Rise of the Hyuga Pt.II

Soaring through the air on the back of a giant eagle, I stood next to Yan Shi, who guided the eagle to his friend's approximate location. Occasionally, Yan Shi would let off flares in code learned by Night Shinobi.

After an hour of flight, Purple flares were sent to the sky, and Yan Shi signaled his eagle to descend. Once we landed, we met a family of four. Immediately I could tell they were Uzumaki.

Yan Shi hugged his friends and greeted the family before stepping aside to introduce me.

Yan Shi's friend, Toshiro, was middle-aged for an Uzumaki. Putting him around fifty years old. He had a scar that stretched from the top of his left eyebrow to his right jaw.

"You follow this little girl?" Toshiro's voice rumbled as he spoke to Yan Shi.

"Toshiro, this little girl killed Danzo of the leaf." Said Yan Shi.

"Hmmm, I guess that buys you a conversation. There's a village up ahead. We can talk over a meal." said Toshiro.

He then vanished, along with his wife and two teenage kids.

"Lady Hyuga. We should keep up," said Yan Shi.

I give him a nod and look to the backs of the fast-moving Uzumaki. In an instant, I appeared beside them. Honestly, the family was fast, like battle-tempered fast. With my weights on, I had to put in an effort to keep up.

Once we arrived, we found a quaint inn and ordered a meal.

"You are a Hyuga of the leaf, correct?" Toshiro's wife, Ayame, asked.

"Formally of the leaf, and I plan to relocate the Hyuga in the near future," I replied.

The Uzumaki share a brief glance. " So you plan to shake things up. You must have been of the main family. You lack the cursed seal. I've met many Hyuga in my life. I even fought beside a few years ago. Many Hyuga have died attempting what you've declared." Said Ayame.

"Go on, girl. Speak." Said Toshiro.

I said nothing. Not because I was being rebellious or had a point to prove by not following his command. I honestly had to plan my words carefully. I thought about everything I knew of the Uzumaki and organized those thoughts. When the Sake was brought to our table, I poured everyone a cup, then drank straight from the bottle as I signaled for another one to be brought out.

Slamming the bottle on the table, I wipe my mouth clean and stare straight into Toshiro's Eyes. "The world banded together and destroyed your clan. The hidden village allowed it the same way they destroyed the Uchiha clan."

Toshiro frowned. "Itachi Uchiha massacred his clan for power."

"At the order of the village leaders." I said, "Whether you join me or not, I don't care. I'm just a lady that fled my village because I was caught in my mission to gain freedom. I know I have a lot to learn. But I make sure my people never want for anything, and you can help me make that happen. Toshiro Uzumaki, I need your help. I need an old monster as a member of my team or a contracted partner. Your choice."

"Freedom... My children are eighteen years old. My wife and I are 55 years old. We did not have peace until our thirties. It was then we became powerful enough that people stopped hunting us. The bloodline purge of Kiri, the Uchiha Massacre, the Fall of Uzushiogakure. All of it stems from fear of our power. As I get older, I only sacrifice for my children's future. What I experienced, I hope they never have to. You say that you take care of your people, I will be watching. " Toshiro then began to drink.

"My husband and I have left the Land of Night for the same reason many Uzumaki leave their villages. Fear. If you are building something that accepts Kekkei Genkai and power without prejudice, we will stay. But like Kages, you will have to prove your might. Until then, my family needs food, shelter, and clothes. If you are willing to contact us, then we have no problem offering our services." Said Ayame. "But never at the expense of our children."

"I understand," I replied. "I promise full transparency. But the jobs will be less than desirable."

"How much would you charge to perform an advanced Fuinjutsu?" I ask.

"Settle us in your town, and to celebrate the start of our partnership, the first one is free." Said Toshiro.

"The Eight Trigrams Seal of the Uzumaki Clan. Tell me about it."

Toshiro and Ayame frown with killing intent. Their children looked confused, and a tinge of curiosity bled into the expressions.

"The Leaf Village keeps it secret. I know the secret of the eight trigrams seal. But I want to know the history. When and why was it created?" I ask.

"Another treasure stolen, I guess. Tell us how the Leaf village defines the Eight Trigrams Seal." Said Ayame

"A Four Symbols Seal is used to seal a large enemy or a Tailed-beast into a target, such as an object or a human's body, known as Jinchuriki. A stronger seal is created if two Four Symbols Seal are used; this is called the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style. If the Four Symbols Seals do not completely overlap with each other, this allows the targets chakra to merge with whoever they've been sealed into."

"Hmm. Only master sealing specialists can perform this technique. And only those chosen by the shinigami can act as a vessel. The Uzumaki are unlike any shinobi as we spent years, even during the warring periods, hunting demons, spirits, and Chakra entities. It wasn't until Mito Uzumaki that we managed to trap the Kyubbi with this seal. That's when the world began to fear us. And when the other villages acquired Jinchuriki of their own, we became more feared as our seal was undoubtedly superior." Toshiro explained.

"The other Jinchuriki went mad," I said.

"Correct. While our seal allowed Mito to merge flawlessly with the chakra of the Kyuubi. She could even communicate with it. The seal creates an inner world specifically for the trapped entity."

"Then how did Uzushiogakure fall?"

Toshiro and Ayame chuckled. Ayame then held out her hand, and a seal appeared. I had only ever seen that seal in one place, the scroll of sealing. It was the key to the Eight Trigrams Seal.

"Uzushiogakure was just a place. The people they killed were ours, but very few belonged to the cult of the Shinigami. You see, our culture requires our strongest to travel the world and hunt spirits. It was required by the Shinigami. Every Jinchuriki that we had was almost always gone. Those of us in the village fought our way out." Toshiro spoke, then held his arm out, revealing a key of his own.

"The Uzumaki are alive and strong. Quietly passing on our legacies. Waiting." Said Ayame. "Why do you think Spirits haven't been running wild? It's because there are enough of us out there to keep them in line."

I never really thought of it like that. The fourth Hokage used an Uzumaki Sealing technique. It wasn't new or original. He even used the reaper death seal to cut the Kyubbi in half. If I look at it this way, Kushina Uzumaki is the real hero. Because only Jiraya or Kushina could have taught him such seals, and it's highly unlikely that Jiraya knew the seal that imprisoned the Kyubbi intimately enough to teach it to Minato.

Kushina, the Uzumaki Jinchuriki, could have taught Minato everything in the event that the Kyubbi escaped during her time giving birth to Naruto. And if the seal is an Uzumaki technique, of course, they would have used it often and long before the Leaf Village was established. Mito Uzumaki wouldn't have sealed the Kyubbi with that specific sealing technique unless she knew what it did.

Finally, evolution and centuries of using the technique would explain why the Uzumaki have the chakra properties preferable for housing entities. Because their ancestors have been vessels for centuries. Or I'm overthinking things.

I look at Toshiro and Ayame and ask them to seal a chakra entity inside of me.

"We did say the first job free. Every job afterward will cost you a fortune. Unless you manage to master the technique yourself." Said Ayame, "So, do you have a target in mind?"

"The fattest beast in the Land of Demons," I reply.

"That's easy. The Horned Lion. Evil things, but manageable. We can hunt it next week."

"No..." I bark, "We have to do it now. I'm planning a big mission, and It's going to require a lot of power."

"How's the pay?" Asuka, Toshiro's daughter, spoke for the first time.

"If we do this right, the Leaf village will be weakened, and the Land of the Jungle will have a knew Shinobi Village. Of Course, the wealth of the Hyuga Clan will be at your disposal."

"You're offering us quite a lot." Said Ayame.

"I'm a smart girl, and you are a very powerful asset. I can't conquer the world in a night, let alone establish a safe hold. Said safehold is where I plan to grow in power. Do you see why investments and alliances must be made. I have one goal in mind, and as long as I get there, I'll offer you the entire world."

Asuka and her mother laughed. Ichi, Toshiro's son, said, "I like her."

"Let's start slow. Chakra entity first. To the land of Jungle, and if we like the terms, we will join you in the leaf village." Said Toshiro.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That went well," I told Yan Shi as we rode his Eagle to the land of Demons.

"As long as you give respect and offer something of value, all of us shinobi are the same," said Yan Shi.

" You got that right."

"What you said about a shinobi village. Were you serious?" asked Yan Shi.

"The trafficking ring is stabilizing. I recently acquired a poppy field. Money is handled. But a village will assure our safety. Backed by a daimyo will make us untouchable within the borders of the Land of Jungle." I explained.

"I hate to make our eavesdropping obvious, but your village will have to be recognized by the major villages if you want your safety assured." Said Ichi.

"I'll be giving Iwa the Byakugan. I'll make them allies. Another reason I need you and your family." I replied.

"You're a scheming little girl." Said Toshiro with a light chuckle.

"What do you mean, father?" asked Asuka.

"She wants us to talk to Roshi. You know you're a very well-informed lady. But Roshi does not Identify or acknowledge his ancestry. Besides, I've heard Roshi has disappeared." said Toshiro.

"Well, that's a bust." I sighed.

"The Tsuchikage." said Toshiro.

"What?" I ask.

"The Tsuchikage Onoki will never agree. In my opinion, you should seek an alliance with Kumo. Distant, yet the Iwa will never attack unless they want an all-out war. And Konoha will be reluctant considering the delicate alliance they have." Said Toshiro.

"Thank you, Toshiro. I will keep that in mind."

Yan Shi smiled at me. "I think this will work out well. The others will feel more assured as well. So many rouge ninja together is like a calling card."

"I will be looking forward to your advice a lot more in the future," I tell him.

"Hmm," he replied with pride, "We're here. How should we do this."

"Lady Hyuga, If you want the beast, you should go catch it," said Toshiro.

"No more little girl?" I ask.

"Everyone deserves respect before they die," he replied.

I put on a maniacal smile. "I like your humor, old man. Be ready to seal this beast. I'm on borrowed time as is."

Drawing my sword, I leap from the eagle as I activate my Byakugan. Spotting the largest output of chakra, I vanish and appear ten meters away.

The moment I land the corporal Lion reared its horned head and large fangs. Its deep cyan chakra body turned in my direction, crouched low, then pounced.