Bab 4: 003:A weird friend
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Before the era of ninjas, there was the era of samurais. That was the mainstream profession in the world. Samurai were serious, valued honor, and upheld strong principles.
But everything changed when the Sage of the Six Paths came. An immortal, a legend, or even a god, those were the impressions people of that time had of him. The clan records say he made the existence of chakra mainstream and tried to use it as a means to achieve peace.
Over time, the profession of samurai began to decline. They still existed but were no longer relevant in this new era.
In the Uchiha clan, a strange-looking samurai was resting against the trunk of the Sakura tree.
He was a tall, light-skinned man with long, dark brown hair that framed his face with two chest-length bangs and was tied up in the back with a white ribbon in a long ponytail reaching his lower back.
His face was covered by an ornate mask featuring golden teeth, black lips and fangs, a golden protrusion on either side and a golden headpiece shaped like three cherry blossoms.
He wore a long, light purple kimono with white stripes running down the center and sleeves, tied at his waist with a long piece of white fabric that hung down in two loops at the front.
He wore a red-gold pauldron on each shoulder, connected by a golden band with strips of red fabric hanging from it and two interwoven strips of red fabric above it. He also wore red, elbow-length gauntlets and red greaves.
With these characteristics, the proud Uchiha clan should have detained him a long time ago, but they did not.
"The kid will be here soon; it seems he brought company," the mysterious samurai remarked.
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"Mom, we're almost there, hurry up!" Little Sora ran happily along the path. Growing up, you realize how blissful it was to be a child, just playing and not worrying about work, college, taxes, and food. Ignorance is bliss, and he wasn't foolish enough to miss this chance. He was a kid again.
"Slow down, Sora. Don't forget I'm carrying everything for the tea ceremony," said Mikoto. In reality, that was an excuse. She had to maintain the tone of a mother. How could a powerful ex-jounin struggle with a simple basket?
"Okay, Mom. We're almost there." From Sora's perspective, a beautiful and large sakura tree came into view, growing larger as they approached it.
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Sora's Point of View
"Hello! How are you, sir?" I asked. My good and unusual friend was a no-nonsense person. He had a tough exterior but a heart of gold.
"I'm well, kid. Who did you bring with you?" the masked samurai inquired.
"My mom! You're my first friend, and I wanted to introduce her. She's also helping me with a big surprise, but I'll introduce her to you. My friend, this is my mom Mikoto; Mom, this is my friend," I replied. I appreciated both of them. I was a little anxious about the first meeting. He was an odd guy, but he lived in the Uchiha compound, so he must be alright.
The masked samurai remained silent for a moment. The word "friend" held significant meaning for him. He once had a partner, a friend, a companion. They trained together day and night and were deeply connected through happiness, sorrow, and life-or-death situations. But it had been a long time since he last saw him. A prideful man but an honorable partner. Now, his first friend since arriving here was introducing him to his family.
"Lady Mikoto, it is a pleasure to meet you," said the masked samurai.
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Mikoto's Point of View
My son asked me for a favor, and I agreed. I also wanted to meet this friend. When we arrived, my son began talking to a tree. Not exactly at the tree, but to someone sitting in it. The problem was...
There was no one there. Her son seemed to be talking alone and reacting as if this "friend" was conversing with him. Perhaps it was an imaginary friend? But why? Her son was a healthy young boy. He was smart, but he had never shown any signs of having an imaginary friend.
What's worse, talking to someone who isn't there is usually a sign of trauma, often seen in people returning from war or horrible missions. A ninja's psyche can be fragile.
But her son had not participated in any wars, gone on missions, and had an entirely normal childhood, just like a civilian kid, because he lacked chakra.
Maybe he developed something to cope with not having chakra. Well, it's best not to inform Fugaku about this. I don't know how he would react, and perhaps this "friend" is the only thing helping her son cope with his situation. Just in case, let's keep this going while I search for some answers at the hospital.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you! My son spoke to me about you. He prepared a surprise, so I'll leave the basket here. I'll be back in a while to take him home. Have fun, you two!" said Mikoto, addressing the space.
She had experienced many missions during her career as a ninja. She could remain calm under any circumstance.
"Okay, I'll keep him safe, miss," the masked man said. He knew she couldn't see him, but courtesy and respect were essential when addressing women.
"Okay, Mom! See you later," Sora replied. He was 22 years old (20 + 2 from this life), but the meeting with his friend and his mom was still awkward.
Mikoto left, and Sora began unpacking everything. The water was already hot, and everything was prepared for the tea ceremony.
"You...?" asked the masked samurai.
"I remembered that you missed this from your previous life. While I know we can't go back, I hope this can make you feel at home," said Sora, with understanding. His friend deserved it. This and more.
"Ah..." A long silence enveloped the samurai.
"I will accept it," replied the samurai. He missed his home, and this was a good way to remember those precious memories.
And then, the tea ceremony began.
....
"I think Mom will come to pick me up soon; I guess this is goodbye," said Sora. He had a pleasant afternoon with his friend.
"Thank you very much for your gesture. As a token of my gratitude, I have something for you," the samurai said as he stood up. His past was gone, but perhaps his future would be different. Fear was for the weak, and he wanted to protect his only friendship in this land.
"A gift? It's not necessary. We are friends, and you've already helped me a lot," replied Sora, with no trace of greed. Dying was a cathartic experience; you can't take anything with you when you die. Memories are priceless, and his family and friends were his treasures.
"I insist, kid. You also mentioned that this era is dangerous, so maybe I can help you with that. Go to the trunk behind me and grab the longest branch you can find," explained the mysterious samurai.
Sora did as instructed and offered the branch to the samurai.
"We won't be able to interact for a while but don't worry, I will always be with you," said the masked samurai, his resolve clear.
"But!" Sora began to cry. His only friend in this land was leaving.
"This is not a goodbye. We will meet again soon. Please remember my name..."
"What? I couldn't hear you," said a confused Sora.
"My name is..."
Powerful energy was being infused into the branch. Little by little, sakura flowers danced in the air, transforming the branch.
A beautiful katana appeared, a masterpiece by the standards of this era. It was taller than Sora.
"This is!!??" His friend disappeared, and memories began to flood his mind. He finally remembered his new friend, his personality, and how he hadn't realized it before.
And then he remembered the name—the powerful samurai guardian who accompanied his partner. A great sword, a beautiful sword, elegance in killing.
"Senbonzakura, so it was you, my friend. Now I remember," thought Sora.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone