"Spectacular."
The moment he released the Four Violet Flames Formation, Uzumaki Nusaku rushed over.
The scene that greeted him was one of utter devastation: trees splintered and toppled from the recent clash, the earth pockmarked with vast craters carved by ninjutsu, and the remnants of several dead men.
Yuta had completely erased a few of the bodies with his Spirit-Devouring Vortex, but several severed limbs belonging to Kirigakure ninja still lay scattered amidst the carnage. In the center of it all, Yuta stood calmly, methodically cleaning up.
Nusaku's Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously.
The power Yuta had just displayed was… staggering.
Alongside the awe, a new and ambitious idea began to take root in his mind.
The Uzumaki clan's path was now singular: seek refuge with Konoha.
The Young Clan Head's reasoning wasn't flawed. By leveraging their blood-tie to Uzumaki Mito and offering up the clan's treasured Sealing Techniques, they could carve out a place for themselves within the Leaf.
But Nusaku wanted more.
He dreamt of a true Uzumaki revival. Even if they could never reclaim the sovereign glory of Uzushiogakure, they could at least secure an unshakeable and powerful foothold within Konoha. Matching the Uchiha or Hyuga was a distant fantasy, but to become the third pillar of the village, the clan that stood firmly behind those two titans? That was a worthy ambition.
'To achieve that, the Young Clan Head's current plan felt… modest.'
Their greatest bargaining chip—the Sealing Techniques vital to their survival—would be surrendered. Their sole protector, Uzumaki Mito, was not long for this world. Under such conditions, the clan's future would be a constant uphill struggle.
The Uzumaki clan's most urgent priority was to find a more reliable, more enduring patron, a backer within Konoha.
And Yuta, standing unscathed amidst the wreckage, was the perfect candidate.
He was young. He possessed terrifying power. He was a student of the Hokage's Assistant, Danzo.
Considering all this, Yuta might very well ascend to the Hokage's seat himself one day. If they could bind Shimura Yuta to the Uzumaki clan's destiny, would they still need to worry about their decline?
'But… how to bind him?'
'A marriage alliance.'
It was the most effective, practical, and swiftest method.
'It's just…' Nusaku's gaze flickered back to the small, huddled group of surviving clansmen, and a wave of helplessness washed over him.
In the Uzumaki clan's golden age, finding a suitable young woman would have been trivial.
Now? Their clan numbered barely over twenty souls. The only unmarried female of the main family line was the Young Clan Head's own infant daughter, Uzumaki Kushina.
He couldn't possibly propose a marriage alliance between a two-year-old child and Yuta. The very thought was absurd. Nusaku was certain that voicing such an idea would instantly brand him a depraved lunatic in Yuta's eyes.
A marriage alliance was impossible… After turning it over in his mind, Uzumaki Nusaku was forced to confront a bitter truth: at this moment, the Uzumaki clan possessed no leverage to win over a figure of Shimura Yuta's caliber.
"Uncle Nusaku, if you have a moment, could you lend me a hand?"
Hearing Yuta's voice, Uzumaki Nusaku's eyes immediately sharpened with purpose.
Even if a formal alliance was beyond immediate reach, he could certainly earn Yuta's favor through loyal service!
With consistent effort and demonstrated value, Yuta's sympathies would tilt toward the Uzumaki clan.
'No, that's not quite right,' he corrected himself. 'How could a task undertaken for the glory of the Uzumaki name be considered mere flattery?'
'This was all for Uzushio!'
"What do you need?" Nusaku asked, closing the distance. His attention was immediately captured by the array of unique blades laid at Yuta's feet.
"The Hidden Mist Village is said to possess seven of these legendary swords," Yuta explained. "I defeated the wielder of the Executioner's Blade last time, but I was occupied with treating the wounded… The Mist managed to summon it back before I could secure it."
He gestured to the six blades before them.
"This time, all six are here. I have no intention of returning them. Each one of them has a summoning formula placed by Kirigakure. If the village senses its wielder has died, they'll recall the sword, pass it on, and cultivate a new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"So, I was wondering, Uncle Nusaku, if you have a way to replace or seal those formulas. As long as Kirigakure can't summon them back, that's enough. I'm no master of Fūinjutsu, but I thought if anyone could do it, it would be the Uzumaki clan."
"I see… so that's their secret," Nusaku murmured, his eyes studying the blades with a practitioner's keen interest. He pondered for a moment before giving a firm, confident nod. "Consider it done. Leave it to me."
Upon hearing this, Yuta promptly stepped aside, giving space to the sealing master. There was a division of labor in all things; professional matters were best left to professionals.
Yuta's fallback plan had been a complete seal, simply denying Kirigakure their retrieval.
Whether used later as bargaining chips or kept as trophies of war, either outcome was preferable to letting them slip back into enemy hands and fortify Kiri's strength again.
Of course, if Uzumaki Nusaku could directly overwrite the summoning formulas, that was ideal. Yuta was genuinely intrigued by these unique weapons.
Especially the Greatsword: Samehada.
It was the only blade among the seven that hadd a semblance of life and the capacity to choose its master.
He recalled a fan theory from his past life that Samehada was originally a symbiotic creature that lived alongside the Three-Tails. Or perhaps it was just a malevolent spirit bound to a blade.
Regardless of its true nature, it was a formidable weapon. Its innate ability to absorb chakra alone made it a potent counter against a vast array of enemies.
Beyond Samehada, unique blades like the Lightning Release Kiba, the twin swords Hiramekarei, and the explosive Shibuki were all exceptional artifacts.
Even if he had no personal use for them, entrusting them to Konoha to cultivate suitable wielders would significantly bolster the village's strength.
He could, of course, deliver them directly to Danzo. The old geezer would be delighted with such a prize and would relish the opportunity to train his own operatives in their use.
Yuta just wasn't overly enthused by that prospect.
'Who knew what new trouble Danzo might brew once he had a cadre of empowered sword-wielders under his command?'
With Yuta present, the risk was minimal, but this was Danzo. A measure of prudent wariness was always warranted.
"Aah… finished." Uzumaki Nusaku let out a long, satisfied breath, his entire body relaxing.
This was the first task Yuta had entrusted to him, and he had poured his full focus into it. Fortunately, the summoning formulas inscribed on the blades were not particularly complex; he had managed to overwrite all of them in a short time.
But as the final seal settled into place, an unexpected melancholy settled over Nusaku.
The irony was bitter. It was precisely because the other great ninja villages lacked expertise in the esoteric arts of Fūinjutsu—arts like these very summoning formulas—that Uzushiogakure had become such a coveted target.
Their mastery of seals had painted a target on their backs, and that target had led to their ruin, reducing the proud Uzumaki clan to its current, pitiful state.
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