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Understanding the challenge that lay ahead, Horyu prepared for the final leg of his journey. He cut his finger with Chucky, his trusted sword, and summoned a giant owl. "Are we fishing, Horyu?" the owl asked, its beak seemingly watering at the thought of a seafood feast.
The owl, Toru, was unlike the other members of the Kurohana Tribe. Where they were masters of assassination and stealth, Toru was straightforward and boisterous—a stark contrast to the owls Horyu was used to dealing with. "No, Toru, we're not here for fishing," Horyu responded, shaking his head. He couldn't help but think that if owls could embody the spirit of human martial artists, Toru would indeed be the avian equivalent of Might Guy—enthusiastic and lacking subtlety.
Toru, upon realizing there would be no hunting or fishing involved, looked visibly disappointed but quickly shifted its focus to the task at hand. "What's the plan then?" it asked, ready to assist Horyu across the perilous whirlpools.
Horyu leaped into the air as his boat disappeared back into his inventory with a flick of his hand, leaving no trace of his crossing. Toru, the giant owl, caught him effortlessly, its wings barely making a sound as it glided above the sea's surface. "Let's try to make it to the island. I doubt it'll be straightforward," Horyu remarked, eyeing the whirlpools with a calculating gaze.
Toru nodded, its large eyes focusing on the path ahead. "Got it," it said, its voice tinged with an eagerness that contrasted sharply with the situation's gravity. As they approached the whirlpools, Horyu braced himself, expecting the rumored "wailing restless souls" or the "emergence" the boatman had ominously mentioned.
The closer they got to the island, the more intense the whirlpools became, their swirling maws like gatekeepers to the secrets of the Whirlpool Country. Suddenly, Toru faltered, its wings beating erratically. "Whoa, there's something weird here. Feels like we're hitting an invisible wall."
Horyu frowned, focusing on the space ahead. "It's probably a protective seal. The Uzumaki were masters of sealing jutsu. Looks like they didn't want visitors."
Toru's feathers ruffled in surprise. "This place? My old man warned me to steer clear. Said it was trouble." The owl's voice carried a hint of unease, unusual for the typically fearless bird.
"Did he mention why?" Horyu asked, intrigued by Toru's hesitation. He had known the owl to dive headfirst into danger without a second thought.
"Just old stories, tales of seals and curses. Uzumaki stuff," Toru replied, shaking its head slightly as if to dispel the unease.
Horyu nodded, understanding the owl's concern but remained focused on their approach. The swirling whirlpools below seemed almost alive, their motions unpredictable and mesmerizing. "Keep your eyes open, Toru. This might get tricky," he cautioned, scanning the horizon for any signs of the rumored phenomena.
As they neared the island, the sea's behavior grew increasingly erratic, but not in the way Horyu had anticipated. Instead of spirits or curses, what challenged them was a palpable, oppressive force, like a barrier trying to push them back.
"This doesn't feel right," Toru muttered, struggling against the invisible resistance. "It's like the air itself is against us."
Horyu remained silent, his focus sharp. The sensation was familiar, reminiscent of high-level sealing techniques he had read about. "It's a protective seal, Toru. The Uzumaki were masters of such crafts. It's designed to ward off intruders."
Pushing forward, Toru's wings beat against the heavy air, each flap a testament to the owl's strength and determination. Horyu, meanwhile, prepared himself for what lay ahead, knowing that breaching the island's defenses was only the first of many challenges.
Activating his Sharingan, Horyu gazed at the sea and the air around the Whirlpool Country. The sight that met his eyes was both stunning and bewildering. Thin, almost invisible threads of chakra were woven through the air, intricate and complex, forming seals he'd only read about in ancient texts. "Incredible," he whispered under his breath, his eyes tracing the complex patterns. The Uzumaki Clan's skill in sealing jutsu was legendary, but witnessing the remnants of their craft firsthand was a different experience altogether. The air was thick with protective seals, a testament to the clan's once-great power. "How did anyone ever breach these defenses?" he wondered aloud, his mind racing.
Toru, struggling against the invisible barrier, glanced back at Horyu. "What do you see?" the owl inquired, its large eyes curious.
"Seals," Horyu responded, still analyzing the patterns. "High-level ones. The kind that could keep out just about anyone or anything. It's a wonder how the Uzumaki were ever destroyed."
The owl huffed, a sound that was almost a grunt. "Strength on paper doesn't always translate to reality. Maybe there was betrayal from within, or perhaps they underestimated their enemies."
Horyu considered Toru's words, nodding slightly. "Yeah, could be," he conceded.
From what he knew, Sarutobi was a "peaceful" wuss. He would rather watch his friend die than further the conflict. Many times, his soft, passive decisions ended up with people around him suffering. It was a wonder how Tobirama, who would rather burn the village to prevent a mishap, chose such a man as his successor.
Although Horyu hated Danzo, he would at least agree with him on some points. A leader's weakness can be more devastating than the enemy's strength. In anime, Sarutobi, who promised to dying Kushina and martyr Minato that he would look after Naruto. In the end, Naruto was hated by all, beaten, starved, and poisoned by expired milk many times.
If Sarutobi somehow assisted or turned a blind eye to Uzumaki Genocide, it wouldn't surprise Horyu at all.
With a disdainful curl of his lip, Horyu turned his thoughts away from Sarutobi and Danzo. They were just two sides of the same weak coin, in his view. It was frustrating to witness leaders who lacked the backbone to make the tough decisions, the decisions that truly protected their people.
Toru, sensing Horyu's contemplation, flapped its wings harder against the seal's resistance. "We talking history, or are we breaking through this?" the owl quipped, its tone lighthearted despite the situation.
Horyu snapped out of his reverie, focusing back on the task at hand. "Let's get through this," he decided, putting aside his thoughts on the Hokages' leadership flaws. His Sharingan flared, attempting to find a weakness in the seal, a way through the nearly impenetrable barrier.
But in the next second, something strange happened. Toru was the first to sense it, so he floated higher in the air, luckily avoiding what appeared out of nowhere. Suddenly, they would have been plunged into the whirlpools below. Looking down, Horyu frowned as he saw "wailing souls." Except, they were not souls of Uzumaki. "Specters?" Toru said in disdain.
Horyu was surprised, "Do you know them?" Despite looking like a simple-minded muscle-head, Horyu realized Toru was quite knowledgeable.
Toru nodded as he said, "They're from another plane, the Plane of Specters. A nasty place. My Pa said he accidentally fell into that place once, and it was terrible. Even the air sucked your vitality." Horyu felt Toru shudder under him.
Frowning, he asked, "Do you know these creatures?"
Toru shook his head, "No, but my Pa might."
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