UCHIHA LIBERATOR (NARUTO X MALE UCHIHA OC)

Chapter 21

Ryuichi POV

Sitting on my hospital bed, I couldn't help but feel both excited and restless. Today was the day I was finally being discharged. After three long days stuck in this room, all I wanted was to step outside and do something.

Of course, there was a price to pay. Tsunade-sama had already told me about my condition—no chakra in my left hand for a year. A whole year. It felt like a lifetime. No jutsu requiring hand seals, no chakra-enhanced strikes with my left hand. My options for training were limited, but I still had my Shunshin, medical ninjutsu with my right hand, and my Sharingan to focus on. I'd make do. I had to.

Across from me, my parents sat in quiet tension. My mother, Mikoto, looked pale, and I'd already seen her sway once as Tsunade-sama explained my condition. She was trying to keep it together, but I could feel her distress as clearly as my own heartbeat. My father, Fugaku, looked stoic as always, but I could see the weight in his expression. For someone like him, even the faintest furrow of his brow spoke volumes.

After Tsunade-sama finished discussing my recovery plan, I stood from the bed, eager to leave. My body felt sluggish, but my resolve was anything but. As we exited the hospital, I waved back at Tsunade-sama. She gave me a small, encouraging smile before disappearing down the hall.

My father walked ahead, his expression distant, his mind clearly occupied with something heavy. My mother stayed by my side, her steps slow and deliberate as if she was bracing herself for the worst.

"Uh, I have to go meet with the Hokage today," I said, trying to break the uneasy silence. "Something about a reward for my recent mission."

Fugaku only nodded, barely acknowledging my words. His silence stung more than I cared to admit.

It was my mother who finally broke the quiet. Her voice was soft but laced with a raw vulnerability I rarely heard. "You know, Ryuichi, you don't have to be a shinobi."

I stopped in my tracks, her words hitting me harder than any kunai ever could. My father turned to her, his usual composure slipping just enough to reveal his surprise.

I looked at her, my heart heavy but my conviction stronger. "I'll never give up on being a shinobi, Mom," I said firmly. My voice didn't waver. "I made a promise—to myself and to the people I care about. I'll protect the ones I love, no matter what. And I won't let this... setback change that."

She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes glistening. Then, with a trembling smile, she reached out and gently ruffled my hair, just like she used to when I was little. "Go," she whispered, her voice warm but strained.

As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of her wiping away tears. My heart twisted in my chest. I had made my loved ones worry far too much, and I hated myself for it.

Walking away, I clenched my fists, determination burning in my chest. I'd become stronger—not just for me, but for them. I wouldn't let my weakness make them cry again.

-{0}-

3RD POV

The bond between Raiden and Mai grew stronger with each passing day, though neither spoke of it aloud. Raiden had come to see her as more than just a lost child; she was a glimmer of light in his otherwise desolate world. He marveled at her resilience, her quiet determination to bring life to the barren soil that had swallowed her mother's promise. Yet, despite the progress they'd made together, Raiden couldn't ignore the shadows that still lingered in Mai's heart.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ruined fields, Raiden sat beside Mai beneath the old oak tree. She was threading blades of grass together, her small hands deft and practiced. He watched her in silence, a question forming in his mind, one he had hesitated to ask for weeks.