Chapter 18: Yotsuki Seiji — A Distant Nephew of the Raikage
A translucent status panel appeared before Seiji's eyes.
It hadn't been long since he started practicing water-walking when the trait appeared.
The progress bar had already reached 25%.
At this rate, he estimated he'd unlock [Water Walker (White)] in just four more days.
"No… it can be even sooner," Seiji muttered as he dismissed the panel.
He pushed his body harder, continuing to refine his chakra.
As a hybrid of the Yotsuki and Uchiha clans, Seiji naturally possessed more chakra than most.
The Uchiha were already known for their vast chakra reserves—surpassed only by the Senju and Uzumaki clans, who were described in the official records as those who possessed tremendous amounts of chakra.
But Seiji had a further edge:
The Yotsuki clan.
Known for their taijutsu mastery and their ability to handle the electric current of Lightning Release, the Yotsuki naturally developed strong physical energy.
This meant Seiji could train far longer than the average shinobi.
Chakra, after all, is a combination of spiritual and physical energy.
By training the body, one could grow stronger in both.
The training process forged the will and tempered the body.
The issue for most wasn't the will to train—but the fact that their chakra ran out too quickly.
That was their "limit."
For ordinary civilians who became ninja, there was a hard cap on how far they could go—one that was visible from the very beginning.
The strongest among them might be Might Guy, who unlocked the Eighth Gate, burning through all his chakra to shine just briefly—long enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the truly gifted…
…those descended from the blood of Ōtsutsuki.
And Seiji, by fortune or fate, was one of the latter.
Tracing his ancestry back, his lineage could be linked to Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
The night wind blew gently.
Only one figure moved across the water—
River currents flowed beneath his feet, washing away the sweat that dripped from his body.
---
Land of Lightning — Kumogakure.
In one of its deep ravines, a massive waterfall crashed down into a pool below, the roaring water sounding like thunder itself.
From beneath that waterfall, a man surfaced.
His skin was a deep brown, his upper body bare, and on his right shoulder was a tattoo of 雷 (Thunder).
"Any news, Dodai?"
The Third Raikage looked toward a man walking toward him—wearing a black cap, his right eye hidden behind an eyepatch.
This man was Dodai—his most trusted confidant.
"Yes. A few days ago, Yotsuki Seiji made contact with one of our embedded operatives in Konoha. Samodo's report is thorough."
"Good. This matter must not fail."
The Raikage gave Dodai a heavy pat on the shoulder, his massive hand larger than the man's head, though the gesture was light.
"Understood."
Dodai bowed respectfully to the hulking, iron-bodied man before him.
"Have you looked into his lineage?"
The Raikage asked, his thick, dark upper lip twitching as he spoke in a deep, rough voice.
"We have."
Dodai handed over a scroll.
The Raikage unfurled it and frowned slightly.
"He's related to the Second…?"
Yotsuki Seiji was born in a place called Mizukumo Gorge—a small, remote village.
He inherited the Yotsuki clan's talents, but his particular branch was weak in terms of shinobi strength.
They were mostly assigned to manage Yotsuki-owned shops outside the village.
And yet, tracing the lineage—Seiji was distantly related to the Second Raikage.
The Second, too, had been from the Yotsuki clan—
The only one among the first three Raikage to come from that bloodline.
Both the First and Third Raikage shared the same dark upper lip. The Second did not.
Still, all three had dark skin and powerful, broad builds.
To outsiders, they looked practically identical.
"He's also an Uchiha. That won't affect the next Raikage succession, will it?" Dodai asked.
The Third Raikage had a son—already considered the next in line.
He was known by the name A.
The waterfall continued to crash down, mist rising into the air and veiling the Raikage's expression.
"His bloodline ability is valuable to the village. Bring him back—soon."
"Understood, Lord Third Raikage."
---
Several days passed.
The autumn rain fell gently, the sky overcast with a cool, damp chill.
"Pardon the intrusion, Seiji."
"Mikoto-neesan, is something the matter?"
Seiji opened the courtyard gate, holding an umbrella.
This was Mikoto's third visit since she had brought Yakushi Nonō to see him.
He remembered the first time—she had guided him home under similarly gray skies.
"Today isn't a school day. Fugaku asked me to invite you to a gathering. Since we're all clan members, it's good to keep close," she said warmly.
Under the umbrella, her gentle face came into view—delicate features framed in a casual outfit, instead of her usual combat gear.
Being a ninja is just a job.
There are missions to carry out—and days off that come with it.
And on those days, there's no need to always wear combat gear.
Today, Mikoto was dressed in simple civilian clothes. But even casual wear couldn't hide her graceful figure.
Her jet-black hair framed a white blouse, and despite the overcast skies, her fair skin still seemed to glow with radiance.
Seiji, touched by her gesture, nodded and agreed to go along.
The two walked under their separate umbrellas, one behind the other, strolling through the streets of the Uchiha district.
All around them, the fan-shaped Uchiha clan crest could be seen displayed prominently.
---
Fugaku's home stood with its gates wide open.
Mikoto led Seiji into the backyard, where a spacious open area lay.
Boom!
Fugaku opened his mouth and released a blazing fireball, over three meters in diameter.
Raindrops that came near it instantly turned to steam.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
Seiji's eyes narrowed.
This was the Uchiha clan's signature ninjutsu—one that nearly every Uchiha ninja was expected to master.
"Ah, you're here."
Fugaku glanced at the pair approaching—one tall, one short.
"Still training in the rain? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?" Mikoto chided with mock annoyance.
"Hahaha! I'm 'Fugaku of the Wicked Eye.' I don't catch colds that easily."
He chuckled, warmth flickering in his heart at Mikoto's concern.
The fireball in the air vanished suddenly, leaving behind only a hint of residual heat.
"Come inside."
Fugaku turned and stepped into the house.
He had only fired off the jutsu out of habit—it hadn't been long enough to get soaked.
"So, Seiji—how have you been adjusting to life at the Ninja Academy?" Fugaku asked from the wooden veranda, glancing at the boy standing just behind Mikoto.
"I'm adapting well," Seiji replied, placing his umbrella down and resting it against the veranda.
This space—known as the engawa—could be thought of as a covered corridor wrapping around the house.
"There are slippers over there," Fugaku pointed.
"Got it."
Seiji slipped on the house shoes and stepped up onto the wooden floor.
Mikoto had already changed hers; when Seiji finished, the three entered the house together.
Inside, a table had been laid out with a full spread of food.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of home cooking.
"Mikoto-neesan's cooking is amazing," Seiji murmured, almost impressed.
Though deep down, he couldn't help but wonder—had they already gotten this close?
More than friends… but not quite lovers?
"Well, Fugaku kept pestering me about it—so I had to come," Mikoto said with a light laugh.
In truth, this was actually her first time visiting Fugaku's home.
The Uchiha clan, though not as strict as the Hyūga in their rules, still held themselves to certain standards far beyond that of civilian families.
Since their relationship wasn't officially defined, she wouldn't dare do anything too forward.
If not for Seiji being here as a "reason," she likely wouldn't have come at all—
Unless their relationship was already official.