Land of Water, Waterfall Cave
After his resurrection, Izuna shared an emotional reunion with Madara, embracing him in a scene that would move anyone to tears.
Then, Izuna was briefed on the current state of the Shinobi World and the plans that Madara and Dak had in mind.
Izuna was shocked by Dak's appearance and what he had achieved. Yet, after learning that even Tobirama had developed the forbidden Edo Tensei, he found it a bit easier to accept.
Izuna even felt a sense of pride. After all, the Edo Tensei was just a crude technique compared to what Dak had accomplished. It had too many flaws, whereas this true revival brought him back to life, flesh, and blood, far surpassing the limitations of Edo Tensei.
"I always said that we Uchiha should never have cooperated with the Senju. With someone like Tobirama in charge, it was inevitable that he and his successors would eventually target our clan."
When Izuna learned about the Uchiha clan's precarious position in Konoha and the fact that it would face extermination in the future, he merely sneered, his disdain evident.
His affection for the clan that had abandoned his brother was minimal at best.
"Dak, could Dialga restore Izuna to a time when he still had his eyes?"
Madara gently ruffled Izuna's hair—a soft, tender gesture that Dak had never seen from him before.
Now, Madara's attitude toward Dak had completely changed. Before, though he had chosen to trust Dak, Madara's trust had limits. Learning about Black Zetsu's deception had only heightened his cautious nature. But now, after Dak had resurrected Izuna, Madara saw him as a true comrade, someone aligned with his ideals.
"It's possible, but there's a price," Dak replied, raising a hand and gesturing toward Madara's eyes.
If Izuna's body were restored to its former state, Madara's Eternal Mangekyo would revert to its previous Mangekyo form. The temporal reversal would draw back the part of Izuna's power contained in Madara's eyes rather than growing a new pair.
"I see."
Madara nodded, understanding Dak's meaning. "It doesn't matter. With Izuna by my side, the Five Great Nations won't stand a chance against us."
"Exactly! With both Hashirama and Tobirama dead, who could possibly oppose us?" Izuna exclaimed, brimming with confidence.
Unable to see, he could only hear the voices around him, unaware of the physical transformations taking place.
Madara's confidence lay in his own power, while Izuna's was rooted in the strength of their bond as brothers.
"Dialga."
Acknowledging Madara's decision, Dak instructed Dialga to restore Izuna's body.
A blue aura streamed from Dialga's eyes, enveloping Izuna.
Within moments, Izuna's body, initially frail and withered, became fuller and more robust. His eyes, too, were restored, and they now held a new Mangekyo Sharingan.
Simultaneously, the Eternal Mangekyo in Madara's eyes reverted to their original state.
"What—?"
Izuna stood in stunned silence, unsure of what had happened. Suddenly, he could see, and in his first glance, he saw his elder brother, looking just as he had in his memories.
But something about the situation seemed off.
"Nii-san! Your eyes?"
Izuna noticed that Madara's eyes hadn't transformed as he had expected. His concern for his brother outweighed his astonishment, and he didn't pause to consider the nature of the power at play.
Not that it mattered—he had already experienced resurrection; a slight reversal of time hardly seemed impossible by comparison.
"The power within Madara's eyes has returned to you, Izuna. This is the price of your restoration," Dak explained from the side.
To the Uchiha brothers, it was a price barely worth mentioning.
"Brother!" Izuna clutched Madara's hand, his own eyes welling with tears. His gratitude for being revived far exceeded his concern about any price paid.
"Izuna…"
Madara looked at his younger brother and smiled. To lose a portion of his strength to regain his family—such an exchange was nothing short of a bargain in his eyes.
Strength, he could regain; his bond with Izuna, however, was irreplaceable.
"…What's up with these brothers?"
Watching the two brothers' heartfelt reunion, Dak felt a bit awkward, as though he were witnessing a moment too private to intrude upon. Yet he couldn't help but think of another set of brothers.
"If all goes well, maybe Sasuke will get to spend time with his brother, too."
Dak's mind wandered, envisioning alternative futures for others as well. What if Sakumo hadn't died—how different would Kakashi's life have been?
What if Shukaku had never been placed in the Hidden Sand—what kind of life would Gaara have had?
If Nawaki and Dan had lived, what would Tsunade's and Orochimaru's lives have been like?
What if Minato, Kushina, and Jiraiya were still alive—what sort of life would Naruto lead?
"…Hey, enough with the tender moments. There'll be plenty of time for that later. Right now, there's work to do."
Shaking off his thoughts, Dak returned to the present. Even if it was just for the sake of those possible futures, he was determined to change the Shinobi World.
"Understood. Although I don't particularly care about peace in the Shinobi World, I'll help you because you saved me and my brother," Izuna replied, nodding in agreement. Then he looked to Madara. "And besides, it's my brother's dream."
"You two are something else…"
"Since your brother has a companion, you should have one too."
"I want a Pokémon like my brother's."
"…Fine."
Dak hadn't even started considering Pokémon for Izuna before he made his choice. "As you wish."
He handed Izuna an egg containing a Growlithe, though this one was a regular Growlithe instead of the Hisuian variant that Madara had.
"Now that we have both the leader and deputy leader of Akatsuki, it's time to recruit some key members."
With the Uchiha brothers in place, Dak turned his attention to the next target.
Hanzo.
…
Land of Rain, Amegakure
From a young age, Hanzo had developed a reputation in Amegakure due to the poison sacs within his body, which made others wary of him. Although he was recognized, it wasn't for positive reasons. People avoided him as they would a young Jinchuriki, viewing him with caution and fear.
Yet, despite being treated as an outcast, Hanzo did not succumb to bitterness. Instead, he repeatedly risked his life in battles between the Great Nations to protect the people of the Land of Rain.
Because of his strength and valor, Hanzo was hailed as a "hero" in the Land of Rain, admired by countless children and respected by his peers. Eventually, Hanzo rose to the position of young leader of Amegakure.
Yet, due to the relatively small size of his village, he never held a title equivalent to the Kage of the Five Great Nations.
Leader's Office
"How are things?" Hanzo asked, his tone tense.
"The Five Great Nations have signed a ceasefire. However, rogue ninja from each nation continue to clash when they cross paths. Some have even begun attacking innocent civilians in the Land of Rain."
Crash!
"Damn it!"
Hanzo smashed his fist onto the desk, his face contorted in anger.
At this stage in his life, Hanzo still carried a deep belief in his ideals. He couldn't accept that the war between the Great Nations would spill over, threatening the civilians of the Land of Rain.
Yet, he also knew how unlikely it was to prevent such a tragedy. Even the Iron Country, supposedly a neutral state, couldn't completely avoid the repercussions of war.
Peace was what he yearned for. But he was still searching for a way to achieve it.
In time, Hanzo would come to believe that true peace was unattainable, growing content with merely defending his small territory. Yet, that future was still years away.
"Do you wish to change all of this?"
A voice echoed within Hanzo's mind, startling him. He glanced toward the ninja in front of him, who seemed oblivious to the voice.
"You may go," Hanzo instructed.
"Yes, sir!" Thud. The door closed as the ninja exited.
"Who's there?" Hanzo asked warily, unable to detect any unfamiliar presence.
"Come to the southern forest, and I will give you the hope to change the fate of the Land of Rain."
The voice, of course, belonged to Dak, who was using telepathy to communicate.
"Enough with the tricks," Hanzo muttered, not showing any hesitation as he left the office and made his way toward the forest. His resolve and determination were like Naruto's, charging headfirst toward the unknown.
Meanwhile…
"Do you really think a headstrong guy like that is reliable? You must be desperate," Madara remarked.
"Nii-san, your nemesis, Hashirama, was just like him," Izuna replied.
"…"
(End of Chapter)
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