Hoshiryu Uchiha Made a Big Splash

At this moment, the sky had already darkened.

Night began to fall over Konoha, and stars started to appear along the horizon.

With the smiling-face firework appearing first, one firework after another began rising into the sky.

Brilliant fireworks blossomed overhead, like flowers of every color blooming across the heavens.

Some were red like fiery fireflies, some blue like stars in the night sky, and some golden like sunlight spilling across the earth.

Those dazzling sparks danced through the air like spirits leaping in the night sky, breathtakingly beautiful.

Tsunade watched in complete fascination. She had never seen such a beautiful fireworks display.

Especially the firework modeled after her—it was impossible for her to look away.

Finally, the fireworks display reached its climax.

The fireworks burst brilliantly, transforming into a long, colorful dragon that wound across the sky and radiated a dazzling light.

At last, amid Tsunade's reluctance, the fireworks slowly faded away.

And the gloom in her heart vanished along with them.

The ANBU arrived at this time as well. Just as they were about to step forward and question them, Yosuke Senju rushed over and stopped them all.

With a wry smile, he began explaining, at least preventing Tsunade and Hoshiryu Uchiha from being disturbed.

At Tsunade's age, she still did not understand what love was, but this scene had already been deeply branded into her heart.

One day, it would take root and sprout.

Hoshiryu Uchiha merely watched Tsunade quietly, watching the light return to her eyes.

It made him breathe a sigh of relief.

In Hoshiryu Uchiha's previous life, he had liked Tsunade's character very much.

Though reality and fiction would always differ, he liked this little Tsunade too.

Of course, it was only the kind of affection one had for a little sister. Tsunade was still far too young.

(Surely no one could really fall in love with a six-year-old child, right? They couldn't, right?)

Perhaps that affection would change in the future, but definitely not now.

So when he had seen Tsunade looking like that earlier, Hoshiryu Uchiha had been very worried.

He was afraid that he had influenced Tsunade, turning her from a cheerful, beautiful girl into a melancholy young woman. That would have been his sin.

Fortunately, Tsunade had now returned to her old self.

Hoshiryu Uchiha secretly sighed in relief. Thinking of Tsunade's expression when she had gone from delighted to disappointed upon hearing about the fireworks, he teased her.

"How were those fireworks? Did they count as a surprise?"

Hearing that, Tsunade snapped out of her absorption in the beauty of the fireworks.

Her little face reddened. Then, forcing down her embarrassment, she answered with a stern face.

"Hmph. I'll say you passed."

After saying that, Tsunade hurriedly turned around, unwilling to let Hoshiryu Uchiha see how red her face was about to become.

Hoshiryu Uchiha knew that if he kept pushing, he would be courting death.

He smiled and stopped staring at Tsunade, turning his gaze toward Yosuke Senju.

Yosuke Senju noticed Hoshiryu Uchiha's gaze as well. While explaining things to the ANBU, he suddenly gave him a thumbs-up.

After quite a while, once Yosuke Senju had fooled the ANBU and sent them away,

he made a gesture for Hoshiryu Uchiha to head home, then vanished. It was impossible to tell whether he had left or hidden himself in the darkness.

Tsunade had also sorted out her embarrassed feelings. She looked at Hoshiryu Uchiha with a face full of curiosity.

Once she had shaken off that complicated yet blissful feeling, Tsunade's clever mind returned.

So now, she was very curious about how Hoshiryu Uchiha had released fireworks she had never seen before.

After all, one of those fireworks had even taken the shape of her.

That naturally piqued Tsunade's curiosity.

When there was something she was curious about, Tsunade naturally asked openly.

"Hoshiryu, where did you get those fireworks?"

Where had the fireworks come from? Naturally, he could not tell Tsunade that.

After all, this was the ability of Hoshiryu Uchiha's Mangekyo Brahma Flame, combined with the nature and shape transformations of Fire Style.

The differently colored fireworks were actually the flame-color reactions of flames at different temperatures.

Combined with the Mangekyo's ability to control fire, they formed all kinds of patterns.

All of that came together to create this fireworks display.

This fireworks display had attracted far more than just the ANBU.

Only Tsunade did not understand; the fireworks had actually frightened quite a few people.

At the time, the Third Hokage had been working overtime in his office. He habitually took out his pipe and was just about to light it.

The next second, a massive amount of Chakra gathered above Konoha and formed fireworks.

Startled by the sudden development, his hand trembled, and even the match he was holding fell to the floor.

And it was not just the Third Hokage. Similar scenes played out throughout Konoha.

Most of them involved ninja with some degree of sensory ability.

As for why no one besides the ANBU had come, that was thanks to Mito Uzumaki.

With the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, she immediately realized that Hoshiryu Uchiha had made a huge splash.

She put down the bowl in her hand and rushed to the Hokage Tower at top speed.

After explaining matters to Hiruzen Sarutobi, she used the Hokage to relay the message to everyone in Konoha.

The explanation was this: It was a misunderstanding. Mito Uzumaki had set off those fireworks for Tsunade to play with.

The perfunctory attitude behind such a clumsy excuse was obvious.

Other than frightening some sensory ninja, the fireworks had not caused even the slightest loss.

Those without sensory abilities, on the other hand, were quite happy.

At this time of year, fireworks could only be seen during festivals.

So most people even felt somewhat grateful to Mito Uzumaki.

They thanked her for adding some festive cheer to a somewhat sorrowful Konoha.

It eased the pain in people's hearts brought about by the war.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not among those grateful people.

As the Hokage of a village, even a fireworks display like the one in that excuse was supposed to be reported to him.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, Mito Uzumaki's excuses were undoubtedly a sign that she did not take him seriously.

But because of Mito Uzumaki's status, prestige, and strength,

he could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger.

Though Mito Uzumaki had not considered it from that angle,

as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, she sensed that the hostility Hiruzen Sarutobi felt toward her had increased.

She frowned, looked at the expressionless Sarutobi before her, and sighed.

"Hiruzen, this time, I was in the wrong. This old woman apologizes to you."

Only after hearing that did Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression ease somewhat, though the resentment in his heart did not lessen in the slightest.

Naturally, that did not escape Mito Uzumaki's senses.

She had taken responsibility for the matter only to ensure that information about Hoshiryu Uchiha would not be leaked.

Strictly speaking, Hoshiryu Uchiha had indeed been in the wrong.

But before the matter could escalate, Mito Uzumaki had promptly offered an explanation, and in the end, it had not caused any major impact.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, was so petty and narrow-minded, that was what would truly be frightening.

Because he would grow jealous of the worthy and suppress the capable, refusing to let the next generation rise.

And it was not a good thing for him to hold hostility toward the village's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki either.

Mito Uzumaki felt somewhat saddened.

She understood that the Little Monkey from before would never return.

But what she did not understand was that power was a sharp weapon that twisted people.

Though some people could remain true to themselves in the face of power, Hiruzen Sarutobi was clearly not one of them.