*Year 50: A year and a few months after the Kyûbi attack*
The morning sun filtered through the thin rice paper curtains of a hospital room in Konoha. This room, located in the wing reserved for patients under special surveillance, was guarded by two jônin posted in front of the door. Their expressions were impassive, their posture rigid. The ninjas exchanged silent glances from time to time, vigilant to any eventuality.
Inside, the room was austere but functional. The walls, made of varnished wooden panels, had a warm hue, contrasting with the medical coldness of the place. A small latticed window let in soft light, barely illuminating the shelves where bandages, medicine vials, and herbalist tools were stored. In the center of the room was a low bed, surrounded by rudimentary machines using advanced medical techniques that combined ninja technology and traditional medical know-how.
On this bed lay a boy who appeared to be around ten years old. His entire body was wrapped in bandages, except for his face, where only his eyes, nose, and mouth were visible. He was immobile, as if frozen in time. Yet, behind this apparent calm, an inner struggle raged.
In the darkness of his mind, Dekamoshi, now known as Shikai, heard the echoes of his fragmented memories.
'Damn Shibai! I swear on my mother's name that I will destroy his clan, that son of a bitch!'
His anger boiled, but another inner voice, calmer and more pragmatic, took over.
'I must calm down again. The coming of an Otsutsuki is still far away. First, I must take control of this dimension.'
Gradually, the hazy memories of another life, another time, superimposed themselves on his current reality. And his two consciousnesses merged.
'It seems I have regained my memories... Argh... My body is still heavy.'
His consciousness began to emerge, and with it, an overwhelming sensation of pain.
His eyelids slowly lifted, his eyes meeting the dim light that seemed blinding. Each blink required a monumental effort, and his body, weighed down by bandages and injuries, seemed to refuse to obey him.
Sounds reached him, muffled, as if through a thick wall. Voices, close but indistinct, murmured outside the room. He squinted, trying to understand.
"...Uchiha? Izumi?" he murmured weakly, his voice hoarse and almost inaudible.
The sound of his own murmur echoed in the empty room. But he was not alone.
A silhouette approached the bed. It was a young girl, probably the same age as him. Her brown hair was slightly tangled, and dark circles emphasized her red eyes, characteristic of the Sharingan. Izumi Uchiha, who had been watching over him for months, startled as she saw him move slightly. Her sharingan activated on the spot.
"Shikai!" she exclaimed, jumping from her stool, her hands trembling with emotion.
Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. She leaned over him, unable to contain her relief.
"You're awake... You're finally awake..."
Before he could react, she threw herself on him, wrapping her fragile body in her arms in an awkward but warm embrace. Her lips found his forehead in a spontaneous, almost unconscious gesture, but filled with raw sincerity.
Shikai, though surprised, softly replied after a moment, his voice weak but firm:
"Izumi... Why am I here? What happened?"
She slightly straightened up, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her yukata.
"It's been months and months that you've been unconscious, Shikai. The Yondaime... he's dead. Kushina-sama is still in a coma. The village, in ruins since the Kyûbi attack, is starting to rebuild... I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this news."
These words, heavy with meaning, reached Shikai like a crushing wave. His gaze, previously tired, hardened slightly, revealing an inner pain much greater than that of his physical injuries.
He slowly raised a bandaged hand, trembling, to caress Izumi's cheek.
"Izumi... in the darkness of my consciousness, you were my light. Seeing your face today is a blessing. So, don't be sad. Smile a little more, okay?"
Izumi blushed slightly, her tears continuing to flow, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Okay."
"The village..." he murmured. "How is it doing? And Itachi? Shisui? Mikoto-san? The Uchiha clan? Do you know anything about the Nara clan?"
She nodded, taking a deep breath to answer.
"The village is under reconstruction, but things are complicated. Itachi is training even harder than before, and Shisui is a bit scarce with all the missions. Mikoto-san is doing her best to keep the clan united, but..."
She paused, hesitating.
"The clan is becoming more and more distant from the rest of the village. Many blame Konoha for their inaction during the Kyûbi attack... and Fugaku-sama seems very angry about it."
Shikai slightly nodded.
"And for the Nara clan... The former patriarch is dead, and it's your uncle Shikaku who has taken over."
"So that's it," Shikai sighed with sadness, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
'Everything is going as planned, there haven't been too many changes.'
Shikai motioned for Izumi to come closer, and they remained embraced for a few minutes.
Izumi continued, her voice softer as she blushed:
"Before, you were more..."
Shikai cut her off, his gaze turning towards the window where the mountains of Konoha were outlined on the horizon.
"Before facing death, I never knew that one had to cherish the person they love the most."
As Shikai spoke these nostalgic words full of love in a soft tone, his face was different. His expression was cold and indifferent. After all, who was he? He was a monster who had lived through thousands of years of genocide, using manipulation and perverse methods to achieve his goals. It was almost second nature, and at that moment, he had only his objective in mind. And this little Izumi was just a pawn of no importance on his path. A pawn that would be discarded the second she was no longer useful.
But for Izumi, who had not seen his facade, his words struck her full force. Her face turned red, and she opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, a loud noise was heard.