Akiko Uzumaki

is a young kunoichi of the Blade Village. Formerly a kunoichi of the Konoha she left when her personal mentor renounced her ties with the village, moving into a role as a kunoichi of the whirlpool. While she was tempted to follow her teacher and become a member of Uzushio, she was encouraged by this Senjō to pursue her own path and find her own power. As such she left the village to travel, her journey took her to the village of Ei's gates, where she was welcomed by a growing Uzumaki population. Since then, she has become a part of the Academy taking the role of a chūnin instructor who specializes in ninjutsu, particularly nature transformation. As such, she is responsible for determining the nature of those who show an affinity towards a particular transformation before either training them or helping guide them. As such, she has become an important referral point within the village.