>>5799863>>5799844>>5799814>>5799811>>5799787>>5799785>>5799784>>5799780You sit in contemplation for several long minutes, not getting up from where you sit on the floor. A lot of things were just dropped on your rapid-fire. The Third Hokage was right: It was a bit of an awkward and unpleasant conversation. You could feel whatever tenuous connection you had with your mother snap. It seemed abundantly clear she was just an enemy ninja in the mind of Lord Hokage now… Most likely a wise choice to adopt for yourself as well.
She had never loved you. You were just a sacrificial lamb to her.
She had always had contempt for you. You were nothing but a reminder of her failure to resurrect her daughter.
She wanted to kill you. You remember the bloodlust you felt when she discovered you looking upon her scrolls. It dawns on you now that the only reason you weren’t struck down was because your body needed to live on so Izumi could steal it… She likely would have just kidnapped you and escaped the village if she didn’t want to delay a confrontation with the ANBU, who apparently had her under surveilance.
You felt sad. Hollow. Empty. And despite Lord Hokage’s assurances, still afraid. He said your SOUL was being replaced. How could you not be concerned?
“Lord Hokage?”
“Yes, Otomo?” He says, having gone back to scribbling on some documents while you were in your silent reverie.
“Are there any specialists, or resources I could learn more about this from?”
He stops and thinks. “No. It’s a unique case. I’m lucky I understand it at all, honestly. If the Uzumaki clan was still around they-” He stops what he’s doing and has a light chuckle. “Well, there is one. But he has nothing he can teach you about it, Otomo, I promise! Though your cases are similar in an odd way… No, I doubt there’s any more you can learn outside of meditation. There are many ninja who have become obsessed with death, and disturbing the dead. It never leads them anywhere good. I’d caution against it.”
“But Lord Hokage, if my soul is draining and being replaced, shouldn’t I do whatever I can to protect myself?”
He stands from his chair and approaches the door. He calls on an assistant to deliver a pot of black tea, a pot of honey ginseng tea, and two cups. After a short while they arrive. He places them down on his desk.
Pouring a cup of black tea, he says: “Look closely, Otomo. This cup of black tea represents your soul.” He then pours a cup of honey ginseng tea. “This cup represents your sister’s soul. Two cups, totally separate. Now watch.”
He takes a swig of black tea from the cup. “That represents your use of spiritual energy, what you spend on chakra.” He then spills a couple of drops on the floor. “And that represents your spiritual energy fading into the afterlife. Not very much, is it?”
