"You're more sensible than your master, at least."
Seeing Samehada switch sides, the last glimmer in Suikazan Fuguki's eyes went out.
"I... I'll tell you everything about Shimura Danzo! Just let me go..."
"No need." Sen bent down, his voice so cold it held not a trace of emotion. "That old dog will die by my hand sooner or later. Right now, I only care about one thing.
Whether I can get back in time for breakfast."
"What do you mea—"
Samehada swung down, separating head from body.
[You killed Suikazan Fuguki. Choose the attribute to absorb: Water Release: Hiding in Mist Technique, Chakra +2, Physique +1]
"Eat up. And replenish some of my chakra while you're at it."
Watching Samehada obediently devour its former master, Sen couldn't help but remark, "Beasts will be beasts. They really could turn on their masters at any moment."
At his words, Samehada raised its gaping maw, feeling the lingering, powerful current in its tail.
If it could talk, it would definitely be saying:
That was an outright threat, and he still managed to make it sound so righteous!
This guy definitely isn't a good person!
Once Samehada had eaten its fill, Sen absorbed the system attribute [Hiding in Mist Technique] and opened his status panel to take a look:
[Name: Uchiha Sen]
[Age: 10]
[Physique: 231]
[Mental Power: 117]
[Chakra: 220]
[Kekkei Genkai: Three Tomoe Sharingan, Uzumaki Physique]
[Ninjutsu: ...Water Release: Hiding in Mist Technique, Water Release: Exploding Water Wave]
[Other: ..., Chakra Natures: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Water, Earth]
Sen nodded in satisfaction. He hadn't gotten any special Kekkei Genkai, but he now had all five elemental releases—and had even gotten a chakra-absorbing weapon that would keep him going.
Looking at it that way, the Mist Ninja hadn't seemed to come all this way to assassinate him. They'd practically traveled a thousand miles to deliver a generous gift.
He put Samehada away, took out the map, confirmed his direction, and set off at full speed.
If he couldn't make it back for breakfast, he could at least make it in time for lunch, right?
At dusk, outside Kushina's room at Konoha's seaside base.
"Kushina, please eat something. You haven't had a bite since you got back this morning," Minato and Jiraiya urged from the doorway, carrying food.
Jiraiya sighed. "Get your strength back. We'll counterattack Kirigakure in a few days. Then we can avenge Sen!"
There was still no sound from inside the room.
The two exchanged a look and sighed helplessly.
As they stood there, a figure walked past them, picked up some food, and took a couple of bites. "Thanks. I was just getting hungry."
The previous moment, Minato had been furious. The next, his eyes lit up with joy.
"Sen?! You're all right?!"
"Sen, you made it back?" Jiraiya beside him stared wide-eyed.
Hearing that familiar voice, hurried footsteps sounded inside the room. The door was flung open with a bang, and a red-haired figure, sobbing, crashed into Sen's arms.
"Waaah... I thought... I'd never see you again... Why did you take so long to come back?"
Kushina clung to him, crying so hard her tears streamed down her cheeks, as if she were pouring out all her fear and hurt.
Only after a long while, with Sen quietly soothing her, did she gradually stop crying. But she still clung to him like a koala, refusing to let go.
"All right, all right. Everyone's watching," Sen said, gently patting her back. "Besides, I'm starving. Aren't you?"
The Uzumaki physique was especially bad at handling hunger.
"I... am." Kushina finally let go. Though she was still sniffling, she couldn't take her eyes off Sen for even a moment, afraid this was all a dream.
The four of them headed to the base's food hall. Since there were usually many ninja stationed there, they had a special area where prepared food was served.
As soon as the food was brought to the table, Sen set to devouring it without pause.
After a whole day without food, he felt like he could eat a whole cow.
Only after Kushina had convinced herself that this wasn't a dream and that Sen really was all right did she join him and the others for a meal.
Minato waited until the two of them had nearly finished eating before asking impatiently, "Sen, how exactly did you escape? And how did you get Suikazan Fuguki's sword?"
Sen tossed Samehada onto the ground and explained, "This isn't just an ordinary sword. It's called Samehada. I don't know what kind of creature it is, but it has a will of its own, and it can devour chakra."
As he spoke, Samehada wriggled across the ground like a caterpillar, trying to escape.
"By the way, it doesn't look like it's eaten enough. What do you think this sword would taste like grilled?"
At that, Samehada lay perfectly still, playing dead while Minato examined it.
Sen explained casually, "I activated my Sharingan, and my opponent got caught in an Illusion Technique when he let his guard down. Then I killed him."
"You killed a Jonin?" Minato exclaimed in shock. Then, after thinking back over the ambush, he continued, "And doesn't the Sharingan evolve gradually? How did you jump straight to the highest level, the Three Tomoe?"
"Everyone has to keep some secrets, don't they?" Sen replied, then looked toward Jiraiya and changed the subject. "After all, even the village has plenty of secrets.
When I got back to the base today, the Anbu checked on me several times. They were quite 'certain' I was dead.
Since when has the village been so quick to get the news?"
Jiraiya, who had been smiling with relief just a moment earlier, fell silent.
He knew Sen was questioning him about Danzo's betrayal.
After a long pause, he sighed. "I'll do my best to investigate. Orochimaru said that mission was assigned to us directly by the higher-ups... Anyway, we're all glad you made it back.
Tell us what happened after that."
Sen nodded and told them what had happened, continuing to fill his stomach as he spoke.
He knew there was no way Jiraiya, barely in his twenties, could take down Danzo.
The village's cancer would need an outside blade like his to rip it out by the roots.
Kushina sat quietly beside them, listening.
She secretly pinched her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming.
The last time she had cried this hard was when she'd been brought to Konoha and met Grandma Mito for the first time.
Kushina had always known why Konoha had sought her out. Even with the Uzumaki Clan's long lifespan, Grandma Mito was nearing the end of hers.
She'd always known that she was to be the village's future "weapon"—a "Jinchuriki" whom people would despise.
But now, looking at Sen, she felt a longing unlike anything she had ever known.
He spoke of it as if it were nothing, but the wound on the web of his thumb that had yet to heal, the tears in his clothes, and the life-or-death battle he'd faced...
It all stabbed at her heart like needles.
If she'd already been a Jinchuriki when Sen was in danger, would she have been able to protect him?
Kushina looked at Sen and murmured to herself, "Grandma Mito, is this what you meant by 'love'? If it is, then I'm willing to become a Jinchuriki.
As long as I can protect Sen and everyone else."
Once she'd made up her mind, she suddenly slapped the table, her eyes blazing with a fighting spirit she'd never felt before. "Jiraiya-sensei! When are we counterattacking Kirigakure? I want to avenge Sen!"
Jiraiya laughed heartily. "You've finally gotten your spirit back! Don't worry, Orochimaru has already taken a group to get revenge! Just wait two more days, until the village reinforcements arrive. Then we'll take Lookout Island back together—and march on Kirigakure!"
Before you continue