Chapter 52 - Souls of the Dead Part 1

Somewhere in the Dumpling Dynasty

A few scrolls laid on the ground, each placed in a special place next to Ishizu.

They weren't many, but the names on the scrolls would give many people a flashback.

The reason was that those were the names of people who have died.

"I know that Kabuto will reanimate most of the kages and other strong characters as well as the cannon fodder to fight in the 4th Shinobi War.

I can't kill him because of the Snake Sage, so I have to work around him. The war must happen so the villages can see that being united is better," Ishizu spoke to himself.

Looking over the scrolls, Ishziu took the one closest to him. It was a very special scroll from a person special of Ishizu as well as the first he created.

Those scrolls were a modified version of the Edo Tensei. Special people who Ishizu knew and had a connection with were inside the scrolls.

What the modified version of the Edo Tensei was? A mystery for now.

"Still, those people are mine and nobody will use them but me. It is not like Kabuto used them in canon, but you never know what can happen so better be prepared for the future."

As Ishizu as examining his scrolls a panda came from behind looking at the scrolls.

*Experimenting with the souls of the dead? I am impressed that you humans found a way to bring them back.*

Ishizu didn't turn but still looked at the scrolls.

*War is one of the best times for creations to flourish. Tobirama Senju was the best example, as he was the creator of this jutsu and many other we Shinobi use today.

Chakra is so unique. War gave him the idea to use his fallen brothers. He brought them back once more to life by killing the enemy so they could fight again,* responded Ishizu.

*But you are different. You don't use this jutsu to kill others, but use their wisdom to learn from them. Making a jutsu that has its purpose to kill change into a jutsu to learn.

Imagine in the future people would bring back the dead so they could tell their history,* explained Po.

*Really?* now Po smiled.

Ishizu sighed as he remembered the encounters he had when he went outside of *DD* to get his first corpse for the special scrolls.

Flashback

"Where are you going, apprentice Ishizu?" asked Tau as he saw his student packing things.

"Last month I worked hard on my Sage Mode so I need some distancing. I have a very important mission to do.

It will make me feel like Kabuto, but I need corpses for the Edo Tensei.

I also need to look at what Tayuya is doing and get to know what is happening inside the elemental nations.

My concern lies with Zetsu and the corpse of Madara Kabuto will resurrect.

As I can't kill Kabuto or I will face the wrath of the Snake Sage I have to prepare for a reanimated Madara Uchiha.

A better version of the one Kabuto used.

I don't want to use hundreds of corpses, but only the one necessary.

For my special squad, I will reanimate 10 people and make a special seals one of which is to block the sealing of the normal Edo Tensei.

I don't want Kabuto reanimating Madara only for him to break free and cause me a headache.

An immortal Uchiha who has the Rinnegan and unlimited chakra is too annoying to take down.

Those 10 people will hold him and any other people in place.

Maybe when my plan worked, I can fight him, but I don't want to risk my life for a stupid fight."

"So, are those people…?" asked Tau.

"Mostly friends, but also people who have an emotional connection to important characters even when they are dead.

Those two Uzumaki's will play an important role in the war.

I just have to find more bodies and make the seals.

That's why I am going for a hunt. I need bodies as I have the DNA of most of the people I want to summon.

There were many whom Kabuto forgot, and I want the end game to be as emotional as possible.

People have to remember the war as something special.

Sure, some will die as it is the case of all wars, but I want to minimize the death and instead make it a heartwarming reunion of the dead.

This will give me enough time to go through my plan."

Tau shook his head.

"Playing with emotions is very dangerous, Sage Ishizu. Under strong emotions, humans can unleash a potential that nobody can imagine. One wrong move and you fail."

"I know that, Tao. I have seen this happen many times.

It is scary to know what a single human can do if his emotions reach others.

Don't worry, I know what I do."

That's when brother Tau smiled.

"I have a wonderful idea. Why not let us make this a type of training?" suggested Tau.

"What do you mean, training?" asked Ishizu.

"You and I both know that you could easily abduct some nobody with your Sage Mode and use his body but you won't learn anything out of it.

We pandas don't want an overconfident Sage who relies too much on nature energy.

You are a strategist, right? If so, then I have the perfect mission for you," spoke Tau.

"And what do I have to do?"

"Instead of going to a random place and grabbing some civilian, I will get you to a special place where you have to find somebody evil, subdue him and bring his body back.

This will test your stealth ability where you will be limited as much as possible.

With you growing stronger Sage Po and I fear you will lose yourself in power so this will be a good exercise to see how you can go into enemy territory, fulfill your mission and get out of there without being noticed.

Sounds exciting, right?"

Ishizu sighed.

"Sure, and where will you send me?"

A small smile appeared on the panda's face.

"Oh, no spoilers for you but I can tell you it won't be easy.

Oh, and one thing. You should conceal your chakra or the enemy will know you are in their territory," added Tau.

'Where the hell is this guy going to send me?' thought Ishizu as he tried to imagine the place the monk panda would send him for his amus.e.m.e.nt.

2 hours later Ishizu made a plan before making his place to the sealing array and getting teleported back to the elemental nations.

Tau stood still and looked at the fading Ishizu.

"I hope you will have fun where I sent you, Ishizu-kun. It is a place you know and I doubt you won't have fun in one of the most secured and isolated places of your continent," spoke brother Tau.

Random place.

Ishizu POV

As I excited the sealing array, I found myself back in the elemental nations.

The surrounding trees got me an idea that I was somewhere in the Land of Fire.

I saw an arrow with a panda paw pointing in a direction and followed it.

It took me a while before I saw rain in the distance.

'Rain? And it is not moving toward or away for me. Oh, this tricky little bastard.

This is the border to Amegakure.

That ******* panda didn't lie about concealing my chakra. This is the home territory of Pain, Konan, and occasional Obito.

Pain uses this rain to see if anyone enters or not. If I go inside without concealment, Pain will immediately know and come here.

So that is why it is stealth?

Let's do it.'

I was ready for the challenge.

Concealing my chakra to that of a civilian, I entered the territory of Akatsuki.

The moment my body touched the rain I felt the Rinnegan of Pain watching my every move.

I stayed cool, not giving Pain the sign I knew he watched me and moved to the nearest village.

Inside of Amegakure

"Someone entered Ame," spoke the Deva Path as he looked at his city.

"Is it a Shinobi?" asked the blue-haired girl named Konan next to him.

"His chakra level indicates he is a civilian, but I am curious why he entered Amegakure.

No one of sane mind would enter Ame without a purpose.

He is near the border of the Land of Fire. Monitor him, Konan.

If you see anything suspicious... kill him."

"It will be done, Pain-sama."

Ishizu POV

Even in this situation, I knew I was on the enemy's radar. My instincts told me I was being watched and by the papers flying around, I knew the person.

The advantage I had was that I knew exactly who Pain-sama and Lady Angel were.

The problem was how to get a living body without getting caught. I had a plan, but for it to work I had to be patient.

Before leaving, I made a cover for the worst case and look and behold it helped me.

I was a writer from a small town who wanted to sell his books. I poisoned one of my books so if I gave somebody the wrong book and he opened the first page, they would fall asleep in an hour.

A mere genin or Chunin would not see the poison, but if somebody with knowledge of poisons would see the poison, it would blow my cover.

I had to find the right person to give the poisoned book. I had to find a person who had an evil soul.

Even without those rules, I would never kill a child or a pregnant woman.

I was not a monster.

Walking down the streets, I listened to conversations hoping to find an abusive husband or some generally bad person.

One where I could easily take the body and nobody would notice or even if they wouldn't care.

Finding the most crowded place, I placed the books on the ground with some cover from the rain and shouted for people to buy it.

I also listened to the conversations of people who walked past me.

"I think I once saw Lady Angel. She looked so beautiful."

"Don't lie. She is too beautiful for your ugly eyes to see."

I turned my head.

"Lord Pain is so strong. Living under him is so good."

Again, I listened to others.

"Did you hear that Gerdo-san hit his wife again? I hear their daughter prays every day to Lady Angel to help with her father, but nothing happened."

Now that brought my attention. An abusive husband was evil and was a good catch for me. Now the problem was to find him without looking like I want to.

I came to the women and asked them if they want to buy one of my books. They declined and I left for a hotel.

Konan POV

I observed from above how the civilian walked through the crowd before sitting down in the hope to sell his books.

He was just like any other civilian.

Weak and useless. So why did he come to Ame?

Maybe it was because his book was so bad that nobody wanted to buy it in the other villages so he came here?

Few people bought it and my curiosity made me henge and buy one myself.

It was a book about pandas and how to feed them.

No wonder people didn't buy them. They were useless even for normal civilians.

I continued observing him until he went into a hotel, probably to sleep.

I placed a paper owl near the hotel that would notify me if he ever came out. For now, I would let him have his peace, but if he ever harmed our village, I would kill him immediately.