Twenty Years Later, Far Away Where Friends and Family Have All Perished

Minato Namikaze pondered for a moment, then looked up and tentatively asked.

"Have we met somewhere before?"

"No."

"Well, thank you for getting me out of that predicament," Minato Namikaze said with a smile, casually circling around a couple of times, probably feeling that his injuries were no longer a big deal.

"No need, I know you, Konohagakure's..." Naruto always felt uncomfortable being with Minato Namikaze, as if ants were crawling all over his body.

Saying something as shameful as "Yellow Flash" to someone's face feels so damn weird.

After hesitating for a long time, Naruto still couldn't say it.

Minato Namikaze.

"Uh, right, Minato Namikaze." Naruto scratched his head, a little embarrassed, but he had to return to Konohagakure and sort out the matter of the data.

"Is there something troubling you?" Minato Namikaze noticed that Naruto had something to say, so he took the initiative to inquire, since he still owed Naruto a favor.

"Um, I have an old friend in Konohagakure." Naruto hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth. "I want to see her, but I don't want to enter Konohagakure because..."

He said half of it, Minato Namikaze filled in the other half in his mind.

With that kind of strength, entering Konohagakure at will is definitely impossible. However, if one simply wants to meet someone insignificant in Konohagakure, that's no problem.

"So, who is the person you want to see?" Minato Namikaze asked.

"Beihiko, can you bring him out?" Naruto replied, thinking to himself that Minato Namikaze would definitely not know Beihiko, and he could sneak into Konohagakure along the way.

In front of intelligent people, he habitually tells half the truth and half the lie to confuse them.

Minato Namikaze thought it over and confirmed that he didn't know him, but he didn't completely agree. He just said he would go back and ask him how to contact him then.

"I'll wait in that town outside Konohagakure, regardless of whether there's any news or not."

Minato Namikaze: "Hmm"

He felt something was off, but then he thought the mission was more important and he didn't have time to dwell on it. He nodded and said to Naruto.

"I've got it, I'll get back to you."

After saying that, the innocent Konohagakure's Little Sun Minato Namikaze, left in an instant. Naruto stood there for a moment, then walked off in another direction.

Three days later, Naruto secretly infiltrated Konohagakure.

The village's defenses have visibly loosened considerably, likely due to what happened a few days ago. The candidate for Konohagakure's next Hokage was nearly killed by Root Ninja.

Danzo's plan, though meticulously planned, had its flaws, and he cannot escape blame.

As for the attitudes of the Third Hokage and those old guys in the higher-ups, Naruto didn't care, but he knew that this was probably the most chaotic time in Konohagakure.

The Root's movements will be restricted for a short time, allowing him to easily infiltrate. He won't even need to disguise himself; a simple change of clothes will suffice.

He hid in secluded spots during the day, and Nohara Nao's house wasn't far from where he was hiding. It wasn't dark yet, so he could only wait.

Meanwhile, Nohara Nao had already learned yesterday that the entire Team 17 had perished in battle. Because the mission was conducted deep behind Sand's lines, they hadn't even been able to retrieve the bodies.

She was in a daze all day yesterday and still felt listless when she woke up this morning. The people in the Medical Unit probably knew that she belonged to Team 17) before she was officially promoted, so they took the initiative to help her with some tasks.

The leak of information hasn't even broken out yet, but the whole village is already in turmoil because of the affairs of the bigwigs. Anbu Ninja are leaping across rooftops, and the Uchiha security forces are arresting people everywhere.

Nohara Nao cried at noon after hearing about the horrific nature of the mission. Back home, the Root Ninja betrayed their comrades, and over a hundred Chunin were wiped out by the Sand elites while isolated and without support.

In this situation, rumors circulated that the person in question had returned injured. It's conceivable that even Jonin wouldn't have been able to escape such a predicament.

Her low mood lasted from morning until night. She barely ate anything all day, and her stomach didn't feel hungry. It wasn't until a colleague reminded her that she dragged her exhausted body home from get off work.

Konohagakure Street was somewhat deserted, but people were still walking home side by side. Lights shone from the buildings along the street, each family enjoying their own reunion.

She looked up and froze. The lights felt like a cat's paw, scratching at Nohara Nao's heart, a sharp pain beneath their cute exterior.

A few days ago, her room was lit up all night. Someone was sleeping next to her pillow, reuniting with her, and in a vague way, it felt like a little home.

Even though she was a very clear-headed and rational person, knowing that the man's intentions were impure and that it might all just be a dream, the sweetness and indulgence in reality always made her somewhat carried away.

With a click, she returned home, but didn't turn on the lights. Nohara Nao lay on the sofa, wondering if the dead also see only darkness.

Even though he lied to her, the thought of him saying he would come back made her tears fall uncontrollably. If he came back to find her, would he be unable to find his way?

Nohara Nao slowly turned on the lights, and the not-so-large living room now seemed so empty. In her moment of distraction, the door suddenly rang.

In the stillness of the night, the pounding on the door sounded so shrill. It was like a kettle being smashed on the floor, the sudden splash sending chills down one's spine.

"Who?" she asked hurriedly.

"Me." The other person's voice was deep, but it made Nohara Nao's heart skip a beat.

Even if the appearance is disguised, the voice won't change. No matter how many times she hears it, she won't be mistaken; that person has entered her life like a blade.

The rapid withdrawal from the relationship left her emotions fluctuating like a rollercoaster. She plummeted to the bottom, only to be swept back up again in a flash.

She only prayed that life wouldn't be so cruel to her; a glimmer of hope had risen in her heart, making her even more hesitant to open the door. The more she hoped, the more afraid she became of disappointment.

It felt like she had a bundle of thorns inside her, running wildly about. Amidst the ups and downs, her body suddenly felt weak, and she realized she hadn't eaten anything all day.

In the living room, Nohara Nao mustered all her strength to walk to the entryway and placed her hand on the doorknob. With a loud bang, the door was pulled open.

Naruto stood outside the door, Nohara Nao stared blankly at the unfamiliar face for a long while. Only when she saw the familiar height and familiar gaze did she burst into tears.

She was too weak to rush over; her legs gave way, and she sat down in the entryway, sobbing. A wave of heat completely choked her throat, and her nose stung as she cried uncontrollably.

Even though Nohara Nao covered her mouth, large tears still fell to the ground. An indescribable sadness and grievance welled up in her heart, and she just felt extremely uncomfortable.

All the emotions she had been holding back exploded, completely uncontrollable. She felt a pang of regret and wanted to stand up, not wanting him to laugh at her.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stand up until she saw Naruto close the door, squat down in front of her, and hug her small body.

"Why are you crying? You're back now, aren't you?"

As she fell into a warm embrace, Nohara Nao burst into uncontrollable sobs, her breathless cries making Naruto feel somewhat guilty.

If it weren't for Yamashiro Nobiyori's reminder, and he had just left like that, he would have been a real beast.

Nohara Nao trembled violently in his arms, burying her face in his shoulder and sobbing like a wronged child.

"I'm here every day," Nohara Nao said, her voice trembling with sobs; she could feel her shoulder getting wet with tears.

I'm worried about you.

"Every day... I try to convince myself." A burning sensation touched his shoulder; her hot breath, accompanied by sobs, hit Naruto's shoulder.

"You're not lying to me."

Naruto's shoulders were completely soaked. He felt a little guilty; he really hadn't planned to come back. If he hadn't known that the document would put Nohara Nao in danger, perhaps he would be...

Thinking this, he felt a pang of guilt. He felt a little suffocated, and listening to Nohara Nao's sobs was suffocating, yet he didn't know how to comfort her.

He originally only considered this a dream, intending to seize the data, use the Dragon Vein as a means to return, and leave nothing behind. Therefore, he acted recklessly, cold-bloodedly, and cruelly.

The reason he decided to approach Nohara Nao was partly for convenience, and partly because he felt that someone with her personality wouldn't care too much even if she was deceived.

Perhaps at most it will be considered a bad experience; after a few curses, it will be forgotten in a few days.

He never expected that Nohara Nao's personality would be so different. He thought that at most he could only leave a scar in her heart, but who knew that it would become an insurmountable chasm.

Some people are just passersby, like fleeting clouds. But some people will eventually become monuments, remaining ever new no matter how many years have passed.

"I haven't been able to live a normal life these past few days. I want to go see you."

His shoulder was damp, wet with tears. Starting from his shoulder, the tears spread downwards, as if the grievances had taken shape, turning into threads that hooked onto his heart.

"I can't stand staying here any longer." She sobbed, her body trembling as she leaned on Naruto's shoulder. "I want to be with you."

"Yeah, together, together," Naruto replied, following her lead.

Now I truly feel guilty. Thinking about it carefully, I realized I had completely fooled them. If they really didn't come back, how much merit would I lose? I might not even have enough merit left over, and I'd have to take some from Minato Namikaze.

In the entryway, the two embraced tightly. Naruto's emotions were slightly complicated, and the light above them seemed to hold new hope.

After crying, Nohara Nao realized she had overreacted and hid in Naruto's arms, refusing to look up. Smelling the familiar scent, she hugged him even tighter.

She wished time could stand still at this moment, that the light shining on them would forever remain bright. The brown shoe cabinet was somber, and the entryway fell silent.

Her breathing was heavy, and she rustled in Naruto's arms for a while before finally lifting her head, revealing half of her flushed face. Her breathing was very rapid and forceful.

Looking up at Naruto, she realized that this was what he looked like, and he was quite Nohara Nao blushed again.

"Is this what you were originally like?" she asked softly.

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

"Ah, I feel like I've seen this face somewhere before." After she finished speaking, she seemed afraid that Naruto would misunderstand, so she hurriedly added another sentence.

"It looks like someone I've seen before, it looks like... Minato."

Naruto was speechless for a moment, thinking to himself that this body was Minato Namikaze's gene, how could it not resemble him? It even erased Shanks from the Uzumaki Clan, what kind of dominant gene is this?

"The world is so big, it's inevitable to look alike; it's just a coincidence," he said.

"Oh, oh." Nohara Nao never imagined time travel, so she didn't think any further. "How did you survive?"

"You'll find out later. For now, all I need to know is that that level of combat wouldn't cost me my life."

"I'll go get you some water," she said quickly, trying to stand up, but she fell to the ground.

Her stomach rumbled, Nohara Nao immediately clutched it, looking somewhat embarrassed. Her face flushed red to the roots of her neck, and she bit her lower lip, looking utterly ashamed.

Seeing this, Naruto smiled, picked her up, and placed her on the sofa. Then he put on a pink apron, paused for a moment, and went into the kitchen.

A few moments later, sounds came from the kitchen, and soon several dishes were ready. They quickly prepared a few quick meals, and the two ate quietly across the table.

"No matter what, it's good that you're back." Nohara Nao smiled happily, licking off the rice stuck to her lips.

"Well, it was a close call anyway," he replied.

After dinner, the two took turns showering, a silent agreement. Nohara Nao was wearing loose clothing, so even the slightest movement would cause her to blush.

Her face was flushed, and she walked barefoot on the floor, suppressing her anticipation as she urged Naruto to take a bath. The floorboards creaked softly as she moved.

In the middle of the night, Nohara Nao leaned close to Naruto and whispered a question.

"Stay? Just you and me."

"Hmm?" Naruto could feel her toes moving around in the blankets. "I'm not staying. This is the last time I'm coming back. I'll never come back to this place again."

Upon hearing this, Nohara Nao's face paled, and she tried to sit up, supporting herself with her hands. But her body went limp, and she realized that she was already exhausted.

"Then I'll go with you? Don't leave me behind."

"The place I'm going to is very far away."

"I'm not afraid of how far away you are." She held Naruto's hand, her voice trembling slightly, "You can't give me hope and then leave me in despair."

"I didn't mean that. I came back this time to take you with me." Naruto paused, reached out to comfort Nohara Nao, and then frowned again.

"But that place is very, very far away. You will lose all your friends, your family, and even everything you know."

"Huh? What place is that?" Nohara Nao asked in surprise, blinking her eyes. "Where is it, the Land of Water?"

This was the furthest distance she could imagine, spanning mountains and seas, the furthest being only the Land of Water.

"No, it's even further than that."

"Where?"

"Twenty years later."

I've been sanctioned, and bad luck has been piling up these past few days. I didn't have time to update today, so I'll postpone it until tomorrow, May 20th, to add more chapters.

What bad luck! These past few days have been filled with sending things.