The trust and protectiveness.

As they continued their journey towards the Valley of Hell, it was clear that they still had a long way to go.

They were now running, with the Shinobi accompanying them on high alert.

They knew they had to be vigilant throughout the entire journey, especially since Guren's people might come looking for her, even though they hadn't shown much concern for her well-being before.

Getsu understood the importance of adhering to their kage's emphasis on extreme caution, and he had no intention of compromising it.

Getsu was one of the most capable Shinobi in the entire village, and along with Shinji, he had been chosen to accompany the fourth Hoshikage on an official visit to the Chinoike clan.

With his unassuming appearance, characterized by black hair and brown eyes, Getsu expertly utilized stealth as one of his primary skills, making him a valuable asset to the team.

Shinji, a man slightly older than Getsu, possessed formidable skills in both kenjutsu and star chakra manipulation.

His face bore a scar, a memento from a battle against a rogue shinobi, whom he had defeated and eliminated. He had spiky brown hair, black eyes, and a faint goatee, giving him a distinctive appearance.

Both Shinobi had witnessed how their kage befriended and brought along a girl who undoubtedly had the potential to become a powerful kunoichi.

Their kage's vision was essential for their village to prosper. He had already issued orders for those remaining in the village to construct houses, clear forest areas for training grounds, and initiate various other developments.

With unwavering loyalty, they swore to protect him with their lives, should the need ever arise. Their commitment to their kage was absolute.

Slowly coming to a stop once they reached the land of hotwater by night, they decided to use transformation jutsu and spent their night there.

Where Arashi had another plans to do while they are their.

–ROS–

"Hehe...hehehe...." The hot spring here is so relaxing that I almost forgot I was with a girl...Naked...

She must be weirded out by how I was acting. I was acting like Gojo Satoru. It's sad that he got split by the King of Curses, Sukuna.

It seems like she's enjoying the hot spring just as much as I am. "So where are we going, Hoshi-kage?" She asked with a slight skip in her words and a sly smirk on her face, seems she still doesn't believe me about the fact that I am a kage.

"To the Valley of Hell," I answered as I contemplated what to say to convince the Chinoike clan to come and join my village. I had already set up plans to accommodate at least a hundred of them, but I doubted there would be a hundred Chinoike there.

"Why? I heard that place was off-limits since some clan died there," she inquired. It seemed that the new generation had forgotten that a clan like the Chinoike had existed within the Shinobi nations.

"Why? Have you forgotten about the Chinoike clan?" I asked her as I cupped some water in my hands and let it fall, splashing the water around me.

"No, it's more like I've never heard about a clan named Chinoike," she replied, her curiosity evident in her voice, I should have known.

I see, the Daimyo's bitch of a wife played her part well in erasing the history of such a powerful clan in just two generations.

From a once peaceful yet immensely powerful clan, known for their Dojutsu that rivaled the Sharingan, to a forgotten mist in history.

Similar to what happened to the Uzumaki clan in the original manga, but this time, I won't allow my clans to be forgotten.

"You will see when we get there, Guren. Trust me this time and see if I betray that trust. If I indeed do betray that trust, do what you have to do and kill me," I said with a tone that shifted into a rare seriousness, even surprising myself.

She was stunned – eyes wide and mouth agape. After a moment, she regained her composure, nodded, and offered a small smile.

"Very well, I shall trust you this one time and see for myself if you are worthy of my loyalty," she replied, her tone matching my seriousness, and a sharp glint in her eyes.

Good, I have one chance to earn her eternal loyalty, and I won't waste it. Losing a precious kunoichi and friend is not an option.

Though I'm willing to do whatever it takes to secure my victory, it doesn't mean I'm a heartless monster. I need friends too.

–ROS–

The valley of hell.

"Is it true that one of our clan members is the kage of a village?" The clan head's secretary asked in a hushed voice.

"Yes, it's true. Even though Hoshigakure is a small village, I believe the young kage, who is part Chinoike and part Uzumaki, possesses the knowledge and power necessary to lead effectively," The clan head, with his greyish golden hair and a face that bore the wisdom of years, replied.

"Clan leader, are you considering...?" The girl with long, folded blonde hair spoke in amazement, her words trailing off.

"Yes, I am," the clan head affirmed. "If he became the kage of a village at the age of thirteen, regardless of the village's size, it speaks volumes about his potential as a leader."

With unwavering confidence, the clan head believed that Arashi Uzumaki-Chinoike would prove himself as a capable leader in the near future.

"Hikari, do you know what my dream is?" The old clan head asked his secretary and daughter.

"No, father. If I had to guess, it would be for our clan to prosper," Hikari answered, having observed her father's unwavering dedication to the clan her entire life.

"Yes, that is one half of my life. But there is another half, a father's duty," he said with conviction.

Hikari Chinoike understood where her father was going with this conversation, although she didn't want to hear it. She couldn't bring herself to voice her objections as her gaze lingered on her father's determined face.

"It is the issue of your marriage," the clan head continued. "I want you to be married to a man capable of being your husband, not only in duty but in his heart. He should be strong and determined to protect and love you. If you find someone who fulfills these criteria, bring him to me, and I will test him."

His expression briefly turned cold for a moment, but then it softened. Although the Chinoike were a peaceful clan, they were also extremely protective of their own, even if that individual was not in the Valley of Hell.