Kushina Uzumaki The Sage Of The Yuri Path

In the dead of night, the Kamizuki household was silent save for the faint creak of wood and the soft snores from the room below. But up in the nursery, things were far from quiet—at least in the mind of Raven Kamizuki, formerly known as Kushina Uzumaki. Standing in the dim light of her room, Raven flexed her tiny hands and grinned as she stared at the hundred-pound boulder Yuumi had brought her earlier.

"Well," she thought, steadying herself, "here goes nothing." With a determined grunt, she bent her knees, gripped the boulder, and hoisted it off the ground. Her arms trembled, but the stone lifted higher until it was above her head.

"Not bad for a baby, right?" she muttered to herself, smirking.

Psych! Let's be real—babies don't lift boulders. Raven's Shadow Clone did all the work while she sat on the floor, meditating and drawing Nature Chakra. Still, the image of a one-month-old hefting a massive rock was enough to make Yuumi chuckle from her perch in the shadows.

"I'd say you're getting ahead of yourself," the fox teased, her silver tails flicking. "But your reserves are coming along nicely. You're at two-thirds of a Kakashi now."

Raven sighed. "You keep saying that, but I still don't know why he's the universal unit of chakra measurement."

Yuumi grinned slyly. "A mystery for another day, my dear Kushina. Now focus—your transformation jutsu needs work if you're planning to visit Mikoto tonight."

Disguised as a five-year-old girl with white hair and soft violet eyes, Raven wandered the quiet streets of the Uchiha district, her transformation jutsu cloaking her true form. She kept her steps light, her eyes scanning the compound for signs of Mikoto.

Ahead, she spotted a lone figure walking under the moonlight, her hand resting on her growing belly. Mikoto Uchiha's expression was serene but tinged with sadness, her movements slower than usual.

Raven hesitated for a moment, then approached carefully. "Excuse me," she said softly, her voice carrying just enough innocence to disarm suspicion. "Are you okay?"

Mikoto stopped, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the small girl with white hair and an otherworldly calmness. "Oh, hello. I'm fine, thank you," she said, though her tone betrayed a hint of weariness.

"You don't look fine," Raven said, tilting her head with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry if that's rude. My mom says I'm too honest sometimes."

Mikoto blinked, surprised by the straightforwardness. "You're quite observant for someone so young. What's your name?"

Raven hesitated briefly, then smiled wider. "My name's Raven. I was out for a walk and saw you. You seemed… like you could use some company."

Mikoto chuckled softly, though there was a bittersweet edge to it. "That's kind of you, Raven. I guess I do feel a little… heavy tonight."

Raven tilted her head. "Heavy like sad?"

Mikoto paused, glancing at the moon as if searching for the right words. "Something like that. My husband is… under a lot of pressure. The clan depends on him, and the village isn't making things any easier. He's trying his best, but it's been… difficult. It puts a strain on us."

Raven's chest tightened. She hadn't expected Mikoto to open up so quickly, but there was something genuine in her tone, something raw. "That sounds really hard," she said quietly. "Sometimes people who care about a lot of things forget to care about the people closest to them."

Mikoto sighed, her fingers brushing her belly protectively. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. You're just a child, but… you have this way about you. Like I can talk to you."

Raven smiled warmly. "Maybe you just needed someone to listen."

Mikoto nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Maybe I did."

Raven's violet eyes sparkled mischievously as she crossed her arms in mock seriousness. "I think I have some advice."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow, curious despite herself. "Oh? What advice could a little girl like you have for me?"

"Simple," Raven said, her tone turning sage-like. "After you have your baby, join the free love revolution."

Mikoto blinked, baffled. "The… what?"

Raven gestured dramatically, her white hair catching the moonlight. "The revolution of strong, independent women who don't need sourpuss husbands or kids who probably won't appreciate them!"

Mikoto stared at her, her lips parting in disbelief before a small laugh escaped. "You're… an interesting one, Raven."

"Think about it," Raven pressed, a playful grin on her face. "You could be happy without all this pressure. You could live for yourself for a change."

Mikoto shook her head, still laughing softly. "You're full of strange ideas. But… I appreciate the sentiment."

"I'm just saying," Raven said with a shrug, "you're stronger than you think. And you deserve to be happy."

Mikoto's laughter faded into a warm smile, her eyes softening as she looked at the strange little girl before her. "Thank you, Raven. You've brightened my night."

Raven beamed. "Anytime, sister Mikoto."

Back at the Crusty Kunai, Hajime Kamizuki wandered into the nursery with a yawn. He peered into the crib, smiling at the sight of his daughter's Shadow Clone sleeping soundly.

"You've got her mother's fire," he murmured softly, stroking his beard. "But your soul feels… ancient. Like you've walked this world before."

The clone stirred slightly, causing Hajime to chuckle. "Ah, little Raven. You're going to do great things, aren't you? Just don't grow up too fast. Your mother and I want to savor these moments."

He sat down in the rocking chair by the crib, his gaze distant. "Your mother and I… we weren't sure we could love again after losing her. But then you came along. A second chance, I suppose. Life's funny that way."

For a moment, the weight of his words hung heavy in the room. Then, as if on cue, he twirled his beard dramatically and declared, "Ah, but such is the nature of existence. A crust of sorrow, a sauce of joy, and toppings of mystery."

The clone remained still, but if it could roll its eyes, it would have.

After bidding Mikoto a cheerful goodbye, Raven made her way back home, her mind buzzing with thoughts. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place—Danzo's manipulations, the growing tensions with the Uchiha, and the subtle signs of trouble brewing.

As Raven slipped back into her room and dispelled her Shadow Clone, she reflected on her conversation with Mikoto. Her words had been playful, even cheeky, but the look on Mikoto's face told her they had struck a chord.

"You're playing with fire," Yuumi said softly, her silver form materializing beside Raven. "Encouraging her to leave the clan?"

"I'm not telling her to start a revolution," Raven replied, smirking. "Just… planting seeds. She deserves better than Fugaku."

Yuumi's tails flicked thoughtfully. "Fair enough. But remember, there are bigger battles ahead. Keep your focus."

Raven nodded, her expression growing serious. "I know. Danzo, Root, the Uchiha… it's all connected. I'll be ready to make my move when the time comes Mikoto is only one of my many concerns I still have to deal with the Nine-Tails attack in a few months time Kurama will use that as an opportunity to act but I won't involve myself in that mess to much let fate take its course on that night I have another target in mind."

Join my patreon today to read up to chapter 16 in advance your support makes my work possible so thank you.

patreon.com/everstone