Visiting Origin Island

The innocent exclamations and playful laughter rose and fell, pure and vibrant, adding a lively touch to the solemn Training Ground.

Ban remained aloof and indifferent, arms crossed, his gaze sweeping lightly across the Training Ground, his expression calm and unmoving.

Unbeknownst to anyone, his steps faltered for a moment, his cool gaze lingering on the carefree children.

Izuna Uchiha followed his gaze and looked at the little girl by the railing, her eyes full of longing. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he softly remarked, "How wonderful. The children here, before they even turn six, are already wielding swords and facing death on the battlefield."

He paused Setsuna a moment, then slowly turned around. His aged voice was soft, yet it held a pride and serenity that had been building up over decades.

"This is an ironclad rule set by Lord Natsu. All underage members of the clan must complete all the courses in the Clan Academy before they can undertake actual combat missions."

Even if one successfully completes the training, the initial trials will be limited to the peaceful waters of the West Blue; one is absolutely forbidden from venturing into dangerous areas.

He looked up at the sunset and added softly, as if to himself, or as if solemnly informing the two old friends behind him.

"Some rules are never written down but are already ingrained in the blood of the new generation of clansmen."

"Our Uchiha children no longer have to risk their lives for a moment of peace."

Izuna Uchiha nodded slightly upon hearing this, remaining silent.

Ban, who had always been silent, slowly loosened his arms that were wrapped around his chest.

That subtle movement, unnoticed by anyone, quietly revealed the emotion deep within his heart.

Passing through the Training Ground, you'll find the newly renovated Royal Academy campus.

Tekka was half-squatting beside the training ground, personally supervising the physical fitness test of the new batch of Earthly Chief Guard reserve soldiers. His expression was serious and meticulous.

He caught a glimpse of a group of people slowly approaching out of the Setsuna. He immediately straightened up and was about to step forward to greet them when his gaze swept over two unfamiliar figures. He suddenly froze on the spot.

He had never seen these two people, and there was not a single portrait of them recorded in the clan's records or ancient scrolls.

But just the two figures standing there, dressed in ancient Clan Uniform, exuding a sense of oppression and profound heritage that transcends time, made his knees instinctively feel weak.

This is not fear, but an instinctive reverence for the clan's supreme ancestors, deeply engraved in the blood of the Uchiha, stemming from a thousand-year-old tradition and deeply rooted in their bloodline.

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Tekka quickly stepped forward, bowed softly to Setsuna, and asked in a voice filled with suppressed doubt, "Elder, which lineage do these two seniors belong to? I have never seen them before."

Setsuna raised her hand and gently patted his shoulder, her tone calm yet weighty. "Go back and look through the family genealogy, go back to the very first two pages of the Sengoku period."

That short sentence struck like a thunderbolt.

Tekka's pupils contracted sharply, his mouth opened slightly but remained agape for a long time, his throat tightened, and he finally managed to squeeze out a broken voice. "Those two seniors... didn't they already perish in the chaos of war?"

She didn't answer for Setsuna, but turned to look at the two figures standing side by side in the distance, a faint smile, weathered by time and filled with mixed emotions, spreading across her eyes.

Tekka understood instantly, his heart trembling beyond measure. He took a deep breath, straightened his back abruptly, and gave the most proper and devout military salute of his life to Madara and Izuna Uchiha's backs.

After leaving the academy, the group walked through the bustling commercial street. Shops lined both sides of the street, with smoke rising from their chimneys, creating a scene of peace and prosperity.

Izuna Uchiha's gaze was drawn to the sign of a ninja tool shop on the street corner, and he paused briefly.

The wooden plaque is polished to a warm and glossy finish, with the Uchiha Gunbai pattern and Uzumaki water pattern emblem engraved side by side, complementing each other and making it particularly eye-catching.

A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes as he murmured, "I never imagined we'd get along so well with the Uzumaki Clan."

"More than harmonious." Upon Setsuna, a relaxed smile finally appeared on Setsuna's face. "The Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan have filled many gaps in our clan's strengths. Over the years, we have helped each other and are now as close as family."

He paused briefly, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and added something new, "These days, intermarriage between the two tribes has become commonplace, with several successful unions."

Izuna Uchiha immediately became interested and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh? Whose junior is this?"

"He is the son of Chief Jin, and he married the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju."

The moment those words were spoken, Izuna Uchiha abruptly stopped in his tracks.

The gentle smile on his face faltered for a moment, then quickly turned into surprise and curiosity, finally transforming into an undisguised playful smile.

He turned to his brother, who remained calm beside him, and said with a hint of mockery, "Brother, listen to this. Hashirama granddaughter has ended up being taken home by one of our Uchiha's juniors."

Madara gazed ahead, his expression remaining calm and composed, and uttered a single, indifferent sentence. "If Tobirama knew about this, he would probably be driven mad with rage."

"I'd really like to see that guy get really angry with my own eyes," Izuna Uchiha said, his eyes crinkling with a smile.

Setsuna, who was standing nearby, added a timely follow- Setsuna, her tone tinged with suppressed amusement. "Lord Tobirama already knew. It's said that the day the news reached him, he smashed all the Scroll of Seals in his office to the floor."

This time, even the corners of Ban's lips trembled slightly, a faint smile appearing only briefly.

Izuna Uchiha could no longer hold back, and her clear laughter spread with the wind, carried by the evening sea breeze, drifting throughout the entire commercial street, light and carefree.

The group's final destination was the reconstructed Naka Shrine.

This shrine was rebuilt one-to-one with the original site of Konoha after the Uchiha on Origin Island.

The green tiles are stacked on wooden beams, and the eaves are engraved with exquisite Gunbai patterns. Even the faint dents on the stone steps, worn by time, are deliberately aged and restored to be extremely realistic.

Madara stood beneath the main gate of the shrine, gazing silently at the ancient Gunbai emblem on the lintel, remaining silent for a long time.

In the vast Dusk, he remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, his voice deep and resonant.

"Exactly the same as the one in Konoha."

"It's the exact same design, but something's still missing." Setsuna walked to his side, looked up at the solemn shrine, and said earnestly, "It's missing a stone statue, it's missing the person who used to guard the entrance."

Ban turned his head to look at him, his cool eyes showing no blame, only a calm that had settled with the passage of time.

"The statue need not be erected again." He spoke softly, yet each word was firm. "I am still alive."

Izuna Uchiha stood to the side, a gentle smile in his eyes, and softly continued, "I accept Elder's kindness Setsuna behalf of my elder brother."