"Alright, problem solved," Kenji said, the iron sand wings carrying him and Honoka back down to the cave entrance. "Let's get out of here."
The wings dissolved, particles flowing back into his body as they landed. The captured beasts in their chains had gone quiet, watching them with wary eyes.
Honoka's feet touched ground and she stepped away, immediately bowing deeply.
"Thank you for saving me. My name is Uzumaki Honoka."
Her cheeks were still flushed, whether from embarrassment or lingering fear, Kenji couldn't tell.
"Don't mention it," he said, waving off the formality. "I'm Kenji. Yamanaka Kenji."
He looked around the ruined cavern, taking in the extent of the damage. Research notes were scattered across the floor, some stained with blood. Equipment lay smashed or overturned. The tank that had held the creature was shattered, green nutrient fluid still dripping from the broken glass.
"So, what's your plan now? Do you have anyone else on this island? Somewhere to go?"
Honoka's expression immediately fell. The color drained from her face and her voice came out small.
"No... everyone's gone. I was working with a research team here, studying summoning beasts. But that monster killed them all. I don't... I don't know where I should go now."
She took a shaky breath, then bowed again, even deeper this time.
"Thank you again. Not just for saving my life, but for avenging everyone. If you don't mind... could I come with you? I know sealing techniques, and I understand how to raise and train summoning beasts. Maybe I could be useful."
Kenji studied her for a moment. An Uzumaki with nowhere to go. And she'd just watched her entire research team get slaughtered by their own creation. Taking her to Konoha was the obvious choice. The village had ties to the Uzumaki clan. Kushina was there. And honestly, having someone skilled in sealing techniques around could be valuable.
"Sure. Come back to Konoha with me. I'm a Konoha ninja."
"Thank you. I'll do my best not to be a burden."
"Don't worry about it. Now, let's see what we can salvage from this mess."
They spent the next few hours going through the cavern methodically.
Honoka collected research notes on summoning beast breeding, experimental data logs, and training methodology documents. She moved through the wreckage with familiarity, clearly knowing where things were kept. Anything important got sealed into storage scrolls, the documents preserved for future reference.
Kenji helped where he could, mostly by moving heavy equipment out of the way or disposing of contaminated materials. Some of the specimens in the glass containers were beyond saving, either dead or dying from the chaos. The chained beasts along the walls were a different problem.
"What about them?" he asked, gesturing to the captured creatures.
Honoka looked at the animals with sadness. "They were test subjects. Most of them won't survive in the wild anymore. They've been too altered and dependent on the researchers. I don't know what to do with them."
Kenji considered it. "We could try releasing them on the island. Some might adapt. Better than leaving them to starve in chains."
They unlocked the restraints one by one. Some of the beasts bolted immediately, disappearing into the volcanic tunnels. Others were more cautious, circling warily before finally leaving. The three-headed dog sniffed at Honoka, whined softly, then loped away into the darkness.
When the cavern was as organized as it was going to get, they made their way to Honoka's residence on the island. It was a small building near the shore, simple but functional. She packed her clothes, some personal items, and a few photographs of people who were probably her dead parents based on how she handled them.
As they worked, she talked.
"This island used to have a lot of wild summoning beasts," she explained, folding clothes into a travel pack. "Years ago, ninjas would come here to capture potential summons. But a qualified summoning animal needs more than just strength. They need training, socialization, and understanding of combat tactics. So our research team stayed here. At first, we just captured wild beasts, trained them, and sold them to ninjas from different nations."
She paused, hands stilling on a half-folded shirt.
"But demand kept growing. Ninjas wanted stronger, smarter, and more versatile summons. So we started experimenting with selective breeding, crossbreeding different species, enhancing bloodlines through controlled genetics. The results were impressive at first. We created summons with unique abilities, combinations that didn't exist in nature. Then someone proposed the Ultimate Summoning Beast project. The idea was to combine abilities from multiple creatures into a single entity. Enhanced strength, chakra absorption, adaptive evolution... We knew it was risky, but the potential payoff was enormous. A summon like that would be worth a fortune."
She finally finished folding the shirt and placed it in her pack.
"We should have stopped when the early trials failed. But we kept pushing, making adjustments, and telling ourselves the next attempt would work. And now everyone's dead except me."
Kenji nodded. He'd seen this pattern before. People chasing power or profit, ignoring warning signs until disaster struck. It was standard in the shinobi world.
"At least you learned from it. That's more than most people manage."
When everything was packed, they returned to the ship. The sailors looked curious about the red-haired girl Kenji had brought back but were professional enough not to ask questions. The vessel set sail, leaving the Summoning Island behind.
Honoka stood at the railing, watching the island shrink into the distance. Her expression was complicated. Sadness, certainly. But also something that might have been relief.
Kenji walked up beside her. "You okay?"
"I think so," she said quietly. "That place was... it was my home for years. But after what happened, I don't think I could ever go back. Too many bad memories now."
"Konoha will be a fresh start," Kenji said.
Honoka looked up at him and managed a small smile. "Thank you, Kenji. For everything."
The sea breeze carried the smell of salt. The ship cut through calm waters, heading northeast toward the Land of Fire.
---
"Look, there it is. That's Konoha."
Kenji stood at the village gates with Honoka beside him, watching her take in the sight. The massive walls, the Hokage faces carved into the mountainside, the buildings visible beyond the entrance. It was an impressive view, especially for someone who'd spent most of their life on a small island.
"It's huge. I've never seen a village this big before."
"You'll get used to it," Kenji assured her. "Oh, and there's someone in the village you should know about. Another Uzumaki. I'll introduce you later."
Honoka's head snapped around to look at him. "Really? There's another Uzumaki here?"
"Yeah."
"I've never met another Uzumaki besides my parents," Honoka said.
He'd already gotten Honoka's backstory during the voyage back. Her parents had been from Uzushio, but they'd relocated to the Land of the Sea before the village's destruction. Honoka had been born there, never setting foot in the Land of Whirlpools. After her parents died, the research team had taken her in. All her sealing knowledge came from what her parents had taught her before their deaths.
"First, let's get you registered. Let's get your identity papers sorted out with the village. Then I'll take you to meet Kushina."
"Okay. I'll follow your lead."
They walked through the gates together. The guards recognized Kenji and waved them through without issue, though they did note Honoka's name on their logs for the newcomer registration.
Inside the village, Honoka's eyes went everywhere at once. People filled the streets. Children ran past, playing some kind of tag game. Shopkeepers called out to customers. The smell of cooking food drifted from restaurants. Everywhere she looked, there was life and activity.
It was overwhelming. She gripped Kenji's sleeve unconsciously, staying close as they navigated through the crowds.
"So many people..." she said quietly.
"You'll get used to it. Come on, let's get some food. I'm sick of ration bars."
Kenji led her through the streets toward a small ramen shop he frequented.
"Chef! Two bowls!" Kenji called out as they entered.
Teuchi looked up from where he was preparing noodles, his face breaking into a smile.
"Kenji! I haven't seen you in a while. Just get back from a mission?"
"Yeah, long one. First thing I wanted when I got back was decent ramen."
Teuchi's eyes shifted to Honoka. "i don't think I've seen you before. That's some striking hair. It reminds me of another regular customer of mine."
Honoka ducked her head shyly. "Thank you."
"I met her during the mission," Kenji explained. "And brought her back to the village."
Teuchi nodded and went to work preparing their orders. Within minutes, two bowls of ramen appeared on the counter in front of them. Not just normal bowls either. These were piled high with toppings. Extra pork slices, soft-boiled eggs, nori, more than the usual serving.
Kenji raised an eyebrow. "This is..."
"It's on the house!"
Honoka spoke up, "Thank you so much! It looks delicious!"
She grabbed her chopsticks and immediately focused on the ramen.
"Thanks," Kenji said instead.
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