A redheaded boy twisted and turned in his bed, clutching his head in agony. His eyes were clenched shut, his teeth grinding from the pain—until finally, he let out a wail and bolted upright, drenched in sweat.
"ARGHHHH!"
Sliding off the bed, his eyes—at first clouded with confusion—suddenly gleamed with a clarity and wisdom far beyond that of a three-year-old.
Still dizzy and aching, he shuffled to the bathroom and splashed water on his face before gazing into the mirror. The reflection that stared back at him was both foreign and familiar.
"So this is me," he muttered, touching his cheeks. "I'm quite handsome—or should I say cute since I'm three? Eh, I'll stick with handsome."
He stared again at his reflection, voice calmer but resolute. "So this is me. Akashi Uzumaki. Grandson of Ashina Uzumaki, current clan head and leader of the Land of Whirlpools."
He sighed, his face falling. This situation would've been great—if it weren't for our impending destruction in one hour.
At least I seem to have the Eye of Kagura—or something like it. I can sense people from pretty far away...
Just as he sank deeper into thought, the bathroom door swung open.
"Akashi! Are you alright? I heard a scream."
Turning, he immediately recognized the woman in the doorway—Mina Uzumaki. His mother. And niece of Mito Uzumaki.
"Ah, it's nothing, Mom. Just a nightmare," he replied, trying to sound like the innocent child he appeared to be. "Everyone in the village has been acting weird lately. It scared me."
Her face softened with realization... and fear. She knew. They all know what's coming.
She quickly masked it, putting on a brave smile as she walked over and hugged him tightly. "Don't worry, Akashi. Everything's going to be alright, I promise."
Mom... I don't think that's a promise you can keep, he thought. But I understand. Parents need to look strong in front of their children.
As he looked into her eyes again, that same fear still lingered beneath the surface.
Damn it. Why did I have to inherit this kid's memories? Now I actually care about the clan.
I was just going to run. No regrets. But now... I don't think I can leave without at least trying. Even if I'm just three years old. There's this pride inside me, like I refuse to be defeated. My personality really has changed.
Back in my old life, I wasn't brave. I had social anxiety, lived in fear... Yeah, I took down a terrorist, but that was a fluke. Still, maybe gaining some courage and pride isn't so bad. It might give me a fighting chance here.
He turned to his mother, eyes fierce with determination.
"Mother, do you think you can take me to Grandfather and Father? I need to speak with them."
She blinked in surprise. "Akashi? They're very busy right now..."
Probably with war preparations, he guessed. No more playing it safe.
He looked straight into her eyes, serious and unwavering. "Mother, if it's because of the invasion—I know. That's why I need to talk to them. I can help."
She stumbled back, stunned. "Who told you this?"
"That's not important right now! We're running out of time! Please—take me to them!"
It wasn't just the words. It was his tone. Even as a child, Akashi had never raised his voice. Never shown this kind of fire.
After a tense pause, Mina nodded. "Very well, Akashi."
She picked him up and, in a blur, body flickered out of the room.
Let's just say this is one hell of an experience for someone who's never seen anything supernatural before, Akashi thought. We're moving so fast, I can't even process it.
Within moments, they arrived at a large building at the center of the village—eerily similar to the Hokage tower in Konoha.
A guard approached. "Lady Mina! What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to see my father and my husband, Asahi."
The guard offered to escort them, but Mina declined. With another flicker, they vanished again.
---
Uzushiogakure War Room:
Inside, the tension was palpable. Men argued, cursed their enemies, and scrambled for strategies.
"Damn those bastards! Five villages invading all at once? Where's their honor?!"
"Kuroko, what's the status with Konoha? Will they send aid?"
"Lord Ashina... Konoha refuses. They claim the other villages are keeping them occupied."
"Those cowards!" someone shouted. "We helped them in every war—updated their barriers—and this is how they repay us?!"
"We're outnumbered five-to-one," another added grimly.
Just then—knock knock.
Everyone turned, expecting a scout—but were stunned to see Mina... with young Akashi.
"Mina? Why are you here—and why bring Akashi? You know we don't have time—"
"Father," she interrupted, "Akashi knows about the invasion. He said he has a way to help. He insisted."
The room went silent. All eyes shifted to the small boy.
---
POV: Akashi:
Damn, now I'm nervous too.
But he'd had time to think. He had a plan. Not a full solution—but a fighting chance.
His grandfather's sharp gaze locked onto him. "Alright, Akashi. In what way can you help?"
"Lord Ashina, you can't be serious! He's just a child!" one man protested.
"Silence!" barked Asahi, stepping forward. "Let my son speak. If he believes he can help, we will listen."
Akashi took a deep breath. "First, I need to know: how many shinobi do we have? How many enemies are incoming? And how many clan members possess the Eye of Kagura?"
An elderly man stepped up. "I'm Elder Tochio, in charge of war personnel. We have 8,466 shinobi. Scouts report at least five times that number approaching."
Brutal odds, Akashi grimaced.
Another elder stepped forward. "I'm Elder Denki. I oversee clan abilities. We've registered 1,022 individuals with the Eye of Kagura—civilians included."
That's better than I expected.
"Grandfather, how many explosive tags do we have? And how many more can we make in the next hour?"
Mina looked shocked. "Akashi, you're not planning—"
"That I am. If our enemies are willing to slaughter us for our secrets, then we make them pay for every drop of blood they take." Just like Konan did to Obito.
Ashina stroked his beard. "We have 12,000 in storage. If we push full production for the next hour, we could create another 10 to 15,000."
Everyone turned to Akashi, now seeing him in a new light.
"You really plan to bombard them throughout the battle?" asked Elder Denki.
"That's the idea. We'll make them regret ever stepping foot here. If we can't win, we'll make the cost unbearable. Classic guerilla warfare. We strike from the beaches to the final breath."
"But... what about the Kages? The Third Tsuchikage, Third Raikage, even the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki are coming."
Kage-level threats... That's tough.
"Grandfather," Akashi said slowly, "you once told me stories. Stories about how the Uzumaki could summon Shinigami. Can we use the Death Reaper Seal against the Kage?"
A stunned silence followed.
No one had even considered using the forbidden sealing technique. But now? Now it seemed like their best shot.
Ashina's eyes lit up with grim determination. "Kuroko, Asahi—you're with me. We retrieve the Shinigami masks. Everyone else—begin mass production of explosive seals."
"Wait—one more thing." Akashi raised a hand. "Prepare supplies. If things go south, civilians with the Eye of Kagura must lead an evacuation. We must preserve our future."
Ashina nodded. "You heard my grandson! MOVE!"
With that, the war council erupted into action.
---
End of second chapter