The training was over. My body still felt the effects of the battle, but my mind was lighter. Mokuton was no longer a secret, and somehow, that made me feel like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Tetsu-sensei stretched his arms above his head, relaxing after the clash.
"All right, Team 11. Training complete. And since it was such a good workout... ramen's on me."
Sora cheered, raising her fist into the air at the same time.
"Yes! I knew there was a reason to give it my all in this training."
Renji just nodded, maintaining his calm demeanor.
"I wouldn't say no to a free meal."
I chuckled softly. After the intense fight, a good bowl of ramen seemed just what I needed.
Tetsu-sensei guided us through the streets of Konoha to Ichiraku Ramen, the classic meeting place for ninjas in the village. The smell of hot broth and freshly cooked noodles was irresistible. The place was relatively quiet, with only a few customers sitting on the stools.
Teuchi greeted us with a warm smile.
"Hey, Tetsu! Brought your students today?"
Tetsu sat down at the counter and gestured for us to join him.
"Yes. They worked hard in training, so I decided they deserve a good meal."
Sora was already looking at the menu with a gleam in her eyes.
"I want a large miso ramen with lots of pork!"
Renji sat down next to me, looking at the menu for a few seconds before simply saying, "Shoyu ramen, regular."
I ordered a miso ramen as well, but added a special touch.
"Um... do you have wasabi, Teuchi-san?"
He laughed.
"Of course! Would you like me to mix it into the broth?"
"Yes, please."
Sora looked at me with an expression of pure disgust. "Seriously?! Wasabi in ramen?"
I shrugged. "It's better than you'd think."
Renji raised an eyebrow. "That's debatable."
Tetsu ordered a simple ramen, and soon the steaming bowls were placed in front of us.
The first sip of the hot broth revived me completely.
"So, now that we know Riku has been hiding an absurd power from us, I think it's only fair that he tell us more about himself," said Sora, pointing her chopsticks at me.
"Me?" I blinked a few times, surprised.
Renji, who was eating quietly, also looked at me with interest.
"She's right. Now that we know you're a Senju with Mokuton, I think it's worth understanding who Riku Senju really is."
'Oh, great. How do I explain that when I'm actually from another world?'
I took a deep breath.
"Well... I grew up near Senju Park. My parents are ninja tool merchants. And honestly, I never thought I had anything special." I took a sip of the broth and continued.
"Until I discovered Mokuton. But it was something that happened by chance, and since then I've been trying to figure out what to do with it."
Sora rested her chin on her hand. "And why didn't you tell us before?"
I looked down at my bowl, stirring the noodles with my chopsticks. "Because it's dangerous. You saw how Tetsu-sensei reacted. Mokuton isn't something common. Some people might want to use it for the wrong reasons."
Renji nodded. "I know a few people who could use it for that purpose."
'Is he talking about someone in the Uchiha clan?' I thought, as silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
Until Tetsu broke the tension with a lighter tone. "Well, now that this secret has been revealed, it's part of who you are. The question now is how you're going to use it."
Sora smiled. "Exactly! And if you're smart, you'll use it to help us complete our missions more easily."
Renji shook his head. "Or he might use it to become a true pillar of the village."
'Easy to say, right?'
I sighed. "I'm going to use it to get stronger. As for the rest... I'm still figuring it out."
After we finished eating, Tetsu-sensei said goodbye, mentioning he had things to take care of.
Sora also left, saying she needed some rest.
Renji and I were the only ones left, and for the first time, we had the opportunity to talk a little about the training and our recently completed mission.
When we finished eating, it was getting late, so we decided to leave. As we walked through the streets of Konoha, he finally spoke:
"You want to understand your power better, right?"
I nodded.
"I know someone who might be able to help you with that."
I turned to him, curious. "And who would that be?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering:
"Shisui."
Shisui Uchiha. I'd thought he might already be dead, given the timeline—but maybe I'd have the chance to save him too.
"Will he want to talk to me?" I asked, trying to sound natural.
Renji looked at me seriously. "That depends on you. But if you want to understand the weight of carrying a powerful bloodline... he's someone who can give you answers."
The system flashed in front of me.
*
[New Mission Unlocked: Find Shisui Uchiha]
Objective: Talk to Shisui and learn more about the Uchiha clan and its fate.
[Do you wish to accept the mission? YES/NO.]
*
I took a deep breath.
'So this is what comes next.'
I didn't know exactly what Shisui might tell me... but if there was someone who could help me understand this world better, it was him.
I looked at Renji and nodded.
"Take me to him."
[YES.]
The walk to the forest was quiet.
Renji walked ahead of me, following a specific route through the streets of Konoha, until we were far enough from the center of the village to enter a discreet path between the trees.
The silence started to bother me.
"So," I broke the silence, crossing my arms. "Why exactly do you think this meeting will happen?"
Renji didn't look at me, just kept walking. "He usually comes here. To train, to think. And if I tell him I want to talk, he should show up."
I frowned. "That seems like a big 'if.' You don't even know if he'll want to listen to me."
He stopped abruptly and turned around. His gaze was sharper than usual. "Shisui is one of the few who understands what it means to carry an important name. If anyone can say something useful about that, it's him."
"And you? What's your relationship with him?"
He sighed, as if he had been expecting that question. "He's my cousin."
'That explains some of his behavior...'
"So you have the Sharingan too?" I asked.
Renji looked away. "I haven't awakened it yet."
'Interesting. So he hasn't been through anything traumatic enough to activate it yet. And honestly, considering what's coming... that might not last.'
Before I could say anything else, we reached a clearing near a lake.
The water reflected the night sky, and the silence was almost absolute, except for the occasional sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
Renji stopped and took a deep breath, then in a firm voice, he said:
"Shisui, I know you're there."
My skin prickled.
For a moment, there was no response. But then, I heard a faint sound of footsteps above us.
I raised my head just as a figure descended gently from a high branch.
The man who landed in front of us had slightly messy dark hair, sharp eyes, and a presence that was impossible to ignore. His ANBU cloak fluttered slightly in the breeze.
It was Shisui Uchiha, and he smiled slightly as he looked at Renji. "You always knew where to find me."
Then his eyes turned to me.
"And you," he said, looking me up and down, "must be Riku Senju."
"So you already know who I am?" I said, looking at Renji, surprised by Shisui's knowledge.
Shisui kept a neutral expression. "I know many things. But I want to hear it from you."
I blinked, confused. "What?"
He crossed his arms. "Tell me, Riku... who are you?"
The wind blew, and suddenly the conversation didn't seem so simple anymore.
...
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