On the border of the Land of Rain, deep in the mountains where it rained all year round, the area was rarely visited. Only an abandoned shrine and the scars left by war bore witness to the past. Space twisted, and Uchiha Sakuya and Uchiha Obito quietly appeared.
The air was filled with the stench of decay, dampness, and an indescribably chilling chakra presence that had lingered for decades. This was where Uchiha Madara had once hidden away, in the underground cave where he raised Obito.
"This is the place." Obito's voice came through his tiger-striped mask, touched by a complicated emotion he could barely conceal. Returning to a place from the past always stirred up the deepest memories.
Sakuya said nothing. His deep black eyes, still unopened, swept sharply over the area. His Eighty Gods Mirror perception had been amplified to its limit, searching for every trace of lingering energy.
His goal was clear: find DNA samples Uchiha Madara had left behind. Whether fallen strands of hair, dried bloodstains, or even cells left on objects he had used... For the vast plan they were about to undertake, involving the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and the Tailed Beasts, the cells of this Asura of the Ninja World would undoubtedly make an extremely precious and powerful vessel. They might even prove useful at a crucial moment.
The two ventured deeper into the dark, damp cave. Obito led the way from memory, while Sakuya focused on sensing and confirming their surroundings. It wasn't easy. So much time had passed that most traces had vanished.
At last, in a corner of a hidden stone chamber where Madara had once conducted experiments to fuse Hashirama Cells, Sakuya fixed his gaze on a patch of stone wall that was darker in color and strange in texture. There lingered a trace of Yin Release Chakra, faint but exceptionally pure and powerful, along with... cellular information so subtle it was almost impossible to detect.
"Here." Sakuya crouched and took specialized sampling tools and a sealing scroll from his ninja pouch. His movements were precise and careful, like those of a surgeon performing a delicate operation. Using fine chakra control at his fingertips, he carefully scraped off the tiny remnants that had almost blended into the rock, then perfectly sealed them inside the scroll.
"Madara's cells... What a nostalgic and loathsome power." Obito watched quietly from the side, his tone difficult to place.
"Power has no right or wrong. It depends only on the person using it." Sakuya put away the scroll and stood, his tone as flat as ever. "Next, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
According to Obito's memories and the records on the Uchiha Stone Tablet—which Sakuya had analyzed and confirmed was altered by Black Zetsu using his Eighty Gods Mirror, though he had still deduced some of the original information—a vast amount of chakra and a specific technique were needed to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. More importantly... the summoner needed to resonate with either the Rinnegan or Ten-Tails Chakra.
Sakuya didn't have the Rinnegan, but he had the Eighty Gods Mirror.
Deep inside the base lay a massive, circular altar that had been specially constructed for the purpose. Complex, ancient runes were carved into the floor, and nine stone pillars stood around it, representing the Nine Tailed Beasts.
Sakuya stood at the center of the altar, while Obito stood guard nearby. Haku, Fu, Orochimaru, and several other members of the "Ten Branches" watched from a distance, their expressions grave.
The first attempt began. Sakuya formed a series of elaborate Hand Seals, pouring vast amounts of chakra into the technique beneath his feet like a rising tide. The light of the Eighty Gods Mirror shone in his eyes as he tried to analyze and imitate the desolate, terrifying chakra fluctuations that came from the Ten-Tails.
Hummm—! The altar lit up, the runes flashed, and space began to tremble! A hazy, gigantic statue seemed to appear in the air for an instant! But the next moment, the technique abruptly dimmed and the phantom collapsed! The fierce backlash made Sakuya grunt, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Failure.
"The chakra's quality and quantity are both insufficient, and the fluctuations you're imitating are slightly off," Orochimaru rasped, analyzing the result. His golden snake eyes gleamed with a researcher's excitement.
Sakuya wiped away the blood, his eyes cold. "Again."
The second attempt, then the third... One failure after another. Each backlash left Sakuya paler, and the immense chakra drain even made him feel dizzy. Summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was far harder than he had imagined. It was like fighting against the rules of the entire world.
Watching Sakuya fail again and again, then force himself to keep pushing, Obito couldn't help speaking up. "Perhaps you need a more direct catalyst... like Tailed Beast Chakra."
Sakuya fell silent for a moment, then looked at Haku and Fu. The Three-Tails and Seven-Tails were sealed inside them.
Haku bit her lip and stepped forward. "Use mine." The Three-Tails inside her was the most volatile, making it the best "fuel" for such a dangerous experiment.
Fu hesitated too, then nodded.
Sakuya didn't hesitate. He formed Hand Seals again, and this time, crimson Three-Tails chakra poured out of Haku like a stream, guided into the technique! Fu also supplied some Seven-Tails chakra as support.
With Tailed Beast Chakra—a catalyst closer to the source—the technique blazed more brightly than ever before! The entire altar shook violently, space twisted and tore, and a strained groan rang out!
A massive, withered horror, like a fusion of a great tree and a demon—the upper half of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—struggled out through the rift in space! It let out a silent roar, and its terrifying pressure swept through the entire base! The orphans watching from a distance couldn't help trembling!
They had succeeded... halfway!
The statue seemed extremely unstable. It twisted wildly, trying to break free, and appeared to want to devour everything!
Sakuya exerted all his strength to maintain the technique. His face was as pale as paper, and blood seeped continuously from his nostrils and the corners of his eyes. He had clearly reached his limit!
"Now! Cut the connection!" Obito shouted urgently!
Sakuya abruptly cut off the chakra supply and severed the connection to the technique!
The rift in space snapped shut! The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path let out a silent, furious howl, its upper half jerking back into the other dimension before disappearing.
The altar fell still again, leaving only the wreckage scattered across the floor and the terrifying pressure that lingered in the air, enough to make one's heart tremble.
Sakuya gasped for breath, his body swaying as he nearly lost his balance. Haku and Fu were also pale from having so much chakra drained from them.
Still, they had proven that the method was viable and had made contact with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in the truest sense.
Back in the rest area, Sakuya, unusually, didn't immediately start reviewing and analyzing the experiment. He looked at Obito, who stood silently nearby, and suddenly asked:
"Aren't you going to spend time with Rin?"
Obito seemed taken aback. His eyes flickered beneath his mask. After a moment of silence, he slowly took it off, revealing a scarred face that had grown much more peaceful.
"She... needs time to adjust to this new era. And I..." He paused, his voice softening but remaining firm. "I need time too... to learn how to truly 'live,' instead of merely being alive."
He looked at Sakuya, a hint of relief and anticipation in his eyes. "When things here have settled down and the base is stable... I'll go back. I'll spend time with her. Maybe... open a flower shop? I think she used to like flowers." His voice even held a trace of the clumsy yearning that should have belonged to "Uchiha Obito."
Sakuya watched Obito and fell silent for a moment. In the end, he simply murmured, "Mm."
However, no one noticed that as he turned to leave, the light of the Eighty Gods Mirror in his eyes flickered almost imperceptibly, as though recording and analyzing the data stream of Obito's emotions: the makeup of "hope," "companionship," and "an ordinary life"... things that were strange and distant to him.
That night.
An unprecedented, enticing aroma of food drifted from the base's communal dining hall.
When the members of the "Ten Branches"—except for Lian, who needed time to adjust, and Obito, who had temporarily left—as well as several core members from among the orphans, followed the smell over in curiosity, they saw a sight that left them dumbfounded—
Their eternally cold-faced leader, a killing machine known as "Mirror" of the Ten Branches, Uchiha Sakuya, was wearing a completely incongruous apron and standing in front of the enormous stove!
He expertly stir-fried the food in the pan, his movements as precise as forming Hand Seals and his control of the heat flawless. More than a dozen dishes already covered the counter beside him, each a feast for the eyes and nose: golden, crispy tempura; potatoes and meat braised in a rich sauce; fragrant grilled fish; colorful vegetable salad... There were even several pots of miso soup, each bubbling with a different flavor.
Everyone froze in the doorway, as if they had seen something even more unbelievable than the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Haku and Fu covered their mouths in surprise. Orochimaru, meanwhile, licked his lips with interest, his golden snake eyes full of curiosity.
Zhuo, of the "Flame" branch, stared blankly at the plate of fiery mapo tofu and swallowed unconsciously.
Tie Xin, of the "Steel" branch, instinctively assessed the material of the kitchen knife and the stability of the stove.
Shen, of the "Ghost" branch, blinked, wondering if he had fallen victim to some advanced genjutsu.
Zhua, of the "Beast" branch, twitched his nose, his eyes shining as he stared at the grilled fish.
Gu, of the "Corpse" branch, quietly looked at the tender, slow-cooked ribs, apparently thinking they would be easy on his teeth.
Sakuya seemed to feel their gazes behind him. Without turning around, he spoke in his usual flat voice, though it seemed less cold than before. "What are you standing there for? Sit down and eat."
Only then did everyone snap out of it. They gathered around the long table, a little hesitant but unable to hide their curiosity.
At first, the atmosphere was a little quiet and awkward. But after the first bite, everyone's eyes lit up!
It was delicious!
The exquisite pleasure of the food was a warmth and happiness that the children, who had grown up amid hardship and bloodshed, had almost never experienced.
Someone started eating enthusiastically, and soon the mood grew lively.
Zhuo and Tie Xin nearly "came to blows" over the last piece of fried chicken (Haku reluctantly pulled them apart in the end). Shen tried using genjutsu to turn Zhua's rice into "bug rice," but Zhua saw through it and chased him all around the room. Gu silently served everyone soup, every movement meticulous. Fu excitedly told stories about Takigakure, while Haku occasionally smiled and added to them. Even Orochimaru, for once, didn't discuss his experiments. Instead, he commented on the seasoning of a medicinal soup.
Sakuya took off his apron and sat at the head of the table, quietly watching the lively, vibrant, and even somewhat chaotic scene before him. He didn't join in, only watched in silence. Occasionally, someone would summon up the courage to toast him—with tea instead of wine—and he would give a slight nod and take a sip.
Beneath the dining hall's warm lights, with the steam from the food swirling around his face, the sharp edges of Sakuya's perpetually frozen expression seemed to soften just a little. The faces of everyone around him were reflected in his black eyes, as if the Eighty Gods Mirror were silently recording this rare moment.
It was the first night since the "Branch" organization had been founded that was filled with warmth and laughter. There were no missions, no training, no hatred—only good food and a brief, hard-won respite.
For these children who had crawled out of the darkness, the warmth of this night might become a faint but indelible light along the long, bloody road ahead.
And for Uchiha Sakuya, perhaps it was merely an unplanned interlude in his grand scheme. Or perhaps... it was a pebble that had quietly fallen into the frozen lake of his heart, sending ripples across the surface—ripples he had yet to notice himself.
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