With a fully functional spacecraft, the only thing left was to break through the atmosphere and put all those years of research to the test. But before leaving, there were more important matters to resolve.
First and foremost, spending time with my loved ones. Training and research are not everything in life; I didn't want to die one day knowing I had neglected my relationships. I didn't want everything I had built to vanish without leaving a legacy, without igniting a flame that could remain for future generations.
I approached the young Uchiha, who stood upset beside Mikoto, and knelt down so our eyes would be at the same level.
"Sasuke, you are the present and the future of our clan," I said with a firm yet gentle voice. "But you must not lower your guard. Take care of our parents and the other members of the clan. If I don't return by the time you begin at the academy, please make friends. There's a blond boy, the Hokage's son, and a pink-haired girl. They're good kids."
"Onee-chan, can't I go with you on this trip?" His voice trembled with innocence, with that spark untouched by war or betrayal. "Promise me you'll take me with you. Training and training is so boring… I want to see the universe, just like you always say!"
His eyes looked up at me like a pleading kitten, something I never expected from the Sasuke I remembered. And yet, that tenderness filled my heart with warmth.
I stroked his head and answered slowly, solemnly:"I promise… one day I'll take you with me. But for that, you must grow stronger."
Then I turned to my father, with whom I had already arranged everything concerning the clan's protection and how to keep certain "rats" in check. The most important thing was handing him several jutsu and strategic plans that would allow the clan to grow stronger in the shadows. That way, we would never have to fear any enemy.
Finally, I embraced him. With Fugaku, words were never necessary. He simply accepted and trusted me. Yet I saw the shine in his eyes: a tear he refused to let fall.
Mother, on the other hand, had her eyes red with tears. I hugged her softly, and she poured out all her emotions in a single instant."I prepared several meals sealed in this scroll," she said tenderly. "I asked Renji to secure them so you can eat whenever you miss home… Please, come back soon."
I must admit: I've always had a weakness for tears. And before such a display of love, I couldn't help but smile as I felt the coolness of two drops sliding down my face.
Everything was ready. Only half an hour remained before the sun disappeared into the horizon. Slowly, we walked with Renji and Shisui toward the ship. We were few, but enough. We had shadow clones to perform the heavy tasks and sealing techniques reinforcing the structure.
Once inside, Renji began the launch sequence. The seals glowed with a bluish light as the chakra engine roared, like a beast straining to break free.
Shisui gave me a look filled with emotion."Ready to leave Earth behind?" he asked with a nervous smile.
"I'm not leaving it behind," I replied, clenching my fists with determination. "I'm carrying it with me."
The walls of the ship shook violently. Compressed chakra expanded like a torrent, rumbling beneath us. Outside, the crimson clouds of dusk seemed to part, as if the sky itself was bidding us farewell.
"Countdown initiated!" shouted Renji."Three… two… one… launch!"
The ship rose—slow at first, then with a brutal thrust that pinned us to our seats. Fire and energy burst outward, and the light of our departure illuminated the horizon, a brilliant blaze marking the beginning of a new era.
In my chest, the feeling was indescribable: nostalgia, fear, but above all, hope.For the first time in history, a ninja clan was going to conquer space.
The ship roared as it cut upward through the sky, the vibration rattling every bolt and seal inside the cabin. The glow of the chakra reactor pulsed behind them, its energy flowing into the thrusters like the heartbeat of a colossal beast.
Outside the viewing port, clouds streaked by in a blur, dyed red and gold by the setting sun.
"Altitude increasing… 25,000 feet… 40,000… 60,000," Renji reported, his voice steady, though his knuckles were white from gripping the controls.
The pressure grew heavier, pressing them into their seats. Every breath felt like dragging stone through their lungs.
"Hold steady!" Shisui shouted, sweat trickling down his temple.The ship shuddered violently, the hull creaking under the assault of friction and atmosphere.
And then—suddenly—it stopped.
The crushing weight disappeared in an instant. Their bodies lifted from the seats, floating, untethered. Mikoto's sealed scrolls drifted gently, rotating in the air like playful leaves in the wind.
"We did it…" Renji whispered, almost not believing his own words. "We broke through."
Mark—Itachi—pressed his hand against the viewport. His eyes widened as the blue curved edge of the planet came into view, stretching infinitely. A giant sphere of oceans and continents, framed by a thin halo of atmosphere glowing like liquid sapphire.
Shisui floated closer, staring in awe."Look at that… Our home. From here, it looks so fragile."
Renji let out a nervous laugh, spinning slightly in the air before catching himself on a strap."Fragile? That's a giant. We've been training our whole lives down there, and now it looks like a marble."
The silence of space wrapped around them. Only the hum of the chakra core remained, steady and alive. Beyond the planet, a vast darkness stretched endlessly, pierced by millions of stars that burned sharper than any night sky they had ever seen from Earth.
Mark's heart pounded, his voice low but resolute."This… this is the real battlefield. Limitless, without borders. Every answer we've sought, every future we've imagined—it's out there."
Shisui grinned, spinning once before stabilizing himself."Then let's make sure we write our names in that future."
Renji adjusted the controls, his face illuminated by the faint glow of the chakra seals."Course set. Reactor stable. Gentlemen… welcome to space."
They floated silently for a moment, all three staring at the giant world beneath them. The horizon curved, light spilling across it like molten gold as the last trace of the sun kissed the planet's edge.
For the first time in history, they weren't just shinobi—they were explorers of the stars.
The silence of space lingered as they floated, still captivated by the vast curve of the planet behind them. But awe quickly gave way to purpose.
Renji tapped the seals etched into the control panel. The chakra reactor pulsed brighter, feeding power into the secondary thrusters."Alright… enough sightseeing. Time to light the main engine."
Shisui steadied himself, gripping a handrail."Are we sure the hull can handle it?"
Renji smirked without looking up."We didn't spend years forging those alloy beams just to crawl around orbit. Trust me—she's ready."
Mark—Itachi—floated closer to the viewport. Ahead stretched a star-speckled void, but one planet glimmered faintly, its pale surface reflecting the distant sun."That's our target," he said. "Not the closest star. That would take centuries. We'll test ourselves with that world first."
Renji nodded, flipping open a scroll covered in calculations."Vector aligned. If we maintain thrust at full output, travel time is approximately… twelve days."
Shisui raised a brow."Twelve days? In this tin can?"
Renji laughed, the sound awkward in the weightless cabin."Better twelve days than twelve years. Brace yourselves."
He pressed his palm firmly against the ignition seal. The entire ship shuddered as the chakra reactor surged, streams of raw energy channeled into the propulsion array. Outside, a blue-white flame burst from the rear of the ship, invisible at first in the vacuum, then glowing like a spear driving them forward.
The sudden acceleration slammed them against their harnesses. Loose scrolls and tools shot backward, caught by tethering seals just in time.
Mark gritted his teeth, the pressure pinning him to the seat."So this is real thrust…"
Renji checked the dials, every line of his body tense with concentration."Velocity climbing… chakra flow stable… trajectory locked. Twelve days, gentlemen. That's our window to the unknown."
Shisui exhaled slowly, forcing a grin despite the strain."Guess we'd better get used to this. Twelve days of floating meals and bathroom seals… Can't wait."
Mark chuckled, then leaned forward, lowering his voice as if confessing a secret."You know… there's another option. Something we haven't tested yet."
Both Renji and Shisui turned toward him."The spatial jump seals," Renji said quietly, already guessing. His fingers hovered over a compartment where a set of experimental scrolls was stored. "We've run the simulations a hundred times, but never with a real vessel."
Shisui frowned."You're talking about tearing a hole through space and dragging this ship along? That's suicide."
"Maybe," Renji admitted, "but if it works, a twelve-day trip becomes twelve seconds. We'd be able to cross this system—or beyond—in a single leap."
The cabin fell silent except for the steady hum of the chakra reactor. Outside, the stars gleamed with infinite promise.
Mark finally spoke, his tone steady."Not today. We'll prove the engine first. But soon… we'll test the jumps. That will be the moment we truly become explorers, not just travelers."
The ship surged ahead, a tiny spark against the infinite void, carrying three shinobi toward their first step beyond their world—while the promise of space-jumps lingered like a dangerous dream waiting just ahead.