A/N: Hello to anyone still reading this! I'm finally going to start it up again. This is a chapter I wrote a few months ago, but didn't release immediately (so, you might notice some writing differences between this one and the next). I already have the plot planned out and a few chapters written. I'll try to release two chapters a day until the story is finished. Thanks for reading!
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While Kushina trained, the rest of her clan never stayed idle. They conditioned themselves relentlessly from dusk until dawn, only taking breaks to make time for their families, of which there were many among the Uzumaki.
The training grounds of Mount Myōboku were alive with motion- a blend of human and toad effort echoing through the mythical valleys. The air was rich with the tang of natural energy, carrying the faint croaks of the elder toads who watched from the surrounding cliffs. Some of them even assisted the Uzumaki, passing on their strange but effective training methods.
Akinari walked the perimeter, his boots sinking slightly into the moss-covered earth. His sharp blue eyes scanned the groups of shinobi with the scrutiny of a veteran commander. While Kushina was busy with her own grueling preparation, it was his responsibility to keep their people in shape - to remind them that their bloodline carried not just strength, but duty. An everlasting duty to their family, for that was the Uzumaki way.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried himself with a composed presence that spoke to both his training under Kushina and his long years of imprisonment in Kumogakure. His bright red hair was tied behind his head, gleaming in the light that filtered through the trees. The black uniform of the Uzumaki hugged his frame- practical and reinforced with chakra-threaded material, marked by the crimson swirl on his chest and forearms.
Between his time spent instructing, his personal training, and his duties as a father, Akinari had little time for rest. Yet, he wouldn't have it any other way. When exhaustion threatened to overtake him, the thought of his little girl- Karin- gave him the strength to continue. Her smile reminded him of everything they were fighting for. Their family, their survival, and their future.
He often thought of how far they had come since their arrival. When Kushina led them to Mount Myōboku, their spirits were ravaged.
Years ago, the destruction of Uzushiogakure had scattered them like leaves in the wind. For a long time, they had been forced to live like ghosts- fleeing from hunter-nin, hiding their chakra signatures, and surviving on scraps of what little hope remained.
And that was if they were lucky; most, like Akinari himself, were captured by the large Hidden villages. Used as lab rats for them to study their bloodline.
It was Kushina who had changed that.
Under her leadership, they remembered who they were. No longer fugitives or survivors- they were warriors again. Proud descendants of an unbroken lineage. Kushina had given them purpose, and though she now bore the weight of a coming battle far beyond their reach, her strength inspired all of them to rise above despair.
This hope brought their spirits up again after their retreat from Akagakure.
Akinari paused near a group of young Uzumaki practicing sealing techniques under the guidance of an older clansman. Bright orange formulae flared in the dirt, spiraling into complex patterns that glowed faintly before dissipating. He smiled faintly. Even the toads seemed impressed by how quickly the Uzumaki children learned.
"They'll surpass us one day," he murmured to himself. "That's how it should be."
He continued walking, the rhythmic hum of chakra and the murmured chants of seals filling the air. But as he rounded the edge of the clearing, he spotted a familiar figure sitting apart from the others- Nagato.
The younger man sat on a wooden bench near the edge of a pond, his reflection rippling in the water. His long crimson hair hung loose around his face, and his expression was heavy with thought.
Akinari approached quietly. "You're sulking again," he said, his tone teasing but soft.
Nagato didn't look up. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just… thinking too much."
"Thinking too much is just another form of sulking," Akinari replied, sitting down beside him. The bench creaked under his weight. For a long moment, neither spoke. The only sound was the quiet trickle of water and the distant croak of a toad.
Eventually, Nagato exhaled slowly. "It's strange, isn't it? How we always end up like this- hiding and running. We used to have an entire country. Now we're a handful of survivors training on someone else's mountain." His voice was quiet but steady, the bitterness in it restrained but palpable. "Even after everything Kushina's done, we're still just… waiting to be found again."
Akinari leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "You're not wrong," he said. "We have lost much. Too, too much... But we're still here."
"That's not enough," Nagato muttered, clenching his fists. "I should be doing more. I have power- maybe not as much as Lady Kushina, but enough to fight. Instead, we sit here while she faces Madara alone."
Akinari regarded him quietly, then shook his head. "You think that's cowardice?"
Nagato's eyes flicked toward him. "Isn't it?"
"No," Akinari said firmly. "It's survival. We would only weigh Lady Kushina down if we fought alongside her- but that doesn't mean we can't help in other ways. Don't forget that you're the entire reason Lady Kushina is still alive. It's because of your Dojutsu that she was able to save herself and the clan."
Nagato's eyes widened slightly, and Akinari paused, glancing toward the distant mountain peaks. The sky above was slowly dimming into twilight, streaked with hues of gold and violet. "Lady Kushina doesn't fight just for revenge or pride, Nagato. She fights so we can live- so Karin can grow up knowing what peace feels like. So the Uzumaki name won't be buried beneath rubble and ash."
Nagato was silent for a while. His shoulders slumped, the anger leaving him bit by bit. "It's just… hard. To wait. To do nothing while someone else bears the burden."
"You're not doing nothing," Akinari said. "You're training and leading our clan- our family. You're keeping the flame alive."
The younger Uzumaki turned his head, uncertain. "You sound just like her."
Akinari chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Finally, Nagato gave a faint smile. "You really believe we'll make it through this?"
Akinari's expression softened. He reached out, placing a hand on Nagato's shoulder- steady and reassuring. "As long as our clan lives on, there will be hope. That's what Kushina said, remember?"
Nagato looked down, recalling the words. He remembered the fire in Kushina's eyes the night she spoke them- after they had first arrived here, when despair still hung over everyone like a curse. 'As long as one Uzumaki breathes, hope will never die.'
Akinari continued, his voice low and sure. "We carry her will every time we train, every time we seal an enemy, and every time we draw breath. That's how we honor her. Not by fighting Madara head-on- that's her battle. Ours is making sure there's something left when the dust settles."
Nagato's eyes softened. "Something left," he repeated quietly. "You really think we'll rebuild someday?"
"I don't think," Akinari said with quiet conviction. "I know."
He stood, gazing out over the training fields. The Uzumaki moved in rhythmic formation, the red swirls of their uniforms bright against the fading light. Their chakra flared like embers in the twilight- countless sparks of crimson life, refusing to be extinguished.
Akinari smiled faintly. "Look at them. We've been burned, scattered, and hunted. And yet, here we are- stronger than ever. That's what it means to be Uzumaki."
Nagato followed his gaze. For the first time in days, his chest didn't feel quite so heavy. "You're right," he said softly. "As long as we live, there's still a chance."
Akinari nodded, his tone almost reverent. "That's all we need. A chance."
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the two sat in silence once more, watching as the fireflies of Mount Myōboku began to glow in the deepening dusk. Somewhere far above, Kushina was still training, still fighting for their future. And below her, her clan carried that future forward.