Konoha Year 6, spring.
Uzumaki Clan cemetery.
Masahiko sighed, patted Hitomi on the shoulder as he wept quietly, then turned and left.
A few days ago, they had received word that Uzumaki Masahiro, the former Second Elder of the Uzumaki Clan, was critically ill. Masahiko and Hitomi had rushed back to the Uzumaki Clan, but they had still arrived too late.
Having just paid respects to Uzumaki Masahiro at the cemetery, Masahiko could not help feeling somewhat downcast.
Before he turned forty-eight, he and Uzumaki Masahiro had never gotten along, and had even been somewhat hostile toward each other. But after the Kaguya War, especially after taking Hitomi as his disciple, he had long since come to regard Uzumaki Masahiro as an old friend.
It was only upon returning to the Uzumaki Clan this time that he learned that, during his years in Konoha, the Uzumaki Clan's former First Elder and Third Elder had passed away one after another several years ago. Uzumaki Masahiro's death meant that Masahiko was now the only one left of his generation.
"A remnant of the era?"
Masahiko murmured to himself. Some of the children in the clan could already call him Great-Grandfather. That was a gap of five generations.
Returning to the Clan Head's Main Hall, which had been expanded time and time again, Masahiko looked at his eldest grandnephew, whose age showed plainly on his face, and smiled helplessly. "Eldest grandnephew, aren't you retiring yet? If I remember correctly, you're fifty-nine this year. You've been Clan Head for nearly thirty years. Haven't you had enough?"
The Clan Head raised his head and nodded. "Second Uncle, I'm planning to retire next year."
Masahiko froze for a moment. He had thought his eldest grandnephew truly intended to remain Clan Head until the day he died,