Heiter’s room was at the end of the first floor.
Frieren pushed the door open and walked in.
Heiter was lying on the bed, covered by a blanket.
His complexion was worse than it had been a few days ago, but his eyes remained clear.
When he saw Frieren enter, the corners of his mouth twitched.
Frieren walked to the bedside and placed the stack of papers in her hand onto the nightstand.
Those were the notes she had compiled over the years from studying Chakra and Jutsu.
“Chakra holds no harm for Naruto,” she said in a calm voice.
“If utilized properly, it might even become his unique ability.”
“As for the Jutsu on his body…
it is indeed as you analyzed before; it is sealing something.”
She paused.
“But I can assure you, Naruto will absolutely not be in danger for the time being.”
“He also has the ability to resolve it on his own.”
“So…
our commission can be considered finished.”
After hearing this, Heiter was silent for a moment, then asked softly: “How are Fern and Naruto doing?”
“They are both geniuses,” Frieren said.
“Especially Naruto.”
“Although there is still some roughness to them, they can definitely stand on their own now.”
Heiter’s brows relaxed, as if he had put down a heavy burden, and he let out a long sigh: “Is that so.”
“They have caught up.”
“They are no longer a burden, right?”
Frieren paused, stunned.
She recalled a few years ago, when she had first arrived here.
Heiter was sitting in that chair, holding a glass of wine, smiling as he said: “Frieren, take them both with you on your travels.”
She had refused at the time.
The reason being that the road was too dangerous, and she didn’t want to bring along two burdens.
Now that they could stand on their own.
Naturally, there was no reason to refuse anymore.
Frieren leaned forward slightly, looking at Heiter on the bed: “You schemed against me, Heiter.”
Heiter chuckled a few times, his laughter soft and tinged with a bit of triumph.
“The reward for helping Naruto is in the drawer.”
“You can set off tonight.”
Frieren frowned: “What are you going to do?”
Heiter’s voice was very calm: “I do not have long to live.”
“I do not want Naruto and Fern to experience the pain of losing a loved one.”
He looked at the ceiling, his eyes gentle.
“Please, I beg you, take good care of Naruto and Fern.”
Frieren stood there, not saying a word.
She lowered her head, silent for a long time, then said in a slightly hoarse voice: “I think Fern and Naruto have long viewed you as family.”
“And they are prepared to say goodbye to you.”
Heiter did not speak, simply listening quietly.
“What you should do before you die is to bid them a proper farewell.”
Frieren’s voice grew lower and lower.
“And strive to create more memories.”
By the end, her voice began to tremble.
Tears fell from her eyes, drop by drop, unstoppable.
She thought of someone.
Hero Himmel.
If only she had realized it sooner…
If only she could have said a proper goodbye…
The room was quiet for a moment, then Heiter suddenly spoke: “Frieren…
you truly are a gentle person.”
…
Kitchen.
Naruto and Fern were busy with their own tasks.
Although the conversation between Frieren and Heiter was not loud, the soundproofing was poor, and since the door was not closed, both of them could hear it.
But neither of them spoke.
Naruto kept his head down, his eyes red.
He took a deep breath and turned to walk into the room. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.
Fern followed behind, her footsteps light.
Naruto walked to the bedside, leaned over, and buried his face in the blanket.
“Grandpa Heiter.”
“No matter what, I will be with you until the very end.”
Fern stood by the bed, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, not speaking, but her eyes were full of tears.
Heiter reached out his hand and slowly stroked Naruto’s head.
He then looked at Fern and smiled at her.
“You are both good children.”
His voice was very soft, but very gentle.
Frieren stood by the bed, watching this scene.
After a while, she asked a question.
“Why did you take in Naruto and Fern?”
Heiter’s gaze became distant, as if he were looking at somewhere very, very far away: “If it were Hero Himmel…”
“He would definitely have done the same.”
Frieren paused, stunned.
Then she smiled too.
“Is that so, then I will do the same.”
…
In the days that followed, the three of them took care of Heiter together.
Frieren would go to Heiter’s room every day to sit for a while; sometimes she brought a book, sometimes she brought nothing at all, just sitting there.
She didn’t speak much, but when Heiter occasionally woke up, he would see her sitting by the window.
Naruto and Fern also took care of Heiter even more diligently, chatting with him, just wanting to leave behind beautiful memories.
Days passed one by one.
The time Heiter spent awake became shorter and shorter; most of the time he was asleep.
But his expression was always very calm.
Sometimes Naruto would lie by the bed, holding his hand, and could feel his hand becoming thinner and thinner.
One evening, Heiter suddenly woke up, his spirits better than they had been in the past few days.
He asked Fern to help him sit up, looking at the sunset outside the window.
“Today’s sunset glow is truly beautiful.”
Naruto and Fern stood by the bed, watching it with him.
Frieren leaned against the doorframe, also looking out the window.
That evening, Heiter had dinner with everyone.
Although he only drank a few spoonfuls of soup, he smiled very happily.
The next morning, when Naruto went to the room again.
Heiter was lying quietly on the bed, with a smile on his face.
It was as if he were asleep.
…
One day later.
Frieren stood before the tombstone, holding a bottle of wine in her hand.
It was one she had prepared specifically for Heiter.
She uncorked the bottle and poured the wine in front of the tombstone.
The scent of the wine dispersed in the wind.
Fern stood beside her, holding her staff with both hands, her eyes red.
“If it were not for you, I would not have been able to repay Master Heiter.”
Her voice was very soft, trembling.
Naruto stood on the other side, not speaking.
He simply looked at the name on the tombstone, gently biting his lip.
Frieren placed the wine bottle before the tombstone and stood up, her expression as calm as usual.
“I was just played by this boozing monk.”
The wind blew over, lifting her white hair.
The three of them stood before the tombstone for a long time.
Finally, they looked back at the small house one last time.
It was quiet, as if nothing had ever happened.
Frieren turned around.
“Let’s go.”
Naruto and Fern followed behind her.
The three of them walked slowly along the path, moving further and further away.
…
Two years later.
Central Nations, Taku Region.
On a winding mountain road, three people were walking slowly.
Frieren walked in the lead, carrying a box, still with that calm demeanor.
Fern walked in the middle.
Naruto walked at the back, carrying a backpack, holding a staff in his hand, his eyes closed.
He looked as if he were dozing off.
In reality, his consciousness had already sunk into his Mental Space.
…
Countless flowers had already bloomed here.
Kurama was lying in the flowerbeds, its nine tails spread out, looking lazy.
“Say…” Naruto sat by the cage, “We’ve been together for so long, it’s time to tell me your name, right?”
Kurama paused, its ears twitching.
“Why…
are you so concerned about my name?”
Naruto said matter-of-factly: “Only by knowing the other’s name can we be considered true friends, right?”
Kurama was silent for a moment, then snorted coldly: “Kurama.”
Naruto paused, then smiled.
“Kurama?”
He stood up, took a step back, and looked earnestly at the Nine-Tailed fox in front of him.
“Let’s introduce ourselves properly; my name is Uzumaki Naruto!”
Kurama turned its head away, refusing to look at him.
“Boring!”
But the nine tails behind it couldn’t help but wag.
After a while, Kurama spoke, its tone still that impatient one.
“Come to think of it, this boring journey has already lasted two years.”
It used its claw to fiddle with the flowers beside it.
“Although I felt it was fresh at the beginning, it’s more or less become dull.”
“The dungeons that woman goes to are also very simple, completely lacking any challenge…”
Naruto smiled: “Grandma Frieren is perhaps worried about our safety.”
“However, I have indeed become much stronger over these years; it is time.”
Kurama turned its head: “What is time?”
“To return to the Ninja World.”
Naruto’s expression became a bit more serious.
“After bidding farewell to Grandpa Heiter and embarking on this journey, it is time for me to go find the enemy who killed my parents, as well as information about the Uzumaki Clan.”
“The Ninja World also has a vast world waiting for the two of us to explore.”
Kurama was stunned for a moment, then nodded heavily: “Whatever you want.”
Naruto closed his eyes.
In the Mental Space, he began to strengthen his control over his magical power.
Feeling the energy within his body, he gathered it together.
Just like the first time he returned to the Magic World.
Concentrate…
Discard distracting thoughts…
Want to return to the Ninja World.
Want to go find those answers.
Magical power surged within his body, deliberately restrained, not leaking out.
The obsession with returning to the Ninja World grew stronger and stronger.
His body felt as if it had been heavily pulled by something.
…
Naruto opened his eyes.
It was dark all around, with only moonlight shining in through the window.
It was Konoha Village.
It was the place where he once lived.
Naruto sat up, looking down at the wooden stick he was gripping, which was tied with a golden ribbon.
The staff was still there.
Magical power was also quietly flowing within his body.
Kurama’s voice came from the Mental Space, carrying a hint of a smile: “We’re back.”
Naruto nodded and walked to the window.
Pushing open the window, the night breeze blew in.
In the distance, the four faces on Hokage Rock were looming faintly under the moonlight.
He looked at the Village outside and said softly: “Yeah, we’re back.”