Chapter 162

With Sasuke's team returning, all the former members of Jomae Village had relocated to the Land of Waves without a single one missing.

During the meeting with Sasuke and his team, Gensou noticed their gazes on him carried a different meaning than before. However, as long as it wasn't malicious, he didn't bother to dwell on it. After dismissing the team with a wave, he continued to focus on the fusion of his Truth-Seeking Ball.

Inside the now-quiet office.

Gensou extended his hand, and as before, a black sphere quickly formed under the power of Yin-Yang Release, with the forces of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements being infused into it.

Compared to the early attempts where the black sphere would explode within moments, the current version of the Truth-Seeking Ball could now hold together for half a minute in his hand.

Even though it would still explode afterward, he was now able to extract the chakra of each element from the black sphere before it blew up, preventing another catastrophic explosion.

Despite the progress, there were still many flaws.

During the half minute it lasted, the seemingly complete black sphere didn't unleash the same power as a true Truth-Seeking Ball, nor could it freely change its form.

Additionally, in previous experiments, even when the sphere struck a reanimated body, the body would still regenerate.

Thus, Gensou hadn't yet incorporated this technique, which had shown some promise but wasn't fully mature, into his combat system.

However, this didn't mean it was useless.

With each attempt, he made progress in mastering the fusion of seven chakra natures.

Each step forward brought him closer to unlocking the secrets of the Bloodline Selection.

Gensou believed that once he completed the Truth-Seeking Ball, the path to mastering the Bloodline Selection would fully open to him.

In a way, the incomplete Truth-Seeking Ball in his hand was like a measurement tool for the completion of the Bloodline Selection.

Like a data system, it gave him accurate feedback, whether he made progress or an error in his research.

So, what was he waiting for? Time to get back to forming that ball!

On the other side.

After leaving Gensou's office, Yuikei, Jin, and Sasuke exchanged quick glances.

'So, what do you think? Is there something between the clan leader and Izumi?'

'I've only been in one relationship. I don't have enough experience to tell.'

'Sasuke, what about you?'

'I have no experience. Captain, do you see anything?'

'I don't dare to look.'

'…'

Standing nearby, Izumi noticed the three men glancing at each other and immediately guessed what they were discussing. Her face darkened with exasperation.

"Can you all be any more childish?" she said before turning away, not bothering to stick around.

Seeing this, the three men stopped their silent exchange.

With the person in question gone, there was no point in continuing the conversation.

Jin was the first to wave goodbye. "My wife's waiting for me at home, so I'll head out first."

"Tomorrow, I'll be cooking myself, so don't forget to bring my sister over," Yuikei reminded Jin before turning to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, you come too. I'll introduce you to my youngest sister. If you prefer someone a bit older but not by much, I've got two other sisters for you. And if you're into someone much more mature, I've got another sister who's perfect for that. Don't worry about dowries or anything. Our family is pretty open-minded."

Yuikei was willing to negotiate anything as long as all his sisters found suitable partners.

Before Sasuke could decline, Yuikei had already turned and left, moving so quickly that he didn't give Sasuke a chance to respond.

Sasuke could only swallow his words of refusal and think to himself: "Is this... a matchmaking event?"

Having lost his family at a young age, he wasn't very familiar with the customs of such social interactions.

'If Mom were here, she'd probably give me plenty of advice if I were going to something like this tomorrow. I wouldn't feel so lost.'

For a moment, Sasuke found himself missing his mother.

But as a group of children ran past, laughing and playing, Sasuke quickly lifted his head and closed his eyes, suppressing the sudden surge of emotions.

A few moments later, he returned to his usual calm demeanor. Watching the children run off into the distance, Sasuke pursed his lips and began walking away.

In the past, with nothing else to do and no one at home, he would have spent his time at the training grounds.

But now, for some reason, he felt like going for a walk.

"Next stop... the Land of Waves."

Sasuke's thoughts wandered back to his mission in the Land of Waves, recalling Zabuza, Haku, and his time with Naruto.

He decided to pay a visit.

Sasuke arrived at the village's edge.

Though the village's location in the sky had its advantages, it wasn't convenient for traveling to and from the ground.

Back when it was the Sky Ninja Village, people had to wear flying gear to descend to the surface.

But now, with Gensou—essentially a treasure trove of the ninja world—around, they had created an elevator-like barrier powered by wind chakra for easy transport.

Sasuke arrived at the so-called "Sky Elevator." After the guards gave him a brief explanation, he stepped into the center of the formation.

In an instant, Sasuke shot downward, straight and fast.

Activating his Sharingan, he saw that while the air around him seemed empty, there was, in fact, a strong current of wind encasing the center, ensuring travelers wouldn't be thrown off course.

As the ground drew closer, an upward gust of wind slowed his descent, cushioning his landing.

Soon, Sasuke's feet touched the ground.

Looking around, he found himself at one of Jomae Village's hidden outposts, situated in a remote area, meaning few people besides the village's ninja visited.

Sasuke set off in the direction of Naruto Bridge.

On the way, he passed by Zabuza and Haku's graves and paused for a moment.

It was through Zabuza and Haku that Sasuke had first learned what a ninja bond was.

Though that bond had faded over time, new bonds had since formed, and they were numerous.

After paying his respects, Sasuke resumed walking toward Naruto Bridge.

When he arrived, he saw that the tax collectors were no longer there. Though some parts of the bridge were draped in black cloth, it couldn't conceal the vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

Sasuke stood watching for a long time.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. He turned around, his gaze sharpening for a moment before he vanished.

"Huh? That person just now... seemed familiar. Am I seeing things?"

Feeling much better than he had in recent days, Tazuna made his daily trip to Naruto Bridge. He was about to admire his "child" when he caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

But it was gone in an instant.

Tazuna rubbed his eyes, chalking it up to his imagination.

As one ages, it's hard not to admit your limits.

Just like the daimyō, who insisted on drinking.

And look where it got him—dead.

Tazuna fully believed the daimyō had died from drinking too much.

As for that mysterious ninja who had once asked him about the daimyō...

Coincidence!

Everything was just a coincidence!

(End of Chapter)