Chapter 50

"Samehada."

Yakumo looked at the spiked Samehada with not the slightest dislike—instead, she felt a deep fondness and joy. She reached out and grabbed the hilt. With Rēn watching nearby, Samehada obediently refrained from misbehaving. The handle extended on its own, like a little snake coiling around Yakumo's right arm.

"Amazing!"

Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Samehada wrapped around her arm.

Even though it wasn't the first time she'd seen it, the excitement in her heart had never faded.

This was the kind of thing that only existed in the ninja world she had long dreamed of!

"Samehada, begin."

Rēn lightly patted the blade. Samehada, now obedient, had already withdrawn its sharp spikes. Hearing Rēn's command, it twisted slightly, and the handle wrapped around Yakumo's arm tightened again. A unique energy began to flow, gradually seeping into Yakumo's body bit by bit.

This was the most refined physical energy that Samehada had absorbed and purified.

In essence, it was Yang Release chakra.

Of course, it was only a rudimentary form of Yang Release, still far from the true ability to infuse form with life. But even as a prototype, to Yakumo, it was a powerful tonic. As the refined energy entered her body, her pale, colorless face began to regain a healthy flush.

"Yang Release..."

Activating his Sharingan, Rēn focused intently on the entire process.

In the past, like Yakumo, he had experienced this from the perspective of the recipient. Now, observing from the side gave him a different understanding. Although Yin and Yang Release were listed alongside Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, and Earth, their nature was on a higher level.

Before long, Samehada stopped transmitting energy. It wasn't that it had been exhausted—Yakumo's body simply couldn't handle more. Too much of anything, no matter how good, becomes poison. Especially for someone like Yakumo, born weak and sickly, every step of recovery had to be taken with great care.

"Yakumo, how do you feel?"

Rēn asked with genuine concern.

"Sensei, I feel like I could punch a cow to death!" The frail little girl swung her skinny arm confidently and made a bold claim.

"Looks like it won't be long before you can go to the ninja academy with Fujika and the others."

Rēn snapped his fingers. Samehada instantly retracted and obediently rested on the table.

"Really, Sensei?"

Yakumo looked over, full of hope.

"What good would it do me to lie to a little girl like you?" Rēn smiled. "If my sealing technique were a little better, you might've gone even earlier."

"It's okay, Sensei. Just being able to go at all makes me really happy. A bit late doesn't matter."

Yakumo replied sweetly.

"Happy?"

Rēn said nothing more. He simply had someone escort her to rest. Just like eating food takes time to digest, Yakumo's body needed time to integrate the energy. Thankfully, Samehada had already refined it, so no complications would arise—only time was needed.

He had other troublesome matters to deal with anyway.

Outside the window,

One of the crows raised by Shisui perched on the windowsill, staring inside.

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"Fujika! Fujika! Don't run too far. We've already left the Police Division's post. If you keep going, Rēn-niisan won't be able to find us."

Naruto chased behind, shouting nonstop. Unfortunately, the younger brother had no way of stopping the older sister's wild behavior.

Sasuke followed right behind.

Truthfully, he didn't have much choice.

Though his relationship with Fujika wasn't exactly friendly, aside from her and Naruto, he didn't have many friends after leaving the academy.

Within the clan, only he and Fujika were currently enrolled in the ninja academy. The others of similar age stayed within the clan for private tutoring. Whenever they did meet, it was just polite greetings before going their separate ways.

After blowing a hole in the school building with a Fireball and then skipping class, Sasuke wasn't keen on going home, so he just tagged along.

They left the Police Division's compound and walked down a sparsely populated street toward a nearby park.

"Naruto, you're so loud!"

Annoyed by the noise, Fujika turned back to scold her little brother, only to miss the pedestrian in front of her and run straight into them. This time, unlike the academy entrance incident where she sent Naruto flying, she herself fell flat on her back.

"Fujika!!"

Naruto and Sasuke rushed forward.

They helped her up and faced the stranger who wasn't wearing a Konoha forehead protector. Their eyes immediately filled with caution.

"Hey hey, brat from Konoha. Don't you watch where you're going? What are your special eyes for then?"

The stranger glared at them fiercely.

He wore a dark gray flak jacket different from Konoha's, and his clothing style didn't match the Land of Fire. The forehead protector on his head—a Mist ninja. Sasuke remembered the lesson.

"Sorry, it was my fault for bumping into you!"

Fujika pushed aside Naruto and Sasuke, who stood protectively in front of her, and apologized loudly.

If you make a mistake, you admit it.

The pride of the Uchiha didn't lie in never making mistakes but in the courage to take responsibility. Her brother taught her that. Mistakes weren't shameful; refusing to admit them was.

She didn't fully understand the reasoning, but she remembered that mistakes meant you should apologize. That much was only natural.

"Heh, little girl. Think saying sorry is enough? You nearly broke my ribs!"

The Mist ninja clearly wasn't about to let it go. His tone was deliberately provocative. In fact, he was looking for trouble, even with several Konoha ninjas standing behind him.

Behind him, three Chūnin in green vests hesitated awkwardly.

They were embassy staff, responsible for receiving foreign guests.

By right, this was Konoha. An outsider had no place acting so high and mighty. But ever since the incident two years ago—when a Cloud ninja died and the Hyuga clan had to sacrifice a branch family member to defuse the crisis—

The embassy staff had become cautious.

Even a powerful clan like the Hyuga paid a terrible price. As civilians, they couldn't afford to provoke the Mist delegation. Otherwise, they'd most likely be sacrificed to appease the visitors' anger.

"So what do you want, then?"

Fujika stared down the Mist ninja, unflinching.

"Hah! Just what I expect from an Uchiha brat. Did you know? My father and both of my older brothers were all killed by your clan. As punishment for hitting me, hand over your eyes!"

As he spoke, the Mist ninja reached out, trying to grab Fujika.

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