"Snake–Ram–Monkey–Boar–Horse–Tiger. The hand signs for Snake and Ram are similar, so the movements in between can be omitted. Horse and Tiger are similar as well. The closer the final Tiger sign is to the chest, the more concentrated the Great Fireball will be..."
In the rear courtyard of the Daimyo Palace, Feng's Shadow Clone was gradually refining the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
"Let chakra adhere along the edge of the blade, then circulate the chakra in your hand from the blade's edge to its spine, either forward or backward. Start slowly, then speed up..."
Meanwhile, his true body slowly swung the newly purchased famous sword containing Chakra Metal, practicing the portion of White Fang Swordsmanship that made a blade sharper.
As for Daimyo Aiko Hamuro, she sat obediently in the courtyard corridor as usual, reading for a while before watching Uchiha Feng for a while.
Whenever someone came in, she would drive them away one by one to avoid disturbing Feng's training.
These days, which appeared harmonious to outsiders, continued for quite some time.
"Kid, I brought them back."
Suddenly, someone dressed head to toe in black barged in. Ignoring Aiko Hamuro's displeased frown, he walked straight up to Feng and spoke.
The moment he spoke, Aiko Hamuro, who had been about to rebuke him, immediately fell silent.
She recognized the voice. The newcomer was the mysterious person who had an extremely close relationship with her husband and spent most of his time protecting him.
Since he was not some irrelevant person casually interrupting her husband's training, such rudeness must mean something important had happened. Thus, she held back her reprimand so as not to interfere with her husband's business.
"My lord." "My... lord..." "My... lord..."
Then came three more voices: one crisp and decisive male voice;
one confused, hesitant female voice, and the last was the frightened voice of a child.
Their owners, two adults and one child, were likewise dressed entirely in black and followed behind the black-robed man who had spoken to Feng first.
"Thank you for the trouble, Senior. Let's go. We'll talk in the secret chamber."
Feng stopped what he was doing and smiled at the person before him.
There was no need to say more. The newcomer was Uchiha Mikio, while the two adults and one child behind him were—
The man was naturally Kuniyoshi, the Iron Country samurai instructor whom Feng had also summoned through Impure World Reincarnation.
The other two, barring any surprises, were Karin Uzumaki and her mother.
Thus, Feng was about to get busy.
Inside the secret chamber, Uchiha Mikio, Kuniyoshi, Karin Uzumaki, and her mother removed their black robes.
Feng looked over Karin Uzumaki and her mother, the former clutching tightly at her mother's leg.
In truth, he could not recognize Karin, who had appeared in the anime at over ten years old but was now only one. It was even more impossible for him to recognize her mother, who had never appeared in the anime at all.
However, both had the Uzumaki clan's signature red hair, along with distinctive red eyes and bite marks all over the mother's body.
Their identifying features were extremely obvious, so Feng easily confirmed their identities.
"Madam, I still do not know your name."
He looked at Karin's mother and spoke with a faint smile.
As for Karin Uzumaki, she was only one year old and could barely speak properly. To Feng, she was merely an attachment.
"Re... reporting... My lord, my name is Ayaka, Uzumaki Ayaka."
Karin's mother, Uzumaki Ayaka, answered timidly.
"Mm. Madam Ayaka, you should understand that we had a purpose in bringing you out of Kusagakure, correct?"
Feng continued.
"...I understand, My lord. No matter what you ask, I will cooperate with all my strength.
"But could you please show mercy and spare my child? She is still so young. I beg you."
Uzumaki Ayaka spoke weakly. Even as she spoke, she had already fallen to her knees, her eyes filled with pleading and supplication.
"Your daughter is named Karin, right?"
Feng did not answer. Instead, he asked a question.
Only one year old, Karin raised her head in confusion when she heard her name called and looked at Feng.
"M-My lord, you know Karin's name!? You..."
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Ayaka's pleading gaze instantly turned to terror.
Someone from a thousand miles away knew the name of her one-year-old daughter but did not know hers. It was hard not to wonder what intentions he had toward her daughter.
"Hehe, don't be afraid. I have no interest in her.
"I merely need your help with something. She is only someone you care about, someone who can make you help me without worry."
Seeing that Uzumaki Ayaka had been frightened, Feng hurriedly explained with a smile.
He needed her to perform the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. If he did not soothe her and make her willing, then when she actually used it, she could take him away with her.
"Then... My lord, Karin..."
Uzumaki Ayaka's eyes lit up, and she asked timidly.
"As long as you can help me, I will take Karin as my disciple and sincerely teach her to become a ninja. She will never repeat the life you have lived."
Feng made a verbal promise that Uzumaki Ayaka could hardly refuse.
"Is... is that true?"
Uzumaki Ayaka gently stroked her daughter Karin's head, unable to believe it.
"Given the circumstances of you and your daughter, I have no reason to deceive you."
Feng replied casually.
"Yes, for a mother and daughter like us, there truly is no need for My lord to deceive us."
Uzumaki Ayaka muttered upon hearing that, but a rare smile of relief appeared on her face.
Karin rarely saw her mother smile, so she timidly asked:
"Mama... Mama, does that mean... no one will take you away today?"
She had only seen her mother smile on days when no one took her away.
"Mm, not only will no one take your mother away today, no one will take her away for a long time to come.
"She will stay with Karin for a long time."
Before Uzumaki Ayaka could answer Karin, Feng spoke first and answered for her.
And Feng had not actually deceived Karin.
Before Uzumaki Ayaka learned the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, Feng would not place too many restrictions on her as long as she did not leave the Daimyo Palace.
"Really!? My lord!?"
The previously timid Karin cried out in delight.
She was only a one-year-old child, so naturally her emotions changed quickly.
If she had not previously lived in the hellish environment of Kusagakure, she might still have been babbling as she learned to talk rather than being forced to speak so fluently at such a young age.
"Mm, really. As long as your mother completes the task I give her, I guarantee that she can stay with you until old age."
She can stay with you until old age, but she cannot stay with you as you grow up.
After speaking, Feng added silently in his heart.
After Uzumaki Ayaka used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, she would die inside the Death God's stomach. Even Impure World Reincarnation would not be able to pull her back.
Naturally, she would then be unable to watch Karin grow up.
However, in the future, Orochimaru would cut open the Death God's stomach while using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and release all the souls inside.
By then, Feng should already have obtained Uzumaki Nagato's Rinnegan, so he would naturally have a way to revive Uzumaki Ayaka.
Therefore, once she was revived, Uzumaki Ayaka would be able to stay with Karin until old age.
"My lord, please tell me what you need me to do.
"I will definitely complete the task you give me. Definitely."
At that moment, Uzumaki Ayaka gently moved Karin a little away from her, then began kowtowing with utmost seriousness and devotion.
She did not know whether the lord before her was telling the truth.
But for herself and her daughter, who had been in hell not long ago, even if there was only the slightest hope, she had to seize it.
She had lived in hell and knew how painful it was. As a mother, she could not let her daughter live in hell as well.
And just as the lord before her had said, he had no reason to deceive her.
Therefore, this hope had to be real!! She!! Had to grasp it tightly!!
That way, regardless of what happened to her, at least Karin would not live in hell in the future.
"Hehe, the fact that you awakened a self-healing constitution without training is enough to prove how pure your Uzumaki bloodline is.
"And what I need you to do is not difficult for an Uzumaki with a pure bloodline.
"You only need to learn either one of two Uzumaki Sealing Jutsu.
"Then, use the Sealing Jutsu you learn to do something for me.
"Once it is done, I will let you and Karin live the life you want here."
Feng still wore a faint smile.
"My lord, I have never learned Sealing Jutsu before. I do not know whether I can learn them.
"But please rest assured, My lord. I will do my utmost. I will risk my life to learn."
After pondering for a moment, Uzumaki Ayaka answered sincerely.
Before the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, she had still been a child and had never come into contact with her clan's Sealing Jutsu.
After the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, she fled all the way, only to end up in hell, completely cut off from the outside world.
Therefore, she herself did not know whether she could learn her clan's inherited Sealing Jutsu.
Thus, she did not dare guarantee the lord before her that she would definitely learn them. She could only say that she would give it everything she had and learn them with her life on the line.
"Mm. First, take Karin and rest for a few days. Recover from the bite wounds on your body and replenish what your body lacks.
"In a few days, I will arrange for someone to teach you the two Sealing Jutsu you need to learn.
"When the time comes, choose the one you are most confident you can learn based on your own circumstances.
"During this time, you and your daughter may stay together."
Feng nodded slightly, then turned to Kuniyoshi. "Senior, please take them to the residence Aiko previously used in the Imperial Residence and settle them there.
"Then, Senior, you can take a look around the Samurai Training Ground. I obtained White Fang's swordsmanship and Great Swordsman Jūbei's sword techniques from Konoha, and they are all stored there. I think you should be interested.
"Also, arrange for several samurai to watch this mother and daughter around the clock."
After speaking, Feng turned to Uzumaki Ayaka. "Madam Ayaka, I hope you do not mind."
"My lord, compared to Kusagakure, this is already heaven. How could I mind?"
Naturally, Uzumaki Ayaka did not mind and answered respectfully.
"Mm, good. Then you may leave for now."
Feng waved his hand upon hearing that, indicating that Kuniyoshi and Karin's mother and daughter could leave.
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