Becoming a Disciple

Senju Arashi felt a wave of disappointment upon hearing that it would take three years, but since the master of sealing techniques had spoken, there was nothing she could do about it.

"Furthermore, this is a process that must be repeated multiple times; once a month is optimal. Do you intend to stay here in the Land of Whirlpools, or will you come once a month?" Uzumaki Ayako added.

Qiancao looked toward Wuming to seek her opinion, and the others followed his gaze to look at her as well.

Under the collective scrutiny, Wuming said firmly, "As long as I am with you, Qiancao, it does not matter where I go."

Ayako and Seiichiro were somewhat surprised by her statement; they could sense the immense power contained within Wuming, while one look at Qiancao's gait revealed him to be a mere beginner.

In the ninja world, such a dynamic where a powerhouse relies on the weak is extremely rare; the only comparable examples might be the relationships between the various feudal lords and their ninja retainers.

Could this boy Qiancao be incredibly wealthy? Ayako wondered to herself.

Qiancao straightened his posture and addressed Ayako solemnly, "Miss Uzumaki, may I make a request of you?"

Amused by his attempt to act like a little adult, Ayako set aside her smile and replied seriously, "Speak your request directly. Arashi's friends are my friends."

"As long as it is within my power, I will certainly do my best to help."

Qiancao rose from his cushion, stood tall, and bowed at a ninety-degree angle, "Miss Uzumaki, please take me as your apprentice!"

Ayako had not expected such a request and instinctively refused, "I have never taught an apprentice before. Wouldn't I hinder your growth?"

Senju Arashi, standing to the side, walked over to place a hand on her aunt's shoulder, urging her, "As the saying goes, 'practice makes perfect.' You may have never been a master, but Qiancao has never been an apprentice either!"

"Besides, isn't this what you wanted? You're always complaining about being bored and asking me to find some entertainment for you."

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Uzumaki Ayako felt a surge of embarrassment as Senju Arashi revealed their private correspondence.

In front of outsiders, she always maintained an image of noble, cold, and dignified composure, but in reality, she envied the reckless and unrestrained life Senju Arashi led.

It was only in private, with Senju Arashi—who was close to her in age—that she could let her guard down, yet she hadn't expected this girl to show her no face at all.

Realizing she had spoken out of turn, Senju Arashi didn't dwell on it, instead recounting the tragic background of Qiancao and Wuming to Ayako once more, finally adding:

"These two children are now without kin or a home, but if you were to take them in for no reason, I fear they aren't the type to accept such great kindness without cause."

"Why not take him as your apprentice? Wouldn't it be perfect for him to serve you as a disciple in the future?"

Ayako rolled her eyes at being called an "old lady" by Senju Arashi, but she was already moved by the idea of taking an apprentice.

The Uzumaki Clan was dwindling; the clan was filled with old men and women, with very few people of her own generation.

She had practiced sealing techniques with the elders since childhood, and after coming of age, she became the person in charge of guarding the Uzumaki Clan's seals, never once venturing far from the Land of Whirlpools.

It wasn't until Senju Arashi turned twelve that she finally made her first friend.

Hearing the story of these two Uchiha children, a desire to protect them welled up from the bottom of Uzumaki Ayako's heart.

With that, she gently pushed aside Senju Arashi, who had been massaging her shoulders, and walked over to Qiancao, who remained in his bowing posture. She spoke with a tone of authority:

"My lessons are quite rigorous. If you wish to be my apprentice, you must be prepared to endure hardship."

Driven forward by a series of distressing events, Qiancao's desire to become stronger was higher than ever, and Ayako's strict requirements were exactly what he needed.

He straightened up and gave Ayako a bright smile, "I will certainly not let you down, Master!"

Just as he moved to bow again, Ayako stopped him, holding his shoulders so he would look her in the eye.

Observing Ayako at such close range, he was struck by her exquisite beauty; even the heavily edited photos from his past life could not compare.

"I don't care for those tedious formalities," Ayako said, releasing his shoulders so he could stand straight. "Just don't defy me in the future."

Looking at Qiancao, she noted that although he was still young and somewhat frail, the trials of the past month had already begun to carve a mature, handsome look onto his face.

The more she looked at her first apprentice, the more she liked him, and she couldn't help but pull out a pendant to give to him.

Senju Arashi, standing nearby, cried out, "Hey, hey, hey! I've asked you for that pendant so many times!"

Ignoring Senju Arashi, Ayako said gently to Qiancao, "I have nothing prepared in such a rush, so please, take this."

Qiancao looked at the pendant in his hand; a piece of crystal-clear jade hung from a fine silk cord, looking incredibly valuable at a glance.

"This is too precious," Qiancao demurred. "We are already happy enough that you are willing to take us in; I cannot accept something so valuable."

Ayako laughed, "The pendant itself isn't worth much, but it contains a sophisticated ninja mechanism. By channeling chakra into it, you can resonate with the Resonance Stones in the Land of Whirlpools, allowing you to communicate regardless of the distance."

"This was the first ninja tool I designed when I came of age. It holds great sentimental value, and I had long since decided to give it to my own apprentice."

Senju Arashi chimed in, "That's right, just take it! I was only joking earlier!"

Only then did Qiancao hang the pendant around his neck and say to Ayako, "In that case, thank you, Master!"

Ayako smiled with satisfaction and signaled the attendants outside to prepare another round of food.

This meal was even more sumptuous, including several bottles of fine wine. As they ate and drank in the cabin, the distance between them seemed to shrink even further.

Wuming watched as Qiancao, Ayako, Senju Arashi, and Seiichiro chatted and laughed, everyone enjoying themselves. She felt happy for Qiancao, yet for some reason, a trace of sadness lingered in her heart.

Seiichiro appeared rough and sturdy, but he had the lowest tolerance for alcohol among them; he collapsed onto the table and passed out after only one cup.

Ayako, sitting at the head of the table, mocked him, "This fellow is still as fragile as ever. Someone, come and carry him away!"

Her demeanor was that of a seasoned drinker, which gave Qiancao a slight sense of worry for his future.

Senju Arashi and Ayako both insisted that the children should not drink, and soon the two women were drinking cup after cup until they both slumped over their seats, fast asleep.

It was then that Qiancao noticed Wuming had slipped out of the cabin at some point.

Qiancao went to the deck to search for her, and only after rounding the other side of the ship did he see Wuming standing by the railing, lost in thought.

Qiancao felt a stir in his heart; he hugged her from behind and asked, "What's wrong? You've seemed unhappy since a while ago."