Chapter 54: Tabula Rasa

Confusion.

That was what Tsunade was feeling right now. A few seconds ago she was sitting in her seat in her office slaving away doing some paperwork when she suddenly found herself elsewhere. She had fallen on her butt when she, she supposed, teleported into this new place. Place that was very spacious. Spacious enough to hold what she believed the entirety of the village’s population if her eyes were not lying to her. Immediately, she understood what had happened, how and who was responsible. She was taking a big, deep breath to scream her son’s name when the major clans’ heads of the village made her way towards her with haste. To her shock the usually calm and composed Hyuga Hiashi was completely panicked.

“Tsunade-sama!”

“I know what happened and I know who’s responsible.”

“The village is gone!” the man yelled. Only then did she notice his Byakugan active.

“It’s not gone, we’ve just been-.”

“It’s gone!” he insisted. “Your son is currently fighting who I believe are responsible for this! There are no buildings left standing, Hokage-sama! The whole village is just a huge crater!”

Tsunade’s mind froze. She thought that Riku had just disobeyed her and tested his seal matrix and that something went perhaps wrong, not this. Not that he had just saved everyone’s lives.

“Tsunade!” Hiruzen shouted as he came through the crowd of people who were quickly getting agitated and wanted answers.

“Konoha!” Tsunade shouted using a jutsu that her sensei had taught her to increase the volume of her voice. Now she had the attention of the 25 thousand people around. “The village had been attacked. My son teleported us all to this underground bunker to save our lives! Do not panic, we are safe! This is not the first time we have to bunker down. You all know what to do in such a situation! Follow the Military Police’s or the Anbu’s directives and everything will go well.”

She stopped the jutsu and she saw many shinobis move among the crowd to separate and herd them away and in small groups.

“Dragon.”

“Hokage-sama.” a kunoichi said, kneeling before Tsunade.

“Riku made this place. I trust you and the rest of Anbu would know its layout.”

“It seems to be like the inside of the Botib, Hokage–sama, so we may.”

“Good, I want Anbu to scout the whole space and secure important areas. Infirmary, kitchen and most of all the armory. Have the medical staff take control of the infirmary, regular shinobi the kitchen and Anbu the armory.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.” replied the masked woman and she disappeared in a swirl of leaves to execute her orders.

“I hope that each member of your clan will show the civilians how to behave properly and help keep the peace.” the blonde woman said looking at the clans head and got nods of affirmation in return. “Hiashi, I want one of your clansmen to keep me apprised about what’s happening outside at all times. Shikaku, I want to know the limits of this space and its points of exit. No one is to leave until further notice.”

“We’re not going to help?” Inuzuka Tsume asked.

“No. I think at this point we’ll be more of a hindrance to Riku than anything. The enemy he’s fighting is way above most people's level. It would only be a suicide or a hindrance to send people not strong enough. ”

“It’s six against one, Hokage-sama.” noted Hiashi, his gaze empty, focused on the fight outside. “Your son is holding himself well for now but he’s in a stalemate…”

She thought for a moment about what to do. She was worried of course, Riku was alone fighting perhaps the most dangerous and powerful shinobi in the whole Elemental Nations. One who owned the mythical Rinnegan. The very eyes of the Sage of the Sixths Paths who was allegedly considered the father of chakra and Ninjutsu. Jiraiya’s report, along with Kakashi and Yugao, of their fight in Ame had revealed a lot about the abilities of the dojutsu if their speculations were right but that didn’t mean it was all there was to it. Riku was ready for what they knew and could manage surprises but …

“It’s like the six of them share their sight. One dodged a hit from his blindspot as if he knew.” Hiashi commented.

“They do, actually. That’s why it’s so difficult to fight them.” she replied and made a decision. “Shikaku has someone find Gai, Kakashi and Yu-.”

“We’re here, Hokage-sama.”

Turning her head, Tsunade saw the two former members of Team Yukari at attention. With them was Kushina and Karin. It was perfect for her because she wanted to know how Riku managed what he did.

“Gai?” she asked the silver haired jonin.

Kakashi, coughed a bit and very reluctantly spoke a few words.

“I feel like my youth is fading.”

A loud ‘WHAT!?’ echoed from somewhere far back in the crowd and three seconds later the Green Beast of Konoha made his entrance in style. A big smile full of white teeth and a thumb up.

“My rival! As long as a you have the desire to protect what you hold dear, YOUTH WILL-”

On instinct, Tsunade leaped forward and hit the man upside down on his head to make it stop.

“Thank you, Kakashi.” she said and the man waved her thanks away.

“Hokage-sama? What’s happening?” inquired Gai who was rubbing the spot she had hit.

“I want you, Kakashi and Yugao to go outside and observe Riku’s fight. To be ready to discover any weakness our enemy has and act accordingly. Avoid confrontation at all costs. Retreat immediately if needed. Kushina-”

“I’m ready to go and fight too. Not really the way I wanted to go back on active duty but beggar can’t be chooser.”

“I was going to ask you and Karin to study the barrier and the space. I want to know how Riku managed this feat and if this artificial space is stable and sturdy.”

“Oh! Okay! I can do that.”

“Alright. Sensei, I’d like you to join them outside. Not to fight but to support the analysis.Your experience will be invaluable.”

“I will help.” Hiruzen replied.

Quickly everyone moved to do the tasks they have been assigned to. Koharu and Homura had moved to join Tsunade and began to plan the recovery of the village. That was the only thing they could do at the moment. They didn’t know if Riku would win but they did hope and so decided to not waste time. From Hiashi’s reports the only thing left standing of the village was the Hokage monument.

Hiruzen and company used one of the three exits Anbu had discovered and found themselves outside Konoha’s area, deep inside the forest. They all move to the top of some trees to have a clear idea of where they exactly were and were disheartened to see with their own eyes the total destruction of their own home. A huge crater into which they could vaguely discern some small parts of destroyed buildings. The sight made Hiruzen’s heart ache.

“Sandaime-sama, are you alright?” Yugao asked, having seen him winced and holding his heart in pain.

“Y-yes. My heart just took a severe blow. Our home… I know it’s just buildings and that Konoha is its people but it still hurts to see her like this.”

“We’ll rebuild, Sandaime-sama! And make her even more youthful than she ever was!”

Gai’s enthusiasm made Hiruzen feel a bit better. Signing to move into their formation, they tree hopped forward and stopped at the edge of the forest. From there, they had a great view of the fight happening down below.

Riku was doing his best to dodge and counter the five that were opposing him, the sixth staying in retreat behind the others. He was throwing shurifuins here and there. Mainly the flashbangs and smoke ones. He also used the Hiraishin to teleport away from a hit he couldn’t avoid. Everything was made even more difficult with summons involved. Using a combination of Shadow clones and smoke he, hiraishined right behind the one that had cut of his legs back in Ame and used his super strength punch to completely shattered him onto the ground. It was just in time before he had to teleport away to avoid being caught by the hand of another attacker.

“I don’t understand. Why did he use Tsunade-sama’s super strength and not his Iryoken?”

“They’re dead bodies being controlled, Gai. The Iryoken wouldn’t have worked because the cells are not alive anymore to be able to divide.” Kakashi explained.

“Look.” Yugao pointed out to the down opponent.

“He’s being dragged to the one in the back near that… It ate it?” commented Hiruzen in surprise, looking at what looked like a huge head from a monster coming out of the ground.

Under their watchful eyes they saw the destroyed puppet walking out of the head completely healed after a few minutes. That shocked them to the core.

“No wonder the fight is still going on!” Gai exclaimed in realization.

“When Riku destroys one, the others press him and distract him so he doesn’t see the one he put down being put back together. We need to get rid of that head thing and the one beside it first.” said Kakashi.

“Be careful with the one with the long hair. The one who tried to touch Riku earlier. He has been particularly careful in teleporting away from him.” warned Yugao.

“That must be the Human Path.”

“The Human path, Sandaime-sama?” inquired Gai.

“It is said that the Sage of the Six Paths was… well controlling Six paths of life or rather the six Paths of Buddhist reincarnation. The Deva, Asura, Human, Animal, Preta and Nakara paths. The one who got… repaired is definitely the Asura path, geared for war. The one who summons beasts is the Animal paths for sure. The one that repaired the Asura path must be the Naraka path as it’s in the Naraka realm that the reincarnation process starts. “

“That leaves the Deva, Human and Preta path. How do you know which paths they are?” wondered Kakashi

“The deva path is probably the one flying. It is said that the Deva realm is the realm of bliss or the realm of the gods because its inhabitants are so far superior to humans that they are closer to deities. Since he’s looking down on others as if he was superior, it must be it. That leaves the Human and Preta path. The pretas are humanoid creatures known for their perpetual hunger and thirst they cannot satiate. They’re… some kind of ghost. The human path is… the path that is the easiest to reach enlightenment and achieve rebirth because of the infinite amount of knowledge found in the Human realm.”

“So the one taking the explosive shurifuins must be the Preta Path, draining the chakra off of them. No ninjutsu would work against him. And as you said, long hair is the human path… Maybe having him touch you steals your knowledge?” Kakashi thought out loud.

“I think it’s something more nefarious. I don’t intend to find out and neither should you.” the third Hokage ordered.

“So we destroy the Nakara path and that head next to him, then retreat?”

“Yes, Gai. Although with their shared vision I doubt we will be able to ambu-”

Hiruzen stopped mid sentence when a puff of smoke appeared on the ground revealing Naruto and Jiraiya right in the middle of the fight. All eyes turned to them. Not missing the opportunity this impromptu but very welcome distraction created, he made a shadow clone and shushined right behind the Nakara Path. He made the hand seals sequence for a powerful Katon jutsu while his clone did one for a wind one. His target was turned to ash on the spot as a result of the hot inferno unleashed and that continued towards the others paths. Gai had moved a fraction of a second after Hiruzen and obliterated the big head with three gates opened.

Hiruzen’s attack was absorbed by the Preta path making it defenseless against Yugao’s sword. The path wasn’t able to see her coming because Kakashi had thrown a flashbang shurifuin right onto the Flying Deva Path which observed from the air the whole battlefield. With him blinded, it left the Asura, the Animal and the Human path to distract. Riku took on the Asura path, kicking him dozens of feets back.

Meanwhile Naruto and Jiraiya reacted quickly. The former using a quick formed wind rasengan that he threw right in the middle of the summon and the Animal path, creating a huge smokescreen of dust and dirt. The latter elongated his hair and struck the Human Path, blocking his view.

This combination of actions out of the blue allowed the destruction of the most annoying path. With the Preta path gone, Ninjutsu was once again on the table and boy did the leaf-nins take advantage of that. A flurry of explosive shurifuins from Kakashi landed in the direction of the animal paths to keep him blind and damage the summons. Hiruzen used a combo jutsu made of Lightning and water to attack the Asura Path with Gai guarding him. Yugao joined Jiraiya in defeating the Human path. With her sword she had range over the bare handed opponent.

Naruto threw another wind rasengan that he called ‘Rasenshuriken’ toward the Deva path who pushed it back with an invisible jutsu that repelled it. The jinchuriki was saved just in time by Riku flashing next to him and flashing away again.

“He can’t use the jutsu for at least five seconds after using it. Use that to your advantage.” Riku said as he handed Naruto some defensive shurifuins.

“What about you?”

“I need a distraction. To keep me out of his mind for a few minutes.”

The youngest of the brothers wanted to ask for what but understood that it wasn’t the time and that he would have to adapt to whatever Riku would do.

“Alright, I can do that.”

Riku nodded and threw his wooden shurifuin along flashbangs and smokes and multiplied them in very high quantities. Almost all of them were repelled but Riku had flashed away leaving Naruto to deal with the Deva Path alone.

Jiraiya left the Human path to Yugao to handle and went to deal with the Animals, supported by Hiruzen from range. Gai and Kakashi acted similarly with the Asura Path.

Back underground, Hiashi was doing commentary for Tsunade and the elders.

“Where do you think he went?” Tsunade asked her entourage. It was Shikaku that answered her.

“Probably taking down the one controlling the corpses. They must be relatively close to command them all at the same time. At least in a five to ten kilometer radius.”

“That’s a huge area to search!” Koharu exclaimed.

“How will Riku find them?” asked Homura.

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s have faith in Riku. He had never disappointed so far and he won’t start now. He will find the puppeteer. Let’s give him time.”

“I’m afraid that time is something he doesn’t have Hokage-sama. They’re all holding well but at the rate this is going, only Naruto and maybe Jiraiya-sama would be left with enough chakra to fight.”

“... Kushina, Karin, they may need the help of your chains to-”

“WAIT!” Hiashi suddenly shouted.

He felt silent for a moment and Tsunade nearly yelled at him to speak up, out of nervousness. She thankfully didn’t have to.

“He’s done it. The opponents all fell down on the ground like a puppet which had its strings cut. The fight is over. We won.” the Hyuuga revealed.

Some cheered and some sighed in relief. Tsunade was the latter but held herself back. She needed to appear as if everything went according to the plan. Plan that didn’t exist or involved anyone but her son. She was glad that he had disobeyed her but he would still get an earful in private.

“Alright, I want Anbu to reach for every outpost at our borders and to be vigilant. I want Jonins to lead teams of battle oriented chunins and secure Konoha’s surroundings. Yamato, make as many shadow clones as you can and feed them chakra pills. We need wood to rebuild and we’re not paying for that. That could alert our enemies of what happened today. Yes.” she said, interrupting Koharu and Homura. “They will know regardless one way or another but the longer it takes for the news to spread the better for us. I want all genins to assist builders in any way they can. For academy students in their last year to be separated in teams of three and act as messengers or transporters, moving materials where they are needed. The first building to be rebuilt should be the barrier tower. Kushina, Karin, I want a barrier operational by the end of the day.”

““Yes, Hokage-sama.””

“Once the tower is done…”

On and on she gave orders and explained the plan she had come up with the elders for the reconstructions of the village. In the meantime the villager would stay inside the bunker who had good accommodation.

When she was done, Tsunade left Shikaku in charge and exited the place for the surface. She quickly made her way to where the fight happened and found everyone taking a rest. Riku was treating everyone’s wounds.

“Good job, everyone.” she praised. “Jiraiya, Naruto, good to see you back. Your timing was impeccable. Honestly, it couldn’t have been better from what Hiashi told us.”

“Heroes always arrive right on time, Hime.” the Toad sage replied with a grin on his face and a suave tone before yelling in pain. “Can’t you be nicer?!” he shouted in complaint at Riku who was healing him.

“I don’t know? Can you not flirt with my mother?”

That made Tsunade snort and Hiruzen laugh.

“I’m afraid the sun will rise from the west before that happens.” commented the third Hokage making everyone laugh even Jiraiya who had a proud smile on his face.

“What happened to the puppeteer?” the Godaime asked her son.

“Alive. Sealed with his friend that was guarding him. I also removed his eyes, which I doubt are his to begin with.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Kakashi.”

“Me?”

“Your sharingan is always active because you’re not an Uchiha. Should you transplant a byakugan into a non-Hyuga it would be permanently active too I believe. So the Rinnegan which is also a dojutsu should have gone back to its normal state when I knock out the guy. It didn’t.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Nagato already had the Rinnegan when I met him when he was an orphan child in Ame.” Jiraiya revealed.

“Why does it matter in the first place?”

“It doesn’t Naruto. Not directly at least. What is bugging me is why an Uzumaki had the Rinnegan? Is it a rare kekkei genkai from the clan among others or did someone give it to him because of his large reserves of chakra? If the latter, who did? Why? And do they have more Rinnegan to give around? The last one is what is worrying me the most.” Riku explained as he finished with Jiraiya and went to Gai to heal his bruises.

That led everyone to ponder those questions in silence and brought down the mood. Not liking it one bit, Tsunade changed the topic.

“How did you put the Hiraishin matrix on the barrier when you never accessed it this past week?”

“I didn’t have access to the core of the barrier, but the barrier itself? All around Konoha. I just directly put it on it.” he replied with a grin. “Glad that I did, huh?”

“Don’t push it.” she threatened and asked for further details. “How did you know about the attack in the first place? The barrier corps said they detected nothing.”

“Luck.”

“Luck? You teleported the whole village-”

“I was in sage mode trying something new, when I sensed someone in the air just outside the barrier. A huge amount of chakra into someone dead. I barely had the time to activate the matrix and to teleport away when he launched his jutsu.”

“You really dodged a kunai from pure luck.” Naruto commented about what he heard in disbelief.

“Yep. Now, if you don’t mind. I think I’m going to take a nap, I’m beat.”

“Oh, no, no no, no, no mister! You are going to help Kushina and Karin put up a new barrier.”

“What?! But mom-!”

“Don’t ‘mom’ me! That’s your punishment for disobeying my- Did he just flash away on me?!” she exclaimed when her son disappeared in a green flash. “RIKU!! GET BACK HERE!!”

Her furious and annoyed yell was heard by anyone that had reached the surface. The people near her simply laugh their ass off at the situation.