A few days later, in Kirigakure.
At the new settlement of the Uzumaki clan.
Yagura held a Shinigami mask in his hand.
"So this is the exact mask Namikaze Minato used, right?"
"Yes, Mizukage-sama," the clan head replied respectfully, fully cooperating with Yagura's investigation. "Recently, only this mask has shown any signs of activity from the Shinigami."
"Alright, thanks."
With both the Shinigami mask and White Zetsu's body now secured, all that remained was for Orochimaru to master both the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and his own Living Corpse Reincarnation technique.
And then there was the other half of the Nine-Tails—its yin chakra—sealed inside Minato himself.
Yagura casually added, "I heard a child was recently born into your clan?"
It had happened on October 10th—the same day as the Nine-Tails incident, and Naruto Uzumaki's birthday.
A curious coincidence. One that Yagura took note of.
"Yes!" the Uzumaki clan head replied with pleasant surprise. "Mizukage-sama, despite your busy schedule, I'm honored that you're paying attention to matters in our clan."
Yagura smiled warmly. "No need to be modest. The Uzumaki clan is part of Kirigakure now—it's only natural. I keep an eye on Suigetsu of the Hozuki clan, and Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan too."
By saying this, Yagura was placing the Uzumaki—new arrivals to the village—on equal footing with the well-established Hozuki and Kaguya clans.
The Uzumaki clan head was moved to tears. All the rumors about Yagura using them as chakra batteries were swept away in that moment.
Mizukage-sama had always cared for them deeply. So what if they had to act as power sources for the village? It was all worth it.
Yagura and the clan head left the clan's territory together.
Orochimaru still hadn't returned from Konohagakure. Who knew where he was off wandering.
Without his key scientist present, Yagura had come simply to confirm the mask situation himself.
"That child—has he been named yet?"
The baby born on the same day as Naruto.
Yagura had already decided: this child would be the next jinchūriki of the yin half of the Nine-Tails.
"Hmm… Mind if I name him?"
"Of course not!" the clan head immediately agreed.
"A name from the Mizukage himself—his parents will be honored!"
Yagura nodded without hesitation. "Let's name him Uzumaki Menma."
A nod to the Menma from the Road to Ninja movie—the dream world villain who stood opposite Naruto Uzumaki.
Yagura then followed the clan head to meet the newborn Menma.
Both of Menma's parents were Uzumaki, so the child had the clan's trademark red hair and red eyes—he wouldn't exactly resemble the dark-haired Naruto from the alternate reality.
Not perfect, but it didn't matter.
If, by some strange twist of fate, the child had inherited black hair and eyes—perhaps from a parent with blood as powerful as Minato's—Yagura might've been worried about him unleashing a massive Rasengan on Kirigakure someday.
A parting gift, like a mirage from the sea—a fairy tale in the making.
The parents didn't object much to the name change.
It was the Mizukage, after all. Who were they to oppose?
As they stepped out of the house...
"Mizukage-sama," a Kirigakure ANBU agent appeared in front of Yagura, casting a glance toward the nearby Uzumaki.
Yagura waved him off. "No need for secrecy. Speak."
"Yes." The ANBU hesitated only a moment—a sign of utmost respect. "An S-rank target, Uchiha Shisui, has entered the Land of Water. How shall we proceed?"
Yagura tilted his head. "Huh?"
News of the Uchiha clan's extermination had already spread across the ninja world.
Konoha's official statement claimed the Uchiha had plotted a coup and were preemptively dealt with by the wise and mighty Hiruzen Sarutobi.
It followed hot on the heels of the Nine-Tails attack, the Fourth Hokage's death, and Hiruzen's return to office.
Everyone in the shinobi world was glued to the unfolding drama in Konoha.
Compared to those headlines, the Uchiha massacre barely made ripples.
Yagura had been devouring the updates more eagerly than most—along with the inner circle of gossip-hungry shinobi around him.
And this time, the massacre had happened seven years earlier than expected.
The culprits weren't the still-young Uchiha Itachi, but Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo.
Such a huge divergence demanded Yagura's full attention.
But Konoha had locked down information, so what little he'd learned was patchy.
According to their official statement, every Uchiha had been wiped out—no survivors.
Yagura hadn't known whether to believe it—until now.
"Shisui survived? What the hell happened in Konoha?"
By all accounts, Shisui should've been among the first to die—probably even before the rest of the clan.
If Shisui lived, what about Itachi? What about Sasuke?
"Was Shisui alone?"
"Only him."
Yagura thought: Then that means Itachi and Sasuke weren't with him. If Itachi were still around, he'd definitely be traveling with Shisui.
The ANBU took a sharp breath before adding cautiously, "There was also... an infant."
"…"
"Mizukage-sama?"
"Shush. I'm thinking."
What the hell?
Yagura furrowed his brows deeply, silently shouting the question in his head.
That baby—must be Sasuke.
But why would Shisui bring him along?
...
To get answers, he'd have to ask Shisui directly.
The Kotoamatsukami, his Mangekyō Sharingan... And more importantly—Uchiha Sasuke.
"You. Come with me. Lead the way."
The ANBU, long familiar with Yagura's unpredictable leadership style, nodded without hesitation.
When it was time to act—Yagura didn't hesitate.
"Yes!"
Same route, same procedure—Shisui had entered the Land of Water via the exact path Orochimaru once used.
He followed the same sequence of events too.
Discovered upon entry, he surrendered quietly, allowed himself to be monitored, and was held at a border outpost until a message could be sent to Yagura.
And just like Orochimaru, he'd brought a child with him.
Except while Orochimaru had brought Kabuto—capable of fending for himself—Shisui had brought a much younger Sasuke.
"Do you have milk formula and diapers?" he had asked the guards at the outpost.
By the time Yagura arrived, pushing aside the tent's curtain, he saw Shisui gently tending to the baby on the bed.
Two border guards stood at either side, with a squad of ANBU behind Yagura.
Border Guard A: "Why does this feel familiar?"
Border Guard B: "Don't jinx it. Thanks to Konoha's shinobi, our screen time has skyrocketed."
Border Guard A: "Right? How many other border guards get to see Mizukage-sama this often?"
Shisui had seen Yagura's picture beforehand and had been informed that the Mizukage would meet him in person.
Given the size of the escort, it was easy to deduce who Yagura was.
As he entered, Yagura's eyes landed on the baby Sasuke—his diaper mid-change.
He politely looked away. "Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."
Shisui: "?" It's just a baby... why are you looking away?
With the diaper changed and the initial awkwardness out of the way, the two sat down for a more comfortable talk.
Since he was there seeking asylum, Shisui cooperated fully with Yagura's questions.
From him, Yagura learned the full story of the Uchiha massacre.
His first reaction was about Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Well damn. That old turtle actually had the guts to go through with it."
Without Hiruzen's approval, Danzo never would've dared act.
The sudden shift in stance—going from passive to full-on execution in less than a day—was jarring.
But considering the Uchiha's pride and stubbornness... it wasn't exactly unexpected.
In every timeline, they seemed doomed to fall.
At least this time, the clan's "essence" had survived.
"My condolences," Yagura offered, glancing at baby Sasuke. "So, the older brother died to cover your escape?"
Shisui's lone eye dimmed. "Yes."
"Understood. I'll have my people verify the details, but for now, I've got the gist."
Even if Shisui had no reason to lie, it was still just his side of the story. A little caution never hurt.
Yagura wasn't interested in asking why Shisui had chosen Kirigakure over Konoha's neighboring nations.
What mattered was this: they were here now, and he intended to make use of them.
"Konoha defectors aren't new to us. Orochimaru is here. A few rogue shinobi, too. Oh, and some Uchiha defectors. You'll meet them eventually."
Yes—Kirigakure had accepted a few rogue Uchiha over the years.
It made sense. Disillusioned with their treatment in Konoha, some had left long before the massacre, and so they'd survived.
Shisui exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Mizukage-sama."
He was grateful not only for the shelter but for the knowledge that other Uchiha had survived.
There was no future left for them in Konoha.
The Third Hokage and Danzo had wiped out the clan, and with no Itachi to pin it all on this time, the surviving members would be hunted without mercy.
Caught between loyalty to the village and grief for his clan, Shisui couldn't bring himself to hate Konoha entirely—but he also couldn't pretend the massacre hadn't happened.
Even if he could, Konoha would never trust him.
So he'd fled—to Kirigakure, where rogue shinobi were treated with more leniency.
...
"In the heart of Kirigakure—right near the central ring of the capital—I've got a place for you."
To show his sincerity, Yagura personally led Shisui to his new lodgings.
"It's not a gift—just an official lease. You'll pay rent."
Ao, walking beside them, helpfully quoted a number.
Shisui's face stiffened. "Mizukage-sama… there's no need for such luxury. I'm grateful for your kindness, but any simple place will do for me and Sasuke. No need to go to such trouble."
"Huh? This isn't even that expensive. Wait, no—I mean it's not that fancy."
Yagura, clearly trying to boost real estate sales (not that he'd admit it), seemed almost confused by Shisui's reluctance.
Shisui said quietly, "I… I don't plan to be a shinobi anymore."
His nation was gone. The Hidden Leaf, the village he had vowed to serve since childhood, had become the enemy that wiped out his clan. His family was gone. The once-proud Uchiha clan had been reduced to nothing.
He could no longer find any meaning in continuing to fight—no path forward. Forcing a weak smile, he added,
"So I don't think I need to stay here. Please, don't waste the space. Give it to a ninja who can actually be useful to you."
That, along with the news that Shisui and Sasuke had arrived, caught Yagura completely off guard.
He exchanged a glance with Ao, trusting the older shinobi's judgment. Then Yagura replied,
"Alright. If that's your choice, I won't stop you. But if you're not going to be a ninja anymore, how do you plan to support the child?"
"There are plenty of jobs—both in the Land of Fire and the Land of Water."
Shisui had already thought this through.
He had made up his mind. At least for now, he wouldn't pick up the Kiba blades again. Cracking a small, self-deprecating joke, he said,
"With my reputation as 'Shisui of the Body Flicker,' I think I could handle deliveries or food service just fine."
Yagura tilted his head in disbelief.
Seriously? Uchiha Shisui, S-rank delivery man?
If his signature Body Flicker Technique had feelings, it'd probably be weeping right now.
"…Alright."
Since Shisui had made up his mind, there was no point in playing the good guy—or the bad guy—and trying to talk him out of it. Let him cool off in Kirigakure, settle in a bit. Later, once he'd adjusted, Yagura could revisit the conversation.
Turning to Ao, Yagura said, "You'll be his point of contact. Meet any reasonable requests, and get everything arranged for them."
Ao gave a sharp nod. "Understood, sir!"
Yagura nodded back and smiled slightly at Shisui.
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving you in Ao's hands."
"Of course. We're the ones who've interrupted your work."
"It's no trouble at all~"
Then Yagura looked directly at the lower half of Shisui's face, the only part not hidden behind the cloth, and said with quiet sincerity,
"If every interruption brought me an Uchiha Shisui and an Uchiha Sasuke, I'd happily be interrupted every day~"
...
Back in the Mizukage's office, Yagura resumed dealing with the daily paperwork. By the time he finished, the sun had already passed its peak.
A report had come in from Iwagakure.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had finally admitted to himself that he was too old. And with no worthy successors in the village—especially none who could inherit his unique Dust Release kekkei tōta—he had taken on three disciples: his granddaughter Kurotsuchi, as well as Deidara and Akaiwa.
"Even Ōnoki's finally giving in to old age and training the next generation."
Yagura had also received an update from Ao. Shisui had rented a small detached house just outside the fifth ring of the village. It was more than enough space for both him and Sasuke, and even had a decent-sized yard that could be used as a training ground in the future.
Thinking about the next generation, Yagura got a little excited.
"Kimimaro, Suigetsu, Haku… and that Uzumaki kid, Menma?"
"Now add Uchiha Sasuke to that lineup—personally mentored by none other than Uchiha Shisui."
Yagura's voice sped up with excitement.
Talk about a god-tier lineup!
"SXZR! That's a team of legends!"
"What the hell are you fantasizing about?" Mangetsu smacked Yagura on the arm, cutting off the imaginary summoning ritual. "You think you're the Tsuchikage or the Hokage now?"
"How old do you think you are? Planning for the next generation already? You've still got fifty more years as Mizukage!"
"Oh, come on—don't tell me you want me still in office at sixty! Who am I trying to murder by then? I'm not pulling a Hiruzen."
Mangetsu didn't hold back with that smack. Yagura blinked in confusion, trying to figure out what he'd done to deserve it.
"What was that for? I thought you were still on a mission overseas."
"Finished early."
Mangetsu leaned back against the wall, looking exhausted.
"Heard our precious Mizukage took a little trip to the border again. I came to check if you got yourself hurt."
"In my own country? What could possibly happen?"
"You never know," Mangetsu teased. "You might already be caught in some Uchiha genjutsu and not even realize it. Of course I had to come check for myself."
That actually gave Yagura pause. "…Should I be worried?"
"You said it~"
Mangetsu leaned in, crouching slightly to examine him at close range.
After a while, he let out a short breath and chuckled.
"Far as I can tell, you're not under any genjutsu."
"Damn it, don't scare me like that."
What kind of genjutsu inspection takes that long?
Yagura pushed Mangetsu away from his personal space and sighed with relief.
"Glad to hear it."
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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