Warmth

At the barbecue restaurant, Lu Yan and Kurenai Yuhi greeted the regulars around them.

Uncle Sasaki stood there like a mountain, his frame trembling with joy as he looked at Lu Yan: "Little Obito, it's good that you're back safe. The meal is on the house today to celebrate your return."

"Thank you, Uncle Sasaki."

Lu Yan's smile was sincere, a warm current flowing through his heart. Looking at Sasaki's large face, he suddenly felt a deep sense of affection.

"Oh, right, Minato, Kushina, Rin, and Kakashi have all been incredibly worried about you. Remember to go back and let them know you're safe."

Sasaki looked at the travel-worn appearances of Lu Yan and Kurenai Yuhi as he gave his advice.

"I will."

Lu Yan nodded, but at the thought of his master's wife Kushina flying into a rage, he suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

"Uncle Sasaki is cooking personally today, so you two just wait."

Watching Uncle Sasaki head toward the kitchen, Lu Yan turned to Kurenai Yuhi and smiled: "Well? Isn't it incredibly heartwarming?"

Kurenai Yuhi had been hungry for a while and was already eating the appetizers that had been served. Hearing this, she looked up and rolled her eyes at Lu Yan, muttering with her mouth full: "Of course it's heartwarming when the meal is free."

"That doesn't count. You still have to treat me next time."

Lu Yan widened his eyes as he looked at Kurenai Yuhi's puffed-out cheeks, poking them with his finger and feigning surprise: "You've got some nerve. I saved you, and you still want me to pay for your meal?"

Kurenai Yuhi used her chopsticks to swat his hand away, her expression fierce: "You promised when you pinched my cheeks last time. Don't think you can welch on the deal."

"Begging for food by acting cute—of course I remember."

A suppressed smile played on Lu Yan's lips as he recalled the last time he made roasted rabbit, and the way Kurenai Yuhi had looked at him with those "I'm starving" eyes.

"Next time you have to cook it yourself, and it has to be roasted rabbit."

Kurenai Yuhi's face flushed slightly as she glared at Lu Yan with her large, red eyes.

"Fine."

Lu Yan pinched Kurenai Yuhi's cheeks with both hands and pulled, nodding compliantly.

"Stop pinching! I'm trying to eat."

Kurenai Yuhi pouted in dissatisfaction, but she didn't push his hands away.

On the way to Namikaze Minato's residence, Lu Yan walked with some trepidation. Those who pinch others must be prepared to be pinched themselves. Thinking of Kushina, his ears began to itch. I'm a dignified Level 2 Wizard now, a powerhouse among Kage-level fighters—what kind of decorum is it to have my ears pinched?

Lu Yan nodded to himself, deciding he should be tougher, and knocked on Namikaze Minato's door with an aggressive air.

"Who is it?"

A listless voice came from inside. Kushina appeared before Lu Yan with disheveled hair and a pale face.

"Little Obito!"

"You brat!"

Kushina covered her mouth in disbelief, then her expression shifted; she glared at Lu Yan with fierce eyes, reached out with practiced ease, and gave a sharp twist.

"Ouch, ouch! Master's wife, I was wrong!"

Lu Yan hunched over slightly to make it easier for Kushina to apply force, a fawning smile on his face.

"It's good you're back. It's good you're safe."

Kushina suddenly pulled Lu Yan into a hug, her body trembling slightly, her eyes rimmed with red.

Namikaze Minato stood in the entryway watching the scene with a smile, the exhaustion on his face replaced by a sense of relief.

"It's good you're safe."

"Come on in."

Walking over to pat Lu Yan on the shoulder, Namikaze Minato gestured for him to come in and sit.

Lu Yan broke free from Kushina's embrace and let out a heavy breath, apologizing to Namikaze Minato: "Master Minato, I'm sorry for making you worry."

It was fine until he mentioned it, but that set Kushina off. She twisted Lu Yan's ear again and shouted: "You brat, do you have any idea how worried we were? Minato kept using the Flying Thunder God to search for you at the border; the old Hokage only pulled him back because he couldn't stand to watch it anymore."

"And Kakashi and Rin have been worried sick too. Rin doesn't even know how many times she's cried."

"Is that so?"

Lu Yan rubbed his head awkwardly. At the time, he had only been thinking about his massive increase in strength after crossing back and felt he had nothing to fear, failing to consider the feelings of those around him.

Seeing Kushina's eyes spitting fire and her red hair dancing, Lu Yan shivered and smiled sheepishly: "I am truly sorry. It was my fault."

His eyes darted around, and he turned to run outside: "Master, Master's wife, I'm going to go report that I'm safe to the others first. See you in a bit!"

"That little brat..."

Kushina glared at Lu Yan's retreating back; she was just as angry now as she had been worried before.

"Alright, it's good that he's safe."

Namikaze Minato wrapped his arm around Kushina's shoulders, a relaxed and gentle smile on his face.

"I wonder what he was actually doing out there."

Kushina buried her head in Namikaze Minato's chest, rubbing against him comfortably.

"I'll ask him about it later. I believe Obito wouldn't do anything bad, and I'll speak to the Hokage myself."

Namikaze Minato gently stroked Kushina's red hair, looking at the bright sun outside the door, and suddenly felt that the sunlight today was just right.

Lu Yan let out a sigh, walking on the road back to the Uchiha Clan compound with a complex yet warm sense of apology in his heart.

"Naruto, hurry up and be born; I promise I won't beat you to death."

Every time Lu Yan compared the gentle image of Kushina as a mother in the anime to her current self, he would lament that anime could not be trusted. He silently prayed for Naruto to be born quickly, hoping that perhaps his master's wife would become gentler then. If that failed, at least he would have an extra punching bag; Naruto was exceptionally resistant to beatings anyway.

Just as he thought of something amusing, Lu Yan's footsteps faltered. The three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spun rapidly as he stared at a certain spot and said in a deep voice, "Come out."

"Uchiha Obito."

"Come with us."

Three Root ninjas hidden in the darkness stepped out. Fuma, the leader, narrowed his eyes at the sight of Lu Yan's three-tomoe Sharingan and spoke sternly.

Observing the three ninjas who were faintly forming a perimeter, Lu Yan sized up their Anbu attire and said playfully, "Anbu, or did that old dog Danzo send you?"

"You're courting death."

A fierce glint flashed in Fuma's eyes, and countless giant shuriken and other hidden weapons flew toward Lu Yan.

"It's you who are courting death."

Lu Yan vaulted into the air, magic power surging into the Ivory in his hand, and fired a massive wind bullet at the three men as they closed in.

A hurricane appeared out of thin air, not only blowing the incoming weapons off course but also destabilizing the three Root ninjas as they attacked.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Flipping his body in mid-air, Lu Yan fired a barrage of bullets that curved to surround the trio.

Violent explosions erupted; Fuma's two subordinates were sent flying, crashing to the ground with charred bodies.

Fuma's chest was wounded by the blast, his left hand frozen in ice, and as he leaned against the wall, he panted and glared at Lu Yan. "Lord Danzo will not let you go."

"I'll send him down to reunite with you."

A look of disdain hung on the corner of Lu Yan's mouth as he raised Ebony and aimed it at Fuma's forehead.

"Bang!"

Lu Yan continued walking toward the Uchiha Clan compound as a fierce fire rose up behind him.