บท 405: 383. Dream or Reality?
"Look… look… mom is back!" Two little kids poke the face of a woman.
"Ara… your mamma is tired! Don't disturb her like that, Tatsuya-chan, Kanna-chan!" A lady in her early fifties has a wry smile on her face.
"Grandma, but… but mom promised us to take you to the amusement park."
Tatsuya's and Kanna's eyes turn teary.
"Ara… then grandma and grandpa will go with you." Aiko gently pats Tatsuya's and Kanna's heads.
"But… mom promised us." Tatsuya and Kanna wails.
"Tatsuya-chan! Kanna-chan! Be a good boy and a good girl!"
"Ya! Yada!" Both kids throw a tantrum and hug Mei.
Argh…
Mei slowly opens her eyes.
"Where am I? I was supposed to be fighting some rogue shinobis in the Land of the Waterfall!"
"Mom!" Tatsuya and Kanna grab her face with their little hands.
"This! Is it a genjutsu? But I should be immune to a genjutsu because of this charm." Mei stares at the bracelet on her arm.
She makes some hand signs and taps her forehead to dispel the genjutsu.
"Still, no effect!" Mei opens her eyes and looks around.
"Mom! Are you alright?" Kanna touches Mei's forehead with little hands.
"Ah! Kanna-chan! Mamma is fine." Mei gently caresses Kanna's face.
"Then, Mom! Let's go to the amusement park. You promise us." Tatsuya tugs her sleeves.
"When did I promise that?" Mei's voice turns feeble as she attempts to recall the promise.
"Mom! Did you forget the promise?" Tatsuya's eyes turn teary.
"No! No! Of course not! Let's go to the amusement park. Give mamma a few minutes." Mei ruffles Tatsuya's hair.
"Will it be alright?" Aiko wryly asks for Mei's well-being.
"It will be fine! As a parent, I have to fulfill the promise to my kids. Currently, in the absence of their father, I am their entire world."
Mei smiles and shakes her head.
"Yay! We will go to the amusement park. We will enjoy lots of rides and eat lots of food." Tatsuya and Kanna jump around Mei in happiness.
"I will ride the giant wheel-like thingy!" Tatsuya puffs his cheeks.
"I will eat the fluffy colorful candy." Kanna drools slightly.
"Alright… alright! Now, let's get ready." Mei chuckles.
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"Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama! Wake up, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune shakes Tsunade's body.
Argh…
Tsunade grabs her forehead and slowly opens her eyes.
"Ah! Shizune!"
"Don't Ah me… Tsunade-sama! You are drinking again while working. How many times have I told you to not drink while in the office?" Shizune continues to scold Tsunade.
'What's going on? I was pretty sure I was in the Land of the Waterfall fighting against the rogue shinobis who attacked us on our way to the Kage Summit. How did I end up in my office?" Tsunade groans slightly.
"Shizune! Come here!" She waves her hand at Shizune.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune lowers her head to Tsunade's level.
Grab… Pinch…
"Eeeeeeekkk!!!" Shizune's screams echo through half of Konoha.
"Tsunade-sama! That's so mean." Shizune soothes her sore cheek with teary eyes.
"So, it isn't a dream!"
"If you want to confirm if it's a dream or not, then pinch your own cheeks, don't pinch mine." Shizune uses the mystic palm technique to heal her cheek.
"Look, you are fine!" Tsunade points at her cheek.
"But it was still so painful!"
Growl…
Tsunade's stomach rumbles.
"I am hungry!" Tsunade looks around and notices Tonton in Shizune's arms.
"It has turned fat and juicy. It's time to make roast pork." Drool leaks from Tsunade's face.
"OINK… OINK…" Tonton's screams echo through half of Konoha.
"Hmm… still, it doesn't seem to be genjutsu."
Tsunade stares at the bracelet on her arm.
"There is no reaction from the bracelet and also the dispel technique doesn't work. Which means this is reality? But what about the Kage meeting?"
Tsunade turns to Shizune.
"Shizune, when is the Kage Summit?"
"Ah! Tsunade-sama, you forgot? There is still a month before the Kage meeting."
"Huh? That long!" Tsunade scratches her head.
"Was that a dream, then?" Tsunade ponders as she lies on the couch.
"Shizune, I want to drink."
"No drinking unless you complete today's paperwork." Shizune slams a stack of papers in front of Tsunade.
"Once you inspect them all, we can go for drinking. That is, if any shops are still open by then!" Shizune glares at Tsunade.
"Shizune, you are a devil!" Imaginary wings and horns appear around Shizune.
"Hehe… you are right, Tsunade-sama! I am a devil! Now get back to work." The devil Shizune, smacks her imaginary whip on the table.
"Tch, fine!"
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"Argh…" Minato clutches his forehead and slowly opens his eyes.
"I suffered a backlash from the Flying Thunder God jutsu." Minato looks around. He is presently sitting in a dark room.
"This place. Isn't it the office of the intelligence department of the anbu? What am I doing here? Shouldn't I be in… No wait, it could be a genjutsu."
Minato makes some hand signs and taps his forehead to dispel the genjutsu.
"It isn't working, which means either it's a very high-level genjutsu or this is reality. For now, I will assume it to be the first case. After staying with Izuna for such a long time, I have come across many unimaginable circumstances, so it is fair to assume the worst case."
Minato stares at his desk.
"This is my work desk in the Anbu office. He stares at the intel on the table. This information… it's the intel about the suspicious activities of many rogue shinobi groups after the battle with the Akatsuki."
Creak…
The door opens up, and Itachi enters the room.
"Lord Fourth! This is the latest intel on the suspicious activities of Kabuto and his group of cursed shinobis."
Hmm…
"Place it on the table!" Minato signals him.
"Yes, lord Fourth!"
Itachi places the scroll on the table. He turns around to leave.
"Wait!"
"Yes, Lord Fourth?! Do you have any orders for me?"
"Itachi, use your Tsukuyomi on me!" Minato orders him.
"Umm… lord fourth, are you sure about that?" Itachi has a hesitant expression on his face.
"It's fine! I just want to check something." Minato assures him.
"Alright, then!"
Shiing…
Itachi's eyes turn into Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Tsukuyomi!"
He cast the powerful genjutsu on Minato. After a few seconds, the genjutsu dispels.
"Lord Fourth… are you… are you alright?" Itachi asks with slight worry.
"I am alright! There is nothing to worry about." Minato shakes his head.
'Hmm… Itachi's genjutsu did affect him, but I was able to dispel it before it could its effect. It's thanks to the defensive artifact Izuna gave him and also my increased mental and spiritual resistance.'
"Then I will take my leave." Itachi walks out of the office.
"I am still skeptical about this since there are multiple methods to deceive one's perception. For now, I will take a look at the situation in the village."
Minato rolls the scroll and exits the room.
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"Looks like your pawns have successfully infiltrated the space. Now, it's my turn to tinker with these variables."
Obito raises the crystal ball in his hand and infuses some chakra into it to shine another light on the barrier space.
"Hmm…"
Obito frowns as he stares at the crystal ball.
"Im… impossible! This is not right!"
A scene appears in the crystal ball.
"Hanabi-chan! Yakumo-chan! Wake up!" Ayaka is shaking Hanabi's and Yakumo's unconscious bodies.
She makes some hand signs and taps their forehead.
"Why isn't it working? Why can't I dispel their genjutsu?" Ayaka bites her lips.
'Sin-chan! Is there a way to wake them up?' Ayaka communicates with the Sin Grimoire.
"Hmm… that girl… she can resist the powerful reality manipulating genjutsu you cast. How amusing!" Kabuto licks his lips as he stares at Ayaka's figure like a vicious snake.
"If I recall correctly, she is the younger sister of the Izuna Uchiha. Does it have something to do with that?" Kabuto smiles at Obito.
Fwoosh…
Black Zetsu pops out of the ground and stands beside Obito.
"This jutsu is an incomparably powerful technique that is impossible to resist and it can bypass all impregnable defenses. Looks like this girl has some sort of protection."
Obito narrows his eyes at this fact.
"An anomaly might ruin our plans. It's better to get rid of it." Obito infuses the chakra into the crystal ball and directs the assassins in Ayaka's direction.
"Leave her body intact. It's a wonderful research subject." Kabuto licks his lips.
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A/N:- My new Naruto fan-fic, 'The Rogue Demon of the Shinobi World' is out.
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