Konoha

"So, tell me, do you think there will come a day when all the clans can truly set aside their prejudices, become a single family, and no longer be defined by their clan names?" Tobirama frowned slightly, took a step forward, and lowered his head to gaze at the people and the orderly buildings within Konoha. A flicker of confusion and uncertainty danced in his eyes, as if he were entirely unsure of the answer to his own question, and he spoke in a voice that was little more than a whisper.

This sounded as if he were asking Qile, who stood beside him, but in reality, it was more of an internal dialogue.

Because for such an idealistic and distant vision, even he dared not easily believe it could ever be realized.

However, when these words reached Qile's ears, Qile chose to remain silent.

He neither offered his own insights or opinions, nor did he echo Tobirama's words to show agreement or opposition. Instead, he feigned not hearing clearly, turned his head to the side as if nothing had happened, and acted as though he hadn't noticed what Tobirama had just said, offering no response at all.

Just then, Tobirama sighed and said, "You know the way home, don't you?"

Before the words had even faded, and before he could wait for Qile to react or answer, he vanished without a trace, leaving only a gentle breeze to brush against Qile's face.

Of course, the moment Qile heard those words, his heart tightened, and he immediately sensed that something was wrong.

He instinctively reached out, trying to grab Tobirama, but his movements were a beat too slow.

Though he tried his best to stop Tobirama from leaving, he could only watch helplessly as his palm swiped through the air, grasping at nothing.

"...I got played again! Damn white-hair!" Qile muttered, slapping his palm against his other hand with a sharp, frustrated sound.

He then scanned his surroundings, searching for a path down from the Hokage Rock.

Time ticked by, and he didn't know how long had passed, but Qile's stomach, which hadn't had breakfast, was now growling fiercely.

Finally, grumbling complaints under his breath, he slowly walked down from the Hokage Rock step by step.

When his feet touched the ground again, he couldn't help but look back at the nearly completed, massive head of the First Hokage.

However, Qile just shrugged casually, turned around without hesitation, and walked away from the area.

He walked along the streets of Konoha, which were still under construction. Some of the houses on either side of the road were taking shape, while others remained nothing more than ruins and piles of building materials.

Pedestrians hurried past him from time to time, each wearing an expression of either busyness or ease.

Unlike the view from the Hokage Rock, being right in the middle of the street gave Qile a sense of immersion and reality that felt both novel and overwhelming.

However, he wasn't wandering back and forth on this street to soak in the local customs of Konoha; he was there for a simple yet frustrating reason—he was lost, and he couldn't find the way to the Uchiha compound.

"That's not right! If I remember correctly, looking down from the Hokage Rock, if I just keep walking straight along this road, I should be able to get back to the clan..." Qile stood in place, staring in confusion at the nearly identical wooden houses nearby, scratching his head and muttering to himself.

Faced with the intricate, maze-like streets, Qile felt a deep sense of helplessness.

Eventually, after trying various methods to no avail, he decided to pin his hopes on a passerby. He began to scan the area, planning to find a gentle older sister to ask for directions home.

However, things did not go as Qile wished. Whether it was because it was the middle of the day with the sun at its peak, there wasn't a gentle older sister to be found; even the number of ordinary pedestrians was dwindling.

Occasionally, he would see a figure or two, but when Qile approached them with high expectations to strike up a conversation, they would always glance at him with hurried expressions and quicken their pace to leave.

Just when he felt he was completely out of options, he suddenly noticed two children, around ten years old, acting suspiciously near a wall not far away.

One child was on tiptoe, trying to peek over the wall, while the other seemed restless, pacing back and forth and whispering to the one who was looking inside.

Sticking to the principle that it's easier to talk to peers, Qile moved quickly, sprinting toward the two of them.

"Didn't you say you were taking me to eat dango? But what happened? You brought me to watch Aunt Qitian again... Hmph, I'm leaving!"

"Oh, don't be so impatient! The most critical moment is coming up, can't you just hold on a little longer? As long as you keep an eye out for anyone coming, I'll give you all my pocket money for the week after we're done. How about that?"

The child, who had been hesitant and conflicted, saw his eyes light up the moment he heard about the pocket money.

Still, he feigned reluctance for a moment, but eventually, for the sake of the money, he nodded unwillingly, agreeing to stay and keep watch.

However, just then, the child acting as lookout caught sight of Qile, who was running toward them and waving.

In an instant, alarm bells rang in his heart, and his instincts made him incredibly nervous.

He couldn't even speak; he just turned his head sharply, slapped his companion with all his might, and quickly assumed a posture ready to bolt.

"Hey! You guys..." Qile sprinted all the way, finally reaching them out of breath. Just as he was about to say what he wanted to say—

The child with the unnatural expression waved his hands nervously and explained at high speed: "I don't know anything, I didn't see anything, and it wasn't my idea—it was Hiruzen who dragged me here! My mom is waiting for me to eat, I'm going home." With that, he ignored his companion and turned to leave.