Chapter 85: The Ghost of Uchiha

Riku slept for hours to resplendish his whole chakra reserve. He had given his notes on fuinjutsu to Mito to pass the time while he was indisposed so she wouldn’t be bored. His grandmother had been fascinated when he told her that the time of the space they were currently in was slowed down insanely. It got her curious.

Page after page of notes and essays, she learned of her grandson’s ability with fuinjutsu. She had plenty of shadow clones reading paper left and right at the same time. After almost half a day of it, she could only conclude that just like her, Riku was a genius albeit in a different branch than her.

She had a good laugh when one of her clones popped and got its memories. It was done reading the account of Riku’s study of Tobirama’s hiraishin and couldn’t help but be amused at the comments he had made about the man. True, her brother-in-law was smart enough to go far with fuinjutsu, however he was brute forcing it. She always was of the opinion that the Hirahisin he had come up with was barbaric in its formula. Proof that Tobirama had just fumbled in during his research and got something that worked despite being so inefficient.

She hadn’t had a solution herself, though. She could have with time but space-time wasn’t a branch that interested her much. Reading Riku’s notes in comparison to Tobirama’s was enlightening and considered them ingenious. Even her, specialising in barrier and sealing, hadn’t thought of delimiting space like Riku did, to make what he wanted to do with a seal easier on both the formula and chakra needs.

The notes of the variant of the Edo Tensei he had created, made her frown. It was worrisome. On one hand it was more restricted in its use, needed the actual body of the target and in perfect condition and with their chakra, on the other it completely brought back someone to life. Undead or not, resurrecting people wasn’t something that should be done.

She also read notes that weren't written by her grandson’s hands. She recognized Kushina’s handwriting, of course, but her papers on the art were few in number. On the other hand she noticed a third handwriting and was fascinated by the discoveries of sealing and barriers. Her own specialization. The one paper about writing a contract with the Shinigami which differed from the Shiki Fujin for the better especially caught her attention and awe.

When Riku woke up well rested, he made a quick but nutritious breakfast and prepared himself to get back to battle on the spot. When he looked at the armory he found a note from Karin.

“Hubby, I finally succeeded in making the ultimate tag seal to break Orochimaru’s control on the undead! It’s adaptive, so it will work a hundred percent, no matter what new seal they come up with! Enjoy!”

Signed with her name and with a word of love, Riku had a thought for her.

Years ago, she had broken his heart and now they were married and had a child together. The idea that one day the latter would happen had never crossed his mind after her rejection and seeing her with another guy a week later after lying to his face.

It had taken years for him to forgive her for it. For lying like she did and for her stupidity. But if he could forgive Ino then he certainly could forgive Karin. In fact, it was thanks to the blonde that he was able to do so. For some people it had been so very sudden but in truth it hasn’t been. Karin had still been his best friend and it had helped too. It also had helped that he was an idiot and still loved her. Partly because she was hot as hell but most importantly because she was the only one who could keep up with him regarding fuinjutsu. For medicine, he had his mother, Shizune and Karin herself but for the sealing arts? The redhead was his only companion in that regard. The only one he could really talk to about the subject. And that, meant a lot to him.

Putting the tags inside a storage seal in his book, he checked one last time his gear and exited the armory.

“Grandma?”

Seven Mito raised their heads from the papers they were reading at the calling of their name. “Yes?”

“What do you want to do? Stay here until everything is over, help in capturing shi-”

“Fight.” The old woman interrupted, surprising Riku with her answer.

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. A look of disbelief was on his face.

“Not like you do but more as a support.” She explained herself.

“Oookay.” It took a second for him and his mind to find her something to do. “I’m going back to the headquarters. Hopefully, you can help reinforce Karin’s and Kushina-san’s defensive seals. Afterwards, well… You do you, I suppose.”

Nodding, the former Uzumaki matriarch dispelled her shadow clones. Immediately a smile crept on her lips. “This Karin is really brilliant. An adaptive seal to break all the mind controlling ones.”

The corner of Riku’s lips turned up. “She is. Although she can be a real idiot sometimes.” He walked towards her to be in contact with her body. “I hope you won’t leave immediately, just so the two of you can talk. Mainly about the Uzumaki clan. There isn’t a lot about traditions and laws that we found in your scrolls.”

Not letting her a moment to answer, he flashed them both away back to headquarters. After another set of identity checks he led his grandmother back to the command room where he found Chibi and Temari.

“What’s happening? I saw the giant statue not far from my previous position.”

The Kazekage was the one to fill him in. “The statue containing the Bijus began to move on its own. It then took the appearance of a ten-tail monster. Mei ordered the retreat of the troops from around its location as the beast absorbed the chakra of the people near it.”

Riku’s eyebrows kept raising the more Temari talked. The report went from ‘alright, that’s possible’ to ‘What the hell is this bullshit?!’ very, very fast. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself.

“Alright. For my part I fought the collective of the jinchurikis. They are all captured and sealed.” He said that more for Temari than anything. To tell her that, he had Gaara with him. “Mito-oba-san is going to up the base’s defenses. Meanwhile, I’m joining Mei. See you later.”

With that said, he teleported back to his Botib and this time exited through the door. Using the Hiding like a Mole jutsu he went through the earth and up to the surface. He didn’t waste any time reaching the top of a tree to see where he needed to go. He knew the battle’s location was west but he needed a visual to know exactly where. It wasn’t difficult when the ten-tails towered over the top of a forest by a large margin.

Hopping from tree branch to tree branch he moved as fast as he could without wasting chakra. It wouldn’t do to arrive in the middle of the battle with his reserve diminished. Of course, he could simply put a hiraishin tag, teleport to his Botib to rest then teleport back, but that would give information about the seal to Obito.

On the way to the statue his eyes widened in bewilderment when a huge meteorite fell from the sky, followed by a second and hit the ground. The explosion was so massive he felt the hot wind resulting from it from his position. That wasn’t the only thing he witnessed. South West, trees began to rise, taller than the rest of the forest.

Making a quick decision, he decided to stay his course and stop to deal with whoever could summon meteorites from the sky. That was the riskier Jutsu at the moment in his opinion.

Riku reached the battlefield in time to see another meteorite fall. He accelerated, going as fast as he could. A shurifuin wouldn’t be fast enough and the lightness of the wood would play against him because of the air resistance. With no other choice, he stole Gai’s move.

“Dyamic Entry!”

Pushing his muscle to the limit and shooting both feet first against the meteorite. Using the seal of a hundred strength he completely exploded the huge molten rock falling from the sky. Falling down, he threw a hiraishin to the ground and teleported there.

“Everyone retreat!” He shouted.

Riku hasn't even seen the state of the Alliance Shinobis yet as he ordered everyone to get out of here. His eyes focused on searching for the enemy. It was only by instinct that he crouched down. It saved his life. A gunbai nearly took his head off.

Not staying in this position like a sitting duck, Riku rolled forward and did a roundhouse kick. The moment nothing connected he teleported back to his original position. There he saw a man from the back. Very long black hair and red armor from the Warring Clans Era. In one step he was behind him and punched his head, making it explode.

At least, it was the plan. The undead, with inhuman speed and reflex, moved his arm and parried with the Gunbai. The hit connected and while the enemy wasn’t hurt or to Riku’s surprise, the weapon destroyed, he was still sent flying dozens of feet away against a cliff.

“Hokage-sama!”

Riku’s eyes never left the position of the enemy. In normal time he would have pressed on the advantage but his instinct was screaming not to. He knew better than not to listen to it.

“GO!” He shouted back to whoever had called out to him.

“That’s Uchiha Madara, sir!”

“Doesn’t change a thing! Get away from-”

Riku had to quickly create a water dragon when a huge fireball came from the dust screen. Water met Fire and despite the element advantage, Riku struggled to counter his opponent jutsu. Chapters fırst released on NoveI[F]ire.net

His thoughts were running a hundred thousands miles a minute. If the man he was fighting was truly Uchiha Madara then he would have to go all out. Thankfully he didn’t have to properly defeat the man. Just paralyze him. It was easier said than done however.

Uchiha Madara was the second strongest Shinobi in history. Only beaten by Hashirama and Riku knew, despite all his seals and skills, he wasn’t even close to his grandfather’s strength. The difference in battle experience was huge too. He was just a baby compared to the Ghost of the Uchiha. Riku wouldn’t win in a pure battle.

He was confident in his intellect however. Intellect that allowed him to create complete bullshit seals. That is if he could even use them in the first place. He had a few shurifuins and kunais with tags sealed in his vambraces and in his back pouch but the big ones were inside his book of seals and he doubted he would have the time to use it.

Making a shadow clone, he summoned four Kunais and threw them around the area making a square. And create a barrier separating him and Madara from the rest of the people present. The clone was promptly dispelled by a hit of the gunbai but he had stalled enough. Awaiting for another attack, Riku was surprised when none came.

“Well, well.” The cloud of smoke settled and for the first time Riku had the opportunity to see the man face to face.

Madara had a hard, composed face. His features were lean and defined, the sort that gave him a constant air of control. Long black hair fell around him, heavy and straight, half hiding his expression when he looked down. His Eternal Mengokyu Sharingan was active and spinned in an eerie manner but also full of strength.

“A Hokage. So far, you proved yourself to be a better ninja than the Mizukage.”

Riku stayed silent, waiting for a move from his adversary. His current fighting stance had him with a hand behind his back and he was tracing meaningless seals with it to be sure to feel if Madara tried to put him under a genjutsu with his eyes.

"Let's see if you’re a better dance partner.”

Charging forward, Madara swung his gunbai.