Reuniting with Tsunade

The night in Konoha Village was rather quiet.

The streetlights illuminated the streets, and the crowds gradually thinned out.

Shirou Emiya took Naruto Uzumaki for a leisurely stroll through the streets to aid digestion, making him feel as if he were with another little guy forty years ago.

Tap tap tap...

Naruto Uzumaki kicked at the pebbles under his feet.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had been secretly following behind them. He knew that Shirou Emiya couldn't possibly have any malicious intent; he was simply looking after the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Who is that kid?"

A woman's voice suddenly appeared beside Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, was startled and quickly turned around, his eyes widening as he saw Tsunade clenching her fists, and Tsunade standing awkwardly beside Jiraiya.

"Why are you back?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his two disciples in surprise.

"Didn't you send someone to tell us that he had returned to Konoha?"

Tsunade frowned and looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen in a different direction. She had rushed back to Konoha after receiving news that Shirou Emiya had appeared Konoha.

Even Jiraiya followed them back to the village.

When Tsunade returned to the village, she witnessed this scene.

The familiar scene on the street was so much like my childhood.

"That's Minato's son, Naruto."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's words caused a flicker of surprise to cross Tsunade and Jiraiya's faces simultaneously, prompting them to add, "He's also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki from the village—"

While not everyone knows about the relationship between Shirou Emiya and Nine-Tails, Tsunade, who has heard the story of Shirou Emiya and Nine-Tails since childhood, certainly does.

In this situation...

It's inevitable that Shirou Emiya would have some special feelings for Naruto Nine-Tails Jinchuriki Naruto Uzumaki.

"Minato's son, Naruto?"

A complex emotion flashed in Jiraiya's eyes as he searched for the Child of Prophecy would change the world, as mentioned by the Great Toad Sage. He rarely had time to pay attention to what was happening in Konoha.

"Good."

Sarutobi Hiruzen recounted an old story. "When Minato sacrificed himself, he sealed the Nine-Tails inside Naruto."

Just as the three of them were talking about the story of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Shirou Emiya escorted Naruto Uzumaki home before slowly turning around to look at the three of them at the street corner.

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a little embarrassed to keep hiding it any longer.

"I think I saw him when I was a child—"

Jiraiya couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

However, neither Sarutobi Hiruzen nor Tsunade paid attention to what he said.

Tsunade Earth Flow, her eyes fixed on Shirou Emiya not far away. She clenched her fist and then slowly opened it, greeting Shirou Emiya.

"It's been a long time, Lord Shirou."

Even though Tsunade knew she would definitely see Emiya Tsuchihara, she was still somewhat dazed when she actually saw him again after forty years.

This moment felt like a lifetime ago.

Even though Shirou Emiya had left many marks on her life, she could not match the emotions that surged within her when the person in front of her actually appeared before her.

This is her childhood.

As people experience more and more hardships on their path to adulthood, they will increasingly yearn for their carefree childhood, especially since her childhood experiences are enough to make anyone envious.

Even if.

This is her after she grew up.

"Has it been a long time?"

When Shirou Emiya saw Tsunade, he felt no emotion whatsoever; his brow furrowed slightly. "It wasn't long ago when we last met—."

"Forty years is a long enough time—"

Tsunade couldn't help but sigh. Forty years was enough time for her to grow from an innocent, naive girl into a mature and elegant woman.

"Not forty years."

"The last time we met was in the Land of Hot Springs."

Shirou Emiya had no choice but to remind Tsunade, bluntly pointing out her Tsunade: "You were drunk in a small tavern when I happened to be visiting Kakuzu's Orphanage, accompanying Kakuzu to collect a debt from you."

"That doesn't count!"

Tsunade's forehead twitched involuntarily.

Tsunade even looked a little embarrassed, because she had been too humiliated in front of Shirou Emiya that time. The feeling of being caught doing something shameful by her former elder was too strong!

But·

Shirou Emiya did not mean to blame her.

Even back then, he stroked her hair as if she were a child, like a kind elder embracing everything about her. Thinking about it made Tsunade feel even more ashamed.

After all, she knew that Shirou Emiya was not as unreliable as her Grandpa, but a true elder who could set an example.

The moonlight brightened.

The shadows on the street were gradually shortened by the light.

Tsunade followed closely behind Shirou Emiya, escorting him back to the resting place in Konoha where they had entertained distinguished guests.

He then began to recount some of the stories that followed.

"After you left"

"A lot happened in this world afterward."

"The Shinobi World War has broken out, and Sakumo- senpai has committed suicide."

"Grandmother has passed away, and Nawaki also died in the war—"

"I encountered that too—"

"From there we obtained the second Crystal Coffin you left behind—"

"When I left Konoha to travel the Shinobi World, I thought Orochimaru was reliable enough, so I entrusted the Crystal Coffin to his care. I never expected that he would steal the Crystal Coffin and even use the Impure World Reincarnation to revive you."

Just as all children in the world find a reliable parent after weathering a storm, Tsunade was finally able to confide in her about the vulnerable days she had experienced without any worries, and her mood gradually became more relaxed than ever before.

The heavy burden of these past years seemed to dissipate after being poured out.

Shirou Emiya's face remained unchanged, and he did not seem moved by Tsunade's experiences.

As if.-

It's as if there's no emotion at all.

Jiraiya, felt a pang of emotion. He knew about the painful past his friend had gone through, and some of it they had even experienced together.

But.·

It seems he has never been by Tsunade's side or listened to Tsunade inner thoughts. Perhaps it's because he always regarded Tsunade as a ninja with a strong heart, just like himself.

But why does Shirou Emiya seem to have no emotions?

Are those Impure World Reincarnation like the dead, devoid of emotion?

Just Jiraiya was feeling a pang of sadness listening to Tsunade's story, and also finding Shirou Emiya's behavior somewhat strange, he noticed that Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade seemed completely unfazed by Shirou Emiya's indifferent expression.

This is so weird!

They clearly seem to have a very close relationship!

Shirou Emiya listened quietly to Tsunade's story, then suddenly stopped and said softly, "The dessert shop should be closed by now, but Ichiraku Ramen is still open. Would you like me to take you there for ramen?"

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Tsunade's mood improved greatly. Remembering the rewards she received as a child, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. "I'm not a child anymore!"

"Then let's go eat barbecue."

Shirou Emiya nodded, as if acknowledging Tsunade's words.

"Okay—hahahaha—"

Tsunade's face was still beaming with unrestrained laughter, so much so that two lines of tears streamed down her cheeks. "Lord Shirou is still the same as before."

"Tsunade is different now."

Shirou Emiya calmly handed her a tissue, reached out to cover her forehead, and ruffled her hair. "There's something you didn't tell me just now. Tsunade has become the world's best medical ninja."

"Lord Shirou— "

Tsunade's cries became heart-wrenching.

In the quiet of the night, Tsunade cried out loud, her hands tightly gripping Emiya Tsuchihara's outstretched arm. She lowered her head, letting Shirou Emiya's hand cover her tear-streaked face, desperately trying to release all the pain she had endured over the years in this moment!

Jiraiya lowered his eyes slightly.

Now he could finally see that deep inside Shirou Emiya, despite his cold demeanor, lay a warmth that drew people in. He finally understood why Tsunade always missed Emiya Tsuchihara.

Even he felt like a little kid.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, with his pipe dangling from his lips, watched a wisp of smoke dissipate in the wind, and a hint of nostalgia for the past forty years lingered in his eyes.

At that time

No wars occurred.

I can still be a studious young man, following Emiya Tsuchihara and quietly listening to the teachings of a wise man.

How could someone like that possibly harm the Shinobi World? Madara Uchiha's plan shouldn't cause much trouble. If even Shirou Emiya approves of it, it shouldn't pose any threat to the Shinobi World, right?