We're back! AN at the bottom, enjoy the chapter!


Kanami leaned against the trunk of the tree, waiting.

The trees in Hi no Kuni were outlandish. She hadn't quite believed the tales that she'd heard from other Kirigakure nin. Seeing them, traveling through them, she believed now.

Morinoshin was laying on the branch a few feet from her. His eyes were closed and had his hands clasped behind his head.

Her cousin was an excellent sensor. Beyond excellent really, even for Kiri's standards. Before the revolution, he had already been scouted to be among the hunter nin that Kiri sent after missing nin and enemy spies. His range and sensitivity passed her own abilities by several magnitudes.

Not that he was using those capabilities for anything useful at the moment. The leer on his face suggested he was indulging in the superior fidelity of his sensor capabilities to ogle one of their escorting kunoichi.

Kanami didn't want to think about it. What she wanted was to kick him off the branch, and watch him flail as he fell. His stupid perversions had forced her to play peacemaker multiple times during the trip, which she was not skilled in. Worse, she'd had to get one of their relatives to intervene a few times.

She hated having to impose on them. They had enough they were already shouldering without having to corral her stupid cousin. That was her responsibility; self-imposed, but important none the less.

She didn't kick her cousin. They were already under observation. The typical Konoha nin couldn't match Kiri's in terms of sensing and surveillance, but there were dangerous exceptions. It was possible they were out in the forest now, playing cat and mouse with their escort. After all, they weren't trying to avoid notice. At least, not from Konoha.

More importantly, three of their escorting kunoichi were Konohagakure nin. While they were to be trusted physically, there was nothing in the contract about withholding intelligence. That was an impractical clause, one that no nin truly loyal to their village would agree to.

Kanami might not be able to help the fact that their reports would already include her beating her cousin black and blue no less than five times over the past month of travel, but she could make sure that they didn't report her as lacking in composure during critical moments.

First impressions are important as well. The longer the baka seems reasonable, the better.

Though, Konoha has dealt with the Legendary Pervert for years. If they can deal with a perverted, S rank kunoichi, they can deal with a perverted shinobi student.

Kanami held to that line of reasoning. She knew it wasn't entirely logical, but she didn't care; holding to it helped prevent her from booting Morinoshin from his perch.

The feeling of foreign chakra signatures entering her sensory range had her straightening up. A glance at Morinoshin showed no reaction, so she kicked him.

Lightly.

"What?" Morinoshin grumbled, opening his eyes.

"You sense them." Kanami said.

Her cousin sighed, sitting up. He nodded a moment later.

"I count…over forty." Morinoshin said. "Nine F rank, five E rank, two D rank, and the rest are all high B rank or low A rank. And…"

Kanami nodded as her cousin trailed off.

There was someone who was unequivocally S rank headed right for them. Moving at a sedate pace, but they weren't hiding.

Kanami couldn't get all the detail her cousin could, but she didn't need to. The Konohagakure nin were all making their presence very clear. The conduct aligned itself with what they'd been told to expect. Kanami and Morinoshin had both been told not to rein in their own sensing abilities. In fact, they had been ordered to do the opposite, to push chakra pings out, increasing the effective range of their sensory abilities. The Konohagakure nin were going to use them to find their exact location.

It ran counter to everything Kanami had been trained in for sensing and counter-sensing, but she wasn't going to disobey orders.

I saw them coming far sooner than I would have otherwise. One positive.

A chakra ping from the ground caught Kanami's attention. She dropped out of the tree, moving to stand next to her aunt. Morinoshin moved to stand next to their uncle.

A half mile out, the Konohagakure nin came down from the trees, moving on the ground.

Another sign this isn't an ambush. I know nii-san said he was prepared for that eventuality, but this certainly doesn't look like one. Our escorts would've spotted something.

The Konohagakure nin came into sight, moving at a light jog. Kanami began visual identifications immediately, pairing them with chakra signatures.

Five Yamanaka: one A Rank, two B Rank, two F Rank.

Four Hyuga: one A Rank, one B Rank, two E Rank.

Four Nara: two B Rank, two F Rank.

Four Akimichi: one A Rank, one B Rank, two F Rank.

Four Aburame: two B Rank, two E Rank.

Four Inuzuka: one A Rank, one B Rank, one D rank, one E Rank.

The green hair and similar facial features likely indicate Utatane. Two A Rank, three F Rank.

Ah…don't know the blondes. They're not Yamanaka though. One B Rank, one F Rank.

And…

Kanami's mind took a momentary pause as she took in the last trio.

The shinobi wasn't anything particularly special, though his chakra signature put him at low D Rank.

The silver haired kunoichi with a Sharingan was undoubtedly the Silver Vixen.

Kanami's eyes, however, latched onto the blue haired kunoichi. More importantly, the sword on her back that sent Kanami's sensory abilities absolutely haywire when she tried to focus on it. There were stories about that blade. Stories about the wielder of that blade.

The Flickering Blade.

A number of truly monstrous nin had come out of Konoha during the Third Nin War, most of them leaving enduring enmity in their wakes.

There were the old monsters who'd reemerged, reminding the Elemental Nations of why rousing Konoha's wrath was perilous: the Sannin, the Sandaime Hokage, and the Green Avalanche. The old monsters had butchered the enemy wherever they found them, and only cemented their legacies as legends in the annals of nin histories.

Then there were the new monsters, the ones who'd created their reputation during the long, bloody free for all between the major hidden villages. Iwa still held its grudge against the Fourth Hokage, even posthumously, along with her lone surviving student. The Storm Bane, while dead at the hands of the Fourth Raikage, had created such a mix of fury and fear in Kumo that there had been at least four known attempts by Kumo to kidnap Hyuga in the ensuing years of peace. Suna, before they'd sued for peace and allied with Konoha, had cursed the name of the Crimson Hurricane, who'd haunted the Konoha-Suna border with both blade and fuinjutsu traps that terrified war hardened veterans.

Kiri had stayed relatively opportunistic and defensive during the Third Nin War. Their major offensives had been few and far between, strikes designed to weaken the enemy hidden villages, opening them up to further exploitation and tempt others into betraying ever-shifting alliances. For the last three years of the war, they hadn't made any offensives at all. For good reason. Their final offensive they had tried, one meant to cut deep into the heart of the Land of Fire and cripple several economic centers, had gone catastrophically wrong.

The Flickering Blade, alone, had hunted down and killed every last one of the Kirigakure battalion that landed on the southernmost shores of Hi no Kuni. When Kiri had sent a special hunter nin pair after her, to prevent her from disrupting the rest of the offensive, only one had returned alive.

The survivor wasn't the Rokubi jinchuriki.

Their other two prongs of the offensive had retreated after the disastrous defeat. One prong was already being harassed by Inuzuka and Aburame skirmishers, who would no doubt turn into the anvil to the Flickering Blade's approaching hammer if they chose to stay and fight. The other had been stopped cold by a company of Uchiha and Hyuga, and was going nowhere without reinforcements that were no longer approaching.

It was a relatively little known feat; Kiri hadn't exactly advertised their defeat and the loss of one of their jinchuriki, and Konoha had been too pressed by Kumo and Iwa at the time to leverage Kiri's devastating losses.

Little known didn't mean forgotten. Kiri hadn't forgotten Seong Akena. Not in the slightest.

The Flickering Blade sat at number fifteen in Kiri's bingo book, and she hadn't moved in years, behind only some of the scariest names in all of the Elemental Nations.

Regardless, Kanami could understand the way that Konoha, even as they moved and treated peacefully, held a naked blade that Kirigakure nin would not soon forget.

The message was clear.

"Greetings." Seong Akena strode forward. "Konohagakure is happy to welcome lost Uzumaki, to offer them succor and a place of permanent safety."

The only nin amongst the Konoha forces to react was the shinobi standing near the Silver Vixen. He covered the physical cues of his shock almost immediately, but his chakra continued to roil.

The rest of them knew. Interesting. Why not inform him?

"We appreciate the gesture to an old alliance, and will gladly accept." Kanami's other cousin said.

It had been agreed he'd take the lead in the meeting. Given his red hair, mixed with grey, and his stature, he presented the proper impression they wanted conveyed.

Supposed to pretend he's tou-san. Can't forget that.

"Wait here." Seong Akena, gesturing to the area around them. "I would speak with you in relative privacy, Uzumaki-san."

"Might my daughter and nephew accompany me?" Kanami's 'father' asked.

"A few guards are fine as well." Seong Akena said. "We'll erect a small barrier."

A minute later, Kanami found herself in an enclosed space with her 'father,' her cousin, her uncle, her aunt, and Seong Akena. Accompanying them were six guards; the three jonin that Kanami's and Morinoshin's presence had purchased, and three others hidden behind hunter nin masks. All of them fit rather comfortably inside of light green barrier erected by four ANBU crouching near ceramic plates with seals etched on them.

To her surprise, Seong Akena didn't address her 'father' first. Instead, she turned to the trio of Konohagakure nin.

"Relay establishment?" The S Rank asked.

"In place." One of the trio, who wore a blue mask, said. "The pipeline shouldn't be difficult to maintain. Our clients have the capacity to regularly grab caches, and they watch them carefully."

"Wouldn't want the Funato robbing us both blind, eh." Seong Akena nodded.

"That would be quite unfortunate." Kanami's 'father' said. "We have the proper protections in place. Including a great deal of my own work."

"The Hokage would be very interested in collaboration, if you ever decided to put your head together with Jiruya-sensei and take a look at a few seals." Seong Akena nodded. "Much was lost in Uzushio's fall, but we would do what we could to safeguard its legacy. With your permissions, of course."

"So I have been led to believe." Kanami's 'father' said. "One of these days, we'll speak of what happened to my uncle's grandchild."

The flicker of the S-Rank's chakra was subtle, but there. Kanami did her best to restrain her own surprise. Whatever her 'father' had implied, there was clear weight to it.

"Ah." Seong Akena said. "Yes. I would like that, very much."

"Onto other, more immediate things." Kanami's 'father' said. "Are these the nin with which you expect us to help restart the Uzumaki Clan with?"

"Yes." Seong Akena said, nodding. "None are Clan Heiresses, to avoid complications. But there is a wide variety of talents and bloodlines. You no doubt recognize them."

"Mmm." Kanami's 'father' said. "A good spread indeed. And a truthful showing of vulnerability."

Ah. I had wondered why they brought so many genin and students. They could've just escorted us in and introduced us there.

Vulnerability though…why was Konoha so willing to put so many eggs in one basket? What have nii-san and the Hokage cooked up between themselves, in only a mission request and a singular negotiation using a kunoichi I've already learned is a horrible diplomat?

"After further consideration, the Hokage has decided to improve the offer, unilaterally." Seong Akena said. "If you're willing, two of these kunoichi, genin or student, can return with you. To begin sealing the other half of the bargain."

Kanami blinked a few times. Then, unable to help herself, she reached over and slapped Morinoshin. She'd seen the twitch of his mouth.

"Ow!" Morinoshin whined, rubbing his head. "What'd I do?"

"You were thinking, which means you were being perverted." Kanami growled. "That's enough to deserve a slap."

Only after her words did she realized what she'd just done. Immediately, she cursed the ingrained habit from years of dealing with her cousin.

Dammit. So much for good first impressions.

The S Rank was looking over in amusement. "You remind me of an old friend."

"Thank you for the comparison, Seong-san." Kanami said, bowing her head slightly.

Huh. Maybe I was lucky.

"Two, right now?" Kanami's 'father' mused. "Are they aware?"

"The eligible kunoichi have been made aware, yes." Seong Akena said. "All of them accepted it as part of a mission. With the expectation that they would be returned to Konoha once the bargain has been demonstrably proven sealed. A new kunoichi would be sent in their place, to keep up a steady number, until your infighting is over."

"No additional guardians sent with them?" Kanami's 'father' asked.

"A pair as well." Seong Akena said. "Jonin, both, though they will not fight for you except in self defense."

"And we're not foolish enough to use our safe places as bait for just two additional jonin." Kanami's 'father' nodded. "I see. Even the Hyuga?"

Seong Akena's face twitched slightly. "Ah, no. Not the Hyuga. They could accept a marriage outside of their ranks, given the prestige and compatibility of the Uzumaki kekkei genkai, but the seals on their eyes prevent long term deployment."

That's not surprising. I've heard the veterans talking about how the Uchiha and Hyuga were the most dangerous corpses to be near, during the Third Nin War.

"Then we'll take the Nara and the Inuzuka kunoichi." Kanami's 'father' said after a moment.

"I will warn you that Inuzuka kunoichi are-"

"I am quite confident in our leader's abilities to woo women, and having the strength necessary to satisfy that requirement of the Inuzuka." Kanami's 'father' smiled thinly. "It's a rather well known preference; my father and uncle used to talk about hunting packs composed of Inuzuka kunoichi and their ninken that sought out and tested Uzumaki shinobi, looking for strong men during the Warring States Era. You could even say that wooing Inuzuka women is something of a tradition for our shinobi."

Seong Akena snorted, grinning. "That sounds about right. They'll be sent, along with their two jonin escorts. I do urge you to move with all possible haste, in sealing the deal."

"We'll move at the best pace." Kanami's 'father' replied. "Which makes the rest of these kunoichi eligible for my nephew here?"

"Correct." Seong Akena nodded. "Including the Hyuga. We will not pressure him, nor his escorts, but we will encourage the eligible kunoichi to seek out formal courting agreements. Contracts will keep all this cleaner."

"Indeed." Kanami's 'father' said. "Which leaves these shinobi for my daughter. May I assume she isn't limited to this selection?"

Seong Akena remained silent for a moment. "I will reiterate that we will not force her to make a choice against her will. The shinobi from these Clans and upstanding families have the least complications when it comes to marriage contracts and status should your daughter decide on courting more than one shinobi."

"It is quite the selection, overall, for both of them." Kanami's 'father' nodded. "Only missing the Uchiha."

Seong Akena's eyes flashed, though her chakra didn't fluctuate at all. "Again, I reiterate that the kunoichi and shinobi present the fewest complications and highest upsides for your nephew and your daughter."

"All?" One of their guards said. "Including the one escorted by the Silver Vixen?"

His frame, powerful and tall, stood out from the group of otherwise graceful kunoichi and shinobi. Only Kanami's 'father' had a similar frame, at least within the barrier.

"I wondered if you'd speak with me." Seong Akena said. "Your Bound's kekkei genkai is incredibly useful, but a little too revealing when in close proximity. Can she not modulate it?"

Kanami watched the 'guard' shrug. "Answer my question, and perhaps I'll answer yours."

"You don't hold a grudge for Port Hagane still, do you?" Seong Akena's grin was almost playful. "My kohai still grumble about that."

"I think we can both agree that leaving that particular crossing of missions in the past is for the best." The 'guard' said, shaking his head. "Besides, I doubt your kohai's grumblings are derogatory. Unless they're about you breaking up a good time."

The Flickering Blade barked a laugh. "Perhaps. The two of them were awfully upset to leave you behind."

"I was sad to leave them behind." The 'guard' said with another shrug. "You have some truly amazing kohai. Intelligent and talented, far beyond my expectations. I did enjoy getting to know them."

"Uh-huh." Seong Akena raised an eyebrow. "Those the talents I interrupted them putting to good use while you were getting to know them at the same time?"

Kanami was doing her best to keep a straight face. She had not expected to learn about what appeared to be some sort of conflicting mission between the 'guard' and the Flickering Blade. More importantly, between anyone the Flickering Blade would consider juniors of hers, and the 'guard.' Shinobi and kunoichi of different villages rarely interacted except when required by missions. Cordiality was rarer still.

Though I'm not surprised. There's a reason he has the reputation he does.

The way that the kunoichi standing next to the 'guard' was twitching, Kanami knew there was a good chance of something sensitive being revealed. Unlike the 'guard', the twitching kunoichi didn't have decades of experience putting up facades and dealing with kunoichi prodding for weaknesses. She would break, and what she said would be revealing, regardless of what it was. While there had been hints and accusations thrown around, nothing concrete had been freely given. Kanami didn't want that to change. Especially not to a kunoichi like the Flickering Blade.

"Seong-san, is the shinobi being escorted by the Silver Vixen not eligible to court me?" Kanami asked.

Both the 'guard' and Seong Akena looked her way. Kanami let out a breath as the turbulent chakra of the kunoichi next to the 'guard' subsided.

"I suppose he is." Seong Akena said in an amused voice. "But he wasn't brought along with that intent in mind. He's here to prepare for you meeting your cousin. She's adopted him as her brother, in deed if not formally, and if anyone can prepare you for Uzumaki Narisa, he's it."

Kanami's 'father' flinched, though he covered it immediately with a gesture. "Prepare?"

"Uzumaki-chan is a bit of an experience." Seong Akena said with mirth in her voice. "And we're fairly certain her reaction to learning she has family will be exuberant, at minimum. For your daughter's and nephew's sake, Shiranui being along will help keep that reaction in check."

Kanami took in that information with what equanimity she could.

Why would they want us, and nii-san's children, if they already have an Uzumaki? Presumably a kunoichi at that.

"Shiranui, eh?" The 'guard' asked, pointedly turning to the yellow masked jonin from Konoha.

There was a minute nod from Seong Akena.

"He's my nephew." The yellow masked kunoichi said.

Her chakra rippled with that statement, which confused Kanami. It was a mix of guilt, relief, and confusion billowing outwards for a brief moment, only to be reeled back in.

Those were heavy emotions. I'm not an empathic sensor.

"Interesting." The 'guard' said.

"If the boy is an informal brother of your cousin, the two of you will need to get to know him." Kanami's 'father' said.

"Hai, tou-san." Kanami said.

"Are we in in agreement?" Seong Akena asked. "Banter aside, I have a scroll we need some blood on."

With a flourish of motion, she pulled a scroll from her vest. Kanami couldn't help tensing slightly, nor could Morinoshin or the kunoichi next to the 'guard.' The rest of the nin present didn't react. Another flourish of motion unrolled the scroll, which had an absurd amount of ink on it.

"As you can see, there's already a mark for the Hokage." Seong Akena said. "I'll be acting as the guarantor, and we'll need contract writer's mark, as well as a guarantor."

Kanami blinked, seeing the shifting and sliding characters on the contract. The locations for marks were clear, but the rest of the document was a study in motion. She was far from a fuinjutsu expert, but she knew enough to recognize that this had to be her 'father's' work, or someone on a similar level.

"I'll act as guarantor." The 'guard' said.

A minute later, the contract had been marked by the three relevant parties, before duplicating itself, then creating two more copies. Seong Akena rolled up the original, putting it back in a scroll case. The other, oddly enough, she handed to the blue masked kunoichi that was headed back to Mizu no Kuni. The last two copies were taken by Kanami's 'father' and the kunoichi that wasn't on the verge of saying something stupid, next to the 'guard.'

"If you don't mind, I'll borrow this formation for a moment, for a last chat with my daughter and nephew." Kanami's 'father' said.

Seong Akena nodded. A flicker of hand signals had the barrier lower. The ANBU stood up and walked back over to their comrades. The masked jonin from Konoha who would be returning to the revolution moved to speak with the rest of the Konoha nin who weren't masked. Seong Akena herself went to speak with the Nara and the Inuzuka. That left just Kiri nin inside the area of the original barrier.

Kanami's 'father' took a small piece of paper out from his pouch. He let it go, and it drifted to the ground slowly. When it landed, scrawls of symbols arced outwards, connecting with the four plates that were still on the ground. A bright yellow barrier flared up a moment later.

"Is this going to be a regular occurrence?" Cassidy boiled over almost immediately. "Is every negotiation going to have kunoichi telling tales about your specialty?"

Disapproval flashed across Kanami's aunt's face. Aunt Fu didn't approve of insubordination. If it wasn't for nii-san's explicit orders, Kanami knew the Bound would've deeply regretted speaking so rudely.

"It didn't happen with the first negotiation with Konoha." Nii-san said, not bothering to remove his mask.

Kanami could still picture the small smirk on his face.

"Still!" Cassidy threw up her arms, her mask hiding the look of mixed jealousy and desire that she'd never been able to hide around Kanami's nii-san.

Kanami didn't blame her. Even though his body type was vastly different from what most kunoichi preferred in their shinobi, her brother had always had a way with women. A poor girl like Cassidy, dropped into a place she didn't know and gallantly rescued and supported by Kanami's brother?

The only surprise on Kanami's part was that her brother hadn't already sealed the deal. He had the girl eating out of his hand, and half-frothing with poorly concealed jealousy when some of the other revolutionary kunoichi made blatant passes at him. Which they did, regularly. Catching Kanami's brother, even for just a night, was a mark of pride amongst the revolution's kunoichi. Very few of them got repeats, though Kanami knew that all of them tried for them. The poor girl had cried herself to sleep regularly, especially over the past two months as the kunoichi realized that their favorite 'toy' would likely be restricting his romantic and sexual dabbling in the near future.

Then again, maybe he wants her better adjusted to the idea of him having multiple wives before reeling her in further. It's very clear her original culture doesn't support that idea. It'd be like nii-san to do that, and all the sleeping around makes it very clear he's not a one kunoichi kind of shinobi.

Not that anyone reasonable would expect him to be.

"The Flickering Blade's version of the story is misleading." Nii-san shrugged. "I wasn't sent after kunoichi. I was there to seduce a mercantile director's wife and turn her into an unknowing sleeper agent to be used. The Konohagakure team was there to remove the mercantile director for a competitor. We crossed paths by accident, and our teams found a way to resolve our missions without needing to shed blood."

Kanami kept her face even. Just like Seong Akena, her brother was using the truth to his own advantage. Before he'd become known as a force of nature in battle and dubbed Jigokudani, he'd had another name in bingo books. One that Kanami knew – via tales from the veteran kunoichi in the revolution – had simultaneously inspired fear and desire in enemy kunoichi.

The Carmine Incubus was the kind of name that took very specific skills and accolades to earn. Which her brother had, over and over again, if one took even a glance at his mission record.

"And the threesome with two kunoichi she mentioned?" Cassidy hissed.

Kanami shook her head.

Then she slapped her cousin on the head.

"Dammit!" Morinoshin whined.

"You deserved it." Kanami said flatly.

Morinoshin didn't bother protesting.

"That was…unexpected." Nii-san said, sounding more wistful than anything. "And it was mostly a fun release for them."

"Now, more importantly," Nii-san turned his attention to Morinoshin, "you remember the rules?"

"Keep it in my pants until courting agreements have been bound." Morinoshin said in a pitiful voice.

"Yes." Nii-san said. "Though, if you want to try and become the shinobi version of the Legendary Pervert, I suppose that's your prerogative."

Morinoshin perked up like a dog offered a bone.

Kanami slapped his head again. He cringed, giving her a sad look as he took a step away.

"Yes, I remember the rules as well." Kanami replied when her brother looked her way.

"That wasn't my question." Nii-san said. "Figure out the shinobi. Not just that he's a way to help handle this supposed cousin."

"I don't recognize him." Cassidy replied.

"I wasn't expecting you to." Nii-san said.

There was a twist in his tone that Kanami didn't quite understand. She didn't know what he was thinking about, but in the back of her head, she took note of his concern.

"Whoever he is, Konoha was sending a very specific message, being escorted by the Silver Vixen and wearing battle gear in a similar manner to the Flickering Blade. His sword is incredibly similar as well." Nii-san continued. "His connection to one of the kunoichi we've contracted may not be coincidence either. Dig into him. Seduce him if you have to."

Kanami blinked. It was an unusually blunt order from her brother.

"Of course, nii-san." Kanami said.

She doubted she'd need to seduce him. Given his bulky shoulders, rugged face, and visible facial hair, he was a rather marked departure from what kunoichi typically considered attractive in shinobi. Nor did he have any sort of Clan status. There was very little doubt that he was far from an object of affection for the kunoichi he interacted with regularly.

A small amount of attention, from a beautiful kunoichi like herself, would be like rain in the desert for someone like him. Even while she courted a few of the shinobi she'd no doubt end up having children with, keeping his affections wouldn't be too difficult. She was no seduction specialist, but she'd paid attention when her mother talked. Kanami and her siblings had a variety of fathers, and all of those fathers adored her mother.

"You sure you didn't sense anything strange off of him?" Nii-san asked, the frown clear in his voice, concealed by the mask or not.

"Nothing." Cassidy, Morinoshin, and Kanami all replied.

Nii-san tsked. "Damn. Well, if anyone could hide it that effectively, it would've been the Yellow Flash and the Sannin. Keep him close, imouto. He was a mystery presented to us personally. I don't intend to forget the lessons we learned in the Second and Third Nin Wars."

"Hai, nii-san." Kanami repeated.

She didn't like the way he seemed spooked. It implied that the shinobi truly was a wrinkle he hadn't been expecting.

Nii-san very rarely is bothered by sudden changes. What's so strange about this D rank shinobi?

Kanami held onto the thought even as she put on the show of hugging her 'father' goodbye. She didn't make a huge display, but she conjured up a few crocodile tears. The jonin no doubt knew what she was doing, as did some of the younger kunoichi, but it wouldn't hurt to lower their expectations of her emotional security.

Knowing which kunoichi and shinobi would attempt to manipulate her emotionally, via the way she 'missed her family' or other means, was useful for her.

Her 'father' and the 'guard' departed. The three contracted jonin from Konohagakure and the rest of the actual guarding force followed. Two Nara and two Inuzuka, a jonin and a young kunoichi each, went with them.

Kanami found herself left with her cousin, her aunt, her uncle, and a massive group of Konohagakure nin.

"How fast can they travel?" Seong Akena addressed Kanami's aunt.

There was clear recognition between the two of them, and very little harmony. Kanami wasn't surprised; her aunt Fu rarely forgave anyone, for anything.

Seong Akena had more red ink in her ledger than anyone other than the Yondaime Mizukage, at least in the eyes of Terumi Fu.

"All the way to Konoha?" Aunt Fu smirked. "With you all protecting them and not worrying about chakra at the end of the journey? High travel speed."

Seong Akena didn't react, nor did the Konohagakure jonin, while the ANBU's masks concealed both their expressions and muted their chakra emissions.

The genin and students, however, were less able to conceal themselves. In particular, the Yamanaka shinobi student flashed a grimace. His eyes darted over to the Hyuga students for a moment before shaking his head and returning his face to placidity.

"Let's go then." Seong Akena said. "Separate the genin and students who can't maintain high travel speed on the high roads."

Kanami kept her face neutral as she watched all but two of the genin and students end up in tandem travel positions. Several of them were quietly protesting, until the Flickering Blade appeared next to them silently. Their protests universally died at that point. The only two exceptions were the D Rank chakra signatures among them, the Inuzuka genin kunoichi, and the mystery shinobi next to the Silver Vixen.

"Apparently your boyfriend's pretty capable for a Konoha student." Morinoshin murmured.

Kanami rolled her eyes.

Seong Akena appeared in front of them again. Kanami noticed the way her aunt's and uncle's chakra contracted for a moment when she did.

She's faster than them. I expected that, but still. It's enough of a difference that they're reacting with their chakra as much as their body.

"You two will be moving with the others not in tandem travel." Seong Akena motioned her head. "Your escorts will be right with you, of course."

Kanami met her aunt's eyes. There was a subtle nod.

As they approached, Kanami watched the Inuzuka pair jog over to stand next to the Silver Vixen and the mystery shinobi.

Kanami flicked her eyes over to Morinoshin. He pulsed his chakra twice. Kanami nodded minutely rather than pulse back.

Time to begin.

"Nice to meet you." Kanami said as she came to a stop. "Uzumaki Kanami, and this is my cousin, Uzumaki Morinoshin."

"Greetings, Uzumaki-san." The Inuzuka genin nodded, her eyes flitting to Morinoshin. "Inuzuka Ryoka. Our Clan has lots of tales about the prowess of the red haired Uzumaki."

Kami. Already? Down bitch. That is not subtle.

Though, I'll give her credit for making her intentions obvious. To me at least. As his cousin, it's going to be a pain to filter offers, formal and informal both.

"I wasn't raised with many tales of our Clan." Kanami replied. "Given the fact that the Uzumaki name wasn't the best to have since the Second Nin War, we don't speak of it much."

"Oh." The Inuzuka's blink was genuine enough, if her chakra fluctuations were to be believed. "I, ah-"

"No offense was taken." Kanami said, smiling blandly.

Then she turned her eyes to the mystery shinobi.

He had a curious look on his face. "Uzumaki, huh?"

"Maa, the hair gives it away, Shiranui-kun." The Silver Vixen said.

"Mmhmm." Shiranui said. "Shiranui Ry. Nice to meet you."

He frowned. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm trying to prepare myself, since it's likely I'll need to introduce you to my imouto. She, ah…well, she's excitable, and the idea of her having living family will put her in a mood."

"We're happy to meet new family." Kanami said.

Whatever Shiranui was going to say, he snapped his mouth closed when the Flickering Blade appeared next to them. "Let's go. Let us know if your chakra is flagging."

As they ran up the trunk of the nearby tree, Kanami noted the way their jonin escorts mutually backed off. All of them were still close by, and would be able to intervene before Kanami could do more than blink, but the illusion of privacy was there.

Kanami went to engage Shiranui, according to the plan that she and Morinoshin had hashed out in the very brief, silent back and forth.

She found him looking directly at the Inuzuka instead. "Inuzuka-san, I don't suppose you have any updates on Kina-san's recovery?"

The Inuzuka shot him a complicated look. "No. I'll pass along that you're still worried though."

Shiranui nodded.

"A friend?" Kanami asked, taking the easy opening.

"Sort of." Shiranui shrugged. "She had an incident, and I was there to try and help. She's been recovering for a few months, and I check in every so often to make sure she knows someone outside of her Clan cares."

Odd.

Possible unrequited feelings for this Inuzuka Kina? It's possible her Clan is forcibly imposing a barrier between them. Or she may just be uninterested. By all accounts, the Inuzuka are not typically subtle.

"That's never easy." Kanami agreed easily. "A training accident?"

Shiranui snorted. "No."

The surety, and hint of amusement, in his tone intrigued Kanami. She didn't press; the increasing tension in the Inuzuka's chakra and the flat denial were both clear signals that further prying wouldn't be welcome from either party.

Instead, Kanami turned to the Inuzuka. "Inuzuka-san, do you plan to seriously court my brother?"

Her question clearly caught both the Konoha nin off guard. Shiranui let out a huff, his chakra flickering for a moment, while the Inuzuka's neck turned red, her chakra suddenly in flux.

"If he's amenable." The Inuzuka said. "I know it's unlikely to result in marriage, but I want strong daughters and sons. An Uzumaki or two wouldn't hurt things."

"As long as you're aware of the results, I won't stand in your way." Kanami said.

She caught Morinoshin's grin. There was an urge to fling a kunai at him, which she restrained. Barely.

"And you, Uzumaki-san?" The Inuzuka asked. "Are you planning to go after multiple shinobi, like your cousin here will have multiple kunoichi after him?"

Kanami allowed herself a smirk. "I think I need a better understanding of the situation in Konoha. I tend to want only the best."

The Inuzuka snorted. "Good luck with that. No offense, but you're competing with the Last Uchiha. At the very best, kunoichi our age get second pick. And she'll almost certainly have more than one round of courting."

Kanami nodded. She'd expected as much. The few weeks before she'd left for Konoha, she and her mother had workshopped a number of strategies, with the knowledge that Last Uchiha would certainly have primacy of picking rights. The most eligible, and most powerful, would certainly be snapped up, by scheming and political maneuvering if the kunoichi herself wasn't enthusiastic enough.

"That's expected." Kanami said.

She glanced over at Shiranui for a moment. Words formed in her mouth, only to pause as her sensory capabilities took in what he was doing with his chakra. Her eyes flickered down to his feet, before resuming looking ahead in their path.

He's using the technique Aunt Fu was showing me on the way here.

It was a technique that took chakra control that implied natural skill, or years of practice. Kanami had the advantage of being a sensor, and she'd still not managed to use it with any regularity after nearly two months of travel and usage.

Kanami recovered from her surprise a moment later. "Shiranui-san, tell me, what do you think about being one of my potential marriage candidates?"

The shinobi let out a long exhale. "I think that someone lied to me when I asked if this was Clan marriage bullshit."

Kanami let one eyebrow rise. "Clan marriage bullshit?"

"Uchiha-san, Nara-san, Akimichi-san, Aburame-san, Inuzuka-san." Shiranui said, his voice amused. "There are five Clan Heiresses all my age, at the Academy together. There's politicking and maneuvering I want no part of, and that's without getting the actual Clans involved. You're just adding to the mix, and I want nothing to do with it."

"Really?" Kanami asked, slightly surprised.

It was rare to find shinobi or kunoichi not interested in marrying into Clans. Shiranui's disinterest wasn't unique, but it did make him a significant minority. At least, outside of Kiri, and Kanami only sometimes counted the brainwashed and culturally rewired 'loyal' nin in Kiri.

Shiranui sighed again, glancing her way as they sailed through the air. "It's not your fault, you just asked a question about something that irritates me. You want the truth?"

"If you'd be so kind." Kanami smirked. "We so rarely get that as nin."

"Because we can't handle the truth." Shiranui said, before chuckling to himself.

Kanami didn't see the humor, nor the point of the statement, but she kept silent.

"Look, you're going to meet Narisa, so get used to raw, unvarnished, maybe slightly insane truths." Shiranui said. "One, I want nothing to do with the idea of marrying for prestige or greater power. I do not want a life partner decided by who will make the most powerful children or tie me tightest to a Clan serving its own interests. Two, the idea of being in a polygamous marriage doesn't sit well with me. I have a real problem with the idea of sharing my lover, my woman, with another man."

"Third, and most importantly, I have far more important things to be concerned about than getting stuck in a relationship, especially one mired in political climbing and negotiating." Shiranui said.

The finality of his third statement caught Kanami's interest. There was an eerie similarity to the way her eldest brother had often responded to their mother's pressuring to get a few wives and settle down. At the time, a young Kanami hadn't understood he was in the preparatory stages of launching the revolution, but she'd understood the simultaneous conviction in his words and the longing in his chakra, the two drives clashing against one another.

Shiranui Ry's words conveyed he had no plans to get entangled in any sort of romance that might impede his other goals.

Kanami could respect that. She was much the same way. It just so happened in this case that her long term goals now included collecting a few husbands and popping out the beginnings of a Clan revitalization, as the price to ensure her homeland would get the support it needed to remove a tyrant.

The shinobi's chakra, which had fluctuated violently during his statement, told Kanami that his conviction wasn't all consuming.

Eerily similar to her eldest brother.

I wonder if that's part of what was bothering him. He's no sensor, but nii-san has spent decades honing his ability to read chakra fluctuations.


"You say that, and yet you're always asking after my cousin." Ryoka said.

Ry glanced over. "Ask her about my motives. I promise you, romance was a very small part of our interactions."

Ryoka snorted, then glanced away. "I like living, thank you."

Ry quirked an eyebrow but Ryoka had clearly decided to ignore him. She picked up the pace slightly, taking up a position next to Morinoshin.

"You're truly uninterested in Clan marriages?" Kanami asked.

Ry took another look at her. He quickly brought his eyes back to the front.

He'd gotten quite used to being around attractive women. It was part and parcel of being a shinobi among kunoichi. When he was regularly outnumbered at least three or four to one, it was a necessary trait to cultivate. He appreciated the abundance of beauty around him, but it had long since ceased distracting him.

The redhead jumping alongside him had changed that, waking up a hormone monster in his head. It wasn't as bad as what had happened with Kina's incident, but Ry didn't really count that, since he'd been externally influenced.

Uzumaki Kanami was just stupidly gorgeous. Green eyes, crimson hair, a soft face with pouty lips and a quirk to her lips when she smiled. Her body was hidden underneath a bulky blue jacket and bulky nin pants, but Ry had yet to meet a kunoichi that didn't have a rocking body. The body types differed, but they were universally fit and feminine.

From the moment she'd walked up to him, Ry was very aware that he'd been using a large amount of chakra continuously. His body had reacted accordingly.

As bad as what happens when I realize I'm in one of the practicals. Man, I hope Akena's right that this is easier to handle when fight or flight supersedes the residuals.

"No, not really." Ry said, shaking his head. "I could maybe see marrying multiple kunoichi, but that sounds complicated. And messy. It'd need the right personalities; the idea of a hierarchy in a marriage bugs me. Not that it matters, since I'm not from a Clan."

"Coming from the other direction?" Ry snorted. "No. I'm self aware enough to realize I want nothing to do with that."

"Even if ordered?" Kanami asked.

"I'm not politically important enough." Ry replied confidently. "You'll figure that out soon enough."

"Power is power." Kanami said.

"And I'm a long way from powerful enough to be important in that regard." Ry shrugged. "In the meantime, I'll avoid the complications. Besides, the kunoichi our age aren't particularly interested in me."

"Why?" Kanami asked.

Kazune was right. She's going to ask all sorts of questions, until I stop.

Good thing she's not asking anything particularly important.

"My imouto." Ry said with a grin. "She, ah, well, you'll see."

"She's my cousin, right?" Kanami asked.

"Yeah, though there's not much family resemblance." Ry said. "Unless you've got blondes with whisker marks that you didn't bring along."

"No blondes." Kanami said. "Which was a bit unfortunate. More hair colors would've made it easier to disguise ourselves. Whisker marks, though?"

"Yup." Ry said. "You'll understand when you meet her."

Kanami didn't ask any questions for a while. Ry was content with that. He needed time to process what was happening. After a few minutes, they passed Morinoshin and Ryoka, Ry too lost in thought to realize he'd picked up his pace.

Kazune hadn't given him much information. The quick, terse explanation about some young Uzumaki coming seek refuge in Konoha had only given Ry a million questions.

He didn't buy it. At all.

It was possible. There were plenty of differences in the world and what pieces he remembered of Naruto, but there was an immediate, Clan sized hole in the logic that kept him from buying in.

Ry had done his historical research. Konoha and Uzushio had been true allies. It had been an alliance unlike any other in the Elemental Nations, mostly attributed to the long term relationship between the Senju and the Uzumaki. The alliance was not one of mere convenience, but closer to that of family separated only by geography.

Even accounting for historical bias, there was no mistaking the raw fury in the words of the historians who'd recorded the events of the Second Nin War. Konoha had learned of the attack on Uzushio late, but they'd thrown everything and the kitchen sink at the attackers in an attempt to save their allies. There were two, simultaneous and desperate defenses going on, as Konoha strove to break through to reach their allies, and the coalition attacking Uzushio threw their nin into the meat grinder of the streets and canals of Uzushio.

The coalition had triumphed, in both cases, but it was the definition of a pyrrhic victory. Their forces were gutted, on both fronts, and Konoha negotiated a temporary ceasefire with Suna, who took opportunistic advantage of unexpectedly weakened neighbors.

It took less than six months after Uzushio's fall for its attackers to be brought low.

It's possible that there were Uzumaki hiding out, but they would've come to Konoha long ago. Everything I can remember about the history of the show, which is admittedly limited, roughly aligns with what I've read. I can't imagine the Sandaime not welcoming any remaining Uzumaki with open arms.

Or, if there were some hidden bad blood, they wouldn't be here now. These half measures make no sense.

Whatever was happening, Ry was sure there was far more maneuvering going on, maneuvering he was unaware of. He knew better than to spin his wheels thinking about it, so he focused back on his movement, seeking to further ingrain it.

"Do you know many of the others our age?" Kanami asked a while later. "The ones who came with you, out here?"

"Not really." Ry said. "A few of them are in the Academy and we've talked occasionally, but that's about it. Again, I'm not on particularly good terms with most of the nin our age."

"Yet you're one of the better ones." Kanami noted.

"If you say so." Ry shook his head. "I've got a long way to go."

"So you say, but you're the only one left who hasn't been forced to tandem travel." Kanami said.

Ry frowned, then glanced around. Behind him, only Morinoshin jumped on. Ryoka was no longer there. A quick scan revealed her to be in tandem travel position, with the others. She had a disgruntled expression on her face.

How long have we…

A few seconds of self-examination told Ry he was at forty percent of his chakra reserves. His brows furrowed as he ran back the trip in his head.

Moving at this speed, we'd definitely be back to Konoha by now, judging by how long we traveled on the outbound leg. Where are we?

Also, since when have my reserves been better than genin? Or was Ryoka pulled because she's reached some threshold that her jonin doesn't want her dipping below?

Ry took a moment to come up with a response, failed at finding anything pithy, and settled for a bastardization of a half-remembered quote. "There's no such thing as too much chakra."

"And the technique you're using on your feet?" Kanami asked.

Ry blinked, glancing down for a moment as they soared through the air. It made him momentarily queasy; the sun was beginning to set, which let the shadows out to play, and gave the perception of the ground being further away than it already was.

How did- she's a sensor. That's useful to know, if she can sense that I'm concentrating chakra there, beyond what's normally used for tree walking.

"What about it?" Ry asked.

"It doesn't seem like a technique the other genin knew, if Inuzuka-san was anything to go by." Kanami said.

"Not sure." Ry shrugged. "I just got tired of branches breaking beneath my feet when I pushed off or landed."

"So you just…invented it?" Kanami asked.

"Invent is a strong word." Ry said. "Its more like using adhesion, repulsion, and a bit of infusion in a specific manner. Pretty sure all the jonin are doing it."

"They are." Kanami said. "But I doubt most of them taught themselves."

Maa, you need to meet more jonin.

Ry couldn't help grinning at the caricature of Kazune's voice that echoed through his head. He was certain that his taijutsu instructor had done exactly what Kanami had just doubted.

"Because someone showed them how before it became a problem they needed to solve." Ry said. "I only had to figure it out on my own because I was learning tree walking by myself."

"And you think most of your fellow nin could do that?" Kanami asked.

Ry turned to look at her. He was once again reminded of how unfairly gorgeous she was, but pushed it aside for the moment.

"Are you trying to inflate my ego or poke for weaknesses?" Ry asked.

A small smile graced Kanami's face for a moment. "Why can't I be doing both?"

Ry grunted, looking forward again. "Fair point."

"I ask because you've declared yourself an outsider, or at least poorly regarded." Kanami said. "Which means I have little to worry about in regards to you making a sales pitch to any one shinobi in particular."

"Ah, so the man who is liked by none has little use for dissembling." Ry said.

"I believe that nin manuals refer to it as 'turning those who have little love for your target.' Or at least the ones I've read do." Kanami said.

"So I'm an informant. I see." Ry let out a laugh. "I'll let you experience them on your own. I don't know exactly what your situation will be, but I imagine you'll have an interesting time of it."

"No extending a helping hand to your imouto's family?" Kanami asked with an amused lilt to her voice.

She has a better read on me than I'd like if she's already figured out that I find that funny.

"I'll let you solicit her for help." Ry replied, amused. "Her advice on my fellow shinobi should be enlightening for you, and you'll have no trouble getting her opinions."

"So be it." Kanami said. "Are you related to the Silver Vixen?"

"Maa, he wishes." Kazune said, appearing in a blur in Ry's peripheral. "Uzumaki-san, you'll be diverting here with your family. There are precautions to be taken before you can enter Konoha proper. Shiranui, follow Akena-senpai's directions. You'll see these two tomorrow, to introduce them to your imouto."

"Hai sensei." Ry said dryly.

"A pleasure talking to you, Shiranui-san." Kanami said.

"You as well, Uzumaki-san." Ry replied.

Kazune gestured Ry to divert. He leapt to a different branch, pausing. Akena appeared a few moments later.

"We're headed this way." Akena said.

"So…any reason we were dragged all the way out, then run back past Konoha?" Ry asked as he followed his bukijutsu instructor.

"To bring the Uzumaki in." Akena said.

"I meant the genin and students." Ry said.

"So did I." Akena said. "We brought them out because we didn't know if they would take us up on the offer to accept some kunoichi early."

"Do I want to know about that?" Ry asked.

He'd bitten back questions about the two Inuzuka and two Nara who'd departed.

"Considering your stance on Clan marriage bullshit?" Akena asked, the smirk evident in her voice. "I doubt it."

"Kazune told me to be honest as long as it wasn't anything secret or dangerous." Ry said.

"Oh no, you were perfect." Akena laughed. "Believe me, that worked far better than I'd hoped. The Clans won't be happy about the way their genin and students were embarrassed, but leaving you and the kunoichi to talk was the best case scenario."

"Because I'm prep for Narisa?" Ry asked.

"Because the Hokage and the Clans have very different opinions on how this should've been handled." Akena said. "And there've been concerns about how you, being close to Narisa, would be problematic for proper matches between Clan shinobi and the Uzumaki kunoichi."

"And my lack of interest, expressed to her face, clears that up." Ry pursed his lips. "As does the fact that it was said in what was likely hearing range for a bunch of Clan jonin."

"You do pay attention when you feel like it." Akena said. "There are other layers, but her soft probes for intel on her potential future husbands was exactly what we were hoping for."

"That's fair." Ry said. "Running us past Konoha?"

"There's only so many areas where we can run visiting nin through proper procedures." Akena said. "We'll disassemble and move this one after this use, but if they just entered without going through the proper procedures, the barrier would mark them as intruders, and that status can't be erased once gained."

"Huh." Ry said. "That's useful."

Then something occurred to him. "Wait. How do we not find spies then? Kazune-sensei and auntie told me about those."

"Because civilians have an entrance procedure too." Akena said. "And most spies pretend to be civilians. I can count on one hand, or thought I could, the nin with the Fuinjutsu expertise necessary to slip past our barrier otherwise. It was part of the exchange of gifts between the Uzumaki and the Senju when the Shodai Hokage was married."

"Oh." Ry said. "That's fair. So are we headed back?"

"Not quite." Akena said. "The rest of our contingent are, minus the ANBU and Kazune. You and I have somewhere else to visit."


Ry cocked his head as they stopped on a branch.

Darkness had fully descended, only the faint light of the moon providing any illumination.

In his first life, Ry would've been practically blind. Chakra infusion in his eyes let him make use of the smallest amounts of light, though his vision had gone somewhat grayscale in compensation.

The clearing below them was occupied by an impressively large stone building, with a much smaller wooden one standing nearby. Around the two buildings was a stone wall, one clearly made with Doton. The interior of the wall had a series of small buildings attached, each with a single door.

A single glance at Akena showed Ry that this place held personal significance to her. He killed the question on his lips; giving her a moment of contemplation and reflection was more important than satisfying his curiosity. After all, Ry knew the expression well.

It was one he'd worn in the mirror a few times, after visiting his hometown graveyard in his first life and being confronted with the harsh reality of lives extinguished in their prime.

Wind whistled quietly, but Ry crouched patiently, waiting. Whereas the area outside of the walls was overgrown and green as was normal in the forest, the interior was almost entirely dirt. There was a small garden, which looked overgrown, but the clear lack of encroaching growth spoke of regular maintenance.

"Come on." Akena said after a minute.

Unlike the jonin, Ry had to run down the tree. He was fairly confident in his chakra reinforcement, but not after a four hundred foot drop in the dark. It took him a minute to meet up with her, halting again as she stood in front of the open arch in the stone wall.

"Hold out your hand." Akena said.

Ry did, taking a deep breath when Akena pulled out a kunai. She slashed her palm, turning towards him afterwards. Wordlessly, she gestured and Ry held out his own hand.

Damn good thing I'm learning iryo ninjutsu.

A moment later the kunai was dripping with both their blood. Ry went through the seals for Mystical Palm while Akena stepped up to the arch. She slotted the kunai into a small hole on one side, where it slid in with a loud clink.

"Through." Akena said, stepping through the archway.

Stepping through, Ry felt oddly like he'd stepped through thin curtains, having to exert a bit of force to get through. A glance over his shoulder didn't show any sort of obstacle.

What did that kunai do?

Akena walked up to the doorway in the large stone building. Rather than enter, she stood there for a moment before turning around.

"Sit." Akena said, dropping into a seated position.

Ry followed suit.

"Narisa's parents built this place." Akena said. "With some help, of course, but they did every bit of the Fuinjutsu that's inked into the walls and buildings. Grounds too."

Ry blinked. "They did?"

"Yes." Akena said. "And no, before you ask, don't bring Narisa here. The Fuinjutsu includes some nasty surprises for intruders, and while Narisa doesn't count, her furry passenger does."

"Ah." Ry winced.

Akena nodded. She didn't say anything for a moment, then reached behind her, pulling her geom out of its sheath.

"We forged this here." Akena said. "The five of us. I'd used my father's old blade for the first few years of the Third Nin War, but after it broke, Narisa's parents were determined to make me a better replacement."

"You knew them?" Ry asked.

Akena cracked a bleak smile. "Yes."

Ry heard the pain in that statement.

I'm going to assume there's a reason why she isn't more involved in Narisa's life.

"We were…close." Akena said. "They knew my blade breaking had nearly cost me my life, so they brought me out here. They'd been experimenting with all sorts of Fuinjutsu, out here where they wouldn't accidentally light the village on fire. They had an old Uzumaki technique they wanted to use in forging the blade, one I was uniquely qualified to take full advantage of."

"The end result was this." Akena laid the blade on the dirt.

Ry had seen it before, though she'd never fully unsheathed it. Its red coloration was unique. He'd never held it, and got the impression that trying would be a bad idea. The blade seemed to give off a mournful tune, one that reached past Ry's emotional defenses and tugged at his heartstrings.

"The way we'd gone about the process, our caution and overabundance of preparation, left enough properly treated metal for a few more blades." Akena said. "You're carrying one of them."

Ry put a hand on the geom strapped to his back. "Why?"

"The forging and Fuinjutsu makes them…picky." Akena said. "Had you tried to pick it up before it felt you were qualified, you'd regret it."

"Fuinjutsu can do that?" Ry asked.

"Fuinjutsu can do wonderful and terrible things." Akena said soberly.

"Is there anything special about it?" Ry asked.

"Right now?" Akena shook her head. "Only that you don't have to worry about anyone ever wielding it against you. Except a few trustworthy Konoha jonin, who have no reason to ever take your weapon in the first place. Or Narisa, but I doubt that will ever be a concern."

"Yours is different." Ry said.

"Mine is different." Akena agreed. "Do you know my name in bingo books?"

"No." Ry said. "Owning one of those would get me in trouble."

"Yes, it would, but that wouldn't have stopped Narisa; ask her for a look sometime." Akena agreed. "My moniker is the Flickering Blade; I earned it before we made this blade, but once I started using it, there was little chance of it changing."

"Can I activate mine?" Ry asked. "If the differences are useful, as you're implying."

"Theoretically, yes." Akena said. "But the sacrifice involved to activate it would be…large, and not something you're ready to pay. Literally, you cannot pay it at the moment, or likely anytime in the near future. That's without considering the other requirements."

"That's disappointing." Ry said.

He waited. He knew they were here for a reason, and he doubted Akena had brought him just to talk about a blade he couldn't do anything further with. Even as she picked her blade up off the dirt and sheathed it, he waited.

"Tell me, Shiranui: why do you push yourself so hard in training?" Akena asked.

"Because I refuse to be too weak to be able to fight when the time comes." Ry replied.

"When the time comes." Akena said. "Which time is that?"

"I'm a shinobi." Ry replied. "All of them."

"No." Akena said, her eyes narrowing. "You push yourself like my students did towards the end of the Third Nin War. They knew they were going to be fighting for their lives, and they sought every advantage they could."

"And you're saying that couldn't happen to me at any point?" Ry asked. "Considering Narisa's jinchuriki status, I feel like I'm not wrong in saying it."

"You're not." Akena agreed. "But that's not your motivation. You train like you think you're going to die if you don't."

"You remember I was a civilian less than a year ago, unaware of my chakra, right?" Ry asked, frowning. "That might not be the mindset for me, but I didn't expect to be a shinobi. Didn't even want it, really. It just was thrust upon me. So, yeah, I train like I might die otherwise, because as far as I know, I will. The one serious fight I've been in, I should've died. If I hadn't pushed myself as hard as I do with you and Kazune-sensei and Aoba-sensei, I would be dead."

Akena frowned at Ry. He held his ground. He was telling the truth. It wasn't the only truth, but he meant it wholeheartedly. There were monsters out there, monsters he would run into as long as he stayed close to Narisa. To get there, however, he'd need to get past a whole host of lesser nin who would be equally happy to cut him down. As the attack had showed him, he had a long way to go if some random chunin from Kumo had come close to wiping him out.

"You're holding back." Akena said after a moment. "But that's fine. Tell me this: are you training to kill someone specific?"

Ry's mind flashed through the fragmented images he remembered from the anime. The show had implied their lethal skills. Kazune had shown him that those skills weren't necessarily the whole truth. They could be even deadlier. He stood small enough chance as it was.

The answer slipped out without permission. "I'm training to survive monsters."

Akena cocked her head slightly.

Then she nodded. "That, I can accept."

Ry blinked. "What?"

"Your edge of desperation." Akena said. "I accept."

She rose to her feet gracefully. "Follow me."

Ry's brow knitted in confusion as he got to his feet. He didn't understand what Akena was after with those questions.

And I know that asking won't get me answers either, dammit.

Stupid nin. Always keeping secrets.

Entering the stone building behind Akena, Ry found it surprisingly sparse. There were a series of stone slabs and shelves, hard to make out in the near pure dark. A few of them had metal lined pits below them, with pipes pointed downwards. Then there were the stacks of stone, with openings of various sizes. On the wall hung a great series of hammers and other tools Ry didn't know the use for.

Akena didn't lead him towards the tools. Instead, she moved to the center of the building, where a perfectly circular stone slab was inset into the ground. It was marked out by a copper ring around the edge. There were odd, dark squiggles on the copper and when Ry looked closer at the slab itself, he saw the squiggles covered it as well.

"Stand here." Akena tapped with her foot.

Ry stepped onto the slab, standing where she'd told him to.

"When we were forging the blades, Narisa's parents discovered a few things." Akena said, stepping opposite Ry. "The Binding Seal is a bit of Fuinjutsu that's apparently been around for a long time, but Narisa's mom puzzled out a few things about it. They were really only of use to Kazune and I, until now."

With that, she pulled her blade out. "Draw your geom."

Ry did so. The weight of it was comfortably light in his hands. Akena had him train with a wooden version covered in seals that he presumed acted similarly to the inhibitors he wore. As a result, while there was a heft to the blade, it was far from the strain he'd half expected.

Akena pulled her blade across her hand. Blood dripped down the edge of the geom, before falling to the ground.

"Do the same." Akena said. "And don't heal it afterwards. Not yet. We need it to mark the circle."

Ry nodded. It took him a moment to gather his courage, but he drew the blade across his palm. Blood welled out, clinging to the edge of the weapon. It felt like it took forever, sliding its way down the edge.

The first drop hit the stone below him and the seals spun to life. Ry's eyes widened at the movement, which was both chaotic and beautifully choreographed. Colors flared, red and blue and yellow, swirling together to form a darkening singularity at the center of the slab. More colors branched off of the singularity, striking out as patterns of ink came to life in dazzling arrays. The seals lighting up in sequence reached the edge of the slab and abruptly swirled, the copper ring turning pure white.

"What?" The question slipped out.

"I don't understand it either." Akena said. "You need to be a Seal Master, or whatever the step beyond that is. We can use it though."

"Hold your blade in a two handed grip." Akena said, grabbing the pommel of her weapon.

Ry followed suit.

"Infuse yourself with chakra, and then follow along with my hand seals." Akena said. "Don't worry about forming a jutsu. Just let the chakra flow as you form them."

"While holding a weapon?" Ry asked.

Akena's smile was grim. "You'll understand."

"Tusker." Akena's hands slid into position, fingers contorting around the hilt.

Ry mimicked her, startled when he felt his chakra shift.

Akena shifted her hands and fingers, separating them. "Lion."

Ry followed her example, his chakra shifting again.

"Tiger."

"Garuda."

"Guinea Pig."

"Elephant."

"Rat."

"Dragon." Ry contorted his hands one more time.

To his surprise, it had been almost effortless to follow Akena's example. The chakra shifts had felt strange, but at the same time familiar, almost as if they were guiding him.

As he completed the Dragon Seal, his chakra poured out of him. Ry felt it disappearing into the circle below him. He staggered, his body suddenly weary.

"Brace yourself." Akena said.

Ry barely had time to register her words before a different chakra slammed into him. He screamed; the foreign chakra was scouring his chakra network, scraping up every last bit of chakra remaining and shoving it towards his core. When it arrived, it was like someone set off a bomb inside his abdomen. Senses went away, words went away, thought went away.

Everything was agony.

When Ry came to, he found Akena crouching over him, wiping his forehead with a rag.

"Hurts." Akena nodded. "I know. You able to speak?"

"S-sensei." Ry groaned. "What…was that?"

"That was us binding the use of those seals to your blood." Akena said gently.

The words filtered through slowly. "Like…a kekkei genkai?"

Akena shook her head. "No. Let's get you up and let you sleep. I'll explain more afterwards."


First of all, thanks for reading. I'm happy this chapter made it out when it has, because woo boy, has March been a rough month when it came to having writing time. Due to a lot of IRL reasons, the P word isn't going to happen quite yet, but I do have the initial chapters of at least one other fic in the chamber that will be coming out soon.

Onto the more fun stuff, the chapter.

First of all, new characters. Kanami and Morinoshin 'Uzumaki.' Like I've mentioned in a previous AN, the Kiri revolution has lots of wiggle room in it, and that's fertile ground for new characters to spring from. I have plans for that revolution, the people in it, and how they're going to impact what's happening in the Elemental Nations.

Kanami is challenging, but fun, to write. I have a definite direction for her character in mind, but it requires a definite perspective shift in how she views the world, which is the challenge. It's also part of the reason I started writing this fic in the first place, because I wanted the challenge of writing characters who don't come naturally to me.

Morinoshin. Morinoshin, Morinoshin, Morinoshin. He's...also challenging for me to write, in a very different manner. You haven't seen much of him yet, but walking the fine line between being a trope or caricature and doing what is needed for the purposes of narrative and character growth is difficult for me. Even more so than Kanami, I've already discovered that writing him is definitely going to force me to push myself.

You'll be seeing plenty more of both new 'Uzumaki' in the future. Which probably isn't that surprising, given that they were basically horse traded in exchange for services provided by Konoha. Or the orders handed out in this chapter.

Of the old characters though, I want to talk about Akena.

First, I'm curious if anyone's guessed who she's descended from. I haven't made any particular effort to mislead, I've just been intentionally vague, but if you've figured it out, great. She and her younger sister are the result of a 'what if' question I had once I knew the general direction I was going to take the story in. I didn't quite expect it to evolve how it did - discovery writer here, which means my characters do things I'm not always expecting - but both sisters mere existence has repercussions. Both in the past, and the present.

Second, she's one of the metaphorical hurricanes caused by the butterfly flapping its wings. I won't spoil, but given what exposition has already revealed, it's pretty obvious she had a major impact on the events in the Third Nin War. Konoha, at least from how I view the series, has nin that fall into two camps. There are the team based nin who make up the vast majority of their forces. They're not particularly remarkable, but they're solid and they can hold their own against the average nin of the other Elemental Nations. Then there are what I've dubbed as the 'monsters.' I don't need to list them, but they're the characters from Naruto that everybody hears the name and goes 'oh shit, the guy or gal who (insert ridiculous feat/ability here)' and are part of the reason that the 'Conservation of Ninjutsu' is a trope, because they just mow through 'normal' nin.

Akena falls firmly into the latter category. I haven't expanded much on her capabilities where readers can see them, but she definitely fits the mold of the 'monsters.' Hopefully that's obvious, given the feats Kanami exposits on in this chapter, but I'm excited for the moments where you'll get to see her in actual action.

Her impact isn't just limited to being a kickass kunoichi, either. She knew Narisa's parents, and her current status as a selective hermit isn't reflective of her entire life to this point. There are entanglements ahead. Or in the past, I suppose, but will be revealed in the future. I'm excited. Especially about the fourth, and fifth, members of the group of five I mentioned, and how they play into things.

That's...pretty much it. I wanna talk about other things, especially the fuinjutsu stuff at the end of the chapter, but I don't want to spoil stuff, and if I talk about it, I will spoil things. It's inevitable.

So...yeah, enjoy your day, hope you enjoyed the chapters, and if you want to read similarly canon shattering fictions (or in one case, literally world shattering), check out the other stories on my profile.