Book One: The Rise of the Blue-Haired Devil.

      My head was buzzing like a hangover. I couldn't even open my eyes for the first few minutes, however, when someone began to shake me from side to side, trying to bring me back to consciousness.       - Stop it! - I cried out, unable to bear the abuse of my body. It was costing me a lot. I heard the rumble of hundreds of cars in my head, which didn't go away for about five minutes, but my "brakes" stopped, which made it easy for me to open my eyes, a simple but unusually difficult task in my current state. I very slowly opened my slimy eyes. I had a very unpleasant feeling somewhere inside. As the black spots in my eyes gradually went away, I tensed up, remembering the recent events. Izuna... Who was it that killed you? It couldn't have been done by some ordinary ninja. It had to be a master at his craft, and that was no guarantee of success. Or did it? What happened to Izuna? He was sick with something. We'll have to look into it. I'll try to negotiate with Madara, but I don't know how long I was unconscious, so there's no guarantee, because my friend could have been buried by now.       - Hey, Mie, can you hear me? - I heard a very sweet female voice that sounded so anxious that I turned pale.       - Yumi, let's just talk. - I tried to justify myself, but my eyesight was still not normal, so I couldn't see the face of the girl sitting in front of me.       - Did you really have the courage to speak? - The girl, whose voice had become rougher, said in a mocking tone.       - Morgana? You've got to be kidding me, - I said, fully recovered.       - What was I supposed to do? You didn't respond to my voice. You wouldn't touch yourself. So I went to the extreme. - She said it like she'd done it so many times before. Her words didn't even sound like excuses... she said them like irrefutable facts that were impossible to disagree with.       - Okay, okay... How long have I been lying here? - Having realised that it was better not to address my body-mate in matters of conscience, I turned the conversation to the urgent problems.       - Well, about a month according to my calculations. - The blue-haired girl said calmly. Her hair colour had changed after the evolution of my body to the second stage, but this colour suited her perfectly.       - How much? - I jumped up from my seat and asked again. My whole body ached, and I had to sit up again. If it hurts me so much to move in my inner world, what is waiting for me in the real world?       - Don't move! - Morgana said with menace in her voice. - Or I'll put you in a position where you won't be able to come to your senses for a long time. - She added, waving her small fist in front of my face, but I could feel the power of that part of her hand in my gut.       - Good... - I squeezed out, feeling her bloodlust.       - That's good. You're taking so long to get out of the fight, not just because you've overstretched every muscle in your body, but for a more unpleasant reason. Someone poisoned you while you were unconscious. - The blue-haired sorceress faltered. She was uncomfortable talking about what had happened.       - How did it happen? Tobirama took me away after the fight. - I decided to clarify when the silence began to drag on.       - Eh... - Morgana said, exhaling heavily. - Yes, Senju took you away. I don't know what happened after that, because I had no access to the real world. I could only scan your surroundings with my sensorics to see who was around. That albino took you to a place you never left. Various ninjas came to you often, scanning your body with chakra as well as treating critical injuries. And then... he came... I sensed him at the very last moment... this man... noooo, creature... I didn't sense him until he wanted to show himself. He injected an inherently strange poison into your bloodstream... you know your Snake Sage mode is constantly at work. One of its benefits is to neutralise most types of poison, but this... this substance... it was abnormal, having what prohibitive toxicity. Your body couldn't handle it, so I took a chance. I created a clot near your heart using the power of ice, because I could feel some kind of device connected to you. Your heart stopped, and after about a minute, a few chakra users appeared in my scanning field that you had been treated earlier. That's when I unfroze the clot, however your heart didn't beat. You were dead for about five minutes. Your heart wasn't beating, yet the doctors managed to restart it. You were clinically dead... sorry, Mi... I just... whimpered... I wanted to help... but... - Morgana started to sob and couldn't finish her story, but she didn't need to. It was clear enough.       - It's not your fault. - I whispered softly in her ear, pulling her close to me. - You saved my life, thank you. - I added, realising it was very important for her to hear. We sat with her in my arms for a while. I was being used as a toy to cry on, but I didn't mind. Morgana saved me when there was nothing I could do. What's the big deal...I wouldn't have even realised I'd been killed. I was immensely grateful to her, so calming her down was the least I could offer her right now.       - Thank you for having you. - The girl said quietly, however I heard her, smiling encouragingly at her words. She smiled back at me. - The albino must have learnt about the attempt on your life, because now I can feel the presence of two ninjas near you all the time.       After this conversation with Morgana, I stayed about three more days in my inner world. In fact, I just walked the corridors of the laboratory from my past life, which in this one represented my subconscious. I wasn't walking alone. The blue-haired sorceress accompanied me, arguing my current state of mind, but I knew she just wanted to spend more time with me. It wasn't often that I got to interact with her like this, face to face, face to face. As I walked through the places where my memories from my past life resurfaced with renewed vigour, I explained to Morgana where the events and people involved in a particular memory had come from. She agreed, because it wasn't the first time we'd gone down the corners of my memory like this... just the two of us... it was nice and relaxing, letting me forget that the real world I'd found myself in was much more violent than the one I'd been born into.       - What kind of chakra did that creature have? - I asked suddenly, remembering something important.       - What creature? - My roommate clarified, raising one eyebrow as a sign that she didn't know what I was talking about.       - Well... - I said with thoughtfulness in my voice. - The one that poisoned me. -I continued, gathering my will into a fist. Morgana's face contorted so hard that it made me uncomfortable. I was beginning to feel bad for bringing it up at all.       - It was so... fresh... full of life... like the smell of the forest and something else... something unknown to me. - The white-haired sorceress spoke with thoughtfulness in her voice. It was clear from her face that she was struggling not to give in to the rush of feelings and emotions again. It was too painful to remember those events.       - Fresh? Full of life and smelling of the woods? - I repeated after her aloud, starting to frown seriously.       - Yes, that's exactly right. Do you know someone with similar chakra? - Morgana clarified with interest, looking me in the eye.       - Only one person possessed a similar chakra genotype. That wouldn't make him a killer, of course, but the problem is that he's the only one of his kind with such a close connection to the forest and life force at all. This is Hashirama Senju. This chakra genotype provides him with his enhanced gene, the element of wood. His blood also contains just an excessive amount of life force. - I clarified my speculation, giving it some serious thought.       - I don't understand... It just didn't make sense for him to kill you. - The blue-haired girl said, truly confused.       - I agree with you, but I'll have to study everything when I wake up. So don't think about it now. - I said, smiling encouragingly at her so that she could relax.       - Unfortunately you should... It's time for you to return to the real world. Tobirama's here to see you. I don't think you'll get a chance to talk to him for a long time. - Morgana answered me with sadness in her voice, a smile on her face.       - Don't be sad, I'll try to visit you more often. - I said goodbye to my flatmate with a hug, and then I left my inner world with a thought, opening my eyes in the real world.       - I see you decided to chill before I woke up. - The albino said when he saw that I had opened my eyes. He grinned at how quickly I came round when he decided to visit me.       - What happened while I was asleep? - I got straight to the point.       - A lot of bad things. - Tobirama exhaled sadly. - Madara's dead, Hashirama died a week ago. You're a survivor, and the world is on the brink of the first ever war between entire ninja villages. But to make a long story short. - he sketched out some brief facts for me, trying not to explain the whole situation.       - How? How did two Shinobi Gods die? - I asked in shock, not knowing what was going on.       - Eh... The Uchiha went berserk after Izuna's death. He started destroying everything. I saw his eyes... the eyes of a madman who didn't care about anything. Hashirama tried to talk him out of it, but when Madara reached the village, my brother fought an unequal battle in which he put his life on the line. He defeated the Uchiha, after which he killed him, but this fight was not without consequences for him. His illness developed to its final stage, causing him to die a few weeks after the battle. - The younger Senju exhaled bitterly.       - I'm sorry for your loss. - I said awkwardly, realising I'd hit a nerve.       - Thank you, but you can help me with my business. - Tobirama said with confidence in his voice. - Will you help me protect my brother's legacy? Konoha was certainly not all he had left behind, but this village was the most important aspect of his life. War cannot be avoided. I want you to stay here to protect Mito. - he put forward his request, pleading with me with a look. This behaviour of the albino, who seemed perpetually frowning and cold, made me feel embarrassed, but I hurried to answer, knowing that silence would be inappropriate here.       - You didn't have to ask me such things, Tobirama san. I would have defended Mito without your request. - I said in a calm enough voice.       - I'm not just labelling your position in this matter. The contract between Senju, Uchiha and Uzumaki will be broken after the death of all three clan leaders, but the contract was made by Mito, so the future alliance between Uzushio and Konoha depends on her life. It was to cement it that Mito agreed to marry Hashirama's son, Takeshi Senju. The marriage ceremony is scheduled for next month and much will depend on it. - The albino brought me up to speed on the big event. To be honest, I didn't think Mito would agree to such a thing, but it's even better this way. Uzushio needs allies in this war. Kiri will certainly protect her with her presence, however, once the opponents realise the strategic importance of Uzushio, they can implement a plan to attack her unexpectedly. There's no such thing as unnecessary allies.       - Hashirama has a son? - I asked in surprise, although I was thinking of other things.       - Yes, and that was the real secret of our village until the recent events. Someone had taken advantage of the turmoil in the village by sneaking into the village archives and stealing secret information about Takeshi. This information is already floating around the world, so the problem isn't whether there will be a war or not, but when the opponents will start it. - Clarified the light on one of the mysteries of the village Tobirama. He was calm and poised now. He knew how to keep his cool when he needed to.       - I see, did you send the letter to my village? - I asked one last question of a more personal nature.       - Yes, Mist will send us about a thousand ninjas, as well as cover Cloud's village from the sea. The head of the squad is you, and your deputy will be one Hoshigake So. But that's not all. - Senju answered my question, pulling out a letter from his pouch and handing it to me. - It's Izuna's suicide letter. He was deathly ill before the last battle. He told me so himself, and he also asked me to give you this letter. I don't know what it says, nor does anyone else. I don't know why Izuna had so much faith in you, but I think you should be careful. Something very dangerous is coming and I don't like it. - The albino added, looking me in the eye with such a confident look that I didn't bother to ask what he meant. Senju tactfully left my hospital room, going about his business, and I began to read the letter....