For the past few months, Ryo Hyūga had buried himself in his work. A sealmaster of the new generation, he was determined to leave behind the conservative rigidity of the past. His goal was ambitious—almost blasphemous under the old master's watch: a seal that would allow the Hyūga to use their Byakugan without altering their visible features.
"It's time we move beyond the mark," he had whispered more than once. "We're still living under rules carved by men long turned to dust."
The absence of the former sealmaster, now gone for over a year, gave him space. Freedom. Progress. Or so he thought.
Lately, things had changed.
Scrolls out of place. Tools swapped around. Small ceremonial figures turned to face the wrong direction. At first, he blamed his long hours and his overtaxed focus.
But today, when he opened the door to his study and found his entire scroll library disordered—his central formula scroll missing—his heart leapt. Not with anger.
With awe.
"He's returned," Ryo murmured. "The old master... from the Pure Lands. This is his final lesson."
All day, Ryo searched his study with the Byakugan activated. He saw the furniture shift ever so slightly. Shadows behaving oddly. A phantom breeze that lifted pages without opening a window. He grew convinced that the spirit of his teacher had come to test him, not in technique, but in humility.
That night, desperate for rest, he reported the incidents to Hisashi himself. The clan leader's reaction was weary more than surprised. He dismissed Ryo with a sigh, promising extra patrols.
"You're not the first to report such nonsense," Hisashi muttered, rubbing his temples. "Rest. It'll pass."
After twenty-four sleepless hours, Ryo finally collapsed into bed. There, resting atop his pillow, lay the missing scroll—unrolled, untouched, and unburned.
He stared at it.
Perhaps this was the final lesson of his old master... a lesson in humility.
With shaking hands, he whispered into the dark:
"Thank you, sensei."
Outside, far along the compound's roofline, a black shadow watched him for a moment longer.
Then disappeared into the night.
<<<< o >>>>
In the main house of the Sarutobi compound in Konoha, beneath the stillness of the night, I sat in meditation—just as I had every night since I began my training under Michel. The quiet enveloped me, and within it, I let the rhythm of the Breath of the World carry me into a deeper flow. My mind wandered, as it often did, into the silence between breaths—where the past lingers, the present echoes, and the future hums faintly with what the heart desires.
I reflected on the nature of natural energy—how for months now, Yumegakure itself has begun to receive and accumulate the energy of the world. Unlike drawing directly from nature as I once did, I now take in natural energy that has settled within Yumegakure. Slowly, I draw it through my chakra system, nourishing both my body and soul, and in doing so, I try to guide it.
The first cycle is always difficult, nearly dissonant. The second smoother. By the third, the flow adjusts—it feels more robust, more refined, more vital. Yet its essence remains familiar.
It's like filling a vessel drop by drop, only to gently return that water to teach the river how to flow. Each time I do this, I attempt to shape the natural energy residing in Yumegakure, helping it learn, helping it remember. I feel it respond more deeply now. Changed—but not changed. Still itself, but becoming something more.
I've shaped the Breath of the World so differently from Michel's original intent that I sometimes wonder if it even qualifies as the same technique. His breath drew directly from the world, a communion with the land itself. Mine, now, is focused inward—toward Yumegakure, nurturing its growing pulse with each cycle. I've been teaching it, guiding it to form its own rhythm, its own nature. So I've considered a new name: Breath of Yumegakure. But no… not yet. That name can only be born the day Yumegakure truly breathes on its own—when it finds its own cadence, its own voice, free of my guidance.
My thoughts drifted to what I learned in Sunagakure. The threads of the spirit can become extensions of my will—made physical if I will it. They move so fast that if I manifest them fully, their impact is tangible. But it comes at a cost. The physical energy required to wield them is high. I've managed it in private practice, but in a battle, surrounded by hostile intent, I don't yet know how reliable they are. I'll have to test them in Yumegakure. It's still too dangerous in the real world.
The Real World and Yumegakure, with every passing moon, more people choose to walk through the Red Gate. I've heard stories: those on the verge of the decision claim they feel something when they know loved ones or trusted friends have already gone through. Some call it resonance. I've felt it too.
But now there's something else—pressure. I feel it not only on my shoulders, but within my soul. Yumegakure itself is pressing upon me. The more souls it shelters, the heavier it becomes. I know I'm not alone in bearing it. But I'm the pillar.
Grampa Michel always said that to reach the Silver Stage naturally, one needed to pressure the soul while nourishing it over time. Perhaps this is my version of that? I don't know… but I think I should speak to him soon.
I think of the family I had in Konoha. I know now they were not truly at fault… not really. They were victims too. As was Michel. As was I. As, strangely, was Kaguya. All of us dancing beneath the threads of Shikashi's will.
What happened was tragic. But they don't know why it unfolded the way it did—and perhaps, I wish I didn't either. Because now that I've felt what it means to have a true family, I understand what I lacked before.
Team 8 meant so much to me… because it was real. I learned what it was to have a father from Takama, siblings from Rin and Taro, motherly care from Maeko and Kurenai and true friends in Shino and Kiva.
But there's no longer anything preventing me from forming new bonds with my old clan. I know that now, they may look at me differently—not as a stranger.
Perhaps, just perhaps… I can find a way to approach them. At least to get to know Hanabi.
And under the moonlight, my breath stilled into silence once more.
<<<< o >>>>
The soft rustle of paper echoed in the Hokage's office as Tsunade flipped through scrolls and reports, her brow furrowed in thought. The tension in the room was dense, broken only by the quiet tapping of a walking cane on polished wood.
An elderly man waited patiently near the wall, arms tucked into the sleeves of his worn robe. His expression was unreadable, but the faint gleam in his eyes spoke of experience and wisdom accumulated over decades.
The door creaked open.
"Sorry I'm late," came the familiar, laid-back voice of Kakashi Hatake as he stepped inside, hands in his pockets. "I got lost on the road of life. Again."
Tsunade didn't even lift her eyes. "Just sit down, Kakashi."
He obeyed with a quiet sigh and took the seat across from her, casting a brief glance at the elderly man beside the desk.
"What we're about to discuss," Tsunade began firmly, "is S-class information. The only people who know about this are in this room, and I want it to stay that way. Understood?"
Kakashi nodded, his visible eye sharp and attentive.
Tsunade gestured to the elderly man. "This is Master Hisen. One of the last surviving independent Uzumaki-trained sealmasters. He's spent the last five days analyzing the amulet brought to us."
Master Hisen stepped forward, his voice a rasp touched by age, yet precise. "The craftsmanship is unmistakably Uzumaki. The design intentionally exposes just enough for a fellow seal master to interpret its purpose, while ensuring the core function remains protected. Ingenious, really."
He placed a scroll on the desk and unrolled it, revealing intricate diagrams of the amulet.
"We've confirmed the encryption patterns match those used before Uzushiogakure's fall. I believe this is one of the lost relics created shortly before the village's destruction. Its purpose is clear: it supports a Jinchūriki in extreme conditions. The amulet helps accelerate regeneration after using Bijū chakra and, crucially, grants a chance to survive the extraction of a tailed beast."
Kakashi leaned slightly forward. "So it's made to protect the host... even in the worst-case scenario."
"Yes," Hisen confirmed. "But there's more. The source of energy it draws from is completely untraceable. It's not chakra in any traditional sense. And the bonding mechanism—whatever was used to tie this vitality source to the seal—is beyond anything we've seen."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Can it be replicated?"
"The physical shell and outer formulae could be reverse-engineered, yes. But the moment we try to uncover the heart of the seal, we risk destroying the entire construct. There is another condition as well—this amulet was designed to bond with a single bearer, and only through blood. Once attuned, it cannot be transferred. And above all... it was crafted exclusively for the Kyūbi."
He bowed slightly. "That is the full extent of my findings, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade gave him a short nod. "Thank you, Master Hisen. You're dismissed."
The old sealmaster gathered his things with grace and exited the room, leaving only Tsunade and Kakashi in the lingering silence.
Tsunade spoke first, her voice quieter but resolute. "That amulet needs to go to Naruto. There's no debate."
Kakashi's eye closed briefly in thought. "Agreed. If it does even half of what Hisen claims... it could be the difference between life and death."
"There's more," Tsunade added. "It came from Hinata Hyūga. She's in the village."
Kakashi raised a brow. "Didn't expect that. If I get the chance, I'll see if I can gauge her myself."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, eyes lingering on the now-closed scroll.
"Do it quietly," Tsunade said, her voice low but firm. "There's more you should know. According to our information, Hinata may have had some sort of arrangement with Orochimaru... and it seems she encountered Sasuke. On her way here, she met Naruto—and apparently promised to help bring him back."
Kakashi's eye narrowed slightly. "That's... a lot."
"Which is why I want you to observe carefully if you get the chance," she continued. "Don't approach her directly. Just... see what you can learn."
Kakashi nodded once, silently.