-------------------
{Houzu pov}
-------------------
Seeing the Uchiha's embarrassed expression Houzu couldn't help but chuckle on the inside. Making his way over to the poor boy he patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't beat yourself up too hard. We're both prodigies in our own fields and besides, my method of training is far more extreme compared to your own." Itachi's grimaced, already knowing and seeing how much houzu pushed himself.
So much blood, sweat and tears...
Literally...
"Thats not all, you even awakened the sharingan at a pretty early age, remember? That's a huge advantage for you. Even though I have good chakra control I suck at breaking out of genjutsu. And im being trained by hiruzen.." Houzu said to which itachi's eyes seemed to brighten considerably.
"R-really?" Itachi asked him, not knowing his friend had such a person as a mentor.
"Yes really, so wipe that frown off your face, will ya? Theres still plenty of time for you to catch up!" He encouraged, causing the raven haired boy's mood improved.
"Thats right.. my journey as a shinobi is only beginning..." he heard itachi say to himself as the boy looked into his eyes once more. This time his eyes were filled with confidence.
"I don't know when the day will come... But rest assured I'll defeat you someday." The boy declared with determination. With that said the uchiha ran off towards the capital city to rest.
"Just keep what you heard to yourself!" Houzu yelled as he watched his comrade run off.
'Speaking of training...' he thought while bring up his monthly limit breaking task.
.....
==================
[Limit breaker] - (stage 24)
- push ups! [2,400,000/2,400,000]
- sit ups! [2,400,000/2,400,000]
- squats! [1,280,610/2,400,000]
- km run! [8,210/24,000]
Reward: tier ticket x1
==================
.....
God... his back and legs ached just from looking at those numbers. From the start of this year he had spent many days and nights trying his best to complete every routine just to make ends meet while bearing the constant mentorship from Hiruzen.
On top of it all he had to bear with the anbu constantly monitoring his every move.
Especially during the last few weeks before this mission...
.....
[Template - Jogo: 42.72%]
.....
Houzu could only wonder what he would receive for reaching 50% completion. Only time would tell.. and an agonizing amount of repetitive work out management.
For now... he had another goal in mind.
Domain expansion...
===============================
~ Location - Fire capital, Daimyo manor ~
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{Daimyo pov}
---------------------
So.. much... paperwork. Even with all his secretaries there was still an endless amount of work to be done.
Sighing to himself he wished his son could take his place. But deep down he knew his child wasn't ready. Nor did he have the best mind set or intentions.
*Knock* *knock*
The two knocks on the door of his study, indicated someone on the otherside wished to be allowed entry.
"Come in.." he shouted as the door opened to reveal none other than Minato and Kushina Namekaze. Both were honored guest and considered members of his family along with their child due to living with himself and his loving wife for the past two years.
Along with them were their second recently born child. A bouncing baby girl.
Mito Namikaze...
Ever since the blonde man and his wife came to him about a possible prophecy depicting one of his children to potentially be the savior of their world. He offered to hide them from the eyes of the world until his child was deemed ready to return to the public eye.
Thus contingencies were made in case they were ever in dire straights. And of course the outcome eventually came.
Kushina and her husband were attacked during their unborn childs birth. However, only half of the 9 tails was extracted that night. Resulting in Kushina's survival due to her Uzumaki heritage.
Although, a bit of her life force was taken during the extraction. It was said the Uzumaki had the potential to live twice as longer than normal humans. Sadly she would more than like only live to see the ripe old age of a 90. Depending If she didn't die before hand from her shinobi carrier.
"Minato, what can I do for you?" He asked as the former hokage smiled warmly at his question until his expression became one of a worried father.
"Well.. I wanted to ask if there was any word about houzu?" Minato asked as kushina remained silent with hope in her eyes as she held their newborn in her lap.
"Ah... I'm sorry to say I've recieve no updates from hiruzen. Infact other than daily reports he hasn't wrote at all." The former hokage clenched his fists at the news as Kushina looked down trodden.
"But... I have heard news from the elders. They are much more receptive. Especially danzo." Minato's eyes lit with hope at the new and waited for him to continue.
"I must warn you Minato, the reports are quite... troubling. Disturbing in some areas." The daimyo said with a serious demeanor.
"I.. I understand. Please go on. We want to hear everything we've missed." Minato implored as the daimyo took a deep breathe.
"First, their oldest reports read that houzu had become a stand in as the jinchuriki of the 9 tails until your return. They believe the village would be under threat if the neighboring village's would see us as weak if we no longer possessed one. Most of the village detests his very existence. Many reports of attemted assassinations and abuse." The blondes face paled at the news and the implications. Kushina had hints of tears in her eyes as she held her child closer.
"Another report sent a year ago informed me that the boy was in fact not powerless as you told me he was after all. He possessed some sort of unknown energy. Completely undetectable... and destructive. Very destructive." He said as the two's eyes widened further as a look of utter regret and guilt adorned their faces.
"That is not all.. on the same report they told he had become quite hateful of the villagers. In fact he's killed a good amount of them over that same year. But every incident report told it was self defense by Hiruzen." He stopped his rambling to give the couple some time to process the information.
"There isn't any good news, is there.." Minato spoke regretfully.
"No.. there is not. It only gets worse in fact." Minato and kushina's mood seemed to drop even further hearing his words.
"Do you.. recall the memory suppression procedure you had him put under. To have him live as a civilian until you returned." The daimyo asked as Minato felt his heart race.
"Don't tell me.." he asked in horror as the daimyo nodded.
"There was an unforseen accident. His memories... were unrecoverable." At that moment kushina started to cry as Minato held his head in his hands.
===============================
--------------------
{Mintao pov}
--------------------
'What have I done..' he asked himself as he looked to his weeping wife and daughter.
Suddenly memories of the last six years of raising his first born came to his mind. Celebrating his birthdays. Seeing his bright over bearing smile. Hearing him say he wanted to be hokage despite not having any chakra.
His heart always broke hearing his sons desired goal. Knowing it was impossible, but didn't have the heat to tell him the truth.
Now.. his son's memories were gone. All because of him. The one who replaced him, a blank slate, knew only hate and loneliness. Despised by an entire village for just breathing and he didn't know why.
Such a life style had made him into what could only be described as a being filled with malice and hate. Presumably mentally unstable. Prone to cruel and destructive tendencies.
Looking at a sheet of paper given to him by the lord he saw houzu's appearance In a photo. It was honestly shell shocking how different this person was compared to how he looked the day they left.
What truly disturbed Minato was that the picture was a mug shot and a criminal record sheet.
And this sheet was very recent. No more than a few months old. What he listed below horrified him. Things on a report a child his age should be incapable of doing.
...
[Konoha police force]: criminal report
Name: Houzu Uzumaki
Age: 8
=====================
[Reason for detainment]:
• destruction of property
• Intention to harm civilians
• Homicide
=====================
...
It was at that moment he knew the individual depicted on the paper was not his son. It was something far worse...
"This is all my fault.."
===============================
---------------------
{Daimyo pov}
---------------------
The middle aged ruler could see the pain and regret on both the parents faces. To know the child left behind was no more.
Replaced by this much more violent and hate filled being terrorizing the village. But he wasn't a fool. The villagers were the ones who created this monster, fanned the childs flames of hatred in his heart. This sheet merely showed the result of their actions.
"There is a more pressing matter Minato." The daimyo saw the man refocus as he spoke.
"Considering the topic at hand, I'm guessing it involves him." Minato asked sadly as he nodded in return.
"Indeed. I plan to travel to konoha soon. A genin team will be escorting me. I'm sure you know what that intails?" Minato and Kushina's eyes widened at the hint in his voice.
"H-hes coming here? When!?" Kushina asked, speaking out for the first time sinse they entered the room.
"He and the team left konoha yesterday morning. It would only take a day for shinobi to travel to this place from the village." He said with seriously as Minato's stood up.
"He's already here..."
===============================