Rikusei deftly pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the front door.
Accompanied by the rustling of leaves, Rikusei searched the courtyard for Grandmother.
After looking around for a while, he found a note on the table.
"Grandmother went dancing in the square. I've left the food ready, so my adorable grandson had better finish all his celery!"
Rikusei stared at the familiar handwriting, stunned.
The idea of Square Dance had been his.
During a casual chat, Grandmother had said that the new village was so boring, just like their old clan grounds. Rikusei had casually suggested dancing in the square for exercise.
The village lacked just about everything except space.
Once, when Rikusei had gone to bring Grandmother home, he'd discovered how terrifying the elderly Uchiha were. Their wild dance moves were chilling, while their sluggish movements put his worried heart at ease.
It was a battle dance.
The moves had been adapted from Taijutsu honed through years of turmoil.
As he chewed slowly, Rikusei pictured Grandmother's current dance moves. She was probably the best in the crowd. With all his years of experience from being harassed by Square Dance in his previous life, he figured she'd have no trouble taking first place among the elderly Uchiha.
"Cough, cough!!!"
Grandmother had come back early from the dance and gently patted Rikusei on the back. After he coughed up the miso soup that had gone down the wrong way, she sat across from him.
"Are the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan going to have a decisive battle?" Rikusei asked in a rush, his face red. What was going on? They'd only just founded the village, and now they were declaring war again?
"It's a Square Dance battle!" Grandmother patiently took a fan from the cupboard and explained to her beloved grandson, "Don't underestimate me! I'm the lead dancer of the Uchiha Clan now!"
Rikusei stared wide-eyed at Grandmother, her head full of silver hair and her fighting spirit blazing. "Does Teacher know?"
"You mean Madara?" The determined look on Grandmother's face softened into her usual kindness. She waved her fan and rose to leave. "What do children know? I'm going out to discuss tactics with your Second Granduncle."
She was certainly full of energy. That was what Rikusei wanted to say.
The elderly Uchiha and the elderly Senju had begun their clash. He couldn't imagine how bloody the competition would be on the day.
Rikusei got up, cleared away the dishes, and began his daily training.
First came chakra refinement. He was still growing, and the amount of chakra he had steadily increased day by day.
As for the precision of his chakra control, that was improving slowly too. There was no need to rush. He'd focus on refining his chakra first.
Ever since he'd first refined chakra, the cells in his body had never stopped craving it. It felt as if they could never get enough.
As a result, he had far more chakra than others his age.
In Madara's assessment, he had nearly as much as his peers in the Uzumaki Clan.
Even though the Single Tomoe only enhanced his dynamic vision, Rikusei was extremely satisfied. Besides, he felt that at this rate, he'd awaken the Double Tomoe before long.
Outside the window, the village lights gradually went out as dusk deepened.
Reluctantly, he set aside the Fire Style Scroll Madara had given him, got up, and headed for the bathroom. He should get to bed early. He was at the age when his body was growing.
The next day.
Rikusei crossed the dew-covered grass to the agreed meeting spot.
A girl in Uchiha casual clothes was waiting for him in the woods. Purple hair fell neatly over her chest, and two short swords hung at her waist.
Though they were short swords, they were taller than young Naori's torso.
"What are we training today?"
Rikusei walked up beside the girl and asked softly.
"Swordsmanship." Uchiha Naori was brief and to the point. She took a short sword from her waist and handed it to the boy before her. "You may activate your Sharingan."
It was overwhelming confidence—no, absolute confidence.
She had every reason to be confident.
Rikusei had never beaten her in their Taijutsu training.
When they sparred with Kunai or swords, he usually ended up losing.
Rikusei gripped the short sword in both hands, lowered his legs to steady his stance, and held his breath as he carefully watched every one of her movements through his Sharingan.
A gust of wind swept in.
No.
She was moving.
The figure before him had clearly vanished. The rotating Tomoe searched all around for the girl.
The clang of their short swords clashing rang out, drilling into his ears from every direction.
After a flash of blades, Naori stood calmly in front of him, watching him in silence.
Now it was his turn to attack.
Gathering chakra in his feet, Rikusei charged forward. Sparks flew wherever their short swords met.
Their blades crossed, and one of Naori's locks was cut off from above her forehead. Her calm gaze left him shaken.
She was still in control of the pace.
Their Taijutsu was evenly matched, but Rikusei was clearly at a disadvantage when it came to swordsmanship.
Again!
Rikusei spun the hilt, adjusted the direction of his attack, and suddenly brought his blade down with greater force.
The snow-white blade gleamed as it came toward her. Naori calmly raised her sword to meet it, deftly deflecting the incoming force with their clash.
After the blades parted, Naori stretched the fingers that had been gripping her hilt, easing the numb ache in them.
She knew very well that strength and speed alone wouldn't be enough to defeat Rikusei. She could only win through superior mastery of swordsmanship.
That was why she wanted to spar with Rikusei: to push herself beyond her limits under immense pressure.
Their clash continued.
The short swords, passed down from the days of war, remained unaffected by their sparks-flying clashes.
An opening!
Rikusei suddenly thrust his sword toward Naori.
Her rotating blade caught his hilt. With a deft twist, the short sword slipped from his hand and planted itself firmly in the soil.
Defeated, Rikusei smiled as he pulled the short sword from the ground. "That was a new move!"
Naori took the sword, wiped it clean, and slid it into its sheath. After tidying her somewhat disheveled hair, she replied, "It won't work next time."
"What are we doing next?" After resting for a while, Rikusei asked the girl beside him.
"Rikusei, have you heard about the decisive battle between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan?" Naori's eyes gleamed brightly as she leaned close and whispered.
Had this news already spread throughout the clan?
Rikusei nodded. "Grandmother mentioned it. Have they set a date?"
Naori shook her head, indicating that wasn't the point.
"Then what is?" Rikusei asked curiously.
"Ugh." Seated on a rock, Naori sighed and gently swung her bandage-wrapped legs as she gazed at the distant village. "There have to be contestants from every age group."
Rikusei understood what had happened. Unable to speak, he shakily pointed at himself, then at Naori.
Naori nodded. "The list has already been submitted."
In the morning light, Rikusei felt as though Grandmother had set him up. No wonder she'd rushed out last night and again this morning. It had all been a trap.
"Will the clan leaders participate?"
"Both clan leaders will."
The girl seated on the rock spoke in a gentle voice, delivering despairing news.
Rikusei could already picture himself dying of embarrassment on the spot.
Before you continue