Ichika weaved hand signs.
"Water Style: Water bullet jutsu!"
Ichika's clones shot water from all directions.
"Ah!" It hit him and sliced part of his hand and made him go back to normal.
"You Brat!"
He made a hand sign and bit his finger.
"Summoning jutsu!"
*Poof!*
A giant bear appeared.
Seeing no time to react, Ichika quickly made a hand sign.
"Wood style: Deep forest emergence!"
The ground shook and giant branches and trees sprouted from the ground and attacked the bear and its master.
"Wood release? Who the hell is this?"
"Ichika." Ichika froze in place, recognizing that voice.
"Dad." The trees stopped moving and Ichika froze in place.
"I'm getting out of here! You're crazy!"
He slipped and climbed down the tree and branches, but as soon as he was on even ground…
A Kunai went through his throat.
"No one can know my daughter's secret."
A woman whispered.
He fell, and his summoning also died because of Ichika's attack.
Akari was using a walking stick and had multiple blankets covering her.
"Mum?" Ichika controlled the trees to go back down.
She had tears in her eyes.
"I had to use it, I had no choice, and then I…"
Akari embraced her daughter.
"It's alright, I understand…"
Ichika started crying.
"I miss your father too…"
Ichika wiped her face.
"We have to pack, we're near the land of rice paddies, we should take refuge there, we have only a few weeks until we get to Konohagakure."
Ichika glared at her mother.
"What?"
"Mum, do you expect me to allow you to stay in the land of rice paddies again?
Do you remember what happened the last time we were there?"
She nodded.
"That was a long time ago, I'm sure they've increased security by now.
Ichika, we can't just stay here or camp outside while there are hotels we can stay in, with good food and drinks."
Ichika rolled her eyes.
They spent the next four days traveling to the land of rice paddies.
Once they reached, Ichika and her mother found a nice place to stay.
This was also the first time they were sleeping on an actual bed since they left the land of snow.
They slept early because they were exhausted.
The next morning arrived, and they woke up early and went for breakfast.
"This place seems… Peaceful."
Ichika commented as she looked around the area.
"Do you want to know why?"
A lady asked she was reading the newspaper, and she had dark red hair.
"You're from the Uzumaki clan?"
She shook her head.
"No, it's dye."
Ichika nodded.
"It seems you wanted to tell me why this town is so peaceful."
She nodded.
"Read this." She pointed at the main page of the newspaper.
'There was a picture of a boy smiling with his eyes closed, he had a refined jawline and looked kind of cute.'
"Ryuu Uchiha kills hundreds by himself."
Ichika looked at the lady, wondering who this was.
"Who's Ryuu Uchiha?"
"Gasp!"
Suddenly, Ichika felt everyone's eyes on her and her mother.
"What kind of idiot doesn't know of the Phoenix King of Konoha?"
"He comes from Konoha?" She nodded.
"They say he's so powerful, even the Hokage fears him."
Ichika looked at the photo of Ryuu again, she tilted her head, unable to understand what was so scary about him.
"I'm sorry but, there's no way people fear him, right? I mean, look at him, he looks too adorable to hurt anyone, at least couldn't they have found a different picture?"
She shook her head.
"There are only two pictures of him, one of his ninja registration and this one, when he got assigned to his team.
They say if you're an enemy and you see him, that's the last thing you see unless he spares you."
Ichika nodded.
"You know so much about him."
She excitedly nodded.
"Of course, I'm his biggest fan, when he grows up, we're going to have 8 children, 4 boys, and 4 girls, and we'll get married and live together forever."
"Right…" Ichika finished her tea.
"Thanks for this informative conversation, I have to go now." She nodded.
Ichika ran to her mother's room.
'Konoha might not be so bad after all…'
She said to herself as she entered the room.
"Mum! It's time to leave again."
"I'm almost through!"
She was in the shower.
Ichika went on and packed her clothes as she got ready to depart to Konoha.
After doing that, she lay on her bed and took the newspaper to read it again.
'This was the first time I saw him…
The first time I saw Ryuu.
It was also the first time I had hoped for a better life.
Just seeing him smile gave me hope and inspired me for the rest of my life…
That's why I have to fight.
I won't stop fighting, I made a promise…'
---------------- (Present Time)
Ichika opened her eyes with newfound inspiration and fire.
She infused chakra into her mouth and chewed on something and then spat it out.
She did it again, but this time she aimed for her wrists, which were still tied up.
After her wrists got looser, she unshackled one hand and used it to do a hand sign.
"Wood style: Floral graveyard!"
Boom!
Spiky red roses rose from the ground, and the spikes would grow larger and larger, attacking the men and the Raikage, they had thorns and poisonous sap dripping and melting the ground.
"Another Wood release user?!"
The Raikage entered lightning chakra mode.
Ichika controlled the spiky flowers to wrap around her and used the sap from the spikes to free herself.
Boom!
The Raikage crashed through the spiky flowers and attacked Ichika with the 3 finger assault.
"Wood style: wood explosion technique!"
Boom!
The building Ichika was held in shattered because of her plants exploding.
This explosion was different, after exploding, Ichika's plants spread their poisonous sap and melted the surrounding buildings.
"Either save your people or kill and kidnap me again, what will it be?"
The Raikage frowned.
Sounds of screaming children and women could be heard, he let go of Ichika and ran to save them.
Ichika was falling from the clouds.
She made a hand sign.
"Wood style: wooden dragon jutsu!"
A giant wood dragon appeared from her hand.
Ichika sat on the dragon.
"Whew, I was almost at my limit." She said, wiping her sweat and still controlling the dragon back to Konoha.
"But I don't have my Sai's anymore, forgive me, mother."
She rode her dragon back to Konoha.
Meanwhile, Ryuu had finished the upgraded version of Hashirama cells and will test it on himself…
"Ryuu, I don't think this is a good idea," Obito said as he helped Ryuu prepare.
"Calm down Obito, everything will be better if I succeed."
"But what if you fail?"
He shrugged.
"I'll try again."
"Ryuu, you can't even see properly and yet I'm supposed to trust you with this?"
Ryuu smirked and nodded.
"You'll be my eyes, Obito."
Obito frowned.
He unsealed a case and took a sample of the upgraded Hashirama cells and then sealed them again.
"Obito, don't you realize how amazing this will be?
Not only will these Hashirama cells be superior in effect, but they'll also have far fewer side effects and once it works on me, I'll try it on you."
Obito shook his head and gave Ryuu the Syringe.
"Help me out here."
Obito took the syringe.
"You know where to do it, right?"
Obito nodded.
He slowly inserted the needle into Ryuu's wrist and inserted the Hashirama cells.
Ryuu's eyes widened after feeling the effects immediately.
"Obito, it's working."
Ryuu's vision began restoring and his wounds rapidly healed while his chakra restored and increased.
"Obito… I'm back!"