Ino had not gone far after bathing in the hot spring when she used her Mind Body Switch Technique to notify everyone.
The group had only just parted ways after bathing in the hot spring, but upon receiving the message, they all hurried toward Orochimaru's laboratory.
Minato was naturally the fastest. By the time he arrived, Natsuki was only just walking in from outside with Haku in his arms.
Wearing Kimimaro's face, Natsuki saw that Minato was the only one there.
He immediately laughed. "Why are you in such a hurry? I'm not going anywhere. Go bring the others over."
Minato had been at the training grounds. The instant he received Ino's Mind Body Switch Technique, he used Flying Thunder God to come over.
He recognized Natsuki's voice at once, and his expression lit up. "All right, I'll go get the others first."
Holding Haku, Natsuki casually found a place to sit, feeling a little emotional that so much time had passed.
Everyone experienced time differently.
For him, it had merely been a matter of closing and opening his eyes before arriving at the present.
But for everyone else, more than two years had passed without seeing him.
The time Kimimaro had told them was even over twenty years.
Now that Natsuki had suddenly returned, everyone was both shocked and delighted.
While waiting for the others to arrive, Natsuki poked Haku's little cheek.
Haku stared at Natsuki with wide, round eyes full of joy.
Her tiny, soft hands clung tightly to his arm, her head resting against his chest.
Natsuki rubbed Haku's hair. This body of Haku's looked only five or six years old, completely that of a child.
He keenly sensed that Haku's soul was fractured and incomplete, so her mind was not fully developed and she had always