The rain in the Land of Rain was like an endless silver thread. Tsubasa hovered in mid-air, his divine sense spreading out like a net. Within a ten-kilometer radius, the damp earth, the Frog Song of frogs, and the occasional glimpse of a ninja's robe all flowed through his senses. Unfortunately, there was no familiar figure. -- This journey to find the Tian Uguisu was far more arduous than he had imagined.
Unable to find Tian Uguisu, Tsubasa could only search for Tian Yueqing first. Flying towards the Tsubasa of Land of Whirlpools, Tianyi thought that Tian Uguisu must have encountered Madara Uchiha. When the iconic water-patterned city walls of the Land of Whirlpools came into view, Tsubasa finally breathed a sigh of relief. The setting sun dyed the clouds gold, and merchant ships were slowly sailing by on the coast, carrying the aroma of grilled fish. He passed through the border city of the Land of Land of Whirlpools, heading straight for the Land of Whirlpools, and landed at the city gate. He tidied his slightly messy hair and took out various gifts from the sealed scroll. They were all specialties of the Ten Family, including ten bolts of ice silk fabric from the Phoenix Tower luxury brand store, three top-grade rune weapons, and ten jars of the Phoenix Tower winery's unique Sage Brew, each one of extraordinary value.
The vermilion gates of the Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Whirlpools were magnificent, with the beast heads on the door knockers watching over the visitors with imposing authority. Tsubasa took a deep breath and, as soon as he announced his name, the gatekeeper's eyes lit up. "Is this the young master of the Ten Family? Miss mentioned a few days ago that you might be coming!" Before the words were even finished, the doors slowly opened, and maids lined up to greet him. The old nanny leading the way smiled, her eyes crinkling with wrinkles. "Come in quickly! The Daimyo and his wife have been longing to see the Prince Consort for years!"
Passing through the winding corridor, Tsubasa could see the main hall in the distance. Inside, candlelight flickered, and two figures stood side by side. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the Uzumaki Kaito of the Land of Whirlpools, Uzumaki Kaito, wore a brocade robe with dark patterns, his gaze sharp as an eagle beneath his thick eyebrows; Land of Whirlpools's wife, Uzumaki Kōbi, wore a pearl hairpin, and a long crimson dress that accentuated her snow-white skin, her eyes and brows radiating a gentle smile. Their red hair was as fiery as flames, yet it complemented their noble bearing perfectly.
The younger generation greets the father-in-law and mother-in-law.
"Come in and sit down!" Yueqing's mother, Uzumaki Kōbi, was the first to greet him, gently patting Tsubasa's hand. "I heard from Yue'er that you've been working so hard to cultivate, and you look a bit tired. You need to balance work and rest." Her voice was like a spring stream, carrying a reassuring warmth.
Tsubasa presented the gift somewhat awkwardly, his ears slightly burning. "I apologize for the intrusion of this junior, but I have prepared a small gift. I hope my father-in-law and mother-in-law will not find it offensive."
Yueqing's father, Uzumaki Kaito, laughed heartily, took the three swords and examined them. "Good treasures! You have good taste!" He gestured for Tsubasa to sit down, " Yue'er is practicing Sealing Jutsu in the family's forbidden area, but no rush—have a couple of drinks with me first!" Before he finished speaking, a maid had already brought over a wine pot, and the amber-colored wine rippled in the cup.
After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation gradually turned to Sealing Jutsu. Tsubasa put down his wine glass, his expression serious. "I've heard that you, Uncle, are highly skilled in Sealing Jutsu. I've come here for two reasons: first, to visit Yueqing, and second, to seek your guidance..." He rolled up his clothes, revealing a scroll inside, "This contains detailed information on Sealing Jutsu that I've researched over the years. There are some questions that I haven't been able to answer."
Yueqing's mother, Uzumaki Kōbi, unfurled the scroll and examined the information inside closely. Her brow furrowed slightly. "These rune patterns are truly ingenious! They're all combinations of basic runes, and conversions of elemental Ninjutsu. It's clear you have a great talent for sealing runes. Many of the novel rune applications and ideas here are things I've never heard of before! If all of this could be realized, it would open up a whole new world. It's amazing!" She turned to her husband, "Daimyo, take a look here! It converts runes into various forms of kinetic energy, enabling vehicles to run unmanned, fly, travel on water, and even people wearing rune-inscribed clothing to fly and teleport. If this could be achieved, our Land of Whirlpools would become the most powerful nation in the world, wouldn't it?"
Uzumaki Kaito took the rune and examined it carefully, exclaiming, "What an ingenious idea! It's entirely feasible! Why didn't people think of this before? Little Tsubasa, you're not here to ask for advice, you're here to show off your treasures! With these rune designs of yours, our Land of Whirlpools will rise to power. We'll no longer have to fear being threatened by countries like the Land of Water."
Uzumaki Kōbi smiled and said, "Master, he's here to learn and ask for guidance. Why don't you show him that copy of ' Thousand Mechanisms Seal Manual ' in your study?"
Uzumaki Kaito shook his head with a smile, "Books are no match for a ready-made teacher! Starting tomorrow, you and Yueqing will study with my father!" He patted Tsubasa on the shoulder, "But let me make this clear first, Yue'er is our darling, if you dare to bully her..." Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a clear laugh.
"Father! You're scaring us again!" Yueqing, dressed in her training clothes with a few blades of grass still clinging to her hair, burst in with a flurry of energy. Her red hair was casually tied up, and the stray strands on her forehead were damp with sweat, which only accentuated her lively features. The moment she saw Tsubasa, her eyes lit up, and her cheeks flushed. "I knew you'd come! I even specifically told the guards!"
When their eyes met, Tsubasa suddenly felt all the fatigue from her journey vanish. Yueqing's mother gently nudged her daughter. "Why don't you take Little Tsubasa for a walk? The cherry blossoms in the backyard are in full bloom."
The two walked side by side along the corridor, the moonlight gilding the cherry blossoms with a silvery edge. Yueqing occasionally bent down to pick up fallen petals, her voice softer than usual. " Little Tsubasa, I'm so happy you came to see me in the Land of Whirlpools. Actually, I've wanted to Rotation Clan for a long time, but this war in the Land of Whirlpools has left the army with less than a tenth of its strength..." She bit her lip, "Father said that strength is the most important thing in the Shinobi World, and that I should focus on my own training. Some destinies need to be allowed to grow naturally."
Tsubasa reached out and caught a falling cherry blossom. Gazing at the stunning profile of Tian Yueqing, his heart pounded uncontrollably. Since his rebirth, everything he had encountered had been wonderful. Heaven had arranged for such a noble, beautiful, and strong woman to be his wife—something he had never dared to dream of in his previous life. It was all fate's arrangement. Just as he was about to speak, Yueqing interrupted, " Little Tsubasa, how about you come with me to the river to release river lanterns tomorrow? You haven't seen the night view of the Land of Whirlpools yet. I want to light a lantern to illuminate the path for our fallen kin."
Tsubasa nodded and said, "Okay, let's go together." The two went to Yueqing's pavilion, looked at the beautiful scenery of the Daming mansion, and talked about their families.
Cherry blossom petals drifted down like tiny snowflakes onto the bluestone slabs. Tsubasa huddled by the bay window of Yueqing's attic, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the hem of his clothes. The Jūni- year-old boy still had a touch of childishness on his face, but his eyes held a heaviness that did not belong to his age.
Yueqing sat quietly opposite him. The seventeen-year-old girl casually tied her red hair into a bun, adorned with a fresh cherry blossom. She gently poured two cups of hot tea, pushing one towards Tsubasa: "Speak slowly, I'm listening."
Taking a deep breath, Tsubasa began to recount that nightmarish past. "Three months ago, Grandpa sacrificed himself to save Akira Senju..." The boy's voice choked with emotion, "... I didn't even have time to see him one last time."
Yueqing stood up and walked to his side, gently putting her arm around his shoulder. This gesture made Tsubasa unable to control his emotions any longer, and he said sadly, "And there's Sister Tian Uguisu, she went to the battlefield to carry out a mission and never came back. I searched the entire Land of Rain and the Land of Earth, but I couldn't find a trace of her."
"And then?" Yueqing asked softly, wiping away his tears with a handkerchief.
" Konoha has a new Hokage." Tsubasa sniffed. "After the war, the Land of Fire suffered heavy casualties. The streets are full of wounded, and the hospitals are overflowing. The once bustling markets are now deserted, and many shops are closed."
Yueqing tenderly pulled the boy into her arms, gently patting his back. She could feel the tension in Tsubasa's body. After calming down, Tsubasa asked, "How have you been lately? What's the situation in the Land of Whirlpools?"
Yueqing began to recount the changes in the Land of Whirlpools: "This past year has been incredibly difficult for the Land of Whirlpools. Because of our powerful Sealing Jutsu, we've been constantly coveted by the Land of Water. But Grandpa has been working tirelessly, hoping to find a way to coexist peacefully. Now, the village is researching a new defensive barrier, hoping to protect everyone."
At the mention of Sealing Jutsu, Tsubasa's eyes lit up. "Sister Yueqing, I want to learn more advanced Sealing Jutsu. Can I participate in the research on defensive barriers?"
Yueqing smiled gently, "Alright, let's discuss it together. Actually, Sealing Jutsu are profound and complex. I've been studying advanced Sealing Jutsu these days, involving time, space, soul... every area is worth exploring in depth."
The two sat by the bay window, drinking tea and drawing on paper. Yueqing patiently explained the basic principles of time and space Sealing Jutsu to Tsubasa, while Tsubasa came up with some novel ideas that made Yueqing's eyes light up.
The Tensei, Yueqing brought Tsubasa to her grandfather's residence. It was a quiet little courtyard, with the old cherry tree in full bloom. Her grandfather sat on the porch and smiled kindly when he saw the two of them approaching, " Tsubasa, learn as much as you can. These Sealing Jutsu might be able to protect those you want to protect in the future. There's so much to learn, so just pick what interests you."
Tsubasa nodded solemnly and, led by Uzumaki Ashina, entered the forbidden area of the Uzumaki Clan, which represented the pinnacle of Sealing Jutsu in the Shinobi World.