"System," Ryo called silently within his consciousness.
Since returning from Tsunade's camp, he had begun taking stock of the strength he had forged through months of blood and fire. Especially those two near-death battles. They had nearly cost him his life but greatly accelerated his fusion with power.
---
[ Beep! ]
[ Host status: scan complete ]
[ Shanks' Legacy Integration increased to: 58.7% ]
[ Shanks' Legacy unlocked to: 60% ]
[ Strength: Kage-level ]
[ System Evaluation: You already have one foot across the threshold of Kage! ]
---
Staring at the panel in his mind, Ryo remained calm. That 58.7% fusion rate was earned through countless brushes with death. He knew that as he advanced further, the fusion speed would slow. His young body still needed time to grow and adapt to the immense power born from the template, like a dormant volcano brimming with energy but requiring time to solidify its foundation and widen its conduits.
He scoffed at those Uchiha prodigies who reached Mangekyō-level strength at thirteen by burning away their potential and lifespan for temporary power. That was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst. Ryo had boundless potential and vast room for growth. The path lay clearly ahead. He just needed to let his body mature naturally. In a year or two, when the time came, that 60% barrier would break smoothly. His Armament Haki would awaken, and his Conqueror's Haki would no longer be restrained by his youth. When that moment arrived, his power would undergo an earth-shaking transformation.
For now, all he needed was patience, to wait for the tree of power to bear fruit.
Outside the tent, the campfire crackled. The sound seemed to echo the rhythm of the power surging within him, deep, long, and filled with explosive potential. There was no conversation that night, only the silent declaration of strength.
A few days passed, and under the surge of vitality, the last trace of Ryo's wounds vanished. The bandages were discarded carelessly. His exposed physique, sleek and solid, radiated explosive strength. He was ready to depart, accompanied by Mikoto, Shiguru, and Kaori, heading back to Konohagakure.
"Captain Kamiyama Ryo of the Kamiyama Unit!" A Chūnin's respectful silhouette appeared at the tent flap. His voice was filled with reverence. "The heavy-zone units are at the main gate, ready to relieve your command!"
Orders were absolute. Ryo grabbed his coat, washed white and scarred with cuts and burn marks, and put it on sharply. He stepped out of the tent, sunlight raining down like arrows, forcing his eyes to narrow.
At the gate, the scene was grim. A dozen crude stretchers lined up, telling the brutal story of war in silence. Mikoto and Shiguru were in the line, Shiguru checking bandages and Mikoto soothing the injured. Kaori stood quietly at Ryo's side, her slender frame steady in the sunlight.
On the stretchers lay faces pale as ash, chests faintly rising and falling, barely clinging to life. Severed limbs wrapped in cloth, empty pant legs flapping weakly. Blood seeped through bindings like stamps of despair. These were the severely wounded retrieved from the gates of death, personally confirmed by Tsunade. They had to be transported to Konoha's superior medical facilities to recover their ability to fight. The air was thick with the scent of medicine and infection, but there was still a faint trace of hope.
Every exhausted, bloodshot gaze, some blank, some resolute, fixed on Ryo's approaching figure. He alone symbolized the backbone of the team. Shiguru, Mikoto, and Kaori had become indispensable as well.
Ryo's gaze cut across the line. No speeches, no extra words. He walked to the front, tall and composed, and calmly spoke two words, his voice steady yet filled with unshakable resolve.
"Let's go."
Ryo led at the front, Kaori close by, with Mikoto and Nawaki guarding the wounded. His shadow stretched long across the ground, like a sword pointing home. With him leading, the group of wounded felt immovable.
The return journey was long, cutting through the Land of Fire. Though calmer than the front lines, the name of Konohagakure alone deterred most threats.
As for Danzō, a flash of mockery crossed Ryo's eyes. Between his own power, the order signed by Tsunade, and the will of Konoha's entire front line, who would dare lay a hand on them?
Days and nights passed as they crossed rivers and mountains. Ryo walked at the front the entire time, his Observation Haki spreading silently like a vast web, covering kilometers. Every movement of the wind, every flutter of wings, every hidden hostility, none escaped him.
A few wandering shinobi and bandits tried to watch from the shadows. The moment their gaze landed on Ryo, terror overwhelmed them. His presence alone crushed their courage. Without a word, they fled back into the dark. The journey continued without a single conflict.
Eventually, the towering walls of Konoha appeared on the horizon, beyond the sea of trees. The sunset melted into gold, dyeing the sky a warm amber. The Hokage Rock glowed like a god's face, majestic and peaceful.
At last, the great gate of Konoha stood ahead, marked by its carved scroll patterns. The guards recognized the figure leading the convoy. Each stood straight, saluting.
Fatigue, pain, and longing for home intertwined in everyone's hearts. Hope had never felt so real.
Then, just as the stretchers were about to roll through the gate, a voice filled with longing and joy tore through the dusk like lightning.
"Ryo!"
A petite red-haired figure burst from the open gate like a runaway flame.
Uzumaki Kushina. Her signature crimson hair streamed behind her in the sunlight. Her sky-blue eyes overflowed with joy and longing. Ever since learning from Hiruzen that Ryo was returning, she had waited every evening like a sentry.
Girl's dignity? Jinchūriki identity? All forgotten in that instant. In her world, there was only one heart that mattered.
Kushina slammed into Ryo's chest with full force, her slender yet strong arms locking around his waist like steel cables. The strength nearly crushed his ribs.
The familiar scent of him filled her senses, dust, smoke, and the battlefield. It calmed the heart she had held in suspense for days. She buried her face in his chest, feeling the pounding of his heartbeat. Each thump reassured her that he was alive.
She clung tightly, as if to make up for every lost moment in one embrace. After a long while, she reluctantly lifted her head, her tearful face glowing in the sunset.
"You big idiot! Why were you gone so long… sniff…" Her voice trembled, her complaint tinged with fear and the pain of almost losing him.
Ryo, always tense and alert like a drawn blade, softened. The coldness in his eyes melted away. His hand rested gently on Kushina's red hair, fingers brushing through the soft strands. His voice was low and steady.
"Yes, I'm back."
Those three words said everything. They were her comfort and his declaration of return from blood and fire.
Time seemed to freeze for Kushina. Then she smiled, radiant under the golden light. She opened her mouth, ready to scold him affectionately for making her worry.
But then, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a girl standing nearby, Kaori.
A pale, fragile-looking girl, her face almost translucent. Her body looked as if a breeze could topple it. And that hair, bright, unmistakably red.
The sunset poured over that hair, and in that instant, the color stabbed into Kushina's eyes. Red hair. The mark of the Uzumaki.
Kaori stood frozen by the sudden reunion before her, her wide eyes filled with fear and confusion. Her gaze met Kushina's, sapphire meeting glassy brown, and the world seemed to stop.
Kushina's smile froze. A crack appeared on her expression as doubt rushed in like wildfire. Shock followed, then disbelief.
Who is she?
A survivor of the Uzumaki clan?
That thought thundered in Kushina's trembling heart.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)