?￢ﾜ ? ~ Chapter Fifteen — Confrontation of Truth ~ ?￢ﾜ ?ￂﾠ
Black opened to bright; bright faded to white. Each second, her chest ached beat to the beat of her heart. Her head throbbed. With a groan, Kusari sat up. The firm mattress she sat on shifted, and the sheets over her fell.
The throb of her head clouded her thoughts. She simply stared at the hospital room she was in. How did I get in here…?
She smelled of soot. Was she in a battle? Kusari blinked. Her brows furrowed. Sasuke… Yes, I did fight him. He lacks the strength to hospitalize me, though. However, her heart ached with every beat. Did he stab me?
Kusari brought her hand to her heartbeat. There was no wound, no bandages that she felt. No… Sasuke didn't stab me. The way her head throbbed was the same way it hurt after she fought Clanless.
Was her seal used—? IT WAS!
The one-eyed elder. He tried to kill her. The Main Branch attempted to murder her. Kusari welcomed the rising fury. She nearly ripped the bedsheets from how hard she clenched them in her fists.
Each breath she took fueled the raging inferno inside of her. Part of that anger may not have been hers, but it was on this day that she'd claim it. She hated how wrong she was about her destiny.
She was too ignorant to know her destiny before this moment. Too childish and blind. That changed today.
Her destiny was clear to her now. Slavery to the Main Branch was a disgraceful fate.
One that was hers no longer.
If she had a say, it would be the fate of her brothers and sisters in the Branch Family no longer.
She was born from blood, and so was her clan. It would be blood that they would both end in. I will be the vengeance of all wrong the Main Branch has committed.
It was her, Kusari Hyuuga, that would bring the Main Branch to its knees.
By any means necessary.
—⊱✿⊰—
No, no, no… Miya chanted with worry widening her eyes. "Dammit!" Her fists clenched as she looked upon the battlefield. Runa sat beside her and smelled the air.
"It happened roughly an hour ago," informed the feline. "Your little detour didn't make a difference."
Runa truly knew her well. Her words didn't stop the rising guilt, nor the rage. "Runa, where is Ryu and where are those after him?"
"Ryujin is to the southwest, and his hunters are toward the east," she answered.
Miya nodded. "We're going east."
"You're hunting them down?"
"Yes," Miya confirmed, walking toward the direction where the sun rose. "They won't get anywhere near him again."
Runa leapt in front of her and led the way. "Once the battle starts, I'll have to leave."
"I know." Miya gazed on the horizon ahead. She vowed that she was going to kill Ryu when she saw him next. It was this feeling that she hated so much. The constant lump in her throat, the churning of her stomach, the never ending string of worst-case scenarios…
Quickly, Miya shook her thoughts away. Focus. Get Ryu home.
With that, she made a clone. The clone began to draw a complex yet compressed sealing matrix on her hand.
"You're going to use Infinity? You don't even know how powerful the assailants are; it could end up being a waste," Runa advised.
Miya shook her head. "I don't care; I need to get the fight done as fast as possible."
"I understand, but you could just use Adamantine Mode along with your usual seals," she argued. "It takes up half of your Uzumaki Chakra reserves."
"I already said that I don't care, Runa," Miya answered, frustration rising. "Even if there are more opponents, I still have half of my chakra to use."
Runa sighed. "Alright…"
—⊱✿⊰—
Knuckles cracked from the force of Yoru's clenched fist. Nearly half of his squad was dead and the remainder were injured. On top of that, that bastard Hiyenzo took Granite. Not even the hand of his wife on his shoulder could calm him.
"I swear I'm going to rip that Bijuu out of him and watch him die with a smile on my face," seethed Yoru.
Hosu sighed. "We'll get our opportunity when they're all rested and healed."
"No," he spat, and Hosu raised her brow as Yoru walked forward toward the remainder of his squad. "All of you! Go home!"
"Yoru?!" she spattered. "You can't be serious?!"
Yoru looked down at his wife. "I'm not putting any more Iwa lives at risk. They're not strong like we are."
"What you're doing is foolish!" she bit back.
He shook his head. "I don't care. We're going to save Granite, and then we're gonna rip the Kyuubi out of him." A sudden chuckle escaped his breath. "Anyway, it's not like we can't beat him by ourselves."
"We failed to beat him with a full squad and the element of surprise!" Hosu argued.
"But were we going all out? Us two?" asked Yoru with a sly smirk.
Her eyes widened. "With that jutsu?!"
"Yes," he affirmed. "Granite will be saved and Hiyenzo will die. No matter what it takes."
Hosu let out a sigh, shaking her head. "If this mission fails Yoru…" she muttered with a warning tone.
She didn't need to finish her threat. "I understand," Yoru said, before looking toward the squad of injured ANBU. Who was still there, staring at him like he grew a second head. "Hey! I told you all to go home!"
With a start, the ANBU nodded. Then, in a dozen flickers, they left.
Yoru took a deep breath. "Let's not waste any more time."
—⊱✿⊰—
For once in his life, Shinrai willingly entered a hospital. He cut his research dive short the moment he heard people whispering about one of the Hyuuga's prodigies being hospitalized.
He needed to see if Kusari was alright. Irritably, Shinrai waited at the front desk, quickly tapping at the counter. Because of his reputation as one of the Demon Twins, he knew that would delay his entry into the hospital as long as possible.
He was a 'bad omen.' What didn't help was the monotonous white that encased him. White walls, white floors, white ceiling, white light… I fucking hate this place. When it came to his friend—when it came to Kusari, it didn't matter. He'd suffer through it.
"Excuse me, are you Shinrai Uzumaki?" asked the soft voice of a girl.
Chills went down his spine as he looked at her. She was a Hyuuga, her pale lavender eyes were a dead giveaway. Her hair was cut short with the raven of it shining in the hospital's artificial light.
That wasn't what unsettled him, however. It was her outfit, her demeanor. She wore nearly all white. It looked like a nurse. The pale lavender stripes on her outfit stared at him like her similarly colored analytical eyes. It was as if every part of her was picking every part of him apart.
Her body was as still as a pond. Nothing could be read except for what she displayed. Just the small smile on her face, which her twin bangs framed all attention to. The focus reflected in her irises, insinuated by her pupilless gaze. The blue flowers in her grasp somehow made it worse.
He recognized her from the time he saw Ms. Miya with her Genin team. That meant she had to be nice, right? His gut was telling him otherwise. "Yes… I am," he finally answered.
"Good." She bowed her head as a sign of respect.
That's never happened before… he murmured. She was a Main Branch member by the looks of it; there was nothing on her forehead. She even wore her headband around her neck.
"I am Hinata Hyuuga," she continued, picking her head up and looking Shinrai in the eyes. "I want you to give these to Kusari," she said, handing him the flowers. He slowly took them. "Tell her that these are on behalf of the Main Branch of the Hyuuga. As an apology and condolences."
"O…kay," accepted Shinrai. "Thanks?"
"You are welcome," she responded without missing a beat. "I wish you well," were Hinata's last words to him before she left.
Shinrai was left alone with the flowers. He finally felt like he could breathe again. Kusari's stories about the Main Branch were right… they're scary as fuck.
A few minutes later, he was finally permitted entry into Kusari's hospital room. He went up a couple flights of stairs and knocked on the door five minutes later.
"Come in, Shinrai," she called through the door.
He furrowed his brow. How did she know it was me?! Oh—right, Byakugan. She can see through walls… Wait. Can she see through clothes?! Oh my… If I could do that I would NOT use it like that because I'm not a sex offender.
Shinrai banished his thoughts away and opened the door. Kusari wasn't visibly injured, even though there was a bandage where her headband would be. Did she hit her head? I hope her personality isn't changed…
"You got me flowers?" asked Kusari. There was almost flattery to her tone. He even saw her lips curl into a small smile.
A twinge of guilt hit Shinrai. "No… these aren't from me."
"From who then?" she asked next, her smile gone.
Shinrai walked over and sat on the seat next to her bed. "Uh, I'm pretty sure you know Hinata Hyuuga, right?"
Her demeanor shifted. Once again Shinrai was struggling to breathe in the presence of a Hyuuga girl. Despite that, he cleared his throat and kept talking. "Well, she gave me these while I was waiting to be let in, and she said that these are 'an apology and condolences on behalf of the Main Branch of the Hyuuga.'"
"Throw them away," Kusari commanded bluntly. Her tone made Shinrai flinch.
Shinrai scratched the back of his head. "Uh… if you don't like them, then can I have 'em?" He examined the flowers. "These are pretty nice…"
"Throw them away," Kusari repeated. "You don't deserve flowers from them. You're too good for the Main Branch."
Shinrai frowned, then he tossed the bouquet into the nearby trash can. "Yeah, I can tell why you don't like the Main Branch. That Hinata girl is terrifying…"
"Terrifying?" she questioned, looking at Shinrai as if he was crazy. "She's the farthest thing from scary. She's the human embodiment of a disappointment."
"Well, damn—" Shinrai sputtered. A beat of silence passed before Shinrai changed the subject. "Are you okay?"
Kusari shrugged. "I shouldn't be here long. I was hurt worse in Grass."
"Ah…" murmured Shinrai. "That's good at least. Do you mind telling me what happened…?" he attempted to push.
"I do mind," she responded with a furious edge to her undertone.
"That bad, huh?" Shinrai sighed. "I get it."
"Do you really?" she asked, almost condescendingly.
"Probably. I can't know for sure since you won't tell me. But I can relate to the rage."
Kusari shook her head. "I doubt you can."
"Mhm," Shinrai falsely agreed. "It's totally not like seeing people ridicule and hate the only person that you care about and barely being able to do anything about it won't piss you the fuck off."
Shinrai paused for a bit, gripping Yora's hilt. I can't believe I'm gonna say this out loud. "Or, how about seeing the first person who cared about you on a deeper level stabbed through the heart in front of you."
With that, Kusari's eyes widened. She shut them. "I'm sorry… You may be able to understand the rage I feel, but all the rage you feel is yours."
"Is the anger you're feeling not yours?" Shinrai guessed with a raised brow. How the hell does that even work?
Kusari paused. Silence fell. "I've… said too much."
"Sorry for pushing," mumbled Shinrai, eager to change the subject. The room felt heavy. "Can you see through clothes?" he asked, not allowing the quiet to settle.
Kusari cleared her throat, visibly affected by the whiplash of topic. "Excuse me?!"
"Can you. See through. Clothes?" repeated Shinrai slowly.
Kusari let out an exasperated sigh. "I can, but I choose not to."
"Oh, so you've never looked through mine?"
"No?!" she answered, staring at Shinrai incredulously. "Why in the world would I want to do that?!"
Shinrai placed a hand to his heart in faux offense. "Not gonna lie; that hurt my feelings."
Kusari let out an exasperated breath. "The door."
"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" he pleaded, placing his hands together.
"No, seriously. I would appreciate some more time to think."
Shinrai dropped his playful act. "Oh. Well, feel better soon!" he said before standing up from his chair.
Kusari let out a small smile. "Thank you."
Warmth swelled in Shinrai's chest as he grinned. "Of course!"
With that, Shinrai exited the room. First, tell Gosei about what happened. Second, track down my final lead.
Shinrai's trip to the library—while cut short—proved useful.
It didn't matter that the Hokage told him to stop. He deserved answers.
And answers he would get.
—⊱✿⊰—
With their legs crossed, Natsuyo and Gosei sat on the still pond. Their breath was controlled to the most miniscule action and even more.
"The Senju's connection to Senjutsu is like no other," Yosei began, sitting identically to her children. The only difference between them was that Yosei's form was beyond refined compared to the two. There was no wasted movement.
With a single inhale, red rings appeared around Yosei's eyes, centered with a golden dot on her forehead, which matched her now similarly colored eyes. "This is what's known as Sage Mode."
"That's so cool!" Natsuyo gawked with widened eyes.
"Is that what we'll be learning?" Gosei asked, barely confining the awe that rang in his tone that was clear in his face. Such power… he muttered, feeling the pressure of his mother's mere presence weigh on him.
With an exhale, the marks faded and Yosei's eyes returned to green. "No, not at the moment." Gosei nodded and Natsuyo pouted. "This is your ultimate goal when it comes to meditation."
"I see…" murmured Gosei.
"Your current goal is image training," Yosei informed.
Natsuyo gasped in recognition. "Oh! I've heard of this!"
"You have?" questioned Gosei. Then how do I not know about this…?
"You haven't Gosei?" asked their mother.
"No…"
"I'm surprised," she noted. He huffed. "Image training is a technique used to train without moving a muscle. You close your eyes, focus every bit of your mind, and then you train using the imagery that you control. It's close to the concept of a self-inflicted Genjutsu. For it to work, you need to believe that it's real.
"Of course, it doesn't train your body, but it sharpens your mind, increases your chakra control, and can allow you to learn jutsu faster," Yosei explained while her kids nodded along.
Gosei closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and did as his mother said. Focus… The black of his closed eyes turned white. He looked down, he could see his hands, he could feel his breathing… It was almost like a fever dream.
He blinked and he could feel it. He didn't hear the sounds of the outside. Gosei snapped. He could hear it. "Woah…" he murmured. Suddenly, the white cracked into black. His eyes widened and his chakra spiked.
The illusion shattered, and he was back into reality. Gosei opened his eyes to see his mother looking at Natsuyo. She was straining, using her physical body to focus.
"My daughter, that's not how it works," she said with what was almost a chuckle. "Pretend that your body doesn't exist. Your brother almost had it." Yosei turned her focus toward him. "Try again and keep your focus this time."
Nodding, Gosei closed his eyes once again. Keep my focus. The irony of his sentence was revealed when his name was called by a fourth Senju entering. All three looked toward the entrance of the Senju Garden to see the third eldest Senju sibling, Shido.
"Yes?" Gosei greeted, irritated in both tone and expression.
Shido pulled at his collar. "Your teammate came, one of the Demon Twins. He said that Kusaro…? Whatever her name is—well she's in the hospital."
"What?!" he exclaimed instinctively standing. "Mother, can I go visit?"
Yosei gave a nod of approval.
"Oh! He also said to make sure to get her flowers," Shido added.
"Alright," responded Gosei as he sped walked across the water. He reached the part of the Senju Garden which lived up to the image one would have in their head. It was a dirt path surrounded by all sides by countless rainbows of flowering plants.
Petunias, he thought, picking out three light pink flowers from the garden. Hope, healing, and vitality. He turned behind him and picked two flowers of lavender. Purity, peace, and healing. Lastly, he picked two small white flowers. Jasmine. Strength, health, and beauty.
He wrapped his bouquet together with a vine, and with that, he set off to Konoha's Shinobi hospital. It didn't take long for him to reach it. He was in a rush, after all. Just what in the hell happened to her? She better be alright.
His Senju prestige granted him near instant check in and authorization to enter. He quickly traveled to her room and knocked on her door.
"Come in," she answered.
He opened and entered, narrowing his eyes. She looked… largely okay. But it was externally. Internally, it could be a different story. "Were you in a training accident? With the Juken?"
"I was not…" she murmured. "I don't wish to say what happened."
Gosei huffed. "Alright." He presented her with his hand-picked bouquet. "These are for you! I wish you a quick and successful recovery."
"Thank you," she said, a small—yet crystal clear—smile on her face as she took them. "Where did you get these?" she murmured as she examined them.
Gosei smirked. "The Senju Garden."
"Wow, it must be beautiful if flowers like these are there," Kusari muttered, not taking her eyes off of the hypnotizing flora.
Gosei's smirk turned to a reminiscing smile. "It is."
A few beats of silence passed. Kusari was clearly deep in contemplation, not about the flowers. It was something deeper, evident by her hard expression.
The Senju's suspicion only grew. What happened with her…?
"Gosei," she slowly began, every syllable enunciated as clearly as possible. "What makes you love your clan?"
If this were any other situation, Gosei would've answered without hesitation. Not right now. Why would she ask such a question…? I'll answer and see what happens.
"I love my clan because they are all I've been and all I ever will be. I wouldn't be strong if I weren't a Senju, mentally or physically. If I weren't a Senju, I wouldn't be noble or rich. Everything that I have is because I am a Senju. To feel anything less than love would be ungrateful."
Kusari nodded steadily as she quickly processed the answer, still not looking at him. "You told me in Grass that despite your love for Clan, you've felt disappointment and shame come from it, no?"
"You're right…" he affirmed with narrowing eyes. What is she getting at?
"If you feel comfortable answering, what is the farthest that it has gone?"
Gosei's gaze intensified. "It was the Main Branch that put you here, wasn't it?"
"Answer my question, Gosei," she ordered, the rising rage in her undertone clear.
That was all the confirmation he needed. "I also said in Grass that despite any ill will one harbors toward their clan, it is no excuse to go against them."
Kusari glared at Gosei; it was one so intense that he had to hold back the urge to flinch. With a sigh, she shook her head and looked away. "You know nothing…"
"I obviously know more than you when it comes to loyalty," Gosei snapped, earning a side-eye from his teammate. "When push comes to shove, you'll always value yourself over anyone else. When Shinrai and I were feuding, you immediately fell into acts of deception to suit your needs if we didn't conform to what you wanted."
Kusari remained silent, but she didn't need words to turn the room's mood heavy on its head. All it took was a side-eyed glare. One that Gosei disregarded as he leaned forward in his seat.
"So, of course, the moment your clan slights you in any way, you turn against them. I am here now to tell you not to. You must learn the value of loyalty and this here is your test. You need to see that," lectured Gosei with a parental tone.
All Kusari did in response was chuckle. Gosei narrowed his eyes. She sighed away her laughter and fully turned her head toward him. Despite her previous amusement, her face was cold, with no signs of playfulness.
"I envy you, Gosei. To be able to live such a life where you could believe such a fantasy…" she said simply.
He furrowed his brow. The hell does she mean by that? "I'm just trying to help you!"
"I'm aware," Kusari informed. Her tone was hard, controlled—yet it radiated heat, like a freshly tempered blade. "That is why I haven't yelled at you to leave yet."
Gosei shook his head incredulously. "Kusari—"
"—I am a slave, Gosei," she spat.
The words slammed into him like a truck. Is this because of the book?! He sucked his teeth. "The vocabulary in that book was an exaggeration!"
"They were not," she disagreed. "I thought they were when I first read them, but I've since learned otherwise. I am not the only slave of the Hyuuga." Kusari pointed to the bandages that wrapped her forehead. "Every member who bears this mark is a slave.
"The Main Branch tells the world that the seal exists to protect the secrets of the Byakugan. Why don't the Main Branch have it? Oh, that is simply because the Main Branch is strong enough to protect the Byakugan without precautions."
Kusari's glare raged unlike a glare he'd ever seen in his life. Not from his mother, not from Shinrai, not even from the boy that haunted him under his sensei's Genjutsu. He didn't think such hate was possible.
It sent shivers to his very core.
He knew better than to speak until she was done.
"Every word they speak is a lie," Kusari seethed. "The only reason the seal exists is for control. The Uchiha never needed a seal. Why would the Hyuuga? Even with the Caged Bird, Kiri has a Byakugan in their possession. Their 'precautions' are useless.
"I will be under the Main Branch's control no longer," Kusari declared, calming herself with a sigh. "Please do not speak on things that you do not understand, Gosei. Even your knowledge is limited."
Gosei let out a shaky breath as the weight of the room lifted. She's just as terrifying as my mother. How?! She has no authority over me, nor can she defeat me in battle. He paused. Can she?!
The Senju sighed. "I apologize for my ignorance," he said before standing. This is the honorable thing to do. "I'll go learn more about your clan, and then I'll be able to talk you out of this hatred you have once I have sufficient knowledge.
"I am sorry for any negative experiences you may have had with the concept of clan hood. It is something beautiful, I assure you." He pointed to the bouquet of flowers he gave her. "It puts even the Senju Garden to shame."
Kusari simply shook her head. "If you look in your history books, all you'll see are more of the Main Branch's lies."
Gosei hummed in response to her words. "Goodbye, Kusari. May your recovery be swift."
"Thank you," she murmured, then Gosei left her alone. He needed to return to his training.
—⊱✿⊰—
Aiko didn't have any luck finding Kusari or Gosei. She did take a trip to the library; she saw Shinrai… and didn't dare to approach him. At the mere thought, melancholic guilt rose up inside of her. She knew it was hopeful to think a simple cry would get all of her feelings and emotions out… A heavy sigh blew the hair in front of her as she walked down the street. She looked at the books she picked up. Three books about basic fitness and training.
She wouldn't exactly call herself unfit or lazy, but she certainly wasn't active, either. I hope this isn't too difficult, she murmured. Not that any difficulty would dis-wade her; if anything, that just meant she'd get stronger. Right? Isn't that how it works?
Aiko sighed. This would be so much easier if Ryu was here…
But he wasn't there. She had to operate under the assumption that Ryu was dead. The mere thought broke her heart. No, he's not dead. He's not dead. He's alive, and he's gonna come back.
After all, she couldn't just laze around until his return—which might not even happen. She needed to start somewhere. Even if it was in a studio apartment, with barely any space. I mean, I could train outside?
At that thought, a drop of sweat rolled into her eye. She yelped at the burn, wiping it away with her arm, which was also sweating. Lord, it's evening, and it's still so hot!
If there was one thing she didn't miss about Konoha, it was the sweltering heat. It was called the Land of Fire for a reason… Let me hurry up and get inside.
Fifteen minutes later, she was in her studio again. Immediately, she sat down and read. She analyzed the first routine in the book. It didn't seem too difficult, though she was cautious.
Twenty-five pushups, she murmured. With a shrug, she placed her open book down on the nearby bed and got into the pushup position. It was as good an imitation of the diagram in the book as she could get.
She bent her arms down until her nose touched the floor, then she pushed up until her elbows locked. She did it again, then one more time, but she paused. Her arms were burning and her wrists hurt.
Only on the third pushup.
There were twelve more workouts she had to do after this.
Aiko groaned but continued nonetheless.
—⊱✿⊰—
Ryujin found himself in a cave once again. He didn't find this cave, however. He made it. Well, Kelhaar made it, but he was gone now, so Ryujin took the credit. Unlike last time, however, he wasn't alone, of course discounting the fox's company.
An ANBU with a granite texture mask squirmed against his ninja wire restraints. They cut into his skin every time he moved and it only caused him more pain. "I would recommend that you stop hurting yourself. I'll put you through enough pain to last you a lifetime."
"What do you want with me?!" he shouted. "What reason do you have to take a hostage in this scenario?!"
Ryujin chuckled, examining his nails. "I have my reasons."
The cold, shrill tone the Jonin used sent chills down the ANBU's spine. "Whatever it is, you won't find much use out of it!"
"I doubt that…" Ryujin murmured before weaving a short series of hand seals. He slapped his hand onto the ANBU's chest and his chakra was zapped from him. Making sure not to kill him, he removed his hands once the ANBU was at about a tenth of his chakra.
It wasn't much, but it'll manage. Ryujin slapped the seal holding the enemy's chakra onto his chest, and it was transferred into his system. The raw chakra revitalized his own—which was previously damaged by the Four Tails—and he let out a breath. I should be able to use the One Tail without too much trouble now.
The Kyuubi scoffed in his head, Ryujin ignored it. Instead, he knelt down to the level of ANBU. With a glare, his eyes slit to crimson and the Kyuubi's aura cracked the rock of the cave.
"To make this easier, what should I call you?" asked the Jinchuriki.
No response.
Ryujin brought his clawed hands up to the ANBU's mask, and slowly scratched at the rock texture. "Different villages have different naming schemes for their ANBU. For Konoha, it's animals. Iwa has different types of rock."
The sound of claws against rock was equivalent to nails on a chalkboard. "Granite, I assume?"
Silence.
Ryujin split his face with a fanged grin. "Not talkative today, hm?"
Granite didn't make a sound nor move a muscle. His silver eyes seemed to glow from behind his mask like twin moons.
The single finger gave way to a full hand that grabbed Granite's face. He grunted as his mask cracked under the force of Ryujin's grip. His clawed hand seethed with crimson chakra that seeped into Granite's being.
"Information travels at a low-end Shinobi rate. It should've taken at least two days for word to reach Iwa from Grass about my presence. Not hours. It becomes even more strange when you consider the fact that depending on where Roshi's location was, he would've known long before hours. Roshi would've needed at least a day's notice to track me.
"The timeline doesn't match up when you take into account how quickly I left Grass after taking down Blade. Unless he knew I was there beforehand, he wouldn't have caught me before I entered the Land of Fire. How did you track me?"
Ryujin's predatory eyes glinted with the devil's temptation, peering straight into Granite's eyes. The ANBU's eyes glowed in kind. "Genjutsu of this level won't work on me!"
With a burst of silver chakra, Ryujin's hand was knocked off of Granite's head. Crumbs of the mask fell to the floor and the formerly black eye holes glowed a lunar white.
"You're a Genjutsu specialist, aren't you? The Silver Eyes technique of Iwa is too recognizable," he muttered. Based on his emotional state and feelings, he should've been the weakest one there. He shouldn't have the strength to knock me off of him.
Granite returned to silence.
"If you're not going to talk, then I have no use for you anymore," Ryujin stated as his eyes glowed.
Granite hung his head. "It has been an honor to serve Iwagakure. I wouldn't have chosen to die any other way."
With that, Ryujin knocked Granite in the neck, punishing him into unconsciousness. Sighing, he deactivated his Kyuubi chakra.
That Granite had one more thing he could be used for…
—⊱✿⊰—
Night fell and Shinrai glared at the sky. That same overcast blanket of clouds shrouded over the sky. He was at the end of his line, his final straw. Kusari's injury didn't exactly do well for his mood.
Shinrai was truly grateful for the ability to mask his emotions.
Shaking his head, a cynic's chuckle escaped his breath. He was too hard on Ryu before; he had to admit. Ryu didn't tell him nothing… he gave him a name.
Danzo.
A quick trip to the library—after transforming into his brother, with permission, of course—gave him a surname.
Danzo Shimura. He was on the Genin team of The Sandaime alongside Kagami Uchiha. Beyond that, information on him was scarcer than Orochimaru. However, he did know that Danzo had some sort of interest in him.
It was probably because he was somehow directly associated with one of the biggest criminals in Konoha's history. Danzo told him to stay away from the Uchiha as a boy. He somehow knew that they would kidnap him. That meant he knew of his possibility to awaken the Sharingan.
Logically, it didn't make sense that it was just the Sharingan that he had. If that were the case, someone as important as Danzo likely was wouldn't need to take the time out of his day to personally make sure he stayed away from the Uchiha.
There was an Uchiha on his Genin team, which meant he had some deeper understanding of the clan… probably. He didn't know shit about the Senju, and he doubted he knew much more about the Hyuuga than the average Shinobi.
Maybe Danzo was a better teammate than he was—hopefully Danzo was a better teammate. He needed an explanation.
Well, that was why he stood in this field at midnight. With nobody but his blades for company. Shinrai inhaled. "DANZO SHIMURA!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"I know you're one of the Hokage's advisors! I know you're in the shadows somewhere like you always were when I was younger!" he continued to yell. "Come to me again! Please! I need your help! I need answers! You warned me to stay away from the Uchiha when I was younger and you were right!"
No response.
Shinrai's fists clenched.
"DANZO PLEASE!" he pleaded. "You were right then! I know you'll be right now! Help me—save me like you did then!"
Silence ensued.
Shinrai growled and punched the nearest tree. It split in two. Dammit, dammit, dammit—"DAMMIT!" screamed the desperate boy. He was out of breath, and his throat ached from his minute straight of screaming.
"Lord Danzo has accepted your request to see him."
Shinrai whipped his head back to see an ANBU. It was no regular ANBU, however. Her outfit was different—darker… like shadow itself knit into armor. He could barely make out the abstract fire tattoo on the woman's shoulder.
"He wants to see me?" questioned Shinrai.
The ANBU nodded.
Nothing could hold back the smile that crossed Shinrai's face. "Take me to him."
His world went black.
In what felt like an instant, he awoke. However, his environment was entirely different. He knew that he was hit, yet his neck wasn't sore. With his perfectly functioning neck, he looked around.
He was in a torch-lit room with silver walls. Behind him was a hallway that went on for seemingly forever. In front of him was an ebony-wood desk in front of rows of bookshelves. They were filled to the brim with scrolls, nothing else.
Sitting at the desk was a man wrapped in bandages like a fucking mummy.
"Danzo…" Shinrai greeted, standing to face him.
"Lord Danzo," corrected the elder, his tone utterly unreadable.
"I'm sorry," apologized Shinrai. He got the feeling that he couldn't be as nonchalant as he usually was around him. Using his better judgment, he listened to his feelings.
Danzo sat as still as a statue. His unnerving gaze analyzed Shinrai, picking apart every detail like scavengers on a carcass. "Why did you want to see me?"
"I would like answers," Shinrai began, keeping his tone as cordial as he could. "Actually, before that. I would like to thank you for saving my life… with the whole Uchiha thing."
"It was simply my duty to protect a member of this village. No matter the cost," responded Danzo. He slowly leaned forward in his chair. It didn't make a sound. "What answers do you seek?"
Shinrai stiffened as he felt the elder's gaze intensify. "I want to know my past… I know that it involves Orochimaru. It's something big, the Hokage said that himself. Nobody's told me anything yet. I've had to dig for scraps of my own history—a part of who I am. I just want to know."
"So, the Hokage refused to tell you about your past," Shimura began."Yet, even still you go behind his back to go directly against what he said?" questioned Danzo. A slight narrowing of his one visible eye completely shifted the mood in the room.
Chills rattled his body. "Uh…" he started, a drop of sweat rolling down his face. Shinrai clenched his fists and his resolve hardened. Own up to it. "Yes. I did."
"I see," was his only response… at first. "Despite being the Hokage, even Hiruzen's wisdom has limits. We have our disagreements," disclosed the elder.
Shinrai hummed. "Am I one of them?"
"Indeed," Danzo said before he stood. "You have the potential to be this village's most powerful Shinobi. Your brother only rivals you because of the Kyuubi. I'd say that your potential surpasses even the Uchiha heir."
"Sasuke?" questioned Shinrai. He hated that he didn't believe Shimura's words.
Danzo nodded, walking over to Shinrai. "However, Hiruzen thought it best to keep you in the dark about your past. Your true potential. Because of that you haven't been able to fulfill it."
"So, what is my full potential?" asked Shinrai with a raised brow.
Danzo walked past Shinrai, inclining him to follow. Shinrai did so. "You already know about the Uchiha blood that flows through your veins."
He gave a stiff nod. "I am… how did you know that I was?"
"There is not a happening I'm unaware of in this village," said Danzo, leading Shinrai into the shelves of scrolls.
"I see…"
Danzo stopped, pulling out a single scroll. "You were made to be Orochimaru's perfect vessel."
"What?!" spattered Shinrai.
"Orochimaru's obsession with learning every single jutsu and immortality came to a head about a decade ago. One of his greatest frustrations was Kekkei Genkai. He hated how he would never be able to learn those jutsu because he was simply born unlucky," began Danzo.
Shinrai listened intently, narrowing his eyes.
"His obsession with immortality drove him to create a jutsu where he could steal the body of any target he chose. He quickly figured out that he could use that jutsu to access the Kekkei Genkai that he longed for. Orochimaru knew that there was no one person that held all Kekkei Genkai in the world."
Silence rose and chills consumed Shinrai's being.
"Orochimaru decided to make that person. He consumed himself in research and human experimentation. It didn't take him long to realize that most Shinobi would die if he experimented on them the way he truly wished. Their bodies simply couldn't handle it."
"...But the body of an Uzumaki could," Shinrai realized.
Danzo nodded, confirming Shinrai's theory. The elder handed Shinrai the scroll he removed from the shelf. "Orochimaru kidnapped a family of Uzumaki. Your family, Shinrai. He killed your parents, they were older than he wished. Orochimaru needed a young body—your body. A body that would last him an immortal's lifetime."
Shinrai's chilled skin crawled as he gripped the scroll.
"Orochimaru didn't allow the bodies of your parents to be wasted. He took their chakra and melded it with yours, amplifying your reserves, your latent potential, and all Uzumaki attributes of yours exponentially. Killing you would be as difficult as killing a cockroach."
Holding the scroll close, Shinrai swallowed. "What else?"
"As you know, he spliced the genes of the Uchiha within you. I performed a blood test on you before you awoke to see exactly what you were made of. Orochimaru selected nothing but the most prodigious blood for you to have. The blood of Itachi Uchiha."
The words slammed into Shinrai. He let out a breath and stepped back. "Huh?!"
"Not only that, but I've also discovered slithers of Kyuubi Chakra inside of you," added Danzo.
Shinrai grabbed on to that information as to not think about the Clan Killer's blood in his veins. "Okay, that makes sense, at least. I was around Naruto for a while…"
"No, it was before you ever met your brother. Upon further inspection, it was Yin heavy chakra. My theory is that when Hiyenzo and Orochimaru were still on good terms, the latter asked for the former's Kyuubi Chakra. Unbeknownst to Hiyenzo, Orochimaru put that chakra inside of you."
Furrowing his brows with a grunt, he let out another breath. "How much do I have…?"
"I don't know. It's too deeply melded with your chakra for me to give an accurate estimation," Danzo admitted.
Shinrai nodded. "Is there anything else?"
"No, that is all."
Shinrai let out a deep, ragged sigh. "What's the scroll for?"
"It's all the history I've managed to find on your parents," Danzo answered.
Shinrai's eyes widened as he stared at the scroll in his grasp.
"It also contains a couple of jutsu that they once knew," added the elder.
Shinrai clenched the scroll in his fist. "Thank you… so much."
"You may keep it under one condition."
Shinrai looked up at Danzo. "What is it?"
"You do not tell anyone about this encounter. The information you learned is yours, but you can not disclose that it was from me, understood?" Danzo's look somehow became colder as he divulged the terms.
Shinrai, however, smiled in response. "Understood."
"Very well," Danzo said. "Before you go, give me your wrist."
Without question, Shinrai stuck out his right wrist, allowing his crimson sleeve to fall and expose the skin. Danzo placed two fingers on it, and a small sealing matrix appeared in black. It disappeared just as quickly.
"Send chakra to that seal should you ever need me again," Danzo explained. "If I ever need you, you'll feel it there."
Shinrai pulled his wrist back and saluted with the same hand. "Yes, sir!"
"Goodbye, Shinrai Uzumaki."
Everything went black once again.
In the same instant, Shinrai awoke. The scroll was in his hand, his neck was unharmed, and his back laid on the grass. He looked up to see the same clouded night sky.
It was the same exact field that he called Danzo in. He looked to his right and saw a tree punched in half. Sitting up, Shinrai grinned and held the scroll close to him.
Man, Lord Danzo is actually pretty cool. Kind of scary, but cool! Reminds me of Ryu, actually. Shinrai groaned at the mention of his sensei. He better come back soon…
—⊱✿⊰—
I should be getting close to home, Ryujin muttered under the dark of night. Granite was slung against his shoulder. There was no use in killing him; Konoha's T&I could get more out of him than he could.
If his Kyuubi and Genjutsu failed, then there was nothing more he could do. That was what happened. He could've tortured him… but he decided against it. It wasn't his style. I just need to keep him unconscious for a few more hours.
He wished he could pick up the pace. Even with Granite's chakra, he was still greatly susceptible to the Kyuubi's influence. Ryujin clenched his fists. The moment he got back to Konoha, he was gonna train.
I am going to get the Four Tails under control.
The Kyuubi chuckled at the declaration.
As he did many times before, he discarded the Kyuubi. The thought of each second, each moment he wasted in his life, flooded into his mind once again. All those years he was asleep… idiotic enough to think that he was enough.
Until he tamed the demon inside, he would never be enough.
His ears twitched. Shards of bark flew. Ryujin instinctively used Granite as a human shield to block the incoming attack. It never came.
The hair on his neck rose as crystalline senbon grazed it. With a roar, a boiling eruption of the Kyuubi's chakra lit the midnight forest crimson. Two presences of aggression were on either side of him.
He swung his sole tail at the presence behind him. All he hit was a tree. Blood spewed from Ryujin's shoulder as it was skewered by a spear of quartz. More blood was forced from Ryujin's mouth as his chest caved in, impacted by a fist of rock and crystal.
His tail split the spear in two and he flickered away, only to barely block a hammer with his cloak. The back of his knee was knocked in by a mace. Sudden spikes of agony pierced his leg—the mace grew crystalline spikes.
Ryujin roared, and his cloak boiled over. An eruption of the Kyuubi's chakra scorched the trees and blew back his assailants. His crimson eyes scoured to see both Hosu and Yoru staring him down. They both had armor, except it was different.
Yoru's armor had a base of rock with crystals jutting out; Hosu's was one of crystal coated in rock. He narrowed his eyes. They combined their jutsu…
Growling, Ryujin pulled the spear out of his shoulder, and the opened wound steamed. Where he was hit with the mace repaired itself already. It was still vulnerable. All the Kyuubi did was put a metaphorical band-aid on the wound. There was still damage. He needed to be careful.
Ryujin and the Otokos stared each other down. Yoru glared at him. "Return Granite to us."
The Jinchuriki clenched Granite in his cloak; the ANBU was burning and smoking from the Kyuubi's chakra. Ryujin narrowed his eyes. I need to get him back to Konoha for information extraction. A Rasenova would melt their armor, but I can't afford to use on in this state.
I can't summon Kelhaar back to back either, and he's the only snake who'll work with me. Ryujin grit his teeth. Dammit.
Draw upon my chakra, Ryujin. You have no other options.
His fists clenched. For once, the Kyuubi was right. But was it worth the cost?
Ryujin cursed again, and he flickered back toward Konoha's direction. In an instant, the Otoko's were on him again. He used both his tail and Granite to protect himself from the dual sided weapon attack.
Hosu weaved hand seals, and behind Ryujin the trees morphed into crystal. The crystal grew into a wall, and a kick from Yoru launched Ryujin into the wall. He still kept his grip on Granite tight.
Draw on my chakra! shouted the Kyuubi. You'll die if you don't!
Damn it all, growled Ryujin. He was going to die here. He was utterly outmatched. One Tail wasn't enough. I'll need to risk a Rasenova…
You're a fool! spat the Kyuubi as the cloak boiled. Ryujin grasped Granite in his tail and narrowly dodged an attack from Yoru. Before he could form his hands into position, Yoru was on him again and he was grabbed. His bones creaked under the sheer pressure of the Living Mountain's grip.
All attempts for Ryujin to pull out were futile, and he was slammed into the tree branch, snapping it in two. Hosu leapt on him as well, driving her mace into Ryujin's skull. Yoru grabbed his head and threw him into another mace strike. Ryujin was trapped in Yoru's vice grip again and he was pummeled into the dirt.
A crater erupted into dust as Ryujin was slammed. Yoru whipped out his hammer and struck Ryujin in the neck.
USE MORE CHAKRA RYUJIN!
He screamed and the Kyuubi's chakra boiled once again. Another eruption blew the Otokos back off of him. The icy cold of dread crawled through his being. Logically, he knew that he needed to risk it. He needed to risk his life or else it would end with certainty.
Something inside didn't let him. He was frozen in himself—he almost felt the Kyuubi's breath on his neck. The malicious satisfaction of control he-he—I'm going to die—
—Instinct pulled Ryujin back from another attack. The sweat on his body evaporated into a secondary cloak as he grimaced. What… he murmured, watching Yoru and Hosu bolt toward him in… slow motion?
Their eyes widened, and at a snail's pace, they looked at each other. They were trapped in an area of spatial distortion generated from a seal below. "The hell is this?!" questioned Yoru.
A sudden adamantine flash of gold struck Yoru into the dirt, and dust flew outward. Standing on his back with a leg embedded in the rock was Miya. She flickered toward him and placed a hand on his forehead. A suppression seal evaporated his Kyuubi chakra, and Granite dropped to the dirt.
"You used the Four Tails. Why are you still using its chakra?" Miya asked with an even tone. The relief in her eyes was as clear as the adamantine golden chakra that made them glow.
"So I wouldn't die," he responded dryly, standing to his feet.
Miya nodded in response, as if to say, 'good point' and turned her back to him. "Stay here until I'm done."
Ryujin stepped back and loomed over Granite's burned and unconscious body. As he did that, Miya narrowed her eyes on Ryujin's attackers. The fact that they were still able to move under Infinity's effects was impressive. Miya needed to take this fight seriously.
This will be over quickly, he muttered as he sat down to watch the fireworks.
In a white flash, all three of them were gone.
—⊱✿⊰—
Miya stood in a pure white void, looming over Yoru and Hosu like the very concept of dominion itself. Yoru glared at her. "The Lady of Infinity…"
"Be careful, Yoru!" Hosu warned with widened eyes. "What is this place?"
Miya walked toward them. There was no urgency, no panic, no stress whatsoever. "This is my Infinity," she answered.
"What does that mean?!" Yoru demanded, then he weaved hand seals. "Earth Style: Pebble Pellets!" he shouted as his fists shot into a bombardment of high-speed projectiles.
Miya simply made a half seal. The white of the void shook, and the rock was atomized. What followed next was the armor of both Otokos. With fear struck across their face, they looked to each other.
The chill of death washed over them.
It was imminent.
It was inevitable.
"Say your last words to each other," Miya allowed, completing the half seal with her other hand.
"I love you," they said simultaneously.
The void shifted, and they were atomized next.
It's over… muttered Miya, alone in her infinite void. She flashed again, and the white blinked to night. As expected, Ryu was there, waiting.
He stood up and slung an unconscious ANBU over his shoulder. "Took 'ya long enough," he said, dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm sorry you couldn't wait an extra five seconds," she rebutted.
Ryu shrugged. "Hey, in those five seconds, a certain someone with five tails could've shown up."
"Don't say that," she responded quickly with a rising cold. I hate that number…
"I didn't mean that. I was talking about Han," Ryu defended, walking up beside her.
That didn't stop the shudder. "Still."
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
Miya sighed. "It's fine. I'm just… happy you're alive."
"I shouldn't have made you worry, I should've been—"
"Stop it," she ordered, letting out a breath as she shook her head. "It's not your fault."
"Oh, but it is," he corrected. "I should've been stronger, I should've been better in the first place and I wasn't," he ranted, clenching his fist.
Miya frowned. She couldn't exactly argue against his logic; hell, she used it at points. I haven't seen him like this in years. She scoffed. I've barely seen him in years.
"The moment I get back in that village, I'm going to train," he declared, then he pointed at her. "You are too."
Her brows furrowed. "What—?"
"Tell me, when was the last time you truly trained? Truly sharpened and improved your skills and not a maintenance routine?"
Miya's face darkened. "Same time as you, I assume…" She hated remembering that time. After the incident; after Orochimaru.
"Seven years?"
She nodded.
"We end that laziness streak now."
Miya shrugged. "Alright…"
"Good, now let's go home."
She sighed. "Good idea."
With that, they dashed into the trees and headed eastward.
Headed toward Konoha.
Headed home.
—⊱✿⊰—
Zero would never admit to anyone how long it took him to find out where this place was. Well, snakes were the hardest to find. They blended with the grass, didn't make a sound, and burrowed alongside the roots. That had to have been a valid excuse, right? Right?!
Oh well, he found the snake's burrow. He didn't need to excuse himself any longer. Orochimaru had a taste for architecture, he must admit. He adored the orange swirls of the torch-lit corridor.
He smirked behind his mask. It was simply marvelous.
The brown sack slung over his shoulder shifted. Stifled feminine screams shouted from the inside as whoever was inside punched outward and moved in a frantic panic.
"Damn, you're awake already?" questioned Zero.
A muffled scream of a command yelled out. Something along the lines of, 'Let me out!'
"Don't worry, girl, I'll let you out soon enough."
"Let who out, exactly?" asked a reptilian voice from behind.
Zero grinned. "Orochimaru! I've been looking for you!"
In what seemed like an instant, the golden eyes of a snake glared down at Zero's featureless black mask. The right side glowed crimson. He couldn't take any chances here.
"The fact that you managed to find me is impressive. But that also means that you're a threat," Orochimaru spat, baring his twin fangs in a threatening grin.
"I am no threat," Zero assured, stepping back and dropping the sack in front of him. The girl inside grunted. Next, Zero cut open the sack with a thorned Grass Cutter. A girl with rose-red hair and eyes squirmed out, her arms and legs tied. Her cracked glasses fell off her face with a taped shut mouth.
Orochimaru looked at the girl curiously. His serpentine eyes widened. "An Uzumaki…"
"Ta-da!" presented Zero. "Take it as a peace offering."
Orochimaru chuckled and redirected his attention back to the masked man in front of him. "Who are you?"
He simply made an '0' with his gloved hand.
"O…?" he guessed.
"Ze-rO," corrected the masked man with a giggle.
"Okay, Zero," started the Sannin. "I appreciate your generous offer, but why do you think a random Uzumaki would be useful to me?"
Zero wagged his finger. "No, no, no! She is no regular Uzumaki. She's special."
Orochimaru looked down at the girl. Her rose eyes trembled with terror as sweat rained down her skin. His eyes narrowed, then he ripped the tape off of her face. She gasped and opened her now freed mouth.
"What makes you so special, girl?" asked Orochimaru.
"I'll talk when I get my damned blade back!" she yelled, somehow finding the gall to make demands through her utter horror.
Zero twirled the thorned sword in his hands. "Man, this is a really cool sword," he mumbled before dropping it blade down. It fell into the girl's back and she stifled a scream.
Orochimaru glared at Zero, but the girl shook her head. "It's nothing," she spat. "Now let me out," she demanded again, really pushing her luck.
"Now, why would I do that?" questioned the human snake with a slithering tone. "You could escape."
The girl shook her head. "I can't even if I tried. I'm only a Genin!"
"Mmm… Is that so?" he asked. The girl nodded. With that, Orochimaru used his nails to cut away the rope that bound her limbs.
She immediately pulled her blade out of her back, holding back another scream as blood poured onto the floor. Orochimaru was surprised, but Zero seemed unphased. The girl stood, the blood from the wound on her back went from pouring, to drops, to nothing.
"My name is Karin Uzumaki," she introduced, and the blade in her hand disappeared into smoke. "I'm… special because of my chakra. It has healing properties, so much so to where it gives me regenerative abilities."
"So, that means you can awaken the Adamantine Chains as well?" asked Orochimaru.
Karin stuck out her hand and allowed a single golden, spear-tipped chain to fall from it. Orochimaru grinned a crazed, fanged display. Unsteadily, she retracted the chain. "My healing chakra has drawbacks, too.
"My ninjutsu and other chakra-based attacks heal my opponents more than they hurt them," she admitted with a downcast gaze. Quickly, she steeled herself and looked toward Orochimaru. "My medical ninjutsu, however, is utterly unmatched."
"It's true!" Zero vouched. "She once healed a guy who got decapitated."
Stiffly, Karin nodded.
Orochimaru pondered with a serpentine curiosity. "Does that mean you could survive a decapitation?"
She took a step back. "I never tried," she answered quickly, with more sweat pouring down her face.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. Karin wasn't able to hold back the scream that followed. She fell to her knees and grabbed the blood that gushed from where her left arm once was.
With bloodied nails, Orochimaru watched the girl writhe in pain. Zero laughed at the situation. She heaved every breath as her face was contorted with agony.
That didn't change the fact that with a green glow, something protruded from the stub of her arm. Slowly but surely, it grew back into a perfectly functional left arm. The original arm remained limp on the floor.
Karin herself tested the arm, clenching and unclenching her fists, bending the joints, she was shocked herself. Orochimaru, however, watched with eyes widened with glee. A pleased yet intrigued smirk crossed his face.
"This is similar to Tsunade's jutsu…" he murmured, walking up to the severed arm and picking it up. "You will be very useful," noted the Sannin.
Zero giggled. "So, do we have an alliance?"
"Why do you want an alliance?"
He pointed to himself. "I fucking hate Konoha!" He pointed to Orochimaru. "You fucking hate Konoha! Let's burn the bitch down!"
"Intriguing point," Orochimaru admitted. "Before we discuss more…" He clapped. Suddenly, a pale man flickered next to Orochimaru.
He set his bloodshot eyes onto him. "Yes, Lord Orochimaru?"
"Doku, take Karin to her new quarters. Any open room will do," he requested.
Doku nodded, then looked toward the girl in front of him. "Come with me."
She did as he said with an exasperated sigh. Zero looked at the man curiously. "Is he by any chance… a member of the Chinoike Clan?"
"He is," murmured Orochimaru.
Zero laughed. "You're allied with Kumo, aren't you?!"
"He could be rogue," said the snake with a sly smile.
With a tilted head, Zero's laugh subsided into a chuckle. "But, you didn't say that he was rogue?"
Orochimaru chuckled in kind. "I didn't."
"You snake bastard! Of course, you'd have a Hidden Village on your side!"
"Not entirely, but at the same time, you're also correct," Orochimaru said ominously.
Zero's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "I can get Iwa in on this little plan."
Orochimaru raised his brow. "Oh? Can you now?"
"It'll take a bit of work, but I'll get it done," Zero admitted.
Orochimaru nodded slowly. "Alright, Zero. If you can successfully get Iwa to agree to attack Konoha, then I'll let you in on this entire plan alongside the village."
The crimson glow of Zero's mask dimmed to black as he stuck out his gloved hand. "Deal."
Orochimaru's bloodied hand shook Zero's. "Deal."
?￢ﾜ ? ~ Chapter End ~ ?￢ﾜ ?