After many years, another girl had thrown him a birthday party, cleansing Gojo Yoru's heart.
After purging his Inner Demon and beginning a new life, Uzumaki Kushina had become Gojo Yoru's first friend, as well as the bond that helped him begin to integrate into this world.
Now, the girl's heartfelt attack finally gave Gojo Yoru a sense of belonging in this world—and someone he wanted to protect.
That night, Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina played to their hearts' content.
The two of them finished the cake together, but the failed batches in the kitchen became their weapons as they started a cake fight.
After cleaning the house and taking a bath, they put on yukata and headed out hand in hand to stroll through the night market, leaving behind traces of their childish innocence all across Central Street.
It was not until late at night that Gojo Yoru escorted Uzumaki Kushina back to Hashirama's mansion.
The clock ticked over to midnight the next day.
The gift of time and space still did not come this year.
The next day, having successfully delivered her surprise and finally able to relax, Uzumaki Kushina unsurprisingly failed to show up.
Gojo Yoru could only head to the training ground alone.
When Orochimaru saw Gojo Yoru, he immediately noticed that the boy seemed to have undergone some kind of change.
Recalling the information his Shadow Clone had relayed yesterday afternoon, Orochimaru smiled. "You seem to be in a very good mood. Looks like you had a lot of fun last night."
"Teacher Orochimaru, so you already knew." Gojo Yoru immediately understood. No wonder Orochimaru's smile yesterday had been so meaningful.
Orochimaru merely smiled without saying a word.
Caw—
Before the two could begin a new day of training, a piercing eagle cry suddenly rang out through the sky.
It was so loud that all of Konoha's Central Street could hear it.
Looking up at the eagle circling above Central Street, Orochimaru's expression shifted slightly. He then instructed Gojo Yoru, "Take the day off and rest well. Meet here again at the same time tomorrow."
With that, Orochimaru vanished with Body Flicker.
Gojo Yoru also watched the eagle overhead, his eyes narrowing slightly.
As a top student in cultural studies, Gojo Yoru naturally knew what that eagle cry meant.
It was an emergency summons signal.
Upon hearing it, every Jonin currently in the village had to immediately report to the Hokage Building.
If I remembered correctly, this year's Chunin Exam ended long ago. Could war be coming? Gojo Yoru could not help but speculate.
It was no wonder he thought so. After all, the Second Shinobi World War was far too unfamiliar to Gojo Yoru.
The only things he still remembered clearly were a few scenes he had seen in the TV anime.
First was Nawaki, full of spirit, ignoring the warnings of the vest-wearing Konoha ninja and charging ahead in the ninja run. He then leaped down a small slope and was blown to death with a bang, dying without a single kill.
Unless Nawaki was forbidden from joining the war, not even a god descending to earth could save him from that kind of death wish.
Second was the scene of the Konoha Sannin confronting Hanzō.
Third was Yahiko and the other two becoming disciples, as well as Orochimaru's change.
There were also scattered scenes, such as Jiraiya training Yahiko and the other two, Dan Katō supporting Tsunade before dying, and Tsunade developing hemophobia.
Gojo Yoru did not even remember much about Konoha's White Fang killing Sasori's parents.
The Second Shinobi World War was not yet his stage.
But Gojo Yoru attached immense importance to this war.
It had come far too early, during his weakest period.
If only he had completed the Yin Seal or made it through the time needed for his second evolution, Gojo Yoru would have been able to handle it with ease.
Now, Gojo Yoru only hoped the war would come a little later and give him more time to grow.
"Yoru, didn't you go on a mission today?"
At noon, Uzumaki Kushina came to Gojo Yoru's house.
Seeing Gojo Yoru reading in the living room, she walked over and sat beside him. As she picked up some fruit from the coffee table to peel, she asked, "Why not?"
"Teacher Orochimaru had something to do today, so he gave me the day off." Gojo Yoru put down his book and smiled. "Good thing you didn't come this morning, or your trip would have been for nothing."
"Hehe... I've always had good luck." Uzumaki Kushina wrinkled her nose, looking very pleased with herself.
Gojo Yoru nodded in agreement. "Indeed. If you weren't lucky, you never would have met me."
Uzumaki Kushina: "(⊙o⊙)"
If she had not been holding a knife, Uzumaki Kushina really would have pounced on him and pinched his face to see just how thick his skin was.
She could not help rolling her eyes. "You narcissist, you've got that backwards."
"It's simply the truth." Gojo Yoru said coolly, crossing one leg over the other while holding his book in the pose of an overbearing CEO.
"If I had money right now, I'd definitely buy a camera and take a picture of that smug look on your face. Then, when you grow up, I'd make fun of you properly." Uzumaki Kushina complained.
She had said it without thinking, but Gojo Yoru caught onto it. His eyes suddenly flashed.
Knock, knock, knock—
Before Gojo Yoru could respond, a sudden knock sounded in their ears.
Both Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina froze slightly.
Uzumaki Kushina stared at Gojo Yoru in disbelief. "Besides me, someone actually knocks on your door?"
The corner of Gojo Yoru's mouth twitched.
Though those words stung, they were indeed true.
The two stood up, went downstairs, and opened the front door.
When she saw who was outside, Uzumaki Kushina said in surprise, "Teacher Orochimaru?"
Gojo Yoru was equally surprised, but he respectfully stepped aside and raised a hand. "Teacher Orochimaru, welcome to the Gojo Family. Please come in!"
"Sorry to disturb you, but I won't be coming in."
Orochimaru shook his head and declined. Taking a note from his person, he handed it to Gojo Yoru with a serious expression. "Buy everything listed on this note. Tomorrow at nine in the morning, wait for me at the village entrance. I'll take you outside the village for a mission."
"...Yes!"
The moment Gojo Yoru accepted the note, his expression turned solemn.
Was his first mission outside the village finally coming?
But judging by Orochimaru's demeanor, why did it not feel like an ordinary C-Rank Mission?
Orochimaru did not chat with Gojo Yoru. After handing him the note, he turned into a cloud of white smoke and vanished. It had only been a Shadow Clone.
It seemed Orochimaru's real body was still busy.
"Yoru, you're leaving the village? Does that mean you won't be back for a long time?" Uzumaki Kushina's mood sank.
Having grown accustomed to sticking close to Gojo Yoru every day, the thought of him being absent from her side for a long time filled her with an inexplicable panic.
It felt as though she had returned to when she had first arrived in Konoha last year!
Noticing Uzumaki Kushina's change in mood, Gojo Yoru could not help patting her head. He smiled. "It can't be avoided. If you're bored at home, go to the Ninja Academy and find some people who enjoy bullying others to pass the time."
"Pfft..."
Gojo Yoru instantly made Uzumaki Kushina laugh. She gave him a beautiful eye roll and said coquettishly, "The biggest bully at the Ninja Academy is you. Who else am I supposed to find?"
"Enough about that. Didn't you want to buy a camera? Let's go now." Gojo Yoru changed the subject, took Uzumaki Kushina's small hand, and led her toward the storage room.
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