The Legendary Realm...

The night was deep.

Tejima Shinichi walked out of the Hokage Building, clutching the copied scroll tightly to his chest.

The night wind brushed against his face, but it could not cool the blazing fire in his chest.

When he pushed open the front door, the living room lights were still on, and the aroma of stewed meat wafted over him.

"Yo! Our great hero is back!"

Teshima Kazuto sprang up from the sofa, an exaggerated grin on his face. In just a few strides, he reached the entryway and vigorously patted Shinichi on the shoulder.

"You brat, your first mission ran this late? Did you perform so well that Teacher kept you behind for special training? Come on, tell your old man—what earth-shattering things did you do today?"

He waggled his eyebrows, his tone brimming with energy and curiosity.

Mori Chie poked her head out of the kitchen, still holding a spatula, and smiled helplessly.

"Kazuto, stop fooling around. Let Shinichi catch his breath first." As she spoke, she looked at Tejima Shinichi, a trace of puzzlement in her gentle eyes. "Shinichi, why are you home so late today? The food's almost cold. I'll go heat it up again."

Standing in the entryway, Tejima Shinichi watched his overly energetic father and listened to Mori Chie's nagging. He understood at once.

The disturbance that afternoon had clearly been completely covered up.

They probably knew nothing about it.

But... perhaps it was better that they didn't. If Mori Chie were still a Special Jonin, it would be one thing, but now...!

"It was nothing. After the mission ended, I just talked with Yu and Ken for a while."

The moment he finished speaking, an odd silence fell over the entryway.

The smile on Teshima Kazuto's face froze for a moment, and the arm around his son's shoulder tightened slightly.

Mori Chie paused as she was about to turn back to the kitchen, then slowly turned around.

"Yu and Ken... Sato Yu and Kobayashi Ken, right? The two children in your team?"

Mori Chie's voice was very soft, as though afraid of disturbing something.

Tejima Shinichi nodded. "Yeah."

Teshima Kazuto suddenly came to his senses, and a smile several times brighter than before instantly bloomed across his face.

"Good! That's great! Talking is good! Talk more! That's how young people should be! After a mission, take a walk and chat together, build up your friendship! Hahaha!"

He laughed so hard that the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunched together. The way he looked at his son was filled with the feeling of my boy has finally grown up.

This had always been a source of worry for them.

From childhood to now, Teshima Kazuto and Mori Chie had hardly ever seen Shinichi voluntarily exchange more than a few words with any of his peers, much less stay behind to chat after a mission.

Now that they heard Tejima Shinichi had actually stayed to talk with his teammates, they were even more delighted than if they had heard he had placed first in an assessment.

Mori Chie was not as outwardly expressive as her husband, but her eyes were clearly much brighter now.

She hurried toward the kitchen, her voice noticeably lighter.

"I'll heat the food right away. It'll be ready soon. Shinichi, sit down and rest first."

Watching the two of them openly rejoice over such a simple remark, Tejima Shinichi's gaze shifted slightly. He said nothing more and walked straight to the dining table.

Tejima Shinichi knew why they were happy.

It was simply because he had finally begun interacting with people his own age, like a "normal child."

But they did not know how difficult that "normality" was for him.

He understood his parents' hopes, but he was sorry—he could not do it.

He could not be like the real children at the Ninja Academy, chattering all day about boring topics or arguing until their faces turned red over childish trifles.

That was not him.

Mori Chie had already brought the reheated dishes back to the table, their fragrance filling the room. She deliberately placed the large bowl of stewed beef in front of her son and said lovingly,

"Eat up. I specially stewed the beef you used to love today. It simmered for a long time, so it's tender and full of flavor."

As she spoke, she used the serving chopsticks to pick up a large piece of beef coated in rich sauce and placed it in Shinichi's bowl.

Teshima Kazuto also picked up his chopsticks, aiming for a piece of beef as he urged, "That's right, eat more! You need to grow big and strong to become a powerful ninja! Your mom's cooking is no joke!"

Tejima Shinichi lowered his head and looked at the particularly conspicuous piece of beef atop the white rice.

Mori Chie and Teshima Kazuto watched him, waiting for him to dig in as heartily as usual.

Yet as Tejima Shinichi looked at that piece of beef, a familiar person inexplicably flashed through his mind.

"Heh..."

A soft chuckle escaped his lips.

"Hm?"

Mori Chie and Teshima Kazuto both froze, looking at each other.

Did Shinichi just... laugh?

Because of a piece of beef?

"What is it, Shinichi?" Mori Chie could not help asking curiously. "Is... is Mom's cooking not right?"

Tejima Shinichi raised his head, and the faint smile on his face had already vanished.

"No, it's nothing. I just suddenly thought of someone... who supposedly doesn't eat beef."

"Doesn't eat beef?" Teshima Kazuto scratched his head, utterly baffled. "There are people who don't eat something this delicious? What a weirdo! Forget about weirdos and hurry up, try it. It won't taste as good once it gets cold!"

Tejima Shinichi responded meaningfully.

"He really is a weirdo."

"But... today was also the closest I've ever come to that weirdo..."

As the words fell, even he could not stop a faint emotion from rising in his heart.

The words "Wood Release Ninjutsu" seemed to appear before his eyes again on the inner pages of the Scroll of Seals.

So close, yet impossibly far away.

He had clearly awakened this power, yet lacked the appropriate ninjutsu to bring out its true might.

Just this...

With just this, he could truly set foot on that path toward the one who didn't eat beef...

Although Teshima Kazuto found Tejima Shinichi's amusement somewhat inexplicable, seeing that his son seemed to be in a good mood made him happy as well, so he did not press the matter further.

Mori Chie also relaxed and smiled gently. "Yes, eat up."

Tejima Shinichi picked up his chopsticks, lifted the piece of beef, and put it into his mouth.

The tender, flavorful beef melted on his tongue, its aroma mingling with the warmth of home.