Uzumaki Ashina
Now that Uzumaki Ashina had regained enough mental clarity, Naruto no longer hesitated and told him the truth directly.
Upon hearing that the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed for over twenty years and that the surviving Uzumaki clan members had been hunted with bounties placed on their heads, Ashina's expression darkened. The reality of Uzushiogakure's destruction was difficult to accept.
With a heavy sigh, Ashina spoke in a solemn tone, "So, you are the only remaining Uzumaki?"
Naruto nodded. "The only known Uzumaki ninjas are me and Kamon. I don't know how many others exist in the ninja world, but I doubt they number more than a handful."
Ashina's brows furrowed as he muttered, "Perhaps I should not have refused Hashirama's proposal. If the Uzumaki had truly integrated into Konoha, things might have been different."
After a brief pause, Ashina turned to Naruto and asked, "By the way, you just mentioned that you are not Konoha's Jinchūriki. Why did you leave the village with the Kyūbi? Could it be that Konoha itself is under siege and needed to evacuate?"
As the leader of the Uzumaki Clan, who had maintained a strong alliance with the Senju, Ashina held a deep respect for Konoha.
Naruto shook his head. "No, Konoha is still standing strong. It has endured three Great Ninja Wars and remains intact. I left for personal reasons and led a group of wandering Uchiha to settle in the Land of Whirlpools."
Ashina's eyes narrowed. "The Uchiha… were they banished? Who is the current Hokage?"
His tone carried a hint of displeasure. Ashina had always been wary of the Uchiha, but if they had been expelled, then the current Hokage likely had a different philosophy than Hashirama. Someone closer in ideology to Tobirama, perhaps.
Naruto responded, "Sarutobi Hiruzen, one of the Second Hokage's students. By the way, Uzushiogakure was destroyed during his tenure."
Ashina's expression hardened. "A Sarutobi boy? What happened to the Senju? How did it fall to the Sarutobi Clan to take over?"
Clearly dissatisfied with this shift in power, Ashina's gaze sharpened.
Naruto continued, "The Senju Clan disbanded even earlier than the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools. After years of war, the major clans that originally founded Konoha either perished or scattered. The Uchiha were eventually ostracized, leaving only the Sarutobi and Hyūga as the remaining prominent families in the village."
Ashina clenched his fists. "How could this happen? Then what was the point of founding the village?"
To Ashina, Konoha was meant to be a refuge for the great clans, a way to end the constant bloodshed between them. But now, decades later, those very same founding clans had either been wiped out or betrayed.
Wasn't Hashirama's Will of Fire supposed to be about unity, friendship, and protecting one another?
Naruto smirked slightly, sensing Ashina's frustration. "Maybe it's because the Konoha shinobi who truly believed in the Will of Fire died on the battlefield protecting the village."
Though spoken as a joke, the words carried a painful truth.
A short distance away, Namikaze Minato silently clenched his fists. The words hit him harder than he expected. He understood Naruto's resentment—how the village had failed to support him, how its leadership had grown corrupt.
Even though Konoha's upper echelon had their faults, they had still fought and bled for the village. Why, then, had the Hokage office been reduced to nothing but politics and scheming after his death? Why had they failed to give Naruto the same protection they once gave Kushina?
Ashina, deep in thought, finally looked at Naruto and smiled slyly. "I understand the past now. But tell me, why have you returned from the Pure Land?"
His sharp eyes glimmered with wisdom as he continued, "And if I'm not mistaken, your name isn't 'Menma,' nor should you be addressing me as 'senpai.'"
Naruto chuckled. "You truly have sharp eyes, old patriarch..."
He then introduced himself properly. "My real name is Uzumaki Naruto. My mother was Uzumaki Kushina. I was raised in Konoha and trained as a Jinchūriki since childhood. But now, I have left Konoha."
Ashina nodded slightly, urging him to continue.
"As for why I left Konoha… let's just say it's not a pleasant memory. Right now, I am gathering strong shinobi to build a force capable of dealing with those who seek to harm us. After careful thought, I decided to make the Land of Whirlpools my base of operations."
Ashina studied Naruto carefully before speaking again. "That is understandable. But tell me, why summon me specifically? As a Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, you possess enough power to protect a village on your own. What do you need from me?"
Naruto was direct. "The Uzumaki Clan's inheritance has been severed. I need access to our clan's secret techniques, and I also need a capable elder to manage the village while I am away."
Ashina folded his arms across his chest, his expression unreadable. "I could teach you the Uzumaki Clan's secret arts and oversee the village. But what do I gain from this? I am already dead. Material rewards mean nothing to me."
Naruto fell silent. He hadn't considered what he could offer in return. Could he forcibly send Ashina back to the Pure Land if he refused? Perhaps use Kotoamatsukami to influence his decision? But even with Hashirama cells, using that technique required time to recover, and there could be hidden risks.
Ashina smirked at Naruto's hesitation. "You bear the blood of the Uzumaki Clan, so you naturally have the right to learn our arts. I will not be stingy with our heritage. However, the Uzumaki's secret techniques are not easily mastered. This reanimated body will not last long. Are you confident that you can learn everything within half a year?"
His tone grew serious, as though discussing something sacred.
Naruto nodded firmly. Learning the Uzumaki techniques would be invaluable, and if he could persuade Ashina to leave behind a record of their clan's sealing arts, it would benefit future generations.
With the agreement reached, Ashina removed his restraints, allowing Naruto to regain full control over the Edo Tensei summoning.
Afterward, Naruto adjusted his disguise back to that of 'Menma' and instructed Ashina to release the seal on Kamon, who immediately exhaled in relief.
"Senior Menma, did you really convince the old patriarch? My grandfather always said he was stubborn and wouldn't listen to reason."
Naruto smiled slightly. "While strength played a role, it was mostly negotiation."
Ashina suddenly turned to Kamon, raising an eyebrow. "Who did you say was hard to deal with?"
Kamon broke into a cold sweat. "I—I was talking about my grandfather! He's the stubborn one! He always badmouths you behind your back!"
Hearing this, Ashina's expression softened—though he still snorted in irritation before continuing to walk alongside Naruto.
Kamon wiped the sweat from his brow and hurried to follow them. Despite the terrifying experience, he felt a strange sense of security in Ashina's presence.
Perhaps… this was the feeling of family.
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