Naruto: Tales of Ashihara
The Shinden Saga – Arc 4: The Otsutsuki War
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Chapter 152 – Indra or Asura
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Over 120 years ago, in the territory of the Fire Daimyo, not far away from a village where a nomad clan resides, was a young man training alone in the forest. Katana in hand, this boy was moving from tree to tree, trying to chop them down in one dash. Despite his young age, he was among the elite of his clan, and had just recently awakened his Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan.
Alone in the woods in the middle of the night, he chose to exercise to wash off the thoughts that kept him awake. Yet, he could still feel a gaze upon him. At distrust, he promptly turned around and executed what to him was a simple jutsu.
Katon – Gokakyu
With a stream of flames, he incinerated all the trees in front of him, aiming for a presence that he caught a glimpse of, almost instantly escaping the fire.
"Who goes there?" he yelled, to lure the stranger out.
Just as he had expected, a man walked out from behind the trees to reveal himself. To his eyes, it was only an elderly man with long spiky hair and a long goatee, wearing an old dirty cape and a simple outfit. The boy also didn't fail to notice the numerous wild animals of the forest who were seemingly drawn here by this man. Oddly, the animals didn't seem hostile, nor did they act naturally. Bears, wolves, foxes were simply standing side by side with deers, birds and rabbits.
Behind this flawless disguise, the old man was actually the Ryu Shinsen, god of nature, Yamitsuki Otsutsuki. But over a century ago, the young boy had no reason to suspect this. To him, it was just an old vagabond. Maybe a former shinobi.
"Who are you, old wanderer? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"That is not a correct question, young man." answered the disguised god. "What is to be asked is, who are you? What are you doing here?… These woods are not your propriety, nor are they mine, nor are we theirs. We both are on foreign ground, as strangers."
Annoyed by the old man's wisdom, but also reassured by the absence of killing intent or even just sensible chakra in him, the boy got at ease, lowered his blade, and introduced himself properly.
"My name is Uchiha Madara. Eldest son of the Uchiha clan's leader, Tajima Uchiha."
Already aware of the boy's identity, it is the name of his father that made Yamitsuki lightly chuckle.
"So your leader, your father, was named after one of the sons of Indra Otsutsuki?"
"… Never heard of any Indra before." Madara answered, with an eyebrow raised to show his confusion. It was also the first time he ever heard the last name of Kaguya.
This ignorance obviously startled Yamitsuki, but not too much. After all, Indra had died over a thousand years ago, and was quite a mystery even to his earliest descendants. Yet, that Madara's father wore this name meant that tales of the Uchiha's genesis were still being told among the clan. It is ironic however, as the answer to the boy's question was technically himself.
"It appears that I, a humble wanderer, know better of the past of the Uchiha than the own heir of the clan." The Dragon Sage mocked lightly, moving on before he could get a reaction. "I do now recall having heard of you before from these woods. Madara Uchiha, you are one who befriended the heir of the Senju, Hashirama."
Hearing this, Madara shamefully looked away and sighed angrily. At this moment, he remembered his last meeting with the Senju, just a week ago. Out of pain, he activated the eyes that he had awakened that day. He raised his sword again, ready to resume his training.
"To hell with him!" he exclaimed. "I've left this friendship behind. The next time I meet Hashirama will be on a battlefield. And I'll kill him."
This answer left Yamitsuki in wonder. Since the very beginning of the conflict between the souls of Indra and Asura, his clan had been tracking its unfolding. It was Tokubei's praise for this young man, identified as Indra's avatar, that led him to visit that night. What the masked man told him at that time was a simple forecast. That this kid, Madara Uchiha, no matter what power gap may ever separate him from Asura's avatar, will always be two steps ahead.
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At the moment, in the present, Yamitsuki Otsutsuki is totally alone in another dimension, in a palace so gigantic that it makes him seem like a mere microbe on the surface of an ocean. In this palace, the Ryugo-jo, he sits in a massive hall and recalls this encounter with Madara.
For a long time, Tokubei's faithful prediction appeared to be true. After his fight with Hashirama in the valley of the end, Madara's plan may have been kept secret from the ninja world, but it did not escape the gaze of Sakitsuki, and therefore the knowledge of the Ryu Shinsen. All along the plan of the ghost of the Uchiha, Yamitsuki had been watching with Tokubei.
And for a long time, the Dragon Sage genuinely believed that Madara Uchiha was the one ninja he was waiting for. The one mentioned in the prophecy of the Ryu Tenno, the sovereign spirit of dragons. And when they witnessed the Uchiha's return during the 4th ninja war, there was almost no doubt left.
Yet, Madara was not the one. But from the war during which he perished emerged a new, unprecedented hero. The one who came out victorious in this war. The one who, today, has risen far above any other incarnation of Indra and Asura. The one who broke the cycle of this conflict and surpassed even the gods who fashioned the ninja world.
In the hall of the Ryugu-jo, Yamitsuki looks up to the place of the sovereign in this palace. Here is the congealed and dried carcass of a white dragon. It is far in the distance yet seems so close, for the creature is more than a dozen kilometers long. It has scales white like snow, a beard bright and blue like a frozen ocean, and along its back has crystals as black as shadows. It is the cadaver of the last incarnation of the Ryu Tenno, immortalized within the domain in which it once was almighty.
While sadly looking at what remains of the great entity that gave him his famed name, Yamitsuki remembers the fate it revealed to him. To this day, the ninja of the prophecy can only be Naruto Uzumaki. If not, then this tale is deemed to become a mere lie, and the ninja world would have no worth existing anymore.
Lost in wonders, regrets and loneliness, Yamitsuki has however to leave the ruins of the greatness he embodies, as his presence is requested by the other Shinden. Within this palace, he can sense all other universes as if he was in his core dimension. And so he feels Naobi waiting for him on the moon.
Kandakoro
With his space-time jutsu, he warps into the sapphire palace he built on the moon's surface and joins Naobi and Tokubei in the council room of the Shinden. In the room are also Sakitsuki, whose presence is requested as well, and Chishiki who sits at Yasona's place. The presence of this last person and the absence of her mistress bothers the Dragon Sage, but he first asks about what he knows of Naobi's latest activities.
"Why have you granted a wish to a human?" he asks, referring to what she did a few days ago in the land of Wind for Killin' Kiss and Seiki Tomoe.
"It was only a formality. And it did not cost me anything. Nor will it have any impact on us." Naobi explains.
Yamitsuki accepts this as an answer as he gets to his seat. Once at the table, he politely looks at Chishiki to question her presence. From his insisting gaze, the poisonous celestial notices the concern and hurries to explain.
"Yasona-sama didn't wish to join this summit so I'm here as her substitute. You see, Ryu Shinsen-sama, as you have authorized, she has settled on Earth and has conquered one of the ninja nations."
Yamitsuki, who only now finds out about the details of this as he never bothered to look for Yasona before, stares at Sakitsuki and expects her to explain what she knows of it. The golden-eyed goddess understands the assignment and goes ahead.
"Yasona-sama has besieged Iwagakure nearly a month ago, and spread her reign over the whole land. She neutralized all the resistance within Iwa and is still waiting for them to submit to her. She has met no resistance from the feudal order that rules the country… She anticipates taking over the other nations, but waits for Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha to be eliminated first. However, it seems she will be forced to defend herself soon. The Shinobi Union is preparing for a joint offensive against her."
Hearing this last information, Chishiki gets curious and promptly asks for answers that are also of interest to Yamitsuki and Tokubei.
"A joint offensive? What about the fox and the Uchiha? What are their roles in this offensive?" she asks, surprising everyone including herself as she dared to speak like a member of the council.
"Well… Even though Konoha is taking part in this, the Hokage is not involved. He chose to focus on personal training… He… is aiming for you, Ryu Shinsen-sama." she shyly adds at the end, which surprises everyone, but mostly Yamitsuki. He didn't think Naruto would take this task so seriously that he'd even put it as a priority before saving a fellow ninja village. "But Sasuke Uchiha will be involved. He is even the general commander of the operation." Saki adds, which confuses Tokubei, and worries Chishiki, as it means that her mistress may be in danger.
"This is… interesting." Yamitsuki says, shaken and flattered by Naruto's effort. "Naobi, may you consult Yasona and interrogate her about her intentions and plans?"
"… Should I go?" Naobi answers almost automatically, also bothered by the consideration of the Hokage.
"As you wish. This meeting does not have to eternize itself."
Taking this order, Naobi just gently caresses Sakitsuki's shoulder before using Izunome to vanish and go to collect more information about the Shinobi Union's plan. She keeps herself busy, to prevent her mind from thinking too much about Yamitsuki and Naruto.
Now that the one he considers the voice of reason left the room, Tokubei Otsutsuki lets his instincts take over.
"So Sasuke Uchiha wants to fight Yasona?" he says to Sakitsuki. "What's going through his mind? Has he forgotten about me?"
"This decision could mean one thing." Yamitsuki answers. "He does not see you as a threat anymore, and has simply lost interest in you."
"Lost interest?" Tokubei exclaims, clenching his fists on the table, letting everyone see his frustration. "There's no way I let him do that! He won't fight anyone but me." he says before looking at Chishiki. "This rat won't lay a finger on Yasona. Because when he goes for her, I'll come for him."
To this declaration, Chishiki shyly smiles. Her face only barely shows it, but she is feeling immensely grateful for this. To know that another Shinden, even if it isn't really out of compassion, will take action to help her mistress makes her glad. Yamitsuki, looking at Chishiki's face, has his mind troubled by memories of a far past. In her smile, he sees the love and admiration of a clueless girl for her master. Destabilized, he chases these thoughts and this image.
"Chishiki, I do not deny the purity of your contribution today, but I should not accept a pupil as a substitute for a Shinden." he says to her. "I have to ask you to leave, and try to hold your tongue about what you have heard here."
Chimatakami
He opens a space rift on the side for her to walk through. With a light nod, she salutes each person left in the room, stands up and calmly leaves, as demanded by the sovereign. Yamitsuki doesn't close the gate yet. He now looks at Sakitsuki.
"You can also be dismissed. The rest of the conversation is not made for your ears." he says. "Only, before you go, tell me, what is Naruto doing?"
"The Hokage is still on Mount Myoboku. He is confident that he'll be done with his training before the Shinobi Union's operation begins." she explains.
"And what is Sasuke Uchiha doing right now?" Tokubei hurries to ask before she is obliged to leave.
"He is in Konoha, training Boruto Hyuga. The purpose is also to fight Yamitsuki-sama."
Hearing this, Tokubei just makes a disgusted face, hidden under his mask through which even Saki can't see. He holds his words, waiting for Yamitsuki to be the only one here to hear. Seeing no other request, Sakitsuki stands up as well and leaves through the portal.
On the other side, she joins Chishiki before the gate closes in her back. Seeing her, the pupil of Yasona makes a remark about the Dragon Sage.
"Why does Yamitsuki-sama seem so appeased?" she asks, used to seeing him more careless and cold.
"So you noticed too." Saki answers with a smile. "I don't know, but to me, he seems more troubled than relaxed. Perhaps old memories?"she takes a wild and correct guess.
In the council room, Yamitsuki has colliding thoughts in his mind. Resurfaced memories of former pupils, the Ryugu-jo, the extinction of his kind, and most importantly, Naruto Uzumaki. Next to him, he senses the intense emotions of Tokubei that make him leave his thoughts aside.
"Did Sasuke Uchiha really prove himself undoubtedly superior to you?" he asks Tokubei, without moving his lips to prevent Saki from following.
"I'll make him regret this slack. If he thinks he's better than me, I'll confront him with what he can't surpass." Tokubei growls.
"He may have lost interest in you as an opponent, but he is probably still intrigued by your past." Yamitsuki says. "Whatever you decide to do, just make sure to come out alive. No matter how things unfold from now on, you are the only one for whom survival is crucial. Do not forget the task I gave to you."
Tokubei takes a moment to breathe and calm down.
"I know…" he says. "It seems they have given themselves a time limit with this attack plan against Yasona. What Sakitsuki said about the Hokage means that it is not impossible that he attends this operation as well."
"And if he does, it will mean that he deems himself ready to face me." Yamitsuki remarks.
"It would be delusional. Nothing more." Tokubei comments.
Yamitsuki doesn't think so. He knows that Naruto is a wise man and a noble ruler. He has even taken his advice regarding the seemingly fatal extinction of the celestial kind. And he knows that the 7th Hokage never goes back on his words. Tokubei, knowing that the Ryu Shinsen has more to tell, asks.
"What about Yasona now? You've sent Naobi to talk with her, but this won't make her give up on what she wants. It is quite obvious that her plan on Earth will eventually imply claiming Kaguya's power. What do you think will happen? Do you expect the Shinobi Union to actually defeat her?"
"Yasona may be a Shinden, but she is as perverted and power hungry as Momoshiki. Having the ninja world dispose of her would have served me well. But now that I have sent Naobi there, I doubt that she would allow such a thing to happen."
"What then?"
"I will find a way to get rid of her in time. For now, I have to focus on what the future implies for me. You seem pessimistic about it, but I deeply believe that there is a way for the prophecy of the Ryu Tenno to be fulfilled very soon. And in that case, I need to prepare the universe for this change… So I will use the Ryu Tenno's seal to condemn the Ryugu-jo. And so only its avatar will be able to unseal it."
"This means that you will make Kojin's burden even heavier. Yamitsuki-sama, you are not kind to your last pupil… Also, wouldn't sealing the Ryugu-jo prevent you from drawing any more power from it? This could significantly depower you, you know?"
"I could not care less. I trust Kojin. He has, sadly, never disappointed me. What matters is that we keep the Shinjutsu of the Dragon Emperor out of reach for malevolent souls. For the future, what needs to survive is only whether myself or the ninja of the prophecy, Naobi and the man I asked that you protect."
"Hm… I know very well who's malevolent soul you're referring to, Yamitsuki-sama. Only he would seek absolution in such a way."
"The prince of darkness… I suspect he is also the only one who could threaten your mission. If the prophecy of the Ryu Tenno comes true, there will be no hindrance to his actions anymore. It would become imperative to eliminate him. Do not forget that he knows what we hid in the realm of Saetsuki. For him to be defeated in this case, you have to survive at all costs to stand in his way, Tokubei."
The masked man stays silent, and thinks of this burden. It appears that, from what is to happen in the next few days, it is necessary that at least he or Yamitsuki survives. In other words, it is impossible, unacceptable, that Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha both make it out alive. He doesn't really see the Hokage as a threat for the Ryu Shinsen, but he still needs to ensure that he wins his own battle. And he knows just how to proceed to eliminate Sasuke the next time they meet.
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Meanwhile in Konoha, the Uchiha wanderer is heading to a hotel to meet again with Rihetsuki, the retired celestial. As Yamitsuki has guessed, Sasuke is not really interested or worried about Tokubei as an enemy, but is still deeply concerned about his identity and his connection to Indra Otsutsuki.
Now more familiar with his enemy than ever before, he hopes to find answers with Rihetsuki. At the hotel, he localizes the Otsutsuki by his chakra print and goes waiting to be let in at his room's window. Standing on the wall, he sees the door of the balcony open itself as a way in for him.
Inside, he finds Rihetsuki Otsutsuki sitting on the bed with a cup of tea. It appears that he was waiting for him and is ready for a conversation.
"Take a seat, Uchiha." the old celestial invites him.
Sasuke sits on the ground in front of him and quietly stares into his eyes before speaking. To not appear nonchalant, he doesn't immediately jump to the main topic.
"How are you feeling, Rihei?" he asks. "Last time we met, you mentioned that Tokubei had taken away a part of your kalpa. Will it not be a problem?"
"If you ask me personally, it won't." Rihetsuki replies. "Whether I have 50 or 300 years left doesn't matter to me. As long as I die of old age in the end, it fulfills me. You don't have to be patient, Uchiha. I already have given my agreement to join Konoha in the Shinobi Union's offensive, so I assume you are here to talk about the enemies."
"Yes…" Sasuke admits. "I could ask about Yasona Otsutsuki. But I am much more curious about Tokubei. What do you know of him?"
"Well, I've known him young, very young. He was nothing like the man I've met in Kiri."
"How do you remember him?"
"In the third age, the queen mother made the Rinnegan a Kinjutsu, as the only known way left to awaken it required to merge the chakra of a divine root within a Sharingan. Tokubei's father coveted this forbidden Dojutsu but didn't have a Sharingan. However, Tokubei's mother did. So his father absorbed roots of the Shinju until they had a living child who inherited the Shinju's chakra and the Sharingan, resulting in a Rinnegan at birth. For this crime, his parents were killed by the queen mother herself and the child was imprisoned for life."
"I assume he was freed when the queen mother was defeated. Did you take part in this fight?"
"I was present. But this terrible battle is not the topic now… So Tokubei was born with a Rinnegan in his right eye and a Byakugan in his left eye. In the absence of a pair or the Sharingan, He had the forbidden eye but could never use it to its full extent."
"Absence of the Sharingan?" Sasuke interrupts, finding a first inconsistency. "That's not possible. He can use Susanoo. Only a pair of Sharingan could allow that."
"Susanoo? The armored spirit of war? This is odd… I've never seen or heard about him being able to do so…" Rihei wonders before finding a potential answer. "Ah!… When I was on the moon, after the death of Hamura, I heard of a large intervention of the Otsutsuki clan on Earth. At this time, the war between the Senju and Uchiha clans was at its beginning. I heard of a celestial fighting against a son of the Rikudo-Sennin. If what you say is true, then it's possible that it was Tokubei who fought Indra Otsutsuki. He must have stolen the Sharingan from an Uchiha at that time."
Sasuke stays silent as he hears these theories, unsatisfied. This doesn't really fit with the rules of the Mangekyo Sharingan. From what Ayaka Otsutsuki told him, even the Otsutsuki need 2 Sharingan to manifest Susanoo. But if his right eye had been a Rinnegan since birth, how could he have implanted a pair of Sharingan to himself? At least, one thing sounds right, and it is the battle between Indra and Tokubei.
"Every time I met him, he made comments praising Indra. He considers that I am unworthy to succeed him. Do you think his fight with Indra birthed some sort of respect in Tokubei's heart?"
"Respect? That doesn't sound like the Tokubei I knew. Perhaps this battle was much more intense and personal than I fathom. What I thought of at least is that it is in this fight that he lost his face and horn."
"His face and horn? What do you mean?"
"Well, I thought it was bizarre that he was wearing a mask. But when I got a close look around his right eye, I noticed that it seemed scarred by fire. So he must have lost parts of his face, which would explain the mask. And he must have lost his horn too because there's no way it'd fit under that mask. Indra may have inflicted him an injury that can't be healed."
This makes sense to Sasuke, but it remains inconsistent with what he knows from the character. The first time he met Tokubei, he showed him the Totsuka blade and the Yata no Kagami and mentioned that these weapons previously belonged to Indra. If he has them now it can only mean one thing. He won his fight against Indra and took the weapons from him. He may even have taken his eyes. But this is even less possible. If it had been the case, there is no way the Rikudo-sennin or Kurozetsu wouldn't have known about him.
Seeing the perplexed face of the Uchiha, Rihei makes a sorry face and tries to reassure him.
"I am sorry if I cannot satisfy your curiosity, Sasuke, but what you're telling me about Tokubei sounds really unlike what I know of him. Whatever happened when he met Indra must have truly been a life changing experience… On another note I did agree to help as I could to chase Yasona from this world. I may be able to tell more about her, since you probably don't know much either."
Sasuke stays quiet for a moment, realizing that he'll probably have to solve the mystery surrounding Tokubei's abilities by himself. And if he can't, he'll have to get answers from the enemy himself. To move on from this for now, he accepts Rihetsuki's invitation.
"Okay, tell me more about Yasona Otsutsuki then."
"She is only a few hundred years older than Tokubei. From what I remember, they were roughly on par. But they both must have grown more powerful than a thousand years ago and considering what you told me about Tokubei's abilities, he may be stronger than Yasona now."
"Good… So who is Yasona?"
"She is the daughter of Gaiya Otsutsuki, the younger sister of Enotsuki who is the former Ryu Shinsen, or as you know him, Kaguya Otsutsuki's father. Which makes Yasona the cousin of Kaguya."
"I've heard about Gaiya… So this makes Yasona the granddaughter of Ayaka Otsutsuki?"
"Oh? So you know about the last queen sister of the second age? I guess your visit to Takama was useful after all… Yes, Yasona is the granddaughter of Ayaka, and she is very proud of her royal blood. Both her parents were survivors from the second age, so she was raised by tales about her grandmother and grew to have her as a model. If I remember correctly, she even inherited the Ame no Nuhoko. The spear of Ayaka. A weapon obeying to its master's command and capable of slicing continents in half."
"Ame no Nuhoko?" Sasuke thinks. "This could be troublesome for the alliance. If she still has it, I better get rid of that weapon early on in the fight."
Seeing his silence, Rihei goes on and explains more about the atypical personality of Yasona.
"When I knew her, she was a very tall and handsome young lady. She likely didn't grow taller since then but certainly grew more beautiful. Because of her father's teaching, she became a narcissist who treats herself as a princess and always seeks recognition and privileges. However, the queen mother and the king did not see her as anything more than another fellow. Because of them, she also developed some sort of inferiority complex. So, like most celestials, foreign worlds and inferior civilizations became a way for her to receive the attention, praise and privilege she sought. Her abilities are her way of asserting dominance in both power and affection."
"So, what are her abilities?" Sasuke now asks. "I've seen what she did in Iwa, but couldn't figure it out. Seems to have something to do with perception but without Genjutsu."
"Exactly. What she uses is Jujutsu. With just a sample of her chakra, she can manipulate your ability to hear and feel touch. This is what I know of her, there may be more. Also, she was still young when I left the clan so she probably learned and created many more powers now."
When he went to Iwa, all that Sasuke could notice was a disruption in his chakra sensitivity. Added to what Rihei just said, he deduces that her Jujutsu must extend to any human sense. This makes her a troublesome enemy. He better warn Izuna and Sakura about this since they will likely have to play leading roles in this battle as well. But for now, he should discuss the role of Rihei.
"So, how could you contribute to defeating her and undoing her hold on Iwa?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that Yasona doesn't know anything about me? Unlike her, I was no celebrity among celestials. So I know her as much as everyone else did, but she barely even met me. Even when I informed the Shinden of my departure, only Naobi and the Ryu Shinsen were there."
"I see. Now that I think of it. I don't know much about your powers either."
"Oh I could serve the purpose of a medic ninja in this operation. Believe me, with me by their side, I could turn any injury she inflicts against her. On another note, killing her would cause another stigmata to be cursed upon someone. To avoid coming to this, I could help in sealing her. I have quite an expertise in Fuinjutsu and its history in this world."
"I'd need more details about that." Sasuke says as he stands up and pulls out a scroll from his ninja pocket. "We'll look at the current plan and elite for Konoha and will find you a right and valuable place in this."
"Fine, but let's not make it too long." Rihei thoughtfully says. "If we are efficient, you'll be free in time to get your daughter at the academy."
Sasuke pauses and looks at the Otsutsuki smiling at him. He smiles back and gets to work. After all, this man has fathered over 30 kids in the span of a thousand years. He certainly knows what parents think and feel. This compassion almost made him forget that Rihetsuki is a celestial, like Katashiki or Momoshiki.
For a moment, Sasuke felt like Naruto's ambition of a peaceful relation between the Otsutsuki clan and the Shinobi Union could have been possible. Yet, as of now, they are preparing for a total war against the celestial kind. And this won't be the last time. What will happen to the likes of Sakitsuki Otsutsuki, or other celestials who may not antagonize ninjas, is unknown.
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End of Chapter 152 – Next Chapter: Worth a sacrifice