Uzushio Village

The salty sea breeze rippled across the glittering surface. Waves shimmering with multicolored sunset light receded from the beach, returning to the sea to gather strength anew. On the pristine shore, crabs quietly buried themselves in the sand, and everything seemed to sink back into silence.

Over the boundless dark sea, the setting sun cast its final afterglow. Ink-black clouds, like drops of ink spreading through clear water, slowly pressed toward the direction of the blazing sun's descent.

The bright golden sun bloomed with its final twilight, doing all it could to divide the sea from the sky.

This was a common sight in the Land of Whirlpools. The red-haired fishermen on the sea withdrew their gazes and, unsurprised, rowed their boats toward shore.

They rolled up their trouser legs, jumped from their boats into the waves, and braced their hands against the sterns, using the tide's force to push their harvest-laden fishing boats ashore.

A fishing net draped over his broad back, tangled with seaweed and filled with lively fish. Carrying the catch, Uzumaki Kaimi strode briskly toward the newly established village.

Konoha Hidden Village in the Land of Fire had already been founded, and the Land of Whirlpools had followed suit by establishing a village of its own. Not long ago, it had been given its name: Uzushio Village.

The Senju Clan had helped greatly during its founding. Konoha had also invited them to join when it was established, but one could not easily leave one's homeland, so they could only politely decline.

"Father."

After entering the center of the village, Uzumaki Kaimi set down the seafood on his back and spoke solemnly to the elderly man before him, dressed in a long robe with a head of graying hair.

"Put those down first. I have something to discuss with you." Having said this, Uzumaki Ashina, the current clan head of the Uzumaki Clan, turned away, leaving him with an aged silhouette.

Water-nature chakra gathered in Uzumaki Kaimi's hands, washing away the scent of seafood. Then he followed after him.

Before the desk, Uzumaki Kaimi withdrew the hands he had been about to use to pick up the scroll. His damp hands did not permit it. "What is it that's so urgent?"

Uzumaki Ashina unrolled the scroll across the desk and explained its origin to his son. "A ninja from the Senju Clan came by earlier. I've arranged for him to rest."

"Is it about asking the Uzumaki Clan to join Konoha again?"

Seeing the gray-white hair sway slightly, Uzumaki Kaimi continued, "Is this a letter from Cousin Mito?"

"No."

Uzumaki Kaimi had his answer. "It's about the Tailed Beasts, then. The Senju Clan—no, Konoha—wants which one?"

"Every one of them."

Ashina stood by the window, looking out at the deepening dusk as he spoke softly. His aged face, calm and unruffled in the glass, resembled a sea-worn rock that had weathered countless storms.

Uzumaki Kaimi snatched up the scroll and began reading. As he read further, his tranquil eyes shook violently.

Drawing upon his experience traveling with his father through the nations of the Shinobi World and sealing many evil entities, he barely steadied his turbulent mind. "Brother-in-law Hashirama and Lord Madara would have no trouble subduing the Tailed Beasts, but if they want every Tailed Beast sealed, are they asking our Uzumaki Clan to provide nine Jinchuriki?"

"No." Ashina withdrew his gaze from the distance, turned around, and continued evenly, "There's more."

Right. There was more.

Uzumaki Kaimi read every word carefully, and his tense heart relaxed. At least they were not asking for Jinchuriki. But the request that followed was difficult for him to accept. "Isn't this asking the impossible? A legendary sealing ninja tool like the Amber Purifying Pot—how could we possibly make one?"

"With the Artisan Clan's superb forging techniques, combined with the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts, there should be no problem."

Ashina took back the scroll and shot him a disdainful look. You took so long just to read a scroll. How could I entrust the position of clan head to you in the future?

Uzumaki Kaimi did not dare voice his inward complaint. That's easy for you to say. You're still the strongest in sealing arts in the Uzumaki Clan, my dear old father, the "Patriarch of Sealing Arts."

Having a father praised throughout the Shinobi World inevitably meant being compared to him at every turn. Uzumaki Kaimi could not help thinking of Lord Hashirama's son far away. His life was probably even harder than his own.

"So when are we leaving?" Uzumaki Kaimi asked.

"Don't rush. In a few days, we'll head to Konoha to sign a friendship treaty." Uzumaki Ashina lightly stroked the stack of documents on the desk.

The summer evening breeze wrinkled the shimmering river. After finishing training, Rikusei sat by the bank to rest and secretly glanced at the purple-haired girl beside him, bathed in moonlight.

Cool moonlight set off the girl's pale face. The hem of her High-Collar Robe lay spread carelessly around her, while the two short swords at her waist were half-hidden in the lush green grass, their hilts glimmering faintly amid the blades.

Their eyes met in the air, and the calmness in her ink-dark gaze settled his restless heart.

I'd get shot for being a creep. Rikusei hurriedly turned his face away and reminded himself.

"?"

Naori looked curiously at the boy beside her. Had she hit him too hard earlier? Her bandaged hand pulled out a jar of ointment from her pocket, and she handed it to him softly. "Apply this to where you're hurt. It won't hurt anymore."

The girl's kindness caught Rikusei off guard. Unable to explain the reason directly, he blankly accepted the ointment from her.

"This is?"

As their hands touched, Rikusei noticed something unusual about the girl's palm. Since he had not activated his Sharingan during their spar, he had thought she had wrapped it on purpose to grip her sword hilt better.

Apparently, that was not the case. The effort she had put in far exceeded what he had imagined.

Sitting silently beside her in the evening breeze, Rikusei quietly applied the ointment to his uninjured palm.

"Is your hand all right?"

The evening breeze, carrying a note of comfort, seemed especially gentle as it drifted into the girl's ears.

Naori curled her fingers slightly, her thumb softly rubbing over the bandages. She nodded. "Yeah. Ointment is very effective for this kind of injury. It won't affect the Clan Tournament."

"..."

Rikusei had a headache. Her hand was already injured, yet she was still thinking about the Clan Tournament. Could she rein in that competitive streak a little?

After two months at the Ninja Academy, the Uchiha Clan's Clan Tournament was approaching once again.

Rai, Naka, and Baru—the strongest students in the Clan Academy, who had once been able to fight Kagami to a draw—he wondered how their training under Elder Setsuna had gone.

Would they bring him any unexpected surprises? Thinking of that, Rikusei found himself looking forward to it.

Hunger gnawed at his stomach. The moonlit scenery by the river was a feast for the eyes, but the physical sensation was still hard to resist.

"Let's go get some barbecue?"

Rikusei lowered his voice as he made the suggestion to the girl beside him, as if speaking too loudly might scare off the little animals in the woods behind them. Fortunately, the faint rustling was still there.

"Mm!"

Though the girl did not know what barbecue was, she understood the word "eat." A quiet sound of agreement came from behind the purple hair hanging over her chest.

With his Sharingan activated, Rikusei saw that it was a wild rabbit. Dusk was precisely when rabbits were most active.

Whoosh.

A pitch-black Kunai flew into the woods beneath the cover of night. The rabbit's dying cry immediately followed—killed in a single strike.

After cleaning it and securely skewering it, Rikusei sat by the campfire and sprinkled on the seasoning. His gaze passed over the flames, and under the orange firelight, the girl's throat bobbed slightly.

Fine particles of spice drifted into the sky alongside the rising sparks. Dim firelight and cold moonlight shone over them together. Rikusei glanced up at the clear night sky. Tomorrow should be good weather.