The Hidden Village

Uzumaki Ashina saw Qiancao return safely and finally relaxed. "Wuming must be getting impatient waiting for you. Hurry back to the village."

Qiancao gave a wry smile. "We've been arguing lately. I don't think she wants to see me just yet."

The usually stern Ashina rarely showed a warm smile. "I've been around the block, kid. You young ones will get over your little spat in a day."

Qiancao shook his head. He had recently received a message from a spy in the Land of Water: a samurai and his men were planning to become pirates.

As it happened, a new village in the north was short on laborers, so he had set out to capture the would-be pirates and bring them back.

His opponents had been so weak, however, that after weighing his options, Qiancao had decided to go alone. Wuming, left behind in the Hidden Village, had been rather unhappy about it.

Five days had passed since he set out, and Qiancao was starting to miss Wuming too. After exchanging a few more polite words with Ashina, he headed home.

Watching Qiancao's retreating figure hurry away, Ashina shook his head and muttered to himself, "If those two would just be honest with each other, I could've had another nephew by now."

At Qiancao's current pace, it took him only two hours to cross the small territory of the Land of Whirlpools and reach Uzushiogakure.

Compared with three years ago, the Hidden Village had grown considerably. The swirling cluster of houses had more than tripled in size.

Buildings taller than the Sealing Tower had appeared in the village, but the people's reverence for the tower remained undiminished. It was still the most iconic structure in all of Uzushiogakure.

Qiancao pushed open the Sealing Tower's doors and slipped inside. The flames in the wall sconces still burned tirelessly, and with sunlight streaming in through the windows, the entire ground-floor hall was much brighter than before.

Even the fearsome statue of the Three-Tails looked a little cute in the light.

Wuming was kneeling on a cushion in front of the Three-Tails statue. Her cloud of black hair spilled down to her hips, concealing her now striking figure.

Three years had passed, and Wuming's face had acquired a womanly allure. Coupled with the air of "keep your distance" she constantly gave off, it made her mysteriously captivating.

Wuming sat with her eyes closed, facing the Three-Tails statue, as if she were deaf to everything around her.

But Qiancao knew there was nowhere in the entire Sealing Tower that could escape Wuming's perception.

After helping Qiancao complete his basic ninja training, Wuming had found herself with nothing to do, so she had also become Ayako's student and joined him in learning various ninjutsu.

As a Uchiha genius herself, Wuming was every bit as gifted as the Uzumaki Clan members when it came to learning Sealing Jutsu.

In just three years, she had taken over Ayako's sealing duties. She usually kept to herself, maintaining the seals in the Sealing Tower.

Over the past three years, Qiancao had often gone out on missions or sought people to spar with, honing his combat experience and finding material to copy with his Mangekyo Sharingan.

Wuming understood that this was the kind of experience a man needed, but she couldn't help complaining now and then.

Qiancao could only comfort her with words, but when it was time to leave, he still had to go.

Seeing that Wuming clearly knew he was back but was still pretending not to notice him, Qiancao couldn't help laughing to himself.

He reached out with both hands and gently squeezed Wuming's smooth cheeks from either side.

Stubbornly, she kept her eyes shut, and her face scrunched up. Qiancao couldn't help bending over with laughter.

Wuming finally couldn't keep up the act. She stopped ignoring him, opened her eyes, and glared at the doubled-over Qiancao. Then she lightly smacked him on the head, her voice tinged with reproach.

"You really did come back!"

Her gritted teeth did nothing to intimidate him. If anything, she looked rather cute.

Qiancao couldn't help reaching out and pulling her into his arms. He looked her up and down, then put on an adoring expression. "All right, all right. Haven't I told you? Wherever I am, my heart is always with you."

Wuming loved hearing him say cheesy things like that. She never let it show, but in her heart, she had already forgiven him nine-tenths of the way.

Smelling the faint tang of seawater on him, Wuming couldn't help worrying. "Did you go out to sea again this time? You weren't hurt, were you?"

Qiancao said confidently, "Don't worry. With my strength now, anywhere around the Land of Whirlpools, even if I run into someone I can't beat, I can always get away."

Like a considerate young wife, Wuming straightened his rumpled collar, but she still wasn't reassured. "Next time you go out to fight someone, I'm coming with you."

Qiancao gave her cheeks another rub. "If I had a bodyguard as strong as you following me around, where would the training benefit be?"

Wuming said nothing more. Looking at Qiancao before her, she tilted her head slightly and closed her eyes.

Seeing her soft lips, Qiancao couldn't help lowering his head to kiss her. Their shadows merged on the floor.

Senju Arashi had visited the Land of Whirlpools from time to time over the past three years, bringing Wuming novels and comic books popular among girls. She had also given Wuming a basic introduction to matters of gender.

Wuming wasn't as easy as she had been three years ago about letting Qiancao take liberties with her, but when their feelings grew strong, kisses and caresses were still inevitable.

After a while, the Three-Tails statue in front of them suddenly trembled slightly, startling the kissing couple.

Two years ago, Qiancao had accidentally discovered that the Sharingan could see through the Four Symbols Seal and communicate with the Three-Tails inside.

After many conversations, the human and the beast had become good friends.

The Three-Tails was reminding them with its shaking: "I'm still watching, you know. Have some consideration."

Qiancao didn't think it was a big deal. He was only kissing his girlfriend in front of a friend—a little public display of affection—and no one else was getting to take liberties with Wuming.

Wuming, on the other hand, was terribly shy. She quickly pulled away from Qiancao, lowered her arms from around his neck, and said, "Master said to go see her as soon as you got back. She has something to tell you."

"Sure thing, junior!" Qiancao replied with a grin, earning a flurry of punches from Wuming.

Wuming was two years older than Qiancao, so he was always teasing her by calling her his junior.

After fooling around a little longer, Qiancao finally went upstairs.

In his experience, his master would still be asleep at this time of the morning.

Sure enough, when he reached Ayako's room, the door was ajar, and a faint smell of alcohol drifted out.

Qiancao pushed the door open. At a glance, he saw Ayako sprawled behind the desk in a loose white robe, one bare foot resting on the tabletop and almost dipping into the plate of snacks.

One of Ayako's hands was tucked inside the collar of her robe, revealing a generous glimpse of her skin, while the other clutched a wine bottle. She was fast asleep, snoring away.