Title: New Beginnings End
…
Shun looked towards the Moon Otsustsukis' Clan Head. "What do you know about the Otsustsuki?"
"Nothing much. Only the bits left behind by our ancestors."
"And? What did it say?"
"It was written that he didn't have much contact with them, but from the bits he managed to gather from his mother, they were a race of aliens that fed on the energy of the World." The clan replied.
"That's partially true. Similar to the Clan System, the Otsustsuki Race are divided into Clans or Families as it's called. My Wife over there, Kaguya was the little princess of one such family…an Empire actually."
"Her promised was from another family though, and that prince was the one who planted the seed of the God Tree on this planet." Shun said before pausing and snapping his finger.
"It's not good to eavesdrop on family, Pops." Shun said as Space shattered as an old man was pulled out from it. "We meet again, pops."
"It seems we do…Shun. Or should I call you Father?" Hagoromo said with a complicated face.
"Heh. Call me whatever you want."
"Mother." He greeted but was met with a silent glare from Kaguya.
"We'll have time for the family drama later. For now, there's something I need you to reply to." Shun said.
"If I know about it."
"That's good." Shun nodded. "For the past few years you've spent spying on humanity, have you caught sight of anyone with the same chakra as your mother?"
"Hmm? No. Not one that I can remember." Hagoromo shook his head.
"That's good. This just means that Ishiki is still alive." Shun said.
"Ishiki?"
"Yeah. The Otsustsuki who your mother almost killed. She literally slashed him in two, but young naive Kaguya forgot that Otsustsukis have numerous life saving measures." Shun said with a smile.
"Hey! Are you insulting my intelligence?"
"I wouldn't dare." Shun said in mock surrender.
"Humph."
"Anyways, he's currently recuperating in a hidden dimension on Earth."
"He's on earth?" Hashirama asked.
"Yeah."
"And.. Dimension?" Madara asked this time.
"Yup. Similar to Kaguya's numerous Dimensions. He should have a lot too. So Naruto, Sasuke, be careful when you encounter him. He's a dangerous foe."
"How dangerous can he be?"
"Extremely. As you are now, you stand no chance against him. You saw how I handled those guys earlier? That's how easy it'll be for him to take care of you all now." Shun said, looking at everyone in the room.
"However, fear not. For he's still recuperating. You have about 15 years before he recovers mildly."
"Huh?"
"Mildly?"
"Yup. Otsustsukis can take over any humanoid body with their Kama Seal, and Humans happen to have the most compatible Bodies for them." Shun dropped the bombshell on them.
"So…he might appear as a human?"
"Nah. If you see him, you'll know. Plus, he hasn't found the perfect vessel yet." Shun said with a smile. "I made sure of that."
"You've met him?"
"Of course. I meet him once every ten years to gloat at his misfortune." Shun laughed.
"Then…why haven't you killed him?"
"Huh? Why should I?" Shun asked.
"Because-"
"Every Generation will face a tribulation of sorts. When it is time, the world will give birth to a hero who'll combat said Tribulation…or calamity if you like." Shun said.
"Enough about that. You Ten!" Shun said and faced the ten old timers…"Will have me as your teacher for 1 year."
Tsume looked at them in pity, Madara and Hashirama suddenly remembered their childhood and subconsciously shiverd, the rest however, merely nodded and took it in stride.
"Of course, if you watched my battle with those invading scouts, you'd realize that the concept of time varies…I will make sure you all experience the full extent of a year." Shun said before turning to Fenrir and Feathers.
"When my main body finishes with his business with this Universe's God, we'll be leaving. So make sure your main body is nearby." Shun said, mainly referring to Fenrir.
"Izanagi, Izanami. What would you want to do?" Shun asked his children. "Know that whatever you choose, I'll still remain your father."
"Huh? What does that mean?" Izanami asked.
"Nothing really." Shun said.
"Then I'd like to stay. I promised Mei that I'd stay with her till the day I die." Izanagi said.
"But you won't die, she will, however…"
"I'll make sure she doesn't. Even If it means sharing my lifespan with her."
"Nagi!"
"Pfft! She called him Nagi." Shun snickered and turned to Hinami.
"Aww. My sweet little boy has grown up. He's now someone's sweet little boy." Hinami shared in Shun's amusement causing Mei and Izanagi to blush.
"Father. Mother. I've made up my mind. I'll be sure to follow in father's footsteps. And will find you all outside." Izanagi said with steely determination.
"Hmm. Looks like our little boy has grown, Nami."
"Seems like it. Then it seems this will be our last day together." Nami said and turned to Mei who shivered under the gaze of Nami's Golden Tenseigan. "I'd like to know more about my daughter-in-law."
"I already know about her, so I'll leave you girls to it. Izanami…how about you?"
"I'm going with you." She said without missing a beat.
"Nami!" Tsume cried in shock. "Why? We have everything we have here. You are happy here."
"I know. But it's boring. And I'm not like my brother here who wants to prove something. I'm plenty strong already and I'm sure father won't even allow me to follow him without a test of some kind." Izanami replied with a soft smile
"But-".
"It's been an interesting couple decades with you and all the girls on the island. However, as I'm leaving, I'll make sure father protects it from the wars of the outside world."
"Aww.. Little Nami-chan has grown up too." Ria this time cooed at the display.
Izanami had always been close to this second mother of hers. Due to Ria's spontaneous nature, it was nearly impossible for Izanami not to like her.
"Mother!" Izanami slammed the table with reddened cheeks.
"Now now Nami-chan. It's not everyday we see our children act responsibly." Hinami joined.
"And as you said, you'll have to pass my test and I'm sure you already know what it is." Shun asked.
"Yup. And I'll be sure to ace it. Isn't it just some secondary beings?" Izanami said.
"They're very much Primary as you and Me. Don't allow your arrogance cloud your judgement." Shun said with a frown.
That was his Universe and his Creations were as real as he was. Someone someplace far away might actually be looking at him as Just an energy source, so even though he knew that his Creation's Deaths will grant him energy, he wasn't going to be calling them that.
"Hmm." Izanami nodded noncommittally causing Shun to squint his eye at her before smiling mischievously.
'Secondary Beings, Huh? We'll see.' He had initially thought of sending her to his Universe without any change in her bloodline or anything, but now…he'll be sure to drop her in the lowest of the lowest mortal realm.
As for her bloodline which was the Six Star Blessed Bloodline Within the Universe, he'd just make it so she'll come across it as she grows.
'That should teach her some humility.' Shun thought and then turned to the present Kages. As he did, they all suddenly felt a heaviness in the air. Not even Ai with his brashness did so much as to move his muscles.
"Let me ask you this…What do you all think of the Present Shinobi World?"
"The Shinobi World is facing unprecedented challenges, with conflicts both within and beyond our borders threatening the balance of peace we strive to maintain." Tsunade said.
"But that isn't what you want to hear…I presume?" Mei asked and Shun nodded.
"I could care less about your conflicts. What I want to know, is what you think about the Current Shinobi World?" Shun repeated.
"I'm not sure we…follow." Ohnoki said as he looked at his fellow Kages.
"Hmm. How about this. Since the Creation of Hanagakure, We've never been to war. Why is that?" Shun asked, this time he looked at Kaito.
"I think the reason behind it is due to our overwhelming power. However looking at it from your point of view…I think its because of the Centralisation of Power."
"Exactly! Centralisation of Power. There's no noble clan. No Noble Lineage of Daimyos. No ministers of the Court or whatever they're called these days. No nothing. All Power is Focused on the Black Numbers." Shun said.
As he said that, some of the Kages felt that something was about to happen, if it had not happened already.
"I also got to understand that even in some villages, there's the Anbu, and then they're elders. Old men and women past their prime, becoming stumbling blocks to the paths of the younger generation."
Hiruzen by the side looked uncomfortable at that point. He knew he was one of the people who practiced that. Tsunade and Jiraiya looked pleased while Orochimaru looked as if it had nothing to do with him.
"I also came to understand that most of the funds gotten by Shinobis after their missions are shortened severely. Whether it's to make them go on more missions or just a ploy to enrich yourselves, I have no idea."
"There's also the matter of resources. The Land of Fire is Lush with vegetation. Blessed with the perfect Ecology…after Hanagakure of course. Sunagakure and Iwagakure are worse off due to their climate. Kumogakure has no problem of note which can't be solved and Kiri…have no problems whatsoever."
"So that begs the question…Why the war over resources? Why didn't Sunagakure have some fire ninjas create glass with their sand and export it for resources from the other Villages? Why didn't Iwagakure mine some rocks or minerals and export to nations who need them? Why did Kumogakure do the same with their Mineral filled mountains and hills? Why didn't Kirigakure create an aquarium to export marine products for resources?"
As Shun listed out the things that they could've done some of the Kages looked embarrassed while some didn't react at all. Some of the older ones amongst the resurrected few wanted to talk but a glare from Shun had them shut their mouths.
"You see…When you put a hundred red ants and a hundred black ants in a jar, nothing will happen. They won't fight. They won't kill eachother, they won't do nothing. But…if you shake the Jar, what happens?"
"They begin to kill eachother." Jiraiya answered.
"Exactly. You all are the Ants, but guess who shakes the Jar?" Shun asked.
"The Daimyos." Mei answered with an understanding look on her faces.
"Exactly. With them gone, I estimate a 62 percent reduction in both major and minor conflicts between nations. I mean, who here doesn't want to just wake up every morning, take a deep breath and then smile and how wonderful the weather is?"
"Who amongst you doesn't want to just wake up to the noise of you like kids running up and down the stairs while shouting 'Papa/Mama wakey wakey' with their cute voices?"
"Who amongst you want to keep watching the kids you watched grow up turn into still, cold corpses?"
"Who amongst you want to come back home one day and see your family lying in cold blood because some idiot thought it'd be the best cause of action?"
"Who amongst you want to die without seeing your kids grow up? Take his first steps, say his first words, loose his first tooth, get an injury…okay minus this last one…but still, who doesn't want that?"
"The answer to all that…you all know. That is the Peace I desire. The Peace whereby those who choose to live by the sword die by the sword and those who choose to live mundanely, die mundanely. It's that simple."
"Am I being understood?" Shun asked and looked around the room as everyone nodded.
"Look at Ohnoki, his first son is dead, his second son too. Kurotsuchi father is dead and only one of his sons remains… He's in pain, but due to the stupid and misunderstood propaganda of having a Will as strong as Rock, he remains stubborn even till his old age."
"Tell me, is this the life you imagined yourself having back then as a kid?" Shun asked the old man who closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
"It isn't."
"Ai! Did you ever think your father would die fighting over 3,000 Shinobis just for you and your brother to get to safety?"
"Never. In my mind, he was the strongest."
"And that, he was. His body was so strong that I think only guy could've given him a run for his money. And even then, they'd both still die." Shun said causing Ai to nod.
"But he stayed back. And you…what did you do? The very next moment, you went to war."
"I-"
"Be quiet." Shun said softly and turned to Mei. "At the age of seven, you killed your best friend mistakenly because you couldn't control your kekkei genkai. You melted her from her face down. And from then, you've never had a genuine friend until Izanagi came along."
"Is that the kind of life you'd like the kids of your village to live? After all your village was once the home of Kaguya here and the Battlefield that sealed her."
"That particular event made it so you all have an abundance of Bloodlines. Would you like for incidents like that to repeat themselves?"
Mei simply shook her head causing Shun to nod and look at Gaara. "Of them all, I don't think I need to address you. You already have a good friend in Naruto so I won't say much, but I assume you won't like incidents that happened to you as a kid to repeat itself."
Gaara shook his head before Shun turned to Tsunade.
"I know. I know. I'm in full support of anything you want to establish." Tsunade quickly said. What kind of misfortune hadn't she seen? Having them called out here was meaningless when she knew Shun wanted to say or do something that'll change the Shinobi world.
"It's good you all understand. That is why, from today, there will be no Noble Family whatsoever ruling over any country. As of 2 hours ago, they seized to exist." Shun said causing everyone to gasp.
Shun understood that the Shinobi world was basically a Japanese cultural world, and the Japanese took their nobility as gods in a way. So what Shun had just done was akin to Heresy.
"Also…Two Years." Shun raised his two fingers and looked at the Kages. "That's how long I want you reign to remain. Kaito too. Two years from now, a new Kage will be elected and he must stay in office for only five Years."
Shun observed them and saw the Ohnoki, Tsunade and Gaara weren't really perturbed by the situation, only Ai was a bit worried. Kumogakure selected their Kages from a single family so…
"Gaara will remain in office for the next…twelve years." Shun suddenly added.
"What? Why?" someone asked but Gaara himself merely raised an eyebrow to that.
"He's still young and he has a brighter potential than most of you Kages." Shun said.
"The reason why I say elect and not select is because…a wise man once said: You don't become Kage to be acknowledged, its only when younget acknowledged that you'll become Kage."
"Does that ring a bell?"
"Yeah. I think Itachi-nii once told me that." Naruto said with a smile.
"Exactly. Which is why the election would always take place in a day. You Kages will select the few you feel are strong enough and have them undergo a series of tests to ascertain their level of Reasoning, Empathy, Problem Solving and Strength. The few who pass are then brought to the public where the Shinobis will elect who'll lead them."
"You said Shinobis…not Villagers." Gaara
"Of course. Even though I want what's best for Humans, not all human are born equal. If you as the Kage fail to understand this fact, then you're not fit to be one."
"But-" Mei made to speak but…
"What makes up a village?" Shun asked
"The people." Mei replied.
"And what is Shinobi?"
"Ninjas?"
"No. What…is Shinobi?"
"Those who Protect." Hashirama by the side answered causing Shun to give him the stink eye.
Hashirama scratched his cheeks nervously while looking away which made Shun to smile and look away.
"If I want to kill a mother…who'll protect her?"
"The children…sometimes the husband." Tsunade replied.
"So…doesn't that tell you that those who protect are everyone capable of protecting?"
"Oh…"
"Exactly. A Kages job is to protect the Village and it's Villagers. Chakra or not, you're all Shinobi, and so they have all right to decide who protects them."
Shun then went on to write up a series of Laws that'll be guiding the Humans, the Villages, Countries and Families.
Laws concerning Inter and Intra-marriage between Clans, Villages, and countries were all formed to protect the people of interest. After all Love was Blind and knew no boundaries.
Rule concerning schools were also established. A Shinobi academy as well as other academies were formed. Academies for a Technology, Science, Art were formed.
Then there was University. Children who graduate at the age of Twelve could choose to further their studies while also being in active duty. It was up to them whether they took it seriously or not.
It was a four year program and by sixteen, they were free to do anything as they were already considered adults. There was also the option of Continuing your studies in the Shinobi Academy till the age of Sixteen.
Shun could already forsee that being the trend. Who'd want to leave school when your mates are in school? With nothing to do other than manual labour, who'd want to leave school?
And with time, they'd just take it as the norm. Someone down the line might even decide to create another level of study after the University, but that was all in the future.
As for now. "That brings us to the end of this conference. Now." Shun said and turned to Obito, Rin and Kakashi. "What is that wish?"
"Can I go? Am I free to do as I please now?" Rin asked nervously.
"Yeah. Of course."
"Then I wish you'd let me return to Konoha with Obito and for all his crimes to be dropped."
"Impossible!"
"Preposterous!"
Both Ohnoki and Ai protested loudly. This was the very person behind the Akatsuki. The very person who declared war on them. And she just wanted for him to go scotfree?
"I also wish the same," Kakashi said.
"You…guys." Obito said looking at Kakashi and Rin unbelievingly. Minato on the other hand had a smile on his face. It seemed like his students didn't disappoint him.
"Be quiet." Shun said once again.
"But this man-"
"I know. Be quiet," Shun said once more. Ohnoki and Ai grit their teeth while glaring at Obito.
"Come now, even if I allowed you both to fight him, you won't win. Those glares won't solve anything." Shun said and turned to Obito. "How about you…what do you wish for?"
"...I would've asked for a Painless and Swift Death…afterall, I have truly caused much pain to a lot of people who once loved me." Obito said sadly.
"Oh? And you think your death will absolve you of that sin?" Shun asked.
"No…but it'll grant them a bit of respite."
"Have you apologized to them? Did you know that Kushina is alive. She can't use chakra anymore, but she's alive."
"...I know."
"Are you that scared to meet her? Knowing her, she'd forgive you in a heartbeat. Naruto got that trait from her. The only pain she might cause you is suffocating you from her hug." Shun said and chuckled to which Minato and Naruto joined.
"So? What do you think now? Still want that wish?"
"...Then, I wish to be punished."
"..."
"Huh?" Even Naruto was confused at that wish.
"Me too." Shun said. "I'm confused. It's a wish. Not a sentencing or something."
"I know, but I can't and won't allow their wishes to go in vain, which is why I want to be punished. A punishment suitable for me…one that after serving, I can go back with peace of mind and heart." Obito said, and this time, not even Ohnoki has anything to say.
Ai merely snorted as he knew there was nothing he could do to begin with.
"Hmm. How about this. You'll go to every village, from Konoha, Kirigakure, Amegakure, Takigakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure amd Sunagakure, confess your crimes publicly and accept whatever punishment they deem necessary." Shun said.
Then looking at the Kages, he continued. "Said punishment would last for a month in each village and after you're done, you'll return to Konoha and act as Kakashi's right hand."
"Huh?" Was Kakashi's confused outburst.
"What?"
"Why would he act as my right hand?"
"What kind of question Is that? Look at those two…" Shun said, pointing at Orochimaru and Jiraiya. "Do you think they'd want to be Hokage after Tsunade?"
"Huh? No, but-"
"And you're the only option left. Take it as fulfilling Obito's childhood dream on his behalf. While you sit in the office, he protects you and handles every other thing you can handle."
"Huh? What about–"
"I'm not changing my punishment. Take it or leave it." Shun slammed his hand on the table and got up. "You're all excused. I'll allow you all to spend a week in my personal dimension. Train, relax, sleep all you want. I don't care. A week in there is a day outside. When the time is up, you'll be deposited in your respective villages."
Without giving them an opportunity to reply, portals opened up beneath them and swallowed them up. Shun them turned to his students and smiled. "Now then…shall we begin?"