An Ordinary Man Who Wanted to Go Home

The following morning.

Sunlight pierced through the thin clouds of Takamagahara, illuminating the arena ravaged by war.

Uchiha Kei remained seated on the hillside, having spent the entire night without sleep.

I heard soft footsteps behind me, as if afraid of disturbing something.

He didn't turn around, but a slight smile played on his lips.

"Everyone's here?"

Naruto scratched his head, walked to his left, plopped down, and muttered, "What do you mean 'everyone's here'? I just came to see the sunrise."

Sasuke stood on the right with his arms crossed, gave a cold snort, and said nothing.

Immediately afterwards, one figure after another appeared on the hillside.

Kaguya knelt silently beside him, her soft hand gently taking his.

Hyuga Hanabi, stood stubbornly beside Kaguya, biting her lip and remaining silent.

Uchiha Madara leaned against a distant rock with his arms crossed, his expression as arrogant as ever, but unusually, he remained silent.

Senju Hashirama stood beside him, unusually not acting foolishly, but simply watching that figure's back quietly.

Senju Tobirama, Uchiha Izuna, Namikaze Minato, Kushina Uzumaki, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Shisui...

Even the shadows from various villages, such Mei Terumi, Gaara, Ōnoki, stood silently not far away.

The hillside was filled with people.

Uchiha Kei's gaze swept across their faces one by one, finally settling on that perpetually silly smiling face.

"Didn't we say we were going to watch the sunrise?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto grinned. "See? Isn't this what watching looks like?"

He pointed eastward.

There, a giant star was slowly rising, bathing the entire Takamagahara in a warm gold.

"It's really beautiful," Naruto said.

Uchiha Kei looked at the golden expanse and softly replied, "Mm."

After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke.

I'm leaving.

Although I had already guessed it, the air still froze for a moment when I said it.

Naruto's smile froze on his face, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out, "... Where to?"

"Go to a very far place." Uchiha Kei gazed into the distance. "Go to fight a battle... one that we must win."

"Then let's go together!" Naruto jumped up. "There are so many of us, what are we afraid of!"

Uchiha Kei shook his head.

"I have to go to this battle alone."

Naruto was about to say something when Sasuke reached out and pressed down on his shoulder.

"Let him go."

Naruto turned around, saw Sasuke's gaze, and swallowed the words he was about to say.

Kaguya's hand tightened, then slowly loosened.

She didn't speak, but simply raised her head and looked at Uchiha Kei with her clear eyes.

After a long while, she spoke softly.

"Master, you must come back."

Uchiha Kei looked into her eyes, and there was no pleading, no pleas for her to stay, only deep trust.

He nodded. "Okay."

Hyuga Hanabi bit her lip, finally unable to hold back any longer, and said, "Sensei, I..."

Before she could finish speaking, tears began to fall.

Uchiha Kei reached out and gently ruffled her hair.

"Little Hanabi, you've grown up."

"If you cry again, you won't be pretty."

Hanabi desperately held back her tears and nodded vigorously.

Uchiha Madara suddenly spoke, his voice as arrogant and unruly as ever.

"Teacher, let's dance again when you come back."

Uchiha Kei smiled.

"Good."

Senju Hashirama scratched his head, and said earnestly, "Teacher, I will always remember the principles you taught me."

"Protect Konoha with compassion, safeguard peace with strength."

Uchiha Kei looked at this once foolish boy, who was now the head of a clan and a legend in the Shinobi World.

"You did very well, Hashirama."

Senju Tobirama opened his mouth, but in the end he only bowed.

Uchiha Izuna also bowed, his Ninja Blade held horizontally in front of him.

Naruto finally couldn't hold back and hugged Uchiha Kei tightly.

You must come back alive!

"Otherwise... otherwise I'll never eat Ichiraku Ramen again in my life!"

Uchiha Kei chuckled.

"That's a really big bet."

He patted Naruto on the back.

"Don't worry, I'll be back."

He let go and looked at everyone present.

Those familiar faces, those years of fighting side by side, those bonds of life and death.

Thank you.

He said softly.

Thank you for being my bonds.

Then he turned around and faced the distance.

The sunlight gilded him with a golden edge.

He raised his hand and waved it gently.

A rift slowly opened in the void, and on the other side of the rift lay endless darkness and chaos.

That was the final battlefield.

Uchiha Kei strode forward.

"Scene!"

Naruto's voice came from behind.

"You still haven't told me who you are!"

Uchiha Kei paused slightly.

He turned around, looked at those familiar faces, and a bright smile appeared on his lips.

"I am Uchiha Kei."

"They are your partners."

"He is the First Twilight Shadow of the Shinobi World."

"Too..."

He paused.

"An ordinary person who wants to go home."

After saying that, he turned around and stepped into the crevice.

The crack slowly closed, completely swallowing the figure from behind.

On the hillside, everyone remained silent.

The sun was still warm, shining on everyone.

Naruto suddenly laughed, laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face.

He said he would come back.

He never lies.

Sasuke his arms and watched the disappearing figure.

"Um."