Chapter 38: Two Years! (Two in One)

Time flew by, and before anyone knew it, two years had passed since Uzumaki Raiden entered the ninja school.

During these two years, not much had changed in Konoha Village. The buildings along the roads had aged slightly, but the village's architectural layout remained untouched, and peace continued to prevail within its borders.

However, the ninja world had undergone drastic transformations. Two years ago, Konoha deployed troops to its borders. Shortly after their arrival, Konoha's forces clashed with ninjas from the Cloud Village and Stone Village. What began as a planned small-scale proxy war quickly spiraled into a full-blown conflict, with Konoha fighting a one-versus-two battle.

While Konoha waged war on two fronts, its ally, the Land of Whirlpools, faced a dire situation. The Kaguya Clan from Mist Village unilaterally launched an invasion. In December of that year, the Land of Whirlpools sent emissaries to Konoha pleading for aid, but they were met with a grim response—Konoha, already fighting on two fronts, was unable to provide support.

The rejection sealed the Land of Whirlpools' fate. By January of the following year, the Kaguya Clan had utterly destroyed it. The Uzumaki Clan scattered, with survivors seeking refuge in other villages. Tragically, their renowned sealing techniques perished with their self-immolating patriarch.

News of the Land of Whirlpools' fall reached Konoha, plunging Kushina into grief. Having grown up there, she was deeply attached to her homeland. Uzumaki Mito, upon hearing the news, fell into silence, and her health deteriorated sharply. She now spent most of her time resting, with only brief moments of activity, and her teaching of sealing techniques to Raiden became increasingly sporadic.

Not long after the Land of Whirlpools' destruction, Mist Village sent a brigade of ninjas to invade the Land of Fire. What had been a two-front war for Konoha turned into a grueling three-front conflict. Despite these challenges, Konoha's formidable ninjas and strategic depth ensured that the fighting remained far from the village's heartland.

Even now, occasional skirmishes occurred along the borders of the Land of Fire. Yet, Konoha Village remained prosperous, masking the undercurrent of turmoil beneath its surface.

In the Uzumaki Dojo

"Hss... hss..."

In the dojo of Konoha's Uzumaki residence, Raiden sat cross-legged on a futon, chakra swirling around him and gathering at his forehead.

Opposite him sat an elderly woman, her thin frame and silver hair betraying her advanced age. Her wrinkled face bore the traces of time, and a faint diamond-shaped mark could be seen on her brow.

"Finished!"

Raiden's closed eyes snapped open, and a deep purple, diamond-shaped mark appeared on his forehead. After two years of rigorous training, Raiden had finally completed the Yin Seal.

"Uh… hum…" The old woman coughed violently. Raiden quickly stepped forward, gently patting her back.

"Grandma Mito, you're not well. You need to rest."

"I've mastered the Yin Seal now. You didn't need to push yourself to oversee me today."

Mito's smile was filled with warmth. Raising a frail hand, she patted Raiden's head. "Raiden, your talent continues to amaze me. Your progress with sealing techniques is remarkable."

"Now that the Yin Seal is complete, you should begin systematically learning ninjutsu. With your chakra control, thanks to the Yin Seal and your sealing training, learning ninjutsu will come naturally."

Her words brought a proud smile to Raiden's face. At seven years old, Raiden stood tall for his age at 1.3 meters. His long hair was tied back with a black headband, and his once-round face had become leaner, with defined features that resembled Kushina's. Yet, his appearance bore a masculine sharpness compared to her softer features.

Just as Mito finished speaking, the dojo's door slammed open.

Tsunade's Shock

"Raiden, you're done?!"

Tsunade and Kushina stood at the doorway, Tsunade's voice filled with disbelief. She had just returned from the battlefield and was astonished to hear that Raiden had completed the Yin Seal.

Raiden turned to greet them, the glowing diamond mark on his forehead confirming the truth. Tsunade's jaw dropped.

"Really? He actually mastered the Yin Seal?!"

Even with the proof before her, Tsunade struggled to process it. Mastering the Yin Seal at seven years old was unheard of. Tsunade herself had been 18 when she first succeeded.

Raiden, however, felt the opposite. "It took me two whole years to complete it," he thought, considering it too slow. He compared himself unfavorably to Haruno Sakura, who had taken a similar amount of time to master the technique.

Unbeknownst to Raiden, the quality of his Yin Seal far surpassed Sakura's, given his immense chakra reserves and focus. The rich purple of his mark testified to its exceptional strength.

Now fully in control of his chakra, Raiden activated the Yin Seal, circulating chakra throughout his body. He could feel his strength increasing significantly.

"Sister Tsunade, would you like to test the authenticity of my Yin Seal?" Raiden asked, stretching eagerly.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "You want to spar with me, kid?"

Raiden grinned. "I want to gauge my strength so I know what to expect when facing powerful opponents."

Tsunade relented, stepping forward. Despite her calm demeanor, the chakra radiating from Raiden impressed even her.

"He's got monstrous chakra for his age," she thought. "Even with my own Yin Seal released, I might not surpass him in sheer volume. But chakra isn't everything in a battle."

The spar began, with Raiden darting forward at lightning speed. The air crackled as he closed the distance, his punch narrowly missing Tsunade's face.

"So fast!" Tsunade muttered, retaliating with a powerful sweep kick. Raiden matched her with his own super-strength-enhanced kick, creating a chakra shockwave that shook the dojo.

The Outcome

The fight continued with Raiden employing shadow clones and sealing techniques to outmaneuver Tsunade. Though he managed to trap her momentarily with a seal, she easily broke free with brute force.

By the end, both stood breathing heavily, the dojo showing signs of their intense clash.

"Impressive," Tsunade admitted. "But you've got a long way to go before you can challenge someone like me at full strength."

Raiden smiled, nodding. "I'll keep training."

Despite Tsunade's offer to recommend him for early graduation, Raiden declined. "I'd rather continue improving at the academy. Besides, the ninja world is too chaotic right now. I want to be stronger before I step onto the battlefield."

Mito, watching proudly, called them to lunch. Just as they prepared to leave the dojo, a loud voice echoed from the yard.

"Grandma, I'm back! Where's my sister? I want her to take me to the battlefield!"

Tsunade's face immediately darkened.

"This idiot!" she muttered.

(End of Chapter)

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