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Admirers_Quill
...
'Also why didn't it work, when I moved from inside, and only worked when I connected with chakra on the outside... Seals really are difficult to understand. It's more metaphysical than an actual physical thing. Naruto's seal also contained a world in itself... Guess when I join the academy, I better put up a lot of focus on the seals as well... great.. More work...'
He lay down on the empty stretcher placed nearby. "That Nine-Tails, What exactly did he do to me?"
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A somber mood covered the once bustling village. It was a terrible day, one which would be marked among the red pages in the Leaf's history. During this tumultuous time of the Leaf, Hiruzen had taken office again as the Hokage. The village had faced a disaster like no other in its seventy-nine year old history. The old elder council which lost its effectiveness during the brief rule of the Fourth Hokage, was called forth by Hiruzen and Village Max Alert level was put into action by the Hokage office.
Under this stringent protocol, all of the Hidden Leaf's borders were sealed, leaving no way for news to get out. Constant Ninja patrols were set up in all areas around the leaf. Some of the spies from the other villages were already caught under this absolute surveillance, when they tried to contact the network outside the village.
Hiruzen, was currently in his office, looking over the reports brought over by Shukaku. It had been three days since the disaster and the final death count and destruction caused in the Village had been tallied and brought for the analysis.
Civilians: 6463
Ninjas: 2895
Genin: 547
Chunin: 2191
Elite Chunin: 150
Jounin: 7
Fortunately, no Elite Jounins were among the casualties. All clan leaders (equivalent to Elite Jounin) had successfully performed their roles during the crises and averted major life loss. Even though the Nine-Tails assault's impact was limited due to timely interference, it had caused too much initial damage. The loss was comparable to major battles in the Great Ninja wars.
Hiruzen sighed deeply, fatigue etching another line on his forehead. He glanced at the next project initiated by Shukaku, intended for presentation at the Jounin Assembly and the Council of Elders.
He skimmed over the summary, but put it off for a later viewing as there was another event that he had to attend.
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Hyuga Shelter,
In the spacious room, all of the children from the orphanage sat on the beds, dressed in black kimono—a funeral dress, exclusive to the Leaf's populace. A hyuga chunin delivered these to Dai, yesterday in order to prepare for today's event.
Dai gazed at the children with worry—Akiko, Hiro, Shin, Yaraki and Izume, they had all been uncharacteristically quiet after kirimoto's death. He hoped that the children would find some closure after today. The little ones were held back by Emi, who took charge of today's responsibilities.
Dai took the children and headed outside, instructing everyone to open their umbrellas. The weather was awful these past two days, with constant raining and dark clouds covering the skies above the leaf. On the way to the event, amidst the pitter patter of the rain, Shin observed the destruction wrought by the Nine Tails. He shuddered inside, at the level of attack that was enough to level all the building. Big or small, all suffered the same fate.
They continued towards the destination, noticing sounds of crying from the womenfolk in their homes. Many husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters had met the grim fate of death. The cataclysmic event had not even spared the innocent children.
Shin sighed remorsefully in his heart, as all those emotions of sadness and grief swarm towards him like a flood. If he had not been doing the leaf concentration, his mind would have been overloaded. Despite the emotional turmoil, the thought of skipping the event never crossed his mind. Those who had passed deserved their final farewells.
The group finally reached their destination: the Memorial Stone situated to the east of Hokage Rock. A tributary of the Naka River meandered beside a sparse grove of trees surrounding the Memorial Stone. A large crowd of the ninjas and civilians had gathered; those who could afford to be there had made the journey, encircling the stone.
At the forefront stood the Third Hokage, flanked by a few elders with the clan leaders trailing behind. All present, be they ninja or civilian, regardless of rank, stood in solemn silence, paying their respects to the departed. The heavy rain had let up slightly.
After observing the almost complete gathering of ninjas at the funeral, Hiruzen invoked, "Water Style: Protection Dome." Water from the surroundings converged and mixed with the rain, forming a colossal sphere that enveloped an area of nearly eight hundred meters.
As the people were relieved of the rain water, Hiruzen addressed the populace, "Today, we stand together to mourn the passing of one of our greatest Hokages, Minato Namikaze, and all the citizens of the Leaf who sacrificed their lives to safeguard our village. Whether ninja or civilian, the Will of Fire burns within each and every soul of the Hidden Leaf.
Minato, a pupil of my student Jiraiya, quickly shown his excellence and ascended through the ranks of leaf shinobi. His valor shone brightly during the crucible of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge and the harrowing conflict at Kikyo Pass. He proved himself best among his generation. May his spirit find peace in the realms beyond.
Citizens of the Leaf, as we navigate these turbulent times, let us honor the departed by holding their memories close to our hearts, forging ahead with determination and faith in the generations yet to come."
Sounds of hushed cries reverberated through the crowd. Kakashi, who stood apart from the crowd, leaned against a nearby tree, his head bowed. The reclusive ninja muttered almost imperceptibly,
"Mother, Father, Obito, Rin... and now Sensei... even you..."
If anyone had noticed the young Jounin, they would have witnessed a tear escaping down the one exposed eye—a rare sight indeed. This sentiment held true for nearly everyone present, for the Fourth Hokage was beloved by all.
Genma, Raido, and Iwashi— the three members of the Hokage Guard platoon—stood silently amidst the assembly of Jounins behind the clan leaders. Their faces bore expressions of despair and doubt, a reflection of the deep grief they harbored. These three shinobi had been among those closest to the Fourth Hokage, entrusted with his security and protection. However, they now grappled with the overwhelming weight of regret and sorrow, knowing they had been unable to aid him when he needed it the most.
Shin recognized many acquaintances he had encountered over the past year and some others that he recognized.
Among them, Rei of the Uchiha clan, stood silently among his clan members. The Fourth Hokage, was an existence idolized by the young generation. "Farewell, Lord Hokage…", he wiped the oncoming tears with the motion of his hand.
Hana of the Senju clan also stood weeping for the loss of her mother during the disaster. Her father tenderly placed his hand on the little girl's head, offering silent comfort.
Yaraki looked on towards the memorial stone, his gaze flickering as if coming to a decision. Izume noticed the change in his friend. He wanted to find out what was wrong, but decided to ask later.
Shin watched as Akiko focused on Hiruzen's speech. Akiko's serious demeanor prompted Shin to think about the deeper repercussions.
As the speech finished, Shin pondered,'Will there already be some change in the original timeline?'
After the ceremony concluded, each individual made their way to the village cemetery. 'The groundskeeper of the cemetery will be kept busy for a while,' Shin sighed.
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Fugaku turned back to head towards the clan, his mind buzzing with worry on how to deliver the recent news. He found Rei among the other Uchiha children.
"Rei.."
"Yes. Yes Sir", Rei responded, snapping into a salute.
"You're Shouhei's son, right?"
"Yes, Lord Fugaku"
..
Fugaku's voice took on a solemn tone as he continued "I am sorry child.."
As Rei's young frame tensed, his eyes widened in puzzlement, Fugaku pressed on, "It seems that your father was caught up in battle during the Nine-Tails attack".
"What!"
Fugaku placed his hand on the agitated kid, "I am really sorry. I—"
Rei rejected his hand and shouted, "What do you mean? You're wrong. He was sent on a mission just yesterday"
A sigh of exhaustion escaped Fugaku, "He left today. Shouhei was about to head out of the village. As soon as he left the village, he must have noticed the disturbance in the village. His body was found among many others buried beneath the rubble."
Rei's eyes widened in denial, denying the reality… but soon a few of the men brought a stretcher and placed it before him. Tears overflowing in his eyes, he called out "Father…". His hand moved to uncover the cloth covering the body. But he was stopped —his hand caught under Fugaku's grip.
"Don't… the body has already been identified as your father's…It is not in a good state"
"Back off… he is my father.. I want to see him", Seeing that the boy would not back down, Fugaku nodded to one of the men to uncover the corpse.
As the cover was removed, Rei saw a red cloth covering the eyes and nose, severe cuts marring the once chiseled face. Some mass covered the exposed brain and brain matter, and the chin bore a deep dent, likely from the weight of debris.
There was a line present on the width of the neck. Looking at it, he noticed the sewing done to reattach the head onto the body.
Trembling….
His hand reached to uncover the red cloth on the face but the hand was stopped again, this time by another Uchiha.
"Don't. Boy, It is not a sight that a son should ever see of his father", the deputy advised.
Tears dropped from his face, a surge of chakra enveloped his body.."Faaatherr!!", he cried.
The moist ground underneath the boy trembled and sank under the surge of force. The cloth covering Shouhei's face slipped away, revealing the visage. The deputy moved to cover it, but Rei's eyes had already captured the view.
"Arghh!", In the stillness of the moment, his eyes bloomed with crimson radiance. One tomoe settled around the pupil. Eyes deep red, reflecting the pain that enveloped his soul.
Sharingan…
Fugaku looked at the young brat and sighed inwardly.
Itachi stood behind Fugaku, observing the grieving boy in silence,
'This is his new reality'.
He wondered about the delicate nature of life and death — a question he had pondered ever since he beheld the carnage of war.
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Leaf Cemetery
As the evening descended, the village cemetery buzzed with activity as families laid their deceased to rest. The grave keeper scurried around, striving to assist everyone, yet he found himself lagging behind, prompting some to take up shovels and begin digging on their own.
In the midst of this somber scene, the group from the orphanage was immersed in the task of transferring Kirimoto's lifeless body to its final resting place.
Once the body was gently lowered into the freshly dug grave, the boys, with solemn expressions, took up shovels and began to pour sand from the nearby pile.
"May he rest in peace", all of the boys chanted as the last of the sand settled over Kirimoto's resting place.
A heavy silence enveloped the cemetery, broken only by the sounds of weeping and sorrow echoing throughout the grounds.
"Let's make our way back, everyone," Dai's voice cut through the solemn air, and the group from the orphanage followed his lead.
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Author's Notes:
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