Chapter 35: Explanations

Actually, if I remembered the seal settings correctly, the Kyubi had a direct access to the physical sensations too!

I blanched and tensed at his growling voice, deep in some way beyond sound or feel; this tenseness prompted Sachiko to look at me.

“What is it, Daichi-sama?” I swallowed. This wasn't exactly how I'd intended to introduce myself to my tenant.

“I'm not the only one that woke up for this. It seems we managed to wake my guest too.”

And if it weren't for something so enjoyable, you'd regret having done so, human.

Well, I thought, that’s one way to soothe the savage beast.

“I'm glad you're not upset,” I said aloud. “Give me a second, there's a seal to allow you to speak beyond your current, um, domicile.” I activated the seal so that Sachiko might hear him. “I'm not sure what to call you; I know you are called the Kyubi, but I'm sure that the Sage of Six Paths named you. Is it perhaps Kurama-sama? And if not, may I know it?”

I wasn’t sure how I knew it, but I could tell that the fox recoiled when I said Kurama.

“How did you know that?”

I glanced at Sachiko, then decided they might as well both know. “Alright. Sachiko, I think you've suspected something about me, that I'm a little better than a human should be. Kurama-sama, you have read-only access to those memories not related to sealing, which are protected by the Third Grandmaster's Protection, so you'd likely be able to find this in time. In short, while I'm human, I'm not really mortal anymore.”

Well, to be more accurate, he had access to the memories stored in my body’s brain and/or spiritual chakra field. Just, many of those memories referenced the fact that I had reincarnated, or had alien viewpoints because of the reincarnation. Not quite the same, but still enough for him to work it out.

“I knew it, Daichi-sama,” Sachiko stated while drawing me a little closer to her.

“You don't seem to have any particular divinity beyond the strongest ninja though. I'd be able to tell.” Even Kurama was distracted enough by my claim that he didn't seem to be reacting to his situation.

I shook my head. “I doubt you’d be able to tell. I didn't become immortal to Ascend or become a Bodhisattva. In my original life, I was dying. But I loved life too much, wanted to continue to experience it too much, and so I meditated and fasted and as I came to Death. The pull of Below. The lure of Above. The potential of Ascension and Divinity. The call to become part of the One. And the crushing presence of the Void. I passed through them all, and rejected them all. I achieved what I wanted. Immortality as a human, through reincarnation rather than life unending.”

Was I worried that they would talk? Not really. Sachiko was scarily devoted; had I declared myself a god, she would have immediately declared herself my first priestess. As for Kurama, he generally disdained humanity, and could only communicate with my approval.

“Is that how you're so strong, master?” Sachiko asked.

I laughed. “No. This is only my second life, actually. I'm in my mid forties, if you count my previous life, and my old world didn't have chakra. I'll admit, I made chakra-powered versions of some things, but the technologies are totally different.”

“Like here, before the fall...” mused Kurama. I nodded and made a note to myself; I’d have to ask more about that later. “This doesn't explain how you knew my name.”

“Ah, well, that.” I activated the highest level of the privacy seals over my room as I decided I may as well go with total disclosure. “See, there was a manga, and then an animated version of the future of this world, called Naruto. It was about a boy, born to Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, living in Konohagakure. After the death of his mother, the previous Jinchuriki of the Kyubi, due to the attack of a man with the Mangekyo Sharingan, you, Kurama-sama, were enslaved again and set against Konohagakure. The Hokage, Minato, used a sacrificial summoning jutsu that called up Shinigami-sama to consume your yin-half and lock your yang-half into Naruto.” I could feel Kurama recoil at this.

“What! That fucking Uchiha! That damn cockroach is still alive?” he roared. Sachiko and I winced.

“Kurama-sama, please, that was very loud. But yes, Madara is still alive. He's being manipulated by a being called Black Zetsu, a remnant of Kaguya, as part of some plot to capture all the Biju and allow her resurrection. At least, that was the case in the Manga; I have no idea how much it overlaps reality. I've been changing things too – Uzushio still stands. In fact, we're stronger than ever, having conquered Water-country. Before, we would have been destroyed.”

Sachiko gasped. “The Battle of East Kaizoku Sea.”

I nodded grimly. “Exactly. I think they had help from Konohagakure's Danzo and his Root to get past some of our seals, but yes. But, Kurama-sama, I should mention. We've given you a seal that prevents the Sharingan from being effective on you, and another seal that makes it impossible to seal you with something on the level of the seal that Mito used. As you have noticed, we have attempted to make your stay with me as comfortable as possible. The Uzumaki Sealers did not agree with Mito's actions; there was a reason she was effectively exiled by being married to the Senju. At the time we lacked the power to fight against Konoha and your continued imprisonment was a political necessity, for which I apologize. When I am near death I have been instructed to release you, if that meets with your approval.” I could sense shock from the fox, changing into a puzzled optimism and contentment.

“Very well. It might be an amusing way to while away a few decades. But see that you release me, human!”

“Of course. Sachiko, you've been quiet. Are you alright?”

“Of course, master. I am honored that you trust me with this, and allowed me to become your retainer. Now I know how you just performed so well. It's really unfair you kept me from that due to 'age', master,” she said while snuggling closer.

I grinned and laughed softly. I should have known. “Alright, it's late and I have a party tomorrow. Goodnight, Sachiko-chan, Kurama-sama.”

“I will watch some of these memories, I think, and contemplating.”

I nodded. “Of course, Kurama-sama, and if it pleases you, you may call me Daichi.” I was perhaps a bit obsequious, but the entity was at least nearly godlike in power (I could barely channel enough chakra to account for what he passively emitted on a daily basis), and he was centuries my senior. A bit of politeness never hurt. “I'll be deactivating the communication seal. I wouldn't want to freak anyone out.” I said as I did so.

Very well. I will tell you when I am ready to grace you with my words again, human.

“Goodnight, master.”

========================================

Waking up the next morning was pretty great. Suffice to say, Sachiko had decided that the previous night was not my only birthday present.

When I asked her why, Sachiko grinned. “I want to please you, master.” I just laughed and shook my head before pulling her into the shower where we fooled around for a bit before dressing formally for the day's celebrations.

My birthday was fairly tedious. Lots of meeting people, receiving gifts, a long banquet with endless toasts. I was glad when it was over and we could finally retire to my bedroom for a repeat of the previous night’s activities.

The rest of the visit was fairly busy. I visited the seal-sword factory, and helped improve output. We opened up Hawk Haven Academy, and made attendance strongly encouraged (basically obligatory) for everyone aged four to fourteen. There were yearly tests; if you could pass the one for the year above, you didn't have to attend that class for that year. This option was mostly taken advantage of by some of the ninja and samurai families.

For everyone else, the goal was to have citizens with basic combat skills, unlocked chakra and an understanding of how to improve it, and basic math, language, and technical skills as well as an understanding of the law. Basic sealing was taught, and those with more potential could get further tutoring from Kaa-san. There were other, optional classes that happened, some only irregularly, ranging in everything from carpentry to offensive water jutsu.

Other than establishing the lower level Academy, we established specialist training departments for the Militia (part-timers), Guards (regulars), Specialists (ninja, sealers and samurai), Officers, and Sailors. The goal was to have the entire next generation go through the militia course, which could funnel those with a particular inclination into the Guards or even Specialist units. I could afford to have them all well-equipped.

The initial training for the Militia focused mostly on basic personal combat skills, as well as providing logistical support to the Guards, territorial-defense, and guerrilla operations on their home turf. That set them up to at least be a threat an nuisance to any proper invader. Meanwhile, they could out-match lesser raiders or pirates, and support the better quality regular forces if called upon to do so.

The Guards were taught how to skirmish, and combat doctrine focused a fair bit on how to work with recently distributed DEWS guns and Cyclone Seals. They also learned how to assault a position, and some shipboard combat. Many got specialist Marine training, as they would see service on the ships. Others, especially those with too much seasickness to be effective on ships, received police and public relations training.

Specialists were taught how to work together, as well as how to support the guardsmen. Those deemed sufficiently loyal were trained to pilot Pelicans or other such devices. Some were also trained in more advanced espionage, counter-espionage, military police work, how to train locals into a guerrilla force, and psyops.

Officers, obviously, received leadership and small to medium sized unit tactics training, and were typically taken from the upper ranks of the specialists. They also received training on how to operate by living off the land without unduly stressing the local population, and trained a lot on proper logistics.

The sailing courses taught everything from the basics to advanced navigation, though the upper level courses only happened when there were enough candidates. It also cross-trained some specialists and guards who were focusing on naval combat or amphibious operations.

It wasn't quite up the quality of Uzushiogakure, partially due to the difference in quality of the people going in, but the goal was to make our home a strong-point, not the strongest-point. At the specialist level, I actually had a fairly competent group. We'd attracted the cream of the crop by handing out seal-blades to all the chakra-active fighters that swore loyalty, and seal-armor to those that were worth it. A lot of opportunistic second sons from Samurai families and entire groups of unemployed ninja had come over to Water-Country for the war, and Tou-san and my forces had recruited heavily. We were also on the leading edge when it came to adopting and adapting to new combat doctrines, largely because I was re-inventing these doctrines from half-remembered military documentaries and books on various wars.

Other than the military program, there was also an advanced civilian academics program. This offered training in things like the sciences, mathematics, ship-building, technical skills, management, history, accounting and law. Some of the courses were obligatory for aspiring managers within my trading company or certain government offices that I oversaw as the governor.

Honestly, only the fact that I was an original investor in the Uzushiogakure Air Mail Service, the profits of our merchant fleet, and the seal-sword factory allowed us to take so much of the population out of the workforce, and put them into education or militia training. As people went through the training an ever smaller portion of the workforce would be training rather than producing, and hopefully the returning workers would be more efficient and effective. When the education costs went down, I planned on making micro-loans available to further increase local industry (and my tax-base); similar programs had proven effective in India and other industrializing regions back on Earth, so I figured they were worth a shot.

The militia training course for those that hadn't gone through the academy was a full year, with a six month “unit training period” afterward for all new formations. The formations, based on geography, were obviously all new since they hadn't been formed yet. For those who had gone through the Academy, training was six months, and they were on a higher unit training tempo for three months following that. Since a lot of these programs were officially opening with my visit, having only been under preparation or training up cadre before-hand, it was a big shift with over a thousand men and women starting militia training.

There was some muttering, but the tax benefits and increased earning potential of certain achievements (being chakra-active top among them), free lunch-time meal for students, and pay while serving as militia seemed to do the trick of keeping the population content. Some of the nobles and landowners seemed a bit wary, but between Tou-san and I we managed to convince them to our side. I had never been particularly standard, but had always been highly effective, so I got the benefit of the doubt as long as things went well.

Kurama seemed quite interested by everything, but was much quieter than he was portrayed in Canon. I could tell that he was watching through my eyes quite often, though he still spent most of his time rifling through my accessible memories, but he rarely spoke to me. Maybe he was still tired, maybe he was just unsure of me yet, maybe he was cautious of the fact that in some ways I was more lofty an existence than he. Or maybe it was less annoying to be bound to a competent, mature, adult (ish) immortal rather than a simple, loud, daft, lowly human. I know if I were bound to Naruto I'd have gone fucking insane.

Eventually though the whirlwind of activity wound down, and it was time to return to Konohagakure.

The Jonin test waited.