Chapter 6: The Uzumaki Survivors
Although he had heard his father, the Third Raikage, mention that the Hidden Cloud was searching the ninja world for Uzumaki survivors, Dana hadn't paid it much attention these past few years. But today, he had actually seen one in the flesh. If the Cloud managed to integrate an Uzumaki clan, wouldn't they become incredibly powerful? It would be like adding wings to a tiger. Could they finally go toe-to-toe with Konoha?
Assuming they had any talent for being a shinobi, an Uzumaki could at least reach the level of Jonin, right?
No, no, calm down, Dana told himself. The Uzumaki are strong, but Konoha's collection of overpowered clans is on another level...
But still, this was an Uzumaki!
As long as he wasn't completely useless, his potential was sky-high.
It makes you wonder how the Land of Whirlpools was ever destroyed in the first place...
As the son of the Third Raikage, Dana felt it was his duty to help the village secure this opportunity. He had to make a good impression.
"Are you from the legendary Uzumaki clan? Wow, I can't believe I'm meeting one in person!" Dana exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. He put on a performance that was three parts cute, three parts curious, three parts innocent, and one final part of pure earnestness.
Behind him, his attendant Ume rolled her eyes. The Young Master was up to his tricks again. He used the exact same act on the clan elders who doted on him.
Sure enough, Dana's charm wasn't just effective on old people; it worked on his peers, too. Uzumaki Hiroto was completely taken in. He scratched the back of his head and said modestly, though his pleased expression gave him away, "Haha, legendary? I wouldn't go that far, haha. I'm actually pretty ordinary, haha, hahaha."
"Hiroto-niisan," Dana continued, "do you live here in the Hidden Cloud? I've never seen you before."
It doesn't matter if you live here or not, he thought. After today, you definitely will. Even if you were just passing through, you're not leaving.
"Probably because I just got here," Hiroto replied with a simple grin. "My family just moved to the village, haha." If one had to describe him in a single phrase, Uzumaki Hiroto was an honest, simple kid.
He gave off the vibe of a minor character in a shonen manga who was covered in foreshadowing flags.
His whole family is here? That's great news.
Dana pressed on. "Welcome to the Hidden Cloud, Hiroto-niisan! I've read in books that when members of the Uzumaki clan become shinobi, they're always incredibly strong. Are you planning on becoming a ninja?"
Dana needed to know if this family had any shinobi potential. While even an ordinary Uzumaki was valuable—their descendants could surely become ninja—it would be best if this family was already capable.
"I just enrolled in the Academy yesterday!" Hiroto suddenly declared, as if pumped full of adrenaline. "I'm going to become an amazing ninja, earn lots and lots of money, and buy a big house here in the village so my mom, dad, and little sister can have a good life!" All he was missing was the line, "That's my ninja way!"
Dana chatted with Hiroto for a while longer. He learned that his family had come from the Land of Grass. Hiroto hadn't even been born when the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, so he knew nothing about it. For as long as he could remember, he had been a refugee from a fallen nation.
His family had been semi-nomadic, wandering the ninja world, never able to truly settle down. The Uzumaki's signature red hair was too conspicuous, and they were a known commodity in the underworld. They never dared to stay in one place for long, and their lives were a constant struggle. In his short eight years of life, Hiroto could remember living in three different countries and five different towns.
A few months ago, they had been trying to settle in the Land of Grass, clearing some uncultivated land, fishing, and chopping wood just to scrape by. This was the only life Hiroto had ever known.
Then, they were spotted by a squad of Cloud ninja on a mission. Finding Uzumaki survivors was a key objective of the "Fire Thief Initiative." After quickly finishing their C-rank mission, the shinobi approached Hiroto's family.
The Cloud ninja were a bit disappointed to find they were all civilians with no knowledge of any sealing jutsu. But they had two children, Hiroto and his sister, who might have the potential to become shinobi.
At first, Hiroto's father was reluctant to move to the Hidden Cloud. But the Cloud had gotten quite good at recruiting people over the past few years. Seeing that the family was so poor they didn't even have a spare pair of pants, the shinobi got straight to the point. They offered them basic living necessities and security. For Hiroto's parents, who had known nothing but hardship, it was an offer they couldn't refuse. After some hesitation, they agreed.
And so, Hiroto, his parents, and his younger sister made the journey from the Land of Grass to the Hidden Cloud.
It was worth noting that when the Hidden Grass Village got wind of this, they adopted a "I don't want it, but I don't want you to have it" attitude and tried to stop the family from leaving. However, after a Cloud Jonin had a friendly chat with the leader of the Grass Village while stepping on his head, the Grass leader announced that his village had always been understanding and reasonable.
Knowing this nest of Uzumaki was secure, Dana felt relieved. After some more small talk, they exchanged addresses and officially became friends. Dana then left with a bounce in his step, but not before buying Hiroto a large bag of the candy he had been staring at in the window.
Hiroto watched Dana's departing figure, the bag of sweets feeling heavy in his hands. If he rationed it, it would last a long time. He felt bad taking something so expensive, but his family had always been poor. He had never even seen such colorful candy before. Thinking of his parents and sister, who had never tasted such a wonderful thing, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
In his heart, Hiroto decided that Dana was a truly great person!
...though he did feel a little sad when Dana dodged his attempt to touch him.
After leaving Hiroto, Dana found a sushi restaurant for dinner. As he ate, he thought to himself, I wonder if I'll ever get to try Ichiraku Ramen in this life.
Wait a minute, Ichiraku Ramen might not even exist yet. Should I trademark the name? If I open an 'Ichiraku Ramen' here in the Cloud, what would the one in Konoha be called? Maybe they'd have to call it 'Otsutsuki Ramen.'
He chuckled at the thought.
"Ume-neechan, let's go check out the orphanage."
"Of course, Young Master. This way, please. The orphanage is in the northern part of the village, near Training Ground 7."
The large group set off, leaving a servant behind to pay the bill.
The Hidden Cloud's orphanage was a new establishment, but the building was old. It was a converted warehouse that had previously been used to store non-essential supplies. Now, it had been repurposed to house about fifty children.
When Dana arrived, he saw an adult organizing the orphans into lines in an outdoor area.
"Numbers one through fifteen, line up on the left! Everyone after fifteen, on the right!" a ninja who looked like a total scrub ordered, reading from a clipboard.
Dozens of children silently and obediently formed lines. In his previous world, a group this size would have been pure chaos, but here in the world of Naruto, there was a chilling order.
An oppressive and cautious atmosphere hung over the training ground.
Dana looked at the children, most of whom were around his age. He saw no childlike innocence in their eyes, only caution and coldness.
The scrub-level ninja continued, his voice flat. "Pair up for taijutsu practice. The last ten will get no dinner tonight."