Chapter 27

"Home, sweet home!" Surveying Konoha from the rooftop, I grimaced — thanks, but even as a guest, I was fine! Despite the almost inhuman training conditions, constant fatigue, muscles almost daily strained to their limits, and a critically low level of chakra that just couldn't keep up with recovery, I felt at home in Uzushiogakure.

And having a bunch of caring relatives only added more pluses to my desire to settle down with the Uzumaki. And let's not forget about the multitude of teachers, practically lining up to teach me something useful. That's why I and Mom stayed a little longer than promised — almost one and a half additional months were spent on developing my sensor gift and learning to control it, as well as mastering clan hidenjutsu, unrelated to fuinjutsu — the Kaguura Shingan.

It turned out, this hidenjutsu was passed down in the clan from sensor to sensor for centuries, allowing to pinpoint specific chakra targets of a person, surpassing the usual sensing range of the user. It's just unclear why Karin didn't consider herself an Uzumaki despite not only having the famous red mane and kekkei genkai but also the clan hidenjutsu from Uzushiogakure?

However, I doubt that this kunoichi will end up on Orochimaru's side — considering that her mother was supposed to end up in Kusagakure after the destruction of the seal masters' homeland, this segment of history will go a different way.

Seven and a half months in the Waterfall passed almost like a single moment, and leaving was physically hard, especially realizing that perhaps I won't see anyone from my new family for a very long time. Fortunately, this time Uzushiogakure no Sato won't be subjected to destruction.

Thanks to me, its residents are prepared in advance and have a few years in reserve. I hope they won't wait for the invasion and just hide the island. Although, knowing the Uzumaki's love for good fights, I doubt they'll miss the chance to give a thrashing to two great villages in the end. And with proper preparation, it might just work out.

Sighing, I jumped off the rooftop onto the street and ran towards the market — Mom sent me for groceries for dinner. After the monstrous training of Grandpa and reaching the speed of a weak chunin, Saya decided that I was independent enough to leave the clan lands and wander around Konoha without escort.

Considering the presence of Uchiha patrols on almost every corner, I don't think anyone would dare to hassle a child from the clan. Naturally, this only applies to the trading districts in the heart of the village; I'm strictly forbidden to wander into training grounds, as well as the poorer quarters, where mainly less fortunate residents live, where the red light district is located, several gambling and drinking establishments of low quality, cheap hotels, always present in any city, be it a capital or a shinobi village.

But in Uzushiogakure, there's nothing like that! I've roamed literally every corner of the village with the local kids and still haven't seen anything similar. What's more, the Uzumaki prefer to consume alcohol of their own production, and there are only three bars for a bunch of people!

And there are no gambling houses at all — as Grandpa told, the last newcomer who dared to organize something like that was lynched a hundred years ago, and since then, the control over all newcomers has tightened even more, and without a very compelling reason, strangers can't get onto the island, even if they're allies.

Yeah, despite the obvious reluctance to part with the numerous acquired family, farewell gifts, even from the Uzukage himself, warmed the soul. Squinting contentedly, I remembered the moment of the presentation.