Looking at Each Other in Silence, with Nary a Tear to Shed

Konoha.

"Ninja Art: Throwing All Shuriken Outwards!"

Under the Pink Cherry Blossom Tree, a cute little girl with a chubby face is playing a ninja house game.

The so-called Shuriken are actually just piles of colorful plastic toys.

After she finished using her Ninjutsu, she proudly put her hands on her hips, seemingly imagining herself becoming a powerful figure in the world.

After a while, the chubby-faced girl squatted down and picked up the toys one by one with her chubby little hands.

"And so, Lady Kaoru became the new Hokage."

Lost in her reverie, the little girl didn't notice that a dark crack had appeared in the sky.

Cold, golden eyes were watching her intently, without blinking.

"Kaoru, it's time to come home for dinner."

Seeing her mother arrive, the chubby-faced boy clapped his hands, stood up, and, feigning seriousness, put his hands on his hips, saying in a narrator-like tone, "Even the Lord Hokage needs to eat!"

"... Alright, what would the future Lord Hokage like to eat?"

"I want to eat Peanut."

"Okay, let's go home and wash up first."

Holding her daughter's chubby little hand, Eri glanced back at the sky as they walked.

Is it just my imagination?

After many years, Kyosuke finally returned to his village.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it's only been 24 years since Konoha started; in terms of development, it might be even better than when the story began.

Although it's called a village, Konoha has long been the largest city in the Land of Fire, with a permanent population of hundreds of thousands and an estimated daily flow of over a million people.

In particular, Kyosuke has also formulated a plan to encourage childbirth, resulting in countless newborns being born every year.

It is estimated that by Konoha 60 years from now, the total population will reach at least one million.

At that time, the village may need to undergo another round of expansion, but of course, he doesn't need to worry about these issues.

The framework is already in place; don't be stupid like a pig and squander Konoha's entire fortune.

The streets were bustling with people, and Kyosuke blended in naturally. His Transformation Technique was something most people couldn't see through.

Huh?

As he walked, a huge statue suddenly caught his attention.

He looked up and examined it closely. On the imposing sculpture, there was none other than his own handsome face.

It's fine to carve your own image, but the problem isn't that they arranged for the Hokage Rock; why is there a sculpture at the village entrance?

Who makes two copies of this? Who came up with this stupid idea?

Below the statue, two lines of small characters are also engraved.

Where Konoha dance in the air, fire continues to burn.

[In remembrance of the great First Hokage, 'Uchiha Kyosuke'.]

"Yes, that's what I said." Kyosuke nodded seriously, completely ignoring the disdainful looks from those around him.

If it weren't for the fact that he didn't seem like an ordinary person, some well-meaning villagers might have already come up to lecture him.

In Konoha, you can insult anyone, but you can't say a bad word about the First Hokage.

What about the Second's 1001 nights, digging a well at the sister-in-law's house, and the three women's shared...?

In short, if you tell anyone, you'll be sent to the Anbu Interrogation Room. Even if you don't die, you'll remember it for the rest of your life.

Police Department?

Let's not even mention the idiots of the Senju Clan.

Sensing the gazes of those around him, Kyosuke shrank back and walked away dejectedly.

He strolled around the commercial street, got hungry, and ate at the food street. Surprisingly, he discovered that Ichiraku Ramen had already been established.

It's just a small storefront now, not even as good as it was at the beginning of the original story. You can only get takeout; there are no seats for dining.

Nevertheless, it will surely become an evergreen in Konoha in the future, as craftsmanship is always the most secure way to make a living.

Kyosuke ordered a bowl of the Daimyō ramen and squatted on the rooftop to eat, gazing intently into the distance as he ate.

There, there was a building shrouded in mist, and with his excellent hearing, he could even faintly hear the sound of flowing water.

[Konoha Winter Hot Spring Bathhouse.]

"The birth of yet another landmark building." Kyosuke stared intently and was surprised to find that the bathhouse was shrouded in a faint Barrier.

It has no other function than preventing peeping.

"... My intuition tells me that this is something Yayoi came up with."

Indeed, aside from her, who else but a woman would have thought of adding anti-peeping Barrier to the bathhouse?

Not to mention, she is a member of the Hyuga Clan.

"Sigh." Suddenly, a sigh caught Kyosuke's attention.

Looking down, I saw a man in his thirties also sighing as he gazed in the direction of the hot spring bath.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that the man is also holding a crystal Crystal Ball.

This person is none other than the adult version of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"... That little rascal is still up to his old tricks." With a faint smile, Kyosuke calmly left the rooftop.

Throughout the entire ordeal, the distracted Hiruzen failed to notice the presence of anyone else.

Kyosuke spent several hours wandering around every corner of the village, and even brought a jug of sake to visit Hashirama.

Finally, the time came for him to have to go home.

In fact, at this moment, a feeling called "fear of returning home" was affecting him, causing this invincible powerhouse to hesitate.

"Sigh, we have to face it eventually."

He wanted to buy a bouquet of flowers, but then he thought it was too tacky.

I doubt they'd like Ponytail either.

Suppressing his violently pounding heart, Kyosuke walked step by step toward home. His powerful senses allowed him to already know the scene he was about to face.

The very heart of Konoha, the residence of the First Hokage.

After their marriage, Yuto and Eri did not move out, as they were worried about leaving their mother alone at home.

Anyway, the courtyard is big enough that not only the three of them, but also Nagisa can live here after she gets married in the future.

Inside the courtyard, Eri held a Children’s Book, looking at the doll in front of her with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

Beside the wooden table, chubby Uchiha Kaoru's face was flushed, her little hands clenched into fists, and her arms unconsciously stretched backward.

It's clear the little guy is very angry.

"Waaaaah~~~" She kept unleashing Sound Release attacks on her mother, with remarkable effectiveness.

"I don't want to study, my mother is a big devil!"

"I want my daddy! Daddy, where are you? Waaaaah~"

Enduring wave after wave of jarring noise, Eri frowned in thought, wondering if she should give her daughter a complete childhood.

"Oh dear, why is our Little Cutie angry?" Uchiha Nagisa suddenly appeared out of nowhere and picked up the chubby boy who was crying with his head down.

Unwittingly, she helped her little niece escape a disaster.

Seeing that her mother wasn't pressuring her any further, Xiao Xun sniffled and looked at the Peanut on the table.

She's hungry.

"All you ever do is eat! You're practically a little fat pig now." Zhu chuckled as he hugged her, his heart filled with affection for his adorable little niece.

Seeing this, Eri sighed imperceptibly.

She had practically watched Nagisa grow up, and in her heart, she regarded her as a mischievous little sister.

Seeing that she was almost thirty and still had no intention of getting married, Eri felt anxious.

Unfortunately, there's no way around it. Being a ninja is an unpredictable job; every day is either carrying out missions or killing people, and many people don't want to have too many ties.

Having experienced the pain of losing a loved one, Nagisa doesn't want others to worry about her.

If I were to die in battle in the future, the psychological burden would be significantly reduced.

This is the true thought behind many ninjas who remain single their entire lives.

Holding the Little Cutie, she turned around, and her excellent senses told her that someone had just entered her front door.

As soon as she turned around, she and Eri froze on the spot.

"Father?!"

Uchiha Kaoru, who was secretly eating Peanut in her aunt's arms, suddenly found that her aunt's arm had loosened, and before she could react, she fell to the ground with a thud.

Wow~~~

The terrifying sound waves engulfed the two of them again, but this time even her mother couldn't care less about her.

Kyosuke, who had returned, smiled and picked up his wailing granddaughter.

Taking a few Peanut from the bowl successfully interrupted the little guy's Sound Release.

Looking at the two tear-streaked faces, Kyosuke revealed a gentle smile that only family members could show, "I'm back."

In the inner courtyard, the Ponytail Princess is hanging out laundry to dry.

In fact, given her status, she didn't need to work so hard; Mito was just used to keeping busy to pass the time.

As she hung up her granddaughter's Bed Sheet, Mito smiled and murmured, "The little one has finally stopped wetting the bed."

She reached out to pat the wrinkles in the bedding, but as she patted, her movements gradually slowed down.

Mito is an outstanding successor of the Uzumaki, and with Yayoi's help, she has awakened a very high level of Sage Body.

Therefore, her perception ability surpasses that of Karin Uzumaki in the future.

How could someone with Ponytail not know who the person reflected in the bedding is?

He reached out to help her tidy the bedding. Neither of them spoke, but their eyes were locked on each other.

Her appearance remains as beautiful as ever; time seems to have left no trace on her face.

In truth, we must thank Goddess Kaguya for her gift.

My son has grown up and become a strong person who can stand on his own.

His daughter is also very outstanding; she is now one of Konoha's top ninjas.

Kyosuke felt no guilt towards his children, but he felt a deep sense of apology towards the Ponytail.

A long time...

A tear slid down her cheek, Mito's movements slowed, and her gaze softened more than ever before.

He's back.

It wasn't a midnight dream, nor was it her unfounded delusion.

The Ponytail truly conveys that Kyosuke is back.

He reached out and wiped away his wife's tears, Kyosuke embraced her, his resolve as unwavering as when he stormed the Land of Whirlpools to marry her.

This time, he will never let go again.

The two did not exchange any words from beginning to end, because anything they said would have seemed empty and boring.

Ten years have passed, and we are separated by life and death. I try not to think of you, but I cannot forget you.

They gazed at each other speechlessly, only tears streaming down their faces.

That evening, the whole family celebrated Kyosuke's return.

The adorable Xiao Xun sat on her grandfather's lap, staring intently at Kyosuke with great curiosity.

His affection for his little granddaughter was evident in his words.

Xiao Xun is different from Nagisa back then; the latter is as delicate as a porcelain doll, making her irresistible to look at.

As for her, with her chubby figure and round face, she has a kind of adorable, goofy charm.

In short, it's super cute!

"Xiao Xun, tell Grandpa, where did your dad go?"

"Dad's gone out on a mission!"

"Oh, is that so?" Kyosuke smiled mischievously, a funny idea seemingly forming in his mind.