The Ninja Academy's Incredible Legends (40): As you sow, so shall you reap; only by planting hope can you harvest its fruits.

After dinner, Mizuki sat at his desk, gazing out at the night.

The full moon, as large as a silver platter, looked no different to ordinary people than it had for who knew how many years. But in Mizuki's eyes, he could clearly see a scar slanting across the entire moon.

That was hardly surprising. Considering the width of the gouge and the moon's distance from the ground, it was almost like spotting a single strand of hair with the naked eye from several kilometers away. It was perfectly normal for ordinary people not to see it, but to Mizuki, it was impossible to miss whenever he looked up.

And that was not all. Near the area just north of the equator, a massive hollow pierced straight through the moon. Fragments of shattered rock still floated in lunar orbit, and in a few hundred years, they would probably be recaptured by the moon's gravity and fall back onto its surface.

"That's the mark Otsutsuki Toneri left with the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, isn't it? It's really ugly!"

Any beautiful fantasies about the moon vanished completely for someone with eyesight that was too good.

Outside, little Miyuki was whispering with her mother. As the child gradually grew up, she had begun to understand the differences between boys and girls. Some things were simply more reliable to discuss with her mother.

After he finished his third cup of tea, Tsubaki pushed open the door and walked in.

"Is Miyuki asleep?"

"Yeah. Miyuki has made so many friends now, and she's had quite a few happy experiences too."

Tsubaki picked up the teapot, refilled her husband's cup, then poured one for herself. Sitting beside Mizuki, she rested her chin in her hand and looked at the unusually bright moonlight outside tonight.

"The little