On the Nature of Kami
The blights escalated in severity.
Gales uprooted homes, floods drowned fields, and wildfires incinerated forests.
The ruin, the destruction was a sign.
The people agreed on that, but what it meant, most could not say. The Emperor did his best to shield them from it, offering shelter from the storm, and this, they knew for certain.
The believers, on the other hand, knew it to be a stark warning from the angered Kami, telling them that many were venerating a false deity.
Inkbound
Toru, an Uchiha by blood… found solace not in the ruthless bite of the blade but in the dance of the pencil.
He found his soul singing not amidst the clan's traditions but in the vibrant hues of sketches, the intricate lines of comic books, and the familiar charm of crafted furniture.
All the same, he can't entirely dismiss his appreciation for the electrifying dance of a fair combat; particularly when life and death aren't staked on the outcome.
Thrust into the whirlpool of an imposed destiny, he found himself a soldier in a war he never enlisted for. Like so many others.
As Uchiha, life was inked in black and white; he killed without hesitation, a cold fact of survival.
But as it tends to, life started adding shades of gray.
A boy once showed him another path: mercy.
It didn't come easy, and there were times for it, too. But Toru ended up seeing the value of it.
Strangely enough, the very same boy, now a man who happens to be his closest male friend, has seemingly managed to learn the opposite lesson in the meantime.
Something which Toru — and sometimes Akemi, too — never stops to remind Naruto about.
By the whims of fate, he finds himself among the most powerful in the land. And he might as well do some good with the power.
In any case, Toru wishes to be an artist, a creator of worlds on paper, and by his own admission, is pretty decent at it by now.
OF DREAMS AND STARDUST
"Sakura is… gone?" Toru asked, aghast.
He searched Naruto's face for any sign this was a terribly inappropriate joke, considering the moment, and found none.
Naruto nodded tiredly, his normally vibrant eyes clouded with fatigue. "Yes."
The simple word hung in the air with more weight than the silence that surrounded it.
"…That's the only thing Yoisen told me before she passed out. That Sakura's somewhere she couldn't reach." Naruto said, dragging a hand through his hair, an uncharacteristic sign of anxiety. That likely meant kami. "Tomorrow... Tomorrow, when she recovers, I'll ask her for the whole story."
Toru continued to stare at him, the severity of the situation reflected in his gaze. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "…Are you alright?"
Naruto was silent for a moment, his gaze vacant. And then, slowly, he shook his head. "I sent one of the women I love to a place where I can't reach. Again. And I don't even know…"
The air was thick.
"No." Naruto admitted. "No, I'm not alright."
…
The large chamber doors creaked open, and Naruto summoned a small orb of lightning to light the dark room.
The soft glow of the makeshift lantern cast dancing shadows on the ornate walls of Yoisen's room.
Naruto stood on the threshold, supporting Yoisen who hung limp in his arms.
Absent-mindedly, he remarked that it was the first time he stepped in her privacy. Both in this life and the previous ones.
With utmost care, he maneuvered through the room, feeling the cool stone beneath his now bare feet.
He approached the plush bed at the far end of the chamber, felt Yoisen's breaths coming out in long, warm shudders against his chest.
He gently laid her down onto the silk sheets. A soft sigh escaped her lips as he pulled his arm from beneath her, her body sinking into the comforting softness of the bed.
Naruto observed her face, brushed away loose strands of hair, and then pulled up the covers, tucking them around Yoisen to ward off the night chill.
The room was silent, save for Yoisen's shallow breathing.
He wondered if Sakura—
Naruto rose, his silhouette framed by the soft glow of the lanterns and he exited the room, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.
…
Naruto's footfalls echoed lightly against the cold stone corridors, the weight of his thoughts pressing heavily on his shoulders.
As he neared the door, he felt a presence behind him.
"You're going to isolate yourself, aren't you?" Toru asked.
Naruto closed his eyes, sighing.
When he turned, he was met with Toru's stern gaze. He seemed resolute, and his eyes showed the worst possible thing, now: a protective sort of concern. "Man." Toru began, his voice firm. "I think you've got a lot of shit on your plate - and I don't mean the likely rumors that you're going crazy again."
"I don't eat shit on a plate." Naruto muttered. "And no, not crazy, thank you."
"Well, you understood me." Toru shrugged. "There's no need for you to carry this one alone, either. Me… I only lost a house, a few hundred hours spent on fancy items, projects, all that. You… Well, you're going to have a bit more to deal with, and I'll help. Starting now."
Naruto studied him for a moment, the silence hanging between them. "Toru." He began, his voice carrying a soft warning. "Go to Akemi. I'll be fine."
"I think you're trying to go to the Den, aren't you?" Naruto said nothing in answer and Toru chuckled. "Thought so — you always hide in these timeless places when you need time to think. Akemi won't even notice, then."
"That place…" Naruto began. "Is the only place where I can be alone without feeling like everything is about to crumble because of me—"
"I get it." Toru cut him off, his gaze unwavering. "It's also a pretty dangerous idea to go there alone — what if a kami is watching, and you pass out…? I insist on coming with you. I'll leave you in a dark room to mope, if you want. I just won't let you be alone entirely right now. That's about it."
Naruto was silent for a moment, his eyes locked with Toru's. Toru coming wouldn't be particularly risky, as he had planned to leave clones behind with a way to contact him in case anything happened.
Finally, Naruto sighed, a mix of resignation and gratitude in his eyes. With a nod, they stepped out of this world and into their hiding place.
Somewhere Naruto could afford to let his guard fall.
…
"You know we're in this together, right?" Toru asked.
They were sitting back to back at the heart of the living room.
"…You know, that's exactly the kind of shit you'd say if you planned on making your own dramatic exit." Naruto stated. "Don't feel the need to do that. You dying once was enough."
Toru laughed. "No, no. I mean it. Besides that one time I was missing — please don't rub Nagato in my face… We've faced plenty of battles together, haven't we? Especially since then."
Naruto remained silent and he continued to face away from Toru. After a heavy moment, he turned around.
"…It's not just about Sakura disappearing." Naruto confessed. "I know her — for all I know, she might be eating a kami's innards as we speak."
It was a lot of bravado, and both of them knew it.
"…And wherever she is, I will find her." Naruto continued. "We will find her. I just… I just hope not to fuck everything up before that. There are… so many ways that…"
He cut himself off, sighing.
Toru nodded. "Pressure's getting to you, then."
"I suppose."
"I know it. Well…" Toru shrugged. "I guess that at least you won't be alone in fucking everything for everyone, worst case."
A short laugh escaped Naruto. "…You've always had a way with words."
"Right?" Toru grinned. "You should tell my uppity editor... she's your wife after all."
Yoisen awoke with a start, jolting upright.
It was still night.
The room swam before her eyes, moonlight bouncing off the ornate decorations in dizzying patterns. She clutched her head, grimacing as she felt a wave of nausea wash over her.
Memories flooded back, each one hitting her like a tidal wave.
Hachiman-Yumi. The battle. The other kami. The chaos. And then, Sakura's sudden disappearance. Thinking of the pink-haired woman vanishing before her eyes made her stomach churn.
This moment in between worlds. Going home. Feeling the kami appear. Naruto engaging them. Joining him. Another battle.
"Damn it." She muttered under her breath, pushing the covers away.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, wincing as pain shot up her body. But she forced herself to stand, leaning against the bedpost for support.
Her gaze darted around the room. She was alone, and by the look of things, had been out for a while.
A part of her was relieved – she wasn't quite ready to face Naruto yet, not when she didn't even know what to say to him.
A knot of guilt twisted in her stomach. She had been there.
She had fought alongside Sakura. And still, she had not been able to prevent her disappearance. She needed to find Sakura — they needed to find Sakura.
Pushing away from the bedpost, Yoisen straightened, wincing again. She nearly fell to the floor. When she tried to stand up, she fell for good.
She fumbled for her precious sword. The one that had once resided in the imperial city, the one her father had told her could ward off evil, the one that was rumored to be a sacred relic from the kami of sun.
She would go, find Sakura… And...
…No.
She was in no state to go now. That would be pure foolishness. Yoisen dragged herself back to bed and tried to recover some strength.
Konoha was abuzz with unusual activity.
Naruto arrived expecting to be blamed for the mess entirely.
Toru arrived as he often did, not feeling entirely at ease in his home village.
Now…
This aforementioned activity was unusual, particularly for the time, as it was the middle of the night.
Kaitaro's split-second decision to warp everyone away had the unforeseen consequence of transforming Konoha into a sanctuary for the people from Umi, who had been displaced.
It was the sort of moment Naruto could only commend Toru's foresight in bringing the Jūbi, Yūgao, around.
...Or perhaps not. He wasn't entirely sure it had been the original intention.
They had later reasoned that Kaitaro, who was very much limited by his chakra capacity, might be able to guide this sort of escape process, using the being's near limitless power. If it ever came to it.
And it did come to it, of course.
People came first, and so that was where they had put most of their effort. A place could be rebuilt.
By then, Umi, as well as most of the larger cities, had no shortage of escape plans.
And Kaitaro had apparently done a marvelous job in reassuring the people, if their reaction when they saw Naruto and Toru approaching meant anything.
Dressed in his customary robes, Kaitaro greeted them quite casually.
Next to him, Itachi looked even more worn out than he had been yesterday, and a very familiar infant was sleeping in his arms, clutching his hair. Naruto went to his son first.
An Akemi-shaped bullet slammed into Toru, with strength that had to be chakra-enhanced.
People swarmed Naruto quickly, asking what had happened, whether he was okay or not, and if everyone else was alive.
Kaitaro repeated that every single resident had been warped away, and yes, they could thank Orochimaru for his help, even though he hadn't even been here himself… and actually mean it, for once.
And they should get used to the strange feline creature, that most of them did not know to be a Jūbi.
Naruto relayed the full events of the night, showing the people most of it, much to their horror. He couldn't exactly blame them, either. The entire ordeal had been nerve-wracking.
The crowd was silent for most of it, taking it in. This, he had expected.
But they were not blaming him.
"—The damage may be severe, but Umi has faced adversity before and emerged stronger." Naruto began, his voice carrying what he hoped to be reassuring warmth. "The repairs will begin tomorrow. We will rebuild and reinforce our defenses—"
Why were they not blaming him?
"…And I will make sure that nothing like this ever happens again."
There was steel in his eyes, and it probably lent credence to his words. And still, Naruto felt like a fraud. He sometimes did, and often hid behind a mask of wacky aloofness, seemingly random decisions.
Ah, fuck, he had gotten this from Kakashi, hadn't he...?
Kaitaro chimed in. "We will rebuild, and because we want to get it done fast… we will need all of you."
An electrifying current seemed to surge through the crowd.
They were alive, all of them.
One of their two leaders — and his latest mysterious ally, the woman with white hair — had apparently faced gods and lived. There were some who knew it was a sign, but of what exactly… they couldn't say.
Murmurs rippled through the assembly, faces that were previously marred by fear and anxiety now showing similar expressions of resolve.
"I can help with the repairs." A burly man declared, stepping forward. His proclamation was met with a chorus of affirmations.
Kaitaro nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you. Your willingness is highly appreciated. It's going to be a bit different, however. Most of the heavy-duty work will will be aided by chakra and tech—"
"I can contribute food supplies." A woman chimed in, her statement followed by a series of similar promises from the crowd.
"So are we fighting gods, now?" One asked wryly. "Just that?"
"What of it?" Another asked. "They fucked with Naruto-sama, sure… but they also fucked with all of us."
"I'm not complaining — But how do we do that?"
"We'll take care of that." Naruto stated. 'Somehow.'
More people spoke up.
Why were they so damn willing...?
"—I can help with logistics. We'll need a schedule for the repairs and a system for distributing supplies." A young woman with her hair tied back in a neat bun said.
"I have some room that I can offer to those who have nowhere to stay." An elderly man offered, his voice full of determination. He then deflated. "…Ah, right. My house is gone, too. Well, the offer still stands — once that's done."
"My brother and I, we know a thing or two about construction. We'd be happy to lend a hand with the rebuilding efforts." A pair of burly twins chimed in simultaneously. "You still have the plans, right?"
Kaitaro nodded.
"I can offer my skills as a medic-nin, in case anyone got hurt — or is planning to." A woman with a pouch slung over her shoulder volunteered.
Several children joined in, their faces bright with determination. "We can help clean up the debris and carry messages! — Or something."
"And my restaurant can provide meals for the workers! Before we get the basic needs covered again, you know..."
Each declaration, each promise was met with applause and cheer from the crowd.
It was heartening, really. Everyone, regardless of age or occupation, was ready to do their part in repairing their home and protecting their community.
Even more spoke up.
Ah, maybe he hadn't messed up everything.
Naruto smiled, feeling himself a bit moved.
Konoha would offer Umi's citizens asylum, and there were plenty of other places for them to go, too.
And they wanted to stay?
Just because of their assurances…? They had a problem, all of them, clearly. But well, Naruto wasn't about to complain about it.
Regardless of where they came from in the first place, of the very real threat that loomed over them just because of their association with him…
They chose to stay.
They were his responsibility.
The very essence of their unity was the true strength of Umi, and both Naruto and Kaitaro knew, at that moment, that in spirit at least, their village was invincible.
...
"You probably should have told them we're going to need to bring the islands back in the first place." Kaitaro stated.
Naruto smiled slightly.
"It has been a long night for them already, and I'd rather spare them the details." He said.
Kaitaro sighed, because he knew it was only starting for them, then.
Naruto had gotten some practice, since Shade's Realm, and since creating new islands. It would still take a while.
"…I will find Yūgao, then." He said. "Get Toru on the case and let's begin. So that I can get some sleep, at some point."
"Of course."
…
"The Shadows are gone." Naruto stated.
Kaitaro closed his eyes. "I already know." His voice echoed grim acceptance.
He would have done the same thing himself. But he was needed alive.
"All of the ones that have stayed on the job — those are the ones I have warned." Naruto continued.
"…I know." Kaitaro repeated.
And discounting people like Hotaru, he was now the last of his kind.
Naruto picked up on it and put a hand over his shoulder. "You are not alone, Kaitaro."
Kaitaro sighed softly. "…I suppose not."
"I'm not referring to me or our friends." Naruto said. "Did you see who the people were looking to for guidance tonight? The people believe in you. They trust you. They believe in your ability to lead them… to make the hard decisions.
"As for me…" Naruto added with a small chuckle. "I suppose I'm the muscle."
Kaitaro smiled a genuine smile, too. "I suppose you always were. Perhaps if you showed your ugly mug around some more…"
…
Itachi's dark eyes met Naruto's.
He didn't say anything about the entire situation. Yūshirō's tiny hand was curled around a lock of his hair again, and the Uchiha didn't seem particularly bothered by it.
"I suppose you will be busy for a bit longer." Itachi muttered.
Naruto nodded. "I'm afraid I will. I can take him again, still."
Itachi's eyes held the same steady seriousness as always.
"…Leave him with my mother." He decided.
Naruto blinked.
And the reason had nothing to do with Sasuke being wary of Naruto spending any amount of time around their mother — that was mostly Akemi's fault, he knew.
"…You sure? I could just—"
Itachi simply nodded, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Yes. Mother would… she would appreciate meeting Uzumaki Kushina's grandson."
"…I mean, if you want to. I'll take you up on that." Naruto muttered. "Don't you guys already have little Naruto to take care of—"
"I have accepted that I shall be going bald early."
…
With a surge of chakra, the ocean began to churn and roil, waves rising and crashing as they responded to their call.
From the depths of the sea, the ground started to rise, islands breaking through the water's surface with thunderous roars.
It was as if the sea itself was giving birth to new land, shaping it under the influence of incredible power.
Beside Kaitaro, who made sure the process was directed, Naruto and Toru were channeling their own power as well as Yūgao's.
Shaping the islands, controlling their formation, and ensuring stability. The islands started to take form, mountains rising, valleys carving themselves out, and beaches forming along the edges.
The end of the night echoed with the power of creation.
After what seemed like an eternity, Naruto and Toru lowered their hands.
In front of them, where there had only been churning sea moments before, unending… now stood a cluster of islands, majestic and imposing.
And exactly as they had been before.
Exhaustion washed over them.
The sky above was a canvas, beginning to blush with a subtle palette of pinks and oranges. The stars started to fade, and the moon, silent witness to the long night's events, hung low and pale, retreated.
It was dawn.
Kaitaro was brought to rest in the Den, with a clone watching over him.
Not that it was particularly restful for him, as any Shadow relied much more on natural energy than most.
Toru and Naruto both summoned numerous clones of their own.
Orochimaru being who he was, he had many safe houses throughout the land.
The rebuilding effort would be much different from the already peculiar methods they had used to build Umi from the ground up.
It would be much faster, too.
With the incorporation of stolen cutting-edge technologies that Orochimaru had always insisted on — and Naruto could see the why more clearly, now — and the things they could do with chakra to create life…
With everything Orochimaru had found, stolen…
Creating an artificial intelligence whose main purpose was keeping track of one specific set of islands had seemed like child's play to him — let alone dozens of him, working together.
And of course, he had the entire plan of the city saved away as data, down to the insides of each building. Incorporating such a system inside the barrier's perimeter had been one of his first projects.
The people of Umi gathered upon the stone circle, which was the first thing to have been restored, wave after wave of them.
They rowed simplistic boats to the different islands, and through the network that connected all of their devices, they helped spread the entire blueprint of the city as holographic projections.
The AI, doing what it had been designed for, began to dissect the information. It ran through countless simulations, calculating optimal sequences for the city's reconstruction.
They were just plans, of course, and the people would have the final say in it. Yoisen would likely have a fit when she realized it, too. But then again, she had contributed to its development, without even realizing it.
It modeled and remodeled, restructured and rearranged until it had fine-tuned the most efficient path to restore Umi to its former glory…
Or beyond, perhaps.
…
There wasn't much cleanup to do, when it came to picking up debris, because the islands were more or less virgin again.
It meant preparing the land again, however.
This open landscape presented its own challenges. It needed to be tamed and prepared for the monumental task of city construction.
And they couldn't afford to rely on natural energy, this time, so they would have to plan for whatever it was that Orochimaru had called a plasma reactor.
Speaking of Orochimaru, many of them were here and helping.
None of the potentially dangerous ones, who had never been allowed here and never would be, in spite of Itachi's fears. Besides, these people only obtained access to more… harmless sorts of technologies.
The man Naruto called the Rokudaime, or Roku for short — but who Shisui dubbed 'General' in sarcastic tones — was nearly barking orders at people. If he weren't helping them, putting in as much work, or more, as any of the people... perhaps things would have gotten tense.
But he was going hard at it, his scarred torso exposed under the burning sun, digging holes with the strength of five shinobi.
Naruto and Toru, accompanied by their numerous clones, did the same. They moved across islands; back and forth from the mainland, like a disciplined unit, or dozens of them, when needed.
Working in synchrony to mold the raw land into something that could be used in the upcoming construction.
And Orochimaru's AI suggested a few changes here and there.
So they traversed the uneven terrain, using a mixture of chakra-enhanced physical strength and complex jutsu to manipulate the landscape.
Hills were leveled, valleys filled, and the rough terrain smoothed.
Other groups of people used Orochimaru's technology as well, scanning the terrain for stability and relaying the adjusted data — the raised islands were not exactly identical, of course — to the systems.
They sent pulses of energy deep into the ground, assessing its structure and strength, ensuring it was fit to hold the weight of an entire city.
This crucial step was key to a secure foundation for the future structures, certainly…
Naruto mostly had the feeling Orochimaru was planning to expand and leave most of the grunt work to other people, frankly.
With the ground stability confirmed, they set about marking the boundaries for the cityscape.
New roads, buildings, bridges and public spaces were outlined, guided by the projected blueprints.
The wild islands were being transformed into a more structured, still soulful grid… in order to hold the city that would soon rise from its surface.
…
Lunch was late.
There was a pretty rough Akemi-run café set up on the main island — it was more of a free, open house thing for the people to get something to drink and eat during the reconstruction efforts.
She added something about this being good for future business, of course.
"—that's why I'm eating an actual meal, and not your nutrient cubes, Naruto. Because I'm actually human." Toru finished.
"Oh?" Akemi raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was because you were a big baby."
Toru and Naruto sat near her at one of the tables on the street. The day was warm, but nothing like the searing heat of the previous days, and the smell of salt was strong.
"That's what I always say." Naruto nodded.
And there was going to be plenty more of eating the damn cubes.
Naruto was notably less talkative today, and they picked up on it, talking enough for three, seamlessly filling the conversational void, carefully not mentioning Sakura or the kami.
"Tea? Coffee?" Akemi asked, gesturing to one of her helpers who casually came over.
"No coffee for me, thanks." Toru said quickly.
Akemi rolled her eyes. "Even if you actually enjoyed it, I wouldn't give it to you. That's like giving your latest cousin sugar. Just a dumb move."
"Little Naruto? The Uchiha?" Naruto asked, brow furrowed in mild confusion. "…He's here?"
"Yeah, Itachi sent them." Akemi nodded. "Both."
No wonder Itachi had offered to take care of his son, he felt guilty. Because he had planned to send the actual demons away. Here. That slick bastard Itachi.
"...That's what the kid told me, anyway. Something about 'gaining perspective on the birth of a village.'"
Toru gave a sage nod, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. "I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with Itachi hoping for a little peace and quiet."
"Don't be mean." Akemi chided him, though her eyes sparkled with humor. "I'm sure he cares about all of his brothers equally."
"Oh, I'm not contesting that — although if he had to choose, I'm confident I would be the favorite." Toru said. "They're weird, though, these two. They bitch a lot, but they're always together…"
Naruto nodded and listened to them, but didn't say much.
Still, it was a pleasant meal.
…
Kaitaro, who was working on much more limited reserves, made several trips to and from the Den.
And didn't look much more rested for it. The opposite, even. But he slept.
By the time afternoon came, he had spent the equivalent of three nights there.
As the cleanup phase drew to a close, the city slowly started to rise from its ashes.
Progressively… but also very quickly.
Orochimaru's stolen technologies, once a contentious point for some, now proved invaluable.
Advanced construction robots, guided by an AI Kaitaro hoped he wouldn't have to unplug once it decided it didn't need humans after all, and people following the new digital blueprints… All of them rolled onto the cleared terrain.
Like mechanical — and biological — bees building a hive, they began the next phase of construction.
The robots, of course, powered by the first of these energy sources, with human chakra as a backup, worked around the clock.
They began with erecting the foundations, then the skeletal frames of buildings, using a combination of Created and natural materials that they reshaped on-site.
And so they formed the walls, ceilings, and floors.
These were no ordinary buildings, though.
Embedded within them were advanced circuits and devices, integrating technology right into the very fabric of the buildings, whether they looked traditional… or not.
The process was a fast one, and by the time evening fell, plenty of basic structures were in place.
Naruto, Kaitaro and the other people in charge turned their attention towards establishing the city's power and infrastructure.
Harnessing wind, solar energy, was a safer bet, they felt.
It turned out that plasma generators had them all beat by such a wide margin it seemed unfair.
This fusion energy source, unlike anything they had seen before, promised more than a sustainable power supply for the city.
Once it was all set up.
Next, they planned the city's infrastructure.
Boats and gateways — that for now, were only allowed to citizens — would still be the main way to get around the islands.
The city's healthcare facilities and schools would be given special attention. And the security system, as well. A network of advanced sensors spread throughout the city, under the restored barrier itself, scanning for threats.
The city was taking shape fast.
Later, Naruto sat in Yoisen's home, waiting.
Through the silent whispers of their bond, he could sense her stirring consciousness… the ebb and flow of her thoughts as she teetered on the edge of wakefulness.
And parts of her wandering mind seeped into his own, revealing more than Naruto would have preferred to know.
In any case, Naruto was in a room he knew well enough, her living room, sitting atop cushioned chairs, thinking.
And soon enough, she emerged out of her room, her complexion ghastly pale against the loose fabric of her clothing. His eyes moved over her, and he could feel her squirming.
She was silent as she sat facing him.
"How is your hand?" He asked.
It was one of the many injuries she had been left with after yesterday's battle — and it likely came from before then.
The injuries had been extensive, and not just when it came to the electric burns that undoubtedly littered her body, and that he could see around her collarbone; mangled fingers from hanging on to the thrashing Raijin-Kaminari, that would have rendered any regular person's hand useless without intensive intervention.
"It's fine." She replied, raising her hand in an attempt to downplay the situation. A slight grimace betrayed her, though. "…Well, almost there."
Naruto merely nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze never leaving her.
"Thank you." Naruto said. "For tonight. Without you—"
Yoisen tensed. "Please, don't."
Silence.
"…As you wish." He said.
Her lips parted again, framing a question she already knew the answer to. "You… healed me, didn't you?"
He gave a slight nod again. "I did."
Yoisen couldn't think of anything to say, and the atmosphere, to her at least, felt heavy.
"…You expect an explanation, do you not?" She asked quietly.
Naruto frowned slightly at the phrasing, and the undertone of apprehension was not lost on him.
An uncomfortable silence fell between them again.
Naruto broke it, slowly, carefully. "...Yoisen, I care about you."
At his words, she jolted slightly, a stark contrast to her previous stillness. In other circumstances, he probably would have found her abrupt reaction amusing. "I…" She opened her mouth, closed it.
Naruto pressed on. "And yes, I would like to know what happened." He continued. "But it's not an order, nor an expectation." He closed his eyes momentarily, gathering his thoughts before opening them again, his gaze steady on hers. "I… just want to make sense of things. To work out how we can bring Sakura back."
His words made her swallow hard. The nod of understanding she gave him was small, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
"Very well." She said. 'I will tell you through thought, because anything said out loud cannot be trusted.'
He nodded and met her eyes. Their chakra rose, and twisted together until they were sitting atop a lake of pure water, convening through thought.
Yoisen's eyes were far away.
"We have met Susanoo-Arashi." She said.
Naruto sucked in a breath. "Susanoo-no-Mikoto…?"
"Yes." Yoisen nodded, repressing a tremor. "It… is implicated in the matter."
"Is he… it responsible for it…?"
"Once I tell you… will you pursue it?"
"I will."
A pause. She knew all too well what he wanted to do and how it would go.
"…And your intent?"
"You know it already."
"Please."
"To kill it."
"...A kami cannot be killed so easily."
Naruto nodded and noted her choice of words. Something had happened to make her think it was at least possible. That a kami wasn't invulnerable.
That was the most progress they had made in a while, it felt, as pathetic as it was.
"I know." He admitted.
"…Will you still go, even then?"
"I will use anything to that purpose."
Yoisen closed her eyes.
"We… stumbled across a kami, lying in wait." She said. "It had hidden itself in between others, and the moment an opportunity presented itself, it forced its domain upon that world to trap us within."
"…The same as Inari did to us, then…?" Naruto asked.
She nodded. "I believe so. It seems that the only way they can interact with the mortal world is through this domain's extension, whether a weaker one, like the blights… or like these two. Expanding their domain from wherever it is they exist… to the physical world makes them temporarily vulnerable."
There was the Spear, too, and it seemed to be an entirely different thing.
Something they had surmised to have been a contingency for the gods, one that had been hijacked by a particularly impatient one. Agehachō-Yosei.
And it seemed to expand its own domain, allowing a kami to materialize fully, using natural energy.
"What happened…?" Naruto asked. "Afterwards."
She showed him.
"That kami was Hachiman-Yumi." Yoisen stated. "…And it was shattered."
Naruto took a sharp inhale.
"And in the same event… I… believe Sakura was swallowed by Susanoo-Arashi." She said. "And might be trapped within it."
Her thoughts flowed into his mind, clear and calm like the surface of the lake they sat upon.
And the news hit Naruto like a punch to the gut.
"…Like that old tale?" He asked.
There were plenty of them, but he knew she would realize which one he was referring to right away. It was a tale that had been considered old by the time Indra himself had lived.
The tale of Hironari, a brave man swallowed by Arashi-no-Kami, the deity of storms. Another name for the same entity, likely.
The man had stood fearless in the face of a tempest that was divine wrath. Arashi-no-Kami had taken him into its realm, a chaotic world of ceaseless storms, where time stretched on interminably, turning mere moments into endless days and nights.
There, in the heart of the storm, Hironari had battled and endured.
Time had honed his courage, and his spirit remained unbroken as he became one with the storm, understanding its rhythms, its ebb and flow.
After what had felt like an eternity, Arashi-no-Kami, recognizing Hironari's growth and wisdom, had released him back into the world.
Hironari had returned transformed, marked by his time in the divine realm.
The storm was in his eyes and his heart; he became able to predict weather patterns, to calm winds, and call forth the rain.
Unfortunately, that was only a nice tale.
Then again, the tale of Amenonuhoko, the Heavenly Jeweled Spear, which the kami had supposedly used to create land, had been a nice tale once, too.
And it was something he was nearly obliged to believe in, by now. That the kami had likely created the Earth, at least.
Even then. Sakura was not a character from folklore, and Susanoo-Arashi was not a deity to be humanized or negotiated with.
And both of them knew it.
"…The only thing I can confirm is that she disappeared within what seemed to be part of Susanoo's essence." Yoisen said. "She… met my eye and…"
Naruto felt his heart hammering in his chest.
"…She managed to send you away."
Yoisen nodded.
"…And as she did so, she conveyed a single thought to me." She said. Naruto felt trepidation rising, and Yoisen continued. "I believe she decided you could make use of it. I could not say it out loud, for reasons you will understand."
Naruto closed his eyes.
"What was it…?"
Yoisen looked him right in the eye. "A Name."
The trouble, of course, began when Susanoo-Arashi shattered Hachiman-Yumi.
Yoisen, who now had the benefit of hindsight, and more knowledge than most, understood that the reason the kami had done so was because of the Oath.
The Greater Ones, the highest, rarest echelon of kami, often found themselves at odds. In the unexpected anomaly of the Usurper, some among them saw an opportunity. Some saw a passing distraction. Some saw an abomination that needed eradication. One even saw a threat.
The Oath, Yoisen could surmise, was a fundamental decree, an ancient covenant amongst the kami, to maintain balance and harmony within their celestial realms.
To respect the sovereignty of other cosmic domains.
It was a rule of non-interference, a divine accord that preserved the cosmic order.
The ethereal realms were teeming with gods of infinite variety, of which the kami were but one part, each ruling over their celestial sphere.
Intrusion, subtle, but particularly when it was grand, was deemed as an affront to the cosmic order, a violation of the sacred Oath.
While each kami supposedly adhered to the Oath, it was Susanoo-Arashi, the Great, wild god of Storms and the Sea, who bore the heavy responsibility of enforcing it.
Known for its unyielding temperament, Susanoo-Arashi was a fitting guardian of the Oath, tempering its wild ferocity with a profound sense of duty.
It was the celestial enforcer, the one who dealt with transgressions swiftly and without mercy, to ensure that the delicate cosmic order was maintained.
When Hachiman-Yumi, another Greater One and the revered deity of war and archery, infringed upon the sacred Oath, intruding upon other gods' space in a moment of terrible greed, the response was swift and devastating.
Susanoo-Arashi, in its untamed fury, shattered the warrior deity's star; the price for defiance.
It was not the first time it happened.
The ensuing chaos, however, proved a stern test for the divine pantheon.
It was an unprecedented event, sending waves of uncertainty rippling through the cosmic realms.
And at its center were humans.
Yoisen was done with her tale, and Naruto reconsidered a few plans.
Her gaze strayed to a far corner of the room. She was trembling slightly, and it wasn't difficult for Naruto to deduce that her body and chakra were still weak.
"I have recovered some." She said, not meeting his eyes. Her voice faltered a bit. "I can go out as soon—"
"Yoisen." His voice was steady, and she paused. "There's no need."
"But I—"
"And there's no need for this apology wrapped in an offering of self-exile, either."
She stiffened. It took a moment for her to let her shoulders fall, and she sighed.
"Then I will stay to guard you until it is safe to go." She said, and the idea that he needed her protection in any way felt slightly ludicrous to her. He nodded anyway. "It is the least I can do after this debacle."
"No." Naruto said. "You're not to blame here. That's on me."
"That is—"
"And if Sakura thought this was the best course of action, she must have had a reason." Probably. "For now, you need to get some rest. We can talk about this tomorrow."
She nodded.
"I can watch over you." He offered. Clones would.
Yoisen shook her head. "…There are more pressing matters. The sensors will be triggered, if anything happens."
"...If you're certain."
Without waiting for any further protest, he rose from his seat, extending his hand to guide her back to her room.
She accepted his offer hesitantly, allowing him to help her up.
He leaned forward, slipping one arm under her knees, the other supporting her back. Despite her protests, he lifted her up with ease.
Held securely against his chest, she became silent. He could still hear some of her thoughts:
—his familiar scent, something warm and earthy, enveloping her, lulling her into silence—
Ino might be right, after all.
"No more arguing for today." He murmured, and pretended things were as they always had been.
The evening sun had fallen over Umi.
Plenty of its new buildings were made out of white marble — seemingly. And he supposed that Yoisen would be pleasantly surprised by it.
Everything seemed to be bathed in a golden hue because of it. Naruto walked, for once. Through familiar — and less familiar than expected — paths. His steps were measured, and felt heavy.
His destination was a quaint — as much as white marble allowed — house nestled among cherry blossom trees Sasuke had grown today, because he had checked up on them.
Naruto closed his eyes — of course they would go for the complete set. Cherry trees, cherry dresses, cherry-named daughter.
It was a home that had welcomed him several times. Today would be a less pleasant visit.
Inside the house, Sakura's parents were still busy, putting things into place, making plans.
Upon seeing Naruto, Mebuki, Sakura's mother, greeted him with a warm smile.
"Oh, Naruto!" Mebuki smiled.
"Mebuki, Kizashi." Naruto greeted them, more quietly than he usually would.
"Did Sakura come back already?" Kizashi asked.
Sakura, their feisty young girl, had returned from one of her first real missions with a disability. Rather than deter her, the incident had only fanned the flames of her obsession for the shinobi arts, fueling her ascent until she stood among the world's most formidable warriors.
There wasn't much that could even slow her down, and all three of them knew it.
When Naruto's spoke, his voice carried both sincerity and regret. It echoed within the marble walls of the house. "I owe you an apology."
As the words sank in, a hush fell over the room.
In that silence, Naruto explained the circumstances that led to Sakura's mission, and his own accountability in the situation.
"Oh… oh." Mebuki froze. Then, quietly: "…Is she… dead? Can't you — can't you — whatever it was that you did last time?"
"No." Naruto said, and his voice was thick. "She's not dead. We have… lost contact with her, but she's out there somewhere."
He looked at them and they stared back in stunned silence. Kizashi helped his wife sit down.
"I told you I would watch over her, that I would protect her, even though she doesn't need that protection." Naruto said. "I meant every word."
Ah.
That was bad. They did not seem to even blame him for it.
"Kizashi, Mebuki." Naruto's gaze held a mix of sorrow and steadfast resolve. "I failed in my promise, and for that, I am deeply sorry."
Kizashi shook his head. "This is not your—"
"Please, don't." Naruto shook his head. "I want you to know this: I will correct my mistake. I will bring Sakura home."
His eyes were strong, and his voice echoed.
"I owe it to Sakura… and to you both. I swore to take care of her, and so I will."
"What the fuck do you mean, Forehead's gone?!"
Predictably, Ino was very vocally unhappy about the news.
Naruto had called the rest of them into the Den.
That Naruto had faced two kami and pulled through without anyone dying in the process was something that was met with a lot of relief. But they had almost come to expect this of him.
Sakura's disappearance was…
"Gone...?" Yugito echoed. "Sakura?"
Well. None of them took it well at all.
It was obvious in Karin's disbelief, Hanabi's silence, and Yugito's pale face.
Ino, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, was the first to break the silence.
"So you're telling me." She began, her voice dangerously low. "That Sakura, who was alone with Yoisen, somehow managed to disappear, while she came back…?"
Her icy blue eyes were trained on Naruto, the demand for an explanation that made sense clear in her stare. Her fingers tightened around her arms, her knuckles turning white.
"Easy, Ino." Karin tried to mediate, her voice calm. She shot a glance at Naruto.
"Easy?!" Ino's voice spiked, her gaze flitting over to Karin. "Sakura is gone, Karin. We don't know where she is or if she's even—"
"We know where she is." Hanabi said quietly.
The room fell silent again. Karin exhaled slowly.
"What are we going to do about it?" Ino asked flatly. Naruto's answer would not change anything about her own intentions, this much was clear.
Naruto nodded. "You know exactly what we're going to do. We're going to bring her back."
"Good."
…
"I'm sorry, Ino, Karin." Naruto said.
"...It's not on you." Karin shook her head sadly. "We agreed on how to proceed. Besides… Trying to stop Sakura…"
"Yeah." Ino said. "…Yeah. It's not…" She mumbled, trailing off. "She…"
Ino looked drawn and weary, and as Naruto embraced her, he only felt guilty for having to ask more of her. Karin joined their embrace, too.
Even then, his mind was running, going through possible scenarios, options...
'…I can hear your thoughts.' The echo of Ino's voice took Naruto by surprise. 'But I never completed the jutsu.'
'...You're going to have to find someone who did, then.'
'Yes.' Karin thought in assent.
'Have anyone in mind?' Ino asked.
'…Yoisen met them.' Naruto answered. Ino sighed, and knew who he meant.
'…I see. We'll trade information with them, then.' Ino stated. 'A jutsu for a jutsu. The completed method to separate aspects of a soul, in exchange for a way to bring you… well, him. To bring him back to life. And I'll make sure we won't be overheard.'
'We'll be leaving soon, then.' Karin concluded.
'…Thank you, both of you.'
…
"Hanabi?" Naruto asked.
No answer came, and she didn't move.
"Hanabi…?" He repeated.
Her face was just as white as Yugito's had been before. She was standing very still.
"...It was me." She said. "I told her to go there!"
She looked as though she wanted to rage and storm; her fingers dug into her own arms.
"Hanabi." Naruto said quietly. "Please listen to me."
Her response was sharp, a hiss that cut through the air like a dagger. "Not now."
Instead of retreating, he stepped closer.
"Listen to me." He said softly.
"Which part of 'I sent her there' did you not get?" She cried out. " She wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for me! Don't give me this shit!"
"We all knew it was a risk." He said steadily. Her face contorted in a grimace, a low growl escaping her lips. He smiled mirthlessly. "That's what I tell myself, at least."
"That doesn't change anything—" She choked out.
"No." He added softly, drawing her close to him. She didn't pull away. "But I've been down that road before. Focusing on getting her back is going to be more helpful."
"…"
"She's strong, Hanabi. If anyone can manage... it's Sakura. And we… we'll get her back."
Yoisen's head was splitting open.
That's what it felt like. She was burning, and the world was freezing. Or perhaps she was freezing, and the world was burning.
She wasn't sure how long she stayed there, but the slight light of dawn that filtered through the room proved to be too much already.
But she was recovering.
And she was painfully aware of the presence lingering at the edge of her perception, one that she would have preferred to avoid in her current state. She tried to sit up, only to be met by a wave of vertigo.
She tried to sit up.
Ino stepped out of the shadows, and she was standing a couple meters away from her.
"You look like shit."
Yoisen blinked. And said nothing. She knew she must have seemed frail and pale, a far cry from a formidable warrior.
"Where is Sakura?" The words slipped out of Ino, cold and demanding.
Yoisen stared at her, feeling a slight shiver go down her spine. "Has Naruto not told you…?" She asked back, equally flat.
"My husband places too much trust in you." Ino's words were harsh, and her frustration was clear. "You were the last one with her."
Yoisen's eyes tightened. "Is that an accusation…?"
"Sakura died once because of you." Ino said. "Who's to say that was enough…? Besides, you always knew a bit too much about the kami." She added, evenly. "Trust... but verify."
Yoisen's lips curled into a sneer. "I believe that is… not entirely fair, considering the circumstances."
Ino scoffed dismissively, crossing her arms. "Fair has nothing to do with this. Not this time. You were there."
"I am aware." Yoisen retorted, her usual calm breaking. "Do you believe I need a reminder?"
Ino stared at her, nonplussed. "Well. Do you…?"
The tension in the room thickened, the silence stretching out between them like an unbridgeable chasm.
"Let me be clear, Yoisen." Ino broke the silence, her tone flat. "I dislike you."
"Your sentiment has been made abundantly clear." Yoisen retorted, her voice laced with dry sarcasm.
A spark of amusement flickered in Ino's eyes, quickly vanishing behind the icy façade. "But that's irrelevant right now. However, if I ever find out that you've harmed any of us… or are playing into their hands..."
"Delve into my thoughts, by all means." Yoisen interrupted her, the words escaping her lips with a venomous hiss. "If that's not what you are currently doing."
Ino met her defiant gaze without flinching or answering the thinly veiled question. "I believe I will."
And so she did.
Yoisen's memories gave her the answer she was looking for, if not satisfaction.
"It's true, then…" Ino said quietly. "You helped him. And Sakura, she…" Ino's voice trailed off, a wave of sadness replacing the bitterness that had seethed moments ago. "…Oh, that fool."
The tension between them lingered; mistrust and thinly veiled threats. Beneath all that lay an unspoken agreement, a mutual understanding of the bigger picture.
Ino had only come to make sure there was nothing foul going on; she left soon enough.
Yoisen later noticed she had left a jar of healing ointment behind.
For Naruto, the night was a blur of difficult talks and relentless, back-breaking work.
His wives, who had of course figured that the whole situation in Umi was not a simple remodeling job, stayed to help, too, in spite of their ongoing missions — Yugito, as well.
Ino was painfully angry, that much was obvious. Not at him, Naruto realized after a little while, but she was angry, still. Having a task to focus on was a boon to her. She knew she had a temper, and would rather avoid blowing up at anyone.
Once she figured her son was in good hands, Yugito went to help the Kumo islands first.
Hanabi… was currently trying to peer into Sakura's location. Again. It was probably too much.
Karin cut through Naruto's internal monologue.
"That's not actual marble, is it…?" She asked, glancing at the pure white material they were working with. There was an otherworldly sheen to it.
Naruto shook his head, sweat trickling down his brow as he manipulated the chakra-infused material. He was producing more of it, a perfect sphere of nearly liquid white that someone came to take away.
"Not exactly, no."
Karin smiled slightly.
She had worked on the basis for it with Yoisen a while ago, after all. A chakra-based material, which had the ability to adapt. Not only to reform, as it had been in Uzushio.
And the strangest 'Naruto' as of yet, the one with long ears, who called himself Aruni, had recently given the research team a tip or two, under the guise of insults. Until they reached the current result.
The material resonated with and adapted to the flows of chakra; it could be shaped and reshaped easily.
Color was only one part of it; it was stronger than most metals, and regrew itself. Its entire structure could be altered, whether now or later.
More importantly, it did extremely well in most settings, and had myriad of uses.
Karin helped him shape artificial constructs out of it, following Orochimaru's designs. Guided by the people's instructions, they would help with rebuilding.
The transition from night to day did little to slow their efforts.
With each concentrated pulse of chakra the people sent into the malleable 'marble', the city began to morph and rise.
"Bro, look!" Uchiha Naruto yelled.
Sasuke — the young one — turned around. "What is it, this time…? If it's another prank idea that will get both of us grounded, I…— Are you holding in a fart?"
With a grunt of effort — he became entirely red in the face —, Naruto forced a lot of chakra into a little handful of marble. With a ripple, the material shifted, becoming a blunt sword.
Sasuke stared. "…Congrats." He said dryly. "Do remember we're supposed to build furniture — and make the chairs soft, not hard, this time."
Naruto put the sword at his waist.
He folded his arms and assumed an imperious pause. He cleared his voice. When he spoke, his voice was deep.
"Of course." He said, with an air of grave importance. "Because I am the Emperor. I rule the land. You, Sasuke, are my most loyal subject."
Sasuke stared. Naruto continued.
"I have many wives, many castles… but no one as faithful as you." Then, scratching his chin and nodding in contemplation: "Yes… I see it, now. Perhaps I shall take you as my one true queen, Sasuke."
Sasuke guffawed. "That's a terrible imitation. Worse than Uncle Toru."
Naruto raised an eyebrow mockingly — he probably had picked this up from Itachi. "Why are you laughing, then…?"
Sasuke hid it quickly. "I was laughing at you, not with you."
He turned away. "Besides, everyone knows the Emperor summons swords like he summons the Kage—"
Naruto whacked him across the back of the head with his blunt sword, laughing.
Sasuke growled, and his eyes turned red. Naruto grinned.
"Sorry, this doesn't look nearly as impressive to me, now." He boasted. "Sharing-on!"
They collapsed in the sand ungracefully, pulling at each other's hair.
"So let me get this straight. You intend to drain the world of most of its natural energy, and keep it that way… just in case the kami have another artifact?" Toru asked. "Why, yes... that sounds entirely reasonable."
Most of the Umi group had gathered around the hastily erected meeting room, including Orochimaru, who looked pretty displeased at being recalled.
There was still a sardonic smile playing on his lips, likely because he could see the white constructs working overtime outside.
Naruto grimaced. "It's not ideal, I know. But we can't afford another event like that one. If they ever decide to ruin another place, just for the sake of it…"
Sasuke, who had apparently decided to be the voice of reason today — or perhaps because he actually had some use for the energy, it was hard to say —, was the one to break the silence. For an instant, Naruto almost expected Sakura to make a biting comment. Then he remembered she was not here, with the sharp pang of loss.
"And the consequences?" Sasuke asked, his gaze stern. "Simply... removing natural energy isn't something we can do lightly."
"We don't know for sure." Karin said, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "We don't have all the data, but we can predict some outcomes." She glanced at Orochimaru.
He took the lead.
"There is the environmental impact to consider." Orochimaru said. "The world's natural energy plays a part in maintaining the ecosystem balance. If we drain it any further, we might see drastic changes: shifts in weather patterns, loss of biodiversity."
Karin nodded in agreement. "And there's the effect on chakra systems. Natural energy replenishes the chakra and strengthens the bodies of all living beings. That means physical and mental acuity; people's life force. It could lead to widespread illness, for one."
They had adapted, thanks to places like Shade's Realm, but it had taken a while. And they were somewhat far from normal, too.
"Not all people have access to chakra." Yugito mentioned. "Plenty don't have a chakra system at all."
"That's true." Karin nodded. "But for those who came to rely upon it…"
Naruto sighed.
"…What if they don't waste much chakra at all…?" He asked.
Karin mulled it over. "…I suppose they should be fine. They would still be able to refill their own reserves, although much slower than normal."
"…People and the planet can survive without chakra, we've seen it time and again." Naruto stated. "And we do have alternative medicinal techniques to supplement the loss. Illness is something we are well equipped to handle, chakra or not."
"It is not only about people." Orochimaru continued. "Imbalance in the world's energy… Draining such a vast amount of natural energy could result in unforeseen disasters."
Naruto sighed again.
"Got it." He said. "I'll slowly… very slowly flood the atmosphere with my own chakra, I suppose. If people stop wasting their own on top of it… it will have to do."
Ino shook her head in disbelief. "You can't just—"
"…If any of you has a better solution, I'm all ears."
No one did.
…
"We will need to relay the information about that spear to the other worlds. If they know what to expect and what it feels like, there's no reason they shouldn't be able to prevent it. Or we can devise something to drain their world fast, if it comes to it."
…
"I sent the order for the people to gather in the cities." Naruto said, with all the subtlety of a Bijū Bomb.
Orochimaru shook his head, vaguely disappointed in his student's bluntness, once more.
"I know what you're thinking already." Naruto stated. "And many are very unhappy. But I think that once the knowledge of what happened in Umi gets out… they might see the point."
"Or they might run away." Orochimaru said dryly. "As far as they can, away from the cities."
"Perhaps."
Naruto's clones were scouring the world, relaying the message, as well.
There were the people who simply refused, and chose to stay where they were, some of the temples among them. Naruto didn't particularly want to force their hand, as he had made his point already... but would do so if needed.
The temples, he had a plan for.
"Besides… I don't think we're going to have much time for subtlety."
…
"What now?" Anko asked.
Naruto met Ino's eyes, and she nodded in silent understanding. He met each of the others' in turn, linking their minds with his own, with Ino's help.
It was a silent conversation, as quick as a thought.
Silently, he told them his intentions, to their disbelief.
Outwardly, he was the embodiment of tranquility, and kept a placid expression.
He broke the silence, his voice steady and resolute.
"Nothing changes." Naruto said out loud. "Go back. I'll handle the reconstruction and the protection. We keep on doing what we've been doing."
lensdump:
i/J5F2Sr : The Uchiha Household