Origin (1)

Weeks passed while they help to rebuild the village. On the third day after Sanbi attack an ANBU had to tell Shou to take off his mask because he was not an ANBU and legally they could be said to be impersonating.

He reluctantly take it off. He will definitely miss this mask.

How long has it been since he wear this? It's been a long time that he can't remember the specifics.

He should get a new mask soon. Maybe wearing the one like Kakashi's is fine. But it's boring though.

He went around village, seeing them rebuilding fast with steel beams and bricks here and there. The whole village is working hard to restore itself. In fact some look more spirited because Yagura is dead - his death is such a happy occasion for most people. But some still look depressed because they lost their homes, their shops or loved ones.

Shou took a deep breath, lamenting the atmosphere. He just wished, this world could be peaceful, that his life could be peaceful. When it comes to his dream, he had this dream to live quietly, read some mangas or novels, maybe open an ice cream shop and then kids would gather around his shop.

Just, a leisure day. He wished his parents were there... but they are gone now. What he meant is that his parents that could stay loving that is. Thinking about his dad, he felt regret for believing he can choose his mother and them over being xenophobic. His mother too believed dad. She believes him to a point that she just, died.

Is there anyone had not hoped their loved ones could understand and make the right choices for them? But at times they just couldn't and they ultimately failed you. Even he, failed.

He is awake from his daze while walking around. Sometimes his head filled with some thoughts, reflecting on himself.

Well, he can't be leisurely for now. Having Obito as an enemy makes him feel insecure. It just felt like he would come at any time for him like a ghost.

It's just, uncomfortable.

Shou thought about the future. They wanted to collect bijuu, and Nagato goals is to create a weapon of mass destruction and use it to control the 5 nations for peace. While Obito wanted to cast a genjutsu to everyone using the Divine Tree.

Thinking of solution...

Actually, thinking about it...

If he tells Obito the truth about the purpose of the Divine Tree and the whole scheme to resurrect Kaguya, would he stop what he's doing?

That sounds quite probable...

In theory it sounds like a good idea but with the hidden enemies like black zetsu and Otsutsuki from outer space peace cannot be guaranteed.

He needs Sasuke and Naruto to become strong because the enemy is more than just Kaguya. The organization Kara, Amado cyborgs, Isshiki, Momoshiki ect. is also there.

If he prevents them to be stronger by eliminating the earlier threats, what about the incoming new ones?

It's too risky.

Well, there's always some ways... Maybe teaming up with Orochimaru and use Edo Tensei to summon Madara and Hashirama to just fight against those aliens whenever they appear. Madara may be a little extreme but he definitely would be glad to fight aliens. He loves a good fight after all.

As for Orochimaru, he is evil but ultimately his evil is more towards his thirst for immortality and knowledge of all jutsu. Pretty sure he would be glad to keep the planet safe so he can keep researching or even get some Otsutsuki bodies for experiments.

Right there's also Toneri on the moon... If he gets to keep Tenseigan, and once he explained the the whole truth about his clan, he would protect Earth willingly.

Hold on. Is there Hamura's corpse stored in the moon? Surely his corpse is there...

Maybe he could be Edo Tenseid?

He shook that thought away. If old man Hagoromo read his thoughts perhaps he would materialise and whoop his ass right now. But he keep this idea in his mind in case worst comes to worst. It doesn't seems like a bad of a plan at all.

He nods to himself.

As for being the strongest and become the hero himself, he can't imagine himself being that strong. In reality its such a difficult thing to achieve.

Naruto may say there are no shortcut to become Hokage or to have strength; but Shou have a differing opinions.

Naruto and Sasuke inherited Indra and Ashura's chakra, and even got power up by Hagoromo. Being Uzumaki (therefore Sage mode) + Kyubi, having Sharingan, have a brother to give you EMS and given Rinnesharingan; those are shortcuts. Naruto might cry if he said this to his face though, sorry Naruto, that's just reality.

Naruto back in Konoha sneezed for no reason, it felt like someone is talking about him.

Imagine a ninja with no fancy thing and with just some chakra in him. Sure one may become like 3rd Hokage or even Minato who use flying raijin and they really have a chance to be on the top 1% of ninja world but they cannot compete with alien power.

Shou reflect on himself, what shortcut did he have.

It's his bloodline of Yuki Clan and his past life memories. Therefore, he needs to be stronger with his own way using those.

Shou happens to pass by a children toy shop while pondering about things; a teenage boy is busy cleaning everything as it got dirtied by the flood. He sees some masks of various colors and had some idea. Hmm, a mask...

Having some idea he went to the nearest metal workshop. No. Not this one. He went around and finally found a jewelry workshop. It seems that owner is busy cleaning stuffs as well and was not open for business.

"Hello".

Shou called out to him. He wanted to make a mask for himself and had this idea of cool looking mask covering half of his face made of metal.

'Hmm? Ojou-chan. What's the matter'. The old man look at Shou with melancholy. His own granddaughter lost her life during the tragedy. Seeing Shou makes him miss her a lot.

"Ano, do you make masks? Like, I just want to cover half of my face".

'I can make one. What kind of mask you want?'.

"Mmm. Let me draw them".

'Here'. He gave him a paper to draw it. Shou had this idea of cool looking Haanya mask.

"Oh. It's like Hannya mask. But only half?".

'Yes mister'. Shou draw what he imagines it to be covering his lower half of face. That seems cool. They discussed a little over the color and materials option.

"Okay, come back later alright". The old man went to pat his head without consent. Shou gets reminded of Zabuza patting their heads when they are still kids. For a cold looking person, Zabuza did show warmth a little here and there.

'Thank you mister. Uh. What about payment?'.

"Once I am done you can pay me. Come in few days".

'Okay mister, thank you!'.

Shou walked away in a slightly excited mode looking forward to see the finished mask. Alright one thing settled, now onto the next thing.

He went to Kirigakure Library. There's a lot of books visibly missing since most of the books are washed away by water or destroyed.

"Hello. I need information on a certain clan, Yuki clan to be exact. Do you have any books on them".

'Umm... let me check'. The woman checked the catalog for things regarding culture and history.

'Emm... try to check on shelve 78H. If its not there then it was gone somewhere...'. Shou felt this lady sounds unreliable. Well the flood might had washed away a lot of stuffs so its understandable.

Shou went to see there's still half of books filled on the shelfs. 78H...

'Kekkei Genkai of Land of Water by Hitohito'.

The book seems old and seems to be half drenched in water then dried and placed back on the shelf. As he reads the intro, the author claimed he travelled and meet all these clan members and experience close-to-death experience during his travel. Is the author for real? Shou is skeptical.

As he turn it pages, he sees there's clans like Funato, Hoshigaki, Hozuki... Yuki!

Shou found there is a Yuki Clan section. As he reads, it only says they have the kekkei genkai of Ice Release and the abilities description aren't much, just elaborating on ice and stuffs. It does not mention about their main secret technique. Well, it IS a secret technique.

"Snowy mountain... a patron deity... Black Island up north...?". Shou scanned through the info there.

It seems their mother didn't run that far; only moving one island away. Since he had a lead already its unnecessary to trouble Mei he guessed. Let's bring Haku along. He too must be interested.

***

Shou visited Haku who's busy working at the hospital.

"Eh? You want to see the Yuki clan origin place? Why?".

'I just, want to see if there's anything we can learn. Like, I don't know... secret jutsu or something'. Shou scratched his cheek.

Haku raised his eyebrow and let out a little laugh. Sometimes his little brother have some big imagination.

"Well... sure. But not now. There's a lot of patients... Maybe next week?".

'Alright!'.

***

A week later. Shou had gotten his new half-mask covering his nose and mouth. It fits well and although it's made of metal its very light with the little holes on its designs reducing its weight a lot.

Haku felt a little amused seeing it, a little cool to be honest.

After getting permission to leave the village; they headed out straight to the harbour carrying supplies, dried food, and other stuffs.

They travelled to the island right above the mainland and wanted to visit their home village first.

Going further into the island, it gets colder and colder as they went further and higher. They start to see snow even.

Shou look around at the small village. Its as if nothing changed. Some people look at them warrily seeing the Shinobi head protector and quickly scurried away, not wanting to do anything with them.

They went to visit the grave site. Looking around, there are gravestones of their parents here. Maybe the villagers buried them after they left.

They took of their masks and prayed silently for them.

It just happens a little kid also visited. He looked curiously at them and approached them.

"Are you two Shinobi!". The little kid look innocent and curious.

'Hello. Yes we are. Are you here by yourself?'. Haku asked the little kid.

"Yeah... Just me... But grandpa takes care of me. He's not really my grandpa though...".

Shou tilted his head a bit, not understanding much.

"Can I become a Shinobi?". The little kid look at the forehead protector, interested

'Well... You could. You have to go to the mainland and register in the academy though'.

"Ouh...".

'Being a Shinobi is not an easy thing. We face danger here and there'. Haku added.

'Why you want to become a shinobi?'.

"I... I want to avenge my daddy! He was killed by monsters...".

'What monster?'. Shou squinted his eye. He just felt a bad feeling.

"Grandpa said daddy went to hunt a monster years ago... But... He died then. Grandpa said the monster use evil ice power to kill everyone. That's why, I want to avenge my daddy!".

Shou look at Haku who does not seem to react much. But he knows he must be affected seeing him going silent at such sentence.

He really want to smack this kid.

He took a deep breath in to maintain calm. It's your dad who are an idiot to join those crowd. If he just stayed home quietly wouldn't he lived?

"Kid, let me tell you a story".

'What story?'.

"Our parents are killed by monsters too...".

The kid is quiet and felt they could relate.

"Back then, we were both just children. I was 4, or was it 5? While my brother is little younger than you. Our family are just, like everyone else. My dad tend to a farm, my late mother helped him all the time. While we went to play with snow making snowman or things".

"Well, but one day, a white bear attacked my dad. My mother use her strong arm to chase the bear away".

Shou look at the kid for awhile.

'The bear is the monster?'.

"No. Wait the story isn't finished".

"Father is saved by mother. But instead of gratitude, he felt fear for mother's strength".

"Mother still believed father would still love her as usual. We both wanted to believe it aswell".

"But father fears her more. He called up other villagers to join him, and he killed mother in front of our own eyes".

The kid starts to cry, shaking in fear hearing the last sentence.

"Father also went to try to kill us, two little kids even younger than you".

The kid is crying already. He hates the story very much and wanted to run away.

"So tell me, who is the monster?".

The kid want to turn around but Shou held his shoulders.

"Tell me, who is the monster".

'Your... D-dad... Wuuuu....'.

"Not just him. The villagers who go with him to kill us little children are monsters as well".

Shou glared at the kid.

"It includes your father. Your father is the real monster. Not us".

Shou conjured a little icicle from his palm, showing it in front of his eyes.

"Wuuuu!!!!". The little kid cries his eyes out.

'Shou!'. Haku pulled Shou away from the kid.

The kid immediately run away, probably going back to his grandpa.

"I am just saying the truth to him". Shou coldly replied.

Haku was silent. He felt bad for the kid, thinking that he lost their father because of what he did. But it's justified really... they really are just two little kids back then, and yet those people tried to kill them as if they weren't even humans.

Haku had long moved on knowing it's not something he should feel guilty of. But still, he still felt sad that it happened.

"Let's move...". Shou felt bitter in his mouth. Well, but he felt satisfied in his heart. He hopes when the little kid grows up he can process the bitter truth of his words.

Also, it's necessary to correct him. Who knows maybe someday he grows up and become a Shinobi, he really tries to hunt them or something. Now that the kid knows the truth, he should be more reasonable. If anything he should blame the stupid society and his own father for being stupid.

Let's just hope he didn't conclude the world needs to be destroyed or shall know pain or something along that line.

They keep moving and ride a boat for a day and a half to the island further North after their short visit.

***