The training was over. My body still felt the effects of the battle, but my mind was lighter. Mokuton was no longer a secret, and sohow, that made feel like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Tetsu-sensei stretched his arms above his head, relaxing after the clash.
"All right, Team 11. Training complete. And since it was such a good workout... ran's on ."
Sora cheered, raising her fist into the air at the sa ti.
"Yes! I knew there was a reason to give it my all in this training."
Renji just nodded, maintaining his calm deanor.
"I wouldn't say no to a free al."
I chuckled softly. After the intense fight, a good bowl of ran seed just what I needed.
Tetsu-sensei guided us through the streets of Konoha to Ichiraku Ran, the classic eting place for ninjas in the village. The sll of hot broth and freshly cooked noodles was irresistible. The place was relatively quiet, with only a few custors sitting on the stools.
Teuchi greeted us with a warm smile.
"Hey, Tetsu! Brought your students today?"
Tetsu sat down at the counter and gestured for us to join him.
"Yes. They worked hard in training, so I decided they deserve a good al."
Sora was already looking at the nu with a gleam in her eyes.
"I want a large miso ran with lots of pork!"
Renji sat down next to , looking at the nu for a few seconds before simply saying, "Shoyu ran, regular."
I ordered a miso ran as well, but added a special touch.
"Um... do you have wasabi, Teuchi-san?"
He laughed.
"Of course! Would you like to mix it into the broth?"
"Yes, please."
Sora looked at with an expression of pure disgust. "Seriously?! Wasabi in ran?"
I shrugged. "It's better than you'd think."
Renji raised an eyebrow. "That's debatable."
Tetsu ordered a simple ran, and soon the steaming bowls were placed in front of us.
The first sip of the hot broth revived completely.
"So, now that we know Riku has been hiding an absurd power from us, I think it's only fair that he tell us more about himself," said Sora, pointing her chopsticks at .
"?" I blinked a few tis, surprised.
Renji, who was eating quietly, also looked at with interest.
"She's right. Now that we know you're a Senju with Mokuton, I think it's worth understanding who Riku Senju really is."
'Oh, great. How do I explain that when I'm actually from another world?'
I took a deep breath.
"Well... I grew up near Senju Park. My parents are ninja tool rchants. And honestly, I never thought I had anything special." I took a sip of the broth and continued.
"Until I discovered Mokuton. But it was sothing that happened by chance, and since then I've been trying to figure out what to do with it."
Sora rested her chin on her hand. "And why didn't you tell us before?"
I looked down at my bowl, stirring the noodles with my chopsticks. "Because it's dangerous. You saw how Tetsu-sensei reacted. Mokuton isn't sothing common. So people might want to use it for the wrong reasons."
Renji nodded. "I know a few people who could use it for that purpose."
'Is he talking about soone in the Uchiha clan?' I thought, as silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
Until Tetsu broke the tension with a lighter tone. "Well, now that this secret has been revealed, it's part of who you are. The question now is how you're going to use it."
Sora smiled. "Exactly! And if you're smart, you'll use it to help us complete our missions more easily."
Renji shook his head. "Or he might use it to beco a true pillar of the village."
'Easy to say, right?'
I sighed. "I'm going to use it to get stronger. As for the rest... I'm still figuring it out."
After we finished eating, Tetsu-sensei said goodbye, ntioning he had things to take care of.
Sora also left, saying she needed so rest.
Renji and I were the only ones left, and for the first ti, we had the opportunity to talk a little about the training and our recently completed mission.
When we finished eating, it was getting late, so we decided to leave. As we walked through the streets of Konoha, he finally spoke:
"You want to understand your power better, right?"
I nodded.
"I know soone who might be able to help you with that."
I turned to him, curious. "And who would that be?"
He hesitated for a mont before answering:
"Shisui."
Shisui Uchiha. I'd thought he might already be dead, given the tiline—but maybe I'd have the chance to save him too.
"Will he want to talk to ?" I asked, trying to sound natural.
Renji looked at seriously. "That depends on you. But if you want to understand the weight of carrying a powerful bloodline... he's soone who can give you answers."
The system flashed in front of .
*
[New Mission Unlocked: Find Shisui Uchiha]
Objective: Talk to Shisui and learn more about the Uchiha clan and its fate.
[Do you wish to accept the mission? YES/NO.]
*
I took a deep breath.
'So this is what cos next.'
I didn't know exactly what Shisui might tell ... but if there was soone who could help understand this world better, it was him.
I looked at Renji and nodded.
"Take to him."
[YES.]
The walk to the forest was quiet.
Renji walked ahead of , following a specific route through the streets of Konoha, until we were far enough from the center of the village to enter a discreet path between the trees.
The silence started to bother .
"So," I broke the silence, crossing my arms. "Why exactly do you think this eting will happen?"
Renji didn't look at , just kept walking. "He usually cos here. To train, to think. And if I tell him I want to talk, he should show up."
I frowned. "That seems like a big 'if.' You don't even know if he'll want to listen to ."
He stopped abruptly and turned around. His gaze was sharper than usual. "Shisui is one of the few who understands what it ans to carry an important na. If anyone can say sothing useful about that, it's him."
"And you? What's your relationship with him?"
He sighed, as if he had been expecting that question. "He's my cousin."
'That explains so of his behavior...'
"So you have the Sharingan too?" I asked.
Renji looked away. "I haven't awakened it yet."
'Interesting. So he hasn't been through anything traumatic enough to activate it yet. And honestly, considering what's coming... that might not last.'
Before I could say anything else, we reached a clearing near a lake.
The water reflected the night sky, and the silence was almost absolute, except for the occasional sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
Renji stopped and took a deep breath, then in a firm voice, he said:
"Shisui, I know you're there."
My skin prickled.
For a mont, there was no response. But then, I heard a faint sound of footsteps above us.
I raised my head just as a figure descended gently from a high branch.
The man who landed in front of us had slightly ssy dark hair, sharp eyes, and a presence that was impossible to ignore. His ANBU cloak fluttered slightly in the breeze.
It was Shisui Uchiha, and he smiled slightly as he looked at Renji. "You always knew where to find ."
Then his eyes turned to .
"And you," he said, looking up and down, "must be Riku Senju."
"So you already know who I am?" I said, looking at Renji, surprised by Shisui's knowledge.
Shisui kept a neutral expression. "I know many things. But I want to hear it from you."
I blinked, confused. "What?"
He crossed his arms. "Tell , Riku... who are you?"
The wind blew, and suddenly the conversation didn't seem so simple anymore.
...
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