Uchiha Izuna

Inside the cave, Ryuto stuffed the last mouthful of dry rations into his mouth, chewed a few times, then picked up his waterskin and took a drink.

The pale gray weight patches were still attached to his arms, legs, chest, and back. Walking, sitting down, picking things up-every movement was half a beat slower and took effort.

But he had not peeled them off.

Three days had passed since Rena left. Apart from when he slept at night, he had kept the things on almost constantly.

At first, even walking laps around the cave left him breathless. Now, at least, he could move around relatively normally. His movements were still heavy, though, as if several invisible sandbags hung from his body.

"I'll just treat it as an all-day workout," Ryuto muttered, getting up to fetch water from the spring.

Bend down, scoop up water, straighten up. Even those simple movements made his muscles scream.

But he could feel the paths along which ki flowed through his body much more clearly than he could without the weights. Wherever a muscle exerted force, ki surged over to support it, its pathways distinct.

After fetching water, he walked back to the stone bed. Instead of sitting, he settled into a horse stance.

He stayed still, simply holding the position.

Sweat soon seeped from his forehead.

"Out... in..." Ryuto adjusted his breathing, letting his ki circulate through his body in time with it. Under the pressure, his ki seemed to gather a little faster, too.

He did not know how long he had held the stance before his legs began trembling.

Just as he was about to push through, his Ki Sense suddenly caught a familiar chakra fluctuation approaching from down the mountain at an unhurried pace.

It was Rena.

Ryuto let out a breath, slowly straightened, and wiped away his sweat. Counting the days, it was about time for another supply delivery.

Before long, the vines at the entrance were pushed aside, and Rena ducked inside with a cloth bundle.

"Mr. Ryuto! I'm here!" Her voice was quite cheerful, but she froze when she saw him drenched in sweat and moving sluggishly. "You... you've been wearing them this whole time?"

"Yeah, except when I sleep." Ryuto walked over to the stone table, his movements slow indeed. "Feels all right. I'm getting used to them."

"Wow, you're really pushing yourself." Rena set down the bundle, which contained fresh dry rations, jerky, and a little fruit. "But the elder and Mito both said that gradual progress matters most. Don't force yourself and get hurt."

"I know." Ryuto picked up a piece of fruit and took a bite. "Anything new going on outside?"

Rena sat on the stone stool. "Well... something pretty strange. Mito asked me to keep an eye on the border intelligence summaries. The recent reports say there have been far fewer little clashes and skirmishes involving the Uchiha along the border."

"Fewer?" Ryuto frowned. "Have they turned over a new leaf?"

"As if." Rena shook her head. "Mito said that makes it even more unusual. The Uchiha aren't the sort to settle down. She suspects they may have moved their overt operations underground and are secretly planning something bigger. Like... the calm before the storm?"

Ryuto chewed his fruit without speaking. Were the Uchiha gearing up for something big? Who was their target? The Senju? Or... him?

"Anyway, you're safe training here for now," Rena said. "There's a barrier around the clan grounds, and the mountain behind them is secluded. They won't find you anytime soon."

"Let's hope so." Ryuto did not think he could hide in peace forever. If the Uchiha truly wanted to find him, they would have a way.

Rena stayed a little longer, asked how his training felt, and offered a few reminders before getting up to leave.

The cave fell quiet again.

Ryuto resumed his weighted horse stance.

Two more days passed.

That afternoon, Ryuto had just finished a round of punching exercises under the weights-so slow he looked like an old man practicing tai chi-when his Ki Sense stirred again.

The approaching chakra was dense and deep this time. It belonged to Mito Uzumaki.

Ryuto walked to the cave entrance. Mito was already standing outside, her red hair striking in the sunlight. As she watched his sluggish steps, her gaze lingered briefly on the patches attached to his body.

"Still getting used to them?"

"Yeah. It's getting better," Ryuto said. "Something up?"

Mito looked somewhat serious. "Rena should have told you about the decrease in Uchiha activity along the border."

"She did. Said you thought it was unusual."

"We don't think it. We know it." Mito entered the cave and looked around. "Our planted informants have sent back more detailed information. Recent Uchiha mission records show that they've dispatched more reconnaissance teams, but none are intended for direct clashes. They're mapping terrain, recording guard rotation times at the various clans' outposts, and even... asking around about wandering shinobi and small villages."

She looked at Ryuto. "Much of what they're asking revolves around terms like 'unusual powers' and 'outside the ninjutsu system.' They're looking for you, but their methods have changed. They've gone from actively probing you on the battlefield and setting ambushes to more covert intelligence gathering and peripheral investigations."

Ryuto sat beside the stone bed, the weights lending even the act of sitting a heavy force. "So they've gotten smarter. Instead of taking me head-on, they're looking into my background first, and even whatever personal connections I might have?"

"Very likely." Mito nodded. "It means they take you seriously enough to spend time and resources on a long-term plan. That's more dangerous than simple combat provocations, because you don't know when they'll strike or what methods they'll use."

"What do you think they want?"

"Two possibilities." Mito held up two fingers. "First, they've decided you're too great a threat and want to devise a foolproof plan to eliminate you, which requires more comprehensive intelligence. Second..."

She paused. "They've developed another interest in this 'unknown power' of yours. Rather than simply eliminating you, they may also want to... make contact, or use you."

Ryuto chuckled. "They're treating me like a rare Pokémon? Either catch me or kill me?"

Mito did not understand "Pokémon," but she more or less understood his meaning. "In any case, you're safe continuing your training here for now. But don't let your guard down completely. Keep your Ki Sense active as much as possible while training. If you sense any unfamiliar, hostile chakra approaching, don't hesitate. Notify the clan grounds immediately."

"Understood." Ryuto nodded. "Thanks for coming all this way just to tell me."

"You helped the Uzumaki Clan defend the border. It's only right." Mito turned to leave, then stopped. "Take your weighted training one step at a time. Haste makes waste."

"I know."

Mito left.

Ryuto sat on the stone bed, looking at the light outside the entrance.

The Uchiha... what exactly were they planning?

He touched the weight patches on his body.

Whatever you're after, I need to get stronger fast.

At the same time, far from the Uzumaki clan grounds, in the Uchiha Clan's settlement.

Several figures sat in dim light inside a room filled with a heavy atmosphere.

The person who would occupy the seat of honor had not arrived yet.

Several Uchiha jonin sat below it, including the captain who had previously commanded the ambush on Ryuto at the border.

"Lord Madara and Lord Izuna will be here shortly," one shinobi said quietly.

Soon, footsteps approached.

Two people entered the room, one behind the other.

The man in front had black hair and a piercing gaze. His mere entrance carried an oppressive presence. It was Madara Uchiha.

The man behind him bore some resemblance to Madara, but had a calmer, steadier air. It was Uchiha Izuna.

Madara went straight to the seat of honor and sat down, while Izuna stood beside him.

"How is the intelligence compilation on that man called Ryuto coming along?" Madara asked. His voice was not loud, but no one in the room dared breathe heavily.

The captain immediately stood. "Lord Madara, Lord Izuna. Based on our three encounters, including the final ambush, we've completed a preliminary compilation of the data."

He gave a rapid report. "Target: male, approximately twenty to twenty-five years old. Uses an unknown form of 'golden energy,' requiring no hand seals to activate, and is extremely fast. Observed applications include high-speed movement, energy projectile attacks, penetrating beams, a spherical energy barrier, and a mental defense layer suspected to be directed against genjutsu."

"And the combat assessment?" Izuna asked, his voice calm.

"His taijutsu is at jonin level, with particularly outstanding speed. His energy attacks have considerable penetrating power and destructive force, but appear to consume a great deal of energy as well. Defensively, he has strong defenses against conventional ninjutsu and taijutsu. As for genjutsu... tests showed that our squad's 'Gen' had his Sharingan Genjutsu blocked by an unknown method, with poor results. However, subsequent intelligence indicates that the Uzumaki Clan may have helped him undergo specialized training in genjutsu defense."

The captain paused. "Our overall assessment puts his individual combat strength above an ordinary jonin's, but he lacks ninjutsu variety and experience in prolonged combat. His most notable characteristic is... a power system completely independent of chakra."

The room fell silent for a moment.

A power system independent of chakra. Such a thing was unheard of in the shinobi world.

"Brother," Izuna said, looking at Madara, "what do you think?"

Madara tapped his fingers against the armrest. "Somewhat interesting. He can block Sharingan genjutsu... Granted, it was only at the level of the squad's 'Gen,' but it still shows that his abilities aren't just for show."

A trace of fighting spirit flashed in his eyes. "He's a decent opponent."

Izuna nodded, then addressed the captain and jonin below. "You did well with the earlier probes and data analysis. They gave us an understanding of his basic abilities and approximate limits."

Then his tone shifted. "However, viewing him merely as a 'threat to be tested and eliminated' is too narrow-minded."

The jonin looked at him.

"This entirely new power system," Izuna said slowly, "means entirely new possibilities. Where does it come from? Can it be learned? If it can, what impact would it have on the Uchiha and the entire shinobi world?"

He looked at Madara. "Brother, I suggest we adjust our strategy toward him."

Madara raised an eyebrow. "Speak."

"Stop the pointless small-scale harassment and ambushes that may only anger him further," Izuna said. "They'll only make him more wary and drive him closer to the Senju and Uzumaki. We should... try making contact."

"Make contact?" one jonin could not help asking. "Lord Izuna, he helped the Uzumaki Clan fight us!"

"This is war," Izuna said, his tone unchanged. "There are no permanent enemies. Even now, he hasn't explicitly joined the Senju and Uzumaki camp, has he? That means he isn't necessarily one of the Senju. He's merely a... wanderer with powerful abilities."

He paused. "A wanderer with power we don't understand. That alone has value. We can try to show him what the Uchiha can offer him that the Senju cannot. Or at least have him remain neutral."

Madara was silent for a few seconds. "Are you confident?"

"Not completely," Izuna admitted. "But it's worth trying. It's far more cost-effective than simply pushing him onto the opposing side, or spending vast amounts of manpower and resources devising an assassination plan that might not succeed."

He looked around at everyone. "Of course, making contact requires that we have sufficient bargaining chips and... control. I need more information about him, not merely combat data. His origins, his personality, what he cares about."

Izuna addressed the captain. "Any progress on what I previously asked you to investigate-the news from villages near where he first appeared?"

The captain hurried to answer. "Yes! Only recently, our people learned from a very remote mountain village that several years ago, a young outsider was indeed taken in by the village chief and lived there for several years. Later, the war reached the village, the villagers all disappeared, and the young man vanished as well. The timing matches. Supposedly, he usually worked the fields, but seemed to possess exceptional strength."

"The villagers..." Izuna looked thoughtful. "That may be an opening. Someone who values personal bonds requires a completely different approach from someone cold and indifferent."

He made his decision. "From now on, adjust the direction of intelligence gathering on him. Focus on investigating the area where he first appeared, and look for any people or events connected to him. Meanwhile, continue monitoring his movements, but don't alert him."

Izuna looked at Madara. "Brother, I'd like to lead the team myself."

Madara glanced at his younger brother and nodded. "All right. Don't let it get out of hand."

"Understood." The corners of Izuna's mouth curved slightly.

An unknown, interesting piece had landed on the board.

Whether to capture it or turn it into a piece of his own, he would have to test it personally to find out.