The air changed on the fifth day.
The scent of ozone and burnt wood from the Warring States battlefields faded, replaced by the damp, salty tang of the sea blowing in from the northern coast.
Ren stood at the ridge of the Mist-Veil Valleys.
Below him, thick white fog blanketed a deep, rocky ravine, hiding the valley floor from the world above.
He closed his eyes and activated his Kazeshira nerve pathways.
This time, he didn’t scan for enemies.
He opened his skin to the natural wind patterns flowing through the ravine.
Instead of chaotic air currents, he felt something structured: subtle, artificial air-pockets pulsing in a rhythmic, repeating pattern through the mist—a hidden wind barrier designed to disorient unwanted visitors.
A Kazeshira boundary seal, Ren realized, a spark of relief washing over his exhausted mind.
The elders really did pull it off.
He descended the rocky slope, stepping carefully into the heavy fog.
As soon as he crossed the threshold of the valley, the wind shifted unnaturally, swirling around his body like an invisible wall, trying to push him back toward the cliff face.
Ren didn’t resist it. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
He extended his arms, letting his Kazeshira skin read the pressure frequency of the barrier, and synced his own chakra frequency with the flow of the wind.
The barrier instantly parted, the heavy breeze smoothing out around him like warm water.
“Hold!
Don’t move an inch!” a sharp, youthful voice shouted from the fog ahead.
Ren stopped.
Three figures stepped out from the white mist, wearing simple grey traveling cloaks.
They held short-swords pointed directly at his chest.
Ren looked at their forearms.
Underneath their sleeves, he could see the faint, pale lines running along their pulse points—the exact same nerve pathways he carried on his own skin.
They weren’t Uchiha slaves or Senju retainers.
They were Kazeshira clan members, free and alive.
The lead guard, a young man with sharp grey eyes, stared at Ren in total shock, his gaze falling onto the faded Kazeshira emblem stitched into the hem of Ren’s dirt-caked shirt.
“A child…?” the guard whispered, lowering his blade slightly.
“You came from the Land of Fire border? Find the original chapter at g.com.
How did you bypass the perimeter barrier?”
Ren let his hands drop to his sides, his exhausted ten-year-old body finally letting go of its extreme tension.
“My name is Ren,” he said, his voice quiet, raspy, but clear.
“The Uchiha decoy group fell three years ago.
I’m the last one from the southern camp.”
The three guards exchanged stunned, heavy glances.
The leader stepped forward, placing a warm hand on Ren’s bruised shoulder.
“You made it home, little brother,” the guard said softly, turning to lead him deeper into the mist.
“Welcome to the hidden sanctuary.”
As Ren walked through the valley entrance, seeing hidden stone houses nestled safely inside the foggy cliffs, his mind settled.
Simulation Objective Achieved: Reached the Kazeshira Main Branch
A cold, satisfied smile touched Ren’s lips.
Now…
it’s time to learn everything this clan has to offer.