Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 68: 17 Years Old
It had been one month since Kushina and Maruku graduation and many things had happened since then.
At first, Kushina days as a new genin were filled with excitement. But soon, that excitement turned into frustration. Day after day, she found herself stuck doing D-rank missions, catching runaway cats, scrubbing toilets, cleaning training grounds and searching for missing items lost by careless villagers. Every mission felt repetitive, dull, and utterly meaningless. They were ninjas, not laborers.
"This is ridiculous!" Kushina complained one afternoon, throwing her broom aside. "I didn't become a ninja just to clean up other people mess! Dattebane!"
Maruku sighed beside her. "At least we get paid. Barely."
Minato only smiled, wiping sweat from his forehead as he picked up another bucket. "Even small missions can teach us discipline. Besides, we can't get stronger if we don't build teamwork first."
"Easy for you to say, genius boy," Kushina muttered, pouting. She turned away, refusing to believe a single word from him. Still, she couldn't understand why, after a whole month, they were still stuck doing these useless jobs.
After one particularly long day of chasing a cat through the marketplace, Jiraiya finally told them their mission streak was over. "You three need rest," he said. "I'm heading to report to the Hokage. Don't burn down the village while I'm gone." He laughed as he walked away.
The moment he disappeared, Kushina threw her arms up. "Finally! Dattebane, no more useless missions!"
That same evening, deep inside the Hokage office, Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back on his chair. He had summoned Uzumaki Raiken for a follow-up report regarding the mysterious creature known as Zetsu.
"So, you named this intruder a Zetsu," Hiruzen began cautiously. "How did you come up with the name?"
"After discussion, we decided the intruder needed a name," replied Raiken. "So we called it Zetsu, which carries the same meaning as 'tongue' a fitting symbol for something that spies and listens."
"Good choice," muttered Hiruzen. "Have you found out who sent this creature?"
"Yes and no," Raiken replied. He decided to reveal more this time, wanting to gauge the Hokage's reaction, especially after learning that Danzo had been dismissed from his position and was now confined to his home under guard.
"What do you mean by yes and no?" asked Hiruzen.
"Yes, we discovered where it might have originated," said Raiken. "And no, it wasn't from any known village."
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "Explain in detail."
"The creature biology doesn't match any species from the Five Great Nations or any smaller villages," Raiken explained. "Moreover, we found traces suggesting its cells are at least a thousand years old."
"What?!" Hiruzen stood up abruptly, shock written all over his face.
"In our hypothesis," Raiken continued, "this White Zetsu was an ancient animal or plant, possibly an experiment from a millennium ago. Someone must have rediscovered it and repurposed it as an intelligence network."
Hiruzen sank back into his chair, silent for several minutes. Finally, Raiken broke the silence.
"May I return home, Hokage-sama?"
"Oh.... my apologies. I was thinking," said Hiruzen, rubbing his temples. "So, what else have you discovered?"
"It's all right, I understand," Raiken replied. "But there's something more. We found that the Zetsu cells are most compatible with the Uchiha clan."
Hiruzen's head snapped up. A chill ran through him, sensing something dangerous. "Did you inject the cells into them?"
"Exactly. And now, some members of the Uchiha clan can use Wood Release."
The Hokage froze. His expression stiffened, clearly displeased, but his tone remained composed—the mask of a seasoned leader.
"How many people have received that injection?" asked Hokage.
"Around 23 people from Uchiha Clan and they all are the one who married to Uzumaki Clan," replied Raiken.
"Why didn't you choose normal Uchiha?" asked Hokage.
"Because, they are ready," replied Raiken clearly didn't expect that Hokage asked why he didn't choose normal Uchiha.
"I see… Did you test it on other shinobi?" asked Hiruzen.
"No. It's too dangerous," Raiken replied. "The cells are most compatible with those who possess strong Yin release. In other words, the Uchiha. Their affinity allows the cells to merge seamlessly, granting regeneration and enhanced chakra control. But for those with dominant Yang release, like the Senju or the Uzumaki, the cells reject assimilation. The energy clashes. It consumes more than it gives."
Hiruzen's eyes darkened further. "And how do you know this?"
"We have our methods," Raiken said flatly. "So far, only the Uchiha and possibly the Hyuga can safely receive Zetsu cells."
"What about the Nara or Yamanaka clans?" asked Hiruzen.
"They do possess Yin chakra," Raiken admitted, "but the rejection rate would be far too high. I will not conduct live experiments on them."
In truth, Raiken had already tested the cells on Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki subjects. The injected men were all those who had married into the Uzumaki clan, whose wives were already pregnant. The other theories remained untested, at least, officially.
When Raiken finally left, Hiruzen stared at the scroll for a long moment before locking it inside a drawer. He exhaled slowly, his face heavy with conflict.
"Sensei," he murmured softly, "did I do the right thing? I dismissed Danzo for abusing his power, but now… now I'm forced to let the Uchiha grow stronger. Sensei, what would you have done if you were in my place?"
---Birthday---
A month later, Raiken celebrated his seventeenth birthday. His fiancée, Uchiha Mikoto, had turned seventeen just a week earlier.
They were born in the same month, with Mikoto being slightly older. Only one more year remained before they would both reach adulthood and finally marry.
In feudal times, it wasn't uncommon for people to marry young, and Raiken often received questions about when the wedding would be.
Still, he always gave the same answer to both Hikaku and Mikoto alike.
"I'll only marry her when we're both eighteen."
It wasn't about tradition or pressure. It was because Raiken believed they both needed one more year to grow so their body will be more compatible to get a child.
Younger child are prone to miscarriage, so waiting one more year won't harm Mikoto instead benefitting her.
Author Notes: To read advanced chapter you can go to my patreon.
Chapter 96: 18 Years Old
Chapter 97: Marriage
Chapter 98: Leaving A Seed
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