Following a full day of exploration, I made the decision to head back. Along the way, I took the opportunity to purchase a variety of souvenirs that I could share with my companions upon my return.
With the souvenirs in tow, I left the clan's area and embarked on a leisurely walk, immersing myself in the beauty of nature around me. Finally, when the time was right, I used my teleportation ability to transport myself away from the village and back to my own realm.
In the Uzumaki meeting room, the air was tinged with frustration as Ashina's son voiced his displeasure, his voice laced with a questioning tone, "Why did you send me to keep an eye on him? Couldn't you find anyone else?"
As the words hung in the air, Ashina's gaze fixed upon his son's face, registering the deep-seated frustration and blame in his eyes. The unexpected intensity of his reaction caught Ashina off guard, making him momentarily taken aback by the surge of emotions his request had triggered within his son.
As Ashina's puzzled expression met his son's frustrated gaze, he could sense the underlying worry in his voice. "Did something happen? Was he a spy?" his son inquired, a hint of concern lacing his words. The abrupt change in demeanor from his usually obedient son raised Ashina's curiosity, prompting him to delve deeper into the situation that had unfolded during his son's surveillance.
"He was not a spy," his son began to explain, his frustration evident in his tone. "He just bought some things and enjoyed our specialties. Strangely, he even avoided engaging with the locals. People were eager to approach him, but he kept his distance, using various excuses. Many are starting to question his masculinity because of him." The leader's astonishment deepened as he processed this unexpected information.
"Is he really that good-looking?" the leader asked, trying to grasp the situation.
"People have started selling his posters, and you're asking if he's good-looking? Some men even bought them," his son responded with a hint of mockery in his tone.
"Whatever, as long as he's not a threat, it's fine," the leader muttered to himself. He dismissed his son and began contemplating whether he should buy one of the posters to see what all the fuss was about.
Standing at a great height in the sky, I cast my gaze downward, surveying the landscape below. Contemplative thoughts swirled in my mind as I considered the idea, "Would it be a good time to pay Hashirama a visit?" With that notion in mind, I effortlessly disappeared from the sky's expanse, reappearing before a desk where a man, his hair flowing with length, was engrossed in his work.
His expression seemed to hold a sense of weariness or perhaps frustration. Positioned slightly behind him stood a figure with striking white hair, dressed in dark attire, seemingly observing the man's efforts. As I arrived, I allowed my presence to be felt by both individuals, signaling my arrival in their midst.
"Still as bratty as ever, even after founding a village, I see, Hashirama." My words sliced through the air, instantly capturing the attention of both men in the room. As they sensed an unfamiliar presence, their initial reactions were a mix of shock and bewilderment, their guard raised to its highest level.
However, as the recognition settled in and they realized it was me, Hashirama's posture shifted from tense to slightly more at ease.
Yet, there remained a lingering astonishment in their expressions, coupled with a trace of wariness. Tobirama, equally taken aback, maintained his vigilant stance, his senses locked onto the situation.
"How did you enter the room? It was like you suddenly appeared," Hashirama questioned, his curiosity overtaking his initial shock and bewilderment. The perplexed tone in his voice mirrored the astonishment still present in his eyes.
Tobirama's gaze, too, bore a hint of incredulity as he studied me, his analytical nature trying to make sense of my sudden presence.
I offered a playful smile, knowing well that my ability to appear and disappear at will would indeed be a surprising sight to them.
"Oh, that i did."
Hashirama smiled wryly at my playful demeanor, recognizing my characteristic mannerism. Despite the surprise of my sudden appearance, his familiarity with me allowed him to react with a mixture of amusement and resignation. He exchanged a knowing glance with Tobirama, both of them seemingly accustomed to my unpredictable entrances.
"Akihiko-nii san, how long have you been here?" Hashirama asked, his expression a mix of vigilance and astonishment.
"Not too long, but long enough to see your bratty face buried in paperwork," I responded with a smirk, maintaining my playful tone. The familiarity between us allowed for such banter even in unexpected encounters.
Tobirama was the first one to regain his composure. He looked at me with a mix of wonder and astonishment, nudging Hashirama who seemed to be struck speechless. He blushed and closed his mouth, clearly taken aback by my appearance.
"Well, I never saw or heard about you after you vanished, and where is your family? How do you manage to look the same as always?" Hashirama asked, his curiosity evident as he scratched the back of his head.
"Well, we live our life in a secluded area and rarely interact with others. I just came to see you, especially after I heard about you becoming Hokage when I visited Uzushiogakure," I replied. I deliberately ignored his last question and shifted the topic, showing him the bags of food I was holding. I sensed someone with high amount of chakra for humans walk in our direction.
" And what's up with the name. Couldn't you come up with something better? Even the village itself isn't hidden and you call it hidden village of the leaf."
Hashirama sweat dropped at my comments as Tobirama had a slight smirk on his face " Well ni-san, my friend came up with the name. I decided the village's name."
" Don't be the one to name you kids at least." I said with a slight overexaggerated sigh.
"Did you visit our village? How was it?" Hashirama's curiosity flowed forth in a series of questions, his eagerness to know about my visit evident in his tone.
As he fired off inquiries one after another, a new presence entered the room, capturing my attention. It was the same individual I had sensed earlier, his chakra unmistakable.
With my senses, I already knew the identity of the newcomer.
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