Choza's eyes widened. He stuttered a little as the words that Shikaku spoke sank in. "Reality... change... is that even possible?"
Shikaku nodded once. "If the boy's ability is anything to go by, it is possible. And it is dangerous. Very dangerous."
Hiruzen spoke next. "It is possible. In fact, there is another ability that can affect reality that I know of."
Both Choza and Shikaku turned to look at the Hokage. Even Shikaku looked surprised. He had not known about this either.
Hiruzen continued. "My sensei, Lord Second, told me about a jutsu that the Uchiha used long ago. It has lost favor over time and is mostly forgotten among the clan. Only the Uchiha elders might still know of it. The jutsu is called Izanagi. It can turn imagination into reality, much like the boy's ability. It is though a lot more powerful since it could bring a dead Uchiha back to life."
He paused to let that sink in. "With a normal genjutsu, the user applies an illusion to the target's senses. The target sees, hears, or feels things that are not real. With Izanagi, the Uchiha applies an illusion to reality itself. They gain control over what is real and what is not for as long as the jutsu stays active."
Shikaku's eyebrows rose high. "Such an absurd ability exists?"
"Yes," Hiruzen confirmed. "But it comes at a heavy price. In exchange for the brief control over reality, the Sharingan eye used to perform it becomes blind forever. The user sacrifices one eye for a few minutes of rewriting fate."
Hiruzen leaned forward. "The boy's ability seems very strong. And it seems that it does not have the limitation like the Uchiha's Izanagi. To bring any children's game into reality, it is imaginative and versatile. It is also very dangerous if used against us."
Hiruzen looked at Shikaku's thoughtful face. "Shikaku, what are you thinking?"
Shikaku scratched his head. "I am wondering if he can bring Shogi to reality."
Choza burst out in a surprised chuckle. Hiruzen smiled despite the seriousness of the moment.
"I do not think so," Hiruzen said gently. "It is not a children's game, after all."
Shikaku shrugged. "I beg to differ, Lord Third. Nara children play Shogi from a young age. But I think the ability is more like what Shunsui considers as children's games. If he sees something as childish fun, it counts. If he sees it as serious strategy, maybe not."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "That makes sense. Such an ability would definitely have limitations or drawbacks. Just like Izanagi. In exchange for the brief control over reality that Izanagi grants them, the Sharingan they perform it with becomes blind."
Shikaku picked up the thought. "Makes sense. I think we already know three of the limitations of Shunsui's ability. First, he can only bring games that he considers as children's games to reality."
"Second, and the bigger limitation, is that everyone within the range gets caught in that game. So even the enemies could use the game to their advantage if they figure it out fast. And third, even the boy must follow the rules of the game. Though it seems he can take advantage of this by skewing the rules to his side since he sets them. And also by not telling his opponents about the rules."
Hiruzen agreed. "It is too early to say all of this for certain. We would need more information about the ability to make better assumptions. Choza, you should work closely with the boy. Help him develop this ability to its full potential. Train him carefully. Test the limits without pushing too hard."
Choza nodded. "I will. He is lazy by nature according to his academic profile, but he listens when it matters."
Shikaku added his own thought. "I think the boy's ability might be able to change the battlefield even at such a young age. Imagine an entire enemy squad forced into a game where he controls the rules. They would not know what hit them."
The realization settled over Hiruzen and Choza who both understood at the same moment.
Everyone, enemies or allies, if caught in his ability would have to play the game that Shunsui chose.
Konoha would already know the rules because Shunsui would tell it to them. The enemy would be blind to them. That kind of advantage could turn small skirmishes into one-sided victories. Or it could backfire if an enemy learned to exploit the same rules.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. He picked up his pipe again but did not light it. "Shikaku, look into the boy's background. I believe that we had already checked it, but we need to dig deeper. Check his parents. If I am not wrong, he has unusually large chakra reserves. See if he has some Uzumaki, Uchiha or Senju relation. A distant bloodline could explain the power and maybe we would find what caused this mutated ability to appear in the boy."
Shikaku gave a small nod. "Troublesome, but I will handle it."
Choza stood up slowly. "I will keep training him. And I will watch for any signs of strain or weakness in the ability. If it has a cost like Izanagi, we need to know before it shows up in a real fight."
Hiruzen looked at both men with steady eyes. "Good. Keep this quiet for now. Only the three of us and the elders if needed. We do not want rumors spreading until we understand it fully. Dismissed."
Choza bowed slightly and left the office. The door closed behind him with a soft click.
Inside the office, Hiruzen and Shikaku sat in thoughtful silence. A new piece had appeared on the board and that too when Konoha was in war with all the other great villages. And no one yet knew how big or dangerous the piece would become.
-------Author Notes---------
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