Naruto Quest: The Endless War of the Shinobi Empires (AU, Rinnegan MC)

[Dayume]

[X] Try to make up a reason as to why Nijuichi wanted to meet you, something that would make Kotei back off.
-[X] Show Kotei that you can use both Wood and Ice Release at the same time. Someone having two elemental Kekkei Genkai at once is sure to be insanely rare!

 

[Megacookie]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[] Try to make up a reason as to why Nijuichi wanted to meet you, something that would make Kotei back off.
-[] Show Kotei that you can use both Wood and Ice Release at the same time. Someone having two elemental Kekkei Genkai at once is sure to be insanely rare!

---

"Okay! I'll tell you!" you gasped, hoping beyond all hope that this would satisfy Kotei's curiosity. Kotei stopped counting down and looked at you expectantly. "It's because I can use two elemental Kekkei Genkai at once, and Nijuichi was interested how it was possible for me to do that!"

Kotei's eyes lit up. "Oh? That is interesting, very interesting. Pray tell, how did you manage to do that?"

"My father was a Senju who deserted the Leaf Empire, and he ended up within the Mist Empire, where he met my mother, who was a member of the Yuki clan." You said, smoothly telling the story. Which was truly how your parents met after all, just switching around a few clans. "When I was born, I was blessed with the power of both Ice and Wood Release."

"Hmph. Sounds too good to be true, you should have gotten a Kekkei Tota instead if you had both Kekkei Genkai." Kotei muttered. "But such a mutation would get that nerd's interest..."

"I can prove it to you, Kotei. Just free me enough to use hand seals. I won't attack you...please..." you begged. It was clear he was interested and he rubbed his chin in thought. With a shrug, of his shoulders, you felt the intense gravity vanish, making you feel like you were on air. You wearily got to your feet, never breaking eye contact with Kotei. There was part of you saying to use a genjutsu to create a distraction and escape with Jiao, but with her literally under his heel, you discarded the thought.

You made hand seals and using basic manipulation, you controlled a thick wooden root from one of the nearby trees to emerge from under the earth. Then you made another set of seals, using your Freezing Touch jutsu to grasp onto the root and freeze it solid. Kotei looked on, and you were unable to tell what he was thinking.

"Well, I guess that's that. You really can use two Kekkei Genkai at once." Kotei said, removing his foot off of Jiao's head. You stayed frozen in your spot as Kotei walked up to you. "You know what? I think I had a pretty good time. Met up with my sis, Yukari got some exercise, and I learned a lot about you. Sadly I think we won't see each other for awhile after this, you'll probably be going back home, and I'll be put in prison for awhile to cool off."

"I won't forget this Kotei. The next time we'll meet, I'll make sure that you get the punishment you deserve." you icily said.

Kotei burst into laughter, doubling over as his laughing turned into deep wheezes. When he gained his bearings, he looked at you with a smile, "Then you better do your sit-ups, pushups, and drink plenty of juice, because trees and ice aren't going to cut it against me."

With that, Kotei floated into the air and flew off to where Yukari, Ignis, and Kushina were battling. You were worried for them of course, but you had to focus on Jiao. You ran over to her as she lay on the ground, clutching her broken hand gingerly. "Jiao! Are you alright?!"

"Do I look alright?!" Jiao weakly shouted, seething anger in her voice. She slowly sat up, hissing in pain as her hand moved.

"I know. I'm so sorry Jiao. If only I was more-"

"Shut up...how could you have...predicted the actions of that savage..." Jiao gasped. "Ugh, my head is so fuzzy..."

"That's probably whatever he drugged you with. Let's get to the hospital...to...fix..." you trailed off, exhaustion catching up with you. The last think you saw as you fell into the darkness was Jiao's worried face.

"Maya? Maya?!" Jiao shouted, but her words were distant and muffled, and soon enough, the sweet, warm embrace of unconsciousness took you.

---

You felt light hit your eyes and you slowly woke up to the soft hums and beeps of machinery. You were in a bed in a sterile looking room, next to you was a metal stand with a bag of fluid going down a tube that was inserted into your arm. You felt very sore, and you had a few bandages wrapped around the wounds you had gotten over the night, but overall you felt alright.

"So this is a hospital...wait. If I was unconscious, did my transformation jutsu wear off? Did the doctors see my Rinnegan?! Ugh, after so much effort to hide it. But...more importantly, where's Jiao? I can't sense her..." you thought. It was true, you couldn't really pinpoint her chakra within the hospital. There were so many injured shinobi that in your groggy state that you couldn't parse through them all!

Snapping you out of your thoughts was a knock at your door. "Maya, are you awake?"

"Kushina?" you weakly replied. "Come in."

The door opened, indeed showing that it was Kushina. Thankfully, other than a bandage on her cheek, she looked to be unharmed. She walked up to you, looking relieved. "Oh Maya, I'm so glad you're alright! I'd hug you, but you know..."

"Heh, thanks. But before all that, how's Jiao? Is she okay? I managed to get her away from Kotei, but..."

"She's okay, her hand was broken but nothing a bit of surgery and medical jutsu couldn't fix up." Kushina said. "She's currently at the house after...erm...purging the drugs from her body. She's resting, and there's some shinobi there guarding the place."

You laid your head back and exhaled a breath you didn't know you were keeping in. She was safe. You raised your head back up and looked at Kushina. "That's good to hear. How about you? Is Ignis alright too? What happened to Kotei and Yukari? And who brought me to the hospital?"

"I'm fine, a few burns and cuts, nothing I haven't dealt with before. Ignis took a bit more damage, he tried protecting me from an attack, but...he's Ignis. He'll bounce back by tomorrow." Kushina answered, sounding a bit bewildered by the last part. "As for Kotei and Yukari, Kotei stopped the fight and willingly gave up, and Yukari followed suit. They're currently imprisoned and to be investigated. And it was actually Nijuichi who found you and Jiao and brought you to the hospital, which is a bit surprising."

"Nijuichi did it? Wow, I should thank him. And as for Kotei, that's good! He needs to..." you began, but then you remembered Rokugo's story, and how the higher ups swept Kotei's murder of innocents under the rug. You clenched your teeth, was Kotei going to get away with another brazen crime?

"I know what you're thinking of, Maya. I'm not going to allow it, I'm bringing this incident up to the Hokage Council. The Whirlpool is under their jurisdiction after all, and no matter how powerful Kotei is, this is the last straw. I refuse to see that madman go free." Kushina fiercely said, fire in her eyes. It made you smile, at least someone was trying to do something.

Kushina's eyes widened suddenly, reaching into a pocket in her dress and pulling out a small scroll. "Oh right, I have a note from Nijuichi! Here."

She handed you the scroll, noting how it had been sealed shut with some tape. You opened it and silently read it.

"I apologize I cannot see you in person, Maya. What you and Jiao went through was barbaric, and I will support Kushina's endeavor to bring Kotei to proper justice. But for now, you may rest easy, and do not worry, your secrets are still safe."

You rolled up the scroll. Seems like Nijuichi, somehow, made sure that your Rinnegan wasn't revealed while you were unconscious. Another weight off your shoulders, you supposed.

"So Maya...what do you plan to do now? I don't think staying in the Whirlpool would be a good idea, even if Kotei and Yukari are imprisoned right now." Kushina asked, giving you a worried look.

"I don't really know right now. Is...this place safe to talk in?" you whispered, shifting your eyes to the side.

"It is, don't worry." Kushina said reassuringly.

"Then I guess I'll go back to the Mist Empire. The information I'll give to them isn't anything they haven't known about before, so don't worry about that." you wearily said.

"I kinda figured you'd say that, but um...I have an idea." Kushina began, sounding a bit unsure. "I know you're working with the Mist Empire, but you don't hold any loyalty, right?"

"Yeah, that's what I told you before, I wasn't lying or anything." you sincerely said. At this point, the only thing Kushina doesn't know about is your Rinnegan.

"Then would you and Jiao want to go to the Leaf Empire with me? I could give you a proper place to live, and you could join us! You're already so strong, you could be a jonin within weeks! Not to mention we'll be able to see each other whenever we want!" Kushina excitedly offered. "I really think you could find your place there, and help the Leaf create a world of peace."

You were stunned by the offer. Joining the Leaf Empire? There was tons of pros to such a choice. Safety within the village itself, more than likely finding ways to increase your abilities, and if it had people like Kushina in it, perhaps even some trustworthy allies. But they were also the Empire that raided your hometown and slaughtered your father and mother and made your brother Otama vanish without a trace. Not to mention that you already had a few allies within the Mist itself, and Byakuren's wrath hanging above you...

This was a major decision, one that needed a lot of thought put into it...

CRITICAL MOMENT!

What will you do?

[] Decline. Tell Kushina that you're not done with your work in the Mist, you can't abandon the allies you made there, and you still have much more to learn there. Besides, you know deep in your heart, you could never truly join an Empire. All it will do is end in heartbreak for Kushina, and for you as well.

[] Accept. Going to the mainland for the first time will give you the proper scope of your goal, and you could take advantage of all the benefits of being a Leaf Shinobi to further your endgame of unifying Jihopan. It may hurt to leave your allies behind, and to make personal enemies with Byakuren himself, but you can't let such a chance go to waste!

[] Tell Kushina that you need to talk to Jiao and get her opinion. This is much her choice as it is yours, and not giving her a chance puts a bad taste in your mouth.

 

[Black King]

[X] Decline. Tell Kushina that you're not done with your work in the Mist, you can't abandon the allies you made there, and you still have much more to learn there. Besides, you know deep in your heart, you could never truly join an Empire. All it will do is end in heartbreak for Kushina, and for you as well.

 

[Dayume]

[X] Tell Kushina that you need to talk to Jiao and get her opinion. This is much her choice as it is yours, and not giving her a chance puts a bad taste in your mouth.

 

[FortePlus]

[X] Tell Kushina that you need to talk to Jiao and get her opinion. This is much her choice as it is yours, and not giving her a chance puts a bad taste in your mouth.

 

[Megacookie]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[] Tell Kushina that you need to talk to Jiao and get her opinion. This is much her choice as it is yours, and not giving her a chance puts a bad taste in your mouth.

---

"I don't think I should make that choice on my own, Jiao should have a say in it as well." you replied. "I know you really want us to go, but..."

"I understand, Maya. Just do what you need to, alright?" Kushina said reassuringly.

You nodded with a tired smile. "Thank you, Kushina. Wait, actually, how is Makima? She was the one who distracted Kotei long enough so I could get away."

Kushina's smile faltered as she shook her head. "She's in critical condition. Not only were her injuries severe, but she barely had any chakra left in her body, probably from holding back Kotei as long as possible. Last I heard she's still in surgery."

You stayed silent, almost trembling with a whirlwind of emotions. Would she have been alright if you stayed back to help? As bitter as it was, you knew the answer, you would have done nothing to help, and it would have ended with you in a much worse situation. You clenched your fists and closed your eyes, attempting to calm yourself down.

"Even with the Rinnegan, I was no match for Kotei. And there's probably even more guys just as strong, or even stronger than him out there. I can't coast by with the powers I've been naturally gaining, I need start training for real, so I can prevent situations like last night from happening." you thought, releasing the tension in your body and exhaling a deep breath.

"Are you okay, Maya?" Kushina asked, putting a gentle hand on your shoulder.

"Being honest, no. People got hurt because I wasn't strong enough. I know it's Kotei's fault, but I wasn't able to to anything but call for help." you lowly said, shame and guilt filling your chest. "It's a miracle that Jiao is fine, but everyone else...gah!"

You slammed your hands onto the bed, frustration boiling over.

"Maya, you need to relax. What you did was incredible, and Makima's actions won't go to waste. She's the reason we have a chance at actually making Kotei pay for his crimes." Kushina said.

"...Why? Wouldn't him attacking me and Jiao be enough?" you asked, your frustration giving way to confusion.

"Not by itself, no. Despite Nijuichi's blessing, you and Jiao aren't considered allies of the Leaf Empire, so Kotei would be within his right as a registered shinobi to deal with you as he pleased. However, he attacked and nearly killed his own sister without any good reason, not to mention he broke a rule set by both the Uzumaki and Uragiri clans to not set foot within the clan grounds." Kushina explained, sounding remorseful as she spoke.

"That's right, I remember Makima telling Kotei that he was exiled. Do you think...?" you trailed off.

Kushina shook her head. "Do I think what?"

"Do you think Makima willingly fought Kotei in order for him to break the rules, so he could get his rightful punishment? Sacrificing her well being in order to bring him down?" you quietly asked, wondering if Makima thought this was the only way to stop Kotei.

"I...don't know." Kushina honestly answered. "But Maya, there's no point in thinking about what ifs and could have been. You and Jiao are safe, Ignis and I are fine, Makima is in the hands of our best doctors, and Kotei and Yukari are in prison. That's the truth."

Quite honestly, you didn't feel consoled in the slightest, but what Kushina said was true. The night could have ended much worse, and everyone is alive. You put your head down onto the pillow and deeply sighed. "Thank you, Kushina."

"Heh, no problem! You look really tired, so I'll leave you alone now. Doctors said that they'll give you a once over and send you home if they don't find anything wrong. I'll be in the waiting room if you need anything, alright?" Kushina said.

"Yeah, thanks. I think I'm gonna rest a bit..." you yawned, now feeling very tired. Kushina nodded and left the room as you closed your eyes.

---

Your stay in the hospital went on for a few more hours. After your nap, the doctors examined you and other than a few minor injuries and chakra exhaustion, you were perfectly fine. After being told not to use chakra for a few days in order to properly recover, you were discharged. As promised, Kushina was waiting for you, and walked with you back to her house. You didn't have much to say, mostly stewing on last night and Kushina's offer to go to the Leaf Empire.

As you reached Kushina's house, you noticed that two shinobi were standing just outside the premises, which lined up with what Kushina told you earlier. After making sure everything was fine, Kushina turned towards you.

"I think some home cooking is in order! Hospital food just can't compare!" Kushina excitedly said.

"I don't even think I ate while I was there, your cooking would be appreciated." you said with a small smile.

"Will do! Anyway, I'm sure you want to see Jiao. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me!" Kushina said as she opened the door to her house, waiting for you to walk in. You did so and quickly went up the stairs and towards Jiao's room, knocking rapidly.

"Who is it?" Jiao's voice said from behind the door.

"Maya, I'm back." you replied. The door opened, revealing Jiao laying down on her bed. She was wearing a simple outfit, a white shirt and comfy looking pants, but her right hand was covered in a beige colored cast. You walked into the room and Jiao floated upwards, meeting you halfway.

"You're alright?" Jiao asked before you could say anything else. She was trying to keep a neutral face, but you could tell she was worried.

"I am. Just have to rest a few days and I'm golden. How about you?" you asked, looking at Jiao's cast.

"I will survive. My hand was broken, but it's fixed now, the cast is to make sure everything resets properly. Being down a hand is of no issue for someone of my skill and power." Jiao boasted, clearly referencing her telekinetic abilities.

"True, not like you use your hands much." you joked. You expected Jiao to retaliate, but surprisingly she chuckled, shaking her head.

"That is true, and you will do well not to forget it. Also, Kushina told me the full story of what happened." Jiao began, her face turning dour, although her purple eyes seemed to gleam with intensity. "You...risked so much for me. Why?"

"Why?" you repeated, blinking a few times. "Because you were in danger! And you're my friend! I'd do anything to save you."

Jiao stayed silent. A few times she tried to open her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Eventually a soft, almost vulnerable look spread across her face, and she spoke barely above a whisper. "You went that far, just for me? Maya..."

"Jiao?"

Jiao opened her mouth a few more times before managing to say two words. "Thank you." (+2 Jiao)

You were going to say something, maybe a joke or some light teasing, but seeing how vulnerable and sincere Jiao was being, you thought better of it. "You're welcome."

Jiao took in a shaky breath, putting on her usual façade as she refocused her gaze. "So, what are we going to do now? Returning to the Mist Empire?"

"Actually, that was something I was going to talk to you about. In the hospital, Kushina offered to take us to the Leaf Empire. She claimed she'd set us up as shinobi and we could make a new life there, and we could see her whenever she wasn't busy. We'd have resources so we could train, learn what we need, pretty much anything a shinobi could want." you explained.

"Hm. What was your answer?" Jiao asked.

"I told her that it's your choice as much as mine, and we'd make it together. So...that's what I'm asking. Do you think it'll be wise to join the Leaf Empire? Abandoning the Mist would have it's own complications of course." you said.

"I appreciate that you thought of my own autonomy." Jiao said, closing her eyes to think. She rolled the thought in her head for awhile before opening her eyes. "Personally, I'd decline."

"Why is that?"

"First and foremost, I'd rather not be associated with the Empire that purposely houses such maniacs like Kotei. The Mist may be no better, but at least they weren't as bold as that madman." Jiao spat venomously. "Second, while we might be under contract with that brute Mizukage, he allows us a great deal of autonomy and freedom, as long as we do his favors to his satisfaction. I've think we've seen the consequences of being tied up in such red tape."

"That is true." you lowly said, seeing how the shinobi system was doing it's damnedest to keep Kotei free, merely because he's a powerful weapon for the Leaf Empire.

"But...that is merely my view. If you want to go to the Leaf Empire, I will follow you, Maya." Jiao said. "You've earned my trust, and unless your plans for your ideal world was mere bluster, I believe no matter what you choose, it'll turn out well."

"Thank you, Jiao." you gratefully said. With Jiao's words in your mind, you knew what you must do.

Critical Moment!

[] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

[] You will go to the Leaf Empire. Even though it would be risky betraying the Mist Empire, the positives you'd gain from living in the Leaf outweigh the negatives. Not to mention you'd be able to see Kushina more often. However, you know you could never stay there permanently, and you'd eventually betray the Empire, and most likely break Kushina's heart...

 

[Black King]

[X] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

Our waifu (Kimi) is there. We have no choice...

 

[canned Tomatoes]

[X] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

Now if you put it like that
Let's go for long term benefits.
Maybe we can stay in contact with Kushina by sending letters.

 

[Prospalz]

[X] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

 

[FortePlus]

[X] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

 

[Dayume]

[X] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

 

[Megacookie]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[] You will return to the Mist Empire. Jiao made good points about how you could act freely (within reason) and you still have business to finish up there. You can use the downtime to train or research until Byakuren needs you again, and at the end of the day, you have people like Tenryu and Kimimaro waiting for you. However, there's also people like Kai and Ishako to worry about, and at any moment Byakuren can end the contract and hunt you down...

---

"I agree with you, Jiao. We're going back to the Mist. It'll be better for us overall, even if it'll make Kushina sad." you decided.

"Good. As I said, I would have followed you wherever you went, I was hoping we'd go back to the Mist. In fact, if we didn't see a Whirlpool ninja for the next decade, it still wouldn't be long enough." Jiao declared, shaking her head.

"Even Kushina?" you said, raising an eyebrow.

"I said Whirlpool, she obviously thinks of herself as a Leaf kunoichi." Jiao snappily said.

You lightly laughed before saying, "Fair enough! But I guess we should tell Kushina. I'll miss her, but it's for the best."

"And it won't be forever, one day we'll have to cross paths with the Leaf eventually." Jiao pointed out.

"Yeah...and hopefully as allies." you muttered under your breath, which Jiao didn't seem to notice. "Anyway, I'm going to go tell Kushina, you want to come with?"

"Very well. It would be impolite for me to ignore our host." Jiao agreed. After making sure she looked as proper as she could, she followed you out of the room and down the stairs. You could hear Kushina preparing something in the kitchen and as you walked in, you noticed that there was dozens of pots and pans scattered across the kitchen counter! Seems like Kushina was going to treat you to an absolute feast! She turned her head, smiling as she saw you and Jiao.

"Glad to see you up and moving, Jiao!" Kushina said. "Sorry, dinner's still gonna be in a bit, but I can fix up a snack if that's what you want!"

"Thank you, and I am fine for now." Jiao replied.

"I'm fine too! But we do have something to tell you, Kushina." you began. "We decided where we're going."

"Oh?" Kushina grunted, now fully turning around and giving full attention.

"After talking about it, Jiao and I are going back to the Mist. We both really appreciate everything you've done for us, and it wasn't something we took lightly, but we think it's for the best." you said, wincing internally as you saw the smile on Kushina's face falter somewhat.

"Do not take it as a slight against you, nor your empire. While we hold no loyalty to the Mist, it's important that we remain there for the time being. After this, we hope to finally gain some stable footing, and entwining ourselves in betrayal by joining the Leaf would cause more harm for us in the long run." Jiao explained, her tone clear and elegant, clearly not the first time she had to explain delicate situations like this.

"I get it, but wouldn't you be a lot safer in the Leaf? In fact, I'd make sure you two would be safe! You're so young, you don't need to embroil yourself in espionage like this!" Kushina exclaimed.

You sighed and looked at Kushina directly in the eyes. When you spoke, your voice was serious, and sounded weary, "Kushina, there's nowhere in Jihopan that is completely safe. I get you're worried about us, but we'll be alright."

"Maya..." Kushina muttered. "Just after everything that happened, it's..."

"I get it, I really do, but our paths lead elsewhere. But this isn't goodbye forever, I'm sure we'll see each other again!" you said with a large smile and a thumbs up.

"Heh, well I guess if you say it like that." Kushina sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to convince you or Jiao. "But! I want you to at least stay here for one more week, just to recover and make sure you're ready."

"Easily done, we need our time to rest and relax anyway. I'd rather have this cast off me by the time we leave anyway." Jiao quickly said, raising her right hand and staring at the cast.

"And I would like to make sure I have all the chakra I can before leaving." you said, nodding in agreement.

"Good! Alright you two, I hope your bellies are empty, I'm gonna put you in a food coma!" Kushina excitedly said, turning back to the stove.

Both you and Jiao looked at each other for moment, unsure if what Kushina said was a promise or a threat...

---

The week was agonizingly slow for both you and Jiao. As you were both recovering, there wasn't much you could do other than sit around, read whatever books Kushina had, or play some games. During this time, you actually taught Jiao how to play shogi, and to your surprise and annoyance, Jiao easily picked up on the game, and despite your years of playing with your family, Jiao crushed you in every single match.

During this time, Jiao spoke to you more about her homeland of Tiger, it being the westernmost country of her continent, and it having a powerful naval military. Much like how the empires in Jihopan tended to excel in a certain element, Tiger was where the highest concentration of metal using people were from, which made the land more industrialized compared to the other countries. In fact, they even had boats made out of metal, which astonished you!

But despite how advanced they were, Jiao did mention that Jihopan had better medical technology and practices. She claimed if her hand was broken in Tiger, they'd most likely numb the external pain with herbal paste and forcibly reset the bones so it could heal properly. But more importantly, it was nice to see Jiao become rather animated about her homeland, despite trying to force her into an unsavory political role, it was clear she loved her home.

Some good news came at the end of the week when Kushina returned home, Makima was out of critical condition and would pull through. She was going to be kept at the hospital until further notice to make sure she recovers properly, but you were simply happy that despite Kotei's actions, nobody died that on that night.

Eventually, it was time for you and Jiao to leave. You made sure to pack up all your belongings, plus the extra clothes and supplies Kushina had given to you. Jiao had her cast removed, and despite having her hand crushed, it was like it had never been broken in the first place! You and Jiao put on your freshly cleaned travel cloaks and for the last time, walked out of Kushina's house.

"Please be safe, Maya, Jiao. And if you ever need shelter, just come back here, or even go to the Leaf, I'll make sure to vouch for you!" Kushina said, standing at the doorway.

"Thank you, Kushina. I'm sure we will one day." you said.

"Hopefully in a peaceful way, and not because we're being run out." Jiao added.

"Either way, just take care of yourselves. I'll miss you two." Kushina said, her voice heavy with emotion.

"We'll miss you too. Bye Kushina, and I hope your trip back to the Leaf is safe as well!" you said, waving at her before you turned around. Jiao nodded at her at followed you down the road. It didn't take too long to reach the harbor where the same man who brought you to the Whirlpool in the first place was waiting. You had sent Byakuren a message earlier in the week, and you were glad that everything worked out on that end.

You and Jiao took your seats in the tiny, cramped boat as the man sat by the motor. It revved to life and after a few minutes, you and Jiao had left the Whirlpool, being enveloped by the cold, briny mist the empire was named for...

---

Congratulations, the arc is over! It's time for your reward! First off, you have 2 stat points you can assign as needed.

[]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[] Ninjutsu
-[] Taijutsu
-[] Genjutsu
-[] Intelligence
-[] Strength
-[] Speed
-[] Stamina
-[] Hand Seals

Now secondly, choose your end of arc reward! (Can only pick one)

[] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[] Deva Path
-[] Human Path
-[] Asura Path
-[] Animal Path
-[] Preta Path
-[] Naraka Path (You have reached the cap for now. You will unlock it after you rank up more paths.)

[] Byakuren will be unusually pleased by your report and success, and will offer you a favor (within reason and within his power) with no strings attached.

[] Nijuichi, both interested in your growth and thankful for your actions against Kotei, has somehow put a scroll within your supplies, containing information he researched about the night your home was razed to the ground.

[] Having watched you closely, Raksha now truly understands the threats you face in Jihopan. He will now be much more calmer and helpful when detecting the demonic statues.

[] After the events she went through, Jiao will become much more focused on making sure she will be strong enough to avoid unfavorable situations. She will gain great strides when she trains during the next arc.

[] While you were gone, word has spread of your defeat of Kaitaikojo and Ishako. Along with your hand in helping put down Gaikotsu, your reputation in the Mist has been enjoying quite a boost, meaning you might be sought after by some other well known Mist shinobi.

 

[Prospalz]

[X]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[X] Strength, Speed
[X] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[X] Human Path

Shame that we can't pick up Naraka 3; as far as I can see, that's pretty much the breakpoint where genjutsu tricks start to get really silly.

Anyway, we have been spamming Gates in every single important fight, so Human Path + physical stats feels like a good combo. The mental aspect of tier 3 is needed to resolve a bunch of side-quests we have, too. We also have that sword slowly cooking back in the mist.

Preta or Deva path might be a decent alternative tho. Animal Path is very interesting, but it pretty much forces us to go on a quest for an animal summon, else it becomes an inefficient pick.

IDK about story choices, they are all really good, imo.

 

[Megacookie]

Animal Path is very interesting, but it pretty much forces us to go on a quest for an animal summon, else it becomes an inefficient pick.

Click to shrink...

I will point out that base Animal Path does give you a one way contract with all contracted animals, so it's mainly up to Maya to find one willing to be summoned, and convince them afterward.

 

[Black King]

[X]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[X] Speed x2
[X] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[X] Human Path

Speed blitz+soul steal gg

 

[Giga]

[X]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[X] Speed x2
[X] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[X] Human Path

 

[canned Tomatoes]

[X]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[X] Strength, Speed
[X] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[X] Human Path

I'm more for the human path because of opening up the eight gates than for the soul grip.
I am not sure if speed alone is good enough in hand to hand combat, but I'm also not really that opposed to it.
If there's no tie breaker I'll also vote Speed x2.

 

[Umbra99]

[X]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[X] Speed x2
[X] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[X] Human Path

Soul rip and a free First Gate are both really good. I'm kinda inclined more towards doubling down on Speed over both Speed and Strength, because the Soul Rip is kinda cracked. Plus, being able to move quickly is one of the more important abilities in Naruto.

 

[Kufufu]

[X]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[X] Speed x2
[X] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[X] Asura Path

 

[Megacookie]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[]Assign the stat points (you can double up if you wish)
-[] Speed x2
[] Rank up a Path of your choosing.
-[] Human Path

---

Updated Adachi/Maya's Databook

---

"Adachi, wake up!" a familiar, yet distant voice said. Your eyes slowly opened and you found yourself in a familiar room. It was small, mostly taken up by two handmade beds. Standing in the small space between the bed was a man, a bit older and more than a bit taller than you, his black hair hovering just over his shoulders. His eyes were lily-white, a sign of having the Byakugan, and an excited smile on his face made him almost glow with positivity.

"Otama...?"

"Duh, of course it's me! Who else could I be?" your older brother said, giving you a confused look.

You blinked your eyes several times, seeing your older brother wasn't something you were expecting. Emotion overcame you and you lunged out of bed at him. However, instead of crashing into him, you phased through him instead. Confused, you spun around and saw that it was merely a dream, or a memory. Otama was looking down at a younger version of yourself, who was sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Otama why did you wake me up..." the younger Adachi said, the only real difference between yourself and him was his age, and a more boyish, innocent look on his face.

"Dad's gonna finally teach me how to use the Gentle Fist, and I want you there, so you can see how cool I can be!" Otama exclaimed, almost bouncing on his feet.

"Oh! Finally!" the younger Adachi said. "I can't wait to see Dad kick your butt!"

"Hey, I'm catching up to him! Once he teaches me his secrets, I'll be surpassing him in no time!" Otama petulantly said before putting your younger self in a headlock, grinding his knuckles to the top of his head.

"AH! Ow, ow! Stop that!"

"You talk so big, but you haven't even gotten close to my level yet! Though you're learning stuff way younger than I was!" Otama said, a prankish grin on his face, although you could hear some pride in there as well.

"Let go of me or I'll tell Anzu!" your younger self cried out. Otama sighed and let go of his headlock.

"Alright, alright, enough pushing you around. Make sure to get ready, because soon I'll be the strongest one here!" Otama boasted, running out of the room.

"I hope Dad makes you eat sand!" your younger self shouted, jumping out of bed and following Otama, smiling brightly.

You looked longingly at the open door, where only a white void was shown past the doorframe.

"Otama...please. Please be alive. I'll find you soon."

---

When you opened your eyes this time, it was for real. You had slid down to the floor of the boat, thankfully it was a smooth ride so no water managed to splash in. Jiao was sitting at the edge of the boat, her telekinesis keeping her steady so she wouldn't fall into the cold, salty water below. You sat up, to which Jiao noticed, turning her head.

"Good, you're awake. The boatman told me we'll be back in the Mist Village within half an hour." Jiao said, clearly wanting the boat ride to be over.

"Good to know." you groaned, positioning yourself onto one of the cold, wooden seats of the boat.

"Speaking of that," the boatman said, getting your attention. "Lord Byakuren is off on a mission currently. Whenever he comes back, he'll send you a message and then you can report to him."

"I wonder what mission it would take to require a Mizukage..." you said to yourself, not really expecting anyone to answer.

"I'd rather not know what such a barbaric beast of a man gets up to." Jiao muttered.

"Yeah, whatever it is it's probably not diplomatic." you sighed. The rest of the trip was spent in silence, neither you or Jiao willing to speak while the boatman was there. Then again, there really wasn't anything to speak about right now. Soon enough, the concrete harbor of the Mist came into view, and despite it only having been a month or so (you weren't really paying attention), it felt like an eternity since you saw this place. The small boat parked in its spot and both you and Jiao were now officially back within the Mist Village.

"Home sweet home." you said, moving your head from side to side in order to soothe a crick in your neck, most likely from sleeping in such a cramped place.

"Calling this place sweet is giving it too much credit." Jiao muttered, now floating a few inches above the ground. "Let us return to the inn, I plan for a long soak to get all this salt and brine off my body."

"That, I can agree with. Do you have any idea what you'll be doing after that, though?" you asked, now starting to walk. Jiao followed you, ignoring the stares of the dockworkers.

"None that come to mind. After the insanity we experienced, it's quite tempting to merely hole up and ignore the world, but that's only inviting more issues." Jiao sincerely answered. "Perhaps I will try to find a place to improve myself, without anyone watching."

"If you can find a quiet place on this island, please tell me." you chuckled.

"Hmph, maybe. And what about you? What will you do, since reporting to that monstrous old man is off the table for the moment." Jiao asked, turning her head towards you and giving you a curious look.

"That's a good question. I haven't really thought about it." you said, now leaving the harbor and starting to enter the village itself.

Well? What will you do? (Choose one for now)

[] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.

[] Visit Tenryu. Hopefully he hasn't done any more vigilantism while you were gone.

[] Perhaps Amakuni has finished making your weapon, you should check in on that.

[] You remember Mei offering to find you a house within the Terumi Clan grounds. Maybe you should follow up on that.

[] You'll take the time to explore the village, maybe meet someone new?

[] You're going to find a place to train and get down to business, you're not wasting any time!

[] Write In.

 

[Black King]

[X] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.

 

[Desmond_helios]

[X] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.

 

[Kufufu]

[X] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.

Time to see our besto friendo

 

[Prospalz]

[X] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.

 

[canned Tomatoes]

[X] Go see Kimimaro. He's your friend after all, and you hope he's doing alright since the Gaikotsu incident.