Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Kakumei – Arc 3: The Consumer of Worlds

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Chapter 32 – Before the Storm

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In the village of Konohagakure, the citizens await the return of the 7th Hokage from his first Kage summit. At the gates of the village, Sakura is with friends from Kiri, waiting for another reason. Tokiwa and Sana came to Konoha with their kids, Takeshi Minamoto and Teru Uchiha, to welcome Tsubai, Kobo and Sasuke who should arrive very soon, before the Hokage.

The three mothers are sitting together with Ino Yamanaka who's there too. They're peacefully chatting about their children, their country's politics and their daily routine. While they speak, all sitting at a table of a cafe together, their kids are playing and talking in a group. Izuna Uchiha (Sakura and Sasuke's son) and Teru Uchiha (Sana and Kobo's only child) are with Boruto Hyuga (the 7th first born), admiring Takeshi Minamoto (the Minamoto clan's heir) newly acquired ninja headband.

Inoue Yamanaka, Ino and Sai's first child, prefers to sit by her mom's side and just observes the boys from a distance. Sarada Uchiha, Sakura's daughter, is being taken care of by Tsunade. Hinata, the 7th wife, isn't here with her son, but busy at home with her 1 year old daughter Himawari.

Gathered around Takeshi, Izuna with Boruto and Teru are contemplating the Kiri-nin headband of their eldest friend. With only 10 years old, Takeshi finished the academy early and is now facing complications to find a team and begin his ninja career. In his home village, he's seen and estimated as the prodigy of this generation, which is, contrary to popular beliefs, not due to his tengu's powers that he can barely use for now, but to his own innate talent.

Takeshi is a tall young boy, who looks a lot like a younger version of his father, but with his mother's blue eyes. He wears a blue striped uniform like every Genin from Kiri. Boruto, sitting in front of him, looks like a copy of his father, but with denser hair and two wide white eyes, a pair of Byakugan. The youngest, Teru, also looks exactly like his father, but with his mother's natural friendly look. Izuna Uchiha, like the two others, also takes a lot from his father. But his hair aren't dark purple. Instead, they're black, like Itachi's, with 2 pink highlights on each side of his face.

Sitting in front of Takeshi, the three boys are listening as he explains his ambitions as a ninja: not becoming the Mizukage, or any leader, just be the hero and soldier his village deserves him to be.

"Ain't there any pressure with all the expectations of the academy and Lady Mizukage?" asks Teru.

"Pressure?" answers Boruto instead of Takeshi. "Honestly I kinda feel the same, recognition comes more from my actual performances at the academy than from my bloodline. So expectations are adjusted to my capacities. Must be the same for you, Takeshi?"

"… Kinda…" answers Takeshi. "I don't actually feel any pressure. I just see admiration by the other students and teachers. Pressure must somehow be on them. I don't get why putting me in a team is so complicated. Seems like there isn't any Jonin who wants me as a Genin."

"That's unfair." says Izuna. "I thought the Kage's word was almighty when it came to team affectation. You mean being the best at the academy actually has drawbacks for later?"

"No… I think the issue is that no Jonin wants me in a team because I'd be difficult to handle if two other kids are there too."

"Well, Izuna…" says Boruto, about to tease his friend. "At least you won't face this problem."

"Uh? What do you mean, Boruto? I'm clearly one of the bests at the academy."

"Yes but you can't be THE best. Know why? 'Cause I'm there!"

"What you say? I'd beat you up whenever I want!"

"Izuna…" says Teru. "You're strong for sure, but you didn't awake your Sharingan yet. Boruto already has his Byakugan and is pretty good with it."

"Whatever… Both of you, even at once, would lose to me." says Takeshi confidently.

"UH?" yell Boruto and Izuna together, before the Uchiha adds alone "What about the three of us?"

The two boys stand up and run to Takeshi. Teru follows them, to fit their proposition of a 3 to 1 battle. Takeshi readies himself by pulling up a mask over his mouth and nose and receives all 3 of them at once. He manages to dodge all their hits with little to no difficulty. Carefully, he keeps his attention mostly focused on Izuna's punches that he knows are the most devastating. Teru just keeps following his Uchiha elder's movements, which allows Takeshi to look after them both at the same time. Quickly getting frustrated by his opponent's bored face and ease of movement, Boruto activates his Byakugan and aims for Takeshi's weak points on the stomach with gentle fists.

Before he lands the hit, Takeshi feels all their hands moving through the air and, almost unintentionally, surrounds himself with lightning emitted from his body to accelerate his movements. Boruto sees Takeshi disappearing from his sight in an instant. The three kids stay confused for half a second, before the Hyuga falls down out of no where.

Takeshi simply bent down with his knees and butt to the ground, quick enough to avoid the three boys' gaze. Once down, he just swept his leg to broom Boruto off the ground. While he's falling down, Takeshi bring his leg back to him and sends it forward again to kick the blond kid in the stomach, and send him fly away.

"Too slow, Boruto." says the young Minamoto.

"SHAANARO!" screams Izuna, next to Takeshi, throwing his fist down with all his strength.

Not even aiming for Takeshi, he goes forward and tries to strike down. Takeshi knows that if this punch touches him or just the ground, he'll be affected.

Shunshin

Before Izuna's fist lands, Takeshi suddenly stands behind him and holds his arm back to stop it from moving. When Izuna notices it, it's too late. Takeshi pulls the young Uchiha's arm toward him and throws his whole body over his shoulders. The only one still standing is Teru, who just looks astonished at the two other boys, already standing up and asking for more. Sakura, Sana, Ino, Inoue and Tokiwa look at the boys fighting and also are impressed by Takeshi's performance.

"So fast…" says the little Inoue.

"And you ain't seen nothing." proudly says Tokiwa. "This boy's really Lady 5th 's favorite. It feels like he'll surpass me in no time. He may even surpass his dad before even reaching adulthood."

"That's some incredible speed." says Sakura. "Tentoki's Body Flicker really can reach beyond imagination."

"He isn't using Koton – Shunshin." adds Tokiwa. "In fact he isn't using tengus at all."

Sakura, Ino and Inoue widely open their eyes in surprise. This speed, that even Sakura is having trouble following, isn't boosted by any exterior force and is just the sheer velocity of a 10 year old.

"What? Why does he not?" asks Sana, more confused than impressed about this odd limitation.

"Tentoki refuses to hand him over his power until he becomes a chunin. This way, he can learn and improve without depending on it."

"Really?" adds Sana. "Still, he already acts like a swift specialist. By the time he becomes a chunin, he'll already be way faster than the average jonin. Can't even imagine how fast he'll become if we add Koton."

"Well, Shibata was just a regular jonin before he got Tentoki, and then became fast enough to keep up with the 4th Raikage. For a specialist like Takeshi, he'll really get off the charts… Maybe he'll be even faster than the Yellow Flash!" she adds the last sentence with a silly voice.

"That sure would be something." says Sakura. "Naruto's son also looks full of resources. He doesn't fight like his father at all."

"Not like your son." says Ino. "Did you hear him yelling that Shanaro thing?"

"Ha, yes he got that from me." answers Sakura, smiling at her son.

"How does he behave?" asks Sana. "More like you, or like Sasuke?"

"HIM?" yells Sakura suddenly, not amused anymore. "Like Naruto! He's a complete stubborn!"

"That's true…" says Inoue quietly.

The moms hear her and all look down to stare at her. Seeing the attention focused on her, she timidly goes to hide behind her mother. Not wanting to bother the young girl more, Tokiwa looks away and back at the kids. Boruto and Izuna stopped persevering and gave up on the fight. Instead, the boys sit together to talk about their dreams and ambitions.

"Why are you so focused on speed?" asks Boruto. "Is your life model a speedster?"

"Not at all. I just want to compensate what Tentoki doesn't give me." answers Takeshi, who's interest was actually pushed so far only by his tengu's constant comments about how slow life seems to be in a lightless kid.

"Who's your idol then?" asks Izuna.

"Me…" says Takeshi who turns around and looks up to see the Hokage faces. "I'd say the 6th Hokage, Kakashi Hatake."

"Really?" says Boruto. "He's not even from your village. Is Kiri really so lame that you need to pick your heroes in other villages?"

"It's just that I actually spent a lot of time here or in Ryuka when I was younger. The 6th Hokage just embodies everything that I think makes a great ninja. A lightning specialist who adapts his fighting style to any situation, good as a leader and a partner."

"Is that why you wear a mask when you fight?" asks Teru. "To look like him?"

"Um, yeah. Kinda…" says Takeshi who puts his mask down, feeling awkward about this little fact being noticed. "It's also because I don't like stuff getting in my mouth while I'm moving… And because Makura has something similar on his face."

"What's Makura?" asks Izuna.

"… Forget it. I don't think he'd like me speaking about him anyway… And it's not like I know anything more than his name."

All the kids, and the mothers just look confused at each other. Tokiwa knows that this name must belong to her son's own tengu, but she never heard about it. All she knows about is the incident from 9 years ago, when a mercenary sent by Isami Kurama tried to kidnap him. She looks back at the table and sees Sakura who's just about to ask about it.

"I don't know anything about this." Tokiwa says before her, with a smile. "Maybe Tsubai knows better. We'll ask him when he gets there."

Sakura doesn't say anything and just wonders where Sasuke, Tsubai and Kobo are now. They're all sitting there waiting for them after all. She's pulled out of her train of thought when she hears Takeshi ask an interesting question to the group of boys.

"And you guys? What about your heroes?"

None of the kids speaks first. They all stay silent and look at each other, waiting for someone else to begin. Ino finds the question interesting and looks at her daughter before nodding on her shoulder to get her attention.

"You? Who's your ninja model?"

"… You, Mom." she answers with a gentle smile.

"Atta 'girl." says Ino who brings her daughter closer to sit on her knees.

Sakura looks at them and smiles. This short loving family interaction reminds her of the few times when her son stops being unruly and gives her some love. From the 3 kids, Boruto Hyuga decides to answer first.

"I don't have no hero. I'm my own hero." says the 7th's son.

"What? Your father is the best ninja to ever exist!" yells Izuna at Boruto. "The greatest Hokage of all, the strongest, fastest, wisest, smartest man of all time. You have the privilege to be his son, and you don't even see him as your model?"

Takeshi, Teru, Boruto, and the mothers all look surprised at Izuna.

"At least I know who your hero is, Izuna." says Takeshi.

"What about your dad?" asks Boruto.

"I don't know him. I don't even know if I have one."

"Well, my dad told me he's a wanderer who works to protect the ninja world from higher powers." adds Boruto. "Sounds cool!"

"I couldn't know. I never met him."

During these last 9 years, Sasuke kept wandering through dimensions at such a rate that limiting his use of dimensional travels was important. Therfore he didn't return to Earth often. And even when he did, his remaining guilt for his crimes against the ninja world kept him from visiting Konoha. Everything he did for the world in these last years was possible only thanks to Naruto, so he never got the credit for his actions.

Regarding his travel and investigation, very few are the people aware of it. Due to all these reasons, his son still didn't get to consciously meet him now. It is, however, different for Takeshi and Teru. Their fathers weren't always on the road with the wandering Uchiha. They spent most of their time in their homes and joined the mission only in times where Sasuke wouldn't come back to Earth in months. To this exact day, It has been 11 months since they all last were on the continent. This is the longest they've been gone all three.

Sakura met with Sasuke a few times, out of Konoha, but never with her kids. Sasuke was there the day of Izuna's birth, so even if his son never met him, he already got to see him at least. For his second child, the little Sarada, he still never saw her at this point, and maybe isn't even aware of her birth.

While listening to them, Sakura feels sorry for Izuna, because she knows that there is no way for her to properly explain his father's absence until now. But she rejoices, as she remembers that today is the day their family will finally fully meet. Teru looks at his friends and realizes he's the only one to still not have answered the question.

"My hero…" he says, knowing full well what the answer is.

"… is your father. Is it?" answers Takeshi.

"Yeah, my dad." says Teru, trying to hide a smile.

The moms make surprised faces again and all turn to see Sana looking proudly at her boy. She looks back at her friends with a satisfied face.

"Yeah, they really go along well. Truly a blessing."

"How lucky you are. A quiet and peaceful boy, who loves both his parents." says Sakura.

"His hero, he says?" says Ino. "A young jonin, devoted to his friends, village and family… Yeah! Why not?"

"What's it?" says Sana. "Are you jealous, Ino?"

"Oh don't worry. I'm fine with the father of my kids."

After a quick shared laugh, followed by a brief silence, Sana explains her son and husband's relationship.

"They're like father and son, but also like friends, teacher and student, or brothers. It's touching to see them together. You can really feel how much heart Kobo puts in this family when you see him with his boy. He's really making up for what he lacked when he was younger… You'll see when they reunite, as soon as the men return."

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As she says this last line, a portal opens behind the wall that surrounds the village. Out of this portal, Sasuke steps out, covered in blood and dust, looking more tired than he's ever been. He's carrying Tsubai, still knocked out, on his left shoulder. Slowly looking around to try to figure out where he landed, he sees that he didn't get to Sakura's hospital office as he intended to. His lack of focus, strength and energy are keeping him from thinking straight and act with accuracy. Seeing the gate in front of him, Sasuke stops thinking, and just blindly, soullessly, steps forward.

At the entrance of the village, Sakura and her friends bounce off their chairs when they see the wounded wanderer walk in through the main gate. He quietly comes in, and slowly gets closer to his wife, looking down to the ground. Takeshi and Teru, when they see their mothers stand up suddenly, run to their sides. Boruto and Izuna stay where they are, not understanding the scene. Sasuke sees the kids run into his sight. As if this situation wasn't shameful and humiliating enough, he has to face the next generation in his defeat. Sakura, Tokiwa and Sana hurry to get to Sasuke, still standing there, mortified.

"Dear, what happened?" asks Sakura, who really expected a much better entrance.

"What up with that weirdo?" says Izuna to Boruto.

"Don't know, but he looks cool." he answers.

"Cool? You kidding? He looks like a dead man walking."

Takeshi comes forward, standing before his mother and looks at the fainted man that the wanderer is carrying with his only arm.

"Isn't that Father?" he asks his mom.

"It is…" she answers.

"What happened, Sasuke?" asks Sakura again.

"Where's Kobo?" questions Sana now, uneasy about this scene.

Sasuke stays silent while they're sprinkling him with questions, and recalls his last battle in his mind, to try and remember when exactly it got out of hands. He raises his head and looks at Sana, then at her child next to her holding her dress. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and gathers the strength to tell her the truth.

"He… didn't make it…"

At these words, Sakura, and Tokiwa stand still, stunned by this unexpected announcement. Izuna turns around to look at Boruto, trying to know if he just heard the same thing as him. He just sees his friend paralyzed like the mothers. Sana falls to her knees next to her son, who stays quiet, unwilling to face the truth, or to believe the wanderer's words. Sasuke looks at the young woman he brought to meet his Uchiha partner years ago, and feels hatred fill his heart and soul.

Not hate against the enemy but against himself. For letting this happen. Kobo was aware of what fate awaited Sasuke. He gave his life away to save him. To Sasuke, it is like losing his clan all over again. Just like at the time of the massacre, he has to lose his loved ones for his own sake. He failed. He found a reason to keep faith in his clan, he found a brother, and he couldn't save him from his own self.

Feeling sick, heavy, and still more tired than ever, he looks forward and sees Sakura, looking at him with a worried face. For the feelings he senses in her heart, he feels even guiltier. Raising his head to avoid eye contact, ashamed, he catches a glimpse of the Hokage carved in the mountain over the village. Among those faces, he sees the one of his best friend, Naruto Uzumaki, as the 7th Hokage.

At this moment, he loses all his strength, and falls over, with his head falling to his wife's chest. Tsubai, who falls off Sasuke's shoulder, is caught by his son before he hits the ground. Sakura holds her husband's head as he loses consciousness, finally letting himself fall from his latest fight. Sakura holds him against her firmly, and looks around to see her friends as shocked as her.

"We… we should get them to the hospital… And wait for Naruto…"

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Later, somewhere else on the blue planet, in the middle of the ocean, between the land of Fire and the land of Water, up in the empty sky, in an empty space, a rift appears. It widens to reach the size of a human being, and then even more to reach over two and half a meter in width. Out of it, after a complete silence, the foot of a small giant comes out. Kinshiki Otsutsuki steps out of the gate and makes contact with the air of Kaguya's guilty pleasure world.

He is followed by the one he sees as his master, the one to whom he owes his life. Momoshiki Otsutsuki, the Consumer of Worlds. The two gods come to foul the atmosphere of Earth once again, after leaving Urashiki Otsutsuki, their third partner, to be healed and hidden on another world.

"So… let's get done with the harvest. It shall be done properly." says Momoshiki, as he focuses to feel the energy and life flow through the air, water, soil and people of this world.

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End of Chapter 32 – Next Chapter: Momoshiki and Kinshiki