The revival of the Fourth Hokage ended abruptly on an anti-climactic note.
Danzo originally intended to renege on the conditions he had promised.
However, because Minato had made his final request in that particular tone before vanishing, Jiraiya simply could not find it in himself to refuse his student.
At this very moment, he was no longer the Toad Sage searching for the Child of Prophecy; he was merely a teacher who had lost his proudest disciple!
No matter what it took, as long as it was Minato’s dying wish, he would see it through.
Fugaku also jumped on the bandwagon without the slightest hesitation.
Before Minato vanished, he had made sure to clear the Uchiha clan’s name.
This was a debt of gratitude that Fugaku and the entire Uchiha clan would remember to their graves.
Therefore, having compromised time and again in the past, Fugaku refused to back down even an inch on this matter.
Driven by the leadership of Konoha’s number one noble clan and one of the Legendary Sannin, many others who had once been indebted to Minato joined in to apply pressure.
Danzo’s old face looked incredibly grim, but he had already ridden the tiger and could no longer dismount.
He had no choice but to bite the bullet and carry the terms out.
Naruko was completely unaware that during the brief time she spent practicing the Rasengan, her status had shifted from the reincarnation of the Nine-Tails to the daughter of a hero.
Her only concern right now was how to master Minato’s signature technique.
While Naruko was lost in thought, Yasuka’s gentle voice called out, “Time for dinner.”
Naruko immediately dropped the rubber ball and happily ran back inside to eat.
“Naruko, here is yours.”
Dressed in a kimono, Haku served rice to Naruko and Yugao, while Shisui’s portion had already been packed away and handed to her in advance.
Yasuka did not hide Shisui’s presence from Haku because Haku was very sensible—perhaps even overly so.
Yasuka had wanted to correct Haku’s mindset of viewing herself as a tool on more than one occasion.
Yet, while Haku was completely submissive and obedient in every other aspect, her conviction regarding her identity as a tool was fiercely unshakeable.
Haku deeply cherished this current dynamic.
Everything she had experienced in the past left her lacking the courage to imagine herself as Yasuka’s equal.
In her subconscious, she firmly believed that Yasuka was her master, while she was merely a tool he had picked up.
As a tool, she had to behave exactly like one.
This was, without a doubt, a psychological wound—a deeply entrenched obsession.
Yasuka had no instant cure; he could only use time to slowly shape a distinct personality for Haku.
Even if it took a few years, or perhaps over a decade.
But he had plenty of time.
As a doctor, it was his duty to do everything within his power to cure his patient.
“You’ve done well.
Now, go ahead and sit down too.”
Yasuka was never stingy with his praise.
He gently rubbed Haku’s small head, offering her validation in a tender voice.
“Yes…
as…
as you command…
Lord Yasuka…”
Haku, who had managed to maintain her calm composure as a tool just a moment ago, instantly became flustered.
Her face flushed red as she accepted her reward.
When all was said and done, she was still just a child.
How could she possibly dislike being praised?
It was just that a tool like her…
In the evening, Yasuka took Naruko out for a walk to help her digest her food.
Minato’s departure had not affected Naruko in the slightest.
A parental presence missing for years could never be replaced by a fleeting moment of sentimentality.
Naruko might be moved by their heartfelt advice, care, and expectations.
However, she was incapable of producing any deeper affection for Minato and Kushina.
She was someone who had crawled out of the abyss; when she witnessed sunlight for the very first time, it did not evoke any extraordinary feelings within her.
Because…
she had already encountered her own exclusive light long ago.
Naruko and Haku tightly held Yasuka’s broad palms, one on his left and one on his right.
Konoha in the evening always felt exceptionally relaxed.
Perhaps because most people had already finished work to rest, the atmosphere was pleasantly serene.
The past verbal abuse, hostility, and cold violence directed at Naruko had vanished, replaced by a new wave of rumors.
Supposedly, it was precisely because of the current Third Hokage’s utter incompetence that the long-deceased Fourth Hokage had been driven to rise from his grave in sheer fury.
The spearhead that was once aimed at Naruko had unexpectedly shifted toward the Third Hokage, the person who should have been the most respected.
People always required an outlet to vent their emotions.
In the past, it was the Nine-Tails; now, it was the negligent Third Hokage.
No matter how many good deeds he had done before, a wrong was a wrong, and he had to endure the censures of the villagers.
As for whether someone was deliberately pulling the strings behind the scenes, did it even matter?
This mob of villagers didn’t care to think.
As long as a few ringleaders spoke up, the rest would blindly follow the trend.
Naruko remained completely unfazed.
From beginning to end, her eyes held only Yasuka.
When they brushed past a certain creepy, white-haired old man, Yasuka merely cast a brief glance and paid him no further attention.
Jiraiya, who had intended to make a flashy entrance amidst Yasuka’s startled gasp, froze awkwardly.
This fellow Yasuka had clearly recognized him, so why didn’t he even say hello?
Stranded in his embarrassment, Jiraiya couldn’t quite bring himself to leave, yet following them felt equally awkward.
He stood frozen in place, utterly at a loss.
By December, Konoha had already been blanketed by a layer of pristine white snow.
The various commotions had gradually died down.
During this period, Itachi had come looking for Shisui, and Yasuka gave her the exact response Shisui had instructed.
Upon learning that Shisui had left Konoha, a visible wave of dejection washed over Itachi.
She went so far as to uncharacteristically invite Yasuka out for dango.
Little did she know that while she and Yasuka were sampling the dango and chatting about mundane family matters, Shisui was standing right beside them, watching in total silence.
In the end, Yasuka couldn’t stand the tension and sent her back.
Otherwise, it was hard to concentrate on a conversation with Itachi when a total drama queen was acting up right next to them.
According to Itachi’s account, it seemed that due to Shisui’s disappearance and the guarantees Minato had made before vanishing, the Uchiha clan’s war faction had actually agreed to recuperate and bide their time.
Or rather, they were waiting for Shisui’s return.
As one of the few people to whom Itachi could truly open her heart, Yasuka listened to many of her grievances, only to shoot every single one of them down.
What “capacity for greatness”?
What “village”?
If a person couldn’t even protect their own family, what was the point of it all?
Every single time, Itachi would be left utterly speechless, yet she would invariably return to argue again next time.
In this bizarre manner, the two of them steadily deepened their understanding of one another.
It was just that every time, Shisui could only hover like a non-existent third party, scratching her head in confusion as she watched the two discuss topics she couldn’t grasp.
It felt as if she were about to grow a brain.
“Naruko, we are having sukiyaki today~”
Yasuka carried the ingredients, describing the meal to Naruko beside him.
Naruko couldn’t stop swallowing her saliva, while Haku and Yugao beside them couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Originally, Yugao had refused to accompany them out in the open.
However, Yasuka argued that if she stayed hidden, what would happen if they were ambushed and she couldn’t make it in time?
In the end, Yugao could only reluctantly (happily) agree to Yasuka’s request.
The four of them looked exactly like a couple taking their two younger sisters out for a stroll.
It was a pity they couldn’t see the invisible Shisui; otherwise, they would have caught her instinctively activating her Mangekyō to glare daggers at Yugao.
“Wow!
What ugly eyes!
You’re practically a monster.
How do you have the nerve to come outside looking like that?”
“Hehehe~ I’m going to throw some dirt in your eyes.”
Yasuka followed the sound of the voices and looked over.
Three bratty kids were surrounding a certain little girl, hurling mocking and disparaging words at her.
“Stop right there!!!”
Having been bullied herself in the past, Naruko absolutely despised this kind of behavior.
She immediately rushed over, delivering a swift elbow strike to each of the three brats.
The current Naruko was a far cry from who she used to be.
Today, she was in perfect health, possessed the lifelong teachings of Minato Namikaze, and was a fully equipped Naruko operating in perfect cooperation with the Nine-Tails.
The three brats clutched their stomachs and scrambled away on all fours.
Yasuka stepped forward to observe the little girl in front of him.
She possessed a pair of pure white eyes devoid of any impurities, along with a trace of childish baby fat.
She looked as delicate and lovely as a porcelain doll.
“Are you all right?”
Yasuka knelt down and asked in a gentle voice.
Only then did the little girl dare to raise her head.
Looking at the man before her, she couldn’t help but daze out completely.