Chapter 57: The Sealing of Hikari Uchiha

Uzushio Vanilla's gaze fell upon the fair wrist before her.

She froze in confusion for a moment, then looked in shock at the white, three-eyed fox mask so close to her, her eyes darting back and forth across the mysterious man's black hair.

"My Lord..." She had just opened her mouth when she was interrupted by his cold, sharp voice.

"I told you to bite." Menma's tone brooked no argument.

"Your lineage is far stronger than your daughter's. To unlock the Uzumaki clan's sealed treasury, your bloodline is indispensable. Therefore, you cannot die yet!"

Though these cold words seemed to suggest he only intended to use the mother and daughter, to Uzushio Vanilla, they sounded strangely warm.

Trembling, she parted her pale lips and bit down gently.

The moment her teeth touched his skin, a massive surge of life force erupted into her mouth like a spring, rushing through her meridians to every corner of her body.

It felt like parched earth suddenly receiving a sweet rain; every inch of her flesh and blood greedily drank in the vitality.

Uzushio Vanilla felt a wave of refreshment wash over her. She tried to pull away, but her head was held in place.

"Continue." The voice from above remained cold, yet it carried an irresistible strength.

Even though she did not know who he was or why he was saving them, this immense life force and unique method of healing were clearly traits possessed only by the Uzumaki clan!

Even if the mysterious masked man repeatedly claimed he was only using her bloodline to open the Uzumaki clan's secret treasures, and even if his voice feigned ice, to her ears, it sounded so warm.

In front of the bed, little Karin knelt with wide eyes, not knowing what was happening between the two, but her small eyes could see her mother's complexion visibly improving.

A moment later, sensing that Uzushio Vanilla's physical condition had stabilized, Menma released his grip and withdrew his right hand, which bore the teeth marks.

Although he was currently in a Transformation Jutsu state, the method of transferring chakra and life force could be performed directly through this primitive means.

Late at night, the campfire crackled.

Menma used the cooking utensils from the rogue ninja camp to boil a pot of water and took out several pieces of bread from his personal storage scroll.

He brought them to Uzushio Vanilla and Uzushio Karin, who were lying on the bed.

Uzushio Vanilla poured the water into a cup, carefully blowing on the warm water to cool it before feeding it to her daughter.

"Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, follow me to unlock the Uzumaki clan's secret treasure," Menma left them with those words before standing up and walking toward the campfire.

He sat down, leaning against a ruined wall beside the fire.

On the side of his shoulder that the mother and daughter could not see, the little Nine-Tails poked its head out from Menma's fur collar.

The little Nine-Tails peeked sideways at Uzushio Vanilla, who was busy tending to her daughter and feeding her bread, and suddenly leaned close to Menma's ear, whispering, "You say you're just using them, but you're gentler than anyone else."

A steady breathing sound came from beneath the mask, as if its master had already fallen asleep.

The little Nine-Tails chuckled softly and burrowed back into the warm collar.

Not far away, after Uzushio Vanilla had finished feeding Karin, she began to eat the remaining food in small bites, occasionally glancing at the mysterious masked man sitting by the fire.

The firelight cast an orange-red glow upon the white fox mask. Uzushio Vanilla stared at the figure, lost in thought.

Having been imprisoned by the Grass Village for many years, Uzushio Vanilla had fantasized countless times about a hero who could save her and her daughter from that hellish cage.

Now that a hero had truly descended and saved them, she feared that everything before her was merely a dream.

This hero was somewhat ruthless and decisive, having easily destroyed half of the Grass Village, and his voice was cold and commanding; yet, for some reason, Uzushio Vanilla felt that he did not seem very old.

Having eaten her fill, little Karin curled up in her mother's quilt and fell into a deep, innocent sleep.

Looking at her daughter in her arms, Uzushio Vanilla only hoped to see her grow up safely.

As exhaustion gradually set in, Uzushio Vanilla drifted into sleep, holding her daughter close.

The next day, as the sky began to brighten, the morning sunlight fell upon Uzushio Vanilla's face.

She woke slowly, feeling the emptiness beside her. Realizing she couldn't feel Karin, she startled and sat up in a panic, only to witness a scene she would never forget.

By the extinguished campfire not far away, a black-haired youth leaned against the ruined wall, while Karin sat in his lap, playing with a fox mask.

Giggles drifted away with the sea breeze.

This surreal scene reminded Uzushio Vanilla of yesterday's encounter.

A mysterious masked man had destroyed the Grass Village and saved her and her daughter.

Looking at the youth playing happily with her daughter, Uzushio Vanilla felt as if she were still in a dream. Gradually, tears surged from her eyes, flowing uncontrollably.

"Mama!" Seeing her mother wake up, Karin climbed out of Menma's lap and bounded toward her.

The campfire was relit.

Having recovered somewhat after a night's rest, Uzushio Vanilla took the initiative to use the camp's cooking utensils to heat some food.

"I have yet to ask for your name, My Lord?" Uzushio Vanilla handed a simple breakfast to the youth opposite her.

The Uzumaki clan's recovery speed far exceeded that of ordinary people. Yesterday, Uzushio Vanilla had been on the verge of death, but after receiving life force and chakra and resting through the night, her body had gradually begun to repair itself. It wouldn't be long before she could function like a normal person.

"In the outside world, call me 'Shura'," Menma said as he took the bowl of porridge from her.

He then added, "In private, you may call me Menma."

"Yes, Lord Menma!" Uzushio Vanilla tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, her eyes filled with reverence.

——————

After breakfast, Menma led the mother and daughter deep into the ruins of Uzushio Village.

"How much do you know about Uzushio Village?" Standing in a stone chamber deep within the ruins, Menma turned his head slightly toward Uzushio Vanilla.

"I am sorry, Lord Menma," Uzushio Vanilla said, her voice strained as she held Karin's hand. "I have been fleeing with my parents since I was six years old. I have lived a life of displacement for over a decade. Because of this red hair, I have encountered much misfortune; even Karin's father passed away because of it, forcing us to seek refuge in the Grass Village."

Uzushio Village had been destroyed roughly seventeen years ago. Uzushio Vanilla was very young then, and her years of wandering had left her memories fragmented; she had not even mastered many of the Uzumaki clan's secret techniques.

After her parents died, her only option was to join a ninja village just to find a way to survive.

"It matters not. Try injecting your chakra into this stone wall," Menma said, merely encouraging her to try.

"Yes, Lord Menma!" Uzushio Vanilla let go of her daughter's hand and walked to the stone wall.

She raised her right hand, touched the wall, and channeled her chakra into it.

A surge of chakra erupted from the stone wall, and the chamber gradually began to glow with rippling golden runes, enveloping the entire room in golden light.

Menma sensed the chakra fluctuations of a space-time ninjutsu. It seemed the pure bloodline of the Uzumaki clan had successfully unsealed the chamber.

A golden gate appeared before the three of them.

As the chakra continued to flow, the sealing runes above the gate slowly fell away.

The golden gate opened, revealing a black-haired girl with her eyes closed, floating in mid-air.

She possessed a face as beautiful as a sleeping beauty, with long black hair reaching her waist. A deep blue robe concealed her figure, yet the bandages and metal fittings on her ankles seemed strangely out of place.

The girl slowly opened her eyes, and a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan bloomed like blood-red flowers!

"Tsk. I wanted to dig up the Uzumaki clan's secret treasure, but I ended up digging this up instead..." Menma watched the awakening Uchiha Hikari, feeling a slight headache coming on.

(End of Chapter)