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Burdened Soul: Uchiha SI Ch.55
🕑 Added 2025-05-02 12:08:24 +0000 UTCChapter 55
Kushina Uzumaki stood at the gates of Konoha once more, just as she had done so a decade ago, waiting for any news regarding her clan members. It took every ounce of her self-control to not just jump out of the gate and rush towards Kusagakure.
But she stood there, waiting her senses spreading far and wide as she waited for Izuna’s return, and then she felt it.
A blip of chakra in the distance, and her Uzumaki Kekkei Genkai allowed her to recognise it in an instant. And soon enough, that blip had turned into two, and then into four, and the last two chakras.
Her heart leapt in her chest as she felt that all too familiar chakra, something that she had not felt in ages.
“They are here,” and she was out of the gates, as she looked to the skies and saw two massive birds slowly descend to the ground, the first one carrying Izuna-kun and Konan-chan.
Izuna-kun gave her a nod as the second bird landed, and atop it were two women. One young girl and a woman around Mikoto’s age both huddled together, with but a small bag beside them.
They were clearly scared and apprehensive, and the sight of the soman’s arms with those bite marks over them made her skin boil. Her eyes turned towards her as she slowly walked down the bird’s wing.
“I thought all of us were dead,” the older woman gasped as tears gathered in her eyes, and Kushina shook her head.
“No. It seems not,” and she slowly stepped forward so as not to alarm the little girl who was around Naruto’s age, as she began.
“My name is Kushina Uzumaki, and as the granddaughter of Ashin Uzumaki, I welcome you all to Konoha....”
0000
MINATO NAMIKAZE
The emergence of not just one, but two Uzumaki clan members was a major boost for Konoha, for the people of the village had always been remorseful over their lack of action for their sister village.
And though this was all too little and too late, it was a start as the information network began their searched anew, as they tried to locate other survivors of the clan so that they could rebuild the clan.
They had already taken back their land from Kiri, and it was his hope that a time could come when he could pass it back to a flourishing Uzumaki clan and wipe away Konoha’s greatest shame.
He had read the mission reports and was glad that he had chosen Izuna for the task, and with Kushina taking the charge over the resettlement of Kirin and Karin Uzumaki, it was up to him to turn his gaze towards the next challenge facing his village.
The Chunin Exams.
Already, he had finalised three teams that would participate in the exam from their village, though of the three, only one team was truly consequential. Because of Orochimaru’s shady past, he did not feel comfortable leaving him in charge of a team such as this.
In the end, he had to choose an appropriate sensei, one who could both add to their skills, and keep the three of them in line. For as skilled as the three of them were, he could not appoint just anyone as their team sensei.
He had thought of choosing Izuna-kun, but the presence of his brother on the team made that complicated. And though both of them maybe mature enough to work around it, he did not wish to put them in a position where they had to navigate something like this.
And so, he had scoured through the files until he had a few options at hand. Some safe, others not so much. In the end, he had decided to make an inspired choice, one which now sat right infront of him.
“Me, a sensei?” asked the purple-haired girl in sheer surprise, and it was probably the first time he had seen her display any sort of emotions, as Minato nodded towards the former leader of the Akatsuki.
“Yes, you,” he clarified with a smile, and she seemed lost for words, until she finally argued against him.
“But, I have never taught anyone, and I am not even a Ko...” and she stopped herself from saying anything more, perhaps so that she may not offend him.
But he understood what she wanted to say, and contrary to what she may think, he was not offended by it all.
“Well, you led the Akatsuki, and I doubt teaching is anymore difficult than that. As for the actual teaching, the students I intend to give you are all rather skilled so I doubt you would have much to teach them. Your main duty as their teacher would be to harden them, make them more cohesive as a unit, and to show them the cruelties of this world,” and what better person to do that than one who had spent her entire life surrounded by war.
Itachi, Saiko, and Anko were all rather skilled but much like the rest of the new generation of shinobi they had been shielded from the cruelties and the damning realities if this world.
But it was time that they learnt that this world was not so simple. That, as powerful and talented as they are, they could die just as easily as a civilian if they lost focus for even a second.
“So, your argument about your inexperience is rather moot. Moreover, everyone must make a start somewhere. I myself was around your age when I was given a team of my own,” and though he had tried to right by them, he had failed all three of them as a sensei.
She did not meet his gaze, choosing to stare at his hat as she sat there silently, with no retort.
For her real argument was never her inexperience or lack of ability. No, the real argument was always a lack of belonging. A lack of a home. For while other refugees that had come along with her had begun to settle down and live their lives, she still clung to the memories of home and people long gone.
She refused to forget them, because of either fear, rage, or remorse. She refused to live, for she felt guilty.
“Konan,” he began softly, knowing that she needed a helping hand, and as a kage and a fellow student of Jiraiya-sensei, it was his duty to provide it.
She looked up at him as he stared into those orange eyes and began slowly.
“I have read and heard much about Nagato, and Yahiko,” and he really had. And from what he had obtained, they were both exemplary shinobis, kind people in an unkind world.
They were dreamers, and now with them gone, the burden of that dream was crushing the kunoichi in front of her.
“And I can easily say that they were both exemplary shinobi who wished to make this world a better place. Who wished to make Ame a better place, but change is difficult. It is slow, laboring, and asks of us great sacrifice,” and it was a lesson that he had learned only after he had read through the Shodaime’s diaries, on how he had cried at the loss of his kin. How he had pained, yet had continued to smile and thrust forward as he tried to give the next generation a semblance of peace and hope.
“Look at that wall,” and he pointed to the side wall where the portraits for all the kage were hung.
“The peace you see in this village was once a dream similar to what you, Yahiko, and Nagato dreamt for Ame,” and he looked at those faces.
“But the reality is that our lives are simply too short and futile to bring about such change, and so as people, we entrust our dreams to the next generation,” and he could see her mind churning at his words as he slowly continued.
“We nurture them. Train them. And we believe in them to do the same when the time comes, so that the dream continues, so that while we may not enjoy the peace and prosperity we desire in our lives. Mayhaps, our children, or grandchildren, or great grandchildren may see it turn to reality,” and these were the teachings of the Shodaime, a man who was willing to kill himself just so he could lay the foundation for peace.
The peace and prosperity Konoha enjoys today were because of the sacrifice of that man, and the thousand others beside him who had wished for a better future for the next generations.
“Yahiko and Nagato are gone, but their dream lives on with you and the people who came with you. It will live on in the hearts of your children and students,” and already a next generation was being born, one who would have two villages as their homes.
“But first you must learn to trust those beside you, trust in them to share your burden,” and his words finally broke her down as he saw her face tremble as she held back her tears.
“I can’t,” she whispered in a trembling tone, her fists balled up in frustration.
“I can’t. I don’t want to see someone else die for me. I can’t bear that,” and it was such a tragedy that she had been pushed to such a point.
“I never said it was easy,” he said.
“But Konoha and its people are stronger than you think. Izuna Uchiha is stronger than you think,” he assured her, with a smile.
“So, do not just survive. Live your life not just four yourself, but for the hope and dream of the people that look to you for strength and hope,” and the room was silent except for her slight sob, until a minute later she wiped away the tears from her eyes and looked into his eyes with a renewed resolve.
“I am grateful for your offer, Hokage-sama,” and for the first time in five years, he saw a semblance of hope and aspiration in those eyes. And this was what made the headache of being a Hokage worth it in the end. this ability to inspire and change people’s lives.
This is what being a Hokage was meant to be.
“I will take the team and I promise you I will not let you down,” and he slid forward the file.
“I know you won’t...”
0000
IZUNA UCHIHA
The Hokage office was becoming a sort of second home to him, with him spending so much time here, and it had just been a few days since his return from Kusagakure, and already rumors about his Sage Mode were beginning to spread.
“I didn’t know that you had mastered Sage Mode,” asked Minato-san as he sipped his tea, and with the Sun down and the village around them asleep, it was a lot calmer in his office.
“I wouldn’t call it mastered yet. After all, I don’t have your monster reserves,” and the man chuckled.
“You are still young, your reserves will grow. In many ways, your achievement is even more impressive given the hurdles you had to clear up,” and well, he would not.
But still, the mission had been a good test for him to use the technique and familiarize himself with it. It also sent a message to Iwa and Kumo, warning them of the consequences in case their desire for revenge resurfaces.
“Still, your mission has had some rather good unintended consequences,” and that made him raise a brow as he sipped his own tea.
“What do you mean?” and at that, the man slid forward a file, and Izuna quickly flipped through it and found himself surprised by its contents.
“Another one?” he gasped, for the file mentioned an intelligence report on another red-haired child in a foreign land, one who could potentially be another Uzumaki descendant.
“Yes, and I have never seen Kushina so excited in her life. We are not certain about her origins, given that she seems to be an orphan, but the initial reports are promising. She could be the descendant of another survivor,” and as Izuna read the name, he found it familiar, yet he could not remember how.
“Tayuya,” he whispered as he mouthed it again.
“Yes, Kushina said it was a fairly common name in Uzushio,” and that was good news.
“Do you want me to handle this one as well?” the blonde leader of Konoha shook his head.
“No. This matter is far less complicated than the one with Kusa. I have already dispatched a team to retrieve the girl,” and that was well and good, and he had somewhat of a guilty look as he continued.
“Though I am afraid I have another mission for you,” and Izuna shrugged.
“I don’t mind. What is it?” and the man’s expression turned serious as he began.
“The Chunin exams,” and that roused his interest as well.
“I wish for you to be the leader of the Konoha entourage,” which was a massive responsibility, especially with Iwa, Kumo, and Kiri all participating in the exams.
“With Orochimaru-sama’s team being part of the exams, would it not be proper for him to serve as the leader?” he asked, and the man seemed to hesitate for a second before he replied gravely.
“I have decided against making him a part of the entourage,” which surprised him, as Izuna put down his tea and gave this his full focus.
“Why?” he asked, and the Hokage’s lips thinned.
“I do not think he is the right fit. I have already talked to him, his team, along with Itachi-kun, will have a new sensei,” and that was strange.
“And he agreed?” he being the Snake sanin.
“He will, if I give him access to the cells of Hashirama Senju,” and that was quite an ask of the man, to have such audacity, one could not deny his daring.
“And do you intend to give him access?” Izuna asked that as a Hokage, he did not have to give in to the Sanin’s terms, but Orochimaru was a Sanin, not an ordinary shinobi. And Izuna doubted that the man had access to those cells, but his asking for them officially was simply a ruse to protect his interests.
“I am inclined to,” Minato-san replied, his face contorting as he said those words.
“Why?” If he did not trust him enough to give him a team, why give him access to such sensitive material?
“Because of Rin,” and he should have guessed as his eyes dropped to the floor.
“I am sorry,” for they would not be in this situation if he had managed to succeed. But he had not, and now she did not have much time.
“He has promised me that he will make looking into a cure for her his first priority,” and he had to applaud the genius of the Snake sanin who had attacked Minato-san at his most vulnerable place.
“If there is even a sliver of chance that he could help her, then it is my duty as her sensei to take that chance,” and he could understand his words, after all, he had acted upon a similar impulse when he had gutted Danzo Shimura.
“Moreover, we both know this official request is a farce. He probably has access to this material on his own. He may be a devil, but a devil we know is far better than one we don’t,” and that was a solid argument.
“It is your decision. I won’t argue against it,” and that seemed to assure him.
“I will need you to pass on your own research into the matter to him as well, so that he may not waste time chasing fruitless avenues,” and he had no qualms with it.
“Sure,” and so silence once more settled in the office as they both sat there, not as Hokage and shinobi but as peers in a rapidly shifting world.
“Speaking of that, who will be the sensei of Itachi’s team then?” he asked, interested in his choice.
“Someone you are rather familiar with,” and that was a surprise.
“Akatsuki no Konan....”
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Comments
Almaz Zakytkazy
Thanks for the chapter!
Beta117
I know it’s a filler episode but don’t forget about honoka uzumaki on “summoning island”
Tj321
Great chapter
Radiant Tiefling
Thank you for the chapter.
