A Smile with All Your Might * The Treasure Vault

Meanwhile, the Ise Main House...

The atmosphere in the banquet hall was off from the start. The host was absent, the guests whispered and murmured amongst themselves, and the dishes on the table had been changed repeatedly, but no one was actually eating.

The matriarch sat in the main seat, a polite smile on her face, but her grip on the fan tightened.

That unfilial son, how dare he disappear in front of so many guests!

What a disgrace!

Just as she was about to send people out to search again, the servant whom Izuna had stopped hurriedly crossed the corridor and whispered a few words in her ear.

"You unfilial son!" The mistress slammed her hand on the table, making the wine cup jump.

The whispers among the guests ceased abruptly, and all eyes turned to her.

She stood up, the smile vanished completely, replaced by a pent-up rage. "Surround the estate!"

As expected, they came up empty-handed.

The lights were still on in the back of the Summer Evening Bar, and there were three empty wine glasses and a half-empty sake jug on a low table, but no one was in sight.

The maids knelt on the veranda, trembling as they said that the young master had come back and left again, and they didn't know where he went or who he was with.

The mistress stood in the empty courtyard, the night wind blowing, and the lantern light flickered a few times.

Some of the guests behind her awkwardly took their leave, while others, who had close ties with the Ise Family, stayed behind her, standing at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, unsure of how to begin.

An older diner stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Madam, why don't you go back and wait? The young master will return eventually."

"Wait?" The mistress turned around, her eyes filled with years of hardened resolve and resentment. "He thinks he can force me to submit like this? Go find him! Turn this whole street upside down and find him! Don't come back if you don't find him!" The servants, with bitter faces, obeyed and scattered.

Meanwhile, the protagonist being searched for was holding a wine glass, leaning against a pillar on the side of the banquet hall, watching the figure on the stage playing and singing the Biwa.

Izuna had borrowed a Biwa from the musician at the ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) at some point, and was now sitting next to the head of the table, his fingers flying across the strings, singing a tune he had never heard before.

"How are you all doing lately? Come on, let's laugh together! Don't be shy, lift your heads, forget your worries, frustrations, or anxieties. Tonight is a party, so let's sing and dance!"

The melody was light and lively, and the lyrics were equally enthusiastic. At first, the merchants and nobles present maintained their airs, but after a couple of drinks, some of them started banging on the table to the rhythm. He single-handedly brought the entire banquet hall to a lively and bustling state.

Enma quietly slipped in at some point, chose an inconspicuous corner to sit down, and placed a pot of sake in front of him, quietly pouring himself a drink.

Seeing that he was trying so hard to make himself inconspicuous, Enma raised his glass to him from afar. Haruto saw this, nodded slightly in return, and continued to drink.

"Young Master Haruto." The Chamber of Commerce President walked over with a wine glass in his hand and stood beside him.

The president was a middle-aged man in his early fifties, slightly overweight, with a smile that resembled that of Maitreya Buddha, but his narrowed eyes still shone with a sharp glint.

He followed Haruto's gaze to Izuna, who was singing and playing instruments on stage, then glanced at Enma, who was quietly drinking in the corner, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "You birthday boy, why aren't you the star of your own home? Why are you coming here to freeload?"

"What you're saying, Chairman, sounds awful, like you're begging for a free meal." Haruto clinked glasses with him. "I don't like my own Birthday Banquet, so I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to give it to me."

"You're still so audacious." The president chuckled at his words and shook his head. "If your mother found out you were freeloading at my banquet, she'd definitely send people to smash up my shop tomorrow. But speaking of which, was that person on stage someone you brought?"

"That's right, how was it? Pretty fun, huh?" Haruto gestured with his chin toward Izuna, his tone tinged with admiration. "Actually, coming here wasn't my idea, it was his. He said the person celebrating their birthday has to be happy, so I came here with great enthusiasm to freeload."

"Wow, there are people even bolder than you..."

"Absolutely! They're completely unbound by anything, as free as Yōkai."

So who is he?

"Ah, him? He is..."

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out from one side of the banquet hall.

Several men who looked like security guards surrounded Enma's table. The one in the lead was saying in a low voice, "Please leave." His tone was polite enough, but his attitude was very clear.

The surrounding guests turned their heads in surprise, some whispering among themselves, while others wore expressions of disgust—clearly, the security guards they had called.

Enma remained seated, his wine glass still in his hand, his expression calm, but the fingers gripping the handle of the glass tightened slightly.

Haruto frowned slightly.

He bowed slightly to the president, put down his wine glass, and walked through the crowd. "Gentlemen, what's going on here?"

He walked to Enma's desk and naturally stood between the security guard and Enma.

The head security guard recognized him and immediately bowed. "Young Master Ise, this guest doesn't seem to be an invited guest to our banquet, and judging from his hair color, he should be from the Land of Whirlpools. Things are tense lately, we're afraid—"

"What are you afraid of? He's a guest I brought." Haruto interrupted him, his tone brooking no argument. "If there are any problems, I'll vouch for him."

The security guards exchanged glances, then looked at the Chamber of Commerce President behind Haruto.

The president had also arrived at some point and stood a few steps away. He frowned slightly as he looked at Enma's red hair, but in the end, he simply waved his hand, and the security guards retreated.

Haruto turned to Enma and bowed slightly. "I'm so sorry, I spoiled your fun."

Enma shook his head and said, "It's nothing," but the fingers holding the wine glass hadn't completely relaxed.

The guild leader pulled Haruto aside and asked in a low voice, "You know what's been happening in the Land of Whirlpools lately, right? The Land of Water and the Land of Lightning are keeping a close eye on things, and even the Land of Hot Water has started investigating Land of Whirlpools caravans. The red-haired Uzumaki Clan isn't very popular anywhere these days. Do you really want to get involved with these people?"

Haruto patted the president on the shoulder, his tone relaxed yet serious. "Well, this is someone my friend brought, I can't let him get kicked out. Besides, today is my birthday, so let it be."

The president was silent for a moment, glanced at Haruto, then at Izuna on stage who was completely oblivious to the climax of his song, and finally sighed helplessly, his wrinkles twitching. "You kid, I'm really impressed."

"Put down your luggage for now, and take off your clothes for a moment! Everyone has sad things in the past. If it still hurts, then laugh through your tears!"

Izuna twirled up to Haruto and put his arm around his shoulder. "Even if you're being laughed at, hold your head high! At least show a smile, because think back to when you were born, you and everyone around you were smiling."

Izuna sang the interlude "Wahahaha" as she jumped towards the center.

Seeing him like this, Haruto couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Fist towards the future, now open your arms! Harmonize with your voice to unleash your power! Shake up and down, don't rush forward! Take a step, now just unleash your full potential!"

"Yo!" Haruto shouted along, his eyes narrowing into slits with laughter.

Why are we born? And why do we live? We live because we don't know, and by living, we will naturally find the answers!

"Sing loudly, shout, eat, drink, and dance to your heart's content! Tears make the soil sprout! Those who watch idiots dance are idiots too! Since we're all idiots, it's a huge loss if we don't dance! Wahahaha!"

The guild leader stood next to Haruto, clapping lightly to the rhythm, and turned to look at him. "He is indeed a remarkable person, but where did you pick him up from? I didn't see him when you came back."

Haruto, holding his wine glass, a smug smile on his lips, said, "How can you be so sure I kidnapped him, and he didn't kidnap me?"

"It must have been you who abducted him; your reputation with me is already ruined."

"Haha, that's right, I was the one who struck up the conversation first." Haruto tilted his head back and finished the last sip of his drink. "At the Izakaya, he was talking to Enma about something called Cocktails, and I thought he was interesting, so I joined in."

On stage, Izuna had finished singing the last verse. As the last note of the Biwa fell, he bowed deeply to the audience, who erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.

He straightened up, returned the Biwa to the musician beside him, jumped off the stage, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, but his face wore a smile that seemed to say, "I haven't had enough."

Returning to the space between Haruto and Enma, he poured himself a glass, tilted his head back, drank it all, and let out a long sigh.

"Izuna," Haruto said after he finished drinking, "Does this song have a name?"

"A smile that can save a life—that's his name."

"Did you write this yourself?"

Izuna shook his head and put down his wine glass. "No, I heard it from somewhere else."

Haruto looked disappointed. "I see... I was hoping to get to know you."

The Chamber of Commerce President then came over.

"You sang so well just now," the president said with genuine appreciation. "I've traveled all over the country for so many years and never heard this song before. The lyrics are fresh too; even this old body of mine wanted to dance along. May I ask your name?"

"Uchiha Izuna."

The chairman's smile froze for a moment, then he leaned close to Haruto, his voice low but unable to conceal the shock in his tone. "Why didn't you say so sooner! Uchiha Izuna? The one who caused a sensation in Kyoto with his performance of The Uchiha Izuna the Tale of the Heike, and who made the dead appear at the Memorial Service? How did you get to know such a powerful figure!"

Haruto was almost dying of laughter at his panicked appearance, his hand holding the wine glass trembling. "You were just praising his singing and playing, how come you suddenly changed your tune?"

"Stop laughing!" The guild leader slapped his arm anxiously, his face crinkling into a deep wrinkle. "This is no small matter! This is Diplomat from Konoha, one of the key figures in the Land of Fire's Special Administrative Region! Do you know how many people are asking about his whereabouts? He just went up on stage and played the Biwa... Oh no, oh no, was I too rude just now?"

Izuna smiled and leaned closer, "Hey, don't be nervous! I'm playing the piano because I want to, and I'm really happy!"

The chairman nearly jumped out of his chair, taking two steps back to regain his balance before quickly adopting a respectful smile, "Lord Izuna, I didn't know your identity earlier, please forgive any neglect! What kind of wine would you like? Our shop has a 30-year-old, no, a 50-year-old! A 50-year-old vintage! I'll have someone fetch it right away!"

Enma watched as the Chamber of Commerce President's round face shifted from surprise to fear and then to fawning in just a few seconds, and finally couldn't help but let out a muffled laugh.

Izuna watched the president's hurried departure, blinking in confusion, "Why did he react so strongly?"

Enma gave him Dead-Fish Eyes: "Couldn't you please have some self-awareness about your position?"

Haruto laughed so hard he could only find a place to sit down, and couldn't help but slap the table.

Izuna sat down between the two of them. "By the way, I saw something going on here from the stage just now, what happened?"

"Ah, it's nothing, don't worry, everything's taken care of." Haruto stopped smiling and didn't elaborate.

Izuna glanced at Enma, then scanned the surroundings.

The banquet hall was still bustling, but the gazes directed at Enma were not friendly.

Some people glanced sideways, some frowned, and some deliberately avoided the corner where he was, holding their wine glasses, as if red hair were some kind of contagious plague.

Merchants who are driven by profit and power are the least able to hide their true colors, Izuna thought to himself.

If there's profit to be made, they'll welcome their Father's Killer into their living room; but if there's no profit to be made, they'll avoid even longtime friends like the plague.

Now, almost everyone who looks at Enma has a look of disdain or embarrassment, which makes it clear how bad the situation is in the Land of Whirlpools.

Just then, several merchants who had been moved by Izuna's singing came over with wine glasses in their hands.

They saw him with Haruto from afar and assumed he was a musician Haruto had hired, so they came to ask if he could perform at their mansion.

But upon closer inspection, they discovered a red-haired Uzumaki Clan sitting at the table.

The businessman's smile immediately became subtle.

The leader hesitated for a moment, then turned to Haruto and said in a low voice, "Young Master Ise, not that we're being nosy, but you'd better stay away from these people. Things are tense lately, and getting involved with them could bring disaster."

Haruto frowned slightly, about to reprimand me, when Izuna suddenly exclaimed, "Enma, you're really amazing."

Enma was holding a wine glass, paused upon hearing this, and looked up blankly. "... Huh?"

"Why are you being so modest? You're so skilled in Sealing Jutsu, yet you're so low-key that almost no one knows your name. It's really something." Izuna shook his head, as if he felt sorry for him.

"Wait..." Enma tried to interrupt.

"Don't be so modest." Izuna's expression was impeccably sincere. "You're so skilled in Sealing Jutsu, yet you're as humble as an Ordinary People. That kind of detachment is truly admirable. A thin piece of paper can carry more than three hundred Kunai, and the sealing array drawn on the ground can hide the entire warehouse's supplies."

"The most amazing thing is that without your specific unsealing method, even if someone forcibly breaks the seal, they won't be able to get what's inside. What else could you call that but genius?"

Enma was overwhelmed by his string of fluent praise, and the tips of her ears began to turn red.

He coughed lightly, trying to stop Izuna from continuing, "It's just a family heirloom; I just happened to be a better student..."

"A family heirloom? Then you have even more powerful Sealing Jutsu?" Izuna asked in surprise.

Enma finally couldn't hold back any longer; the pride he had been suppressing for so long was stirred up by Izuna's words and he couldn't suppress it anymore.

He straightened his back slightly, raised his chin, and said with a hint of smugness, "It's not just Sealing Jutsu, there are also Barrier Ninjutsu. Our Uzumaki Clan's Barrier Ninjutsu can cover the entire village, and even the enemy's senses can't penetrate them."

"If combined with Sealing Jutsu, it can even forcibly eliminate enemies trapped inside the Barrier!"

"Our masks, combined with the Barrier, have countless uses! Just by wearing them, you can..."

He suddenly stopped speaking. Enma's mouth was still open, but the rest of his words seemed to be stuck in his throat.

He finally realized, belatedly, what he had just rambled on about.

"... Wait, why am I telling you all this!"

Izuna didn't give him time to regret it.

He sighed regretfully, "So it was a closely guarded secret. What a pity. If you leave, where will I get more information?"

Before Enma could answer, Haruto winked beside him and suddenly chimed in, sighing with just the right amount of regret, "Yes, it's a real shame. But it's not so bad as it is. So, Enma, would you be interested in adding a seal to my wine cellar? My house has been plagued by thieves lately; with such a seal, no one can steal my wine."

The surrounding merchants had stopped whispering at some point.

Their eyes changed.

Financial protection has always been a headache for them.

There are Ninjas in this world.

Even if Ordinary People family has guards, they can't stop those masters who can scale walls and leap across rooftops.

If you lose something, unless you hire a reliable Ninja or already have Ninjas at home, you'll mostly just have to accept your bad luck.

Even if it's Sealing Scrolls, as long as the scroll itself is stolen, someone will take on the job of breaking the curse, and their goods still cannot be guaranteed to be safe.

However, if they directly hire a member of the Uzumaki Clan to seal their warehouses, shops, and mansions, their financial security will be truly guaranteed!

A merchant cleared his throat and spoke first, "Enma, could you perhaps draw a similar sealing array in the warehouse? I have a Medicinal Herbs warehouse, and a batch was stolen a few days ago—"

Another merchant immediately chimed in, "No, no, no, come to my place first! My family deals in silk, and our warehouse is much bigger than a Medicinal Herbs warehouse!"

The third merchant squeezed into the crowd, his voice booming over the first two. "What do you know! He's a true descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, and he just mentioned Barrier Ninjutsu that can cover the entire village! This isn't an ordinary Ninja, this is... What's your name again? Enma, right? When are you free? Let's sit down and talk!"

Enma was surrounded and completely bewildered.

Just minutes ago, he was a disliked youth from the Land of Whirlpools, but now he's become a hot commodity that everyone wants to talk to.

Izuna leaned back in his chair, picked up his wine glass, and took a sip.

Humans are all driven by self-interest.

If the most secure treasure trove in the world contains treasures belonging to only one person, then it is a treasure that will eventually be found and claimed.

But what if it contains the treasure of many people?

Then this place will become the most indestructible safe.