Chapter 65

[A/N: Here is Yushiro's appearance since I forgot to show it before.]

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"Alright, you can speak to your heart content since no one can hear us now." I said as I sat down in the living room situated inside Shiromari's body while my son did the same on the opposite side of the small round table

I then summoned two cups of tea out of habit since I came to this world before Yushiro could even start to speak, maybe it is because of my age but I truly enjoy such a drink from time to time, and talking sessions were the best ones for that.

You can also spill everything on your interlocutor if they say something surprising, a feat that I learned was actually possible to do.

Nevertheless, I had to stay serious because Yushiro's complexion was making me sure about one thing... I may have done something I shouldn't have in the future or the past of my future self... You get the idea.

"According to what we learned, we were sent twenty years into the past, is that right?" Yushiro first asked me to which I simply nodded in acknowledgment

"Then the war between Konoha, Suna, and Iwa is ongoing, am I wrong?" Yushiro continued to ask as he took a cup of tea in his hands

"It started a few years ago indeed." I replied as I also started to enjoy what I prepared for us to drink

When I said this, I saw him sigh as he massaged his temples, this made me curious but I was soon satiated as he declared "So you still haven't ended the war while you could have done so one or two years after it began?"

"I mean, if I di-" I tried to answer but Yushiro interrupted me by exclaiming "No, I don't want to hear your excuse, not before I've said everything that is weighing on my chest."

I closed my mouth and decided to hear him out as he started by saying "You know, you told me about Madara, Black Zetsu, the Ten-Tails, and the Ōtsutsuki Clan in the future... And what bugs me is to see that even though you are so strong in this era, you haven't tried anything yet... I mean, you still haven't gathered the Seven-Tails chakra right? I know that you waited for its next Jinchūriki, a kind girl to be honest and as hyperactive as Naruto, but for what reason? This simply forces you to wait for more than ten years!" which made me wonder as to how much I said to him as I sipped some tea in the middle of listening to stay calm

"You can get rid of Black Zetsu with your current strength, while gathering the missing tailed-beasts chakra this year would allow you not only to get stepmother out of her prison but to face the Ōtsutsuki Clan without sacrificing yourself!" he then declared which made me dumbfounded for various reasons as I spilled my drink to the side, sparing my son from it

"Stepmother? No, wait, me? Sacrificing myself? Did I die? What about Tsunade, Tsugumi, Kushi-" I let out as it was quite surprising news but he quickly interrupted me by exclaiming "Let me finish!"

"*Sigh* to answer your questions, yes you got Tsugumi and I a stepmother, and no, you didn't die... You are sealed by one of your own Jutsu with a certain bastard from space with you." he first explained to which I didn't ask anything more as I knew that he would continue

"The first reason for that situation was because this space-faring Ōtsutsuki Clan came sooner than you expected and with quite a lot of members too... And when it happened, you didn't recover the chakra of all the tailed beasts after unsealing Kaguya which made you weaker than you should have, and you ended up getting sealed because one of them had a Rinnegan ability you didn't know about." he proceeded to explain

"He could take over someone else's body once they looked into his eyes, but his ability isn't as weak as Black Zetsu's since he literally took the place of the one who got affected, without any trace of him left... And because of that, he took mom as a hostage and forced you to bargain for her life." he declared which made me clench my fist and quickly shut down my emotions to not accidentally hurt Yushiro with my killing intent

"As such, since he could switch bodies as his Rinnegan appeared on his current victim, you left yourself affected and freed mother who could hear everything and had a tearful face when she got her body back... And then used a seal on yourself without any way of escaping from inside the moment you lost control over your body, preventing him from killing us all." he finally said as he did his best to keep his own emotions from leaking

"If only... If only it stopped here... The seal you made, no one but you knew how to break it, and unfortunately, the Ōtsutsuki Clan wasn't fully taken care of. Stepmother had to fight them until her last breath, Kushina and the Yang half of Kurama died when they performed a technique I didn't get to learn the name, the same happened to Dai and Son Gokū who combined this technique with the Eighth Gate, and Yugito Nii and Matatabi for the same reason since they all decided to use that technique, Jiraiya died as well just before the war as he was the one they found first." he then revealed to me as he held back his tears that were both caused by sorrow and anger

"Minato lost the ability to use his legs, Gai cannot walk anymore as well, Sakumo is in a coma, Kakashi vanished, Shisui lost his eyes, and lastly, Konan and Chizu killed themselves after desperately trying to bring you back... As for mother, she isolated herself since then and keep on drinking endlessly, not caring about her health." he lastly added about the casualties that would happen in the future

"Then why would Naruto and Hinata act as if nothing happened? And didn't you tell me that Konan was the Jōnin leading you and that I was the one telling you to go to Rōran?" I asked since it didn't make sense for me

"I lied, that's why I kept on not looking into your eyes, so you wouldn't look into my mind. As for Hinata and Naruto, I guess I inherited your love for Genjutsu since I gave them fake memories until we get back to our forsaken future. I may not have inherited your second Mangekyô ability, but I still do well in Genjutsu." he clarified which made a lot of sense now since they seemed fine but I also understood why Kurama stayed asleep, he didn't want me to learn about everything from himself

"As for the one who told me about Rōran, it's uncle Orochimaru who became the Hokage against his will, at least until someone else wants to replace him. Shikuro is still alive and helps him as much as he can along with Shuzo and Hizashi, they are Konoha's elders and the Hokage's aid... As for Tsugumi, she's doing fine but our relationship worsened since that day, our ideals for a better future are completely different." he finally revealed as he told me what would happen to everyone I currently consider family or friends at that time

"...How long do you have to look at him in the eyes for the possession to work? And also, what proof do you have that no trace of him is left? I know that Dōjutsu's abilities can be busted, but to have such a strong skill..." I asked as I was staying calm since I inhibited my emotions

"It's instant, in fact, I know that you currently need one second of eye contact to activate Kunitokotachi, but once you awaken your eyes one level further, it will be instant... Unfortunately, you lost this power-up along with Suijin's when you revived Kaguya and had to regenerate the tailed beasts' chakra to get it back, and when they came... Let's say that you needed more time." he first explained as he had a disappointed look on his face

"As to how I know that he's not traceable, to put it simply you said yourself in the future that you couldn't feel anything from him when he took possession of mother, no physical trace, not even his soul or chakra signature, just his eyes and no signs of mom's mind anywhere, no matter how deep you peered inside her head." he explained as I was rubbing my chin while thinking about a potential solution

"If the only thing left of him is the eyes, then taking them off might solve this problem alongside killing... But that's only a random guess, and you won't be able to do it if he took over my body. In fact, you shouldn't unseal me if you find a way to do so... After all, in case he knows everything I do, you are all doomed if he gets back." I declared since it meant that he potentially got access to my wishes and knowledge

"That's why Tsugumi and I are not on good terms... She desperately tries to find a way of unsealing you and then beat you to death along with the culprit, before bringing you back to life with 'Impure World Reincarnation' so you can revive everyone, but I don't think that's possible... We can't beat you, no matter how much we train." he revealed which truly amazed me as to how stubborn Tsugumi was, but was still glad that she cared so much for me

"While you on the other hand choose to go back to the past and warn me so the future could change? You're even more of a gambler than your mother you know." I said as it was an extremely dangerous plan for him

"I know." he simply replied as he closed his eyes

"There might be another Yushiro born instead of you, or worse, you might no longer exist, or vanish when going back if I don't lock my memories." I added as my words were cold on purpose because of how dangerous it was for him

"I know." he replied again while a smile was present on his face "That's why Tsugumi does not want to talk with me anymore, while Naruto and Hinata accepted to join me but both were not as joyous as you saw, they don't know that I gave them fake memories yet, but I had to, considering how bad they are at acting."

"But I'm willing to disappear if it can bring mom's smile back, if it can bring back everyone who died simply because you postponed too much... A child shouldn't be the one taking care of his parent's mess, that's why I despise you for that, however, you are still my father, and I can't lie by saying that I don't love you nonetheless." Yushiro declared while keeping a beautiful smile on his face as he was holding back his tears with even more difficulties

"That's why... Stop wasting time and do what you should have done in a while... For me." he lastly said as the tea was already cold after our discussion

"I promise you I will." I replied as I made up my mind while he smiled before getting up from his chair since his objective was now achieved

But as he was now barely standing up, I did something he didn't expect and neither did I as I started to strongly hug him and as much as he tried to stay calm, it was enough for him to burst into tears.

"I-I don't want to disappear father... I don't want to be forgotten... I don't want to be replaced... I-I'm scared of going back." Yushiro mumbled as his voice broke down because of his current weakened mental state

My hug tightened as I heard his words but my mind was already set on thinking about a better outcome as I suggested "Say, son, I know that I'm not the best father in the world but... I might have an idea, as long as you trust me enough to try it."

:).

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"Once again, thank you for everything, Hokage-sama." the Queen of Rōran said as she slightly bowed

"It was nothing." I replied with a smile before we could shake hands

"Ara, my daughter is going to miss Hizashi-san now." Sēramu declared as she looked towards the two youngsters who continued to flirt even though we were saying our farewell

Eh, both became greatly embarrassed when we caught them... Now that I think about it, Neji won't be born if Hizashi ends up loving her.

*cough*

"It's time for us to get back to Konoha, if you ever need my help, just tear this piece of paper and voilà!" I announced as I gave her a special tag while she was once again grateful for what we have done

Just thinking about Mukade's face when he realized how he lived since the day he 'killed' Sēramu was making me smile, he literally had a heart attack without even having a heart.

Now Rōran could defend themselves with an army of puppets that only the royalty could order around, while we also have the Ryūmyaku as an emergency chakra supply since they allowed me to draw some from it.

And judging by how Sāra and Hizashi's relationship was progressing, Konoha and Rōran will get even closer.

"I hope that we won't need to use it to see each other again." she replied as she hid her smile with her hand

"I honestly doubt that we won't see each other in the future, maybe for a wedding." I played along with her one last time before we finally left the kingdom

'It's time for me to end the war' I thought as both Konan and I made wings to fly back to Konoha while Hizashi was mounting a small-sized Shiromari

I already sent Yushiro, Hinata, and Naruto back to their time after having another small discussion with my son, though he asked me if he could talk about something with Konan who seemed thoughtful since then, and because he promised me to not say anything about changing the future to her, I allowed it.

Nevertheless, I swore that I would get my hands on the last three Tailed Beasts' chakra I am still missing during this month.

Faster than I first intended, more specifically for the Seven-Tails, but my son's words and highly possible sacrifice were enough of a slap to understand what I should do.

It was time to get serious.