In the Land of Iron, Hinata returned under the cloak of night, slipping unnoticed through the outer gates of the estate that had once been her sanctuary. The moment she stepped inside, she was enveloped in a strong embrace—Takama's arms closed around her as if he'd feared she might vanish again. Relief warred with reprimand on his face, he released her, but before he could speak, another voice cut in.
"¡Hinata!" Maeko stormed into the entrance hall, her voice thick with emotion. Her eyes glistened, but she held herself back, barely restraining the urge to hug her as tightly as Takama had. Even so, Hinata hugged her, and when she did, Maeko hugged her in response. "I'm so happy to see you are back." She stole the words from Takama's mouth, yet he said nothing in silent agreement.
Most of the estate's staff, unaware of Hinata's absence, simply assumed Takama's recent nerves were due to the upcoming duel with Araki Gin—a legendary swordsman whose skill with a blade was whispered about even in distant provinces.
Two weeks passed in a flash. Just a few days before the long-awaited duel.
By this time, she was able to find out how many hours a day the silver stage has to maintain in prolonged meditation to have a few hours of normalcy in the real world.
Takama summoned Hinata to his study. The room was dimly lit, lined with scrolls and reports. In his hand was a new dossier—delivered by one of his informants.
He opened it in front of her.
A sketch of a silver-haired lady. A description of a man in a dark kimono and silver mask. A reward notice.
"My dear daughter," Takama said, voice low and even. "It seems news of the Silver Lady and her knight is spreading faster than expected."
He laid the report on the table. "Frankly, I expected some kind of retaliation. No village simply lets something like that happen without spinning the story their way."
He flipped to the next page. "Officially, the town of Tsukihana was attacked by the leader of a cult from the Land of Iron. No serious casualties. Takigakure credits their Jinchūriki with repelling the threat." He gave her a knowing glance before continuing. "They describe the cult leader as possessing Genjutsu of exceptional breadth, capable of engaging multiple targets simultaneously, while fighting with kenjutsu on par with mythical samurai."
He paused, then added, "They've listed her as an S-rank threat."
A beat.
"And her companion—a man fighting in the samurai style, moving like mist, literally untouchable, striking with eerie precision."
He looked up from the report.
"Accurate, wouldn't you say?"
Hinata remained silent.
Takama leaned back. "I'm only mildly irritated that I had to hear about all this through a report." His tone softened. "So tell me. Why did you stay? Why didn't you leave, as planned?"
Hinata shifted, her voice low. "When I saw Fu lose control after Jiren fell, I couldn't walk away. I knew she would hurt people. That wasn't something I could allow… not if I had the power to stop it." She hesitated, eyes downcast. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you that I changed the plan."
Takama was silent for a moment, then reached out and placed a hand gently on her head.
"You stayed true to your heart," he said. "You chose compassion over convenience. I couldn't be prouder."
<<<< o >>>>
The silver void of the Moon Realm felt even colder when Renga appeared before him.
Tenshō, seated beneath the crystal-leafed tree that adorned his island prison.
"Brother... why have you come?"
Renga walked until he was only a few steps away, his eyes serene, without a trace of hatred. "Because you are still my brother. And because carrying hatred will not make me stronger."
Tenshō lowered his gaze, clenching his fists. "I do not deserve your forgiveness... nor your visit."
But Renga knelt in front of him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You're wrong. Maybe you don't deserve forgiveness. But you do deserve the chance to change. And that trial... I will not deny it to you."
<<<< o >>>>
In the Crystal Tower of the Silver World, the chamber shimmered with an inner radiance that seemed to pulse with memory and soul. Walls of translucent crystal hummed faintly, and the air bore the scent of still waters and moonlight.
In recent weeks, the inhabitants of the Silver World have taken measures to protect it. The attacks have decreased, and most of the nightmares have been found and contained. A sigh of relief came from everyone when the first of the nightmares, Tenshō, vanished one day a few days after he had already served his sentence. This calmed things down and allowed this reunion to take place.
Hinata sat with her hands on her lap, her expression solemn. Across from her, Takama rested with his arms crossed, and Michel leaned casually near one of the glowing pillars.
"I've been thinking," Hinata began, her voice soft but deliberate. "With what happened with Naruto... and with Fū. It's unbearable to think that any Jinchūriki should be doomed just because someone rips the Bijuu from them. There has to be another way."
Michel tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "You want to find a method to prevent death upon Bijuu extraction?"
She nodded. "Yes. Not just for Fū, but for anyone. There has to be a way to preserve them."
"If it's possible," Michel mused, "then it likely involves pure yang energy. From what I know of the old texts, Uzumaki clan members survived extraction because of their extraordinary vitality. Likewise, some shinobi with intense physical development can resist longer. But creating a method to replicate that..."
"A seal," Hinata said suddenly. "If we could store fragments of someone's essence—of many people—maybe from the Silver World, then maybe in that crucial moment, the world itself could return that vitality to the host."
Takama exhaled slowly, considering. "That's a grand ambition. You'd need a seal like no other. One meant to stabilize life force itself."
Michel nodded. "It's not impossible in theory. Creating a new seal, though... that's where things get tricky. We can place existing seals, sure. But designing one from scratch? That's another level."
"Maybe Orochimaru could—"
"No," Takama interrupted, his voice firm. "That snake doesn't give without taking more. Last time, I offered him something he didn't even realize he wanted. That's the only reason he helped."
Hinata thought for a moment. "What if... what he wanted this time was access to the Silver World? Its time dilation could let him conduct years of research in weeks."
Takama's gaze hardened. "Even so, I doubt he'd agree to limit himself, as I'm sure you would want. And even if he did, trusting him to not bring ruin here... it's a risk."
Michel added, "We should explore other options first. Giving Orochimaru even the faintest memory of this place waking up in his lab? Dangerous. But… I trust your judgment, Hinata."
Hinata gave a faint nod. "Then we wait. Maybe… maybe there's another seal master out there. Someone who can help us."
The chamber grew quiet again, the light of the tower gently pulsing—like a heartbeat echoing hope into the realm beyond.