Return to the Village [Combined]

The pale moonlight spilled onto the barren ground like a physical substance. The wooden cabin stood in silence, and on its roof, a large and a small figure sat side by side, gazing together at the massive full moon hanging above the distant dense forest.

Rikusei, having escaped a brush with death, studied Madara beside him. Dressed in casual attire, the soft moonlight draped over his black robes, making his entire demeanor appear gentle and harmonious. Perhaps only in the dead of night could a heart riddled with scars enjoy a moment of tranquility.

"What is it?" Sensing the gaze beside him, Madara checked his robes to ensure no dust had settled on them, then asked out of curiosity.

"Ah, it's nothing." Caught, Rikusei smiled with pursed lips and raised an arm to point at the full moon in the sky. "Teacher, can you see anything on the moon?"

Madara turned his face, staring into his eyes, his tone filled with ease: "Why the sudden question?"

Rikusei's eyes were filled with just the right amount of yearning, his voice sounding ethereal under the night sky as he spoke with fascination: "Legend says the moon was created by the Sage of Six Paths. Could the Sage have left something behind on it? Perhaps a mysterious code or some bizarre ninjutsu—things beyond one's imagination."

"What are you daydreaming about all day? Why don't you say there are strange creatures up there, too?" The moonlight caught the corner of Madara's mouth. He chuckled, reached out to flick Rikusei's forehead, and activated his Mangekyo to observe carefully. "I don't see anything. Satisfied now?"

Rikusei, clutching his forehead, desperately wanted to say: Congratulations! You guessed it.

There really was the strangest creature up there, the Ten-Tails, and if certain conditions were met, it even came with a beautiful white-haired lady—though she was already a mother of three.

Under the clear, star-studded night sky, silence returned to the roof. Before long, Madara felt the sound of steady, rhythmic breathing beside him, followed by a soft weight leaning against his shoulder, accompanied by the prickling sensation of hair brushing against his clothes.

The familiar face softened his gaze, pulling him into memories. It was also on a moonlit roof like this that Izuna would chat excitedly with him about happenings in the clan and dreams for the future, only to eventually be overcome by sleep and lean against his shoulder.

How nostalgic. Madara took off his outer robe to wrap around him, left alone to gaze at the bright moon in the sky.

At dawn, as the sun rose from the horizon, Rikusei stood amidst the assembled ranks, witnessing with his own eyes the ability of a certain Hashirama to squander his massive chakra reserves on planting trees.

The earth rolled violently as if a subterranean dragon were turning over. Vibrant greenery burst through the soil along with the shifting veins of the earth, instantly forming a towering forest that restored the shattered land to its original state.

Hashirama walked toward the clouds-piercing trees and patted their sturdy trunks, producing a dull thud. He nodded in satisfaction, as if silently declaring: This is the power of Wood Release.

Dusting off his hands, Hashirama directed the team to begin their return to the village.

The Nine-Tails, ravaged by the Kikaichū all night, remained deathly quiet inside an inconspicuous wooden box, heading toward Konoha alongside the Uzumaki Clan.

"The Hokage is on his way back?"

Shikahira, with his pineapple-shaped hair, set down the documents in his hand and muttered toward the departing figure of an Anbu. His widened pupils were filled with disbelief; in less than two days, the Nine-Tails had been completely subdued.

He had long heard of the power of Senju Hashirama—no, the Hokage—but he hadn't expected it to be this overwhelming. This was no longer the power of a human; it was a god walking the earth.

The God of Shinobi, perhaps?

Shikahira nodded in satisfaction at the newly invented title. He felt that by leveraging the momentum of the Nine-Tails' capture, he could elevate the Hokage's reputation in the Shinobi World to a new height.

Because of geographical isolation, while every shinobi clan knew that Hashirama and Madara were the strongest in the Shinobi World, most people lacked a concrete image of that power. This sealing of the Nine-Tails was the perfect opportunity.

He grabbed a piece of paper from his desk and recorded everything he had thought of; a dull pencil is better than a sharp mind.

Having handled the paperwork in the Hokage's stead for these days, he was already frazzled by the endless variety of trivial matters. Looking at the mountain of half-processed files, he felt a sincere longing for the days of drinking at the izakaya.

Still, this busy life of constant overtime wasn't all bad. When he returned home late at night, the nagging that used to annoy him had vanished, replaced instead by surprisingly delightful late-night snacks.

Just as he was about to bury his head back into the files, his thoughts drifted, and he looked at the slow-moving white clouds outside the window, muttering, "What a drag."

Rikusei also found things to be a drag. It was supposed to be rest time, but no sooner had he sat down than Kagami, Baru, and Naka came running over to surround him.

After some pushing and shoving among the three, Baru walked up sheepishly and asked Rikusei, who was sitting on a rock, "What does it feel like to carry the Gunbai?"

"The Gunbai?" Rikusei looked at them, puzzled. He prepared to hand the fan behind his back to them for a play, only to notice their eyes fixed intently on his own.

He realized then that they were using the fan as an excuse to ask something else. Rikusei stood up naturally and followed them as they walked toward the woods.

Naori, standing nearby, turned her head to look curiously at their retreating backs. Hearing the mention of the Gunbai, she didn't think much of it and continued chatting with Nao and Koharu about girl-talk.

After walking for a while into the dense forest, Rikusei turned to them and said, "No one should be able to hear our conversation here. If you have questions, ask them quickly."

"Please tell us how to awaken our eyes!" Kagami, usually the quiet one, suddenly stepped forward and asked with a serious expression.

Naka and Baru nodded in agreement, sharing the same sentiment.

The four locked eyes. Rikusei, bearing the Gunbai, read the cause of the matter in their frustrated gazes.

It must have been the incident in the cave. Being Uchiha, yet having to rely on Kikaichū and Byakugan to observe the battlefield, had dealt a heavy blow to their young pride.

This is likely the main reason they came to find me today, Rikusei mused to himself.

"I can tell you how to awaken them, but you must answer a question first." Rikusei took the Gunbai off his back, propped it against the ground, and stared into their eager eyes. "Kagami, you answer alone."

Shouldering the hopes of the three for awakening their eyes, Kagami's breathing grew heavy. He clenched his fists to steel himself and said in a low voice, "No problem."

"Listen to the question. Multiple choice: Who sealed the Nine-Tails?" Rikusei continued, ignoring their slightly startled expressions.

"Senju Hashirama."

"Uchiha Madara."

"Uzumaki Ashina."

"Uchiha Rikusei."

As the question fell, Kagami began to think earnestly. Tiny beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his brain began to race at high speed.

First, he could rule out D. Clearly, that was an option Rikusei had added for fun, and it was just like him to shamelessly insert his own name, banking on his status as the questioner.

A and B were the ones who had defeated the Nine-Tails, so they could be ruled out.

"I choose C!" Kagami, confident of victory, held his clenched fist to his chest and answered excitedly. He had been there on the scene; it had to be this answer.

"We won!" Baru and Naka, seeing that Kagami had chosen the correct answer, rushed forward to pat his shoulder, shouting in excitement.

Rikusei looked at the three excited youngsters, gripped the handle of his Gunbai, spun it, and slotted it onto his back. He shook his head and said regretfully, "Incorrect answer."

"How could it be wrong?" Naka stepped forward, blocking his path in agitation, and asked unwillingly, "We all saw with our own eyes that Clan Head Ashina sealed the Nine-Tails!"

Baru seemed to realize something. After calming Naka's excitement, he analyzed earnestly, "You've been hinting at Kagami since option D. The question itself is flawed; it should have been a multiple-choice question."

"It is your question that is flawed, so my answer naturally contains flaws as well," Rikusei replied as he walked up to them. "The Uchiha Clan has produced so many talented individuals throughout its history, yet no one has found a shortcut to awakening their eyes. How could I possibly give you the answer?"

Seeing their spirits dampen, Rikusei signaled for them to lean in, then whispered a few words into their ears.

"Is what you said true? The Clan Head, he—mmph!!"

Naka's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at him. Rikusei clamped a hand over his mouth, stuffing the rest of his words back into his stomach. A shadow crept over his face, looking quite grim as he said, "Whoever dares to leak this, don't let me see you at the Ninja Academy. Do you understand?"

What a heaven-shaking secret. Baru looked at Kagami in surprise; this was the first time they had heard such classified information. Now, the resentment in their hearts had completely vanished.

Doesn't that mean the later one awakens their eyes, the stronger their power can become, just like the Clan Head?

"Rikusei, it's time to go!" A purple-haired figure in the dense forest waved her small hand, calling out to them in a sweet voice.

Rikusei patted Naka on the shoulder and gestured for them to head toward the crowd: "Stop smirking, let's go."

The advancing ninjas were eager to return home. Although they had only been away for two days, the feeling of homesickness had already spread through their minds. Many were preparing to recount the details of this operation to their acquaintances back in the clan.

What is the power of gods? This is the power of gods.

There was no organized welcoming party at the gates of Konoha. In the newly formed ninja village, there were too many affairs to attend to, and few would notice such empty formalities. However, the ninjas guarding the wooden gates welcomed the returning troops with immense excitement.

Rikusei's gaze pierced through the swaying figures in the crowd. He vaguely saw clear, white eyes; the familiar tone sounded like something he had heard at a clan meeting. They must be from the Hyuga Clan.

Wait a minute, having the Uchiha and the Hyuga guard the gate—is that a clever move to ensure they don't fight each other for the sake of clan honor?

It seemed like a genius move, but upon closer inspection, it made perfect sense.

During this period when ninjas from various regions were frequently joining Konoha, the Sharingan and the Byakugan were the best tools for vetting ninjas entering the village. Coupled with the deterrence of these powerful clans, it would surely keep many wandering ninjas in check.

Rikusei stood on his tiptoes to get a better look. With the help of his Gunbai, he finally saw their faces. He exclaimed inwardly, Good heavens, it's a man and a woman. Seeing how harmoniously they were getting along, there must be some unspeakable business going on between them.

"Should we give them a day off?" Hashirama, at the front of the line, felt a pang of sympathy. He met the gaze of those large, crystalline eyes and gathered the courage to suggest it to the white-haired man beside him.

"No, they still have many lessons to catch up on," Tobirama, stepping on the sunset, rejected the idea as ruthlessly as a white-haired demon. A chorus of painful wails erupted from the crowd.

Tobirama turned his gaze toward Madara, asking if he had anything to say. After receiving a negative response, he continued, "Then, dismissed."

Rikusei handed the Gunbai to Madara and followed the joyful crowd toward the clan grounds.

Ashina steadied the Wooden Box on his back, his white eyebrows twitching. Watching the vibrant crowd gradually move away, he sighed, "These are the new seedlings of Konoha."

Hashirama nodded in firm agreement, looking at the Wooden Box behind them: "Have you found a place to store it?"

"Follow me." Tobirama glanced at the Wooden Box bathed in the setting sun and walked forward.

The crowd poured into every street of the village and gradually dispersed. As the companions walked side by side deeper into the clan grounds, only the two of them remained, sticking together like shadows.

Rikusei walked along the familiar streets. Why did the current situation feel so familiar? Although the sun had dipped below the horizon, it still radiated a light like flames.

"Rikusei." The long-haired girl stopped in her tracks. Her beautiful purple hair fell across her chest as she turned, hiding the sun's gilding, and her bright eyes gazed at him intently.

Their gazes met in the air. Rikusei, bathed in the sunset, clearly sensed the unique emotion contained in the girl's pupils, waiting quietly for her next words.

"Just now."

The girl's voice carried a hint of nervousness. As she opened her lips, she accidentally bit the tip of her tongue, and her voice suddenly trailed off.

"Don't rush, take your time," Rikusei hurriedly walked to her side and comforted her gently.

Naori hurriedly waved her hand to indicate she was fine. Her slightly distorted voice didn't match her serious little face at all. She stared at Rikusei earnestly and continued to pour out what was in her heart: "I think I saw that the Dango Shop in the village is having a sale?"

"?"

Rikusei fell into a daze, looking at her in confusion. So it wasn't nervousness, but excitement that made her bite her tongue. Thinking about it, he hadn't been there in days, and he was feeling a bit greedy himself.

Naori nervously rubbed the purple hair on her chest, her dark pupils looking at him with immense anticipation, wanting to hear the answer she expected.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Rikusei, draped in the sunset, felt his appetite stirred. He grabbed the girl's small hand, feeling the temperature passing between their palms. He looked into her eyes with a smile, and everything was understood without words.

The increasingly long afterglow of the sunset passed through the gaps in her purple hair, dappling Rikusei's face and stitching the ripples in the girl's heart into mysterious symbols, clearly reflected in his radiant smile.