Chapter 118

After rushing back to the Nara compound, Kazuki wasted no time in delving into the mystery of the wisp that had entered his body during the ritual. In his private area within the clan, he prepared to use fuinjutsu to isolate the wisp, determined to unravel its secrets. But before he could even begin, the wisp seemed to sense his intentions and separated itself from him, floating around him in a curious manner, almost as if it were studying him.

Kazuki remained on guard, wary of the wisp's actions. He attempted to communicate with it, asking it to reveal its identity. For a brief moment, there was silence and tension hanging in the air. Then, to Kazuki's surprise, the wisp transformed into a small silhouette of an old man.

Kazuki furrowed his brow, trying to identify the mysterious figure before him. Despite his extensive knowledge and experience, nothing about the old man's silhouette seemed familiar to him. Perhaps if he were calmer and less agitated, he might have been able to recognize the identity of the enigmatic figure.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Kazuki asked, his voice steady but tinged with caution. He couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter held significant implications, and he needed to proceed carefully.

In the corner of the room, the faint sound of a man whimpering and pleading for mercy drifted through the air, but Kazuki paid it no heed, his focus entirely on the enigmatic wisp before him. However, to his surprise, the wisp seemed to be drawn to the commotion, floating towards a cage in the corner where a man was restrained. The man's body was covered in intricate fuinjutsu markings, a testament to his captivity.

As the wisp approached the restrained man, a sense of recognition flickered across its form. Kazuki watched with growing curiosity as the wisp transformed again into a small silhouette of an old man, its features contorted with amusement but much more clear.

"Well, well, little Danzo, it seems you've finally met your match." The old man's voice echoed in the chamber, dripping with satisfaction at Danzo's predicament. Kazuki's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the unexpected turn of events. He had never seen this side of the wisp before, and its familiarity with Danzo only added to his intrigue.

Danzo, whose body was marked with a mixture of old and fresh wounds, appeared as a shadow of his former self. The sight brought a sense of satisfaction to the old man, a reminder of the betrayal Danzo had inflicted upon his beloved Uzumaki clan.

With a bitter chuckle, the old man continued, "This is the price you pay for your treachery, Danzo. If only you hadn't betrayed us, perhaps my clan would still stand strong today."

The tension in the room was palpable as Kazuki observed the exchange between the wisp and Danzo, uncertain of the implications of their interaction.

As realization dawned on Kazuki, the identity of the wisp became clear—it was none other than someone he was very familiar with. From his earliest days, Kazuki studied the theories of fuinjutsu using the records of this enigmatic figure. The old man was Ashina Uzumaki, the revered leader of the Uzumaki clan, a name that stood proudly alongside the likes of the Senju and Uchiha during the tumultuous Warring States era.

Legend had it that the Uzumaki maintained a neutral stance in the conflicts between the Senju and Uchiha. Had they intervened, it was believed that the outcome of these historic conflicts might have been decided long before.

As Kazuki's eyes fell upon the restrained figure of Danzo, a surge of contempt rippled through him like a raging river. For a moment, he thought about what new horrors he could introduce Danzo to. Maybe he can subject him to more experiments that would truly benefit the village; maybe at least in the afterlife he can boast that he dedicated his life to the village. 

Danzo, once a powerful figure in the shadows, now reduced to a pitiful state, bore the marks of his treachery etched across his entire body. The sight brought a smirk to Ashina's face who couldn't resist a taunting jab at the fallen man.

"Hahaha, look at you now, Danzo." Ashina's voice echoed through the chamber, dripping with malicious amusement. "All your schemes, your manipulations, reduced to naught. This is the fate of those who betray the Uzumaki clan."

Kazuki's gaze flickered between Ashina and Danzo, his expression unreadable but his curiosity palpable. He called out Ashina's name, surprising the wisp, who hadn't expected to be recognized so easily.

"Ashina Uzumaki"

Ashina's ethereal form turned towards Kazuki, his features obscured yet his presence imposing. "You know my name, boy?" Ashina's voice was tinged with curiosity, as if he were intrigued by Kazuki's ability to identify him.

Kazuki nodded, his jaw clenched with determination. "I know enough to understand that you're meddling where you don't belong; tell me how you escaped the Reapers Seal."

As Ashina's ethereal form glided effortlessly through the sealed chamber, he marveled at the quality of the seals deployed. Even in his soul state, he found himself hindered by their effectiveness, a testament to the skill and knowledge of the one who had set them. While his outward demeanor remained calm and composed, inwardly, he was astounded by the sheer talent displayed before him.

It was evident to Ashina that the one who orchestrated these intricate seals must have delved deep into the Uzumaki clan records, for only then could they possess such advanced knowledge. As he pondered this, a sense of admiration welled up within him. Never in his centuries of existence had he encountered such a prodigious talent. Perhaps, he mused, there was hope yet for the world.

Had he known of the future with such potential before, he might not have been so hasty in his decision to end his own life with the reaper seal. Frustration and despair had driven him to that desperate act, compounded by the betrayal he felt from the Leaf Village. But now, in the presence of this remarkable individual, he couldn't help but wonder if there was a chance for redemption—for himself and for the world.

As Ashina continued to assess the seals with a critical eye, memories of his past deeds and regrets flooded his mind. But alongside them came a glimmer of hope, sparked by the boundless potential he saw in the young master of these seals. Perhaps, he thought, it was not too late for him to make amends, and help guide this extraordinary talent towards a brighter future to save this world from annihilation.

The wisp's form seemed to shimmer with amusement. "Ah, the audacity of youth! Kid, do you think you are the only one who can master fuinjutsu to such a degree?" Ashina chuckled. "But do you truly comprehend the depths of your enemy's true strength, whom you are aspiring to face in the future?"

Kazuki's gaze hardened, his resolve unshaken. "I know enough to recognize that you have yet to answer my question. Ashina Sama, if you truly are who you claim to be, then I have no issues answering your queries."

As Kazuki realized that Ashina's gaze was again set on Danzo within the chamber, his thoughts churned with loathing for Danzo. The poison coursing through Danzo's veins was a testament to his vengeance, a reminder of the suffering he had inflicted upon others.

"He deserves every ounce of torment he endures," Kazuki muttered under his breath, his voice laced with disdain. "And if fate allows, I'll ensure he suffers even more for his crimes."

"Well, I have no issues with that," Ashina remarked, his voice echoing softly in the chamber. "If you ask me, he needs to suffer more. So, tell me, how are you planning to face those Otsusuki?"

His tone held a mixture of curiosity and anticipation, tinged with a hint of satisfaction.

For centuries, Ashina had waited, watching as the world shifted and changed around him. He had waited for someone to emerge, someone who could bear the weight of their shared history and stand against the looming threat of the Otsusuki. But as the years passed, hope dwindled, replaced by resignation and despair.

"I waited for almost three centuries, hoping for someone to come along," Ashina continued, his gaze fixed on Kazuki with a mixture of admiration and relief. "I waited so that I could pass along my knowledge, and prepare the next generation to face the Otsusuki. But as time went on, the quality of Shinobi fell. I lost all hope."

Yet, here stood Kazuki, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness. The young prodigy possessed a talent and potential that Ashina had not seen in generations. It was a glimmer of light in a world veiled by shadow and uncertainty.

"But here you are, standing before me, brimming with so much talent," Ashina exclaimed, his voice filled with a sense of pride and satisfaction. "You carry the legacy of our clan by inheriting its knowledge, the duty that has been passed down for millennia. It is a duty to preserve the secrets of fuinjutsu, to stand as humanity's final bastion against the next wave of Otsusuki."

As he spoke, Ashina couldn't help but reflect on the dwindling strength of the Uzumaki clan, once revered for their mastery of fuinjutsu. Over time, however, their knowledge had faded, and their power had been diminished by neglect and internal strife. It was a sobering realization, one that spoke to the fragility of humanity's resolve in the face of adversity.

"Humanity forgot their true strength," Ashina mused, his expression clouded with sorrow and regret. "They began to rely on chakra, a gift brought to this world by the Otsusuki. But we must not forget our true enemy, or the duty that has been entrusted to us."

With a heavy heart, Ashina looked to Kazuki, the last hope of their clan, and prayed that he would be the one to carry their legacy forward and lead humanity to victory.

"What do you mean by passing down knowledge?" Kazuki's curiosity burned within him, his mind racing with the implications of Ashina's words. If what the wisp had told him was true, then it could change everything.

Ashina's ethereal form turned to face Kazuki, a glimmer of ancient wisdom shining in his eyes. "Of course, kid," he began, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. "Although humanity suffered losses, so too did the Otsusuki. After the final clash, they hunted down every powerhouse that remained, seeking to extinguish any threat to their dominance. But they were arrogant, blind to the true power of fuinjutsu."

The wisp paused, as if lost in memories of ages long past. "Fuinjutsu has always been humanity's greatest strength," Ashina continued, his voice filled with reverence. "It can alter the fabric of fate itself, a power that even the Otsusuki could not fully comprehend. In the aftermath of the war, as the world lay shattered and broken, humanity found a way to endure."

"Even the sacred beasts, blessed by nature, sought refuge in secluded lands to escape their wrath," Ashina explained, his words resonating with the weight of history. "But do you think humans, with their ingenuity and resilience, would simply fade into obscurity? No. They banded together, pooling their knowledge and strength to form a clan that would stand the test of time."

As he spoke, Ashina's laughter echoed through the chamber, mingled with tears of both joy and sorrow. "I witnessed the rise and fall of our clan," he confessed, his voice heavy with regret. "I became a symbol of our downfall, a sinner who betrayed the very ideals we once held dear. But now, with you here, everything changes. We have a chance to reclaim our legacy, to defy fate itself, and to forge a new path forward."

"As for which clan or village you belong to, it matters not," Ashina declared, his voice resolute and unwavering. "The knowledge I possess transcends the boundaries of nations and ideologies. It is a legacy that belongs to all of humanity, regardless of where you may stand."

In that moment, Kazuki glimpsed the true majesty of the Uzumaki clan, a lineage steeped in ancient wisdom and boundless potential. And as he stood before Ashina, the weight of their shared heritage bore down upon him, filling him with a sense of purpose and determination unlike anything he had ever known.

As Kazuki dove deeper into the information shared by Ashina, his mind became a whirlwind of revelations and insights. It was as if the pieces of a vast and intricate puzzle were finally falling into place, revealing a picture that had long been shrouded in mystery.

He thought about the Uzumaki clan, their true significance to the world, and the weight of their legacy. They were not simply another clan among many; they were the guardians of a power that defied the very fabric of existence itself. Their mastery of fuinjutsu was not just a skill to be admired; it was a beacon of hope in a world plagued by darkness.

The Uzumaki had stood at the forefront of humanity's struggle against the Otsutsuki, their knowledge and expertise serving as a bulwark against the tide of destruction. They had weathered countless storms, their resolve unbroken, their determination unwavering.

And now, as Kazuki delved deeper into their secrets, he began to understand the true majesty of the Uzumaki clan. They were not simply warriors or scholars; they were the custodians of humanity's destiny, the keepers of its most sacred knowledge.

"Wait, in that case, why didn't the Uzumaki clan intervene when Kaguya Otsutsuki reigned over this world for a period of time? She even cast an infinite Tsukuyomi during that time, killing tens of thousands to bloom that subpar chakra fruit," Kazuki asked, his curiosity piqued by the revelations.

"Kid, you seem to know quite a few secrets. Well, how do you know the Uzumaki didn't intervene? Do you think the Sage of the Six Paths learned fuinjutsu from Kaguya? No, the Uzumaki clan armed him with the seals so that he could face his mother alongside his brother. The sun and moon seal that Hagoromo used to defeat Kaguya despite their massive power differences is something the Uzumaki clan gave. The Uzumaki clan couldn't directly intervene because then the whole of the Otsutsuki clan out in the cosmos would have started the war anew, finding out that the old humanity had survived," Ashina shared the secret, clarifying Kazuki's query.

Kazuki's mind reeled with the weight of this revelation. The Uzumaki clan's role in shaping history was more profound than he could have imagined. They were not mere bystanders; they were the architects of destiny, wielding the power of fuinjutsu to guide the course of humanity's struggle against the Otsutsuki.

As he absorbed this knowledge, Kazuki felt a newfound sense of purpose stirring within him. He was no longer just an inheritor of the Uzumaki clan's knowledge; he was a guardian of its legacy, entrusted with the secrets that could tip the scales in humanity's favor.