The Uzumaki Clan grounds

Ryuto followed Rena Uzumaki, her cousin En Uzumaki, and four other Uzumaki ninja deeper into the forest.

The farther they went, the denser the trees grew and the dimmer the light became.

But Ryuto could feel more and more eyes watching them from the shadows.

His Ki sensing swept outward like radar, picking up at least twenty or thirty Chakra signatures hidden behind trees and rocks, some even underground.

"Your security's pretty tight," Ryuto said.

Walking beside him, Rena Uzumaki smiled. "We have no choice. Without precautions, someone could sneak in one day and we wouldn't even know."

She walked a few more steps, then pointed at an ordinary-looking clearing ahead. "Look, the first barrier."

Ryuto looked over but saw nothing.

But he could sense something wrong with the clearing's Ki field. It was slightly distorted.

"A sensory barrier," En Uzumaki explained, looking back. "Anyone without our clan's specially made Chakra mark will be detected the moment they step inside. And then..."

He made an encircling gesture.

Got it. Facial recognition plus an automatic alarm, Ryuto thought.

After rounding a few more bends and passing through a patch of vines, the view suddenly opened up.

A vast valley appeared before them.

The valley was packed with houses, mostly wooden, with the Uzumaki Clan's crest-a red spiral-painted on some of their roofs.

Adults and children came and went between the houses, all wearing clothes bearing the Uzumaki crest.

Most striking of all were the dozen or so towering stone pillars around the valley. Covered in glowing runes, they linked together into a pale red film of light that covered the entire valley like an overturned bowl.

"A defensive barrier," Rena Uzumaki said, pointing at the film of light. "It can withstand sustained bombardment from Jonin-level ninjutsu."

"Impressive." Looking at the film of light, Ryuto considered how it resembled a Ki shield, though the principles behind it had to be different.

Chakra technology had something going for it.

The group entered the valley.

The Uzumaki clanspeople they encountered along the way looked over curiously, especially at Ryuto.

"Rena's back!"

"En!"

"Who's that outsider?"

The whispers kept coming.

En Uzumaki told Ryuto, "I'll take you to meet the elders first. Rena, come along and explain what happened."

"All right." Rena nodded.

The three left the main road and headed toward a relatively large wooden house deeper in the valley.

Two guards stood at its entrance. When they saw En Uzumaki, they nodded and let them through.

They entered.

The room was rather dim, with three old men seated in the center.

All wore dark robes, their faces so wrinkled they could trap a mosquito. Their searchlight gazes fell on Ryuto in unison.

The pressure was immense.

"En, Rena," the oldest elder in the middle, who had a white beard, began in a raspy voice. "Who is this?"

En Uzumaki stepped forward. "Third Elder, this is Mr. Ryuto, a Taijutsu ninja. He rescued Rena from the Uchiha pursuing her in the outer forest and escorted her back."

The white-bearded elder looked at Rena. "The scroll?"

Rena hurriedly took the scroll from inside her clothes and presented it with both hands. "Third Elder, I brought it back."

A bald elder beside him took the scroll, checked it, and nodded. "It's genuine."

Only then did the white-bearded elder turn his gaze back to Ryuto, looking him up and down.

"A Taijutsu ninja?" he said slowly. "In my seventy years, I've seen quite a few Taijutsu ninja. But those who can easily deal with three Uchiha Chunin... not many."

He paused. "Moreover, Rena said the jutsu you used was very unusual. Your entire body glowed, your speed and strength surged, and you used no hand seals."

Ryuto's heart tightened.

Here it comes.

"A secret method passed down in my family." Ryuto's expression remained unchanged. "It focuses on tempering the body and unlocking its potential."

"Passed down in your family?" The white-bearded elder narrowed his eyes. "Which clan? Perhaps I've heard of it."

"A small clan that declined long ago. I'm the only one left," Ryuto said. "There's no point mentioning its name."

"Oh?" The white-bearded elder leaned forward. "Then where exactly did this power of yours come from? I can't sense any Chakra flowing within you, but you do have energy... a very unfamiliar, very pure energy."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew tense.

En and Rena Uzumaki both held their breath.

Ryuto knew he couldn't bluff his way through this.

He took a deep breath. "Elder, I'm indeed no ordinary Taijutsu ninja. My power system... is different from Chakra. Please forgive me for not explaining its precise origins. That involves certain secrets."

He raised his head and looked at the three elders. "But I came to the Uzumaki Clan with no ill intent. I only wanted to seek help."

"Help?" the bald elder asked. "What kind of help?"

"Help with Sealing Jutsu," Ryuto said. "I'd like to ask your clan to make me a kind of... equipment that can store and release weight, for training."

The three elders exchanged glances.

The white-bearded elder said, "Training? Using Sealing Jutsu to make training equipment? That's certainly a novel idea. But why should we help you? An outsider of unknown origins with an unknown power system?"

Rena grew anxious and stepped forward. "Third Elder! Mr. Ryuto saved me! Without him, we would have lost the scroll, and I might have died! He's our benefactor!"

The white-bearded elder glanced at Rena. "Rena, the clan will naturally reward him for saving your life. But those are separate matters. His power is too strange. What if it's something dangerous..."

"My power isn't dangerous," Ryuto interrupted. "At least, I won't use it to hurt innocent people. I train only because I want to become stronger, and then... end some of these meaningless wars."

As he said this, he thought of Yamano Tarō.

His tone was very earnest.

The white-bearded elder stared at him without speaking.

Just then, a gentle but clear female voice came from outside.

"Third Elder, why not hear my suggestion?"

The door curtain lifted, and a red-haired young woman walked in.

She was about eighteen or nineteen, very pretty, with bright eyes and a composed bearing.

Rena's eyes lit up. "Mito!"

Mito Uzumaki smiled at Rena, then bowed to the three elders. "Third Elder, Fifth Elder, Seventh Elder."

The white-bearded elder-the Third Elder-nodded. "Mito, what do you think?"

Mito Uzumaki looked at Ryuto, her gaze calm and appraising, but without hostility.

"Mr. Ryuto saved Rena. That is a fact. His purpose in seeking help with Sealing Jutsu is also quite clear," Mito said slowly. "But clan rules forbid us from lightly sharing knowledge of Sealing Jutsu with outsiders, especially someone of unknown identity."

Ryuto's heart sank.

But Mito changed tack. "However, the fighting is intense right now. The Uchiha and Senju are constantly clashing along the border, and our Uzumaki Clan has been affected as well. We're short on manpower."

She looked at Ryuto. "Mr. Ryuto is quite capable, able to defeat three Uchiha Chunin with ease. How about this: he can stay on the outskirts of the clan grounds for now. We'll provide basic food and lodging. In exchange, he must assist us in three border defense battles."

"Three battles to prove your strength and where you stand. If you perform well and earn sufficient military merit, the clan can consider providing some basic knowledge of Sealing Jutsu as a reward, and as thanks for saving her life."

She looked at the Third Elder. "This way, we won't break the rules, we can assess Mr. Ryuto firsthand, and we can ease the pressure on the front lines. Three benefits in one."

The Third Elder stroked his white beard, deep in thought.

The bald elder and the other, thin elder exchanged a few quiet words.

Finally, the Third Elder looked at Ryuto. "What do you think of Mito's proposal?"

Ryuto quickly weighed his options.

Staying at the Uzumaki Clan grounds would give him a place to live and a chance to gain access to Sealing Jutsu.

The price was fighting three battles.

There were risks, but they were manageable. Besides, fighting could already help him grow stronger faster.

"I agree." Ryuto nodded.

"Good," the Third Elder said. "Then we'll do as Mito suggested. En, arrange for Mr. Ryuto to stay in the guest quarters on the western outskirts. Mito, you'll handle assignments for the border defense missions."

"Yes," En and Mito Uzumaki answered together.

It was settled.

The three elders gave a few more instructions, then dismissed them.

Outside the wooden house, Rena breathed a sigh of relief and told Ryuto, "Wonderful! With Mito stepping in, everything was much easier!"

Ryuto looked at Mito Uzumaki. "Thank you."

Mito Uzumaki smiled. "You're welcome. You saved Rena, so you deserve this opportunity. However..."

She looked at Ryuto, her gaze deep. "Your power truly is unusual. I hope you'll perform well in the coming battles."

With that, she nodded to Rena, turned, and left.

En Uzumaki patted Ryuto's shoulder. "Come on. I'll take you to where you'll be staying."

Ryuto followed En Uzumaki west.

Rena walked alongside them as well, saying quietly, "Mr. Ryuto, don't worry. Those three battles will be over in no time! Our Uzumaki Clan generally doesn't start trouble, but those Uchiha keep probing us, so there are constant little clashes. You're so strong, you'll definitely be fine!"

Ryuto murmured an acknowledgment.

He glanced back at the wooden house in the center of the valley, then at the mountains stretching beyond the distant barrier.

He had made it into the Uzumaki Clan grounds.

There was hope for Sealing Jutsu.

But the price was going to war.

Three battles.

I need to hurry and adjust, Ryuto thought.

En Uzumaki brought him to a row of wooden houses on the western side of the valley and pointed at one. "This one. Nobody usually stays here, but it's cleaned regularly. Someone will bring your meals. If you need anything, let me know."

"All right, thank you." Ryuto walked inside.

The room was small but clean, with a bed and a table.

Rena waved from the doorway. "Mr. Ryuto, get some rest! I'll come see you later!"

Then she left with En Uzumaki.

Ryuto closed the door and walked to the window.

Outside, he could see part of the valley and the barrier's film of light farther away.

His Ki sensing spread out quietly, covering several hundred meters around him.

He could sense the Chakra of many Uzumaki clanspeople, warm and resilient.

He could also sense several gazes watching the house from the shadows.

Surveillance.

As expected.

Ryuto sat on the edge of the bed and began to think.

Three border defense battles.

His opponents would most likely be Uchiha.

"Perfect." Ryuto clenched his fists. "I'll get some practice against them and see exactly where I stand now."

He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

He began planning his upcoming training in his mind.

Before the fighting began, he had to get himself into peak condition.

Outside, the sun sank in the west, and the barrier's film of light glowed faintly in the twilight.

His first night at the Uzumaki Clan grounds had begun.