Chapter 77: Chapter 76 - Dream and Future
"Rinnegan," Enma opened his eyes in the morning, having a peculiar dream that couldn't be real anymore. He observed the notification bell in front of him, which was loaded with messages. He tapped on them, reading through them before leaving to freshen up and shower.
'This one...'
[You have gained the Cetra bloodline.]
'This is from Aerith,' he stood under the shower, 'is this what caused my dream?'
[Cetra Bloodline: Ancient Beings from Gaia. They were known as the Stewards of the Planet. They could hear the planet's murmurs, memories, and even see into the future. They shaped and sustained the planet with the Materia they made.]
"Future," Enma hesitated. He leaned forward and rested his palm on the wall, wondering, "Did I glimpse the future?"
He gazed out the small bathroom window, noting the sky before the sun rose, and said, "From what I saw...it will happen." The Uzumaki boy and his buddies will depart. And King Aurum will position the Rinnegan outside the elevator an hour or two before midday.'
Do I want the Rinnegan? If I can get my hands on it, I'll be able to analyse it,' he said, closing his eyes and pressing his palm against his left eye. I have a question. Should I do it now? Agh.'
He strolled over to the window and looked up at the sky. The transparent monsters walked the streets, hanging from the roofs, and even the clouds changed shape to take on the form of these creatures, watching the citizens. "Even Natural Energy can't help me see these things." If it weren't for the Communication Skill that I migrated with.
He closed the window, saying, "These creatures are everywhere." Air, land, water, and the Abyssal Aura are all acting up, so their senses expand even further. How do I get away from their stares...'
SLAM
"BOY!!! "Where are you?!" Jiraiya kicked the door open and marched inside the room. He angrily gazed about until his gaze fell on Enma, who was in the middle of wearing his t-shirt. "Boy! What are you doing! Have you forgotten what I said?!"
"About?" Enma innocently inquired, peering behind Jiraiya at Minato, who had strolled in.
"You!! "You really forgot!"
"Stop, Sensei!" "Don't hit him." Minato placed his palm next to his mouth, imploring loudly with Jiraiya.
"At least grasp him when you do that," Enma said, rolling his eyes. Minato clearly wanted to beat him up.
"Come here!" Jiraiya wrapped his arm around Enma's neck, driving his knuckles into his head. "I told you to perform well!! Do you not want to receive funding for your study!!"
'No. "Right, Sensei. Now that I have the computer...I am affluent." He chuckled to himself. I was busy with the Seal of Hundred Strength. I've been attempting to accumulate enough natural energy. "Can you bring me to Mount Myoboku?
"Huh? Really?" Jiraiya cast a distrustful look at him. Minato murmured in Jiraiya's ear.
"This is a trap. "He's trying to flee."
'I am, but,' Enma angrily looked at Minato, "can't you trust me just a little?"
"Do I seem foolish?" Minato knowingly smiled.
"Tsk," Enma clicked his tongue; "Look, Sensei. Your lovely student is attempting to imply that you are the stupid here. That's why he needs to warn you.
"No, that is not what I meant." Minato flapped his hands, scared, "Oh, right!" Kushina asked me to come back soon. "I'll be right back."
He vanished, leaving just a yellow flash. Enma blinked his eyes, shocked. He muttered, "Wow." He thinks you're a fool for falling for such an obvious provocation."
Jiraiya clinched his fist, veins erupting on his forehead. He was prepared to yell, but now he could only grit his teeth and say, "I'll take care of that child later!" He snatched the scroll he was carrying on his back and shoved it at Enma, "Go!" "Get lost."
"Right immediately, Sensei," he unsealed the scroll, making his grand escape from Senju Village to Mount Myoboku via reverse summoning. He closed his eyes in Senju Village before opening them on Mount Myoboku. He extended his body, inhaling the usual fresh aroma and natural energy of the Mount.
"Finally out of their sight," he said, stretching his body and caressing his tight shoulders. He opened his Sharingan and activated his left eye, "Rinnegan." "This is mine."
.
.
Outside of Konoha, in the afternoon
"To think they would return the Rinnegan," a black and white creature emerged from the ground, peering at the container with two eyes floating in the green liquid. It cautiously summoned another of the White Zetsu to check the bottle for any traps. But, before White Zetsu could grab it, a hand reached out and picked it up.
"Is this where I can join up to be a villain?" "I like the sign-up incentive."
Black Zetsu pulled his head up to look at the person who had appeared and selected the Rinnegan. He couldn't see his face due to the glare of the sun, but his red hair was a sharp reminder of the previous owner of those eyes, "Uzumaki."
"At your service."
.
.
That night,
"Where were you?" I told you to get back on time for your match!!" Jiraiya grabbed Enma's collar and shook him back and forth.
"Jiraiya. "It doesn't matter," said the Third Hokage, waving his hand. The Daimyo of several villages have already departed."
"Already," Enma tilted his head, looking at Third Hokage, who nodded, "they all felt this was a weak town frantically trying to forge an alliance. When they saw Third Raikage, who is well-known for his abilities, be defeated so simply and comprehensively, their perspectives shifted."
"Are we breaking the alliance?" Enma guessed. Perhaps the shock was enough to have these daimyos approach this community with the caution that they should have."
"Can't say," Minato scratched the back of his head. "We all expected them to take harsh measures, but their response was moderate. I tried to break Daimyo out of the Genjutsu, but he wasn't in one.
'Demonic Aura,' Enma tried to keep a straight face. That did not mean he wasn't astonished. He was taken aback by the thought that passed his mind: "From the beginning, King's intention was to infect Daimyo or numerous kingdoms with Demonic Aura." Then came the desire to assist Konoha in suppressing Hidden Cloud....
He stared at Minato, 'to bring him under control? Shit, it was always intended to distribute Demonic Aura as widely as possible. Everything else was a lie.
Doesn't matter. This journey provided me with numerous benefits. It was worth the sacrifice,' he peered at the ceiling, hanging with Jiraiya's assistance, who held his collar, "since we are not declaring war. I should go and thank them for their kindness. You want to join me, Sensei? I'm going to see Lady Tsunade first?
"There's no need. She's already made her decision," Jiraiya let go of Enma's collar, nearly knocking him down. Enma hurriedly regained his equilibrium and adjusted his collar.
"Come on. Do not be like that. It makes sense why she made this decision. This village is quite good. In certain aspects, it outperforms Konoha. There is no politics; everyone is working towards the same goal, which is peace. She achieved what she desired."
"Cough, Cough," the Third Hokage coughed several times, alerting him of his presence.
Enma disregarded him, saying, "If King and Camelot hadn't supported Lady Tsunade, we could have become Sister Village with Senju Village and swallowed all in between." We should keep a good relationship with her in case King does something against her values and she wants to break up."
"He's her husband," Jiraiya sulked at the prospect of Tsunade getting married and having a child.
"He is also the King. Between appeasing her and fulfilling his obligations as King. It is possible that something will arise. Who knows, it could be as simple as a struggle for the throne in the future," Enma encouraged Jiraiya.
'I still need the Senju Bloodline.'
"Can't you keep up the amicable relations for a little longer?"
Third Hokage's ears perked up. He cleared his throat, "He's correct. Jiraiya. Go say goodbye to Tsunade. She might need our support in the future. "The war is not yet over."
"Ok, I get it," Jiraiya said, crossing his arms and marching in front of Enma. "I'll go visit her one final time."
"Excellent, Sensei. "I can't leave you alone with a married woman, so I'll be the third wheel," Enma cheerfully urged Jiraiya ahead. He passed by Minato and asked, "Do you want to come along?"
"I'll be out of place," Minato said, waving his hand. "You go."
As Enma and Jiraiya went, the Third Hokage watched them with his eyes. When they were far enough away, he puffed out the smoke, "He has an excellent grasp of politics and a disdain for the Village's current condition."
"It's not scorn," Minato hurriedly explained in Enma's defence. "He doesn't like the position the Uchiha Family is in. Internal and external. He simply wants a change.
"Is his disease better?"
"I suppose so?" Minato gave a perplexed nod.
Will you be able to handle him if he runs for the role of Next Hokage? Or, if he supports Fugaku, who does? I can only help you so much."
"Lord Third, I don't think you should give him the notion to campaign," Minato cynically smiled. "I doubt he has any ambitions for that right now. If he does, I'm not sure what he'll have up his sleeves. "Lord Orochimaru is already a formidable rival."
Third Hokage narrowed his eyes and repeated, "Let's hope."
.
.
Jiraiya went through Senju Village's bustling streets, admiring the people passing by and enjoying the serenity and quiet. The Tournament had made the previous week nothing more than a long party. Although the Daimyo had fled, any wealthy citizens from other regions who could go by hiring Ninja or travelling because they had heard of the peace deal.
The stalls were lined up, he could hear hundreds of voices, and he forgot himself in this moment of calm. Enma nudged him, and he snapped out of it. He had not even realised. He was standing on the side of the road, starring at the Casino Booth and the tables in front of it. His gaze was fixed on the woman in green haori, who yelled in denial, "I couldn't have lost! I had a good hand, too! Is this even fair?
"It's fair. I do not believe there is any shame in losing to your daughter. Okay, Ai?"
Jiraiya switched his gaze to the girl with golden hair and ruby eyes, asking the infant girl, who resembled Tsunade and held the cards in her palm. He smiled. He closed his eyes, "Let's go back, Enma."
He intended to turn and leave, but he didn't receive a response. He opened his eyes and looked beside him, "Enma?"
"Wow, you lost with this hand. "You have incredible luck."
Jiraiya tightened his fist when he noticed the boy standing behind Tsunade, stooping over to look at her hand. "You brat! "Why do you never listen?"
"Jiraiya?" Tsunade noticed him. She scoffed, "At least you did not depart without informing me this time."
"You know him so well," Enma said, sitting near Tsunade and reaching out to stroke Ai Senju's nose, stunning the young girl. She stared at his finger with frantic intensity, saying, "Cute."
"Be careful; she bites."
Enma tightened up when he heard the voice in the stadium. He cautiously stared at the man with snow-white hair, who was holding the boy with reddish-pink eyes in his arms.
"Your Majesty," Eve shifted to one side to make room for him on the bench. Aurum sat down next to her, "He began crying immediately he awoke."
Eve held the boy in her arms and kissed his forehead, asking, "Did you miss Mom?"
Enma darted his eyes between the two of them, utterly absorbed in their own world, ignoring the rest of them. 'Hah. I was thinking too much. To him, someone like me from Konoha would be irrelevant. I'm safe for the time being.'
"I'll see you, Tsunade," it barely lasted a minute or two, but it was enough for Jiraiya. There wasn't much he could say, and he knew Tsunade would understand what he meant to express.
Tsunade sat back down on the bench, gazing at the empty cup of sake in front of her. Aurum poured sake for her. "Miss home?"
"A bit," Tsunade clutched the cup and drank the sake all at once, "but when I think about returning to Konoha...to be forced to deal with Elders. "It disgusts me."
"So, you're not leaving?"
"Wow, I feel so relieved. I was frightened you'd leave," Tifa and Aerith sat down on Tsunade's left and right sides, almost frightening her. Aerith joyfully hugged her from the side, clutching on to her.
"How could you believe I would leave?" Tsunade rolled her eyes. She raised her gaze to meet Aurum's crystal blue eyes, "I will not..."
"I understand," Aurum grinned, diverting his gaze to Cloud, who rubbed the back of his head, wanting to ask something. Let me guess. "You wish to return to the continent from where you came to reach Phase 2?"
Cloud offered a somewhat astonished look at being read so readily. He nodded, "Yes."
"On that topic. Everything here is finished. You should all consider returning to Camelot," Aurum told them all. "Our duty here is complete. Shelke recently succeeded in her programme, thus Zack's task should be completed soon. With that, Tsunade will be able to mechanically reshape a person's body. Especially Ninja, who had given up hope and would join our village if given the chance to get back on their feet."
"No, we can't abandon Tsunade," Aerith pouted, pushing her cheeks against Tsunade. Tsunade placed her arm around Aerith's waist and looked at Aurum. She did not want them to depart. But she understood.
"Your Majesty," Eve said, placing her palm on Aurum's. She was torn. She wanted to stay since she didn't want to divide the children, but if they stayed, Aurum would only get to see them once a year.
"The three of you," Aurum switched his gaze between Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith. "Cloud cannot return to his continent. It's not simply about fighting with physical abilities. There would be a confrontation of wills. Rather than return to your continent. There is a world I discovered. It should help you become stronger. "If you wish."
He fixed his gaze on Eve, "Eve can stay here. I'll come every week, though."
"Your Majesty, are you certain?"
"I am," Aurum said, watching the daughter chew on his finger and the boy sleep in Eve's arms. "If these two were there, I wouldn't be able to get any work done."
The group chuckled as the mood lightened. Tsunade leaned closer, patting Ai's forehead to deter her from biting on Aurum's finger. "I know the feeling. "Thank you..."
She quickly turned the subject from her mild discomfort to "Right." Shelke's project. Didn't that boy Enma help her? Have you forgotten about him?
Aurum placed his finger in front of Ai's mouth, allowing her to chew; she looked up and met his gaze. He grinned softly at her and replied to Tsunade, "To some, it would be an honour to be remembered by me. Others may consider it a burden.
"Cloud. Are you sure you want to go? Aurum did not continue the discussion. He turned his focus to Cloud, who peered at Tifa and Aerith before nodding.
"I do."
"Alright. Prepare."
"You'll leave soon."