Naruto: Chronicles of a Fire Ninja - Chapter 340

Chapter 340: Chapter 336: Decisions and Promises
Reina sat quietly in her modest bedroom long after Kaida had left, her mind wrestling with the weight of the decision before her.

‘Kushina’s son is alive,’ she thought, her hands absently tracing the intricate seal patterns on the table. ‘But is that enough reason to trust Konoha again? They could have kept him since he is just a child and will be quite easy to control… but doesn’t that mean we have more reason to go there? But should I put my and my daughter’s lives in danger just because of that reason… but-‘

“Mom,” Karin’s voice broke through her thoughts as she returned from the shop. “Why do you have such a serious look? Did he say anything?”

“…Yes, he said that he wanted to help us after finding out about our state. He was not here for us in the first place.” Reina looked at her daughter, seeing the fierce protective gleam in her eyes. “Karin, sit down. We need to talk about this properly.”

Karin placed the sugar on the table and sat across from her mother, her posture tense. “They’ll just use us like Kusagakure does. At least here, we know what to expect,” Karin said, not because she trusted Kusagakure, but because she knew here she and her mother had some power to run away if things turned for the worst. But in Konoha, they would lose those privileges.

“Do we?” Reina’s voice was soft but firm. “First Elder plans to trade us to Iwagakure when it suits him. We’re not guests here, Karin. We’re assets.”

“But mom, your seals can protect us! They can’t touch us if we don’t want them to,” Karin argued, adjusting her glasses nervously, all her thoughts about their safety becoming meek.

Reina shook her head. “Iwa will spare no efforts once they find out that they can get a clan as powerful as ours in their village, sending every fuinjutsu Grandmaster they have. Then we will become sitting ducks here. And even running away is not good either. If we run, Kusagakure will leak our information and we will have the whole ninja world behind our backs.”

…

Meanwhile, across the village, near the house of First Elder, Kaida sat in his borrowed residence, planning his next moves. The dying sunlight painted the walls orange as he considered his options.

‘The elder needs to be dealt with,’ he thought, his Sharingan spinning slowly as he recalled the man’s conversations. ‘He’s too dangerous to be left in power. Now the question is do I have to leave some fake proof of Iwa’s involvement or not.’

He created a shadow clone, sending it to continue surveillance on the elder’s compound. The clone disappeared into the growing shadows while Kaida remained focused on the larger picture.

‘Aside from this obvious choice, if Reina-san agrees, I’ll need to move quickly. Both elder’s death and loss of two of such great assets will cripple Kusagakure, and they will spare no expense in finding the perpetrator,’ His fingers drummed against the windowsill as he planned multiple scenarios. But then he finally decided on leaving proof of Iwa’s involvement behind so that Konoha could use this best, and now it was better than ever.

…

Back at the Uzumaki residence, Reina had made her decision. “We can’t stay here forever, my dear. And if what he says is true about Danzo being dead… perhaps it is the safest option for us to go to Konoha anyway.”

After 8 hours, Kaida arrived at their house again, and he found both Uzumaki women waiting for him. Kaida simply went to the array for truth detection because he found out that it was literally the easiest and simplest way to prove your point to these red-haired women.

“I’ve made my decision,” Reina stated, her red hair seeming to glow in the lamplight. “We will consider going to Konoha, but I have conditions.”

Kaida nodded, staying within the array’s boundaries. “Please, go ahead.”

“First, we need your personal guarantee, as a member of the Uchiha clan, that you will help us settle in Konoha. Not just bringing us there, but ensuring we have a place to live and means to support ourselves.”

“I can do that,” Kaida replied without hesitation, the array confirming his sincerity.

“Second, we need the Uchiha clan’s protection. Written and sealed, stating that they will defend our interests within Konoha.”

Kaida’s eyes widened slightly. “That’s…”

“In exchange for these guarantees, we will teach fuinjutsu to the Uchiha clan,” Reina completed the deal.

“But your seals are-” Kaida started.

“Our heritage, yes,” Reina cut in gently. “But they were meant to be shared with allies, not hidden away until they die with us. The Uchiha clan has offered help when we need it most. This is a fair exchange.”

Kaida nodded with a smile, still standing within the array. “I accept these terms without reservation. The Uchiha clan will be honored by this trust, and I swear we will not betray it.”

The array pulsed once, confirming his words.

“Very well,” Reina said, finally allowing herself a small smile. “When do we leave?”

“Tonight,” Kaida replied, his expression turning serious. “But first, I need to deal with the elder. His plans for an alliance with Iwagakure could destabilize the entire region. And after what he planned to do with you…”

Reina’s eyes hardened. “Will you kill him?”

“Yes, that is my mission,” Kaida nodded his head and then continued, “I hope you don’t have any problem with that.”

“None at all, it was just a curious question,” Reina said. Kaida nodded and then asked, “Can you be ready to leave by midnight? I’ll handle the elder first, then return for you.”

Reina nodded. “We don’t have much to pack. Most of our possessions are sealed in scrolls already.” She paused, then added with a hint of pride, “Old Uzumaki habit.”

“Then I’ll return at midnight,” Kaida said, stepping out of the array. “And Reina-san… thank you for trusting us even though I don’t have official power to form such alliance. From what I know about Uncle Fugaku, he will be more than happy enough to agree to your deals, and if you face any problems in this regard, I will make sure to bring you out of Konoha myself.”

As he left to deal with the elder, Karin turned to her mother. “Are you sure about this?”

Reina pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. “No, my dear. But sometimes the brave choice and the right choice are the same thing. And I believe that young man was telling the truth – not just because of the array, but because of how he offered to help us even if we refused Konoha.”

She released Karin and began gathering their scrolls. “Besides, it’s time the Uzumaki clan stopped hiding. We were once a proud people who helped build the ninja world. Perhaps, with the Uchiha clan’s help, we can be that again.”