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Title: Prelude to Second World War 2
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General POV
Location: Southport City
The city of Southport was built around an oasis in the southern area of The Land of Flowers. Its elegance is matched by the backdrop of pristine skies which have helped shape the city to what it is today.
The climate these skies brought were of great importance, but they were also influential when it came to architectural designs as the vast majority of buildings have been built with lots of light elements to mimic the aesthetics of the blue skies and sea around them.
Employment is tremendous in Southport and it has attracted a lot of attention. Many cultures have left their mark not just on the city's development, but also upon the city's identity. What historically was a city of little contrast has grown into a new culture of variety and it's this that unites hundreds of thousands of people to this day.
It's this multicultural identity that has truly left its mark. Hundreds of restaurants, bars and bakeries offer a plethora of culinary choices and those who feel hungry for something else can enjoy one of the many parks, nature, dance or one of the many other recreational venues.
"Wow!" Tsunade exclaimed. "Wow!" Her eyes glued to the paradisiacal land Infront of her. "How has this place not been attacked or destroyed?" She asked the woman accompanying her who was also flabbergasted at the sight in front of them.
Shaking her head was all she could do to answer that question, after all, as an Uzumaki, she was proud of the development and beauty their little village had but compared to this, theirs was like an abandoned area in a rather rural area. Not to talk of the other great villages.
"How are they even able to protect this peace?" Tsunade asked no one in particular.
"That's the effort of the Black Numbers my lady." A soft voice replied from behind them catching them unawares.
Due to their shock, they quickly reacted as killers would when faced with an unknown enemy and brought out their Kunai to attack only to be disarmed immediately by another two figures who appeared out of nowhere.
"Please know that any form of aggression in this city would not be taken lightly." The young man Infront of them said lightly before smiling. "It's been a while Tsuna, it pains me that you couldn't recognise me after all this time."
"Wha-?" Tsunade, who was feeling aghast at the show of strength that was shown by these weirdly dressed people asked. She was feeling rather complicated right now. Was it that she was weak or were they just too strong. She didn't even have time to comprehend what was going on when these strange young man spoke to her so familiarly.
"Ah! Prepare yourself Tsuna." The young man said again calling her so intimately that she almost wanted to blow up in anger when she heard...
"TS-U-NA-CHAN!" With a frown, she looked at the direction the shout was coming from only to see a speeding figure of a human being hurtling towards her.
She wanted to assume a defensive pose only for her slight to blur and at that instant, she found herself being enclasped in a hug.
"Kyaa~ Tsuna-chan, I've missed you. What took you so long to come visit us?" The person who was holding her captive asked so intimately causing her to frown before her mind started putting two and two together.
"Y-Ya-chan?" Tsunade asked in shock. "Are you Ya-chan?" She asked again, this time with wide disbelieving eyes.
"Of course. What? Surprised?" Yatsuyo asked with a grin as she looked at Tsunade. "Damn, look how beautiful you got." Yatsuyo said and licked her lips. "I could eat you up right now."
"Alright, that's enough." The young man from earlier said and pried Yatsuyo away from Tsunade. "If you stop being a pervert for a moment nobody would think you're particularly abnormal."
"For some reason I find that offensive, guess I'll have to ask aunt Yuri what that means. I'm not that good with words afterall." Yatsuyo said with a mischievous smile but the younger man's face remained unchanged.
Turning to Tsunade, he smiled and said. "Glad to see you again, Tsuna."
"You're Keshiro? Impossible!" Tsunade said in disbelief. "How did you get so...you know.." she said while motioning at his entire body.
"Handsome? Sexy?" Yatsuyo asked. "Yeah...what? No, I mean. Yeah. No, don't go around putting words in my mouth!" Tsunade, looking pretty blushed up rebuked the snickering Yatsuyo.
"Don't mind it, we get it actually." Keshiro said with a harmless smile.
"You do?" Tsunade asked.
"Yeah... It's in the genes so..." Keshiro said with a lofty and arrogant air around.
"Arrogant much?" Yatsuyo mocked.
"No. No. No. This isn't arrogance, little sis, it's self esteem."
"Yeah right." Yatsuyo said and then turned to Tsunade. "So what brought you here? You wouldn't really be visiting us for visiting sake would you?"
Smiling rather shyly, Tsunade said. "Unfortunately no. I came to-"
"Blah. Blah. Blah. That can wait, let's catch up on our missed time. You don't have an opinion on that do you?" Yatsuyo interuppted and looked at Keshiro who smiled and nodded his head to the two black dressed guys beside him who also nodded and disappeared.
"What was that?" Tsunade whispered to herself but Yatsuyo answered. "He's the vice captain of the Police Unit so he had a special squad assigned to him."
"I see... Wait, Vice Captain?!" Tsunade asked. "I thought that's supposed to be for super strong Shinobi."
"Fufufu, of course it is, but aren't you underestimating us a little bit too much... Sigh... That's why I said we should catch up... You aren't the only one who've grown stronger since we last saw eachother."
"Well, I trained a lot." Tsunade said, confident in her strengths as well as her techniques.
"Fufufu, I see..." Yatsuyo laughed salociously, causing Tsunade to have a bad feeling.
{A/N: I know you lot don't care about their get together so I'm just going to skip it and move to the interesting part.}
...
Instead of immediately reporting to the Hanakage as per Mito's instructions, Tsunade along with Keshiro, Yatsuyo and Nao, who was the Uzumaki lady spent their entire day enjoying the treatments the Southport City had to offer.
By the time it was night time, the three friends were already reacquainted with eachother and anyone who saw them would think they were best of friends.
That's what they were but the years had changed them and they all knew it, but in the face of true companionship, all other negative energy were easily washed away.
Waking up the next day in one of the hotels, Tsunade, for the first time since she became a full fledged Shinobi doubted everything.
She looked at the peaceful atmosphere the entire city seemed to emanate and the watchful and vigilant few people keeping watch on the city from the dark.
She got to know that they were the peace keeping force of the city and their purpose was to prevent any and all forms of hostilities.
That was the squad Keshiro was the Vice Captain of. She came to know of his aspiration of being the Hanakage, and although his unique skills were more focused on assassination similar to his father, he needed to be helpful in the open rather than in the dark in other to get acknowledged.
She also came to know that Yatsuyo was already the captain of the Intelligence squad. That meant that she had a chakra pool large enough to battle any of the current Kages.
That wasn't much of a surprise when she heard that they won the token to enter their clans training ground which was Avalon.
Yatsuyo had asked them to spar but was harshly rebuked by Keshiro. Although she had confidence in her strength, and also wanted to test herself against her, she didn't come her for that and was here on a mission.
"Mmm~ Tsu-chan, you're already awake?" Yatsuyo's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she turned and smiled seeing the wrapped up girl on her bed.
"HM. Ya-chan, I have something to talk to you about." Tsunade said and walked to sit at the side of the bed.
"Mm, is it about the Uzumaki clan?" Yatsuyo asked with her eyes still closed and her voice sleepy.
"Hm, I would've been surprised if I didn't know you were in charge of gathering intelligence for your village." Tsunade said with a smile.
"Tis but a little issue..." Yatsuyo said and unwrapped herself and stood up. As the last bit of bedding fell off her body, Tsunade saw her best friend standing elegantly in her birthday suit.
This didn't shock her much though, they had visited an artificial hotspring below the hotel yesterday and had seen the magnificent figure of her best friend. Of course, hers wasn't far behind.
"Since you're here, I'm going to assume you're unaware of the pact between our five clans?" Yatsuyo asked as she stretched.
Tsunade looked confused at that question. "Five?"
"Well, it's four, but that's counting the Uzumaki and Senju as two different clans." Yatsuyo said as she walked to the side of the bed and picked up her Kimono. "The Tengoku clan's ancestor had left a directive for us, his descendants, saying that we should ensure that we protect the Uchiha and Senju clan from all outside forces. However, the Uzumaki clan came from the Senju clan so we added them in."
"That's four. You mentioned five." Tsunade picked up on this and asked.
"Well, the Hyuga clan is said to be the clan that birthed us. Our ancestors wife was a Hyuga so in terms of Familial fetters, their closer in relation to us than the others." Yatsuyo said as she went to the door and pressed some buttons and said. "Send up some breakfast for six as soon as possible."
"Understood ma'am." Came the reply.
"Six?" Tsunade asked with a stupefied look.
"Humph, you haven't tasted our delicacies in more depth. Wait till you taste this." Yatsuyo said. "Anyways, that pact was broken when you granduncle decided it was wise to make the Senju clan marry outside the clan. Do you understand what that means?"
Tsunade squinted her eyes as the gears in her head turned. "It means that you'll have to protect the entire Konoha."
"Exactly. Which is why Uncle ruthlessly excluded them from the pact." Yatsuyo nodded.
"I see. Is that why news of our clan members dying mysteriously isn't being properly addressed?" Tsunade asked in a serious voice, he face turning cold.
Yatsuyo shrugged. "How would I know. That's the Karma law being put into effect. Uncle should have taught you something about that right?"
Tsunade nodded. "The law of Cause and Effect."
"Hmm. Whatever happens toady is the effect of what has already happened in the past so...our hands are tied."
Both girls locked eyes for a few seconds with Yatsuyo smiling and Tsunade expressionless.
"Sigh." Tsunade sighed. "And the Uzumaki clan? Are they also excluded from this protective pact?"
"Nope. Uncle had already contacted the Kage and had him send some people to Uzushio to set a seal around their island." Yatsuyo said as a Knock came from the door. "It's here, prepare to not be able to eat anything else in your lifw again."
Saying that, she went and opened the door, allowing a man to push in a cart of food into the room. She closed the door and followed the man inside and watched as he put down the food before bowing and turning to leave.
"Sate. Sate. Why don't we dig in and talk about this later." Yatsuyo said as she looked at the attractive bevy of food set in front of them. Tsunade wanted to ask more but even she couldn't bring herself to ignore the food in front of her.
Picking up her chopsticks, Yatsuyo motioned for Tsunade to do the same before they both clasped their hands. "Itadakimasu!"
....
"So? How was it?" Yatsuyo asked the dazed Tsunade.
"In one word... Heavenly." Tsunade said as she eyed the empty plate in front of her. "Is there seconds?" She asked with a hopeful light in her eyes.
"Unfortunately no." Yatsuyo said. "Or else you lodge again?"
Tsunade, who was already on the brink of despair had her hope rekindled and said. "Definitely."
"That's good. It's always good when we use Country bumpkins like you to make more money, fufufu." Yatsuyo said.
"HEY!" Tsunade shouted in mock anger. Yatsuyo had been refering to her as a Country bumpkin since yesterday and although she initially felt offended, she meekly accepted it later on.
"So... About Uncle, what was the purpose of the seal?" Tsunade asked to which Yatsuyo shrugged. "I wouldn't know. The current Kage also doesn't know but since all past Kages deeply respect him, he quitely followed the instructions. As for what type of seal, even we are unaware of it. Apparently, it is written in our Akashic Records but that's the book of seals and techniques written by our ancestor since centuries ago. Not many people can interpret not to talk of understand it. But that's Uncle for you I guess."
"Akashic Records? What's that? Like a Forbidden Book of Seals?" Tsunade asked remembering the scroll Tobirama kept sealed. According to him, techniques he'd rather not allow anybody glimpse at were written there. If it was left to him, he would destroy that scroll but Konoha needed something to keep it safe so he made it accessible to only people with a specific rank.
"Ah... The Second Hokage's book of seals. We've heard of it but even that scroll could only be described as a child's scribbling when compared to the Akashic Records." Yatsuyo said only to notice the hurt and angry look on Tsunade's face.
"Sorry. Sorry. I don't mean to insult your grand uncle or anything, but seriously. That's what it is. Only captains and vice Captains are allowed to read that Akashic Records but even Keshi-nii, only managed to learn so little from it. And that little is already strong enough to be classified as a Special S ranked Jutsu." Yatsuyo said as she went to the door and called for a cleaner.
"Now I was made aware that you'll be coming with one or two tokens?"
"You mean these?" Tsunade asked and brought out the two tokens given to her by Mito.
"Hmm, it's good you showed me this, or else you would've been duped by the Kage and the council of Captains." Yatsuyo said as she observed the token.
"How?" Asked Tsunade. "How could I have been possibly duped?"
"Well, you would've asked for the Uzumaki clan to be saved right?" Yatsuyo asked to which Tsunade nodded.
"Now with everything I've told you, do you think you'll need these tokens to make us rescue them?" Yatsuyo asked causing Tsunade to widen her eyes in understanding. "I see."
"It's good that you understand. Now... What would you request of us now that you have these?" Yatsuyo asked seriously as she placed the tokens back on the table.
"I initially wanted to ask for the Uzumaki clan to be saved to be able to learn all there is to know on medical Ninjutsu, but now..." Tsunade said and fell into deep thoughts.
"...How about you give me one and I sell you a favour?" Yatsuyo asked causing Tsunade to frown. "What? How about two favours? Three?" Yatsuyo asked.
"Stop. Stop... What are you doing Ya-chan? Why does it feel you're treating me as an outsider?" Tsunade asked.
"Wah-?"
"Although I don't really understand the importance of these things, I can feel they're very important. If you need it just ask and I'll give it to you. No need to sell me favours." Tsunade said with a smile.
"Really? These are very important in our village you know?" Yatsuyo said.
"How important?" Asked the Senju.
"Important enough to make us go to war." Came her reply.
"What...? Seriously?" Asked Tsunade.
"HM." Yatsuyo nodded seriously. "You see, chakra is a very mysterious thing and not even our clan has discovered the secrets it holds, but this?" She pointed at the tokens. "These ten tokens hold both the chakra and Will of our ancestor. If you made a request and it is rejected, it'll bring about a calamity on our clan, which will conversely affect the entire island."
"That serious?" Tsunade asked in awe. She didn't know why she was believing what her friend was telling her but for some reason, she believed them.
"Yup... I don't know If your clan has ancient records of the times God showed his anger in ancient times?" Yatsuyo asked.
"Nope, but Grandma told me stories as a kid to scare me... Don't tell me they're true."
"As true as the sun my dear Tsuna." Yatsuyo said and made a handsign and a book appeared on her hand as she gave it to Tsunade. "This book was written by the clan leader of that time. He wrote that this wasn't the first time it was happening..."
"'In a span of a hundred years God showed his anger at the Incessant murder and violence in the world. Everyone all-over the world felt it. A pressure that seemed to want to crush the soul itself. Seas raged, mountains were shattered and lands were destroyed. That wasn't the end of it all. Men, women, and children. Old, young and infants alike... They were deaths in their multitudes.... And it was only then that the world fell into a short moment of peace.'" Tsunade read what was written on the opening of the book in disbelief. "You can't be serious, right?"
"Nope... It is written further down that these ten tokens appeared in the Tengoku clan as well as it's purpose. Everytime someone refuses an order or request from this token's holder, their endings were never pleasant." Yatsuyo said with a bit of dread in her voice.
"Have you seen this happening?" Tsunade asked.
"Nope, but Aunt Yuri showed me a memory of it once. A certain Captian when mom, Uncle and Aunt were children refused to heed the request of a dying man who held this token and begged for his clan to be saved..." Yatsuyo said and began trembling. "It would be better if I showed you." She said and immediately, her red eyes glowed and Tsunade found herself standing just outside a rather backward Southport City.
There was a crowd around them as a man alighted from a boat and was screaming frantically for anyone to follow him back to the mainland.
He was screaming and begging that anybody just help him while showing the token for all to see. It seemed like he didn't particularly know what to do, only that he needed to show this token in order for his request to be answered.
At that moment, a man wearing the same outfit Keshiro was wearing, but with a Haori covering it came forward and looked at the man with an emotionless gaze.
They exchanged some talks which was inaudible to her but she could read the man's lips and understood that he was saying. "Save you clan, that's a pain. They're probably already dead by now. Why don't you give me the token and I'll send you to meet them peacefully?"
She squinted her eyes at that show of shear wickedness. Even if you wanted to reject him, doing so in such a heartless manner was wrong in her books. To make matters worse, he wanted the token for himself.
Not even a few seconds after he said that and pried off the token from the frantic and now weakened samurai, an invisible heaviness fell on everyone on that Island.
She knew it covered the entire island because she could see how the air as far as five kilometres away was being pushed down.
{A/N A normal human being can see as far as five kilometres in a straight line. Source* Wiki.}
The entire village fell into an eerie silence as the sky started turning dark. Not moments later, a hand that seemed to be made up of entirely Lightning and clouds formed and pressed down on the city.
As the hand came down, everyone fell to their knees due to the gravity. Even she, despite it being an illusion, felt the heaviness as well, but unlike others she was still able to raise her head and look at the approaching hand.
As the hand approached, something clicked in her head. Something felt wrong. If this hand really fell back then, why wasn't the entire city destroyed? Why did it even seem more prosperous than ever.
However, the answer came swiftly as the hand fell but instead of destroying the city, it seemingly just blew a fresh air at everyone. A certain soothing energy passed by everyone. It was as though it was compensating them for the unnecessary punishment they were being served.
She also forgot why the hand came down for a moment but when she came to her senses and looked at the captain who rejected the token, she only saw his corpse being blown by the wind as he turned to ashes.
As soon as she saw this, she was immediately pulled out of the illusion. Unknown to her, the person who Summoned the palm was currently Standing beside a horror stricken little Yuri.
...
"How is that possible? Is there really a God in this world?" She asked solemnly.
"Dunno, don't care. All I know is that if I live with a clear conscience, I'll have nothing to fear. After all, he didn't outrightly stop all wars did he?" Yatsuyo shrugged and answered.
"...That's reasonable." Tsunade said.
"Okay... Keshi-nii should be waiting for us now. Let's go meet him. You don't have to worry about the Uzumaki clan, they'll be taken care of properly. Uncle said in his message that the Uzumaki clan's fate has reached it's end in this world and they're destined to disappear for a period of time. I don't understand Uncle sometimes but I know he'll surely save them." Yatsuyo said as she began dressing herself.
"Godfather, huh? Maybe it's time I paid him a visit." Tsunade said and also began dressing.
****
Alright Boys and girls. I know some may think this is irrelevant but I beg to differ. I'm trying to create a certain mystery about Shun so that when the Kages finally see that recording of him, Ashura, Indra and Hagoromo, they'd be more than wowed.
That'll also pave a part for him to easily change the world's system after the Fourth Shinobi War is over.
Enjoy.