The morning light was faint as it filtered through gaps in the courtyard foliage, casting mottled shadows over Ryo.
He sat cross legged, a pitch black longsword resting across his knees, the Kusanagi Sword.
The blade no longer reflected light, its surface so deep it seemed to swallow everything around it.
This was not paint or dye, but the result of three uninterrupted years of tempering with Armament Haki.
With the inheritance of Shanks, Ryo naturally understood the method of forging a black blade.
Now, after years of refinement, this Kusanagi Sword had truly been reborn and become a permanent black blade.
Its sharpness was fully restrained, yet it carried a weight that made the heart tremble.
Ryo slowly exhaled, ending a full night of training.
He opened his eyes, his gaze calm and steady.
Three years had passed since the smoke of the Second Shinobi World War had faded.
Without the pressure of war, this rare period of peace became the best time for growth.
With the aid of Earth Release and the Added Weight Rock Technique, he never relaxed his physical training, allowing his strength to increase rapidly.
Now, the power flowing through his body, the legacy inherited from Shanks, had reached a fusion rate of 76.78 percent.
His fingers brushed the cold blade, feeling the perfect responsiveness, then with a light turn of his wrist, he sheathed the Kusanagi Sword without a sound.
"Ryo. Rin is a new student at the Ninja Academy this year. Today is the opening ceremony. Are you ready. You cannot be late." Kushina's energetic voice came from inside the house, breaking the courtyard's quiet.
Ryo stood up, brushed off dust that was not there, and replied, "All set."
Entering the house, he saw Nohara Rin standing there like a little princess.
Mikoto was carefully adjusting her collar and hair accessories, making the already gentle and cute Rin even more delicate, like a finely dressed doll. A mix of anticipation and nervousness colored her small face.
Kushina stood nearby with her hands on her hips, smiling as she watched Rin.
As for Tsunade and Kushina, expecting either of them to handle styling would only end with Rin reporting in with a mess of hair.
Tsunade's bold personality was almost identical to Kushina's.
Yes, Tsunade was now also a member of this household.
At first, she resisted with everything she had, but secrets could not be hidden from Mikoto's perceptive eyes.
When Mikoto noticed the unusual atmosphere between Ryo and Tsunade, the truth became obvious.
What followed was chaos.
At first, Kushina completely exploded.
Sharing a man with Mikoto was something she could barely accept, or rather had gotten used to under Mikoto's calming influence. Now even Tsunade, whom she viewed as an older sister, was joining.
Kushina felt like a fiery pepper betrayed by the whole world and nearly blew the roof off the house.
In the end, a guilty Tsunade used her ultimate move. She offered to teach the Yin Seal that preserved youth, finally persuading the two of them, mainly because the temptation was far too great for Mikoto to resist.
With Mikoto backing her up and the promise of eternal youth, Tsunade was accepted.
However, after that, the looks Kushina and Mikoto gave Ryo often carried a mix of helplessness and a quiet, lingering grudge.
Of course, Ryo had his own bottom line.
Kushina and Mikoto were still young, and he would never cross that boundary.
That restraint instead added a complicated sense of reassurance to their resentment.
Ryo's gaze fell on Rin.
The gentle and thoughtful girl had long since become family he cherished.
Sending the little one to the Ninja Academy was an important moment. As her guardian, he would naturally go in person.
Today, he was there to stand behind her.
He knew very well how prevalent the bully the weak culture was in the Academy. Even a genius like Uchiha Itachi had not been spared in the original story.
So he would make sure Rin's school life was peaceful.
Nohara Rin was under his protection.
The brats at the Academy had better open their eyes.
If anyone dared to bully Rin, he could test whether the newly forged black blade at his waist had dulled under Konoha's sun.
"Mikoto, we are heading out. You really are not coming." Kushina took Rin's hand, still a bit reluctant.
Mikoto paused, then smiled gently and shook her head. "You go ahead. I will stay home. Tsunade onee san drank too much again last night. Someone needs to take care of her when she wakes up."
Her tone was calm, but Ryo and Kushina both understood the deeper reason.
Mikoto did not want to face the Uchiha clan.
When Ryo had stormed the Uchiha compound alone, suppressing the entire clan by force and taking her away, it left her caught between the clan's upbringing and her new sense of belonging.
Although the Uchiha no longer dared trouble her, not meeting was better for both sides.
Kushina sighed. "Alright then. Take care of Tsunade. We are heading out."
She pouted helplessly. Tsunade's gambling and drinking habits seemed impossible to fix.
From deeper in the house came Tsunade's vague mumbling and the sound of her turning over.
At the entrance of the Konoha Ninja Academy, the scene was as lively as a festival.
Freshly painted gates, falling cherry blossoms, and air filled with children's chatter and the mixed voices of excited and anxious parents.
Among the crowd were many familiar figures.
Hatake Sakumo stood there wearing a Hokage style haori, his signature silver hair and cold expression unchanged. Beside him was Hatake Kakashi, equally aloof, his eyes sharp like a young wolf.
Sarutobi Asuma, the Third Hokage's third son, looked around restlessly with a watermelon haircut. Nearby was the red haired beauty in the making, Yuuhi Kurenai, quietly holding her father's hand.
Uchiha Obito wore a silly, excited grin as he pointed at the crowd. Next to him stood Katō Dan, looking serious, with his gentle and well mannered niece, Katō Shizune.
Might Dai was still in his green jumpsuit, giving his son Might Guy a thumbs up with a bright smile while shouting, "Youth is enrollment, Guy." Little Guy responded with fiery enthusiasm, their gleaming teeth nearly blinding everyone around them.
More new faces and parents gathered together, forming a noisy crowd.
When Ryo and Kushina arrived holding the carefully dressed Rin, it felt as if an invisible force parted the crowd.
The noise dropped instantly as countless gazes focused on them.
"So this is the legendary Konoha's Asura. He looks so young."
Strength was the universal currency of shinobi.
The lingering impact of the war three years ago, and the incident where he suppressed the Uchiha clan, were still fresh.
Especially among the Uchiha parents, hatred nearly spilled from their eyes, but when they met Ryo's calm glance, it vanished like ice water poured over fire, leaving only deeply buried fear as they lowered their heads or looked away.
Among the many complicated gazes, one sharp as a blade stood out.
Hatake Sakumo, himself a Kage level shinobi, sensed a deadly pressure from Ryo that made his hair stand on end.
Even stronger was the instinct of a top swordsman encountering another peerless blade, an uncontrollable desire to clash.
His eyes locked onto Ryo, especially the plain looking black sheathed sword at his waist.
Ryo felt that intense battle intent. His steps did not slow as his gaze casually swept toward Sakumo.
That look was calm and emotionless, as if he were seeing an irrelevant passerby.
Then he naturally looked away, focusing on the path ahead.
A sudden surge of commotion rippled through the crowd.
Wearing ceremonial robes and the Hokage hat, Hiruzen arrived with several ANBU guards, coming to his loyal Ninja Academy for the annual Will of Fire speech.
Hiruzen quickly spotted Ryo and Kushina standing out in the crowd, especially Kushina's bright red hair, impossible to miss.
He put on a warm smile and nodded toward them, displaying the Hokage's approachable demeanor.
Then his gaze swept the crowd and paused.
It lingered on Sakumo.
Especially on the Hokage style haori Sakumo wore, glaring under the sunlight. A trace of displeasure flashed in Hiruzen's eyes.
"Again with that outfit," Hiruzen thought coldly.
This was not the first time Sakumo had worn the Daimyo bestowed haori in public.
Hiruzen had already ordered him not to wear it unless necessary, to avoid misunderstandings.
But Sakumo was stubborn.
Born of the Hatake clan, a classic warrior family, he valued honor above life itself. To Hiruzen's vague non essential order, he paid little attention and continued wearing it on important occasions as a symbol of honor.
To Hiruzen, this was an open declaration of siding with the Daimyo, even a silent challenge to Hokage authority.
"Completely unreasonable," Hiruzen's patience wore thin.
In his view, no matter how strong or famous Sakumo was, his background and stance meant the Hokage position would never be his.
If Ryo was someone who acted freely due to overwhelming strength, a thorn difficult to control, then Sakumo was someone who eyed the Hokage seat beneath him and needed to be guarded against.
"Hmph. Later," Hiruzen suppressed the dark thoughts, straightened himself, and put on his familiar smile of warmth and authority.
He cleared his throat, his voice echoing across the entrance. "Wherever the leaves dance, the fire shall burn on."
The annual Will of Fire speech officially began.
The moment Ryo heard the familiar opening, his brow twitched and a faint headache surfaced.
During his five years at the Academy, he had heard that line so many times his ears nearly developed calluses.
He thought graduation meant freedom, yet now, sending Rin to enroll, he had to endure it again.
He stood there expressionless, listening patiently.
Kushina beside him looked bored as she twirled her red hair with her fingers.
Finally, after Hiruzen concluded with "May the Will of Fire light your path," applause rose from the crowd, relieved yet dutiful.
Ryo felt as if he had survived a long battle.
With the speech over, the crowd began to move again.
Ryo held Rin's hand with one hand and Kushina's with the other, walking straight into the Academy.
Kushina puffed out her chest like a protective hen, her red hair flaring as she glared back at hostile or fearful looks.
Sakumo's gaze lingered on Ryo. Even after being ignored and interrupted by the speech, his battle intent did not fade. Instead, it settled deeper, colder.
He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, sensing the boy's alertness.
"Let us go, Kakashi," he said quietly. "Remember, the Academy is only the starting point, not everything. The road of true strength is under your feet."
Kakashi nodded seriously, the determination in his silver haired eyes deepening.
At the registration desk, Ryo handed Rin's small hand to the chūnin in charge, his voice calm but clear enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Nohara Rin, enrolling."
He paused, his gaze casually sweeping over the surrounding clan parents, especially toward the Uchiha. His tone was as plain as stating the weather. "Rin is family. Get along well with her at school."
He made no threats, but the words family and the pressure he carried were more than enough.
Combined with the quiet black blade at his waist and the title Konoha Shura, it was the clearest declaration.
Anyone who dared target Nohara Rin could test whether his blade was sharp.
The chūnin's forehead beaded with sweat as he nodded quickly. "Yes, Ryo sama. Rin, welcome to the Academy. Come with me."
Rin glanced nervously at Ryo and Kushina. Receiving their encouraging smiles, she gathered her courage and followed the teacher into the Ninja Academy, stepping into a world of the unknown.
After Rin was settled into her assigned class, Ryo finally left the Academy with Kushina.
Kushina watched Rin's small figure disappear toward the classroom, her face showing relief mixed with reluctance.
Ryo did not spare another glance at anyone, including Sakumo in the distance. He said to Kushina, "Let us go."
The task was done. Time to go home.
Kushina nodded, took one last look at the school building, then turned and followed Ryo.
The crowd parted once more to make way.
Sarutobi Asuma watched Ryo's departing back and muttered under his breath, "Putting on airs."
Yuhi Kurenai looked curiously at the tall figure.
Uchiha Obito had not noticed Ryo at all. His eyes were fixed on the direction Rin had gone as he murmured, "Rin is so cute."
Might Guy struck a running pose toward the gate, shouting, "This is where youth ignites, Dad." Might Dai burst into tears of joy. "Well said, Guy."
Sakumo withdrew his gaze and looked down at Kakashi. "Let us go."
The noise at the gate gradually subsided as the new students entered.
Sunlight fell on the sign of the Konoha Ninja Academy.
New stories were about to unfold among this generation.
(To be continued.)
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◇ 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.)