Land of Fire.
The giant gates of Konoha emerged in the pale dawn before the morning mist had fully lifted.
The Uzumaki Crest on the two vermilion pillars, each three zhang tall, gleamed with dew. Bronze chains as thick as an adult's waist wound around the pillars. They had been made from trees cultivated by the First Hokage's Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence, and after decades of wind and frost, they showed no cracks.
Smoke from cooking fires inside the village drifted through the half-open gates and mingled with the mist rising from the Naka River beyond them, forming a hazy blue veil. A Chunin on duty crouched beneath the eaves of the watchtower to the left. Steam rising from the Bamboo Rice in his hands startled the swallows resting nearby. A faded charm pouch was tied to the hilt of the kunai in his Ninja Tool Pouch, swaying gently as he checked travel permits.
Rainwater from the previous night pooled in deep wagon ruts along the stone road, reflecting the figures passing by. An ox cart loaded with Pickled Plum creaked over the moss. A tea merchant in a Conical Hat brushed past a ninja returning from a mission, while three ninken darted through the crowd after the scent of Grilled Dango. Suddenly, a gust swept by, and a Genin squad sprinted through the checkpoint, startling an old woman selling wind chimes and tipping her bamboo basket. A Glass Lamp about to hit the ground was caught neatly by the Leading Jonin following behind them.
The sunlight grew stronger, revealing the Explosive Tag Array in the shadow beneath the gate's lintel. The Uzumaki Clan Head's Sealing Jutsu and the Nara Clan's Shadow Charm overlapped, forming vine-like black patterns across the gateframe. The guards changing shifts leaped onto the gatehouse to the chime of the third quarter of the hour of the Tiger. Their toes touched the bronze chains without making the slightest sound.
At that moment, a flock of sparrows suddenly burst from the distant woods. A ninja in a Green Vest standing on the wall grew tense, the Three Tomoe in his eyes glimmering faintly.
On a forest road three kilometers from Konoha.
Qing Xuan tightened his cloak and followed Hizashi Hyuga, gazing at the enormous gates looming in the distance. At last, he felt a weight lift from his heart.
The Elite Jonin of the Hyuga Clan had said little since they left the Land of Wind. His back was straight as a pine, and his white kimono remained spotless amid the swirling sand.
There were four members in the squad, including Hizashi Hyuga, along with three other Jonin.
That alone showed how much the village valued Qing Xuan.
They had spread out casually, but their positions formed a subtle triangular formation around Qing Xuan, keeping him in the middle. They looked as if they were simply walking along, but Qing Xuan could clearly sense their Chakra circulating around them, ready to respond to any sudden danger.
"We'll reach the village soon."
Hizashi Hyuga suddenly spoke.
Qing Xuan didn't understand why he was saying this now, but wisely followed the rest of the squad and stopped.
Hizashi Hyuga said nothing more.
But Qing Xuan noticed his fingers tightening slightly, the veins on the back of his hand standing out.
Several caws came from the woods. Qing Xuan looked up and saw several black crows sweep overhead, their blood-red eyes stark against the gray sky.
Just then, Hizashi Hyuga raised his hand. The veins around his Byakugan bulged as he barked, "Who's there? Show yourself!"
The shadows beneath the trees shifted, and five masked ninja emerged from them. They wore Anbu uniforms, but the patterns on their masks were especially strange.
The leader spoke in a hoarse voice. "We're here on orders. Hand over the Uchiha orphan."
Hizashi Hyuga didn't move. His voice was perfectly calm. "What's the reason?"
The Anbu fell silent for a moment, then said, "We suspect he was trained as a spy by Sunagakure over the past few years."
"I'm afraid I can't comply."
Hizashi Hyuga remained calm, though his voice was colder than usual. "My orders are to escort him safely to the Uchiha Clan. Besides..."
His Byakugan shifted slightly toward the pattern on the mask. "Are you really Anbu?"
The air froze.
Qing Xuan could clearly feel the Chakra of both sides colliding. Even the leaves around them began to stir without any wind. The three Jonin escorting him had already taken up battle positions, protecting him in their midst.
At that moment, a slightly hoarse voice came from above. "They're not Anbu, of course."
A young figure leaped down from the treetops, his sandy-blond hair fluttering in the wind. He wore a simple gray kimono, and the sleeve on his right arm hung empty. When he turned, Guangzhi saw the hideous scar on his left cheek, stretching from his nostril to his chin.
"Senju Nawaki."
Whispers spread among the escorting ninja.
At the sound of that name, surprise flashed through Qing Xuan's eyes. When he looked up again, the man was already standing before him.
His eyes twinkled with amusement, but his words were anything but polite.
"Still an annoying face, just as I remembered!"
He rested a hand on Qing Xuan's head, his words carrying a deeper meaning.
"Is this little guy really my sister's child?"
The Root Ninja visibly stiffened.
Senju Nawaki had only his left arm, but the pressure he radiated was suffocating. Qing Xuan could sense his Chakra—heavy as a mountain, yet brimming with life.
"Senju Nawaki, you're no longer a Konoha ninja." The Root Squad Leader tried to sound calm. "This matter has nothing to do with you!"
"Of course it has nothing to do with me."
Nawaki said this, but kept his hand on Qing Xuan's head.
"I'm only here to pass along a message."
He bent down and smiled at Qing Xuan. "What's your name, little guy?"
"Qing Xuan! Uncle, my name is Uchiha Qing Xuan!"
Qing Xuan felt the hand on his head jerk.
"You really did inherit that shameless personality from your father's side!"
Nawaki looked thoroughly annoyed as he ruffled the boy's hair. "Uchiha Qing Xuan, the Hokage has given an order! You're to go to the Hokage's building and see him at once!"
The Root Squad Leader's expression darkened. They stood in the middle of the road without moving, their attitude clear.
"What? Are you, as Konoha ninja, going to defy the Hokage's orders?"
A glint of cold light flashed in Nawaki's eyes, but he immediately smiled again.
He looked past the Root Ninja and muttered under his breath:
"If I'd known they'd show up, I wouldn't have come all this way. Those Uchiha, always so wicked, and yet they still care about family..."
The Root Ninja sensed something was wrong and turned around. Several figures had appeared behind them without anyone noticing.
Every one of them wore a Green Vest with a Dark Blue Lining.
They stood there casually, but the Three Tomoe in their eyes made it impossible to underestimate them.
Their leader was a man in his thirties. His gaze passed over the Root Ninja and settled directly on Qing Xuan. At last, a trace of emotion appeared on his usually impassive face.
"Welcome home, Qing Xuan. Uchiha Qing Xuan."
His voice was heavy, but carried clearly through the wind in the woods and reached Qing Xuan's ears.
Qing Xuan could clearly see a trace of sorrow in those crimson eyes.
Could this man be... Fugaku Uchiha?
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