"Dad, that was so fun!"
Izuna and the group return to the surface. Kanna and Tatsuya jump into Izuna's embrace as Izuna cuddles them.
"Izuna-sama, the dinner is ready!"
Viktor arrives in front of the group and respectfully bows his head.
"The, let's eat some fishes." Izuna pats his kid's head and follows Viktor.
They arrive in a giant hall with a very large dining table. There are multiple dishes laid on the table. The dishes vary from vegetables, curries, meat dishes, breads, desserts, and seafood.
Seafood being the specialty of the Donut Island, a giant fish is skewered at the center of the table as a presentation.
Kanna's mouth salivates at the sight of a fish. She recognizes the giant fish as one of the fishes she encountered during their exploration.
Yuri heard Kanna's intention to eat the fish. So, she relayed a message to her clan members who captured the fish for her.
Izuna is unperturbed by the rows of delicacies in front of him. For him, despite the magnificence of this food, he still enjoys his mother's home cooking the most. As for his wife…
Izuna recalls an incident where Mei attempted to cook a dish for him. Midway through her cooking session, Ayaka joined her, and well as one can predict the result. It all ended in disaster.
He had to douse the fire and purify the poisonous miasma in the kitchen. So, yeah, Mei isn't that great of a cook. The most she can do is prepare sandwiches.
So, in his house, he is the one who is responsible for cooking.
'Well, I haven't trained my cooking skills with shadow clones for nothing.'
Izuna takes a bite of the fish dish and nods his head.
"It's quite good!" He compliments the effort put by the chef into the dish. Although his own cooking skills have surpassed the level of this dish by a long shot.
"Mmm… it's so delicious." Kanna and Tatsuya enjoy the food in bliss.
A smile appears on Izuna's face after watching the content expression of his kids.
"Then, Dad will cook something even more delicious than this when we return home!" Izuna wipes the sauce from Kanna's and Tatsuya's faces with a tissue.
"Really?" Kanna's and Tatsuya's eyes glow at the mention of delicious food. They never ate their mother's cooking since their mother was always busy with her work. Their grandma prepares all of their meals. Although their grandma's cooking is delicious. They still crave more variety in their food.
"Mmm… Dad will cook yummy food for you every day." Izuna places some vegetables on both of their plates.
"But before that… you both have to finish your veggies."
"Promise?!" Kanna extends her pinkie.
"Pinkie Promise!" Izuna curls his pinkie finger with Kanna's.
After eating their fill, the kids savor the desserts and play around in the kid section with other kids. Izuna also joins them and watches them play with other kids with the rest of the parents.
Both Kanna and Tatsuya stand out from the rest of the kids due to their cheerful expressions and beautiful faces.
'Those kids are so cute!'
Even other kids compare their kids with both. Izuna proudly puffs out his chest.
'After all, I am their handsome dad!'
The two kids play to their heart's content and finally return to Izuna's side with sleepy eyes. Izuna hoist them in his arms and return to his room in the hotel to sleep.
He gently places them on the bed and covers their body with a blanket. Izuna leaves a shadow clone behind to take care of the kids as he reaches out to the balcony.
Fwoosh…
A few seconds later, Seiryū silently appears on the balcony. Izuna glances at Seiryū's sad eyes and sighs.
"I want revenge on those animals for pushing her to such an extent." Seiryū grits his teeth.
"We will!" Izuna nods and glances at the moon in the sky.
"However, we can't fight them head-on without enough preparation."
"I know!" Seiryū clenches his fists.
"That's why I plan to return to the clan to not only buy us time but also make preparations in secret."
"Then what will you report?" Izuna asks him.
"Your father will immediately figure out your lies."
"I know!" Seiryū nods and also glances at the various stars in the sky.
"That's why I want you to plant a curse on my body!" Seiryū turns to Izuna.
"Your Fuinjutsu skills are as impressive as hers since you inherited a part of her power. So, I want you to plant a powerful Shinjutsu in my mindscape that alters my memory and a control command to trigger my hidden memories."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Such a powerful technique will affect your spiritual energy and weaken your mental resistance.
"I am!" Seiryū resolutely nods his head.
"Just plant a fabricated memory that says the combined forces of the Abyss and Otsutsuki clan ambushed me. The souls of those three fellows should serve as enough proof. I suffered some mental damage in the battle against them. And used the powerful, forbidden technique of the Astral Demon clan at the cost of inflicting self-harm. With your curse, I will only remember my curse and will temporarily forget everything."
Seiryū suggests a plan.
"How does that sound?"
"Hmm… it's a bit risky. And you must avoid the top ten Daiyōkai at all costs, especially your grandfather, who is ranked sixth on the list. He will see through your charade with a single glance.
"I know!" Seiryū nods at him.
"Why don't you wait for a few more days before I plant the curse? You can also meet 'her'."
"Just a glance from far enough for me." Seiryū shakes his head.
"And besides, she won't even recognize me. So, I don't plan to waste any more time."
"Very well!"
Shiing…
A kaleidoscopic pattern appears in Izuna's right eye. Multiple runes flicker within his eye as he mumbles an incoherent chant.
"Authority of Tatarigami: Malevolent Curse of Arae,"
A nether green curse seal forms in Izuna's right hand.
"Are you ready?" He turns to Seiryū.
"Bring it on!"
Izuna places his hand on top of Seiryū's head and channels the curse energy within his body.
Shiing…
A kaleidoscopic pattern appears in both of Seiryū's eyes as his body resists the curse. However, Seiryū grits his teeth and restrains his body. A green glow appears in Seiryū's eyes and he loses consciousness due to the invasion of his mind.
"The symptoms are similar to the forbidden technique of the astral demon clan. Now, all I have to do is rough him a little and then throw him in the void between worlds."
A crooked smile appears on Izuna's face as he inflicts torture on Seiryū's body with a sadistic expression.
"Hehe… it's nothing personal. I am just following your wishes." He mumbles as he clenches his fists and smacks a panda eye on Seiryū's face.
"Hmm… one is not enough!" After half an hour, Izuna was satisfied by his handiwork. He picks up Seiryū's body like a gunny sack and slung it on his shoulders.
Fwoosh…
A pitch-black space fissure appears in front of him, and Izuna steps into the fissure and disappears.
----------------------------
The next day in the morning,
The allied shinobi forces quickly deploy their units according to Shikaku's defensive formation. The perimeter of the battlefield shrank a lot after the previous two days.
Hmm…
A sandstorm appears on the battlefield and covers the vision of the Allied shinobi force.
Hmm…
Onoki levitates in the sky and glances at the approaching storm. Rasa also floats beside him on a sand platform and glances in the direction of the sandstorm.
A few flying figures are barely visible within the sandstorm.
"This technique…"
Rasa frowns as he recognizes the chakra within the sandstorm.
"This is the signature technique of the First Kazekage- < Heaven Sand Burial > and those flying puppet-like figures within the sand storm must be the puppet legion of the Second Kazekage!"
The expression of the rest of the shinobis turns ugly.
"Everyone, prepare for the enemy attack!"
The commanders of various platoons issue a series of orders.
"We get new intel from the headquarter! There are multiple powerful chakra signatures hidden within that sandstorm." The members of the Sensor team send a warning.
"So, it's finally here- Akatsuki's counterattack!" Onoki narrows his eyes.