Chapter 34

'Cold' I thought with my eyes closed as my whole body seemed to be laying somewhere icy

But weirdly enough my head wasn't on something cold but leaned on something warm and... Soft?

'Yet my whole body is aching' I thought before opening my eyes

"...Eh?" was all I muttered as a face I didn't see in a while was looking at me from above

"You finally woke up?" a sweet voice asked as I felt a hand caress my cheek

"Hum, y-yeah." I let out like an idiot before thinking 'No wait this is wrong!'

I suddenly tried to lean my body upward but I felt a sudden pain in my chest and a hand prevented me from moving further.

"Don't, you have yet be healed." the pale-skinned woman said as she made me lay back on her tights

Calming myself, I looked at her and asked "Why do you take care of me like that?"

She didn't answer directly making the situation a bit awkward but finally answered "I've been watching you since the day you first came here."

"How can you..?" I asked curious about it

"I don't really know how either, but since the day you got your hand on that branch and came here, I can see what you are doing and saying when I close my eyes." she replied while brushing some of my hair in her hand

'That's a privacy violati-' I cut off my thought when I realized something and mumbled "Wait when you said everything did you, hum... You know..."

She tilted her head to the side not understanding what I was referring to.

'The way she acts as a caring mother and an innocent child is remarkable' I thought before resuming where I cut off "You know when Tsunade and I are...Procreating?" I said embarrassed that she would be watching every time... And there were a lot of times.

"I do. Is that something wrong?" she replied completely innocently

'Of course it is! Come on, you got two kids and that previous lover of yours didn't teach you anything?!' I thought completely dumbfounded by the new

Now I'm going to feel weird when we will do it...

But maybe she lost such common sense by being sealed for so long and not 'feeling' what humans should.

I don't know how miserable it is to not feel anything for a thousand years, but I felt the effect of suppressing my emotions completely in times I shouldn't have and how bad it could be...

"Such an unfortunate woman..." I let out without paying attention

Realizing that my words left my mouth I thought 'Sh*t' but was stunned to see her surprised expression and tears unknowingly flowing from her eyes.

'Her mental state is seriously damaged' I thought as I looked at her who didn't even understand why tears fell from her face

Her eyes became colder as she said in a fierce tone "What did you do to me..?"

"Nothing. What you are experiencing right now is completely normal, well for humans, and isn't harmful at all I swear." I said trying to calm her down because she could become aggressive at any moment

"And if you watched me then you saw this happen to me too, isn't that right?" I added successfully calming her

'She can kill me at any moment and I don't know if dying here would really kill me but I don't want to gamble on that one'

"... Your eyes, they changed today." she declared by initiating a different subject

A sigh of relief escaped my mouth before replying "Yes they did... I said that I would become strong enough to help you, haven't I? I feel like I'm only halfway through what I can achieve... But it should be over in at most twenty years."

'I need to wait for Madara's death and only then will I approach Nagato who would have his Rinnegan and get some of its chakra'

"I also saw that you could develop chakra yourself that isn't yours at first... How is that possible?" she asked again back with her gentle tone

'She must be talking about the Eight and Nine-Tailed Beasts chakra' I thought as it was the only ones I have for now

"I don't really know, but I can transform one 'energy' into another that I at least got my hand on as well as passively generate a certain amount of it... And with that I will be able to get you out of your castle without decimating the whole planet, at least that's the solution I found." I explained while lying for the first part

"Then aren't you like a living chakra fruit?" she declared making me a bit alarmed

"I guess..? Just don't eat me up alright it won't work that way!" I replied jokingly

But when I expected her to not express anything, she smiled which left me amazed at how gorgeous it made her.

'No Yuichi you can't think about someone else!' I thought while slightly suppressing my emotions

I didn't understand why I am acting so strange when I'm in this place... Something is wrong for sure.

"If you can make chakra yourself, my kind would do everything to get their hands on you... I can't let that happen." she replied while being completely serious again as if her smile never occurred

'Well I intend to take care of them, not being their slave'

"Also... I saw those humans you slaughtered. How humanity stayed the same and slay each other for nothing." she said as she talked about what they did to Uzushiogakure who simply wished to live peacefully

"I guess they didn't change in a thousand years... I will be honest with you once again, it's impossible for humans to not have conflicts between them... Only by being ruled by someone stronger would they avoid fighting against each other, scared of the consequences." I said acknowledging what she did to stop conflict back then

She tried to achieve god-like power to prevent war from taking place ever again, and it worked... Until her sons' betrayal.

Thinking back to that I couldn't help but ask "I'm sorry to ask about that but... Why did your sons betray you exactly?"

Her emotions didn't break thankfully as she replied "I... Used living humans to nurture the God Tree and create an army of mindless puppets." while looking at the horizon, reminiscing her past albeit a little

"Did you use innocent peoples?" I asked curious about it

"I used my whole country population since they tried to hunt me down." she replied with disgust about them

'Some may have been innocent but why would I care'

"Then you did nothing wrong... You needed an army to protect the rest of us didn't you?" I said looking warmly at her as she shifted her gaze on me again

"...Yes." she shortly replied before adding "You try to become a one-man army yourself, don't you?" surely talking about the pollen and Triffids

"The pollen might be useful because they would have to face what they are scared to fight or currently thinking about and do not need human lives to be used." I explained as she started to like the idea

"You intend to destroy the villages of those who you just slaughtered right?" she asked me again

"Indeed... Maybe not killing every single one of them but weakening them so much that they couldn't be a threat for Konoha. I can't stay and do nothing after killing both of their leaders." I first explained before adding "And they will take care of the destruction themselves as a punishment. I won't interfere."

'She wishes for peace but doesn't mind me slaughtering others' I wondered

I don't know why she doesn't mind about what I did and would do, maybe since I said that I would help her, she doesn't care about how I do it exactly and consider every death as a small price.

'Well the Infinite Tsukuyomi would, in a way, kill everyone so what I do is like a 'lesser evil' kind of thing'

I also wonder if I will confront her sons someday... But the biggest issue, for now, is Black Zetsu.

As I wished to say something else I saw that my body started to light up.

"It looks like you are waking up... It was a pleasure talking with you again, Yuichi." she said with a gentle and caring voice

I smiled and replied "It's the same for me... But if you could not pe-" but it was too late as my body vanished from here

"Could not..? It shouldn't be something important. I will keep watching you from here, only by doing this do I feel alive again." she said as she closed her eyes

====================

'Last time I was inside Kaguya's realm it lasted a single instant and drained me of my chakra... I don't feel like it was the same' I guessed as I had the sensation of going back to my body

'Hm? Everything feels warm and cozy around me' I thought, finally feeling my surrounding

'Something is pressed on me too' I thought before slowly opening my eyes and staring right into a white ceiling

"That's the hospital, isn't it... Not a place I wanted to see again..." I said before trying to lean my body upward

But as I did I saw Tsunade sleeping to my side with my arm completely stuck between hers.

Looking at her beautiful face I saw both reddened eyes and dark circles.

Sensing me moving, she awakened and raised her head until she saw me look at her.

"Hey Tsun-" I tried to talk but she suddenly embraced me strongly as if she never wanted me to leave

"Y-you are awake..." she muttered in between sobs "I-I'm so glad..." she added with tears now falling on my naked chest

'I really can't falter for someone else when I have her unless she agrees to it' I thought before slowly hugging her back saying "There, there... Everything is fine now..." while rubbing her back gently

"W-what would I do i-if you were gone..." she muttered still resting her head in my chest

I took her chin with my hand and raised her head toward my face before saying "Hey, I told you I would never die... Just a bit wounded and mostly exhausted." as I gazed into her eyes before leaning my head prompting a kiss

"Mh..!" she let out with a muffled voice as she kissed me back while moving her arms around my neck, tears still slowly falling from her eyes

I used my hands to wipe her tears as we were still kissing and only after what seemed to be a long time for us our lips parted, a trail of saliva still connecting both of us.

As we gazed at each other she asked "What did you do this time?" with a lovely voice while she held my hand strongly between hers

"Shiromari didn't tell you?" I asked back a bit surprised

"Well..." she said before looking at the door which was getting opened

I then saw three figures entering the room consisting of Hiruzen, Mito, and Kushina who had a chibi Shiromari on her shoulder.

When Kushina saw me, her eyes began wettening before hurrying at me and hugging me with all her might.

As she started to cry I ruffled her hair slowly before looking at Tsunade and moved my mouth silently to ask 'Does she knows?'.

Tsunade nodded at my doubt so I looked at the little girl crying on me and said "I'm sorry I couldn't prevent Uzushiogakure destruction... I couldn't save most of your clansmen... I couldn't save your parents and... I couldn't save Oyama." full of guilt and grief mostly for the last part

'I was convinced that the tag would be enough... Oyama giving it to Kushina was out of my intuition'

"It's...not y-your fa-fault." she said while stuttering before adding "I-If you died too... its w-what I was worried a-about the most..."

"Thank you, Kushina." I said with a bright smile as I continued to ruffle her hair

I then looked toward Grandma and saw her worried gaze for me but also one of grief for what happened to her Clan.

Shifting my gaze to Hiruzen, he had a grave look as he said "Once you feel like talking, tell me what truly happened back there." before adding "I'm glad you are back safely too, Yuichi." with a smile

Shiromari was still on Kushina shoulder and when I shifted my gaze to him he seemed to understand what I wanted, as always, so I used the 'Eye Mind Reading Technique' to not just know what he was thinking about but to delves into his memories to see what he did since I fell unconscious.

I saw him swallow me and bring me to a room where he laid me on a bed to let my body slowly heal itself, closing the hole I had in the chest.

He then picked up every seed that was left around to not let them go to waste as well as swallowing the bodies of each Kumo shinobi he could find and dived back into the sea toward Uzushiogakure.

He arrived in front of the barrier while shapeshifting into me, and asked permission from the Guardian, who was Kushina's mother, to talk with the people inside without forgetting to say that he was my Summon and not actually me.

Only her mind was still standing so she could understand easily, and when he showed her my unconscious body, she approved his access.

He then explained the same thing to everyone inside and told them that all invaders were now dead, but nothing was left from the village except them.

While everyone was both glad to be saved but miserable about the loss, the guard who I gave the lead asked what should they do now.

So Shiromari said what I wanted, by telling them that he could bring the whole library and the people inside with him to Konoha, and inside the Senju Clan mostly empty compound, only if the barrier is dissipated.

But the barrier faded by itself while a weak voice said 'Thank you' and marked the passing of the Guardian who agreed to let the library be transferred.

I was delighted to see my Storage Chameleon swallow a whole building with living beings inside without forgetting to give first aid and food.

He then traveled back to Konoha by flying and entered while taking my appearance before rushing to the Senju Clan compound to look for Mito, changed back into himself, and released every Uzumaki Clan member still alive in the garden.

Tsunade heard the commotion and arrived confused, he then explained that Uzushiogakure was assaulted by Kiri and Kumo and the only ones who left the place alive were here.

She asked worryingly where I was and he replied that I got injured but more importantly fell unconscious because of exhaustion.

Without wasting any time she asked Shiromari to bring me to the hospital so she would take care of me, while Mito started asking questions to the survivors letting Tsunade do what she does the best.

Kushina only arrived later and remained with Mito hearing what transpired at her village, before learning about what happened to me.

'He didn't say that I killed two Kage for now' I thought as I stopped looking into his head, and everything was instantaneous so I looked back at Hiruzen and said "I will need to talk about what happened with you indeed." before shifting my gaze to Mito and added "I think we will have a discussion later too, Grandma."

She smiled at me and said "For now you should rest... Thank you again for what you did, Yuichi." before leaving along with Hiruzen

I then turned myself to Tsunade and Kushina and suggested "So, should we go grab something to eat?" with a smirk

"You are not allowed to leave your bed until I say so." Tsunade replied, not as a wife but as a medical-nin

'If she ever learns that I was wounded because I only used Taijutsu against the Raikage I'm done for'

Until I was wounded that is...

"Not ev-" I tried to bargain but was cut off "No. I will bring you what you need and that's it." she declared, making Kushina giggle when she saw my disappointed expression

'At least it made the mood better' I thought by smiling slightly