Flying with Izumi

"Get up, Brother Lieyang!" Yu gently helped Uchiha Lieyang, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet.

"Yu... Young Clan Head! Please forgive me for what happened before!" Uchiha Lieyang bowed solemnly.

Yu smiled slightly. "Brother Lieyang, how could I hold a grudge against someone who is so devoted to our clansmen? Let us work together to restore the former glory of the Uchiha!"

Indeed! How could he possibly blame such a sturdy leek?

From this single confrontation alone, he had harvested nearly ten thousand Disgust Points, especially the critical hit from Uchiha Lieyang's change of heart, which had granted him five thousand Gratitude Points!

After speaking, spiritual energy rapidly gathered in Yu's hand, and a five-colored light enveloped Uchiha Lieyang's body.

Feeling the warmth in his body, Uchiha Lieyang felt tears mix with the blood on his face. At this moment, his regret reached an unprecedented height.

He felt like a complete scoundrel. To think he had plotted to cut short the life of such a magnanimous and broad-minded youth while he was still young. If he had truly succeeded, he would have been the greatest sinner of the Uchiha.

"Young Clan Head, I have failed you!" Uchiha Liehuo looked at Yu with a mix of worship and shame.

Yu gently patted Uchiha Lieyang's shoulder. "Everything is for the great revival of our clan. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact! It is nothing. Put on these new clothes, and let us have dinner together!"

Yu pressed the new clothes his mother had fetched into Uchiha Lieyang's hands.

"Brother Lieyang, the clan is currently divided. In this young body of mine, I lack the strength to unify the hearts of our people. In this regard, I hope you will put in more effort to help knit the fractured Uchiha back together. Only by being of one mind can we advance to attack and retreat to defend in the great changes to come!"

Yu looked at Uchiha Lieyang earnestly. "When you return, do not tell your grandfather that I defeated you, so as not to affect your status in the clan. The future of the Uchiha ultimately lies with us, the younger generation!"

Uchiha Lieyang felt his nose sting again. Power and reputation were the lifeblood of an Uchiha, yet Yu had set them aside for his sake without hesitation. Was this the true nature of Yu? So gentle, yet so powerful. "Young Clan Head, would that not be too much of a grievance for you?"

"Brother Lieyang, what does individual honor or disgrace matter compared to what we are doing? Right now, I am still a child. No matter how strong I am, the older generation will only see me as a little brat."

"But you are different, Brother Lieyang. You are not only a powerful ninja but also the leader of the hardliners among the younger generation. Therefore, the heavy responsibility of uniting the youth of the clan is entrusted to you!"

Yu looked at Uchiha Lieyang with a serious expression.

Uchiha Lieyang stared blankly at Yu, his heart filled with emotions too great for words.

"Yu... Young Clan Head, I await your every command. I, Uchiha Lieyang, will surely go through fire and water for your great cause!"

Uchiha Lieyang lowered his head in excitement. A warrior dies for one who understands him; though he might not have known the saying, it did not hinder his resolve to pledge his loyalty to Yu at this moment.

That night, when Fugaku returned, he witnessed a truly shocking scene: the son of his rival was serving Yu with the devotion of a young fan.

Every movement was filled with the strict observance of hierarchy.

When the group saw Fugaku return, the laughter at the dinner table fell silent.

Uchiha Lieyang quickly led his two subordinates in a deep, prostrate bow toward Fugaku.

"Clan Head Fugaku!"

Fugaku was stunned, unable to grasp what had just happened.

Since when had the son of his old rival been so respectful to him?

However, the composure he had cultivated as a clan head for many years allowed him to remain perfectly calm.

He merely nodded faintly at the three of them, then looked at his smiling wife with confusion.

Mikoto held up a finger to her lips, gesturing for silence and indicating they would talk later.

Seeing this, Fugaku could only suppress his curiosity and sit down beside his wife, feeling somewhat numb.

After bowing to Fugaku, Uchiha Lieyang turned his gaze back to Yu. "Young Clan Head, I have intruded too much today. Wada, Zongxuan, and I will take our leave! Please take good care of your health, Young Clan Head, and do not overwork yourself with clan affairs!"

Seeing Uchiha Lieyang, who was now being excessively respectful, Yu couldn't help but smile helplessly. "Brother Lieyang, let me see you out!" Yu started to rise.

"Please, Young Clan Head, stay. This is the most important time for you to be with your parents. I would not want to disturb you further because of my affairs!"

Watching Lieyang refuse with such solemnity, Yu shook his head helplessly. This was the Uchiha way! As long as you were stronger than them and showed them sufficient respect, their lives were yours.

Watching the backs of the three as they departed, Yu sighed. They could now be considered his first true faction within the Uchiha clan.

Especially since Uchiha Lieyang had awakened the Mangekyo; this was a formidable power that would be a vital asset for his future control of the Uchiha clan.

Fugaku watched the scene calmly, and only when the three were out of sight did he turn to Yu. "Yu! Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

Yu looked at Fugaku, who was still pretending to be composed, and couldn't help but laugh. "Ask Mother! She knows everything. For now, I must take Izumi home."

With that, Yu looked at Izumi, who was acting incredibly shy. "Izumi, let's go!"

Izumi nodded bashfully, remaining silent; the pressure Fugaku exerted on her was simply too great.

Fugaku felt a surge of irritation, but seeing how shy Izumi was, he swallowed his words, his eyes fixed on Yu holding Izumi's small hand as they walked out of the hall.

Only Itachi did not follow this time. His small face was as heavy as lead, and he shoveled rice into his mouth, his pupils dilated, lost in his own thoughts.

Yu and Izumi walked along the quiet path, looking at the bright full moon and the stars scattered across the sky. Both were silent.

It had to be said that in a Shinobi World unpolluted by industry, the entire sky was truly breathtaking. Looking up at the night sky, the stars shone brilliantly. Yu felt a growing sense of tranquility as he gazed at the heavens.

"Izumi, do you want to fly?" Yu asked suddenly.

"Ah! Yu-kun! How would we fly?" Izumi's face flushed red; clearly, she too had been drawn into the unique atmosphere Yu created.

"How about we go up into the sky to see the moon and the stars?" Yu looked at Izumi with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Izumi lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze. "Yu-kun, can you really do that?" Her tone was shy, yet tinged with anticipation.

"As long as Izumi wants to, there is nothing Yu-kun cannot do," Yu said with a playful tease.

Izumi lowered her head even further. This was her first time being alone with Yu, and under a sky full of stars at that. As a Konoha girl who had matured early enough, she couldn't help but slip into the mindset of a couple.

"I do!"

Izumi's voice was a murmur, no louder than a mosquito.

A teasing smile tugged at the corners of Yu's mouth. "Then, as a Divine Dragon, I shall help you fulfill that wish, Izumi!" With that, Yu summoned the Fire Sword from his Divine Sense.

The Fire Sword floated gently above the ground beside him, and suddenly, the entire blade expanded, transforming into something like a platform.

Yu scooped up the bewildered Izumi, who stood nearby, and hopped onto the Fire Sword. Her small body was incredibly soft and carried a faint, delicate fragrance.

"Ah!"

With a startled cry from Izumi, Yu stepped onto the Fire Sword and channeled his spiritual energy into the blade. A burst of flame, shaped like a Phoenix, erupted from the sword, and in an instant, they shot toward the sky like a meteor.

Although the Flying Sword was moving at an incredible speed, neither Yu nor Izumi felt the force of the wind; the phantom of the Phoenix surrounding the blade blocked all the wind resistance from their flight.

"Yu! Am I dreaming? We're really flying!" After the initial panic subsided, Izumi felt the Fire Sword piercing the sky as if it were heading straight for the moon. Her expression was filled with excitement and thrill.

She didn't even notice that her small body was still half-reclined in Yu's arms.

Watching the moon grow larger and larger, Izumi's adorable face wore a look of pure fascination, her large eyes reflecting the starry sky above.

"It's so beautiful! Yu, if only life could always be like this!" Izumi gazed at Yu, a bit dazed.

"Don't worry, Izumi. I will shoulder the responsibilities of the clan and protect both you and our people! The clan will never rot away among a pile of withered branches and fallen leaves!" Yu's expression was incredibly calm, as if everything were under his control.

Izumi stared blankly at Yu's profile. "Yu, I believe in you!" She then gently rested her small head on his shoulder, watching the bright, full moon in silence. In this moment, time felt so serene and perfect.