Eidolon retreated to the Hokage's estate. The time had moved quickly, already presenting him with a mid-evening sun. Sitting within one of the many guest rooms, the Traveler sighed, taking a breath after finally having some real alone time after arriving on his current planet.
He shook his head, his locs dancing dramatically as he did so. "Hoo~" He breathes out. I need to power up before this possible initial fight. His memories dwelt back to his various encounters with beings he came to know as Enforcers.
His jaw tightened, his thoughts running wild as he imagined all the things he would do to those eldritch demons when he got his hands on them. All good things take time. He told himself.
His palms were outstretched in his lap, his cross glimmering slightly in the dim room. A bright pink flame mixed with the wisps of pure white sprouted to life in his palms, but just as quickly as they came, they departed. Leaving behind a black hilted katana, golden finishes at its hilt–Floral in design.
The sheath was pretty much the same, black in color with a black wrap at its base–Golden floral designs embellished throughout the work. Eidolon marveled at Ishtar's beauty. "...Original Skill huh…" He mutters, barely sliding the blade out of its sheath.
His eyes widened, his breath hitching as he trembled. This blade… Sharp enough to cut through space. His gaze was shaken by the slight marking in space before him. A tiny gash that led into a field of endless stars and galaxies–It looked like the place between realms, the place he and Ezra had communed.
He sheathed the weapon and sighed, placing at the foot of the bed as he flopped back on the mattress. "Heading to the various Sage locations within this planet is the best idea I have right now for boosting my power in a short time…" He murmured. Ishtar will have to serve as my connection to the world, though. But it's possible to absorb senjutsu and empower myself after having my blade absorb it all.
The how was figured out, but the results are still questionable. Due to my not having a single trace of chakra in me, I wouldn't be able to offset the petrification if I absorb too much. He frowned, rubbing his chin.
Then again, what would be considered too much when I don't have any chakra in the first place? He mused inwardly, though he kept his worries to himself, and shook his head. "Let's hit up Orochimaru first. See if I can convince him to implant Hashirama's cells into me."
He rose, sliding his cloak over his shoulders–His shirt missing, leaving his incredibly structured and divine-esque muscle definition out for the world to see. However, it was only a bit of his chest and the top of his abdomen.
Ishtar was held tightly in his left hand. Carrying it with him as he stalked through the residence, cutting through the open courtyard that shone brilliantly in the late evening sun–The deep, orange glow lighting up his face as he began to rise in the air–The gravity around him becoming non-existent as he carried himself off in the atmosphere with ease.
His eyes tracked over the outskirts of the village–His evasion unnoticed by the various Anbu he felt hidden within the shadows of trees, corners, and even lamps. He knew that Anbu were dedicated, but seeing is believing after all.
Heading south gives me the chance to stop by the Sound Village. That thought regarding Sage mode's decrepencies got me thinking it could be better to be safe than sorry. He mused, his speed picking up as he cleared a good two hundred meters in less than ten seconds.
Not to mention the information Orochimaru would possess regarding this estranged group of Akatsuki members, he's my first clue towards anything related to him. Eidolon pondered, wise enough to evade the usage of the fallen God's name.
He did not halt his journey for anything. Even as hours passed and the sun had long set behind him. Eidolon would admit that the journey so far was a breeze. The early world of Naruto was relatively peaceful. He couldn't make out much that was going on below him due to the freakish abundance of ginormous trees, but he didn't pay too much mind to it.
I haven't had a break like this since I died… His mind wandered to the various sets of lives he lived–All a different set of trauma for him, but at the end of the day, it's his mission that pushes him.
…
Eidolons' momentum suddenly halts. His brows furrowed while he gazed down below.
A village, centered amid a field of naturally terraced ponds that broiled over with a mysterious mist. A giant mountain hid in the backdrop of the hidden town, giving it a more mystical air.
Eidolon slowly descended. Ishtar floated just beside him as he used it as an object for practicing his precision. So far, so good in that regard. His first couple of steps onto the land were met with muddy marshlands and damp, humid wafts of wind.
It wasn't explored much in the anime or the manga, but I guess this is the village hidden in rice fields. He hummed, enjoying the magical aura the establishment offered.
He stalked his way over towards where he last recalled seeing the village and using the time in between to plan his approach and how his request for Orochimaru would transpire.
He couldn't exactly rush in there and force the man–woman, whatever, to give him the proper surgery. That's a lot of trust I'd be putting in someone with a known reputation of being disloyal. He shook his head, scoffing dispondently.
The Traveler rubbed his chin, letting his thoughts dance a parade while he mindlessly wandered about the trails. He noted how quiet the road was, not even a bird or a rabbit was in sight.
Movement flickered across his vision–Quick, fleeting. Eidolon clenched his jaw, his expression remaining untouched. On to me already… Six of them in total, four chunin and two jonin–I think. He was still getting used to scaling shinobi based on their chakra signature. He's only been here for not even two days, he's sure to get it down soon, though.
Eidolon ignored his pursuers and continued the winding trail that led to the village, doused in mist and mystery. If anything goes down, I'm sure to be able to kill Orochimaru. It would suck to have to do that though so lets hope negotiations stay favorable for him.
The moon had begun to peak from between the clouds. The once-bright and promising sky, which held the hopes of millions, was replaced by the night sky, with countless twinkling dreams replacing the fallen hope.
Eidolon frowned. The entrance to the village was like a dream. Littered with people, only their forms were shadows, simple mirages of what usually is. Still, he continued onward. The moment he broke the boundary and fully entered the town, it was like the mist and fog never existed.
He blinked blankly, blatantly surprised at the formation. Wow. Interesting. Considering this is a guy who seeks nothing but knowledge and immortality, I'm not sure why I'm surprised he would do something like this. Eidolon knew the power that Orochimaru held. It was nothing to scoff at for him to be considered the strongest of the Sannin.
And that says something for a man who doesn't have an ounce of sage potential in his body… Though he thinks that, Eidolon isn't too sure about the serpent's abilities. He was always a mystery… He shakes his head.
The various civilians cleared out of his way–His imposing stature and the appearance of his blade that screamed regality; The shinobi that tailed him thought him rich. Still, Eidolon swam through the rather busy village streets with beautiful ease.
Stopping by markets and inspecting the roadside propaganda and antiques. From rice-based treats and delicious foods, Eidolon had to say that it wasn't so bad. "Hoho! Daifuku are always customary around here. The reason why they're so cheap? Well, look where you're at, sonny!" An old man with more wrinkles than one could count chuckled light heartedly at Eidolons' rather surface-level questions.
Rubbing the back of his head as he scarfs down the rest of his sweet treat, Eidolon raises his hand, "Sorry! Sorry! I guess you're right about that." He sees embarrassingly. The old man waves him off, "Ah~ Don't worry about it. When I was young, I wanted to be a ronin like you, too. But you know, God always had his way with showing people their true paths." He grins solemely, no doubt a story behind those tired wrinkle lines.
"Oh really? You think we're destined to settle in this village? Sell little rice treats?" Eidolon hummed, his eyes gleaming with interest. The old man shrugged, a mysterious smile on his face.
"Depends on how you look at it… I could've been a ronin, wandering the shinobi world facing dangers after danger and creating legends in my wake…" Eidolon chuckled at the extremity, but the old man didn't let that deter him. "Or, I could be safe, sound, and live a good life that I know will be full of longevity and simple, good, warm memories like these." He smiled, his eyes smiled with him, turning into little crescent moons.
A moment passed between the two, "Excuse me." A villager said, pushing past Eidolon and reaching over for the same treat he had just eaten. "My bad, pardon me." Eidolon stepped aside, the tension in the atmosphere suddenly tensing as two more duos popped up on the shops to his left and right.
Little details caught the Traveler's eye–Bandages wrapped around thighs, small pouches located on the back of hips. Cloaks that screamed no good. Eidolon smirked. His gaze locked onto the old man in front of him while his right hand fell upon the hilt of his blade.
"So, you'd say that the serpent who protects this place is the key to that longevity, correct?" A probing, knowing smirk split Eidolon's face, and the old man was struck with confusion when five supposed shoppers and civilians disappeared suddenly from their positions only to reappear–Tanto and kunais in hand as they pointed their ends towards Eidolon.
The man in question raised his hands in surrender. "Wow, how scary…" He muttered, though he was anything but afraid. The shinobi didn't react, their gazes were dead calm–Devoid of anything but murder and purpose.
"Come with us or die where you stand. Our leader wants a word with you." The five ninjas stepped closer in tandem. Their blades were just a centimeter away from prodding the dark skinned man's skin.
"Alright, alright. I'll see what's up." He replied coolly.
The shinobi reached for Ishtar, the blade on the back of his hip. It dislodged with relative ease; Eidolons jaw tightened, feeling its weight leave his body. "Be careful with that… It's extremely sharp–Nearly cut my head off just unsheathing it." Eidolon joked, but he was deadass.
The other shinobi didn't find it as amusing as he did, though. Pushing and shoving him in a random direction, he wasn't too sure about. As they paraded through the streets, murmurs and whispers from the civilians began to float around.
"...Another experiment, no doubt. I wonder what wonder he will be a part of!" A girl gasped, practically bleeding with excitement. Her friends agreed, bouncing up and down.
"He's quite young–Looks powerful too! I would feel a lot safer if he were guarding us too, alongside these other incompetent shells." An elder spat, causing Eidolon to frown. No reaction…? Are these guys just shells of ninjas? Capable of nothing but Orochimaru's bidding? He nearly wanted to kill them now and set them free– that was no way to live.
His gaze darkened, and his jaw tightened. As the group left the village and headed deeper into the backside of the town, Eidolon got a good sight of the mountain that towered over the Village Hidden in Sound.
Mystery and malevolence surrounded this town… And Eidolon had no qualms dispelling it…