Uzumaki Survival 002

AN: This is not a harem.

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Emerging from the whirlpool space-time fuinjutsu, Oden felt dazed, as if he had spent an hour with his eyeballs inches from a TV screen. Stumbling forward, his shoes skidded over some damp stones, and he barely caught himself from falling flat on his face. 

The air here was a little chilly, and was heavy with the scent of moss and the sound of trickling water. It was somewhat dark, but his eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he knew this place to be a cave. Upon his arrival, he made out a few faded seals, and touched one. The cavern was instantly illuminated by a soft glow, revealing a spacious room that could accommodate hundreds. Off to the side, there were several carved tunnels that lead to other rooms, and passageways. 

Evidently the Uzumaki ancestors had planned for such a catastrophe, as Heat seals also ran along the wall, keeping the cavern at a reasonable temperature, despite where the whirlpool had spat them out. 

For half a minute, he was the only one in this room, and was worrying that no one else would emerge. As soon as he turned around, a vast pair of bouncy mountains came hurtling out of a fuinjutsu portal, and slammed into him face first. 

Knocked onto his back, Oden had swirly eyes, and barely noticed the red flush that covered Suzuki's face. Knowing what he knew, and recalling all of their past interactions, Oden stared into her vibrant violet eyes, and then gave her a squeeze in the side. 

“Meep!” Suzuki uttered, and jumped up like a startled cat. 

Then, realizing what she did, Suzuki hauled Oden up by the scruff of his shirt, and pushed him back a foot. Looking him up and down, her embarrassment started to die down, and an appreciative smile blossomed across her cheeks. 

“There you are, you little ink-brain! You did it! You actually did it!” She exclaimed, and pulled him in for a suffocating hug. 

Oden grunted, his eyes narrowed, and a pair of Adamantine Chains snaked their way out of his hands, and coldly wrapped around the girl from behind.

“O-Oden! Not when the rest are about to arrive!” She laughed, bright and loud, before finally releasing him and thumping his chest with a fist.

He adjusted his collar, and softly exhaled. 

‘This gorilla will be the end of me.’ Oden sighed to himself. ‘What a drag.’ 

Stepping to the side, the pair made way as the large space time fuinjutsu seal plastered on the wall continued to gleam. 

One by one, the children spilled out into the cave. Of the original 28 he had started with-30 if you included him & Suzuki-there were now 27 of them left. The Genin who had been decapitated, and two of the little ones hadn't made it. 

With blood still drying on their clothes, some of the survivors collapsed to their knees with tears falling down their cheeks. Others stood frozen, eyes wide and hollow. A few of the Genin stared at their hands, as that was the first time they had thrown a weapon in anger. 

Uzushiogakure was gone. Their homeland for well over 300 years had vanished in a single night of infamy. 

The thought cut sharp and clean through Oden’s chest, but he did not let it slow him down or shatter his resolve. As a man with two sets of memories, he was well aware of how cruel this world was. All those poor souls who were captured would not be having a good time. Death was a mercy, and the fact that so many Uzumaki survived in one place was a minor miracle. 

Suzuki noticed his silence and leaned closer, lowering her voice just a little. “You okay, Inky?”

He nodded in response. Besides a sword sealed into his chest-one that he couldn't pull out no matter how much he tried-everything was fine. 

That was all she needed. Suzuki's posture straightened, and she adopted the air of a reliable big sister. She was ready to strike in an instant, ready to protect Oden-and the children-even if it cost her her life. 

The cave echoed with quiet misery. That girl who had been bitten sobbed softly into her sleeves. A boy slammed his fist against the stone wall until his knuckles bled. No one spoke of what had transpired, and the gloom that hovered over this group was palatable.

Oden stepped forward, realizing that all this moping was counterproductive. 

“Listen.”

The one word cut through the air, providing a focus for the children. A sea of redheads turned their attention to him, and dozens of blue or violet eyes looked at him, pinning him with the burden of their survival. 

This burning expectation was a little heavy for him to bear, but at least with Suzuki by his side, he had some confidence. 

“We don’t have time to fall apart. What happened to Uzushio-our home-was not because we were weak. They feared us. They feared our seals, our chains, our longevity. They envied our peaceful lives, what it means to be Uzumaki.”

Oden then gestured around the cave, pointing to each and every person. 

“We are alive. That means we carry the banner of our people. For their sake, and the sacrifices of our ancestors, we must endure. You are allowed to grieve, but do not be frightened or ashamed. Never forget where we came from. That we are a clan that has outlasted petty warlords before, and we shall do so again.” 

He stood to his full height, and looked everyone in the eye, the passion of pride blazed deep within his soul. 

“We are not weak. The time of lackadaisical peace has been shattered, and this brutal transgression shall not go unanswered. As the elder said…if the world shall not suffer us Uzumaki, then we shall not suffer the world!” Oden exclaimed, an iron will spread from him, and he said every word with the intent of raising his people out of the swamp of depression. 

Something shifted in the air, and many spines straightened. Tears slowed, and a few people in the crowd clenched fists tightened with renewed purpose. Although the majority were still pretty downcast, Oden could see at least 12 people had become motivated towards the path of revenge. Whilst this wasn't healthy long term, it was a step in the right direction. Weakness in this world was a sin, to survive, they would have to provide a united front. 

Unless one possessed the strength of Hashirama or Madara-where you could no diff Kage with ease-then the true path to longevity in the Elemental Nations, was to group together. The Uzumaki had fallen because they were alone. With the destination he had picked, it would only be a matter of time until they rose up as a Great Village to challenge the rest. 

Suzuki stepped up beside him and threw an arm around his shoulders, this time, instead of bone crushing, it was full of warmth, and felt protective in nature. 

“You heard the boss.” Suzuki said, flashing a feral smile. “If anyone tries to tell you that the Uzumaki are done, I’ll punch their teeth down their throat.”

A ripple of dark laughter moved through the group, and even the girl who had been used as a human shield had a small smile at that. 

Oden then clapped his hands to gather their attention once more, and began to speak like a team lead. 

“Okay, very good everyone. As you can see, our ancestors had prepared this area a long time ago. Everyone go explore the rooms deeper inside, and see if you can find any food. Meanwhile, Suzuki and I will go out to scout around.” 

There were a few mutters of acknowledgement, and a couple of the Genin tried to join in on the action, but Oden told them to stay put, and guard the rest. 

When Oden was about to disable a mechanism, and step out, the Genin girl who had been bitten-and had already recovered due to her bloodline-approached from behind, and shyly tugged on both his, and Suzuki's shirt. 

“Uhm, big brother, big sister, my name is Nozomi, I just wanted to say thank you. My mom taught me a thing or two about healing jutsu, so, uh, don't be afraid to come to me if you're wounded! Oh, and we found some of these in a side room!” Nozomi-a lithe girl at about 14 years old-hurriedly introduced herself, handed over a couple of fur coats that had Hot seals on them for warmth, and then put a coat on as if to follow them. 

“Didn't you hear him? Go explore the rooms, this is no place for a Genin like you.” Suzuki said, stepping in front of Oden, blocking her path. 

Nozomi hesitated, looking as if she would turn back any second. “...but I know healing jutsu, and am a sensor. I am not very good in a fight, however, I learned the hidden justus: Mind's Eye of the Kagura, I can help you, just like you helped me!” She rushed to speak, and got the words out all at once. 

Oden stroked his chin appreciatively, only to be pulled aside, and have Suzuki whisper to him. 

“Get your head in the game, Oden.” Suzuki got revenge from earlier, and poked him in the side, eliciting a ticklish yelp. 

“Jealous?” Oden teased with a smirk as he threw on his coat. 

“As if.” Suzuki huffed, rolling her eyes. 

“You’re right, there's nothing to worry about.” Oden said, and gave her a gentle side hug. 

Suzuki wasn't ready for the ambush, and when she blinked, he was already disabling the mechanism at the front of the cave. After pressing a few seals in the proper order, an illusory wall disappeared, revealing a vast expanse of white. A cold current of air blasted them in the face. 

He then turned, and gestured for Nozomi to follow them. Casual fans wouldn't know about it, but the Mind's Eye of the Kagura was one of the Uzumaki clan's top sensor techniques. Karin used it in the anime, and was basically just as, if not more OP than the Byakugan, if that could be believed. The technique could detect genjutsu in others, has a range of several dozen kilometers, and has a tracking feature where one could mark the chakra of someone else. Absolutely busted. The only downside, is that it wasn't very practical in direct combat, as it took 1-3 seconds to activate, and required one to close their eyes. With enough practice, Oden theorized someone good enough could make it their signature jutsu, and achieve S-tier status, but for Genin or Chunin, it was an invaluable scouting tool. 

After Nozomi had joined the team, and the last mechanism had been disabled, he turned to them with a grin. 

“Welcome, my dear Suzuki, to the Land of Snow!” Oden grandly spread his arms, and spoke like a ringside announcer. 

Standing atop a sheer cliff, the valley down below was breathtaking. Off on the edge of the horizon, one could barely make out a large city. Constructed from giant blocks of ice, the buildings were round, and most likely were igloos! Although it was still technically night time, the sun had not fully dimmed, due to how far north they had traveled. 

“So you took us to the Hidden Snow? Keep close, I'll protect you.” Suzuki spoke with steel in her voice, the playfulness of a second ago had been replaced by iron determination. 

Oden smiled. Despite standing out in the cold, he felt a warmth in his heart that transcended space or time. Regardless of the era, or which planet you came from, it felt good to be valued, to be loved. Without a word, he held onto her hand, and shared the scenery in silence. 

The intense events of only a handful of minutes ago had forced them into positions of leadership. It was frightening, and honestly, he was flying by the seat of his pants, and hardly knew what to do. He wasn't reincarnated as some 5 year old who had a decade of time to train, or cheese his way to the top with a system. No, as soon as he crossed over, he was presented with an impossible situation. In times like this, he was glad that he wasn't alone. 

During this moment of shared togetherness, Oden saw large plumes of black smoke rising on the horizon. At first, he thought nothing of it, what if the people of Hidden Snow: Yukigakire, were throwing a party or festival? But the longer he looked on, the thicker and more pervasive the smoke became. 

“I think I can faintly hear screams.” Suzuki frowned. 

Oden reluctantly pulled away from her warm embrace, and retrieved an ink pot, and brush from a pouch. Unfurling a blank scroll, he spent a minute visualizing the proper ‘letters’ and began to write. Five minutes later, a seal had been written down. Performing a handful of handsigns to mobilize his chakra, he then slapped a hand down on the seal. Lightning up with a faint blue sheen, the scroll was a Listening seal, and began to magnify sounds coming from the direction Oden had specified…which just so happened to be the Hidden Snow! 

Screams, and bestial roars came from the scroll, and the clash of blades met his ear. 

“Monster!” One man yelled, before a wet squelch silenced him. 

“They were only legends told to scare children! Who invited this calamity upon us?! Who brought these Yukinyudo to our doorst-!” A woman shrieked, only to fall quiet midsentence as a thumping, squelching noise ended her speech. 

Oden sighed as he recalled the people who were mercilessly slaughtered around him, or used as living medicine. He then glanced at Nozomi, and saw that her eyes were closed, and sweat was dripping down her forehead. 

Nozomi's face had gone pale like milk. Whatever she saw with her sensing ability must not be pretty. 

“I sometimes read the stories of our ancestors, of their battles with mythical creatures, and how they sealed them. How powerful beings like the Reaper could be contracted. Now I know the legends are true. A dozen yokai are ravaging the city down below. Their chakra is wrong. It feels foul, almost corrosive.” Nozomi clutched her sides, and shivered. Her current wilted state had nothing to do with the cold. 

Oden furrowed his brow, and glanced at Suzuki in worry. 

“It would appear that the Tori Gate that the elder opened has unleashed a great evil upon this world.” 

“What you said earlier: the world shall not suffer us Uzumaki, then we shall not suffer the world. Do you truly believe it?” 

“For our enemies, yes…but not for innocent, peace loving people. Come on…let's go.” Oden looked away, and then dashed down the cliff to go reinforce the Hidden Snow. 

The ghost of a smile coated Suzuki's lips as she followed in his wake. 

Revenge was a powerful motivator, but only a fool would allow themselves to be consumed by it. 

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AN: Another taste to tide you over for February. Just a reminder of the upcoming schedule:

Week 1: Jedi Insurgency + Artisan

Week 2: Jedi Insurgency + Uzumaki

Week3: Jedi Insurgency + DBZ

Week 4: Jedi Insurgency