When Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, Tsunade, and Jiraiya met up with Hinata, who had gone ahead to welcome them, and arrived together at the Hyuga Clan residence, an unusual scene greeted them.
In the spacious living room, Boruto and Sarada sat on the soft carpet with their heads together, intently studying a scroll spread out before them.
They occasionally discussed something in low voices or traced their fingers over the scroll, their expressions focused. Clearly, they were researching something important.
Elsewhere, Kawaki sat cross-legged on the carpet in front of the enormous LCD Screen, clutching a controller. His normally stern face was flushed red, and tiny beads of sweat were visible at his temples.
His lips were pressed tightly together, his eyes fixed on the screen, and his fingers flew over the controller. He was clearly engrossed in an intense game.
Otohime, sitting to his right, presented an entirely different picture.
Barefoot, she sat comfortably cross-legged on the sofa with a controller in her hands, but her movements were effortless, almost casual.
Her Golden-Silver Rinnegan were not even fully focused on the screen. A smug smile played on her lips, and every so often, she let out a contemptuous "Hmph" or "Is that all?"
The match was clearly one-sided. Kawaki was being completely overwhelmed.
And the boy was clearly already fuming.
Hanabi sat on a sofa a little farther away, with her adorable niece Himawari in her lap, little Hinata held in her left arm, and little Hanabi tucked under her right.
A gentle smile graced her face as she softly told the three little girls stories or answered their questions, looking every bit the kind, approachable older sister caring for her younger siblings.
For a moment, it was hard to know whom to envy.
What surprised them most, however,