"Mikoto brought me here to pick up a ninja sword, but I'm still lacking a decent chainmail."
Uchiha Hazuki was slightly taller than Seiji. Even after Seiji had cornered her with nowhere to retreat, he kept moving closer.
At this extremely close range, Seiji could even smell the faint fragrance emanating from her.
"Not too many… just prepare three sets for me."
Seiji pressed his hands against the wall and looked up at Uchiha Hazuki.
Beneath his high-collared jacket, he wore a simple white undershirt.
Since graduating from the Ninja Academy, they only provided the basic equipment: forehead protectors, ninja tool pouches, shuriken holsters, gloves, and ankle wraps.
Scroll storage bags had to be prepared by the ninja themselves.
Only upon reaching Chunin rank would a ninja receive a green vest with six built-in scroll compartments.
As for chainmail, naturally, one had to prepare it on their own.
The more expensive, the better the quality—enough to block a considerable amount of damage.
That was why, even in the late stages of the Shippuden era, every ninja still had a piece of chainmail.
"You…"
Hearing Seiji extort her like this, a flicker of annoyance crossed Uchiha Hazuki's face.
She stared at Seiji's seemingly righteous face.
She could never have imagined that such a person harbored such despicable thoughts.
Truly, he was from the Land of Lightning!
Uchiha Hazuki took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"Five sets."
Before she could even speak, Seiji interjected.
"W-weren't you going to say three sets?"
Uchiha Hazuki gritted her teeth in frustration.
"Still hesitating and quibbling among clan members? Is this your idea of sincerity?"
Seiji gripped Uchiha Hazuki's wrist tightly.
It was a strength that someone his age shouldn't have possessed. The sudden pressure caused her pale wrist to redden.
She condensed her chakra near her wrist, finally feeling some relief.
"What strength!"
Uchiha Hazuki thought silently.
Even though she was taller and looking down at Seiji, she suddenly felt as if he was taller and more robust than her.
Moreover, a faint current of electricity was emanating from his grip, slowly spreading over her body.
The current was weak—insufficient to cause injury—but it left a tingling sensation wherever it passed.
Her heart sank further.
Seiji also had a remarkable talent in altering the nature of Lightning Release chakra.
As long as one could transform non-elemental chakra into electricity, water, rock, wind, and so on, it counted as a "nature transformation."
The two remained silent, only their Sharingan eyes observing each other.
"Hazuki, shall we go?"
Amid their standoff, a distant voice could be faintly heard.
It was Yamata Hiroshi.
Uchiha Hazuki's expression shifted slightly, and she bit her lip.
"Five sets it is!"
She just wanted to settle this with money and be done with it. Afterward, she hoped to have no further dealings with Seiji.
"Heh, looks like Sister Hazuki still sees me as an outsider—no sincerity at all. If you don't want to give it, then don't."
Seiji released her wrist, wearing a face of mock regret, and turned to leave.
"Then how many sets do you actually want?"
Uchiha Hazuki called after him.
"That depends on whether you see me as family or an outsider, Hazuki. I'm sure Lord Fugaku would be interested in that answer too."
Seiji glanced back, and all he saw was Uchiha Hazuki furrowing her brows in thought.
She looked conflicted, unsure of how many sets to give.
Seiji's eyes glimmered with a subtle heat.
Exactly the tone he wanted: unwilling, yet helpless.
However, Seiji didn't linger any longer and left directly.
The silent underground passage was left with only Uchiha Hazuki.
How many sets should she give him? Ten sets?
That was no small expense.
Even if she did, considering how quickly he could change his mind, it might be too late.
Uchiha Hazuki gritted her teeth internally.
If he were an ordinary kid, it would have been easier—but his talent was exceptional.
He might even become a key figure in the clan someday.
"Hazuki?"
Yamata Hiroshi approached, the white cast still wrapped around his arm.
He had just met Hazuki's clan member and found him to be a sincere child, without the usual haughty attitude of an Uchiha.
As he wanted to ask for the person's name, Uchiha Hazuki froze, calling out several times as if he hadn't heard.
"Something on your mind?"
Yamata Hiroshi asked.
"I was just lost in thought… let's go."
Uchiha Hazuki snapped out of it and forced a smile.
She took a couple of steps forward, but her legs felt weak—an effect from the earlier current.
The weakness was faint, so she ignored it.
It was only as she neared the exit that she noticed a sticky sensation on her body.
…
"If you run too far, it's easy to get lost."
Mikoto, waiting for Seiji for a while, didn't know where he had gone.
She tidied up the scrolls, placing them into the compartments of her green ninja vest, and reminded Seiji to be careful.
"Got it, Sister Mikoto."
Seiji's black eyes reflected Mikoto as she arranged the scrolls.
The lingering warmth of the chakra current still remained in his vision.
Everything appeared slightly clearer than usual—he could even see Mikoto's pink nails fastening the buttons of her pouch.
His ocular power had increased from the previous incident.
If a single tomoe Sharingan was a cup, a lot of water had just been poured in. One or two more instances and the cup would overflow.
Once his ocular power reached its limit, the second tomoe would appear, forming the two-tomoe Sharingan.
The Sharingan's abilities would be fully amplified—faster, stronger than the single tomoe.
"Let's go, pick up your ninja sword."
Uchiha Mikoto didn't think much. With a flick of her slender fingers, she gestured for Seiji to follow.
Seiji nodded and quickened his pace.
The crimson sunset bathed the training ground, and Samui was still waiting for him to continue gathering intel.
Even the aloof Miss Hazuki had now received her punishment.
She was probably still trying to figure out what Seiji wanted, to turn the situation in her favor.
Everything was set for Seiji's next move.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
He would take it step by step.
With his current physical state, he wouldn't do anything that would hinder his growth.
After all, "savoring the beautiful" comes from witnessing it fall from its peak.
Making contact was only the first step. The subsequent path was one of gradual decline.
Only then could Seiji feel pleasure.
The allure of something beautiful isn't in its existence, but in the contrast when it's ruined.
The more beautiful it is, the more dazzling it becomes when tainted.
In short, the best days were still ahead!
In the dimly lit passage, Seiji's shadow stretched long and twisted, as if a demon was gestating within.
(End of Chapter)