"Where the leaves dance, the fire will never die."
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, stood upon the dais and spoke of the Will of Fire.
Below, shinobi in black stood solemn and sad.
Senya stood among them.
The address ended quickly.
He followed the Uchiha to the clan graves.
Searching the carved names, he found Uchiha Jin at a glance.
Before the stone, he bent and laid a daisy upon the earth.
"Rest well."
...
When the rite was done, Senya drifted to the back of the crowd, drew a deep breath, and thought, "System, start today's check-in."
DING! Check-in successful. Reward: Totsuka Blade, Yata Mirror.
Two lights of different colors unfurled in his mind.
Totsuka Blade: the weapon of Izanagi, father of the gods. A bodiless spirit blade. Effect: targets pierced are sealed forever inside a drunken-dream illusion.
Yata Mirror: a spirit shield borne by Susanoo. It shifts its attribute to match the incoming attack, nullifying it through attribute cancellation. A formidable defensive relic.
Totsuka and Yata?
His eyes narrowed at the descriptions.
In the original tale, these belonged to Uchiha Itachi.
He had held three divine tools, including the long-range Yasakani no Magatama.
Senya had received only two.
"So because I already have a ranged weapon, I drew only the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror."
It fit.
His Susanoo carried a great bow for ranged assault.
He lacked a close-combat weapon and solid defense.
This check-in perfectly filled Susanoo's gaps.
And Totsuka was more than a weapon.
It held terrifying sealing power.
Not only Kage-class, even peak Kage struck by it could not escape.
The tools' might would scale with his ocular power.
The stronger the Susanoo form, the stronger the arms.
With a complete Susanoo, even super Kage could be sealed.
He stifled his excitement, kept a calm face through the remaining proceedings, then hurried back to the Guard Tower.
When full night fell, he triggered Summon Flash and vanished.
In the next moment, a shadow appeared in the Uchiha training grounds' clearing.
With growing familiarity and chakra, long jumps were effortless.
After confirming no one was near, he urged the lights in his mind.
SWISH!
The two divine tools slipped free of his thoughts and appeared in the clearing.
Light flared and spirit power rippled.
Senya frowned.
Noise like this would draw eyes.
Fortunately, within a few breaths the glow folded away, the two great artifacts quiet as they leaned in the soil.
The flash had been brief, and with the memorial just ended, no one was training nearby. He had little to fear.
He took in the two massive shapes and let power surge in his eyes.
Mangekyo Sharingan, Susanoo.
SWOOSH!
The golden giant rose to full height in the clearing.
Senya's body lifted into its brow, looking down in cool silence.
With his present reserves, he could maintain third-stage Susanoo without trouble, even for long battles.
Slipping the bow across its back, the golden titan raised both hands.
The Yata Mirror, as if summoned, tore free of the ground and fused to the back of Susanoo's left hand.
The Totsuka Blade, in contrast, did not stir.
"Oh. Not planning to acknowledge me?"
He was genuinely surprised.
The Totsuka had a will of its own.
It resisted his call.
It was the first time in years a system reward had pushed back.
"Quite the personality."
Seeing it unmoved, Senya let his pupils blaze.
A decade of cultivation answered.
The golden colossus swelled again. Lower body and legs formed, sinew and muscle thickening.
With legs, Susanoo's movement leapt forward, its reach expanding with it.
Susanoo, fourth stage.
"Blade, come."
He spoke low.
His right hand closed in the air, and his ocular power lashed toward the Totsuka.
The sword shuddered, the gourd at its hilt trembling.
Yet it did not fly to his grasp.
"Who do you think I am. I am Uchiha Senya."
His shout cracked the night, and the great bow flipped into a reverse grip.
"If you will not bow, then vanish."
He had no patience to quibble.
It was the Totsuka that must serve him, not the other way around.
He poured vast chakra and ocular power into his palm. A golden arrow, burning with gold flame, formed at a distance.
Its fierce aura bled through the air despite suppression.
Perhaps feeling his resolve, the Totsuka flashed.
The blade hummed.
HUM!
It lifted from the earth, hovered, and drifted toward him.
Sensing goodwill from the sword, Senya smiled.
The golden arrow winked out. The bow slid back into place.
He studied the sword floating before him, then closed his right hand on the hilt.
At the instant the golden Susanoo gripped the Totsuka, red chakra cracked away and his unique golden chakra climbed the blade.
Magnificent and potent.
The sword gave a clear, ringing hum.
Senya twitched his wrist, reversed the blade, and swept it toward the sky.
BOOM BOOM BOOM...
The sword-stroke split the heavens. Spirit power roared. Clouds sheared apart and dissolved.
The chirring of insects and rush of wind fell silent.
The world stilled.
Moonlight, freed of cover, poured down and bathed the awe inspiring golden giant.
It stood like a war god outside the world, alone beneath the moon's cold blessing.
...