January 1st, Konoha Year 55...Early Morning
Land of Whirlpools, Memorial Grounds
Akio sat beside his own gravestone, watching members of the Uzumaki clan come and go as they paid their respects to fallen family members and past generations.
Every year on the first morning of the new year, the Land of Whirlpools held a large memorial gathering to honor the dead. This was Akio's first time attending.
Not because he'd been avoiding it, but because he genuinely didn't have ancestors to mourn.
Among everyone buried here, the most senior was Uzumaki Masahiro, Jitou's grandfather, who was technically Akio's peer. Everyone else was a generation or several below him. That meant the only people Akio could reasonably honor were his grand-nephew, his three former disciples…
…and himself.
"Uzumaki Akio," he muttered, kneeling before his own headstone. "May the coming year go smoothly. No disasters. No surprises."
"Great-grandfather," Kushina's irritated voice came from behind him, "what are you doing?"
Akio turned his head. "You're not going to pay your respects? It's surprisingly effective."
"I'd rather talk to the real you than a rock," Kushina replied flatly. "What's the point of honoring an empty grave?"
"Faith matters," Akio said cheerfully as he stood up.
He glanced around.
Minato was patiently guiding Naruto through a respectful moment at Kushina's mother's memorial. Nearby, Nagato and Konan stood quietly before Iyoko's grave. Akio's gaze eventually landed on three children standing awkwardly in front of Jitou's headstone, Kimimaro, Haku, and Toneri each wearing an innocent, uncertain expression.
Jitou had died single, with no close family. His few friends Dai and Guy were still in Konoha. So, Akio had effectively "assigned" the kids to him, giving them official Uzumaki status along the way.
"I guess this makes me a mentor who adopted grandchildren by proxy," Akio mused, amused. "Either way, Jitou won't be forgotten. I really am an outstanding teacher."
As the ceremony wound down, everyone gradually gathered around Akio.
He smiled at them. "A rare family reunion. Let's head to Ichiraku and help Sara prepare a proper New Year meal."
At the same time, Konoha Village Gates
Two small squads departed Konoha in near silence.
One represented the Senju.
The other, the Uchiha.
These weren't ordinary ninja, each group consisted of elite members trusted with matters of legacy and history.
The Senju squad was led by Nawaki, accompanied by Daoyama and Itachi, with three veteran jōnin following behind.
The Uchiha force was even more formidable.
Uchiha Kagami led personally. Behind him were Fugaku, his eldest son, Obito, Shisui, and two senior clan elders.
The two groups exited the village almost simultaneously and headed west. To an outsider, it might have looked like they were marching toward a duel.
They weren't.
The New Year wasn't a time for infighting. Even rival clans still honored their dead.
Since Konoha's founding, those who had fallen or passed away afterward were interred at the village's Heroes' Memorial. But the remains of the Warring States era, ancient ancestors had never been relocated. Their resting places remained in each clan's original homeland.
Once a year, the clan heads personally led small teams to pay respects.
Two kilometers west of Konoha, the Senju group veered north.
The Uchiha turned south.
As the distance between them grew, Obito quietly exhaled. The atmosphere had been stifling.
He looked ahead at Kagami, then leaned closer to Shisui, curiosity written all over his face.
"Hey," Obito whispered, "what's the Uchiha ancestral grounds like?"
As the clan's perennial underperformer and an orphan, this was Obito's first time being included.
Shisui lowered his voice. "Mostly old memorials. Nothing flashy."
"Oh." Obito looked disappointed.
"Uchiha Obito," one of the elders snapped, "show proper respect."
Obito sighed internally, another lecture from the old guard but straightened immediately.
"Yes, sir."
Minutes later, the group reached the ancestral site.
Suddenly, Kagami stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
The two elders stepped forward. "Clan Head"
"I see it," Kagami said quietly.
The guards assigned to the site were missing. They knew today's visit was scheduled.
That meant something had gone wrong.
"Obito," Kagami began, "use your space-time nin"
A voice interrupted from within the grounds.
"Waiting all morning paid off. These days, even paying respects isn't a priority for Uchiha brats anymore?"
A lone figure emerged slowly from the shadows.
The elders froze.
"Kagami… that man is"
Obito frowned, exchanging looks with Shisui. "Who?"
Fugaku subtly stepped in front of his son. "If things go south, retreat immediately and alert Konoha."
Kagami's expression darkened. "It's been a long time… Uchiha Madara-sama."
Madara paused, studying him. "Kagami of the Izumi line? You've aged badly, kid."
"You haven't changed at all," Kagami replied calmly. "This is the Second Hokage's forbidden technique, Impure World Reincarnation. Who performed it?"
He stepped forward, shielding the others.
Madara removed the war fan from his back and rested it against the ground. "Relax. I'm only here to visit old names… and see what became of the clan."
Kagami closed his eyes briefly. "If the caster isn't here… then they must be confronting the Senju."
Madara smirked. "Sharp."
By now, Obito and Shisui understood exactly who stood before them.
"So, this is what happens when you honor the past too hard," Obito muttered. "You summon it."
Madara's gaze snapped to him, irritation flickering. "That chakra… traces of the old man."
A distant explosion echoed.
"So, it's started," Madara said calmly.
One elder whispered urgently, "Clan Head, orders?"
Kagami inhaled deeply. "Our disputes with the Senju are internal. Against an external threat, we stand together. Prepare for combat."
Madara raised an eyebrow. "You're calling me an outsider?"
Kagami met his gaze without flinching. "The moment you abandoned Konoha, you became one."
Madara laughed.
Purple chakra flared as Susanoo's armor began to form.
"So, this is what the Uchiha have become," he mused. "Tame."
"Not tame," Kagami corrected firmly. "We choose stability. Shisui now!"
Shisui's Mangekyō spun violently as he locked eyes with Madara.
"Kotoamatsukami."
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