Before Departure

Only three young people remained in the room. Senju Arashi smiled and asked Qiancao, "How was it? Were you frightened by my father?"

Qiancao shook his head and gave a wry smile. "A little, perhaps. But I wasn't worried about being kicked out; I was only worried that I wouldn't be able to continue being friends with you."

Senju Arashi was taken aback by his words. After a moment, she continued, "Don't worry. I know my father too well. Not only will he not oppose our association, but he actually wants you to stay for a while longer."

Hearing this, Qiancao asked in confusion, "As the head of the Senju Clan, shouldn't your father be taking a stand, leading his family and friends to be at irreconcilable odds with the Uchiha?"

"In normal circumstances, he would certainly have to keep his distance," Senju Arashi explained patiently. "It is precisely because my father is the clan head that he cannot act on impulse."

"As long as your identities are beneficial to the Senju Clan, my father is practically begging for you to stay here forever."

Qiancao asked in surprise, "Do we have some sort of special identity?"

"Uchiha clansmen persecuted by the Uchiha family, of course. Isn't that the best identity to have?" Senju Arashi said with a smile.

"Do you think my father left in such a hurry because he had other business?"

"He went to find people to spread your story far and wide! He is eager to make your background sound even more tragic and expose the inhumane atrocities of the Uchiha, just so the outside world's impression of them worsens even further."

Qiancao had not expected that beneath Senju Raizo's honest and simple exterior lay such a mastery of public opinion warfare; he couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect.

Seeing Qiancao grasp the point so quickly, Senju Arashi was quite satisfied with his intuition. She stood up and stretched, revealing the curves of her chest to their fullest extent.

Beside her, Wuming looked at the "mountains" on her chest and then down at her own "hills," a wave of inexplicable sorrow welling up in her heart.

"I'll take you to find a place to rest," Senju Arashi said with a yawn. This was the first time she had experienced such a grueling mission, and her body was truly exhausted.

Senju Arashi led the two out of the Senju Main House courtyard, winding through several turns before stopping in a corner of Senju Village in front of a small courtyard containing three little huts.

"This is a small courtyard I built with the money I earned from missions," Senju Arashi introduced to them. "I rarely stay here, though. You two are the first friends to come here as guests."

The three walked into the courtyard and reached the door of the guest room, which Senju Arashi pulled open.

From the outside, the room lacked any expensive decorations, but the decor was fresh and elegant, with brand-new tatami mats covering the entire floor.

The three took off their shoes and stepped inside; the soft texture felt very comfortable to Qiancao.

Ever since he had been thrown into the Uchiha prison, this was the first time Qiancao had stayed in such a nice house, and he couldn't help but feel his mood gradually relax.

Senju Arashi took the bedding out of the closet, and Qiancao hurriedly took it from her to help spread the beds on the floor.

While laying out the bedding, Qiancao inadvertently caught a glimpse of the soles of Senju Arashi's feet. They were white with a rosy tint, delicate and lovely, and her jade-like feet were slender and graceful—a different flavor from Wuming's petite and exquisite ones.

I wonder how she maintains them; despite the wind, rain, and long journeys, there isn't a single callus.

Qiancao thought to himself, then felt his lecherous nature was somewhat pathetic. She is kind enough to host you, yet you are here indulging in lewd thoughts. You really are shameless. A trace of annoyance appeared on his face.

Senju Arashi, having finished making the bed, turned to see Qiancao's expression and assumed he didn't want to stay there.

"Although there are rooms at the Senju Main House, there are too many people coming and going," Senju Arashi explained her reasoning for arranging them here. "Your identities are somewhat sensitive, after all. Staying here will save you a lot of trouble."

Coming back to his senses, Qiancao quickly said, "It's nothing, nothing at all. The conditions here are already very good."

"I will help prepare your three meals a day. Just get some good rest and stay here with peace of mind for a few days."

"The Uzumaki Clan, where my aunt lives, is on a small island in the sea. We need to take a boat to get there, so I need to find someone to make preparations before we can set off."

"At the same time, I need some time to report that I'm safe to various friends around here. Once everything is settled, I will take you to the Land of Whirlpools to find my aunt."

"My aunt is an expert in sealing jutsu! She even participated in the design of the seals used to contain the Tailed Beasts!"

Hearing the familiar term, Qiancao felt a stir in his heart; he wondered where the nine Tailed Beasts were active these days.

"By the way, if Seiichiro comes to challenge you to a spar, just ignore him," Senju Arashi cautioned Qiancao before leaving.

Qiancao asked, "Is this Seiichiro very strong?"

"Although I'd like to say he isn't stronger than me," Senju Arashi said regretfully, "it's a pity that he has never lost to me. I hear he and Hideki, the top youth expert on the Uchiha side, are evenly matched; neither can do anything to the other."

"He has loved to fight since he was a child and has a wealth of experience, but he is a reasonable person. If you don't fight him, he won't force you."

After saying this, Senju Arashi waved her hand and said, "I'm going to find you something to eat. Wait for me in the room!"

After Senju Arashi left, Wuming found a corner and sat down, lost in thought.

Qiancao sat beside her and asked, "What's wrong? You haven't said a word since we arrived. Are you not feeling well?"

Wuming didn't answer immediately. She first pulled Qiancao's arm into her embrace, as if drawing courage from it, before continuing:

"I just feel a bit strange inside," Wuming said, bowing her head and speaking in a muffled voice. "I have killed many Senju ninja, and now I am a guest in the Senju territory."

"Perhaps the people we passed on the road today had friends or relatives who died at my hands. Yet here I am, being treated as a guest. No matter how I look at it, it feels strange."

Qiancao was speechless. He understood that Wuming's feelings were driven by a sense of guilt, and he could only comfort her:

"There is no helping it. Between great powers, they attack each other for territory; there was never any absolute justice to begin with."

"We have done our best by choosing not to provoke conflict and striving to make this world a better place."

Qiancao felt his own comfort was pale and powerless. His motherland in his previous life had been ravaged by the flames of war, and he had no standing to speak of forgiveness on behalf of his predecessors.

He could only be grateful that the wars of the Warring States period were mutual slaughters instigated by those in power for the sake of authority, unlike the unilateral invasions of the later eras.

"If those Senju clansmen truly want revenge, let them come for me. I will face them with you."

Wuming did not reply, but the strength of her embrace tightened.