Chapter 16: Wise birds open the cage with their beaks.
Genma: If we want to fly, we won't give up trying.
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Genma is so damn sure he is lost. He doesn't know where he is.
The place where he's currently in is full of blue and grey.
He can't see anything aside from the gloomy sea that seemed deep, and the haze that covered everything else, looked depressing. He doubted if people actually live in this place. It was too quiet, sad and haunting.
He doesn't remember anything like this in his shinobi career.
But one thing he is sure, he is not in Konoha anymore. The big trees that hid and comforted his village are nowhere to be found.
And there are other things he is concerned about.
First of all; his hands, feet and body are all small. He may not be much, but he is way taller and bigger than this. For kami's sake, he is thirty-three years old! Those body parts belong to a kid, not him! And second; why is he wearing clothes he doesn't own? He doesn't wear blue and grey. That's not his color! His brown hair will only look duller on those colors! Who the fuck wears kimono these days?! Those are for the hags that refused to be modernized, not him! What would the girls say if they saw him wearing this?!
Whoever dressed him must be old and doesn't really know him.
Wait, where is his senbon?!
Does he even have a kunai?! His bandana is also missing!
The red moon with tomoes was gone! Even the Allied Shinobi Forces were gone!
Is he still trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Is this still a dream?
All of this makes his head hurt.
He held his head to press and ease the pain. Maybe this is a dream. Nothing that he sees makes sense.
"Confused?", a young unfamiliar feminine voice cheerly spoke. An auburn-haired girl suddenly appeared, stealthily sitting on his side.
Genma nearly screamed in shock. He leaped away quickly, putting a distance. His heart is pounding.
An enemy!
He will never forget about the damn plant that has the ability to transform itself into whoever it wanted to imitate. He shakily patted his body for any weapons he could use, but he found none. He restrained himself from getting frightened.
"Who are you?!", he bravely demanded, using vocal intimidation instead. He put his hands on fighting stance, but with confidence somehow diminished in the absence of kunai. The girl simply giggled at him.
"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you.", the girl calmly waved her hand, unfazed of his physical threats. "Even though I'm miles stronger than you, I'm not going to attack you. We are allies."
Putting aside that the girl already belittled his strength without seeing him fight, hearing that they're allies boggled him more. He frowned. "Allies?"
"Oh, have you forgotten already?"
"Forgotten what?", Genma felt stupid for repeating the little girl's words, but he still echoed it anyway because he doesn't have any idea what's really going on and what the fuck is she talking about.
"The Fourth Shinobi World War."
He stared at the little girl.
The Fourth Shinobi World War! Oh my fucking-
Wait, she is a little girl... Is she the same as me?!
Who is this person?!
His mind buzzed from all the theories he's forming. He narrowed his eyes to see the little girl clearly. Aside from the auburn hair, her green eyes told him that he has seen it before. She looked somehow familiar, but he can't specifically pinpoint who.
Despite him panicking, he appreciated her beauty.
Who is this pretty girl?
The person in question smirked as she calmly supplied the information he needed to get his answers.
"You are Shiranui Genma. A Konoha shinobi placed under my command in protecting the Daimyo during the war. You used a space time ninjutsu, a technique you've learned from your Yondaime Hokage when he's still alive, to teleport me to help your Godaime Hokage fight Uchiha Madara."
He gasped, his eyes widening.
Protecting the Daimyo?
Is she-?
Holy shit! No way!
"Welcome to Kirigakure, Genma.", the girl smiled when she saw his eyes finally recognize her. She stood in front of him, placing her hand to her left chest. "I am Terumi Mei, the Godaime Mizukage. We are now back in the Third Shinobi World War."
He can only gape at her.
Third Shinobi World War?
How?
Why?
Why is he here?
Why is she with him?
But the girl in front of him seems adamant in shocking him more.
"Now that I have the chance to change the world's fate, I'll change mine first.", the little girl smiled wider and hugged him tightly. "Be my fiancé, Genma."
H-Huh?!
What...? What?!
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Genma still can't get over his shock when another shinobi appeared and stepped behind the girl that introduced herself as the Mizukage. The shinobi is wearing a blue-green haori on top of his grey striped shirt, some talismans on his ears, and an eyepatch on his right eye. His hair is blue, like their surroundings and their clothes.
The man looks like he is in twenties, but Genma narrowed his eyes.
An eyepatch...
Talisman...
He only knew one guy who dressed like this before. A Kiri-nin who stole a Byakugan.
Is this-
"Yes, darling. He is Ao-san and he has the Byakugan. Sorry about that.", his 'fiancée nonchalantly answered his internal (and aggressive) thoughts. She gestured her hand towards the shinobi beside her. "But he is not like us. Ao-san is really a shinobi of this time. I already talked to him since we need him as an ally. He knows everything, including the Time Travel, and you being a Konoha shinobi."
He didn't have the chance to greet the shinobi. The newly introduced Kiri-nin leaned closer.
"This Byakugan is mine now. You can't take it away from me. An eye for an eye, Konoha!", Ao sneered.
The events of the disastrous Chunin Exams come to his mind. Two young Hyuuga shinobis fighting, caused by a family cursed seal to protect their eyes. A curse that divided a clan. A seal made to prevent theft like this one.
Genma felt his blood began to boil.
The audacity of this motherfucker!
He nearly spat the ground where the Dojutsu stealer is standing on. If only he has his senbon, he'll dug out that eye from him. But he has to remind himself that this person is an ally in their future war. Pettiness can't help them solidify this needed alliance.
He gritted his teeth and glared in response instead.
"Cat got your tongue, Konoha scum?", Ao prodded on, but Genma remained silent. This only made the Kiri-nin angrier.
"Ao-san.", the little girl warned. The Kiri-nin ignored her and continued taunting him.
"Just because you can control your little anger, you're the better person.", Ao scoffed at him. "You tree huggers are the most pretentious people in this world. No matter how gentle and righteous you cover yourselves, you can never hide the stench of Konoha! What a bunch of hypocrites!"
The Kiri-nin spat on his face.
"Fuck you, Konoha!"
Fuck you too, bitch!
Genma used everything he learned in Anbu to restrict himself from cursing back and blanked his reaction. He understands that he's the enemy here. They are still in the Third Shinobi World War, and the hostility between villages is normal.
Like what he does in every Anbu mission, he didn't look away and just stayed silent.
"That's enough, Ao-san!", the little girl commanded. The older Kiri-nin obeyed and shut his mouth. But Genma can still see the Kiri-nin seeking a chance to argue, as the shinobi still smiled smugly. He sighed. There are other things they could talk about, aside from arguing about which village is the worst in shinobi history. He needs to redirect their conversation.
"Are you done?", he monotonously asked. The two shinobis turned their heads on him. He kept his face blank. "If that made you feel better, could we talk about something productive now? After all, I want to continue the farce of my village to act kind and promote peace."
"Fuck you!"
"Sorry, I don't swing that way, Ao-san. Mei is now my fiancée. Please don't say these things in front of her. If you still want a man, I could recommend one.", he winked at the Kiri-nin.
Ao-san blushed and looked more infuriated. But he doesn't care anymore. He turned his back and tried to walk calmly towards the shore.
He needed some space.
He doesn't trust them yet for him to comfortably show that his body is trembling, his heart is pounding and his tears are nearly falling. This place and time, with a mature mind back to his young body, gave him anxiety. Things are out of his depth, nothing in his current surroundings is certain for him.
He quickly washed his face to cool his head. He needs to make a decision that will change his life.
So, this is how it feels, huh... Shikaku-san and Minato-san?
His Jounin Commander choosing to direct the whole Allied Shinobi Forces how to survive the war for his last act is still fresh in his mind. He saw Shikamaru, the Jounin Commander's son, gritting his teeth while listening to the last orders of his father and watching the tailed beast bomb obliterate the Headquarters. The Yondaime Hokage put the village's safety first, before his own life and family. He even sealed the nine-tailed beast to Naruto, trusting that his son will convert the destructive power and yield it to protect his people. All of it was for the sake of their village and everyone. Until their last breath, they both prioritized the safety of others.
Maybe it's time for him to do the same. He might not be much, but even a small force can do ripples.
Genma took a deep breath and closed his eyes, slowly spreading his arms to the wind and feeling every air that entered his lungs.
He imagined himself in the middle of the forest, hearing the gentle rustling of the leaves instead of the aggressive splashes of the waves. Feeling the warm caress of his kind mother's hands on his face, the teasing and friendly nudges of his best friend, and the warm hugs of his teammates.
A shinobi is truly one who endures.
When he opened his eyes, he made his resolve .
He will never forget all of it. He'll do everything to keep his people safe this time and trusted them to understand what he will do.
He went back to the Kiri-nins that wordlessly watched his actions.
Genma held his fiancée's hand firmly and put on a smile.
"If you want us to get married, maybe we could plan how to save the world first? I don't like Uchiha Madara gatecrashing our wedding. If we all win and survived this, officiate the wedding Ao-san."
The future Godaime squealed and hugged him hard, while the Kiri-nin burst out laughing.
"You got guts, brat. The legal age to marry is eighteen. Both of your bodies are ten years old."
"Then live longer!", he smirked. He extended his hand towards Ao-san. "Now, to solidify my cooperation, what do I do to enter the ranks of Kirigakure and lessen the Konoha stench you hated the most?"
"Our waters would get your feet cold when you dip.", the Kiri-nin crushed his hand and licked his lips. "It's either you dive or you drown. You still have time to change your mind and run to the trees."
"I can do it.", he insisted.
He's an Anbu Lieutenant in his past life. He could do this.
"Oh, you poor naive child.", the little girl stood between them and tucked his hair to his ear while pulling out a weapon.
An initiation huh. The Kiri-nin let out a maniacal laugh.
"Don't blame us if the blood is too much for you.", she whispered in his ear, tracing her kunai on his throat until a trickle of blood fell. The Kiri-nin tilted his head, observing his reaction.
He calmly smiled and welcomed the pain. He had decided. There's nothing else to fear.
Mei gave her kunai in his hand and brushed her lips to his.
"I like you. Welcome to Kirigakure."
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Genma can say he lucked out being born as a Konoha shinobi in his past life.
He only knew through intelligence and infiltration reports about why Kirigakure was infamously called the Bloody Mist Village. The bloody graduation, the caste system, and the long civil war were famous among all villages. It's been an internal joke among all shinobis; if you want to go crazy, go to Kiri.
But knowing is different from actually seeing and experiencing it.
Why is this fucking caste system not abolished yet? What is the shitty reason they are letting this system discriminate shinobis?
How can they let its own citizens fight for their rights to enter the ranks, when the whole reason for being a shinobi is to protect its lands and its people?
Why is this damn village allowing kids to kill their classmates just to prove their worth?
What the fuck is this village for? What even is the point?
He gritted his teeth every time his fiancée toured him in the village for a week. Kiri is way different than what Konoha does with their land and citizens. The old snobbish hags in their council are way milder than whatever this is.
"Don't blame us if the blood is too much for you.", two voices echoed in his head. But this is too much!
"You don't really have a choice. Being betrothed to Mei-sama means you are now part of her family.", Ao-san supplied, observing his reactions. "The Terumi – once a powerful clan, carried a rare Kekkei Genkai that made the authorities to include them forcefully in the village, thus falling to the lowest caste. You need to show the authorities that you're capable or you'll be dead."
His fiancée tried to comfort him by hugging him in the back. "I am sorry for not mentioning this before I asked you to be my fiancé. You could still walk away."
"I am now here and I already said yes.", he looked at the Kiri-nin with determination. "Like what our Naruto always said about his nindō; a shinobi should not run and go back on their word'."
"Naruto really did change lives.", the future Mizukage brushed his hair and started to braid it. He felt her shaking her head. "We need him here. He's the light that can shove the darkness of this war. I hope he went back here with us too."
Ao-san tilted his head. "Who is this Naruto?"
"Ah, yeah. You don't know him yet. Uzumaki Naruto – the young man who saved the world in the Fourth Shinobi War.", Mei answered.
"Uzumaki?! There is still a living Uzumaki in your time?!", the Kiri-nin widened his eye in shock. "I thought Uzushiogakure was totally annihilated?!"
His fiancée snorted. "C'mon, Ao-san. This is not new. I am the living proof that surviving an eradicated clan is possible. Besides, they are seal masters. They could have used any means to escape and protect their lands. No one can even trespass it even in our future."
"I believe only those who have Uzumaki blood can enter that land.", Genma omitted the details about the future Yondaime and his Uzumaki wife. "Naruto didn't have time to explore his lineage. We are too busy with the Akatsuki and the war."
"We should get him!", the Kiri-nin demanded. A manic greedy expression shaded Ao's eyes, which Genma didn't like. "The potential of having an Uzumaki in our plans will boost our success rate! The seals, the chains, the-"
Genma cut him off before he could say more. "I don't know if Naruto knows sealing and the Uzumaki hiden technique. I didn't see him used them in our recent battlefield. Besides, he is too loyal to Konoha. I doubt we'll get him to join this god-forsaken village. We don't even know if he's here too. The Third Shinobi World War happened twenty-two years ago; he's not yet born at this time. As far as I know, he's still a teenager when the Fourth Shinobi World War started."
"Then-"
"No, I think it's possible he's here.", Mei declared. Genma raised his eyebrow but didn't move his head. He saw Ao-san frowning at his future Mizukage. "Only a shinobi with enormous chakra could power a massive space-time ninjutsu. Naruto is the most powerful shinobi on that war. It's possible he's here or he's involved why we are here."
"But why am I here with you? And why are we here in your village if Naruto is involved?", Genma slightly contested. "We should be in Konoha or the barren lands near Lightning."
"Hmmm... you may have a point. It just happened that I managed to open my eyes before we skipped back time."
Genma snapped his neck fast towards his fiancée.
Huh?!
What?!
"I don't know what happened that made the roots loosened its wraps on our bodies, but it did.", his fiancée explained while holding his hair. "When I opened my eyes, we were falling from a cliff. I saw water and thought of our village. There's a... blue and orange film that enveloped the area we're thrown. Then I grasped the arm right next to me. Next thing I knew, we were underwater and I was holding you."
He blinked. His brain is working overtime, analyzing the information given.
"Don't tell me the orange-colored aura you saw made you think that the nine-tailed beast was involved."
"Well, do you know any other shinobi that has that aura?", Mei challenged back, pulling his head back to finish her braiding. "Bee, maybe. But I remembered Madara trapping the eight-tailed beast into the Demonic Statue. Only Naruto has a tailed beast by the time that the mad Uchiha initiated the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Genma contemplated this. If that was possible, what triggered the event? There is something missing... Naruto can't just transport them back using his tailed beast alone. He doesn't want to believe that the knuckle-headed jinchuriki knew a high scaled seal that can transport people back in time. Maybe the reanimated Hokages were involved? But are they still alive? Did the reanimated souls survive the Infinite Tsukuyomi?
"I still can't believe Uchiha Madara is still alive.", Ao-san sighed after minutes of silence. "Everything I heard today sounds like a delusion from a traumatized shinobi, but you here, defying time, proved that it's all true. Maybe there are others who traveled like you."
"Correct."
A thin man suddenly appeared behind the mist. They all jumped to the side and assumed their fighting stances. When they paused to observe the shinobi, he took a glance on his face. The man is pale, has a striking red hair parted to the side, and a left eye with a Rinnegan. When his eyes roamed to the man's clothes, he let out a gasp.
His long black cloak has red clouds.
Shit! The Akatsuki! Fuck!
That red hair is the same shade as Kushina-san! An Uzumaki trait!
He also has the Rinnegan!
They're so screwed! They need to run now!
The future Mizukage beside him stepped back and trembled a little, also recognizing the cloak. He saw her looking a path to escape. He can't do the Flying Thunder Formation Technique alone, nor has other ninjutsu that can transport them to a safe place. He also stepped back, pulling the older shinobi with him.
The red-haired Akatsuki took notice of their plan and put his hand forward.
"Banshō Ten'in!"
An invincible force pulled them towards his hand.
He knew this jutsu. Choza-sensei told them this technique was being used by Pain, the Akatsuki leader who destroyed Konoha in their other future, to pull things with his Rinnegan. Genma tried to put chakra on his feet to stop the pull, but the force was stronger. When they felt that their efforts were futile, Ao-san tried to put his body in front of them to cushion the impact.
Then chakra chains emerged from the shinobi's hand and wrapped their bodies tightly. They can't move anymore.
Genma tried to calm himself despite an Akatsuki binding them. Years serving the Yondaime and the Jounin Commander taught him to think things underneath.
Their enemy is not really attacking, he was just restraining them.
If this man wanted to kill them, he didn't need to chain them first. Only a shinobi with Rinnegan or a tailed-beast could defeat this type of shinobi. He concluded that this Akatsuki only wanted to talk.
There's no sense to waste their energy struggling.
"I apologize for restraining you.", the red-haired Akatsuki began. "Preventing an unnecessary fight is more beneficial for you than letting you attack me."
"Arrogant, are you?", Ao-san angrily sneered.
"I'm just realistic, shinobi-san. I could do worse if you like. Your stolen Byakugan is nothing compare to my Rinnegan."
"Fu-"
"Anyway.", the red-haired Akatsuki quickly cut off the Kiri-nin's cussing. "I revealed myself because I heard you talking about my kin. I appreciate if you could tell me more."
Kin? Naruto?
He knows Naruto?
How?
"Who?", the future Mizukage tried the clueless path to bid time.
"I wouldn't use the inherited Kekkei Genkai if I were you.", the newly arrived shinobi warned. "I just wanted to talk to people who traveled time like my kin."
They only stared at him.
So, Naruto is here too, huh? But why did that brat talk to an Akatsuki of all things?! Did he forget already that the organization tried to extract the Kyuubi from him and started the war?!
"I already know everything. Three people, who also traveled time like you, told me what happened in the other future and confirmed it with my Rinnegan."
"How did you know that we traveled time?", Mei-san asked.
The red-haired Akatsuki tilted his head. "Besides the fact that I already heard you seeing the blue and orange aura that enveloped you before you get here? Your hair has unusual red strands. As I said, I met three people who traveled time and talked to another three by summons and letters. They also have red strands of hair like yours."
Six people?!
Adding me and Mei… we have eight people!
This is so reassuring!
"Can you prove yourself that you met those people? How could we trust your words? We barely know you.", Ao-san voiced out his concerns.
The Kiri-nin was right, they can't trust this shinobi yet. Especially if he is wearing those bloody clouds.
"I am sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I am Nagato, one of the founders of the Akatsuki. Uzumaki Naruto is my kin. I am aware that the Akatsuki is your enemy in the other future, but we will be your ally in this time. I will show you some memories I extracted from one of the travelers, and reveal their present identities through my Rinnegan."
Before they could refuse or even blink, the red-haired Akatsuki activated his eyes.
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Genma tries to remember everyday who he was.
Two months have passed since the leader of the Akatsuki revealed things to them. From then on, things get blurry. Everything, from what they knew to what they had to do, changed.
They can't turn back anymore.
Ao-san trained him in Kirigakure's ways. Weapons and poisons are his usual arsenal, but the Kiri-nin wasn't contented with his skills and insisted that he learned some water releases. He was also enrolled into the Academy, even if he was already a shinobi. They said he needs to adapt and fight in their standards to fully integrate himself. A foreign shinobi like him has no opinion here, he has no choice but to agree.
The ninja academy of this god-forsaken village is another war zone itself, crueler than what he had experienced in his Anbu days. Every day, he fights for his life in training halls filled with water and with opponents that use swords. Students, whether a kid or an adult, fought to gain their ranks. Some slitted their classmates' throats early on to quickly lessen the number of competitors. He tried to stick with self-defense, but it made his classmates target him more.
There is no one day that his clothes were clean. They are always bloody by the time he goes home.
He wondered sometimes if Kiri should shift their clothes from blue to red. Blue doesn't truly signify the true essence of this village.
Mei, his fiancée, only shrugged when she saw him one day trembling in horror. She is actively recruiting shinobi to their cause; to unseat the Yondaime Mizukage and join the Akatsuki. She told him that the Academy is a good way to get acclimatized to the village. She shared to him the story on how she graduated.
He might be an Anbu in the future-past, but killing a child for survival is too much. The first time he did, it haunted him every night.
He should have inducted himself in Root if he knew he would do this in this future. He's praying that Danzo won't know these things and apply it to his organization in this time.
Then the inevitable graduation day came. He braced himself.
From here on, he will be a Kiri-nin. Starting this day, he will assume a new identity.
Unlike in Konoha's Ninja Academy, Kiri doesn't waste time testing their students in theory. They straight up test them in practical skills. They were called in the training hall by their teachers. This time, the water level was raised higher.
"Well, what are you waiting for?!", a teacher crossed his arms and impatiently demanded. "Kill five students and present their corpses to earn your hitai-ate!"
A shinobi is truly one who endures.
He is not Konoha shinobi here. He stepped into the water and closed his eyes.
Our waters would get your feet cold when you dip.
Five people already made a move to kill him. Three adults, one teenager and a child. He smirked. Ao-san is right. Konoha are too soft. Their exams are nothing compared to this. He hardened his heart.
It's either you dive or you drown.
His opponents drew their swords, smiling and thirsting of his blood. He sunk himself into the water and weaved signs to trap them. They are in a water country. What's more fitting for a Kiri-shinobi than to fight and die underwater. Only the heads of his opponents remained afloat.
Don't blame us if the blood is too much for you.
In Anbu, they were told to finish off their targets quickly so they won't feel remorse. So, when he emerged, he spewed his special senbons to paralyze them. He quickly beheaded them to shorten their pain and suffering.
Spurts of blood flew on his face, hands and clothes. The water turned red.
After this, he felt nothing.
Don't forget who you are.
Easy for them to say when they were not the one who has to throw away his own identity.
He collected the heads and threw them to a proctor who nonchalantly gave him a hitai-ate.
First mission finished. Unto the next.
As he wiped the blood out of his clothes, a young shinobi watching the exam approached him and clapped his shoulders. He knew this boy well. The bingo book firmly reiterated that this person has blue-green skin and shark-like features.
He slightly snorted.
Life indeed is ironic.
"You're good.", the teen praised him. "Mei wasn't wrong in choosing you as her mate. What's your name?"
"Call me Magen.", he wiped the blood from his face and placed the hitai-ate on his right arm. He braided his hair before continuing. "Terumi Magen."
"Glad to be your acquaintance, Magen. I presume that's a code name? Mei already gave me the relevant details.", the teen extended his hand. "My name is Hoshigaki Kisame. I am the new recruit to your cause. Call me Same."
He received the gesture and smiled manically. His new life starts now. If he goes crazy, that's fine.
He will reclaim his life back as Shiranui Genma.
If all ends well.
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Notes:
Genma found himself a new allegiance and a fiancee! Raido and Team Choza would be pissed!