Uzumaki Survival 003

AN: As a reminder, Uzumaki Survival is this week as the secondary story, you can find ch1 in collections~

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Running across a field of snow, Oden breathed in the cool air, and felt the exhilaration of running at super speeds out in the open. The crunch of snow passed under his feet in a flurry, and thanks to the famed Uzumaki stamina, he could sprint at full tilt like this for hours, and not feel out of breath. 

‘Maybe I should focus on taijutsu?’ Oden idly thought to himself, and glanced at Suzuki. 

The busty red head grinned back at him, and gave a thumbs up. A snowflake suddenly splattered on her face, and the red eyed beauty sneezed, ruining her perfect image. 

Seeing Oden's silent grin, she huffed, and faced forward. 

Up ahead-just about ten minutes away at the pace they were moving-was the Village Hidden in the Snow, or Yuki for short. Not very creative to name your village ‘snow’ but really, Konoha ‘leaf’ or Suna ‘sand’ wasn't much more imaginative. The point was, the city was surprisingly large. 

Surrounded by a frozen wall of ice, Yuki sat nearby a river, and an outlet on the ocean. Sitting atop a hill, it held a commanding presence over the ocean, as well as what appeared to be a mine in the distance. Numerous train tracks entered Yuki, and he spotted a primitive locomotive-like something out of the 1800's-out in the distance. To Oden, it seemed that their tech level wasn't as impressive as it was in the movie, but they were definitely making progress. 

Whilst Oden & Suzuki had been chatting, Nozomi-with her shorter legs & Genin stats-had struggled to keep pace. The lithe Uzumaki girl moved with a grim look on her face. Every other second, she'd close her eyes to reach out with her senses, and each time, her expression became paler and paler. 

“Oden…I feel the malevolent chakra ahead. It's different from us. Based on the ancestors teachings, it shouldn't be much different from that of a Tailed Beast. I also sense fear, pain. It’s everywhere. We have to help them! They're no better off than our clan!” Nozomi hurriedly spoke in a panicked, begging voice. 

Oden didn’t slow down, but he contemplated her words. His first thought wasn't about being a hero, but moreso, how he could leverage this information to enhance their odds of survival. 

The Tailed Beasts could be sealed into people…could these yokai be sealed into people too? Stroking his chin, Oden very seriously considered such a possibility. Unfortunately, he didn't know the Eight Trigrams Seal. However, given some research, and his knowledge of sealing jutsu, it wasn't impossible. 

For now, he did have something else he wanted to try that seemed feasible. If he could capture one of these yokai with his Adamantine Chains, then he would have to put his plan into motion. 

An ambitious gleam shone in his eye, and Oden then nodded at Nozomi. “Naturally we shall do the best we can to help these people, they are, after all, our future comrades. However, Nozomi, do not become blinded by reality. Remember, Konoha were our allies, but they were nowhere to be seen during the invasion.” 

Nozomi bowed her head in defeat, and then raised it, a shining gleam of hope & determination sparkled in her eyes. 

“I know. But these hands were taught how to heal. I'll, I'll defend myself and my friends if I have to, but I'll heal everyone I can! That way, no one will be enemies when everyone is healthy!” Nozomi puffed out her cheeks, and defiantly declared. 

Oden glanced at where the bite mark on her arm had been, and saw that a scar had already formed. Withholding a wince, he looked away, unwilling to confront her suicidal empathy. Although such dreams weren't practical, he still respected her for having such a noble goal. 

“You're a good girl, Nozomi. After what we've been through, I hope this ugly world can never stain you black.” Oden said with a heavy heart. 

“We're here.” Suzuki barked, breaking him out of his fugue. 

Drawing near, he saw that the ice wall was breached in multiple places. Jagged holes had smashed the structure inward, as if it were struck by a giant's hammer. Smoke and snow swirled together inside the city, and the smell of blood was in the air. Screams carried on the wind were raw, panicked, and then suddenly silent, as they were abruptly cut short. 

Through the gap in the wall, Oden saw something that made him hold his breath. 

A massive shape lumbered into view between the igloo-like buildings. Standing at a height of about one to two stories tall, its grotesque, grey-beige skinned body was dominated by a single enormous head. Literally, it was a monster that was a living head. There was no toreso, or waist to speak of. 

Wild brown hair billowed in the wind, its ears were pointed like a goblins, its mouth was shaped like a humans’, and it had two bear-like arms, each one the size of a small sedan. One yellowish eye rolled wildly in its socket as it jumped forward on a single large, mountainous leg. Each time it moved, it had to hop, and when it landed, the ground would shudder. Possessing the face of the ugliest man alive, the yokai was quite terrifying. 

The creature picked up a man with the same ease that Oden would pick up an apple, and bit down on the fleeing civilian, crushing him without effort. Blood flowed down its chin like juice, and it stopped to feast on its victim. 

“The hell is that?” Suzuki swore, and skidded to a halt. 

“I've seen drawings of these. This is a Yukinyudo.” Nozomi grimly stated, covering her mouth so as not to vomit. 

Oden nodded in agreement, barely holding the contents of his stomach in check, and was silently cursing up a storm. 

‘What the fuck is this?! This is a yokai?! I'm not in Attack on Titan, right?!’ Oden thought to himself in a panic. 

As if summoned by Nozomi's words, more Yukinyudos emerged into an open square. 

He spotted at least three of the winter yōkai rampaging in their immediate vicinity, whilst the sound of heavy combat came from deeper in the city. 

The elephantine bulk of the Yukinyudos in front of him shattered walls of ice and snow-packed stone with ease. Buildings collapsed under their weight, domed roofs caving in as the monsters laughed. It sounded like a deep, wet sound that echoed horribly off the frozen streets. Civilians scattered in every direction, some were trampled, and others snatched up and devoured mid-scream.

A squad of four Yuki-nin had shown up at some point, but they had to be basic Genin, and could only ineffectually toss kunai & shuriken at the demon heads. 

Nozomi staggered, clutching her head. “Their chakra, it’s overwhelming. Cold. Twisted. Wrong. We have to do something!”

Suzuki cracked her knuckles, chains faintly rattling beneath her sleeves. “Just point me at one.”

“That one there, get its attention, and bring it here, to this narrow breach in the wall. I'll begin to set up some Sticky seals. Nozomi, you're on overwatch. Once we ambush the evil head, notify us if more than one Yukinyudo is coming. Otherwise, take the high ground, and prepare some kunai with Explosive Tags.” 

“Got it!” Nozomi nodded, and scaled the wall. 

Suzuki wore a confident grin, picked up some broken cobblestone along the way, and left to antagonize the target. 

Oden, in the meantime, started to repeatedly slap his hand on the ground. Spending chakra like crazy, he set up several dozen Sticky seals. Three minutes later, a loud thump shook his surroundings, and he looked up to see Suzuki kiting a Yukinyudo backwards. 

The giant hairy head was scowling, as it couldn't keep up with her speed. Suzuki, meanwhile, was slowing down just enough to be absolutely infuriating. What she was doing, was like hovering a treat or snack just outside of a dog's range. This 100% was some cruel and unusual punishment! 

“Suzuki, you beautiful, evil girl!” Oden shouted, and grinned in wonder. 

“He's all yours!” Suzuki cheered as she jumped onto the side of the wall, and bypassed the seals. 

As for the Yukinyudo, he roared in triumph, as his prize had suddenly stopped. With his next leap, the monster came crashing down, landing directly in the trap that had been prepared for him. 

“Now!” Oden declared, and ran close, unleashing his Adamantine Chains. 

Wrapping them around the giant's arms, he tugged. The yokai wobbled in place, trying to leap up, but found himself unable to move. Next, he tried to move his arms, but the restraining effect of the Adamantine Chains was top tier! Furthermore, every second that he was trapped, the Yukinyudo had his chakra restrained by the chains! 

Roaring in dissatisfaction, the monster smashed his face forward, and opened his jaws wide. Wet hot spittle splashed onto Oden's face, and his life flashed before his eyes. 

Oden felt a split second of panic. If he released his chains to dodge, then he would just get smooshed by a follow-up attack from the arms! As soon as he had this realization, Suzuki came by in a blur. Her chain coated fists smashed forward, directly meeting the yokai's forehead. A dull, cracking sound, like a giant bell collapsing rang out, and the Yukinyudo was pushed back! 

The demon tried to raise itself, and headbutt her once more, but Suzuki went on a beating spree! Her Adamantine Chain coated fists smashed down again and again, draining him of chakra, and beat him into submission! 

“Hold up, Suzuki! I want to try something!” Oden declared. 

Moving closer, he fully bound the yokai, and stared into his eye. Although there was mostly bestial hunger in its gaze, it bore the barest spark of intelligence! 

“...he resents you, Oden.” Nozomi spoke up from the wall. 

“We should kill it.” Suzuki cracked her knuckles. 

Upon hearing her words, the Yukinyudo struggled to escape, but like a fly caught in the web, it had no wiggle room. The Adamantine Chains were just that OP. Furthermore, the yokai's chakra was severely depleted by this point, it was growing weaker and weaker by the second. 

“You can understand us, good. Become my servant, or die.” Oden demanded. 

“But it killed so many innocents, you can't just-” Nozomi began, only for Suzuki to silence her with a glare. 

Oden ignored the girls, as his entire attention was on the demon. The Yukinyudo blinked, considering his words, and then struggled to nod his head. It grunted, and moved its lips. 

“I serve, mas-ter.” The Yukinyudo gasped, its words were broken, and sounded as if they were spoken by a foreigner who barely understood the language. 

“Oh?” Oden stroked his chin, and then pulled out a blank scroll. 

Writing down a strict Summoning Contract that was practically a slavery contract-something that was like what Nagato did to his summons during his attack on Konoha-and was much different to what the Toads had with Naruto, Oden presented it to the giant head. Such a thing was only possible between a person and chakra constructs such as the Tailed Beasts, or ‘summons.’ Humans could not enslave or contract with other humans, at least Oden didn't know such seals. Since Nozomi described these yokai as being no different than a Tailed Beast…then Oden wanted to see if he could make a yokai into his summon! 

“Drop your blood onto this scroll, and I shall release these binds.” Oden calmly stated. 

For a contract like this to be complete, blood had to willingly be given. Forceful seizure of blood would not work. Oden didn't understand the why, but it was the same when Naruto signed the contract with the toads. Blood was the medium, and only that which was volunteered would seal the terms of the contract. 

The Yukinyudo had an expression on its face as if it were about to trick Oden, and then devour him on the spot. Without a second thought, it stuck out its tongue, bit down, and forced a drop of blood onto the scroll. A bright purple light began to shine on the scroll, and Oden performed several hand seals, he then cut the top of his hand with a kunai, and a drop of blood sealed his end of the bargain as he slapped his hand down on the scroll. Runes flared to life, and crawled up both his, and the yokai's skin before fading from view, leaving the paper blank. 

Oden felt a small tether to the Yukinyudo, that he could command it to do anything, even commit suicide should he wish. And if he supplied enough chakra, could summon him from any distance. 

“What. Did. You. Do!” The Yukinyudo roared in a guttural rage, its eye went wide in astonished disbelief. 

Hot, stinky breath coated his face, yet it couldn't remove the insane grin that spread from ear to ear. 

“Sit. Do nothing.” Oden commanded, and withdrew his chains. 

“Oden?” Suzuki questioned in alarm, and positioned herself in front of him in case she had to grab him in a hurry. 

“Relax, Suzuki, we are in no danger. In fact, Yukinyudo, you are forbidden from ever harming, or scheming against anyone with red hair like me, anyone named Uzumaki, or any of us three, unless I expressly order you to. Do not attack humans, destroy their possessions, or harm another life unless given permission, or you are attacked whilst in my presence. You are also to follow this one's orders as if they were my own.” Oden began to issue orders, and pointed towards Suzuki. 

“No.” The Yukinyudo scowled, and yet the invisible tethers that bound him made it impossible for him to resist. 

“Just like in the legends.” Nozomi-who had jumped down to observe the sealing-was staring at Oden with a starstruck gaze. 

“Nozomi.” Oden sharply said her name. 

“Y-yes!” The lithe girl snapped out of her confusion, and stood ramrod straight. 

“Please heal our guest, and Suzuki, bait the remaining two over, we have some new friends to make!” Oden ordered. 

“You're becoming more and more mysterious, Oden.” Suzuki said with a blush, and then turned towards the remaining two rampaging monsters, her battlelust had been ignited, and a grin spread from ear to ear. 

“What a day. The legends are real.” Nozomi mindlessly muttered to herself as she got to work healing. 

Oden, meanwhile, began to set up Sticky seals once more, and practice his chakra control so that he didn't waste any more chakra than he had to. Although he was practically a bottomless pit, and what he did so far was spam a shit ton of E-rank seals, that didn't mean he had to be stupid about it. 

Chakra was a resource, and if he was careless with it, he'd be like those lotto winners who won a massive fortune, only to spend it all and end up worse off. 

As an Uzumaki, it only paid to be prudent. With body snatchers around every corner, saving these ‘scraps’ of chakra could end up rescuing his ass one day. 

Regulating his internal energy so that he used the minimal amount for each jutsu, Oden heard the sound of thumping footsteps drawing near, and couldn't help but grin. 

More bodies had just volunteered themselves~