That sure was a brutal beating.
"It hurts, it hurts~"
Naruto was too busy crying about the pain to notice Hinata grinning from ear to ear.
Perhaps this was how the opportunity for the two childhood friends to grow close would begin.
Their daily lives continued on blandly like this, seeming as though they would go on and on forever.
Under the long years of peace, even time itself seemed to have nearly come to a stop. The road ahead was so smooth that one could see it all the way to the end, and even its shape had become clear.
Happiness, security, no hatred or slaughter.
Peaceful as water.
Under Tsunade's leadership, people lived stable lives, each performing their own duties and minding their own place.
Things were different now. A blacksmith's son didn't have to become a blacksmith.
A ninja's son didn't necessarily have to become a ninja.
They were completely free to choose what kind of person they wanted to become.
Even if they were so lazy that they wanted to lie flat and fight for nothing, it didn't matter.
Mimi didn't mind giving such people a bite to eat.
At this moment, all they needed to do was enjoy this peace, as well as the relaxation and peace of mind within it.
Mimi watched everything before her at ease. This world she had created was just like the world of her childhood; she seemed both very close to it and far away, watching everything from afar.
From those terrible scenes she had witnessed with her own eyes, everything was gradually becoming better.
Children ran freely along the seemingly endless field ridges in the countryside, accompanied by the melodious songs of birds and insects.
Between classes, the clear sounds of children reading seemed to serve as an