Ripples Brought by the Little Butterfly

She wasn't exuding the overwhelming presence or the world-dominating aura one might expect. Instead, she was just a very ordinary old woman, sitting by the bedside.

Her aged face was covered in wrinkles. The Uzumaki Clan's signature vibrant, blood-red hair had lost its luster, appearing dull and lifeless. Only the old woman's smile was incredibly warm, like sunlight that could penetrate the heart, making people relax involuntarily.

"Grandma, I've brought him," Kushina said.

Although Tsunade lowered her voice, her tone was still unusually high-pitched.

"Great-Grand Aunt."

Kushina, holding Katsuki's hand, greeted the elder with a crisp voice.

Speaking of which, one had to marvel. These two siblings and this elder were true relatives. Their great-grandfather was this elder's own brother. By that calculation, they were the elder's fourth-generation descendants, one generation junior to Tsunade.

Upon hearing the greeting, the old woman's expression flickered. She looked at the fair-skinned, delicate girl and the slightly timid boy before her, her lips curving slightly.

"You're both good children... What are your names?" The old woman bent down and gently patted Kushina's head.

The same question was asked, just as it had been in the Hokage Building. Kushina stepped forward, while Katsuki widened his eyes and put on a cute act beside her.

"Tsunade, go set the table. Kushina and little Katsuki haven't had dinner yet. Children are growing, they need to eat on time... And Nawaki should be back by now, right?" After a few simple questions, the old woman didn't say any more. Instead, she urged the siblings to eat, which immediately earned her Katsuki's favor.

After a long day, they had only eaten dry rations with Sakumo at noon. The taste wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't good. By now, his stomach was long empty, but unfortunately, he was in an unfamiliar place.

"That brat is probably off playing again. Ninja Academy classes are long over by now." Mentioning her brother, Tsunade couldn't help but smile. Although she grumbled, anyone could see the doting affection in her words.

Nawaki still hadn't shown up by the time they finished eating.

That night, the siblings stayed at the Senju residence.

This night was destined to be anything but peaceful. The Uzumaki Clan's arrival in Konohagakure was not concealed by Sakumo. It was only a matter of time before they would be brought into the spotlight. The matter of the Jinchuriki handover was currently being handled by Hiruzen, but that didn't stop intelligent people from speculating. Considering Mito-sama's advanced age, it wasn't hard to draw a conclusion.

"Hmph, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... Let them do as they please. We won't interfere in this matter. Danzo, that mad dog, has been keeping an eye on us." A middle-aged man, whose clothes were embroidered with a Gunbai, tossed down a report.

"That damned mad dog."

"Why didn't he die on the battlefield..."

Mentioning the mad dog's name, the Uchiha Elders spewed insults like commoners in the marketplace, shamelessly cursing Danzo's entire immediate family. As for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, heavens, what would they want with that?

The Senju and Uchiha had jointly established Konohagakure. The two great clans were the uncrowned kings of Konoha. However, their good fortune didn't last long. The incident with Madara Uchiha dealt a heavy blow to the Uchiha Clan. The once glorious Uchiha Clan faced suppression from all sides and had to endure in silence. After finally surviving that difficult period, who would want to stir up more trouble for themselves!

Even now, Danzo, that mad dog, was still fixated on the Uchiha, viewing them as a thorn in his side that he couldn't wait to remove. There had been countless covert and overt conflicts between them. If Hiruzen hadn't kept them in check, they would have surely fought to the death.

The Uchiha Elders customarily cursed Danzo's direct relatives during clan meetings, while Danzo, in turn, cursed the Uchiha, whom he considered naturally insane, in front of his confidants. At the same time, he pondered whether to use the Uzumaki Clan to set a trap for the Uchiha.

At this time, Danzo's Root was just a hastily assembled group, far from the formidable force it would later become. After all, Hiruzen was currently at the peak of his power, managing the entire village like an impenetrable fortress, giving Danzo no opportunity to develop.

The leaders of Konoha's various factions, big and small, stayed up all night, contemplating the potential impact of the Uzumaki Clan's arrival on their own factions and preparing countermeasures.

The siblings were completely unaware of all this. Exhausted and sleepy, they fell asleep as soon as they got into bed after their bath and slept until dawn.

"Katsuki, can we... never go back?"

"...Yeah, we can't go back."

The gentle yet slightly piercing morning sun filtered through the window, casting pale golden light spots on the dining table. A hint of melancholy touched the girl's profile.

Katsuki silently chewed on his bread. Although the Senju residence was entirely Japanese in style, breakfast was Western. But considering the peculiar technological paths the Ninja World had taken, with radio technology developed yet travel still reliant on walking, there were countless oddities, so he took it in stride.

He had no words to comfort his sister's sadness. The Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, and they would likely be rooted in Konoha for the rest of their lives.

Rather than dwelling on that, it was better to think about what to do in the future. Kushina didn't know, but he knew that one of them would inevitably become a Jinchuriki. He desperately hoped Kushina wouldn't be the one, as her future tragedy stemmed from her identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Although he, a small butterfly that shouldn't exist, had appeared, if there was a chance to nip the danger in the bud, there was no reason not to act.

Furthermore, being unilaterally toyed with by Mist Ninja had left a profound impact on him. Ever since he understood where he was, he had diligently trained. But when cold shuriken tore through the skin of his chest, and he tasted the despair that seeped into his bones, he truly felt how pathetic it was to be without strength.

For the first time, he genuinely craved power. He had never desired strength so much before.

And to put it bluntly, he possessed the potential to become stronger. He had the powerful bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan, coupled with the Hito Hito no Mi, such a peculiar cheat. As long as he could unlock this potential, becoming a powerhouse was not impossible.

"Sis, hurry up and eat. After we finish, we'll go see Great-Grand Aunt. As long as we're still here, the Uzumaki Clan is still here. And what is home if not people?" Katsuki took a fierce bite of his bread, his cheeks puffed out as he spoke.

Kushina looked up in surprise, her eyes wide as she gazed at Katsuki. Seeing her energetic younger brother, she couldn't help but curve her lips.

"Katsuki, your words are getting sweeter and sweeter. You speak so eloquently! Your sister isn't at a point where you need to lecture me yet."