Chapter 121: What's Right and what's Wrong?
(Sry for the absence but the War in Ukraine has an impact on me since my relatives live there so I didn't post. Well, I am back and let's get on with the plot.)
General POV
There weren't many things that one would expect when opening their eyes. Usually, it would be the ceiling of the bedroom. For Minato, it was the face of his student, Ishizu.
Even when the man in front of him looked a decade older, it would be hard to miss the blue hair and red eyes.
Suddenly, memories flooded the former Hokage's head. The chakra that was expelled from the seal during the Pain fight quickly reentered Minato's system.
With this, he regained his memory from his talk with Naruto and he knew part of what was going on.
"So you left Konoha."
Ishizu raised an eyebrow at the first words his sensei spoke. He didn't expect his sensei to know what was going on in the land of the living.
"Would you be so kind to tell me how you know that? You shouldn't have any memories of anything that happened after your death. It is a surprise for me," asked Ishizu with a smile as his left eye twitched from the stomach wound that was slowly healing.
One would expect a more family-friendly atmosphere when a student and teacher meet, but this one wasn't, really.
"I don't know. I had a talk with my son when he lost his control over the Kyuubi. Truth to be told, I always thought you were a bit crazy. That is not something to be ashamed of since there are a lot of crazy people alive, but the thing with your imaginary wife was something I couldn't explain."
Ishizu's eyes widened a bit with realization. He didn't expect his sensei to get this memory from the leftover chakra, but this made it easier.
"Well… you can see for yourself. I am closer than ever to making my wish come true."
"What would Kushina say about that?" interrupted Minato and unconsciously a few memories appeared in Ishizu's head of the red demon mother.
This made him step back a few times in fright, but Ishizu quickly regained his composure.
"I knew she wouldn't appreciate my way of doing things. Uzumakis are also crazy and you should know that too since you were married to her. I had to leave the village so I could initiate my moves without interference. I haven't hurt anyone in Konoha, so she won't kill me. On the contrary; I move everything to achieve peace."
Minato rolled his eyes and gave Ishizu the look of a disappointed father.
"Even after all this time… even as an adult, you can't see the truth."
Ishizu frowned at the words coming out of Minato's mouth. Something in them stung his heart.
"You mean you didn't physically hurt anyone. A person can be harmed not only physically, but mentally as well. I have seen the betrayal Naruto had in his eyes when he told me you left him and Konoha. You were his teacher and friend for years. Do you think it did not hurt him when you betrayed him?"
Oh, Ishizu could feel how each sentence was like a knife slamming into his body. Those words hurt more than any attack he received from an enemy.
Still, this wasn't over just yet.
To the surprise of both student and teacher, another coffin appeared from the ground and the door literally disintegrated from a kick. The opening revealed an angry Kushina glaring straight at the young man. Ishizu's skin color drain away as he paled, leaving an almost white Zetsu clone standing.
Even the author dropped the question and understanding of how she could appear without Ishizu summoning her. Never underestimate a mother's fury for her children.
'This can't be happening. Impossible!'
"I was minding my business when I heard something about my baby boy being betrayed by you?"
Before Ishizu could move his hands to cancel the Jutsu, he felt pure killing intent radiating at him. Normally Ishizu wouldn't be faced with something like this, having his fair share of killing intent. But this?!
When it came from the person who took care of you… you would memorize it and freeze just out of instinct, no matter how strong you are.
"What did you do to my baby, Ishizu-kun?" Kushina stopped right in front of Ishizu who, after taking a couple of deep breaths, calmed himself and with resolve in his eyes stared into his adoptive mother's eyes.
"I did what I needed to do. This is my goal, my dream, and nothing will stop me from fulfilling it!"
Minato watched from the sidelines as both mother and son stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.
It was as if both communicated with just their presence until, to Minato's shock, Kushina sighed.
"You've grown up. This is the first time you didn't back down at all. I am proud."
Those few sentences left Ishizu stunned for a second, and even when he opened his mouth, no words came out. After a while, he collected himself once again.
"I agree that my plan had mistakes in them. No plan is perfect and part of me regrets betraying everyone. But! How do you know my actions won't hurt Naruto?" asked Ishizu, not understanding Kushina's current character. He expected her to go into rage mode and beat the living crap out of him, but instead, she was proud?
Uzumaki's and women. Both were a mystery to Ishizu.
"Boy, I have raised you since I found you on the streets of Konoha, when you were just a small child. I bet there are other, more violent, options you could have used to fulfill your dream, but you stayed with one particular that minimized the problems you encountered. No plan is perfect. This tells me my discipline worked on you and I am proud of myself."
Ishizu could only groan in response.
"Why don't you tell us what your goal is either way? We both raised you and now we are dead and we can't really tell anyone. We want to understand you," Minato spoke from behind Kushina.
"I want to know it, too. This wife of yours sounds so mysterious. I thought you were just a bit crazy, delusional even to pursue a woman that doesn't exist, but your actions show that there is someone waiting for you. I want to know who my future daughter-in-law is," commented Kushina.
Ishizu thought for a second and shrugged. Eh, why not? His plan was almost finished and it wasn't like they could tell anyone else, not that it mattered now, anyway.
Plus, they were his parents, so maybe they could give him advice. Especially Kushina, since she was a female too.
So Ishizu explained his plan. About who Kaguya was, how he encountered her, and so on. The biggest secret he told them was about his reincarnation and he didn't regret doing it.
People think it is easy to hide such a heavy secret, but always knowing you are hiding something puts a strain on the mind. There were times when Ishizu just wanted to scream out the truth and get over it.
To say, it did not impress Minato and Kushina a lot. Still, Kushina was mad at Ishizu for not telling them earlier and maybe preventing everything from happening altogether, but Ishizu was stubborn and counter-argued by using Madara and Zetsu as his biggest arguments.
Be it child, Genin, or Chunin, he was weak, had no strength, and relying on others wasn't optional for what he wanted to do. What he needed was strength, and right now, he was close to getting the last part.
Minato was the first to back off understanding him since he too had to make sacrifices as a Hokage, but Kushina wasn't done yet. Ishizu had to raise his voice about the danger of Zetsu, the delusion of the Infinite Tsukuyomi Madara was chasing and the strength of other Otsutsuki before even she stopped.
Zetsu was one of Ishizu's most hated living beings. If Ishizu intervened earlier, the plant would stay hidden for centuries and wait for another option. No, Ishizu needed to be the one in control.
Only when Ishizu had that good thingy safe in his hands and sealed in a container that couldn't be opened, ever. Only then would Ishizu relax.
"You better fix it all or I will come back for you," muttered Kushina, finally giving in.
They both went inside the coffins and left. Ishizu felt relaxed for a long time. Talking with them both made the stone in his stomach fall out.
With a smile, Ishizu took the mask and left.
In Konoha, the Hokage and Mizukage had resumed their talk about the alliance after finding Utakata in one of the cells of ROOT. Danzo had secretly captured him in hopes of transferring the Six-Tails to one of his own men, but with his disappearance, Utakata was once again free.
The talk between the two was interrupted when suddenly a panda appeared right in front of them. Tsunade and Mei were both respectful people and whoever was stupid enough to ambush two kages would be dead. Mei looked confused at the panda while Tsunade recognized the summon.
"If I remember you are Tau, right?" asked Tsunade.
"I am happy to meet you again, Tsunade-san. My summoner had forgotten to give his reward to the Uchiha brothers, so he send me."
"And who would your summoner me?" asked Mei.
"Why, Ishizu Sasaki, of course. He is the famous Panda Sage and the only panda summoner in existence," replied Tau with paise and a smile and Mei laughed.
"Is he really a missing-nin if his summons can be summoned to the Hokage office?" mused Mei.
The writing equipment in Tsunade's hand snapped. She should have known that Ishizu, as a Fuinjutsu expert, has probably placed countless seals around the town. He knew Konoha from the inside out.
She made a mental note to search through the whole tower for those seals. This place couldn't be infiltrated by a missing-nin just like that!
"Whatever you have, give it to me. I will send it to Itachi."
Tau nodded and gave Tsunade the storage seal, who opened it to reveal 4 small containers with Sharingan eyes inside. Both Kages were shocked to see the inside.
"As a reward for helping our Sage. Those are the eyes of Sasuke's and Itachi's parents, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha," explained Tau in a calm and neutral tone even when he held eyes in his paw.
Tsunade wanted to question how Ishizu got hold of them, but let it slide and dismissed the panda, knowing the summon would never disclose information about the summoner without the latter's permission.
"You summoned me, Tsunade-sama?" asked Itachi as he came through the door, bowing to Tsunade and Mei for interrupting their conversation.
"One of Ishizu's summons came unannounced and told me that he brought the reward he offered you to get rid of Danzo," said Tsunade as she showed him the eyes. Itachi recognized them. How could he not? His fathers' eyes were the unique Mangekyō Sharingan just like his.
"Those are the eyes Ishizu wanted to give me and Sasuke for killing Danzo. I didn't expect him to still give them to us after we failed."
"I will keep them here until you and Sasuke are back to be fully Konoha shinobi and I can trust you completely," said Tsunade and Itachi nodded in agreement before leaving.
"He would be the perfect husband. It is a shame he already has a wife," sighed Mei in disappointment and Tsunade scoffed.
"Yes, his mysterious wife. He just has no need for those eyes and gives them away for free."
Mei yawned before turning seriously when she placed another scroll on the table. Tsunade narrowed her eyes before taking out a scroll that resembled Mei's.
"The Gokage Summit" was written on the scrolls.
"The Raikage was clearly pissed after their failed attempted to capture Yugito Nii, who was saved by a masked man calling himself Yamamoto," read Mei with a smirk and the end.
"There was also an attack on the Hashibi Jinchūriki, Killer B. His presumed death was the reason for the summit. It will be conducted in the land of Iron," continued Tsunade.
"The summit is to come to a find a solution to eliminate the Akatsuki. We have to go, so why not go together?" suggested Mei.
"I agree. We are allowed two bodyguards and I know just the two individuals to take with me."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Broxhitman1998
Broxhitman1998 Ah, I loved to write the conversation between Minato, Kushina and Ishizu. Sure, Ishizu's way isn't perfect since he is human, but he tries his best.
Also, some may find it stupid to reveal that one is a reincarnated person, but I believe you can put it off with the right style. He loses nothing by telling the truth and it is good to speak about something you hid all your life.
I hoped you enjoyed the chapter.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone