I woke up slowly.
Someone was lightly resting on me. Not unpleasant, but surprising. A gentle warmth, steady, marked by calm breathing.
I opened my eyes. And I saw her.
Rei.
Curled up against me, asleep, her fingers gripping a fold of my haori that she had pulled to herself like a blanket. Her face rested against my clavicle, her black hair scattered across my chest.
I stayed still. Watched her.
This wasn't what I had expected.
The night before, she had lain down at the edge of the futon. Straight. Distant. As if she wanted to disappear. And yet, somewhere during the night, she had moved closer. Without invitation.
Ayaka had been right.
I could still see her mocking smile, her insolent wink, just before she vanished in a swirl of red silk.
"She plays the serious type, but she's very tactile. You'll see, she loves to cuddle when she sleeps."
I had shrugged back then. Now, I wasn't sure if I should admit she'd been right… or throw a mission scroll at her for meddling in a superior's private life.
I tried to pull away, slowly.
Rei stirred immediately. Half asleep, she reached for the covers but only found the fabric of my clothing. She tugged, curled up again, groaned… and opened her eyes.
Our gazes met.
She froze.
Turning scarlet, she straightened abruptly, clumsy, eyes darting away.
— … Ohayō, danna-sama…
And without another word, she got up and left the room in a hurry.
I remained seated, silent.
She had run. Embarrassed, confused. A reaction more in line with someone shy than with a wife curled in my arms.
And yet… she had come to sleep here. No one had made her.
I was surprised she hadn't stayed in another room, given her previous behavior.
I stayed a few more minutes in the bedroom, thinking about the previous evening.
Her expression. Her voice.
"Don't you dare laugh."
It wasn't the words. It was the way she said them.
The tone. The weight.
It felt real. Heavy.
Like Mito.
Like the presence one feels when facing an equal… or someone stronger.
And I refused to believe that my instincts, the ones that had saved me countless times, were wrong.
But Rei wasn't Mito. Rei had never been trained for that.
Her father, Norg, had mentioned only basic self-defense training. No jutsu. No advanced martial arts. Nothing offensive. And yet, he also spoke of her strength. Physical strength far above average. Able to draw bows designed for soldiers, with a precision and power few shinobi could match. And all of it without chakra.
I knew Norg.
A ninja. A veteran.
Not of the clan.
But his friendship with my father, Butsuma, and his constant efforts to preserve the bond between our lineages made him a valuable ally.
He had never had any reason to lie.
But maybe he himself didn't know what Rei was capable of.
I couldn't rule that out anymore.
And if there was someone who might know more… it was Ayaka.
I needed to speak to her soon.
Even Norg had advised me to turn to her.
A relevant suggestion, since she was by far the closest person to Rei.
Ayaka is a source of chaos. A walking storm.
She respects neither rank nor formality. Which has already caused a few diplomatic incidents.
But she's loyal. And a formidable kunoichi.
I got up and headed to the bathroom.
The warm air still lingered.
I removed my haori… then paused.
The towel.
The same one as yesterday. Same pattern. Same fold. Yet it was clean. Dry. Freshly scented.
It shouldn't have dried that fast. I was sure of it.
I picked it up. Turned it in my hands.
No moisture. No odor.
The fabric seemed freshly pressed.
Still warm, as if just placed there.
I set it back down, in silence.
One more detail.
I sighed.
The bath went smoothly. I got dressed, adjusted my forehead protector, and went down to the living room.
As I expected, breakfast was ready.
Rei was there. Impeccable. Upright. Smiling.
She had put the mask back on.
She said almost nothing.
A polite greeting. Fluid gestures.
She served the tea and stepped back, like a model wife.
I ate in silence.
The dishes were balanced. Refined. Perfect.
Either she had studied my preferences… or she simply knew how to do things properly.
When I finished, she cleared the bowls and went to wash the dishes.
I opened the scrolls.
Patrol reports. Civil disputes. Internal instructions.
Nothing urgent. But everything required attention.
Since Madara's departure, the village's balance had shifted.
Some clans were already whispering.
The question of power kept resurfacing.
Hashirama still held things together… but his condition had changed since their last battle.
And I couldn't manage it all alone.
The marriage had been a political move.
A way to ease tensions.
To show that power should not remain confined to one bloodline.
That civilians had their place.
Rei symbolized that choice.
A descendant of an old line of priestesses.
Not nobility. Not a great family.
But bearer of an ancient tradition.
She was an example. A message.
As I stood up to join Hashirama, a strange sensation ran through me.
A vibration in the air.
A power I couldn't perceive clearly, but that I could feel… present.
Just like when my brother used senjutsu.
I turned my head.
And headed toward the back courtyard.
There, Rei danced.
Masked. Barefoot. Dressed in a ritual outfit I didn't recognize.
Her staff traced perfect circles in the air.
With every movement, flames appeared.
And they didn't vanish.
They floated around her. Tangible.
Red. Golden. Vibrant.
I remained in the shadows. Silent.
The dance wasn't improvised.
It followed a precise rite.
Prayer. Offering. Purification.
But these flames…
They were real.
I could feel their heat from where I stood.
If that power were used in battle…
I froze.
When Rei stopped, the flames burst silently into a shower of sparks.
Then, as she removed the mask, everything vanished.
I retreated without a sound.
And one thought struck me.
What if none of this… was related to ninjutsu?
What if the power she possessed came from something else?
There might be more to understand in the Kannagi family's traditions.
I'll need to speak to Norg before I start building theories without foundation.