The morning light filtered softly through the shoji screens, casting a warm glow over the Uchiha household. The scent of freshly cooked rice and miso soup filled the air as the family gathered for breakfast
Yuzuki sat at her usual place, quietly eating while Itachi, ever composed, took measured bites beside her. Mikoto moved gracefully around the table, refilling bowls and setting down plates with motherly precision
Fugaku sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable as always. But as he reached for his tea, he spoke, his voice even
"There was an incident last night"
Yuzuki froze for a fraction of a second before continuing to eat, keeping her face carefully neutral. Itachi's chopsticks paused mid-air, his sharp eyes flickering to their father
"The archives were infiltrated" Fugaku continued "No damage, no trace left behind. Only a genjutsu on the guards, discovered when their replacements arrived"
Yuzuki felt Indra stir in the back of her mind, his presence like a low hum of interest
{He does not suspect you outright} he mused {Though I wonder if that says more about your skill or his restraint}
She didn't answer. She didn't need to
Before the conversation could linger, slow footsteps padded into the room. Sasuke, still dressed in slightly rumpled sleepwear, shuffled in with a bleary-eyed expression. He let out a long, dramatic sigh before flopping onto his seat
"Why do mornings have to be so early.." He mumbled miserably
Mikoto smiled, setting a bowl in front of him. "Eat up, Sasuke"
The boy blinked down at his plate and groaned. Tomatoes. Again
"Do I have to?" he whined, poking at them with his chopsticks as though they might disappear if he stared long enough
"You want to be a strong shinobi, don't you?" Mikoto said, her tone sweet but firm "Tomatoes are good for you"
Sasuke's eyes darted around the table, seeking an ally. "Itachi-nii?"
Itachi merely took a sip of his tea, unreadable as ever "Listen to mother"
"Yuzuki-nee?" he tried
Yuzuki smirked at him
Sasuke turned his last hope toward their father. Fugaku glanced at him with a firm expression "Eat"
Sasuke deflated, muttering under his breath as he reluctantly lifted a tomato to his mouth. Yuzuki hid her amused smile behind her teacup
But as her gaze lingered on the red fruit, a distant memory surfaced, red hair, vibrant and rich, unlike anything she had seen before. She looked at Mikoto thoughtfully
"I saw a woman once" Yuzuki murmured, drawing everyone's attention "She had red hair. I think she was with you"
Mikoto blinked, surprise flickering in her eyes before softening into nostalgia "That must have been Kushina"
"Kushina?" Yuzuki repeated, testing the name
"Kushina Uzumaki" Mikoto explained "She was a dear friend of mine"
"Uzumaki.." Yuzuki rolled the name over in her mind. There was something about it that made Indra stir slightly, as if the name held more weight than it seemed. She kept that to herself for now
"How come I never saw her again?"
Mikoto's fingers hesitated slightly on her teacup. For a moment, her usual warmth dimmed, just enough for Yuzuki to notice
Yuzuki's stomach twisted. She already knew the answer before Mikoto even spoke it
"...She passed away" Mikoto finally said, her voice quieter than before
Yuzuki lowered her gaze "Ah... Sorry"
Mikoto gave a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes "It's alright"
Indra was silent, but Yuzuki could sense his contemplation. The name Uzumaki had meaning to him, though she wasn't quite sure what. But she would remember it
For now, though, the only sound was the quiet clink of chopsticks against porcelain and Sasuke's begrudging chewing of his tomatoes
Fugaku exhaled slowly, setting his teacup down with deliberate care "The clan's barrier did not detect an intruder. That means this was done by someone from within"
Yuzuki tilted her head "Barrier?"
Itachi's sharp gaze flickered to her, a silent warning, but Fugaku answered
"A chakra barrier surrounds the Uchiha compound. It records every chakra signature that enters and exits, acting as both a logistical tool and a defensive measure. It prevents spies from coming and going unnoticed"
Yuzuki nodded as if processing, though in truth, she barely managed to hold back a yawn. The warm food and the early morning were beginning to lull her into drowsiness
Mikoto saw that and smirked slightly "Interested in sealing techniques, Yuzuki?"
Yuzuki blinked and shook her head quickly "Nope"
Mikoto chuckled "Why not? It takes patience, yes, but some of the most powerful shinobi are masters of sealing. Imagine spending hours, no, days, carefully inscribing thousands of symbols by hand"
Yuzuki wrinkled her nose in exaggerated horror "No thanks"
Indra hummed thoughtfully in her mind
{At least it's better than sitting still for months, cultivating} he mused
{That was a far more tedious process}
Yuzuki's response was immediate 'I got used to that. But writing and reading for that long? I think I'd rather be thrown into a pit full of kunai'
Mikoto chuckled at her reaction, and for once, even Fugaku's severe expression softened ever so slightly. Itachi, too, let out the faintest amused "Hn"
It was a rare moment, one where Yuzuki's seemingly limitless talent found its limit, and the rest of the family found quiet amusement in it
Mikoto then turned her attention to Sasuke "And how is your training going?"
Sasuke perked up at the shift in conversation, puffing his chest out slightly "Under Yuzuki-nee's training, I can already walk on walls!"
Mikoto's motherly instincts kicked in immediately "You didn't fall, did you?"
Sasuke groaned "I only fell once!"
Mikoto sighed, her worry evident "You're still so young, Sasuke"
"I'm not a little kid!" he huffed "I can handle it!"
Yuzuki smirked "I can vouch for him, Mikoto. He's improving quickly"
Mikoto still looked skeptical, but she relented, brushing a hand over Sasuke's hair before he could dodge it "Just be careful"
Sasuke scowled but didn't argue further, returning to his food with a slight pout
The atmosphere settled once more, the family quietly finishing their breakfast. Though the previous night's events still lingered in the air, for this moment, at least, they were simply a family sharing a meal together
-=-
After breakfast, Yuzuki made her way back to her room, her mind lingering on the conversation from earlier. She sat on the futon, arms crossed, eyes narrowing slightly
"You reacted to the name Uzumaki" she spoke inwardly, directing her thoughts to Indra "Why?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then Indra's voice echoed in her mind, contemplative yet firm
{The Uzumaki clan... they are an anomaly. Even in my time, their chakra was unnatural, resilient beyond reason. Their sealing techniques shaped entire eras of warfare}
Yuzuki frowned "Seals again"
{Yes, seals. But the Uzumaki took it beyond mere utility. Their mastery was feared. Entire nations sought them out, and in the end... they were wiped out for it}
She blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, wiped out? A whole clan?"
{A clan that strong doesn't get to exist without consequence} There was something unreadable in Indra's tone, something almost bitter
{Your mother's friend... if she was an Uzumaki, then she was one of the few who survived}
Yuzuki exhaled through her nose, staring at the ceiling. The more she learned about the past, the more tangled things seemed to get. Another clan destroyed, she thought. And for what? She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer
Pushing those thoughts aside, she sat up and glanced around the house. The quiet confirmed what she suspected-her parents were out, Itachi was gone, and only Sasuke was left somewhere in the house
Satisfied, she reached under her bed and pulled out the three scrolls, setting them neatly in front of her
Shadow Clone, Water Clone, and Body Flicker
Her Sharingan flickered to life as she stared at them.
Time to see what these are really about
She started with Water Clone. It was supposed to be the simplest of the three-an easier, chakra-conserving version of the more demanding Shadow Clone
She formed the hand seals with careful precision, channeling her chakra just as the scroll described. The air shimmered faintly, water pooling together and slowly rising
Or, well... it tried
What emerged was a sad, sloshing blob-vaguely human-shaped, but distorted and unstable. It wobbled threateningly, gave what she could only assume was a gurgled apology, and collapsed into a messy splash that soaked the floor
Yuzuki stared at it for a beat, unimpressed
"That was pathetic"
Indra's hum echoed in her head, mildly amused
{Water is the opposite of fire. You shouldn't be surprised}
She groaned, rubbing her temple "Right. Great. So no water jutsu for me"
{The Uzumaki clan had water affinity most of the time} Indra added. {They were practically its embodiment}
Yuzuki scowled. "They really are the complete opposite of me, huh?"
She paused, then narrowed her eyes
"Wait... how do you know that? Weren't they founded after your time?"
{They are descendants of my brother's lineage. I've observed them for generations}
Her brow furrowed "You said earlier they existed during your time"
Indra gave a scoffing laugh
{When you've lived as long as I have, 'during my time' becomes a flexible concept. I lived thousands of years ago. If they existed after, then technically, they still existed during my time}
Yuzuki rolled her eyes "That's such a cheap answer"
{You asked}
Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the puddle soaking into her floor. This was a problem. If anyone noticed, she'd have to explain why she was summoning failed water blobs in her bedroom
With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a small flame in her palm and carefully hovered it over the water. It hissed and steamed, evaporating into the air. Within moments, the floor was dry again
Indra chuckled softly
{You are fire itself. Even your failures can be burned away}
She scoffed "Tch... not that it helps me with this"
{Perhaps another element? Try lightning. It is my affinity, and many of my reincarnations mastered it. Even your father wields it}
That caught her interest
"Lightning, huh? Alright. How do I do it?"
Indra guided her patiently, explaining the nature of lightning chakra-sharp, fast, volatile. He walked her through the hand seals and intent behind a simple technique meant to deliver a light shock. It wasn't powerful, just enough to stun a target
She focused her chakra into her fingertips. A faint spark flickered to life, dancing over her skin
Encouraged, she pushed further
With a sharp crack, the electricity surged-and immediately backfired, shooting painfully through her hand
"AGH-!" she yelped, shaking out her arm as the residual shock tingled in her nerves
Indra laughed. Actually laughed
{Impressive. You managed to electrocute yourself on your first attempt}
Yuzuki glared at her hand "I hate this. I hate this. You're telling me fire is the only thing I'm good at?"
{Fire is not merely what you are good at. It is what you are} Indra replied, tone calm but resolute {Other elements will always resist you. That is your nature}
She grumbled under her breath and flexed her tingling fingers "So much for variety.."
With a defeated huff, she flopped back onto her futon, eyeing the two untouched scrolls
Shadow Clone. Body Flicker
Her fingers grazed the edge of the Shadow Clone scroll. The parchment was newer than the others-its strokes deliberate, freshly inked. She didn't think much of it at the time
She would learn them
And these... these would work
Of that, she was certain
-=-
Sasuke sat cross-legged in his room, a kunai held firmly in his grip, eyes locked on the small wooden target he had propped against the far wall. He exhaled slowly, calming his breath as he steadied his hand. Then, with a swift flick of his wrist, he released the kunai. It whistled through the air and embedded itself into the target, just slightly off-center
"Tch"
He frowned, clearly dissatisfied. Close wasn't good enough. He reached for another kunai without hesitation. Still not perfect
He had been at it for a while now, throwing, adjusting, correcting his form. Yuzuki had been helping him train lately, but Sasuke had made a silent vow to himself: he wouldn't rely on her completely. He needed to sharpen his skills on his own. He had to be strong. Not just as someone's student or little brother, but as himself
He pulled back his arm again, muscles tense, eyes narrowing-
**SPLASH**
Sasuke blinked
His kunai lowered as he turned his head toward the sudden sound. It had come from Yuzuki's room. He waited, ears perked for more
A few seconds passed in silence
Then-
**ZAP**
A sharp, crackling sound filled the air, followed by a muffled yelp
Sasuke's brow furrowed "What the...?"
He placed the kunai down slowly, tilting his head in the direction of the noise. Stillness settled again, broken only by the faint creak of the floorboards under his weight
For a moment, he debated going to check on her. Just in case. But then he remembered who he was dealing with. This was Yuzuki. Whatever chaos was unfolding in her room, it was probably intentional... or at least, her own kind of normal. And frankly, he wasn't sure he wanted to get involved
He tapped his fingers idly against his knee, still listening
She wouldn't be that dumb, right?
Then again, this was the same girl who once tried meditating upside-down on a kunai because she thought it would "help her focus" He had walked in on her mid-balance and nearly had a heart attack
Sasuke let out a sharp exhale and shook his head. Nope. Not his problem. Whatever she was doing, she could deal with it herself. He had his own training to focus on
Still...
He cast one last wary glance toward his door
"She better not blow up the house" he muttered under his breath
With that, he picked up another kunai and returned to his work
-=Chapter End=-
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