Chapter 62: A Sister's Resolve
Uchiha Raizen returned to the familiar comfort of his home, immediately resuming his role as instructor to his two sisters, Kuna and Shiori. As he watched them practice their hand seals, a familiar, fond frustration welled up within him. They were of the same Uchiha blood, born of the same parents, yet their natural aptitude for the shinobi arts was a world apart from his own, accelerated as he was by the Pickup System.
He understood why. Before his arrival in this world, his sisters had limited exposure to advanced ninjutsu. Their Sharingan had only recently awakened. The clan, judging their potential as merely average, had relegated them to support roles as medical-nin assistants. With their father, Uchiha Shinku, gone, there had been no one of influence in the family to advocate for them, to see the latent spark within and fan it into a flame.
But things were different now. Uchiha Raizen had grown into his power, earning the respected title of Elder despite his youth. That status had cast a new light on his entire family. The condescending glances and dismissive attitudes from other clan members had vanished, replaced by a cautious respect. It was this shift that allowed Raizen the freedom to personally train them, to push them toward the strength they needed to survive in this brutal world.
"Fire Release: Thousand Flames Dance!" Uchiha Kuna called out, her voice firm with concentration. From her lips erupted a torrent of fire that twisted and writhed in the air before condensing into a dozen smaller, intensely hot fireballs that shot forward and scorched the training posts, leaving them blackened and smoldering. It was a clean, powerful A-rank technique.
"Wow! Big sister, that's amazing!" Uchiha Shiori exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration. "You mastered an A-rank jutsu already! I can barely manage a B-rank one."
Kuna lowered her hands, a faint sheen of sweat on her brow. She turned and gently tapped Shiori on the forehead. "It's been two years, Shiori. You learned your first B-rank jutsu a year ago. If you weren't so lazy, you would have surpassed me by now. We have to be serious about this. How can we protect ourselves if we don't work hard?"
"But why do we need to protect ourselves?" Shiori pouted, turning her large, pleading eyes toward Raizen. "Xiaobai will protect us, right? You promised!"
A warm, protective feeling spread through Raizen's chest. "Yes," he said, his voice soft but unwavering. "I will always protect you."
This was why he fought, why he sought power. The ability to shield his family, to see them safe and smiling, was a feeling more potent than any chakra surge.
In the two years of relative peace, his Pickup System had advanced to Level 7. He could now permanently master SS-rank ninjutsu, a tier of power that included techniques like the Rasenshuriken. He wondered what lay beyond SS-rank—the power of the Six Paths, perhaps? He had yet to even see an SS-rank orb, let alone pick one up. Most of his recent upgrades had come from special items, making him suspect the early-level bounty of novice packs was tapering off.
"Alright, Shiori," Raizen said, his tone shifting to one of gentle authority. "A few more repetitions. If you haven't grasped the fundamentals of an A-rank technique by the end of the day, I'll be disappointed. Remember, the time may come when I cannot be at your side. You must be able to protect yourself."
As he spoke, he casually walked the perimeter of the training ground, his system automatically absorbing the faint, glowing orbs of spent chakra and discarded practice jutsu—mostly B and A-rank. They were low-level to him now, but quantity had a quality all its own. He had spent the last two years not only teaching but learning, integrating every scrap of knowledge he could find. He was curious to see what would happen when his mastery over these fundamental elements reached a critical mass of 200%.
"Raizen, are you going away again?" Kuna asked, her voice laced with concern. "You just came back. Why…?"
"I've been home for nearly two years without a major mission. This peace can't last forever," he replied, his gaze drifting toward the direction of the main clan compound. "And with the patriarch's new plan involving the Uzumaki, I have a feeling my skills will be requested soon. A diplomatic mission of that importance will require escorts, and I am an Elder, after all."
"Then… just be careful," Kuna said, her worry warring with her pride. "Come back early and stay safe. And remember, you have a fiancée here now, so don't go getting into any… you know… trouble. Also, I…"
She trailed off, but the unspoken concern hung in the air. The world outside their walls was growing more dangerous by the day, and Raizen's path was inevitably pulling him back into the heart of it.