The next morning, Shisui made his way through the heart of Hanagakure. Despite its beauty and floral scent, the shinobi here carried themselves like seasoned warriors.
He arrived at the central tower, the Hanakage's Spire, where the village's leader awaited.
The Hanakage, an elder shinobi with a regal bearing and a crown of braided white hair entwined with blooming vines, offered a firm nod.
"Shisui Morinaka," he said, voice steady like flowing water. "You come as Daimyō's son, but here, you earn your place as one of us."
He stood and walked to a ceremonial table. Upon it lay a headband—a black cloth bearing a five-petaled flower crest, its center housing a kunai. The emblem of Hanagakure.
"This is yours now," the Hanakage said, offering it to Shisui. "You are officially a shinobi of the Hidden Bloom Village."
Shisui accepted the headband with quiet reverence.
"I'm assigning you to Team Nine," the Hanakage continued. "Your teammates will be revealed soon, but know this—your team leader is Kaien Yuuro, a veteran of the Bloom Wars and master of Arch Energy disguise arts. Learn from him well."
Later, as Shisui left the tower, headband tied tightly around his forehead, a breeze rustled the petals that blanketed the village. He was no longer just a noble. He was a shinobi now.
And the bloom of destiny had only begun to open.