Chapter 24

"Saitama, have you had enough? There's still some in the pot. Let me get you another bowl." Uchiha Kaori reached out, wanting to take Saitama's bowl.

"No need, Granny. I'm full already. You should eat." Saitama shifted the bowl closer to himself and politely declined.

To make sure Saitama ate more, there were barely a few pieces of fish left in Uchiha Kaori's own bowl. Saitama understood that if he did not finish first, Granny would never touch her chopsticks, so he quickly polished off the food in his bowl.

"Alright, then go rest once you're done. Leave the cleaning here to me." Uchiha Kaori looked around the table, smiling as she pointed her chopsticks toward the door.

"Got it!" Saitama rose and left without hesitation.

I'll come back down later to wash the dishes, so Granny Xiang can eat in peace. As he turned around, Saitama thought about it. Granny Xiang was getting old, so he would take on whatever chores he could. It was not as though he had anything better to do.

Still, home really is the best. The food here can't compare to anything outside! Saitama sighed inwardly, reminded of the barely filling yet utterly tasteless meals at the front lines. The difference was like heaven and earth.

After changing his shoes at the entrance, Saitama turned and went upstairs.

It was late December, and the New Year was approaching. Saitama would turn eight next year. Having come to this world so many years ago, he seemed to be growing ever more accustomed to this life.

—Provided no one shattered this peace!

The house was warm. Saitama took off his shirt, sitting cross-legged bare-chested on the tatami.

His lean body was covered in scars. Some had been left behind during missions shortly after graduation, while others were marks from the battlefield. The vicious scars across his chest, back, and shoulders were especially striking.

He pulled out a scroll from beside him, spread it over his lap, and slowly opened his small hands.

This was a ninjutsu scroll personally recorded by Saitama. It contained detailed records of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode he had developed from scratch, as well as his personal insights into transformations of Lightning-nature chakra.

He rubbed his forehead, carefully considering the omissions in the scroll as he planned to refine its contents further.

Not long ago, Shisui had borrowed this scroll to copy it, so Shisui had a duplicate. Still, that was no great concern.

"At this time, Kakashi should have already begun formulating Chidori, right? Or perhaps he's already completed it? I should find a chance to discuss it with him."

Saitama knew that his Chidori was still weaker than the genuine version. If Kakashi's Chidori was S-rank, his own version was probably only at B-rank. Sparring and discussing it with Kakashi might allow him to optimize the technique further.

Resting his chin in his hand, Saitama let all kinds of thoughts flash through his mind. He casually wrote down those inspirations, intending to test them one by one later.

Time passed quietly. Other than going downstairs at the right time to wash the dishes, he remained busy upstairs until late at night before resting.

This was a dim and empty area, with a tangled maze of pipes covering the surroundings. An iron bridge stretched across it, linking the two ends.

"Clang!" The sound of metal striking metal echoed across the bridge. A figure emerged at one end, its face invisible in the darkness.

"The mission failed! The target's strength far exceeded the intelligence estimates!" At the other end of the bridge, a masked ninja knelt on one knee as he delivered his report.

"Oh? Even the assessment of elite chunin underestimated him?" The standing shadow spoke in an aged yet powerful voice.

"The target's speed is astonishing. Even ordinary jonin would struggle to track him. This subordinate also suffered losses in the exchange." The kneeling man's voice was hoarse as he truthfully reported.

"I understand. Withdraw."

"Yes, sir!"

As the conversation ended, the figures on the bridge vanished, and silence returned to the surroundings.

"Uchiha Saitama? Interesting... This old man is becoming more and more interested in you. What exactly is the secret of the Uchiha Clan?"

The faint light seeping through the gaps in the pipes illuminated half of the shadow's bandage-wrapped face.

"Saitama! Saitama!"

Granny Xiang's voice called out. Saitama rubbed his sleepy eyes, instinctively reached for the sword beside his pillow, and pushed himself upright.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" It was rare for him to sleep in today.

After slowly getting dressed, washing up, and putting on his ninja gear, Saitama strolled downstairs.

"Saitama is getting less and less like a ninja! What ninja sleeps in?" The moment he reached the kitchen door, Granny Xiang teased him with a smile.

"It's been a long time since I slept that soundly." Saitama pretended not to hear and laughed it off, changing the subject.

It was just past seven in the morning, and the sky was not yet fully bright. Granny Xiang had gotten up at six to prepare breakfast: rice balls and seaweed soup, as usual.

Saitama blew away the steam rising from the soup and gulped down over half a bowl. Glancing furtively at Granny Xiang across the table, he saw her slowly chewing a rice ball, her expression peaceful.

This kind of life was not bad at all.

"Granny, I won't be back for lunch. The captain is treating me to a meal."

After several mouthfuls of hot soup warmed his stomach, Saitama grabbed a large rice ball and casually spoke.

Uchiha Kaori knew that Saitama had joined the clan's guard force, whose captain was Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku. In her eyes, it was perfectly normal for a superior to invite someone for a meal, so she gave it no further thought.

"Alright. Then this old woman will just cook her own portion at noon." She narrowed her eyes at Saitama and nodded.

"Got it." Saitama swallowed the rice ball in a few bites, tipped back his head to drain the soup, and got up from the table.

"Granny, I'm off to train. Enjoy your meal!" Before his words had faded, he had already pushed open the door and left.

"Youth must burn with passion!"

"Hey! Hey!"

"Guy!!"

"Father!"

Saitama stared blankly at the scene before him. He had planned to buy a few things at the shopping street before heading to the training grounds—after all, he was visiting Uchiha Fugaku's home for lunch, and going empty-handed did not seem appropriate.

"Guy! Let's race around Konoha! Until the flames of youth burn out!"

"Alright!"

Two green-clad figures streaked past Saitama. As the older one passed, he even gave Saitama a thumbs-up.

"Duy and Guy, father and son?" By the time Saitama looked up, all he could see was the dust they had kicked up. Konoha's street-cleaning efforts clearly needed improvement. Perhaps it could solve part of the unemployment problem? He rarely made such jokes to himself.

Dusting off his sleeves, Saitama continued onward. The father and son had not disrupted his plans, and he carefully selected gifts as intended. In the end, he chose tea pastries for Fugaku and the Mikoto he had yet to meet. Before leaving, he remembered that Itachi should be two or three years old at this age, so he headed to a ninja tool shop and carefully picked out a **, its style somewhat similar to the one he had once owned.

The gift might be modest, but the sentiment was what mattered. It should not be discourteous.

His clothes were soaked through with sweat from morning training. Since Shisui had not shown up all day, Saitama could only spar with the other guard force members. The disparity in strength instead allowed him to focus on honing his Body Flicker Technique.

"Saitama!" Uchiha Mori called from the edge of the field.

At the instant the blade was about to strike, Saitama's figure abruptly vanished, appearing behind Uchiha Nagisa in a flash.

"Bang!" A crushing kick pinned his opponent to the ground.

"That's enough for today." Saitama withdrew his stance and stood. "Mori wants something from me."

Nagisa rubbed his shoulder and smiled bitterly. "You monster, your strength is growing way too ridiculously."

Saitama patted his shoulder, then turned toward the edge of the field. "What is it?" he asked, raising his head with one hand resting on his sword.

Uchiha Mori hesitated unusually, looking slightly awkward. "Well... there's something I want to tell you."

"If you've got something to say, say it. Don't beat around the bush." Seeing Mori like that, Saitama could not help but want to laugh. He had never seen him act so bashfully before, unable even to get a sentence out properly.

"Well, it's just... you're still young. You wouldn't understand even if I told you." A faint flush appeared on Mori's face.

"What is it, exactly?" Saitama grew even more curious.

"I'm holding my wedding on New Year's Day. Remember to come with Shisui."

Mori had stammered at first, but under Saitama's gaze, he finally managed to say it all.

"That's it?" Saitama raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's it." Seeing Saitama's mild reaction, Mori assumed he probably did not understand the meaning of marriage yet.

"Alright, I'll definitely be there. But why are you suddenly getting married?" Saitama stared at Mori. He had never heard that Mori had someone. Could the Uchiha Clan have arranged marriages?

"My family's been pushing me, and Kazuko and I have been together for several years. It's time to make it official." Mori rubbed his face, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"The clan will send people to the battlefield again next year. I'll definitely have to go this time, so..." Mori did not continue.

"What about Lin?" Saitama asked casually. It was only after becoming familiar with Lin that he had learned Lin was Mori's younger brother. Lin should show up for an occasion like this, right?

"The fighting at the front is intense. He can't come back."

"Then I'll bring the guard force brothers to support you."

"There's nothing else. I'll be going now. I might not come to the training grounds these next few days." Mori lowered his head, turned around, and left.

"Tch, I never thought Mori could get shy. Usually he always acts like he has everything under control." Saitama shook his head and prepared to leave as well.

After showering in the locker room, changing into clean clothes, and picking up what he had bought that morning, Saitama walked out of the training grounds.

The winter sunlight was pleasantly warm, making his entire body feel comfortable. The Uchiha compound was as lively as ever, and as Saitama walked through its streets, he could feel its vigorous vitality.

"Knock, knock!" Standing before the imposing gates of Uchiha Fugaku's residence, Saitama knocked on the door knocker.

"The clan head's home really is something else. Even the door is this grand."

Just as he was sighing inwardly, a clear child's voice came from behind him. "Who are you looking for?"

Saitama had noticed someone approaching long ago, but had not paid it any mind. Turning around, he saw a little boy no taller than his waist. The boy's features faintly resembled the captain's.

"Itachi, right?" He smiled and crouched down.

"Huh? You know me?" Itachi furrowed his brows slightly, searching his memories but unable to recall this clansman.

"Hello, Itachi. I'm Saitama, one of your father's subordinates. I came specifically to visit today." Although Saitama was only seven or eight years old, his composed air was nothing like that of a child.

He reached out to ruffle Itachi's hair, only for the boy to nimbly dodge away.

"Uh..." His suspended hand froze the air. Itachi warily took two steps back, looking at him as though he were suspicious.

"I really am..." Saitama awkwardly withdrew his hand and was about to explain—

Creak. The door opened softly.

"Saitama, you came early." Fugaku's voice sounded out. Itachi's eyes immediately lit up, and he trotted behind his father.

"Father!"

"Captain!"

Saitama had already regained his composure when he turned to bow.

"Come in." Fugaku waved him inside, casually rubbing Itachi's head. "Big Brother Saitama is visiting today, so be sure to treat him well." As he spoke, he lightly flicked his son's forehead.

In the living room, Saitama held up the gift box and smiled. "It's only a small box of pastries. Please accept it."

"Your presence is enough. You didn't need to be so formal." Fugaku smiled as he opened the wrapping. "It's Mikoto's favorite osmanthus cake!"

Another gift box was handed to Itachi.

"For me?" The boy's dazed expression was utterly adorable.

"Itachi!" Hearing his father urge him on, he hurriedly accepted it with both hands. "Thank you, Big Brother Saitama!" After bowing ninety degrees, he eagerly climbed onto a chair to open the gift.

"Wow!" The child's nature was completely unleashed—the box contained an unsharpened ninja sword, just the right length for his small forearm.

"Wait until he's a little older before **." Saitama explained as he gently stroked the blade. Fugaku nodded with an understanding smile.

"Big Brother Saitama, thank you so much!" Itachi's voice was bright and clear. He nodded repeatedly, hugged the **, and jumped down from the chair.

"I'm going to show Mom!" Before his words had even finished, Itachi's figure had disappeared from the living room.

At that moment, only Saitama and Fugaku remained in the room, and the atmosphere immediately became subtle.

"Saitama." Fugaku smiled faintly and shifted a little closer toward Saitama.

"Please speak, Captain. I'm listening." Saitama knew perfectly well that Fugaku had not invited him here today merely for a meal.

"Among the Uchiha Clan, your talent is the most outstanding, and you are also the subordinate I trust most." Fugaku's voice was low.

"Yes!" Saitama straightened his back and waited for what came next.

"The Uchiha's position in Konoha is becoming increasingly awkward." Fugaku smiled bitterly, his gaze falling onto the table as though he had sunk into memories.

"Back then, our ancestors and the First Hokage founded Konoha together. Yet after only a few short decades, the Uchiha have fallen to this state!" His tone carried helplessness, mixed with an inescapable frustration.