-Akashi Uzumaki Residence - Main Courtyard -
Alright, this shouldn't be too difficult. During one of Father's advanced Fuinjutsu lessons, he mentioned that the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style isn't merely a cage for the Tailed Beasts; it's a conduit, a mental link established by the host's own consciousness. The most direct way to communicate with Chomei is to access this inner mindscape, just like Naruto did whenever he conversed with Kurama!
With a clear plan forming in his mind, Akashi settled into a meditative cross-legged position in the tranquil courtyard, his hand resting gently over the intricate seal etched onto his stomach.
Okay, now all I need to do is focus my mind intently on the seal, visualize it as a door, and attempt to turn the key.
As Akashi mentally manipulated the seal, he felt a subtle shift, a barely perceptible crack in its formidable structure. Yet, it was enough. He could now sense the distinct, powerful presence of the Seven-Tails. Most would deem this reckless, bordering on suicidal. Even the slightest breach in a Tailed Beast's seal could provide an opportunity for escape if the host wasn't exceptionally skilled and strong-willed.
However, Akashi harbored no such fear. He instinctively knew that the Tailed Beasts were not inherently malevolent, and among the nine, Chomei possessed the most affable disposition. The insectoid beast's previous hostility stemmed primarily from the traumatic experience of being trapped within the belly of the Death God and then immediately sealed within Akashi.
Well, he isn't attempting to breach the seal even with this opening. That's a promising sign. Reassured by Chomei's apparent compliance, Akashi deepened his focus, allowing his consciousness to be drawn into the seal's depths until the familiar world around him dissolved into an all-encompassing darkness.
-Akashi Mindscape -
Opening his eyes, Akashi found himself in a bizarre yet strangely captivating world. It resembled a city ravaged by some forgotten apocalypse, yet simultaneously bursting with an untamed, verdant beauty. Towering skyscrapers, reminiscent of a modern metropolis like New York, pierced the sky, their concrete and steel surfaces completely enveloped by a riot of trees, vines, and flowering plants of every imaginable kind. It was as if humanity had vanished entirely, allowing nature to reclaim its dominion.
"What the… is this my mindscape?" Akashi murmured, walking around in bewildered fascination, examining the peculiar landscape. He could rationalize the presence of modern architecture, a lingering imprint from his past life, but the overwhelming resurgence of nature was a perplexing enigma.
Is this a reflection of my new world, a testament to its vibrant life force? Or perhaps it's a manifestation of my own subconscious state? Possibly a fusion of both.
No time for philosophical musings. I need to locate the Seven-Tails.
As Akashi navigated the overgrown cityscape, he scanned his surroundings for anything that stood out from the uniform tapestry of urban decay and natural reclamation. He instinctively assumed that Chomei's presence would be marked by something distinct. Fortunately, his search didn't last long. His gaze fell upon an enormous tree, its trunk wider than any skyscraper and its branches reaching impossibly high, dwarfing the surrounding structures. At its base, a gaping entrance led into a dark, foreboding tunnel that descended deep into the earth.
Well, he has to be down there. Good thing he wasn't wandering around up here, witnessing this bizarre fusion of concrete and foliage. I can only imagine the barrage of unanswerable questions.
Venturing into the tunnel, Akashi found it exactly as he had anticipated. The passage descended steadily, the air growing heavy and charged with chakra. Finally, at the tunnel's end, he emerged into a vast cavern, the flickering light revealing a massive cage constructed from what appeared to be solidified chakra, within which resided the imposing form of a large, armored Knight Beetle – the Seven-Tails.
"Huh, so you finally decided to show your face, did you?" Chomei's voice boomed, echoing through the cavern. "Here to siphon off some more of my chakra? Well, go ahead! Just take it like last time!"
Instantly, the cavern pulsed with an immense, almost suffocating wave of raw chakra, the very air vibrating with its intensity. The ground beneath Akashi's feet trembled, and hairline cracks spider-webbed across the cave walls.
"Wait, Seven-Tails! I didn't come here to take your chakra! And what do you mean by 'again'?" Akashi was genuinely confused. He hadn't consciously drawn upon Chomei's power even once. His primary intention was to forge a connection, a friendship, not just to exploit the Tailed Beast's immense reserves. What did he mean by 'last time'?
"Don't lie, human! You're all the same! I was even willing to give you a chance, until that accursed glowing red ring appeared and forcibly drained my chakra!" Chomei's voice was laced with fury, the massive insectoid beast pacing restlessly within its cage, its multiple eyes fixated on Akashi with suspicion and resentment.
Red ring? Was the Teiōgan active when I first awakened? "Seven-Tails, I swear, I didn't intentionally take your chakra! I wasn't even aware that I did. It must have happened instinctively when I first awakened these eyes!" Desperate to clear the misunderstanding before it poisoned any chance of friendship, Akashi instinctively activated his Teiōgan, hoping the visual proof would lend credence to his words.
Chomei, who had been preparing to unleash another torrent of accusations, abruptly fell silent as he felt the familiar, unsettling sensation emanating from the boy's eyes. It was the same draining feeling he had experienced before, the same distinct signature as that "glowing red ring."
Huh? How can this brat awaken a Dojutsu? Isn't he the descendant of that infuriating seal master? A mutation, perhaps? They certainly don't resemble his father's eyes in the slightest. It has to be…
"What are those eyes, boy?" Chomei demanded, his suspicion still evident but tinged with a growing curiosity.
"I call them the Teiōgan, and I'm the only Uzumaki who possesses them," Akashi replied, meeting the Tailed Beast's gaze steadily.
Hmm, those are definitely not eyes I've ever encountered in my long existence.
"Alright, I'll… tentatively believe you," Chomei conceded, his tone still wary. "But if you're not here for my chakra, then what do you want? There must be some other ulterior motive."
Akashi took a deliberate pause, carefully considering his words. There were numerous ways he could approach this delicate situation, but he ultimately decided that honesty, coupled with a carefully curated glimpse into the future, was the most effective path to forging a genuine connection.
"Chomei," Akashi began, his voice sincere,
"I've come for your friendship."
The massive insectoid beast recoiled as if struck. Friendship? How could a human, a member of the very species that had imprisoned and exploited him and his siblings for centuries, utter such a word?
And how did this human know his name?
"How do you know my name?!" Chomei's voice boomed, laced with incredulity and a renewed surge of suspicion.
"
I'm going to be completely honest with you, Chomei," Akashi continued, meeting the Tailed Beast's intense gaze. "I know a great many things. I know about you and your eight siblings, and each of your individual names. I know about my ancestor, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of the Six Paths, and his brother, Hamura, who helped him seal Kaguya, the progenitor of chakra!"
Chomei was utterly dumbfounded. Knowing his name was one thing, a surprising anomaly from a human. But possessing knowledge of events that transpired millennia ago, during the very dawn of the shinobi world, was simply beyond comprehension.
"Boy," Chomei rumbled, his multiple eyes narrowing menacingly, "tell me how you possess such knowledge, or this conversation is over, and I will never speak to you again!" It was a blatant attempt at intimidation, and Akashi could sense the Tailed Beast's underlying distrust. However, Akashi possessed a convenient, albeit slightly embellished, explanation.
"I learned it from these eyes," Akashi stated, gesturing to his Teiōgan. "When they awakened, I experienced a flood of visions, insights into not just the distant past but also glimpses of the future! In the next fifty years, the Ten-Tails will be resurrected by Kaguya's descendants, the Uchiha, and this will ultimately lead to her unsealing!"
"Impossible!" Chomei roared, the cavern shaking with the force of his denial. "That cannot be done! You would require the Sage's own eyes to accomplish such a feat!"
Akashi took a dramatic pause, allowing his words to sink in, before meeting Chomei's gaze with the full intensity of his Teiōgan.
"The Rinnegan has already been reborn in this world, wielded by Madara Uchiha, the reincarnation of Indra. He utilized the chakra from Hashirama Senju, the reincarnation of Ashura, to awaken them. With the combined power of their chakra, Madara was able to replicate Hagoromo's chakra within himself, birthing the eyes of the Sage."
A palpable wave of fear rippled through Chomei's immense form. If this human even possessed knowledge of the two brothers' reincarnations, then perhaps the rest of his outlandish claims held a terrifying kernel of truth. But then, why hadn't this boy taken action to prevent such a cataclysmic event? And why was he here, explaining all of this to him?
"I… I believe you," Chomei conceded, his voice subdued. "But then why haven't you stopped this Madara? And why are you here, offering me friendship, when you claim you don't desire my chakra?"
"I cannot stop Madara in my current state," Akashi admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I loathe to admit it, but even my Teiōgan is no match for the Rinnegan in its fully awakened state. I would be as insignificant as an insect beneath his heel. Furthermore, I am currently the only one aware of this impending doom. Few would believe such a preposterous tale, save perhaps a Tailed Beast who knew the Sage firsthand. Chomei, I came here not as a parasite seeking to exploit your power, but as an individual seeking a friend, an ally, a companion in the face of this looming darkness. If, after all this, you still choose to reject me, then so be it. But I swear, I will confront Madara and prevent this future, even if I must do so entirely alone."
Chomei's multiple eyes scrutinized the young boy intently. He was taken aback by Akashi's unwavering confidence, the absolute certainty in his voice as he spoke of defying fate. A faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across Akashi's lips as he held the Tailed Beast's gaze, and for a fleeting moment, Chomei thought he saw the spectral image of Hagoromo himself standing in the boy's place, offering a gentle, knowing smile.
Could… could this be the one?
"Hmm," Chomei rumbled, a flicker of something akin to hope igniting within his ancient heart. Slowly, deliberately, he extended a massive, chitinous foreleg beyond the confines of his chakra cage, a gesture of tentative acceptance. Akashi, witnessing this unexpected olive branch, broke into a wide, genuine smile, mirroring the Tailed Beast's outstretched limb with his own hand.
"Chomei," Akashi said, his voice filled with a warmth that transcended mere formality,
"you can call me by my name. Akashi."
"Akashi Uzumaki," Chomei echoed, a hint of something akin to respect coloring his booming voice. The unlikely alliance within the Eight Trigrams Seal had begun.
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End of 32nd chapter