Chapter 21: Decision
In this massive traditional palace of Sky City, one novelty of his reign was the many training fields built for his samurais.
It was a move made to appease the population and make them understand that he was putting great importance on the safety of his city, in fact since the beginning of his reign it became common to see them patrolling the city.
There was even one training field built near his room as a personal training field for the Daimyo and his family.
It was his training place that Akashi and Arima were running with all their strength because their lives depended on it.
"Boom" An explosion destroyed the ground just behind Akashi and Arime which had some restrictions put on his body in the form of seals putting the two boys on the same level to push themselves to run even faster.
"Didn't I tell you not to learn any elemental technique," Kana who was standing on the other side of the training field beside her husband said before making another hand seal and detonating another of the talismans buried in the field.
"And you. I thought I made it clear that he wasn't to learn any such technique until I said so," she said looking dagger at Arima.
"I'm sorry," he screamed before another explosion occurred
After a while of such ordeal, Kana had finally calmed down and allowed the two boys to lie down on the desolate field, their injuries were minor due to Kana's control, ultimately her goal here was to scare the boys.
Due to the incredible vitality of the Uzumaki, Akashi, and Arima were back on their feet after a few minutes of rest and were swinging the wooden swords given to them by Yanagi as he was correcting their stance.
"So why don't you allow the kid to learn ninjutsu, he is clearly very talented," he asked Kana at earshot of the kids.
They both knew that they could hear them
"This is about a secret of the clan," she said
"Well thing that one of the close of our agreement is that you have to share we mustn't keep any secret from each other," he replied with a big smile that made her sigh due to the contract that they have with each other Yanagi now knew many secrets of the clan as she knew nearly all of his secret.
Of course, seals had been put on them to prevent any breach of thrust.
"This isn't from you that I'm keeping that from but from them," she said looking at the kids who quickly resumed their swings pretending not to pay attention to the conversation.
"This is crucial for the clan, so kids can't be to that in case they are captured and interrogated,"
"I see, but you know how kids are incidents like that are bound to happen if no real reason is given," at those words, she remembered how stubborn she herself was at their ages and how her own father had to constantly keep an eye on her due to the same subject.
"true," she said with a smile.
"Basically, the technique that I teach him every morning is like an ancient ritual, one that helps boost our chakras level, some ancients say that this is the reason why our chakra level is so vast compared to our ninja's clans," she explains.
"Because your forefathers practiced that technique, no wonder that this is kept secret, I'm no longer sure that it was a good idea to ask about that,"
"Too late now," she said giving him a harsh glare.
"Anyway, as with all good things, it comes with risk if you are not careful you can rupture your chakras pathway and find yourself incapable of ever practicing ninjutsu again in your life,"
"What!!" Akashi exclaimed when he heard his mother's voice he started to shake and his sword nearly fell of his hand as he realized that his little transgression could have very well cost him a lot.
Arima to was shaken and started sweating as he remembered all the times his father had to restrain him from practicing ninjutsu when he was practicing that technique, he realized that without his father's attention, he would be incapable of using ninjutsu today.
'Thank you for your care and love father, I will definitively be more respectful now,' he silently prayed in his heart but by the time the day ended he would have already forgotten about his vow.
The discussion continued while the two boys were having an identity crisis, at some point they started to talk about the different points that he had on the daily meeting and of course about the subject of a ninja village.
" You have already made your decision right!" Kana asked her husband, she had of course her opinion about the matter that she talked to him about but at some point while trying to convince him she realized that he had already made his decision.
When she realized that she also realized that they had stopped pushing the issues after what he said at the last meeting.
The question today was to confirm that her hunch was right.
"You seem to be able to read me better now," was his reply
"I'm starting to understand you better that's all, but if you have already made your decision why not just announce that at the last meeting" she asked a little curious
"Well if they think that I'm seriously pondering about the issue they won't be too pushy,' he said and Kana smiled as she realized that she was right
"Plus I can't ignore them, they grow resentful if I let them know that I don't really care about their advice most of the time," he said and she smiled at him
"From what I know about you I know what choice you're going to make,"
"Well this isn't really surprising..." he said taking a quick pause before resuming his sentence
"To be completely honest with you I just never understood how the other Daimyo could live their lives so peacefully without any real control over a power such as the ninja's villages in their land, it must be because of my past with my father," he said and she smiles at that
"This is because they don't really have the choice, after all, contrary to you they aren't samurais or combatants of any sort this is how they survive,"
The time slowly passes between Yanagi giving pointers in sword play to the boys and his discussion with his wife about their future.
After a while, they saw a servant coming toward them
"My lord! The sky ninjas are back," the servant said, those words made the couple frown as he asked for confirmation
"What do you mean the sky ninjas are back!?"
"Well, the ninjas, some of those who went to the war they are back," the servant explained.
"Ohh, that's surprising," he said
A few minutes later
Yanagi Seichiro was in a traditional white and blue Kimono representing the sky, while his wife Kana Uzumaki was in a red and black outfit appreciated by the members of her clans.
The two of them were seated on a platform accessible by stairs from where they looked down on everyone.
The counselors were standing in front of the staircase while ninjas were hidden, invisible behind pillars, on the roof, and others were hidden place in the room while the samurais were standing guards at each corner of the room.
"Creack," the door of the room was pushed open by two guards allowing the ninjas of the sky ten of them to enter the room.
They kneeled on the ground facing down.
"My lord your ninjas great you, my name is Sakutei I'm the one in charge of this group of survivors," he said respectfully.
"Welcome, Sakutei you have done well, bringing back your comrade home safe and sound must have been an arduous task, tasks that you valiantly accomplished," Yanagi said with a kind smile, that the ninja still face down was incapable of seeing.
"Lift your head," Once he did and looked at the Daimyo and his wife for a split second his eyes trembled like they did when he first stepped into the room it was a split-second sign of confusion that didn't escape the gaze of Yanagi, he knew that the presence of the red hair in the room was unnerving for the old sky ninja that had just been defeated by Konoha.
"Sakutei, you and your men are the first sky ninjas to come back, I was worried that none of you had survived, let me present you my wife Kana Uzumaki."
"This is a pleasure, my lady," he responded.
"You must know of the tragedy that befell my family after the destruction of the flying fortress right," Yanagi asked and the ninjas present all started to sweat fearing that they would be eliminated for bringing such calamity to the Daimyo family.
"Haha, do not panic, I understand that it is the fault for the coalition of the ninja's village they tempted to destroy my family as they tried to destroy my wife's clans, you see everyone here has a lot in common," Yanagi's words appeased them.
"Does that mean that my lord will help us rebuild our village," Sakutei asked hopefully.
"You contact the surviving sky ninjas and give me the location of the flying fortress it will be with pleasure that I will help you rebuild MY village, on my term."