When Uchiha Shin noticed the approaching girl, she, in turn, locked eyes with him, her gaze sharp and calculating.
She didn't recognize him, but the sight of such a young and striking man seated calmly on a rock near the abyss spoke volumes. His aura was otherworldly—an unmistakable sign that he was no ordinary person.
Gurgle~ Her stomach growled, and after swallowing her saliva, she cautiously stepped forward.
Uchiha Shin did not greet her, nor did he stop her from coming closer. Yet the sheer weight of his presence pressed down on her like an unseen force, drowning her in its intensity.
Her steps faltered for a moment. A flicker of fear passed through her eyes, but almost instantly, it was replaced by something else.
Ecstasy.
Power.
The man before her radiated it effortlessly.
For a child who had survived the war-torn lands by sheer grit, Guren possessed an insatiable hunger—not just for survival but for strength. The strange man in front of her embodied everything she desired most.
Without hesitation, she quickened her pace, struggling past the uneven terrain, her small, bloodstained hands grasping onto whatever foothold she could find.
Uchiha Shin watched her without a word. He took in her disheveled form—her dirt-covered body, the dried blood on her limbs—and saw no hesitation in her movements. That, at least, earned a flicker of admiration from him.
"Please, take me as your disciple, sir! I'll do anything!"
The moment she reached him, Guren knelt without hesitation. Her voice carried raw determination as she wrapped her arms around his leg in a desperate plea.
Shin remained silent for a beat before tilting his head slightly. "Aren't you afraid that I might kill you? You approached recklessly."
The world of shinobi was brutal, and children were not exempt from its cruelties. Many had been slaughtered before reaching adulthood. The fact that she had thrown herself at him so boldly intrigued him.
Guren bit her lip, her eyes unwavering as she answered, "You're different from the others. You didn't strike me down the moment I appeared."
She took a deep breath and continued, "Sir, don't reject me immediately. I was born with a unique ability—I can create crystal structures. I think it's a Kekkei Genkai."
To emphasize her point, she pressed her small hand against the ground, releasing her chakra. The earth beneath her shimmered and hardened into a transparent crystal formation, reflecting the moonlight in an eerie glow.
"I've been hiding this power for a long time. It's saved my life more times than I can count."
Shin's crimson eyes flickered as he examined her handiwork. The Kekkei Genkai was uncommon, but that wasn't what interested him. It was the sheer audacity of the girl in front of him. Despite her age, she possessed both self-awareness and a keen survival instinct. Most children in her situation would have begged for food or protection—not strength.
A smirk ghosted across his lips.
"Guren," he said, his voice smooth, deliberate. "Do you truly crave power?"
"Yes!" Her answer came instantly, her face lighting up with anticipation. "I want to become as strong as you!"
Shin observed her closely. She wasn't lying. The fire in her eyes, the desperation in her voice—she had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
"I won't take you as my apprentice," he finally said, causing her face to drop slightly. "But you are qualified to be my maid."
Before she could protest, he reached forward, his fingertip brushing against her forehead. A surge of chakra flowed into her body, and a complex seal—interwoven with crystalline energy—formed just above her navel.
Guren froze, her body going rigid at the sensation.
She didn't understand what was happening, but she could feel it—power, foreign yet intoxicating, coursing through her.
When she finally regained her senses, her lips parted in stunned realization.
"Uchiha Shin…?"
The name alone sent chills down her spine. As a wandering child, she had heard whispers—tales of a man who operated beyond the confines of any village, a rogue whose strength rivaled even the Kage. Some called him a legend, others a monster.
She had unknowingly thrown herself at him, and he had chosen her.
Even if it was only as a servant, she felt honored.
"What do I call you now?" she asked hesitantly, still trembling slightly.
Shin arched an eyebrow.
"Master… Master!" she corrected herself hastily, lowering her head in submission.
Satisfied, Shin leaned back, watching as the seal worked its magic. Guren's minor wounds began closing, her body absorbing the chakra infusion. She could feel her malnourished frame growing stronger, her senses sharper.
Was this the power of the man who ruled over the Fire Country's shadows?
She felt an almost religious reverence at that moment.
"How did you end up here?" Shin asked, his tone casual, as if speaking to an old acquaintance.
With no hesitation, Guren recounted her past—her birth in the Land of Rice Fields, the loss of her home, the wandering, the struggle to survive. She spoke of her awakening Kekkei Genkai, how she hid it to avoid being hunted, and how she scavenged through the ruins of battlefields to trade shinobi relics for food.
Just earlier, she had been nearby when she sensed a disturbance. Instinct told her that a powerful ninja had caused it, so she made the gamble to investigate.
The gamble had paid off.
Shin listened, mildly entertained by her tale. When she finished, he chuckled. "I have to admit, you're bold."
Without warning, he reached out and grabbed her chin between his fingers. He turned her face from side to side, examining her more closely. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he wiped the grime off her cheeks, revealing a surprisingly delicate face beneath.
She was scrawny—clearly suffering from malnutrition—but her frame had the potential to grow into something formidable.
"She's about the same age as Konan was back then…" he mused to himself. "Should be interesting to raise her."
As he studied her, Black Zetsu slithered back into the clearing, carrying an urn in his hands.
"Father, the One-Tail is sealed inside," Zetsu announced excitedly, presenting the container with reverence.
Guren blinked in confusion, her head tilting slightly at the peculiar title.
Father?
Her lips parted, but she didn't dare question it. She simply remained silent, observing.
Zetsu noticed the girl but paid her no mind. If Shin had deemed her worthy of his presence, then there was no need for him to interfere.
Whatever his master did always had a purpose.
As Shin accepted the urn, a dark smile crept onto his face.
"The preparations are almost complete."
Guren shivered.
This man was dangerous.
But for the first time in her life, she felt safe in the presence of danger.
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Bonus Chapter - 100 Power Stones