Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

The Shinden Saga – Arc 2: Pain Divine

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Chapter 125 – Fated to suffer

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Following the massive toxic explosion that blasted away the coast of the land of Water along with a third of Kirigakure's surface, the 7th Hokage managed to remotely summon a clone to the location but only a few minutes after the attacker, Hyakki Otsutsuki, had already left.

Arriving too late to stop the invader or save the victims, he at least could clean the atmosphere of the radioactive dust that was slowly falling down on the village. Using his Gudodama and Inyoton – Haki, the ability to nullify Ninjutsu and matter, he saved Kiri from the aftermath of the nuclear blast that struck previously.

Yet, even though he could spare thousands more lives with this, nothing could be done for the tens of thousands who had perished before he arrived, including Tokiwa, the Minamoto princess, mother of Takeshi.

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Five days later, after a tiring week that the ninjas of Kiri, helped by volunteer foreigners from all the other hidden villages, spent looking for survivors and securing the destroyed area, everyone comes together in a ceremony of grief, in remembrance of the fallen.

In the evening of that day, a funeral is held in the village's ninja cemetery. Despite her retirement from her kunoichi career, Tokiwa Minamoto is still considered by Kiri as worthy of a grave next to heroes like Kobo Uchiha.

To this ceremony, her acquaintances from all the lives she's lived have come together. People who knew her as family, as a kunoichi, as a model, or even as a former servant of the Daitengu. Saori Sarutobi, founder of the textile brand Tokiwa modeled for, is present with her husband and daughter, Konohamaru and Satomi. Tonio Shinsetsu, the new owner of the brand, is there with his wife, Zelia Shinsetsu, a young woman who also poses for the brand and will now have to take Tokiwa's place as star model.

The 6th and 5th Mizukage, along with closed ones from Kiri including Kokoro and her students Kaori and Yukiko, planned the event. To support Tsubai in his loss, and just as they did for Kobo, the members of Sasuke's Karasu came together again. Minaa Nii came from the land of Lightning with Sana, Naomi Yuki returned to Kiri for the occasion, and Daisuke left Iwa to be present.

As the Minamoto clan's history comes from the land of Fire, numerous are the attendees from Ryuka and Konoha. Natsuri Yokawa, the leader of Ryuka and its hotel, along with the families of Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki are all present.

The 7th Hokage came in person, personally affected by this loss, and feeling guilt from his mistake of having arrived too late. Only 2 people are missing the funeral. Boruto Hyuga, currently training on the moon with Toneri Otsutsuki, and Sasuke Uchiha, who went off world to seek the lost planet of Takama on his own. Both are totally unaware of what happened on Earth.

Obviously, Takeshi and Tsubai with the little Yoshinari organized the ceremony with the help of their relatives and Kiri's direction, and had to be present as well. Yet, neither of them gave a eulogy. Mei Terumi did so instead. It may have been a week, but the way it happened so abruptly still seems too unreal to be trusted for them. The father and his two children all stood silent until the end.

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Afterwards, a luncheon is held at the Mizukage's mansion. Normally, it should have been at the deceased's home, but the Minamoto family's house was destroyed along with the west wing of the village. At this gathering, Takeshi just sits aside, feeling sick of the mass.

He kept his mask up on his face and took off his headband to let his hair fall and hide the rest of his face. He doesn't want anyone to be able to attempt reading his emotions. In his mind, he hears the comments and complaints of Amabie that he doesn't dare to acknowledge.

Sitting by his side are Izuna and Inoue, as quiet as him. Both think they've been through a similar grief before, when they thought they lost their sensei, but the fact he returned makes them feel unworthy of sharing out. Meanwhile, Takeshi feels just as fake about his feelings as them. To be so heavily surrounded and affected while nearly everyone in Kiri has lost someone that day, makes him feel like an impostor. He certainly receives more support than any other grieving citizen of this village, yet he doesn't want any of it.

Leaving the crowd for a moment of peace, Naruto Uzumaki comes to join his students and speak with the young Minamoto. Seeing him come closer, Izuna and Inoue stand up in his presence. The Hokage shyly looks away, embarrassed by their respectful manners.

Takeshi waits until he stands before him to get up too. He knows that his hidden face and his still visible empty eyes aren't enough to fool the Hokage who can sense all his emotions, and therefore perceives the despair in his soul.

"Takeshi… I know I've told your father already but…" Naruto sadly declares. "I'm really sorry. If I was just a bit stronger, a bit faster, I would have been there sooner."

"My father probably told you the same thing, Hokage, but no one will blame you." Takeshi replies. "And no one should. We know you're not as absolute as some believe. If you really were in position to act, you would have. You didn't have to be there."

"I… I want to be of help." Naruto answers. "I could meet and briefly talk with Sakitsuki this week. I had to ask about it, so I know that the man who did this will most likely come back. I'll stay alert for when it happens. Until then, don't hesitate to ask for my help… You know, the most important thing to keep in mind in this situation is not to hold any grudge against yourself. What you told me matters even more for you: Don't blame yourself. And don't try to face it alone. Your father, your sister, and your friends, they all share your grief. Remember, acknowledging and feeling other's support can help you feel better. Loneliness can only make it worse. But only time can truly heal you."

Takeshi has stopped listening to the Hokage too soon to take this advice. Instead, he's distracted by an odd sensation. He feels a blurry presence by his side, going with a terrible chakra. Yet he is the only one who seems to notice it, or the only one allowed to. Naruto's sensory skills are far superior to his, yet he shows no reaction to it as he speaks. For him to sense something that the Hokage can't should be impossible. Even his tengu, Tentoki, Makura and Amabie, don't seem to notice.

For a quarter of a second, Takeshi catches sight of a strange silhouette passing by the Hokage and looking at them like an old acquaintance. Yet, he doesn't let this personal experience be shown in any way. No emotion is let out to alert the Hokage. The Minamoto stays unfazed, having a good idea of what just happened.

To hide it, he just nods to show agreement, even though he didn't hear much of it, and lets the Hokage leave. Inoue, feeling they should be dismissed too, takes Izuna's hand and invites him to follow their sensei. Izuna takes just a moment to sympathize with his best friend, before following her.

When they leave, Takeshi discreetly and calmly looks around to see if the figure he noticed is still there, but he can't find it. Just to be sure, he checks inside his inner world to see if his tengu really didn't perceive anything. Tentoki and Amabie are totally unaware, but Makura, as unfazed as him, just stares back at his host, communicating with only a gaze, to share this experience.

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Later the same night, after the luncheon, Takeshi left the mansion when he noticed that his father had the same idea sooner. Back at the refugee camp for those who lost their homes in the attack, he finds Tsubai, with Yoshinari asleep in his arms, sitting on a nearby roof in silence.

To kill his loneliness, Takeshi goes to sit next to him. Curious about his father's lack of concern, he lightly lays a hand on his shoulder, thinking that he'll hear a conversation between Daikoku and him. To his surprise, they're both completely quiet.

This makes him realize that, no matter how dead he feels inside at the moment, Tsubai necessarily has it worse. But such personal complaints are not what busies the father's mind. Tsubai just stares in silence at his daughter sleeping in his arms, and trembles. Not only will she have to grow up without her mother, but with only him. He has no idea how to handle this, and is certainly afraid.

His sister, Saori, will surely not be there to help him, and he wouldn't dare to appear in need before anyone else. The only person to support him is his son who's just as clueless as he is. Takeshi, looking at the village's streets to change his mind, notices Naomi Yuki going to the exit with Daisuke. Seeing her, he remembers what happened 5 months ago.

"Why can't we just… ask Tojiki to bring her back?" he bargains, speaking aloud for his father and tengu to hear.

"Takeshi… you're just torturing yourself." Tentoki says to calm Makura and Amabie who were cheered up by this thought.

"You know this kind of power always has a price." Tsubai says to his son, getting all the tengu's attention. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind paying with my life to bring her back. And I know you wouldn't either. But sacrificing ourselves would just be egoistic. Tokiwa would hate it. Because she'd do the same for us… Truth is… we have to accept it. That's all."

Takeshi looks at his father with lifeless eyes, and then stares down, too tired to answer. Tsubai, facing the sky, chooses this time to open up to his son.

"You know… it's the fourth time a celestial takes a loved one away from me." he starts. "First, my mother. Then, my best friend, and my brother in arms. This time, it's the only woman I ever fell in love with. The love of my life… You're just slightly older than me when I lost my mom. You have a whole life of loss ahead… One of us has to be fated to suffer… Cursed to lose everything. And whether it's you or me, will be determined only by if I am next on the list."

To this remark, Takeshi widely opens his eyes and stares in shock at his father, refusing to consider such a possibility. Before he can answer, both of them are distracted by a shadow appearing over them in the moonlight.

Up and above in the sky is Sakitsuki, levitating in front of the moon. She's been around the whole week but kept her distance, grieving from afar. She's busied by a feeling of guilt, and tries to distract herself by paying attention to everything else in the universe. Focused on other places in far corners of this universe, she inadvertently let the moonlight reveal her presence.

Right now, she saw that Takeshi and his father noticed her and were looking up, expecting her to come down. It has been 5 days now and she even had time to speak with Naruto Uzumaki, which she vowed not to. It's probably time for her to talk to Takeshi about it.

She slowly flies down to get near the Minamoto father and son. She sees Takeshi trying to avoid eye contact, hiding his sorry face while Tsubai looks straight at her, waiting to hear what she has to say.

"…" she takes a while to put her thoughts into words. "I know everyone told you this already… But I am sorry… And you can't fool and reassure me like you did for the Hokage. Everything is really my fault. I shouldn't have stayed here for so long. I should have acted more consciously and anticipated my masters' expectations. I can't go against their will, and even less want to disappoint them."

Tsubai and Takeshi just listen, not motivated to answer this time. She seems to feel even more guilty than they do about this.

"This is why… I will return to my clan on my own, before Hyakki-sama returns." she declares. "I will beg to be scrapped out from your memories, and will leave you alone forever."

Takeshi quietly looks down. He wants to argue with that, but doesn't have the strength to do so. He just tries to prepare his mind to accept another loss. However, his father isn't as complying as him.

"I refuse." Tsubai frankly says. "Miss Sakitsuki, I will not let you or the rest of your clan get away like this. Trust me, I know what it means to play with people's memories. I do that myself. And I know that, with my way, erasing them doesn't mean replacing them. If they want to properly make the world forget you, we'll have to forget that god of destruction too, as well as everything related to what he's done. This could mean I have to forget Tokiwa. It will be, to everyone, as if she, and all other victims, never even existed. And I will certainly not let that happen."

"… I admire your determination and analysis, Tsubai." Sakitsuki remarks. "Two remarks however … First, if we really were to use the same jutsu as you at such a large scale, you could immune yourself to it and counter it. For it to work, you'd have to die or be dealt with personally beforehand… Second, my mistress, Naobi-sama, with her ability, could actually replace your memories, and even events. There is a chance for Tokiwa to be brought back as if nothing happened."

"No thanks." Tsubai answers. "I'm sure you saw me tell it to Takeshi earlier. Playing with life and death is never free. If she comes back, whatever happens instead will kill someone else. Even though I'd be fine with that, she certainly wouldn't want this."

"Saki, it's pointless…" Takeshi speaks, interrupting the goddess' painful hopes. "You heard what Hyakki said. Your sovereign decided not to erase our memories. Even if you think it would fix things in a way, it won't happen."

"I'll make it happen!" she suddenly exclaims. "I'll beg, if they refuse to do it, I'll take my own life. That you had to lose your mother because of me is already too much! I can't let you be destroyed by Hyakki-sama just out of good will!"

"Shut up!" Tsubai yells at her, promptly standing up. He checks on his daughter, still asleep, and goes on. "The first time I lost someone to an alien… second actually, it was Himari, my best friend. She sacrificed herself to save me. At this moment, without Daikoku to reason with me, I would have given up and become Katashiki's puppet. But I didn't. I kept fighting, just so Himari's death wouldn't be for nothing. And I'll do the exact same now. There is no trick to make it right. The man who took my wife from me has to pay. That's all."

"You're making yourself sound like Sasuke Uchiha!" Saki argues, angered by his stubborness. "The god of destruction isn't an enemy that you can defeat. I won't be able to help you with this."

"So what? As Naruto would say, I won't go back on my words." Tsubai stays stubborn. "It's okay if you can't fight, but I won't let you go either. Not until that destruction bastard dies… I'm telling you this because I know my damn son thinks and feels the exact same way but won't dare to speak up."

He looks to see Takeshi, who stares back in admiration. His father's angry speech and will of steel is bringing him up as well. Besides, he noticed him saying his favorite word again in the middle of his sentence for the first time since it happened. To him, it proves how serious his father is.

"We know that this guy will come back to get you." Tsubai continues to speak to Saki. "Until then, we just have to prepare."

"… Why did he leave instead of just finishing it immediately?" Takeshi questions himself aloud, before replying on his own by repeating the words of Tentoki. "He needs you, Saki, to willfully comply and follow him. He gave you time to move on from us."

"But we won't let that happen." Tsubai interrupts.

"… I think there is something else, Takeshi…" Saki thoughtfully says, unable to keep arguing now that he joined his father's side. "Hyakki-sama wanted to spare your life for now. It seems to be because he is somehow familiar with the tengu."

"We'll make sure that was a mistake." Tsubai speaks up again. "Even if you don't want to fight with us, you're still an advantage. If you're really the only one with these eyes, it means you can know what decisions and moves Hyakki will make until then, while your clan is in the dark about you and us. It's why they wanted you back, isn't it?"

Sakitsuki doesn't reply. She just slowly nods.

"That's one thing you can do to help." Tsubai says. "Whatever you're authorized to do, nobody's gonna know as long as we kill the only man who'll see it, Hyakki."

Saki squints and gulps down, unsure of what Tsubai's resolve and determination is dragging them into. Takeshi, who's been listening to the discussion, is more troubled by his father's determination than anything else.

"Mama…" they're all startled by the little voice of Yoshinari speaking in her sleep. "I'm cold."

Tsubai, troubled by what his daughter called for, turns around to bring her to a warmer place. Before doing so, he just stares at Sakitsuki, to ask her to think about what he said, and leaves her alone with Takeshi. The young Minamoto swallows his saliva and stands still, with his lips trembling as he tries to think of something else than the voice of his little sister calling for her mother.

"Do you… Do you know how long we have before he comes back?" he asks Saki, thinking about what Tsubai said instead.

"… I couldn't tell." she simply replies, noticing his obvious inner pain. "I could give an estimation, but no clear idea."

"Can you see him right now?" he surprises himself asking. "Is he… getting ready to return? Or what is he doing?"

"No… He's just as always barely doing anything with his time." she explains about Hyakki. "He only acts idle until his presence is requested by someone else. It's like he's not living for his own self anymore. Like he'd rather be dead…"

Takeshi just quietly thinks of this, while his tengu leave him alone at it. Unable to figure out anything about this person, he sighs, and suddenly finds it hard to breathe in. He just abruptly started suffocating. In his struggle, he doubts whether it is out of stress or pure sadness. Is it because of Hyakki? Is he dreading his return?

Sakitsuki, seeing him in quiet panic, promptly hugs him, and warmly holds his head against her. Unlike last time she saw him in this state, when he learned about Karasu's death, she didn't bother asking and immediately took action. The answer was obvious. Because, after all, is there anything possibly more painful than the loss of a loving mother?

Finding a comfort that feels forbidden, Takeshi rests in her arms and calms down. Sakitsuki thinks of what time she has left here. She uses her eyes to find the one who will come for her, the god of destruction, and figure out what his intentions are regarding his mission to retrieve her.

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The aforementioned young god is, at the moment, boringly walking around one of the asteroids that revolves around the red aster of Ashihara. He's been doing this pointlessly for two whole days, since he has nothing else to do than to wait for his sovereign to require his presence.

And so does the Ryu-Shinsen pull him out of his boredom. As Hyakki is still roaming around the orbiting meteor, a blue spiral rift appears around him, but gently, not to feel unannounced. Recognizing the Chimatakami of Naobi, he lets himself be swallowed by the portal and transported where she wants him.

In the council room of the great dark crystal palace of Izumo, in the capital land of the Shinden on the red planet's surface, Hyakki is left by the portal in front of Yamitsuki and Naobi Otsutsuki, expecting his report. He looks at Naobi who seems like she has something to ask.

"Do you allow me to…" she starts to say, not finishing her sentence as she knows Hyakki already gets the message.

"Pfff… Go ahead." he replies, to which Naobi nods.

Kamimusubi – Saiko Denshin

By combining her almighty Genjutsu with her psychic powers, she creates an illusion that shows the memories of Hyakki to everyone in the room. Yamitsuki, standing with his hands held together in his back, witnesses this visual confession. They see what their young fellow did in Kiri, and how he left.

"May I question, Hyakki, what motivated you to act so naively?" the dragon sage demands.

"What do you mean to say, Ryu Shinsen?" the god of destruction asks, to which Naobi replies instead.

"Your task was no other than to retrieve Sakitsuki." she says. "Instead, you caused a mess and left her behind. You wasted your time and ours by playing with this human."

"I… just thought that hurting her feelings and bringing her with me by force wasn't how the Shinden should proceed." Hyakki explains himself.

"This nuclear spectacle was a foolish act." Yamitsuki himself replies. "I have already declared that their memories of your actions would remain. Yet you still crossed that border again, just like when you were still a mindless young. Do you not learn from your mistakes?"

To this accusation, Hyakki doesn't answer. He acknowledges that he went too far, but won't communicate on the instincts that led him to act this way. The dragon sage isn't done however.

"You were wise to leave before the yellow fox got involved." he continues. "However, whenever you may return there to complete your task, he will be alert and ready to intercept you. This is a confrontation you would be unable to handle."

The god of destruction stays silent. He thinks of this opponent. The yellow fox. The new Rikudo-sennin. Is he really so out of reach for him? He knows that he defeated Momoshiki and Kaguya, who are obviously stronger than him, but both times he was helped by an equal. How strong is he on his own?

"We still need to get Sakitsuki back to this world, and away from Earth." Naobi says. "If Hyakki risks making it worse than it already is, who should take his place?"

"Naobi, do not attempt to save him from his duty." the dragon sage orders. "His mission is still the same. No one but him should complete it."

"Well then… How is he supposed to make it with the yellow fox in his way?" Naobi argues.

Yamitsuki walks around the room for a while, and comes face to face with Hyakki. He looks at him straight in his unhealed white eyes that still are damaged by Tokiwa's last move. The young god, sensing his superior's presence, notices somewhat sadness in his gaze as he makes his decision.

"We will continue this conversation without words." the Ryu Shinsen lets his voice be heard only in the present people's mind to avoid Sakitsuki lip reading, and addresses his beloved. "Since you are obviously begging for it, my dear, I leave you to accompany him. But act carefully. You are authorized to prevent the involvement of Naruto Uzumaki and nothing more. Under no circumstances are you allowed to disrupt the course of the mission that Hyakki will fulfill. Only when he is done will you be free to fix the wrongs of your pupil. Nothing else."

"… So be it." Naobi replies, satisfied, also only within her thoughts to keep it secret from her pupil who may be watching.

"But wait, Yamitsuki-sama." Hyakki says, before switching to thought dialogue as well. "I don't mind Naobi-sama following me if it's to spare me another pain in the ass, but we're not yet ready to go back on Earth. You see… I told Sakitsuki to be ready to follow us remorselessly. We should leave her time to do so."

Yamitsuki quietly bends over to speak in the young god's ear.

"You, my child, are playing around." he calls him out. "Shall Sakitsuki really face her fate and give up on the humans she befriended, you know very well that the Minamoto would not accept it. No matter how long you wait, when you come back for her, Takeshi will be here to fight you, regardless of how hopeless such a battle could seem to him. You are not waiting for Sakitsuki to move on, but for this human to be ready. And frankly,... I have no objections to that, for I could not care less about your plans."

Hyakki still remains quiet. He's troubled by how easily the sovereign seems to figure out his instincts and intentions, and even more confused by his decision regarding it.

"If this can fill a hole in you, I am actually glad to let you do." Yamitsuki adds before stepping back. "But do not forget to only let what you want to happen."

After this mystical advice, the Ryu Shinsen turns around, and looks at the goddess of purity.

"You should stay alert. Whenever Hyakki tells you it is time, go with him." he says in her mind before allowing the god of destruction to dispose, with a simple hand gesture.

Hyakki turns around and leaves. He levitates through the hallways of this magnificent temple until he finds someone in his way. It is Taiyoshiki Otsutsuki, the son of his sensei, Tokubei Otsutsuki. The youngling just stares at him interrogatively.

"What are you bothering me for, kid?" Hyakki asks.

Taiyoshiki doesn't let this call bug him. After all, even though Hyakki is also considered young by his fellows, he is even younger than that. He was born only 200 years ago, making him 4.5 times younger than the god of destruction. But, still curious about something, he dares to ask.

"With all due respect, Hyakki-sama, why are you reminding yourself of a past you wanted to forget?"

"How do you know about this?" the Shinden asks, mistrustful.

"How I know is not much of a question. I've always found my way through paths of history." Taiyoshiki replies. "But you, Hyakki-sama, that you could figure out so quickly what I'm talking about shows that it never stopped haunting you."

"Tsk… You should stop pretending you understand me." the young Shinden says as he prepares to leave.

"Sadly, I am not pretending." Tokubei's son adds. "My father told me what he thinks Sakitsuki is experiencing on Earth. It's not hard to guess why you wanted to play with this human rather than just completing your mission. You want her to live the same end of story as you did. You can't stand seeing her happy when you weren't."

Angered by this unfazed honesty, Hyakki stops next to Taiyoshiki, grabs him by the neck and pushes him against the crystal wall. The younger one raises his hands, not to harm anyone, but to gently wave, asking for Hyakki to calm down.

The god of destruction concentrates to slightly see with his damaged eyes, and stares into the eyes of Taiyoshiki. His right eye is kept closed, but in his left eye Hyakki clearly sees a familiar Sharingan. An eye that haunts his nightmares and thoughts.

"You dare look at me with that eye." he says aloud.

Taiyoshiki guiltily looks away, knowing that this Dojutsu is only the print of another's chakra sealed inside him.

"Forgive me for this…" he says. "I don't know the person who bestowed this eye to me enough to judge, but I don't want you to recognize him in my eyes. I never chose to receive this gift."

"Of course you didn't choose." Hyakki angrily replies. "He never cared about other's choices anyway. He only gives when it serves him. Sooner or later, you'll serve as his pawn. You'll see."

After this ambiguous complaint, he throws Taiyoshiki aside. As the young one stands up, the god of destruction ends the discussion.

"To forget this past? This is what you think I want?" he says. "On the contrary, I always kept it close to my mind and heart. There is no memory I deny. I am a Shinden. I am the son of the beast, as they call me. The born sage. Forced to live against my will. Nothing can bother me, scare me, or disrespect me… Only he did. And my end shall be an insult to him."

In reaction to this odd but solemn declaration, Taiyoshiki raises his eyebrows and breathes in. Hyakki calms down, looks at who still stands before him, and asks his first question again, but more politely.

"Why were you sent here?" he says.

"Oh… I come as a messenger of my father." Taiyoshiki replies, not mentioning their ended discussion again, knowing that Hyakki will remember it anyway. "He waits for you in one of his worlds. He wants to hear about your visit to Earth."

Hyakki slowly nods, cleaning his mind from the emotions he just showed and pretending nothing happened. He agrees to be brought to his sensei by his son.

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End of Chapter 125 – Next Chapter: The widower's plan