Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Prologue – Arc 2: The Daitengu

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Chapter 25 – The Daitengu: Epilogue

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The Daitengu is gone… for now. Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Kobo Uchiha and Tsubai Minamoto are recovering from this recent fight. Tsubai, who spent all the fight in an unknown place, is profoundly shaken by what he experienced. Before he even tries to understand what happened and how the fight played out, he discusses what they've lived through in their time prison with his tengu.

"See that, Light-head?" asks Daikoku first to Tentoki. "We're out and back to the less shitty world."

"Was all of this real?" asks Tsubai, confused.

"I don't know." answers Tentoki. "More likely not, since we're visibly back to our reality. It having been an illusion is more plausible."

"It felt real though." comments Kasha, lying down on her belly. "It sure was creepy."

"For sure it was, young one." answers Tentoki again. "After all, isn't it why we call him like that, The Curse of Time."

"Yeah right. We feel damn cursed for sure." says Daikoku.

Tsubai is lying on the ground and still didn't pay attention to his surroundings. Kobo comes over to him and helps him up. Tsubai interrupts his inner discussion and takes the young Uchiha's hand. He looks around and sees a completely redrawn land. Unsure if he's really back to reality, he asks Kobo about it.

"The hell happened here?"

"It's over. We made it, thanks to Sasuke and his friend. We destroyed Sojobo."

"Did you? What about the place. How did it end up like this?"

"Oh this… You know, just super powered people fighting against super powered forces."

Tsubai stands up and sees Naruto and Sasuke who once again get up together after saving his ass. Except this time, they actually succeeded to save everyone… He thinks. In his mind, Tsubai hears his tengu's reaction to their creator and ancestor's death.

"NOOOO!" cries Kasha, who still saw Sojobo as a mentor and father figure. "It can't be! Why did they have to do that to him?"

"So Sojobo's dead for real, even after achieving his original form… And we're alive." says Tentoki. "This cleans my doubts about a potential complementarity between he and us."

"WHAT?" yells Tsubai. "Like damn, you weren't even sure if we were all gonna survive this, and you still got us in with no worries?"

"Things had to be done Tsubai. We lost people. These people died to stop the Daitengu. I think we could have put our lives on the line for the same reason. Moreover, it's just us tengu who could have died. Not you."

"Like I'd feel alive now without you guys… I already lost enough now. And being brought back to reality now kinda saddens me a bit…"

None of them says anything more… Until Daikoku gives an answer to Tentoki's hypothesis.

"We aren't complementary with the Daitengu. But in our first and original lifetime, we are with the Yamabushi in which we were born."

"What?" say Tentoki, Tsubai and Kasha at the same time.

"I don't blame you for not knowing. After all, before Akashita, all of you guys died while in your Minamoto host's body."

"I see." says Tentoki. "So this is what Sojobo meant back then when Akashita died. He said that his minutes were numbered, because Riku Minamoto died earlier. But what about Tenshi then?"

"Well you just had misconception. If you believed that she was passed down to Moritaka before the grandpa's death, you're wrong. She was just reincarnated into Moritaka as a deal with Sojobo."

"Ok. So you'll have to die when Tsubai dies, is it? But not us."

"If you're released from his body and given to a new host, then you'll survive, yes. But not me."

"What? This sucks!" complains Tsubai. "So I won't be able to pass you on to my boy in the distant future?"

"No. The only person able to keep our spirit or power in this situation is the Daitengu."

"I didn't know that. How did you?" asks Tentoki.

"Innate knowledge. You may be smarter than me, but I got more of this. I guess Sojobo kinda had a favorite new born."

"Well Papa's DEAD." yells Kasha to interrupt their discussion. "This is unfair. Why did you have to do that, you heartless… damn…"

Tentoki just looks at Kasha in silence and doesn't comment. Tsubai does the same. Daikoku brings them to reason.

"She'll get over it. She'll have to, 'cause she not damn close to leave us, unless she wants to die."

In the real world, Sasuke comes to Kobo and Tsubai. Tsubai looks at him and says one last thing to Tentoki.

"I really should tell him about these few hours we just lived through in this future world."

Before Tentoki says anything, Sasuke raises his arm and holds Tsubai's shoulder, as to check his chakra, to see if he's under any genjutsu or something else. He lets go off him and looks at Naruto who joins the little group. Sasuke widens his left eye while looking in an empty space.

Chimatakami

He opens a portal back to where they left Earth. Naruto looks at it and processes what is on the other side. Before anyone gets in, he cries out in panic. They all turn to him with bizarre faces.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EXPLAIN THIS TO THE DAIMYO?" screams the Jinchuriki.

"Explain what?" asks Tsubai.

"YOUR JAILBREAK, THE BATTLE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAPITAL AND KURAMA ALMOST DESTROYING THE PLACE!"

"No problem, I'll take care of it." says Sasuke.

"… There's no way he'll ever let me become Hokage now…"

"I said don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm responsible for all this. I'll take responsibility."

"… Ok, but don't you dare use fear or any other not rightful way to do it!"

Sasuke doesn't answer and jumps through the portal first. Kobo goes second. Naruto and Tsubai just stand there looking at it. Tsubai thinks of how he'll look getting to the place he was jailed in a few hours ago. Naruto wonders how they'll now get to keep Tsubai's freedom. There's just one way to find out, and it's to jump through this space gate. Naruto taps on Tsubai's shoulder and jumps in the portal too. Tsubai immediately follows, like contaminated by Naruto's positivity.

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On the other side, they find the Daimyo standing right in front of them. Naruto gulps, but is reassured when he sees the other present people. The Sixth Hokage, who hurried to the capital after he got Naruto's message, arrived and was discussing the situation with the Fire Lord. The present and remaining Karasu members are there by the Hokage's sides too with Yamato and Shino Aburame.

All of them turn to see Sasuke, Naruto, Kobo and Tsubai, all worn out from the fight. As everyone stands still, Kobo sees Sana running toward him and coming to hug him. He stands agape for a moment, before hugging her back. Sasuke smiles at them but stops when he sees Daisuke and Minaa sitting silently on the ground. He notices Z's absence. He understands what happened to him, by Minaa's look, and stays silent.

Tsubai looks at the scenery and turns around to try and go away quietly while nobody speaks. The portal behind them closes and Tsubai sees Tokiwa who was waiting for them to come out on the wrong side. He first feels like laughing out at her for this, but this quickly comes off his mind by just looking at her bright and patient face. He can't stop himself from stepping forward to hug her. She's relieved to see him being well too, so she accepts it and hugs him back.

The Daimyo takes a few steps forward to Sasuke and Naruto, and first speaks to Sasuke.

"Sasuke Uchiha… Is that so…"

Naruto stresses and looks at Kakashi. He can't bare the suspense of knowing what will happen to them. The Daimyo analyzes the wandering Uchiha all covered in dust, with messy clothes, an empty sword scabbard, and without any cape to cover him. He forces a smile and looks at him despite the disgust he feels from this dirty look.

"Congratulations on completing your mission, I guess! A terrorist that dares to come here in my land and to attack my territory like he doesn't owe me any respect… I'm grateful that you took him down. And you too, Naruto Uzumaki!"

The Daimyo turns to see Naruto who's relieved by this positive reaction, but tries to stay focused and serious, to make a good first impression.

"Thank you a lot for your efforts. I don't know how you contributed here, but you should still be thanked for any other thing you did, like protecting Konoha a few weeks ago. Ninjas like you are what makes me so proud of this nation. True emblems of peace, but also of power."

"Huh. Thanks…" answers Naruto, not sure how to feel about that last sentence.

"You're welcome. We were just discussing the current situation with the Hokage. But just to make it clear, if he hadn't shown up in time, I'd probably would have had you executed with Tsubai."

Naruto gulps again. Sasuke stays quiet, simply looking at him, emotionless.

"I'd just prefer you to warn me the next time such a thing happens."

"I won't." firmly answers Sasuke. "And my quests are secret missions. Telling you about it would defeat the point."

Naruto feels his soul leave his body when he hears the rude tone with which his best friend addresses the Feudal Lord. The Daimyo's face morphs to show his disappointment, but Kakashi intervenes before anything happens.

"Lord Daimyo, Sasuke is right, unfortunately. We can't tell anyone about these missions. Even to you. They aren't just for this land's sake, but for more than that. No worries, from now on, we'll make sure it never comes to this village again." he says smiling under his mask to keep it cool.

The Daimyo takes the pill, and gently caresses Naruto's shoulder. Behind them, guards of the capital are encircling Tsubai and Tokiwa. The black haired, blue eyed woman holds Tsubai's hand and hides him behind her, as to protect him. She defies the guards with her look and makes it clear to them that they'll have to get through her if they want him. The Daimyo sees this and stares to Kakashi. Sasuke looks at them both, wondering if he'll have to become a national criminal just now or not, this only depending on the Daimyo's view on Tsubai.

"We discussed this already with the young miss right here." says the Daimyo who points at Kakashi's sides.

Saori Minamoto shows herself, coming out from behind Shino, and just timidly waves at her brother.

"It may bother me, but it seems like the situation is now clear and I have no guilty person to punish for Riku's murder, since he appears to be already dead. So Tsubai Minamoto, you are free to go. The guards who captured you will apologize for their actions and you'll be escorted back to your village, Ryuka."

Tsubai doesn't say anything and just sees the guards back off. The Daimyo looks at the Hokage again and just bumps his head to order him to leave with all the other strangers. Kakashi makes the same sign to Yamato and Shino, and they gather with the Karasu members and the few other people to leave the place. They calmly and silently follow other guards of the capital to the main gate of the city.

Sasuke is discussing the events of the latest fight with the Hokage. Naruto, who noticed Minaa's sorrow, carefully tries to cheer her up a bit. Saori gets by Tsubai's side and gives a weird look to Tokiwa, who's still holding her brother's hand. "Who the hell is this girl supposed to be?" she thinks. Tokiwa looks back at her and asks.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Minamoto?"

"I just really need to talk with the guy you're keeping on your side."

Tokiwa looks at Tsubai, who was just daydreaming while contemplating her beautiful face. He wakes up to reality and suddenly gets sad for no reason. She and Saori both stare at him concerned and wait for him to say anything. He breaks silence after washing the melancholy off his face.

"Um… Saori, I guess you'll have to take the lead of the village." he suggests.

"What? That's what I was gonna ask, but why this answer? I thought you'll say you're back and leading."

"No. That's not what I'll do. I'll be going somewhere else." he says, still looking at Tokiwa.

"Where's that? You can't expect me to lead a merchant and touristic village at only 14."

"Why not. You'll… I mean I'm sure you'll do pretty well."

Saori just puffs her cheeks, as she didn't plan on becoming a major touristic figure of the land at any point in her life. Tsubai stares back at Tokiwa and then at Sasuke who's walking forward.

"Tokiwa… Can you let go for a moment, I need to speak with him."

Tokiwa looks forward at the Uchiha, with a mean face. She's still upset about the way they all ended up here because of him. She still lets go off Tsubai's hand, knowing that her feelings about this man aren't Tsubai's. When she lets him go, she starts to question herself about why she was holding him so fiercely, and why she was so eager to free and meet him again. In her mind she stares at Amabie, who makes a shameful look. Could it be that simply learning about Tsubai's love for her, made it reciprocal?

"Did nobody ever fall in love with you before?" asks Amabie.

"… No. Not until I got you. And once I did, the few people who did were just under your chant's influence…"

"So you love this dumb head now, is that so?" adds Amabie, not as fan of Tsubai's as her host.

"I don't know… I think I do."

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Tsubai goes over between the Hokage and Sasuke and interrupts their discussion. What he needs to say is private to Sasuke only, at least it is for now. Kakashi doesn't object, and lets Sasuke walk off this interview. Sasuke gets closer to Kobo with Tsubai and asks about it.

"It is about the thing you were trapped in. is it?"

"Um… yes…" answers Tsubai. "I don't think you'll believe me."

"Just before you say anything, was is related to time in any way?"

"Shit yes it was."

"Of course… He wouldn't call himself the Curse of time if he didn't have any time controlling powers… Before you, I disappeared to everyone else when he threw a super absorbing attraction force at me. Even though I fought it only a few seconds from my point of view, It had been two hours for Naruto and Kobo."

"This was a black hole." says Tentoki to Tsubai who turns to face him. "Despite the name, it isn't actually a hole. It's just an extremely heavy object, who's gravitational pull even catches light and all forms of chakra. The pull being strong enough to accelerate light, it also reshapes time around it. It is created with Doton and Meiton combined, but only Sojobo has enough chakra to do such a thing."

"This isn't the same as we experienced." says Tsubai to Sasuke. "We were in what we believe was an illusion, but really realistic."

"You also physically disappeared from our space-time. It was more than that."

"I saw the future." he says, promptly and dramatically.

Sasuke stares at him, intrigued by this possibility. He waits for elaboration. Behind them, Kobo raises his head in interest and quietly listens to their discussion, while still holding Sana under his arm.

"For about 3 hours,…" adds Tsubai. "Everybody looked 9 or 10 years older. After Sojobo stared at me with that spiral eye, I was suddenly transported to Kirigakure, and was peacefully living an everyday life there."

"And… This could have been any made up illusion. What makes you believe it was actually the future?"

"For now, nothing. Except maybe, before this, I wasn't sure about Tokiwa's feelings for me. Now I kinda am."

Sasuke stays silent and thinks. Tsubai must have seen himself live as a couple with Tokiwa in Kiri. If he really ends up living there, it'll partially prove his point. But what about other parts of the future?

"We'll have a son together. The role of many Kages will be passed on, including the Hokage, The two kids walking behind us will live in Kiri too,…"

"Get to the point already! I get it, Sojobo may know the future. Judging from his last words, we may have to face him again at some point. Is that what you're wanting to say?"

"You died there."

They both go dead silent. Sasuke processes this short but heavy words. He'll die. How? What will kill him? All these questions, they start haunting him the moment he hears them. After this obscure revelation of fate, Tsubai gives more details to break the suspense.

"You won't be there. Naruto and the other Kages need to face what disposed of you. This won't be Sojobo. It's horned people, like Katashiki. More than one this time."

"Otsutsuki people?… I see. So there's really more of them… Then further investigation are needed."

"Are you a damn idiot? You'll fucking die if you do."

"And if I don't they'll just come out and repeat Kaguya's scenario before anyone does anything against it."

"Whenever you'll go, just let me come with you. I'm not gonna be a damn burden to you. I'll just make sure you know what you're doing."

"You? No offense, but you're a bit too confident in your new powers. Even now, I don't think you'd stand any chance even against a blind version of me. Only I and Naruto can fight against people like them."

"You damn well know that Katashiki was stronger than you. Same goes for Sojobo, and for Madara, and whoever you fought during that war. I'm not asking to assist you. Just to keep your ass safe when it's needed."

"… I'll get back to you when I'll start investigating this. Until then, we can't really believe what you're saying."

Sasuke goes back forward to join Kakashi and Naruto. Tsubai stares at him, upset but worried. He understands this reaction. It sounds unreal, but not taking it into account would be foolish.

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Time passes, and Karasu and the Hokage's troups get to Ryuka together. Once in the village, they find people cheering for the Minamoto's return, and an unexpected surprise. Mei Terumi, the Mizukage, is here waiting for them, to retrieve her young Uchiha boy and her long lost kunoichi. When they see her, Tokiwa falls to her knees. It's the first time in years that she meets with the leader who probably thought her dead until now. Mei walks toward them and helps her former student up.

"I heard about Shibata. My condolences… The girl he protected, Kokoro, is currently in Kiri and will probably stay there. About you, Tokiwa, are you ready to come home?"

"Lady Fifth… I don't know." she says, stepping back to Tsubai's side.

"But you want to." says Tsubai.

"Mister Minamoto, I can offer you citizenship if it's needed." proposes Mei, determined to get Tokiwa home, and trying to convince them.

Sasuke and Tsubai look at each other. Kobo looks at them both too with a worried face. The Mizukage's offer sounds like a hint of what future will come to them. Sasuke turns and walks away as to think about his life. He goes down the streets of the village. Kobo looks at him walk away. Sana stares at him and shakes his hand to get his attention.

"I guess you're heading back to Kiri."

"… And you back to the land of Wind." he answers rapidly, breaking his train of thought.

"We'll meet again, won't we?"

"If Sasuke needs Karasu ever again, yes."

"No I mean, just the two of us."

"Oh.. Of course." Kobo looks back at where Sasuke went. "But I'll may be busy this next years."

"Then I'll come to visit you. Since I'm not from a hidden village, it'll be easier to travel for me." she answers, keeping a positive vibe.

Kobo looks at her and doesn't say anything, he just cleans his mind and smiles. Sasuke who was walking through the village sees the people cheering for Tsubai's liberation, like the leader of the village didn't die a week ago. Maybe the public opinion about Riku Minamoto wasn't that good. Or the opinion about his children is too good in comparison? The Uchiha wanderer just walks, trying not to think of Tsubai's experience. In his ballad he's interrupted by the woman he met twice in this village.

"Sir Sasuke it's you again!" she says, running to him.

"You… Dariha Heihachiro, was it?"

"Yes it is! Are you here to celebrate with the village?"

Sasuke looks at her from head to feet, and notices she's wearing a yukata. She gazes at him and sees how messy he looks. She lifts one of her sleeves and rubs it against Sasuke's face to clean it off. Sasuke steps back. She looks at him confused.

"Oh sorry, it looked like your face was dusty. I just wanted to help a bit."

"… You messed up your sleeve."

"That's not a problem!" she answers smiling. "Oh I know. Let's take a picture!"

"A picture?"

"Yes my father's back from his travel and he got a camera. Let's do it, just to try! Come on!"

She grabs him by the hand and brings him in front of a camera standing near the shop's entrance. Her father, a strong looking man with a thick mustache, looks at them both, and stares suspiciously at Sasuke, who just makes a bland face. Encouraged by his daughter, he gets to the camera and proceeds to take a picture of her and her stranger friend. Immediately after it is done, they are joined by Daisuke and Naruto.

The village spends the rest of the day celebrating, after all the hard events they went through. After this day, Saori was constrained to take on the mantle of leader of the village.

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Tsubai did as he planned. He went to Kirigakure to stay with Tokiwa. Not long after they got home, they made their feelings clear to each other. For them, it evolved really fast and Tsubai moved in with her. Kobo also went back to Kiri. Sana returned to her family in Kaze no Kuni. There, she started to miss Kobo really quick, and she began to visit him only a week later. From this point on, she made these visits a regular thing. Eventually, they fell in love and she chose to move in to Kiri with him.

Minaa Nii returned to Kumo with Sasuke Uchiha. Together, they reported the events. They also planned and attended Z's funerals. Sasuke apologized to the Raikage for these unfortunate events. Daisuke, the blue samurai, didn't get back to the land of Iron until a few years after these events. Instead, he wandered around the continent and occasionally met with Sasuke or Naomi Yuki again. Kokoro stayed in Kiri, and went on to learn to serve as a ninja. With Kawahime's genjutsu and sensory abilities, she quickly became a remarkable kunoichi. In Konoha, the Hokage and his elite came back with Naruto and went back to their normal activities. Back there, Naruto went home to Hinata. A week later, despite them having been together only for a month, Naruto met with Hiashi Hyuga who gently pressured him into asking his daughter's hand.

At last, Naomi Yuki who left Kiri as soon as Kokoro was safe, made sure to avoid meeting any of the ninja members of Karasu ever again. She kept working as a mercenary for the same employer. Only a few days after Sojobo's defeat she was on to a new job. Ritoru, the former yamabushi of Kasha, had lost his leg and tengu in result of the fight with Chuji and Ryutoki. Afterwards, he was brought to the hospital of Ryuka. Obviously nothing could be done about his leg. Once he accepted his fate and agreed to give up on his career, all he had left in life, was the fact of being alive. His power was gone, as well as his main source of what he values the most in the world: money.

Now trapped in a wheel chair for the rest of his life, he looks at the sea, from the deck of a cruising boat to Kiri. Behind him, he feels a familiar presence. Able to clearly recognize someone, he speaks.

"Frostbite, that's how they call you isn't it?" he asks, still facing the sea, unwilling to see the one he's talking to.

"You know why I'm here." says Naomi, standing behind.

"I think I do, but why?"

"Your career is over. Now all that is left of you, is the fact you have intel about him. Knowing your relation with money, it wouldn't be hard for a concurrent to bribe you."

"I hate to admit that you're right. By 'him', you mean the Chimera is it?"

Naomi doesn't answer. She just walks toward him with freezing air around her hand. Ritoru hears her coming and closes his eyes.

"Of course you're talking about him. You're his favorite. It's not as if he'd let you work for anyone else…"

He feels her laying her hand against his back.

"It's the first time I feel the touch of a woman in a week. Really sad that it has to be my last thing I feel ever…"

Still not saying anything, she creates an ice pick that emerges from her hand and stabs right through the chair back and Ritoru's heart. After he takes his last breath, she tilts the wheel chair over to throw his body and the chair in the sea, leaving them never to be found.

The Chimera, the person for whom Naomi Yuki works, will stay a mystery for many, many years still. Instead, two years after the Daitengu's defeat, the new mystery that the heroes of Konoha will have to solve is coming from an unknown land, craving for the power of the tengu, again.

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End of Chapter 25 – End of Prologue – Arc 2

Next Chapter: 2 years later