Second Chance

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: A Lost Era and Second Change
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The light that blinded the four shinobi was finally fading and the sight that it left behind was one that would forever remain in the mind of the young shinobi witnessing the events. Uzu had undergone a transformation as a result of the seal matrix, Naruto's blood and the chakra mixing at the center of the village. What was once ruined buildings and scorched ground littered with long forgotten skeletons was now a bustling marketplace. People moved in every which direction eager to finish their daily routine and get home to their family. It seemed as if the ninja had somehow traveled back to before the village had been destroyed.

"What the hell...?!" Naruto finally exclaimed. The knowledge that he and Kyuubi had sorted from the mess that had been implanted never said anything about this. Were they really in the past or was this merely an illusion? Why was it here and how long had it taken to set up?

"Where? How? What?" Was the only thing that Kakashi could say coherently. He had not expected this either. Despite having a world renowned master of fuinjutsu for a teacher he knew that even this was beyond what the Yondaime had been capable of. None of it made sense. The sealing matrix alone would have taken years to draw and the natural elements wouldn't just let it be. Parts would have to be redrawn continuously. So how had the seal survived the elements let alone the invasion?

"Naruto-kun where are we?" Hinata asked in awe. It was almost as if she had stepped into another world and she wasn't sure how to react. Should she scan the are to check if this was all an elaborate genjutsu or should she refrain from chakra usage in this place? Was she merely glimpsing into another time and place or was she truly there?

"Dobe...your relatives were both absolutely insane and yet complete geniuses." Sasuke said out loud as he stared at the masterpiece in front of him. He was even aware that the work necessary for this kind of elaborate setup would have been nearly impossible without a very large team working on it. Add in the maintenance to account for the natural elements and the information that would have to be updated and stored into the matrix itself...that was at least thirty shinobi working on preserving the seal on a skeleton crew.

"I...have no idea what just happened. There was nothing about this in the information I gained. Is this a genjutsu?" He finally squeaked. Just seeing the people that had been nothing more than the skeletal remains of who they had been mere moments before now walking and enjoying life as if nothing happened was wrecking havoc on his emotions. He had already been confused over how he should feel about seeing the remains of people that he had never met before and yet now they were right before his eyes as if they had never died. Shaking his head Kakashi managed to snap out of his shock and quickly did the release. When the visage didn't even waver he groaned.

"It seems to be a projection of Uzu's last moments meant to show a returning survivor what had happened and perhaps tell them something that was to dangerous to leave in a written message." He said out loud. Naruto gulped as a group of children ran by innocent and blissfully unaware that their life was about to be turned on its head. The group watched in marvel as shinobi moved about in their daily routine fully trusting the natural barriers to the island to give them forewarning of the attack. Perhaps the hardest thing to watch was the people discussing their future plans and making plans for dinner dates and weddings that would never come. The idle chatter seemed to diminish the threat that was approaching and all to soon the once peaceful marketplace erupted into screams as an explosion from the port rocked the island. Civilians quickly turned and fled towards the largest building on the island seeking safety and perhaps shelter. Many never making it more than a foot or two before they were cut down by enemy shinobi flooding into the streets.