It Begins

Year 3 A.N.B. December 30 ~ 10:30 P.M ~ Underground Bunker

Menma had already sent Naruto to bed, it was time for him to start training his Kage Bushin in secret.

He concentrated on creating a projection of himself right next to him after calculating the amount of chakra needed and weaving the correct hand signs, an exact copy of him appeared but there was a problem, it was just an illusionary projection, not a real physical copy of him.

'Hm, what exactly is that I'm missing in here?'

He took a moment to reevaluate Shisui's instructions.

'Yin Release and Yang release, huh? If I want to create a true Bushin, I must use Yang release instead...'

While Yin release uses spiritual energy, Yang release uses physical energy. He remembered how mixing them the Creation of all things jutsu was possible. Strangely enough, the chakra was also created through mixing physical and spiritual energy.

After many attempts, he fell with his back on the ground, frustrated. 

'Damn... what am I doing wrong? Chakra is made of both spiritual and physical energy so why I'm having trouble turning them into the jutsu I want? It was so easy to create the ordinary clones...'

Menma sprawled on the cold floor of the underground bunker, frustration etched across his face from the failed attempts at mastering the elusive shadow clone jutsu.

With a huff, Menma laid back, staring up at the unforgiving ceiling. His breath lingered in the stagnant air as he contemplated the seemingly unattainable skill. The bunker, once a refuge from the outside world, now felt like a cage amplifying his frustration.

In this moment of defeat, a soft tapping echoed, the sound of water droplets heralding the intrusion of nature into his secluded domain. The bunker, untouched for years, was succumbing to the relentless assault of time and weather.

As the cool droplets landed on his face, Menma's frustration shifted to contemplation. The rhythmic pattern became a counterpoint to his racing thoughts, a reminder that even in mastery, nature would find its way through the cracks. The dance of water on his face mirrored the dance of chakra he sought to control.

With newfound determination, Menma rose, acknowledging the metaphorical storm both outside and within. The bunker, once a fortress, now embraced the vulnerability of impermanence. And in that vulnerability, perhaps, lay the key to unlocking the jutsu that had eluded him.

And he was right, some of them fell right next to him and made him turn his head to the side and glimpse something that would change his vision.

A small sprout of a plant growing out of the crack of the old bunker's ground.

'A small form of life, which is projected out of given conditions and the flow of water that is formless and shapeless...' He pondered as an idea clicked in his mind.

'Chakra was not only the conjunction of physical and spiritual energy but also the result of the co-work of both body and mind while channeled through the hand signs to bring forth the desired jutsu...'

The droplets of water were blue, the earth was yellow and the sprout was green. To bring forth his new jutsu he would mix chakra blue, the seal yellow, and the resulting jutsu green.

'It's like how the sage of six paths's powers got divided when he had his sons. Indra inherited the mind and spiritual energy while Ashura inherited the body and physical energy. Not only that, but this concept also comes with the Nine tails. While Naruto's counterpart is mostly physical energy, and it's more susceptible to listening to Naruto, the one inside me is made up of more spiritual energy and has the will of the beast....'

'Life and death; physical and spiritual; body and mind...' Menma contemplated profoundly to come up with a realization.

'If I want to create a tangible clone, I need to properly divide my chakra by projecting the form with my mind and sending the right amount of my physical energy from my body into that projection to give form to the clone...'

He concentrated body and mind, mixed the physical and spiritual energy within him, imagined the projection of a few clones, and divided equally the chakra between them and the result appeared right next to him, three clones were perfectly created.

'I see, it was never really the sole work of one energy but the co-work of both. Yin and yang in here forms yin-yang, a new creation...'

'Imagine what you desire while giving it the conditions of halving your chakra, and bang, my new jutsu is done'

'But why only three? I imagined more. His chakra coils are still in development but when Naruto fought Mizuki, he was able to create hundreds of clones. Being a Uzumaki should grant me the ability to easily create much more...'

Menma tried to remember anything in the series that could be the cause of this discrepancy until he remembered a certain detail in the later chapters of the classic series that could go unnoticed and could contain the possible answer to this problem.

He remembered that in a certain chapter where Shikamaru fought Tayuya, her summons released a very peculiar technique derived mostly from spiritual energy. To balance that lack of physical energy, they consumed it from their targets.

So what could be happening here is that the Nine-Tails is feeding on his great physical energy given that it's separated from his other half, and lacking most of its physical energy.

This could also explain why during the academy, Naruto had trouble creating yin-release clones but was so successful at first making yang-release clones once he learned it from the scroll...

He remembered the scene where Minato by sealing the same half of the beast he had into himself, his body went numb from the weight of its powerful chakra.

'It must have immediately drained him of his physical energy... No wonder Uzumakis were chosen to be the Jinchuriki of this beast...'

'Well, whatever. For now, this is what I have and it will have to do.' He thought, resigning himself.

"You three, we begin some sparring sessions now and later, transformation jutsu training..." 

The clones nodded and entered a fighting stance.

Year 4 A.N.B. January 1 ~ 8:00 A.M ~ Home

It was the first day of the month and a new year. Today was also the day that the Hokage usually came to leave money for them to use during the month and before they knew it, a knock was heard on the door.

Menma opened the door although reluctantly and ended up face-to-face with the old Hokage.

"Hey there, little one, I hope you've been doing well."

"I'm doing great," He replied bluntly.

"Is that so? Where's your brother?"

At the moment he asked, a figure came rushing to the door.

"Old man!" Naruto called out as he braked his legs upon arriving. 

"Hi Naruto, it's good to see you. I hope you've been taking good care of each other so far."

"We're fine, old man. Menma's been taking care of me ever since that bad woman left."

"He's been, eh?" Hiruzen spoke, glancing at the mentioned with an inquisitive stare, and then took a moment to look around the place.

"This place... is much cleaner than I remember and organized too. Which one of you cleaned it? I take it that it was you, Menma?"

Before the mentioned one could speak, an excited Naruto replied in its place.

"You've got no idea, old man! He does everything around here. He even made traps for the roaches that were infesting the house!"

"Really? I see you're very meticulous and responsible for your age, Menma. Your parents would've been proud of you"

At the mentioned, Menma felt the need to glare at the old man in front of him while Naruto simply looked down, feeling conflicted.

"Hey old man, you still won't tell me about my dad and mom?" Naruto asked abruptly which made Menma widen his eyes and tilt his head staring directly at him as if asking him what the hell he was doing but only received a determined look from Naruto.

Hiruzen simply turned and stared the kid in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Naruto. As I've told you, although it has been quite some time ago..."

"That's not what I'm asking, old man! I know about the attack of the Nine-Tailed fox spirit! What I want to know is, who were my parents, what kind of people were they?" Naruto cried out, his voice carrying a desperate plea for an answer.

Hiruzen stared intently at the kid before him before signing, "There's no use asking about that; it won't bring back the dead, Naruto." He spoke, avoiding the question before turning his back and leaving towards the door of the apartment.

Menma gazed with dissonance at the departing figure of the old Hokage heading towards the door.

"How can someone who claims to consider everyone in the village his family and yet, treat Naruto like this and let people like Orochimaru and Danzo who are traitors to their village run amok?" Menma asked within his mind, avoiding getting angry; he didn't forget the warning he received from the Nine Tails, he had to hold back his resentment.

'Did it cost anything to you to say, they were very kind people and loved you very much?'

'Hiruzen's mercy is only for those with a subscription to the 'Criminal and Traitor Deluxe' plan. Naruto gets the short end, but Orochimaru and Danzo? They practically get VIP treatment. The village's 'beloved family' narrative conveniently skips a few members, huh? Will of fire my ass...'

"Oh, I was already forgetting. This is this month's living expenses, I expect you to take good care of it, Menma." He spoke as he left an envelope at the top of the kitchen table and left the apartment.

Menma stared back at Naruto who looked at the ground frustrated.

"I've told you everything about our parents before, why waste time asking him? You know he's not gonna answer"

Naruto clenched his fists with all the strength his little body could muster.

"I know! But I want to hear it from him, Menma. I want to hear from the very person who swore on my mother's death that he would take care of us!"

"He did swear it on her deathbed but truthfully, he doesn't owe us any real special treatment."

"But you said that mother received special treatment as the host of the Nine Tails!"

"I never said, "special treatment"; she went through hardships Naruto. She was confined within a barrier so that her powers wouldn't go haywire, that's what." 

'I kinda wished I had some way to prevent the Nine-Tails from going wild unintentionally myself right now...'

"You're always speaking bad of the old man to me but now you're defending him?!"

"I'm not defending him!" Menma exploded, he would never defend someone like Hiruzen. 

But he always asked if the old man hated Naruto deep down, somehow, maybe for believing he was somewhat to blame for his wife, Biwako, death. It was a correlation that came to his mind with how his foster mother from his previous world had treated him, blaming him for her son's death.

It disgusted him to no end, but he needed to lock his true feelings deep into his heart if he wanted to resist letting the fox's power go haywire and be successful at his goal.

"He does have a level of responsibility in all this such as not giving us what we deserve such as a better house and a larger portion of the money to spend the month that belongs to father and mother's savings. I would be lying if I told you he is the only one to hold all the blame..."

"What?! Who else abandoned us?!" Naruto shouted in disbelief.

Menma took a moment to breathe, "There is this one person..." Menma uttered, hesitantly.

"Who?!" Naruto questioned, agitated.

He knew the toad sage was considered Naruto's godparent in this world but according to what he discovered while reading a Japanese culture book, a godparent in Japanese culture it was common for respected people or relatives with longevity to be godparents and was more of a thing to name the babies, not the legal role of a guardian. It wasn't like Western culture where the godparent has some level of responsibility to help guide the child so now he feels conflicted if Jiraiya is to blame or not in this whole affair.

'No... that guy also had all the chances to help Naruto but never, ever cared to give a quick check on him. He would also be on his blacklist for a reckoning that promises pain...'

If only they knew how hard was their life as a Jinchuriki...

Menma allowed himself to be sunk into his thoughts, memories of their life in the village rushed through him like a mighty wave, carrying him into an odyssey of their dark memories in the village.

In the bustling streets of the Leaf Village, life for Menma and Naruto, both bearing the heavy burden of being Jinchuriki, was a relentless struggle. Their existence was fraught with difficulties that cast shadows on the simple joys of childhood.

The laughter of other children echoed in the playground, a stark contrast to the lonely corner where Menma and Naruto often found themselves. Branded with the stigma of the Tailed Beasts, they were unwelcome playmates, their presence evoking fear and mistrust.

The doors of local stores remained closed to them, a silent but resounding proclamation of their pariah status. Shopkeepers eyed them warily, refusing entry, as if the very act of selling wares to a Jinchuriki might taint their merchandise.

As they walked through the village, whispers trailed them like ominous shadows. Conversations hushed as they passed by, mothers pulling their children closer, as if proximity to the Jinchuriki might unleash some dormant malevolence.

Friendship, a cornerstone of childhood, eluded them. Other parents forbade their children from forming bonds with Menma and Naruto. Loneliness became a constant companion, gnawing at their hearts as they watched camaraderie bloom beyond their reach.

Opportunities that should have been afforded to any child were systematically denied. Participating in village events, joining clubs, or attending classes held barriers of entry, making them outsiders even in the spaces meant for communal growth.

In the labyrinth of discrimination, Menma and Naruto navigated a path fraught with hardship. The village, their supposed haven, felt like an unwelcoming maze where the warmth of acceptance was a distant flicker, obscured by the pervasive shadows of fear and bias.

All this and yet, the cruelty extended beyond social exclusion. 

In the shadows of alleyways, Menma and Naruto faced more than just whispers and cold stares. Cruelty manifested physically, with occasional beatings inflicted by those who harbored resentment or simply sought an outlet for their fear. Bruised and battered, they bore the marks of not only being social outcasts but physical victims of prejudice. The pain etched on their faces mirrored the broader struggle for acceptance and understanding that remained elusive.

All this neglect and mistreatment must not go unpunished...

As he allowed the negativity from those thoughts to pour in unknowingly, the beast inside of him responded accordingly,

"How touching, the child who was neglected love by its village will burn it down to feel its warmth..." An eerie voice spoke with sarcasm in his mind.

'You wish,' Menma thought back at the beast.

He had his methods. Reducing the village to ashes would be a mere indulgence, far too simplistic for their deserving reckoning. He would think of something...

Year 4 A.N.B. March 1 ~ 2:20 P.M ~ Home

Like every first day of the year, there would be a festival during the night and the streets were filled with people, working at the local commerce so Menma decided to get something to cheer up Naruto who was upset during the whole morning.

"I'm back! Naruto, come here, I've gotta a surprise for you!" He called out upon entering their apartment and placing the box of ramen on top of the table.

He called, but there was no reply reply.

"Naruto...?" A subtle sense of unease settled over Menma as he wandered through the rooms. His brother was nowhere to be found.

Strange. Where could he have gone? Menma pondered, his finger tapping thoughtfully against his chin. 

'I've got a bad feeling about this. I told him to be careful around the village. He was already feeling down since Hiruzen's response. I better go search for him and quick!' 

He created his clones and each separated between the cardinal points of the village.

Year 4 A.N.B. March 1 ~ 2:30 P.M ~ Hidden Commercial Street

Menma sprinted through the labyrinth of village streets, desperation driving him forward. Beads of sweat dripped from his brow, a testament to his urgency. 

"He's gotta be around the village somewhere!" he thought, heart pounding in concern. While he was searching, he was suddenly overcome by a new thought experience. His clone had undone itself; he had found Naruto's location.

Getting closer to the location in thought, a distant commotion caught his ears, leading him to a scene that unfolded like a nightmare. A shopkeeper, resentment clear in his eyes, hurled a mask at Naruto while berating him. The impact of the mask seemed to echo in Menma's gut, a visceral reaction to the cruelty.

He fell, knees to the ground, and held his belly. It burned as if a wildfire raged within, the power roaring and surging like an untamed beast, threatening to consume everything in its path.

The power of the Nine-Tails was going haywire within him, but why? He made sure to hold back his anger and hate the best as he could unless...

Raising his head, he witnessed the crowd, hurling rocks at Naruto. His brother huddled on the ground, arms shielding himself. Yet, beneath the defensive posture, Menma saw a glint of anger in Naruto's eyes, tinted red like blood, a feline slit cutting through the pupils.

'A resonance...' That was his thought while trying to hold back the burning power of the fox that was being ignited by his brother's own. It felt like an electric current that connected their seals.

It was too much for his still, small body to handle. His vision blurred, the world turned crimson, and then, his mind was consumed by darkness.

When he opened his eyes again what he saw was a figure he wasn't expecting.

"Shisui!"

The Uchiha was right in front of him and on his arms, lay an unconscious Naruto.

"Are you alright?" Shisui asked but was ignored. Menma didn't think twice, immediately, he checked on Naruto.

"Don't worry, he's fine," Shisui explained.

"By looking around him, he saw the street destroyed. The convenience stores, the houses, and the mask shop were completely ransacked with claw marks.

"What the hell happened in here...?"

"You and your brother..." Shisui tried to find the right words to speak, "..you two lost control."

"So you stopped us?"

"Yes, I had to put you two to sleep with my Sharingan."

Suddenly, a crowd started gathering around them. All civilians who stood hidden during the attack or who weren't present during the destruction.

Whispers could be heard among the crowd,

"You saw it, didn't you? That cursed child had finally revealed its true form."

"The other one too, got possessed by the demon."

"That boy over there, he's a Uchiha, I saw him use his power to control the demon."

"I knew the Uchiha were the ones who—"

"Shhhh! Don't speak it out loud!"

"I knew they weren't trustworthy!"

'There goes my hopes of keeping my Jinchuriki status unknown...'

Menma mustered strength in his legs to get up and moved towards the spot where the mask shop was supposed to be.

On the ground, various masks lay scattered and one one them got his attention.

It was the mask that the shop owner had thrown at Naruto. It was a mystical white kitsune mask with red details on it. 

'A single mask is more worth than your lives eh, you stupid villagers...'

He picked it up and returned to Shisui's and his brother's side.

"What did you get there?" Shisui asked.

"It's nothing, just help me bring him to the apartment please."

Menma didn't say anything else but deep down, he had only one thought,

'One day, you'll all feel it...'

Year 4 A.N.B. March 1 ~ 3:20 P.M ~ Home

"Shisui, I'm sorry, but because of me, your Clan is now a greater living target for the hatred of the villagers too."

"Don't sweat it, we weren't the most popular here for quite some time now. It's not your fault," he replied kindly as he helped to patch his wounds.

'My wounds, they didn't heal yet...' Menma thought while looking at his hand that was now being patched by Shisui.

Looking at the bed, the figure of his sleeping brother lying there, sleeping soundly with no wounds whatsoever, he realized something.

'Is this another one of the differences that separate us?'

Year 4 A.N.B. March 2 ~ 10:20 P.M ~ Home

Looking at the sleeping figure of his little brother, Menma was overcome with poignancy.

'If only I had my sensory abilities sharp enough, I could have gotten there quicker yesterday...'

'I'm sorry, Naruto...'

He couldn't let go of his retreats from yesterday. His current state of mediocrity had given him determination.

'I guess it's time to train them. I can't let this happen again or let myself be caught during my Under-the-radar trips. But I'll need an open space with many other living things to confuse my senses to do that... where in this village I could..." Menma questioned himself but then, an idea popped into his mind.

Year 4 A.N.B. March 2 ~ 10:45 P.M ~ Training Ground 44: Forest of Death

Menma stood at the edge of the Forest of Death, surrounded by the dense canopy and the eerie silence that characterized the challenging terrain. He decided it was time to hone his sensory abilities, a crucial skill for him. His clones stood beside him, identical in appearance, waiting for instructions.

"Alright," Menma said to his clones, his tone serious. "We're here to train. Each of you will transform into a different animal. A bird, a tiger, and a snake. I want to practice the difference in mass, control, and accessibility to other forms with transformations.

 Go in different directions. I want to see if I can track your chakra using my sensory abilities. Stay hidden, and don't make it easy for me."

His clones nodded in understanding and dispersed, disappearing into the foliage. Menma closed his eyes, focusing on extending his senses. The forest came alive with subtle energy signatures as he attempted to pinpoint the locations of his clones.

As he ventured deeper, he encountered various challenges. Snakes slithered in the underbrush, their hisses creating an unsettling symphony. Menma moved with caution, his senses alert to the presence of the clones.

The forest seemed to come alive with creatures, from giant centipedes to elusive creatures that only existed in the darker corners of this woodland. Menma skillfully navigated through these challenges, all the while honing his sensory skills.

The first clone proved elusive. Menma navigated through the dense underbrush, struggling to filter out the myriad chakra signatures of the forest's inhabitants. Finally, he detected a subtle distortion in the energy pattern, that couldn't belong to a wild animal, leading him to the first clone, cleverly camouflaged among the flora.

The second clone proved even trickier. The forest played tricks on his senses, the chakra signatures of the diverse wildlife creating a confusing tapestry. After much effort and a few wrong turns, Menma spotted a faint anomaly in the chakra flow, revealing the second clone perched high in the trees.

By the time Menma reached the third clone, he was sweating. The forest seemed determined to confound him, its creatures creating a pulsating aura of chakra. He paused, closing his eyes to block out the distractions. With focused concentration, he discerned a faint, deliberate pattern amidst the chaos, leading him to the third clone hiding beneath a rocky overhang.

After tracking down the last clone, Menma decided to take a break. He spotted a cluster of mushrooms, their vibrant colors catching his eye. Hunger gnawed at him, and he reached for one of the mushrooms, ready to pluck it from the ground.

However, just before his fingers made contact, a subtle warning tingled in his senses. Menma hesitated, his instincts kicking in. He studied the mushroom more closely and recognized it as a poisonous variety. He had to find something else to eat.

Menma moved silently through the dense vegetation of the Forest of Death, his senses on high alert. His task was clear — to hunt and gather food for himself. The distant calls of unknown creatures echoed through the trees as he advanced, his keen senses attuned to every movement around him.

Spotting a snake slithering through the underbrush, Menma swiftly formed a set of hand seals. His chakra flowed into the ninja wire wrapped around his wrist, transforming it into a deadly weapon. With precise aim, he flicked the wire, sending it slicing through the air. The sharp material at its tip pierced the snake, and Menma deftly reeled it in.

As he examined his catch, Menma knew he needed to prepare it for consumption. Finding a suitable clearing, he gathered dry leaves, twigs, and branches to create a small bonfire. Using his camping skills, he ignited the fire.

With the flames dancing, Menma coiled the snake around a thin, flexible branch, fashioning a makeshift skewer. He held the skewer over the fire, rotating it to ensure even cooking. The aroma of the cooking snake wafted through the air, and Menma became aware of the need to mask its scent.

Drawing on his knowledge of the forest, Menma searched for specific plants and herbs. He found leaves with a strong, pleasant fragrance and crushed them in his hands. Carefully placing these aromatic leaves around the cooking area, he aimed to conceal the snake's scent from other creatures in the forest.

As the snake cooked, Menma monitored his surroundings, using his heightened senses to detect any potential threats. The leaves released their natural scent, creating a fragrant barrier that helped minimize the distinctive odor of the cooking snake.

Once the snake was cooked to perfection, Menma enjoyed his meal in the heart of the Forest of Death, savoring the success of his resourcefulness and ninja skills.

"Guess it's better to head home now," Menma mumbled to himself. He chuckled at the narrow escape, realizing that even in training, caution was key. With that, he headed back, satisfied with the progress in both his tracking skills and his ability to navigate the perils of the Forest of Death.

Year 4 A.N.B. March 5 ~ 11:00 P.M ~ Forest of Death's Outskirts ~ River bed

After a few days of training his sensory abilities inside the forest, he decided to take further steps into increasing his sensory range.

Menma stood at the edge of the dense forest, contemplating his training strategy. He decided to push the limits of his sensory abilities and transformation jutsu. Forming three clones, he issued precise instructions to each.

"Clone one, head deep into the trees, move swiftly but silently. Transform into a Genin," Menma commanded.

"Clone two, traverse the land, stay low, and transform into a Chunin. Be aware of your surroundings," he directed the second clone.

"Clone three, make your way to the river bed, conceal yourself, and transform into a Jonin. Use the water to your advantage," Menma instructed the last clone.

As the clones dispersed, Menma activated his transformation jutsu, assuming the appearance of an ANBU Black Ops member with a Kitsune Mask. The sleek, featureless mask concealed his identity as he moved stealthily through the forest, honing his skills.

He first encountered the Genin clone, skillfully navigating the trees. Menma approached with silent steps, his senses sharp. Identifying the clone's transformed appearance, he nodded in approval before signaling it to return to the starting point.

Moving further, Menma encountered the Chunin clone traversing the land. The clone displayed tactical awareness and adaptability. Satisfied with its performance, Menma gestured for its return.

As Menma neared the river bed, he activated his sensory abilities. The air was thick with the scent of water, and he detected the Jonin clone concealed in the shadows. Impressed with its use of natural cover, Menma nodded approvingly.

However, as he approached the river, Menma sensed an unexpected chakra signature. It was too fast, it had to be a Jônin or higher. 

A wounded ANBU member emerged, collapsing to the coast, appearing desperate for help.

Caught off guard, Menma hesitated. The wounded ANBU member, unaware of Menma's true identity, pleaded for assistance. 

'Please, hand this to the Lord Hokage, hurry, they're...'

Menma's mind raced, torn between maintaining his secret and offering aid to a fellow ANBU member in apparent distress.

Frozen in indecision, Menma stood at the crossroads of duty and secrecy, grappling with the complexities of his dual identity at the heart of the training exercise.

However, discussion time was abruptly cut short as Menma reached for the scroll. In an instant, the tranquil scene was disrupted by the sudden appearance of three shadowy figures. Swiftly, they closed in on the Anbu, ensnaring him with a wire that sliced through his leg, drawing blood.

They were cloaked and wore white masks; they had to be Anbu and worst of all, they stood in front of them.

Immediately, one one them, presumably a woman, spoke. 

"Are perhaps with the traitor?" The root anbu woman asked.

Upon being interrogated, his muscles tensed, the question felt like a pressure point probing the fragile boundary between the truth he guarded and the secrets he sought to protect.

That question made him shudder internally; the mere assumption of an association with this anbu was detrimental. 

These couldn't be under Hiruzen. Even he had to admit that's not how the old coot worked. These had to be Danzo's men. 

Even if he was still a kid, being found out here would draw the unwanted attention of Danzo towards him. And there was no one worse to have the attention drawn from...

This was bad, really bad...

Observing the battered condition of the Anbu served as a stark reminder of the harsh reality: in the eyes of their villages, shinobi were nothing more than expendable tools.

'A shinobi's worth diminishes the instant they cease to be weapons wielded by their nation...' The realization sent a chilling shiver down his spine. Remaining undetected became paramount.

'Focus, maintain the transformation; under no circumstances can I allow Danzo's operatives to unearth my true identity.'

Luckily, the transformation jutsu was a powerful tool to keep his identity concealed behind a mask.

"Tell us already! What were you doing here?" The large root anbu pressed.

He was tempted to use his last remaining close that was hidden to create a diversion so he could escape but before the man could approach to interrogate again, shurikens came in his direction which he had intercepted by Danzo's men.

'Saved by the bell...!' Menma thought, slightly relieved. But the moment he turned his head to look at who threw those shurikens, his eyes widened under the mask.

Standing before him and the wounded Anbu, were Itachi and Shisui.

"I'll assist you to the best of my abilities!" Shisui spoke with determination.

"Why are you attacking a fellow leaf shinobi?" Shisui questioned.

"Would you consider forgetting that you saw this and leave?" The root woman requested.

"If you're going to kill your comrades, I can't look the other way without being given a reason," Shisui spoke.

"The truth is..." The large root began, "We're going after those who betrayed the village."

"Where is the proof that they betrayed you?" Shisui questioned further.

Impatiently, the other root drew his arm blade, " What a waste of time. Let's just kill them all," He spoke, ready to strike but was interrupted by his companies.

"Just wait..." The large one spoke.

"It's not that he's a traitor. But he has evidence that proves who the traitor is in that scroll. If he hands it over, we'll disappear," The woman stated.

"So she says..." Shisui mumbled.

Seeing that this was going nowhere, he dissimulated as if he were an actual member of the Anbu. Menma finally decided on what to say in the situation.

"Don't trust them, Uchiha Shisui. These are Danzo Shimura's lapdogs. They carry out his dirty work without any consent from the Lord Hokage no matter the circumstance."

"You..." The smaller root uttered, enraged.

"Nameless individuals who maintain peace through the shadows, I believe that is a true shinobi however, order maintained through the power of the blade... is no peace!" Shisui shouted and through his anger, his Sharingan activated.

Shisui and Shisui were readying themselves for a fight but he couldn't interfere so not wanting to participate in a conflict that was still out of his league, he dissimulated once again, "Alright you two, I'll keep an eye on the wounded, be careful."

'Right!' Shisui and Itachi replied firmly.

The fight had begun and the only thing he could feel while watching was astonishment.

'So this is a real battle between shinobi...'

It was much different from the combat he usually was put under in the training facility in his home world. Shinobi were fluid, fast, lethal...

It was an inhuman level of combat that his still, mundane, otherworldly brain couldn't comprehend in totality.

Itachi had outsmarted the woman by making herself get trapped in her wire, presumably by changing the trajectory somehow with the help from the Sharingan, a formidable doujutsu that he didn't possess.

Shisui fought two of them at once. He managed to keep up with two assassins from the foundation even though he was an eleven-year-old. 

Having already fully matured his Sharingan and secretly his mangekyo, must've greatly aided him.

Before he knew it, they finished their job and upon hearing the whistle from the instructors, the large root carried his companions and retreated.

"You alright? You seem a bit off," Shsui asked.

As Shisui's question dawned upon him, he realized that he was holding his breath. It was as if the very act of breathing had become a liability during this whole fight, a sound that could betray his presence. 

Slowly, he released the breath he didn't know he was holding, a quiet exhale that echoed in the stillness of the environment.

The tension didn't dissipate, but the simple act of breathing brought a momentary relief. The air he took in felt sharp, a reminder of the precariousness of the situation he just went through. Yet, the realization of breath became a grounding force, a connection to the present moment amidst the palpable anxiety.

Unfortunately, that also meant his concentration had been lost...

Itachi and Shisui's eyes widened upon the dissipation of a cloud of smoke, the mere figure of a kid stood in its place.

"Menma-kun!" Shisui spoke, bafflement clear in his voice.

"What were you doing in a place like this in the middle of the night?" Shisui questioned, holding him by the shoulders.

"I-I was training..." He managed to speak out, still recovering his breath.

If he had no experience holding his breath, his transformation could have been broken much earlier...

This was one of the few moments in his new life that he was thankful for the hell he went through in that training facility.

"So, what will you do, tell the Hokage the truth?" Menma asked, staring questioningly at Shisui.

Knowing well, what the kid was implying, he answered truthfully with a smile, "Well, remember what you asked me not to do that the day when you asked me to teach you the Kage Bushin?"

Menma took a moment to remember and widened his eyes in realization.

Shisui upon noticing his realization smirked and winked friendly at him. "It would be bad if the Hokage went personally to scold you at your house, right?"

Menma's eyebrows shot up in astonishment at Shisui's unexpected actions. He hadn't anticipated Shisui going out of his way for him like this.

'There is no reason for him to be doing this for me...' He thought a bit confused. 'Actually, there was no reason for him to have given me tips for the Kage Bushin either....' 

'A selfless act...?' He thought again, comprehending the action. It was something he was not very familiar with even before he came to this world.

He only fends for Naruto and himself and here was a Uchiha, fending for him out of charity of sorts.

'Thanks, Shisui, I owe you one...' Menma thought, thankful.

"I trust that this will also stay between us, right?" Shisui asked the wounded Anbu who lay with his back on the rock.

"Don't worry, you saved my life and helped us secure the village, I won't say a thing about the kid," He replied.

Turning back, Shisui, noticing the kid's thoughtful expression, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't put yourself in such a line of danger anymore okay? How about this instead? If you're so interested in training, come again to the training spot, tomorrow around four. How about that?"

"Right..." It was the only thing he could utter at this point.

"Alright! I'll report this to the supervisors, Itachi, please accompany him to his apartment."

"Ok," Itachi replied and departed with Menma.

Upon being left alone, Shisui could only stare at the intriguing kid's back as he disappeared in the distance. 

He kept an inquisitive, yet saddened expression on his face and could only ask, 

"Menma-kun, what exactly are you hiding from me?"

Chapter End