At dawn, Uchiha Gen woke refreshed, ate a simple breakfast, and left Konoha Village without looking back. He had already said his farewells the night before, now was the time to travel light.
As always, he chose not to rely on the Flying Thunder God Technique for convenience. Instead, he rode Homies, taking his time, savoring the landscape like a wandering traveler.
After all, with Orochimaru clearly dragging his feet, there was no need to rush. Their agreement was simple; Gen only had to arrive by nightfall.
The morning hours passed in leisure. He stopped to hunt and roast game, then continued his ride. The northern Land of Fire unfolded like a painted scroll beneath him, fields, forests, and hills drifting lazily past.
Around mid-afternoon, he reached a vast plain. Far ahead, an army of rolling thunderclouds surged across the horizon, blotting out the sun with dark majesty. It was like watching a cavalry charge of the heavens.
"Thunderstorm?" Gen muttered, narrowing his eyes.
He quickly guided Homies down to a safer altitude. Flying high in a storm was asking for lightning to strike him from the sky.
Within minutes, the daylight dimmed, as though someone had draped a black veil over the world. Lightning crawled through the clouds like molten veins, some long and jagged, and others branching like trees, each flash tearing open the darkness for a heartbeat before deafening thunder rolled across the plain.
Though Gen liked rainy days, he had no desire to be soaked. He urged Homies forward, searching for shelter.
Then...
Szzzt!
A sharp hiss of electricity cracked the air. Bolts of silver lightning shot upward from the ground itself, racing toward the clouds above. Gen froze. Lightning rising from earth to sky was rare enough to leave even him stunned.
"Ground lightning…" he muttered, quickly signaling Homies to halt. No point in tempting fate.
Landing, Gen pressed his palms together.
Earth Release: Earthen Shelter.
A three-meter-wide arched shelter rose from the soil, its surface hardened by chakra until it was sturdy enough to endure the storm. He and Homies crouched inside, gazing out at the roiling heavens.
Soon the skies erupted in a dazzling contest; upward bolts from the ground, downward strikes from the clouds, and flashes leaping cloud-to-cloud. The world was a cage of silver fire, thunder rolling endlessly. The sheer magnificence made Gen's blood stir.
And with it, a thought arose.
"A third advanced Homies… lightning."
Originally, he had intended to visit the Land of Lightning to harvest raw material for such a creation. That land overflowed with storms, perfect for his purpose.
But this? This rare ground lightning, this storm before his eyes, perhaps fate was giving him a shortcut.
Still, he was in no rush. Lightning Homies must not only thunder, but also bring rain. Without rain, it would feel incomplete like a dragon tattoo missing its tail.
The storm obliged him. After a pause, fat raindrops splattered onto the plain, bending grass and shaking leaves. Within moments, the rain thickened into a curtain, drowning the land in sound and mist.
Gen extended a hand outside the shelter. A luminous sphere formed in his palm, glowing jade-white before lancing upward as a pillar of light. It struck deep into the heart of the blackest cloud above.
The heavens convulsed. Clouds whirled together, condensing around the beam at unnatural speed—as if the world itself had been fast-forwarded twentyfold. The storm-black mass deepened until it seemed ready to bleed ink, then abruptly shifted, bleaching white, and shot down as a streak of radiance.
In an instant, the storm broke. Rain ceased, clouds scattered, sunlight blazed through as if nothing had happened. The sudden shift left villagers cursing under their breath while animals stood bewildered, ears flicking in confusion.
At the mouth of the shelter, a white cloud now floated, small but distinct, with elongated facial features molded upon its surface. Its expression was aloof, sharp, almost unapproachable.
"Greetings, Master," it said, its metallic, resonant voice cold enough to cut.
Gen nodded, satisfied. "From today, your name shall be Kyouki."
"Yes, Master."
Shuryu and Shizukamaru darted forward, circling the newborn cloud.
"I'm your eldest brother, Shuryu."
"I'm your second brother, Shizukamaru."
They stared at Kyouki, eyes gleaming with curiosity. The new cloud spirit looked to Gen for guidance.
"By order of birth, they are your elder brothers. And an elder brother always looks after his younger siblings," Gen said with a faint smile.
Shuryu thumped his chest. "As eldest brother, I'll take care of you!"
Shizukamaru's blade tip swayed proudly. "As second brother, so will I."
Kyouki's expression softened. "Eldest brother. Second brother."
Shuryu and Shizukamaru both chuckled. "Third brother."
The bond was sealed. Though born of different elements, they were united by the same soul: brothers in truth.
"Good. Now let's move. This time, Kyouki carries us," Gen said, stepping onto the cloud. "Tell me, how high and how fast can you fly?"
Kyouki swelled slightly, voice echoing, "Very high. Very fast."
Gen blinked. "…That's vague."
But he let it pass. The newborn spirit had yet to grasp precise concepts. Experience would teach him.
He mounted the cloud, with Shuryu and Shizukamaru following. Immediately, Kyouki soared skyward, the acceleration sharper, smoother than Shuryu. Riding on him was… exhilarating.
This was why Gen had shaped the third advanced Homie into a cloud rather than a beast. Legends of his past life always spoke of immortals flying on clouds as an unmistakable sign of transcendence.
To ride on clouds was to stand among the immortals.
Testing soon confirmed Kyouki's abilities. While Gen could not measure altitude, his mortal body still strained against thin air at great heights, the speed was clear; if Shuryu flew just below the sound barrier, then Kyouki flew beyond it. Supersonic.
Three hours later, as dusk settled over the Land of Rice Fields, Uchiha Gen rode Kyouki down toward the Konoha frontline camp.