Private Ancients Treaties Resumed [Toraono Kuro]

[Senju Kazuki]

War was the last thing Kazuki remembered properly. Countless years had certainly passed since the war with the Sovereign and their leader, the Wind Daimyo. Countless more had surely went over as the Senju Overlord recovered. Suna was not as he remembered. Its civilians, its shinobi all different places. He had returned from a deep, recovering slumber just recently, and Reaper roamed the village, searching for clues to what happened in his absence. To connect the dots from his time to what was going on right now. He needed to find a familiar face, one that had been a companion, friend, brother in ancients times. One that could bring him up to speed and perhaps shed some light of what was going on. As usual, Reaper's presence had an unnatural effect on the environment, a product of his Ancient Hybrid nature. Due to that, the civilians were avoiding to interact with the White Wolf as he roamed Suna, aimlessly. "Where are the faces I know? Where else should I look for answers?" The Silvery Haired Male muttered and kept walking. Unconsciously he was walking toward the home of a certain clan that were only brothers to his own, the Toraono. Perhaps his body knew better where to look, than his own waking mind could.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

A familiar feeling surged across the back of Kuro's mind. It felt like a strong surge of dark energy much like his own but more aligned with life instead of wrath. This distinct feeling told Kuro that a bloodsworn family member was nearby. With a mental flicker Kuro's dark energy flicked the seal on the chamber opening the massive stone and steel walls that kept his hidden chamber sealed from those whom might find it and assume evil lurked due to the bodies that were sealed in special chambers with their hearts missing. These were Kuro's former rinnegan bodies that Kuro had failed to maintain life essence inside of when the world's leylines and natural energies shifted due to both natural and man-made causes. Each body carried Kuro's facial features and physical structure, except for an especially massive body that bore Kuro's face in a manner that only a giant could. Save the giant form they could all be considered Kuro's clones. Now each of his former alternate bodies were sealed in a timeless gestation tube, maintaining their physical prowess despite each one now having ancient, modified chakra crystals for hearts. These bodies were genetically specialized to different abilities that Kuro had once mastered. It was through the experience of splintering and remerging his soul from his rinnegan status that Kuro discovered another form of Immortality through demonic chakra and medical taboo. As Kuro emerged from his chamber he resealed it with a mental flicker of telekinesis before making his way to an old meeting chamber. This was a chamber that only Kuro and his blood sworn family could reach. The Toraono Dojo's passageways would only open these chambers and sealed hallways for specific individuals and their lineage who knew the exact paths. As Kuro took a seat in the old meeting hall, Kuro unleashed a faint telekinetic pulse that clearned the chamber of dust and turned on the air circulation vents. Kuro then quietly pulled out a scroll in preparation.

WC: 330

 

[Senju Kazuki]

There were many different things with the village. The landscape, the buildings, the people. Fortunately for Kazuki, as long lived as he was, there were still some constant things to look for. The Toraono Dojo still stood, proud as ever. Home of the Toraono clan, and his leader, Toraono Kuro was a battle and blood brother to the Senju Overlord himself. Kuro, alongside Takahashi Sousuke, were one of the first people to welcome Reaper into Sunagakure, something he would never forget, despite the gaps in his recent and not so recent memory. Unknowingly to him, the White Wolf was uncounsciously following faint traces of chakra of a certain Rinnegan wielder that was, unknown to him, sealed within the Dojo, in a secluded chamber. An immortal being, bound in eternal vigilance for a village that he loved and always would. As the Silvery Haired Man entered the Toraono Dojo he kept his pace, following the trail to whoever it was leading him, through the back doors of his unconscious mind. He passed through sealed hallways that opened at his presence and immediately closed behind. Kazuki had faint recollections of passing through those very hallways before, but it seemed to be in a different age of the earth. He was old, perhaps one of the oldest beings in Sunagakure, apart from select individuals. And one of those was nearby.

Frost began accumulating on the ground and on the walls as Kazuki stopped in front of a door that was vagely familiar. He pressed his hand on a specific spot and door opened as it recognized his chakra. Once inside he looked around the ancient meeting hall of Toraono Dojo only a few knew about. A faint smell of dust could still be sniffed, but apart from that, the room seemed to be in perfect conditions, as if it was used regularly. Shadows greeted their master as Reaper took a few steps toward a massive figure that sat on a chair, silently contemplating a scroll. "It seems you did not age a day since I last met you, my brother. Albeit, you seemed to have grown bigger and touch more demonic!" the former Suna Sennin would say. A quick inspection revealed an unscathed Kuro, although his frame seemed to have grown and exhuded a greater demonic aura than before. What had he done while Kazuki slumbered. "What happened when we fought the Daimyo and his Sovereign army? I have no memories of that fight nor how I got here. In fact, I cannot even say how many years have passed since that fated encounter. What has happened to our village Kuro? Where are our friends?" There was no point in chit-chatting, might as well cut it straight.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro grinned like a child seeing his play yard best friend after a long winter behind closed doors.

"Brother Kazuki, it has been far too long since you've visited. I do admit that my demonic energies seem to grow effortlessly nowadays but I have also traced the reasons why but that is a discussion for another day. The Daimyo was defeated, and the Sovereign army was scattered and its remnants absorbed into other organizations. Your loss of memories is easily explained due to your lineage. As an Ancient, like the elemental nature of your being, your soul will reject memories that do not serve to improve or further its power. As for how long it has been, by my count... and this is just within the dojo, it has been over 200 terran years. You will find that you are stronger than you remember due to the passing of time and its enhancement of your element. Many of our friends passed away, or sealed themselves like me. I noticed that as long as I was actively around enemies would appear demanding to fight me as if I owed them something other than a brutal and necessary death. The hubris of the majority of humanity has convinced these new found powers that they are beyond the past and that nothing could possibly defeat them. They think themselves righteous and justified in all their acts, and that any resistance to their actions is a criminal offense. The village has evolved but as usual many legacies have been forgotten. Sousuke is still here, most of the ancients are sealed in special dimensions or elemental chambers to preserve their lives and the legacies of eternal elements. I myself have modified my body to be eternal as well. It was not my intention to take on this dark form of immortality, but it does work for me and does not harm our extended peoples. We can travel a bit and visit our OLD friends if you care to hang about with an old demon like me."

Kuro used the wall panels on the walls to illustrate the changes in Sunagakure, both good and bad. The lesser clans were finally rising to better heights instead of falling into mediocracy or disappearing into history.

WC: 375

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Kazuki listened to Kuro's words with his full attention and without saying anything back until he was certain the Toraono leader was done. That was a lot to absorb. It was quite curious that Kuro, the Guardian of Sunagakure, knew more about his Reaper's nature than himself. On another note, it was only natural that a Sunan born that long had mingled with the Ancients and other supernatural creatures knew more about them than the Silvery Haired Man that had born in another country with no knowledge of who he truly was. Wisdom commanded him to accept his friend's words without a second thought. "We have done unspeakable things to protect our loved ones and this village that we love the most. But while we may have no regrets in our actions, there are those that think otherwise and view us as monsters that should be erradicated so the world returns to normalcy. It is a curse we both bear and always will" The White Wolf said thoughtfully. "I do feel stronger than what I remember to be. I was wondering about that before I found you or was led here. Do Ancients grow stronger forever or do we have a peak that cannot be surpassed? I wonder who has the answer to this query."

The Senju Overlord's face would grow a bit stern upon realizing that the leader of the Toraono Clan was proposing him a trip to meet old faces. Not because of the proposition itself, which was great, but because of what he was implying. "Come on brother. You know me better than that. You know I could not care less about your nature. Am I not something most would consider unnatural and, in fact, something to be slain? I will never turn my face away from you, no matter how different you may look, you know this. It has been an honor to your brother since the day we met and it still is." Kazuki would extend his right hand so they could grasp each other's forearm like true blood brothers do. "Lead the way Kuro. Let us meet old faces and rekindle friendships of old."