I Am Uzumaki Menma

Kakashi raised a hand, shielding his brow as he squinted, trying hard to see into the blinding sun in the sky.

However, aside from the sunspots burned into his vision and the drifting clouds, he could no longer catch any trace of that mysterious youth.

The other party seemed to have melted into the light, disappearing without a trace, leaving not even a trace of residual Chakra Fluctuation.

He slowly lowered his hand and turned to look at Minato beside him. "Minato-sensei, what that person used just now... was that the Rasengan?"

Minato nodded silently, a deep seriousness in his azure blue eyes.

He opened his right hand… his palm still seemed to carry the sensation of the Chakra vibration from the collision of the two Rasengans… familiar yet alien, 'This incredibly clear feeling was definitely not an illusion… that was the real, complete Rasengan!'

Jiraiya crossed his arms, his fingers unconsciously tapping against his forearm. The playful look on his face had long been replaced by seriousness.

"This is troublesome, Minato," he clicked his tongue. "The Uzumaki Clan's Adamantine Sealing Chains, plus your Rasengan... Just what is that kid? His Chakra felt weird too, abnormally vast."

Minato took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down and analyze. "The training method for the Rasengan is currently only known to me, you, Jiraiya-sensei, and possibly the Third Hokage who might know the progress from you. It's absolutely impossible for him to have learned it through normal channels."

"And the Adamantine Sealing Chains... is even more a secret of the Uzumaki Clan. It's impossible to perform without direct lineage blood and sufficient Chakra Reserves. But the Uzumaki Clan's most distinguishing feature is red hair..."

"If he is indeed a surviving Uzumaki orphan, that's even more troublesome," Jiraiya picked up the thread, his expression solemn. "We must report to the old man immediately. Minato, come with me to the Hokage's office."

When the Uzumaki Clan was destroyed and their country fell, Konoha hadn't been able to help. Jiraiya was clearly worried the other party might have come bearing a grudge.

"Understood," Minato responded, then turned to Kakashi, a hint of apology on his face. "Kakashi, sorry, an emergency mission came up. Go find Obito and Rin first. Apologize to them for me, say that I can't have lunch together today."

Kakashi lowered his head slightly. Beneath his stray white hair, his eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment and self-blame.

"No, Minato-sensei, I'm the one who should apologize. Just now... I was barely able to contribute." Facing that mysterious youth, his proud strength that far surpassed his peers seemed to have become a joke. That sense of powerlessness struck him hard.

Minato understood his student's feelings. He reached out and patted Kakashi's shoulder gently, his tone warm yet firm. "Kakashi, no need to blame yourself. Facing an unknown, powerful enemy, gathering valuable intelligence is itself a victory. You, Rin, and Obito are all still young, the road ahead is long. Go fill your stomach first. Leave this matter to me and Jiraiya-sensei."

Kakashi nodded, said nothing more, and in a flash, used the Body Flicker Technique to leave the messy observation platform.

Minato and Jiraiya exchanged a glance and simultaneously used the Body Flicker Technique, turning into two blurry shadows as they rushed towards the Hokage Building at high speed.

…

Inside the Hokage's office, smoke curled.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, at just fifty-two years old, though his hair was already white, was still vigorous and straight-backed. He sat behind his large desk, listening intently to Jiraiya and Minato's grave report.

He held a pipe in his mouth, his white eyebrows gradually knitting together as the narrative deepened.

"...Black short hair, age around twelve or thirteen, handsome features, calls himself 'Menma'... proficiently uses the Uzumaki Clan's secret sealing technique, Adamantine Sealing Chains, and..." Jiraiya paused, glancing at Minato beside him before continuing.

"...And also used the Rasengan developed by Minato, with power on par with Minato's. Finally, he demonstrated the ability to fly unaided and disappeared into the air."

Hiruzen slowly took the pipe from his lips, exhaling a long stream of white smoke. His eyes were sharp as a hawk's, flickering with thought behind the smoke.

"A black-haired youth... the Uzumaki Clan's Adamantine Sealing Chains... and the Rasengan..." he repeated these key points in a low voice, his doubts deepening with each repetition.

He knew the hardship Minato had gone through to develop the Rasengan, a hand-seal-less Jutsu based on the Tailed Beast Bomb principle, succeeding after three years of painstaking effort, with extremely high difficulty.

'This suddenly appearing youth, mastering the Uzumaki Clan's core secret technique, meant he must be a surviving Uzumaki orphan. The black hair might just be a disguise. But he even knew the Rasengan?'

"Shinsuke," Hiruzen called out gravely.

Almost as his words fell, a figure wearing an animal mask and Anbu's uniform knelt silently on one knee beside the desk.

"Hokage-sama." The arrival was the Anbu Commander and his eldest son, Sarutobi Shinsuke.

"Execute three orders immediately," Hiruzen spoke unhurriedly but with indisputable authority. "First, secretly reinforce the protection around Kushina. Deploy two additional Anbu Teams, twenty-four-hour rotations, ensure nothing goes wrong."

"Second, send two reliable teams to closely monitor the cemetery of Mito-sama and her former residence, prevent anyone from disturbing them."

"Third, order the Barrier Team to immediately conduct a comprehensive inspection of the village's barrier, especially areas with abnormal fluctuations today. Find any possible vulnerabilities or hidden dangers!"

"Yes, sir!" Shinsuke accepted the orders, his figure flickering as he disappeared from the office to carry them out.

Minato's eyes tightened slightly upon hearing Kushina's name.

He voiced his analysis to Jiraiya. "Jiraiya-sensei, if the other party truly possesses Uzumaki Clan's blood, even if the hair color doesn't match, there might be some unknown bloodline mutation or disguise. Then his most likely target for infiltrating Konoha would be Kushina, another Uzumaki and the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, or... coveting possible Uzumaki Clan's legacies or sealing knowledge left by the late Mito-sama."

Jiraiya stroked his chin and nodded. "Yeah, indeed. The other party displayed a high mastery of Adamantine Sealing Chains, clearly possessing deep knowledge of Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques. Whether for Kushina, a fellow Uzumaki, or the Uzumaki Clan's secret techniques left by Mito, he has sufficient motive."

Hiruzen picked up his pipe, took another deep puff, and slowly exhaled. White smoke enveloped his slightly weary face.

"Such eventful times..." He sighed, his gaze turning to another document on the desk.

"There are also unsettling reports from the northern border."

He picked up a scroll and handed it to Minato. "Minato, border patrols report that Kumogakure's Ninjas have been frequently active in the border area where the Land of Rivers meets our country. There have been several small-scale clashes with our squads in the past week. The situation is escalating."

"I need you to immediately form a special squad with Akimichi Doto and Inuzuka Gaku to strengthen patrols and vigilance on the northwest border. Your mission is deterrence and intelligence gathering. If you encounter Kumogakure's Ninjas, prioritize your safety and mission completion, but try to capture them alive if possible. We need to understand Kumogakure's true intentions."

Minato's expression turned stern. He stepped forward, took the scroll with both hands, straightened his posture, his voice clear and firm. "Yes, Hokage-sama! I will complete the mission!"

He knew this task was even more urgent.

Kumogakure's unusual movements likely foreshadowed larger-scale conflicts.

After bowing to Hiruzen and Jiraiya, he turned and quickly left the Hokage's office, preparing to immediately gather his team and head for the border.

Inside the office, only Hiruzen and Jiraiya remained, along with the lingering smoke and heavy atmosphere.

"Jiraiya..." Hiruzen tapped his pipe. "What's your take on that 'Menma'? Besides Minato's analysis, any other possibilities?"

"Ah, old man, I have a bad feeling about this," Jiraiya walked to the window, looking out at Konoha's prosperous and peaceful village, his expression complex. "That kid... the way he looked at Minato was strange. Not like an enemy, not like a stranger. And his last words… 'We'll meet again'... I feel like he'll be back, and next time we meet, it probably won't be as 'friendly' as today."

Meanwhile, outside Konoha Village, deep within a dense forest far from the barrier.

Menma's figure slowly emerged from the shadow of a large tree.

He leaned back against the thick trunk, hands behind his head, a fresh blade of grass in his mouth.

Kokyu crawled out from his collar, perching on his shoulder, wagging her fluffy tail.

"Menma, why not play with them a bit more? We should tease them."

Menma looked at the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, his gaze somewhat distant.

"It's not the right time yet, Kokyu," He said softly.

A mysterious smile curled at the corner of Menma's mouth. "But the immediate priority is to first confirm the situation of that guy on the moon, this world's Isshiki, and... that Uchiha Madara hiding in the shadows."

His gaze turned towards the moon, whose outline was already visible in the sky.

A glimmer of playful challenge flashed in his deep black eyes.

…

Inside the Moon, within the vast and solemn Hamura Shrine.

This place was once the sacred ground where the descendants of Otsutsuki Hamura held ancestral rites and discussed clan matters. Now, however, it was permeated with an indescribable loneliness and decay.

Majestic stone pillars supported the lofty dome. Ancient murals carved on the walls depicted the ancestors' glory and the epic migration, but traces of time were everywhere. Dust danced silently in the weak artificial light beams seeping through cracks in the dome.

Inside the shrine, figures were sparse.

Only five figures stood there, all wearing simple white robes of uniform style, symbolizing they belonged to the same lineage… the Moon's Otsutsuki Clan, branch family.

At the forefront stood a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, with proper features but bearing a pallor from long-term lack of sunlight.

He was today's protagonist, Otsutsuki Shuto.

Beside him was an equally young, fair-featured woman, his wife, and currently the only other young bloodline in the branch family besides him.

Behind them were three white-haired, stooped elders… the only remaining seniors of the branch family, witnesses to history.

What was startling was that including Shuto and his wife, all present Otsutsuki Clan's members had empty eye sockets!

Their eyes had long ago, during the brutal purge of the main family years past, accompanied by endless fanaticism and prejudice, been personally offered and fused into the Giant Tenseigan floating in the center of the shrine.

At this moment, they relied on the clan's hereditary [Mind's Eye] secret technique to perceive their surroundings.

This was a perception ability beyond sight, able to 'see' the flow of Chakra and the contours of life, but they could no longer appreciate color and light.

The eldest elder spoke in a hoarse, solemn voice, presiding over the ceremony. "Shuto, today, you officially inherit the position of head of the Otsutsuki Clan's branch family. May you remember the legacy of our ancestor Hamura and shoulder our clan's mission. The people on the surface of the Ninja World are immersed in endless war and chaos, defiling the world our ancestor and his elder brother, the Sage of Six Paths, created. We inherit our ancestor's will of purification. We must always be prepared to, with thunderous force, end that filthy cycle of cause and effect, and reshape the world into a state of purity!"

Shuto slightly raised his head, his empty eye sockets 'gazing' at the Giant Tenseigan in the shrine's center, radiating energy that felt familiar and awe-inspiring. A resolute, even fanatical, expression appeared on his face.

He took a deep breath, his voice echoing in the empty shrine. "I, Otsutsuki Shuto, hereby swear! I will inherit the will of the branch family, follow the ancestral wish of Hamura! When the time is ripe, I will drive the power of the Tenseigan to conduct a thorough 'purification' of the Ninja World, end that endless chaos! Let this world return to its rightful state of purity!"

His wife silently stood by his side, gently taking his arm, expressing support without words.

The three elders also nodded slightly. In their empty eye sockets, a nearly fanatical, martyr-like zeal and relief seemed to flow.

The once-prosperous Moon's Otsutsuki Clan, the main family had been exterminated by the branch. Now, the branch family itself was reduced to just these five individuals, their bloodline withered to this extent. That obsession with 'purifying' the Ninja World had become the sole pillar supporting their existence.

However, just at this solemn moment, a piercing alarm suddenly shattered the shrine's silence!

The wailing sound came from the warning system embedded in the walls.

A puppet responsible for daily patrols swiftly slid into the shrine, reporting in a monotone mechanical voice, "Warning! Warning! The entrance channel connecting the Moon and the surface has been forcibly breached by an unidentified intruder! The intruder has entered the channel and is moving at high speed!"

"What?!" One elder exclaimed in disbelief, his wrinkled face full of shock. "How is that possible? That channel has remained undiscovered by outsiders for a thousand years since our ancestors secluded themselves here!"