In the azure sea, a gigantic golden pufferfish sped north through the water.
Inside its esophagus were nearly a thousand widows of the Funato Clan.
They had escaped a fierce battle, rescued by a woman who looked like a little girl.
The women wept with joy at having survived:
"Lady Aoton, thank goodness you're alive! When I saw the Kirigakure ninja carrying your body earlier, I thought... sob..."
"The evil Kirigakure slaughtered all our clan's men back home. Lady Aoton, what should we do now? Where can we go...? Is our Funato Clan really never going to recover from this?"
"Of course not!"
Funato Aopon swore emphatically, rallying the women:
"Don't lose heart! You still have me, don't you? With me leading you, the Funato Clan will never perish!"
"Do you know why I came back to life?"
The women shook their heads. They were actually curious themselves, because as far as they knew, only the clan leader possessed the power of immortality. Not even the Young Clan Leader had it, much less Funato Aopon, a woman.
"Just now, my soul had already returned to the Pure Land..."
"My father summoned me back at the cost of his own life."
"He entrusted everything he had to me-not just his will, but his abilities too... all so I would have a chance to take you away and spare you Kirigakure's torment."
"..."
"Then..."
The women finally understood. The clan leader had traded his life for hers, allowing Funato Aopon to return to life.
This was how the Funato Clan's leaders passed on their legacy.
They burned away their own lives, entrusting their abilities and lives to someone worthy.
Now that Funato Aopon possessed the power of immortality, it meant she would be the Funato Clan's fifth clan leader.
"Lady Clan Leader!"