"Kamui!"
With a ripple in space, Kushina Uzumaki felt a wave of dizziness sweep over her.
When her vision cleared, she found herself in a completely unfamiliar landscape.
All around her stretched open plains covered with yellowing plants she didn't recognize. A few people wearing straw hats moved slowly through the fields.
"Yuzuru, where are we?" she asked, staring at the scenery so different from the Land of Fire.
"The Land of Rice Fields," Yuzuru Uchiha replied with a smile. "Kushina, this will be our temporary home."
"Really?!"
Kushina's face lit up in delight.
She had originally thought that escaping the Hidden Leaf Village would be a very difficult affair, but she completed the plan after just a few nights' sleep.
"So, what do we do now?"
"We're going to meet up with my clan."
Kushina nodded immediately.
During their journey, she had learned all of Yuzuru's plans and knew that the entire Uchiha clan had already gathered here in the Land of Rice Fields.
The thought that the Uchiha had left Konoha, just as she had, out of disappointment and defiance, filled her heart with a quiet sense of kinship.
"Yuzuru, what are all these things? There are so many of them! And those people with the straw hats—are they patrolling?"
Yuzuru chuckled softly. "That's wheat. The flour we eat comes from it."
"As for those people—they're farmers. Harvest season is near, so they're guarding against fires."
"Oh!" Kushina said brightly, nodding with excitement. "So that's how it works!"
She asked questions about everything she saw, like a child discovering the world anew.
And Yuzuru—patient as ever—answered every one.
Even if they were just simple things, to Kushina, they were fresh and fascinating.
A cool autumn breeze drifted by. She stretched out her arms, inhaling deeply.
Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted toward the open fields, "This is the smell of freedom!"
Since being chosen as the next Nine-Tails jinchūriki, she hadn't felt this alive in years.
Watching her skip along the path, full of energy, Yuzuru couldn't help but smile.
'Now that's the feeling of a proper anime heroine,' he thought wryly.
———
When Yuzuru and Kushina finally reached the Uchiha's relocation site, what greeted them were rows of newly built wooden houses.
Children played nearby, women cooked over fires, and men worked with tools in hand.
Elderly men sat together, squinting contentedly as they watched their people rebuild their lives.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "Lord Yuzuru! Lord Yuzuru is here!"
In an instant, everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed over.
"Lord Yuzuru, thank goodness you're safe! We were worried!"
"Your home's already built—humble, but sturdy. Please don't mind the simplicity."
"If not for the timber you had us prepare beforehand, we'd still be sleeping under the open sky."
"Lord Yuzuru, I'll inform the clan leader at once!"
The title "Lord Yuzuru" had spread quickly among the Uchiha. After using his Mangekyō Sharingan to teleport the entire clan safely to the Land of Rice Fields, his prestige now rivaled even that of Tarou Uchiha.
"Go on ahead," Kushina said softly. "I'll take a look around."
Yuzuru nodded. "Go find Mikoto; I'll catch up later."
After parting with her, Yuzuru entered a large wooden house at the settlement's center.
Tarou Uchiha and Fugaku Uchiha immediately stood up, striding over to clasp his shoulder firmly.
"Yuzuru, you're unharmed—that's a relief."
Yuzuru shook his head lightly. "I'm fine. How have things been here?"
Tarou gestured for Fugaku to pour water, then sighed in satisfaction. "Thanks to the Daimyō of the Land of Rice Fields, we've received supplies, tools, even craftsmen to help us build homes. Aside from things being a bit rough, everything's stabilizing."
Fugaku set down the cup and added, "The Daimyō's been surprisingly generous—not only did he not blame us, but he's spent heavily to help."
Yuzuru smiled faintly. "I used genjutsu to control him."
"What?!"
Both men coughed violently, choking on their tea.
They'd wondered why a man of such high status would show such kindness to exiles—now it made perfect sense.
When they finally composed themselves, Tarou exhaled with a helpless laugh. "Yuzuru, you're truly bold."
The Daimyōs were the most powerful rulers in the world, while shinobi were tools at their feet.
To cast genjutsu on a Daimyō was outright rebellion.
If that ever got out, every nation would turn on the Uchiha.
But Yuzuru merely took a sip of water and said calmly, "Daimyōs are parasites. One day, I'll wipe them all out."
The two men inhaled sharply.
"Eliminate all Daimyōs?!"
That was insanity.
Seeing their disbelief, Yuzuru smiled faintly. "Don't worry. That day's still far off. For now, let's focus on the present."
Fugaku breathed a quiet sigh of relief before asking, "So, Yuzuru—what's the plan now?"
"Our presence here won't stay secret for long," Yuzuru said with an amused glint in his eye. "When the other villages come knocking, we'll see who makes the best offer. Whichever one does—we'll join them."
The shinobi world was in constant turmoil, and the Uchiha's Sharingan was a power every village coveted.
To ensure their clan's survival and growth, they needed the protection of a strong ally.
More than anything, increasing their numbers was vital.
And besides—
Yuzuru wanted to see the looks on Konoha's faces when the Uchiha returned at the head of an allied army.
Hearing his plan, Fugaku hesitated. "Yuzuru… do you really think any village would take us in?"
Yuzuru snorted. "Fugaku, you're an Uchiha. Hold your head high. Straighten your back."
"Remember this—no matter where we go, the Uchiha are a prize every village will compete for."
"We are the noblest clan of all."
As Yuzuru spoke, something stirred deep in Fugaku's chest—a pride he hadn't felt in a long time.
A pride carved into his very bones, blazing with confidence and defiance.
That commanding, world-defying aura—
This was what it meant to be an Uchiha.
Compared to Yuzuru… he still had a long, long way to go.
T/n:
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