Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

After about an hour, Kenshin nudged Amaya gently, his dark eyes meeting hers briefly. "Amaya-sama, could you wake Hana up? We should set out soon."

Amaya gave him a small nod and shifted slightly, brushing a stray strand of hair from Hana's face. "Hana," she called softly, shaking her gently. "Wake up. It's time to go."

Hana stirred, her eyes fluttering open before excitement lit up her face. "We're going again?" she asked eagerly, sitting up straight in Amaya's lap.

Kenshin nodded, already forming a shadow clone beside him. The clone immediately turned to Amaya with a teasing grin and, without hesitation, scooped her up in its arms.

"Let's go, princess. Next stop: capital city," it declared, activating its wind chakra mode and setting off at a swift pace.

Amaya gasped, her arms instinctively wrapping tightly around the clone's neck. "You said you'd ask first!" she protested, though her voice carried more indignation than anger.

The clone chuckled as it sped up. "I did say that, didn't I? My bad, Amaya-sama. I'll remember next time."

Meanwhile, the real Kenshin smirked, turning to Hana as he picked her up in his arms. "We can't let them win, can we?" he said playfully. "Hold on tight."

Hana giggled, gripping his armor once more. "Let's go!" she cheered.

Kenshin activated his wind chakra mode, launching into motion with a sudden burst of speed. Both pairs raced through the forest, the wind rushing past them.

Kenshin occasionally jumped to incredible heights, earning excited squeals from Hana, who clung to him tightly and laughed as she caught glimpses of the world below.

Amaya, however, squealed in a very different way, her voice a mix of fear and annoyance as the clone leapt into the air with her. "Stop jumping so high! I swear if you drop me—"

The clone only laughed, making another leap just to tease her further. "Relax, princess. You're perfectly safe. And besides, it's kinda amusing to see you like this, my family's all shinobi so I doubt they'd give a nice reaction like you."

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, the forest thinned out. Soon, the bustling capital city of the Land of Fire came into view, its streets lively even in the evening light.

Towering above it all was the majestic palace of the daimyo, twice the size of Amaya's palace, its silhouette striking against the vibrant sky.

Kenshin slowed his pace as they approached the city, his Sharingan scanning the area for any signs of trouble. "There it is, our daimyo's palace." he said quietly, his voice carrying a mix of relief and determination.

Hana gasped at the sight, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's so big! Even bigger than ours!" she exclaimed, her earlier excitement returning full force.

Amaya, though still catching her breath from the earlier jumps, couldn't help but smile as her gaze fell on the familiar palace. "We made it," she said softly, her tone laced with gratitude and anticipation. "And in one piece too."

As they entered the bustling gates of the capital city, Kenshin approached one of the guards stationed at the entrance. The guard regarded him with a mix of curiosity and caution until Kenshin produced a special identification scroll.

The intricate seal on the scroll shimmered faintly as the guard carefully opened it, revealing its contents. The scroll was clear—this was an official mission, and Kenshin was to be taken directly to the daimyo.

The guard looked up, his eyes narrowing briefly as he examined the group. His gaze lingered on Amaya, and then his expression changed to one of shock.

"Amaya-sama?" he whispered, dropping to one knee immediately. "Please forgive me for not recognizing you sooner."

Amaya offered a small nod, her usual poised demeanor returning despite the journey's fatigue.

The guard rose swiftly, motioning for another guard to take his post. "Please, come with me," he said, his tone urgent but respectful.

He gestured for them to follow as he led them deeper into the city. Along the way, he dispatched another guard to inform the palace of their arrival.

"We've been under orders from the daimyo to be ready to receive you at all times. He has been extremely worried, Amaya-sama," the guard added as they walked.

Soon, they reached the gates of the grand palace. The towering structure loomed ahead, its intricate designs illuminated by the evening sun. Another guard awaited them at the entrance, bowing deeply before taking over to guide them into the royal court.

As they entered the court, the atmosphere was tense. The daimyo of the Land of Fire sat on his throne, his posture rigid with anxiety. The moment he saw Amaya, his worry transformed into relief, and he immediately rose from his seat.

He crossed the court with hurried steps, ignoring the formalities expected of his station, and embraced his niece tightly.

"Amaya," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "You're safe."

Amaya returned the embrace, her face softening as she murmured, "Uncle..."

As they spoke, Kenshin had already dropped to one knee in the presence of the daimyo, as did everyone else in the court. His head remained bowed, his demeanor respectful and composed.

The daimyo released Amaya and turned his attention to Kenshin. His sharp gaze swept over the young ANBU operative. "Stand," he commanded.

Kenshin rose slowly, meeting the daimyo's gaze calmly.

"Tell me," the daimyo began, his tone even but laced with concern, "were your comrades lost during the mission?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No, sir. Only I was sent."

The daimyo's calm demeanor faltered, anger flashing across his face. "What?! Tsunade sent one man, one.. to save my niece?!"

Kenshin didn't flinch, his voice steady as he replied, "It is precisely because the Hokage sent only me that I was able to successfully rescue Amaya-sama and prevent further collateral damage. Sending more would have placed them in unnecessary danger, given the circumstances."

The daimyo's anger subsided as he considered Kenshin's words. Whatever his reservations about Tsunade's decision, the fact remained—Amaya was alive and well.

After a moment of silence, the daimyo's expression softened, and he gave a small nod. "I understand. And for what it's worth, I owe you my deepest thanks." The gratitude in his voice was genuine.

Kenshin bowed his head respectfully. "I simply did my duty, sir."

Amaya, standing close by, looked between her uncle and Kenshin, her expression unreadable but her heart filled with a mix of gratitude and quiet admiration.

The daimyo's gaze fell on Hana, who was peeking curiously yet warily from behind Amaya. He studied the small girl for a moment before turning to Amaya. "And who is this little one?" he asked, his tone gentle.

Amaya placed a reassuring hand on Hana's shoulder, guiding her forward slightly. "Her name is Hana," Amaya said, her voice steady but soft. "She was orphaned during the ANBU's battle with the rebels. Whatever jutsu Orochimaru had given them… it created a monster that destroyed the palace in the process. Hana's father was among those who lost their lives. I've decided to adopt her."

The daimyo's eyebrows rose in surprise. His gaze shifted to Kenshin, and skepticism flickered in his expression. Kenshin's hidden whirlpool ANBU uniform, designed to suppress his chakra signature, made him seem almost ordinary.

The daimyo seemed to wonder how someone so unassuming could have handled such chaos.

But the daimyo's expression quickly softened as he crouched to Hana's level, offering her a warm smile. "In that case, I suppose I'm a grandpa now. Welcome to the family, Hana," he said warmly.

Hana blinked at him, her wary expression softening into one of cautious delight. Amaya smiled faintly as the daimyo reached out and ruffled Hana's hair affectionately.

"Now," the daimyo said, straightening and turning back to Amaya, "all that's left for you is to find her a good father."

Amaya's face flushed, and she groaned in annoyance. "You just had to bring that up, didn't you? Uncle, I'm not planning on getting married anytime soon. And if I do, it'll be to someone who meets my standards."

Kenshin, standing off to the side, let out a soft chuckle, barely keeping it quiet enough for the daimyo not to hear.

He masked his amusement quickly and stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Sir, my mission here is complete. I must return to the Hidden Leaf immediately to report back to the Hokage."

The daimyo nodded in understanding. "Very well, you are dismissed. And… thank you again."

Amaya stepped forward then, addressing her uncle. "Uncle, may I see him off?"

The daimyo arched a brow. "Why?"

"Because he saved both Hana and me," Amaya replied. "It's the least I can do."

The daimyo sighed but relented. "Very well. Just don't take too long—your aunt has been extremely worried as well. She would want to meet you as soon as possible."

Amaya nodded, and with Hana in tow, she accompanied Kenshin to the palace gates. As Kenshin prepared to leave, Hana tugged at his cloak, causing him to pause. She stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

"Come meet me again after all the bad guys in the Land of Grass are gone, okay?" Hana said, her small voice earnest.

Kenshin knelt, picking Hana up and pressing the forehead of his mask gently to hers. His dark eyes met hers through the slits in his mask.

"I promise I will, Hana-chan." he said softly. "And next time, I'll bring my entire noisy family with me. So you need to be a good girl and help your new mama be the best daimyo and mama she can be, alright?"

Hana nodded eagerly, a bright smile lighting up her face. Kenshin set her down gently before turning to Amaya. She looked at him, her expression conflicted, as though she wasn't quite sure what to say.

Kenshin simply extended his fist. "Whenever you visit the Leaf, if you can find me, give me a bump."

Amaya blinked, then smirked slightly. She bumped his fist with hers. "You better be there when I come looking. Don't make a lady search the entire village for you."

Kenshin chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Amaya raised a brow, her smirk turning teasing. "Like how you kept asking for my permission in mind?"

Kenshin shook his head with a faint laugh. "No, Amaya-sama. For real this time."

Turning back to Hana, Kenshin knelt once more. "Hey, Hana-chan," he said, "want to see one more cool thing before I go?"

Hana nodded excitedly, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Kenshin activated his wind chakra mode, the shimmering layer of wind forming around him. He released a steady stream of wind chakra from his feet and controlled bursts from his palms to stabilize himself. Slowly, he began to lift off the ground, hovering momentarily before soaring into the air.

Hana waved wildly, her voice ringing out, "Bye-bye! See you soon!"

Amaya stood beside Hana, her expression a mix of pride and something bittersweet she couldn't quite place.

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