Then, Reiji turned to the left.
There, a group of ninjas stood in silence.
They did not join the line.
They stood still, watching the signing process as if they were restless spirits unsure of where to go.
There were about thirty of them.
Reiji counted quickly.
No—thirty-one, if counting Yukina.
That number was far greater than Reiji had anticipated.
From the thousands of ninjas attacking from the three major villages, only a handful chose not to return.
And now, thirty of them stood before Reiji—of their own volition.
The other one... Yukina Yuki, she did not choose.
Since their first meeting, the woman had been a source of chaos.
Arrogant, stubborn, and overly vocal.
Those traits were enough to make Reiji run out of patience.
In response, Reiji made Yukina a prisoner of war—whether Yukina agreed or not.
Reiji's gaze swept over the line in front of him.
His eyes looked sharp and cold, like a blade slowly peeling away their intentions one by one.
There were fifteen ninjas from Kirigakure, including Yukina.
They stood close together, as if clinging to a fragile bond.
Some looked down, their eyes hinting at shame or coercion.
But Reiji knew they could not possibly stay out of loyalty.
Or... could it be? Did they stay because they feared Yukina would face everything alone?
Perhaps it was also because Yukina was their leader.
Or because Yukina was a friend.
Or... because Yukina was a Yuki—a rare descendant of a special bloodline sought after by many? Proximity to Yukina could mean protection or power.
On the other side, nine ninjas from Sunagakure stood in a loose formation.
Their gazes swept around, their movements alert, reflecting the survival instincts typical of the desert.
Behind them, seven ninjas from Iwagakure appeared quieter.
Their expressions were hard and unreadable, like the stone that symbolized their village.
Flat, yet full of tension.
Reiji briefly wondered—what kept them here?
Perhaps they had a hidden agenda.
Wanting to steal information about the structure and weaknesses of the Uzumaki Clan.
Maybe hoping to sell that information in exchange for freedom.
But if that was their plan... they were too foolish.
Every freed prisoner of war would be fitted with a Sealing Technique Breaker.
Memories could be locked away.
They could also be completely erased.
Even their mouths could be silenced without needing to be touched.
No information could escape Reiji's seal.
Reiji himself would plant it.
And no one could open that seal... except Reiji himself.
That was why Reiji was not worried.
Where Reiji shifted his gaze back to the scroll.
The sound of the glowing seal, the scent of fresh blood dripping onto the surface of the mutated sea lizard's skin, and the held breaths of the ninjas… all formed a terrifying symphony.
The final symphony of old freedom, and the beginning of new bonds.
Out of the corner of his eye, Reiji saw Yukina standing with her arms crossed, her eyes cold as northern ice.
Yukina's black hair was blown by the wind, and there was dried blood on her temple that had yet to be cleaned.
The woman was as stubborn as a demon, but Reiji knew Yukina was also intelligent.
Reiji squinted.
In the future… the village of Kirigakure would turn into a nightmare.
The Mizukage would become Madara's puppet.
The Kekkei Genkai clans would be hunted down mercilessly.
The Yuki clan would be nearly extinct.
Reiji knew all of this.
And perhaps… just perhaps… Reiji could do something.
Maybe Reiji could save some of them.
Maybe the Whirlpool Island could become a sanctuary for those betrayed by their own village.
Victims of the cruel shinobi system.
If successful, the Uzumaki Clan would gain not just allies, but a new bloodline.
________________________
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