Noah continued copying the various scrolls stored in the sanctuary until a particular shelf caught his attention. Not because of the scrolls, but because of what was behind them. A small stone statue, almost imperceptible among the shadows.
Noah approached and examined the figure. It represented an ancient warrior, with his arms crossed over his chest. Something about its position seemed strange to him. The marks on the ground around it indicated that it had been moved before.
Carefully, he moved it aside.
Beneath it, there was a stone slab that didn't match the rest of the floor.
Noah knelt down, slipped his fingers into the crack, and lifted it without effort.
A secret compartment opened before his eyes.
Inside, on a crimson silk cloth, rested two objects.
One was a small, humble-looking gourd, the kind travelers used to carry water. Its surface was rough, as if carved by hand.
The other was a circular shield, so polished that its reflective surface returned Noah's image with perfect clarity. It looked more like a mirror than a defensive weapon.
Noah held his breath.
—It can't be… —he whispered.
He recognized those objects instantly.
The gourd was the Totsuka Blade.
Unlike a conventional sword, it was not a physical weapon, but a spiritual one. Its true blade was not solid: it was the liquid contained in the gourd, which when released took the shape of a blade. The Totsuka was imbued with a sealing jutsu; anyone pierced by its blade would be drawn into the gourd and trapped forever in a world of genjutsu, an eternal dream of endless intoxication. But it could also cut through matter like a normal blade, making it an extremely versatile weapon.
The shield was the Yata Mirror.
It possessed the ability to reflect any attack, whether physical or spiritual. Its nature was equally immaterial; its solid form was nothing more than a base state. In reality, both the Totsuka and the Yata lacked a fixed form. Once they merged with a suitable host, they abandoned their physical state entirely to integrate into their body.
In the original course of events, both treasures would have ended up in the hands of Itachi Uchiha, merged with his Susanoo.
But now…
Noah reached out and took both objects. The gourd was surprisingly light, almost weightless. The shield was cold to the touch.
—Sorry, Itachi —he murmured with a smile—. But I think I'll put them to better use.
Without a second thought, he stored both treasures in his 4D pocket. Then, he continued copying the remaining scrolls in the sanctuary until he had copied them all.
When there were no more scrolls left to copy, Noah took out the magic door and returned to his room in the Senju residence.
Noah stepped forward and crossed the threshold.
Behind him, the door closed and vanished, leaving the Uchiha's secret chamber in absolute silence.
In his room, Noah collapsed onto the bed. He closed his eyes and smiled.
—What a night —he whispered.
---
The morning in Konoha was calm. Noah walked lightly through the still half-empty streets, heading to the mission building. Several days had passed since his foray into the Naka sanctuary, and although the loot obtained was invaluable, he needed to clear his mind.
The mission building was already bustling with activity. Ninjas of various ranks entered and exited with scrolls in hand. Noah approached the counter and waited his turn.
—Good morning, Nawaki-kun —the receptionist, a young woman with brown hair, greeted him—. Are you here to look for a mission?
—That's right —he replied with a friendly smile—. Is there anything available?
The woman flipped through a thick book before pointing to an entry.
—Here's a C-rank one. Escort old man Yuki to the Land of Rain. He's a medical ninja returning to his clan. The pay is decent and the route is relatively safe.
—Yuki… —Noah repeated, storing the name in his memory—. I'll take it. Where can I find him?
—He's at the Sleeping Lotus inn, preparing his carriage. He leaves at noon.
Noah nodded, signed the acceptance scroll, and left the building. The inn wasn't far; within fifteen minutes he was standing at its doors.
An elderly man with white hair and a thin build was adjusting the straps of a cart pulled by a sturdy horse. He wore simple but good-quality clothes, and several pouches hung from his belt, likely containing medical tools.
—Mr. Yuki? —Noah asked as he approached.
The old man turned and examined him curiously. His eyes were a pale, almost icy blue.
—That's right. Are you my escort? —He seemed to hesitate for a moment—. Forgive me, boy, but I was expecting someone older.
—Don't worry —Noah replied confidently—. I've passed the chūnin exam and have combat experience. I'll make sure you arrive safe and sound.
The old man smiled, showing his years-yellowed teeth.
—Good, good. Youth is sometimes more capable than it seems. My name is Ichiro, though you can just call me old man Yuki if you prefer. —He pointed to the cart—. Do you mind walking? The horse already carries enough weight with my things.
—Not at all —Noah said, adjusting the weight of his training weights—. I'm used to it.
And so they set off.
---
The first three days passed without incident. The road wound between hills and small forests, gradually moving away from Konoha's territory. Ichiro turned out to be a great conversationalist, and between medical anecdotes and tales of his travels, the hours flew by.
Noah walked alongside the carriage, alert to any sign of danger, though his mind wandered on his own affairs.
On the night of the fourth day, they camped near a small oak forest. Ichiro soon fell asleep, bundled in blankets inside the cart. Noah, instead, preferred to keep watch from above.
Sitting cross-legged on the thickest branch of an oak, he closed his eyes. He wasn't sleeping; he was meditating, letting his perception expand beyond his body.
Hours passed. The moon rose slowly, bathing the clearing in its silver light.
Then, something moved.
Noah opened his eyes.
In the same instant, his body vanished from the branch. A log appeared in his place, and three bone shards embedded themselves in the wood with a dull thunk.
—Wake up! —Noah shouted, appearing several meters away—. Old man Yuki, stay under cover!
The old man stirred among the blankets, confused, but years of training as a medical ninja made him react quickly. He pressed himself to the ground, crawling under the cart.
Noah blinked again, dodging another volley of bone projectiles. In the air, his hands were already throwing three kunai that spun whistling before colliding with as many spikes, deflecting them.
Finally, he saw his attackers.
Three figures emerged from among the trees. Their appearance was unmistakable: peculiar hairstyles, rounded eyebrows, and an expression of animal ferocity. The youngest of them had his knuckles split open, revealing the white bones beneath the flesh, and several freshly formed bone spikes protruded from them.
—Kaguya clan —Noah murmured, instantly recognizing the kekkei genkai.
The young man with the spikes growled and charged straight ahead, without strategy or plan. His companions did the same, launching themselves into the attack with unrestrained fury.
Noah sighed.
—Looks like they're not the negotiating type.
The first to arrive was the oldest of the three, a middle-aged man with a spear in each hand. His movements were wild but fast, driven by pure killer instinct.
Noah formed seals quickly.
—Water Encampment Wall!
A wall of water rose from the ground, temporarily separating him from his attackers. But the Kaguya didn't stop; they charged blindly through the liquid curtain, confident in their resilience.
Noah was no longer where they expected. He had channeled water chakra beneath his feet, sliding like a current to one side. From there, he launched a volley of shurikens that tore through the air.
The youngest, the one with Shikotsumyaku, spun around, using his own bones to form a circular shield. The metal stars embedded themselves in the bone and were blocked. But the other two attackers weren't so lucky; one fell with a shuriken stuck in his shoulder, the other narrowly dodged.
—Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!
Noah's jutsu swept up the injured one, and before he could react, Noah appeared behind him with a kunai and struck him precisely in the back of the neck. The Kaguya fell dead.
Two remained.