Night had fallen over Yumegakure like a veil of liquid silver. In the distance, the sea stretched calmly toward the horizon, reflecting faint glimmers of moonlight upon a peculiar terrain: a Silver Node, an area where time flowed differently, where waves crashed against ageless rocks and the water seemed to obey an unseen will. It was there that the most devoted came to train.
Her day in the real world had been especially active in Konoha, full of reports, protocols, and political discussions. But the night belonged to Yumegakure. For weeks now, Hinata Gin had been training each night in this hidden corner of the Silver World, guided by her father Takama, General Mifune, and the indomitable Shogo Uzumaki: Edge of the Sea.
Shogo was an enigma no matter the perspective. His golden chains, his chakra sensing abilities that bordered on precognition, and his innate mastery with the sword made him an opponent whose mere presence demanded perfection. His techniques blended combat instinct, swordsmanship, and sensory perception with an almost instantaneous reading of intent and emotion. In a way, he rivaled Hinata's own World of Intent or the Uchiha's Sharingan. That was precisely why she had chosen him as her guide—the one she needed to complete Mirage Breath and its techniques.
Now they stood face to face atop a ring of stone surrounded by still water. Kuro watched from a nearby cliff, with Mitsue sitting silently at his side. The ocean breeze carried a trace of tension as Hinata slowly unsheathed her sakabatō.
"I'm ready, Shogo-sama," she said solemnly.
"Then show me what you've learned," the swordsman replied, unsheathing his own blade with elegance. As he did, a ripple shuddered across the water around him.
Hinata inhaled. The air, though spiritual, burned in her chest. She stepped forward.
Mirage Breath – Second Form: Dancing Embers in the Rain.
Her body spun gracefully through the mist, releasing a dance of illusory embers. The rotation created fiery flashes like rain aflame. Hundreds of images descended upon Shogo from multiple angles, each charged with false heat. She pushed beyond the technique, making two of the illusions real, combining them with herself to attack from three directions.
With a simple motion, Shogo swung his katana forward, scattering the embers like smoke in the wind, elegantly deflecting Shinsei. A golden chain emerged from his back like a whip, striking the ground and launching him out of range before the other two illusions made real could reach him. Now Shogo stood behind her and was ready to attack.
Hinata stepped to the side, turning her body again.
Mirage Breath – Fifth Form: Phantom Flame Reversal.
Shogo's attack was met by a flame that mirrored his form, and for a split second, his gaze locked on the figure that resembled himself. It was enough for Hinata to appear from his flank… but even that was anticipated. Using his right hand, Shogo deflected Shinsei with the sheath of his sword, neutralizing her momentum and swiftly launching a counterattack.
Her response to this was Mirage Breath – Third Form: Silent Ripple.
The ocean's surface stirred, and multiple figures appeared around her. It was as if the water had multiplied her. Shogo hesitated for a moment when his strike hit only an illusion, which quickly multiplied further. The copies shimmered like reflections over an agitated lake. But Hinata had already moved.
Emerging from an unexpected angle, she attempted an inverted attack from top to bottom,
Her attack was dodged with only half a step to the left, and Shogo's blade now rested gently against her throat...
"Better. But you're still revealing your intent," Shogo growled as he thrust forward once more.
All she could do was close her eyes... Perhaps things would be different if she were in the Silver Stage, but her goal was to surpass it. "As always, Master Shogo, your swordsmanship reminds me how far I still have to go."
"You're getting closer," Shogo said quietly. "Each form you perfect isn't just a weapon—it's a reflection of yourself. When you learn to unite them with your true center, then you'll be the one teaching this old man a thing or two."
Hinata breathed heavily, the silver sea wetting her face as she smiled.
"Then... I'll start again."
And she resumed her stance, with the moon of Yumegakure shining above her.
After her training session with Shogo, her father could only watch with a grin stretching from ear to ear.
"I can still see the embers of the Gin family's style within your Mirage Breath… I'm satisfied. I have something I need to teach you."
As she used a towel to wipe away the sweat from the intense match against Shogo, she said nothing. She knew that if her father wanted to teach her something, it had to be something meaningful—something he was proud of.
"You see, there's a style of my swordsmanship that uses the force of fire to push the body's intensity to its limits… It draws upon advanced concepts from the Body Forging Technique and the foundation of Blooming Breath. It's something you could use, if you ever truly needed it. I believe you could adapt it into your Mirage Breath. So… what do you say? Are you ready to learn this trick your father developed not too long ago?"
<<<< o >>>>
Later that day, around noon, Hinata was taken by Hanabi from the Sarutobi compound to one of the courtyards of the Akimichi Clan. There, a great surprise awaited her: a barbecue organized by her old friends, with everything prepared for an informal gathering. Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, Shikamaru, Chōji, Ino, and Emi were already there, food being grilled and drinks spread out on the tables.
"All of this… is for me?" Hinata asked, a mixture of shyness and warmth in her voice.
"Of course!" said Kiba, with Akamaru barking happily beside him. "What did you expect? You didn't even tell us you were coming back to the village."
"We wanted to surprise you," added Hanabi with a smile, giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Besides, it was about time for a meal that didn't involve ceremonial tea."
Ino was already handing Emi a drink, who watched the scene unfold with a mixture of diplomatic curiosity and genuine affection.
"Akimichi never skimp on meat," murmured Emi, raising his cup toward Chōji.
"Never!" Chōji replied with pride.
As the meal went on, conversations began to crisscross. Hinata shared some anecdotes from her travels through the Elemental Lands, avoiding the darker details but offering bits of culture, flavors, and even strange techniques she had seen among isolated clans.
Soon, the topic shifted to Kumogakure.
"They're pretty competitive," Shikamaru commented while helping himself to a skewer. "I've heard even the kids hold internal tournaments now."
"With ridiculous prizes!" Ino added. "Ryo, weapons, even training missions with Jōnin if they win."
Emi chuckled subtly.
"You should've seen the Raikage's face when Hinata gave him the diplomatic gift. The man tried to keep a straight face, but his subordinates… they looked genuinely moved by the idea of their Raikage not breaking everything around him. One even started listing off benefits to convince him to use it immediately."
"What did you give him?" Hanabi asked.
"Some kinetic energy-absorbing bracers that redirect impact," Hinata replied. "A creative design Souta and Emi suggested to Kenshiro to craft for me. More decorative than functional… though not for them, apparently."
The laughter that followed was light but genuine.
It was then that Hinata lowered her voice slightly, though everyone heard her clearly:
"Do you know if Naruto or Sakura are in the village?"
The group exchanged glances. Shikamaru was the one who finally answered.
"Sakura… I haven't seen her in weeks. But Naruto showed up recently. He found me while I was playing shōgi with Asuma-sensei. Came straight to ask him about wind nature chakra."
Hinata nodded slowly. A small smile, full of memories, formed on her lips.
"So… he's still searching for his path."
"Like all of us," said Shino. "But today, at least, we've found a good reason to stop and enjoy some time with a dear friend."
Hinata looked at them all. Surrounded by those who had once been her team, her companions—and now witnesses to her transformation. For a moment, there was no politics, no duty, no war. Only embers, stories… and an unspoken promise that those bonds still remained.