Sora suppressed the heaviness in his heart and spoke.
"Ichirō, Min, please help prepare dinner. Today, our family will have a proper meal together."
"Yes. Yes. Let's eat."
Miyamoto Ichirō snapped back to reality and hurriedly called Uesugi Min and Kabuto to go help in the kitchen.
Yumi and Ayumi, being sensible, also ran to help set the table and chopsticks.
The atmosphere during dinner was a warmth and liveliness the orphanage had not seen in many years.
The small dining table was packed full. Although the food was still simple, everyone's face was lit up with a genuine smile from the heart.
The old Director was carefully helped into the main seat by everyone. Although he could not eat much, and most of the time he just watched quietly, listening to the children chattering, his wrinkled face always carried a trace of peaceful contentment.
Nonō looked at everyone seated around the table. Miyamoto Ichirō and Uesugi Min had already grown into young adults who could handle things on their own. Yumi and Ayumi were lively and cute. The newly joined Kabuto was also very sensible. And Sora…
Her gaze once again fell upon Sora.
The youth was eating quietly. Occasionally, he would respond to Yumi's chattering questions, or pick up some food for Kabuto sitting beside him.
He seemed integrated into this warm atmosphere, but in his overly calm eyes, there always seemed to be an invisible film, observing everything coolly.
It was a restrained, yet reassuring, powerful aura.
Nonō's heart was filled with a myriad of emotions.
What had Sora experienced over these seven years to have undergone such a startling change?
But she could sense that Sora's words, "No need to leave anymore," were not empty talk.
Perhaps…
Could she really look forward to bidding farewell to those days of living on the edge, constantly in fear?
"Right,"
Nonō suddenly remembered something, put down her chopsticks, and took out something carefully wrapped in a handkerchief from the bag she carried with her. "I brought some small gifts for everyone this time."
Instantly, all the children's eyes were drawn over, filled with anticipation.
Under everyone's expectant gaze, Nonō smiled. She first took out some small handicrafts with exotic styles from the package and gave them to Yumi and Ayumi, eliciting cheers from them.
For Miyamoto Ichirō, it was a set of practical woodworking tools. For Uesugi Min, it was a book recording plant illustrations from various places. Clearly, thought had been put into them.
Finally, her gaze turned to Sora and Kabuto, who was sitting quietly in the corner.
She first took out a brand new medical kit and handed it to Kabuto, saying gently,
"Kabuto, this is for you. I heard you are working very hard to learn medical knowledge. This should be useful."
Kabuto received it somewhat flattered, his small face slightly red, and nodded hard.
"Thank you, Nonō nee-chan."
Then, Nonō's hand reached into the very bottom of the package and took out an ancient-looking, dark-colored scroll.
The scroll's material was a specially treated animal hide, cool to the touch. It had no labels on it, yet it faintly emitted a sharp aura.
She handed the scroll to Sora.
"Sora, this… is for you."
Sora took the scroll. It felt heavy in his hand, not just a physical weight, but more a sense of power contained within it.
His heart stirred slightly, vaguely having a certain guess.
Slowly unrolling the scroll, several sharp and overbearing characters at the beginning instantly came into view.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Even with Sora's steady temperament, his pupils at this moment contracted slightly.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
This was the secret, non-transmitted technique of the Raikage lineage of Kumogakure. It was a terrifying secret technique that could greatly activate the body's cells, elevate taijutsu and speed to the extreme, and even withstand a Tailed Beast Ball.
It was the supreme taijutsu secret art that only successive generations of Raikage and their successors were qualified to learn and master.
Sora abruptly looked up at Nonō.
Nonō's face wore a gentle, even somewhat careful smile, as if observing his reaction.
'She did this for me…' Sora immediately understood.
Nonō knew deeply that he had insufficient chakra from a young age, his path in ninjutsu was almost cut off, and he could only focus on taijutsu.
And this scroll was undoubtedly one of the top-tier inheritances that could unleash the power of taijutsu to its utmost.
She must have exhausted her efforts, even risking her life, to obtain this for him.
Considering the time she was away and the origin of this scroll, Sora was certain that Nonō had most likely spent these past nearly seven years lurking in the perilous Land of Lightning.
Kumogakure was heavily guarded, and the Raikage's secret techniques were kept under strict protection.
What kind of price would have to be paid to obtain it.
Infiltration, disguise, theft. Each step was walking on the edge of a blade.
Nonō being able to return alive was itself a miracle.
And the more dangers and hardships hidden behind this scroll probably far exceeded his imagination.
Sora could even imagine that for this scroll, Nonō might have lingered on the brink of life and death more than once.
A mix of emotion, heartache, and surging anger churned in Sora's chest.
Moved by everything Nonō had done for him. Heartache for the hardships she had endured these years. Anger at the root that forced her to carry out such missions.
Shimura Danzo and that damned "Root".
Sora took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his churning emotions, and looked calmly at Nonō.
"Sis, thank you. This gift is too precious."
Nonō saw the shock and understanding in Sora's eyes, knowing he understood the weight of this gift and the meaning behind it.
She shook her head, reached out to gently straighten Sora's collar, and said softly,
"We are family. There is no need to say thank you. As long as it is useful to you, that is good."
Family.
Sora silently repeated these three words, the determination to protect in his heart growing even firmer.
Dinner ended in a warm atmosphere. The old Director, lacking energy, was soon helped back to his room to rest.
Miyamoto Ichirō and Uesugi Min were responsible for cleaning up.
Yumi and Ayumi, the two little girls, completely latched onto Nonō, clinging to her arm and refusing to let go, chattering about their longing over the past few years. In the end, they even clamored that they must sleep with Nonō nee-chan tonight.
Nonō, having no way to handle their pestering, could only laugh and agree.
She gave Sora a somewhat apologetic glance. Sora just slightly shook his head, signaling her to go and accompany the two little girls without worry.
Watching Nonō being surrounded by the two little girls back to the room, the door closing, and sounds of laughter and play coming from inside, Sora stood in place for a while.
He did not return to his own room. Instead, he turned and silently left the orphanage, his figure merging into the night of Konoha.
Moments later, Sora appeared behind the orphanage, at that hidden training ground where he often trained alone.
Sora sat cross-legged on a large rock and once again slowly unrolled that heavy scroll.
The detailed training method for Lightning Release Chakra Mode clearly appeared before him.
"Activate cells throughout the body with Lightning Release chakra, stimulating terrifying speed and defensive power…"
Sora murmured to himself.
This secret technique was practically tailor-made for him.
Once mastered, his speed, strength, and defense would all undergo a qualitative leap.
It could even compensate for the gap between him and those ninja renowned for their speed, such as Namikaze Minato and the Third Raikage.
Without further hesitation.
Sora closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his body.
He mobilized the chakra within his body and, following the route recorded on the scroll, began to attempt to guide the nature transformation, converting it into the fierce Lightning Release chakra.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📖 Like the story? Read 120 chapters ahead!
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━