to kill a target, group of targets, and then bring their bodies back to confirm they were actually the target before incinerating them to dust.

To which, while Ino and Choji were great and fully capable of taking out bandits, Shikamaru took to a higher level.

"So, Asuma-sensei, our job is to take out the bandits hiding in the minor village?" Asuma nodded.

"That's correct, Shikamaru. Now, our intel is that there may be some low ranking missing ninja there, so we'll be doing some scouting beforehand, but there's probably no civilians inside that village now that they've turned it into their very own fortress."

"So, any concerns about collateral damage?" Shikamaru asked cheerfully. Choji looked like the idea hadn't occured to him and also looked at Asuma for answers.

Asuma shrugged. "The daimyo has already written off the minor village as a lost cause. The bandits here are just becoming enough of an annoyance that rather than send his samurai, we were brought in."

"Oh, good. I was worried about having to pay them back for the damages, this mission's kind of cutting into my spending time with Naruko, since she's probably waiting for me now that her therapy is done for the week around this time, so I'd like to wrap this up." Shikamaru yawned as he stepped forward in front of them.

"Shikamaru, being vague isn't being all that helpful. Can you... explain..." Asuma's voice trailed off as the presence of danger sharply rose.

Shikamaru held his hand outward toward the village.

"Phase, Twilight. The Eyes of Prajna. Maximum Cursed Technique: Lapse Blue."

A massive blue orb exploded out of Shikamaru's hand, the orb expanding as it shredded the earth and landscape, the blue orb ramming into the village walls as the orb seemed to rapidly suck in everything into itself, the buildings and the walls being ripped right out of the ground and pulverized as the bandits could be heard screaming and dying en mass as the orb seemed to expand to cover the entire remains of the small village.

The blue orb churned and crushed everything in it's place, rapidly pulverizing and crushing everything inside it as it stopped expanding before it winked out of existence. The rubble, wood chips, and what Asuma would infer was likely a lot of dead bodies turned into chunks all falling toward the ground into the neatly created pit that had once been an entire minor village teeming with bandits and some missing ninja.

What shook Asuma the most was how... bored Shikamaru looked, turning back to the team as he shrugged. "Mission accomplished." The teen yawned.

The Technique was considered an easy S-rank, labeled simply as 'Blue', and Shikamaru had briefly explained it as sucking in the 'space', the 'shadows' between what made the foundation of the universe, until the whole thing snapped inward. It seemed rather obvious to Shikamaru.

It didn't help that he explained to Ino that it wasn't all that powerful since he needed to use 'Red' in order to combine it with the Blue technique to create Hollow Purple, a much more powerful technique that was capable of vaporizing anything it came in contact with. It was what he considered his current 'ultimate fuck you' technique to any major enemies that tried to pull a siege or an army on Konoha somehow.

Only to a genius like Shikamaru could that seem obvious, and Asuma found himself going to the "After Work Bar" needing a drink.

Kakashi had nodded with approval at Shikamaru's actions, since it helped keep Team 10 safe and allowed him to fulfill the parameters of the mission at the same time without wasting time.

Asuma couldn't remember much after that.

Geniuses were fucking scary.

Orochimaru liked to pride themselves on being the smartest person in the room. It was a point of pride for them, since they had spent so many years researching and experimenting on how to achieve their various goals for immortality and furthering the understanding of how chakra changed things, of how chakra worked, and how to push it's limits to ever greater heights.

Of course, set backs were unfortunate. Some set backs greater than others. The unfortunate slowness of having to use prisoners and civilians in other nations had been a common annoyance, but a relatively simple matter back during the Third Shinobi War. Alas, after the war ended, Orochimaru had found themselves unable to prioritize research speed over the lives of their remaining patients.

Oh yes, they called them patients, because even though they often died extremely brutally, Orochimaru prided themselves on not letting them die without extracting every ounce of knowledge and understanding he could from them when possible.

It was to Orochimaru's surprise to receive a message from Kabuto. Apparently their sensei had found evidence that their research on the citizens and shinobi of Konoha had been at the permission and order of Danzo, and so their missing shinobi status was now revoked, allowing them passage into Konoha freely.

Orochimaru bristled. Permission? I didn't need anyone's permission! I merely took him on his offer! The idea of being shackled once more under Konoha's ethos of pretending to be nice made Orochimaru want to immediately go to Konoha so they could strangle their sensei in broad daylight just so that way they knew once and for all that Orochimaru bowed to no one!

The message continued, and Orochimaru found their anger slowly fading away as another emotion took it's place.

Curiosity.

A Nara with an innate Space-Time Jutsu around themselves? That worked 24/7 and somehow didn't use chakra as a source of power for it's activation?

Glee. Awe. Hunger.

The universe was truly generous with those who wished to understand how the world worked!

"The universe has finally given me a control variable! An ability unreliant on chakra nor seemingly any biological process is unheard of! Yes! Oh sweet Yomi, you've blessed me on this glorious day! With this, I can tap into the understanding of the universe that would be impossible otherwise!"

I must have him! Forget the Uchiha! Forget the Rinnegan! He's the One! The one who could finally crack the secrets on the universe!

'This world truly is beautiful. Soaked in blood, soaked in sin, filled with meaningless lives not realizing the blessings they were born with, and yet it is truly beautiful. Kabuto, I will head to Konoha soon. You must give me all you know on Shikamaru Nara. I need to know his likes, dislikes, fears, wants, hatreds, I must know everything about him, so that way I can make him mine. Inform sensei I will be returning to Konoha within four months. I have some cleaning up I need to do. Orochimaru.' With that written down on the scroll, they quickly sent it off with a Reverse Summoning.

They were in charge of the Sound, and they would obey Orochimaru without question. That was without a question. The Sand, on the other hand, would no doubt want to ensure that Orochimaru kept their end of the deal on creating weaknesses in Konoha's Barrier Jutsu and the walls of the village.

Now then, how to send the proper message to Sand that the deals off... Ah, that's satisfactory.

I'll just steal the Ichibi Jinchuriki and kill the Kazekage. It's not like they did a good job on the poor Jinchuriki's seal anyway. A quick fix and I can bring her along with me as a good gesture to Shikamaru Nara. After all, Shikamaru appears to be interested in half-Uzumaki's, and Aikemono is half-Uzumaki herself, even if she's unaware of it. Mm, better bring Karin as well, just in case. I'll need to end the patients and the experiments I'm running in those research centers within Sound, but such is the price of last minute innovation. Ah, the sacrifices I do for the glory of SCIENCE!

A despised weakness. Weakness in body, weakness in mind, weakness in heart, he was disgusted by it all.

Above all else, hypocrisy and liars disgusted him even more.

Threatening A in his own village took balls, but A already had the measure of the old man back during the Hyuga's fuck up.

Making up bullshit about bringing back his predecessor to destroy his own village? How stupid did the Third Hokage think he was?

How insulting. How embarrassing!

No. He would answer his insult. Kumogakure was more than ready. Killer B had mastered the Hachibi. The Nibi as well was mastered. His two Jinchuriki would be more than a match for the pathetic Kyuubi Jinchuriki. They were barely out of diapers, barely Genin.

Konoha has grown soft in their arrogance. He would crush them, and then scatter them to winds like Uzushiogakure.

Yes, he even took precautions. Several Jonin volunteered their lives to using the Sage of Six Path's tools. The Third Hokage would die, sealed by his lies, or dead by his hands.

In six months, Kumogakure would crush the weak tree huggers during the Chunin Exams. If he was lucky, Rasa the gold digger would also be there so he could kill him. Take Suna and Konoha in one blow.

Peace? Negotiations?

Bah. The only thing the shinobi world valued was strength and power. The strong took what they wanted, and the weak pray that they aren't next. It is the nature of things!

A smiled grimly. It would be his legacy to his people. The Raikage who took back his people's pride from the losses they incurred from the Yellow Flash. The Raikage who started and ended the Fourth Shinobi War in one day.

"Let's see if you can actually back up those pathetic words, Hiruzen Sarutobi. For I am not one to take insults lightly, and I am finally ready to return the favor." A growled, his eyes narrowed as he looked past the clouds and mountains of his realm.

He could almost smell the burning charred flesh. Just a little longer.

'You sure you won't be upset at me for this, Wendy?'

'No. All souls will eventually go into their perspective Afterlives. It's the evading death and mockery of death that truly angers me, and even that often takes a lot to do. Voldemort and Orochimaru both apply, but only because they've mutilated their souls to such a degree that there isn't a soul left to guide, merely fragments that will grow cold and evaporate back into the cosmos of the universe at large, a soul removed from the Reincarnation Cycle and the Afterlives. A cruel fate, to be denying one's future and past selves the chance of existence, but not one they didn't bring unto themselves.'

"Impure World Resurrection." I murmured.

The five prisoners shook and screamed silently in agony as ashes grew to cover their bodies, their souls swiftly taken by the Wendigo who happily snatched them out of the air before swallowing them whole. The fate of the one's sacrificed by the Impure World Resurrection was a grisly one, but Wendy had already been waiting rather patiently to be fed, so she had first pick on what happened to them so to speak.

Shisui Uchiha. Hashirama Senju. Minato Namikaze. Kushina Uzumaki. Dan Kato.

The five undead opened their eyes, but their expressions were empty, their gaze filled with no emotion. This variation of the Impure World Resurrection was by far the weakest, being only capable of binding to the soul just enough to function. While they are capable of answering questions and basic movement, they were entirely incapable of using jutsu. Who knows how many sacrifices Orochimaru had to do in order to further bind the First and the Second Hokage to make them capable of using jutsu and some semblance of personality be present?

How many did Kabuto need to do to consider the technique mastered and perfected?

"Sign these pieces of paper." I ordered lowly, handing each one a contract.

They slowly signed it, each one barely cognizant of the world around them, but still, they were still considered physically present enough that-.

[Shisui Uchiha. Shisui of the Mirage. Signed and Sealed Capture. +30.

Hashirama Senju. The First Hokage. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Minato Namikaze. The Fourth Hokage. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Kushina Uzumaki. Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. +30.

Dan Kato. +12.]

Each were chosen for a variety of reasons. Admittedly, some more personal than others, but all were chosen to be the first brought back to life.

I swiftly activated Body Tune-Up for each of them, the ashes and cracked skin upon each of them beginning to steam and fuse together, the ashes melting away as each gaze became truly alive and aware. Shisui Uchiha shuddered as he came back to life.

"I hadn't realized how cold that water was when I landed in it." He muttered lowly.

Minato Namikaze's return to the living was celebrated by Kushina punching him in the stomach as he wheezed, her red hair flickering as she snarled. "We are through, Namikaze! Oh, the village will see Naruko as a Hero, my fucking ass." Kushina roared as her hands twitched angrily, the Contract she had signed not allowing her to really make Minato suffer.

Minato slowly got back up with a grimace, his eyes closed as tears fell down his face. "I know. I know Kushina. I was too optimistic about the village and the people in it. I've known for a long time that we were done, and I don't blame you. Or Naruko, if neither of you-."

"Shut the fuck up." I commanded, and Minato's mouth slammed shut, his eyes opening as I cut him off.

"You both fucked up." I said bluntly, pointing first at Kushina and Minato. "You," I pointed at Minato, "know you fucked up, and that's a good first step, but you're not allowed to have a pity party, when your daughter will no doubt want answers as to why you decided to pick her, and it better be for a better reason than 'you're my daughter, I knew you could handle it', because Naruko nearly fucking killed herself due to this shitty village. Suck it up, cry in private later. Apologize to Kakashi after the next Chunin Exams for being a dumbass if it makes you feel better. And if you mention a certain prophecy to Naruko, I swear to all the deities that I will feed you to Wendy myself." I snarled.

"And you," I pointed at Kushina, who looked ready to argue. "You should've bound your husband and the Kyuubi, letting the Third in so he could've sacrificed his life to the Shinigami. You fucked up not just because you followed your husband's stupid fucking idea, but also because you didn't even fight for Naruko. You fought for her as a Jinchuriki, but you didn't fight for her as a parent. You let Minato do as he wanted that night because you were too much of a coward to live without Minato, so don't you go on your high horse when you also fucked up."

Kushina's face turned red and she looked down, ashamed. "I, I know." She admitted quietly.

"Now, I brought all of you back for a variety of reasons. Some of them far more personal than others. None of you will be allowed to show yourselves to the living, but you'll all be playing important roles, as a part of my forces. Until I can bring in Orochimaru into the fold, where I can handwave you all off as just more horrifying crimes against nature caused by him as a way for him to science his way out of Death, all of you will be donning masks and fake identities. None of you will look like yourselves, and all of you will be doing missions or jobs for me in order to drag this shinobi world into a utopia, kicking and screaming if I have to."

"Hashirama, Minato, and Dan, you're all going to be working with a masked ninja named Tobi, the same man who caused the Kyuubi to break free. He's under my command and he's no longer possessing any free will of his own. You four will be my outreach force to be deployed where I need you to be in order to force signatures on my contracts or to scare the shit out of the shinobi world as needed. You will be bringing the Akatsuki and Amegakure firmly into my fold using the Contracts as the first major mission."

"One of them possesses the Rinnegan, and has six bodies, the real body isn't among them, they're corpses being manipulated. Once you meet the real body, call for me and I will appear there to negotiate on how to achieve Peace. The man will listen."

"Kushina, you'll be staying here to reinforce and add defenses to Konoha's barrier and the seals along the walls of the village, while wearing a mask with dyed hair to ensure none can recognize you. At night, you'll be training myself and my retinue Fuinjutsu, as well as explaining how the Uzumaki Chakra Chains operates."

"Dan, you'll be replacing Fu Yamanaka in keeping an eye on Tsunade and Shizune. If you're caught, well, I'm sure you can think of a way to have Tsunade and Shizune get on board with Contracts. The cover story is that after over a couple decades, you learned how to use your Spirit Transformation to bypass the barrier between the Pure Lands and this one, but it was a one-time deal."

"Shisui, you personally will be using your Mangekyo to bring Itsuki Uchiha into the fold. If you need incentive: Itsuki is dying from some unknown illness. If Tsunade can't heal her, I can."

"All of you will be working together with the Third Hokage and Yakumo Kurama in order to raise the knowledge and skill of my retinue, as well as myself. You'll still be doing the previous missions I've assigned, but I have a certain method to the madness, as you'll find out."

"Together, we will ensure none of the children in Konoha, in any nation, will ever see the Fourth Shinobi War. All of you may refer to me as the Honored One in public or Gojo Satoru if others insist on a name of the man in charge of the operation. We will be known as the Immortals. Our goal: to end all wars in the Elemental Nations."

Hashirama frowned. "I had much the same ambitions, young man. How are you certain you can succeed?" Hashirama asked me carefully.

"You created a village of Clans and shinobi. The others created villages of Clans and shinobi to counter you. The underlying mechanics has not changed. I aim to usurp the control of all the Daimyo and nobles. With all the governments and wealth, shinobi can not fund their wars nor their equipment/training, and I will increase trade between Nations and the civilians to make wars seem both unprofitable and stupid to the masses. Over time, I will make the shinobi and samurai obsolete." I answered truthfully.

"Madara had similar ideas, minus the trade deals. He wanted to expand Konoha across all the nations, force the other Clans to bow or die. Yours seems less war-like, but equally outlandish. We will see if your plan fares any better." Hashirama commented quietly.

They dispersed, and Wendy looked at me dryly.

'The Immortals. Really? That's the best you could come up with?'

I shrugged. "I didn't get picked by the Company for my naming sense."

Wendy sighed.

'The things I do for entertainment.'

Naruko hadn't been sure what to expect, after a month of therapy and sessions with the Yamanaka Mind Healer, a pleasant man named Inoichi who had looked horrified at realizing his daughter Ino was practicing using T&I tactics on mentally provoking and breaking people down on others her age, but she hadn't expected Sayuri and Sakura to look... well, traumatized was the only word to describe it.

Sakura's long hair was cut short, her normally light make up conspicuously absent, her eyes scanning the training ground cautiously. She looked exhausted, and her outfit looked as if she had thrown it on in the last minute.

Sayuri looked even worse. Her face was pale, her eyes sunken, her black eyes looking almost dead. If not for her breathing and the barely conscious motions of her hands twitching toward where her kunai pouch used to be, Naruko would have thought she was dead.

"Hey guys, you okay?" Naruko asked slowly. One does not startle a shinobi.

Sakura burst into tears, and Sayuri just stared at Naruko, her normally aloof gaze now looking at Naruko as if she had never seen Naruko before.

"Kakashi-sensei didn't die, did he?" Naruko whispered, horror at the thought. After all, Kakashi had been the one to teach her how to escape from being tied against the post, even instructing her on how to flood chakra down into her hands clenching the ropes to shred them as a last ditch effort if she got trapped.

Kakashi spoke up behind her. "Naruko, I'm pleased to hear you were worried about my wellbeing, but nah, I'm fine. I had Sayuri and Sakura take turns pretending to be you for an espionage practice." Kakashi cheerfully said behind her.

Naruko went still. Terror, shock, and confusion went through her.

Sayuri spoke up quietly. "Naruko. I'm donating most of the Uchiha District for the needy and the orphans. Everything is built up to code. You can get first pick of the house you want."

Naruko's face flushed as she felt a sharp spike of embarrassment and gratitude. "Uh, thanks Sayuri but I'm already moving in with Shikamaru and the Nara Clan. I'll put a good word in for Tenten though!" She said cheerfully. Tenten was always one of the nicer orphans, and she ran the weapon shop often to pay rent. Hopefully it would help with that if she lived in one of the Uchiha houses.

Sayuri nodded solemnly. "I have great respect for you and your patience in not murdering the village. If that changes however, I suggest you approach me for help." She said with a monotone voice.

"Uh, thanks." Naruko said lamely. She wasn't sure how complaining to Sayuri about the village would help but maybe bonding with her over the annoyances in the village would help them grow as a team!

Sakura stopped sobbing, her green eyes filled with tears as she choked out. "I'm so sorry about your apartment." She bawled.

Naruko frowned. "You guys didn't burn down the complex, did you? Granted, the only thing I care about in the apartment is my book 'Tale of a Gutsy Ninja' and a photograph of me and my grandfather."

Sayuri winced. "I'm sorry Naruko. The book didn't survive."

Naruko sighed. "Damn. It's about that time of year for me to reread it too. It always felt like a good luck charm. It just appeared in my apartment one day. Worked great for reminding me to stick things through. Determination and all that." Naruko shrugged.

Kakashi spoke up, his voice rough. "I'll get you another one, signed by the author if I can." Naruko felt bad. Poor Kakashi had a cold.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei." She smiled as Kakashi smiled back and nodded. Well, his eye sort of smiled? Close enough.

"Naruko. I need to know. How did you handle the icy cold water of the shower?" Sayuri interjected.

Naruko frowned. "What do you mean? I use the cold water to fill a pot. Throw it on the stove, gotta crank the heat to max or else it won't start, and also cause the cockroaches like to hide inside the oven beneath. Once the water boils, use some of the red gunk to mix. It dissolves in the boiling water. Strain it with a shredded paper bag, and now you have hot water. I prefer baths cause it's easier, but a string and a half shredded paper bag works if you want to make it a shower..."

Naruko's voice trailed off as Sayuri walked off to a random tree, and started stabbing it rather viciously. Repeatedly.

"Say, Naruko, I'm thinking you can work out a good deal with the Aburame on the bed bugs and the cockroaches. They're always on the lookout for rare and invasive species of insects. You could make some serious money. Same thing with the red gunk at the hospital... and T&I." Kakashi said cheerfully.

Naruko's smile could've powered the village. "That's an awesome idea Kakashi-sensei! You're the best!" She crowed. That'd go a long way to paying Shikamaru back for the therapy sessions and the rent! She owed them so much backpay!

Kakashi nodded. "I am the best. I'm glad one of you acknowledged this. Now, today we're going on a light mission exercise. Naruko, I'm going to teach you how to turn a Shadow Clone into a bomb, and the more chakra you put into it, the bigger the explosion, and Sayuri/Sakura can learn to play their job of dodging the bomb."

Naruko decided today was the best day in Team 7 ever... eh, so far. She could always look forward to them all eating ramen with her in the future!

Sayuri whimpered as Sakura's face lost all color when Naruko recommended Ichiraku later.

Kakashi decided that it was an excellent idea for lunch. On Sayuri's dime this time, of course.

Shino Aburame was a quiet teen. He knew most of the village were disturbed by his Clan's Kikaichu. He knew that his manner of speaking was odd, perhaps even strange. He knew that the odds of him finding someone he could consider a friend his own age outside the Clan was slim to none. It still hurt, but he had resigned himself to his fate, focusing on what he did best. Taking care of insects, and striving to do his family proud.

So it was to his surprise that Naruko Uzumaki approached him. After all, Naruko had not hidden her subtle shivers of disgust/terror/unease when he revealed that he did not in fact carry jars for his kikaichu. He was the 'jar' so to speak.

"Hey, Shino. Umm, I wanted to ask if you could stop by my apartment? I was hoping I could work out a deal between me and your Clan on the bed bugs and cockroaches I have trouble dealing with." Naruko admitted honestly, her face sheepish.

"Understandable. Why? Because Low-income housing is fraught with poor maintenance and infrastructure. Why? Because of poor funding. My father and I will stop by this afternoon."

Naruko's confusion at his speech pattern cleared up as she beamed at him. "Thanks Shino, you guys are awesome!" She ran off to who knows where.

Shino Aburame would deny to any who asked or pointed it out, but he felt his face flush as a small smile peeked out of his jacket collar.

Yes, he may have a hard time finding friends or comrades who didn't try to flee from him as soon as they could, but at least Shino Aburame could say he now had a friend his age.

Shibi and Shino approached Naruko's apartment, and they entered, considering it rather poorly made, but not unexpected.

It was Shibi who held a hand to Shino, stopping him from entering the apartment completely.

"Shino," Shibi rumbled, "we are leaving. Immediately. This apartment is now deemed a Class 5 Hazard. We will return wearing the proper materials, and follow the procedures accordingly. I will also bring a medic. Why? Because my kikaichu have found several decomposing animals in Naruko Uzumaki's water heater. As well as several having died immediately upon contact with the faucet."

Shino nodded with understanding as they swiftly left.

Hazard 1: no danger, mild to no hazards. Nominal conditions.

Hazard 2: some danger to civilians, no harm to Genin or higher Shinobi.

Hazard 3: Found to be containing mild to severe poisons, acids, or mixtures therein. Medic recommended, but not necessary if with the proper antidote or counter.

Hazard 4: Severe poisons, acids, and toxins. Approach with caution, and bring a medic. Civilians will die if they stay here within three to five days.

Hazard 5: Do Not Approach. Chakra-based Biohazard containment breach. Hokage and Jonin Only. Clones are recommended to avoid chakra exposure and contamination. Shadow Clones excluded!: Chakra contaminant may follow back to the original!

Shibi sent in a Kikaichu Clone, as had Shino to observe and remember the proper procedures for the future. The medic Shibi brought in was a Jonin, who grimly returned with several samples of red... Shino wasn't sure what to identify it as, only that he had to contain himself from running as far away from it as possible.

The bed bugs were found to be extremely resistant to the red substance, as well as the cockroaches. Subspecies of the bed bugs were found to gourge themselves on the blood, but not explode as expected.

Rather, the bed bugs would split in half, quickly regenerating into two bed bugs of nearly identical size and shape.

The cockroaches did not seem to require food, but rather seem to absorb the ambient chakra in the atmosphere. When given flesh or food, the cockroach would not eat it, but would instead spit a liquid that seemed to turn it into a liquid purple substance that the cockroach would drink.

Interestingly, the bed bugs and cockroaches shared a symbiosis. When bed bug numbers appeared too high, the bed bugs would sacrifice weaker and older bed bugs to the cockroaches to be consumed, and in turn the cockroaches would allow the bed bugs to lay eggs inside the same nests as the cockroaches.

The bed bugs were immune to every form of pesticide, insecticide, and even fire/acid would be shrugged off. Water would seem to drown them, but it seemed a form of Stasis as the bed bug would reawaken when the water disappeared.

The cockroaches were even more interesting. Crushing, burning, acid, insecticides, all seemed to work... except the cockroaches would regenerate their lost and damaged tissue. One even regrew a body with just its head and the other body grew a new head!

The DNA of both specimen indeed showed extreme changes and evolutionary adaptations, to such a degree that they were deemed utterly unique.

Shino was in awe of the fact that Naruko may not have been a fan of his kikaichu, not hating on insects in general as he had woefully assumed.

After all, only someone with extreme dedication to insect culture would subject themselves to so many generations of bed bugs and cockroaches, carefully cultivating them to reach the apex of their evolution before giving them to the Aburame Clan.

It was a priceless gift! One that the Aburame would have paid an entire colony of kikaichu's worth of weight in gold for!

Then the news only got even greater!

The kikaichu were not only fully compatible with both the bed bugs and the cockroaches, but had the capability to assimilate both into themselves without losing effectiveness! Such a unique Kikaichu colony would be capable of taking the Aburame into the S-class tier! A way to uplift the Clan to heights deemed impossible without the drawbacks of having to use living hives from other villages!

This was a momentous find! A once in a generation, no, once in a hundred year discovery!

Shibi knelt down and placed his hand on Shino's shoulder.

"To the outside world, Naruko is someone to be afraid of. To the outside world, Naruko is someone that strikes fear into many for acts not her own. To the Aburame, to us, she is considered an Honorary Aburame. She will be rewarded for her continual decade long sacrifice, and we will stand behind her when our time comes to whom we will let lead us as Hokage. Shino, she went to you because she trusted you. She sees you as a friend, a comrade."

Shibi's voice trembled slightly. Ever so slightly. The Aburame Clan trained hard to regulate their emotions. Why? Because hormone imbalance can mess with kikaichu development.

"I am proud of you, Shino Aburame. You have earned your right to be the first to name these species of kikaichu, and the first to carry them."

Shino was stunned. Only Jonin level Aburame were allowed to carry more than one hive of kikaichu. This was unheard of.

He paused for a moment. "Kikaichu Subspecies: Tyranids. For they will be an unstoppable tyrant to the Shinobi who deem us weak." Shino nodded to himself. That sounded right.

Shibi nodded. "Tyranids it is. Inform Naruko Uzumaki she is considered an Honorary Aburame, and her payment shall be three million yen. I will understand if she declines the payment as too low or absurd. Such a long decade of cultivation means such funds may seem cheap in comparison, which is why I will supplement it by giving a portion of our carefully cultivated bee hives to her as well."

Shino nodded. The honey the Aburame made was by far the sweetest, and the bees did not have stingers. They wouldn't be as vicious as the bed bugs and the cockroaches, but perhaps Naruko could yet surprise them a decade down the line with hyperactive bees that could surround their enemies and somehow kill them to death with vibrations alone.

That or relentlessly sting them with stingers until the prey collapsed in pain and agony, paralyzed as their nervous system shut down as they died in excruciating pain.

Shino was thankful that he had a friend in Naruko Uzumaki.

Oh, and the medic returned. The red stuff was apparently a living Biohazard that grew like a Slime mold out of chakra, and was considered another Biohazard 5 Class on its own. The hospital and the T&I department was very excited for different reasons on the substance and had gleefully patented the substance as 'Kyuubi Slime'.

Shino had been eager to know what made the substance valuable, but it was deemed an SS-rank substance. So classified that only the Hokage and the people who used it could know about it.

Perhaps Naruko could find a career as a Biohazard Creator. It seems she truly enjoys her work in the art of creating new weapons for Konoha and her allies. Shino mused to himself.

The silence of the village was broken by the sound of running, gasps for air, and a silent crying as a man was running like his life depended upon it. His friend had already been grabbed, and he knew that the monster chasing them was after him next, the sound of whistling in the far distance seeming to echo through the silence. This area of the village had long since learned to keep to themselves, the poor and the orphans alike knowing well enough that if someone was being picked next for The Hunt, they knew better than to interfere.

The man couldn't even scream for help, the monster having cut his ability to speak. Tears fell down his face as he found himself staring at a wall, a dead end. There was nowhere left to run.

He turned, shaking, his eyes wide in fear as the whistling had stopped. The monster was here.

Spoiler: The monster

"Ho? What's wrong?" The monster's mocking voice echoed through the silence, the red eyes pinning him down as the monster's mocking grin grew.

"Can't say I'm not disappointed. I expected more from a retired Jonin, Mr. Hosuke." The monster purred.

The man couldn't even scream in pain as he felt his remaining leg crack in five separate places, his false leg torn off and shattered with ease. Wind Jutsu. I never stood a chance.

He didn't even fall, suspended in the air like a puppet, the monster slowly approaching him. "Now then, I think it's time you got a taste of what you all gave Ms. Uzumaki." The monster's grin vanished, a dark scowl as his red eyes glowed in the darkness.

The man felt a surge of drowsiness and all the adrenaline in the world couldn't keep his eyes open as the monster purred.

"Sweet dreams, Mr. Hosuke. I doubt you'll wake up. Greet Wendy for me, will you? Genjutsu: Nightmare Realm."

The sky turned red, the village darkened, and Mr. Hosuke couldn't even scream if he wanted to, as he felt his stomach burning from the inside, the hot agony of poison coursing through his veins as he collapsed, unable to do more than croak for help as her bathroom was too far, as she could feel her stomach wanted to tear itself out of her belly. It hurt so much.

Why did she think the nice man's tomatoes would've been any better than the markets?

The retired Jonin collapsed, trapped in the Genjutsu. Wearing the guise of Accelerator was fitting, as I practiced on using the more horrifying abilities of Accelerator when on the hunt for these animals, these scum.

"Oh, out for a walk too?" I turned to see Kakashi Hatake, his headband lifted up, the Sharingan spinning silently as his eyes crinkled. "I can't say I disapprove, Shikamaru, but don't forget to leave a Shadow Clone at your bedside for an alibi." The white haired Copy Cat ninja whistled. "Impressive Genjutsu, very nice. Using the five senses to recreate traumatic memories. I might need to remember that for future walks. Kabuto, take Mr. Hosuke with us. He'll be perfectly fine with the rest at T&I for new studies."

Kabuto nodded with approval as he walked around me, picking up Mr. Hosuke. "Good work, Mr...?" Kabuto trailed off quietly.

"Accelerator." I answered bluntly, smiling coldly. "I believe you'll find five of Mr. Hosuke's friends about three or four blocks to the right. He and his group of friends were bragging about the things they thought they could get away with Ms. Uzumaki. Including destroying a certain book in her apartment by using her landlord's key." I commented lowly.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as a brief sense of cold fury incarnate washed over the area before he smiled. "Appreciate the tip, Mr. Accelerator. We'll be going now. Enjoy the walks throughout the village." He said cheerfully as they left.

I nodded. Let's see, that's about fifty so far this week. A good haul. Can't show up at the same times and nights too frequently unless they start complaining to the Hokage about a serial killer. Hmm, I'll wait until next Tuesday, been about three and a half weeks since I've done a Tuesday night. I'm thinking on the richer side of the village, since this side is cleaning up pretty nicely. I think I'll pay Ms. Otogawa a visit since she's Naruko's landlord.

I chuckled darkly. Yes, this truly does help me feel better.

A cough echoed and I turned to see mom smiling at me, drenched in blood and shadows. Her hands were covered in gore, bits of muscles and bone sticking to sharp claws made of shadows. "Oh, you remind me so much of my son. Please, remember to get some sleep tonight." She said cheerfully. "I've been enjoying some enthusiastic walks on the other side of the village, but it's always nice to have company."

"It is indeed. I am Accelerator." I 'introduced' myself.

"Yoshino Nara, pleased to meet you Accelerator. I'm thinking of stopping by a certain bank that seemed to have lost some of my daughter's funds. Care to join me for a late night stroll?" Mom said sweetly.

My eyes narrowed as a dark grin crossed my face. "Absolutely, I think that would be delightful, Mrs. Nara."

What can I say? Sometimes it was fun going on a midnight walk with family and friends.

"It is time. Are you ready, Yakumo?" I asked her, the realm of the Social Club no longer a muddled array of colors and shifting landscapes, instead now replaced by a large blood red moon, and the ground was completely gone, replaced instead by a vast series of lights, each light representing a mind within my retinue.

[Inexhaustible. -140.

Template Stacking I: [Alex Mercer [Prototype]] for Shikamaru Nara. -80.

Template Stacking II: [Alex Mercer [Prototype]] for Shikamaru Nara. -20.

Template Stacking I: [Izuku Midoriya/Deku [My Hero Academia]] for Naruko Uzumaki. -20.

Template Stacking I: [All For One [My Hero Academia]] for Naruko Uzumaki. -60.

Template Stacking II: [All For One [My Hero Academia]] for Naruko Uzumaki. -20.

33 Credits Remaining.]

Yakumo Kurama continued to gaze at the large red moon, her eyes equally red with Itachi's Mangekyo reflected in it. "I am." She affirmed. Over a month of practice and learning had gone into perfecting her mastery over Itachi's Mangekyo.

The moon's red glow began to burn brighter, a black shadow carving over the moon's surface, the reflection of the Mangekyo upon it's surface.

Red chains grew from the moon down into each light around us, with a red chain wrapped around Yakumo's hand as she stretched out to grab it, and I did the same with the other red chain as it manifested.

Inexhaustible works by ensuring one's internal energies never expires, and can be passed along to those I possess a Soul Bond with. This means my retinue, and those I've bound a Contract with, are now no longer limited to the limits of one's chakra reserves.

Tsukuyomi. The Mangekyo Technique that allows one to experience centuries in a single moment.

Reversed Cursed Technique. The ability to heal by multiplying one's Cursed Energy.

Social Club. The ability to manifest dreams into reality for those to whom I have bound to me, merge reality with a dream, and swap what one considers a dream, and what one considers reality.

Yakumo's Bloodline Limit. The ability to make Genjutsu feel so realistic that the brain tricks the body into considering it reality.

Alex Mercer's Hive Mind, the ability to regenerate flesh at the viral level, alongside the ability to pass on one's abilities at the biological level through his Evolved.

Izuku Midoriya's One For All was only needed at the base level with it's ability to store quirks and energy at the meta level, due to it's Stockpile nature, in conjunction with the Hive Mind ensures that the physical death of one member does not lead to True Death. All For One's ability to absorb and understand Quirks alongside the ability to give Quirks can now be passed on through One For All. If my theory is correct, then not only does the quirk get passed on, but remnant's of one mindset, is also passed on.

Because why train each person individually to my level when I can simply give them a copy of myself to do the training for them, and keep an eye on them at the same time? With these abilities, I don't need the Outsider Heritage, the Transhumanism, the Mastermind. I stand above them all as an Entity unto oneself. As long as I don't get cocky.

This was a momentous act. One I'd been preparing for ever since I read Social Club's description thoroughly. This was where we stand as fully capable Tier 8's.

Every single member would now be capable of at least being a Tier 7. Bloodline Limits included, for bloodline limits are what you are born with, and quirks are the same thing, so to All For One, this world is a feast for the taking.

Naruko's moans echoed off the walls as I sucked on her clit, her heavy panting and mewling as she couldn't even muster the words to say anything as I gave one final suck, her back arching as she screamed in release, willingly giving me her everything as she came, her juices tasting absolutely divine as I gulped it down as much as possible.

The quirks of One For All and All For One followed, and the sheer power was absolutely delicious as my own Reversed Curse Technique healed the internal damage as my body adjusted to the insane power of both quirks in one body. Alex Mercer's Blacklight eagerly combed through both of the quirks' biological process, the differences between my brain prior to the quirks' arrival and after, and recreating copies of the physical changes as I lunged up to kiss Naruko hard as she moaned eagerly into my mouth, her hips pushing against me as she tried to push how needy she was to have me inside her, her eyes red as she pushed me over and mounted me, her hips slamming hard against me as she howled in another orgasm.

We passed the quirks between each other, albeit mostly because it gave the orgasms a rush that they didn't have without the process. At some point, Naruko had fully reveled in her Blacklight transformation, her claws lengthening as she roared in orgasm, her pussy clenching around me even tighter as she vibrated, her eyes flickering between colors as she lost control of herself briefly.

The process of passing the Quirks wasn't nearly the same with the others, as I first infected each member with Blacklight with a vial of blood, and then passed the Quirks along once they adjusted to becoming my Evolved. Yakumo had embraced her transformation, growing large horns similar to Ido's, but her face unchanged as she seemed to revel in the power exchange.

Blacklight alone could not infect in a dream, but the Quirk of One For All's Stockpile carried the essence of Blacklight inside it as I was the previous carrier, retroactively making the Blacklight virus transformation physically present. With Tsukuyomi and Yakumo's Bloodline alongside One For All, the brain would order the cells to create new proteins and new changes for the Blacklight virus to be induced, a form of infection.

I had been the first to obtain One For All and All For One, for a reason, because my fragmentary self would act as a filter for the memories and abilities for each Quirk and with each member absorbed into the Hive Mind, all were in effect a part of me, and that allowed my other self to filter through the memories and knowledge, keeping each individual from being overwhelmed and losing their sense of self.

My other self would also lock away knowledge and abilities that wasn't deemed fully ready to be dispersed for the use of the Hive, as Accelerator's power was more of a danger to others if not trained appropriately or used with caution. With this, bloodline limits were no longer limits at all, but amplifications of the whole. The abilities of Accelerator and Gojo Satoru were locked off, but the rest was deemed relatively safe.

Training, knowledge, skills, understanding, was all shared through the mixture of the Hive Mind, the One For All and All For One, and Yakumo's greatly amplified Tsukuyomi, all under the umbrella of Social Club.

Kurama and Isobu, though they were beings made of energy and not true flesh in a sense, were still amplified by All For One and One For All, and thus gained flesh through Blacklight. It was a perversion of Ninshu of the highest order, as understanding was now centralized as a source of power and biological process through Blacklight. Peace through Power and Understanding.

While they still retained their status as bijuu, they were no longer limited by it either. They were now unique entities unto themselves.

With the absorption of the bijuu into the Hive Mind, came an understanding on how to convert chakra into flesh, and back. An instinctual process that the bijuu went through when their Jinchuriki died, was now unlocked, understood, and passed along to the rest.

The two centuries ended with a mastery of skills and abilities, an understanding of how they could wield their powers, baked into the subconscious of their psyche as Social Club allowed me to tweak what could be remembered of the dreams. They would remember nothing consciously.

I preserve their individuality, but raised them to the apex of the abilities between all my retinue. A Gift of both understanding and power.

Sage of Six Paths, this is how you achieve Peace. Understanding without Power renders you unable to enact change when change is necessary without the force to ensure it is possible. Power without Understanding gives it no focus, no direction, and it is easily molded to be directed at the behest of those who hold malicious intentions on how that Power is used.

Peace through Power and Understanding. Peace through conflict and negotiation. One cannot have one without the other.

Through this, I enact my will upon this world! And every world hereafter!

Through all the heavens. Through all the earths. Through all the Hells. Through all the universes I step into from here on after.

I, alone, am the Honored One. But, I am more than the Honored One.

For I am Many. For I am One. For I am All.

I am Meraki.

The Third Hokage sat across from Gojo Satoru, the Hokage desk and hat absent.

Gojo's blue eyes seemed to pierce through the frozen world around them as the Honored One spoke.

"I've bequeathed a Gift to you and those I've deemed worthy. This gift will be considered an... upgrade of sorts to you and yours. You will wake up in your prime, and many abilities and bloodlines once lost to you will be awakened, as well as to those who have been given my gift. You can explain this all away as a subtle S-rank area of effect Jutsu that Tobirama Senju had hidden away that was recently realized when Naruko Uzumaki stumbled across it in Training Ground 7. It's considered a one-time event. A Fuinjutsu that has fully ensured Konoha's survival. His final gift to you all."

Hiruzen found himself flummoxed, and wary. He had not been the Hokage through two wars for nothing, even if he despised the position.

"And what's the price of this Gift?" Hiruzen said warily.

The Honored One snorted. "Already paid. I take care of what's mine, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

The Third Hokage nodded slowly. It was not his place to question the Honored One, but he trusted the man to be selfishly motivated to protect his interests.

Wendy nodded with satisfaction to herself.

Meraki. To put one's soul into one's works. A labor of love, normally for creative purposes. Truly rather poignant for a Mortal Lover of mine. I may have underestimated how far he thought ahead on this. I have already bound myself to not interfere beyond the shell of this world's Shinigami, but this is truly exciting.

The birth of a Truth, a God in mortal flesh. Truly, I cannot wait to mount you myself, Meraki.

Wendy licked her lips as she had to control herself from appearing in front of him and feeling his hands on her horns as she sucked him dry.

A Mortal Lover that could not be driven insane was one thing. A Truth was another thing entirely. A being that embodied a Concept wrapped in mortal flesh. How enticing.

She almost wanted to drag the other bijuu and the mortal who carried around the body of the bijuu to let him finish the job, but alas, she had sworn an oath to not interfere.

She could wait. Mounting a Truth was worth the wait.

She shivered as she clenched her thighs, growling lowly in the silent forest.

Amegakure. The Land of Rain.

The rain never seemed to end here, drenching everything in an icy cold downpour.

The ground was muddy, the very land almost absent of vegetation aside from moss.

Tobi said nothing to the others, his orange mask replaced by a blank white mask with two open holes to allow the Sharingan to peer through. The man's chakra was methodical, but bereft of any inner motion. Tobi was bound by the Contract, but he was merely going through the motions.

Minato Namikaze's icy cold blue eyes showed no remorse or sorrow to what had happened to his former student. His former student had cost him his life, his wife, and even his hopes in the village he had once ruled over.

The blonde hair was dyed black, and the cloak of the Hokage was replaced by a simple black cloak with the only insignia on it being a moon on one side and the sun on the other.

Shisui Uchiha was absent, having been moved to a different location to recruit Itsuki Uchiha, his girlfriend back from when he was alive.

Hashirama Senju stood in his iconic armor. He was the open face of the operation. The First Hokage had been an open pacifist, at least by shinobi standards, so no doubt Pain would at the very least be interested in talking with the man who had a hand created the current broken system of the Five Great Villages.

Hashirama stood carefree in the rain as it soaked his armor and his skin, a carefree smile on his face.

"Mito, this rain reminds me of you." Hashirama said wistfully. The chakra that suffused the rain was masterful, a form of surveillance that rivaled Mito's own Grand Detection Barrier that she had made for Konoha when she arrived.

The rain slowed to a stop, and Hashirama Senju frowned as he saw the seven bodies. Six of them shared the exact same chakra signature, and one did not.

"Why has the long dead First Hokage come to Amegakure?" Pain asked coldly, his rippled eyes betraying the Rinnegan.

"I've heard you are the man to talk to about peace. Madara had his own vision of peace. I had my own vision of peace. Neither of us was successful. I wished to hear yours." Hashirama said honestly.

Konan stilled, her cold face betrayed by her chakra wavering between hope, curiosity, and fear.

"You created the Five Great Villages system. You gathered and then gave out the nine bijuu to the other nations for money. Your vision of peace led to the utter destruction and generational agony of my home and nation. I don't think you've earned the right to ask me about my vision." Pain said with hostility, his eyes narrowed.

Hashirama nodded sadly. "I know. I know, and, I'm sorry, Uzumaki. The price paid is too much, too high. All I ask, is that I meet you and talk to you as kin. Senju and Uzumaki, we are family. 'Family above all else' is the motto of the Uzumaki." He said quietly.

Pain's eyes hardened. Konan's chakra twisted in pain at her friend's reaction.

"Please. Do not do this. This is too close to your nation's homes. Too close to your village. Do not fight me, Uzumaki. For Mito's sake!" Hashirama begged.

"A God has no family." Pain said coldly. A surge of chakra exploded into the body, and Hashirama Senju cried as a blast of chakra hit him.

The blast of the chakra did nothing more than make him stumble, and Hashirama could feel his tears fall into the rain below.

I'm so sorry, Mito. I tried. I really did.

His hands clasped together as his Sage Mode activated.

"Mokuton: Great Forest Emergence."

Then the ground exploded apart in forest and trees, rapidly swallowing up the muddy ground and the trees sucking up all chakra in every living thing it could touch.

The Preta Path stood in front of the Naraka Path, but it couldn't absorb the trees for any longer than a moment as it turned to stone, petrified as the trees ruthlessly crushed the body as it ensnared and consumed the Naraka Path in the same motion.

The Animal Path didn't even get the chance to summon anything as it saw only the briefest moments of a black flicker, and a rasengan into its skull.

The Human Path was easily crushed, by the large thick roots reaching out from under it and dragging it into the ground, never to surface again.

The Asura Path's arms opened to reveal laser cannons, it's head likewise opening up to reveal an even larger laser priming to fire.

It wasn't fast enough to dodge the large green flower that poured acid on top of it, the acid melting through metal and bone as the Asura Path became molten sludge.

The Deva Path had barely recharged its abilities in time and had launched itself high into the air, hovering over the ground as the Deva Path debated releasing a large Shinra Tensei in the area below.

It never had the chance, it's body jerking violently as something seemed to eating it from the inside out as it fell out of the sky, collapsing on a tree with a harsh thud.

"This body will be of interest to the Honored One." Tobi commented coldly, the mokuton growing out of his arm severing the spinal cord of the long dead Yahiko's corpse. One blink, and the body was gone.

In less than a minute, the Six Paths of Pain had lost.

Konan trembled in fear as she saw Nagato's eyes closed in defeat. "Konan. Whatever happens, thank you for being my friend and being with me from the beginning." Nagato said quietly.

Konan shouted at him. "No! Don't say that! We can leave, they don't know where you are! We can try again."

Nagato laughed rasply. "No, Konan. They are already here."

Step. Step. Step.

Hashirama Senju stepped into the dim light, his Sage Mode still active as he looked devastated at Nagato.

"Kin, your body is mutilated! Mito would have my head if I didn't treat you!" Hashirama's voice of stunned horror echoed in the silence.

Nagato snorted. "There is nothing to be done, and you don't need to lie to me, Senju. Where was our kin in the Second Shinobi War when Uzushiogakure was being raided by all four of the Great Villages? Where was our kin when my mother had to flee to the Land of Rain to evade death, only to meet death at the hands of Konoha shinobi!" Nagato spat.

Hashirama's eyes darkened and Konan felt her throat catch as she couldn't breath. The feeling of nature pressing in on all sides, of fungi growing in the lungs as she wheezed and begged for air, of the horror and silent begging for death as the fungi took over her body and piloted her like a meatsuit, as it tore through her eyes and face. The feeling of tree roots drinking her blood slowly as it fed off of her wounds for weeks on end as she begged for a quicker death.

"Tell me if they yet live, and I will avenge your parents." Hashirama vowed darkly.

The feelings vanished and Konan struggled to maintain her composure as all she wanted to do was cry.

Nagato looked puzzled. "I... don't understand." He said slowly. "You would kill Konoha shinobi for what they did to my family? Why?" He clarified at Hashirama's solemn nod.

Hashirama's smile lit up the room as he sighed with nostalgia.

"Mito Uzumaki believed that family came first, above all else. As a young man, I had convinced myself that the village was my family, but when little Susano'o was born, I had my worldview shattered like glass."

Hashirama's voice darkened. "The village judged my son, little Susano'o, for not wanting to be a shinobi. He wanted to be a chef. He loved making food. He loved growing food. He cared nothing for the shinobi way of life. My village did not like that. They bullied him, they kept trying to mock him, kept trying to lie to me about his grades. My son nearly committed suicide at the hands of my village, because he became convinced that him not being a shinobi was a dishonor on me."

"I nearly killed them all." Hashirama's voice echoed, his green eyes glowing as the entire village of Amegakure shook. In the distance, an old rusted skyscraper in the edge of the village was suddenly being grabbed by a large tree that grew around it and squeezed, the screeching sound of rusted metal being crushed and shredded apart until it collapsed into the distance with a large crashing sound in the distance.

A deep breath. The shaking stopped.

"I announced to the village that the Senju Clan was to be dissolved. All my clansmen were encouraged to marry into other Clans and civilians. I announced to them all that being a shinobi is never a requirement, and that I was honored my son felt safe enough to follow his dreams of being a chef in my home. That anyone who made fun of my son, anyone who tried to convince him that he could dishonor me in any way, would feel my wrath as I drove a stake through them and left them to die hanging for days as the bark drained them of life."

Hashirama's glowing green eyes gazed at Nagato, who looked shaken.

"Do not doubt me. I am a peaceful man, but I am not a man to be pushed around for the sake of peace. My hearing you out is a courtesy, kinsman, not a requirement. I was brought back to life by another who shares our vision of truth, but his vision doesn't rely in jutsu to do it."

Nagato blinked, frowning.

"How?" Nagato said doubtfully.

A whisper of motion, and Konan moved to defend Nagato, fear soaking her every muscle, yet she still acted anyway.

Except, it wasn't a motion to attack.

A man appeared in front of them, his white hair and tall frame reminding them of Kakashi Hatake, with the exception of those glowing blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Nagato demanded weakly, his Rinnegan eyes widening in what Konan could only recognize as fear and concern.

"I am here to offer you and Konan a Contract, a way for peace. I intend to destabilize and destroy the Daimyo and the nobles that hold the wealth of the Great Five Villages. With no income, the Great Five cannot wage their wars. I intend to up trade between all the Nations to ensure that wars seems unprofitable and unreasonable to the masses. I have already captured Iwa, Kiri, and Konoha. Suna is nowhere strong enough, and Kumo is setting up it's own downfall."

Nagato's eyes narrowed. "How can you be sure your path to peace is the right one?" He rasped.

The man waved to his left, and Nagato and Konan both stiffened as an orange haired young man coughed as he waved at Nagato and Konan.

"Hey, Nagato. Konan. I've heard that there's been a lot going on in the Akatsuki these days. I hope you guys have been okay without me." Yahiko said solemnly, his face showing a tentative nervous grin to Nagato and Konan.

Konan's face turned red with absolute rage as she turned to the man, ready to attempt to kill him here and now except Nagato... shook his head?

"Yahiko is real. He's alive. The man somehow brought back Yahiko alive and well despite not having the Rinnegan." He muttered to Konan, whose face drained of all color as Yahiko nodded solemnly.

"I'm sorry for how much pain my death caused all of you. I just thought I was doing the right thing." Yahiko said quietly.

"Is that proof enough, Nagato Uzumaki?" The man said abruptly.

Nagato nodded, and Konan blinked as two pieces of paper appeared in front of them. "Sign it, and then I'll restore your body back to it's prime, Nagato Uzumaki."

The piece of paper was absurd, but Nagato had already signed it without a second glance, and so, reluctantly, Konan also signed it. Where Nagato went, she followed.

The machine snapped apart as Nagato found himself on his feet, the rods he'd had impaled in his back for many years now gone as he found himself standing on his own two legs with ease, like he'd never lost them.

"Who are you?" Konan whispered. Even Nagato had resigned himself to this contraption from the Gedo Statue.

"I am Meraki. I will return in a few month's time for the Gedo Statue, and I will call for you then. In the mean time, you will find I may send you or Nagato on a recruitment for the Akatsuki, and some other missions in the background. It was a pleasure meeting you face to face."

The man vanished, and abruptly Konan found herself being hugged by Yahiko.

"Konan, I don't want to die a virgin again." Yahiko whispered into her ear.

She sighed as she turned into paper, reforming several feet away as Yahiko pouted at her.

"Yep, that's Yahiko alright." She groaned to Nagato, who laughed in the background, a smile tugging on her lips as Nagato sounded more care-free and happy than he'd been in decades.

Thank you, Meraki.