Akashi was seated with his mother on the dining room table in the new Sky Palace of the Daimyo.
Daimyo who was now his father, and the husband of his mother after the wedding that had taken place a few days ago.
It was a quiet affair simple and elegant with only the most important witness present.
Akashi observe his now step-father Sukeiro Yanagi with attention like he often did since they started to eat together.
"I already told you to stop looking at him like that Akashi," Kana said as she looked at his son.
Akashi quickly retracted his gaze.
"Sorry, I just..." he said looking at his mother, in her traditional Uzumaki red and white Yukata.
Her long red hair was now on full display, as for the few Uzumaki guards standing with the samurai of the Daimyo.
And even though it was still recommended to dye their hair when walking in outside by precaution the clansmen now had a safe and massive estate where they no longer had to hide themself.
"...I'm just curious about something," Akashi finally said and it made Yanagi turn his head toward him.
"Yes, we are trying our best to give you a sibling soon," He said with a huge smile and he could see his mother getting redded at his comment while the servants around smiled at that.
"cof, this isn't what I wanted to know,"
One thing that I realized is that although he always seems cold and sharp my new father is quite the jokester sometimes.
Oh, I thought, anyway what are you curious about,"
"Well, I heard from the ancient of the clan that you are as strong as a Kage, Is it true"
I asked and could see him smile with pride
"I understand that it would surprise you, this is rare nowadays," he said with a sad smile.
"But it wasn't that strange in the past there were many such figures capable of rivaling against the ninjas and adequately protecting their lord,"
"I didn't know that," Akashi replied surprised.
"Maybe I should get you a few texts on that in the library if you're interested," Kana said looking at her son.
"Unfortunately this is in the past now, this is what happens when you are not able to adapt to the changing times, like many others before you decline and die out,"
The Daimyo didn't realize it at the moment but it made Kana a little self-conscious and made her think about their near-extinction
"Adapt or disappear, this is the sad truth, of the world."
"Anyway. Are you interested in learning samurai swordsmanship,"
"I thought that!" he began before realizing what Yanagi meant
"Oh, samurai swordsmanship, yes I'm interested," Akashi said with genuine interest
"Good, I guess that means that you two will have more things to discuss and get along better," Kana said a little relieved that the two would now get along better after all until Akashi was a lot more reserved with Yanagi
"I think that, we are getting along just fine considering that he is old enough to know what I'm doing to you at night, MUHUHUHAHAHA..." Yanagi said with a grin that earned him Kana's fist on the head.
Akashi couldn't help but sigh in defeat it was the reason why Akashi kept its distance from him,
'How tiring!'
A few hours later
Akashi could be seen walking in the castle beside him were two guards, one of them was a samurai of his father, and the other was a ninja of the Uzumaki clan.
He was no longer just the prince of the destroyed Uzushio he was now also a prince here, so the amount of things he had to learn had expanded to things like knowledge of the history of the sky country, noble etiquette, and other things.
But even though he had more to do his mature mind allowed him to speed run through his study with minimal effort.
This is the reason why he was able to come here,
"Stay here," he said before pushing open the door in front of him
Akashi then found himself in a dark corridor the walls around him were covered with seals.
Seals of advanced level, so advanced that even with all his genius he couldn't understand any of them, of things he was certain of is that if an unauthorized person stepped foot here he was nearly condemned.
"Creack"
The creaking sound of the door sounded as to announce his arrival to the group of ten old Uzumaki in the room.
"How is that going," he asked walking toward them.
"Young master Welcome! Or do you prefer young prince!" one of the old said without turning his eyes to the table containing a humanoid white creature that was being dissected and examined with the utmost attention
"Doesn't matter! What did you find on his creature," Akashi questioned the old men.
"It's like you said young master, those creatures contain a massive amount of yang energy, massive regeneration, nearly indetectable even for us, I'm more fascinated by their abilities to perfectly copy the appearance of their target, absolutely fascinating..."
Akashi had to stand there as the scientist was busy examining the body of the white Zetsu while foaning over its abilities, and explaining what he was doing.
"Yes yes so fascinating," Akashi said but his face was saying the complete opposite.
After a while, he finally heard something that made him breathe a sigh of relief.
"... Those creatures will no longer be able to pass our defense, rest assured my prince, we have made the necessary adjustment" Akashi smiled but his smile faded when the old men resumed their lecture.
'I should have just waited for the report, it became just another boring lesson on top of the others seems like I don't have much aptitude for science,' he thought remembering the lessons he was now voluntarily taking on the subject,
'Doesn't matter with my abilities I should be able to learn everything I need...' After an hour of lecture, he had to leave
'I really made the right choice sharing some of my knowledge of the canon manga, I would've lost everything otherwise, everything is going well ' he thought walking away.
In another room
Kana was seated at the right of her husband Sukeiro and beside her were her brother and four elders of the clan were facing the five counselors of the Daimyo Yanagi.
They had been seated for nearly an hour now like they often did since even before their unions, discussing the restructuration of their strength.
"So we are finally done with the list of clans that we can use in the country, now how about we finally get to an agreement," Kana said and the face of everyone present took a touch of annoyance.
"Should we rebuild a ninja village or not?!" Contrary to what most people would think on this subject the ones most against the idea of creating a ninja village were the Uzumaki while Yanagi and his counselors were in favor.
What most people don't realize is that the Uzumaki the ruling family of the country were also the once ruling the village ninja because they were the only clan on the island.
"We should create a village ninja, it is what allows the separation between civilians and fighters, in case of warlike right now the daimyo the civilian, and the others stay safe, sure that they will not be attacked by the ninjas fighting,"
"You should realize that this is the convergence of power in your country that gave the great village the legitimate to target you,"
"Funny that you say that, after what you asked us, what we all did to your Daimyo,"
"How many Daimyo are assassinated by ninja in times of peace and war to put in power someone favorable to such or such power,"
"We need to keep control of the clan that we are bringing in to replenish our strength, you should've enough experience to know that much,"
"It is our experience that allows us to create a village strong enough to terrorize Konoha and the other great nations for months long,"
"And look where it led you, your village is destroyed with your flying fortress and you better not think that once they are done with their war they won't turn their eyes toward us to get your knowledge like they tried to get ours,"
The discussion continues like that for nearly another hour without the elders reaching an agreement, things started to get heated when the Daimyo decided to intervene.
"That enough," he said and when everything regained his calm he let out a sigh.
"You will never be able to reach an agreement like that, so you won't have to, I can say as much after all this time and you must have realized the same," he said seriously and they couldn't help by nod.
"Both methods have their advantage and are inconvenient, so I want you," he said addressing the two sides.
"To put all that on paper for me and my wife, we will be the ones to decide what best suits us!!"