Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Naruto was perched on the edge of the two storey building's roof, half-hidden in the shadow of its chimney. One of his legs was dangling in the air while the other was folded with his arm resting against its knee. His cheek sat in his palm as he observed the district in front, his usually bright azure eyes now lackluster and distant.

After a moment, Naruto's folded leg slipped down and he heaved a deep sigh, leaning backward on both his arms. A frown found its way onto his brow and the blue eyes briefly flashed red as the anger rose like a tidal wave inside him.

He was too late! All the years of research, all those sleepless nights, all the preparations, all the power that he poured to make this happen, and he arrived too late!

Well, not exactly too late, but he would have preferred much earlier. Much, much earlier. As in, in time to save his parents.

Naruto let his arms slid to the sides, sprawling on the roof with a huff. He supposed he would just have to work with what he had. Could have been worse. He should be thankful that he had something to work with at all.

Uchihas were still alive. But he could feel the negativeness, the darkness, the evil festering like an infected wound, oozing blood and pus. It was too advanced already, there was no easy way to stop it now.

He scrunched his face. He wondered what would happen if he allowed the clan to have their coup. Nothing good, that was for sure. People would die. Innocent people that had no place to die in the petty squabbles between stuck-up ninja clans.

The blond abruptly sat up. Then equally abruptly jumped down from the roof, landing smoothly in a crouch on the ground and eliciting a scared yelp from a rotund woman who was unfortunate enough to walk past at that exact moment.

"My apologies," Naruto apologized with a small polite smile as he stood and dusted himself off.

The woman was now gaping at him, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to say something but was too shocked to squeeze a word out.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that before catching a sight of himself at the reflection of the nearby window. "Oh." He chuckled. "Right, right." He whipped his hand up and folded fingers into a half sign.

A puff of smoke and gone was a young man with brilliant azure eyes, sunshine colored hair that framed his somewhat round face, gone was his black jacket, beige pants, and short-sleeved orange haori, decorated by black flames on the edges. He was still young, but his hair was now brown and the eyes were grey while clothes changed into simple civilian attire. Nothing stood out of this man, just another unremarkable face in the crowd.

"Have a nice day," Naruto said, grinning. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and nonchalantly walked away, leaving the speechless woman behind.

There was no time or need to mope around. He was no Uchiha. He was an Uzumaki! The member from the most kickass ninja clan in history! He was also a Namikaze! The son of the most kickass ninja in history!

Naruto abruptly stopped when an idea popped into his head. A grin spread across his face. Well, that was certainly an interesting idea and absolutely worth considering. As much as he loved Konoha, he was not staying here. Even if he wanted, after what he'd probably end up doing, there would be no place for him in this village.

With a start, he realized that this thought didn't sadden or unsettle him as much as he assumed it would. Huh.

Someone bumped into his legs from behind and his arm shot out to stop that someone from falling on the ground. He turned then and looked down.

A pair of charcoal black eyes stared back at him under the mess of the black hair. Naruto could almost envision the onyx bleeding into the red with only three drops of it left to spin around the pupils.

He smiled and let go of the young Uchiha's arm. The child quickly scrambled back.

"Sasuke, I told you not to run in the streets."

Naruto's gaze flicked from the tiny counterpart of his best friend to the older boy as Itachi approached. And while the latter's face was a carefully crafted blank mask, the blond noticed some of the fond exasperation and worry leaking out into the tightness around his dark eyes. So young, so virtuous. Burdened, but not yet broken.

"I'm sorry," Itachi intoned, giving Naruto a small bow and pushing his little brother's head down too. "My little brother can be careless sometimes."

"But, niisan!" the kid whined.

The preteen was having none of that. "Sasuke, apologize to this man."

As Sasuke puffed his cheeks in a self-righteous pout, Naruto's smile only grew more genuine.

If the fate proclaimed that the innocence of these two souls had to be snuffed out, then he would put his foot down and stop it. He arrived in time to do that at least.

"I'm sorry."

Naruto chuckled. The apology was delivered like an accusation as if he was at fault here. Little Sasuke was so cute. "No worries, kiddo," he assured, reaching to ruffle his hair. The way Itachi instantly tensed and went on full alert didn't slip through his keen observations. Littlest Uchiha wasn't too happy about his action either, though for different reasons.

Itachi gathered his brother, bowed one more time as he bid their goodbyes, and ushered the boy away.

Naruto watched them go, marveling at Sasuke's beaming grin pointed at his older brother and the way Itachi poked his forehead, his lips curling into a minuscule smile of his own.

Family. They were family.

His chest tightened, and the blond quickly turned around. With a scowl plastered across his features, he sauntered off.

After an hour of aimless wandering around Konoha, Naruto came upon a very strange phenomenon – the surrounding noise suddenly hushed, everyone's voices dropping into hisses and whispers, and the crowd parted like the sea in front of the saint, giving way for someone.

For someone small and blond and with his whole posture set into guarded defiance.

A woman standing right next to Naruto sneered, "What a nasty little thing, isn't it?

The man glanced at her, his expression going flat with practiced blankness almost immediately. "Really?" he drawled, sweeping the crowd with his icy gaze. He looked back at the woman and grinned. "But all I can see is a bunch of big nasty things."

His grin was lazy, dark, ravenous in the way only truly feral things were, and there was something innately unsettling about the way those intense eyes fixed on her. They slowly bled into glowing crimson, pupils transforming into vertical slits, leering at her. The grin stretched wider, revealing sharp, prolonged canines, and turned sharper, giving the image of being more than just slightly mad.

The woman screamed, stumbling backward from him and into the elderly man.

"Misaki! What's wrong?" the man inquired. Other people quickly surrounded them in a circle.

"He– He– He– The eyes! His eyes!"

Everyone looked at the brown-haired youth.

Naruto blinked his very normal, very common grey eyes. "Something wrong with my eyes?" he asked innocently, seemingly very confused, slightly annoyed, and definitely offended.

The woman's arms trembled, but she was still pointing at the disguised blond in accusation. "They were red! Like– Like– Like the Kyu–!"

The elderly slapped a palm on her mouth. "Are you crazy?" he hissed, shooting a nervous glance around. Then he added in a much lower voice, audible only to the woman, "You know that you can't talk about it while that thing is here."

Naruto scoffed, dismissing these idiots as subjects not worth his time. He looked to the side, catching the wide-eyed gaze of his tiny counterpart from afar.

The boy leaned around the corner of the house, clutching tightly at it, as he observed the scene. He probably fled into the alley as soon as the wretched woman screamed in fright, guided by the self-preservation instinct in case someone decided to take the 'justice' in their own hands.

Naruto winked at the kid playfully.

The latter's blue eyes grew even bigger, almost threatening to just jump out of their sockets, before he ducked behind the wall and out of sight.

The man sniggered as he slipped from the crowd unnoticed and strolled to the same general direction. It was time to meet his… what? Nephew?

The corner of Naruto's mouth quirked up.

Yup. Nephew would do just fine.

With his heart hammering in his chest, six years old Naruto peaked around the corner of the shop's door inside.

Besides the shop owner behind the counter, there were no other people.

The boy grinned. Lucky~! He walked in, winced when the old man glared. However, he didn't ask him to leave – yet – so Naruto would count that as a win.

He made his way through the shelves towards a vegetable stand. He had just learned in the pre-academy that ninja had to be healthy in body, mind, and spirit. While Naruto couldn't think how he could keep his mind and spirit healthy, he remembered Teuchi-san once mentioning that vegetables were good for growing boys.

Little blond's heart almost exploded in excitement as he zeroed on all the greenery at the back of the shop. He was going to be the best ninja of them all, 'ttebayo!

Suddenly, tin cans with tomatoes drawn on them on his left caught his attention and he halted. He knew how Sasuke Uchiha liked tomatoes. All teachers hailed that boy as a genius, so he must have known what to eat to be that good, right?

Naruto glanced at the fresh vegetables, back at the cans with pickled tomatoes, then down at its price. He pushed hand into his pocket and pulled out all the money he had. Despite knowing exactly how much he had, he still counted it again – yeah, he knew how to count, 'ttebayo!

Glancing back at the price, the boy grimaced. "Keep one's body healthy…" he muttered, taking a deep breath and snatching one tin can off the shelf. Then he trotted back to the counter.

The shop owner sneered as Naruto approached. The boy was expecting it. Though it still hurt – why did they hate him so much? – he ignored it as best as he could. Barely reaching the counter's edge, he pushed the can on top of it and waited until the old man asked for money.

The man barked out the number that was much higher than the one written on the price tag.

"But it's not right!" Naruto cried out in objection, his boisterous temper overpowering his fears. "Over there it's said–"

"That's the price for normal humans," the owner growled. "And this is the price for your kind! Take it or go away!"

The little Jinchuuriki stubbornly ignored the stinging in his eyes. He didn't have that kind of money! "But–"

"Just be happy that I'm selling you anything, you worthless brat!" the old man bellowed, grabbing the can and flinging it to the small boy in his unreasonable anger.

Naruto shut his eyes on instinct, coverings his head with his arms to protect it. His breath hitched as he waited for the impact, for the pain to come, for more hurtful words…

None of that happened, however.

Confused, he dared to crack open one eye and peek at the stupid man. What he saw was a hand holding the can just an inch from his face. Naruto blinked, then looked up, up, up, and his eyes widened. It was the same guy who winked at him earlier!

"Ne, old man," the stranger spoke, his lips tilted oddly into a smile that was neither friendly nor particularly reassuring, "what's up with you throwing such heavy objects at the innocent kids?"

The shop owner flustered at the unexpected appearance of another customer. "That's– He's– He's–" He motioned at Naruto, lacking any words or reasons to explain his animosity towards the child. "He's a thief!" he finished lamely.

"Reaaaaaally now?" the stranger drawled at the same time as Naruto bristled at the accusation.

"Am not!" he shouted indignantly. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! And I'm gonna become the Hokage, 'ttebayo!"

The boy spun on his heel and sprinted out of the shop. His eyes watered again, but he brushed the tears away angrily. He would never buy vegetables ever again! If he had to, he was going to live out of instant ramen to the end of days!

As the small blond disappeared, the stranger turned back to the shop owner, his mouth stretching into a grin that appeared way too predatory to be anything but normal. "Now that the audience is gone," he said, putting the tin can back on the counter gently.

The shop owner missed the dangerous expression on the other man's face, because his eyes were glued to the exit where the hateful brat disappeared. "Oh, thank goodness, the demon brat is gone!" he cheered. "I thought I'll have to kick him out again."

There was a metallic crumple sound, like the tin can being squeezed and crushed, and then a loud pop. The content of pickled tomatoes spilled all over the counter, red juice dripping on the floor with a rhythmic plop-plop-plop.

"Oh my," the brown-haired youth chuckled darkly as he uncurled his fingers from the squashed tin can one at a time. "A faulty product."

Before the owner could even comprehend what he did, the stranger fisted his hand into the lapel of his shirt and yanked him down. His head hit the wooden surface of the wooden counter with a splash of the pickled tomatoes, momentarily stunning him. There was a hand gripping him at the side of his head, pressing him down and holding him firmly in place. All the man could see was the tin can in front of his nose, folded in half like a wet tissue.

"If you ever treat that boy like that again," the stranger whispered smoothly into his victim's ear, voice eerie and menacing, claws digging into the man's skin, drawing blood, "I'll pop your head like this pickled tomato can."

The pressure eased at the same time as the small breeze ruffled the shop owner's hair. Terrified, he whipped his head up to look around.

The shop was empty and silent with no one in sight.

Soundlessly, Naruto landed on top of the Yondaime's head, carved into the Hokage's Mountain. It was one of his father's old Hiraishin beacons that he reactivated upon arrival together with adding dozens of new ones. He could travel in and out and around Konoha as he pleased.

The blond smirked when he saw the small hunched figure sitting near the edge. He figured that he would find his tiny counterpart in this place – it always was his special spot, his refuge where he could weep or went his rage in peace, without any of hateful and judging eyes.

He had already sent a shadow clone disguised as the little Naruto to lure his ANBU guard away. They were very far from this place at the moment and Naruto could feel his clone guiding him even further. He had all the time in the world to talk with the little fellow.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Naruto rocked on his heels and spoke, "You ran away from me two times already."

The boy flinched, not expecting anyone to find him here or even want to find him at all, and he scrambled to his feet, whirling around.

Naruto grinned at him.

Upon seeing the same stranger for the third time, the kid's big eyes widened and he took a fearful step back.

The man's smile became a bit strained. "Be careful, you're too close to the edge," he warned.

"I'm not a thief!" the boy declared angrily, taking another step backward in his misplaced defense. "I didn't steal anything! I did nothing wrong!"

The smile was now completely gone from the adult's face, giving way to the worried frown. "I know that, little Naruto," he soothed, lifting his hands up in an attempt to placate an agitated child. "I'm not here because of that. Just want to talk with you."

The boy eyed him suspiciously. "Talk about wha–!" he didn't finish because his foot slipped on the edge of the rock and he tumbled down with a cry. He desperately tried to grab onto the rocky surface and stop his decent towards the imminent death. However, he was sliding too fast and his hands were too small, so all he managed was bruising his palms into the hard stone before he was left falling through the air.

All of a sudden, arms embraced him and pressed securely to the chest. Naruto latched onto that someone's clothes for dear life, shaking and whimpering, eyes shut tightly in fear.

One blink later, they were standing back on top of the Yondaime's head, a slightly disheveled brown hair and a trembling child the only indications of what could have been a lethal accident.

"Hey, that's okay, I got you," the man spoke softly, running his fingers through the spiky blond mop to calm the boy. "It's alright now. You're safe."

After what seemed an eternity, Little Naruto calmed down. It took all of his courage to lift his head and peek at the stranger's face. He had expected to see disgust, hate, contempt – the usual, really – but found none of that. There was a kind smile and warm eyes, if slightly exasperated, and it all made him strangely fuzzy inside, causing his heart to speed up. It was the first time anyone looked at him with that kind of expression – even Jiji's paled in comparison – and on top of that, he was held in an embrace and got his head stroked.

As if he was someone precious.

Ah. He must have fallen to his death then.

"Are you a ghost?"

The man chuckled, such a pleasant and carefree sound. Naruto felt his heart crumbling. This was definitely not real. No one laughed like that in his presence.

"May as well be one," the stranger replied cheerfully before fixing the child with a serious gaze. "Can I trust you not to jump off this mountain in an attempt to escape me?"

The boy's cheeks flushed and he squirmed. The adult put him down on his feet gently and patted his head, receiving another deer-in-the-light, shocked look.

And that's then little Naruto's stomach reminded about itself with a loud grumble.

The man merely grinned at that. "How about I cook you dinner?" he offered. "I'm rather a good cook."

The boy said nothing, just stared at him. The only one who ever cooked something for him was Teuchi-san, but the latter sold ramen so he cooked for everyone. Maybe this strange man was also selling food? "Ramen?" he asked in a stunned whisper.

"How about something different? I can't compete with Ichiraku Ramen, sorry," the adult Naruto laughed goodheartedly. Humming softly, he contemplated for a bit. "Something with pickled tomatoes?" he tempted and smirked when the kid's bright eyes sparkled. "You can wait in your apartment. I'm gonna pick some groceries and be there shortly."

"…Really?"

"Really."

Slowly, tentatively a toothy grin spread across the boy's face. He didn't know who this man was, or why he cared, or even how he knew where he lived – all these questions flew right over his head – all that mattered was that someone wanted to spend time with him. Willingly. And cook dinner for him, even if it wasn't ramen. And maybe they would eat it together too, like, like…

Like family. Or at least friends.

"Yatta!" little Naruto exclaimed, fist-pumping the air.

The disguised blond laughed at his enthusiasm. "Alright, little kit, we can talk more at your home," he said with a smile, giving another hair ruffle.

The boy seemed to lean into the touch. He snapped out of his reverie when the adult withdrew his hand and ushered him to go. With a grin that threatened to split his face in two, the little Jinchuuriki gave an exuberant hand wave as a goodbye and dashed towards the staircase.

Naruto watched him go, wondering if what he was doing should be considered the extreme of selfishness. He had decided to give everything for his young counterpart – so basically for himself – to make the boy, who had been martyred for the survival of the village, happy and to feel loved and needed. They both could use to experience a real family.

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Naruto dismissed it. They were not the same person anymore. The moment he stepped into this reality, this world gained an existence of its own, branched out from that point towards a different direction. Even if the outsider like him wouldn't do anything, his presence alone caused waves of alteration in this universe.

But not trying to prevent tragedies wouldn't make any sense. These people were not Naruto's loved ones he had lost in his own dimension, despite wearing their faces – one of the reasons why he didn't want to stay in Konoha – but he still cared about them and wanted to help them. He would not allow his new reality to follow the example of his previous one.

Naruto finally shifted to turn around. He flashed to an empty alley near the Konoha's market just as he finished the action and strolled into the street without as much as a pause.

The world could handle only one Naruto Uzumaki, therefore he was ready to relinquish his rights to the name. He was so much more than just Naruto Uzumaki now.

As the man stopped at one of the vendors to inspect vegetables for sale – only the highest quality would do for his newly adopted nephew – he pondered on what he should call himself now.

Are you a ghost?

A mischievous smirk graced his lips.

Rei* would be his new name. Rei Uzumaki. Or Rei Namikaze, it mattered not which surname others preferred to use. He was both and he didn't plan to hide it forever.

* – 霊, "spirit, ghost"

Chapter Text

Naruto was racing through the streets of Konoha like a little whirlwind, sporting a toothy grin and blue eyes sparkling with joy. He didn't even notice all the glares and whispers following him this time around, too busy rushing home, his heart swelling with happiness.

Because he had someone coming to visit him! And spend time with him! And talk to him! And cook him dinner! Just how awesome was that, 'tteabyo?!

Nearing the district where he lived, the boy started to slow down. His smile started to slowly fade until it completely vanished when he finally reached the door to his apartment, all kind of doubts rearing their ugly heads in his mind.

That stranger had no reason to come, did he? Naruto was worthless. Useless. Unwanted. The demon brat that everyone hated. Everyone. Even most of the other kids didn't want to do anything with him. Why would a ghost be any different?

Naruto burst inside, slamming the door close behind him. Without pausing, he ran through the hallway straight into his bedroom and jumped onto his bed, burying his head in the pillow. After a moment, muffled sobs shook his tiny body and he cried himself into the restless sleep.

Over an hour later, the door to the apartment opened again and another six years old Naruto walked in casually. Once he closed the door, there was a puff of smoke and an adult version of the same person stood there instead. He put the open palm on the wall, lines of chakra ink burning into its surface, and then stepped aside.

And suddenly there were two of them, with one carrying a big bag of groceries.

The newcomer looked around until his blue eyes settled on his clone. "Any trouble with Naruto's ANBU guard?"

"Nope." The clone smirked smugly. "Doesn't suspect a thing."

"Alright." The original passed the bag. "Go start the dinner."

The clone made a face at him.

Rei chuckled as he turned and walked to the bedroom. He stopped at the doorway and watched his tiny counterpart sleeping for a few minutes. The boy shifted, and the man narrowed his eyes at the wet pillow and tear streaks across the boy's cheeks.

A rightful anger ignited inside Rei, but he didn't let it leak outside, appearing as carefree as ever. If something happened, if someone hurt Naruto after he let him out of his sight, he'd obliterate that someone till they were nothing but a pile of dust. The person he was now, after everything that had happened back in his own world, he did not – could not – chose not to play around or show mercy when it came to those he decided to take under his wing. Or, well, under his tails.

Rei lowered himself on the floor next to the bed, crossing his legs, and brushed a gentle hand through the blond mop.

It took a few strokes for the young Jinchuuriki to stir. His puffy eyes fluttered open and seeing a stranger in front of him, he blinked. Then he rubbed his face and blinked again. "W-Who are you?" he asked uncertainly and, as he sat up, he shied away from the touch of the unfamiliar man, even if it didn't bring him harm.

Rei cracked a grin. "It's been, what? An hour? And you've already forgotten about me?" he teased, goodheartedly. "I said that I'll come, so here I am."

Naruto stared at him, confusion written all over his childish face. His eyes widened as he connected the dots and flicked up at the stranger's hair as yellow and bright as his own, then back to his eyes as blue as his own. "Ghost-san?"

The blond chuckled. "I never introduced myself, have I? Call me Rei," he said before motioning to himself. "And this is how I look like when not hiding under the henge."

The boy's gaze moved to his hair again.

"Yeah, Naruto, we look alike."

"…Why?"

Rei smiled. A tinge of sadness touched the edges of that smile. "Your father and I were brothers," he explained, and the six years old simply froze, holding his breath. "Half-brothers, to be precise, born from different mothers. Mine was from Uzumaki clan just like yours. So, we're family as you can get."

Naruto said nothing, utterly speechless, still as a statue, afraid even to breathe lest this dream-come-true suddenly puffed out of existence and he was hurled back into the nightmare where he had no one.

"I'm sorry that I didn't come earlier, little kit. I was very far away and while I knew that your parents passed away, this is the best I could do. But!" He flashed a wide grin. "I'm gonna look after you from now on."

The boy stared at him before his eyes shifted down, his hands absent-mindedly fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt. "E-Even if I'm just a worthless d-demon brat?" he asked in a small, subdued voice, barely above the whisper. He tensed when he heard a growl, refusing to acknowledge the tears that gathered anew.

"You are not," came a firm reply, an undertone of steel layering naturally deep soft tenor. "Worthless or useless or a demon, but an innocent child with a burden so heavy that nobody even knows how to explain it to you. Don't listen to those villagers. They're spineless cowards who'd rather live in their hateful delusions than accept the bitter truth. You're my nephew, my family, and if someone will dare to lift a hand against you, I will exterminate them all, 'ttebayo. You have my word."

Naruto watched the older blond as he rambled, an anger rolling off of him in waves. Yet, he didn't feel scared. Quite an opposite, actually, a strange sense of security and acceptance and belonging wrapped around him like a warm blanket and cared him to the world where nothing was wrong.

The man almost toppled over as the yellow blur suddenly launched himself on him. Tiny, shaking arms wrapped around his neck as the boy buried his face into the crook of it. "I have family…" he muttered, his voice muffled as he tightened his hold on the adult, afraid to let him go in case he'd disappear. "Thank you..!" he choked out and then just continued to repeat tearfully, "Thank you..! Thank you..."

A tender smile tugged at the corners of Rei's mouth. One of his hands embraced the boy to hold him in place and another stroked his head to soothe him. "Yes, you do have a family," he said softly. "We both have it now."

It took about half an hour for the young Jinchuuriki to calm down. Rei sat him back on the edge of his bed and fixed with a serious gaze. "Can you keep our meetings a secret for now, Naruto?" he asked.

The boy sniffled into his sleeve. "Why?"

"I'm not from around Konoha and I don't plan to stay here. And I doubt that the Hokage would allow us to meet if he knew." Seeing the young blond's expression twisting with horror, he put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "While I can't stay with you all the time, I'll come to visit as often as I can."

Rei was a stray without a permanent living place or allies; it would have been unreasonable to drag a child with him everywhere. Besides, just because he wasn't tied up with Konoha anymore, didn't mean that he could just whisk their Jinchuuriki away.

Naruto's face crumpled and his body sagged in defeat. Rei knew why – he had been promised the same thing too many times to make him actually believe it. There were no suitable words to convince him otherwise right now, however, the boy would see that he spoke the truth in time. "Turn around," he requested all of a sudden.

Quizzically furrowing his brow, the kid did as he was asked.

Rei blazed through a series of hand seals too fast for a normal human eye to see, then lifted his nephew's t-shirt up and laid a glowing palm on the small of his back. The black lines of chakra ink spread from where he touched it, weaving and swirling into an intricate design.

Naruto giggled. "It's tickling!"

The seal flashed blue and faded. "Oh, really?" he inquired. A mischievous grin stretched across his face as he pushed both his hands into the boy's armpits and started tickling.

Naruto writhe, trying to twist away from his tormentor, laughing. "No! No! Stop!" he pleaded between fits of rich, bright laugh, ringing off the usually somber apartment's walls.

After another few seconds of tickling, Rei decided to take pity. He sat back on the floor while the kid tried to catch his breath, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling.

"Rei-san?" Naruto started attentively.

"Hm?"

"Did you know my mom and dad?"

"Not as much as I'd have liked," the man confessed. "I met your dad a few times, we even fought together for a bit. I've seen your mom only once, unfortunately."

Naruto sat up, his wide eyes settling on his uncle.

There was a distinct crease of sadness and wistfulness etched onto the older blond's face. For a while, he was silent, staring somewhere beyond the physical walls, before heaving a sigh and closing his eyes. "They loved you so much, Naruto," Rei said, turning to look at the boy. "It broke their hearts to leave you and with such a heavy burden, but they didn't have any other choice. The situation was out of their control."

Naruto listened, soaking every word like a dry sponge soaked water. No one ever told him anything about his parents, not even Jiji when he asked, so he started to think that he never had them at all. That he truly was… a demon.

Rei suddenly flicked his forehead. Naruto yelped not expecting it, then glared, rubbing the offended spot, eliciting a laugh from his uncle.

"I can hear you moping," the man said cheerfully. "We can talk later. Too much and you'll get overwhelmed. Besides, the dinner should be ready anytime now."

The boy blinked. "The dinner?"

The blond raised an eyebrow. "I promised you a dinner, haven't I? And I never break my promises."

At that exact moment, another Rei strolled into the room with a shit-eating grin and announced, "Dinner's ready!"

Naruto's jaw dropped, his eyes flickering between two identical men.

"It's just a shadow clone, Naruto," the original explained as he stood, shooting a withering look at his clone when he crossed his arms with a mocking huff. "You're dismissed."

"Not fair, boss! Gobbling little Naruto all to yourself!" the clone whined, throwing his arms up in the air in his great displeasure. "I want to spend some time with him too!"

Rei rolled his eyes, dispelling the clone with a mere thought. It had been a while from the last time his own clone threw a temper tantrum. This whole returning back in time business made him feel nostalgic.

"That's so cool, 'ttebayo! Can I learn it too?! Can you teach me, please! Please! Please!"

The man looked down at the pleading dewy blue eyes with practically stars shooting out of them and almost folded. Almost. "When you're older," he promised and Naruto's expression dropped. "We'll start from the very basics. Can you already control your chakra, even a bit?"

The boy perked up at it. "Yeah!" he declared, his chest puffing in the immeasurable pride.

"Try to feel the seal that I painted on your back and then to insert some chakra into it."

Naruto scrunched his face, concentrating.

Rei felt the seal flaring almost a minute later. It was just a simple precaution, a seal that would warn him about Naruto's safety being compromised, with the addition of the modified Hiraishin formula, allowing him to flash to his nephew's side at any given moment from any part of the world.

The blond stared at his tiny counterpart, his mind reeling. He didn't remember being this capable at such a young age. Then again, he wasn't born as an incompetent idiot – considering his brilliant heritage – but lacking the right guidance and stimuli while growing up hindered the development of his intelligence a lot. No one cared enough or had time to spare to help the poor Kyuubi container, abandoning him to fend for himself and consequently sabotaging his immense potential in its infancy.

Observing this kind of neglect from the sidelines really put things into a perspective. Honestly, it was a sheer miracle that he did manage to grow up into a decent ninja and not end up crazy like Gaara.

Speaking of, he wondered if the little redhead already started his downward descent into the madness. He had to check on him soon.

"Did… Did I fail?" Naruto asked shyly, peering up at his uncle, twisting the hem of his t-shirt as his anxiety spiked.

Rei smiled kindly at him. "No, little kit," he said, ruffling his hair. "You did great. I'm proud of you."

Naruto beamed: a grin stretched from ear to ear, his eyes lit up and face brightened up, his whole being radiating a boundless delight.

"Now, come on, the dinner is getting cooler as we dawdle here," the man told him as he put arms on his shoulders and guided him out of the room and into the kitchen – out of the dark and lonely past and into the bright and happy future.

The Sunagakure was silent and peaceful under the clear night sky, a dry desert breeze picking sand dust and scattering it harmlessly around empty streets.

Rei was seated on the top of the circular building, his legs crossed, his arm resting on his knee and a chin in his palm. The wind showered him in a cloud of dust, ruffling his golden locks and his orange haori, and he closed his eyes, avoiding getting it into them.

He was too late to this party too – the story of his life. He missed sparing Gaara from the childhood trauma by several months. He hadn't been in this world for this long, so even if he had rushed here right after arrival, that wouldn't have changed anything.

Frowning in thought, Rei observed the small, hunched figure, perched on the roof few buildings away. He could sense Shukaku's malicious and corrosive chakra thrashing deep inside the boy, under the layers of his innately compassionate and warm chakra, seeping into it, tainting it.

But not yet fully contaminating it.

Gaara might have been more hardened, jaded, and probably crazier than any normal six-years-old had any right to be, but he was still six and there were childish aspects of him that had not and could not be smothered out. And that childishness is what Rei intended to work with.

Decision made, the blond grinned, jumping to his feet and moving towards the tiny counterpart of his second best friend. And, wow, tiny was the right word, because Gaara was smaller than even Naruto. He would have to rectify that as soon as possible.

First, he had to gain the kid's trust. Second, fix the faulty seal (and wasn't that an abomination, bringing shame for the Seal Art as entirety?!), so that the poor kid could get a good night's rest. Third, give him what every Jinchuuriki yearned – the feeling of being loved and needed.

Okay, Rei might be a bit biased and bitter on that particular topic. Sue him!

The man landed behind the red-haired boy without a sound and just stared at his back for a bit. He could see a slight shaking of his shoulders and hear the quiet sniffling – becoming a murderous monster wasn't a result of one night as traumatizing as it might have been. His psyche had cracks, but it was not yet broken.

"So, what a kid like you doing here in the middle of the night?" Rei finally spoke.

Gaara flinched and stumbled to his feet, almost falling from the roof in his startled rush.

The blond winced. He really should be more careful with greeting kids that were sitting on the edges high above the ground. Seriously, that was becoming plain dangerous.

The sand came to life, swirling protectively around the redhead's small frame.

Rei grinned, wide and earnest.

Gaara's teal eyes widened momentarily before they narrowed into a suspicious glare. Without uttering a word, he swung his arm forward. The sand followed the command, lurching toward the blond, ready to encompass him into a deadly sandy coffin.

The problem was that the man was not there anymore. The boy blinked in surprise, looked around the roof, but couldn't locate him. With a sigh, he let his hand drop back to his side.

"I'm Rei, by the way."

Gaara stiffened when a voice rang from behind, instantly turning around with his sand shooting to the spot on the nearby building where the stranger's voice came from, but once again finding nothing but a thin air.

"…What?" the boy whispered, confused, his sand settling down again. He scanned the empty roof in front, then the one behind with a fierce scowl.

"You must be Gaara."

The young Jinchuuriki froze – the unknown man was right there on his left. The sand rose like a tidal wave, ready to attack, to squish, to protect. He pivoted on his heel, lips pulling into a snarl, and came nose to nose with a blond who had that absurdly bright and friendly grin still stuck on his face.

"Nice to meetcha ya!" Rei said cheerfully.

Before Gaara could strike again, a big, gentle hand landed on his head and his mind screeched into a complete halt, eyes growing wide and fearful. The sand also stopped, hovering in the air above their heads.

Blue eyes softened at his reaction and the grin on the stranger's face smoothed out into a sad, knowing smile. It lasted only for a split second, because the next instant it flared like a sun. "Tag, you're it!"

And then he was gone like a gust of wind.

Rei scowled at the Uchiha compound, still undecided what to do with them. It had been three months as he arrived at this world and the whole time he spent observing the clan, creating and discarding various plans how to help them, how to keep them alive without compromising the safety of Konoha.

He was leaning towards the idea that Itachi was right by slaughtering every single member of the clan. Except Sasuke, of course, for the sole reason of loving him too much. And didn't that came to bite him in the ass later?

The blond sighed, lifting his head up to stare at the starry night sky. Naruto was tucked in for the night and Gaara received his usual hair ruffle after losing another game of tag.

The sand Jinchuuriki was coming around, slowly but surely. Rei could see it in the way his eyes brightened up every time he showed up and how his sand moved not to instantly kill him but to catch him. The blond hummed. He might allow him to do that next time he went to Suna in order to see what would happen.

Something caught his attention on the outskirts of Konoha and Rei's gaze moved towards that direction, eyes narrowing into stormy blue slits. Something very bad – evil – was transpiring there, he could feel it with every fiber of his being.

His curiosity piqued, Rei reached for the nearest beacon and flashed there without any caution whatsoever.

And stumbled upon a very curious situation.

Two ninjas with white ANBU masks held a young Konohan ninja with his arms twisted behind him, forcing him into a kneeling position in front of Danzo Shimura. That old, decrepit schmuck was gripping the prisoner's chin and had his hand positioned above his right eyeball, fingers curled like claws, ready to rip into the flesh.

Everyone’s attention snapped on Rei the moment he casually materialized out of thin air.

“Uh…” the blond started eloquently, lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck. “Awkward,” he coughed into his fist, then grinned sheepishly and waved at them dismissively. “Oh, don’t mind me, I’m just passing by.” He paused, seemingly very uncomfortable now. “Although, it appears that I walked in on you doing something, um, very naughty.”

“Catch him!” Danzo ordered coldly.

A couple masked ninjas appeared, rounding the blond from both sides, but he didn’t seem alarmed. On the opposite, he simply pushed his hands into pockets and tilted his head to the side – a picture of relaxed indifference.

Rei’s shadow clones popped into existence without any hand seals. Two of them right behind the ROOT agents that were attacking from the sides and another behind the one on his blind spot, each with a kunai already sinking deep into their throats.

Danzo scowled. The clones dispelled even before the corpses of his subordinates hit the ground. Assessing the threat level, his lone eye glowered at the unknown man, who met his cold stare evenly but clearly amused. The blond had no visible affiliation marks on him – to a village or a clan – but his appearance was a glaring reminder of that man. A dead man without any known family members, except a small child back in the village.

The old war hawk let the teen’s chin go and lowered his arm, turning to face the blond and giving him undivided attention.

Rei’s gaze briefly flickered to the captured young ninja – Uchiha, he realized suddenly – and then back at the wrinkly old fart. Something in his expression shifted subtly, azure irises boring straight into Danzo, tearing through his flesh and bones and directly into his soul – the eyes of the being that dwelled on the top of the food chain, of the apex predator, staring down at the prey that really wasn't worth its time.

It sent every instinct Danzo had on high alert and he unconsciously tensed, all muscles in his body drawing taut in alarm.

The blond’s already there grin stretched wider, a perfect blend of arrogance, gleeful satisfaction, and feral dominance. Because he knew of his fear.

The captured teen used the small opening in his captors’ attention and twisted his right arm free, instantly spinning on his knee and kicking the ROOT agent’s legs from under him. As the grip on his other arm eased, he jumped away to make a distance between him and his enemy. However, vertigo hit him in full force from a sudden movement and he stumbled.

Before Uchiha could face plant into the dust, someone caught him. Dread pooling in his gut, the teen whipped his head up to look at his new captor.

“Relax, kid, I’m on your side,” Rei assured him quietly, blue eyes never leaving Danzo. “Maa, I’m gonna walk the kid home, it’s way past his bedtime,” he said to the old man, mouth quirked into a cheeky smirk, before giving him a mock salute. “Till the next time, naughty pervert!”

And then he was gone as abruptly as he appeared, with Uchiha in tow.

"I see you."

Danzo heard a whisper near his ear, almost ethereal, bodiless voice that sent chill down his spine. He instantly turned around, but there was no one.

Only a ghostly chuckle echoed into the night.

Chapter Text

The moment they touched the ground after an impromptu teleportation and Shisui felt the stranger's arms around him withdrew, he leaped away. Whoever helped him didn't try to prevent him from gaining a distance between them. The teen twisted his body mid-air and landed in a crouch facing the unknown.

He didn't have time to look at the man before, not to mention that his vision was still a bit blurry after inhaling the poisonous gas. It wasn't lethal – Danzo told him this much – simply used to weaken and disorientate so that they could subdue him.

Shisui couldn't quite suppress the shudder from the thought of what exactly he had been saved from.

"You don't seem too steady on your feet and I can sense your chakra being unnaturally chaotic."

The young ninja finally looked at his unexpected savor and his eyes widened, irises alight with the red of the Sharingan. He scanned the stranger up and down, taking in every detail of his appearance and body language. It was no henge or genjutsu, he could tell.

The blond tilted his head to the side, his blue eyes watching the teen with a startling sharpness. "Should I be concerned and bring you to the hospital?"

Shisui stared, his mind stuck on comparing this man to the Yondaime Hokage. They were different, and at the same time – very alike. "You… Who are you?" he finally asked.

"Name's Rei." A smirk crossed the blond's face. "Ah. You're old enough to remember my brother, I presume."

"Brother. The Yondaime?"

"Yeah," Rei confirmed. "But that's beside the point. The hospital?"

The teen shook his head and stood up with a sigh. He allowed a bit of tension drain from his shoulders, but kept vigilant, not dropping his guard completely yet. "Thank you for your assistance," he said, offering a small bow.

"Think nothing of that, it was merely a coincidence," Rei waved him off with an easy grin. "I'm glad though. You seem like a good kid." He crossed his arms, expression growing serious. "You know, that old lunatic won't leave you alone until he takes what he wants."

Shisui furrowed his brow. "Yes," he replied quietly.

With the Root involved, everything got so much complicated. Danzo had the power and notoriety to do anything to stop him from using Kotoamatsukami on the Uchiha clan to stop the coup. The old bastard planned to sacrifice their clan from the very start.

Shisui gritted his teeth. One of his hands drifted to rest over his eye – the eye that monster almost stole from him. He could not let that despicable man stop him. He would find a way to preserve the peace and let Itachi stay with his family.

"Hey, you're not gonna rip them out, are you?"

Shaken out of his pondering, the teen's attention snapped back at the blond stranger who had this odd expression of absolute disgust, severe disapproval, and intense displeasure plastered on his face.

"Because that's just gross, kid. And I don't want your eyeballs, so better keep them for yourself."

Rei sounded genuinely annoyed, bordering on being angry, for reasons Shisui couldn't even imagine. Not that he had planned to do what the man assumed, but the latter's open resentment towards eye stealing somehow calmed him down.

The realization that he felt surprisingly at ease in this unfamiliar ninja's presence startled Shisui. So strange. It was the same feeling of unexplained security that always settled upon him whenever he had been in near proximity of the Yondaime Hokage.

A small smile curled on the teen's lips. Brother, huh.

Rei watched the smile, eyes narrowed in suspicion, ready to jump into action at any given moment. One could never know with the Uchiha type. Suddenly, he groaned, raking fingers through his own hair. "Look, I'll keep Danzo off your back," he stated. "He's really not a threat, merely a nuisance."

"You can't underestimate Danzo, Rei-san," the teen argued. "He's an elder of Konohagakure and has the whole Root at his disposal."

The blond looked completely unperturbed. "So?"

Such an easy-going attitude pissed Shisui off. This man was either a naïve madman or had the strength to support his over-confident claims. Honestly, he didn't know which option was worse.

Rei smiled, amused by the face young Uchiha was making. "I can get rid of him any time, but I'm still hoping that specific someone will come into contact with him." His overall demeanor changed at the drop of a hat, going from carefree and laid-back disposition to the savage baring of teeth as he glared at no one and nothing in particular. "That person is a slippery bastard, and if I don't annihilate him on the first opportunity, he'll definitely go into hiding. I refuse to allow his existence on this plane of reality for even a second longer than necessary."

The sheer, brutal killing intent that suddenly radiated from the stranger forced Shisui to tense up and reach for his weapon. He restrained to pull a tanto out, not wanting to incite the already furious man even more. He could also swear that he saw those cerulean eyes flashing demonic red. If not for his active dojutsu, he certainly would have brushed it off as a figment of his imagination, but as it was, the image was now ingrained into his memory forever.

He had to admit – the option of this person having the strength to support his over-confident claims seemed much more believable now.

Rei sighed, closed his eyes, and reeled all his power back in, leaving Shisui in a befuddled daze, having an inner debate on if what he had just witnessed was true or not.

A three-pronged kunai embedded itself into the ground at the Uchiha's feet. The latter glanced at it. He heard stories about these.

"You and Itachi were looking for allies to stop the coup, right?" the blond asked. "Well, you found one. If you need me, insert some chakra into the seal on the kunai's handle and I'll come. Anytime. Anywhere. Against anything or anyone."

So, this person knew about the coup. And Itachi. Probably more about him too. Shisui wondered what else he knew as he cautiously picked the kunai up and inspected the seal.

Rei rolled his eyes. "Do I really look so untrustworthy?" he inquired, opening out his arms just to show how harmless and innocent he was. Yet a wicked smirk dancing on his lips completely trashed that impression. "You hurt my feelings."

The teen huffed in a way that sounded suspiciously like a smothered laughter, pushing the kunai into his pouch behind his back, and was rewarded with a wide grin.

"Alright, you can run along now to give a report to your…" Rei's cheery voice trailed off, his gaze shifting somewhere toward the village, a worried crease in his brow. "You should hurry up, Shisui. I can sense Danzo and the Sandaime together, no doubt weaving a tale of lies and trying to sway the old man to his side."

"What?!" Shisui exclaimed in alarm. "Dammit!" he bit out as he made the tiger seal and vanished out of sight.

Hiruzen rubbed his forehead as he stared at yet another civilian report about Yondaime's ghost wandering the streets. And buying groceries. Sometimes resorting to threatening Konoha's general populace. The victims always swore that the act was done without any reasons, but the elderly Hokage knew that it always followed after the said victim had been 'disrespectful' towards the current Kyuubi host.

Some part of him wanted to pat the ghost on the shoulder for the job well done.

Usually, the said ghost appeared in the grocery shops and markets, sometimes just strolling around Konoha. In the middle of the day, right in the open. He was definitely not hiding, but none of his subordinates ever laid their eyes on the entity. If the unknown blond was a real human, it would have been impossible to go around the village for three months entirely unnoticed under the noses of its many ninjas.

While wearing a bright orange haori.

It was preposterous.

A sigh left his mouth and Hiruzen put a sheet down on the table, leaning back in his chair.

He remembered talking with one of the witnesses. Terrified out of his mind, the man vowed that the ghost had the red slitted eyes – the eyes of the demon.

Minato mixed with the Kyuubi. It sounded like a bad joke.

If it truly was the ghost of the Yondaime – a possibility that he couldn't disregard, regardless how small or plausible it was – what purpose his chosen successor had? And how did his spirit escaped the stomach of the Shinigami?

And why change his white haori into a bright orange?

His mind seemed stuck on that insignificant detail.

He even doubled the ANBU guards for Naruto, but there were no signs of the entity making contact with him. Although, he received a few observations that the boy looked happier and healthier. Lighter, as Dog had reported. Which was good, he was pleased to hear that, but the timing brought great suspicion.

Something crucial was missing in this puzzle, and the Sandaime was determined to figure it out quickly. He had enough stress to deal with the rising danger from the Uchiha clan to add the damn ghost on top of that.

That's why he was still working this late into the night.

Hiruzen admitted that he required help. His advisors were preoccupied with Uchiha's coup d'état and brushed the sightings of the ghost as unimportant. He begged to differ. He had a bad feeling about both matters.

Two heads were better than one, so the Hokage straightened up and picked the brush to write a short message to his student, calling him back to Konoha. With Jiraiya's knowledge, they might have a chance to solve this riddle.

The brush was just about to touch the paper when the door suddenly slammed open and Danzo barged in without any formality whatsoever, a bunch of his personal ANBU in tow.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, secretly giving the signal to his hidden guardians to be ready. "What is the matter, Danzo?" he inquired, voice neutral, giving no sign of his caution.

"Shisui Uchiha betrayed Konoha."

The brush in the elderly Sarutobi's hand snapped in two. He took a deep breath to compose himself and slowly put its pieces down on the table. "…The evidence?"

"One of my subordinates intercepted the message between Shisui Uchiha and the ghost you are chasing for the last few months who is nothing more than a disguised enemy nin," Danzo explained, nodding to one of his escorts.

That threw Hiruzen for a loop. He accepted the small scroll from Root ninja and furrowed his brow as he read it. "A secret meeting?"

"I confirmed it. Uchiha was there to sell sensitive information to the unknown party. When they noticed my presence, they attacked me." Danzo stared his old friend straight in his eyes, daring him to call it a lie.

They were still glaring at each other when Shisui emerged out of his shunshin in the middle of the room.

It seemed like the time stopped for half a second, hanging in the deathly silence, before exploding into a cacophony of the sounds and movement: shouts, weapon drawn, and footsteps.

Only his eyes and instincts, forged in sweat and blood, saved Shisui. His tanto blade met the sword descending downward to his neck with a sharp ding as he parried the attack from one of Danzo's men before jumping back to avoid a slash from another.

Hokage's ANBU appeared between the Uchiha and his attackers.

"Enough!" Hiruzen roared, his chakra mixed with a killing intent washing the room like a tsunami wave, freezing everyone in their place. He glowered at each person for a brief moment, daring them to disobey, then turned toward the young jounin. "Deer, Marten, apprehend Shisui Uchiha under the suspicion of treason."

The Sandaime watched the boy's expression twisting into absolute horror and disbelief. He didn't fight the order though, surrendering his weapon instantly and even deactivating his Sharingan.

The Hokage turned to his old friend then. "You're completely out of line, Danzo," he said coldly. "Collect your people and leave."

"The traitor–"

"Right now!"

The old war hawk bit down whatever else he wanted to say, the lone eye narrowing into a furious slit. Sarutobi's voice was commanding, unyielding, a sheer titanium wall springing up metaphorically between him and his target. He had no other choice but to retreat.

Danzo turned on his heel and stiffly left the Hokage's office without another word, his entourage following suit.

Hiruzen heaved a sigh. What just happened was a great surprise. Someone definitely managed to get under Danzo's skin for he was acting rash and completely out of character. To scare the old, unmovable veteran like him to such degree was a feat rare individual could have achieved.

He looked at Shisui, the grandson of his dear friend, and saw the sadness in the boy's eyes. He nodded to his ANBU with an order, "You can release him now."

The moment he was free, Shisui sunk down on his knee, head held low in respect. "Hokage-sama."

"I heard one side, now I want to hear your side. Report."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the teen complied. "I was preparing to start my mission when the Root ambushed me. They used poisonous gas to debilitate me and eventually I got captured. That's then Danzo," he all but growled the name, "showed up with an intention to steal my eyes, said it was a waste to use Kotoamatsukami to stop the coup."

The elderly Hokage took a moment to mull over his words. "How did you escape?"

"I received an aid from the unknown party," the young Uchiha answered without skipping a beat. "He rescued me and introduced himself as Rei, the brother of the Yondaime Hokage."

Hiruzen's eyes widened. "Minato's brother?" That could explain the witness reports about the Yondaime's ghost wandering around. "Does he wear the orange haori?"

"Yes."

The old man groaned, messaging his temples, shooing away the incoming headache. Such a person was a double-edged blade. He could end up being either a blessing to Konoha or its curse, depending on his motives and purpose of coming here and also their response to his presence.

"He also gave me this," Shisui continued, reaching for his weapon pouch. He stopped when Deer shoved a kunai under his chin.

The Sandaime shook his head and the ANBU withdrew his hand with an affirmative dip of his head. The teen pulled out a three-pronged kunai and offered it to his Hokage.

A deep frown creased Hiruzen's face as he took the kunai, his eyes instinctively zeroing on the familiar seal, wrapped around its handle. Having unknown Minato's brother somewhere in the village was one thing. Having unknown Minato's brother on the loose with an ability to perform Hiraishin could turn out to be a disaster. No wonder he appeared and disappeared like a ghost.

"What did he want from you?"

"My rescue was a coincidence, but he knows about the coup and offered his help to stop it." Shisui motioned at the kunai. "Told me to call him anytime and anywhere if I needed assistance."

That really didn't say much about the man's motives. The offer could have been thrown just on the spur of the moment.

"He's also hunting for someone who may come into contact with Danzo."

A frown became more profound on the Sandaime's forehead at that piece of information. He stared at the seal, his heart aching. "Do you believe that this man means well?" he asked as he glanced at the young ninja in front of him.

"For now," the teen replied after some consideration. "But he's a wild card."

"Very well," the elderly Hokage sighed. "I trust your judgment. So, first we have to deal with Danzo, then we'll think what to do with this unknown."

Shisui's eyes grew wider before he bowed again. "Thank you for believing me, Hokage-sama."

"Of course, my boy." Hiruzen smiled kindly at him. "I have my men observing Danzo for some time now and I do not like the reports I'm getting." He walked around his table, sat down, and scowled at the broken brush. Then pushed it aside. "It will not be easy to take him down, however; his connections run deep. We cannot act against him without a solid proof." He paused, fixing the young Uchiha with a thoughtful gaze. "I'll have to ask you to play bait. You'll be put into the ANBU holding cell under the suspicion of treason. If Danzo wants your eyes, he'll find a way to get to you. We may even present the opportunity to him before springing the trap behind him. You're free to refuse this mission as it's–"

"I accept," Shisui said, his voice strong and confident, carrying no hesitation whatsoever. "Just please keep this information a secret from my clan. If they will hear that I was arrested for treason…"

"We would have a coup upon us immediately," the Sandaime agreed with a heavy heart. "Are you still determined to use your visual jutsu on the clan?"

"Yes."

A ghost of a smile touched the corners of the old man's mouth. "You're as stubborn as Kagami was," he muttered looking at the young man, driven by such a strong Will of Fire. "This plan will have to wait now," he spoke after shaking himself out of his reminiscence. "If we want the Uchiha clan to change, the village has to change too. If we want the village to change, we need to get rid of the one that keeps feeding its darkness."

Hiruzen had a hard time to admit that his friend went sideways a long time ago, but he was the Hokage. No longer could he turn a blind eye at Danzo's machinations and the increasing damage it brought upon Konoha. Attacking and then framing up the ninja who was loyal to a fault was the last straw and would finally result in his undoing.

"Deer, Marten," the Hokage called out to the two ANBU who were still flanking Shisui, "accompany this young man to the hospital for a check-up after inhaling that gas. Crane, inform the detention center about a new arrival and see to the preparation of a cell. They do not need to know that in actuality this is an undercover mission. Whatever you all have heard in this room should stay in this room."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" everyone present intoned dutifully.

Satisfied, Hiruzen nodded. "Dismissed."

The ninjas vanished to fulfill their new orders or back to their guard duty. The Sandaime glanced down at the three-pronged kunai in his hands. "Rei," he murmured the name under his breath. "The spirit*. How fitting."

Rei strolled into Danzo's office like he owned the place: spring in his steps, hands in his pockets, whistling some merry tune, and giddy with excitement.

It had been years from the last time he pranked someone. Years! And the paranoid type always was his favorite to prank.

A grin found its way onto the blond's face as he surveyed an empty office. A table with a neatly assembled tea set caught his eye and he walked closer. Picking each cup, he placed the invisible storage seal at their bottom, each having enough space to contain an average-sized lake. No matter how much tea they were gonna pour into these cups, they would always remain empty.

As Rei went around the office, he swapped and shuffled things around just to help the guy with his paranoia – he was such a generous soul!

The blond finished by placing the final seal on Danzo's chair – the storage seal full of his special itching powder. It would activate upon someone pressing on it, well, sitting in this particular case. He sniggered at the image of Danzo scratching his itchy butt.

Rei glanced around the office for the last time and grinned in glee when the woman's painting on the furthest wall warped and twisted into some kind of macabre nightmarish scene for a briefest of the moment and then returned to normal as if nothing strange had happened.

Perfect.

The blond was about to teleport to Suna – Gaara was due to get a visit – when he felt a tug on one of his Hiraishin beacons. He blinked in surprise. There was only one kunai that he gave to another person a few days ago and the chakra sent into the seal was definitely not his.

Rei closed his eyes and concentrated, sweeping the whole Konoha with his senses in an instant until he found what he was looking for. Underground. In the ANBU detention center.

His chest rumbled with a deep growl, red eyes burning with sudden anger – one that poured out of him and crackled around the room.

Rei saved the kid's life and promised to help him; thus felt responsible for him now. If anyone touched even a hair on that particular Uchiha's head, they were about to experience what happened to those who harmed the people he took under his protection.

In a blink, the blond was gone from the office.

Shisui tried to rest, but the sleep eluded him. He was lying on his stomach, face buried in his pillow.

He felt restless – only his sheer willpower stopped him from prowling around the cell like a caged beast. Walls were layered by the chakra suppressing seals, and it left him helpless – weakened beyond belief.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Shisui almost fell from his bunk. Well, alright, not almost, he actually fell from his bunk as the unexpected raised voice scared the hell out of him and he didn't quite manage to put his feet under him in time when he rolled off of it.

His head whipped up and onyx black met bloody red.

In all his orange glory, Rei stared down at him, clearly expecting an answer: lips pressed together, brow furrowed, arms crossed in front of his chest. He even tapped his foot impatiently.

"Rei-san?" Shisui spoke in absolute disbelief. "Why– How did you get here?"

The blond huffed, "The same way I get anywhere else."

"You can use chakra here?"

"What are you talking about? Of course, I can." Rei lifted his hand and a blue orb of chakra instantly formed in his palm. "See?"

"But there are chakra suppressing seals all around this cell," the teen pointed out dumbly.

The blond raised a questioning eyebrow and his eyes – blue again – flicked to look at the wall. "Oh," he said flatly. "I was wondering what this annoying ticklish sensation was."

Shisui blinked. This situation was so absurd and this person so ludicrous that he couldn't help it – he just burst out laughing.

* – Rei, 霊, "spirit, ghost"

Chapter Text

Rei watched the kid double up with laughter, his fury abating into a frustrated irritation. He was glad to see Uchiha unharmed, albeit a bit strung up – who wouldn't be in such a place? – but it still didn't answer his question. "I'm happy to see you in high spirit," he said as the raven's guffaw calmed down, "but why are you in such a place?"

Shisui offered a sheepish smile as he finally pulled himself up from the floor to stand in front of the blond. "Erm, no offense, Rei-san," he started, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I don't think I can tell you the real reason."

That earned a thoroughly unimpressed stare. "Really?" A smirk crept across Rei's face and the teen narrowed his eyes, having a very bad feeling about it. "Well then. I'm just gonna break you out of the jail and be done with it."

Before young Uchiha could fully process his words, the older man's hand clamped onto his shoulder and suddenly they were somewhere else.

The warm breeze ruffled Shisui's hair, bringing a salty taste of the ocean with it. Through the darkness came the rhythmic pounding of the waves from its unseen shoreline. Millions of bright stars dotted on the black canvas of night with the full moon shining down onto the surrounding looming ruins. The wide and tranquil river curved gently through what seemed like a destroyed grand village, stars and the moonlight reflected on its surface, glimmering with silver sparkles, like a thousand glowing diamonds. On one side, the silhouettes of majestic mountains stood silently in the background.

Rei observed as the kid's face scrolled from surprised to incredulous, to downright horrified. He tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing his expression. It intrigued him – an Uchiha who could openly display such a vast array of emotions.

"Where the hell are we?!" Shisui demanded, rounding on the blond after familiarizing himself with a new environment.

"Uzushio."

"Uzushio?" The teen's face washed blank with confusion, like his brain cogs couldn't turn fast enough to take in the information. After a few moments, the onyx eyes widened. "Whirlpool country? Are you serious?"

"Yep."

Shisui's Sharingan flared to life, red irises gleaming furiously in the dimness of the night, and he hissed, "Bring me back!"

Rei met the gaze of those accursed eyes evenly, not fazed by the outburst in a slightest. "Even if you could win against me, you're miles and miles and miles away from Konoha. At the very least, it would take weeks for you to get back on your own," he stated before grinning viciously. "If you can cross the ocean, that is. This country is called Whirlpool for a reason."

Shisui studied the man for a while. "Why do you care so much about me?" he asked carefully.

The blond hummed faintly, his gaze shifting to looks at the other side of the river. "My best friend was an Uchiha," he confessed softly, a flicker of grief crossing his face. "We had our ups and downs, but in the end, he took a lethal hit in my stead."

The breeze moved gently over his skin and he closed his eyes, recalling that night at the bonfire after another hopeless and despairing battle, after the death of another team Seven members, leaving only the last two survivors. It was Sasuke who started talking unprompted and Naruto just listened as his best friend shared his most precious memories from his childhood; memories that included his big brother with fond mentions of Itachi's friend, another Uchiha. The one who was standing in front of him right now, still alive.

Rei was determined to keep it that way.

"Do I remind you of him?" Shisui inquired when he couldn't stand the prolonged silence anymore.

A merry laugh welled inside Rei's throat. "No, you're complete opposites," he replied cheerfully. "But I believe that he would have wished to see his clan survive. Also, I saved your life and that makes me responsible for you." The blond fixed the teen with a pointed stare. "As such, I won't return you to the jail without a good enough reason."

The raven sighed, resigned and weary, his shoulders drooping in defeat. His eyes perceived the lies easily, but this man was genuine in his concern and motives. "You're a strange person, Rei-san," he stated with an exasperated shake of his head.

The blond waved his courtesy off. "Just Rei is fine."

Shisui brushed a hand through his hair as he shifted uncomfortably. This was a secret mission after all and revealing its details to another party, to the person from outside of the village, to the foreigner who might as well be an enemy-nin, was bordering on the real treason. The young Uchiha was positive that Rei wasn't an enemy, but from what little he knew about the blond, he could clearly tell that the terrorizing someone wouldn't be above him. Rei was wild and unpredictable with the terrifying skillset, perfectly suited to infiltrate the village.

"You know, ma and pa are gonna notice that you sneaked through the back window in the middle of the night if you keep silent," Rei teased. "And it's not even for a girl."

Shisui shot him a withering look before quipping back, "And whose fault that is?"

The blond's grin was bright enough to power generators. He had so much fun teasing the poor Uchiha, even if he ended up blackmailing an answer out of him. Good thing that he didn't feel guilt over such trivialities anymore. "You looked like you needed a breath of fresh air," he admitted.

The teen felt no urge to contradict his statement because it was, in fact, true. "Danzo tried to convince Hokage that I'm a traitor selling sensitive information to an enemy-nin. You." He pointed at Rei who stayed silent, though the furrow on his brow did betray his dissatisfaction. "The Sandaime didn't believe him, but to take that bastard down we need solid proof. My arrest is just a cover-up to lure Danzo into a trap. If he wants my eyes, he'll find a way to get to me."

A pleased expression settled on the blond's face. "It's admirable to see Konoha finally taking actions to get rid of some trash in their backyard. Alright, I won't interfere unless absolutely necessary."

"You already did. If they notice that I'm gone–"

"Don't worry, kid. I left a disguised shadow clone in your place. They'd never tell a difference."

Shisui released a huge exhalation of pent-up breath and his stiff posture sagged in relief. Rei chuckled.

Suddenly, the ground shook under two ninja's feet, disturbing the river water and sending thousands of ripples throughout the whole length of it. The pillar of a huge cloud of dust shot up into the night sky from somewhere within the ruined village and soon a strong gust of wind blew past them.

Rei scowled at the sight. As an influx of memories rushed back to his mind, he facepalmed.

"What was that?"

"Don't mind that," the blond said as he dragged a palm across his face, his tone carrying a distinct edge of chagrin. "Some of my shadow clones just dropped a building on top of other clones heads. Pretty sure, they think it's hilarious."

Shisui's expression morphed into something that the older man couldn't quite describe and it took all of his willpower not to laugh at how perplexed he seemed.

"There are so many things wrong with those sentences," the Uchiha noted slowly.

"Like what?" Rei inquired innocently, at the same time willing an army of clones to appear behind him. They all scattered so quickly that the only thing the naked human eye could see was orange streaks vanishing into the ruins. This time the original did laugh at the deadpan stare he received from his young friend. "I'm clearing up the rubble to accommodate the future residents," he explained as he gazed at the surrounding dark and quiet remains of the village. "I'm gonna rebuild Uzushio."

The sheer conviction in those words stunned Shisui.

"It will take time, but that's fine," the blond continued. A small smile rested on his lips, one that was stunningly affectionate, with an immense amount of fondness simmering in his cerulean eyes. "This land is calling out to me. Maybe it's just my imagination, maybe it's the Uzumaki blood inside my veins, but I feel good in this place." He paused, then hummed in thought. "It feels like home."

Naruto visited Uzushio for the first time back in his own world while searching for any kind of useful information on seals. The strange, sudden feeling of belonging, stirring somewhere deep inside his soul, simply overwhelmed him as if he was a wanderer returning home after dozens of years. The only difference was that he had never before stepped onto this ground.

Still, Uzushio invited him to stay and Naruto accepted it in a heartbeat.

There was a place – the secret vault of the Uzumaki clan. The boundless knowledge and wisdom were hidden, locked away to prevent it from falling into enemy hands during the purge of Uzushio. It took him years to crack the multi-layered protection arrays with his mediocre expertise in the Art at the time. In the end, it was so worth it.

Uzumakis were brilliant at creating and researching various seals, their very blood and essence of chakra holding the properties of sealing ability. Time and space were mere playgrounds for the Sealing Masters of the highest level. But while they didn't lack the imagination and creativity, even their vast pools of chakra fell short of supporting their most innovative and bizarre ideas.

Naruto in his unique state had no such limitations. So, he experimented. That he was standing here right now spoke volumes about his strength and current prowess in this exoteric and mostly forgotten Ninja Technique.

"I feel the same about Konoha."

"Of course, you do, Shisui. Your Will of Fire is strong, even I can see it."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a while, just staring at the glimmering river's surface.

"Can I ask you a favor, Rei?" Shisui asked after a while.

The blond turned to look at the Uchiha and blinked at the intensity, burning in the raven's onyx gaze. "Sure."

"You know about Itachi, right?" When Rei nodded, the teen continued, "If something happens to me, can you please look after him? He's like a little brother to me. It'll put my mind at ease knowing that someone will watch out for him if I'm not around anymore."

Rei stared at him for a bit. "I promise."

The relief that bloomed on Shisui's face was astounding. "Thank you," he whispered, offering a grateful bow.

The blond swiftly hooked an arm around the boy's neck before he could straighten up, an easy grin toying with corners of his mouth. "You're way too serious for being merely a kid," he teased, ruffling the Uchiha's black mop and eliciting a sputter of indignation. "Relax. With me having your back, everything will be fine."

"I'm not a kid!" Shisui objected as he flailed his arms, trying to free himself from the older man's one-arm impromptu hug. There was a petulant, embarrassed undertone in his voice that he definitely didn't mean to put there. "I'm a Jonin! And have been one for a few years now!"

Ah, the joy of teasing those poor, serious Uchihas! "Have you ever kissed a girl yet?"

The teen's face turned a light shade of red and he glared up at the blond. "…Of course, I have!"

Rei's grin grew only wider. "Guys' night out then!" he declared merrily. "It's been ages till the last time I had a company for a drink. There is this nice, homey place in the Tea Country that you absolutely must visit at least once in your lifetime!"

"Eh? Wai–"

The salty ocean breeze blew across the empty river bank after two people blinked out of sight.

Gaara was waiting patiently like every night for the past three months. He sat at the edge of the roof with his legs pressed to his chest and knees tucked under his chin as his teal eyes stared somewhere in the distant, not really seeing much. A thin layer of his sand covered the whole roof, also waiting.

And while there was no guarantee that the strange man would come tonight, the boy was content on remaining where he was. The village around slowly descended into the nocturnal stillness, the bustling of the people hushing into occasional shouts from the late passersby and slurring songs of the drunkards.

A sudden crunching sound of dusty gravel under someone's sandals from behind startled Gaara from his meditation he accidentally fell into. The sand rose with a mere thought, concentrating the attack into that one spot.

The redhead scrambled to his feet, pivoting sharply to look if he was successful. He caught sight of the orange flash from the corner of his eye on his left and it was enough of a sign to understand that his plan failed.

"Oh, how sneaky of you, Gaara," Rei noted cheerfully, skidding to a halt after dodging an ambush.

Gaara's heart sunk. Maybe he went too far? Would this person think of him as a monster now too? But considering how fast the man was, without a proper plan he would never catch him and…

And kill him!

…and kill–

Teal eyes widened a fraction. No. He didn't want to listen to that nasty voice in his head.

"And so smart! Good job!" the blond praised as he flashed a thumbs-up, the usual sunny grin spreading across his face.

A warm and pleasant feeling swelled inside the little Jinchuuriki's chest. No one ever complimented him before. Definitely not for trying to kill–

No. The boy shook his head. He wasn't obeying the voice this time. Not when this person was so nice to him.

That Yashamaru was also nice… until he tried to KILL YOU! Have you forgotten?!

Ignoring the voice, Gaara swung his arm forward, sending the sand after the blond. The two opponents easily fell into the regular rhythm of their game.

Don't you want to see what kind of shade is this human's blood?

"No…" he whispered, curling his fingers as the sand closed around Rei. The boy expecting him to vanish from his grip and reappear right next to his side. As always.

But it didn't happen this time.

The sand wrapped around the soft human body, ready to crush, to squish, to murder, to make the rain of blood fall.

Gaara gawked, caught completely off guard. He never foresaw this, never predicted that he would be able to catch this person anytime soon.

Rei tilted his head slightly to the side, seemingly unbothered being bound by the hardened sand, watching the boy, some kind of expectation mixed with curiosity shining in his eyes depths. "So, what now, Gaara?"

Kill him before he betrays you!

Gaara's fingers twitched. The sand tightened around his captive just a tiny bit.

Do you want to end up hurt again?!

He didn't, but… But this person was kind and never brought any harm to him. And he was the only one who voluntarily touched him. Gaara loved his hair ruffles. Not even Yashamaru ever dared to touch him. The sand never allowed that either. Before this person came.

He's deceiving you and you know it. Kill him now!

The boy's breathing picked up. What if the voice was right and this person would betray him just as his uncle did? He swore never to trust anyone else but himself because no one would ever give a monster like him a chance.

"Do you want to be an Oni?"

Gaara recoiled violently at the question, frightened eyes meeting the calm and kind blue ones. Oni. Demon. Monster. Did he want to be it? No. No, he didn't. "No…"

His reply came barely audible, but the blond heard him nonetheless. He smiled, the same absurdly friendly and easy-going grin of his. "So, what do you have to say?"

The boy blinked, his brain working a mile a minute, searching for an answer. He was afraid to get it wrong because then this person would definitely be disappointed and might decide to stop being this nice.

"T-tag…" Gaara mumbled, uncertain if that was a correct response. "You're it."

"That's right!"

The little redhead released his hold on the man and the sand scattered on the roof around the latter's feet harmlessly.

You fool! He's going to betray you! Just mark my words!

Gaara watched as Rei approached, apprehension and dread pooling in his gut. When a familiar hand landed on his head, he flinched.

"You did well, little kit." Rei's tone was quiet and soothing, his expression radiating approval. "I'm proud of you."

The boy stared at the adult crouched in front of him, awed beyond belief.

"You know about the great beast sealed inside you, right?"

Gaara's breath hitched. This person knew about it and still acted this nice. He nodded slowly. "You don't… think of me as a monster?" he dared to ask, though his voice was small and dejected. When Rei's smile closed and his lips thinned into a hard line, a pinch appearing between his eyebrows, the boy braced himself for the inevitable rejection. The voice was right. There was no way that someone, anyone would ever accept–

"You're not a monster."

Gaara couldn't believe his ears. The face of the blond suddenly started to get blurry and he blinked a few times, struggling to clear his vision, only for it to get worse. Something wet trailed down his cheek. He absent-mindedly brushed a hand across it and then stared at the dampness left on it in a stunned incredulity.

He was crying.

Why was he crying?

He wasn't injured. No one hurt him. Except, his chest tightened with a strange feeling that Gaara couldn't quite recognize.

Rei scooped the little Jinchuuriki up into a loving embrace. The latter froze, his whole tiny body going rigid. "Everything's okay, Gaara, you're not alone anymore," he soothed. "You're not a monster and neither is the Bijuu inside you, even if he's the big jerk."

As the initial shock of being hugged faded, the boy started to relax against the man's chest, tears still silently sliding down his face. He felt good. He felt accepted. This person was real and warm and safe.

Gaara closed his eyes, suddenly feeling tired. And saw yellow irides with four-pointed star-shaped pupils, surrounded by the black sclera, seething down at him. He wanted to escape, to snap his eyes open. He didn't want to become a prey for this terrifying creature, lurking at the back of his mind.

"Sleep, little kit. You'll feel better after some rest."

Gaara wanted to tell Rei that he couldn't, that if he did the scary monster would come out, that he didn't want to hurt him or anyone else, but his eyelids were so impossibly heavy, fatigue gnawing at his muscles and bones. He was powerless to stop himself from slipping into the blissful sleep, the gentle hand brushing through his hair lulling him further.

Rei's frown was deep and sad as he carefully settled now sleeping Jinchuuriki on the roof. He had planned to fix the seal once the boy trusted him more, but he couldn't let Shukaku keep tearing his already fragile sanity apart. Gaara had to heal his mind first. Once he was ready, Rei would be there to guide him in forming a bond with his constant companion.

The blond pushed one hand under the kid's shirt and laid it on top of his stomach where the seal was located. Then closed his eyes.

A furious roar of the Ichibi washed over him the next instant, its strength rivaling the winds of hundreds of desert storms. The very air and liquid inside the mindscape reverberated to the tune of the giant raccoon's outcry of wrath and desperation.

Once the roar trailed off into the muted echoes around the never-ending space of the seal, Rei stuck his finger into one of his ears in a mock gesture of trying to clear it and peeked at the enraged Bijuu with one eye. "So rude," he commented nonchalantly.

Shukaku all but howled in his immense irritation. Pushing every limits of freedom the seal allowed, he swung his tail and smashed it into the spot where the puny human had been standing.

"Calm down, you brat!" Rei scolded. His words were followed by the punch to the top of the Ichibi's head, carrying enough force to outright flatten the gigantic body against the ground. The blond landed in front of his nose and rested a hand on it. Blue eyes softened when he felt the great chakra beast stiffen under his touch. Of course, the Bijuu would feel its presence inside him.

"You!" Ichibi screamed, albeit much subdued than usual. He didn't – or perhaps couldn't – move away from this human. "How is that possible?!"

"Who knows," Rei replied dismissively. "Ne, Shukaku, I know how much humans hurt you and your siblings," he spoke softly, stroking the Ichibi's nose in an unbelievably affectionate manner. "But as much as I care about you all, Gaara is equally important to me. I can't let you torment him any longer." The ink lines spread from his feet, covering the whole area and crawling up the stone spikes, strengthening the effect of the previous seal. "Gaara is a kind soul, but he's young, hurt, and lost at the moment. I truly believe that you two can become friends in the future if you give the boy a chance."

Shukaku snorted, but stayed uncharacteristically silent. "What exactly are you?" he finally asked.

"A ghost." Rei's lips curled into a sad smile. "A ghost of the future that will never come." He patted the colossal raccoon's nose for the last time and faded from the mindscape with the departing words, "Have some patient, my friend."

Rei woke from his midday nap on his favorite branch of the grand tree, growing in the middle of Uzushio. Not in any kind of rush to get up, he stretched his arms above his head, yawning, and stilled when he felt a tug on one of his Hiraishin beacons. The one on the kunai that he gave to Shisui, and this time it was the right person calling him.

He chuckled at the memory from a few days ago. That Uchiha was way too innocent for his own good. With a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, the blond flashed away and arrived at his destination in a blink – an empty warehouse on the outskirts of Konoha, far from any civilian traffic.

The moment the blond appeared, dozens of seals around him flared to life: several different binding seals, paralyzing arrays, chakra dampening and suppressing matrixes, so much stronger than the ones on Shisui's cell walls.

The blond whistled in appreciation, curiously scanning the impressive trap he just waltzed into, before giving his attention to the people standing in front of him, ignoring the bunch hidden in the shadows. His gaze slid from the Sandaime to Jiraiya, lingered on the man for a bit longer, and then flicked to Shisui. There was an apology written on the teen's expression and the blond suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

Definitely too honest for his own good.

"Oh my," Rei said, light and carefree, a wide grin upon his features. "It seems I'm in a bit of a pickle."

Chapter Text

The Sandaime and Jiraiya were prepared to face Minato's brother. They had read all the information about his appearance and character in Shisui's reports and they had enough time to brace themselves of what was to come. Still, the moment the man in question appeared out of thin air before their very eyes, they felt like someone sucker-punched them.

This man was definitely related to Minato Namikaze, no doubts about that. No one could deny the sheer resemblance between the two: the same vibrant golden hair, even styled into a similar hairstyle, the same cerulean eyes, bright and sharp, the same slender body, built more for speed rather than brute force, the same approachable, easy-going feeling about him.

The form of his face and most of his features were different though. Honestly, the first time Hiruzen had laid his eyes on the blond stranger, the image of the little Naruto popped in his mind. It seemed that the boy took after his uncle even more than his father.

"Oh my, it seems I'm in a bit of a pickle."

The man sounded utterly delighted and positively untroubled, his mouth stretched into an easy grin and blue eyes watching them all with noticeable hilarity. His genuinely cheerful attitude in such an unfavorable situation startled both the Sandaime and Jiraiya, while Shisui let out a sigh of exasperation, already kind of used to Rei's eccentric behavior.

"So, Shisui," the blond called cheerfully. "Do I need to kick the asses of these guys for you? Is that why you called me?"

The Uchiha's eyes grew as big as plates, having no doubt that this crazy person might just really do what he promised. "No! Nonono, don't do that!" he blurted out before he could gather his bearing. Realizing his mouth running away from him, he shot a terrified glance at the two older men next to him.

Rei smothered a fit of laughter. "Relax, kiddo, I'm just kidding."

A strong urge to punch him tickled Shisui's nerves. Instead of giving in, he took a deep breath and composed himself. Motioning towards his superiors, he introduced, "This is the Sandaime Hokage and Jiraiya the Sannin."

"I know who they are," the man replied coolly.

'And you still threatened to kick their asses?!' the young Jonin screamed in his head. Rei was insane, he decided there and then. This person was absolutely out of his mind.

"You're quite a cheeky fellow, aren't you?" Jiraiya commented lightly.

The blond chuckled. "Guilty as charged," he agreed readily.

The Sandaime coughed to get their guest's attention. When the latter's eyes in that achingly familiar shade of blue swung to look at him, Hiruzen suppressed a shudder. Despite the obvious air of frivolity, there was something lurking in the depths of his aura, hidden from prying gazes and cautiously kept in check. Something dangerous and deadly that sent every instinct of the experienced ninja like him on high alert.

This man was definitely not that simple. They needed to be careful; the Hokage had seen ninjas change their demeanor in less than the blink of an eye.

"I apologize for such a crude method to contain you," the elderly Sarutobi spoke in kind. "But you and your intentions are unknown to us and therefore such approach was a necessity to ensure the safety of both parties involved. I do hope you understand our worries on the matter."

Rei's grin widened, the prolonged canines only emphasizing his naturally wild and unruly disposition. "Crude method indeed. Even Jinchuuriki would be hard-pressed to withstand all these seals," he said and yet he didn't seem to be hard-pressed himself. Or even bothered by them in a slightest. "But I understand. Though I dislike being caged in any way, shape, or form, I'll try to bear with it until we're done."

"Can you, please, tell us your name?"

"Rei."

"No last name?"

"Uzumaki after my mother, Namikaze after my father. Choose whichever you prefer," the man replied without skipping a beat. He grinned at dumbstruck expressions of people in front of him. "Minato and I don't share the same mother," he explained, taking pity on them. "Although, for a new leader of Uzushiogakure, I guess Uzumaki is more appropriate. Not to mention that I'd have the same surname as my nephew…" The blond hummed. "Yep, let's do that! Rei Uzumaki, at your service."

"Minato never spoke of you," the Hokage noted carefully.

"Well, he hadn't known about me," Rei answered with a subtle 'obviously' hanging somewhere in the air. "And I lived far, far, far away from this place. So far away that it feels like a totally different world." The moment he finished speaking, he stuffed his hands into his pockets, a perfect picture of nonchalance.

Suddenly there was a spark of chakra discharge on the far left side. Everyone instinctively glanced at it just to witness the paralysis seal sizzle and die.

"Uh…" the blond stammered before flashing a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that. It was an accident. I'm completely innocent."

The Hokage's face darkened and Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched. "These seals have no effect on you whatsoever, am I right?" the latter questioned.

"What are you saying? I'm completely trapped here. Can't even move."

The man was making fun of them, the three of them were pretty sure of that. Couldn't move, their ass. He was happily rocking on his heels even when he said that, the punk.

"Ah." Realizing his own contradicting actions, Rei stopped moving. But as any true Uzumaki, standing still for long was near impossible for him. "Fine," he said, lifting his arms up in a mock surrender. "You're right. They have little effect on me."

Jiraiya's eyes lit up. "Can you tell me why?" It was the first time he met a live being that was immune to seals, so as the self-respecting Seal Master, he was burning with curiosity.

"Hmmm," the blond hummed again, peering up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "With my current skills in the Sealing Art, dismantling the seals of this level from inside is as easy as breathing. I find a weak spot and with a flick of my chakra it goes poof." Another seal discharged a burst of chakra and faded out of existence the moment his voice fell. "…Just like that," Rei finished with an unenthusiastic shrug, his whole posture screaming 'bored'.

The Sannin stroked his chin, gaze staring at the seals, painted on the ground. This wasn't the first time he had heard about destroying the sealing arrays by infusing chakra into the weakest spot and simply tearing the construct apart, but to do that one had to possess an immeasurable amount of knowledge in seal creation and utilization theory. Only the highest Seal Masters of the Uzumaki clan were known to hold such abilities!

Jiraiya was always passionate about the Seal Techniques, even if he wasn't that good at that. Meeting such an expert, now that the Uzumakis were gone, and maybe getting some tips was a chance of a lifetime he was not about to miss.

At this point, the real purpose of their gathering was already forgotten by him, pushed aside by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. "But how can you still use chakra under the effect of these chakra suppression seals?" the Sannin put forward another question.

Rei's megawatt grin was back with vengeance. "Tell me, can a person force the whole ocean to stay still? Stop all the underwater currents and allow not a single wave to appear on its surface?" His eyes scanned the surroundings, counting the chakra suppression seals. "Can six people do that?"

Shisui just looked confused. He had only fundamental knowledge in this exotic art and this trap seemed like an impregnable stronghold for him. The moment he saw it and was asked to call Rei here, he was so worried about his new acquaintance. His heart gave a guilty lurch the moment the blond appeared – just like he promised – and all these seals activated.

But, of course, Rei took this situation as a joke. Shisui sighed. What else he could expect from the person who could pop into Konoha's most secure jail as if it was his own turf and then drag him around the world in the blink of an eye?

A small frowns formed between Jiraiya's and the Sandaime's eyes as they considered the blond's question.

The implication was clear – the seals were ineffective due to the man's vast chakra reserve. Higher than the Jinchuuriki's. And yet, not a single ripple of chakra emitted from his being. He could be standing right behind someone and the latter would never notice.

That thought was a scary one. He truly lived up to his own name.

The Sandaime stared at the blond, his mind working a mile a minute. Rei Uzumaki, a mysterious brother of Minato Namikaze, turned out to be such a proficient Seal Master, surpassing his every expectation. It also seemed that he followed his own principles and conduct with a blurry line between good and bad, and had no qualms about breaking the rules or going over the edge.

Unpredictable. Rei Uzumaki was perilously unpredictable.

As Shisui said, a wild card indeed.

The man's unrestrained nature combined with a perfect control over the jutsu as deadly as the Hiraishin and his skills to ghost around freely without being detected in the middle of the day while wearing such flamboyant clothes put him to the highest possible threat level. Who knew what else he was capable of.

Konoha couldn't afford to make an enemy like that. No village could.

It didn't look like the man held enmity against Konoha. Disregarding his fooling around, Rei already extended them the courtesy of cooperating with their interrogation. He could have broken out of this trap right from the start, but didn't. They had to use this opportunity and the man's goodwill to collect more information.

Before Jiraiya could shoot into a heated discussion about the seals, Hiruzen gathered his scattered thoughts and asked, "What is your purpose for arriving in Konoha?"

Rei glanced at him, raising his eyebrow into a skeptical 'Are you seriously asking me that?' expression. "Naruto. The Uchiha clan. Ichiraku Ramen," he listed out honestly before he suddenly quieted down. After a moment, an amused chuckle slipped through his lips followed by a lazy grin that sent shivers down everyone's spines for it wasn't his usual friendly, teasing smile, but a vicious sneer, filled with malicious glee. "Oh, yeah. And Danzo to a certain extent. Can't forget about that lunatic."

-a little bit earlier, Root HQ, Danzo's office-

Danzo scowled at the paper in his hand, not really seeing its content. He had read the same line for the umpteenth time, but any kind of concentration eluded his paranoid mind and his eyes occasionally snapped from the document to glimpse around his empty office. The honorable war hawk, for all intents and purposes, looked almost jittery.

Danzo scoffed, his free arm sliding down towards his bottom before he caught himself and retrieved it immediately. The itch was there, though. Real feeling or not, it didn't matter. He refused to succumb to it!

The thought of such childish tricks used on him caused the old man's face twist with immeasurably murderous intent and the paper crumpled as his fist tightened around it. The moment he would get his claws on that hateful person who dared to insult him to this extent, he would make him regret to ever be born! Even if he had to bring a new chair every day to sit on because those annoying seals turned out to be too intricate to be removed, he would prevail in the end and make that fool pay!

Then, the next thing he knew, the room went dark. Danzo started, his body shifting into an alert mode with practiced ease. Darkness descended like the thick velvet curtains as if all light had been sucked out in an instant, leaving the lone man buried in the black obscurity which seemed to oppress him like an awful weight. No sound reverberated. No echoes. It was as if he were stuck in a void of nothingness.

He strained to see beyond the seemingly solid black walls around him, then lifted his hand and touched his own nose, but saw nothing. In fact, he couldn't even see an inch in front of him at all.

Danzo prepared to gather his chakra to try a genjutsu release and realized that he couldn't utilize his inner energy at all. To his utter disbelief and horror, it was completely sealed.

Pondering on what was happening and what to do, the Root commander could only gaze at the darkness, but then – if you stare into the abyss long enough, something will stare back – sinister red eyes gleamed in its very depth, accompanied by a guttural, feral growl and a wave of almost palpable killing intent.

The old man froze. After a moment, his eye narrowed at the unknown creature, prowling around his office aggressively.

A quiet, haughty chuckle tickled Danzo's ear from behind. Fear like never before gripped his heart, but he dared not to move his gaze from the red-eyed predator in the darkness. He had never felt this helpless and powerless, at a complete mercy of whatever or whoever invaded his office.

And then the darkness vanished in the blink of an eye as unexpectedly as it appeared, together with the bodiless laughter and the shadow beast. The room remained unchanged, and Danzo might have reasoned that this incident was just a figment of his imagination, if not for one unsettling thing.

There were three words written on the wall opposite his desk, still dripping in fresh crimson liquid, while the acrid, metallic smell gradually pervaded the stale air.

I see you

"Oh, yeah. And Danzo to a certain extent. Can't forget about that lunatic," Rei said, still reveling in the memories of his shadow clones. All that painstaking preparations were so worth it! Ah, the face that old bastard made! Just the thought of it send the blond into another fit of gleeful chuckles.

"Do you have some kind of grudge against Danzo Shimura?"

A question from the Sandaime forced him back to the situation at hand. Rei stared at the Hokage's face, still as wrinkly as he'd remembered. "Grudge?" he echoed. "He's an ass. Isn't that enough reason to dislike him?"

That earned him an unimpressed look.

"Che, fine," the man muttered. He straightened his back out of the previous lazy slouch and, so quickly it was frightening, his cheery and happy-go-lucky demeanor was gone, replaced by a heavy, humorless gloom. "You want to hear about all the ugly things, Old Man? I'll tell you." He paused, thinking it over. "Naruto's birth was supposed to be a secret. Only a select few knew of the secure location where it had taken place. Did you ever figure out how the intruder found it?" he asked but didn't wait for a reply. "Well, Danzo informed him."

The elderly Sarutobi's face darkened. "How do you know about that?"

"I have my way." Rei shrugged, unconcerned. "I'm not here to convince you. It's your choice to believe me or not. But deaths of my brother, my sister-in-law, your wife, and thousands of Konohans were the direct consequence of Danzo's treason." His sharp blue eyes moved on Jiraiya. "He was also one of the instigators behind the ambush of your students that resulted in one's death and the grief-induced madness of another."

The Sannin furrowed his brow. "My students?"

"Ame orphans." Jiraiya's eyes widened, but he was not allowed to insert even a word, because Rei continued, "Yahiko died, Nagato went crazy, and Konan was left to pick up the pieces. The person I'm hunting, the same one who unleashed the Kyuubi upon Konoha almost seven years ago, used Nagato's grief and guilt and roped him into his insane plan to destroy the world by collecting the nine Bijuu, their hosts not included. In the future, Naruto will become the target of their organization." The blond shook his head with a bitter smile. "Seriously, it's such a mess."

Everyone was still in the middle of processing this massive information dump when Rei was speaking again, "Now Danzo developed this gross obsession with Uchiha's eyeballs. He wants to wipe out the whole clan so that he could collect their Sharingan and implant into his creepy arm." He shuddered at the thought of that thing. "And you're ready to offer him the Uchihas on a silver platter."

The Sandaime bristled. "That's not–" he began, but wasn't allowed to finish.

"Honestly, when I arrived at Konoha, I was prepared to slaughter everyone in the Uchiha clan to preserve the peace," Rei confessed, his voice was indifferent, not a drop of sympathy could be heard. "But the longer I observed the situation, the more I understood that if I've killed all the guilty ones, Konoha would become a ghost town. Just what the hell were you thinking, Old Man? You simply can't drive such prideful people into a corner just because of one rogue member's actions and not expect them to lash out. They are not like a powerless, lone child that is unable to retaliate."

"Wait," Shisui suddenly uttered stiffly. "Rogue member's actions? Are you saying that it really was an Uchiha behind the Kyuubi's attack?"

Rei stared blankly at him for a bit, then clicked his tongue at the slip-up. He was getting unnecessarily upset and let out a deep breath to cool his head. Well, he couldn't take it back now. "Yes," he replied.

"Then… the man you're hunting?"

"The same Uchiha," Rei groaned, ruffling his own hair in frustration. "It changes nothing! That person is a missing-nin and had been for a long time. He doesn't care about his clan at all. If you get in his way, he's going to massacre you all himself. But you don't have to worry about him... That man is mine to kill," he ended with a low growl.

"It seems there is a deep hate between you and him," Jiraiya noted carefully.

"My parents… My friends, sensei, teammates were killed by him or his allies. My village was reduced to dust, together with its people. My lifelong partner sacrificed himself to give me a chance at survival." Eyes like chips of ice gazed at the Sannin steadily. "So, yes, the hate between us is as deep as you can get."

The silence that followed settled on the warehouse like a heavy blanket. Rei felt irritated at the shocked and condoling expressions on the three people in front of him. A cold rage ignited in his chest, pointed at himself for talking so much today, for voluntarily ripping open the scars, scabbed long time ago, and letting all those ugly memories to ooze out and slither around his head, mocking him, tormenting him.

To pour his own heart here was definitely not part of the plan.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the Sandaime uttered kindly.

Rei just… stared. He didn't know what to do with that. There had been no time for grief or compassionate words during the war and after it ended, well, there was no one important enough left to say that to him.

After a few seconds of dazed gawking, the blond offered a tight, sad smile and lifted his hand to cover his eyes. "Thanks," he whispered. If his voice cracked just a tiny bit, no one called him out on it. "But enough about that!" he said forcefully, dropping his arm back to his side and revealing his face schooled back into a mask of casualness. "Let's talk about something else."

Hiruzen cleared his throat subtly. "Shisui already informed us about your plans to rebuild Uzushio, but rebuilding a village is a very arduous ordeal. Konoha would always welcome you and even offer our help with restoring the Uzumaki clan."

Rei blinked. That was an invitation if he had ever seen one. He smirked. Very smooth, Jiji. "Maybe," he said. "But no."

The Hokage wasn't deterred by the blond's instant refusal. "You should give yourself some time to think about…" he trailed off when Rei held three fingers. Confusion fluttered across his geriatric features. "Yes?"

"Three reasons. First," Rei folded one finger, "as I've already said, I dislike being caged in any way, shape, or form. Joining Konoha would compel me to follow your rules, restraining me in a way you can't even imagine." He folded the second finger. "Second, the power balance would be shot to hell with me joining you. Between Konoha's local clans and also between the major ninja villages. I'd rather not deal with that kind of shitstorm. Third," he folded the last finger and returned his hand into his pocket, "I don't wish to see some people that live in Konoha. If I settled here, it'd be too troublesome to avoid them."

The Sandaime's frown deepened. "Do you have a grudge against those people?"

"What's with you and grudges?" Rei asked, baffled. "No. I want to protect them. I simply do not wish to see them."

"That makes no sense!" Jiraiya piped in with a grumble.

Rei laughed at the almost pouting face of his sensei's counterpart. Yet, he didn't elaborate. He never disclosed the fact that both of them were among those he didn't wish to see either. Because it was hard, too hard to look at the people, wearing the faces so achingly familiar, but knowing that they were not the ones he'd come to love.

"What about Naruto?" the Sarutobi tried again. "I assume you already made contact with the boy and I'm sure he would be happy to have you around."

"Maa, Naruto will soon turn seven. It might be a bit harsh, but on his birthday I will tell him about the Kyuubi and his father's real identity. At the same time–"

The Sandaime's expression hardened. "You cannot," he interrupted. "He is but a child, such news could completely destroy his chance at normalcy."

Rei rolled his eyes. "His normalcy was destroyed the moment Minato chose him as the next container for the Kyuubi. What is so normal about being hated by the whole village and not even knowing the reason why?"

The elderly Hokage had no answer to give him. There was nothing normal about Naruto's circumstances, no matter how hard he deluded himself on thinking otherwise.

"At the same time, I'm gonna ask him if he wants to stay in Konoha or leave with me to live in Uzushio."

Rei's bold declaration was equivalent to dropping a bomb and everyone present was suddenly on high alert.

Hiruzen drew himself up with a ferocious glare, the killing intent flooding the warehouse. "We will not allow you to kidnap Naruto!"

"Kidnap?" Rei raised an amused eyebrow at the intimidating display. "Even if I wanted to kidnap my nephew… Who, exactly, is going to stop me?"

Blue eyes fluttered closed and when they snapped open, they were dyed in bloody red with pupils transformed into vertical slits. And together with their appearance, without any warning, the man's hidden aura unfurled around him like massive wings, bringing forth a great tsunami of raw chakra that washed across the warehouse in a tangible shockwave, obliterating all the seals into nothingness. Its force was unfathomable, outside of human's comprehension, and every heart of the observers skipped several beats in fear as they were sent stumbling back on the impact.

Several shadows moved from around the perimeter and all of a sudden there was a group of masked ninjas surrounding the Hokage and his two subordinates, poised and ready to fight. Yet, none dared to make a move against the stranger.

Rei held himself with an imposing, lazy arrogance, those crimson eyes half-lidded and gazing down at them all, very much resembling some dangerous predator that spent most of its time sleeping and ignoring the prey. He smiled, but it was not a pleasant expression. His grin was slow, tyrannical, and ominous, a mocking challenge to an insignificant opponent.

"If Naruto wants to stay, it's fine. I'll keep visiting him as I do now, nothing will change," the blond spoke in an eerily quiet voice. "If he decides to leave with me, you have two options. One, stay stubborn like this and lose any chance of associating yourselves with him. I'm gonna cut all ties with Konoha and you'll be left on your own without your precious Jinchuuriki. And two, not resist Naruto's departure and part ways with him on your own goodwill, giving the boy an opportunity at life far from all the crippling hate. In this case, I can promise that we'll come for a visit and if Konoha will meet any trouble, Uzushio will be there for you."

Rei let his ultimatum sink. Then his eyes blinked bright blue again and his aura was visibly pulled in, locked inside, and stored away like a slumbering dragon, without a single ripple to indicate its overwhelming existence.

"The choice is yours. I'll make myself scarce now. Farewell."

He was gone in the next instant.

Chapter Text

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was so tense that one could cut the air with a kunai.

With the face more weary than usual, the Sandaime stood at the window with his hands cupped behind his back, staring at the people, busying themselves in Konoha's street that lay right in front of the Hokage's Tower. His gaze followed random person until they disappeared around the corners, but his mind was somewhere else entirely.

Jiraiya stood on the left side of the room, one shoulder leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He seemed relaxed, though his eyebrows pulled into a deep scowl completely ruined that image.

Shisui and two ANBU operatives positioned themselves on the opposite side from sannin, also lost in their own thoughts.

Hiruzen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can someone come up with a logical explanation of how Rei Uzumaki knows so many Konoha's exclusive jutsu and how he has slivers of the Kyuubi's chakra mixed with his own?"

The deathly silence was telling.

"Kumo's Gold and Silver Brothers," Jiraiya muttered finally. "Something like that could explain the Kyuubi's chakra."

"The Yondaime's seal on Naruto is untouched and in full power," the silver-haired ANBU reported hurriedly. "I checked it last night when the boy was sleeping."

"Owl," the Hokage called the second ANBU. "What do you think, how would you fair against that man? Can his chakra be subdued with your wood release?"

"I–" the ninja hesitated. "I sincerely doubt that, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen's age-lined face sunk into itself with the force of his frown. "Shisui, did Rei ever mentioned anything about Minato or maybe his sensei in your conversations that you might have missed to report?" he asked after another few tense minutes.

The Uchiha shook his head. "Nothing."

"Rei is the Uzumaki Seal Master of the highest level and lives in Uzushiogakure," Jiraiya noted absent-mindedly. "Maybe he freed Minato's soul and gained the knowledge of the jutsu from him personally."

"If Minato's soul was freed from the stomach of the Shinigami, then the other half of the Kyuubi was freed as well," the Sandaime pondered loudly.

"You think that he made himself into the Jinchuuriki?"

"It is a feasible assumption."

More like a wild guess, but it was something at least. Even with that, the mystery by the name of Rei Uzumaki was getting deeper and more obscure the more they thought about the elusive blond.

One fact was clear – he was the most powerful individual they, including the elderly Sarutobi, had ever met.

"Sensei," the sannin spoke, pushing himself off of the wall, "what are you planning to do about Naru–" Without any forewarning, he poofed away in the middle of the word.

Hiruzen glanced at the swirling chakra cloud in the spot where his student had been standing. "At ease," he placated the three alert ninjas in the room. "It's the Reverse Summoning Technique." Why would the Toads call Jiraiya? The timing was very suspicious. "Dog, Owl, you may leave."

Two ANBU dipped their heads in respect and shunshined away. It left only Shisui and the Hokage in the office.

"The Uchiha clan seems calm lately, but Danzo is acting strange," the Sandaime said, walking to his desk. "I fear that keeping you as bait in the ANBU detention center is futile. This is why I must ask if you are prepared to lure him in the open while working alone?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen looked at him and saw his old friend instead. He heaved a heavy sigh. Hopefully, Kagami would forgive him for putting his grandson in danger. "Do you trust Rei?" he asked suddenly. Seeing signs of reluctance on the teen's face, he smiled. "You can tell me the truth. I will not judge or ask for a reason behind it."

"…I do."

"Then take this," the Hokage said as he pulled the Hiraishin kunai from the inside of his robe and put it down on the desk before pushing it towards Shisui. "Rei gave it to you in order to call him if you need any assistance, so ask for his help if you come in need of it."

As the boy took and then hid the kunai with no hesitation whatsoever, Hiruzen marveled at the fact that Rei Uzumaki managed to earn the trust of the Uchiha in such a short period of time. The members of that clan were famous for their paranoiac misgivings about everyone and everything. While Shisui did differ from the rest of his clansmen, he still was an Uchiha.

None of his inner musings showed on the Sandaime's face when he cautioned the young ninja, "Be careful, Shisui."

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

It was over an hour later when Jiraiya reappeared in the Hokage's office, his face wrapped in a fierce scowl that didn't promise anything good.

The Sandaime leaned back against the chair, puffing on his pipe, and gave his undivided attention to his student. "Jiraiya."

The sannin snapped from his contemplative state, cleared his throat, and said, "The Great Toad Sage told me something very important."

"A new prophecy?"

"No." He looked his sensei straight into his eyes. "He sees nothing. Most of his old prophecies are completely annulled. "

A pipe slipped from Hiruzen's suddenly lax fingers, hit his hip, and clattered on the stone floor, scattering glowing cinders around.

"It started three months ago and it gradually spread until the old Sage suddenly realized the changes. The old future was swept away in a whirlpool, he said, and the new one is still forming." Jiraiya huffed and then grumbled, "How does that even work?"

"Whirlpool?" the Sandaime echoed. A foreboding feeling churned in his guts and he quickly rifled through a bundle of papers, pulling one out. "Three months ago was when the first report of the Yondaime's ghost sighting came in. The first time Rei Uzumaki was spotted in Konoha."

The white-haired man shifted his weight from one foot to another. "Seems a bit too coincidental to be a mere coincidence."

If that was the truth, Rei Uzumaki's arrival caused waves of alterations that apparently forced the future to collapse and then reform.

How was that even possible?

Who exactly was Rei Uzumaki?

Naruto wrung his hands nervously as he observed the small group of kids, dividing themselves into different teams, accompanied by joyful laughter and delighted squeals.

Anxious blue eyes darted behind the children and onto the circle of adults, chattering among themselves, sharing news, gossips, and discussing joys and troubles of the parenthood.

It was his last chance to play at least one game with his peers before their families brought them home. The thought of slinking back to his own empty apartment didn't scare the little blond as it had used to. He had Rei now. He had his uncle. And while the older blond couldn't spend all the time with him, the homemade dinner every other day and a loving, "Goodnight" as Rei tucked him in for the night was more than anyone gave him before.

Steeling himself and mercilessly pushing down the dreadful idea that he was just setting himself up to be hurt, Naruto approached the kids, hands trembling, and asked, "Can I play with you?"

They all turned to him. A sudden hush settled upon the playground, proud parental conversations falling silent for a brief moment before it returned as harsh whispers and sharp hisses, followed by cold glares.

The blond's already measly amounts of self-confident oozed out like air from a popped balloon no matter how hard he tried not to get discouraged.

An older boy stepped forward. "We don't want an ugly freak like you!" he declared. As a few giggles resounded from behind his back, he puffed his chest as if he had done something to be proud of.

"Yeah, we don't want to play with you!" another voice joined in.

"Just look at those whiskers," a girl pointed her finger at Naruto's face. "So gross!"

Naruto attempted to flee, but his retreat path was cut off by the kids encircling him. He bumped into someone and was shoved back into the center.

"He looks like an animal!"

"No wonder my mom said that he's a demon!"

"I betcha that's why nobody likes him. I betcha his own parents left him because they didn't like him."

"Ne, ugly freak, how is it not to have any family?"

"I– I do have a family."

Faintly spoken words stopped the group in their jeers of insults.

"You don't!"

Naruto felt anger churning deep into his guts. "I do, 'ttebayo! I have–" Rei was left unsaid as the blond bit his lip. He had a family. He had his uncle. And his parents loved him, Rei told him so and he believed him with all his heart. But Rei also told him to keep his existence a secret, because if someone knew they wouldn't be allowed to meet. The boy knew that and was determined to keep a promise–

"Liar! You don't have anyone! Nobody likes you!"

–but his mouth moved without his consent and words slipped through before he could swallow them down, "I'm not lying! I have Re–!"

"Shut up!" this time a harsh scream from one of the adults interrupted him and the parents who stood on the side till now swarmed closed.

Naruto saw eyes, cold eyes full of loathing and disdain. Glaring angry eyes attached to glaring angry people, accusing him of things he hadn't done and would never do. He cowered under their hateful gazes. "I–"

"Stay away from our children!" a woman shrieked, tugging her daughter behind her as if hiding her from some kind of monster.

"We don't want you to play with them," a man demanded sternly.

"You nasty little demon."

A muted hiss from behind his back caused the small blond flinch. "I'm– I'm not–" His own tongue failed him at this very moment, bright blue eyes shining with unshed tears. Rei said that he wasn't a demon. "Not– Not a–" Another attempt ended in failure. His shaking hands were balled into fists, nails digging into skin, desperation and anger and helplessness weaving around his brittle mind. Because Rei said– he said that he was not– he said he was, "…not a demon!" words finally tore out from his throat in a form of a cry at the top of his lungs

Hands landed on Naruto's shoulders and he froze, his heart skipping a beat in fear. He instantly screwed his eyes shut, awaiting the punishment with bated breath.

"Ah, such a charming community, color me impressed."

Naruto blinked a few times when he heard this new voice. The crowd around them suddenly withdrew several steps, unmistakable shock plastered on each of their faces.

"A community of brain-dead sheep and rutting goats, so, so eager to climb onto each other for a simple reason of satiating their primal need of reproduction."

The young blond raised his head and looked at the person hovering over him. Golden hair, mouth tilted into a smirk, super awesome orange haori… His happiness of seeing this man manifested outwards as a big, ecstatic, if a bit watery around the edges, grin. "Rei!" he exclaimed and a warm hand rose from where it was placed on the boy's shoulder and instead landed on his head, ruffling his hair in that intimately familiar affectionate manner. A giggle escaped Naruto's lips.

Rei's chilling gaze stayed fixed on the people in front of him, pinning them in place with cold efficiency. "And then we have a bunch of marvelous spawns running around, incapable of using even the tiniest bit of that squishy mass inside their skulls and keen to repeat the cycle as soon as their reproductive organs are mature enough, breeding imbeciles upon imbeciles for the generations to come. Perfect little followers of the asininity of their dams and sires." Rei paused. "How lovely."

"W-What?"

"…Who are you?"

Rei's grin widened, but there was nothing in it that even remotely resembled any form of friendliness. Just a pure viciousness, wild and savage, promising pain and death and everything in between. "Prey animals shouldn't go around bullying someone else's youngsters for they may doom themselves by choosing the wrong youngster and getting themselves hunted down like insignificant things they are," he said and observed adults blanching with malicious glee.

The meaning of his words was completely lost on children. "What does he mean?" a few of them asked curiously, impatiently tugging at their mother's or father's arms to get an answer. They never received one though, because their parents were afraid to even breathe let alone talk.

Rei shifted his gaze and dismissed them all with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Run along now."

Sighs of relief rolled throughout the crowd. They hurried to gather their own and flee away from this person as far as possible.

"If you'll ever dare to hurt my nephew again, I'll let you witness the beauty of scarlet flowers blooming in full."

Everyone stiffened, the blond stranger's dark promise chilling them to the bone and ringing in their ears, and they immediately doubled the speed of skedaddling out of there.

Naruto watched in fascinated awe how those angry people trickled out of the playground with their kids in tow. He struggled to navigate through Rei's whole speech – too many hard words for his young mind – but he believed that his uncle was the coolest person in the world! He chased them away without lifting a single finger! And he protected him in front of everyone!

The small blond stilled when he comprehended the real weight of that statement. They saw him! They saw Rei! They were going to tell Jiji and he would never be allowed to see his uncle again! "You have to get out of here!" he suddenly yelled to the absolute bafflement of the older Uzumaki. "You can't– You can't be here, 'ttebayo!"

"I thought you'll be happy that I came to pick you up, not kick me out," the man commented, raising a questioning eyebrow at his obviously distressed nephew.

"You can't be here!" the kid insisted. As panic settled in deeper and deeper, his breathing became more rapid, shallower. "They saw you! They–"His thoughts seemed to jump from one thing to another and his sentences became fragmented. All his fears flooded his veins unchecked, rapidly spinning out of control. "Jiji will– He will– You said– Keep it a secret– I–" The world suddenly swam and he couldn't speak anymore, couldn't even suck in the air into his lungs.

"Whoa, whoa, kit, you're going into a panic attack."

There was a touch followed by a gentle rush of soothing chakra.

"Listen to my voice and breathe. In and out. Slowly, Naruto. In and out."

Rei's hand rubbed circles on his back, steady movements and tender voice working toward calming Naruto's uneven breathing and erratic thoughts.

"That's it. You're doing great," Rei said with a relieved smile. He cupped the kid's cheek with his palm and forced him to look into his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, Naruto," he said, solid and firm. "No matter what others say or try to do, I'll never leave you alone. Do you understand me?"

The little blond nodded wordlessly.

Rei stared at him. "It's my fault that you misinterpreted my words, I should have explained the situation more," he muttered. "I'm sorry." He scooped the child up and stood up. Naruto instantly wrapped his thin arms around the man's neck and buried his face into the crook of it. "I've already met with the Hokage yesterday and he knows about me. You don't have to worry about that, okay?"

The boy nodded again, his golden mop brushing against the man's skin.

Rei furrowed his brow, eyes darkening. None of his inner worry or fury leaked into his soft tenor when he asked, "Rough day, eh? Wanna talk about it?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Alright," the older blond accepted his reluctance and didn't push the topic. "But if you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here for you."

No reply came. Instead, the young Jinchuuriki tightened his death grip on the man's neck.

"Well… how about we go to the Ichiraku Ramen, m?"

This time, he heard a silent, silent whisper, "Okay."

A grin spread across Rei's face. He turned towards two Naras – big and little – who stood on the side and observed them with matching expressions of half-interest, half-boredom (how they managed to pull that off, he had never figured out), sent them a friendly hand wave, and strolled out of the playground.

Shikaku Nara scratched his three-day stubble, eyes now following the back of the unknown blond with a surprising sharpness. Uncle, huh? He never knew that Minato had a brother.

"I didn't know that Naruto has a family," young Shikamaru echoed his thoughts.

"Me neither."

This puzzle made a trip to the playground to pick his son after Yoshino almost nagged him to death quite worthy. Shikaku was intrigued. He was aware that until he satisfied his curiosity fully, he wouldn't be able to leave this be. And that meant lots of moving and asking questions.

Nara clan head groaned, "Aaah, how troublesome."

Rei smothered a laugh at another chuunin missing his step and tumbling down into an alley from the roof the moment he caught a glimpse of him leisurely walking down the street. If he had known that it would be this funny, he would have revealed himself to the ninjas much sooner.

Civilians followed his figure with shocked gazes and telltales of gossips. Some of them recognized him and fled his sight faster than one could utter 'run!'. Only minority paid enough attention to notice a child in his embrace.

Naruto hid from the rest of the world, safely snuggling up against Rei's chest with his face still buried in the crook of his neck. The panic attack certainly came as a surprise; the older blond didn't recall having one at any point in his life. Then again, he kind of blocked most of his early childhood memories and they were vague at best.

"Rei?"

A quiet call next to his ear shook the man out of his musings and he hummed in reply, "Hm?"

"Next time you leave, c-can you– can you take me with you?" Naruto sounded so unsure it was clear that he was grasping at straws and at the same time preparing himself to get rejected.

But such a request caught Rei off guard. "Take you with me?"

"I'll be good, I promise. I won't bother you, I listen to your every word, so, please…" The boy's voice cracked like glass shattering on a hard surface. "I don't wanna–" A sob choked him. "Don't wanna stay here..."

"You want to leave Konoha?" Feeling the little kid bobbing his head up and down, and just to be completely sure, Rei asked, "Do you realize that if you leave Konoha, you won't be able to fulfill your dream and become the Hokage?"

The man continued to make his way towards their favorite ramen restaurant in silence that followed his question.

After some time a hushed answer finally came from the young Jinchuuriki. "…Yeah."

"And you still want to move in Uzushio to live with me?"

"Yeah."

Oh, goodness. What an unexpected twist – Naruto himself asking to leave. Rei grinned. He had no problem of executing his plan a few weeks earlier. "Alright then," he said cheerfully. A shadow clone popped into existence and immediately moved onto the roofs to run towards the Hokage Tower.

The little blond jerked back, wide eyes locked on the man's face, searching. "Really?"

"Of course." Rei brushed the last drops of tears from Naruto's flushed cheeks, quickly running through the rebuilding progress in his mind. "Just give me, um, a week. It should be enough time to tidy up and prepare the place to welcome your arrival." He chuckled at the genuine wonder and amazement that replaced the drained out sadness and despair on the kid's features. "I have to warn you though – you might get lonely. Besides me, there are no other people yet in Uzushio."

"That's fine, 'ttebayo!" the boy assured in a rush lest his uncle changed his mind. "I'm all alone here anyway…"

"Well, the Whirlpool Island is not small. There are many places you can explore," the man comforted. "And we can visit Konoha whenever you want."

Naruto's mouth stretched into a toothy grin, blue eyes sparkling in their renewed happiness. "Yeah!" he burst out suddenly, fist-pumping the air, and then his limbs circled around his uncle's neck again. "Thank you."

Rei startled at the number of raw emotions in these two simple words: a swell of relief, mixed with overwhelming gratitude, as well as an unshakable trust. His face lit up with a soft smile and he patted the small blond's back. "That's what the family is for."

Naruto bubbled with laughter and squirmed in his arms. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the boy favored his uncle with a beaming grin, grabbed his hand, and tugged him impatiently. "Hurry up, Rei! I want ramen, 'ttebayo!"

"Alright, alright."

"Ramen, here we come!"

Allowing himself to be dragged along, the older blond watched the exuberant Jinchuuriki with a warm smile and amused glint in his eyes.

He should definitely push his Uzushio plans forward now and find Karin. She was the only Uzumaki that Rei was aware of, not to mention her age was similar to Naruto. The poor kid could use a friend. Or two, he thought as another redhead came to his mind. He wondered fleetingly if Gaara had Uzumaki ancestors hidden somewhere in his bloodline.

But first things first. Kusa, was it?

A mere thought later another shadow clone flashed away with a mission.

The Sandaime was gazing through the window, when his hidden ANBU guards unexpectedly swooped down from the shadows, filling the room with sharp sounds of blades being drawn. He frowned and turned around to see what exactly caused the disturbance and unconsciously stilled the second he saw the orange-clad man with his spiky golden hair, eyes that held one too many secrets, and a grin too wide and too wild to be trusted as something harmless.

When did he–

"Yo!" Rei greeted the Hokage cheerily, unbothered by the fact that four ANBU surrounded him with their weapons unsheathed, ready to cut him down at the moment's notice. "Sorry for barging in unannounced, I just dropped in to inform you that I'll be taking Naruto away from Konoha this week."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "Why a sudden change?"

Something passed through the Uzumaki's cerulean irises, too fast to catch, but it caused the Hokage's heart tremble nonetheless. "The kid pleaded me to take him away," he revealed. There was an edge in his voice that promised nothing good. "After what happened today in the playground, I probably shouldn't be that surprised."

"What happened in the playground?"

"Shikaku Nara was there a minute or so earlier and was about to intervene when I showed up, so he can tell you. He's on his way here right now."

The Sandaime could kind of imagine what happened, as regretful as it was. The prejudice the villagers held against Naruto was truly troubling. "I understand," he said.

Rei stared at him. "You clearly don't," he deadpanned. "I'm not a good person, Old Man. Not anymore, anyways. There are lines that cannot be crossed with me and Konoha's people are teetering dangerously close doing exactly that," he warned. "I'm a patient man, but my patience is not unlimited. The moment it runs out…" He trailed off with a soft hum, leaving that unfinished sentence suspended in the air like an executioner's blade. "Lucky for you, it doesn't really matter now, since Naruto is coming with me."

It was neither a request nor asking for approval, merely a flat statement, a dry announcement of the thing to come.

The Hokage stayed silent.

"What's the point in Naruto's guards if they are there just to make sure that he's not hurt psychically?" Rei wondered all of a sudden, his head tilted slightly to the side as he fixed his gaze on one of the ANBU nearby, causing the latter to break in a cold sweat. "The emotional and psychological abuse is so much worse. At least Kakashi tries to lessen it when he's–" he abruptly cut himself off, stroking his chin in thought. "Oh, that might actually cheer the little kit up."

Rei vanished like the ghost he was, leaving the weary Sandaime and his startled guards alone in the office.

Someone knocked on the door.

Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Come in."

The door opened and Shikaku shuffled in, covering a yawn with his palm. He halted at the sight of the disheveled looking ANBU with their weapons still out and quirked an eyebrow. "Something happened?"

Chapter Text

Kakashi stopped in front of the memorial stone, his lone eye instinctively finding four names in rows upon rows of the neatly written gold lettering. He focused on one name in particular today.

"Hey, Sensei," the man offered a quiet greeting and then paused as if waiting for a word back. The only reply he received was a breeze being carried through the surrounding forest, rustling leaves of lush trees and bushes. "I didn't know you had a brother. But I guess nobody knew, even you. He's—" He furrowed his brow. "He's here now and I don't know what to think about him. Is he genuinely invested in Naruto's wellbeing? Can we really trust him?"

In the watery light of the cloudy day, a slab of black granite was as cold as emptiness swelling inside him.

No close friends, no family, no other attachments—that was the mantra Kakashi kept repeating day after day. Because people he cared about always were the ones to pay the price. It was better for everyone if he kept others at a certain distance.

He really shouldn't care this much about that boy. He really shouldn't. Yet, he ignored his own warning time and time again by going to check on the little Naruto whenever he had time and working as his ANBU guard as often as he could.

And now that radiant bundle of energy, joy, and light would disappear from his life too.

Kakashi had no doubt that Naruto would choose to leave with his uncle, he knew that kid. He knew how much the hate and disregard affected the boy, how much he wept in silence. And he was powerless to do anything about it.

"I don't know what to do, Sensei."

Neither memorial stone nor the engravings offered him any salvation.

"Do people need to be dead for you to actually talk with them?"

Admirably, Kakashi didn't jump out of his skin when an unexpected voice suddenly sounded from behind him. While his heart reached a frightening speed in record time and adrenaline instantly filled his veins, a barely perceptible flinch was the only external indication of him being caught off guard. He quickly spun on his heel, a kunai sliding down into his palm, ready for action…

"Hi!"

Kakashi's mind drew a blank for a moment as he stared dumbly at the main cause of his current inner turmoil who just greeted him with a hand wave and a bright grin under the mop of golden hair. Why was this person here? He didn't sense his approach. Who knew for how long he had been standing there and listening to his...

Sudden anger flared at the realization that this person sneaked up on him and eavesdropped on his confession. The jounin clutched his weapon even more tightly and almost growled out, "Rei Uzumaki."

"Kakashi Hatake," the blond said back coolly, clearly finding this situation amusing. Two ninjas stared at each other for a bit in a tense silence before Rei broke it, "You didn't answer my question."

"…What question?"

"Do people need to be dead for you to actually talk with them?"

Kakashi eyed his sensei's brother wearily. "No."

"Good to know!" Rei exclaimed cheerfully. "There is a kid who could use a little pick-me-up today and I bet he'll be thrilled to meet you."

Kakashi's eye widened when on the last word the blond was suddenly right in front of him, his hand clamping on his shoulder and pushing him down. Then, there was a brief familiar sensation of displacement and the next instant Kakashi's butt landed on a chair, a cacophony of Konoha's noise filling his ears and the spicy, rich smell of ramen assaulting his nose.

It took a couple of seconds for Kakashi to orient himself, identify the place (Ichiraku Ramen, oh the irony), and notice two pairs of identical azure eyes staring straight at him in confusion from the adjacent seats.

Naruto scooted away from him as far as he could without falling from his chair.

The silver-haired ninja immediately hid the kunai behind his back and tucked it away into his weapon pouch. He smiled, eye closing instinctively so the boy could see—though it did nothing to soothe the fear in those weary pools of blue—and then mumbled an awkward, "Excuse me," under his breath as he proceeded to stand up and make his getaway.

The blond's hand still resting on his shoulder ruined his otherwise flawless escape plan.

Rei who was sitting on the other side of the little Jinchuuriki raised an eyebrow at his own copy that brought him here. The latter patted the stiff Kakashi over his shoulder and then simply poofed out of existence.

Apparently, the one sitting here was the original, because after a couple of seconds a corner of his lips quirked up. "Add another miso ramen to the order, Teuchi-san!" he shouted and Kakashi had an abrupt urge to punch that smug little smirk clean off of his face.

"Coming right up!"

"No need to be scared, Naruto," Rei said as he gently pushed the kid back to the middle of the chair so that he wouldn't fall down. "This is Kakashi Hatake. He was in the genin team your father had mentored."

The silver-haired man didn't know how this stranger knew that, but he didn't care at this moment. He needed to leave. Right now. He couldn't quite understand what exactly compelled him to stay here. How hard it could be to leave—he just needed to stand up and use a shunshin. So, why couldn't he muster an ounce of will to do so?

Perhaps due to Naruto's impossible wide eyes fixed straight on him, full to the brim of innocent, pure wonder. "You knew my dad, 'ttebayo?"

"Uh…" Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, not quite knowing how to deal with that kind of absolute admiration. If he decided to leave right now, he was sure it would break the kid's heart. But at the same time, his parentage was a secret. Was it alright to talk about it? "That's…"

Seeing the jounin's obvious reluctance to speak, Naruto's excitement wavered and his expression started to fall.

Rei, however, just rolled his eyes and let out a huff of exasperation. "Don't mind him, Naruto," he said with a grin, ruffling the hair of the young Jinchuuriki. "This guy is just a little bit shy in meeting new people."

Kakashi's eyebrow twitched at the comment. He shot a glare at the older Uzumaki when the younger one turned to look at the latter.

"He's an amazing ninja, though," Rei continued, seemingly oblivious the ire of the silver-haired jounin or perfectly ignoring it. "He knows more jutsu than even me."

Naruto's jaw dropped.

"He can also summon a pack of very skilled ninken."

"Ninken?"

"Yeah. All eight of them."

The kid's eyes sparkled in excitement. "Can I see them?"

"I don't know, Naruto," Rei replied in kind before motioning towards the jounin with his head. "How about asking Kakashi about that yourself?"

Kakashi on his part kept a steady glare on the blond man, his eye gleaming with a baleful fire and his mind working a mile a minute.

How come a newcomer to Konoha knew so much about him? His past and his skills weren't knowledge that one could gather in the streets with a simple reconnaissance. Information leak? Did this person have a spy among ninja of Konoha? Or did he broke into the Hokage Tower and read the personal files himself? With Rei's abilities, it wouldn't be so hard.

Kakashi's eye hardened with a resolve, deciding to go along with this blond bastard, for now, to learn just how much more Minato's brother knew and to make sure that he had no plans to use the stolen information against Konoha. Two could play this game.

Meanwhile, Naruto took a cautious peek at the silver-haired ANBU. The latter's dark expression made him instantly turn away again and he inched closer to his uncle. "N-no, it's alright," the boy murmured, clearly upset. Not even steamy bowl of freshly prepared ramen that was placed in front of him failed to cheer him up.

Rei frowned lightly as he broke his chopsticks apart and took a quick peek at Kakashi.

"If you want to meet my ninken, I can summon them for you."

The young Jinchuuriki's face lit up like a bonfire. "Really?"

Kakashi smiled, his eye forming a smile too to match the one hidden behind his mask. "Of course. There's no trouble." He felt quite smug when he saw a flash of surprise flittering across Rei's features.

Before Naruto could shoot the hundreds of questions undoubtedly queuing up in his head, the older Uzumaki chimed in, "That will have to wait until you ate, kit."

"Okay, Rei!" the kid exclaimed before looking back at Kakashi. "Thanks, Old Man!"

Rei almost spat out the mouthful of ramen that he just took. Unfortunately, some broth got in his pipe and he started coughing all the while struggling not to laugh and make his situation worse.

Kakashi grimaced at the title. "I'm not that old, Naruto," he objected.

"Eeeeh? But you have the white hair and all, 'ttebayo," the boy replied as he quickly slurped down his favorite meal.

Rei dropped a few pieces of bacon into Naruto's bowl that he picked up out of his own. "He really acts like an old guy, right?" he asked, his soft tenor layered with obvious mirth.

The little Uzumaki beamed. "Yeah! Thanks, Rei!"

Kakashi gave the man a withering look, then picked up his own chopsticks and gathered all the bacon in his serving of ramen. "Just call me Kakashi," he said while placing all the offering into the kid's bowl.

Naruto's head snapped up to look at him, sheer wonder on his whiskered face. Then his mouth stretched into a toothy grin—a smile that could light up any day, no matter how dark. "Alright, Kakashi! Thanks!" he chirped happily before digging into his food again.

"Very smooth, Hatake."

"Learned from your example, Uzumaki."

The blond's smirk widened into a small smile, the curve full of so much warmth it startled Kakashi. He recognized that smile, had seen the same expression on his sensei's face so many times and yearned to witness it at least one more time for so long. However, the touch of sadness, a glimmer of grief, and unfathomably deep sorrow in those sky blue eyes cut his breathing a little short.

Naruto glanced at the adult on his left, then at the one on his right, and frowned. He gulped down what he had in his mouth and inquired curiously, "You're not eating?"

Instantly, all those out-of-place emotions were carefully wiped from Rei's face, replaced by the usual laid-back demeanor. "Yeah, we're eating," he said. Soon he noticed his nephew's empty bowl and grinned. "What? Do you want the second already?"

The boy fidgeted in his seat, twisting the hem of his t-shirt with his hand. "Can I?" he asked shyly. "Get the second?"

Rei chuckled. "Sure, kiddo, eat as much as you like."

Naruto broke into a grin bright enough to equal the sun itself. "Teuchi-san, second!"

The ramen chef laughed, putting the already prepared warm dish in front of the eager child. "For such a small boy, you sure can eat a lot!" he observed.

"Of course!" Naruto shouted in excitement. "Rei said that I need to eat properly if I want to grow up as strong as he and then I'll become the Ho—" he abruptly cut himself off, his eyebrows knitting together. "Then I…" After a moment, he nodded to himself, obviously coming up to some decision. "And then I'll become the leader of Uzushio, 'ttebayo!"

Kakashi froze. Teuchi blinked.

Rei laughed joyfully and gave Naruto an affectionate hair ruffle, eliciting a delighted giggle. "That's my boy!" he exclaimed, his tone overflowing with immense pride. "Now I don't have to worry about the future of Uzushio anymore!"

Kakashi watched the two Uzumakis, feeling the familiar hollow void inside his soul growing, threatening to swallow him whole.

Naruto was definitely leaving. The last spark of light in his disastrous life was about to vanish, to never illuminate the darkness that surrounded him and show the path out of it. Without his light, Kakashi wasn't sure if he'd be able to find his way anymore.

"Hey!"

The jounin almost jumped at Rei's raised voice. His hand flew to grab the kunai in a reflex, but he retained enough awareness not to pull it out. With a sigh, he eased his mind and body from the sudden alert mode.

Rei was staring, the slight downward turn of his mouth giving away his concern. "Stop thinking about unnecessary things and eat your ramen," he urged in a surprisingly mother henish way. "It's getting col—" His eyes widened at the sight of Kakashi's already empty ramen bowl. "When did you—How did you—What?!"

Kakashi felt pretty amused by the man's unexpected fluster. When the latter fixed a frustrated glare on him, he simply quirked a questioning eyebrow. He didn't know why the man became this vexed, but he kind of felt pleased by the fact that he managed to put him off his stride.

"Get the second one!" Rei demanded. "I didn't see you eat!"

"No, no, I'm already full," Kakashi replied lazily, now truly curious why the blond was so insistent. "Besides, it's time for Naruto to meet my ninken, remember?"

The boy was just drinking the last broth drops of his second serving before he slammed the empty bowl on the counter and yelled out, "Yeah! Can't wait, 'ttebayo!"

"See?" Kakashi eye-smiled. "Time to go."

Rei clicked his tongue, shook his head, and muttered something under his breath as he pulled out the money to pay for their dinner. Something about missed opportunity and mask and 'how the hell he does that?'

"Hm?" Kakashi inquired politely. "You said something?"

The blond gave him the most brilliant deadpan stare.

Naruto glanced from one adult to another. "Um… What's wrong?"

"Nothing," they both stated at the same time.

"Ready to leave?" Rei asked. When Naruto nodded, he grinned.

And then a hand landed on Kakashi's shoulder without any warning and he suddenly found himself in one of the vacant Konoha's training grounds. His disapproving glower was met by the wicked smirk.

Damn blond bastard.

"Just how many Hiraishin spots you have in Konoha?" the jounin asked in an absent-minded manner, observing the man at the corner of his eye.

Rei scratched his head, humming in thought. "Dunno," he replied, short and unhelpful. "Lost the count after the first few dozens of them."

Kakashi squinted, trying to decide if he was telling the truth or just joking.

Minato's brother ignored his probing gaze and clapped his hands, a usual dazzling grin firmly on his face. "Now, show us your magic!"

"Yeah, Old Man Kakashi! Show us!"

Rei snorted, but covered his mouth in time to stop laughter from escaping.

Kakashi twitched at the name. Didn't he already bribe this brat not to call him that? He looked down at the little Uzumaki, ready to insist that he wasn't that old (even if he felt older than the dirt sometimes, it still was too early to be called an old man, dammit!), and froze at those pleading puppy eyes, sparkling in excitement.

"Uhhh…" the jounin drawled as he rubbed the back of his neck. The longer Naruto stared at him like that, the more his will folded like wet paper. "Alright then," he sighed.

The boy favored him with a beaming grin.

Kakashi strolled a bit further away, brushed his finger across the blade of the kunai, quickly made the necessary hand signs, and slammed his palm on the ground. There was a poof and after a moment eight ninken appeared in a chakra cloud: Bull in the middle with Pakkun sitting on his head and the rest around them.

"Yo!" Pakkun greeted him, lifting his front paw. "What's the occasion, Boss?"

"I promised someone that he could meet you all," Kakashi explained, motioning towards the two blonds.

"Whoaaaa! So cool, 'ttebayo!" Naruto gushed, running closer. "Can I learn to do that, Old Man Kakashi?!"

"Old Man?" Akino echoed while Shiba and Bisuke burst into laughter.

Kakashi ignored them with practiced ease and smiled at the little eager child. "Maa, I'm pretty sure your uncle will find you a suitable summoning contract."

Naruto whipped his head to look at the older blond. "Really, Rei?"

"I'll see what I can do about that," the man promised before gently pushing the kid towards the dogs. "And I'm pretty sure Kakashi will let you play with his pack for a bit." He turned to the silver-haired ninja and keeping his face absolutely straight, asked, "Right, Old Man Kakashi?"

Kakashi's eye narrowed into a glare at the name, but all he received back from Rei was an innocent eye blink. "Sure," he agreed as he gave Pakkun a meaningful glance—they were a pack and so verbal commands were unnecessary between them.

The pug nodded in affirmative. "Come here, pup," he invited the boy as he patted a spot behind him. "Let's go for a ride."

Naruto yelped in surprise when one of the ninken suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt and threw him on top of Bull. Next moment, the whole pack and the child dashed away, leaving only barks and peals of delighted laughter in their wake.

"Thanks," Rei said quietly after a few minutes of silence. "Naruto needed something exciting like this today."

Kakashi furrowed his brow at the implication of those words. "What happened?"

The blond pushed his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels. "Just had to remind some people that the real monster in this situation is not Naruto." His features were set into a cold and indifferent mask as he spoke, but the fury and murderous intent swirling in those sharp blue irises betrayed his true feelings. "The kid was so shaken by those bastards, he even said that he doesn't want to stay in Konoha anymore. That was my plan in the first place, but I'd have rather asked him if he wanted to leave myself and not hear the child begging to take him with me."

Oh. So that was what happened. Kakashi's shoulders dropped. Konoha finally managed to break the little sunshine's spirit.

"Look, Kakashi," Rei said, sounding very serious now. "I'm not trying to turn Naruto against Konoha or anyone in this village, but he can't stay here. This is not the environment a child should grow."

The jounin agreed to that statement from the deepest parts of his heart, he really did, but they knew nothing about Rei Uzumaki. If Naruto was a simple child, he might not have questioned his motives. Unfortunately, the boy carried the burden of being the Jinchuuriki.

"If I said that I don't care about the Kyuubi, I'd be lying," the blond confessed as if reading Kakashi's thoughts. "But there are so much more to the Kyuubi and the rest of the Bijuu than humans know." He fixed the other man with a stern gaze. "They aren't only mindless beasts to be used as secret weapons by you people."

There was something inhuman about Rei's presence as he spoke, something unfathomably powerful and intense in his eyes that sent all Kakashi's instincts on high alert. He had to suppress the urge to back off.

Next instant, all that pressure disappeared without a trace and an easy smile brightened the blond's features. "Don't forget to add this to your report."

"…Right."

"What? You think I'd blurt something that I don't want the Hokage to know?"

Kakashi ignored him. Minato's brother wasn't stupid, so, of course, he understood his obligation as Konoha's ninja to report their meeting to the Hokage.

"Or that I wouldn't realize that you agreed with my request partially because you wanted your ninken to learn my smell?"

That surprised him, though sheer amusement in the blond's voice was downright confusing. "And you're fine with that?" he inquired carefully, narrowing his eye in suspicion.

"Sure, why not." Rei shrugged, definitely unbothered by that knowledge. "Honestly, I thought I'll have to bully you more to agree, so that worked in my favor." His mouth stretched into a savage grin. "It's not like your dogs will be able to help you if I ever became your enemy and was forced to attack you."

Those words were not an empty threat, Kakashi could feel it with every fiber of his being. Rei's sudden dominating presence, that chilling deadly aura, and that exhilarating air oozing with confidence were enough to make his heart shudder.

"But, hey," Rei slapped his shoulder, his malicious baring of teeth replaced by a cheerful friendly smile, "we're friends now, so I'll be counting on you coming to save me if I ever fall into trouble."

The jounin couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. As if this person ever would be in need of saving.

"In return, here." Rei held out the three-pronged kunai. "If you'll need any kind of assistance, want someone to keep you company, or simply wish to see Naruto, you can always call me and I'll come."

Kakashi stared at the familiar weapon, then glanced up at the man's genuinely honest face. Was he truly ready to accept this offering of friendship? He looked to the other side of the training ground where his sensei's son was rolling around in the grass, bubbling with merry giggles as he tried to avoid wet and cold noses of the assaulting ninken.

If this choice permitted of keeping his light in his life for a bit longer, the answer was obvious.

Without further pondering, his hand reached out to take the kunai.

"Good decision, Old Man Kakashi!" the blond cheered. "You should really be mindful of your age and—"

"Shut up," the jounin grumbled as he stuffed the blade into his weapon pouch.

Rei's laughter, carefree as the breeze, made Kakashi unconsciously relax. For the first time in years, he felt at peace.

Chapter Text

"Mom!" Karin shouted as she sprinted towards the little cottage where the two of them lived.

Outsiders like them were not supposed to live in the village, so two Uzumakis resided in this remote place, surrounded by lush forest.

There was a grin on Karin's face, eyes shining with excitement. She finally saved up enough money to buy sweet buns that everybody had been talking about and her mother even promised to return from work early today.

"Mom?!" the girl called out again as she opened the door with vigor. "You home?!"

The house was as silent and empty as always. Karin pursed her lips, pressing the box with her purchase more securely to her chest, then quickly crossed the kitchen and poked her head into their shared bedroom with a whispered, "Mom?"

Lately, her mother always took a nap after returning home, so Karin was afraid to wake her up. However, the bedding was undisturbed, the bed still made up as neatly as it was in the morning.

Karin's expression fell. It lasted only a moment before her eyes brightened up again. So what that her mom was a bit late? She would definitely come back soon and they could eat these deliciously smelling buns together!

Karin ran out of the cottage, her precious cargo held tightly in her arms, and settled herself under the nearby tree. From this spot, she could clearly see the big stretch of the road, until it curved and disappeared in between the trees.

Karin started to wait.

She waited and waited. Didn't budge when her stomach growled, demanding food. Continued to wait as the sun dipped lower to the horizon. Stayed in the same place even when the light of day drained away and the sky began to grow dark.

And finally, her patience and stubbornness were rewarded with a sight of her mother's hunched figure slowly walking from around the curve.

Karin jumped to her feet and her childish face lit up in happiness. "Mom!" she exclaimed, rushing to meet the older woman half-way.

Kana Uzumaki smiled warmly at her daughter, stroking her head as soon as the latter came close enough. "There was an accident and a lot of people were hurt. I had to stay longer," she said, her voice soft and heavy with exhaustion. "I'm sorry, Karin."

The girl shook her head, unbidden tears gathering in her light red eyes. "It's fine..." she murmured as she sniffled and blinked her tears away. Then she showed the box and beamed. "Look what I—" Karin's voice abruptly cut off and concern replaced her happy expression when her mother's face went ashen and she put a hand over her eyes. "Mom?"

"Sorry, sweetie," Kana apologized. "I—I don't feel well…" She swayed for just a moment before crumpling lifelessly to the ground.

Karin's eyes widened. The box slipped out of her hands as she reached to catch her mother, help her, do something—

A strong wind blew from the side, carrying a cloud of dust, and Karin instinctively covered her head. After a moment, she looked up again and froze.

A stranger in orange cradled her mother. Holding her from falling to the ground with his arm around her shoulders, he carefully moved her head to a more comfortable position and pressed two fingers to her neck. His brow furrowed, but he didn't retract his hand right away. Fingertips brushed across numerous bite marks and his feather-like touch lingered on one of the fresh ones.

Karin watched as the man's expression visibly darkened and something terrifying resurfaced in his blue eyes. Her heart skipped several agonizing beats and she unconsciously took a step back. But before the panic could fully take control, that frightening feeling disappeared without a trace.

The stranger adjusted Kana's position, pushed his other arm under her knees, and effortlessly lifted her up bridal style. Only then he looked at the tiny seven years old, red-haired girl, staring at him with obvious fear written all over her face.

"Hey there," the man said quietly. A smile appeared on his face, one that was unexpectedly friendly and surprisingly reassuring. "Is that your house?"

"Y-Yes…" Karin stammered out. She didn't know this man, couldn't tell if he was going to hurt them or not. Even if she ran to find help, the little Uzumaki wasn't sure if anyone would agree to it. She gulped and managed to whisper, "M-My mom?"

"Just tired, don't worry. After getting enough rest, she should be fine."

The redhead gave a stiff nod, even when relief flooded her system and something loosened up in her chest.

The man's gaze focused on the paper box next to the girl's feet. "It seems you dropped something."

Karin glanced down. Sudden anguish sprouting in her, she muttered, "Oh no…" and quickly picked the box up. She could only hope that the sweet buns inside were still good to eat.

"What's inside?" the man inquired as he walked past the girl and towards the cottage.

Karin hurried to catch up. "Sweet buns."

"Oh? Are they delicious?"

"I don't know yet," she replied, gawking at the stranger absent-mindedly.

Even in the dim evening light, the man's blond hair seemed to glow from within as if beams of sunshine weaved themselves in between its strands. Compassionate eyes and amiable smile, every line in his features radiated kindness and compassion.

It made Karin feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"Careful, watch where you're going," he warned her. "Don't fall down while staring at me."

Karin ducked her head. Hearing a burst of mirthful laughter, her cheeks heated up. It wasn't her fault that she had never seen a person with such a bright shade of yellow hair before!

They were already at the entrance of the Uzumaki's little cottage, so the girl opened the door and let the man carry her mother inside.

The blond scanned the tiny kitchen and moved towards the door on the other side without prompting. "By the way, I'm Rei," he introduced himself, flashing another smile over his shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Karin." The girl closed the door and followed the man into the bedroom, leaving the box of sweet buns on the table as she passed it. "My mom's Kana."

There was no verbal response this time, just a hum of acknowledgment that her words had been heard. Rei laid the woman on the bed and brushed stray red hair out of her face. His eyebrows briefly drew together again at the sight of all the bite marks before he turned away and ushered the kid out of the room to let Kana rest.

Once the two of them were in the kitchen again, Rei lifted his hand, palm up. A moment later, a thread of chakra sparked into a small flame that he tossed into the central fireplace and the flare of fire lit up the room.

Karin observed it in sheer wonder. She startled when the man squatted down in front of her.

Rei's blue eyes examined her neck and then looked straight into those big, innocent eyes. "Can I see your arms?" he asked, his voice gentle and calm.

The girl blinked at such a weird request. Why would he want to see her—

Oh.

The fact that she possessed the same powers as her mother was supposed to be a secret. Could it be that this stranger figured it out? It made Karin nervous. Would he kidnap her and sell her to someone evil?

The silence must have stretched for too long, because the man sighed. "It's alright," he smiled at her. "Just tell me, do you have to go to the hospital as your mother?"

The girl shook her head and mumbled under her breath, "Mom says to stay away from the hospital."

"That's good." Rei paused. His gaze seemed to sharpen. "Do you like living in Kusagakure?"

Unconsciously, Karin fisted her hands until the knuckles became white. She lowered her head, successfully hiding her expression from the stranger. "They took us in," she said, sounding cold and detached. "They took outsiders like us in."

"That's not what I asked."

The redhead bit her lip. "We should be grateful to be allowed to stay here."

"Karin."

At the sound of her name, Karin looked back at Rei's sympathetic expression. Her chin trembled in a vain attempt to hold the tears, but they burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face. "They are hurting my mom!" she cried out. "She feels tired all the time, but they never give her enough time to rest!"

Rei watched the little Uzumaki break down into sobs over the injustice the two of them faced in this village. He tightened the lid he forced on his explosive rage. It threatened to crack any second, but this definitely was neither the time nor place to let even the tiniest part of that to leak out.

The blond put a hand on the girl's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "I won't let these people hurt you or your mother anymore." He offered a smile when those watery light red eyes fixed on him. "I promise."

Karin sniffled, lifted her glasses up and rubbed her arm across her face.

"Karin?" A quiet voice and a shuffling of feet drew both of their attention to the bedroom door. Soon, Kana came into view, leaning tiredly against the doorframe. "How did I end u—" Whatever she wanted to ask, died at the back of her throat as she saw an unfamiliar man in their home with his hand on her daughter.

A wide range of emotions flashed across the woman's face. Fear, anger, suspicion; her expression plainly reflected all of it until it stopped on the final one—protective ferocity.

Rei straightened up, his arms going up in a placating manner to show that he wished them no harm.

Despite his action, Karin was swiftly pulled back and pushed behind her mother. "Mom?" she asked, utterly confused.

"Who are you?!" Kana demanded.

"I brought you in when you fainted outside your home," Rei answered in honest. Seeing the mother acting so protective, firmly standing in front of her little girl, eyes fierce and body tense, with no sign of the feeble, exhausted person, his respect and admiration for her grew tenfold. "I'm not an enemy."

Kana allowed a bit of tension to seep away, but her guard was yet to go down completely. As she looked at the blond stranger more attentively, she couldn't help a small frown from forming in her brow. Her sensory abilities couldn't quite penetrate this person's invisible deceptive cloak around him, but she instinctively knew that he was a ninja. An immensely strong ninja.

She glanced at her daughter, a mute inquiry for the explanation.

"It's true," Karin said. "Rei-san is not a bad person."

The older Uzumaki's body relaxed, her expression softened, features losing all the previous intensity. The exhaustion also came back with double the force.

"I'm sorry," Kana uttered. Some suspicion still lingered, but she knew that if the stranger wanted to harm them, he could easily do it. "I acted rash and misunderstood your intentions."

"It's okay," Rei waved her worries off, clearly unconcerned. "You were protecting your kid, I understand."

Kana offered a polite smile. "Thank you. And also thank you for your help." She finally felt at ease and at the same time embarrassed about her lack of hospitality. "Rei-san, right?" she asked, quickly crossing the kitchen to put water on the fire. "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure." The blond sat down on a chair by the table.

While her mother busied herself with boiling water and preparing tea for the guest, Karin carried two plates to the table. With her heart thumping anxiously in her chest, she opened the box and peeked inside. Sweet buns seemed fine. A bit squashed, but mostly fine.

"Are you just passing Kusa, Rei-san?" Kana initiated a small talk.

Rei raised an eyebrow at Karin when the girl put two sweet buns out of a total four into his plate. "That's right," he replied, a bit distracted. He picked one bun and placed it into the mother and daughter's plate.

Karin beamed at him. Rei grinned back.

"Where are you from?"

"Uzushiogakure."

The teapot fell down and crashed into a thousand pieces, steaming hot tea spilling all over the floor. As if not realizing that she dropped it, Kana stared at Rei, shocked and disbelieving.

The blond sighed. "My mother was an Uzumaki, so I consider myself part of the clan," he began. "When I arrived here from a faraway land, I had nowhere to go. I visited Uzushio ruins and thought, why not to rebuild it. I have the means to do so and enough strength to create a safe haven for all Uzumaki survivors and their descendants."

As he spoke, Kana stumbled to the chair and sat down, unable to look away from the man who identified himself as one of their own.

"Uzumakis really had hidden deep. Except me and my nephew, I don't really know anyone else. So, once I've heard rumors about the possibility of my people being here, I came to investigate," Rei explained. He paused and added, "And I found you." His lips formed a smooth curve, comforting and full of promises. "I'd like to invite you and your daughter to move into Uzushio."

Kana covered her mouth, eyes glazed with a glossy layer of tears. The swirl of emotions simply overwhelmed her.

Even after so many years, there were still people, greedy and disgusting people, who coveted the unique powers of the Uzumaki bloodline. Kana wasn't a fighter, not really. That was why she put up with Kusa's horrible treatment, hoping against all hope that her service and sacrifice for years would earn her daughter a safe place to grow and live.

This man could be lying, a part of her mind reasoned. Maybe he was trying to deceive her, to lure her into a trap.

And yet, Kana believed him. Maybe, she simply wanted to believe him.

She didn't remember much from Uzushio. The majority of her childhood memories were comprised of the moment her mother placed a kiss on her forehead before pushing her into the boat with other Uzumaki kids; the moment she witnessed the adults fighting to their last breath to allow the boat to leave under the safety of the darkness.

She watched her home burn that night.

Rei stayed silent, letting the woman work through all of that. "You don't have to decide righ—"

"Yes," Kana cut him off, sounding surprisingly confident in her decision. "I accept your invitation."

Rei broke into a happy grin. "Wonderful!" he cheered. "Once you say your goodbyes, we can leave right away."

Kana's lips thinned and her face hardened. "No need. There is no one I wish to say goodbye," she said resolutely. Then, hesitated. "Just… I don't know how the village leader will react to my departure."

"I'll take care of it." Rei's smile shifted from being wide and peppy to a vicious, savage grin. "Uzushio is still not completely habitable, but I know a nice place where you can stay for the time being. I'm not leaving you two in this village."

Kana's heart shuddered. There was the intent, a brief brush of sharp, brutal bloodlust, so light that if not for her innate sensory abilities, she would have easily missed it.

Somehow, it didn't frighten her for it wasn't aimed at her or her child.

"Mom?" Karin tugged the older Uzumaki's sleeve to get her attention. "Are we leaving this place?"

"Yeah, honey," Kana replied, a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. "We're going home."

The girl tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Home?"

"I'll come to pick you up in the morning, so rest for tonight," Rei suggested, standing up. He gave Karin a gentle hair ruffle. "Take care of your mom, kit."

The little redhead nodded, resolve burning in her eyes.

With the last pat on her head, Rei turned to leave. The moment his hand landed on the door handle, Kana called him again.

"Rei-san?"

He glanced at her. "Yes?"

"The villagers… they, they are not at fault," Kana said. She wasn't quite sure why she had a sudden urge to tell him this, but the man's reaction when he mentioned the village unsettled her. "Their treatment might not have been the best, but they still provided protection for us till now."

Rei's piercing gaze bored into her, searching and assessing, before he shifted it away. "Got it." With that, he opened the door and left.

The room was silent after his departure, filled only with the sound of a crackling fire.

"He'll come back for us, right?"

Kana looked at her daughter's hopeful, yet slightly fearful eyes. "I truly believe he will," she assured without a shadow of a doubt. She couldn't even remember when was the last time she felt this certain of their future as if her chest would burst from happiness. "How about we eat your treat and then go pack our things?"

"Yeah!"

Two men exited the building that was Kusagakure hospital's special wing for ninjas. The shorter one halted his steps, pinched the bridge of his nose, and heaved a heavy sigh.

"What if we used the girl, Jushi-sama?" the second man, the burly guy with black hair and Kusa forehead protector, asked.

"Too young." His companion shook his head. "And did you forget that the mother threatened to kill herself if we exploit her daughter? Besides, we could use the girl later, Zosui, once she matures. We just need to find a good match."

Zosui stayed silent, face cold and indifferent, without any emotion present.

"Are you the village leader?"

An unfamiliar voice startled both men. Their heads whipped to look at the speaker.

A young blond man in a bright orange haori stood in the middle of the street with his hands in the pockets. Blank expression, nonchalant demeanor, and no visible weapons—nothing about him indicated any sort of danger.

Jushi frowned. He had never seen this person and there was no affiliation mark on him. A civilian? "Who are you?"

"Rei Uzumaki," the outsider introduced without batting an eyelash. "So, are you or are you not the Kusagakure's leader?"

"Uzumaki?" Jushi's eyes flashed before they flittered at Zosui. The ninja gave a barely perceptible nod. "Yes, I'm the leader." A sleazy smile appeared on his face. "How can I help you?"

"Oh?" Rei's bared his teeth into a grin that was neither polite nor particularly friendly. His carefree posture, however, didn't change at all. "Lucky me." He shot Zosui a quick look, blue eyes shimmering with mocking laughter. "I came to tell you that Kana and Karin Uzumaki are leaving your… care. Don't even think about going after them."

Jushi's smile vanished, replaced by a dark, stormy expression. "You have no right!"

"I have no right?" Rei scoffed. "As a leader of the newly established Uzushiogakure, I have all the rights to protect my clansmen."

It was the busiest time in the evening, so more and more passersby seemed to take notice of this standoff and gather around. The last declaration of the blond Uzumaki prompted a wave of gossip among the crowd.

Jushi clicked his tongue. "How about we moved this conversation into a more private place?" he suggested, mustering all the patience to act politely with such an overconfident idiot.

"Why?" Rei asked. He casually strolled closer and stopped right in front of the village leader, infuriating smirk on full display. "Are you hiding something? Or maybe trying to get rid of me in private?"

Jushi clenched his teeth. This man seemed to think that he wouldn't dare attack him in the middle in his own village, but he couldn't be more wrong. "Forget catching him!" he yelled as he moved further from the outsider with a burst of chakra. "Kill him!"

Zosui pulled a bundle of explosive tags as he jumped backward and threw them in the air, forming a sequence of handseals soon after.

The tags shined and suddenly flew towards the enemy, attaching themselves onto his body. Rei, on his part, was just standing still. He never tried to avoid them or pull them off. He did absolutely nothing even when the tags covered him from head to toe.

Zosui flared his chakra and all of them exploded, filling the street with black smoke.

"What a waste," Jushi spat, observing the ashes slowly raining down with contempt. "Tsk, all bark and no bite." After a moment, he saw a movement in the smoke at the corner of his eye. He blinked, squinted, then just shook his head. There was no way that the guy survived. He was just being unnecessarily paranoid.

A sudden blast of wind blew all the smoke away. Rei brushed off stray specks of dust from his clothes and looked back at the gaping Kusa ninjas, unimpressed.

Unbelievable! It was totally unbelievable! "Why—Why it did nothing to you?!" Jushi exclaimed.

"What do you mean it did nothing to me?" Rei chuckled, brushing fingers through his golden locks. "It messed up my hair."

"Impossible!"

"Not really," the blond waved his hand in dismissal. "It's funny, though, the fact that you think you can defeat me using seals of all things." He paused and his gaze sharpened. "I guess it's my turn now." He sped through a series of handseals and in the blink of an eye had drawn up a monstrous amount of chakra. It permeated the air around him and sunk into the dirt beneath his feet.

Rei slammed his hands down onto the ground and set it ablaze with a haunting glow. It burned lines upon lines into the surface of the earth and gradually spread around, climbing the walls of the buildings and covering them from the base to the tip of the roof in an instant. A panic arose in the village as the sealing array kept growing farther and farther. Soon, it encompassed almost the whole Kusagakure.

Jushi broke out into a sweat as Rei looked at him again with a cool gaze. "There's no way that this is a real seal!" he denied, furious beyond belief. "You come here demanding to give you that woman, do you even realize where you are?! Do you want to become the enemy of Kusagakure?! We have allies! Konoha is our ally! You think they're going to just sit and do nothing if you bring harm to their ally?!"

The further he talked, the bolder he felt and the more Rei's face darkened until he put his hand over his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare to become an enemy of the whole ninja village for some whore and her offspr—!"

Rei snapped his fingers.

And the hospital's building behind him exploded.

The flames shot up into the sky, bringing forth a rain of debris and ash. Screams and cries rang into everyone's ears, but there was no movement whatsoever for everyone was just too afraid to move.

Rei was a dark silhouette against the bright fiery background, his presence massive, oppressive, and malicious, though at the same time still somewhat restrained. Fire danced wildly behind him and his form cast a colossal shadow on the ground, the shadow which seemed to gain the life of its own. It twisted and morphed into a multitude of appendages, whirling ominously, impossible to count.

Rei's hand dropped. A pair of glowing red eyes glared at Jushi, the thick killing intent overflowing and choking the air out of his lungs.

Rei's lips pulled into a sneer. "You have no idea how much I want to kill you all, to rip apart everyone who left a mark on Kana Uzumaki's body, to raze this village to the ground and wipe it completely off the map." He sounded utterly, terrifyingly genuine in his desire to slaughter them. "Uzumaki clan is not weak. Its people are not for you to use and abuse. Everyone who does will have to face the consequences."

Rei glared at Zosui. The sealing lines under the latter's feet glowed and started to move, quickly winding around his legs, torso, arms, and head. The ninja didn't even have time to realize what was happening, it occurred so fast. A violent flare of chakra and his body exploded, leaving nothing but a cloud of bloody mist.

"There is nothing that I won't do to protect my people," Rei growled, looking down at Jushi, not even trying to disguise his disgust. "You're just flattering yourself."

The giant seal stirred again, black ink lines gliding up the Kusagakure leader's limbs like nimble snakes until they ignited and turned the man into dust.

Rei watched it passively.

A satisfied smirk slowly found its way onto his lips.

On the next blink, he was already gone.

Chapter Text

Rei spotted Karin sitting under the tree the moment he rounded the corner and the Uzumaki's cottage came into view. The girl perked up upon noticing him. He waved his hand and she returned his greeting with a wave of her own, a bright grin blooming on her face.

Rei smiled. Such a great contrast to what he witnessed yesterday. He was lucky that he found the two of them when he did. Who knows for how much longer Kana would have been able to go on like this. And while blowing up the ninja hospital wasn't his intention, he just couldn't help himself. He wanted it gone. That place had to cease to exist.

Rei was powerful enough not to regret this small slip of self-control. Besides, it was already aptly tied into his plans.

"Ready to go, kiddo?" the man asked, giving the little Uzumaki a pat on her head.

"Yeah!" Karin cheered. Without another word, she ran towards the house with an excited, "Mom! Rei-san is here!"

Kana appeared in the doorway. Seeing the blond approaching, her face brightened up with the same happy smile as her daughter's. "Rei-san, good morning," she greeted. After a moment, she rubbed her fingers in a nervous habit. Rei let her work up the courage to voice whatever was on her mind. "How the talk with the Jushi-sama went?" she asked, quietly. There was trepidation in her voice, a hesitance. "We saw the glow of fire in the sky..."

"It went well," the blond stated, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. "I can be very persuasive than needed."

"If you get in trouble because of us—"

"It's alright. I'm alright." Rei's eyes softened. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you. You're family now."

Kana stared at him, tears gathering in her eyes.

The family was sacred for the Uzumaki. Each of them had monsters inside their souls; savage, dangerous things ready to lash out at whatever threatened what was theirs. The moment Uzumaki recognized someone as a family was the moment that the monster awoke in order to protect their loved ones at all cost.

"Hey!" Karin shouted, glaring at the man. "Don't make my mom cry!"

Rei's hands instantly went up in surrender. "My bad. Sorry."

A laugh tumbled out from Kana's mouth. She stroked her little girl's head to calm her down. "We're almost done, Rei-san. Give us a few more minutes."

"Take as long as you need."

Rei waited patiently outside while the Uzumaki duo went around the cottage, checking if they didn't forget anything. Soon, they were standing in front of him, eager to begin traveling. It was almost disturbing how little possessions two Uzumakis brought with them.

Karin bubbled with curiosity. "Where are we going?"

"Wave country."

Kana's eyes widened. "It's so far…" She suddenly looked worried. "Won't you be troubled to stay with us for such a long time?"

Rei broke into a cheeky grin. "It won't take that long." He put one hand on Karin's head and another on Kana's shoulder. "Ready?" At the two slow nods, his chakra stirred, swirled, and then, they were where he wanted them to be.

A murmur of the crowd, laughter of children, cries of seagulls, and a distant sough of the ocean filled their ears, sun warmed their skin, and a salty wind brushed their hair away.

A couple of feet away, a stout man with a bushy beard toppled backward over the box he had been sitting on, a surprised yelp leaving his mouth. His back hit the ground, throwing a cloud of dust into the air, while his pipe made an arc and landed right in the middle of his forehead with a distinct thwack.

Mother and daughter stared at the new place with eyes wide open. They were in some small village, surrounded by lush trees at one side and a strip of glittering blue at another.

"Damn you, Uzumaki!" the fallen man roared, flailing his arms and legs as he tried to stand up. Once he managed it, he almost went down again as he tripped over the box. Finally finding his footing, he waved his fist at Rei's direction. "Why do you always show up in front of my blacksmith like some vengeful ghost?!"

Rei flashed him a wide, innocent smile. "I'm sorry, Old Sho, but how can I start my day without seeing your grumpy face?" he said smoothly.

"You—!" The blacksmith glowered, face red and blotchy from anger.

Rei's smile didn't waver.

Old Sho's furious expression started to falter the longer he stared at that disarming grin. "Cheeky brat…" A long-suffering sigh followed his quiet mutter. He leaned down and picked his pipe, arranged the box, and eased himself back on it. "You here for the order?"

"Ah, no," the blond replied, but his cerulean eyes lit up with excitement. "Is it done?"

"Just the first one, but you—or one of you—or part of you?" He grew more frustrated as he spoke and finally just threw his arms up. "Whatever you!"

Rei's amused chuckle received another glare.

"Anyway," Old Sho continued, biting on his pipe. "You said you wanted this one done as fast as possible. I worked overnight for you, kid." He pointed at the blond with his pipe, face stern. "You owe me. Those patterns were no joke to engrave."

"Sure, Old Sho," Rei agreed readily. "How about I bring you some high-quality tobacco from overseas?"

"Hmpf! You better!" the blacksmith harrumph, but couldn't quite hide fondness that curled around his eyes. He turned towards his workshop behind him and hollered, "Nobuo, you lazy brat! Bring the Uzumaki's order!"

"I'll be the one taking it!"

Everyone looked at another Rei sauntering over, a wrapped-up package in his hands.

"Boss will be happy that the whole set was done at the same time!" The newcomer turned to two speechless redheads gaping at him and grinned. "You must be my fellow clan members from Kusa. Nice to meet you!"

"...Brothers?" Kana guessed, but she sounded really unsure.

Old Sho snorted. "They're one and the same," he grumbled around his pipe. "Still weirds me out no matter how many times I see it."

"It's a simple jutsu," Rei that brought them here explained, sounding exasperated and helpless.

"Oh. I see." Kana didn't, but was polite and smart enough not to pry into the ninja's secrets.

And if two Reis were not enough, the third one soon joined the first two. "Hey, how's it going?" he chirped. Noticing Kana and Karin, he blinked, clearly surprised, but the next moment his mouth stretched into the blinding grin. "Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san, Uzumaki-chan!"

"Stop scaring them, idiot."

"You realize that calling him an idiot you're basically calling yourself an idiot?"

"We're obviously from different batches."

"Hey! That's discrimination!"

"Does that really make a difference?"

"Of course, you idiot."

"Oi!"

Old Sho rolled his eyes at the three-sided bickering. "See what I mean?" he said to the red-haired woman.

Kana had to fight really hard not to laugh at the ridiculous scene. Karin didn't have such restraints and melted into delighted giggles.

"Here you are, Rei-san!" another man called, jogging closer. He didn't even bat an eye at the three of them like it was an everyday occurrence. "The men are ready to go," he reported before glancing at each of the blonds. "Uh… which one—?"

"That'll be me, Kaiza." One Rei stepped forward, waved his goodbye, and left together with the man.

A teenage boy ran out of the blacksmith, briefly paused at the sight of two identical blonds. After a moment, he shrugged in a ninjas-are-weird way and said, "You order, Uzumaki-san." He extended a small oblong box to them.

"Great!" Rei who already held a package in his arms took the box and saluted the other people around him. "See ya!" A blink and he was nowhere to be seen.

Old Sho puffed a cloud of smoke and shook his head.

The last Rei looked at the mother and daughter duo. "I hope you're okay with staying at the inn in this village for a while. People here are really friendly, it's a great community."

"No problem at all."

"I hired these people to help with rebuilding Uzushio and we work together daily. Besides, one of me is always on standby somewhere around for protection. In case you'd need something, just find me or simply flare your chakra and I'll be there in an instant."

Kana smiled kindly at him. "Thank you."

"Can we check the coast?" Karin asked, peering up at her mother curiously. "I've never seen so much water before."

"Of course, sweetie, just let us put our things away."

"Well, then." Rei motioned at the direction of the inn. "Shall we?"

Naruto was bored.

He was so bored that he even cleaned his room. Rei always cleaned his apartment when he visited, so he thought he would do the same. It wasn't like he wanted to be praised or something.

Naruto stared at the smudge on the ceiling as he lay sprawled on top of his bed. He had no wish to go out after the playground incident and he was leaving Konoha soon, so there was no point going to the Academy. Teachers didn't like him much anyway.

What to do, what to do…

The boy suddenly shot up from his position and clambered out of bed in a rush. He slammed open his wardrobe and started to rummage through several boxes piled up on its bottom. He finally found what he was looking for and pulled a sheet of paper out with a delighted, "Aha!" After that, he also picked a bundle of old, half-used colored pencils and brought everything to the kitchen to sit at the table.

Naruto put the sheet down and attentively smoothed out wrinkled parts as much as he could. There were words 'My precious people' printed out at the very top, but otherwise, it was just a blank white piece of paper.

During one lesson in pre-Academy, the sensei distributed these sheets for every student as homework. They had to draw people that were precious to them, people that they wanted to protect once they would become ninjas.

Naruto had no precious people, not a single one. He had no one to draw. Maybe Jiji, but the little blond quickly dismissed that thought. Not wanting to be laughed at by submitting an empty sheet, he lied that he spilled ramen on it and got it destroyed. He was still laughed at by his classmates, but at least not for the reason that left his heart in shambles.

Naruto grabbed the orange pencil—the most used one of the whole set—and began drawing. He stuck his tongue out as he carefully lined the shape and colored it, grabbing another pencil for legs, then another to draw the face and finally yellow one to draw the hair.

It took him a while, but he finally finished his drawing by scrawling a name under the figure. He leaned back and admired his work. This was perfect!

"Watcha doing, kit?"

Naruto almost fell from his chair. A hair ruffle followed right after the sudden question and his heart sped up. He scrambled to grab the paper and hide it—

His fingers closed in on empty air as the sheet was already picked up by someone else.

Naruto felt a moment of nervousness when his gaze locked on his uncle. As he watched him staring at his drawing, expression blank, it morphed into dread.

What if Rei didn't like that he had thought of him as his most precious person?

It was an irrational fear, but he couldn't quite help it. Unbidden tears shone in his eyes.

A small smile curled on Rei's lips and he glanced down at the small blond, words of gratitude on the tip of his tongue, but it never hit the air. "W-Why are you crying?" he actually stammered out of surprise, worry and concern rising inside him like a high tide, followed by a storm of protective fury. "Hey, hey," he crouched down and cupped the kid's face with one hand, "what's wrong?"

"Y-You didn't, didn't like it, 'ttebayo," Naruto choked out. "'M sorry…"

"Didn't like—" The realization landed like a slap on his face. Rei brushed the tears with his thumb. "No, Naruto, that's not it. It's not that I didn't like your drawing. It's been years since someone told me that I'm their precious person, you just caught me by surprise." He leaned closer and placed a kiss on the little Jinchuuriki's forehead. "Thank you." He rested his forehead against Naruto's, looked into those sparkling pools of blue, and smiled gently. "You're my most precious person, too."

The boy took a deep breath, trying to stifle his sobbing. "…R-Really?"

"Of course."

Naruto started to cry even harder.

Rei felt a bit lost, a bit guilty, and a bit disappointed in himself. While he wouldn't call himself an expert in child psychology, he made an effort to grasp it once he decided to raise the little one. He read all the books he could find on the subject and still failed to recognize the insecurity this little guy continued to carry around. The weight of unworthiness instilled by years of neglect and hate pressing down on the kid's belief that someone genuinely wanted to take care of him.

Rei pulled the kid into a hug and allowed him to let it all out.

Speaking about those books, he suddenly remembered where they would be extremely useful.

A new shadow clone appeared and instantly vanished.

A drawing on the table attracted Rei's attention again. Warmth flooded his chest and it spilled out as a grin straight from his heart.

Right at this moment, Rei completely separated his identity from the little blond. Naruto wasn't his counterpart anymore. The boy was his own person with emotions and experiences that were unique and belonged only to him.

But in the end, they both had to learn how to be a family. It meant to love and be loved back. In his whole life, Rei never got the last part right. Naruto was not getting it either. They were ready to give everything, but never expected to get something in return. Maybe, they never thought they were worthy to get something in return.

Fortunately, now they could learn it together.

There was a knock.

Rei paused in the middle of sorting out the groceries, tilting his head to the side and wondering who it could be. The chakra signature was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite put a finger on the identity.

The blond cleaned his hands into the towel and padded out of the kitchen. He poked his head into the bedroom to check on Naruto. It had been a few hours since the boy cried himself to sleep.

There was a knock again.

Satisfied with the sight of the kid's chest rising and falling steadily, his chakra calm and undisturbed by nightmares, Rei crossed the small hallway and opened the door.

A young man in chuunin's attire startled upon coming face to face with him. He looked around, scratching the scar across the bridge of his nose, clearly flustered.

Rei smirked. Iruka, huh. Not someone he expected. Iruka at this time still viewed Naruto as a monster who killed his parents. Or something equally horrible.

Pushing his misgivings to the side, he leaned against the doorframe and inquired, "Yes?"

"Um…" Iruka glanced at the paper in his hands. "This is supposed to be Naruto Uzumaki's apartment?"

Rei raised an eyebrow. "It is."

The young chuunin stared at him long and hard. He squinted as if it would help him to see through the unfamiliar man. "It can't be…" he muttered with a tinge of uncertainty. "Naruto?"

Rei's eyes widened, but in the next moment he burst out laughing, his whole body shaking with the force of it.

Iruka—his Iruka—always was the only one who could find him when no one else did and see through him when no one else could. Rei couldn't believe that even this Iruka who was yet to acknowledge Naruto was able to just tell his real identity the moment he laid his eyes on him.

Rei finally managed to get his explosive laughter under control. He breathed deeply, cheeks hurting from how wide he was grinning. This was so unbelievable. As he brushed some stray tears, he looked back at the chuunin and asked, "Do I look like a seven years old kid?"

A blush crept on Iruka's face. His mouth opened to speak—

"Rei?" A voice from inside the apartment called, heavy with sleep. After a moment, Naruto came to stand next to his uncle, still rubbing his eyes. He blinked at the man standing right in front of his apartment. "Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka's expression transformed. Any signs of friendliness and previous embarrassment vanished, replaced by a dark, taut face. Not quite hateful or full of contempt, but it made Rei's hackles rise protectively nonetheless.

Iruka or not, this was not acceptable.

"Naruto," the chuunin started slowly, glowering sternly at the small blond. "Why are you not at the Academy? You've already missed lessons yesterday and the day before. I see that you intend to miss it today too. Care to explain?"

Naruto scowled. He instinctively reached for his uncle and fisted a hand into the material of his orange haori. And then, he glared up at his teacher.

Iruka was taken aback. It wasn't the first time this boy glared at him, but something seemed different this time.

"You don't care about me. You don't want me," Naruto spoke in a tone that spoke of hurt and injustice. So, so much hurt. "Why should I go there? I'm leaving Konoha soon anyway, what's the point?"

The chuunin stiffened. "Leaving Konoha?"

"You all can be happy once I'm gone."

Such an unchildlike thing to say. It stung, those words. Webs of guilt and regret trickled into Iruka's mind, like a stream against a large boulder that signified his stubbornness to see the facts straight.

Rei's hand landed on the boy's head, getting his attention. Ignoring a small flinch at the contact, he smiled affectionately when his blue eyes met a pair of matching blue. "How about you go and sort out the groceries I left in the kitchen?"

"Are you making dinner today?"

"Yep."

Naruto's face lit up like a bonfire. He fist-pumped and with a cheerful, "Yay!" he raced into the apartment, almost crashing into the wall in his haste.

Rei looked back at shocked Iruka, his fond expression slipping away. "Is that all?"

The chuunin flinched at that icy tone and a clear sign that he overstayed his welcome. But he had never seen this man before and wondered if the Hokage knew about someone staying with the Kyuubi's container. "Who are you?"

The blond's gaze pinned Iruka in place for one long, tense moment. The latter's heart skipped a beat when the man finally shifted.

Rei wordlessly pulled a folded in half paper sheet from one of his many storage seals on his person and extended it for the chuunin.

Despite being unnerved by that frigid stare, Iruka took the paper from his hand and unfolded it. Whatever he expected, a crude drawing, obviously done by a child, of an orange-clad person with yellow hair was not it. The moment he saw words printed at the top, he realized what sort of paper this was.

The drawing undeniably depicted the person standing in the doorway. Naruto's precious person. The only one he apparently had.

"…Ghost*?" Iruka read the word scrawled untidily at the bottom.

"Rei, actually. Rei Uzumaki and also Naruto's uncle from his father's side." Rei's lips twisted into a pleased smirk as the chuunin blanched. He snatched the drawing from the latter's hands and let the storage seal suck it back in. "I'm curious though." He paused, locking his eyes with the other man's. "You look at the innocent child, your own student no less, with that kind of cruel eyes… Do you really think you're fit to be a teacher?"

Iruka felt the air freeze in his lungs. He looked at the blond Uzumaki in silent horror. His throat felt dry and heart heavy, the question ringing in his ears like an endless echo. The stream turned into a waterfall, pounding relentlessly at the boulder.

"Goodbye, Umino."

The door closed to his face.

Hiruzen stood in front of the window in his office, hands behind his back and face scrunched into a deep frown. Not long ago some sort of commotion happened in one part of Konoha. A single, brief burst of unfamiliar chakra alerted all the nearby ninjas. No warning signals were sent, however, indicating that no real danger threatened the village.

Now, the Sandaime waited for his ANBU operative return to report his findings.

The Hokage robe fluttered in the breeze when the shadow flew through the open window. A masked nin kneeled before his leader.

"Dog. Report."

"An incident occurred inside the Hyuuga clan compound. It got completely buried under books and scrolls."

Sarutobi turned around to look at his subordinate, his aged features awash with disbelief. "Books?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Dog confirmed. "Hiashi Hyuuga was caught in the center of it. He said that it happened extremely fast and he had no time to react. Their Byakugan could not see who was behind the incident."

The Sandaime's mouth twitched. Their ghost visitor sure had been busy today. "What kind of books?" he asked curiously.

There was a distinct lilt of mirth in Dog's tone as he replied, "Childcare and family bonding."

While Hiruzen managed not to laugh outright, he couldn't suppress an amused smile anymore. "It seems Rei Uzumaki is trying to tell Hiashi something," he muttered. "Any serious injuries?"

"Besides Hyuuga's bruised pride, none."

This time the Sandaime did let out a short, quiet chuckle. He looked through the window again and stayed silent, not dismissing Dog just yet.

"Have you seen the recent Bingo Book from Iwa, Kakashi?"

The ninja stood up and pushed the mask away from his face, shedding his ANBU persona together with it. It was obvious that the Hokage wanted to talk with Kakashi and not Dog. "Iwa updated their Bingo Book?" he asked.

"Yes," Hiruzen answered, furrowing his brow. "Rei Uzumaki got his own page in it. They call him the Golden Ghost."

Kakashi's mask creased with a smirk. "Not surprising."

"No, it is not," the Hokage agreed. "His page is empty, describing only his name and appearance. Jiraiya went to investigate if he really did something or if it was more due to his uncanny similarity to Minato. If it's the latter, Konoha might get involved." A sigh left him and he rubbed his forehead, trying to smooth out the frown that just wouldn't go away. "Konoha might get involved either way…" He turned to fix the jounin with a complicated gaze. "Be careful while dealing with that man. It seems more and more unlikely that he wishes Konoha active harm, but it's better to be overcautious than regret later."

"I understand, Hokage-sama."

"Alright. You can go."

Kakashi shunshined away, leaving the Sandaime to his quiet musings while observing the bustling village behind the window.

The dinner eaten, the dishes washed, and the kitchen cleaned, it was time, Rei decided. He sighed as he stared at Naruto happily sipping hot cocoa.

"Kit."

Naruto looked up, growing a bit uneasy. His uncle's name of endearment sounded unusually serious this time.

Rei sat down on a chair next to the boy and frowned at his own clasped hands, thinking how to breach the topic. "I have something to tell you."

"What about?" The little blond's voice was small, apprehensive.

"About your parents and the reason why the villagers treat you so unfairly."

* – Rei, 霊, "spirit, ghost" (just a friendly reminder)

Chapter Text

Rei sat down on a chair next to the boy and frowned at his own clasped hands, thinking how to breach the topic. "I have something to tell you."

"What about?" The little blond's voice was small, apprehensive.

"About your parents and the reason why the villagers treat you so unfairly."

Naruto's tiny frame visibly hunched over, tension clinging to his rigid shoulders, and his eyes dropped, suddenly finding the surface of the table so much more interesting than his uncle's face.

"It's not because you did something. You know that, right?" Rei questioned as he pried the boy's fingers from around the mug before pushing it out of his reach. When there was no immediate reply, he urged, "Naruto."

The small blond nodded, albeit reluctantly.

Rei threaded his fingers through his hair as he leaned back with a sigh. This was turning out to be harder than he had expected. He didn't like seeing his kid retreating so deep inside of himself, still feeling so insecure about his place in this world.

The man also didn't know how exactly to tell him everything in a way that would be easy to understand and wouldn't leave space for misinterpretations. No matter how complicated the truth was, it was better than lies or disinformation.

Rei scrubbed the hand over his face, muttering, "Where to start…" under his breath.

Naruto peeked at him. "The beginning?" he suggested in an uncertain whisper. When all he received was a blank look, he fidgeted in his seat. "The beginning is important, 'ttebayo! If someone doesn't know where it started, they won't know what happened. This one time, I got into a fight with the older boys—such jerks!—and sensei caught us and I got punished before I could tell him anything," he babbled, huffing unhappily at the end. Realizing that he just admitted getting into a fight, his anxiety peaked. "But, but, but those jerks were hurting a puppy, 'ttebayo! And I wanted to save it! I told them to go away, to leave it alone, but they wanted to hurt it even more, so I punched one… Sensei never let me tell him what happened, if he knew where it started, maybe I wouldn't have been punish—"

A hand on his head caused Naruto to go still. However, Rei was smiling at him, the same warm and kind smile, and he relaxed, unconsciously leaning into the touch.

"Good job on standing up for those who can't protect themselves, Naruto."

The boy ducked his head, cheeks flushed and a shy curve on his lips.

"And you're absolutely right about starting from the very beginning," the older Uzumaki said as he pushed himself up. "You're smarter than me," he teased affectionately, gathering Naruto in his arms. "But it's a long story, so we better make ourselves more comfortable."

Rei carried the boy into the bedroom and deposited him on top of the bed, sitting down cross-legged in front of him. Their eyes were now at the same height.

Much better.

Naruto wiggled, finding the most comfortable position. Some of his uneasiness settled down the moment his uncle believed him, so now he gave his undivided attention to the adult.

"A very long time ago, a time before ninja villages and ninjas themselves," Rei began, "there was a being. A god. An incarnate of the destruction. With the power never seen before and rivaled by no one, it ravaged the land and threatened to destroy every living creature under the sky."

"But someone stopped it, right?" Naruto asked, sounding a bit breathless.

Rei smiled. "That's right. Two brothers stepped up to fight against the god to save the world from destruction. Their fight was long and exhausting. Eventually, the brothers won against the beast, but it turned out to be too strong. They couldn't kill it in the end."

"What did they do?"

"They decided to imprison the god so that it couldn't harm anyone. Not anything or anyone could hold such a being from escaping, however. The older brother took upon himself to become a vessel and sealed the god inside himself." Rei paused. "Do you know how the storage seals work?"

Naruto scrunched his brow. "You put stuff into the seal, like… like into a box?"

"Something like that. Sealing a living being into another living being is a much more complex process, but similar in concept. It doesn't make them one entity, they are still two separate beings. In the same way as the thing you put into the box doesn't suddenly become the box." This was an extremely important point, so Rei waited until the boy worked through that piece of information. "Do you understand, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked, startled by the deadly seriousness in his uncle's tone. A bit intimidated by it, he opted to nod rather than answer aloud. The stuff in the box was not the box, he could understand that.

The smile returned on the older blond's face. "Good thing you're such a smart kid," he praised and chuckled at the boy's bashful expression. "So, continuing with the story… The older brother sealed the evil god inside himself, but he was still a mortal man after all. Knowing that it would escape once he died, he took the beast's chakra, split it into nine parts and molded each part into a living creature."

Naruto gasped. "He created living things out of it, 'ttebayo?!"

"Yes. He created the Bijuu. They were creatures made out of pure chakra in different forms, but the man loved them as his own children and they called him their father. Each of them had a unique personality with thoughts and emotions that belonged only to them."

Rei's gaze wandered to the window on its own as he continued to speak and stayed there, tracing the outlines of the clouds and seeing the shapes that weren't really there.

"One-Tail Shukaku, a rambunctious brat. Two-Tails Matatabi, always polite and elegant. Three-Tails Isobu, such a timid and good child. Four-Tails Son Gokuu, a proud and headstrong warrior. Five-Tails Kokuo, a quiet and reserved one. Six-Tails Saiken, kind but annoyingly energetic at times. Seven-Tails Chomei, an endlessly cheerful lucky seven. Eight-Tails Gyuuki, an overly serious but easy to tease individual."

The world outside didn't share Rei's sudden melancholic mood. Bright and sunny day, a warm breeze occasionally flittering through the crack of the open window, carrying the songs of birds tightly weaved in the ambiance of the village.

"And finally, Nine-Tails, the big brother of the family, even if he'd rather pluck all his fur out than ever admit it," the blond's voice fell, lips pulled into a wistful arc, blue eyes speaking volumes of longing that welled inside his heart.

Two small, hesitant palms on either side of his face snapped him from the daze. He blinked at Naruto in uncomprehending bewilderment.

"You look sad," the boy said, expression tight with seriousness. "Don't be sad."

A few seconds passed in silence as Rei gathered and centered himself so he wouldn't drown in a sudden surge of memories. "Sorry," he uttered quietly. "I suddenly remembered my friend."

Naruto's frown deepened, but he did lower his arms and sat back down. "Thinking about your friends shouldn't make you sad, 'ttebayo. Remember all the fun you had with them. Isn't that what having friends means?"

Rei hummed in consent. "Remember all the fun… Yes, I probably should do that." Then, he poked the kid's nose. "You truly are smarter than me, huh." Naruto's giggle loosened something dark and unpleasant inside his chest just a tiny bit. "Anyway… Where was I? Hmm. Right. So, after their father's d—"

"Waaaaait!"

The older blond actually startled. "What? What is it?"

"You forgot to tell his name, 'ttebayo!" the boy huffed like his uncle was slow on the uptake.

"Er…" Rei scratched his cheek. "Whose name?"

"The big brother's!"

Only then he realized that, yeah, he omitted the Kyuubi's name previously by sheer habit. His friend always treasured his name as his greatest possession and he respected that. He would have preferred Kurama eventually revealing his name himself, but… this story wasn't intended just for Naruto's ears. The blond knew his partner's counterpart was listening, sensed his chakra stirring and growing more and more restless with every correct Bijuu name that he spoke.

"Kurama," Rei breathed out with a tinge of reverence. "His name is Kurama."

A spike of fury and resentment in the Kyuubi's toxic chakra hidden deep under his Jinchuuriki's naturally fresh and light one almost blindsided him. Knowing his name truly made Kurama mad. Rei suppressed a smirk. He would let the Kyuubi rage for now in hope that he would wind down after some time and be more susceptible to a civilized conversation.

Naruto stared, eyes wide with anticipation of hearing the continuation of the story. If the boy felt anything from his tenant's rage-induced breakdown, he didn't show it. The Yondaime's seal held strong.

"So, after their father's death, the nine siblings scattered around the world and for a while lived in peace. Their strength rose as they grew up and soon people took notice of these wandering colossal beasts that could flatten mountains and uproot forests with a single swipe of their tail."

"So strong!"

Rei's smile at the little blond's cheer was rather bitter. "But they were not humans. They were giants with unrivaled strength, something that people couldn't fathom. And because of that, humans started to fear them. They feared their sheer size, feared the power they could wield, feared that they would come to destroy their home. More and more conflicts arose between two different sides, but even with these occasional clashes the animosity between them grew non-stop."

As he listened, Naruto twiddled with the corner of the comforter, nervously clutching and twisting it.

"One day, a fight broke between two very strong ninjas. In order to get an upper hand in their fight, one of them used a powerful Genjutsu to subdue Kurama and forced him to do his bidding. Unable to win against such foe, the other man's wife used her body to seal the Kyuubi inside herself, to imprison him for the sin that was out of his control."

"B-But…" Naruto stammered out, bright cerulean eyes became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. "It wasn't his fault, 'ttebayo! They could—they could have let him go!"

Rei put a hand on the boy's knee in silent comfort. "After the fight, the winner—the man whose wife now had the Kyuubi sealed inside her—hunted down the rest of the siblings and imprisoned them as well."

"That's horrible!" the young blond couldn't help but cry out in horror. "W-Why would he do that?"

"Because, Naruto, as I said, humans fear what they don't understand. They never understood the Bijuu and the Bijuu never tried to make them understand. They were prideful and solitary beings. Maybe… if they had sought out to communicate with humans, the result would have been different." Rei shook his head with a sigh. "Or maybe it would have ended up the same but with the betrayal added on top of it."

Naruto sniffled, feeling justifiably upset on behalf of the Bijuu.

The older Uzumaki let him calm down a bit before pushing forward. This was the most important part. So far, the little kit reacted just as he had expected—with overwhelming sympathy and kindness.

"The Bijuu were given to the different ninja villages and eventually each sealed inside a live vessel. A person known as the Jinchuuriki." Rei looked straight into Naruto's eyes. "The Bijuu were very angry and used every opportunity to escape, to destroy and kill those who hurt them. The Jinchuuriki held such terrifying beasts locked away and it made people fear them instead. No matter their age, their lineage, or which village they lived in, the Jinchuurikis were feared. Fear bred hate and these people ended up being shunned by society, glared as they walked through the streets, sometimes kicked out of the shops, refusing to serve them. Parents would tell their kids to stay away from the young Jinchuuriki, despite him being just an innocent child with the forced upon sin that was not his to carry."

Rei saw the moment Naruto drew the connection. He froze, face white and eyes blown wide, tears still clinging to his eyelashes. As he blinked, they dripped from them and slid down his cheeks. His lower lip quivered as words slowly made their way out of his mouth. "I-I have one…" he began, yet what followed was engulfed in the tremors.

Instead of offering a verbal reply, Rei pulled the boy off the bed and into his arms, tucking his head under his chin and rubbing soothing circles on his back. He could feel Naruto's fingers curling into his clothes, holding onto him with all his might.

After a few long minutes, Naruto mumbled, "Which one?" into his uncle's chest.

"The Kyuubi, Naruto," Rei replied, voice gentle and bursting with fondness as always. "You have the Kyuubi sealed inside you."

"The big brother Kurama?"

Despite the heaviness of the situation, the older blond's lips twitched up. "The big brother Kurama," he echoed in agreement.

"Can I let him go?"

"I'm afraid not. Not right now anyway."

Naruto leaned back to look at the man properly, but was in no hurry to leave his lap. "Why not?"

"You will die if you do, Naruto."

The boy fiddled with the zipper of Rei's jacket. Then he spoke again, his voice was barely audible, "Does he hate me too?"

"People had hurt him so much that right now Kurama hates everyone," Rei said before a fond, understanding smile warmed the lines of his face. "But I believe that you two can become friends in the future. When the time comes, I'll be there to help you in meeting him."

Naruto lit up like a sunrise at that statement, the look of wonder taking over the drained sadness.

So endearing to see.

And then all happiness was gone again. Naruto lowered his eyes and his grip on Rei's jacket tighten as if scared of him disappearing at any second, leaving him all alone yet again.

Rei cocked his head to the side, confused about the boy's sudden mood change.

"Does that mean that others will always hate me?"

Ah. So that was the problem. "No, kit," Rei stated, tone firm and solid. "I can assure you, you'll definitely find people that will love you and would never hate you. You already have me, Teuchi and Ayame, the Hokage, Kakashi, and we're just the first ones among many."

Naruto listened with rapt concentration, soaking every word like a dry sponge would soak water.

Rei heaved a heavy sigh as he prepared for the next critical reveal. "Citizens of Konoha still live in memories of the Kyuubi's attack from seven years ago," he explained and watched as the little blond's eyes widened. He clearly failed to link the Kyuubi from those scary stories to the big brother Kurama. "They lost their homes, friends, and family members that night. Their grief and terror blinds them. They are angry and scared, yet they can't let it go, and they focus all of their hate at you because you're carrying the beast that haunts their nightmares. It's wrong and it's unfair, but that's how human nature works."

"But… Uzushio will be different?" Naruto asked, hesitant and so hopeful, staring at his uncle like he was both his salvation and his worst fear.

"Uzushio will be different," Rei confirmed with sincerity. He would rather die than fail to provide a safe haven for his kid to grow up.

The boy beamed at him. "Kurama really hates us if he attacked the village," he mused after a moment.

"Kurama hates us, but that's not why the attack happened. Your mom—"

Naruto's whole being snapped into attention at the mention of his mother.

"—was the Jinchuuriki before you. During your birth, an enemy nin attacked your parents. He used the Genjutsu to enslave Kurama, ripped him out of the seal, and forced him to attack Konoha." Rei gently wiped off the stray tear that trickled down Naruto's cheek. "Your dad didn't have any other choice but seal the Kyuubi again. To save the village from destruction, to protect his family from being killed, and also to get Kurama away from the clutches of the enemy."

"My dad did—" Naruto breath hitched. "But why? Why me?"

"Because he had faith in you. He trusted his son to keep the Kyuubi from doing even more harm and at the same time to prevent the enemy from using him against his will."

"Oh…" Naruto stayed silent for a while before his childish features hardened with resolve. "Then… I'll do it, 'ttebayo!" he exclaimed, a conviction roaring through his veins. "I'll become strong! Strong enough to protect Kurama and make my parents proud!"

Rei broke into a bright grin and ruffled the young Jinchuuriki's hair. "I'm sure they already feel proud, I know I am."

As he tackled his uncle into an impromptu hug, Naruto laughed, happy and carefree and filled to the brim with feelings of being loved and cherished. "Can you tell me more about my mom and dad?" he asked, still reveling in the warmth of his precious person.

"Hmm, let's see…" Rei trailed off, thinking. "Have you ever seen the Yondaime's photo?"

Naruto unwrapped himself from the older blond and leaned back so that he could blink at him in confusion. "Yeah? During a history lesson in the Academy. Iruka-sensei showed us the previous Hokage's pictures and told us about them," he chatted, getting hyped by the memory. "The Yondaime was so cool, 'ttebayo! Strong and kind and all sorts of awesome!"

Rei chuckled at the enthusiasm that spilled out of the boy in heaps. "And can you describe what he looks like?"

"Of course!" Naruto flashed a proud grin. "He has yellow hair and blue eyes… He looks just like you, Rei!"

The blond continued to look at the boy, an easy smile barely touching the corners of his mouth. The identical sky blue eyes gawked at him, and he could see when the gears began to whirr under that sunshine yellow mop. He knew that the kid was able to click all the puzzle pieces together.

"You-You're the Yondaime, 'ttebayo?!"

Rei spluttered, caught completely off guard. "No! He was my brother!" he blurted out. "You look just like him too!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before his mind registered the implication. "Brother? Look like him?" His mouth parted in shock as his head spun. "The Yondaime was my dad?" he whispered in awe.

"Yes, kiddo. His name was Minato Namikaze and your mom's name was Kushina Uzumaki. They loved you so much," the man said quietly. "Never doubt it."

Rei felt his own heart fracture at the distant memory of his parents. Two achingly familiar threads of chakra called out to him from the depths of Naruto's seal, so well hidden that no one would have noticed without knowing what to look for and lacking his extraordinary sensory abilities. So close, yet so far away.

One day, once Naruto and Kurama bonded with each other, he would let the boy see them. He could even make a seal that would allow their chakra imprints to stay for a bit longer. Shouldn't be too hard. The possibility to spend more time with each other would make Naruto and his parents so happy.

Being an outsider that didn't even belong to this world, Rei had no real place in this family's reunion. He would just sneak a glance at the two people that were his parents and at the same time weren't, and then let them have their moment.

"You look sad again," Naruto murmured, shifting slightly.

"Just thinking what exactly to tell you," Rei offered a white lie. "What about the story of how they've met each other?"

Naruto's eyes sparkled. "How?"

"Well, it all started…"

A couple of hours later, Rei and Naruto were still talking, the world beyond the small apartment momentarily forgotten. Their conversation flowed like a river, picking up momentum at some topics and slowing down in others.

Rei regained his focus when the memories from one of his shadow clones rushed in. The information about fulfilled tasks and other things from various places flowed in all the time, but unless it was of great importance, the original's mind sifted through the data without any outward signs of it happening at all. He was very good at multitasking.

This set of memories, however, was pretty crucial.

"I need to go," Rei said. He stood up, putting Naruto on his feet as he did.

The boy's expression fell. "Okay…"

"Well, I have to go, but he," there was a pop sound as the older blond jabbed the thumb over his shoulder, "will stay."

Another Rei gave a cheery salute. "Yo!" When Naruto beamed at him, he squatted down in front of him with a mischievous grin. "Hey, tell me, am I your favorite shadow clone?"

Naruto just stared, his eyes darting back to look at what he knew was his real uncle a moment later.

Rei scowled at his copy and reprimanded, "Don't confuse him unnecessarily."

That earned him an annoyed glower. "Just go wherever you need to go, Boss. Shoo!" He made a shooing gesture. "Let me spend some time with my favorite nephew!"

Rei rolled his eyes. "See you later, Naruto." Shooting a stink eye at his own clone, he added, "Just punch him if he gets unbearable."

"Hey!"

The young Jinchuuriki grew bubbly with mirth at their silly exchange.

Rei patted the boy's head and reached deep into his mind for the specific Hiraishin marker way back in Uzushio.

A split second later, he stood in the middle of the spacious room.

Reacting to a new presence, intricate patterns of multi-layered wards on every inch of the floor blazed menacing red before dimming back into a barely visible blue luster. Another giant matrix on the low ceiling glowed soft yellow, illuminating the surroundings in its ethereal light.

It was a huge circular chamber. Walls were covered in murals with such details and precision that it came to life before the eyes of the lucky spectator. Scenes of battles long forgotten and monsters long extinct, images of dancing happy people and festivals to honor the sea, depictions of children being taught the secrets of the Sealing Art—the highlights of the Uzushiogakure history carved out of the mountain's innermost parts.

If they stand behind you, protect them.
If they stand beside you, respect them.
If they stand against you, destroy them.

Rei gazed at those words on the wall, carefully chiseled in the center of the huge Uzumaki spiral.

The secret vault of the Uzumaki clan still humbled him every time he visited. A place out of time, a majestic sanctuary, a place to recharge and forget the things the world said had to be done even if only for a brief reprieve.

Books, scrolls, other artifacts, and some random notably cherished personal items lined the sides of the chamber, thrown haphazardly into piles without any order. The Uzumakis of the past had no time to arrange them in order with the danger of annihilation looming over their heads and only worried about preserving their knowledge and wisdom for future generations.

In the future from where Rei came from, the blond read and memorized every single line in these treasures. It took a significant amount of time to sort through all of it; he was yet to finish tidying these valuables at this time.

The man glanced around before moving towards the stone table in the eye of the chamber. He examined an article of clothing laid neatly on top, then brushed a hand across its surface in slow motion, feeling a faint prickle of chakra on his fingertips. The seals were invisible, weaved in the very fabric of the material, each fiber becoming a part of the Fuuinjutsu at the highest master's level.

Rei shook off his current haori and picked up the new one. It was almost identical, short-sleeved and of burnt orange color decorated by black flames on the bottom edge, except the newly added design on the back—meticulously embroidered Uzushio name in black with the red Uzumaki spiral above it.

A grin spread on the blond's face as he looked over his new haori. It only grew bigger when he put it on. A few quick handseals and the entirety of the seals came to life. Pure power sizzled in the air, raw and sharp and imposing, till gradually settling down to a stable thrum against Rei's presence.

Deep inside, Rei could feel it shifting as the pressure on its bindings increased, its rotten energy all but snarling as it was pushed back. He could still feel it though; crawling inside him, twisting and slithering, like larvae under his skin that he had no hope to get rid of.

Rei's eyes landed on the other item on the table—shiny new ninja headband, fixed on the black cloth. He swept a finger across the Uzu symbol displayed proudly on it and the grin returned to his face. The engraved patterns of yet another seal, another failsafe, were on the other side of the metal plate, fully concealed, but from the shadow clone's memories, the blond knew what a truly marvelous job Old Sho had done.

Tying the Uzushio headband around his head couldn't have felt more right for he was Rei Uzumaki now, the leader and the first official ninja of the newly rebuilt Uzushiogakure.

Chapter Text

Shisui was hiding.

When Jiraiya came to him asking how he could find Rei Uzumaki for the first time, he felt amused. When the man kept pestering him, he got annoyed fairly quickly. The damn coot even offered porn as a reward. His personally written porn with autograph! Who the hell would want something like that?!

Shisui didn't feel amused anymore, not in the slightest. And Jiraiya was supposed to be one of the legendary Sannins? He completely ruined his own image!

All ninjas at the top of the food chain were plain wackos. Now the young jounin truly believed in the veracity of this statement.

Once the Toad Sage finally left him alone, the head of the Nara clan sneaked up on him in the market. Surprisingly, the man also asked how he could find Rei Uzumaki. When he answered that he didn't know, Nara stared at Shisui, face blank but eyes as sharp as any kunai, seemingly able to see through the Uchiha's soul and disassemble his mind and thoughts as if they were mere child toys. He felt justifiably intimidated.

The Hokage called for his presence then, politely ordering to tell Rei Uzumaki that he wanted to speak with him.

And if that was not enough, Anko Mitarashi broke into his apartment this morning.

Through his bathroom window.

While Shisui was taking a shower!

The way that crazy snake lady had sized his naked form up and cocked her eyebrow, a corner of her lips doing that thing it did when she found something funny, really ticked him off. Her unreasonable demand to reveal a method of contacting Rei Uzumaki was the last straw and he almost chucked Rei's kunai to her face.

They might have become friends, but Shisui didn't remember becoming the blond Uzumaki's secretary, dammit!

A random thought that Nara, Jiraiya or some other dude (like a certain youthful individual in a green jumpsuit; he shuddered at the image his imagination had conjured) could be the next one to fall through his bathroom window terrified Shisui to the deepest level. He immediately fled to one of the few Uchiha clan's private training grounds after that, choosing rather hone his Shurikenjutsu than to deal with this newly budding trauma.

Shisui always strived to be a good ninja, the best he could be. He still considered himself one of the many, nothing special. He minded his own business, tried to prevent his clan from rebelling to keep his village safe and assure Itachi's, his little brother in all but blood, happiness. Nothing out of the ordinary, right?

So when and how did his life turn this hectic? Oh, right. When a mummy bastard decided to steal his eyes and kill him. And that was the moment Rei Uzumaki popped into his life—

"Yo, Shisui!"

—out of seemingly nowhere.

An unexpected voice from behind at the critical moment of throwing the kunai startled Shisui. The flinch was small, just a tiny quiver of his hand, but such an abrupt arrival of another person still blindsided him. The perfectly aimed blade veered away from the dead center of a target and hit its edge instead.

"Wow. Your aim sucks."

Shisui spun on his heel, launching the second kunai at the speaker with deadly accuracy.

With casual ease, Rei snatched the weapon directed at his forehead out of the air. "That was mildly—" He dodged a slash of the tanto, moving out of the younger ninja's reach in an instant, and finished the sentence, "—dangerous?" with a raised eyebrow.

Shisui said nothing as the shiny new headband on the blond's head drew his attention. Sure, he had heard Rei's plans on rebuilding Uzushio. Heck, he had seen the process himself during that one random abduction from the ANBU detention center. But this was the first time he realized the determination behind that goal. Rebuilding a ruined village, such a great and admirable ordeal. The teen sincerely wished his friend success.

Noticing the Uchiha's gaze on his new headpiece, Rei beamed. "What do you think?" He turned around to show the embroidery on the back of his orange haori. "Cool right? Now I look like the real leader of Uzushio!"

Shisui almost laughed at the genuine giddiness and unmistakable boasting in the other man's voice. Rei could be incredibly frivolous at times. Instead, he smothered his mirth and asked calmly, "You had a haircut?" A petulant glare he received in return made him grin. So worth it. "By the way," and here the teen couldn't help a miffed undertone slipping in as he spoke, "the Hokage, Jiraiya, Shikaku Nara, and Anko Mitarashi were looking for you."

The Uzumaki blinked. "I understand the first three," he said slowly, clearly confused. "But Anko too? How does she even know about me?"

"I'm not sure what exactly she wants." The fact that Rei apparently knew who Anko was didn't even surprise Shisui anymore. "And she knows because all jounins, ANBU, and Police were informed about your occasional presence around the Jinchuuriki and the village and received orders not to engage unless they deem your actions a threat to Konoha or its citizens."

Carelessly twirling the kunai that Shisui had thrown at him earlier around his finger, Rei mulled over new information. Ultimately a thoughtful, "Huh," left his mouth before one corner of it quirked up. "Sarutobi finally made a decision. Good to hear."

With the message passed, Shisui proceeded with his spontaneous stress relief plan. Wordlessly, he made the Seal of Confrontation.

"Oh? Want me to play with you?" Rei slipped his finger out of the hook of the spinning kunai and caught it in a reverse grip. Meanwhile, his other hand formed the seal in a counterpoint of his opponent's as a sign of acceptance of this friendly spar. "Then show me what you've got, Uchiha."

It sounded like a sly little dare. A savage grin on the blond's face, however, didn't fit with his relatively innocent tone. As if a beast that had been dormant inside had just opened its eyes and bared its teeth, ready for a thrilling hunt.

A terrible chill ran down Shisui's spine. Black bled to red as his Sharingan spun to life and he consciously had to stop himself from letting it morph straight into the Mangekyou.

Rei was strong, beyond anyone or anything the young jounin had ever encountered. Dangerous too, he knew, instinctive and bone-deep. Unbelievably so. At the same time, it felt as if the man wasn't even there, just a mirage without the tiniest flicker of chakra, yet it was like sitting in the spacious dark cave: you couldn't see the walls, but the air tasted of an unimaginably large presence.

Adrenaline pumped through Shisui's veins at the prospect of testing himself against such a person. His heart fluttered, every fiber of his being vibrating in anticipation. All the mundane worries of his life got muted, pushed aside, and all there was to know about was this moment. No worrying about the past, no anxiety about the future.

A time came to a halt as the two opponents stared each other down with Rei seemingly content on waiting for the Uchiha to make the first move.

Taking all the details and assessing possible battle plans in a mere fraction of a second, Shisui finally made a move. Shurikens whizzed towards the blond, a few kunai following suit.

Rei deflected half of the shuriken and avoided the rest, his eyes flicking suspiciously at the kunai that went past him in a weird angle, intended to hit the target yet simultaneously missing it by a hair's breadth.

Shisui jerked his hand back the moment those kunai embedded into the ground. Ninja wire screeched as it wrapped itself around the blond. A poof and it sliced through a log that appeared in the man's place.

Shisui brought the wire to his left, parrying a slash from Rei, and immediately counterattacked. They traded several blows, blades clashing with a sharp ding. The teen flipped out of the way, sheathing his tanto mid-move in order to blaze through the handseals. Chakra swirled in his stomach, rising up, burning his throat. The moment it became almost unbearable, he took a deep breath and then released a torrent of roaring fire.

Shisui anticipated the Uzumaki to move out of the way and already calculated all possible escape routes.

The man didn't flee though. He lifted the arm with the kunai closer to his opposite shoulder, successfully hiding one-hand seals he formed behind it from the line of sight of Shisui's Sharingan. Then he brought the kunai diagonally in one swift motion, unleashing a crescent compressed wind projectile that cleaved the giant fireball in half. It didn't stop there and plowed straight towards the Uchiha.

In the end, Shisui was the one who had to duck out of the way. The moment he looked back at Rei, his eyes widened. Two smaller fireballs, the remnants of his own jutsu, swirled around the blond's body, carried by the latter's controlled air currents, and got propelled directly back at Shisui with double their initial speed.

The Uchiha vanished in a swirl of chakra, using shunshin to land in the tree at the edge of the training ground, his mind buzzing. Hijacking his opponent's jutsu and using it against their caster? Brilliant maneuver and the one he had never seen done in such manner.

The branch Shisui took a perch on dipped ever so slightly and the flat side of the kunai patted his cheek. The teen stiffened for just an instant before kicking his leg backward.

Rei grabbed the Uchiha's leg by his ankle. He was forced to release it immediately in order to dodge another slash of the tanto aimed at his own legs.

Shisui dropped from the air to a crouched position. In a blink of an eye, he blasted off the ground and back into the tree.

Empty.

The jounin held his breath, every muscle frozen tense and ready, and scanned the surroundings. Nothing. He rearranged his fingers on the handle of his weapon, feeling his palm getting sweaty.

Where the heck was Rei? And how should he go about finding an opponent that had no perceptible presence? Like fighting a ghost.

The forest was silent. The birds that should have chirped happily all around where nowhere to be found. Besides an occasional gust of wind rustling the leaves, everything stood still.

The skin on the back of Shisui's neck crawled with the sensation of being watched. It set every instinct he had on edge.

This was a hunting game and he was a prey.

Not something he had wished to experience, ever.

The teen turned left when he caught a flash of orange at the corner of his eye. He barely had time to cross his arms to block a punch. The sheer force behind that blow almost sent the young ninja flying, his chakra sticking his feet to the surface of the branch the only thing keeping him on it.

Rei disappeared like the wind between numerous leaves.

Just as Shisui felt the numbness in his limbs receding, the blond was on him again, choosing an ambush from the opposite side. The Uchiha didn't trust his own bones to take another of his punches, so he dodged it by jumping back.

Rei didn't retreat this time. With kunai in hand, he closed on for another taijutsu battle. Shisui was quick to respond, their strikes, parries, and dodges a blur of motion.

Soon, the blond's lips quirked upwards into a wicked little smirk and then he was gone in a flash again.

Rei was lightning fast, unfathomably powerful, and obviously had years of experience on the young Uchiha, but the latter wasn't a pushover or a quitter. He was not about to miss this great opportunity to improve himself.

His neck prickled again.

As good a time as any to change tactics.

Taking a breath, Shisui built up the necessary chakra. It spread across the muscles of his legs, scraping his bones, and all the way to his ankles, the soles and tips of his toes. Eyes wide and mind alert, he leaped forward.

A bit over an hour later, Shisui allowed himself to fall into an exhausted sprawl in the middle of the training ground, blades of grass tickling his skin. He lost count of how many times he would have died during this spar if this was a real fight. The Uzumaki simply overwhelmed him every single time.

Shisui ached all over and his limbs were slightly trembling from such an intense workout. It had been ages since he pushed his body and his mind this far. A pleasant feeling of satisfaction pooled inside the depth of his gut and a content sigh left his lungs.

He would have probably dozed off if not for the feather-light footfalls that stopped a few feet from his head. Opening his eyes, black again, Shisui wasn't surprised to meet Rei's inquisitive blue ones. What irked him, however, was that the bastard looked as cool and unruffled as ever, standing there serenely without even sweating.

"I give up," the teen croaked, mustering the smidgen of strength still left in him to lift his arm up and offer the Seal of Reconciliation.

Rei's expression shifted, softened as he locked his fingers with the younger ninja. After that, he passed the kunai into Shisui's hand.

The Uchiha stared at it dumbly. Was this… Was this the first kunai he threw before their spar, the one Rei had caught? He used only this one tiny thing in their spar all this time?!

Shisui felt like screaming. Like throwing a damn tantrum to show the world how unfair it was! There should be a limit on how ridiculously strong a human could be!

"Aww, are you pouting?" the said human teased, a smirk dancing on his face.

Shisui definitely—definitely!—was not pouting. He was not a kid. He was also an Uchiha and Uchihas did not pout, period. He was way too classy to pout in general!

Except, at this very moment, he wasn't and he kinda did.

"Hn."

There. An appropriate, perfectly Uchiha-like response. His clan would be proud.

The man possessed this baffling ability to make him feel like a kid. Not an entirely unwelcome sentiment, he had to admit to himself. It was liberating to behave like a teenager he was supposed to be rather than a hardened jounin with the weight of his clan's survival on his shoulders.

Rei looked like he couldn't decide whether to laugh at his friend's brief flare of childish defiance or give only a helpless smile. "You did very well, trust me," he assured, settling on the second option. "No wonder I've heard so much about your speed. Though your reaction on your right seems a bit slower than on your left. It's easier to sneak an attack on you from that side. You should take note of it."

It had been years since the last time someone used that kind of tone on Shisui. Kind and patient, like a sensei imparting knowledge to his pupil. "Alright." It wasn't an unpleasant feeling either. "Thanks, Rei."

"How bad is your eyesight by now, Shisui?"

The teen's brow furrowed. "It's fine," he grumbled, a tad bit too fast. There was also an edge in his voice that he didn't quite mean to put there.

Shisui was painfully aware of the fact that Kotoamatsukami put an immense strain on his eyes. More so than the other Mangekyou Sharingan manifestations. His right eye seemed to be worse than his left one, Rei's observation only proved it. The prospect of becoming a blind Uchiha terrified him, but if that was a cost he had to pay in order to protect his loved ones, he would do it gladly.

Shisui pushed himself up into a sitting position and turned around so that he could see Rei. "Your ability to hide your presence is much more interesting," he said, feeling petty for a change. A ninja would never reveal his secrets, so Rei's silence would balance their positions in reluctance to share.

The blond watched him, head tilted slightly to the side as he examined the teen's features. The silence stretched on, but it never seemed to cross into an uncomfortable zone.

"Natural energy."

Shisui perked up, curious and a bit surprised that Rei actually decided to reveal it.

"It's the energy that exists all around us. In the ground we step on, in the grass we choose to sit, in the trees surrounding us, in the rivers, in the sky, in the smallest critter and the biggest mammal. We breathe it in and breathe it out. It's always here. You're born in it, you live in it, and eventually, you're going to die in it."

Rei spoke like a scholar, Shisui mused, or like a wise man so much older than his physical age.

"I can manipulate this natural energy, so I use it to cloak myself. That's why you can't sense me. I'm just a part of the background, a white noise, a natural constant that is always around you and inside you," the man continued his explanation. "I can stroll through Konoha without anyone detecting me because if they aren't actively aware of my presence in the vicinity, I'm nothing to them. So below their notice level that their brains simply don't register my existence even if their eyes do."

That, honestly, sounded really awesome and extremely dangerous. "Are you talking about the Senjutsu?"

"Sages learn to draw natural energy inside their bodies and blend it with their own chakra. This is different. I can manipulate it outside my body." The blond took a moment to consider. "Although, a person in Sage Mode should be able to sense the abnormality in natural energy's flow, hence able to track my position."

"Is it a bloodline limit?"

Blue eyes studied the Uchiha for a moment, then flickered away. "No, it's…" The set of Rei's mouth shifted to something faintly wry. "An unexpected aftereffect of something that happened to me a long time ago." After a short pause, he added, "This is also why people usually feel at ease in my presence unless I wish otherwise. Just adds to my natural charms!"

Shisui snorted at Rei's mischievous grin that appeared with his last words. It reminded him of their first meeting, the night this man saved his life. At that time, he would have never believed that they would become friends.

Rei abruptly looked to the side and Shisui instinctively followed his line of sight.

A moment later, Itachi emerged from the forest, jumping down to stand next to his fellow Uchiha. The boy performed a quick up-down scan of his friend, taking note of his disheveled appearance, with some dirt smudging his clothes and a few rips here and there. His brow slightly creased and lips thinned into a hard line.

Shisui couldn't help but smile warmly when Itachi fixed Rei with a suspicious glare on his behalf. "We just finished our spar, Itachi," he placated the younger ninja, extending his arm in a mute request to help him up. Itachi complied without moving his eyes from the blond.

Rei stared back at the boy, equally intense, and, dared Shisui to say, with something akin to sadness swirling in his gaze. "I hope your eyes will never evolve into the Mangekyou Sharingan," he finally uttered, quiet and somber. "You're better off without it."

Itachi tensed, eyes narrowing. A clear sign of his raised hackles.

"I actually agree," Shisui blurted out. He ignored the somewhat betrayed look his adoptive little brother threw at him. Even if the reason for Rei to voice it out of the blue eluded him, the conditions to awaken Mangekyou simply weren't something he wished Itachi to go through, regardless of the spike in power it offered. "Itachi, this is Rei Uzumaki, the man I told you about."

"Ah, the Golden Ghost," the boy said as if that made any sense. He tipped his head in polite greeting if still a bit stiffly. "Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san."

"Nice to meet you too," Rei replied. "But what's this about the Golden Ghost?"

Itachi blinked. "You don't know?" he inquired as he slipped his hand into his weapon pouch and pulled out a small book. "I came to find you to show you this, Shisui."

The older Uchiha took the item. "Iwa's Bingo Book?"

"The last page."

Rei sidled up to Shisui to peek at it as the teen flipped to an indicated page.

"Are you kidding me?!" the blond exclaimed as he swept through the written content. "What's up with that miserable amount? Can you even call it a bounty?!"

Shisui shook his head with a smile. Leave it to this guy to be worried about the price on his head over the fact that he had a price on his head. "What did you do in Iwa?" he asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Nothing special." Rei shrugged. "I broke into their high-security area while searching for things they might have stolen from Uzushio."

"They must be really good to be able to catch you," Shisui observed. He didn't know what was more impressive—the Uzumaki breaking into the high-security area or the fact that he managed to escape unscathed.

"Eh, they're not that good… Not better than Kumo or Kiri," the man muttered. "I kinda found something interesting to read and lost track of time."

Two Uchihas gawked at him like he grew a second head.

"Whoa, wait…" Shisui held up his hand in a universal 'stop right there' sign. "Are you saying that you'd just hung around Iwa's high-security area, reading, and they chanced upon you in the morning?"

"Er, yeah?" At least Rei had the decency to appear sheepish before he hurried to defend himself. "It was a very good read! Something I didn't yet know about Uzushio traditions!"

Shisui burst out laughing.

"How do they know your name?" Itachi wondered.

That was a good question, the older Uchiha wanted to know too. It stood to reason that no one would be brazen enough to introduce themselves in that kind of incriminating situation.

"I told them."

Or not.

"What? They asked who I was!"

Evidently, the reason did not stand with Rei Uzumaki.

"Still," the blond glowered at the page as if wanting to incinerate an offending string of numbers. "I like the moniker, but the bounty is just too miserable. Should I place a seal on Oonoki's butt for him to stop underestimating m—" Rei abruptly cut himself off, touched his chin and let out a thoughtful 'hmm'.

Shisui sent a silent prayer for the Tsuchikage's butt. Not a thing he had ever imagined doing, but… Well, he was a person with sympathy. Having Rei Uzumaki after your ass didn't sound fun or healthy for your sanity. He was a wild card, unpredictable to the extreme, and could drive someone up the wall as easily as he could kill them.

Itachi's adamant gaze burned 'Are you sure this person can help us?' letter by letter into the side of Shisui's skull. He looked at the younger Uchiha, conveying 'Everything will be fine,' with a single glance.

Rei straightened, sharp and sudden, alarming two young ninjas. Cerulean eyes darkened with unspoken rage and on the next blink he was already gone.

Shisui had been on the receiving end of that vanishing act, but to see Rei there, solidly and definitely present in one moment and gone the next, was unnerving no matter how many times he had witnessed it. No wonder Itachi flinched when usually the kid would take in even the most bizarre things with no outward reaction.

Something or someone made Rei angry.

Shisui racked his brain to recall what laid in the direction the blond's attention seemed to snap before he teleported away. As far as he knew, nothing significant. A few rural villages lost in the endless sea of trees that stretched across the great expanse of the Fire Country all the way to the border with the River Country and the Wind Country looming just beyond it.

Chapter Text

Even before Kusagakure came into view, Jiraiya could already feel it. That peculiar feeling penetrating the surroundings, a certain low hum that charged the air and left tingly sensation on the naked skin. Chakra. Pure, raw chakra everywhere. In the ground and the air—the environment thoroughly saturated with it.

Jiraiya couldn't help himself. His pace increased until he was all but running the rest of the way to the top of the hill. The moment he reached it, the moment he laid his eyes on the village, the sight stole the air out of his lungs.

He didn't quite believe rumors he began hearing while coming back from Iwa. The seal that spanned across the whole Kusagakure? Maybe possible with enough people, a lot of preparations, and a powerful and knowledgeable Seal Master in command. Done in seconds by one person? Completely absurd. Not even if that person was Rei Uzumaki. And there was no doubt in Jiraiya's mind about the identity of the culprit. Fearful mentions of 'Blond Uzumaki' were a dead giveaway.

Looking at the intricate black lines swirling and curling on roads and houses as far as the eyes could see, covering every inch of visible surface, Jiraiya realized that rumors were not exaggerated as he had expected. They were true to the last whisper.

The Seal Master in him was in utter awe and giddy with excitement at the opportunity to witness such a majestic sight.

The ninja in him trembled in absolute terror at this overt display of tremendous power, control, and mastery of the Fuuinjutsu.

Jiraiya followed the road to the village, stopping at the very edge of the sealing array. He squatted down and gently traced a few lines. Raw chakra nipped at his fingertips. His eyes narrowed when something caught his attention, gaze quickly flicking here and there.

There was a pattern. No, not a pattern, but the same fragment. One formula repeated over and over again, creating a gigantic web of seals.

Jiraiya's heart soared. Marvelous! Brilliant in its simplicity and efficiency.

He quickly stood up and strolled into the village, head whipping to one side and another, trying to see as much as possible so he could etch the view into his memory to the smallest details.

The sannin paused, eyes sparkling. He rushed to the corner of the building to take a closer look at the part that piqued his interest.

Stability matrix working as the grounding pillar. Of course! The sheer size of this thing would make it unstable without at least a few of these, shattering the precarious balance between each segment of the system. And while Jiraiya could recognize the function of this section and how it was made, the method to implement it into this monstrosity was beyond his current knowledge. So seamlessly incorporated into this mind-blowing number of other components and crafted together in a cohesive, perfectly working structure.

Jiraiya was about to brush a hand across the base of the stability matrix, when suddenly he had to duck the sneak attack from behind. Immediately, he jumped to the side, preparing for the fight against… an angry housewife?

"Don't touch it, you moron," the woman said, putting her free hand on her hip while shooting daggers at the man. She had a broom with her which she apparently wasn't afraid to use on unsuspecting passersby. "What if you activate it, ah?! You'll take responsibility for what will happen?!"

Despite its fully charged status, the sealing system was dormant at the moment, Jiraiya could tell. A sleeping beast, waiting for further commands. If a simple touch could stir it, they wouldn't be able to casually walk on it.

Naturally, civilians didn't know any better.

"Sorry, sorry." The sannin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I just got curious…"

The woman looked the man up and down before her eyes narrowed. "You're not here to cause trouble, are you?" she asked. "God knows, we don't need more trouble."

"Nah, I'm just passing by," Jiraiya replied with a silly smile plastered on his face. "What happened? What's up with an art? Oh!" He let his face brighten just enough to take on a guileless, inquisitive look. "Is it a festival of some sort?"

The civilian snorted, expression twisting into a grimace as she glanced around an empty street. "That's not an art, Old Man. We were attacked."

"Attacked?!"

"I wasn't there when that happened, but—" Someone called from the nearby house and the woman looked towards a man standing at the door who waved her over with a hushed 'hurry up!' Her brow furrowed even further. "Sorry, I have to go," she said, promptly turning to leave.

Jiraiya tsked under his breath. There went his first chance at information. "Ah, wait!" he stopped the woman. "I'm looking for a place in this—" he was about to say 'lively', only to realize that she was the first live soul he had met or seen here; the place was completely deserted, "—quiet village for a weary traveler to wash the dust out of his throat."

"Quiet, huh," the woman scoffed before pointing in a specific direction. "I heard Daiki's Pub is still open, just down the street, near the center of the village."

Jiraiya bowed and turned to the indicated way. His eyes slid past the stability matrix and a pang of regret pricked his chest.

"I don't recommend dilly-dallying here for long if you don't have to, Traveler!"

Jiraiya offered a cheery, "I won't!" over his shoulder. "Thanks!" The moment he faced the street ahead, any cues of cheerfulness melted away from his expression.

He really couldn't afford staying here for long, no matter how his fingers itched to examine every inch of this masterpiece. Once he knew more about why Rei Uzumaki attacked Kusagakure, he would have to hurry back to Konoha with this information. It might be crucial for the safety of their village.

After a few minutes of trekking and not meeting anyone else, the sannin reached the pub. He knew this place well. The owner was once on his list of possible informants for his spy network, but it fell short after several attempts to recruit him.

Jiraiya reached for the door handle. Before his hand could land on it, the door flew open. He backpedaled with a little yelp, avoiding it smacking him to his face by a hair's breadth.

"Oops!" a bright feminine voice chirped from under the dark hood that completely hid the owner's face. Light on her feet, she easily danced around the man without as much as a brush against him. "Sorry about that!" The girl waved, then swiveled around and soon disappeared around the corner.

The sannin squinted, finding something amiss about the stranger but unable to put his finger on it. Maybe it was her—

"Jiraiya."

The barman was glowering at him from inside the dimly lit pub.

Jiraiya's mouth stretched into a wide grin as he sauntered in, thoughts about the woman pushed aside to ponder at a later time. "Daiki, my good man!" he greeted, warm and exuberant. "Long time no see!"

"Yeah, yeah," the other man muttered, leaning under the counter for a moment. He straightened up again, holding a bottle of sake and two small drinking cups. "Figures you'd come here to investigate," he said, already pouring the beverage into the cups.

Jiraiya took it as a sign to join the man at the bar. He crossed the room, raising an eyebrow at the only other visitors of the pub – a group of four men on the floor among the pieces of a broken table. Three of them were still conscious, moaning and groaning as they tried to push themselves on shaky feet, blood dripping from their noses.

The most telling detail was their headbands around their heads, depicting grass symbol. Kusa ninjas. Beaten to a pulp.

Noticing Jiraiya's obvious confusion, Daiki laughed. "The lady from before," he motioned to the door with his head. "Fools were asking for it."

"Shut it, Daiki!" one ninja growled. He spat blood from his mouth and wiped it with the back of his hand before baring his teeth into a sneer. "When I get my hands on her…"

"Yeah, good luck with that," the barman commented. There was a mocking smirk on his lips as if he knew something they didn't.

With another furious grunt, the man finally staggered to his feet. He kicked his companion who was still laying down with an angry, "Come on! Let's go catch that bitch!" Feeling something wet and uncomfortable in his nose, he sniffed and absent-mindedly brushed it off.

Fresh blood.

That infuriated the ninja even more. He snarled and stomped towards the exit. As he passed his unconscious mate, he buried his boot into his stomach as a wake-up call with more force than was necessary.

Daiki watched ninjas with distaste. When the last of them finally found his way out of the building, he all but spat, "Assholes," after them and then proceeded to gulp down his sake shot in one swift move. "I wish he would have killed them all."

Jiraiya was honestly surprised by the man's open hostility. When he met Daiki years ago, he was stubborn as a mule, but generally a gentle and peaceful person. "From when do you hate ninjas?" he questioned. "Aren't your eldest son supposed to be a genin by now?"

Daiki's eyes were hard and cold as he stared at the sannin. As was his voice when he said, "He was a genin."

Jiraiya winced. Was, huh.

The barman filled another shot for himself, downed it again in one go, and slammed the cup on the bar. "Until they used my boy as bait and left him to die."

Ah. Definitely not the topic to talk about. Jiraiya heard that Kusa didn't really instill strong camaraderie between their ninjas, but he didn't realize it was this bad. "Sorry for your loss," he said, genuinely offering his condolences for a grieving father.

Daiki stayed silent for a few minutes before letting out a tired sigh. "Yeah, well, I'm sure you're not here to hear my sob story," he commented, clearly changing the topic. "No." His lips quirked up. "No, you're here for what everyone comes here these days." He leaned on the bar in front of the other man, rocking his empty cup back and forth. "The blond Uzumaki."

"Ah, you know me, old friend," Jiraiya said as he pulled a few bills and pushed them across the bar. "Always up for some juicy gossip."

The money disappeared into Daiki's pocket and the man filled the sake cups again. "I was running an errand that evening and happened to be there myself," he started, savoring his sake this time. "Rei Uzumaki, he said his name was, a leader of the newly rebuilt Uzushiogakure."

Jiraiya startled. He knew Rei was supposedly living in Uzushio, but he didn't expect him to actually undertake the task of rebuilding it. And it was already done? Was it possible to rebuild the village so fast? It would take an enormous amount of funds and manpower to do it. Where the heck Rei procured all that?

"He was confronting our… honorable leader," Daiki put a clear, sardonic emphasis on these words, "about the treatment of two Uzumakis that lived on the outskirts of Kusa, a mother and a daughter duo." He paused to take a sip of his sake. "I don't blame him. That woman seemed to be sick and they still forced her to work in the hospital." The man shook his head. "No wonder Rei blew that place up."

"He blew the hospital up?!"

"Only the ninja wing. It was quite impressive. I've to say, he has a style." Daiki smirked, his admiration for the Uzumaki unmistakable. "Though our great leader attacked first, so the art on the streets and dozens of ninjas dead, I guess that was his response to the unprovoked assault." He shrugged, unconcerned. "Who knows how the meeting would have ended if Jushi hadn't decided to attack him."

The sannin's mind whirred, filtering through the information at a feverish pace.

Rei Uzumaki came here for his clan members, probably after hearing some rumors or just stumbling upon them blindly. Seeing that his fellow Uzumakis were not treated all that well, he offered them sanctuary in Uzushio. He met with Kusa's leader to inform him that he was taking them away, and the latter didn't react well to the news.

It sounded uncomfortably similar to what happened to them, didn't it? Jiraiya felt chill sliding down his spine as Rei's ultimatum from that day rang in his ears, backed up with a devastating display of power. It also seemed that Konoha had been given some leeway, contrarily to Kusa.

Oblivious to the other man's growing horror, Daiki continued, "Their attack did nothing to him." He chuckled. "In return, the blond Uzumaki made that gigantic thing in seconds! And then," he snapped his fingers and Jiraiya had to fight not to flinch, "the hospital – gone," snap, "Zosui, that bastard, gone," snap and a satisfied grin, "Jushi – gone!"

Jiraiya abruptly stood up. "I need to go," he said, already moving towards the exit.

"Hey!" the barman shouted after him. "You didn't pay for your—"

The sannin slammed the door shut behind him.

Daiki huffed. Oh well. Not like it mattered. The payment from the unexpected blond patron was rewarding enough and all he had to do, was to tell anyone who asked about what he had witnessed that evening.

The man finished the remaining sake in his cup and started cleaning.

Maybe he should move his family and business to Uzushio too. Not a bad idea. He didn't like Kusa and it was done for anyway.

As soon as Jiraiya left the village, he summoned the fastest toad messenger and sent it to Konoha ahead of himself with a message to not, in any circumstances, deny Rei Uzumaki the guardianship of Naruto lest they wanted Konoha to be swallowed by another calamity of the Kyuubi's proportions.

Only when he started running towards Konoha, the sannin realized what exactly bothered him about the girl who almost bumped into him.

Her hair was red.

The moment Rei appeared on top of one of Suna's buildings, located on the outskirts of the village, he instantly smelled blood. Taking control of his rage, smothering the primeval urge to defendprotectkill, he surveyed the scene in front of him.

It was an open field, surrounded by a few dunes of sand on one side and empty houses on another. A few dead ninjas lay strewn around; their bodies twisted in unnatural angles, sand soaking their blood like a thirsty beast. The injured screamed and moaned, their limbs turned into mince, bones crushed, or outright missing. The ones still alive barked orders, dragging their incapacitated comrades away from the battlefield.

And in the middle of all that gory carnage stood a tiny red-haired figure. A snarl slipped free every time someone stepped over an invisible line, waves of sand rising immediately to lash out at everyone who hurt him. Who still threatened to hurt him.

Rei's brow furrowed before he stepped off the roof and landed silently on the ground below. He didn't really care what exactly happened here, though he could guess. Quickly, he walked forward, a steady gaze fixed solely on the little Jinchuuriki, on Gaara, on one of his kids.

The blond sidestepped the Suna ninja that was sent careening backward by a sand whip and harshly pushed another out of his way when the man jumped right in front of him.

Only then people started to notice him.

"Who's that?"

"No idea…"

"Who are you?!"

Rei cared not about someone demanding to know his identity. He strode straight towards the violent sand tornado, all focused purpose.

One of the ninjas reached to grab him. To stop him. To interfere.

The human screamed as the offending appendage plopped on the ground. The ground that split in two by the force of the wind blade that severed the arm.

Rei did not spare it a single glance.

Sand swirled on his left, spinning and rising high into a thick column. Then it slammed down. Lethal, carrying no mercy.

Only to be blown away by a gust of wind.

Another wave came from his right.

Rei's pace never faltered, nor did it slow down as his winds tore it apart again.

Gaara snarled. More and more sand gathered around him, a massive wall that surged up, blocking the sky and the sun itself.

The blond halted, looking up.

Shouts of retreat sounded behind him, Suna ninjas hurrying to pull back.

For a split second, the world stood still.

Gaara roared, throwing both his arms forward.

Rei lifted one of his own.

The sand descended, momentum increasing with every passing moment. Overwhelming and unrelenting, like the wrath of the desert itself.

The spectators held their breaths.

The sand was inches away, just about to drown and crush the blond, when it happened. Rei made a swift swipe with his hand. A single action. It wasn't even a jutsu. But the great tsunami of sand shattered, scattered in the winds, the remnants of it raining harmlessly on everyone's shoulders.

Gaara's breathing hitched. Glinting with unshed tears, teal eyes met the blue ones. Same eyes he grew to like, to yearn. They never judged, never condemned. Were always soft and warm and affectionate. Consistent and fierce and protective.

Rei came to a stop in front of the small Jinchuuriki.

Gaara hiccupped when imaginary fingers tightened around his throat and chest.

Rei didn't say anything, didn't ask anything, didn't demand, didn't accuse. He crouched, careful arms coming around the child to pick him up and press against his chest, trapping him in an embrace of safety. A quiet, "I'm here," fluttered across the hair on the top of Gaara's head.

Desperate for this genuine act of kindness, Gaara hesitantly let his arms wind around the blond's neck. When he wasn't rejected, he buried his face into the crook of it. "S-Sorry…" that managed to squeeze out sounded particularly strangled.

"It's alright," Rei said, his voice weaving around the boy like soothing velvet. "I got you."

Rei didn't want to bring Gaara to Konoha. While it wasn't as bad as Suna, it still was not a good place for the Jinchuuriki. He hoped that with the seal containing the Shukaku corrected and tightened, without random bouts of bloodlust and insanity, Gaara would be left alone and given time to start healing here, in Suna.

At least, until Uzushio was ready to welcome its new residents.

But it seemed that Rei's trust in humanity failed him again.

He needed the Bijuu and the Jinchuuriki to become friends. It wasn't because he himself befriended Kurama back in his world. If he wanted his plan to succeed, to be fair for both sides, to save them all, there was no other way. The mutual trust and understanding between them were vital, unavoidable. He had to make it happen somehow.

But the Bijuu would never entertain an idea of even trying to start understanding humans if all they had ever witnessed was the worst of humanity.

Gaara couldn't stay in Suna any longer. There was no way Rei left his kit in this place.

A few days in Konoha wouldn't be bad if he kept a constant eye on the boys. No doubt, empathic as he was turning out to be, Naruto would jump at the opportunity to take care of his fellow Jinchuuriki.

There was a poof and the identical blond stood next to the original. Then, the real Rei with Gaara still clinging to him disappeared in a blink.

"What did you do with the boy?!"

Rei lips curled into a sneer. He turned and looked at the man standing at the side—the person behind all this. Rasa, the Yondaime Kazekage, Gaara's father. No. This scum was not worthy of that title.

"You have forfeited your rights to know."

Rasa scowled. His eyes flicked over the blond, lingering on his headband and the symbol that shouldn't exist anymore. "Who are you?! Identify yourself!"

Rei's sneer twisted into a grin, wide and sharp and more than slightly mad. Blue irises bled into bloody red. He let up his hold over the natural energy that always surrounded him.

And the humans knew the danger.

They knew fear.

They knew death.

The maliciousness of Rei's chakra tainted the air itself and corroded their lungs and airways from inside out. His killing intent simply overrode all thoughts within their minds. They envisioned their death multiple times, tasted it on the tip of their tongues, and felt it on their bodies over and over again.

Like standing before a Bijuu. Nay, it was so much worse. Like ants facing a dragon.

A few ninjas dropped to their knees and puked their guts out. A couple slit their own throats.

A man screamed, feeling the last sane parts of his mind trickling away, and threw himself on the blond, swinging his katana at his neck.

Effortlessly, Rei caught his arm by his wrist and twisted. A sickening crack rang especially loudly in deathly silence. The blond grabbed the blade that slipped from the man's grip and the latter's head hit the ground with a thump, body following soon after.

Rei pulled the katana out of the stomach of the ninja that attacked him from behind and started walking. Glowing crimson gaze never strayed from the intended target.

"Pr-protect the Kazekage!"

The order snapped some of the remaining Suna ninjas out of their stupor.

Rei's eyes narrowed when suddenly there was a line of bodies standing between him and his prey. He seethed when he heard one of these insignificant beings advising his prey to flee.

There was no way Rei would allow that to happen. He had a punishment to deliver.

He lifted his free hand, the other still holding onto the bloody katana.

A few ninjas in front of him stumbled back in fear. Rasa pushed the man that insisted on escaping away.

A chakra gathered above Rei's palm, visible to the naked eye, more and more, until it formed a perfect blue sphere. Constantly rotating at high speed, it grew larger, white chakra adding blades to the construct. It produced a high-pitch sound like a whining wind. And then the core started turning red. Tendrils of smoke rose from still spinning blades.

The ambient heat in the surrounding area spiked drastically and kept rising until people felt as if their skin could spontaneously combust at any given moment.

Rei winded his arm with a construct—

Rasa's eyes widened. He slammed his hands on the ground.

—and hurled it towards the Kazekage and his men.

Gold dust surged upwards, wave after wave, and conglutinated into a solid wall. Just in time as the chakra construct was already upon them, a scorched trail of liquid sand left in its wake.

Rasa clenched his teeth, feeling an impact shaking the ground beneath his feet. But his defense would hold. It would hold.

The moment he glanced at the blond man, catching his gleeful expression, he saw his mouth forming a soundless word.

'Boom.'

Suddenly, he realized, with absolute certainty, that it would not hold.

"Kazekage-sama!"

The chakra construct was still drilling into the gold wall when it suddenly imploded. Its size grew rapidly, swallowing and incinerating everything it touched.

And once it was triple its original size, only then it exploded.

The gold melted in an instant and then turned to vapor. Caught in a blast, humans turned to ashes. The lucky ones were propelled by the shockwave, flying through the air and then slamming into the nearest buildings, destroying them in a process.

Dazed after the crash, Rasa pushed his aching body up. He could feel the heat, the inferno nearing him. Could feel his skin blister and begin peeling off.

At that moment, he knew despair.

And when he thought it was all over, he heard a snap of fingers.

The chakra construct dispersed. The hellish temperature vanished. A blast of cold wind got rid of the remaining smoke and lingering heat.

An eerie silence reigned over the devastated battlefield. There was no movement whatsoever, for everyone who still had the strength to move was too afraid to do so.

Then, the sound of crunching glass echoed. The blond stranger was walking again, slow and deliberate, each step leaving an imprint onto the deepest parts of their souls.

At that moment, Rasa knew terror.

He stared into those demonic eyes as the man stopped in front of him, unable to look away. Like a prey paralyzed by the eyes of its hunter, being sucked into its demise.

Rei raised the katana and brought it down.

Blood splattered on the Kazekage's face. And he could feel the searing pain burn across his body as the blade cleaved straight through his bones and flesh, cut through arteries and tendons—sliced him in half.

And at that moment, he knew agony.

It took Rasa a few excruciatingly long minutes to realize that he was still alive. That the blade never even touched him. That the blood on his face was not his own.

"My name is Rei Uzumaki, the leader of Uzushiogakure," the blond spoke, staring down at the sitting Kazekage. Like a dragon staring down at the ant after making an effort to keep it alive when he stepped on it. "From now on, Gaara is under my protection. This was the first warning. There won't be a second."

Rasa's breath stuck somewhere halfway through his windpipe.

"You try coming after him with even the slightest hint of malice and we'll continue where we left off."

Rei stabbed the katana an inch from Rasa's feet, driving his point further, and the man couldn't suppress a flinch. With a pleased smirk, the shadow clone dispelled.

Chapter Text

Rei appeared in the hallway of Naruto's apartment. Sensing the original's arrival, the shadow clone, left on the lookout outside, dispelled itself. There was no need of one when he himself was here.

"Gaara, you're okay now," Rei murmured to the little redhead in his arms. "I won't let anyone hurt you anymore."

The boy shifted to take a careful glance at the blond's face. Then, his attention got stolen by the completely new and unfamiliar surroundings. Rei put him down so that he could examine everything easier.

"You can stay with us as long as you want."

Gaara blinked at those words before looking up at the man. "Us?"

Rei smiled. "That's right. I want you to meet someone." He turned to the side and said, "Naruto, you can come out now."

His curiosity piqued, the young Jinchuuriki followed his line of sight and froze when another kid peeked from around the corner.

Rei motioned towards the little blond who kept himself half-hidden behind the doorframe to another room. "Gaara, meet Naruto, my nephew." He put a hand on Gaara's head. "Naruto, this is Gaara. He's going to stay with us from now on."

Two boys just stared at each other without uttering a word. Both confused and cautious, yet with hope shining through their guarded expressions.

"Kits," Rei called, getting an identically wide-eyed look from both kids. "I don't know if you can sense it at this age, but you're both the same. You both have the Bijuu sealed inside you."

Gaara's brow furrowed as if he couldn't quite comprehend what was said.

Naruto's jaw dropped, blue eyes suddenly sparkling. "Really?!" He finally stepped out of his safe spot and closer to other Jinchuuriki, asking curiously, "Which one do you have?"

Gaara wrung his hands nervously. "The Ichibi…" His voice went low with something akin to dread.

A big, toothy grin swept across Naruto's face. "And I have the Kyuubi!" The boy bounced closer, a radiant ball of excitement and eagerness, bubbly optimism ready to overflow and spill everywhere. "You want to be friends, 'ttebayo?!" Unfortunately, his explosive enthusiasm was met with a flinch and his smile quickly withered in the sharp silence that followed.

"Gaara had a bad day, Naruto," Rei said. He watched as the blond boy turned that statement in his mind, as the realization slowly dawned on him. Rei did tell him that no matter which village the Jinchuuriki lived in, they were treated equally horrible.

"Playground bad?"

Rei hummed in assent, but then added, "Worse."

And with this knowledge, Naruto's demeanor mellowed down from his hyper-energetic to something softer, more amiable. He was still obviously excited and anxious to befriend the other boy, but his overzealous attitude got reined in and suppressed. He changed his approach to the one he would use on a skittish stray animal. "Don't worry, Gaara, I won't let anyone hurt you anymore! From now on, you're under Naruto Uzumaki's protection!" Naruto declared, unwavering in his conviction. He puffed his chest and thumped a fist against it. "They will have to go through me first, 'ttebayo!"

Rei couldn't fight an amusement tugging the corner of his lips up. Naruto's genuine desire to protect his fellow Jinchuuriki was truly a marvelous thing to witness. It would do only good for both boys. Naruto needed someone to take care of, to share all of his bottomless affection. Gaara was perfect for the role of that recipient so he could start healing and learning to trust other humans again.

Gaara gawked at Naruto like he was an alien from another planet. "Why?"

"Because it hurts, doesn't it?" Naruto asked and smiled. The curve full of so much sadness and understanding, it cut Gaara's breathing a little short. "Being alone. Feeling alone even among other people. Them looking at us like we're different, not needed by anyone. And we might be a bit different! We both have Bijuu inside us…" He trailed off, unconsciously putting a hand on his stomach. After a moment, he added in a hurry, "But there are nine of us! And I bet the Bijuu are just as lonely as we are! So all of us just have to stick together, cause we have only each other!"

Rei chuckled at the little blond's inspiring speech and couldn't help but chime in, "And you all have me. Whatever happens, I'll always be on your side."

Boys turned at him, the same look of awe and admiration on their faces.

"Now," Rei clapped his hands, "how about you two have a bath while I prepare dinner? After that, we can go for a walk, show Gaara around. Maybe a forest? I don't think he ever saw one." Naruto beamed and nodded furiously. Gaara was clearly feeling lost in the sudden change of his life. He just stood there, staring blankly, but didn't protest. Rei counted that as a yes. "Naruto, he doesn't have any spare clothes. Can you share some of yours with him?"

"Leave it to me, 'ttebayo!" the boy exclaimed. He took his fellow Jinchuuriki by his hand and tugged him to follow. Insistent, but not pushy. "Come with me."

Allowing himself to be led away without a fuss, the redhead stared at their linked hands in utter disbelief.

Naruto threw a bright grin over his shoulder. "You can pick whatever you want."

Gaara's gaze shifted to look at the other boy. His hold on Naruto's hand tightened.

Rei watched them go with a small smile before he moved to do his own task of getting the bath ready. He kept one ear on the chatter in the other room. Mainly Naruto's cheerful blabber and boisterous laughter, the young blond doing most of the talking, with occasional short comments and measured questions from Gaara.

When the boys walked into the bathroom, Gaara was clutching the orange t-shirt. Rei suppressed a smirk. Of course, Naruto would jump at the opportunity to dye the first friend he ever made in his favorite color. That he just gave his undeniably most favorite t-shirt to another person also didn't seem to bother the young blond—he came in glowing in happiness.

"Alright, you two go ahead and I'll see what I can make today." The man gave each kid a passing pat on their heads on his way out of the bathroom.

"Ah, actually… Rei!"

Rei stopped and looked back at Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

The boy shuffled his feet. "Can we go for Ichiraku Ramen?" he asked shyly. "Gaara said he never had ramen!"

Gaara slowly nodded his head. "Naruto said it tastes very good."

"And you need to eat ramen after a bad day, 'ttebayo!" Naruto stated like it was a universally accepted law.

"Fine, you brat," Rei agreed, mussing his nephew's hair in a brisk show of affection. "Ramen it is."

"Yatta!" Naruto fist-pumped the air, a sunny grin instantly blooming in all its strength. "Ichiraku ramen is so good!"

Gaara appeared to be greatly interested. "Is it really that good?"

"Of course! Rei's cooking is good, but Ichiraku Ramen is the best, 'tteb—!"

Rei closed the bathroom's door behind him, a burst of short laughter under his breath left unheard by the two Jinchuuriki. He had some time to kill now that the dinner plan was off the table, quite literally, so he decided to start brainstorming for his new project. The idea for it was still in its infancy, but it was on the same scale of difficulty as time traveling. It promised to be fun. Being as old and powerful as he was had its drawbacks, so he tried to find entertainment in everything this new world could offer.

Rei loved a good challenge.

Life was troublesome.

It was especially troublesome when the subject of interest was nowhere to be found.

At least clouds today were great. White, just floating along where the breeze took them. Perfect objects for observation.

Sitting on a low boulder and facing the sky, Shikaku let out a world-weary sigh. The forest rustled as if echoing his misery but the river nearby gurgled as happily as ever. This was a pretty remote area at the edge of the village near the less popular training grounds and, at this time of day, there was not a single living soul around.

He always came to this place when his usual spot for cloud watching just wasn't enough anymore, when he ran into a particularly hard problem.

For example, inability to meet a certain person.

Shikaku rubbed his chin, thinking. There was only one option left—asking Naruto. His curiosity grew each day the elusive Rei Uzumaki couldn't be found and while he truly wanted to avoid using a child to contact the man, right now he was at his wits' end.

A wind carried a fragment of laughter and Shikaku glanced at the sandy riverbank that could be seen through the trees. A young boy was squatting next to the water, brilliant golden mop shining in the sunlight.

Naruto Uzumaki, huh. What a strangely convenient coincidence.

Shikaku heaved himself up from the boulder and shuffled towards the river. As he came closer, the view to the bank opened up and he noticed the second boy. Bright red hair, 'Love' tattooed on the side of his forehead, and wearing what was unmistakably Naruto's clothes, an Uzumaki spiral displayed proudly on his chest.

A child Shikaku never had seen before. Definitely not from Konoha. There had been no true redheads in the village since Kushina's death.

It seemed that Naruto wasn't the only Uzumaki Rei took under his wing.

While the man was pondering on the identity of the new kid, Naruto sprung up with a grin on his face. "Look, look, Gaara!" he shouted, pointing at the soggy sand castle he just built. It was already losing its form, sand moving with the water residue, flowing home to the river nearby. "I bet you can't build something like that with the sand in the desert!"

Gaara stared at the sandcastle for a moment before he glanced down at his own feet. Lifting his hand, he furrowed his brow in concentration, and a fine, highly detailed sandcastle just rose out of the ground in an instant.

Shikaku's eyes widened slightly at the ability, whereas Naruto's practically jumped out of their sockets. "Awesome!" the boy all but yelled at the top of his lungs. "That's so cool, 'ttebayo!"

The redhead blinked as if such idea had never occurred to him. He tilted his head to the side, gaze sharp, inquisitive. "You think it's cool?"

"Of course!" Naruto replied rapidly. "I can do something cool too! One of Rei's clones finally taught me. Watch this." He made a cross sign with his fingers, lips curling into a cheeky smirk, and—

—and that was the moment the boy saw the man standing at the side and observing them. His smile vanished together with any signs of previous joy, replaced by a weary, suspicious frown, so unfitting and out of place on his young features. Naruto stepped forward to stand in front of Gaara, putting himself between his friend and what he perceived as a possible threat.

Shikaku never sought Naruto Uzumaki out before, never truly looked at the boy, never paid enough attention to notice the subtle things about him. And now he found himself on the receiving end of those tenacious blue eyes and he had to suppress a shudder from unmistakable familiarity to Minato. But, on the other hand, a display of such a fierce protectiveness was so incredibly Kushina, he couldn't help the growing amusement at the sight.

While Naruto's readiness to defend his friend was endearing, the steely edge with an underlying danger that appeared in Gaara's teal eyes was everything but. Sort of passive bloodlust, lethal calmness. The sand started lazily swirling around the kid's feet and, nope, Shikaku didn't want to find out what else, besides building sandcastles, he could do with it.

"What do you want, Old Man?" Naruto asked, glowering at the Nara. "We're not bothering anyone here."

Shikaku also tried not to think about why a seven years old child would act so defensively, almost hostile. "Well," he said, careful not to make a move that the kids might take as threatening, "I was looking for your uncle."

The blond's eyes narrowed and nose scrunched up; pure Kushina's trait when she studied someone to gauge exactly how much bullshit was being thrown her way. Shikaku almost laughed. "I was wondering if you could tell me how I could meet him or where to find him," he elaborated instead.

"Are you stupid? Not gonna tell you where Rei is!" Naruto stated with vehemence. "If you can't find him, it means he doesn't want to meet you." He took the other boy's hand and turned to leave. "Come, Gaara, let's go."

The man watched them go, a bit bewildered. After the kids disappeared out of his sight, he slouched with a frustrated groan, hand coming up to massage his neck. A quiet laugh behind made him pause.

"Never thought I'll ever see the Head of the Nara clan being called stupid."

"You've never met my wife," Shikaku commented coolly as he turned around, heart beating with excitement and a lop-sided smirk forming, because… finally!

Cladded in his flamboyant colors, Rei Uzumaki met his gaze steadily, a pleasant, confident smile on his face as the one in complete control of the situation. A shiny headband around his head caught the sunlight, highlighting the swirl of Uzushiogakure. That was new; the last time Shikaku saw him, he had no such thing.

A few seconds passed by as the two measured each other up.

"You're a hard man to find."

The blond's grin widened, clearly finding Nara's struggles to contact him hilarious. "Indeed, I am," he agreed. "I've heard that you were looking for me. How can I help you?"

Shikaku wanted to know this man, to figure what made him tick. The request would be a bit out of the blue, but this way was the best. "How about a shogi match with me?"

One could tell so much from how a person played shogi. What tactics they used, what figures they protected, what they targeted, how they moved their pieces—every single detail in the gameplay could tell myriads of things about a player. The Nara could read his opponent like an open book.

Rei chuckled again, bright, jubilant, and tinged with barely noticeable fondness. "Can you be even more cliché?"

A crooked grin slithered on Shikaku's lips as he gave a one-shoulder shrug that could be taken either way.

The blond rolled his eyes. "I'm bad at shogi. No, really, I am," he insisted once he received the look of disbelief. "My friend was obsessed with it and he taught me the rules, but I'm just bad at it." He shook his head. A sad, wistful smile bloomed without his knowledge. "Never was good at battle tactics and strategies on the table. I'm more think-on-my-feet type of guy." Rei hummed, thoughtful for a brief moment. "How about going for a simple cup of sake?"

Shikaku scratched his stubble. He couldn't completely hide his disappointment, but didn't seem that the Uzumaki was purposely avoiding playing shogi with him. And a drink didn't sound bad either. Before he could agree, another Rei appeared out of nowhere with two small unconscious bodies tucked under his arms.

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. He came up and discarded dozens of reasons for such actions in a few seconds, but nothing seemed to fit what he knew about Rei Uzumaki. Until the newcomer carefully lay the bodies down and he noticed blank masks on their faces.

Root.

Rei who brought the Root members dispersed into the chakra cloud. The real one frowned, blue eyes burning with sudden rage, one that poured out of him, and the air crackled, thrummed with invisible power.

Shikaku stiffened, held in place by the force of that overwhelming pressure.

Only now he understood what the Hokage's warning meant. Rei Uzumaki was strong, ridiculously so, and yet kept himself wrapped up in secrets and deception. Standing in front of him wasn't like standing in front of a huge mountain; one could at least see the peak of it. It was more like staring at the abyss of an ocean—impossible to see the bottom.

A complete mystery. An enigma worth solving.

Rei closed his eyes for a brief moment and his fury calmed, countenance showing a new intent. Another shadow clone popped into existence and immediately flashed away. The original moved forward, quick and graceful, with no sign of his previous nonchalant, all focused purpose.

He crouched down between two Root ninjas and reached for their masks. A barely audible agitated buzz increased and a cloud of kikaichu suddenly surged forward from one of the bodies, swarming Rei from all sides. On the next moment, they dispersed, converging into a group again and retreating to their owner where they quieted down. A few stayed behind, fluttering about Rei's hand that hovered just shy of touching.

Impressive. Shikaku could feel his admiration growing. The man not only didn't hurt the kikaichu, but somehow managed to pacify them without moving an inch.

But the Aburame Root member could only mean one thing. Shikaku scowled as the Uzumaki took off the masks, revealing two sleeping faces of preteen boys.

"How could a clan give away one of their own to be a slave for that lunatic?" Rei questioned. It might have been a soft, quiet inquiry, but there was an undeniably hard edge to it. He put his palms on top of each kid's foreheads, features taut with concentration.

Shikaku stared at the boy with auburn hair, an image of Inoichi's haggard face as he drank himself into oblivion floating to the forefront of his mind. "With a lot of guilt for the rest of their lives," he murmured.

The other man made a noise of acknowledgment, but didn't comment.

"Did Danzo send them after Naruto?"

"Yes, he did," Rei replied, standing up. Whatever he was doing, he seemed to be finished. "Getting bold at testing the limits of my patience. He's just asking for a visit." He bared his teeth into a savage grin that spoke of a bloodthirsty beast. An apex predator unafraid of asserting his position when necessary. "You try taking something of mine and I'll take everything from you."

The blond's words brought a chill down Shikaku's spine. He didn't envy those who crossed this person's path and went against him. This type was the worst enemy one could have; relentless and unstoppable in pursuit of the target he set his eyes on.

Rei turned to the side and called out, "Come down, Dog and… erm." He cocked his head to the side as a flicker of confusion crossed his face. "I don't think I ever learned your codename and I know for sure you Anbu fellows get all touchy about someone using your real name while you have your masks on." He waved at the direction of the unseen spectators for them to show themselves. "Dog and the guy with Mokuton, come down here."

Mokuton user's existence was top-secret. Not even mentions of his bloodline limit in his files to avoid potential leakage in case of document theft. But this outsider knew exactly who he was and what his bloodline limit was. Most curious. Rei's knowledge about Konoha didn't stem only from what he might have stolen using his superb stealth, he had another way to collect information.

While Shikaku pondered on this new piece of the puzzle, two masked ninjas landed on the ground without a sound. Apparently, the Nara wasn't the only one bothered by the fact that Rei knew.

"How do you know about Mokuton?" the slightly shorter one demanded. He sounded frustrated for some reason, impatient.

The blond gazed at him. "You don't realize it yourself? Ah, that explains things," he said more to himself rather than the others. "Due to the nature of your chakra, you're loved by natural energy. It's so dense around you, that you're like a shining beacon to my senses, impossible to miss. I saw your arrival from miles away."

Shikaku filed another observation about mysterious blond Uzumaki—the ability to sense natural energy, most likely a Sage.

"That's how Hashirama gained his Sage mode. You do have the potential to reach it too," Rei said. The young Anbu shifted under his thoughtful, yet piercing gaze, and there was noticeable tension in the line of his square shoulders. "It is unfortunate that your chakra seems to be at odds with the natural energy at the moment. But I can teach you if you want."

Suspicion was just rolling in waves from the ninja. "Why would you teach a stranger?"

"Why not?" And there it was again, in his cheeky smirk. Something peculiar, something hidden. As if this was some sort of inside joke to him, or perhaps something he knew while they didn't and he reveled in their ignorance. "Well, the offer will stand indefinitely, if you ever change your mind."

Shikaku added another observation to the list: Rei Uzumaki was very knowledgeable and willing to share it with a chosen few. How he chose these people, he still had to find out.

"Anyway…" Rei glanced down at two Root members and pursed his lips. "I interrupted your eavesdropping, because I want you to do something for me." Not hearing any objections, he continued, "I destroyed all seals that were placed on these kids. Now they are free from Danzo's control. Bring them to the Hokage and tell him to return them to their clans, to their rightful families." His expression hardened. "If he gives them back to that lunatic again, I will take them with me. Uzushio will always be a home for the unwanted and abused."

There was something in a way he said it—home—like it was the most sacred thing in the world. Something deeper than just offering a place for others, something that he had wanted desperately himself, and now was fully loyal to the cause he felt was right. After losing everyone and everything in the past, he was just a lonely person gathering other lonely people and giving himself and them a chance at having a family.

Shikaku could truly say now that he sincerely admired and respected this man.

The Anbu moved to pick the unconscious kids.

"Oh, and also," Rei spoke again, "inform the Hokage that I'll visit him tomorrow for whatever business he has with me."

Dog dipped his head in affirmative, hefted his live cargo on his shoulder, and disappeared into foliage like a shadow, his companion following suit soon after.

Rei clicked his tongue. "Anbu is not doing Kakashi any good," he muttered to himself, staring at the spot where the ninjas disappeared with a concerned look.

"You seem to care about Kakashi," the Nara commented off-handedly.

The blond shot an amused glance. "Of course. I have to look after him. He was family to my brother."

An already familiar, enigmatic smile returned. The one Shikaku just couldn't figure out. And it bothered him. Very much so.

"Let's meet tomorrow evening for a cup of sake?"

"Sure," the Nara drawled back, trying and probably failing to not appear eager for their meeting. "Sasagin izakaya* at 8."

"I'll be there. Now, please excuse me, my presence is required somewhere else." With these parting words, Rei vanished.

What a convenient means of transportation, the lone man mused. No need to move at all, not even a single step, but one thought and you were at your destination. Like those clouds being carried by the breeze instead of traveling themselves.

Shikaku turned away with a sigh and slinked away.

Lucky troublesome blonds.

*izakaya - is a type of informal Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks.

Chapter Text

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair with a weary sigh. Massaging his temple with one hand as he tried to soothe the quickly building headache, he stared at the scroll on the table. After a moment, he moved his hand over his eyes.

Not for the first time, the old Hokage wished that his student would have sent more information, not just a warning. What did he mean by not to deny Rei Uzumaki the guardianship over his nephew lest they wanted to avoid another calamity? But no matter how long Hiruzen stared at the message from the toad or how many times he read it, he didn't get any closer to the answers he wanted.

Or needed right now.

Because today was the day Rei agreed to finally meet. The elusive blond never specified the time of his visit, so the Sandaime cleared his schedule for a whole day and just waited. He hoped to have a proper conversation with the man this time.

Hiruzen had already made his decision about letting Naruto move to Uzushio, despite the protests of his advisors. His old teammates had access to all the known information about Rei Uzumaki, but they had never met the man himself in person. Unfortunately, one couldn't simply document the gut feeling. All instincts Hiruzen Sarutobi honed through his long life were telling him that being enemies with Rei was simply foolish. Jiraiya's warning only strengthened that notion.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," the Sandaime said as he straightened up in his seat and rolled the scroll up.

The door opened and his secretary stuck her head in, brown ponytail bobbing in the air. "Hokage-sama, um…" she trailed off, shooting a nervous glance over her shoulder. "Rei Uzumaki, the leader of Uzushiogakure, is here for his appointment."

Hiruzen's hand froze mid-way towards reaching for his pipe. He stared at the woman, completely baffled. Rei Uzumaki was here for his appointment? The Sandaime fully expected the man to just appear in the middle of his office and was actually waiting for it to happen, not for him to adhere to formal procedures.

The secretary fidgeted. "Should I lead him to the meeting room?"

The Sandaime gave himself a good internal shake. "No," he exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "I'll accompany him myself." So unpredictable, even in this sort of matter, he thought as he stood and smoothed the wrinkles in his robe.

Rei Uzumaki leaned against the table of the Hokage's secretary, relaxed and unruffled. His posture was at complete ease, legs crossed and hands resting on the edge of the table. And yet, a small curve on his lips and the sharp cerulean gaze felt ominous.

Two Anbu guards on either side of the office door shifted subtly under that piercing scrutiny, feeling like mice in front of a too lazy cat, watching them purely for entertainment. One of them swallowed, another smothered the urge to wipe his sweaty palms.

When Hiruzen stepped out, his clearly intimidated guards were the first thing he noticed. Rei spooked his hardened elite with his presence alone, managed to get under their skin merely by looking at them, and his advisors wanted to somehow control this person? With a shake of his head, he said, "Please, do not agitate my ninjas, Uzumaki-san."

"H-Hokage-sama!" one of the Anbu bristled at the implication.

"Aww, but it's so fun!" Rei all but cheered at the same time. "Their overreaction is cute."

Yeah, of course, 'cute' was definitely the right word to describe the highly trained killers who could sometimes be a bit too happy-trigger when agitated.

Hiruzen suddenly felt way too old for this job. He should hurry up and find the replacement already. Hmm, who could be a good candidate? A certain young face emerged in his mind and the Sandaime thoughtfully stroked his beard.

Detecting a curious gaze on him, the Hokage coughed into his fist and then motioned towards the direction of the meeting room. "If you will follow me, Uzumaki-san," he requested, "I'll take you to the room where we can have a private conversation."

Rei raised an eyebrow at his politeness, but followed after without a comment. "How're the kids I sent you yesterday?" he asked after a moment.

"Aburame and Yamanaka reclaimed them. They will need some time to reintegrate back into their respective clans, but they seem to be in good health, physically and mentally," the Hokage replied. At the corner of his eye, he saw a pleased smile stretching across the blond's face. "The clan heads expressed their wishes to thank you in person."

"Eh, no need for that," Rei waved it off. When he spoke again, his voice was soft and warm, "I'm just glad the kids are okay now."

It surprised Hiruzen how humble Rei was in this situation, despite having such a domineering, flamboyant personality.

They reached the meeting room and the Hokage opened the door, allowing his guest to enter first.

"Those seals on them were nasty," the blond muttered as he passed the old man and took in the room with a single sweep, settling on nothing in particular. "My teammate was a medic-nin, the best one. She liked to ramble medical gibberish to fill the silence."

Hiruzen walked around the table to the seat at the end of it, stealing a glance at Rei. Such an expressive person, he mused, not even trying to hide immeasurable fondness and longing at that little reminiscence.

"I learned a few things from her," Rei continued, casually plopping into a chair closest to the Hokage. "Did you know that the human's brain has parts that are responsible for the perception of self?" he asked.

"I did not."

"Danzo's seals were calibrated in the way that would gradually numb those parts and turn them into nothing but loyal slaves." The blond paused. "Handiwork of Orochimaru, I bet."

The Hokage frowned. Danzo working with Orochimaru, the known traitor? Something to look into, but it still wouldn't be enough. The old war hawk had his fingers in a lot of pies, including a daimyo and his court. This was a precarious situation. He couldn't rush it if he wanted to avoid the backlash at Konoha. The daimyo hadn't fully succumbed to Danzo's influence yet, with enough evidence they had a chance to remove Danzo Shimura from his power once and for all.

Rei tapped his finger on the surface of the table, observing, judging. Subtly, Hiruzen cleared his throat. He could understand now why his ninjas felt so unnerved in front of this man. "There is one more seal I'm hoping you can assist us with," he spoke, pulling out a photo from within his robe. It was a close-up shot of Anko's neck with the Cursed Seal of Heaven. As he slid the picture towards the blond, he explained, "It is the cursed seal of Orochimaru's creation. We were unable to find a way to remove it permanently. All we could do was to suppress it."

Rei's eyes flicked to the photo, but didn't linger. Nor did he reach to take it and inspect the seal more carefully. "I can get rid of it," he stated. Not examine, not give a try, but simply do it. The blond's tone was even and certain, like a man who had absolute confidence in his skills. "Tomorrow around the same time in your office?"

It took the Hokage a few seconds to find his voice again through the surprise at how fast and easily the Uzumaki accepted the request. "Yes, that is suitable," he said. Some weight seemed to be lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you for agreeing to assist. My jounin is greatly burdened by this seal."

"But that's not all that you wanted to ask me."

"No, it is not," Hiruzen agreed. The lines on his brow deepened when he thought about Naruto. Despite his best efforts to stay neutral regarding this matter, like it was required from the Hokage, webs of worry trickled into his mind, constricting his chest. And it wasn't just because Konoha was about to lose their Jinchuuriki. "When are you leaving with Naruto?"

Rei reclined in his chair, bright blue eyes boring into the elderly Sarutobi. "The day after tomorrow," he replied. There was weight in his gaze, sharp and calculating, as if gauging Hiruzen's worth in the world. "There was a slight issue with the shipment of wood to Uzushio and it delayed the construction work. I've decided to take the boys for a trip across the Fire Country while it catches up to the schedule."

The Sandaime had heard about the unfamiliar red-haired boy accompanying Naruto, but he tactfully refrained from inquiring about him. "Naruto never went outside of Konoha's wall, I can only imagine how happy he'll be," he commented instead, smiling at the thought of how delighted the little blond would be at the opportunity to sightsee.

Rei hummed in agreement, lips pulling into a smirk, but his eyes never left the Hokage's face.

"Regarding the Uzushio's rebuild, I would like to offer you Konoha's assistance."

It was a tentative proposal for an alliance. A gamble really.

Rei Uzumaki was a force to be reckoned with, a presence that the world would take notice of sooner rather than later. It would take time for other hidden villages to get news about Konoha losing their Jinchuuriki and also the dead village trying to rise from its ashes. Who knew what would happen then. If they managed to secure the alliance between them and help Uzushio develop, it might be enough to give those with malicious intent a pause. For the sake of both villages.

Better to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

"Pretty sneaky of you, Old Man." Rei's smirk widened into a grin. Before the Hokage could justify himself, he started speaking, "I have funds and enough manpower, what I'm missing is specialists." He brushed a hand through his hair, suddenly looking a tad bit frustrated. "I'm a soldier, not a politician or an expert in village planning. So far, we followed the old Uzushio maps, but I want to add a few things that weren't there before and I need an opinion of specialists on how to plan all that."

Hiruzen nodded, thoughtful. "We can provide you with the people you lack," he said, already running through the list of professionals that were needed in urban planning in his mind.

"That'd be great!" With a flick of his wrist, a three-pronged kunai appeared in Rei's hand. He put it on the table and pushed it to the Sandaime's side. "I know Shisui's kunai has been returned to him, so this one's for you. Call me if you need me."

Hiruzen took the weapon, looking at the seal wrapped around its handle. It looked the same at first glance, but he and Jiraiya had already examined it earlier. After comparing it to the one Minato had used, they could see implemented adjustments and attached additions to the beacon array. Not even his student could imagine what kind of modifications Rei must have done to the main Hiraishin seal.

That this meant as a sign of trust didn't escape the Hokage's observation either. He tucked the kunai inside his robe, inclining his head in respect. "Thank you. I'll use it wisely." Despite not being mentioned out loud, with this action, both leaders agreed on the alliance, everything else was just formalities.

"Uzumaki-san—"

"No need for that. Just Rei is fine."

Hiruzen felt amused at the somewhat petulant grimace on the man's face and his dismissive wave as if attempting to shoo away the formal decorum. "Rei," he said, marveling how the blond instantly brightened up at his compliance. "Can I ask if you would mind if—"

A knock interrupted the Hokage this time. The door opened right after and his two advisors walked in without waiting for an invite. Hiruzen stiffened, eyes narrowing. He was pretty clear when he told them not to interfere with this meeting. This bordered on insubordination. What were they thinking?

At the same time, he couldn't show their internal strife in front of an important foreign guest. So, Hiruzen clenched his jaw and motioned to the pair, "This is Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane." He fixed his old teammates with a stern glower as they made their way to sit on the opposite side of the Uzumaki. "My advisors."

Rei let out a quiet 'hmm', but otherwise said nothing.

"It is nice to finally meet you, Rei Uzumaki."

The blond smiled at Koharu's greeting. A very placid and benign looking smile. "Can't say I return the sentiment. Is it really supposed to be nice when ill-bred rabid dogs barge in and start marking their territory in front of their owner and his guest?" His kind expression and the polite tone of his voice didn't match the vicious meaning of his words at all. Even Hiruzen did a double-take to make sure he heard it right. "Judging by the Hokage's reaction," Rei continued, "he doesn't find it pleasing either."

Righteous indignation filled Koharu and Homura's faces, offended sneers at the tip of their tongues, and yet when their eyes beheld Rei's demeanor, they found it hard to speak. The imposing momentum Rei exuded at this moment filled the entire room up with his presence to the point of being nearly suffocating. An Alpha who dominated without effort.

The thick tension permeated the air like syrup.

The Sandaime hid a smirk behind his hand. His advisors struggled to keep their composure and it was an amusing sight to witness. He had no sympathy to offer, however. They received their warning about this person after all.

"Well?" Rei prompted, sounding impatient. "What do you want?"

Koharu looked stiffly at Homura and the latter pulled out a scroll. "This is an Alliance agreement and what Konoha can offer you," he said.

Hiruzen glared at his teammates, but they ignored him. He grew too lenient if even his closest friends started to act behind his back like this. "It is not the official agreement," he stated, daring his advisors to contradict his words.

"I'd already be gone if it was," Rei muttered from behind the scroll that he was reading. It wasn't a threat, but the indication that it could be was right beneath the mild words. He rolled the scroll up and looked at the two people on the other side of the table. His icy gaze was full of cruel, dark, and terrifying rage and pinned them down in place with cold efficiency. Even the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

"As I've already said in Kusa," Rei started, moving his hand with a scroll to the side, "Uzumaki clan is not weak." Three pairs of eyes widened when the scroll burst into flames. The blond tilted his head, never shifting his eyes from Koharu and Homura. "Just because we lost our village, doesn't mean we lost ourselves. There might be only five of us at the moment, but I believe there are more Uzumaki in hiding than one would think. We're survivors." He shook his arm, getting rid of the ashes. A feral grin stretched across his face and it looked deadly. "The invitation message had already been sent, it just needs time to spread."

Hiruzen's mind worked a mile a minute. No doubt, Kusa and the message to the Uzumaki clan were related to Jiraiya's warning. He had no idea what it could be. The toad messenger informed him that the Sannin was about two days behind, so he should return tomorrow morning at the latest. The Hokage could only wait.

"You need new advisors, Old Man," Rei said.

"It does look like I do, doesn't it?" Hiruzen concurred. "Koharu, Homura, you're dismissed."

At least they were prideful enough not to make a fuss. They stood up and strolled out, rigid yet still dignified, pushing past the silver-haired person that happened to stand in front of the door as they opened it.

The Sandaime waved the man in. "You're just on time, Kakashi."

Kakashi eyed the Hokage's advisors speed walking along the hallway before turning to the remaining two people inside the room. "Hokage-sama," he replied respectfully. He entered, but didn't take a seat, deciding to stand by the closed door in a lazy slouch.

"What I wanted to ask before we were so rudely interrupted," Hiruzen uttered, gaining Rei's attention again. "You two have already met. Would you mind if Kakashi accompanied Naruto for a while?"

Rei cocked an eyebrow, not covering his honest surprise. "You want to send Kakashi to Uzushio?"

"Please, don't misunderstand. Naruto's safety is still my responsibility and it would put this old man's mind at ease."

"I'm not against it." Rei leaned his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his palm. "I'll take Kakashi with me." His expression shifted, softened. "There are three energetic brats to babysit, Kana and I can't look after them all the time, socializing with different people are important. You won't mind, right, Old Man Kakashi?"

Wondering about the teasing nickname which seemed to strike a nerve with Kakashi, Hiruzen watched their interaction in amusement. Shikaku's observation turned out to be correct. Rei definitely had a soft spot for Minato's student.

In a blink of an eye, Kakashi whipped out his orange book, buried his nose in it, and drawled out, "Maa, I don't mind."

"Though, I hope you'll keep your porn away from children."

Kakashi hummed under his breath, lone eye tracing lines of text. He flipped a page. "You say porn, I call it an intense character study between two humans of different gender exploring their identity through deep soul bonding." When he got no more comment on his choice of literature, he took a subtle peek at the blond.

Rei stared at him, emotions too tender to put a name on them present across his features, his grin smoothed into something faintly nostalgic. As soon as he noticed being watched, it sharpened, teeth flashing.

Kakashi shuddered. What did he just get himself into?

Inoichi rolled his eyes at yet another muttered, "Troublesome…" from his friend. "I think that the Hokage's choice in inviting you as his new advisor is a wise one," he said.

They were loitering next to the entrance of the Sasagin izakaya. Absent-mindedly, Inoichi's gaze swept across the street, illuminated by the lights spilling through the windows and doors under the quickly darkening evening sky. An ingrained habit more than anything else.

An old couple, whispering something to each other. A rotund man rushing forward with a woman in a skimpy dress hooked on his arm. A giggling group of kids. A young man in orange taking a leisurely walk. A pair of chuunin quickly passing on rooftops.

He noted every passerby still out and about, nevertheless his attention didn't linger on anyone in particular.

"You just want me to die from overwork," Shikaku accused.

Inoichi scowled at him. "Don't be so dramatic," he scolded. "These changes will be good for Konoha."

Shikaku's resigned sigh together with drooping shoulders told so much more than one would expect from such simple actions. Then, abruptly, he perked up, a corner of his mouth curling up.

Inoichi recognized that particular expression—Nara always adopted it once he got a chance to unravel a puzzle that bothered him. Looking at what made Shikaku so excited, he saw Rei Uzumaki sauntering over and sucked in a breath.

The similarity to Minato was outstanding. No wonder everyone accepted the man's claim of being his brother without any solid proof.

Inoichi blinked. Only now he realized that he somehow missed Rei when he looked over the street. He could swear he saw his eye-catching clothes, he just... ignored it. How odd.

"Shikaku, good evening," Rei greeted Nara amicably like an old friend. "I hope I'm not late."

"No, no." Shikaku accepted the casual tone of their exchange as if it was only natural. "Just on time, Rei."

Inquisitive blue eyes slid onto Inoichi and Rei's greeting, "Hello, Inoichi," carried the same friendly feeling. With a tilt of his head, he regarded the Yamanaka. "How's the boy?"

"He's a bit lost and confused, but otherwise doing well." Right there and then, in the middle of the street, in front of curious passersby, Inoichi bowed in immense gratitude. "I cannot express how thankful I am for what you did. The Yamanaka clan will remember this favor."

"Keep the boy safe. The lunatic might try getting him back."

Inoichi's lips pressed into a tight line. He straightened up, light green eyes meeting the bright blue—

The mental yank was sudden, powerful, came out of nowhere, and completely blindsided him. Painful too, incredibly so. As if someone—or something— ripped through his consciousness, sunk their claws into his mind, and tore it out of his physical body before he could even realize what was happening.

Inoichi stumbled, crimson water splashing underneath his feet. Even the slightest shift sent ripples across its surface until they faded out of sight in an endless dark nothingness that extended to all sides. It was so quiet; he could hear his own breathing.

Inoichi felt utterly out of place. An unwilling intruder into some god-forsaken realm.

There was a cage in front. A giant golden cage with bars so massive and so tall that their top wasn’t even visible. A multitude of chains—hundreds of them, ranging from normal-looking ones to as thick as a human’s torso—stretched out from the dark void, through the bars, and disappeared inside the cage. Various designs and drawings covered every visible surface of the bars and the chains.

Seals, Inoichi realized with growing dread. The sheer force they exuded thrummed along the edge of his skin, making his hair stand on end.

Chains rattled.

Shadows moved.

Water rippled.

Something stared.

Slowly, his heart hammering against his ribcage, Inoichi looked up, expecting his eyes to connect with whatever observed him. Nothing was there, only impenetrable umbra. Nothing but a lingering knowing of something watching unseen. A ghost of a sensation, yet so overwhelming.

Shadows shifted again. Chains followed.

Inoichi had seen the Kyuubi. Had fought against it. Had endured its wrath. But looking upon a feeble outline of a colossal thing—bigger than the Kyuubi; bigger than the ten of them—lurking in the darkness of the cage, all he wanted was to flee. To flee now. To turn around and flee, flee, flee and never take another glimpse of it.

Yet he couldn’t move. Nor he could look away.

Whatever entity was inside the cage, it felt wrong. Abominable. Something that was not as it should be. Something that was not meant to be. As if Inoichi’s mind rejected its existence on the deepest primal instincts, even though he couldn’t identify it. The creeping horror of wrongness pervaded the surroundings and his very being and clung there, twisting it, warping, ravaging—

“Hey!”

Inoichi flinched. The paralyzing spell broke and he spun around, coming face to face with Rei. Gone was a cheery, kind man he had just met on Konoha’s street. While he didn’t appear any different, there was something about him. Something immense. Something inhuman. Something similar to the imprisoned entity.

Inoichi felt like a small bug stuck between two titans.

Rei didn’t spare the other man a glance, all his attention focused on the cage. His posture was neither aggressive nor overly placid, yet his relaxed presence held an unnerving intensity. “What the hell are you planning?” he muttered finally.

Inoichi opened his mouth to ask for answers only to find that he couldn’t speak. As if the sickening feeling of the eldritch being’s gaze boring into his back somehow stole his voice.

Rei’s eyes flicked to his face, brow furrowing.

A sound of chains clanking echoed throughout the endless space.

Dozens of circles rippled across the surface of crimson water.

Inoichi stiffened, shivers sliding down his spine like ice shards. Instinctively, he started turning around. Rei might be dangerous, but the thing in the cage—

He jerked back when someone gripped his shoulder. The persisting feeling of wrongwrongwrong that kept crawling under his skin slowed down and ebbed away into something a bit more manageable, no longer so abnormal that it was terrifying.

Eerie blue eyes seemed almost as they were glowing for how vibrant their color appeared in the black backdrop. “Don’t look,” Rei commanded and all Inoichi could do was nod numbly. Satisfied with his immediate compliance, the blond’s focus shifted back onto the cage. “The seals are intact and fully powered. There’s no damage. None of the failsafes activated either,” he murmured, low and thoughtful. “So how exactly was it able to pull you in here?”

The blond was clearly thinking out loud and expected no reply. Acutely aware of Rei’s hand still resting lightly on his shoulder, Inoichi concentrated on that rather than what horror was sealed here.

“Is it because you’re a Yamanaka?”

Once again, Inoichi found himself at the receiving end of Rei’s intense stare. The latter stayed silent for a while, studying him, eyes sharp and keen.

“Due to your natural aptitude to mind-related techniques, you have very strong self-awareness and your consciousness already has a constant form that is easy to latch onto,” Rei continued to analyze the current situation. “Yeah, that makes sense.” He grimaced. “It also means I left such a huge loophole.”

A growl reverberated from the cage. Deep, slow, and menacing, it built up until the air shook from its magnitude.

Chains rattled again.

An ocean of overwhelming bloodlust came without warning and cascaded down on two humans. Full of power so vast and ancient and vile that any sense of rationale Inoichi had managed still hold onto shattered beyond repair.

Rei, however, didn’t even blink. He stood there, taking the full brunt of the bloodlust with unnatural ease like showering under a refreshing summer drizzle. A smug smirk danced on his lips. “Nice try, big guy.”

Provoked by the mockery, it roared. Unfathomable. Oppressive. Perverted. Inhumane. Implacable. Otherworldly. Outside of human’s comprehension.

The world shuddered and spasmed. The structure of this plane caved in on itself at its seams. The shockwave of that unimaginable furious howl swept across the crimson water, displacing it by force and revealing the bottomless depth that was hidden under its unassuming surface. It looked like a scar carved into the fabric of reality.

Inoichi felt his head split open, his thoughts obliterated, heart about to explode, unable to resist this insane power, and he gripped his chest, pressing, trying to stop it, his mind cracking, the last shred of his consciousness mere seconds from being unraveled irreversibly—

In a flash of brilliant golden light, all the pressure vanished. The slimy, sickening feeling of wrongness got pushed back. Gentle yet firm hands steadied Inoichi. When he looked up, instead of blue eyes he had expected to see, he was met with a pair of deep scarlet ones, each marked with a slit pupil. Rei’s entire body was wreathed in the luminous aureate glow that moved like fire. It poured out, formed some sort of appendages that wrapped around both of them, cocooning them in warmth and safety. Pure chakra. So dense that it could be seen with the naked eye. As bright as the sunshine and so full of life, it took Inoichi’s breath away.

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I overlooked such a possibility. It won’t happen again.” Rei smiled. A barely-there sad curve that looked oddly out of place on his face. “I have to take care of this. Offer my apologies to Shikaku, please.”

And then he pushed Inoichi away from him and the stunned Yamanaka was sent flying back into his own body. His legs gave out and he collapsed, energy instantly zapped out from him from the enormous strain on his psyche. Shikaku’s arms shot out to catch his shivering form, saving him from ungracefully faceplanting into the dirt.

Nara’s head snapped up as, at the same time, Rei vanished in a burst of blinding golden light. “What the—” After a quick once-over to make sure his old teammate wasn’t injured, at least not physically, he frowned. “What happened?”

It took Inoichi a full minute to even start gathering his bearings. When he finally succeeded, the first thing he mumbled was, “I need a drink.” Then, vaguely hysterical, he added, “No, I think I’m gonna get drunk today.” With the help of his friend, who was hovering worriedly now, he stood up on shaky legs. Just a thought about the entity in the cage made his hands tremble.

What was that?

Chapter Text

Mountains, rivers, forests were always in line with the laws of the cosmos. Various elements aligned, excess and impurities chipped away as years passed, and paths opened up for the natural energy to flow. It circled through these formations until it bent the natural laws and birthed an anomaly: a section of forest from which no one returned, a cave which transported intruders to a place unknown, a blessed land where any plants grew double their normal size.

A long time ago, humans watched the world around them and learned from it. As they discovered explanations behind those anomalies, they learned the laws and found ways to replicate them through the application of chakra: barriers that barred passages to unwelcomed visitors, summoning formulas to call battle animals for aid in fights, the natural energy condensing arrays that enriched the soil and stimulated the growth of crops. Eventually, a new branch of jutsu— Fuuinjutsu—was established.

When the Uzumaki nomads decided to settle down, it just so happened that the place they chose was actually inside a naturally born formation. By accident or knowingly, history concealed these facts. As years passed, generations changed, the small settlement developed into a bustling village. The Uzumaki clansmen's already vigorous and vibrant chakra was further nourished and enhanced by the constant exposure to the unique environment inside the formation and with time they developed a connection with the land which led into evolving a natural aptitude to Fuuinjutsu.

So the very first seals weren't created by humans, but formed by nature itself. That was why twisting the natural laws that governed the universe was possible in the first place. Unsurprisingly, destroying those laws was within the bounds of possibility too, but no one wanted that. Not even Rei Uzumaki. He had dealt with enough cataclysmic forces that brought a near end of the world, thank you very much.

Rei tapped his chin with a pencil, eyes fixed on the open journal in his hand. Pages upon pages were filled with notes, calculations, sealing formulas, and fragments of the array system he was currently working on. It seemed that he had hit a dead end on his project for now. No matter how he calculated, the result always ended either with the seal burning a hole in the fabric of reality or not activating at all.

He hummed to himself, frowning at the conundrum lying on the pages in front of him.

"Rei?"

Rei glanced up, blinking in surprise. Jiraiya gazed at him, features set in a very peculiar expression as if he was trying to make sense out of him. Standing next to the Sage, the Sandaime seemed equally weirded out, only a bit less expressive in his confusion. Blue eyes swept the room he was in. The Hokage's office? Wasn't he still at Naruto's apartment? How did he end up here?

"You appeared all of a sudden and just stood there, staring at your notes without saying a word," Jiraiya said, one eyebrow rising in amusement.

Ah. So that was what happened. So used to Hiraishin at this point, that he didn't even notice teleporting the moment it crossed his mind.

Breaking into a sheepish grin, Rei put the pencil inside his journal and snapped it shut. "Sorry about that," he apologized, letting one of the storage seals on his person suck the notes in. "My mind was somewhere else."

The duo observed him. Their initial bemusement soon faded and only fear remained. No, it wasn't quite fear. Something closer to apprehension. Weariness, maybe. Distrust.

Being looked upon with that kind of bias wasn't new for Rei. He grew up surrounded by fear and hate, got several years of reprieve, and went back being feared and distrusted after what befell him at the end of the war. Perhaps, if he was still purely Naruto Uzumaki, he would have been hurt and upset. As it was, it merely made him curious.

Whilst the two men scrutinized him, Rei studied them in return. There was a burning desire to know in their eyes. He could almost see questions lying on the tip of their tongues.

Ah. Right. They knew.

Now it made sense.

Of course they knew. No way would Inoichi keep it to himself. Getting yanked out of his own head and witnessing a being that could shatter his sanity as if it was nothing but glass must have been a traumatizing experience even for a hardened ninja.

Rei did feel guilty about the mishap. While he could have never expected to leave such a security flaw—a serious threat only to a small, specific group of people—it was still a mistake. His mistake. One he intended to not repeat again. He had already implemented a temporary fix and left a shadow clone to figure out a permanent solution. Most likely, he would have to tear off a few layers of the core seals first in order to apply any fortifying measures.

Rei didn't look forward to doing it.

In any case, yesterday's incident was an unfortunate accident, but there wasn't much the Yamanaka could have told them anyway. No one here knew the true story behind the Bijuu either.

Rei Uzumaki was a Jinchuuriki of a terrifying entity. That was it. That was all they knew.

All they needed to know.

And all they were going to get.

"What Inoichi had seen is none of your business," Rei spoke before Hiruzen or Jiraiya could even attempt to ask. It was cold, harsh, and with a tone of finality. Not exactly how he wanted to sound, but his hackles were up and there was no use in trying to smooth them right away. "Something like that won't happen again, so there is no need to be concerned about it." The topic wasn't up for discussion and no one could force him to speak. If they insisted… Well then, he would have to do something drastic none of them would like. "I came here to get rid of Anko's cursed seal, but if I'm not needed, I'll be leaving."

"Don't be so hasty, she'll be here any minute now," Jiraiya placated Rei to mollify his growing ire. "My own skills were pretty useless against that cursed seal. Tell me, how do you plan on doing it? Sensei said you were quite confident in being able to remove it."

"I am confident," Rei stated, noting Jiraiya's sparkling eyes with a fair amount of amusement. Being admired by his former mentor was quite a novelty. "My method, however, might disappoint you. I won't be doing anything fancy."

"Perfection in simplicity. Isn't that what Seal Masters of old used to say?"

"Indeed." The blond smirked. "Though I don't plan to use any seals this time."

There was a knock on the door, but the Sandaime was the only one who reacted to the interruption. He had allowed himself to be ignored on purpose, content with just observing how his student goaded the man into an amicable conversation.

Jiraiya crossed his arms, brow furrowing. "What method do you plan to use then?"

Anko slipped into the room, greeting her Hokage as he opened the door for her. Her good-natured grin fell momentarily as her eyes were drawn immediately to the orange-clad person in the room, but she caught it in time and forced the confident smile back on.

"Seeing as Anko is here now, I'll explain," Rei started. "Orochimaru's cursed seal is not based purely on chakra. Natural energy is its fundamental source of power."

"That's why we had such a hard time with it," Jiraiya admitted. "Not even the Toad Sages could advise us. All we could do was suppress it."

"No surprise. Chakra might be the progeny of natural energy, but they both follow different sets of rules. While natural energy seals are more primitive in their structure, they're also much more volatile and unpredictable. This kind of seal," Rei motioned at Anko, "is uniquely parasitic in its nature. Sure, I can use counterseals to pull it out, it's a valid option. It would hurt a lot, but the host would survive and the damage to the chakra system would heal with time. However," he made a brief pause to accentuate the importance of his next words, "it wouldn't get rid of it."

Anko stiffened. "What do you mean?" she asked and felt a moment of irrational nervousness when the blond's gaze locked on her and sharpened.

"Eventually, it'd regrow to what it was. Like a weed regrows from the piece of its root left in the soil after it had been pulled out. That's the real danger of seals powered by natural energy."

Fury blazed inside Anko's narrowed eyes. Her arms stayed at her side, but she clenched her fists so hard, her knuckles turned white. She denied herself nurturing much hope to begin with, but… "Are you saying it's impossible to remove this thing completely?" she hissed.

"I'm saying that usual methods aren't effective," Rei replied without batting an eyelid at the display of anger directed at him, "but I can purge it with my chakra."

The Hokage pursed his lips. "That would require you to inject your chakra into her directly."

"Yes."

Anko gritted her teeth. Injecting foreign chakra into someone might as well be a death sentence if they didn't possess top-notch chakra control. The slightest mistake or the smallest bit of malicious intent and she would end up dead. Or worse.

Then again, she had searched for this man herself, fully aware of what she wanted to request of him. Or at least ask if it was possible.

He said it was possible.

Backing out now when the solution was within her grasp would be flat-out stupid. What were the chances that she came across another golden opportunity like this? None.

But what if this Rei Uzumaki was like Orochimaru? It was a unique seal—he had said it himself. Maybe he only wanted to get his hands on something new, to experiment with it.

Anko's eyes flicked up and down Rei's form, searching even for the tiniest hint that would betray any hidden motives. Possibly some signs of his eagerness to study the cursed seal and her as its host. To her relief—or maybe dismay—she didn't spot any. He stood there, annoyingly relaxed, waiting, and didn't appear impatient for them to make a decision. In fact, she got a feeling that he wouldn't care if they refused.

As she eyed the guy, making no effort to be anywhere close to subtle about it, Rei's lips tipped up on one side. Anko recognized that particular smirk. It was her favorite, the one she used every time she wanted to be exceptionally grating on someone's nerves. It didn't make her immune to someone else using it. Her jaw tightened.

"Are there any possible side effects?" the Hokage inquired.

Rei took a moment to consider it. "Nothing harmful that I can think of."

"How will this process work?"

"I'll guide my chakra through Anko's chakra system to neutralize any natural energy in it and then it'll be a matter of minutes as I deconstruct and destroy the remains of the seal. Of course, the former will get rid of every bit of natural energy, even the natural residue present in every human, but a few days rest is all that's needed to restore the previous balance." When no one said anything in the next moment, only stared at him with a fair amount of suspicion, he sighed. "Let's just say, I'm exceptionally sensitive to natural energy and my chakra is special."

"Is it because you're an Uzumaki?" Jiraiya asked.

"You could say that."

Anko saw it—the realization that flitted across the Hokage and Jiraiya's faces. They knew something. Something she didn't. Something that stopped them from wanting to object any longer.

She trusted these two. The Hokage was her leader and he wouldn't entrust this stranger to handle this matter if he thought it was unsafe. Jiraiya was the one who found a way to suppress the cursed seal. He was also known as Konoha's best Seal Master, but even she could see the blatant admiration the Sage had for this Uzumaki fellow.

Anko scowled at Rei who met her glower with a cool stare as he continued to wait patiently. "A few days of rest and that's all?" she pressed. "Nothing else?"

"Well, you'll most likely fall asleep during the procedure and wake up a day or two later with a temporary headache and the hunger of a starving beast," Rei answered with absolute seriousness and yet the others could almost taste the cheekiness in his tone.

Anko almost sneered. Fall asleep? Ha! What did he take her for? "Fine," she ground out instead of telling this pretty bastard to go screw himself. She glanced at the Hokage and when he gave her an approving nod, she turned back to the blond. "What do you need me to do?"

Without a word, Rei walked to the corner of the room. There was a couch, a small table, and two chairs. He pulled one out into the middle of the office. "Sit here, please," he said, patting the back of it. "Oh, and take off your coat. I need full access to the seal."

Anko complied without any fuss, throwing her coat on the couch on her way to the chair.

Jiraiya moved off to the side with the Sandaime, both observing with open interest.

Anko sat down, spine ramrod straight. Not only had she turned her back to this unknown, potentially very powerful ninja, but also exposed her neck to him too. It went against every self-preservation instinct that was ingrained into her body and mind throughout all her years as a kunoichi. To make things worse, the guy was also taking his sweet time to start. A jibe was out before she could hold it in, "Did you fall asleep or something?"

"Anko." The Hokage's voice was quiet and even, but no one could mistake a warning for anything else.

Anko bit down on her lip. Taunting a person who agreed to remove that damn thing off of her probably wasn't the smartest idea. She knew all too well that her mouth worked faster than her head when she felt nervous. If she was honest with herself, she was terrified right now. Not that she would admit or show it. Ever.

"My apologies," Rei said and while Anko couldn't see his face, because he was standing directly behind her, she could hear the obvious smile in his voice. "I just realized that this is an incomplete form of the Cursed Seal of Heaven and it reminded me of a stray I urgently need to pick up."

Anko frowned. That made no sense. A poof of chakra smoke on her left startled her, her head whipping in the direction of the perceived threat while her hand simultaneously shot down to grab a kunai. She managed to catch a glimpse of another Rei Uzumaki before the copy vanished. She went rigid when hands landed on her shoulders.

"You're tense and your chakra is churning because you're on such high alert. While it's not necessarily bad, it does make my work harder," Rei spoke softly. "I don't mean any harm, so try to relax."

Anko swallowed another choice word, putting in an effort to do what she was told. Relax. How was she supposed to even attempt that? Fall asleep, her ass. She might be able to force herself to relax to some degree, but there was no way she would be letting her guard down completely in front of a stranger.

Rei's fingers on her right shoulder started moving, kneading her muscles. It was so distracting, Anko instinctively focused on it. From the corner of her eye, she caught the flash of golden-colored chakra enveloping those fingers. Every time they pressed into the meat of her shoulder, soothing warmth spread from that spot, poured throughout her entire body and into her limbs, filling every single crevice and fold and space inside her.

Anko didn't even notice how her guard dropped lower and lower until she was left vulnerable and exposed.

Nor did she realize her mind becoming drowsier and her body feeling heavier before she slipped into a blissful sleep.

Rei lifted his left hand away from where it rested over the cursed seal, balling it into a tight fist in the process. A moment later, wisps of black smoke escaped through the small gaps. He unclenched his hand and shook it a couple of times - as if trying to shake off some non-existent filth.

A thought that Orochimaru definitely should have felt his soul fragment being destroyed brought Rei the feeling of delighted satisfaction. It also should have hurt, though more the snake's ego than his body. Orochimaru always had so much pride in his cursed seals, he would probably go mad in not knowing what happened and who could have done this.

It also meant that he would investigate. Rei had to keep an eye on Anko until Orochimaru was dealt with.

He focused on his task again, making sure that no remains of the corrupted natural energy were left in the kunoichi's body before slowly retrieving his chakra from her system. The moment he was done, Anko slumped sideways and would have fallen off the chair if not for Rei's hand supporting her weight. He shuffled around the chair, careful not to let her fall, and picked her up.

Rei felt gazes of the room's other two occupants boring into the back of his skull as he moved the sleeping kunoichi onto the couch. He put a palm on her forehead for the last check-up. Everything seemed in order. He pulled back, but not before a subtle press of his finger behind her ear to leave a miniature version of his Hiraishin marker.

Rei stood up. Grabbing Anko's abandoned coat, he used it as a makeshift blanket to cover her. Only then he finally turned back to Hiruzen and Jiraiya. "The cursed seal is fully lifted now," he told them. "As I said earlier, she'll be fine after sleeping it off and eating a good meal once she wakes up."

The Sandaime dipped his head in a grateful nod. "Thank you for your assistance."

Rei grinned. "Anytime, Old Man." He blinked, eyes flicking over to the window to look at something in the village. "Ah, I need to go. I promised the boys to bring them for the last walk around Konoha today." A quick wave served as his goodbye as he vanished.

Jiraiya walked across the room and crouched next to the couch to check on Anko. He gently tilted her head to look at the spot on her neck where the cursed seal had been ingrained previously. Nothing was there anymore, only a circle of slightly red, irritated skin.

"Yep. It's gone," Jiraiya stated. "And she's perfectly fine." His words were met with no comments, so he continued to stare at that spot on the kunoichi's neck, his mind a mess. He had never seen such a method of seal removal. Fascinating.

"What do you think of this, Jiraiya?"

A snort at that question came out almost like an accident, because the next moment Jiraiya heaved a heavy sight as he straightened up. "What do I think of this?" he asked in return, turning to face his sensei. "I think we should be damn grateful that Rei Uzumaki doesn't want to be our enemy."

With more and more information piling up about the elusive blond Uzumaki, Hiruzen silently agreed.

"Rei'd need to only flash to the center of Konoha, use that sealing system from Kusa, and the war would practically be won by him in a few minutes. You can't fight what you can't even touch." Jiraiya shrugged. "And I don't know who, if anyone at all, would be able to touch him at this point."

"That reminds me," the Sandaime went around his table and pulled a small scroll from its drawers. "We got a message this morning from our spies in Suna," he said, giving the scroll to his student who came closer to take it. "Rei took off with the Ichibi Jinchuuriki, leaving the Shadow Clone behind that effortlessly decimated Suna's forces, including the Kazekage."

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up into his hairline at the news. He instantly rolled the scroll out to read the message himself. "Knowing how Suna treats their Jinchuuriki…" he mumbled before looking back up with a worried scowl. "You think it'll spark a war?"

"I'm not so sure," Hiruzen answered, fishing out his pipe out of another drawer. He continued speaking as he ignited it up and took a few puffs to keep it lit. "Rei Uzumaki is a new player on board. After these two major incidents, every village will take notice of his existence." He paused, blowing a cloud of smoke. "Considering the level of power and skill he displayed, it's very likely that the other nations will wait and observe for now."

"Does that mean the Ichibi Jinchuuriki is currently in Konoha?"

Hiruzen grimaced. "Yes, he is. It seems that Naruto and that boy are fast friends. I dispatched ANBU to keep potential spies from approaching, but Rei sent them back, saying that he'll keep them safe himself."

"Hmm…" Jiraiya trailed off thoughtfully, eyes still on the message from Suna. "You know, I'm really starting to believe that all Rei wants is family. He might be unpredictable, but as long as the people he's decided to protect are not threatened, he's not really a threat himself."

'It's not what he said—the fact that Uzushio will always be a home for the unwanted and abused, but how he said it. I believe him,' the Hokage recalled Shikaku Nara's words and sighed. "I still worry about that creature sealed inside him," he shared.

"The world is vast. With what you told me, we're lucky it's kept under lock."

Hiruzen reclined into his chair and closed his eyes for a brief moment, recalling the sight of Inoichi from yesterday. The man's trembling hands and panicked eyes. He had never imagined witnessing the Head of the Yamanaka being so alarmed and agitated. Just seeing this veteran ninja so spooked was unsettling.

The world was vast, it was true. No one knew what dangers lurked over the horizon or in the depths of the ocean. A thought that entities larger, more powerful, and immeasurably more dangerous than the Bijuu were might be somewhere out there was frightening.

Hiruzen rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache creeping in. He was too old for this. He should just find a replacement and retire already. Maybe visit Uzushio. He had been in that village many, many years ago, but he could still remember the sunny blue sky, waves washing sandy beaches, beautiful woman in—

He coughed. If only he could find someone to take over the hat. "Hey, Jiraiya?"

His office was empty, except for sleeping Anko on the couch.

Hiruzen bit down on his pipe with more force than necessary. "Damn brat…"

Rei was at an impasse.

He hadn't realized the scope of how hard his own existence pushed against the limits of the natural laws until he tried approaching his current project the same way he had approached time travel. Unique circumstances behind his persona were exactly why he could slip through the cracks in between two different time streams without creating a paradox. Abnormal enough to force the universe into adding his existence into the equation and shifting according to this new variable, but not defying its rules to the point where he would cause its collapse.

Creating a safe haven, untouchable and unbreakable no matter what, not by humans and not by the tides of time, certainly ended up being more complex than the time travel issue. Trickier. He didn't have the freedom to just wave off the dangers. He could survive anything—probably—but normal beings couldn't.

Even if they were the Bijuu.

Rei wasn't about to risk their lives like this. They might not be the ones he knew, not the ones he befriended back in his time, but he owed his friends at least this much for failing to save them in the end. For allowing a madman to kill almost all of them for the resurrection of the Juubi. For not being strong enough to keep the latter sealed. If he had been, Kurama wouldn't have sacrificed himself…

Rei clicked his tongue. He was getting off-track. Let his mind wander into places he had no desire to dwell in. He reclined on the bench he was sitting on and rubbed his eyes.

The sun dipped lower between the trees, bathing the surroundings in a glow of red and gold. It was a secluded area on the edges of the cultivated forest with an old, cobbled path leading into it and maintained enough to not be called abandoned, but people rarely visited it.

A perfect spot for two young Jinchuuriki to play.

Rei brushed his hand across his eyes for the last time and then raked fingers through his hair. Resting his elbow on the armrest, he leaned his head on his palm and proceeded to stare at the open journal.

"You know, Minato used to do that—glaring at his seal notes when he was stuck."

A voice reached Rei's ears, but he didn't spare the speaker even a single glimpse. He had sensed him approaching from miles away.

A moment later, Jiraiya plopped down on the bench, throwing both his arms on top of the backrest with a sigh. "He could spend hours just staring at it. Always threw a tantrum when someone wanted to drag him away from it."

"Really?" he asked as the image of his father flashed across his mind. Those few weeks they spent fighting side by side and a few precious moments of respite in between battles. Minato never talked much about himself, always ending up either gushing about Kushina or asking his son to tell him more about himself. At this point, Rei knew more about his mother than his father. His mouth twitched into a wistful curve, followed by a soft, "I didn't know that."

"That kid was no fun at all," Jiraiya complained with a dismissing wave of his hand and an obvious fake pout. "Kushina, on the other hand, would rather jump straight into experimenting than wait until she figured the smallest details out." His burst of laughter was short-lived, fading away into a rueful grin. "I bet Naruto will grow up being just like his mother in this regard."

Rei's snort turned into a fit of chuckles. Even after he got it under control, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "You never know," he said, blue eyes shining with mirth. "Naruto might surprise you."

"Either way," Jiraiya didn't sound convinced. "Taking his eyes off it and doing something else for inspiration was usually what helped Minato to break through whatever difficulty he had."

"Inspiration, huh. Yeah, I could use some as well." Despite agreeing, Rei's eyes were still glued to his journal. He had to squint now as it was hard to see the text in the dwindling light.

Jiraiya gave up, recognizing the lost cause for what it was.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence.

"I visited Kusagakure recently."

Rei hummed under his breath to acknowledge that he was listening, but deemed not important enough to comment on it.

"That's some fine artwork you left behind."

Another 'mm' and nothing else.

"How're those two Uzumaki doing?"

Rei heaved a sigh and closed his journal. He knew Jiraiya. His old sensei wouldn't leave him alone if he didn't explain. "They're recuperating. I plan to meet up with them after my trip with the boys and move them all to Uzushio at the same time," he replied, finally giving his undivided attention to the man. "Have you ever heard of the Meimyaku* of the Uzumaki clan?"

Jiraiya scratched his chin. "I think I have. A very long time ago." He paused, pondering. "Not sure if I remember who they are."

"Their existence was never really a secret, but not something the clan flaunted either. Meimyaku were admired, respected, and considered one of the clan's greatest treasures. They had an extremely strong and potent chakra and could share it with others to heal their wounds and sometimes even illnesses. I read old records of incidents where Meimyaku managed to revive a recently deceased person."

"Threads of life*," Jiraiya murmured. "Fitting name."

"Only a handful of them were mentioned in the records from when Uzushiogakure was thriving, so I never thought any of them survived." Rei's gaze hardened, two chips of ice that chilled Jiraiya to his core. "Imagine my surprise when I found a couple of Meimyaku in Kusa with the mother on the brink of dying after being forced to overuse her healing abilities to keep her seven-year-old daughter safe."

He couldn't stop the sneer from twisting his features. Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

"There are three reasons for my actions in Kusa," Rei continued, keeping his fury firmly leashed. "First, a punishment for those who used and abused people of my clan. Second, a warning to everyone else that it won't be tolerated any longer. And third, a message to all Uzumaki survivors and their descendants."

Jiraiya held Rei's icy gaze. It seemed like a lifetime passed when the streetlamp next to the bench buzzed and flickered to life. Jiraiya's shoulders relaxed as he slumped in his seat. "You're one crazy guy, you know that?" he muttered. "At this point, you'll get a flee-on-sight order in all Bingo books."

"That'd be fun," Rei commented with a wicked smirk. "Ah, that reminds me. I have to pay Oonoki a visit."

"You're not afraid that the hidden villagers will band together and come to destroy Uzushio?"

"No." He really wasn't. Fear wasn't something Rei felt all that often anymore and certainly not for situations like this. "If they want to try—" Unbeknownst to him, his lips were drawn back into a feral grin at the prospect, reminiscent of a predatory beast waiting for the tasty prey to do something that would keep it remotely entertained. "—I'll make sure to pay them in kind."

Jiraiya shook his head with a sigh. He was about to say something, but startled when a shining golden creature whizzed out from the forest.

It was a four-legged horse-like creature about the size of a small dog with a weirdly shaped horned head and five long tails. It glowed in the darkness, golden streams of light wreathing around the creature's body… No, it was made out of that light. Out of pure golden chakra.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. He had never seen it, of course, but he knew how it was supposed to look from the records the Shodai and the Nidaime left behind: this was definitely a miniature version of the Gobi, he was sure of that. Some sort of chakra construct that was shaped exactly like the Gobi.

A few seconds later, a dozen of Narutos spilled out of the forest chasing after the chakra creature. Waves of sand accompanied them with Gaara following after on top of a small floating cloud. Yelling valiant cries of war, all Narutos leaped on the Gobi and piled up on top of it…

…or thought that they piled up on top of it. The chakra construct was standing to the side, safe and sound. It even stuck its tongue at the boys before it had to dart out of the torrent of sand that slammed into the ground, wanting to crush it.

Jiraiya stared at the scene, absolutely gobsmacked. "I can't believe you taught Naruto the Shadow Clone jutsu," he finally stammered out.

Rei groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Me neither," he grumbled.

Even if it was done by his own Shadow Clone which returned all the memories to him, Rei couldn't figure out what possessed him at that time. All he remembered was a whiny begging voice and a pair of sparkling blue eyes and then suddenly he decided to teach the kid. It was ridiculous how absurdly fast Naruto learned the jutsu too.

"Naruto."

The little blond—all of them—froze mid-move at the tone his name had been called. Their heads snapped in the direction of his uncle, and they all winced because Rei didn't look amused.

The chakra construct used the sudden lull in the chase to sprint away from the kids, rushing towards Rei and then jumping on his shoulders. Jiraiya watched it with curious eyes as it settled down and started to unravel, chakra sinking and merging with Rei's body.

Not paying attention to what his chakra was doing, Rei sternly inquired, "What did I tell you about the Shadow Clones?"

Naruto blinked. "Uhhh…" he trailed off, eyes shifting to the side. "Not more than ten at the time?"

"Right," Rei agreed. "And how many clones did you make here?"

Behind the original, Naruto's clones eyed each other. As Naruto turned to count, a big number of them dispelled themselves. "Ten!" the boy announced happily.

Jiraiya bellowed with laughter, but Rei wanted to facepalm. What a smart little shit.

"And Gaara." The little redhead stared at him with such a deer in the light expression that Rei almost let him off the hook. "What did I tell you about controlling the sand while we're in Konoha?"

More than half of the sand that was still hovering in the air whooshed down like a waterfall and spread across the ground. "Only control a certain amount of it?" Gaara mumbled hopefully.

Rei stared. Should he be amazed or horrified by how much Naruto influenced Gaara in such a short period of time? "As long as you two know," he said finally and watched how both their tiny faces lit up. "Now, come here," he motioned them to approach, "I want to introduce someone to you."

Naruto's clones disappeared in a poof of smoke and Gaara hopped off his cloud of sand, letting the remainder fall and scatter on the ground as well, and they shuffled to Rei together. Naruto practically hid behind the side of the bench, clutching at its armrest while peeking over it at the unfamiliar white-haired man. Gaara frowned at his friend's timid behavior and moved to stand at his side in a posture that just screamed of protectiveness.

Rei put a hand on top of Naruto's head and gently ruffled his hair, smiling as the kid's eyes darted to his face. "This is Jiraiya," he said, motioning to the other man with his head. "One of the Sannin."

Naruto's head shot up, eyes wide and features awash with surprise. "Whoa! Really?!"

Jiraiya made a face. "What's up with this bland introduction?" He jumped to his feet and dramatically spun around on his wooden sandal to face his audience of three. "Listen all! And listen well!" he yelled, striking his usual pose. "I am the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku! People call me Jiraiya the Gallant!"

Naruto was all but sparkling now. Gaara didn't look that impressed, maybe slightly interested. It was a complicated arrangement of his facial features.

Rei rolled his eyes. "Are you sure they don't call you Ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya spluttered, "Hey!" at the comment with a sort of indignant anger, but then his expression fell into a petulant pout. "You're no fun after all…" He proceeded to ignore the deadpan stare and crouched down instead, flashing a grin at the kids. "Anyway, I have a little gift for you." After rummaging around his pockets for a few moments, he pulled out two things. "This is for you, Naruto," he said, extending his hand with a green, frog-shaped wallet towards the young blond. With his other hand, he outstretched a keychain with a plush panda to Gaara. "And this one's for you. I didn't have much time to choose, so I hope you like it."

Boys gawked at the gifts like they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Rei stared at one of the gifts with an odd expression. Gama-chan. That was his Gama-chan, he would recognize it anywhere, anytime. A wallet that he had found on his windowsill one day with no signs or notices about who might have left it there.

So it was Jiraiya's gift all along. Rei hadn't known that. He had just figured out a several decades long mystery.

Pushing his own sentiments aside, the man nudged Naruto to encourage him to accept the gift, knowing that Gaara would most likely follow his friend's lead.

It was all Naruto needed to reach and grab the frog wallet. He looked at it from above, from the left, from the right, and even from below. Beaming at Jiraiya, he exclaimed, "Thanks, Old Man!"

Gaara took his gift with careful hands as if it was made out of fragile glass and the slightest mishandling would damage it. "Thank you," he uttered under his breath. He stared at the panda keychain, full of something akin to shock. Slowly, gradually, a small smile curled on his lips.

After watching Naruto running around laughing and occasionally hugging his wallet, Rei's eyes suddenly widened. "I've got it." He straightened up, full of excited vigor. "The chance at inspiration for my project."

Jiraiya raised his eyebrow at him.

"I need a favor," the blond told him. "Can you ask the toad summons if I could visit Mount Myoboku?" He whipped out a Hiraishin kunai and offered it to his old sensei. "Give them this to call me if they agree."

"Alright." With little hesitation, Jiraiya accepted the kunai. "I'm pretty sure the toads would like to meet you as well."

*- Meimyaku (命脈) meaning "life" or "thread of life"

Chapter Text

At 6 AM almost everyone from the group bound to Uzushio was standing at Konoha's main gates, ready to hit the early road. The only ones missing were Rei, Naruto, and Gaara. So, really, it was just Kakashi loitering around all alone for the past fifteen minutes.

After another fifteen minutes, he decided that the kids must be the reason for the delay, and he simply had to wait patiently here and let Rei do his thing. Kakashi himself knew absolutely nothing about children and their care.

A couple of chuunin at the entrance booth occasionally eyed him, but otherwise left him to his own devices.

Kakashi waited.

And waited.

And waited.

At half past six, Kakashi started to get antsy. Maybe he had got the time wrong? But he was pretty sure Rei said 6 AM sharp at Konoha's gates.

The chuunins were now whispering something between themselves, occasionally throwing him a glance and then giggling under their breaths.

Kakashi ignored them with grace and continued waiting.

And waited.

And waited.

When the clock neared 7 AM, he was ready to murder someone. Specifically, someone blond and extremely annoying.

One of the gate guards finally mustered enough courage to call out to Kakashi. "Hey, Hatake! What are you waiting here for?" A grin stretched across the man's face. "Get stood up by your date?" And then they both melted into fits of cackles.

Kakashi glared at the damn noisy chuunins and found a smidgen of satisfaction when they almost choked on their laughter. Slinging his travel backpack more securely over his shoulder, he turned and disappeared in a shunshin without a word.

He landed on the top of the house opposite Naruto's apartment complex and surveyed the windows of said apartment. His grip on the strap of his backpack tightened when he caught a flash of orange passing one of the windows.

So the bastard was still here. Kakashi was angry that Rei didn't show up on time, but at the same time felt relieved that the man didn't ditch him and left on his own.

Before Kakashi could decide on his next course of action, Naruto burst out through the balcony door, eyes darting along the roofs on the other side of the street. As he spotted the silver-haired jounin, his mouth stretched into a huge grin. "Old Man Kakashi!" he exclaimed, waving his arm in an exuberant greeting.

Kakashi's eyebrow twitched at the nickname. With a sigh, he jumped across the street and then hopped up up up till he reached the top floor. Landing smoothly on the balcony railing, he offered a two-finger salute to the boy and a cheery, "Yo!"

"You're just on time, 'ttebayo! Come on." Naruto grabbed the man by his hand and tugged at him. "Rei's about to finish making breakfast."

Kakashi allowed the boy to lead him inside, his mind whirring. Only now was Rei finishing breakfast for the kids. It meant that he had never intended to leave as early as six o'clock—the time he had specified.

Absent-mindedly, he took stock of his weaponry. He had decided to travel light, but definitely could still spare to lose a kunai or two.

Naruto led him through his bedroom, the entrance hallway, and into the kitchen. "I brought him here!" he announced as they entered.

Rei looked away from the soup he was pouring into bowls and beamed. "Oh, Kakashi! Good morning."

"Gaara, look, look!" Naruto called out, bouncing over to the red-haired boy. "This is Kakashi, the one I told you about!"

Kakashi offered a closed-eye smile and a small wave when a pair of curious teal eyes focused on him. He must be Suna's Jinchuuriki, the one the Hokage had warned him about. But no matter how Kakashi looked at him, he saw no signs of an unstable Jinchuuriki, just a young child who was wary of a stranger.

Gaara eyed the man up and down before turning back to his friend. "The one with the ninken?"

"Yep! They're so cool, 'ttebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing his arms up as if he could show just how cool those ninkens were. "Ne, Old Man Kakashi, can you summon your ninken again?"

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, staring down at those bright blue puppy eyes.

"Pleeeeeease!"

"Stop bothering Kakashi, Naruto," Rei scolded, giving the boy a brief hair ruffle as he passed on his way to the table. "And you'd better go grab the fish."

To Kakashi's relief, the little blond instantly forgot about his ninken and had no qualms doing exactly that. He scurried to fulfill the task given to him with an eager, "Okay!"

"Careful, Gaara, those are hot," Rei cautioned the other boy.

Gaara nodded before proceeding to carefully pick two full soup bowls up.

Kakashi stood near the doorway, his irritation over the wasted time fading out as he observed the idyllic and domestic scene happening in front of his eyes. Naruto practically glowed with happiness, mouth moving between constant chatter and a wide variety of smiles. Suna's Jinchuuriki listened to him, serious and attentive, as if the world narrowed down to just the two of them and Naruto's opinion about some random weeds growing at the side of the street, no matter how impressive, was more important than anything else in the world.

"Where have you been, Kakashi?" Rei asked, placing the vegetable bowl in the middle of the table. "You were almost late for breakfast."

And, yeah, Kakashi hadn't missed the fact that four servings were prepared on the table—as if Rei had been expecting him to come. Regardless, he shot the blond a withering look, but it went unnoticed as the man ushered the kids to sit down. "You never invited me," he said in the end.

"Really?" Rei glanced at him with his eyebrow raised. "I thought it was a given."

"You also told me to wait for you all at the main gates at six am sharp," Kakashi bit out.

"No way! I'm sure I said nine am!" Rei refuted the accusation. "Do you really think I'd make you wait for three hours?" he added, stressing out the amount of time in sheer horror that Kakashi would believe him capable of doing such a thing. He also pressed his hand over his heart to convey his sincerity. "Is that what you think of me?" Yet, a minuscule curl at the corners of the man's lips trashed his virtuous image and betrayed a grin that threatened to break out.

The way Rei stared straight into his eyes and lied without any shame whatsoever made Kakashi twitch. Did the man harbor some kind of grudge against him? "Maa, how about you lend me one of your clones?" he asked, brushing his last thought away as nonsense. They hadn't known each other for long enough for grudges to be born, right?

Rei blinked. "Why do you need my clone?" He inquired as he took a seat at the table. Both kids were already seated.

Kakashi gave the blond an innocent eye-smile. "I have this new technique that I want to try."

"How harsh," Rei remarked with a chuckle. "Well, maybe later. Now, put your bag down and come sit." He patted a chair next to him.

"Reiw's fhood ish rewally ghood!" Naruto proclaimed around a mouthful of pickled vegetables.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Gaara reprimanded from beside him.

Naruto gulped a mouthful of soup directly from the bowl to wash down the food in his mouth and mumbled, "Sorry," as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"Ah, I'm not hung—" Kakashi's stomach rumbled. He shifted awkwardly under the three unimpressed looks.

Rei patted the chair again.

Kakashi sighed, dropped his backpack on the floor, and padded over to sit at the table.

"This is so good! You're gonna love it, Old Man Kakashi," Naruto asserted, piling more vegetables into his plate before pushing it towards Kakashi. "I'm so gonna tell the Kyuubi about this. It must be so upsetting to be in that place with no food. Kur—"

"Naruto!" Rei suddenly interrupted, making the boy flinch. "What did I tell you about the Kyuubi's name?"

Naruto's eyes widened before he slapped a hand across his mouth. After a moment, he recited, "It's a secret between you, me, and him."

"That's right. So…" Rei trailed off as he pressed an index finger to his lips in a shushing gesture and smiled when the boy nodded.

Kakashi couldn't care less about the Kyuubi's name, but… "You talk with the Kyuubi?" he asked, barely able to keep growing terror out of his voice.

"Rei said that I should talk to him," Naruto explained happily. "Even though he can't answer me, he can hear me if I think about him while talking. Isn't that cool, 'ttebayo?!"

Only one-way communication. That… Kakashi felt the tension seeping out of his shoulders. That was alright.

"What do you talk about with him?" Gaara asked curiously.

"Everything. What I ate, what I did. About Rei, you, Kakashi. You should try talking with Shukaku too."

The other boy stayed silent for a few moments, a little pinch between his eyebrows as he considered the suggestion. "What should I tell him?"

"Tell him about ramen," Naruto stated in absolute seriousness. Then he beamed, his grin up in all its megawatt glaring glory. "I tell the Kyuubi about ramen every day!"

Rei choked on his food. After a little coughing fit, he muttered a tiny breathless, "Oh my god…" and pinched the bridge of his nose. "The Kyuubi is going to kill me once we meet face to face."

Honestly, Kakashi had no sympathy to offer. "You have that kind of effect." The disgruntled glare he received was so worth it.

"Just eat your breakfast, Old Man."

Being called that, however, wasn't.

"Goodbye, Teuchi-san! Ayame-neesan!" Naruto shouted as he waved both his arms while walking backward from the ramen restaurant.

The ramen chef and his daughter waved at him back. "Come back to visit us, Naruto!" Teuchi yelled.

"Bring some more new friends with you once you do!" Ayame added, grinning brightly.

Tears stung Naruto's eyes. He made his last wave, pushing all his energy into it, and with a determined, "I will! I promise, 'ttebayo!" finally turned on his heel and ran away to where Rei, Kakashi, and Gaara waited for him.

"You'll see them again eventually," Rei reassured, brushing his hand across the teary-eyed boy's head in a soothing gesture.

Naruto sniffled, hiding the unbidden tears behind his arm, and mumbled, "I know…"

Gaara hovered uncertainly at his side. After mustering the courage, he quietly asked, "Are you alright?"

Naruto rubbed his eyes. He couldn't cry now. Leaving Konoha was his request and his wish, so he shoved any lingering regret down with a resolute huff. Besides, he had to be tough. He had Kurama—the big brother of the family—sealed inside him, and big brothers had to be strong and protect their younger siblings. That's what Rei said when he had asked what it meant to be a big brother.

Naruto was going to be strong and protect Gaara.

"I'm fine," the boy replied, flashing a happy grin. "Come on, Gaara! Let's go!" Grabbing his backpack by its straps, he rushed forward through the streets.

He didn't even need the backpack. The one he carried was practically empty, all his meager belongings were with his uncle. But Naruto was adamant about carrying it, because he wanted to show the villagers who hated and despised him that he was leaving. Not because he got kicked out of Konoha, but because he now had a new place to call home. A place where he was wanted, where he had someone caring for him. Not one person, not two, but three of them!

"Naruto, don't run ahead all on your own!" Rei cautioned from behind.

Happiness bubbled inside Naruto's chest, spilling out as a burst of merry laughter. It filled the crowded street, and trailed beyond, echoing in the ears of confused villagers.

The boy sprinted along the street, darting around the passersby like wind. Today, he didn't feel the ever-following glares, didn't hear the harsh whispers trailing after him. Today was the day he was leaving! He couldn't wait!

Naruto skidded to a stop right in front of Konoha's main gates. Wide-eyed, he stared at the scenery beyond it. An empty road stretching as far as his eyes could see and surrounded by the tall, dark forest from either side suddenly felt intimidating. He had never been outside the village walls, didn't know anything else but Konoha.

A soft chuckle jolted him out of his shock. Naruto turned towards the sound and his face lit up upon seeing the old face of the Hokage. "Jiji!"

"Excited?" The Sandaime asked with a small smile perched on his lips.

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered, fist-pumping the air. "Rei said we're gonna visit the festival on our way to Uzushio! Never visited a festival with someone else before! I can't wait, 'ttebayo!"

"Make sure to have lots of fun," the Hokage said. "And don't get lost by running off on your own."

"Hehehe," Naruto laughed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "I won't get lost! I promise!"

"Oh, really?"

Someone tousled his hair and Naruto winced. He looked up, meeting the bright blue eyes of his uncle.

Rei tilted his head curiously. "Did I just hear you promising not to get lost?"

"I won't!" Naruto shouted vehemently.

Rei smirked before looking to the side and asking, "Everyone heard that, right?"

"Yep," Kakashi answered.

"I did," Gaara confirmed.

Naruto huffed, feeling miffed. The others didn't trust his words at all! He was not going to get lost, 'ttebayo!

Rei chuckled. "Alright, enough pouting and let's get going," he ushered the kids to move out.

"I'm not pouting!"

"Uh-huh. Of course, you aren't, Naruto," Rei responded, a little distracted. He dipped his head in acknowledgment at the Sandaime with an amiable, "Old man," as he passed him.

Behind him, Kakashi also nodded at his leader, getting a nod in return.

"Have a safe trip!" the Hokage hollered after the group.

Naruto turned around to wave at him. "Bye, Jiji! We're off!"

"We have a tail."

Rei let out a noncommittal hum to acknowledge Kakashi's warning. He kept his eyes on the two boys a few hundred meters ahead, watching as Naruto suddenly turned and sprinted to the edge of the forest to pick something up.

"What are you going to do about them?" Kakashi asked after a moment of silence. With his hands in his pockets, he strolled forward seemingly without a care in the world.

"I wonder," Rei replied absent-mindedly.

Gaara flinched when Naruto shoved something in front of his face, causing the little blond to melt into a puddle of laughter.

"I guess Danzo didn't learn after I nabbed those two boys. And Sarutobi still sits on his ass regarding him," Rei mused. "Maybe I shouldn't have such a hands-off approach in this kind of situation. With Naruto out of Konoha, I can be a bit more proactive." He grinned. A wide, predatory sort of grin that gave Kakashi goosebumps. "I'll be back soon."

In a single blink, Rei was gone and a shadow clone stood in his stead. "Ah, don't worry," the clone waved dismissively at Kakashi's bewildered expression. "Boss will take care of things."

Kakashi shrugged. All the better for him when he could just laze his days away while keeping an eye on his sensei's kid.

"Hey, Rei! Kakashi!" Naruto yelled, barely managing to catch his breath through his laughter. "Gaara is scared of caterpillars!"

"Am not…" the redhead grumbled under his breath, glaring daggers at the white fluffy caterpillar sitting on Naruto's palm.

Naruto moved his hand closer to him and the other boy jerked away from it. The blond laughed again. "See? He's definitely—huh?" the kid cut himself off, blinking at the two adults. "Where's the real you, Rei?"

"Boss had some things to do," the clone answered, flashing the boy a reassuring smile. "He'll be back soon."

"Okay!"

"Wait," Kakashi said, looking back and forth between both Uzumaki. "You can tell this one's the shadow clone, Naruto?" He knew for a fact that Naruto didn't notice them switching places.

Naruto peered at Kakashi as if the latter was slow on the uptake. "Of course," he declared seriously. "Who wouldn't?"

Kakashi cleared his throat at that remark while Rei snickered beside him. "And, uh, how exactly do you do it?" he inquired, trying to sound nonchalant and not curious at all.

"It's easy, Old Man! You just have to look at—aaaah!" Naruto screamed when a sliver of sand swiped the caterpillar off his hand and carried it away into the forest. He instantly took off after it. "Gaara! No fair! Give it back!"

Kakashi stared after the boy, feeling miffed. Running after Naruto to ask how he knew would probably be a bit too obvious. He could physically feel Rei's amused gaze drilling into the side of his skull.

"Now you know how I feel," the man commented.

"About what?"

"About your mask."

Kakashi could help but smirk. "What about my mask?"

Rei rolled his eyes. "As if you don't know." They both started walking again. After a moment, Rei leaned forward to peer at Kakashi's face with a mischievous smile. "Hey, don't be upset. Not everyone gains wisdom at their old age."

Kakashi didn't deign that with a response. He simply whipped out his trusty book and buried his nose into it.

Rei laughed.

Well, until Gaara asked what the book was about.

Hiruzen frowned at the trade treaty with Iron country. The price of steel had increased again. He would have to make some adjustments to the village's budget to be able to fulfill the steel quota for this season.

What a headache.

Hiruzen had just put the document back on his desk and picked up the stamp to approve it when two round objects landed right on top of the document with heavy thumps. Caught off guard, he jerked back, his hidden Anbu flying into the room on high alert.

Two decapitated heads lay on his desk. An adult man and a woman without any identifying traits. Their features were ghostly pale, frozen into a rigid grimace of shock and fear. Thick blood still sluggishly dribbled from their cut necks and gathered underneath, soaking the white pages.

Fresh kills.

The Hokage glanced up, meeting icy blue eyes. Rei's usual carefree and cheerful demeanor was gone and he looked cold and fierce. Inhuman in a way that unsettled the hair on the back of Hiruzen's neck.

Rei stared at him as if expecting something, but the Sandaime couldn't quite figure out what exactly he was expecting. "This is?" he edged, indicating his bloody desk.

Instead of answering, Rei tossed something else on the desk. Two white porcelain masks without any markings clattered next to the two heads.

Root.

Of course, it had to be Root.

Hiruzen barely managed not to groan out loud. He had warned Danzo to stay away from Naruto and not cross Rei anymore. Obviously, the man didn't heed his words. Now, he had this unpredictable, chaotic, and not quite law-abiding powerful ninja on his hands to pacify.

It also appeared that Rei Uzumaki's mercy had a certain age limit.

Rei tilted his head slightly to the side, eyes still glued to the Hokage's face. It was a deep look, searching, judging. After a moment, his lips pulled into a hardly noticeable sneer. With a flick of his wrist, he threw something else, this time straight towards the Sandaime.

Hiruzen snatched the item from the air. A scroll?

"Come to the marked location in fifteen minutes," Rei said. "Bring your Anbu with you." The instant the last word came out of his mouth, he disappeared.

The Hokage looked at the scroll in his hand before unrolling it. It was a map of Konoha's outskirts with a bright red X at the base of the Hokage mountain.

"Your orders, Hokage-sama?" one of the ANBU asked.

"Gather two full teams and meet me on the roof in five minutes."

"Yes!"

The ninja vanished in a shunshin. Hiruzen glanced at the map one more time before rolling it back up. He had a bad feeling about this. He was about to stand up when the two decapitated heads caught his eyes again. He scowled. "Hare, get rid of these, please."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

When Hare departed with the unexpected gift from their ghostly visitor, Hiruzen shook his head with a sigh. Danzo had done it this time. He just hoped Konoha as a whole wouldn't be pulled into this brewing conflict.

As Hiruzen left his office, he decided to push forward the plan of preparing all the evidence of Danzo's wrongdoings to the Daimyo and then set the plan to take his old friend down in motion. This matter couldn't wait any longer.

Rei stepped out of the forest and into the small meadow, shielding his eyes from the harsh light of the near midday sun. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the change of environment, and glanced from the left side of the meadow to its right.

There was a barrier here. An impressive one, all things considered.

Rei brushed his hand along the barrier's wall, feeling the flow and fluctuation of the chakra. Nothing out of the ordinary, until—

He froze upon coming across a highly distinct pattern in the chakra's movement. Others might have dismissed it as either a harmless fluke or simply part of the barrier's design, but he recognized it. He had learnt a lot from the notes of a Seal Master who was eccentric and innovative enough to leave his personal signature hidden inside his sealing projects.

This was an Uzumaki barrier.

Rei growled, a low, furious sound at the back of his throat. Angry now. Without warning, golden chakra poured out like a raging river, surging and bashing against the obstacle in its path as swift and unforgiving as a tsunami. The barrier shattered and fell, revealing a concealed area: instead of a forest lining a solid wall of brown rock, the meadow stretched all the way to the entrance into an underground base.

Two Root guards were startled as the barrier fell apart, revealing a blond man in orange clothes. In the next moment, hands grabbed both of their heads from behind and twisted. Rei's shadow clones caught the bodies before they could crumple to the ground and dragged them inside.

The real Rei strode in after them. Leaving the clones behind to watch the entrance, he went down the corridor sloping downwards. Darkness swallowed all the light the farther he got from the entrance and natural underground dampness clung to the walls and lingered in the air. He walked straight at the crossroad, at the next he turned right, then left…

This base was huge. He might have gotten himself lost. Focusing on his target in the distance, Rei pushed forward. He would end up at his goal one way or another.

Eventually, the corridor opened up into a wide cavern. The defending Root forces must have decided that this place was the best to stop an intruder and lay an ambush. They all swooped in at the moment Rei reached the center.

How convenient.

Rei glanced around. His blue eyes flicked through the crowd, from mask to mask, but then looked past them all, effortlessly deeming their existence unfit for his attention.

"This is not where you should be!" the nearest Root agent declared. "State your intent!"

"My intent?" Rei echoed as he turned to face the enemy with a single thought: get out of my sight. Reacting to his growing fury, his chakra bloomed, dense and dark and menacing. The air stilled, raw power sizzling and crackling, making everyone's skin rise in goosebumps and hair stand on end. He was here as an enemy, not a friend; there was no need to hold back. "What do you think?"

Not bothering with handseals this time, Rei lifted his hand, his chakra bending to his will as easily as controlling a limb. It flooded the entire cavern's floor, soaking the rock until it was all but humming for release. With a flick of his finger, Rei commanded it up. The ground shook beneath everyone's feet until it exploded, surging, rising in the form of hundreds of thin stone spikes.

The Root ninjas never had a chance to react. Some didn't even manage a scream before getting caught, spikes spearing them through like dango on bamboo skewers. Through their legs, arms, torso, necks. Impaling them from the bottom and coming out at the top or from one side to the other. The ones still alive - the unlucky ones - gurgled and moaned, despairing and helpless, unable to break free from their torment.

Rei moved, blood pooling beneath his feet with every step he took. He paused near one of the impaled men, glancing at the shaky hand that managed to point a tanto at him. With a soft scoff, he knocked the blade out of the ninja's hand, grabbed it himself, and in a motion as fast as it was fluid he brought it forward in an arc.

Rei was moving again when the man's head hit the floor. Eyes locked towards the bunch of shimmering chakra signatures, he drove the tanto through the throat of another Root ninja who was still barely alive as he passed and left it there.

After a few more turns and twists, Rei finally reached his destination. He stood at the entrance to a hallway with six metal doors on both sides.

Twelve rooms with two occupants in each.

Twenty four kids, all raised for the sole purpose of being brainwashed into mindless drones.

Rei made twelve shadow clones and they immediately scattered throughout the hallway to enter a different room. The original waited, ready to swap with one of them.

While he was here to rescue all the children, he planned to take only two under his direct care. Uzushio was still missing a few essentials to welcome new residents, but Rei had prepared a safehouse in a remote location in case he needed one. After everything they went through, the kids would need some time to get used to freedom and a changed environment before meeting new people.

The clones entered the rooms, talking in low voices to not scare the kids inside. Except one who looked at the original, nodded, and dispelled.

Rei found them.

He walked quickly, peering into the room as soon as he reached the open door. There he was—Sai. His good friend and faithful comrade. Just a small child now, not that much older than current Naruto, but Rei would recognize those big dark eyes and pale skin anywhere.

Rei's eyes flicked to the second boy, taking in his gray hair, sweeping around just below his chin. He was a bit older it seemed, standing in front of Sai, shielding him from the perceived dangerous stranger. This must have been Shin, the brother Sai had told him about.

Rei smiled and crouched down to not appear so intimidating. His expression softened even further when Shin pushed Sai closer to the wall, keeping him firmly behind himself. The boy's eyes told that he would rather go down fighting than allow harm to come to his brother.

"Hello there," Rei greeted, gentle and soothing. "I'm not going to hurt you. Neither of you."

Shin furrowed his brow, weariness letting up a little to make space for confusion. He didn't lower his guard though. Peeking from behind him, Sai only blinked owlishly.

"What're your names?"

Shin opened his mouth to answer, but in the next moment, closed it again. "D36 and D75," he replied finally in a voice that barely contained any emotion.

Rei bit down on a growl that threatened to tear out of his throat. Give it to Danzo to number his Root recruits like cattle! He held a vice-like grip on his sudden rage, forcing it back under control, smoothing over the sharpened, malevolent urges that bristled into existence at that thought.

No, there would be time for it later. Right now, he needed to gain these two's trust.

"I meant your real names," Rei said quietly.

"We don't have other names."

"I know you're lying."

Shin shifted, body tense. Sai's fingers curled into the fabric of the latter's t-shirt, gaze never straying from the blond man's face.

Rei heaved a sigh, raking his fingers through his hair. These two brothers were the only ones left here, the other children had already been transported outside. The Hokage was about to arrive as well. "I'm not with Danzo," he told the boys, pouring as much sincerity into his tone as possible. "In fact, I'm his enemy and I'm here to bring all the kids, including you two, out of here."

Shin's eyes narrowed and he stayed silent, studying the man. "You smell like blood," he murmured after a moment.

Rei couldn't quite help a small smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. He liked this brave and smart boy. "This wasn't a friendly visit, but an attack."

"You fought against Danzo? Sama," the boy tacked the honorific at the end, a clear attempt at keeping up an image of respect.

"Not against him directly, but his soldiers, yeah."

Shin nodded, accepting it without questioning. He looked at Sai and they stared at each other for a few seconds. "My name's Shin," he finally revealed, even though rigid shoulders betrayed his uneasiness. "And he, um, he doesn't remember his name. I call him my b-brother."

Rei's chest swelled in compassion. Shin was clearly scared to confess such an intimate secret—feeling familial affection for his partner—but the boys extended that tiny, tentative trust towards Rei and he was not about to disappoint them.

"Names are important. Everyone needs a name. A real one," Rei stated. "If your brother doesn't remember his name, how about I give him one?"

Sai perked up at the offer. Shin glanced at him and his mouth twitched, expression brightening. It was obvious that the younger boy wanted to have a name of his own; perhaps more so than anything else. Perhaps more than even the possibility of freedom—in a sense, having his own name might very well mean freedom for him.

"Sai," Rei said with a tinge of reverence. "From now on, your name is Sai."

Sai's lips moved soundlessly as he tried his new name. "Sai…" he whispered before turning to his brother, eyes shining. "Did you hear, Niisan? My name's Sai."

This time Shin couldn't hold his smile back, "I did."

"Nice to meet you, Sai, Shin," Rei spoke again, "My name's Rei Uzumaki." He extended his hand, both boys staring at it wearily. "Would you like to leave this place with me?"

"Where do you want to bring us?" Shin asked.

"A safe place." Rei took note of their hesitant expressions. He was going to need to do better than vague words in order to convince them. "I'm building a place that hopefully will become a home for everyone who desperately needs one. However, it's not ready just yet, so for the time being I'm going to bring you to a safehouse I've prepared."

"A home?" Sai echoed, head tilted. "Can I and Shin live there together forever?"

Rei broke into a placid smile. "Of course." He truly meant it.

The boys traded looks once more. After Sai's nod of approval, Shin reached forward, taking Rei's hand. There was some hesitation in his grasp but soon it relaxed completely. It warmed Rei's heart to be given so much trust so quickly.

"The trip might be a bit disorienting," the man warned, reaching out to grasp lightly at Sai's shoulder. "But don't be afraid, you're safe now."

In the next moment, only an empty room remained.

As Hiruzen and two Anbu squads emerged from the forest into the meadow, the first thing they saw was a group of children. Around twenty of them, from as young as three to about ten years old, all sitting on the grass and either playing with blooming wildflowers, giggling at the wind ruffling their hair, or simply sunbathing with their heads thrown back to get as much sunshine on their pale faces as possible.

After taking in the sight, Hiruzen met Rei's glower. Arms crossed in front of his chest, the man stared at him once again as if expecting something. This time, the Hokage had a sinking feeling that he knew what exactly this was about.

"It shouldn't have happened," the Sandaime said quietly, gazing at the kids again. They looked at him too now, eyes wide and uncertain. Hiruzen's heart grew heavy. "Danzo wasn't allowed to take in new recruits for his Root program anymore." It sounded like an empty excuse even to his own ears, but he needed to voice it out loud to try and dissolve some of the festering guilt over his failures.

"Wow, it worked out perfectly as you can see," Rei mocked, motioning in the direction of the children. Then, his features hardened. "I removed the brainwashing seals placed on the older ones. Fortunately, the lunatic placed them only after a certain age, so the younger ones are all safe. But I'm not equipped to look after so many traumatized kids. I've taken two under my care - personal reasons - so make sure the rest get the care they need, Old Man."

"I will," Hiruzen promised.

Rei moved forward, stopping at the Hokage's side, their shoulders almost brushing against each other. As he leaned closer, mouth set into a sneer and eyes glowing scarlet, he growled, a shade deeper than what would have been normal for a human being, "Deal with Danzo, Sarutobi."

The Sandaime could almost taste the inhuman killing intent in the air. Almost. It was there, yet never crossed the line beyond vague, unsettling feeling. Rei had restrained himself this time. Because of the children Hiruzen surmised with sudden clarity.

"Or I will, but you won't like my method," Rei continued, his breath ghosting over the old Hokage's ear. "This is the last chance I'm willing to give you."

Then, the shadow clone dispelled himself.

Chapter Text

"Rei! Rei! Rei!" With an excited shout, Naruto tumbled out of the forest, leaves and cobwebs entangled in his hair, and almost faceplanted when he tripped over a root hidden in the grass.

Rei watched the little blond fight with the stray branch that hooked onto his t-shirt, blue eyes bright with amusement. Even after an entire day running around, it didn't seem that the boy was running out of energy anytime soon. On the other hand, Gaara chose to leisurely walk together with him and Kakashi for the past couple of hours, leaving the other Jinchuuriki to roam around on his own.

Naruto rushed back to rejoin the three of them on the road but kept staring at Rei. Sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks created such a happy expression that it inevitably put a smile on Rei's face.

"What is it, kiddo?"

The fact that Rei paid attention to him and didn't simply ignore him only boosted Naruto's already high mood. "What do people do during festivals?"

Kakashi moved his book out of the way so that he could see the little Uzumaki. "Konoha has festivals, too," he said, a bit confused. "Haven't you visited them before?"

"Yeah, but…" Naruto's gaze dropped, and he fiddled with his t-shirt hem for a few seconds. "But I was always alone. I've never visited a festival with someone else."

Kakashi's eye widened minutely before it darted back to his book. But his brow was furrowed and his gaze unfocused, most likely already drowning in misplaced guilt about things he should have or could have done but didn't, despite not being in the best of state himself.

Rei never held his absence in his childhood against the man. And Naruto didn't either, especially when Kakashi was already present in his life so much earlier than in Rei's past.

"But now I have you, Rei, and Gaara, 'ttebayo!" Naruto stared at Kakashi as he spoke with nothing but pure happiness in his voice and a tinge of awe on his face, completely oblivious to the man's inner turmoil. "It's going to be my first time visiting a festival with my family." He perked up at the thought, dazzling blue eyes snapping up to look at his uncle again. "Can we eat yakitori together? And play games together? All four of us?"

"Sure, kit, but that's a plan for once we reach the place. It'll still take us a few more days." Rei brushed his hand through Naruto's hair, combing out leaves and cobwebs, and chuckled when the boy beamed at him. "We'll have to camp out until then. There's a small river up ahead; I think it's a good place to stop for today."

"Sounds like a good idea. Sun's starting to go down," Kakashi noted, gaze glued to the pages in front of him. "We could eat fresh fish tonight." He peeked over the top of his book at the kids. "You want to help me catch some?"

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered as he raced off ahead to reach the river first.

Kakashi's eye closed, mirroring the smile hidden under the mask.

Rei glanced at Gaara. Despite being quiet by nature, the redhead would have offered Naruto at least a few words. He always was carefully attentive to his friend. He still was. His teal eyes followed Naruto, but a pinch sat in between his brows as he pondered on something.

Rei had yet to learn what kind of problem the kid was working through. He would have to talk with him about it. Looking at Kakashi on his other side, he sighed softly. He would have to speak with that one as well.

"Hurry up, 'ttebayo!"

Rei grinned. At least someone was all but bursting with happiness and didn't require any pep talks for the time being. "We're coming, Naruto!"

To Naruto's absolute chagrin, the three of them didn't pick up the pace, no matter how much he urged them. When they finally arrived, he had already found a perfect spot for camping on the bank and stood on the rock, trying to spy fish in the stream that he definitely was going to catch today.

"That's a good spot, kit. Good job."

The boy preened under Rei's praise before Kakashi beckoned him to come.

"All you need to catch a fish is a bit of ninja wire and a bait," the man said as he pulled a bundle of wire from his backpack.

Naruto stared at him with eyes blown wide from overflowing anticipation. "A bait? Like an earthworm?"

"That's right."

"Cool!" Turning to the other Jinchuuriki, Naruto asked excitedly, "You want to search for some earthworms, Gaara?"

Gaara was startled from his staring at the river by the sudden question. His eyes widened as it sunk in, and his head spun to look at his friend so fast it must have hurt.

Rei almost laughed at the flash of disgusted horror on his face. He would have never guessed that Gaara couldn't handle worms and bugs very well. He gave the poor kid a helping hand. "Gaara, do you want to help me gather sticks for the fire?"

"Yes."

This time Rei did chuckle at the immediate reply and the shining, eager eyes as if he had just offered to pluck the stars off the sky.

"Sorry, Naruto, I'm gonna steal your friend for a while," Rei said with an amused smile. "Looks like you'll have to look for earthworms by yourself."

"That's alright!" Naruto agreed cheerfully. A moment later, Kakashi called him again, and he turned to listen to him.

"Let's go, Gaara."

The boy didn't need the second urging. He turned and all but fled into the forest ahead of Rei. With another quiet laugh, the blond followed after him.

They travelled deeper into the forest as they gathered sticks. Eventually, they came across a small clearing and a fallen tree covered with dry branches, perfect for keeping a campfire throughout the night.

After a few minutes of silent work, Rei asked, "What's on your mind, kit?"

Gaara frowned, picking up a stick and throwing it into the pile on the small sand cloud he made, but he didn't answer.

Rei allowed him a moment to convert what exactly bothered him into words. His patience paid off when a soft, slightly unsure voice reached his ears.

"Naruto said we're family."

"That's right, he did."

Gaara's frown deepened. "You didn't disagree with him."

"I didn't," Rei assented easily as he walked over and dropped his sticks on the sand cloud. "How does that make you feel?"

Gaara glanced up, meeting kind blue eyes for a few seconds before looking away again, glaring at nothing specific. "My mother died. My father doesn't like me. I know I have older siblings, but I'm not sure I even remember what they look like. And Yashamaru…" he trailed off, a pang of grief and anger flashing through his eyes. Then, he spoke again, barely above a whisper, "Yashamaru was also family."

Ah, so that was going on with this kid. Until now, to Gaara, the concept of family was associated only with abandonment and betrayal. Whatever good memories he had made with Yashamaru got destroyed the moment the man tried to kill him.

But Gaara told Rei about his worries, opened up, and let himself be vulnerable in front of another person. And that right there looked like a sign that he had started to heal. He should only get better from here on out.

Rei squatted down, put his hands on the boy's shoulders, ignoring a little flinch at the touch, and ducked his head down to catch his gaze. "Family isn't always blood. Sometimes random people simply insert themselves into your life and refuse to leave." He grinned at Gaara's deadpan stare because wasn't that precisely what Rei did to him? Rei's grin dimmed a moment later, twisting into a sad smile. "I also grew up alone without any family or even a friend. Eventually, I managed to cobble one together. It was a small and broken thing, but it was mine, and I'd have died for it in a heartbeat. In the end, they died for me. Everyone I ever loved—my friends, my newfound family—died. And I was left all alone again."

He took his hands away from Gaara's shoulders to clasp them together, staring at the ground as if remembering something far more painful than what he had voiced.

Gaara shifted a little, unsure how to react. He hadn't expected such a tragic personal story to come out of Rei, who offered him only smiles and kindness and was so open and easy to talk to about anything and everything.

A shuddering breath followed as Rei gathered himself back under control.

"But here I am again," he continued, "building a new family for myself and preparing to treasure them even more than I did before." Rei smiled, so much affection lingering in that curve that it took Gaara's breath away. "Who said that you can't choose your family? You can, and it doesn't make it less real. Once you meet people that want you in their lives, accept you for who you are, who you love, and most importantly, who love you back, you have to hold onto them and never let go."

Gaara stayed silent as he processed what Rei told him. His intelligent eyes studied the man's face. Family, not blood, were still concepts he didn't quite understand. This was probably the first time someone told the kid they wanted him in their lives. "Why did you choose me?" he finally asked.

"Because you needed a family lest you faded there all alone."

Another silent minute ticked by. Ultimately, Gaara nodded. Then a small yet so heart-wrenchingly beautiful smile bloomed on his face.

The sight made Rei's heart soar. It was such a rare occasion! He felt as if he was the lucky recipient of a treasure. "By the way," the man said, suddenly recalling something, "would you like to see your brother and sister?"

A frown returned to Gaara's brow as he thought over that question. In the end, he responded softly, "I don't know."

"You don't have to decide now. Tell me if you ever make that decision, alright?"

"Okay."

Rei stood up and looked at all the sticks gathered on top of the sand cloud. "I think this is enough." He grinned at the boy. "Let's go back and see if Kakashi and Naruto caught us dinner."

Gaara didn't object, and they turned to go back to their campsite, the sand cloud trailing after them. After a moment, the boy muttered, "...I could catch many fish in a moment."

Rei chuckled, and it earned him an annoyed glare. Who could have thought this little guy would actually pout for such a reason? "I know you can," Rei assured and reached out to ruffle Gaara's hair. And this time, there was no flinch. "But we should let those two show off on occasion."

Gaara only huffed under his breath.

So childishly petulant, Rei bit his lip, fighting another bout of laughter that threatened to spill out. "How about next time you do it?" he offered.

That seemed to pacify the boy if a tiny twitch up of the corners of his lips was any indication. "I'll catch a lot," he promised, surprisingly determined.

Rei gave an encouraging pat on his head. "We'll be counting on you at that time."

When the sun hid below the horizon, casting vibrant hues of pink, orange, and purple across the canvas of the evening sky, the fish that Kakashi and Naruto caught had been all eaten, and preparations for the night had been finished.

The crackling fire danced in the darkness, casting flickering shadows on the trees that surrounded the clearing and illuminating the faces of four people huddled around it: the kids settled down on the sleeping bags that they lay down next to each other, and the adults sat on the ground, leaning against a mossy log.

"How about a story before you go to sleep?" Rei asked as he poked the campfire with a stick.

The wood crackled and popped as the flames devoured it, sending sparks flying into the night sky.

The suggestion immediately received the entirety of Naruto's attention. "What kind of story?"

Rei's blue eyes shimmered with reflections of fire. "A ghost story."

Naruto seemed to hesitate. "A real one?"

"Ghosts aren't real," Gaara muttered from beside him.

Rei let a small, knowing smirk curl slip on his face. "Ah, but you see," he said, his voice taking on a mysterious tone, "you might think that ghosts aren't real, but their stories have a way of lingering in the hearts of those who listen. As if those restless ghosts were around, still present, watching, as if waiting to be heard. It's rather strange, isn't it?"

The contrast of the dancing flames and the darkness pressing all around intensified the aura of sudden eeriness. The kids leaned in closer, their eyes wide with anticipation. Naruto's excitement was palpable; even Gaara's stoic expression brightened with curiosity.

Kakashi smiled at their reaction as he leaned back against the log, his body wrapped in relaxation and contentment.

A subtle grin flashed across Rei's features but promptly vanished as to not look particularly eager to dive into the scary narrative. "In a small, forgotten village stood an old, abandoned mansion," he began. "Villagers avoided it, whispering of its haunting past hidden behind the safety of their closed doors. They spoke of a tragedy that had befallen the original occupants decades ago and the strange incidents surrounding the place that sent shivers down the spines of the bravest souls.

"One late evening, twelve daring kids were drawn to the mansion by curiosity and the thrill of adventure. They ignored all the warnings they had ever heard from their parents and ventured bravely inside, wanting to challenge each other in a hide-and-seek game within those haunted walls. And so, the twelve kids assigned one among them as the seeker and then scattered across the entire mansion searching for hiding spots."

Naruto's eyes glittered with fascination, excitement mixed with a twinge of unease. Gaara listened intently, seemingly engrossed despite his earlier scepticism.

"The seeker's voice bounced off the dilapidated walls as he loudly counted down. The rest of the kids crept around the mansion, and the deeper they went inside, the more a peculiar sensation felt real, as if unseen eyes followed their every move, or as if shadows were filled with whispers, and footsteps echoed through the empty halls…" Rei trailed off for dramatic effect, watching the boys shift uncomfortably as he did. His mouth tugged upward again before settling back into seriousness.

"'Ready or not, here I come!' the seeker called out, turned on his flashlight, and started searching for his friends. It took him a while to find them, but in the end, the group was gathered back together. It was late already, and the kids found it harder to shake off the feeling of being watched by something unseen, so they decided to leave.

"The seeker, who happened to be the oldest in the group, started counting each of his twelve friends to ensure that everyone had been found and was not lost somewhere in the mansion. 'One, two, three…' he started and went all the way to twelve. He frowned as he placed a hand on his chest." Rei mirrored the action from the story, placing his hand on his chest, then dropped the voice to a low pitch as he spoke, "'Thirteen,' he said."

Naruto sucked in a startled breath, and even Gaara's eyes widened in surprise.

"The seeker thought he made a mistake, so he counted them all again. And again. With each count, they were always one too many. Thirteen figures, including the seeker himself, were huddled together when only twelve should have been present. Confused and alarmed, they recounted, hoping it was a mere trick of the light or their imagination playing tricks on them, but no matter how many times they did it, there were always thirteen of them. 'We're all obviously here, so your joke is not funny,' one of the kids said. 'I'm going home,' another declared. No one tried to stop them, so they left the mansion and went home.

"The seeker also went home. His parents scolded him for returning late and then ushered him to his room while saying, 'You two should go to sleep.'"

Gaara didn't react much, but Naruto gripped his blanket tighter at that part.

"The boy was tired; he didn't pay attention to the wording. The realization came to him only when he was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the mysterious thirteenth player. His friend sometimes had a sleepover, and his parents didn't mind, but he was alone today, wasn't he? He thought, and then, he noticed something. A shadowy figure stood silently at the side of his bed. It leaned forward and whispered," Rei also leaned forward, flames casting weird shadows on his face, and his voice warped into a deep, creepy whisper as he uttered the next words, "'Let's play again.'"

The forest around them quieted, a breeze gently rustling through the leaves and a soft trickling of the river creating a symphony of sounds, filling the air like ghostly whispers.

A sudden loud splash in the water made Naruto jump and Gaara flinch, both their heads instinctively swirling toward the direction of the sound.

Rei leaned back with an amused smile. "In the morning, all twelve kids disappeared, and no one could find them," he finished his story. "But from that day, villagers sometimes heard a voice from the abandoned mansion. A cheery voice as it loudly counted down. As if the lost kids continued to play the hide-and-seek game."

As if on cue, the flickering light of the flames illuminated the dark forest, and two Jinchuuriki could feel goosebumps prickling along their arms. Those shadows looked like dark silhouettes of the lost kids.

Rei stifled a chuckle. Instead, he stood up with a clap to draw the flittering attention of the boys from whatever their imagination conjured back onto him. "Alright," he chirped. "You three should go to sleep. Kakashi and I will…" he trailed off, schooling his expression into confusion. "Wait." He looked at the two kids with his brow furrowed. "Three?"

Naruto froze in the motion of rubbing his sleepy eyes. Second later, the meaning of those words sunk in, and his hand shot out to grab Gaara's as he turned his head to look behind him.

Of course, nothing and no one was there.

An explosive laugh burst out of Rei before he could stop it, leaving him slightly breathless. A pillow flew towards him, and he snatched it before it hit him. "Sorry, sorry," he apologized, holding another bout of laughter but unable to wipe the grin off his face. "I couldn't help myself."

Naruto huffed, still angry, cheeks flushed out of embarrassment. "Am not afraid of ghosts, 'ttebayo."

Rei walked over with a comforting, "I believe you." Squatting down and dropping the fluffed-up pillow Naruto threw at him, he gently urged the small blond, "Time to rest now, Naruto. Gaara, you too."

The redhead nodded, making himself comfortable in his sleeping bag.

Naruto plopped down on his back with another huff, letting his uncle tuck him in. "There are no ghosts in this forest, right?" he asked hesitantly, fidgeting with the corner of the blanket.

"No," Rei replied, brushing his fingers through the boy's hair. "And even if there are, they won't touch you with me around."

A shy smile flashed across Naruto's face before he pulled the blanket up and hid under it, shifting in his place to find a more comfortable position for the night.

"Goodnight, kits." A gentle stroke through Gaara's hair followed the soft voice, cocooning them in warmth and safety.

Rei lifted his hand, fingers curled, and rotated his wrist in a circle, manipulating a flow of natural energy to wrap around the two Jinchuuriki. He watched their features relax, muscles going lax, and they both were out like a light in a couple of minutes.

Kakashi stared at him, his eyebrow slowly arching up in a curious question.

"When not agitated, natural energy has a soothing effect on living beings," Rei explained, throwing a few additional sticks into the fire, then sitting back down to his previous spot next to Kakashi. "You could say I covered them with an extra blanket made out of pure calming energy to keep potential nightmares away," he finished before turning to the other man with a bright grin. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Ghosts like in your story? No," Kakashi replied lightly though his single eye drilled into the blond with startling sharpness. "Is that Senjutsu?"

"Are we playing Twenty Questions now?" A nondescript eye-smile was the only answer to that. Rei rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said. "Senjutsu doesn't control natural energy outside one's body, so, no, it's not Senjutsu." Not elaborating further, he instead put forward his own question, "Did you volunteer for this mission?"

"No."

A lie. Rei could tell from the slight tension in the man's shoulders and a little twitch of his hand towards where he kept his book. He tilted his head to the side, staring at his old sensei. "Why is it so hard to admit caring about someone?"

"It's not your turn to ask a question," Kakashi deflected it with practiced ease. "Are you the older brother or the younger?"

Rei blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Are you Minato's older brother or the younger one?"

Oh. Rei never thought about that. No one had asked him before; everyone was too surprised that Minato even had a brother. "Younger," he decided after a moment. Being the younger brother made more sense, though he couldn't understand why Kakashi needed to know this detail.

"You still must be older than me."

Rei narrowed his eyes. Kakashi was obviously trying to shift this conversation as far as possible from his previous question, but at this point, Rei felt too curious to care. "Yeah." By quite a lot, but his old sensei didn't need to know that. "What are you getting at, Kakashi?"

"So why does Naruto call me an old man?"

Kakashi probably didn't want to sound so petulant himself, but he did, and Rei lost it, doubling over with a wild cackle. He tried to keep it quiet enough not to wake the kids, so it made his body shake with the force of his laughter, and he could feel it in his lungs so hard that it took his breath away. Gasping for air, he struggled to regain composure amidst the uncontrollable mirth.

Pouting Naruto was cute. Pouting Gaara was precious. Pouting Kakashi, though? Priceless.

Rei fanned his hot face, cheeks aching from the too-wide grin. "I can't believe you're sulking over such a trivial thing."

Kakashi shot him an aggrieved glare. "I'm not sulking," he grumbled. "I just think it's unfair."

"You're acting like a petulant child, and you know it."

The other man scoffed, sliding down to the log to rest his head on it. "I'm going to sleep," he declared as he folded his arms over his chest and closed his eye, deeming this conversation over.

Rei snorted. Moments like this reminded him that this Kakashi was barely out of his teenage years, and teasing him was much easier than his older version from his past. "Go ahead." He smirked. "Children should sleep early."

"Shut up," Kakashi bit out, eliciting a snigger he ignored. "Wake me up in a few hours for a watch change."

Rei paused with his hand over one of the storage seals on his person. "That's not necessary," he murmured as he activated the seal and grabbed his note journal before getting comfortable against the log for the night. "You can sleep all night."

Kakashi turned his head just to give him a dubious look.

Rei opened his journal. "My body doesn't require sleep anymore, so I can stay awake all night without issue."

Kakashi stared, confusion and disbelief painted all over his face despite most of it being hidden.

"I can sleep, of course, but usually, I simply meditate in case I need to rest my mind." Rei sounded so nonchalant about that fact as if he didn't care at all, instead putting all his attention on his notes. "I'm fine for the time being."

Feeling the gaze at the side of his face not getting any less intense even after a few minutes, Rei looked at Kakashi. After a long moment of keeping his eyes locked with the latter's single one, he heaved a defeated sigh and threw his arm with the journal over the log, turning his body towards him. "It was a gift," he finally said, eyes flicking to the fire and expression softening. It was a different kind of softness from the one he had when looking at the kids; this carried more wistfulness and was layered with deep melancholy. "A gift that my lifelong partner sacrificed his life for. Something I never wanted but needed to survive."

Kakashi's eyebrows drew together. "Survive what?"

Rei smiled. A small, curving smile, grief, and sadness written in the lines of his features. "The Hokage must have told you about that thing."

Kakashi stared, devoid of understanding.

"The thing that Inoichi witnessed."

A startled expression crossed Kakashi's face. All he could say was a quiet, "Oh." He didn't dare or maybe didn't want to ask more, conversation fizzling into silence.

It blanketed their little camp, disturbed only by the crackling fire for a while.

"Do you miss him?" Kakashi practically whispered the question. "Your partner?"

"Of course I do. I miss them all. Every day," Rei said. Then, he fixed the other man with a stern gaze.

The one that reminded Kakashi of Minato-sensei so much his heart ached.

"It's alright to miss the people we lost, Kakashi, but it's wrong to let our grief control us and stop us from moving forward. Or making new bonds."

Another minute of silence passed as the two men stared at each other.

Rei broke it with a little smack over Kakashi's head with his journal. "Sleep on it, kid."

Kakashi bristled at being called a kid, wanting to snap back, but Rei's tone was so caring, albeit teasing, and so heartbreakingly gentle that, in the end, he simply huffed and decided to let it slide this time.

It had been about an hour, and Gaara was quite sure that he and Naruto were lost. There was no other explanation for why they had already passed the same tree for the third time. The village wasn't even that big, it shouldn't be possible to get lost, but he had no idea where they currently were or where Rei was.

They had arrived at this village past midday. The festival was just starting, so after a satisfying lunch, they roamed, played games, watched performances, and had a good time together. The moment Rei and Kakashi rested on a bench, Naruto wandered off. Gaara noticed it in time and followed to keep his friend safe.

The sun had already dipped closer to the horizon, and they were very lost.

Gaara glanced around the street and vendors lining up the sides while keeping a close eye on Naruto, who marched forward as if he knew where exactly to go. He very much doubted that.

The air thrummed with the harmonious sounds of taiko drums and the laughter of people. Vibrant lanterns swayed gently above the crowd, casting a soft glow over the festive stalls, spreading mingling scents of grilled yakitori and sweet treats.

Naruto halted and now scanned the street back and forth.

"We're lost," Gaara deadpanned as he stopped beside his friend.

The blond, ever the optimist, grinned and waved dismissively. "Lost? Nah! We're just adventuring, 'ttebayo!"

"We passed that tree," Gaara motioned at it with his head," three times already."

The other boy's attention snapped at him in an instant. "What?" Then, he narrowed his eyes at the offending tree. "Really?"

"We're lost," the redhead stated again.

"We're not lost," Naruto huffed, crossing his arms in false confidence. "Don't worry, Gaara. I remember the way back perfectly! We need to take—"

They both flinched when a crashing sound reached their ears. Looking toward the direction of the noise, they saw an elderly man lying on the ground, debris from a broken stall and fish-shaped pastries scattered around him.

"Honey!" An elderly woman rushed to his aid, carefully helping him up.

They both froze when a shadow fell on them. As they looked up, their faces contorted with fear. A burly man loomed over them, teeth bared into a malicious grin, with two more standing right behind him.

"I told you that you better give me everything in your stall for free, geezer," the man said mockingly, fueled by a mix of bravado and alcohol. His friends cackled as if they just heard the funniest thing in the world. "Why wouldn't you listen?"

The joyous mood shattered, the atmosphere became tense, filled with unease, and the crowd hushed. People exchanged worried glances, unsure how to react to this ugly scene unfolding before them. Some whispered in hushed voices, while others averted their gazes, uncertain whether to intervene or simply walk away.

"But this is my family's livelihood!" the elderly man protested, desperately holding back his tears. "You can't—"

"Shut up!"

The couple flinched at the harsh shout. The crowd began to stir, muttering amongst themselves.

"You all shut up if you don't want the same thing to happen to you, too!" the burly man yelled. His speech was slurred, but it still held the clear edge of threat. Looking back at the stall owners, he pulled his lips into a leer.

Before he could do anything else, a small child suddenly slid to a stop in between him and the elderly couple and spread his arms to the side protectively.

"Leave them alone!" Naruto demanded, anger blazing as he glared at the man. "They did nothing to you!"

Gaara blinked. He didn't even notice when Naruto left his side.

"Who the heck are you?" the burly man growled. He stepped forward menacingly, hands clenched into fists, but the little blond didn't budge. The man noticed this and scoffed, taking another step forward. The other people shifted backward nervously at this; Naruto, however, only narrowed his eyes, his body tensing.

The man suddenly lunged forward with his arm outstretched. "Come here, you little bastard!" he hissed as he aimed to grab the boy. "I'll teach you a lesson!"

Naruto darted to the side, forming a cross seal with his fingers. A shadow clone popped into existence and immediately reached for the tablecloth at his feet. The original snatched the other corner, dragging the tablecloth until it was straight and taut, and then slammed it across the back of the man's knees.

The man yelped as he lost his balance. His knees hit the hard ground, but he caught his fall with his arms. Not for long, though. The next moment, Naruto jumped on his head, successfully smashing his mug into the dust.

"That's what you get for hurting others, stinky old man!" Naruto cheered with a triumphant grin as his defeated opponent groaned in pain.

One of the burly man's friends snapped back from surprise, mouth twisting into a cruel sneer. He pulled a knife from behind him and swung his arm with it, aiming at Naruto. The latter turned, eyes widening at the approaching blade.

Gaara's heart skipped a beat. Sand shot out of the pouch he carried tied to his belt, instantly forming a shield in front of Naruto. The knife smacked harmlessly into the sand, tendrils rising out of the shield and wrapping themselves around the blade, snaking along the assailant's arm and all around his body.

A single command and there would be only a single bloody corpse left. This person wanted to hurt Naruto. His only friend. Someone who wanted to be part of his family.

Lips pulled into a snarl, Gaara's fingers twitched. The sand tightened around the man.

A gentle hand enveloped his fist, halting his command over the sand. "It's okay now, Gaara."

Rei was smiling down at him as kind as always.

"Naruto's safe now; you protected him. Good job."

"Yeah, 'ttebayo!" Naruto agreed loudly. "Thanks, Gaara!"

Tension seeped out of Gaara's shoulders, expression relaxing. His hand dropped, and the sand flowed down, filtering back into his pouch.

"Good job, you too, Naruto," Rei praised as the little blond jogged to the three of them.

Naruto flashed a bright grin, his cheeks reddening slightly at the praise.

"Leave them to us now, alright?" After receiving two nods from the kids, Rei turned to Kakashi. "You want to do it, or should I?"

"I'll do it," Kakashi volunteered, walking past Rei and the boys towards the three men.

The burly man finally lifted his head. Blood dripped from his nose, and he vainly tried to wipe it off. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his gaze flicking to the ninja headband on Kakashi's head. He paled.

Kakashi pulled a piece of ninja wire as he approached, stretching it between his hands. "I don't enjoy violence, but please, do resist," he chirped with the sort of deadly cheer that sent goosebumps down their spines.

"Sh-shouldn't it be 'please, don't resist'?" one noted meekly.

"No, no, you heard correctly." Kakashi offered the three drunkards a polite eye-smile. "Make your best effort to resist."

Unfortunately for Kakashi, these men had no bravado left to put up even the slightest resistance against a ninja. Local men were quick to show Kakashi where he should bring them.

The situation was taken care of, and people were safe, so Naruto threw them out of his mind and instead asked his uncle, "Where have you been until now? We were looking for you!"

Rei raised an eyebrow at the boy's unexpected indignant tone. "You mean you were lost?" he teased and grinned when Naruto scowled in displeasure. "Kakashi and I watched you two walking around in circles. We found it really funny."

"We weren't lost, 'ttebayo!" the little blond retorted.

At the same time, Gaara deadpanned, "I told you we passed that tree three times." Naruto shot him a glare which he ignored with grace.

Rei chuckled, glancing at the people that were slowly gathering around them. The kids didn't seem to notice, so they got startled when one of them spoke out:

"Excuse me."

Gaara tensed. Naruto flinched and retreated closer to his uncle. Both stared at the crowd surrounding them wearily. Situations like that never ended well for them, so they never expected people to suddenly bow down.

"We just wanted to express our gratitude," the elderly man from the destroyed stall said, voice soft and kind. "These three always caused trouble, but we couldn't do anything against them. So, thank you for helping us."

"You two kids are so brave and kind!" the elderly lady gushed. "Thank you very much."

The two Jinchuuriki stared, frozen in place, caught completely off guard. No strangers ever thanked them or told them any kind words about them. It was such a weird experience; neither knew how to react.

Rei gave them an encouraging nudge.

Naruto jolted out of his stupor, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It was nothing," he murmured, a burst of nervous laughter following it.

The woman looked at them with such a warm gaze that it left the boys speechless again. "Are you two training to be ninjas as well?" she wondered curiously.

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll be as strong as my uncle and become the leader of Uzushio, 'ttebayo!"

"Uzushio?" the elderly man sounded surprised. "It's been many years since I heard the name of that village. I didn't know it was still around."

"I'll make it the best village in the world!" Naruto proclaimed proudly.

The elderly couple smiled at his enthusiasm. "Would you like some pastries?" the lady invited. "We still have a lot at the back that wasn't destroyed."

"I'll let two young heroes eat my candied applies for free! As many as you want!" someone in the crowd proclaimed.

"And I'll give two heroes some amazake to drink! My amazake is the best!" another added.

The boys watched in shock as more and more people chimed with offers for gifts and praises for their actions. Soon, the festival was in full swing again, everyone happy and content and smiling at each other. Their smiles got bigger and brighter every time they saw two little heroes.

"They aren't afraid of us," Gaara said quietly.

"They don't hate us either," Naruto whispered in awe.

Rei ruffled their hair. "That's how it should be, and that's how it's going to be from now on," he stated. "People are judging you for your actions and not the burden you're carrying."

"I'm so glad I left Konoha!" Naruto shouted. "Come, Gaara," he grabbed the other boy by his hand, "we should try these pastries first!" and dragged him to the pastries stall, the surrounding crowd cheering them on.

Chapter Text

Itachi stood at the edge of a high cliff. It had rained the previous night and, as the light breeze ruffled through his hair, it carried the forest's clean scent together with more of the river's greasy algae smell.

The teen's gaze moved from the horizon to the shimmering river down below, and he stared for a while, imagining the sheer drop stretching into infinity, into an unknown. The ground beneath his feet felt both solid and precarious, reminding him of the thin line that separated him from the vast expanse just over the cliff's edge and became the ledge that demanded to make a decision between jumping into that unknown or standing still, frozen in place—between confronting one's fears, one's doubts, and letting them control one's life.

Slowly, Itachi closed his eyes. The world gradually fell away as he lifted his arms and took a deep breath.

"Yo, Itachi!"

A kunai was out of his weapon pouch and en route for the speaker before the identity of the latter could even register in his brain. Body tense and senses on high alert, he spun around, ready for confrontation, but the moment the person came into view, Itachi's mind ground to a halt.

Rei Uzumaki. The Golden Ghost.

The man held the kunai between his fingers, after catching it in mid-flight with ease. "What's up with you and Shisui flinging a kunai at my face the moment I greet you?" he asked as he flipped the blade around into his grip and then flashed a wide grin. "Do I look that bad?"

Itachi's brow furrowed. This person snuck up on him. It had been years since anyone managed to sneak up on him. He would be lying if he said it didn't bother him. It did. A lot.

Rei observed him in return. Despite the bright smile lingering on his face, those blue eyes were sharp and cut deep just like the kunai, which the man was now twirling carelessly between his fingers, would.

Shisui trusted this person, but Itachi didn't. There was no reason for Rei Uzumaki to come looking for him. Apprehension filling him, he asked, "Why are you here?" He couldn't quite stop the irritation from seeping into his voice and made an effort to push it down.

Regardless, the blond must have noticed it, because his motion with the kunai halted and his response, "I was searching for Shisui?" rose slightly at the end of that sentence, making it sound more like a question. His expression softened, smile smoothing out into something milder, more temperate. "Do you know where he is?"

"Mission," was Itachi's curt reply.

"Ah, I see." Rei hummed under his breath, obviously thinking something as he once again started spinning the kunai around his fingers.

It was pretty distracting. Itachi didn't notice when his attention flitted from the man's face down to watching his skilled finger movement.

"Hey, Itachi, you've ever been to the beach?"

Itachi blinked, caught off guard, his gaze snapping back up. He expected the Golden Ghost to leave the moment he got his answer, not to start a random small talk. "I've seen one," he replied, because it would be rude not to, but then his eyes narrowed, suspicion growing. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, really?" Rei perked up, the kunai in his hand coming to a stop again. "What kind of stuff did you do there?"

"I killed two enemies before leaving to pursue a third."

Rei stared for one long moment before his mouth shifted into a sympathetic smile. "I meant fun stuff like, um, swimming? Or building sandcastles?"

"Why would I do that?" Itachi's eyebrows drew together. He saw no merit in such childish actions. They were nothing but a waste of time. "I'm not a child."

Rei shook his head before fixing the boy with that specific look that the latter had seen Shisui using sometimes. He couldn't quite understand it.

"Have you ever done anything fun?"

"Training can be fun."

"Well, not arguing with that one, but training shouldn't be all you do for fun."

"Training is important," Itachi said, deadpan. "I have no time to waste."

Rei rolled his eyes. "That's boring, kid."

Against all odds, Itachi felt himself bristle at the blond's casual use of 'kid'. He may have been younger than the man, but he didn't appreciate being spoken down to. Especially in such an exasperated tone. "Boring or not, it serves a purpose," he stated, sounding defensive even to his own ears, but his hackles were up now. "I don't see the need to indulge in frivolous activities when there's so much at stake."

Rei tapped his chin with the tip of the kunai, staring at the boy. "You know, Itachi," he finally spoke, "it's okay to have some fun once in a while. Fun has its meaning. Life can't be all about missions and battles. There's more to living than just survival."

Itachi vainly tried to smother yet another flicker of annoyance at those words. He had always prided himself on his discipline and dedication to his missions as a ninja of Konoha. The idea of diverting his focus to trivial amusements felt foreign and unnecessary. "Fun won't make me stronger," he retorted, the conviction in his voice unwavering. "I need to be strong to fulfill my duty of protecting people and defending my village."

Rei flipped the kunai between his fingers, his easy-going demeanor contrasting sharply with Itachi's seriousness. "Of course, strength is important. But don't forget that happiness and connections with others are equally vital. We fight to protect the people we love and cherish, but if we don't take the time to enjoy life with them, what's the point of it all?" He tilted his head when no response came from the boy. "Are you happy being a ninja in the way you are now?"

Irritation returned with full force. The life of a ninja was far too dangerous for anyone to prioritize being happy or having fun. Itachi considered himself a good ninja and he didn't have time for frivolity; the fate of his clan and village depended on him to remain dedicated.

The blond breezed straight past the growing tension between them with another question, "Are you content with yourself?"

Instantly, a protest formed on the tip of Itachi's tongue, only to quiet into silence as Rei's question broke through the veil of his growing anger. He took a moment to mull over it. He had always been focused on his duty, but lately, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness gnawing at him.

The sudden realization made Itachi deflate, his swelling fury dispersing into numbness. He had never considered such a perspective before. His father's wishes, his mother's hopes, his clan's demands, and his Hokage's expectations weighed down his shoulders, and his own contentment got somewhere lost in between those multiple heavy burdens.

He had to admit that he was hardly content with himself for a very long time now.

Looking back at the river down below, he was grateful that Rei didn't push him to answer. "Why do people kill each other?" he murmured after a beat of silence.

"Because it's easy."

The answer startled Itachi enough to snap his head toward the blond with wide-eyed incredulity. He didn't know why, but he expected something different from this person. In the end, the Golden Ghost was also a killer. Like Itachi. Like any other ninja out there.

"But that's exactly why," Rei started as he squatted down and jammed a tip of the kunai along the edge of the rock that was partially buried in the ground, "we need to treasure life." He flicked the kunai up and the rock rolled down the cliff, revealing a small plant sprout underneath it. "Because it's fragile and easy to snuff out and would never thrive without help."

Itachi stared at the sprout. It was yellow in color, tiny, weak, and would have definitely died if no one had moved the rock that pressed on it. "Do you think life has a meaning?" he whispered.

Standing up, Rei answered, "Of course, it does," with no hesitation whatsoever.

Itachi frowned at the confidence the words were delivered. "But if life is so fragile that it can be easily lost, where is the meaning to it?" he asked. "Wouldn't it mean that only eternal life would have a meaning?"

"You sound like Orochimaru," Rei chuckled, seemingly amused by that fact. "Eternal life has its meaning, sure, but it's different. Mortal life has a meaning precisely because it's so fleeting. Impermanence gives it value and purpose, limited time makes each moment precious, especially with your loved ones."

Itachi listened intently, drawn in by the soft voice and meaningful words. He had always been contemplative, but this conversation was unlocking new perspectives he had never considered.

Rei let the boy ponder on what was said for a moment, before inquiring curiously, "What do you want to do yourself, Itachi?"

Itachi gawked, uncomprehending.

"You know what your parents want for you, what your clan and your village want," Rei said, expression kind and tone gentle, but not any less assertive. "But what do you want?"

The young Uchiha opened his mouth to respond, but all he could manage was a quiet, "I…" before his throat tightened to the point where he couldn't speak anymore. Rei's question hit hard. Everyone always wanted something from him, someone else always chose for him. No one had ever stopped to ask what he wanted. Not even his parents.

"Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher?"

Itachi felt so lost, he didn't even try to hide it anymore. It was clear that this conversation wasn't going the way he had expected it to, but Rei seemed determined to confuse him even more.

Such a bewildered look elicited a fond smile from the man. "I think you'd make a wonderful teacher," he stated without an inkling of doubt. "Nurturing young lives is harder than killing enemies, but you're calm, patient, and kind. Those are qualities perfect for someone working with children."

"I—" For once, Itachi's mind was completely blank and utterly unhelpful. "But my clan…"

"There aren't many kids in Uzushio, but eventually more will come, and I'll need teachers to teach them. If your clan becomes a problem, you can take a mission to help the allied village and come for a visit. Pretty sure I can persuade the Old Man into letting you do it," Rei said with a dismissive hand wave. "Our beaches are amazing! You could try going for a swim or build a sandcastle in your free time." Mischief glinted in his blue eyes. "And who knows, maybe you'll enjoy your life there and decide to stay. You'll always be welcomed in Uzushio."

Rei offered the kunai Itachi had thrown at him earlier back to him. The boy took it without thinking, staring at it as if the first time he had seen a kunai.

"My suggestion is just something for you to think about, but remember, Itachi, the only thing you need to listen about what you need or want is," Rei poked the kid's chest, "right there."

Itachi glanced at the place where he got poked. "…My heart?"

"That's right, because this," Rei flicked the boy's forehead then, "is not always as helpful as you think."

Itachi rubbed his forehead, frowning, but after a moment gave a tentative nod. He realized that he genuinely appreciated this entire conversation. The Golden Ghost was strange, but that was exactly why he could offer a completely different perspective on things. He also seemed genuinely kind and approachable. Itachi started to see why Shisui liked and trusted this person so much.

"I'll be going now." Rei gave a little farewell wave. "See you around, kid." Not waiting for a reply, he disappeared.

Itachi didn't even get annoyed by being called a kid again. It wasn't a sign that the blond looked down on him, he knew now. He called the Hokage an old man after all. Rei Uzumaki was just that kind of person.

Looking down the cliff again, Itachi gathered his thoughts. He never considered becoming anything else but a ninja. No one ever suggested him to become anything else but that. No one allowed him to even think about becoming something else.

A teacher, huh.

Rei felt the tug from his Hiraishin kunai right when their little party was about to set out after another night camping. A special call, the one that he had been waiting for from the moment he gave that kunai to Jiraiya.

Unable to contain his excitement, he promptly straightened up from where he was cleaning up the campfire, chakra building up for a shadow clone, before vanishing just as the latter poofed into existence.

It had been years, but Mount Myoboku looked exactly like Rei remembered it: mountains surrounding a valley with a forest of giant plants and towering dwellings of toads with water cascading down from their tops.

And also natural energy.

It was fresh and vibrant, the entire environment saturated with it. So dense and potent that it overwhelmed even Rei's senses. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the natural energy of this place fill his lungs and his being to the brim. It carried a slightly different impression, left a different footprint on his acute senses. More dominant, more ancient, more resonating with the being inside him.

No wonder these toads evolved into strong warriors and sages. Living in this unique environment and being in constant contact with such strong nourishing energy inevitably affected their bodies in a way that was impossible outside of this place.

Bright blue eyes snapped open, gleaming with eagerness. According to the feeling of natural energy, his theory about Mount Myoboku was correct. It was situated in a small pocket dimension, attached directly to the main one. While it had a small passage, connecting it with the world outside, fundamentally it exited outside its boundaries, isolated for centuries. That was why it retained the environment of ancient times.

Rei wanted nothing else but to explore this place more thoroughly right now, because, surely, here lay answers to the riddle that was his current project.

But first—

The blond finally offered his attention to a lineup in front of him: Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima with Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken towering behind them. All tense and ready to retaliate in kind at the slightest sign of danger from the guest they had just invited.

—he had to deal with this.

Lining up all the strongest fighters to meet him, huh. The toads didn't even attempt to hide their suspicion of him. Quite understandable. Rei would never hold it against them—he knew them, but they didn't know him. They didn't know that he would never harm any of the toads or their home.

Flashing a wide, friendly grin to appear as unthreatening as possible, Rei waved his hand in greeting with a cheerful, "Hello!"

"Welcome, Rei Uzumaki," Fukasaku spoke first politely. "Jiraiya-chan mentioned that you wished to visit Mount Myoboku?"

"Ah, it's nothing complicated," Rei replied, his gaze unconsciously wandering away again to take in all the lush plants around him. "I simply want to take a look around your place."

The toads blinked at him, then shared a bewildered look. Even Jiraiya raised an eyebrow in question.

"Are you serious?" Gamabunta rumbled, narrowing his eyes at the blond man. "Just to look around?"

Rei's flittering focus snapped back to the group. "Yeah! Just to look around." He paused before grinning up at the giant toad. "Actually, I didn't come empty-handed, I brought you a gift!" He snatched a scroll that suddenly appeared mid-air with a poof and tossed it forward.

The moment the scroll unrolled mid-air, a huge chakra cloud filled the area. It didn't take long for it to disperse, revealing three giant tokkuri*.

Rei patted the closest one and said, "This is sake I got in Peach Country." A knowing smirk appeared on his face at the sight of Gamabunta's eyes widening. This was exactly why he went through all the trouble to get this specific sake for this visit. "I've heard it's considered the best sake in the world."

Gamabunta's eyes zeroed on the label glued on the side of the tokkuri. "Is that their peach special?"

"Indeed!" Rei exclaimed cheerfully. "It was hard to get this one. I hope you'll enjoy it."

Gamabunta's body relaxed and his joyful laugh shook the air. "Oh, I definitely will!"

"Bunta-chan!" Shima suddenly yelled, tapping her foot impatiently as she glared at the giant toad.

"What?" he asked in return. "It's a great gift! Do you know how hard it is to buy peach special from those brewers in Peach Country?" When the only reaction to his question was a disapproving glower from the old sages, he turned to his comrade. "Right, Gamaken?"

The magenta-coloured toad jolted from his intense staring at the tokkuri. "Yeah, indeed," he agreed. "I remember that time when we tried to make a deal with—"

"Ken-chan!"

"Ah." Gamaken shifted awkwardly under Shima's glower. "My apologies. It was very clumsy of me."

Fukasaku shook his head with a sigh. "Rei Uzumaki," he called out to the man who simply watched the scene with a soft smile. "The Great Toad Sage wishes to see you."

Of course. There was no way the old geezer would simply overlook the existence of someone so abnormal. Rei wanted to avoid meeting the Great Sage, but if he wanted to gain the trust of the toads, he had to. "I expected that," Rei muttered, obviously reluctant. He could only hope now that this meeting wouldn't end up disastrous. Prophecies seeing toad could easily destroy his disguise. "Alright. Lead the way, please."

Fukasaku nodded, waved for Jiraiya to follow, whispered something to Shima, and only then said, "Follow me," as he turned and walked away.

Rei sidelined Jiraiya as they followed Fukasaku through the giant plant forest and into the building. "Why do you look so down?" he asked, eyeing his past mentor with concern. Jiraiya was yet to speak even a single word.

"Urgh…" the other man groaned, tiredly rubbing his forehead. "The toads summoned me early for preparations to meet with you and," he dropped the volume of his voice, "I had to eat breakfast with them."

"Was it worms and bugs?"

Jiraiya's face paled, and he slapped his hand across his mouth.

Rei burst out into laughter. "Sorry, sorry," he mumbled after a moment, half to Jiraiya and half to Fukasaku who shushed him for disturbing the peace in the hallway.

Soon they entered the great hall where the Great Toad Sage usually spent his old days. Jiraiya stayed behind, fixing a heated glare at the back of Rei's head while the latter continued deeper into the hall after the toad sage.

"I have brought Rei Uzumaki as you requested, Great Honorable Geezer," Fukasaku announced when the two of them stopped in front of Gamamaru.

"Hello!" Rei greeted the elder with exuberant energy. This reminded him of the old days. "Nice to meet you, Giant Gramps Sage!"

"G-Giant Gramps—" Fukasaku stammered out, gawking at the blond man, completely flabbergasted. "What did you call him?"

Rei used the old nickname for the Great Toad Sage on a whim. Fukasaku's reaction only made him grin. He looked up and froze the moment his eyes met the Great Sage's eyes. They looked sharp and felt on his being even sharper. It had been ages since the last time Rei felt unsettled, despite how faint this feeling was right now. This ancient toad never before made him nervous, but those eyes obviously saw more than any other. How intriguing.

"You do not belong here."

Those words sounded especially loud in a silent hall.

While the others frowned in confusion, a bitter chuckle escaped Rei. "Harsh," he said, his previous bright grin replaced by a sad curve of his lips. "But you're right."

Gamamaru stared at him. "Why are you here then?"

Rei stuffed his hands into his pockets and hummed, rocking on his heels. "My place was a desolate graveyard with thousands of dead and no one left to erect tombstones for them." His tone was surprisingly light for speaking words that were weighted down by the unimaginable tragedy. "And so I came to a crossroad where I had only two choices: go right where nothing was left, or go left where nothing was right."

The blond paused as the slew of memories surged forth. His chest tightened. Still, it was nothing compared to the past, when he lost his mind multiple times after getting overwhelmed by memories and grief, enhanced by the insane being inside him… It had been so long though, and with Kurama's final gift, he made peace with what happened many years ago.

Rei's lips twitched into a bitter smile. "Power becomes meaningless once you have nothing left, but it can help to fix things that aren't right. That's why I'm here now."

The Great Sage's gaze was piercing as he stared at the man for another excruciating long moment. "I see," he muttered finally, shoulders relaxing and eyes fluttering close. "Hmmmm…" Then they opened again into small slits, wandering around the hall for a few moments before settling back on Rei. Another few seconds passed in silence. "…Who are you again?"

Fukasaku facepalmed, grumbling something under his breath, but the blond himself only grinned. "Rei Uzumaki!" he reminded joyfully.

"Oh, that's right, that's right. Rei Uzumaki, the boy who shouldn't be here. Your name fits you," Gamamaru rumbled. "You're very far from your home, Rei."

Rei ignored a pang in his heart. "Yes."

"Let this place at this time be your home then."

Those words were so special and cut so deep, Rei would have lied if he said his throat didn't close up around myriads of emotions. Acceptance did miracles on the lonely and out-of-place soul. The soft, "Thank you," was filled with nothing but sheer gratitude.

However, the true meaning was lost on the other two in the hall. With a frown plastered across his brow, Fukasaku asked, "Are you sure, Great Honorable Geezer?"

"It's okay, it's okay," Gamamaru dismissed his worries without a thought. "Rei will never bring harm to our lands."

"Does that mean I have permission to look around Mount Myoboku?" Rei wondered.

"You can stay here as you like."

"That's great!" Rei's bright grin was back with its full power. "Thanks, Giant Gramps Sage!"

Fukasaku heaved another sigh. "Jiraiya-chan, lead our guest out," he said. "I want to speak with the Great Honorable Geezer."

Rei didn't linger. He waved his goodbye to the Great Toad Sage and strolled out, happy getting his permission to explore this place. Whatever Fukasaku wanted to talk about was not his business.

Jiraiya eyed him with a curious, inquisitive gaze from where he was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest. "You're surrounded by more and more mysteries, it seems," he said, joining the blond on his way out of the great hall. "I don't even know where to start peeling them off."

Rei rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the warmth that swamped his chest at the casual banter with his old mentor. "Some things are better left where they belong—in the past," he retorted before increasing his pace after spotting the sunlight spilling through the entrance further down the hallway. "Let's focus on fun things." He exited the building with an excited shout, "Exploration!"

Jiraiya followed him out with a chuckle.

"You lads must be hungry. The dinner is ready!"

Rei froze. Jiraiya flinched. Wide-eyed, their heads snapped to the side, only to be met with a sight of smiling Shima, eager for them to taste her food.

Jiraiya's face lost all its blood.

With the unforgettable menu of Shima's dinner passing through his mind, Rei somehow managed to crack a nervous smile. He ate enough of that to last dozens of lifetimes, thank you very much. "I have no doubt your cooking is lovely, but I've already eaten before coming here," he lied. "But thank you. I appreciate your kindness."

"What?" Shima quacked. "But—"

"And I, uh, I need to guide this fellow around," Jiraiya chimed in in a rush as he motioned toward Rei.

"But the dinner—"

"No, no, thank you, but the man's in a hurry and so we need to go now."

Rei winced when Jiraiya elbowed his side, none too gently, but still careful to keep it from Shima noticing. "Yes, I'm in a hurry," he immediately agreed. "My kids are waiting outside for me to finish my business here."

The old lady sage huffed, crossing her arms and fixing them with a stern stare. She didn't believe the two in the slightest.

That didn't stop them from turning and fleeing before she could find an excuse to keep them for dinner. Neither of them wanted to taste more of those delicacies.

"Phew…" Jiraiya brushed sweat off his brow once they were far enough to feel safe, allowing himself to relax now. "Thank goodness, we managed to escape." He flashed a lop-sided grin at the blond. "I owe you one."

Rei laughed. "You helped me out of her dinner too. We're even." Though his attention was fully on his surroundings now, eyes tracing the natural energy path only his senses could see.

"So, anyway…" Jiraiya squinted at the spot the other man was staring at, but saw nothing unusual. "Looking around this place is your inspiration?"

"Yes." Rei got distracted by a weird turn of the flow. Was there a pattern here perhaps? Naturally formed ancient seal formation? "This looks like a natural pocket in the dimension and I'd like to examine how it sustains its form without collapsing or detaching itself," he explained after another moment. "I want to know if it's possible to replicate that artificially."

Jiraiya whistled in appreciation. "That's one hell of a project. What's it for anyways?"

"To create a haven."

"For who?"

Rei's features softened, smile taking a fond edge. It was something Kurama mentioned at one point in passing, how he would like to have a safe place for himself and his siblings after the war. A place they could have just for themselves without pesky humans coming to bother them.

"For a few friends that like to keep to themselves."

His Kurama never saw his dream come true, so Rei swore to let Kurama of this time experience it instead. In one way or another, Rei would make it happen. Even if he would have to carve that place out of the fabric of reality, he was going to find a way.

He was going to create a haven for the Bijuu.

In his office within the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his features etched with a sense of gravity. Scrolls and various documents covered the desk, but a scroll of utmost importance lay before him, bearing the seal of the Daimyo's court.

With a deep sigh, Hiruzen carefully broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. His eyes scanned the lines of text, and, as the content of the message registered, his expression shifted to a mixture of conflicting emotions.

Daimyo's court had made a decision not to interfere with the imminent arrest of Danzo Shimura.

Hiruzen's fingers tightened around the edge of the scroll, the weight of the decision bearing down on him.

There was a time when he and Danzo had fought side by side as comrades, forging their bond in the fires of battle and shared ideals. But as years went by, that bond and loyalty frayed and crumbled under their unspoken regrets and growing disagreements.

Danzo Shimura's name now carried mostly shadows within the hidden corners of Konoha. Hiruzen had known for a long time that his old friend's methods were questionable at best, his actions driven by an unwavering desire to protect the village at any cost, but he chose time and time again to close his eyes to his transgressions.

He couldn't do that anymore.

At that moment, a mix of emotions surged within Hiruzen. He felt a pang of heaviness for what lay ahead—confronting an old friend and teammate and the shadows that he had cast. Yet, there was also a sense of relief, like a heavy burden finally being lifted from his shoulders.

This would come to an end, one way or another. The Daimyo's message was a validation of his decision. There was no way back now.

His gaze drifted to the photographs on his office wall. Previous Hokages watched him from their photo frames as if gauging his worth in the world. Hiruzen's attention lingered on the last one, on the successor whom he had chosen and who left this world way too early.

With a steady breath, the Sandaime solidified his resolve, pushed back the chair, and rose from his desk. "Crane," he called out.

An Anbu silently landed in the middle of the office and kneeled before the Hokage.

"Assemble two teams of the most skilled Anbu members and meet me on the roof in half an hour," Hiruzen ordered.

Crane nodded in mute affirmation before vanishing in a shunshin.

The Sandaime walked to the window and stopped with his hands cupped behind his back, watching the bustling life of Konoha outside the Hokage Tower. The sky was quickly darkening with every minute that passed by, but the number of people in the streets only grew, happy chatter and fragments of laughter slipping through the open window into the office.

The path ahead seemed treacherous and painful, but Hiruzen was ready to traverse it to ensure that this peace remained untarnished.

The air hung heavy with silence inside the entire Danzo Shimura's residence. The last rays of sunset cast eerie, fractured patterns onto the wooden floorboards through the windows, but the darkness was quickly eating away at the last source of light, sprawling throughout all the rooms and hallways.

In a room at the end of a second-floor hallway, the darkness was ever-present. The feeble light of a single desk lamp flickered on a half-empty table, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

A solitary figure stood next to the only window, shrouded in the dark. Danzo Shimura, a man of secrets and shadows, awaited in silence. He gazed into the garden of the residence through the window, posture relaxed with his hands cupped behind his back, and expression calm and focused. As if contemplating the weight of lifetime's decisions.

He didn't react when the floorboards outside the room creaked. Neither did he move when the door swung open and masked ninjas rushed in. Nor did he turn around when they parted, leaving a passage for the old Hokage to come in.

For a moment, no one spoke.

"I see you made your choice, Hiruzen." Danzo's voice was a steady rumble, devoid of any surprise.

"And I see you made yours."

With a quiet scoff, Danzo finally turned around. The room seemed to hold its breath as the two former comrades locked eyes—Hiruzen's gaze heavy with a mixture of sorrow and resolve, and Danzo's gaze a reflection of convictions and confidence in the choices he had made.

"The Hokage must be able to make hard choices." Danzo's chin jutted out, his eye flashing with contempt, as he uttered the next words, "Looks like you're still unable to do that without regrets." If he expected to get a rise out of his old friend, the attempt seemed to fail.

Hiruzen stared at him, his features awash with sadness and resignation. "Danzo, we were comrades once," he said, tone soft and weathered. "We trained together, fought together. What happened to the young man who dreamed of a better future for our village?"

"I've done what needed to be done for the sake of Konoha," Danzo stated. Not a single drop of regret was heard in his voice. He didn't believe in regrets. "I've made the sacrifices you were unwilling to make."

"But the choices you made, the secrecy and manipulation, they tainted the ideals we stood for."

Danzo might not have believed in regrets, but he too once was a naïve young man chasing after lofty dreams and ideals. His lips curled into a faint smile tinged with bitterness. "Ideals, Hiruzen, are fragile things. They shatter when confronted with the harsh reality of the world." His expression suddenly turned grave with determination. "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

"But at what cost?"

"You're a naïve fool, Hiruzen," Danzo sneered. "I had always done only what was necessary to ensure the village's future."

A pang of grief crossed the old Hokage's face. After a moment, he shook his head with a sigh and straightened up, smoothing his expression into something more neutral. "Your actions have crossed a line that cannot be ignored anymore," he said. "I warned you not to confront Rei Uzumaki again and look where it led us. We should be grateful that he didn't hold Konoha accountable for your actions."

"You surrendered our Jinchuuriki to a stranger from outside of Konoha and permitted him to exert undue influence over our affairs." Danzo's face remained completely stoic, his piercing eye regarding Hiruzen with disdain. "Someone so detrimental to Konoha should be eliminated. Rei Uzumaki is but one man—"

"Should I remind you that he went around Konoha, doing whatever he wanted, completely unnoticed by any ninjas for three months? Yes, Rei Uzumaki is but one man, but he is a man of great power and skills, capable of more than an entire army," Hiruzen pointed out. "One man who has enough power to destroy a ninja village single-handedly in mere minutes. One man with a flee-on-sight order from Suna and more following soon no doubt. One man who has an entirety of Iwa ninjas on their toes, especially the Tsuchikage." He paused, letting all of it sink in. "You experienced what Rei Uzumaki can do despite being just one man."

Danzo's eye twitched. The decimation of his Root was a great miscalculation on his part. He hadn't quite expected retaliation of such brutality. Yeah, he had to admit that Rei Uzumaki was powerful, but no mortal man was truly infallible. They simply needed to bid their time to find the right time to strike.

"You think allying yourself with that man, giving the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki away, and getting rid of me are the correct choices?"

"It's about upholding ideals we once stood for," Hiruzen replied, his voice unyielding. "It's about protecting the village and ensuring that no one individual's ambitions overshadow the wish for peace."

"You'll come to regret this decision," Danzo scoffed. "A tree cannot survive without roots."

"If you cut only damaged parts of its roots, the tree can not only survive, but flourish," the Hokage retorted. "Perhaps I'll come to regret it; perhaps I won't, but you don't have to care about consequences any longer." He closed his eyes, taking a deep steadying breath. Then they opened again, steely resolve burned deep inside them. "It's time to bring the light to the shadows, Danzo."

A tense silence enveloped the room as the two men stared at each other, the weight of their shared history and the gravity of the moment settling between them.

Danzo pursed his lips into a thin, crooked line. "Very well, Hiruzen, arrest me, then. But know that my actions were taken for the love of Konoha, for the protection of the village above all else."

Hiruzen gave a signal and watched as the Anbu operatives moved to apprehend his old comrade. After a moment, he turned away, his shoulders weighed down by the choices that had led them to this moment.

As they exited the residence, the clouds parted and the moonlight cast long shadows across the empty streets of Konoha, mirroring the path that Hiruzen and Danzo had walked together, and the diverging roads they had ultimately chosen to travel.

Danzo sat on the edge of the bunk, back straight, hands clasped in his lap and his eye closed, and waited. It was late morning of the second day since he was arrested and brought into the Anbu detention center. Chakra suppression seals lined the walls, glowing faintly in the dim cell.

A clank resounded throughout the area and then barely audible footsteps.

Danzo's eye slowly fluttered open once the footsteps halted in front of his cell. He turned his head, sharp gaze quickly flicking up and down the person on the other side of the bars. The usual Anbu uniform, a common white mask with a soft black material covering the hair perfectly hid the identity of the ninja from any prying eyes.

And yet the corner of Danzo's mouth twitched slightly up. A tiny red ribbon weaved into the sleeve was invisible to anyone who didn't know what to look for.

"Lunchtime," the Anbu said as he reached to open the little window to push through the tray with food onto the little table that was attached to the bars.

"Would you kindly bring the food inside?"

The ninja froze. Only for a second, because on the next he slowly pulled his hand back and instead grabbed the keys from his pouch. Unlocking the door, he entered, put the tray on the table, and then kneeled in front of Danzo. "Danzo-sama," he called out reverently. "Give me your orders."

A satisfaction twisted Danzo's lips into a smirk. Hiruzen was a fool indeed if he believed that just because he lost the majority of his Root, he was helpless. His old friend must have thought he surrendered because he didn't have any other choice left. But it was far from the truth. Several contingency plans were prepared for situations like this.

"Five," Danzo rumbled, staring the kneeling man down. "Meet with Seven and start the plan 'Higanbana'."

"Understood." The Anbu operative stood up, bowed one more time, and then swiftly left after locking the doors to the cell.

Hiruzen would come to regret his decisions, recent ones and those in the past. All things considered, he had lost all qualifications to be the Hokage a long time ago.

Danzo smiled.

Time for a change.

Five dropped his Anbu mask into his locker and grabbed his backpack. With a quick sweep over the locker room, he made sure no one else was there, except him and another man a few lockers away. Glancing at the latter, he asked casually, "Hey, you wanna go grab a drink at seven?"

The other ninja's hand paused on his vest for a split second before he continued to take it off. "How about five instead?"

Five's locker closed with a soft click, and he turned to the other man, expression going blank. "Danzo-sama gave orders," he muttered audible enough only for Seven to hear. "Plan 'Higanbana' is a go."

"Understood."

Five left without any other word. Seven threw his Anbu things into his locker, pulled out the backpack, and left. With a smile, he greeted another Anbu operative coming in to change before exiting the building and moving to the roofs to avoid traffic in the streets.

After several minutes of travel, he reached the edge of the village. Perching on the edge of the roof, Seven scanned his surroundings for any tails, and upon not finding any, he hopped off and slipped into the forest.

He kept running forward for another few minutes until he finally reached a certain tree. It was no different from any other tree around it, but Seven knew that this was here. He walked around the tree, carefully inspecting the ground, before noticing what he was looking for. Brushing grass and moss away, he gripped the handle and pulled. With a creek, it popped out of the ground, revealing an entrance into a secret vault. Seven jumped into it, letting the hatch close behind him.

It opened again only once the moon hung high in the sky, the darkness covered Konoha, and people were mostly safely sleeping in their beds. A dark shadow slinked out of the hole in the ground, a white markless mask barely reflecting moonlight off its surface. Seven carefully closed the hatch and tucked it into the grass so it wouldn't be found. Jumping into the trees, he moved back toward the village.

As he neared the first houses, he slowed his pace and chose to travel through the dark streets and alleys. He stopped a few times, hiding behind the corners as he let ninjas pass, before moving out again.

When he neared the territory of his target, Seven took extra caution not to get caught. Danzo-sama put a lot of confidence in him when he entrusted him with the 'Higanbana' plan. He would do his best to fulfill his part in this plan without a hitch.

Landing on a branch of a tree, safely hidden in the shadows, Seven scanned the small fenced yard of the water tank. The light in the guardhouse was out and no one was walking around. Seven waited a little bit. Pricking his ears, listened.

The guard was either asleep or not even around.

Hopping down, he vaulted over the fence and froze, listening for any sudden movement. When he found none, he quickly climbed the water tower. Once on top, he kneeled beside the hatch and unlatched it. Pulling out a vial with a red liquid from inside his clothes, he dumped its content into the water and watched as the red gradually spread around the surface.

Mission accomplished, Seven closed the hatch, gaze lingering on the uchiwa symbol painted on top for a second, and then disappeared into the night.

*tokkuri: a special flask for sake. It usually has an elongated neck, bulbous base, and sometimes a rope around the neck to carry it.