Chapter 386: Friends and the Gravity Chamber
Ninja World Year 50.
"Mao-sama! Please come down! It's dangerous up there!"
Below the tree, a maid was sweating profusely with anxiety.
"I won't! I want to catch the birdies!"
A three-or-four-year-old girl had somehow scaled a massive tree. She had a milky-white complexion and round, chubby little hands; she was the picture of a lovable porcelain doll.
Though her face looked incredibly young, her movements were anything but slow. She climbed with a careful yet practiced ease that lacked any clumsiness.
On a nearby branch, two bright yellow birds looked down at the human hatchling with curiosity, wondering what this creature was doing. Perhaps because she was just a human cub, the birds didn't fly away, merely tilting their heads to observe her.
Guards from the clan had already rushed to the scene, but the maids remained in a panic. This particular child was simply too precious to the Federation.
Finally, the girl reached the birds.
Perhaps the proximity finally triggered their survival instincts, as the two birds flapped their wings, preparing to take flight.
"Don't run!"
The girl instinctively reached out both hands. A mist of frigid air erupted. One bird, just as it left the branch, was frozen solid into a block of ice and plummeted straight down like a stone.
The other bird was struck by a jagged arc of electricity. With a pop, it exploded in mid-air.
A cloud of yellow feathers drifted slowly through the sky.
A case of "together in life, together in death," essentially.
The little girl scrambled down the tree and picked up the bird trapped in the ice. She didn't seem to feel the cold on her hands at all; she was beaming with joy.
"Oh! I caught a birdie! Birdie, let's be friends!"
The surrounding maids and ninja fell silent.
How... innocent and romantic, they thought collectively.
"I have to go show my little brother! Come on! Let's go find Mama Maki!"
A maid hurried to stop her. "Young Master Keiji and Lady Maki are currently taking a nap, Mao-sama. It would be best not to disturb them."
Yotsuki Mao pouted, then changed her mind. "Then I want to go out! I want to go play outside."
The maid sighed. She knew that if they blocked her now, this "Little Ancestor" would only find a more troublesome way to entertain herself. She nodded and pulled out a Communication Snail.
"All units, attention! All units, attention! Mao-sama is heading out! Security detail to assemble at the main gate in five minutes! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!"
Five minutes later, Yotsuki Mao stepped onto the street holding her block of ice, followed by a procession of a dozen maids and security personnel.
With so many people trailing behind her, her walk instinctively took on a bit of a swagger. Fortunately, she was adorable; otherwise, she would have looked like a young thug out on the town.
Despite it being summer, the block of ice in her hand showed no signs of melting. Mao held it up to show off to everyone she passed, whether she knew them or not, bragging about her "new friend."
Most people in Cloud City recognized her immediately. She was the most precious little princess in the entire Federation.
By now, Cloud City had undergone another round of expansion. Adding to the original "double-layer cake" structure, a third layer had been built downward. It was now a "triple-layer cake" and the undisputed center of the ninja world—the Capital of the Federation, boasting a population of nearly a million.
The streets were filled with both traditional horse-carriages and the latest Chakra-powered vehicles. These four-wheeled iron machines produced by "Chakra Tech Company" had only recently hit the market, but because they were smooth and comfortable, they were highly sought after by the wealthy as a status symbol.
Occasionally, someone would pass by with a wooden framework attached to their arm—an auxiliary puppet from Sunagakure. The military versions had numerous functions, but the civilian models allowed an ordinary person to exert four times their natural strength.
In the sky, the rainbow lights never ceased. The Heavenly Transfer Technique had opened up a portion of its capacity for civilian transport. People from all corners of the ninja world converged on Cloud City, weaving a brilliant web across the sky.
In just a few years, the Federation had changed beyond recognition.
Passing a pastry shop, Mao saw a sign that read: "Old Cloud Pastries—Established Ninja Year 18. The Taste of the Consul's Childhood."
Though she couldn't read all the characters, Mao recognized the title "Consul" and became interested instantly.
"Let's go! I want to eat that!"
A massive crowd swarmed the shop. The owner nearly had a heart attack, thinking he was in trouble with the law.
After eating her fill and buying four boxes to take home to her "four mothers," Yotsuki Mao clapped her hands and turned to leave. Someone behind her naturally handled the payment.
It wasn't out of arrogance; it was because she tended to discharge electricity when excited. She had been taught since she could walk that until her Takemikazuchi bloodline stabilized, she couldn't have direct physical contact with others—especially civilians. If she absolutely had to touch someone, she had to wear thick, insulated gloves.
Not long after leaving the pastry shop, she was drawn to a candy store. The vibrant colors behind the glass display were captivating.
At the same time, her arrival caught the attention of three black-haired ninja—Medium, Small, and Extra Small.
"Shisui! Itachi! Since it's your first day here, it's my treat! This candy shop is a local legend. They say the Consul-sama and Crimson Fortress-sama used to come here all the time!"
The "Small" ninja hesitated, looking down at the "Extra Small" ninja whose hand he was holding.
The youngest, Itachi Uchiha, stammered, "Father... doesn't like it... when I eat sweets..."
Obito Uchiha wiped his nose. "Uncle Fugaku is way too strict. We just won't let him find out."
Mao ran over, holding up her block of ice from a distance. "Obito! Look at my new friend!"
Obito knew exactly who it was just by the voice. It was a rare day off, yet he had run into this Little Ancestor.
He turned around to see Princess Mao. "Princess" wasn't a nickname or a metaphor here; she was an actual princess—the daughter of the current and former Thunder Daimyos.
Though compared to the title of daughter of the Consul, "Daimyo" didn't carry as much weight anymore.
Obito scratched his head, pretending to be interested. Last time it was a mouse, the time before it was a bird. The most ridiculous time was when Yotsuki Mao froze an entire ant colony and shouted for everyone on the street to come "inspect" it.
Lady Mao had many friends, but she usually only established a "deep bond" with them after they had passed away...
As a member of Consul Guard Squad Two, Obito was very familiar with Mao. The Consul often brought his daughter along to various events. Because of Obito's "good-natured pushover" personality, Mao considered him a friend.
One of her few living friends.
Beside them, Shisui and Itachi looked curiously at the little girl followed by a dozen people. Itachi felt she must be older than him.
Mostly because she was taller than he was.
Shisui's mind raced. He hadn't expected to run into the legendary Princess on his first trip to Cloud City.
Mao asked happily, "Obito! Are you on a mission?"
"I'm on vacation today," Obito replied, scratching his cheek.
"Then play with me!"
"Um... a 'vacation' means I can spend time however I want. My two younger clan brothers just arrived in the city, and I have to show them around."
Mao declared, "Together!"
Deep within the Cloud Spire.
Heavy, labored breathing echoed inside a metallic room.
The room wasn't large. Every surface—walls, floor, ceiling—was composed of cold, gleaming alloy plates. The only light came from a stark white overhead lamp. Aside from that, the room was empty.
An exceptionally burly figure was performing one-handed handstand push-ups. Using the strength of a single arm, he continuously hoisted his massive frame upward.
Sweat poured down his back, glistening on his defined muscles. With every repetition, scorching steam puffed from his nostrils.
"10,000! Huff!"
The figure completed his goal and stood up, exhausted. Standing at his full height, he looked even more titanic and imposing—conservatively, he stood at 2.4 meters (approx. 7'10").
A screen on the wall displayed a line of text:
[Current Gravity: 20x Earth Normal]