After getting the run around from Kushina, she led him to a house that was directly across from their house.
Arashi stood in the center of the main room, hands on his hips, surveying the space with an expression that was somewhere between thought and calculation.
The house itself was sturdy, well-built, with wooden floors that didn't creak underfoot and walls thick enough to keep out the world beyond.
It was simple, but not in a bad way. After all, the only other times he had been in a place this well built was when he snuck into hotels and brothels for a free night of rest, and even then, he wasn't able to do it every night.
More than anything though, the house felt empty, there wasn't any warmth or character anywhere in any of the rooms, it was made for the bare minimum.
Arashi nodded his head. 'I guess it makes sense especially if everyone moved out of here and took their stuff with them.'
A smirk tugged at his lips.
"Well, I guess I should at least try to make it feel a little more welcoming since it's mine now." he muttered to himself, cracking his knuckles. "Time to fix that."
He turned toward the open doorway, stepping back out front. The small yard surrounding the front of the house was bare, just nicely maincured grass, a few scattered stones, and a few patches of small white wildflowers fighting for dominance. It wasn't lifeless, but it did lack any sense of identity, in his opinion.
Arashi knelt down, pressing one hand against the earth, his fingers digging slightly into the soil. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath. His chakra pulsed outward, gentle but commanding, like a whisper carried on the wind.
The response to his call was immediate.
The soil trembled, shifting beneath his palm. Slowly, green tendrils pushed through the dirt, curling upward towards the sky. Tiny sprouts emerged first, their delicate leaves unfurling before rapidly expanding, thickening into strong bushes, vines, and blossoms.
The grass receded slightly and gave way to a soft carpet of wildflowers, blooming in waves of red, blue, and gold, spreading in intricate linear patterns that wove together like an artist's brushstrokes.
Around the house, the vines climbed the wooden beams, wrapping around pillars and curling along the edges of the porch, framing the home in hanging vines and flowers.
Along the walkway leading to the front door, clusters of lavender and chamomile sprouted, their scents drifting through the air, mixing with the fresh scent of earth and fading sunlight.
"That's more like it. A yard never deserves to look as barren as the one's around here look. Hopefully one day I'll be able to transform the whole clan ground into something more beautiful instead of the manicured look it has right now." Arashi murmured to himself.
Satisfied with the transformation, he moved to the backyard, where an even larger canvas awaited him.
The open space stretched out, untouched, bordered by a few older trees that had stood for generations. Arashi walked to the center, rolling his shoulders before pressing both palms, currently bright green with chakra, against the ground. This time, his chakra surged outward in a stronger pulse, spreading through the soil like roots seeking domination.
The result was instant and much stronger this time. As the chakra pulsed out, a wave of green chakra radiated out from Arashi's point of contact and caused a slightly bigger but still unnoticeable shake from the earth.
From the soil, trees exploded into existence, their trunks thick and sturdy, branches stretching toward the darkening sky. Some bore deep green leaves, others bloomed with soft pink and white flowers, their petals catching in the breeze and drifting like delicate wisps of snow.
Beneath them, the grass flourished, growing an even deeper shade of green, lush and soft underfoot, weaving itself into a perfect base.
From there all around the edge of the forest popped rose bushes flourishing with their flowers causing a sweet smell to begin and float through the air. Arashi nodded and continued on with the transformation of the backyard.
With another pulse of chakra, the trees shifted, their branches weaving into natural archways, creating a path that would be shaded during the day that led deeper into the orchard he was forming.
Fruits began to appear, apples, peaches, plums, citrus, filling the air with a sweet, ripe fragrance. The vines at the base of each trunk grew stronger, thickening into wooden trellises, where clusters of grapes and berries took root, hanging like jewels in the afternoon light.
He took a step back, wiping his hands on his pants as he admired his work. The backyard had been nothing but empty grass just minutes ago and now, it looked like something out of a dream.
A space bursting with life, with color, with energy. A place where the wind whispered through the leaves, where the sunlight would filter through dense canopies, where the world felt calm.
A satisfied hum rumbled in his chest as he reached up, plucking an apple from one of the closer branches. He turned it over in his palm before sinking his teeth into the crisp flesh, the sweet juice coating his tongue.
'Yep. This is going to do just fine.' He thought as he inhaled the rest of the apple and chucked the core deep into the orchard he had just created.
Stepping back inside, he set to work on the interior. The furniture was fine, if a little plain, but that was easy enough to fix. He dragged the heavier pieces into better spots, shifting chairs near the fireplace, and stacking a few books onto empty shelves. He threw open the windows, letting the fresh scent of his new garden wash through the house, replacing the stale air of a place that hadn't been truly lived in for years.
When he reached the bedroom, he paused, staring at the plain wooden bed frame, the simple sheets. They were… fine. Functional. But it wasn't his.
With a smirk, he pressed a hand against the floor, and within seconds, the headboard bloomed into a carved wooden design, vines etched naturally into the grain, like the wood itself had decided to accommodate what Arashi had thought looked good.
But, as much as he enjoyed making the place his own, there was one feature of this house that truly made his heart soar.
The bathroom.
His gaze locked onto the shower, the clean tile, the real, actual, fully functioning hot water source. "Oh my precious, I haven't seen a shower head in at least 3 months. I deserve this shower I'm about to take." A single tear fell dramatically down his cheek
His dramatics however were somewhat valid as he'd spent years bathing in rivers, stealing access to public bathhouses, or on desperate days, standing outside in the rain just to scrub off the dirt. Who wouldn't be at least a little emotional to have hot water whenever they want.
He barely hesitated before stripping off his shirt, turning the water on, and stepping beneath the steady stream. The warmth cascaded over him, washing away the remnants of travel, of dirt, of every miserable cold night spent huddled by a fire just to stay warm.