ASFUCITWON Chapter 154: Meeting Ise

In front of the cannon, a man in his thirties sat on a long wooden bench, busy writing something on a piece of parchment.

The man's disheveled hair indicated that he hadn't slept well for the past few days.

The sound of the pen scratching filled the silence until the footsteps of Reiji caught the man's attention.

A faint smile appeared on Reiji's face.

"Look, you're not dead while I was gone, right?" Reiji said in a relaxed yet subtly sarcastic tone.

The man, Ise, immediately turned around.

His tired black eyes widened upon seeing who had arrived.

In an instant, Ise got up from his seat, his expression shifting to one of shock mixed with joy.

"Master! You're back!" Ise exclaimed enthusiastically.

Reiji chuckled softly.

"Of course I'm back. Did you think I would just disappear?" Reiji said, folding his arms across his chest.

"No! Not like that!" Ise quickly shook his head, then awkwardly scratched his head.

"It's just that I heard you went outside the village for fifteen days. I thought you would be gone even longer."

Reiji merely shrugged, then turned his gaze toward the giant cannon standing tall before them.

The chakra seals along its barrel emitted a faint glow, as if ready to unleash great destructive power at any moment.

However, instead of showing interest, Reiji turned around, preparing to leave.

Ise, seeing this, looked panicked.

"Huh? Don't you want to know the results of the Chakra Cannon, Master?" Ise asked hurriedly.

Reiji paused for a moment, turning with a flat expression.

"For what? If you really completed the Chakra Cannon in the fifteen days since I left, then I will give you a task that is far more difficult than this research."

Those words made Ise freeze in place.

Ise's jaw dropped slightly, and he could only scratch his head with an embarrassed expression.

"Hehe... well, actually, there are still a few refinements to be made..." Ise said in a quiet tone.

Seeing this, Reiji merely smiled slightly.

"Then, I'm leaving now," Reiji said casually before stepping out of the research building.

As soon as Reiji stepped outside, the cool night air welcomed him.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying the scent of salt from the sea not far from the village.

The night sky in Uzushio Village appeared clear, adorned with stars that sparkled like grains of jewels on a black canvas.

Reiji walked through the quiet village streets.

A few lanterns were still lit in the houses, casting a warm light along the cobblestone path.

The sound of waves crashing in the distance provided a soothing backdrop.

After a few minutes of walking, Reiji finally arrived in front of the Clan Leader's house.

The house was quite large, with a layered roof and dark red wooden walls.

Without hesitation, Reiji opened the door and stepped inside.

A woman who was tidying up some scrolls turned to look at Reiji.

The woman's gentle eyes widened in surprise upon seeing who had entered.

"Uhm? Reiji!" the woman exclaimed, her face filled with shock.

Reiji offered a warm smile. "Hello, Aunt Kasumi."

Kasumi quickly approached Reiji with hurried steps, a worried expression clearly visible on her face.

Without hesitation, Kasumi began to check Reiji's body, touching his shoulders, holding his face, even patting his arms as if to ensure he was unhurt.

"Oh my! Are you okay?" Kasumi asked with great concern.

Reiji chuckled softly. "I'm fine, Aunt Kasumi. I'm not hurt," Reiji said gently.

Kasumi looked at Reiji suspiciously. "Really?"

Reiji nodded. "Of course."

At that moment, the sound of another set of footsteps was heard.

A large man in casual clothing appeared from inside the room.