Naruto: Fate System

A few days later, Hiruko presented Shin with two proposals regarding transportation.

One was a familiar option: trains.

Hiruko spread out a detailed blueprint showing railway designs. "The foundation already exists," he explained, pointing to specific technical details. "Several regions have proven the viability of rail systems."

The ninja world already had the prerequisite technology for trains, as seen in Boruto, where they had made an appearance.

The other option, however, was somewhat unexpected—airships.

The designs showed massive vessels floating through the clouds.

"You recommend airships more? Why?" Shin asked curiously.

Hiruko calmly explained, adjusting his glasses as he pulled out a map marked with resource locations. "Laying train tracks requires a large amount of steel. Unfortunately, there are no iron mines within the Land of Rain or in the nearby deserts around Rōran."

He pointed to specific regions on the map. "The largest iron mines in the ninja world are in the neutral Land of Iron. Beyond that, the closest ones are in Kusa and the Land of Fire, but we currently have no access to any of these places."

Shin was silent for a moment before saying, "Then let's first try building a few airships and establish some routes. But don't give up on the train project. Work on overcoming the necessary technical hurdles, and I'll take care of the iron ore issue later."

Hiruko looked up and met his gaze, a smile once again appearing on his face. "It seems you're getting less and less discreet about your ambitions. What has further solidified your resolve?"

Shin didn't answer, only smiled faintly. Why hide what's already obvious? The world needs reshaping, and I'll be the one to do it.

His journey to Rōran had been a process of questioning Sasuke and the others, which also reinforced his beliefs.

To hell with the right path! Even the Ryūmyaku said it—burning the world to ashes couldn't make it any worse.

His unabashed ambition inspired Hiruko, who began gathering the blueprints. "I'll begin preparations immediately. The first prototypes should be ready within months."

---

However, that same ambition initially struck fear into Sara, who had recently arrived in the Land of Rain.

The journey had been long.

Forced to come to Ame, she had been filled with anxiety, cursing Shin the entire way.

"You bunch of evil, power-hungry maniacs! Villains! Perverts! Kidnappers!"

She cursed nonstop, but her worries persisted.

Would she be completely at their mercy once she arrived at the lair of this ambitious tyrant? Would the place be filled with despair and suffused with dark energy?

Her imagination painted pictures of suffering masses and cruel overlords.

But when she finally arrived at Ame, the sight before her left her momentarily stunned.

This village, declared as the lair of an ambitious tyrant, wasn't at all the desolate, dilapidated place she had imagined, filled with livestock and slaves.

Sara stood in the middle of a busy street, water dripping from her hair as she tried to reconcile her expectations with reality.

On the contrary, it was far more prosperous than her home.

Markets bustled with activity, children played in puddles while their parents shopped.

The people on the streets had genuine smiles on their faces, as though they had real hope for the future. There wasn't a trace of the despair or forced subjugation she had expected from a village ruled by a tyrant.

Sara was astonished.

While she was lost in thought, a woman with red hair, just like hers, suddenly rushed up and embraced her tightly. The unexpected contact made Sara stiffen.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? Who are you? What do you want from me?" Her voice came out sharper than the kunai hidden in her sleeve, ready for trouble.

Sara, being in an unfamiliar place, was immediately on edge. She broke free from the stranger's embrace and bombarded her with questions, taking several steps back to put distance between them.

Her eyes darted around, looking for potential threats or accomplices.

The woman, startled by the hostile reaction, quickly bowed and apologized. "I'm sorry, I got too excited. May I ask your name? Are you an Uzumaki?"

"You're crazy!"

Shocked and angry, Sara didn't answer, throwing out a scolding remark before walking away quickly, leaving the woman standing there in disappointment.

The rain seemed to fall harder, matching the mood of the moment as both women went their separate ways.

It wasn't until a few days later, after settling into Ame, that Sara learned the truth. She had found lodging in a comfortable apartment, and the regular routines of village life had begun to ease her constant tension.

The woman who had hugged her on the street was Kaori, a lone survivor from the destruction of the Uzumaki clan.

Each night, she would stand at her window, watching the rain and thinking of her lost family, hoping to find any connection to her past.

Kaori had no ill intentions; she was simply excited to see someone with red hair and mistook Sara for a lost member of her clan.

When she learned the truth from her neighbors, she was so ashamed she wanted to find a wall to bang her head against.

All this time, she was just looking for family, she thought. And I was so cruel...

Thinking back on how she had acted, she wanted to slap herself even in her sleep.

Fortunately, there was a chance to make amends. The rain that constantly fell in Ame seemed to wash away old grudges as easily as it cleaned the streets.

Not long after, she met Kaori again at the same market where they'd first encountered each other. This time, Sara saw the loneliness in the other woman's eyes, understanding what she had missed before.

She didn't push Kaori away with harsh words but instead shared the story of her and her mother's lives.

When Kaori heard that they had always lived in Rōran in the Land of Wind and had no connection to the Uzumaki clan, she couldn't hide her disappointment. Yet there was a gentleness in her smile.

"Family isn't always about blood," she said softly, watching the rain fall.

Still, thanks to this strange encounter, Sara and Kaori quickly became friends. They found themselves meeting regularly, sharing meals and stories, finding connection in their shared experiences as outsiders who had found a home in this rainy village.

One day, they shared lunch at Kaori's favorite ramen shop, the steam from their bowls mixing with the ever-present rain outside.

As they sat in comfortable silence, Sara's mind wandered to less comfortable thoughts. Perhaps it was the unease of being 'trapped in the enemy's den,' but she couldn't help but ask Kaori about Shin, the tyrant.

To her surprise, Kaori's face lit up with a joyful smile at the mention of him. The change was immediate, like sunshine breaking through storm clouds. How can she look so happy talking about a tyrant? Sara wondered, stirring her noodles thoughtfully.

"You mean Shin? Everything you see here was created under his guidance." Kaori gestured broadly at the bustling street outside, where workers were installing new drainage systems. "When I first arrived here, this district was barely more than ruins. Now look at it."

"He's an amazing person. Even though he's young, his determination is unshakable. It feels like no obstacle could ever stop him."

"He says he's going to change this imperfect world, and we all believe he can! He's given us all something to believe in again."

Sara looked down at her bowl, watching the ripples in the broth.

Although Kaori's words were full of praise, she couldn't help but interpret them as warning signs.

This man is authoritarian, handling everything himself.

He's ambitious and stubborn, unwilling to listen to others.

He says he'll conquer the ninja world, and everyone around him is brainwashed into believing him.

She couldn't stop trembling. Just like those stories about cruel warlords who charm everyone around them...

Oh no!

It's over… 

She even started looking at Kaori with a hint of pity in her eyes, noting the way the older girl seemed to glow when speaking about Shin.

Sara couldn't help but think of the changes her mother had undergone before leaving for the Land of Rain.

That alluring demeanor was something she couldn't bear to recall. The memory of her mother's dreamy expression and distant gaze sent chills down her spine.

"Kaori-nee, you… you wouldn't happen to be that Shin's… uh…" Sara whispered, "personal captive, would you?" Please say no, please say you can still be saved!

To her surprise, Kaori's cheeks flushed pink and she lightly smacked Sara's shoulder. "You're still just a child! What are you even thinking?" She shook her head vigorously. "Shin isn't that kind of person!"

But this explanation didn't entirely put Sara's heart at ease. That's exactly what a captive under his influence would say...

It wasn't until Kaori continued speaking that some of Sara's misconceptions began to shift.

"Shin doesn't want us to live our lives depending on him. He said that doing so would turn us into dodder flowers. You know what those are, right? Those parasitic plants that can't survive on their own?"

Although she admitted she didn't fully understand the term, she did understand Shin's intention—he wanted them to find their own purpose and live their own lives.

"So, Sara, I'm not some pampered canary kept in a cage. I have my own job—I'm a teacher here!"

"A teacher?" Sara asked skeptically. Maybe she teaches assassination techniques or something equally sinister.

"Kaori-nee, are you a teacher at the Ninja Academy?"

Kaori shook her head. "My ninja abilities aren't that advanced." She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh.

"Then… are you a tutor for some noble family's children?" Sara guessed again, trying to make sense of it. That would make more sense—keeping the nobles happy and loyal.

But Kaori shook her head once more.

This time, instead of letting Sara continue guessing, she revealed the answer herself.

"I teach the residents here—mostly the children of suitable age. I teach them how to read and write, basic arithmetic, and some simple general knowledge. Every day, more parents bring their children to learn."

As a former member of the Uzumaki clan, she naturally possessed an advanced education.

Especially since the Uzumaki clan specialized in sealing techniques, which required excellent literacy and a solid foundation of knowledge.

Although her ninja abilities were average, her cultural knowledge stood out among the Akatsuki members, a group where even basic education seemed like a luxury.

Sara could see the passion in her eyes as she talked about her students' progress.

This made Kaori an essential helper in Shin's efforts to promote basic education. 

"You... teach ordinary residents?" This revelation left Sara utterly stunned.

In the past, her mother had always taught her to love their people and protect the citizens of Rōran. But even her mother had never attempted anything as radical as this.

Because Sara had already preconceived Shin as an evil tyrant—someone who controlled the Ryūmyaku, subjugated her mother, and coveted the entire ninja world—she had mentally likened him to the feudal lords of the Land of Rain.

In her mind, this situation was equivalent to a feudal lord sending his own concubines to educate the lowest classes of his people. She remembered the disdain the nobles in Rōran showed toward commoners, how they hoarded knowledge like precious jewels.

Even her mother, who had preached love for the people, had never done such a thing.

"Is this... really true?" Sara asked again, still in disbelief.

Kaori nodded and picked up a few small booklets from a nearby table, handling them with care before handing them over. The papers were worn at the edges—clearly well-used.

"What are these?"

"They're teaching materials. Shin even helped compile some of them himself with the help of Hiruko. They spent weeks working on these, making sure even the youngest children could understand them."

Sara opened one of the booklets and started flipping through it. After just a short while, her trained eye could tell this wasn't some half-hearted attempt at teaching.

The material was simple yet engaging, so much so that even someone like her, who had received a good education as a princess, found it hard to find any flaws. She was even drawn in by its content.

"Did... did Shin really create all this?"

In that moment, the image of the power-hungry boy crumbled and reshaped itself in Sara's mind.

She couldn't reconcile this with the person she had cursed endlessly just a few days ago as a damn tyrant.

The careful handwriting in the margins, showing where concepts should be explained more clearly, spoke of patience she never would have attributed to him.

Kaori stepped closer and gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. Her hand came to rest lightly on Sara's shoulder. "Do you believe it now, Sara? He is truly a good person."

"So, would you like to give it a try?"

At that moment, Sara's face turned bright red, her mind racing in completely the wrong direction. Give what a try? With Shin? Like mother did?

"W-What?! What are you saying?!" Sara stammered, backing away slightly. "My mom already... No! Absolutely not! I'll never agree! That's way too indecent!"

Kaori looked utterly confused, her head tilting slightly as she tried to understand Sara's outburst. The innocent bewilderment on her face made Sara realize she might have jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"What are you talking about? I was just asking if you'd like to try being a teacher. You don't have a job here yet, do you?"

"..."

Sara stood frozen, her face burning even brighter as she realized her mistake. The textbook in her hands suddenly felt very interesting as she tried to avoid Kaori's puzzled gaze.

Maybe if I stare at this page long enough, I'll disappear completely.

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