I exhaled sharply, shaking my head as a familiar thought gnawed at me. Stop acting like a fan-obsessed idiot, I muttered under my breath. Traveling with Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth because I liked the books? That was childish. I had bigger goals—my power, my network, my future. I needed to stay focused.
But before I could finish my own self-scolding, a letter appeared in my hand. I froze mid-step, instinctively sensing it before my eyes even registered it. The fluctuation in space around the parchment was faint—subtle enough that only a being of my perception could notice.
Instinctively, I went on God mode, sending my senses outward like ripples in a pond, sweeping over the forest, the river, the distant hills. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No one had delivered it. No ambush. No subtle monster or divine interference. Just… the letter.
I frowned.
Slowly, I opened it. The handwriting was elegant, almost impossibly so. Every curve and line seemed to hum with power.
Dear Little Indra,
I hope you're enjoying your new life. Just to let you know, I did make you a new life, a little interesting. I altered the world a little bit. So there will be sub-characters from your previous universe who will also show up as demigods. But all of them are destined to die unless you save them. So I'll let you choose who you want to save, and their locations are included in this letter.
I blinked, tilting my head. The world… had been altered. Sub-characters? From my old universe? Already I could feel a spark of curiosity—not fan obsession this time, but strategic interest. Allies, resources, and intelligence. Potentially, soldiers if I played my cards right.
I flipped the letter over. A list of names and locations appeared:
Shikamaru Nara, Age 12, Son of Ares — hiding in the dense forests of the Hudson Valley, New York, staying away from human settlements. A clever tactician already, his presence could be useful.
Orochimaru, Age 13, Son of Hades — traveling with Jiraiya, Age 13, Son of Hermes, and Tsunade, Age 13, Daughter of Apollo, currently hiding in a secluded abandoned mansion near the Catskill Mountains. Perfect for regrouping without interference.
Sai Yamanaka, Age 15, Son of Hermes — living in the outskirts of Chicago, blending with mortal society while secretly observing the demigod population.
Kakashi Hatake, Age 14, Son of Aphrodite — residing in a remote library near Boston, surrounded by scrolls, books, and magical artifacts. Already the ideal observer and knowledge collector.
Karin Uzumaki, Age 13, Daughter of Poseidon — isolated in a small, abandoned lighthouse on the northern coast of Maine, partially submerged in water, practicing control over her abilities.
I paused, letting the information settle in.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade together. Interesting. Dangerous, but coordinated.
Shikamaru and Sai were scattered, intelligent, mobile. Kakashi… well, knowledge was power, and he had plenty of it. Karin—if I could reach her in time, she could be a wild card, especially with Poseidon's bloodline.
I rolled the parchment between my fingers, thinking fast.
Black Zetsu, I murmured, eyes narrowing, "we need to decide priorities. Send scouts, split the network. I want live feeds from every one of these sub-characters. Locate them precisely, monitor movement, strengths, weaknesses. They may die if I do nothing—but I want to choose who lives, and when."
A faint ripple of black pulse spread beneath my feet, and I could feel White Zetsu dispersing in all directions, planting themselves near these locations, blending into shadows and mortal cover.
It was going to be a long seven years.
And I was ready.