Passing of a Legend

*WAIT WHO IS THAT PRETTY UCHIHA ON THE COVER OF THE BOOK*

Thinking back to the experience, Natsume realized how reckless she had been. If not for the intervention of the White Snake Sennin, she would likely be dead now. However, the aggressiveness of Nature energy was beyond her expectation. The feeling of it entering her body gave her great strength, but it seemed to be a terrifying destructive force rather than a neutral force. Natsume wondered if perhaps her method wasn't correct, or if this was another extension of the Uchiha's inability to master senjutsu.

Other than the stone tablet at the Naka shrine, there were no other records that went back at a certain point. Therefore, she didn't really know the full history of the Uchiha or if anyone had attempted senjutsu before. However, since they were all descendants of Rikudo Sennin, there should have been the occasional senjutsu gifted Uchiha.

Natsume lifted herself out of the pool of water and dried herself off. She looked around the cave and didn't see Tagitsuhime. She didn't think anything of it and left the cave. There was one person that she could ask about the history of Uchiha. When she arrived previously, she had sensed his chakra in the area, so she knew he hadn't left for the clan yet. She moved silently through the forest and realized that her perception had increased.

"Hideyoshi-sama…" Natsume arrived in front of the old Uchiha. He seemed to have aged even more since the last time she saw him. She could sense the vitality in him was quickly dwindling. This was not something she could do before, and assumed it was part of the new perks of having partial understanding of senjutsu. When he heard her call out to him, he smiled and gestured for her to come closer.

"Natsume-chan, what brings you to visit this old man?" He was sitting by himself in a small clearing. Natsume stepped forward and frowned.

"Hideyoshi-sama, I had some questions about our history…" He had passed on a lot of information, but most of it was core understandings of the clan's history. "Have there ever been any Uchiha that mastered senjutsu?"

Hideyoshi was slightly startled by the question and even opened his eyes. The pale white eyes looked her direction and he hesitated for a moment. "There have been none to my knowledge… well…"

"Please Hideyoshi-sama! Anything will help."

"I am sure you have already learned of our origins… One day the previous Keeper told me a story of our distant ancestor, the founder of ninjutsu himself. He had said that one day, Rikudo Sennin awakened Sharingan and was later taught senjutsu by the Toad Sennin. However, I have never heard of these toads in my time, so they may be a myth…" Natsume pondered for a while. The toads of Mount Myoboku were definitely real, so this was a potential lead.

"… Thank you, Hideyoshi-sama." She thought back to her inherited memories and only ever saw Rikudo Sennin with a fully evolved dojutsu. He was known for the Rinnegan and Natsume had not considered the evolution path for the Sharingan to be something shared by Rikudo Sennin as well, since he was such a powerful figure in her memory. He had combined Sharingan and Senjutsu, so there had to be a way.

"If your goal is to learn senjutsu… you may be the first Uchiha. However, you would not be the first shinobi to try this path of strength. Perhaps you may find more luck in other clan's archives?" Hideyoshi knew her Mangekyou abilities enough to understand her ability to infiltrate the enemies camp was unparalleled.

Natsume's mouth went slightly agape when she heard that. It was such a simple idea that she hadn't considered it. Perhaps it was her distorted perception that she held the most knowledge in the world, or her knowledge of the future that made her see other clan's in a more friendly light. Regardless, seeking answers from the other clans was a perfect solution since she did not want to rely on the animal Sennin.

"Hideyoshi-sama! That's brilliant." However, Natsume, who was lost in her thoughts, only just noticed something strange with Hideyoshi. He had a light smile on his face, and he was slightly slumped to the side. She walked up to him slowly and lowered her head. She closed his slightly open eyes and laid him down. She knelt by him and silently mourned his passing.

It did not take long for the others to discover his passing and soon everyone that wasn't on a mission came to the little clearing in the woods to mourn for the old Uchiha. Eventually, one of the older members spoke some words about Hideyoshi's achievements and his body was covered with a cloak before a small team took him back to the ancestral grounds. Once everyone had already cleared out, Natsume was the only one remaining on the ground.

After the sun had already set, Sahiro came to her side and kneeled down next to her. He didn't say anything and just silently stayed with her. The next morning, she stood up and stretched her body. Natsume was sad at first, but realized that Hideyoshi passed away peacefully on his own terms. A strange feeling welled up in her that caused her to smile at the rising sun. She put her hand in front of her face as if grabbing the rays of light.

'I hope you found your light again, Hideyoshi-san. I think you have helped me find mine.' Hopefulness was something she had not experienced since she was a child. Unknowingly, that moment had renewed her dwindling determination.

"Father, I need to go. I don't know when I'll be back." Natsume turned to look at her father with a small smile on her lips. Sahiro saw his daughter's expression and his anxieties were washed away in an instant.

"Go. I'll explain it to Tajima-sama." Natsume nodded and turned away to leave. "The clan will always be your home."

"En."

Then she flickered away.