Capítulo 24: Chapter 24: Temples and swirls
Not much can be said about the Uzumaki clan, and yet we can fill entire scrolls with legends and assumptions about their secretive society. One thing is for sure: they were powerful, so powerful that people feared what they could do.
During the clan wars -when the Uzumaki were at their peak- stories were spread about them that defied even the laws of ninja. Some said they could steal a person's chakra for their own, some that they could stop time itself using complicated seals, while some even claimed that they summoned Shinigami and bound them to their will. But word of mouth is a dangerous thing, distorting facts until they become wild stories and legends, instilling fear in the hearts and minds of ninjas and civilians alike.
Yet the clan seemed to revel in the rumors about them, maintaining that front until entire battles stopped the moment an Uzushiogakure battalion arrived. Little did they see how great their secrets and boasting would cost them, for fear breeds hate. Once it seemed like a second war was brewing, no one wanted to deal with the Uzushio-Konoha alliance, especially since the big three clans were all together where they were at their strongest.
What followed can only be called genocide, as the destruction of Uzushiogakure took place and the ensuing hunt for the Uzumaki members, sparking an entire current of hate for bloodlines in many shinobi nations.
-Extract from 'The History of Nations'-
-Temples and swirls-
-Yahizui-
Breathe in. Focus.
Two flickers of chakra clashed to Yahizui's left at a distance of… ten meters. They were distinct from one another, one flowing steadily yet unrefined, the other tempered, entirely under control.
Breathe out. Reach further.
Now that she had locked onto her two teammates, Yahizui began to further stretch out her senses, this time to find her elusive teacher. With each calming breath, her focus sharpened until everything around her fell away and she could feel the entirety of her web.
Still nothing. She frowned. Where was he?
"Looking for me?" A hand tapped her on the shoulder.
Heart leaping into her throat, Yahizui whirled into a defensive crouch at the voice behind her.
For a moment she stared up at Kaito, trying to cover her surprise. He was casually standing behind her, his open jounin vest revealing a well-worn purple blouse beneath. How had she not felt him? He was standing right there. Her eyes narrowed as she allowed herself to relax. "How did you- "
"This happens when you completely mask your chakra—you become invisible to trackers," Kaito said, coming to stand beside her. His gaze narrowed pensively down at her. "Do not let your chakra sensing cloud your other senses. If you lose track of what is immediately around you, you put yourself and your teammates at risk."
Yahizui nodded, accepting his criticism. Her sensing abilities had been improving steadily under Kaito's guidance. In the week it had taken for her leg to heal, Yahizui was forced to watch her teammates continue to train and improve, feeling frustrated at her lack of mobility. During training, she had spent her time focusing on the one thing she could—her charka sensing. But throughout it all, her thoughts were constantly plagued by things she didn't understand.
Her gaze drifted back to the scroll at her feet, the Uzumaki symbol standing out boldly against the old parchment. She had spent every moment she had not been training in the library, looking for all the information she could find on the elusive Uzumaki. It was sparse. The most she could find was mention that they were a clan that originated from Uzushiogakure and that they were now extinct.
Not entirely as extinct as they once thought...
"You're not paying attention," said Kaito.
Blood rushed to Yahizui's face at being caught. "I'm sorry."
"What's on your mind?"
Yahizui bit her lip, unsure whether she wanted to speak the truth out loud. "Nothing," she said instead, avoiding Kaito's inquisitive gaze. "I just wish I could start training soon."
Kaito gave her a long look, his eyes quickly traveling down to the Uzumaki symbol on the scroll at her feet. "You can start your regular training tomorrow," he finally said. "As for today, you will learn how to properly mask your chakra." He took a seat by her side. "Now, focus."
Feeling relieved that the spotlight was off her, Yahizui nodded and started focusing on her chakra.
"Visualize your chakra flow like water. It flows through you, filling your being."
Kaito's words washed over her, and in the back of her mind, she pictured the chakra inside her like a trickling river that she could turn up and down.
"Suppressing that flow will only take away from your own power. What you need to do is learn how to mask it, how to make it seem invisible."
Her eyes opened. "What?" How could she make her chakra invisible without suppressing it? "How am I supposed to do that?"
Kaito shook his head and mumbled some unintelligible words before shooting her a piercing glare. "You're supposed to get a good feel of the energy inside you. For a sensor, knowing their chakra, their limitations, and the exact amount they need to pull back or pour into a jutsu is crucial. Your chakra is a tool in your arsenal, and you need to know how to control it."
His words made Yahizui's eyes widen. There was no way she would do that so fast. What he spoke of required hours, if not days of meditation. She didn't even know where to start! "But how—"
"If I were to tell you everything, then you wouldn't learn. Figure it out."
Yahizui rolled her eyes at Kaito and his stupid demands. "You have got to be kidding me!"
"Oh, have I not played to your sensibilities?" said Kaito with a sneer, bending at the waist to be eye-level with her. "Wake up, kid. Nothing drops in your lap. This world won't do you the favor of giving you the answer, so you have to learn how to find them yourself."
"I KNOW!" roared Yahizui. Her face was red with anger and frustration. "I know all about not getting answers and receiving nothing for free!"
Kaito was watching her with a surprised look on his face, and in the distance, she could hear that Tojiro and Hakudoshi had also stopped their spat to stare at them.
The silence put a damper on Yahizui's mood and soon anger turned to shame. How would anyone ever take her seriously as a shinobi when she was acting like a child? Her head lowered, crimson bangs concealing her flushed cheeks.
"We'll meet tomorrow here for training," announced Kaito in a booming voice. The boys reluctantly collected their weapons and left, looking back to see whether Yahizui would follow them.
She gently shook her head in their direction, then turned to face the piercing gaze of their sensei.
"Come with me," he murmured.
Surprised and more than a little curious at the change in behavior, Yahizui gathered her scrolls and followed her teacher, struggling to keep up with his long strides. Her leg was stable; all healed thanks to the rapid healing rate that she now associated with the Uzumaki. How ironic that the same extra advantages she used to hate in clanned shinobi had been in her all along….and how bitter it felt that she didn't really mind them that much.
"So, what did you find out?" asked Kaito when she finally caught up with him.
"About what?"
Kaito pointed toward her bulging scroll pouch hanging on the small of her back. "You've been spending all this time searching for information about the Uzumaki. Have you found anything?"
Yahizui blushed. How transparent am I? "No," she muttered. "There is almost no information on them like it's all gone or something."
"The Uzumaki were a secretive bunch… well, most of them. Before their island was destroyed they would rarely leave it, and even more seldom would they move away. Uzushio was an independent country and needed no one else. They were powerful, frighteningly so, yet stayed out of most conflicts."
"Then why are they gone?"
"Before the First Shinobi War, the newly formed Konoha and Uzushio made an alliance. Uzumaki Mito came to Konoha as the First Hokage's wife—"
"Sensei, I know the history, no need for a lecture," she interrupted with a sigh. "During the war, Uzushio helped Konoha and fought on their side, helping us win the wa — Ow!" she rubbed the painful spot on her head. "What was that for?"
"For interrupting me."
Yahizui huffed but said nothing more. She followed her teacher down the winding paths that led to the outskirts of the village in silence, trying to keep her questions at bay. When they exited through the West gate, her curiosity exploded. "So, why are we going outside the village?"
"The Uzumaki built a… sanctuary for Mito when she first came here. Maybe it was also a way to show Konoha that they really meant to hold that alliance. Maybe it was just for her sake. I'm not sure about that part. The temple is just outside the village."
"How do you know all that?" she inquired, her eyebrows almost disappearing underneath her headband.
For a moment Kaito said nothing, a shadow passing over his features. "As a genin, they put me on a team with an Uzumaki. She came here right after the fall of Uzushio," he said, voice filled with nostalgia.
Yahizui's pulse skyrocketed, body vibrating with excitement at the news. "There's another Uzumaki here?" How did she not see her? Was she kept secret? Was she—
"No. She's dead." The emotion that had clouded his words only seconds before evaporated, replaced by a flat, cold tone that had Yahizui's jaw snapping shut in response.
Understanding washed over her. Kaito's uncomfortableness around the situation now made sense, and Yahizui could do nothing but follow him in silence. She understood the pain of losing someone all too well.
They walked on an old forgotten path, surrounded by a thick forest. Though there were many forks in the road, the jounin's steps never faltered, his steps sure on the path he guided them. It was only when the mighty trees surrounding them broadened that Yahizui could see a clearing up ahead.
As the outside of the temple came into view, Yahizui could only stare in wonder, her eyes taking in every detail, every slope, and every tile.
The building stood tall despite the ruthless passage of time, its detailed design majestic despite the fading colors. Yahizui marveled at the two delicately carved wooden pillars framing the temple's entrance, holding a massive wooden plate with the Uzumaki symbol carved upon it. It was beautiful, even in its decrepit state, ethereal in its fragility, like the ghost of a once mighty being.
"Wow!" She couldn't help her exclamation, or keep the wonder from her voice. This place could hold the answers she'd been looking for. It was a piece of history waiting for her to discover it. Just looking at it from a distance made Yahizui's fingers itch.
"It's a bit rundown since no one's been here since…" said Kaito.
The implication was clear to her.
Yahizui stared at the temple, then glanced at the tall man by her side, understanding why it was so hard for him to bring this up. This was a memento from a happier time. It was a place that had lain close to the heart of a beloved teammate, a teammate who was no longer among them. Something that she couldn't imagine. The thought of Tojiro losing his life made her fists clench at her sides, a sickening chill spreading down her spine.
"Would you like to go in?"
Kaito's question pulled her out of the spiral of dark thoughts that threatened to consume her.
"Yeah, I'd like that," she croaked, her throat tight as she struggled to get her emotions under control.
She followed Kaito up the old, cracking steps and through the broken main entrance. The temple was a simple building with a large hallway and multiple rooms on each side. Incense bowls stood along each side of the hall, each individual chamber holding a small sculpted figure. Yet what interested her most wasn't the layout or the rotting furniture, it was the massive wooden double door at the end of the hall. It was grandiose, its massive doors spanning the entire width of the corridor.
Yahizui stared at it in awe, before her senses picked up the deep thrum of chakra coming from within. Her head snapped toward Kaito. "Sensei, can you feel that?"
Kaito nodded. "The Uzumaki were masters in seals. Kushina once told me a story she heard from Uzumaki Mito herself. When the temple was first built, the Uzushio leader himself came here and placed a seal on that door. It's been closed ever since."
Awe filled her entire being. This was more information than she had gotten all week! She turned back towards the door, eyes wide with curiosity. Even through the cracked wood, Yahizui could see lines and grooves carved along its length, the weaving shapes seeming to lie out an entire story.
On the right side, there were swirling patterns, an island, and many people. There were builders, fighters, and monks, all detailed in the groves. There were houses with carved coils and imposing towers with large pillars. Her gaze traveled lower to a group of people with monster-like masks covering their faces. They reached out with their hands and their chakra; the tendrils flowing to the left door where designs of ethereal beings and creatures dominated the space. And in the center of the doors, where the chakras from the left and the right intertwined into a swirl, stood the Uzumaki symbol once more.
The detail of it was beautiful in its terrifying design.
What could it all mean?
"Impressive, isn't it?"
Yahizui nodded, her eyes still glued to the door. "Yeah."
Time slipped away from Yahizui as she returned to gaze at the massive mural. When she finally pried her eyes away, she noticed that Kaito was no longer beside her.
Alone in the temple, she explored.
-Orochimaru-
Orochimaru was tinkering with a new experiment, attempting to isolate a DNA isotope from a sample Kabuto had earlier procured when a knock came at the door.
"Yes." Orochimaru straightened his back in a sinuous motion and regarded the blond man in the doorway.
Fuso remained remarkably cooperative with him while revealing nothing at all. It was just like Danzo to dangle the prospect of getting his hands on the well-guarded secrets of the Yamanaka, and then swiftly put a stopper on his excitement. It was useless to find the affinity for a particular jutsu in a person when one did not know the jutsu formula. Still, one never knew when the opportunity would strike. Orochimaru stored Fuso's tissue samples in his cabinet, safe for future use… in one way or another.
"I have received a message from Danzo-sama."
At that, Orochimaru's attention snapped to the blank-faced man. "Oh, have you?"
"Danzo-sama's end of the deal has been kept. Suspicions are high in Konoha, therefore he cannot meet. I will relay any information you must give him."
The corners of Orochimaru's mouth twitched, satisfaction filling him. His plan was complete, and now he was free to continue his life's work. He would have to monitor Danzo after this, but that couldn't be helped. Plus, he had much more freedom than the old geezer, and there were always ways to stay ahead in their little game.
"Very well," Orochimaru crooned, his good mood seeping everywhere. "Follow me."
They reached a small office where Fuso stopped in front of the desk, while Orochimaru continued on into a small back room. A complex seal lay before him — a personal creation in which he took great pride. After a minute of unlocking the different layers of the seal, Orochimaru placed the scroll on the table.
Fuso reached and scanned it for a few seconds. "The scroll is sealed."
"Yes, it is." The Snake Sannin took a seat on the opposite side of the desk and patiently waited for Fuso to finish inspecting the scroll.
"What does it say?" Fuso finally asked.
Orochimaru sized up the man before him. How loyal was a Root agent? Fuso had definitely joined the organization later in his life; maybe as a promotion from ANBU… He couldn't risk it. "No need to bother with that. Your master will know how to open it."
Fuso's eyes never left his as he placed it in his hip pouch. For a moment Orochimaru felt like he was looking in the eyes of a human puppet and marveled at Danzo's expertise in conditioning his men. A few seconds passed in tense silence, then Fuso turned and left the room without another word.
"Creepy, is it not?"
Thin, pale lips twisted into a smirk as Orochimaru's yellow eyes focused on a shadowed corner. "You should know, you were one of them." His eyes followed his protégé's movements as he stepped into the light. "Tell me Kabuto, how does Danzo make his soldiers so… easy to manage?"
There was a flash of malice in Kabuto's eyes, something that spoke volumes to the Snake Sannin. He knew the young medic wasn't fond of opening old wounds.
"Diligence," grumbled the bespectacled boy as he made his way out the door.
Orochimaru nodded. Yes, Danzo was a diligent bastard, and he would extract everything he needed from that scroll. Danzo's power would grow, and it was only a matter of time until the balance in their business relationship would tilt in the old man's favor. Orochimaru would have to innovate to survive in this little game they played, and find something new. With his newfound freedom, it should be no problem to do that.
Maybe now was the right time to start looking into those rumors he heard coming from Amegakure. After all, he had the time.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Itygirl2412
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