Chapter 68: The Scroll and the Shinigami
Danzō returned to the Root headquarters, his expression dark and stormy. After a moment of brooding silence, he barked an order to the shinobi flanking him. "Go to the bounty exchange. Take a few high-value missions. Ensure your identities remain concealed."
The Root operatives knelt, received the order, and vanished in a series of soft shunshin sounds.
Akatsurugi, unseen, followed Danzō into his private office. The man let out a frustrated snort and proceeded to berate a small, crudely made puppet positioned opposite his desk for a solid half-hour before finally sitting down. Scrawled across the puppet's chest was the name 'Sarutobi Hiruzen'.
Witnessing this, Akatsurugi was taken aback. Good grief, Danzō. Who knew you had such a childish side?
Finally venting his spleen, Danzō picked up a stack of research data and began to read. A moment later, he sighed in profound disappointment, tossing the papers back onto his desk. Akatsurugi drifted closer to look. As he suspected, Danzō was deep into Sharingan research, but the results were poor, still relying heavily on the Second Hokage's old theories.
Akatsurugi shook his head. It was clear Danzō was years away from any real breakthrough without a genius like Orochimaru on his team. He glanced around the clandestine base, noting the many individuals who bore the physical and psychological scars of Danzō's brutal methods. The man was a blight on Konoha, but for now, Akatsurugi could do nothing. He turned away, pretending he hadn't seen it.
In his soul state, the entire Root complex was defenseless against him. After a quick reconnaissance, he left. He had a more important objective.
The Scroll of Seals.
Its true location was likely in the Third Hokage's private residence, not the decoy in the Hokage Tower.
Soon, he arrived at Sarutobi Hiruzen's home. With the Hokage still working late at the office, the house was quiet. The Scroll was almost certainly in his personal study.
Akatsurugi entered like a ghost. Though the perimeter was guarded by numerous ANBU, they were blind to his spiritual form. Inside, he located the Scroll of Seals without much trouble, though it was protected by a powerful seal.
His studies under Uzumaki Mito had borne fruit; his Fūinjutsu was now masterful. This seal was no match for him. With a few precise hand signs, the lock unraveled. He opened the scroll. This was the real thing—containing the true, unadulterated records of the Forbidden Techniques: the Flying Thunder God, the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, and even Impure World Reincarnation. He began to read with intense interest.
It was only when he heard noise outside that he closed the scroll, replaced it perfectly, and slipped away just as Sarutobi Hiruzen himself returned home.
The contents of the Scroll of Seals were now committed to his memory. He reflected on its contents; the techniques were powerful, but far more cumbersome than popular lore suggested. The Impure World Reincarnation, for instance, required pre-prepared sacrifices and exhumed DNA. It wasn't something one could perform on a whim.
Just as he was about to return to his body, a sudden, chilling sensation made him dodge instinctively. Behind him, a phantom-like apparition materialized—the Shinigami, the Death God of the Reaper Death Seal. It stared at him with greedy eyes, a massive scythe clutched in its hand.
"What in the world?" Akatsurugi exclaimed. Is it here for me?
The Shinigami responded with a ferocious grin, swinging its scythe in a vicious arc. Akatsurugi reacted instantly, pushing off the air to evade. The Shinigami pursued him relentlessly.
Stabilizing himself mid-air, Akatsurugi swung his spiritual Zanpakutō, releasing a powerful wave of spiritual pressure. The force slammed into the Shinigami, forcing it back a few steps as it raised its scythe to block. But mere seconds later, it steadied itself and charged again.
A realization dawned on Akatsurugi. Is it because I'm in a soul state? He could see souls, but he rarely found them wandering the world; they usually departed for the Pure Land immediately. Those who resisted or were unanchored were likely targeted by this entity for consumption. His own powerful, untethered soul must have been a prime target.
Seeing no profit in a prolonged fight, Akatsurugi didn't hesitate. He willed his soul back to his physical body, snapping his eyes open in his own home. Looking up, he could still see the Shinigami circling over Konoha like a vulture, searching for its lost prey.
He walked out onto the street and stood in the open, looking directly at the celestial entity. The Shinigami stared down at him for a long moment before finally fading from view.
Akatsurugi laughed softly. So, there are rules. The Shinigami couldn't touch him while he was in his living body. Its power seemed bound to the rituals that summoned it, like the Reaper Death Seal, which demanded the caster's own soul as the price for reaping another.
Back in his room, he marveled at the intricacies of this world. I wonder if I could spar with the Sage of Six Paths himself if I went to the Pure Land in this form?
He shelved the thought for another day.
The next morning, Kato Dan arrived for his training. Akatsurugi handed him the modified scroll.
Dan was flabbergasted. "You improved it in just one day?"
He had heard of Akatsurugi's legendary prowess with ninjutsu—the man had invented A-rank, seal-less techniques and was rumored to have a Kekkei Genkai for fire. His talent was undeniable. How many seal-less jutsu even existed in the world?
Dan unsealed the scroll and began to read. With every line, his astonishment grew. This was no minor tweak; it was a fundamental refinement that made the Mind Body Switch Technique far more potent and practical.
"Thank you, Sensei!" Dan bowed deeply.
"No need for thanks," Akatsurugi said casually. "Just ensure your family receives a copy of the improved version in due time."
After Dan departed, Akatsurugi headed to Training Ground 9. For the following weeks, he dedicated himself to Dan's training, providing meticulous instruction. Dan, for his part, trained diligently, his strength growing steadily under the Blaze God's tutelage.
One day, a summons came from the Hokage. Sarutobi Hiruzen formally entrusted Tsunade and Orochimaru's ongoing training to Akatsurugi. Since he was already teaching one, he might as well teach the trio.
Akatsurugi accepted without complaint. He did, however, spare a thought for Jiraiya, still training at Mount Myōboku. When that pervert finally returns, he's going to cry himself to sleep in the bathroom after finding out he missed this.