The sword in his hand was clearly not the same as the one Sasuke wielded in the original story.
Its scabbard was jet black, with a white sageo (cord) wrapped around it. A grotesque creature was carved on the sheath's surface. The tsuba (guard) was also black, engraved with intricate patterns, and the hilt was wrapped in white weaves. Through the menuki, one could faintly see an ivory-colored handle—its texture resembling the bone of some creature. The pommel was capped with a piece of dark chakra-infused metal, upon which a single character was inscribed: "Feather" (羽).
Uchiha Kairen glanced at his two teammates and said,
"This sword isn't the legendary Kusanagi Sword. Its name is Domuya. It once belonged to an ancient samurai. Everything about it… was told to me by the sword itself. As for this scroll—this should be the summoning contract of the Hellhound Clan."
He unfurled the scroll. Several names were written upon it—none of which he recognized; perhaps they belonged to people from a long-forgotten age. Biting his fingertip, he wrote down his own name.
The moment the name was complete, the summoning scroll suddenly shimmered—then vanished entirely, as if reverse-summoned. The chamber began to tremble violently. The ground cracked, the walls collapsed. After a long quake, when the shaking finally stopped, the group hurriedly rushed outside—only to find that the scenery had completely changed.
The stone statue was gone. And now, they were outdoors. Across from them stood Eagle's Head Peak—they could even faintly see their teammates and the two members of the Uzumaki clan.
Uchiha Retsu shouted from the opposite side,
"Kairen! Can you see us? We're right here!"
But the others showed no reaction—it was as if they couldn't hear him at all.
Suddenly, a massive dog appeared behind them and spoke in a deep voice,
"Don't bother shouting, brats. This is the Summoning Realm. It's a completely different space from the outside world. Come with me. The boss wants to meet you."
The beast sniffed the air, then sharply turned its head toward Uchiha Kairen. Its gaze locked onto the sword in his hands. With a short nod, it strode forward.
The group followed. Soon, they reached a vast grassland, teeming with hounds of every size and color, playing freely under the sky. The moment the pack noticed their arrival, all the dogs stopped their play, eyes fixed on the visitors. They silently watched as the group walked toward a colossal mountain that loomed ahead—so tall its peak was lost in the clouds.
Then—the mountain began to move.
It wasn't collapsing; it was descending. As it lowered, the truth revealed itself: the "mountain top" was actually the head of a gargantuan dog.
A four-eyed dog.
Those four glowing eyes focused entirely on Uchiha Kairen. Then the beast bowed low, opening its massive jaws. From within walked a white lion-like dog—its mane a brilliant white, its eyes a crystalline blue. As it descended the slope, the entire field of dogs fell prostrate.
The white lion-dog spoke,
"You've obtained the sword. As per our pact, you may now sign the Hellhound Clan's contract. Our clan's duty is to guard the Gate of the Underworld, which is why most of our strongest cannot leave this realm. I am merely the leader of this world's branch—my name is Rossi. The hounds living here are my descendants—one branch of the Hellhound Clan. That massive four-eyed one over there connects our branches together."
Rossi raised his head and howled. The grassland resounded as countless hounds gathered.
He motioned for Uchiha Kairen to step forward. Ten colossal hounds approached and began to howl in unison—a resonant, rhythmic sound filled with power.
It was a ceremony.
Then, all the smaller hounds began merging into the ten giants—one by one—until each had three heads. The ritual ended. Rossi stepped closer and said,
"Choose one. It will become your most loyal guardian. Besides being able to summon our Hellhounds, one of these clans will accompany you to the mortal world. They dwell in the valley where you came from—it's connected to this realm. Each represents a branch of our kind. The choice is yours."
Uchiha Kairen stepped forward and chose a completely black three-headed dog—its fur and pupils darker than ink. The beast roared, and the surrounding hounds began to disperse, leaving only a few behind.
The three-headed hound lowered itself and gestured for Kairen to place his hand upon its central head.
As soon as he did, a wave of resonance surged through his soul—a bond was forged.
Then the three-headed hound turned and bellowed to the sky,
"Our Lord has descended!"
Rossi smiled faintly.
"You may return to the mortal world now. Should you ever need aid, you can reach us through the valley. If you're in danger, summon the Hellhound Clan—we shall fight for you. Our clan chiefs usually remain within the valley, guarding the passage to this realm."
After bidding farewell, Kairen and his companions were escorted back by the three-headed dog.
When they reemerged at the valley, the lake had transformed into a temple. The hound stopped before it and spoke:
"My lord, unless there's a war among the races, I will remain here, guarding this temple and the entrance.
Should you face mortal danger, you may summon me, and every Hellhound shall charge into battle for you.
The place we came from is the Realm Between Worlds—the passage to our true clan. This valley, centered around this temple, is now the Summoning Realm of this world. Our branch will serve here as your Summoned Beasts."
Uchiha Kairen nodded in understanding.
"I still don't know your name—or your true form's name."
The three-headed Hellhound chuckled.
"There is no we—only me. It's the unique power of our kind—Fusion. Only the gifted among us can do it, once in a lifetime, merging our bloodline kin into ourselves. If I take a fatal wound, I will automatically use our innate art—Division. I'll split into two, and if those are fatally wounded, they'll split again, until all life force is gone.
My true name is long, in a tongue you humans wouldn't understand. Please, my lord, grant me one instead."
Kairen pondered for a moment, then said,
"Then I'll call you Inuboshi. Also, the two beside me are of my Uchiha clan. Can your hounds sign individual summoning contracts with our clan's strong members—to fight alongside us and help our people grow stronger?"
Inuboshi nodded.
"Of course. The entire clan will heed your command. But weak ones will not suffice—their souls would shatter. I can sense your eyes—they're tied to the soul, filled with power. Your kin, like ours, are divided between those born with awakened gifts and those without.
To sign an individual pact, one must possess eyes like yours. Otherwise, the contract will backlash and kill both sides. Our pacts are soul-bound—if either side is too weak, both perish.
And one more thing—if any of your kin ever dares to harm you, we will dissolve the contract immediately. Your safety comes before all."
Uchiha Retsu and Uchiha Danten were overjoyed. This journey had not been in vain—the clan's strength would rise immensely. They could hardly wait to sign their own pacts.
Uchiha Kairen, too, was thrilled. He had finally glimpsed the chance—the key to changing the Uchiha clan's fate.
And from here on…
the real Naruto saga was about to begin.
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