The System's Power and My Plan

On a large desolate expanse of rocks, my body rested against the hard ground, blood seeping out the fatal wound on my chest. A man with black hair and red plated armor, similar to my own, stood beside me, his expression difficult.

It was my final duel against Hashirama, where I first died in the Shinobi World.

"Is that you, Hashirama? I guess neither you nor I could achieve what we wanted," I spoke quietly, a slight smile on my face.

Hashirama kneeled before speaking. "It's never that easy. Our job is to do all we can while we're alive and then bequeath the rest for future generations to accomplish."

I chuckled. "So naive... as usual. You... were... always... optimistic. But perhaps.. that is the correct path. My dream.. was squashed. But your dream.. still lives on."

Blood began pooling in my lungs, speaking becoming more and more difficult.

He sighed before speaking, his words slow. "We were both too hasty. We didn't need to fulfill our dreams ourselves. It was more important to cultivate those who would come after us, to whom we could entrust our dreams."

"Which means I would've failed anyway. Since I've always hated someone... standing behind me..." I lightly laughed before sputtering as blood threatened to spill from my mouth.

Hashirama began smiling as he spoke. "When we were kids, you once said we're shinobi, and we don't know when we'll die. And that for neither side to die, we'd both have to reveal what's inside of us and pour each other drinks to toast like brothers. But we're both about to die. Right now, we can drink together, as war buddies."

"War buddies... huh? Well... I guess... that's okay..."

My vision changed right as I died.

It was no longer the barren wasteland of me and Hashirama's legendary battle but rather near a familiar forest.

It was after the deadly fight against the Senju, specifically Tobirama.

In my arms was the focus of everything important to me.

Izuna Uchiha.

"Take my eyes, brother," he quietly spoke. "We both have nearly lost the light, and my time has come."

"No, stop speaking, Izuna. We can still live in a world of peace where constant war no longer prevails. Together, with the Senju, lasting peace can finally be obta-"

"NO!" Izuna gripped my arm, his hands shaking as he voiced his disapproval. "The Uchiha Clan can never trust the Senju. We have lost too much to forget about our generations of suffering and war. What has Hashirama told you? They are lies, LIES, LIES, LIES!!! THE UCHIHA CLAN SHALL NEVER SUBMIT TO THE SENJU'S!!!"

He spoke with sudden and intense desperation, his face full of anger and pain despite him being on his final breaths.

My hesitation in working with the Senju began to diminish, all thoughts of compromise slowly being lost as I listened to my brother's last words.

"Brother! You mustn't talk too much." I paused. "I understand, brother. This world, this worthless reality... I will build a place where winning and losing do not matter. A world where losing loved ones is not our only path to power. A world where peace is truly everlasting."

☙☙☙☙☙ <Present>

I awoke, my body drenched in sweat.

I slowly thought of my goals in this new world.

"Izuna, you are right. Peace, it's possible. But only if I succeed in my plan. The Infinite Tsukuyomi, the Eye of the Moon plan."

I gripped my hand as I climbed out of bed.

"I must return to the Shinobi World as soon as possible and bring forth a world where peace exists everywhere."

"Juubi... I must return to collect the tailed beasts. Hashirama, are you still alive? I will show you that my dreams have not yet gone. Together, with the Uchiha Clan, we will force a world of everlasting peace."

I needed a way to return to the Shinobi World.

"How?! How do I return? How?!"

I turned to the only thing that could have a way. Something so powerful I, myself, cannot see the possibilities of.

I spoke out in desperation.

"System, how do I return to the Shinobi World."

"..."

I sighed. What did I expe-

[That function is currently locked.]

My eyes bulged as I stared at the blue screen. The System... it could answer questions?

"Who are you, System?!" I spoke aloud.

[That information is currently unavailable.]

"Are you a person, System?!"

[No.]

"Are you... a god?"

[No.]

"Do gods exist?"

[That information is currently unavailable.]

"Are you a god's creation?"

[That information is currently unavailable.]

"Why is that information unavailable?"

[Your privilege level is too low.]

"How do I increase my privilege level?"

[By fulfilling the System's missions.]

My eyes narrowed, and I instantly tensed.

"Are you the will of something?"

This was an important question. If it did, the System might have been a way of controlling me.

[No.]

"Then what is your purpose?"

[To unite the @!*$(@! energies.]

The System spoke something utterly incoherent to me. Its words glided from one ear to the other, almost as if the information was forbidden to be said.

I asked the System the question again.

"What is your purpose?"

[To unite the @!*$(@! energies.]

Once again, I could not understand the words at all. It did not even feel like a different language or that I had trouble hearing it. It felt like something my mind could not simply process, something I could not know. A slight headache began forming.

I asked it again.

"What is your purpose?"

[To unite the @!*$(@! energies.]

This time, my nose began bleeding.

'What... is my body unable to handle the System's words?'

I did not feel any pain, but I felt something wrong deep within me. However, I also felt something different. As if... I was slowly beginning to understand.

I once again asked it again for the final time.

"What is your purpose?"

[To unite the @!*$(@! energies.]

My eyes, ears, and mouth all began pouring blood at this moment.

'SHIT!'

I immediately poured chakra into my cells, activating the fully integrated Hashirama cells within me. However, it was of no use. The feeling of wrongness deep within me strengthened, and blood poured out of my body as if my body were rejecting my very existence.

Several minutes later, it stopped.

Even with Hashirama's cells rapidly giving rise to new cells and blood, I had almost died.

'What in the world...'

However, I felt a little different. As if the constant exposure to the forbidden knowledge changed me a little.

"System, what happened to me?"

[That information is currently unavailable.]

"Sigh... System, how do I unlock the function to return to the Shinobi World?"

[Complete the System missions dedicated to this world.]

I hurriedly asked again.

"How do I obtain these System missions?"

[You must reside in this world for ten years. Time as a fetus does not count.]

'So only a few more months, and I will be able to find a way to return. Finally.'

However, I had no intention of wasting away that time. Before that, I will prepare for the System's missions by building an identity where I can move freely. My current identity as an Uchiha family member is hindering me.

'I need a separate identity. An identity where the things I do will not be able to trace back to my true one. An identity that would fulfill its purpose in giving me freedom.'

I paced around the room.

'I need to create an identity, or rather a group, whose motivations will be unknown to the public—a group of powerful but anonymous members and abilities that cannot be traced back to me.'

An image of a certain orange-haired boy flashed through my mind. Then I had a sudden eureka moment.

'I shall also bring forth the plan I originally had for the Shinobi world into this world.'

'This group... I shall name it Akatsuki.'

'And its members... a group of powerful and trustworthy people with differing powers, the only group I can think of... is myself. Specifically, several clones of myself.'

'Each clone will utilize a differing skillset of mine. Each will have a different identity, a different personality, and a different appearance. Their origins will be untraceable.'

'I must begin planning now.'

I have to create a unique and believable persona for each member of Akatsuki in order to make the scheme as successful as possible.

'Multiple Wood Release Clone Technique.'

I began slowly sculpting the appearance of each 'member' of Akatsuki. I will have each clone train their new persona's, becoming a whole different person.

I teleported to the training room using Kamui.

'Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.'

Hundreds of shadow clones appeared before me, awaiting my orders.

"All of you shall solely dedicate yourselves to developing each Akatsuki member: what power they shall have, their appearance, personality, past... everything. You shall create into this world a perfect tool of manipulation. The Akatsuki."

The shadow clones, who already understood my intent, quickly got to work.

'Akatsuki shall be my vehicle for completing the System's goals.'

'Perhaps, in the meantime, I can use them to bring a few talented people to my side.'

I smiled in anticipation.