Chapter 7: The Hidden Cloud's Recruitment
Long ago, the Yotsuki clan acknowledged the vision of the First Raikage, A, and ceded the lands of the Cloud and Thunder Gorge to him—thus, the Hidden Cloud Village (Kumogakure) was born.
To survive for generations in such a harsh and unforgiving environment, to even pass down a family name — that kind of legacy could only come from a unique physical constitution.
And the physical body was the outward manifestation of Yang Release.
Seiji speculated that his own affinity for the Yang attribute might have come from the Yotsuki clan.
The stronger one's physical aptitude, the more abundant the life force — and naturally, the faster the rate of regeneration.
Though it was unlikely to surpass the vitality of the Senju or Uzumaki clans.
After making sure no one was watching, Seiji stretched lazily and pretended to head for the restroom.
Once inside, he shut the door and pulled out a slip of paper.
It was a small and seemingly ordinary piece — no larger than two thumbnails.
On the front, in fine black script, were the words:
> "Yotsuki Seiji — no matter what, you are one of us. The gates of the Hidden Cloud will always be open to you."
Seiji raised an eyebrow.
The message was written in plain script, not in the encrypted code typically used by shinobi.
Given that he hadn't even finished ninja academy yet, Seiji figured the Hidden Cloud had deliberately chosen simple language he could understand.
He flipped the paper over.
On the back was an address — an unremarkable shop.
"A Hidden Cloud spy location…"
Seiji tore the slip into pieces and scattered them into the toilet.
As soon as the paper touched water, the ink began to dissolve, until it vanished completely.
With a blank expression, Seiji pressed the flush lever. The fragments were sucked down into the pipes with the swirl of water.
The Hidden Cloud likely regretted missing out on recruiting a genuine Uchiha.
But now that Seiji was under Konoha's roof, they could only resort to such subtle means.
This wasn't the same Konoha they'd dared to steal the Hyuga Princess from in the future — that had been a weakened Konoha.
Back then, the White Fang had committed suicide, the Fourth Hokage had died, the Legendary Sannin had scattered, and the village was still reeling from the Nine-Tails' attack.
It had yet to recover.
In contrast, the Hidden Cloud was flourishing and emboldened, daring enough to use force — and Konoha had been forced to sacrifice the Hyuga clan leader in response.
If not for the twin brother, Hizashi, it would have been Hiashi who died.
The address on the paper wasn't just a location — it was a symbol of the Hidden Cloud's sincerity.
Seiji could report the spy site to Konoha at any time and earn a reward.
Or he could leverage it, use the contact to gain favors from the Hidden Cloud — even return to them.
But returning was the last option. One he would only consider if he had no other choice.
If he returned, he'd be the clan's only surviving heir — which meant a complete loss of freedom. Constant surveillance, absolute control.
And Seiji didn't believe for a second that they wouldn't experiment on him.
Not dissection, necessarily — but likely repeated extraction of blood and cells under the pretense of safety, over and over again.
Feed him, grow him stronger, then harvest again — a cycle of exploitation.
Worse yet, they might treat him as breeding stock — a stallion for eugenics.
That kind of life would drain him dry within a few years.
Sure, Seiji was interested in women — but not like that.
Not being used like livestock.
The Hidden Cloud would never give him the opportunity to grow strong enough to resist. They would never allow him to escape their control.
They'd use him to produce offspring, brainwash the children, and raise them to serve the village.
Konoha, for all its dangers — even with the looming threat of the Uchiha Massacre — still gave him a chance to learn ninjutsu and grow stronger.
In this world, everything came with a price, hidden in the shadows.
If you want something, you must be ready to pay for it.
Life is a series of choices.
Both Konoha and the Kumo offered their own advantages and drawbacks.
But for now, Konoha was safer — and gave him more time to become stronger.
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"Seiji, are you home?"
Just as he was thinking about how to squeeze some benefits from the Hidden Cloud, a familiar voice came from outside.
It was Mikoto.
Seiji immediately understood — this was a routine check from the Root division.
He put down the biography he had been memorizing, went to the kitchen, and splashed water on his face, doing his best to look clean and presentable.
He breathed onto the mirror, checking for any bad breath, then slipped on his wooden clogs and walked over to open the door.
The Uchiha had their own isolated section within the Hidden Leaf Village, where only clan members resided.
Seiji had been assigned an old and somewhat run-down house. Its only real advantage was how spacious it was.
"Lady Mikoto," Seiji said respectfully, his tone cautious, almost as if he feared her.
Mikoto was a jonin, while he was merely a student at the ninja academy.
Even though Seiji had lived two lifetimes, he couldn't afford to act too calm or mature — that would only raise suspicions.
Sometimes, weakness was the best disguise.
"There's no need to be so formal, Seiji," Mikoto said, smiling gently and shaking her head.
Am I really that scary? she wondered, watching Seiji's timid demeanor.
Seiji lowered his head, his short black hair falling forward and obscuring his expression. Mikoto couldn't make out what he was feeling.
"I told you last time — just call me Sister Mikoto."
"…Alright. Mikoto-neesan," Seiji said.
Mikoto nodded and gestured to the figure behind her — a woman dressed in the standard garb of a medical ninja.
The woman had an unusually voluptuous figure that seemed completely at odds with her calm, sorrowful expression.
Her full curves bordered on indecent…
"This is Yakushi Nonō — captain of the medical division."
"Hello, I'm Yakushi Nonō," she said with a gentle smile. "I'm here to examine your eyes, just to make sure there are no issues."
"I'll be in your care, Lady Nonō."
Seiji led the two women inside.
Before long, Mikoto and Nonō were seated at the low table on the tatami floor. Meanwhile, Seiji headed into the kitchen. Standing on tiptoe with the help of a stool, he fished out a bag of cheap tea from a shelf, boiled water, and brewed two cups.
Yakushi Nonō watched his thin figure moving busily about the kitchen, and a faint sense of pity welled up inside her.
Perhaps it was due to the relentless "ego erasure" training at Root, or the countless missions soaked in blood and deception — she had grown numb to the darkness behind the village's polished surface.
But in front of these innocent children, she felt something stir —
They were like untouched gemstones, each a different hue, untainted by the shadows.
"Please enjoy the tea," Seiji said, placing two steaming cups on the table before sitting opposite them.
"Thank you," Mikoto replied politely.
The tea was cheap and low quality, but Mikoto took a few polite sips anyway.
Nonō picked up her cup and looked at Seiji.
Pity was one thing — but there was still a job to do.
Through the round frames of her glasses, her green eyes observed every twitch of Seiji's face as she began asking questions — ones that seemed unrelated to any medical examination.
Seiji answered each one calmly.
Nonō's questions were veiled, subtly probing whether Seiji was a spy. She even used a few specialized ninja techniques to subtly increase the pressure on him.
Mikoto sat silently, watching the reflection of the ceiling in her tea.
The ceiling was made of aged, warped wooden planks. Near the fluorescent lamp, a moth rested quietly.
Just as her thoughts drifted, a black spider silently crept into view. With sharp, menacing mandibles, it bit down on the unsuspecting moth.
Mikoto blinked, focusing on the spot. She noticed now that the moth had already been surrounded by an almost invisible web.
"…So slow," she muttered softly to herself.
When she turned back, Yakushi Nonō had finished her questioning. She now held some instruments, carefully examining Seiji's eyes.
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