At the main gate of The Uzumaki Station.
Masahiko was diving back and forth there. He was feeling a little bit reluctant and afraid because he didn't know how to face Yuriko.
After a long silence, Masahiko clenched his teeth and finally made up his mind, but suddenly a dark shadow blocked his vision.
A slightly familiar back hit him directly; Masahiko found himself a bit unlucky these days.
He was hit by Uchiha Kagami not long ago, and now he got knocked to the ground again.
"Walking backward…" Masahiko sighed, and didn't bother to look up, "This kind of strength and clumsiness only possessed by my second-hand disciple…"
Sure enough, Kenichiro's familiar voice emitted, "Grandpa, are you okay?"
Masahiko looked up and reached out to Kenichiro, waiting for the latter to help him get up. The backlash of the Hachimon didn't get eliminated entirely yet. It might also be because Masahiko has become lazy due to his old age, and didn't want to stand up on his own.
But who would know that halfway up Kenichiro will let go of Masahiko's hand!
Masahiko hit the ground hard again, then he glared at him, which made Kenichiro couldn't help but cover his face with his hands.
"Woo, grandpa… I'm sorry, you look so much like my dead Sensei. I thought you were him for a second. That's why I was surprised… yeah, just like the way you're staring at me right now!"
Masahiko didn't know what to say, he was speechless. He simply sat on the ground, watching his disciple crying.
After a full minute, Kenichiro wiped his tears to found that Masahiko was still sitting on the ground. He quickly stepped forward to help him feeling embarrassed.
Masahiko got up, but Kenichiro didn't give him a chance to say anything, he turned back, then shouted "Yuriko! Come out, there's an old grandpa, who looks very similar to our Sensei!"
Masahiko's face turned really dark as some of the Uzumaki Clansmen swarmed out watching.
"Really?"
"He really looks like the elder…"
"Yeah, but he's older."
"No, I think the elder is older…"
...
Hearing the sound, Yuriko also came out from the Mansion. Upon seeing Masahiko, Yuriko blinked, then rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
After clenching her first, she rushed toward Masahiko aggressively.
Masahiko's heart sank in sorrow, "Sure enough, Yuriko is blaming me…"
Unbeknownst to anyone, Yuriko fastened her pace walking toward Masahiko, then she stopped next to Kenichiro and punched him right in the face, and he flew out screaming.
"Stupid! You can't even recognize our Sensei!"
With tears in her eyes, Yuriko hugged Masahiko, "Sensei! I thought you've left me too…"
Tears start to come from out of her eyes.
Masahiko sigh, then he looked back and waved his hand to the crowd, signaling them to go back.
"It's really the Elder…"
"The great elder is still alive!"
"With his presence, the next Hokage will definitely belong to the Uzumaki clan!"
…..
After more than ten minutes, Yuriko calmed down and took Masahiko in.
Masahiko explained everything to Kenichiro and Yuriko, then he stopped for a second before saying, "Ashina's death is my fault. If I didn't cause all of these things in Kumogakure, then he would have been alive today. Tobirama and I wouldn't have to go to Kumogakure, and you wouldn't have to go to the battlefield, things would have been better…"
Yuriko was silent for a moment, then she shook her head and said, "Sensei, I don't blame you. If I were stronger, if I did better, Ashina wouldn't have to die."
Masahiko didn't say anything back. He knew the plot very well, Ashina died because of him, and nothing she says will change that fact.
"Since the moment I decide to save Tobirama, I know that some things will be different. But I didn't know that the first impact would be this severe."
Masahiko then walked into the hall with Yuriko. They went silent for a moment, then Masahiko asked, "What about Nanako and Gensuke?"
"They went to visit the small clans in Konoha one by one, it's related to the election of the Hokage position, of course. But since Lord Second is still alive, then I will go to find them." Yuriko replied.
"No need, so many clansmen saw me coming back, the news of my return already spread, they will hear the news soon." After all, unlike the Uchiha clan, who only Izumi and Kagami know that Masahiko is back from their clansmen, a lot of people in here saw him, the news of his coming will become soon widespread in both Konoha and the Uzumaki.
Sure enough, within an hour, the Uzumaki mansion has become a gathering place for the major family figures in Konoha.
Everybody came and greeted Masahiko, then they begin to ask about Tobirama's situation.
Masahiko was too lazy to explain to them one by now, so he gathered them all in one place and sat together.
Nanako and Gensuke also came back a little bit late; thus, Masahiko didn't have much time to explain.
Masahiko waited until all of the major and minor clan in Konoha gathers.
Masahiko looked around the hall, and almost all the major and minor clan representatives already gathered, Tobirama's six disciples, the Hyuga, the Uchiha, the Aburame, the Nara, the Akimichi…
"Tobirama is alive!"
Masahiko's first sentence caused all kinds of expression around the place, some surprises, some disappointments, and he carefully inspected it all in their eyes.
"But Tobirama is injured, and he will need more than half a year to recover. And during that time, Konoha must find his replacement, a third Hokage to lead the village in the time being."
Unexpectedly to everyone present, they all became so quiet.
After the silence, Masahiko looked at Gensuke. Obviously, counting on Masahiko's influence, Gensuke's hopes of becoming the next Hokage increased greatly.
Nara patriarch shook his head then sighed, "Elder Masahiko, so are you supporting Gensuke to be the next Hokage?"
Masahiko smiled and looked at Gensuke, who seemed excited, then he sighed, "Nope, I will do it instead of Gensuke!"
Everyone in the room felt shocked for a while, but most of them felt relieved too. Obviously, Masahiko, as the Hokage, was much better than Gensuke.
Masahiko looked at everyone, "Since there's no objection,"
"Then let me announce my first decision as The Hokage." Masahiko looked at Gensuke, who seemed clearly disappointed. "From today, the Uzumaki station in Konoha will be canceled. Gensuke, you will gather the clan and go back. When Tobirama finally recovers, I will return, and we will build our own country! And of course, there will be no change for the alliance between Konoha and Uzumaki."
Masahiko noticed how everyone showed a surprised expression. He sighed, and secretly thought, "I didn't expect the Uzumaki will have to leave Konoha, the Uzumaki population is increasing at unprecedented rate…"
"It's already too late today. Let's head back to our respective clan and spread the news!"
"And tomorrow, I will hold an elder meeting in the Hokage building to discuss some issue in Konoha."
One by one, all the clan members left the room. Masahiko looked at Gensuke, who seemed surprised and anxious, then smiled, "After we establish our own country, you will be the leader, are you okay with that kind of pressure?"
"You can rest assured, I will work hard!"
"Work hard, huh… then I will have to work hard too!" Masahiko sighed.
Tobirama's injury and Ashina's death taught Masahiko that his actions could affect other's people's life. Whether it's small or big, whether it's near or far, whether it's immediate or latent. From now on, the Naruto world is different than what he knows prior.
At the same time,
Hiruzen, who has just left the Uzumaki mansion, went back with Danzo.
"Danzo, did you hear that? Sensei is still alive! Isn't that great?" Hiruzen said excitedly.
Danzo hesitated and stumbled, "Yeah, yeah, it's great!"
"Why did I feel so disappointed when I first heard that Sensei is still alive? No, this must be my imagination…"