The Third Raikage was laid upon a smooth operating table carved directly from the boney tissue of Genbu. Above him, was a jagged bone protrusions hung from the ceiling like stalactites, dripping with glowing, nutrient-rich marrow that served as the surgical chamber's only light source.
His eyelids twitched slightly then his corneas moved frantically, adjusting to the slow intrusion of consciousness. When his eyes finally flicked open, a harsh, golden hue flooded his vision. It was the bioluminescence of Genbu's interior, but to his disoriented mind, it felt like the searing glare of a desert sun.
With a grunt of effort, he tried to raise a hand to shield his eyes. His limb felt different... not heavy with the fatigue of battle, but humming with a terrifying vitality as he looked at the folding of his skin. He sat upright in one fluid motion, the electrodes attached to his massive chest tearing away with sharp yet wet snaps.
Stepping off the slab, his bare feet touched the floor. He ignored the lingering numbness and immediately sank into a deep Cossack squat. His left leg coiled like a massive spring, his hip dropping inches from the floor while his right leg extended perfectly straight, toes pulled toward the ceiling. He shifted his weight to the other side with a grace that belied his massive frame. He felt no friction in his joints, no ache in his tendons. [A/N: The iconic Goku's leg stretch.]
He took a series of light, successive jumps, his feet barely touching the ground before he was airborne again as he tested his body which felt new.
He looked toward the cavern's exit, which opened into a secluded, internal ecosystem. Herds of strange animals roaming freely: crystalline-furred deer grazed on moss. Giant moles, the size of small houses, churned through chakra-rich soil, their claws sparking against the mineral deposits. Above a subterranean lake, leaf-winged birds spiraled in silence, while silverfish leaped from the lake as the water held to its head like globe.
There were no humans in sight. Only the wild, untamed creatures of the island.
~~
On the other side of the Genbu Island, where the very air felt scorched for past 3 years, Benihime stood before a series of gargantuan bone pillars. These jagged towers acted as a support with a seal placed on top of it, pinning the Four-Tails, Son Gokū, into the earth. The work had been hasty, a desperate measure to contain the lava-spitting beast, and it required her constant vigilance.
Then she proceeded to ask Genbu through her mind link: "Genbu-san, were you able to completely digest the Four-Tails' Jinchuriki?"
The voice that returned in her mind sounded slow. "Beni-girl... you fed that red-haired brat to me only a year and a half ago. I have only consumed seventy percent of his powers."
The turtle's consciousness shifted, a mental lick of the lips. "As for the meal before that... the old man... he was truly exquisite. Even though it has been three years since you offered him to me, I have only claimed half of his power."
Benihime's expression remained calm. "Of course. He should be the rarest delicacy in the shinobi world. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Professor and the Third Hokage. "
"I disagree, Beni-girl," Genbu's voice rumbled with a hint of dark amusement. "The young lady you hold captive now... her chakra is vicious and sharp. It was delicious in a way the old man never was. I look forward to her when you are done playing."
Benihime opened her mouth to retort but sigh, but her heart suddenly skipped a beat. A familiar chakra signature, a spark of lightning flared to life. Her eyes lit with a beam of pure, unadulterated joy.
"He's awake."
She vanished from the valley of bones.
The Raikage was still adjusting to the newfound senses, then a silhouette suddenly appeared as they never existed just before. He barely had time to register his wife's face, before she lunged at him with full force to hug.
The Raikage was unprepared even with his legendary durability, the air was driven from his lungs. They tumbled backward, the Raikage hitting the ground with Benihime sprawled over his chest, her arms locked around his neck in a grip that could have throttled a bull. She held him as if he might vanish if she let go him.
"I'm here," he whispered, his large hands coming up to steady her. "I'm here, Beni."
She was embarrassed even at her age... realizing her lack of composure, her face flushed as blood rushed to her face and she quickly scrambled to her feet, dusting off her robes. She extended her hand to him, and he took it.
"I never thought I would see you again," he said, his voice cracking, as a single tear escaped and traced a path through his cheeks. He pulled her back into a firm hug.
Benihime pulled away just enough to pout, her eyes flashing with a familiar fire. "If you ever use that Black Lightning again without perfecting it... don't expect me to go easy on you. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to patch up your body?"
The Raikage looked down at his chest. The scar from his own technique, the Hell Stab, during a battle against the Eight-Tails was still there, but the skin looked rejuvenated, his musculature denser and more defined than even in his youth. "This body... it feels wrong. It feels stronger than my prime."
"What do I think?," Benihime said, with a touch of pride in her voice. "You are now one of the pure-blooded Uzumaki."
"Am I?" He narrowed his eyes, testing the theory.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Horizontal Oppression!"
The transformation was instantaneous. Usually, his Armor was a sheath of ten fists thick Lightning... a terrifying defense that nothing could penetrate. Now, the discharge exploded outward. The armor didn't just coat him; it expanded into a towering construct of white-blue chakra, as thick as a mountain boulder. The sheer pressure of his aura flattened the vegetation for twenty yards in every direction. And the most terrifying part? He wasn't even using full force.
His eyes widened. "I feel like I could fight for ten days straight and never see the bottom of my reserves." He cut the flow of his conversation, "How long was I out since I was bedridden. Don't tell me it's been one month."
Benihime held up two fingers.
"Two months?" the Raikage asked, a shadow of concern crossing his brow. "How is Kumo? Who took the mantle? Did the Leaf try to capitalize on my absence?"
"Two years, you idiot," she snapped.
The Raikage froze. Two years. He was seriously concerned how Kumo was faring as other villages would have lunged at the opportunity to take a pie of Kumo with him in comatose state.
"Two years..." he repeated, his voice dropping an octave. "The village... the Council... who led them?"
"I did," Benihime said firmly. "I, as your 'B', stepped in as the interim Raikage. I've kept the peace, while Ay managed the borders and administration, and kept the news of your true condition a secret from all, even the highest-ranking Jonin. But things have changed, the world didn't wait for you to wake up."
She began to iterate the current state of affairs, but her voice faltered when she reached the most recent tragedy. She told him how Kaien had been captured by Yellow flash of Konoha yesterday.
~~
A/N: So, finally the sleeping beauty wakes up after his battle against Hashirama and Tobirama.
Completed Second Arc for Patreon. let me know your suggestions or plots which you want included.
Upto 20 Advance chapters available @ patreon.com/aizenDuchiha0