Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Prologue – Arc 2: The Daitengu

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Chapter 13: The Samurai and the War Veterans

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At the northern border of Mizu no Kuni, two men are silently watching the waves. They don't talk, just look at the horizon without saying a word. One of these two is Suigetsu Hozuki, former member of Taka and Akatsuki, and former wielder of the Kubikiribocho.

"It's so cold… I think I'm literally gonna turn into a snow man." he says to break the silence.

"Not that cold, I think." answers the other person, a young man with short white hair, wearing a blue head band, a blue samurai armor and a sword scabbard attached to his belt.

"You can talk. Look how you're dressed!" yells Suigetsu. "Do you wear this even in summer?"

"Yes I do. Summer or Winter… Whatever. It's always ice-cold where I come from."

This man is called Daisuke. He is a samurai from Tetsu no Kuni who left the country for personal motivations. He was born with a Kekkei Genkai derived from Earth Release that allows him to use jutsus to manipulate and create Steel. But since samurai don't use ninjutsu, he left the Three Wolves Mountain to travel through the ninja world and learn about their way of being. However, his Kekkei Genkai isn't what gives him the upper hand in fights. What does is his Kenjutsu and his unique sword: the Yawarakai. Its blade has the ability to cut through anything. Fire, Lightning, Rock, Metal,… He can slice through it like it's butter. This isn't just a power of the blade, it also requires an extremely precise and advanced knowledge of Kenjutsu.

Suigetsu and Sasuke met him shortly after Sasuke was released from prison. They were looking for the Kubikiribocho at the Samurai bridge where Suigetsu lost it, only to find out that it had been returned to Kiri after the war. Still, this trip allowed them to meet this samurai who was leaving the country at the same time. Since then, Suigetsu and Daisuke have been traveling together as a duo of swordsman, even if only one of them has a sword worthy of the name.

As they are still chatting and contemplating the ocean before them, a space-time rift appears under their eyes and Sasuke, Tsubai, Naomi and Kobo come out of it.

"What the hell was that?" asks Suigetsu. "Did you guys really just walked through this floating hole like it's the door to a pub?"

"Man, I lost the count of weird things this man shows to me at this point." answers Tsubai, wanting to make conversation as soon as he arrives. "I saw him fight a flying god, summon a giant samurai, teleport, rip souls out of bodies, fight a dragon, create meteors… I just stopped giving a fuck."

Suigetsu simply looks at Tsubai, trying to guess if he's supposed to know him or not. He turns to Sasuke to maybe get some clues about this tall man, but the Uchiha just looks blankly at him, waiting for his moment to talk. Suigetsu understands it, so he forgets about his questions. Noticing this moment of silence, Daisuke decides to greet everyone.

"Hello, Sasuke Uchiha. Long time no see. And nice to meet everyone here. Especially you, miss." says Daisuke at last while staring at Naomi with a gentle smile on his face. "My name is Daisuke, I'm a 20 years old wandering samurai seeking for reasons to live in this new world. And you, beautiful, What is your name?"

"Who are we looking for?" Naomi says, ignoring Daisuke's greeting. "The hopeless romantic or the fish face?"

"Whoever agrees to follow us." answers Sasuke.

Daisuke stands up from the ground and gets by Suigetsu's side. The two men just look at Sasuke, waiting for more details about their next quest. None of them has yet decided to come, or not to come. Seeing them all ears, Sasuke goes on with an explanation. He introduces Tsubai and quickly describes the target and the goal. The two swordsmen just look at each other after hearing all of this and think of a reaction. Suigetsu goes first.

"Sorry, I'm not in. You know, the war, the eight-tails, the kage summit… I think I've already had enough weird adventures with you. Time to give some space for it to other degenerates."

"Well I'm in." says Daisuke. "I just want to see how this world is. If we're gonna go across nations to find different people you met and fight common various enemies, I can't say I won't see the world."

"You say?" asks Suigetsu. "Looks like I'll just hit the road alone then. Sorry Sasuke, but I'm still after the seven swordsand right now, I'm at the right place and know where they are. I can't leave for another of your super plans."

"I understand." trustfully says Sasuke. "Even though it's disappointing because you're among the few I already know is reliable, you have your own quest, and I accept that."

Daisuke goes to Sasuke's sides and waits for any instruction. Sasuke and Suigetsu just look at each other in the eyes before both nodding their head in a sign of respect. Suigetsu then turns around and changes his body to water, spilling in the ocean and letting himself go with the stream. Everyone remains silent just looking at the sea. Sasuke looks up and sees an ink bird flying over them. It's one of the Hokage's messages. He pulls out a blank roll and holds it open in direction of the sky so the bird can land in and reveal what Kakashi has to say.

It's about Tsubai's father. Tsubai is now a wanted criminal in the land of Fire. Sasuke could foresee this happening. The problem is that they can't simply avoid the land, because it's where their targets are hiding… For now, it isn't an issue. Sasuke will treat this case only if he has to. Until then, he will just ignore both the Hokage's message and the point it makes. Sasuke looks up to discover all his allies waiting for instructions and just staring at each other awkwardly, not saying a word.

"So Sasuke, where are we headed to now?" asks Kobo when he crosses his gaze.

"Now?… The land of Lightning." Sasuke opens another portal in front of him. "Using this to travel from a country to another is far less demanding in chakra than from a dimension to another, so we'll use those for now."

"Did he just say dimension?" asks Daisuke, unaware of Sasuke's true power. "What does it mean?"

"As I said, don't bother yourself, you'll just get confused." says Tsubai.

"We can use Chimatakami again. But the next trip, we'll have to do it by foot. If it goes right in the land of Lightning, we'll be ready to go offensive, and I'd like to spare chakra for the battle."

Sasuke walks through the portal and is followed by his companions.

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On the Sojo mountain, in a village not far from the top, a village where the Yamanaka clan once lived 300 years ago, there's a residence in the middle, and half of it is underground. This village is where all the yamabushi live since Sojobo found them, and the underground is where they usually assemble.

Right now, Tokiwa, the tall black haired woman that caught Tsubai's attention, is on a balcony, chatting with the tengu inside her. This tengu is Amabie, the mermaid prophet, the one who gives to Tokiwa the ability to swim through solids. Amabie is the tengu that lived for the longest time and therefore understands human behavior the most. While they're just relaxing together as one, Shibata, the all white man, suddenly appears in a flash behind her.

"How far along is yours?" he asks.

"'It' is not 'Mine'." answers Tokiwa, not surprised by his visit. "She doesn't belong to me. Just like whoever was put in your body doesn't belong to you. Lord Sojobo only gave his children to hosts to keep them alive."

"You think he cares? For these things' lives I mean." asks Shibata again. "He took the Minamoto senior's tengu from the girl's body without having any host to seal it in anymore. Why would he do that?"

"He was gonna give him to Tsubai, I think." she responds, not getting the point of this conversation.

"Was he?… Maybe… Still, I'm sure there's something odd about him."

"Shibata,…" Tokiwa says while turning around to face him. "What are you insinuating? There's nothing bad with the Lord to me."

"There has to be something. Or why would the last Uchiha go after him?"

"Hm, you're just struggling to find a reason to head back to Kiri."

"It's not just that."

"I understand, though. I'd like to go home too. But going back now, we'd really look like idiots. We failed the mission, and joined the guy we were supposed to kill in some family cult."

"It's not that. It's like something is hinting to me that we can't trust Sojobo."

"You're the Yamabushi to Tentoki are you? The first descendant of Lord Sojobo. And since the older the tengu is, the longer it takes for him to come back, you still don't have him live in you. Where is this sudden mistrust coming from?"

"I don't have Tentoki yet…" He looks around to make sure nobody can hear them. "But for the last few days, it's as if I could already feel his will inside me. And he feels like Sojobo shouldn't achieve freedom."

"Am I the first you're telling this to? I get that we've known each other since childhood, but still…"

Shibata turns around and sees the youngest of the group, the teenage girl with brown short-long hair, coming to the balcony.

"I told Kokoro first. She's the yamabushi of Kawahime, the ghost of love, the third tengu to ever be created."

"Does this mean…" asks Tokiwa.

"I'm the last person who came in." answers the girl before Tokiwa asks. "So, my tengu still isn't reborn, and since it's the third oldest, it will take a while before it finally does."

"At most 2 weeks, according to Sojobo himself." adds Shibata.

"So what? You'll speak with every yamabushi and kill Sojobo together? What if they don't want to? What if I don't want to? I can hear Amabie screaming and complaining in my head right now. She loves the Daitengu as a father, and other tengu must feel the same way."

"… I don't know, I would need Tentoki to achieve his reincarnation in me to really know what to do. But I just wanted to warn you about the path I'm taking. We've been friends since the academy. I just couldn't not tell you."

"… So what do you plan to do exactly?"

"… There's only three tengu who aren't reborn yet. The three of us are the only thing that keeps Sojobo from coming back. Once every tengu is fully revived, Sojobo will come back to his original form. Mine is the first, Kokoro's is the third. Together, we have to find a way to stop the tengu's growth in us."

"What about the second tengu, who is it?" asks Tokiwa. "Ryutoki? It's Chuji's tengu!" she adds after Amabie answered her question.

"He… has to die. By killing him, we'll complete our mission and will be able to go home."

"YOU WANT TO KILL THIS MAN?" yells Tokiwa, exasperated by the stupidity of this plan.

"Sshhh! Madam, you have to be quieter. Someone could hear us." says Kokoro.

"Chuji was stronger than both of us before we got the tengu. After Sojobo's teaching, he is, just like you, already able to use his rebirthing tengu's abilities. He would beat you even more easily. How can you seriously consider fighting him?"

"I don't know. As I said, I think I'll need more time and intel…" says Shibata before being interrupted.

"Shibata, his voice in my head…" says Kokoro who just heard something in her mind.

Shibata and Tokiwa both turn to her, wondering what is happening. Soon enough, they also hear the same voice in their minds saying the same thing: "Shibata, Tokiwa, and Kokoro, everybody come to the basement.". It is just Sojobo using the Yamanaka's Shindenshin no Jutsu (Mind Transmission Jutsu). The three yamabushi look at each other and stand still for a moment.

"We don't mention a single word of this last conversation." warns Shibata.

In the underground, in the same room where Tsubai and Sasuke met them yesterday, Sojobo is sitting on his throne with Chuji kneeling before him. The Daitengu looks at his arm who was stitched back to his body, and turns to Chuji who raised his head to say something.

"My Lord, my I ask you something?" he says.

"What is it, my child?" answers Sojobo.

"You have created the curse that killed all of the tengu and Minamoto leaders. You didn't seem bothered by Riku's death from Moritaka's hands, just by Akashita's. But with the last heir, this Tsubai, you were oddly friendly. Why is that?"

Ritoru and Moritaka turn to Sojobo, also curious about what he will answer. The leader sees them all and particularly observes Moritaka. He has no intention of weighing his words only because one of the Minamoto is there.

"I despise the Minamoto leaders. They were all awful people who took the power I cursed onto them for granted. The only use they have to me is gathering the life force to create new spirits, new tengu. But Tsubai is different from his ancestors. First, he turned away of the tradition and got rid of his bonds with his father. Second, the power that Daikoku gives him, it didn't occur even once to him that he could use it in such inhumane and selfish ways as his predecessors. Daikoku is violent and unruly, but he's like a teenager. I'll take care of him in time."

Moritaka just looks weirdly at him. He was repeating Sojobo's words in his mind but neither him or Tenshi were sure about what it meant about him. He also is a Minamoto. His father was the leader of the clan. Does Sojobo's words only apply to the leaders or does it count for him too. Out of fear for the answer, he chooses to silence his questions. While Sojobo was talking, Shibata arrived in the room with Tokiwa and Kokoro.

"You have the unmatched speed of Koton, but still manages to come at last." says Sojobo.

"Excuse us. What is this reunion about?"

"Sasuke Uchiha. I'm unsure of his reasons to fight me, but this isn't the point. He is taking my last child away from me. He is currently assembling a team to hunt us down and Tsubai is with him."

"Where are they, my lord?" asks Tokiwa.

"Currently they are in the land of Lightning."

"So that's where we're catching them." says Chuji.

"You're crazy aren't you?" exclaims Ritoru. "We're talking about Sasuke fucking Uchiha! How are we supposed to go against this guy?"

"They are using his Rinnegan's new acquired Space-Time Ninjutsu to travel." says Sojobo to everyone. "We won't be able to get to them in time. However, this jutsu takes much chakra and they won't always use it. We'll wait for the right time to fight them and take Tsubai with us, in order to catch them on the move, and potentially avoid meeting Sasuke again. For now,… we'll wait."

Every yamabushi goes back to its occupation, but Shibata stays there staring at Sojobo. He is wondering how he knows all this. How did he find Sasuke's current task and location? Who told him? He feels like there's a lot of things he still ignores about his target. He turns around and uses his Kekkei Genkai, Koton (Light Release), to leave as fast as he can. He knows that Sojobo is only able to use the fully alive tengu abilities, so he can't use his tengu's jutsus yet. He has at most two weeks to think of a way to stop his unsealing from Inosawa Yamanaka's body.

In the land of Lightning, not far away from the south coast, Sasuke stops with his team and orders them to wait for him here until he comes back.

"So who are you finding here?" asks Tsubai.

"A year ago, I was going back to the 4th war's battleground and ran into a team of kumo-nins." Sasuke starts to explain. "Things happened fast and I ended up face to face with the Raikage who was persuading me that I needed forgiveness from his village, and therefore should do some work for them. So I accompanied a team on a mission to proceed to the seizure of a highly advanced technology that can transport data based on lightning chakra, developed by a criminal group."

When he says this last sentence, he sees Naomi's face changing and putting on a suspicious look. Instead of showing his attention to details, he just goes on with his explanation.

"The mission was nothing complicated but I was amazed by the skills of the team, who all were veterans of the fourth war. It was only a team of three and I'm hoping to get all three of them, but it will be hard, considering I won't kindly ask the Kage this time. I've arranged a fake mission for them to meet with me."

"And what can these people do?" asks Naomi.

"You'll see. Wait here until I come back with them." he answers before vanishing.

A very few kilometers away, Sasuke stands on a branch and looks down on a team of 3 ninjas walking through the forest. There is a white man with blonde hair going down to his neck, a black woman with long messy red hair, and a shorter black woman, the leader of the team, who has straight blonde hair attached as a pony tail. They're all wearing Kumo outfits.

When they cross Sasuke's path, the leader is the first to notice him. She stops and looks up. Her two teammates follow.

"I suppose this means there's no illegal convoy." she says. "You just made up this story to have us on the move and meet you, is it?"

"Yes. Fuuka, Z, Minaa, I have something to ask you." says Sasuke.

"YOO! Sasuke, long time no seeee!" shouts Minaa, the red haired girl, while waving at him.

"It's been a while yes…" adds Z, the blonde guy.

"What is it then?" simply questions Fuuka, the short blond girl, leading the team.

"I am currently aiming to take down an organization, but I don't think I can do this by myself." explains Sasuke. "So I'm putting together a team to take care of the various members while I go after the leader. I've come to ask for your help. Fuuka, your Medical ninjutsu and sensing abilities are essential to a team. Minaa, your own version of a Lightning based armor could help against another fast one among them. And Z, your knowledge of Ranton (Storm Release) will be a strong offensive help."

"If you can't do it alone, why don't you ask Naruto Uzumaki's help?" asks Fuuka again.

"I shall not always run to him. This is not his battle." promptly answers the wanderer.

"But is it ours?" she asks, while staying as perplex as she can.

"This is your choice."

"Sorry, Sasuke Uchiha, but we're proud ninjas of Kumo." decides the leader. "Following you now would mean betrayal and desertion from the village. So none of us will agree to come."

"Actually yes, I will." says Minaa.

"What? So easily? You would leave Kumo for him?" asks Fuuka, surprised by this reaction.

"If Minaa goes, I'm coming too. And I'm really curious to see what you're exactly battling against, Sasuke." says Z.

"Are you two serious? I won't be following him. I have orders, and a reputation." complains Fuuka.

"Yes Captain Fuuka, you should head back to Kumo and explain everything to Lord Fourth." says Minaa. "Just make sure we're not marked down as nukenin."

"You're right, Fuuka." says Z. "We're loyal to Kumo, but also loyal to the world. If Sasuke Uchiha comes to ask for our help, it means there's something powerful and important to stop, and that it implies Kumo's safety as much as the world."

"Are you insinuating that I should change my mind too? I won't."

"No, absolutely not. You have to stay. How are you gonna become the next Raikage if you disobey to the current one?… Also someone has to explain all this to him, and I don't have the balls to…"

Sasuke just spectates the scene. He just listens to the discussion and waits for each of them to make up their mind. Z jumps next to Sasuke on the tree. Minaa goes in front of Fuuka and takes off her armor and skirt. With these removed, she only has her underwear and boots left on. This makes Sasuke remember about her nudity tendency. He forgot to warn the others about this detail that might trouble them.

"Captain, take these back to the village. I'll get them back from the Raikage myself." she says in a playful but determined voice.

Fuuka grabs the things, looks at Sasuke for a few seconds and turns around to leave. Sasuke was kinda expecting these reactions. Minaa is a crazy woman who'll just go for the fun. Z was obviously gonna follow her. However, Fuuka's reaction forces him to find another person for the team. Still he has no intention of forcing her to come, and accepts her choice. Minaa jumps next to the two men and takes off her boots that she just leaves there, on the tree. Z looks away to avoid picking on Minaa, as if he had to feel guilty of seeing a close friend that almost always is, almost naked. Sasuke looks at them both, and then at Fuuka who's leaving.

"Tell the Raikage it's all on me." he says. "I'll bring them back to Kumo as soon as possible."

"You better do, Sasuke Uchiha." she answers as she goes.

Sasuke now turns around to head back to his teammates without saying anything more. Z and Minaa, stay there, sadly looking at their teammate leaving alone, and then go to follow Sasuke. Very quickly they get back to Tsubai and the others.

"Already back!" says Kobo who sees them first.

"WHAT THE HELL!" scream Tsubai and Daisuke together.

"WHY SHE NAKED?" adds Tsubai.

"Who is this nature assuming woman?" adds Daisuke at the same time.

Sasuke forgot to warn them, and expected these reactions. Naomi and Kobo just look at each other in incomprehension. Sasuke sighs and prepares to introduce the two new members to the rest of the crew. But before he does, Minaa does it herself.

"I'm Minaa Nii, an 18 years old kunoichi from Kumo. I like cats. I hate clothes. Sasuke took me in because he likes my Lightning Strike Armor. And you guys?"

"Me,…" says Daisuke, ready to give a full answer. "I'm Daisuke, a 20 years old wandering samurai. I like meeting women like you, and I don't…"

"SERIOUSLY SASUKE!" interrupts Tsubai. "She hates clothes? And that's her reason to go around like this?"

"What's up?" asks Naomi, with a mocking voice. "You've never seen a woman in underwear before?"

"IT'S NOT THAT. It's just… There are kids here." he answers while pointing at Kobo.

"He doesn't seem to give a fuck about this." remarks Naomi.

"Yes, I don't care." adds Kobo.

Tsubai just looks desperately at them and then back at Minaa. He thinks of how hard it will be to remain serious while talking with her. Minaa gets closer to see her new friends. Z follows her and just goes to shake everyone's hand. Tsubai stays grumpy and refuses to say anything. Kobo, wanting to be kind toward Tsubai, acts to get them out of here and quickly make everyone forget this first impression.

"So Sasuke. Aren't we still missing someone?"

"Yes. The medic-nin refused to come with us. But I have a plan B."

"Great!" says Minaa who turns to Sasuke. "So where are we going, Uh? What's our big adventure of the day?"

"Next, to the land of Wind. We'll get our last teammate there. But now, it's getting late, so we'll just camp for the night."

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End of Chapter 13 - Next Chapter: The Celestial Light