Shinobi World No. 1, on the border of the Land of Wind, deep inside a hidden base.
The stone bed was flat and cool, covered with animal pelts that carried warmth and the woody fragrance unique to the desert. Dim yellow chakra lamplight flickered across the rock walls, enveloping the space in an atmosphere of stillness tinged with an undercurrent of oppression.
Kushina Uzumaki's eyelids trembled slightly.
Her consciousness slowly surfaced from profound darkness. Her body felt drained of strength, heavy and sore, and she could barely lift her fingertips. And the energy that had accompanied her for years, always fierce and searing-the Nine-Tails-had now vanished without a trace.
In its place, an unfamiliar yet exceptionally gentle new energy flowed slowly through her chakra pathways, carrying a life-stabilizing presence.
"Ugh..."
She let out a faint groan and slowly opened her eyes.
An unfamiliar ceiling. An unfamiliar room. An unfamiliar presence.
Her pupils contracted slightly, and she abruptly sat up-she wore a loose, plain-colored underrobe, with only a thin animal-pelt blanket draped casually over her.
"Awake?"
A calm male voice, tinged with languor, sounded beside her.
Kushina whipped her head around.
A young man sat beside the bed. He wore a simple moon-white kariginu, its collar slightly open, revealing sharply defined collarbones. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, a few loose strands brushing his forehead. His features were handsome without being effeminate-his overall demeanor was quiet and gentle, giving an immediate illusion of safety.
But his eyes shattered that illusion completely.
Those eyes were as deep as an ancient pool, fathomless and composed, as though examining an object rather than a living person.
"You... who are you?!"
Her voice was hoarse, filled with irrepressible fear and anger.
"Where... where am I?!"
"Toyotomi Yinglang."
The man gave his name casually,