Menma stood in the center of his apartment, as his eyes were fixed on the gray-furred monkey now perched casually atop his kitchen table.
Sun Wukong was… bigger. Not by much, but enough that it was unmistakable. His limbs were longer, his posture more assured, his presence was more noticeable. Menma closed his eyes for a moment and reached using his chakra sense. In that moment he felt Sun's chakra. It wasn't large but it's quality was seemed different, like it was more potent. Menma couldn't put his finger on how.
Menma opened his eyes and broke the silence first.
"Wow Sun. You're bigger now."
Sun grinned, his teeth flashing. "Good eye, kid. Yeah. I went back to Mount Huaguo and soaked in plenty of chakra. I'm nowhere near full strength, but this." He flexed slightly, the air humming faintly. "This'll do for now."
Menma studied him closely. The shift wasn't just in the quality of his chakra,. Sun felt more real now—less like a fragment, more like a being fully anchored in this world. Plus he looks more like a adolescent monkey instead of a baby one.
I then went and grabbed snacks from the cabinet's, and began to prepare some tea. "How did your people take your return?" Menma asked.
Sun's grin vanished almost instantly. His shoulders slumped, tail flicking irritably. "They didn't believe it was me. Thought I was just some random monkey pretending to be me." His fingers twitched in frustration. "They looked at me the same way you did."
Menma winced internally. …I don't blame them. I expected something better.
Sun jabbed a finger pointing at Menma. " Right there. That face. That exact face." Sun sighed. " This is great, no one believes I'm me."
Menma sighed. "What about Monkey King Enma?"
Sun snorted. " He didn't believe me either."
Then, more quietly, "So I did something I wish I didn't have to."
Menma's eyes widened as he set down the snacks and tea. "What did you do?"
"I kicked their asses," Sun said flatly.
Silence.
"…You fought Monkey Enma and won?" Menma asked slowly.
Sun blinked. Then laughed as he began to chew on the rice crackers. "Kid. I'm about a hundred times stronger than Enma."
Menma stared.
Sun leaned back, arms behind his head. "I'm rusty, sure. But this isn't my first death and rebirth. Every time I come back, I'm stronger than before." His eyes gleamed. " It took some effort sure, but by the end? They were all kneeling while apologizing and begging."
Menma just stared at him with a disbelieving gaze.
Sun squinted. " Why do I feel like you still don't believe me kid."
"I didn't say that," Menma replied calmly as he sip his tea.
"You didn't have to. Your face did." Sun hopped down from the table and padded over. "Anyway. Enough about that." He smirked. "So—do you like my gift?"
Menma frowned. "Gift?" Is this guy talking about when he poked me in my eyes?
Sun leaned closer analyzing Menma. "You really haven't noticed yet?"
"…Noticed what?"
Sun's grin widened. "I gave you a premium gift. Not some knockoff inheritance like Hagoromo and Hamura's eyes. Not the Sharingan either." He tapped his own eyes. "But something right in the middle."
Menma's breath caught. His mind snapped back to the moment Sun had jabbed his fingers into his eyes.
"…That was a gift?" Menma asked slowly.
Sun nodded. "Yep. Not a bloodline trait. Not something you inherit. It's a technique I created by yours truly, tempered through my life and death and alot of my natural talent." Sun chuckled as his pupils flared, a fiery gold, burning like miniature suns.
Menma's stared at his eyes and remembered something. That's right one of Sun Wukong's legendary abilities. The Fiery Golden Eyes.
If I remember correctly the stories about Sun's eyes say that. He could see through all illusions, disguises, and transformations. Those eyes would pierced demons, spirits, gods alike. They could see hundreds of kilometers, read duality, detect hidden danger, and perceive truth beneath lies.
Menma swallowed. No way he really gave me those types of eyes? But how come when I look in the mirror, I still have my regular lavender Uzumaki eyes ?
Menma turned and walked into the bathroom, staring at his reflection. Again he still had his lavender eyes staring back at him.
"I gave you the ability to have them kid. But it will probably take years of practice, before you can fully use them" Sun said from behind him. "You're the first human in thousands of years to even qualify. First focus chakra into your eyes, but carefully. Too much, and you'll overload your brain."
Menma exhaled, then focused. A thin stream of chakra flowed upward. His eyelids shifted and vibrated. Then Menma opened his eyes.
His lavender irises turned crimson red. Then his world view changed. The walls faded into outlines. Chakra lights and signatures pulsed through buildings. Auras flared around him, throughout the village, colors layered with emotion, intent, and some power.
Menma gasped softly.
This is incredible. It's like my chakra sense, but I don't have close my eyes to focus. Not to mention I can see for a couple miles.
Menma looked around his apartment. Not only did he see the the different chakra signatures but he could distinguish them. He could even see their chakra networks somewhat. It was fuzzy, but he felt like he could see the chakra flow of a passing ninja.
"Pretty wild, right?" Sun said smugly.
Menma pushed a little further. He wanted to see what these new eyes could really do.
The crimson red deepened into a yellowish amber.
Sun's tone sharpened. " Hey I said becareful, or you will overwhelm yourself."
But it was too late.
The world unfolded. Not just chakra signatures could be seen, but now the truth.
A person's light and darkness. Their Malice and kindness on full display. Hidden presences hiding in the shadows. Menma's awareness expanded outward into the far-distance, his vision stretching beyond streets, and districts.
He saw and felt how people truly felt. It began to overwhelm his brain. Not much information, and to much malice and darkness. The people of the village, their hate was majorly directed to one place. The nine tails and to Menma.
Sun then spoke, "Menma listen to my voice. You need to focus or you will destroy your brain. There is alot of negativity around, you need to focus on some positivity, just a little bit something to anchor you. Then once your anchored cut the chakra flow.
Menma focused. He knew instinctively where he had to focus. He focused on Mikoto. And to Hinata. Mikoto was the only consistent light in his life ,and Hinata, the most kindest person he new and met.
Menma focused and he found them. Mikoto at a house in the village with her family. Her charka signature was calm, but her true essence was kind and loving. It help to help to calm Menma's mind.
Then he focused on Hinata. She was at her families compound. She was different. Her essence was so bright, it was like Menma was looking at the moon. A aura of white light soothed Menma's mind. He focused purely on these two which brought him peace.
Sun noticing Menma beginning to calm down nodded. "Now cut the chakra flow to your eyes."
Menma cut the chakra instantly.His eyes snapped back to lavender. He staggered, catching himself on the table
Sun sighed. "Told you not to push it kid, now you see why."
Menma rubbed his temples, his heart pounding. "…You were right." Then, quietly, he said "Thank you. Sun"
Sun smiled. "No problem kid."
Sun began to step back. "No word on my items yet. Keep your ears open. And summon me when you're ready to train." His grin turned sharp. "Can't have you going treasure hunting and getting killed. Kurama would kill me the next time he saw me." With a poof, he vanished.
Menma stood there for a moment, then exhaled. "I need to get stronger," he murmured. Then his eyes widened. " That's right Ichiraku. Naruto."
He grabbed his keys and bolted out the door. Menma sprinted across rooftops, landing lightly as he made his way toward the ramen stand. A few minutes later as he approached, he slowed. Naruto was already there eating with two adults.
Iruka Umino, and Mizuki.
Naruto spotted him instantly. "HEY MENMA! Over here!"
Menma's expression went completely blank.
Is that…Mizuki. Oh I almost forgot about you.
Mizuki laughed, waving. "Speak of the devil, come join us, Menma. Naruto was just talking about how he won't let you beat him when you two start sparring."
Menma approached calmly, every step measured. This was perfect. A future traitor, and a almost loose thread. If I remember correctly a bridge to Orochimaru.
Since in the original series, he tried to manipulate Naruto into stealing the forbidden Scroll of Seals from the Hokage's office, intending to take the scroll for himself, learn its secrets to gain immense power, and frame Naruto as a traitor to be killed. Then he was gonna give the scroll to Orochimaru as a bargaining chip hoping to gain even more power.
He's exactly the excuse I need. To test my abilities against a older and more experienced ninja. Then when he has outlived his purposed. He will be the first life I take.
Menma sat down, joining the three, his eyes sharp but face unreadable.
"Good evening, sensei's. It's nice to see you again." he said politely. But inside, his mind was already planning for the future.
"Wow always so polite Menma." Iruka said. "You really show some great skills, in class this week. Keep up the good work, and I know you will be a splendid ninja one day."
"He's my rival so he better." Naruto said chuckling. "So Menma what are you gonna eat?"
I smiled faintly and said. " I'll have what your having Naruto, and consider this my treat, all three of you."
Iruka and Mizuki looked surprised. "Menma you don't have to do that. Save your money for your emergency's?" Iruka said.
Menma shook his head. "No sensei i insist."
Teuchi then spoke. "You two don't need to worry about it. Menma there already paid a good amount of money, so whenever he comes here with Naruto and who the food's already paid for."
Naruto looked surprised. "Wow Menma really? You must have saved up alot!"
Iruka looked to Mizuki who shrugged his shoulders. Iruka then sighed in. "Fine Menma since the food is already paid for. Me and Mizuki will graciously accept this meal. But next time let your sensei's treat you."
I nodded. "Yes Iruka sensei. I will do that and thank you."
I then narrowed my eyes on Mizuki. Just you wait, I will use you as a stepping stone to further my plans.