Chapter 13 : The Lost Tree of Fruits and Flowers

(The day after)

 "Congratulations again on your performance during the exam my child. Now, why did you ask to see me?" Hiruzen said taking a drag from his pipe while he and Obito were on top of the hokage mountain.

 "I'm not gonna beat around the bush, I 'd like to make a summoning contract with the monkeys" Hobito declared without much emotion and that attracted the curiosity of Hiruzen who asked him how he knew about the monkeys and Obito simply told him that this detail was in the information regarding Hiruzen in the bingo book.

Hiruzen looked at him before taking a deep breath closing his eyes and asked him to come to the Sarutobi estate tonight.

Obito thanked him and wanted to leave but Hiruzen challenged him to ask him what his plans really were and if he still hated the village as much as himself.

 "I don't hate the village, it's the heritage of the second lord and he gave his life defending it. The structures he created in Konoha helped shape the shinobi world as other villages took inspiration from his ideas. However, I hate the villagers for what they did to us, this hatred is definitive and I hate you even more for what you did to my clan for your vision of peace." Obito replied without hesitation in his voice.

 "Yet you are here…and so am I. I know you're strong, very strong so why don't you try anything against me?" Hiruzen asked him.

 "You participated in all three great shinobi wars and led Konoha to victory in two of those wars. You've certainly committed and caused atrocities but you haven't only done that, I hate you but I still know how to see things as a whole.

And then, even if I had the strength to kill you it wouldn't do me anything, your shame and your guilt have already been doing the work for years." Obito replied calmly.

 Hiruzen:…

 "If we're done then we'll see each other again tonight at your house..." Obito said before disappearing by Shunshin.

Hiruzen looked at the village thinking about what Obito had told him and he was assaulted by his memories as well as his own conscience.

 "(sighs) Minato, Kushina your son is really scary, his strength and intelligence kind of reminds me of my own sensei. Even his presence is similar to that of my teacher the Nidaime. How far will he go ?" Hiruzen wondered with a distant and thoughtful look.

 Obito was walking home when he felt himself being watched and followed by several people, he stopped to look in a certain direction in annoyance.

"Oi, the three clowns over there, your tracking is really messed up so no need to hide. Return to the hokage..." Obito said as three Anbu ninjas appeared a few meters in front of him.

 "Clowns ?! Kids are really cheeky these days" The first complained.

 " What did you expect from the Kyubi Receptacle twins ? These children have always been a nuisance. Why don't we kill him ? " The girl among the three men said with annoyance.

 "You two shut up. (to Obito) Kid, you need to come with us right away, someone wants to talk with you..." The last one who seemed to be the team leader said to Obito.

 "I just spoke with Sandaime just now so it's ridiculous that he wants to speak with me now. Who are you if you're not the Anbu under direct orders from the hokage ?" Obito asked removing his hands from his pockets in preparation if a fight broke out now.

The leader was about to give his men the order to neutralize him when immediately, their bodies began to spontaneously combust.

Red hot flames immediately appearing on them, the three high-ranking ninjas began to groan in pain and roll on the ground as if their bodies were really burning but it was only a genjutsu, the same genjutsu that Yakumo had thrown at Yamato during the flag test.

 Obito had composed the mudras at high speed and discreetly before even asking his followers to show themselves and he spread his Yin chakra to the sound of his voice to activate the technique.

This genjutsu was really effective and formidable because Obito himself had not been around for a while but for experienced Jonins to be affected by it demonstrated the power of this frightening technique and above all his Yin chakra.

 When they broke the Genjutsu, Obito was already far away and they knew that following him would only bring problems given the malice of the kid who'll certainly speak to the hokage.

Danzo had ordered them to withdraw immediately if they were discovered because of Hiruzen's reactions; insisting would provide more proof of the root's involvement while they had to be discreet.

 Later as planned, Obito found Hiruzen at the Sarutobi residence while the old man was having tea with his only living son, Asuma.

When Obito arrived, Asuma was very surprised to see him arrive at their house knowing his distant and introverted character, even the Jonins were talking among themselves about the cadets and Obito despite his age promised to be a real monster of power so he was sometimes a subject of conversation and observation.

 Faced with his son's curiosity and surprise, Hiruzen explained why Obito was there and knowing that Obito wanted to make a summoning contract with the monkeys just like their clan relieved him for some reason he didn't know.

Hiruzen left Obito with Asuma and returned with a large scroll, as big as that of the forbidden techniques and unwrapped it to reveal a series of contracts inscribed on it.

 "Spatio-temporal transfer seals ? They look backwards but still functional." Obito said examining the seals with interest, he was an Uzumaki after all.

 Hiruzen: Oh! You seem to have mastered Fuinjutsu very well. What rank have you reached now ?

Obito : Highest, it wasn't very complicated.

Hiruzen :... 

" Are you going to summon one of the monkeys or should we go establish the contract there" Obito asked nonchalantly.

 "We'll go, Monkey King Enma is an old friend and an ancient being of this world as well as being a king so we owe him respect. Get on the scroll, I can't wait to introduce him to you . (to Asuma) I'll be back soon, son..." He said while he and Obito were on the scroll.

The old man bit his thumb before performing a few mudras then placing his hand on the parchment and immediately, the two disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

 When they reappeared, Obito and Hiruzen were on what looked like a gigantic branch of a huge tree, the tree was so big that other trees were growing on it, trees with abundant fruit and magnificent flowers.

 " What is this place ?" Obito asked completely intrigued as suddenly several large or small monkeys arrived there, they were wearing clothes for the bigger ones and only the smaller ones who seemed to be their offspring were wearing nothing.

 " Wow ! Hiruzen Sarutobi himself, last time you were here your hair was completely black..." A large ape smoking a pipe said pushing aside the other apes in his path, Hiruzen looked at him smiling.

 "Ryosaru!! It's a pleasure to see you again, you on the other hand haven't aged at all…" Hiruzen said happily as he approached the monkey.

 "Ah, we who have reached the higher grades of the Enbu have a very long lifespan. Who's this child? Why are you here ?" Ryosaru asked while taking a drag from his pipe.

 "We come to see King Enma, this extremely talented young shinobi wants to make a summoning contract." He told Ryosaru who asked them to follow him after looking at Obito for a moment .

They walked on a long spiral path along the gigantic trunk of the tree while Hiruzen was chatting with Ryosaru and suddenly a small red monkey jumped up to latch onto Obito's shoulder to start lice in his hair making cute little noises. Obito didn't do anything, he loved animals a lot... 

 They finally came to the largest branch near the top at the base of this branch there was a door that led inside the trunk of the gigantic tree where they saw several warrior monkeys that seemed really strong even for Obito watching them as they walked as they greeted Hiruzen and Ryosaru.

Finally, they arrived in front of Enma lying nonchalantly smoking his pipe on a large throne of vines and magnificent flowers while in the room the dozens of monkeys who were feasting on fruits, meat and alcohol. The room fell silent as they saw human strangers. 

 The little monkey sitting on Obito's shoulders jumped from there to Enma who took him in his arms.

 "HIRUZEN! It's been over a decade since we last saw each other, since I helped you push Kyubi away from Konoha kahahahahah...you have aged my child..." Enma said as Sarutobi and Obito greeted him respectfully , Enma had an aura of power that surprised Obito himself.

This monkey was strong and he wondered if it wasn't one of the legendary tailed beasts given the phenomenal amount of chakra he felt coming from him.

 "I see that my grandson likes you, he doesn't like contact with others except me or his parents. What's your name kid ?" Enma asked Obito while petting the cub affectionately clinging to him.

 "Obito Uzumaki, I'd like to make a summoning contract with your people ô King Enma…" Obito said humbly looking at Enma who took another drag from his pipe.

 "Uzumaki ?! It's been a long time since I met a member of your clan, kid. (to Hiruzen) This kid knows etiquette and I sense an incredible amount of chakra from him, even for an Uzumaki. He easily competes with the three-tailed beast in terms of chakra for now." Enma told Hiruzen completely shocked who looked at Obito himself surprised.

This monster knew it had a lot of chakra but not how much and Enma could see it easily after a short observation. This only confirmed Tobirama's words, the monkeys were at a scary level. 

 "My old friend, this boy is a truly talented shinobi and his prowess is already at Jonin level. I know that you monkeys are very selective in your choice of contracts and young Uzumaki is truly an exceptional candidate." Hiruzen said respectfully.

 "Kiiii Kiiiii" The little monkey cried out before stealing a fruit from his grandfather's table to eat it on Obito's shoulder to whom he shared the fruit.

 "Well, it looks like little Tenma really likes him. It's rare for a member of my people to choose their trusted companion at this age. (to Obito) Kid, if you ever take the wrong path and want to use us then I'll kill you myself..." Enma said looking Obito in the eyes before sending his subjects to get some good liquor for themselves. Drink excellent alcohol was a tradition for a new contract with a promising shinobi.

Obito ended up signing the summoning contract and learned about the Monkey Kingdom, this tree was called the Lost Tree of Fruits and Flowers.

According to Enma, monkeys were the most complete in terms of ninja skills because they were physically and intellectually closer than men in addition to having accumulated more experience.

 Enma was almost 2000 years old and his first three children were over 1000 years old, they were the San Saru the three wisdom monkeys. With Enma their father, they had gathered human knowledge to perfect it for centuries.

Enma had brought his children, they felt infinite and terrifying potential in Obito. First, Mizaru was the eldest, a blind female who had perfected the path of ninja science and medicine in the animal world, she was said to be a great friend of lady Katsuyu.

Then, Kikazaru the second who was deaf and had mastered the ways of ninjutsu as well as Genjutsu, he had perfect mastery of the elemental transformation of chakra.

Finally, Iwazaru the mute who was the undisputed master of Enbu, the path of close combat with mastery of Taijutsu and weapons of all kinds.

 Hiruzen came to greet the three sages with immense respect, especially Kikazaru who had been a teacher for him alongside Hashirama and Tobirama, it was especially thanks to this monkey master that he had achieved exceptional mastery of the five elements, a terrifying mastery that gave him the title of god of shinobi.

 "My daughter, where is your husband? " Enma asked as Tenma the little monkey rushed towards Mizaru his mother.

 "Father, for two years my husband Wukong has been meditating to reach, according to him, the state above the sky…" Mizaru said smiling with her eyes closed.

 Obito: Wukong ?

 "He is the fourth sage, my son-in-law and the future monkey king. A braggart self-proclaimed Great Sage above the sky, he mastered the senjutsu path. He's a genius even among us and the problem child of our species." Enma said exhaustedly.

 "My child, you must choose who among the wise will be your teacher…Kikazaru was mine here, his wisdom is great and his teaching clear." Hiruzen said as he placed his hand on Obito's shoulder.

 "I'll follow the teaching of all of them..." Obito said calmly with confidence while everyone was shocked by this statement, no human had been able to perfectly follow more than two of the four sages' paths .