Mito had known Tatsuma had returned long before, but upon seeing him, she still smiled, and much of her inner worry dissipated.
The incident involving the Sannin, Tatsuma, and Hanzo had long been spread around. Hearing that Tatsuma had also faced Hanzo, Mito couldn't shake off her concerns. Even though the battle report stated that Tatsuma wasn't injured, she couldn't relax until she saw Tatsuma with her own eyes. Mito stood up and gently embraced Tatsuma, saying, "It's good that you're back. You won't have to go to the battlefield again, will you?"
After Mito let go, Tatsuma nodded and said, "Yeah, I shouldn't be leaving the village in the short term. Hokage-sama wants me to take on the role of Hokage Guard, and I agreed. I'll be staying in the village from now on."
"ANBU?" Mito nodded at the mention. The Hokage Guard actually belonged to ANBU, as they were both departments directly under the jurisdiction of the Hokage.
Mito hadn't inquired about ANBU for many years, but this department was established by Tobirama. Although many ANBU missions were dangerous, serving as Hokage Guard was relatively safe.
Tatsuma didn't ask Mito about Kushina's situation. Although he didn't know what exactly had happened, Mito must be feeling uneasy. After all, elderly people didn't want to see their loved ones away from them. Despite Mito's high status, strength, and knowledge, she was still a grandma.
Moreover, Kushina's departure was recent, and there might have been some incident between them. Mito's emotions might not have completely subsided, so bringing it up again might sadden her once more. Therefore, it was best to act as if he didn't know about it.
Mito pulled Tatsuma to sit down and then asked, "What about Tsunade? Didn't she come back with you? I only heard that Jiraiya stayed in the Land of Rain. Tsunade shouldn't have such intentions, right?"
At Mito's words, he showed a slight awkward expression, then explained, "Sensei, she... She should have gone to the casino."
"Hmph! Just like her grandfather, even though he didn't have much time left, he still passed on such a quirk to Tsunade."
Ignoring whether Hashirama could hear her complaints, Mito couldn't help but speak out.
Tatsuma dared not interject. After all, Mito could freely complain about her husband, but if Tatsuma spoke up, it would be tantamount to disparaging the First Hokage. Even though Mito might not mind, Tatsuma didn't want to speak ill of others, especially an elder whom he had never met or known.
After murmuring, Mito regained her composure and said to Tatsuma, "In the future, you don't need to go to the training ground for training anymore. The land here has fully recovered. If you want to train, just do it here."
"Alright, as long as I don't disturb you," Tatsuma replied.
"No, there's nothing urgent for me on regular days, so there's no question of disturbing," Mito replied.
Seeing Tatsuma agree, Mito smiled again and continued, "Go freshen up and rest for a while. I've had someone buy clothes for you, Minato, and Nawaki. You're growing quickly at your age, and your previous clothes probably don't fit anymore."
"Thank you, Grandma Mito," Tatsuma said with a heartfelt smile. Feeling Mito release his hand, Tatsuma slowly stood up and left the hall.
Minato had already gone to find Kushina, so Tatsuma didn't wait for him. Instead, he returned to the residence of Senju Tobirama. The wardrobe Mito had arranged was filled with a new batch of clothes. Although these clothes were somewhat old-school, with wide sleeves and loose robes, different from the current trend of fitted clothing, Tatsuma didn't mind. He was past the age of liking flashy attire.
Tatsuma grabbed a set of clothes and went to freshen up. As a ninja, especially when on missions, cleanliness was still crucial, not just for health but also for the smooth progress of tasks. For example, during undercover assassination missions, one couldn't possibly sneak into the target's house reeking of odors, right?
However, the conditions for cleanliness during missions were often less than ideal. For instance, in the Land of Rain, they often had to make do with floodwaters or collected rainwater for washing. Those waters weren't exactly clean. While they could use disinfectant tablets for drinking water, they didn't have that luxury for bathing water, let alone hot water.
So, every time Tatsuma returned from a mission, the first bath was always a delightful experience. Of course, the exception was the trip to Hakusen Village, where the hot springs were far more comfortable than home.
Tatsuma couldn't resist washing a bit longer until his hands wrinkled and he felt a bit lightheaded. Only then did he finish bathing and put on his new clothes. These new clothes had obviously been washed after purchase, devoid of the stiffness of new garments. Any residual scent of new clothes was masked by the soap fragrance, leaving just a hint behind.
After changing clothes, it was already dusk. Minato also returned with Kushina, but Kushina looked somewhat aggrieved and resistant. She didn't enter the house but sat on the veranda.
Seeing this, Tatsuma became even more convinced of his thoughts. It seemed that Kushina, who had entered the rebellious phase of adolescence, had some disputes with Mito, and then chose to move out to live alone.
Tatsuma had no intention of intervening. After all, he had also experienced adolescence and knew that children at this age often couldn't tolerate many things. Even if something was genuinely beneficial to them, they might not listen. Sometimes, they even understood this truth themselves, but inner rebellion prevented them from doing the right thing.
Tatsuma went into the house to assist Mito in preparing dinner, while Nawaki talked to Kushina about his experiences on the battlefield, and Minato went to take a bath.
When it was almost dark and dinner was ready, Tsunade finally returned stealthily. Clearly, after completing her duties in the village, instead of coming back to visit her grandmother first, she went to the casino, feeling guilty herself.
In such a situation, Mito was already accustomed to it, so she didn't disturb anyone. Only after the food was served did she ask Nawaki to call Tsunade to come back for dinner.
The meal was harmonious, but Mito and Kushina didn't say a word to each other, just chatting with others. Nawaki kept talking about Tatsuma injuring Hanzo, defeating hundreds of Rain Ninja with one move, and later being regarded as the strongest ninja in the team by the children of the Land of Rain.
Seeing his excited demeanor, someone who didn't know the truth might even think he was telling his own story.
On the contrary, Tatsuma, the person involved, remained unusually calm, just eating his food heartily and occasionally exchanging a few words with Mito.
After dinner, Tatsuma tidied up the table, Minato escorted Kushina back, Nawaki began to practice more, and Tsunade just sat there looking sulky, occasionally muttering phrases like "Should have bet smaller" in discontent.
These relaxed days continued, and finally, the Land of Rain issued an official diplomatic letter, announcing its withdrawal from the war and initiating post-war negotiations with countries such as the Land of Fire, Land of Waterfalls, and Land of Rice Fields.
Soon after, Hidden Sand Village also sent a letter declaring its withdrawal from the war. Compared to Hanzo's statement, the Third Kazekage's remarks in the letter were much shorter and had no follow-up.
There was no mention of post-war plans in the letter either, as initiatives like post-war reconstruction require a large amount of money. Without funding from the Daimyo, it's uncertain how long Hidden Sand Village can sustain itself.
After receiving the diplomatic letters from both countries, Sarutobi Hiruzen, in the name of Konoha, issued a lengthy diplomatic letter about peace, which was sent to various countries large and small in the ninja world.
The letter reflected on the war and also offered sincere advice to the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, which were still causing trouble.
At the same time, it bore the crucial role of Land of Iron in bringing the war to an end and ushering in peace during this war, pioneering the recognition of Land of Iron as a neutral country.
Of course, the eloquent words in the discourse, even those with a strong moralistic and preachy tone, have caused dissatisfaction among the Land of Earth and Land of Lightning.
The Land of Earth claimed in a letter that it had never participated in the war and its transactions with the Land of Rain were only for commercial purposes, but it ultimately acknowledged the Land of Iron's status as a neutral country.
The Land of Lightning took a more hardline stance, stating that Konoha should not interfere in the military exercises of the Hidden Cloud Village, and even questioning whether it wanted to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. They also sent additional troops to the military exercises.
These are the external changes. Within Konoha, there are also numerous changes. Many unclaimed and ownerless houses and shops have been reclaimed by the village and redistributed after bidding. Craftsmen and construction companies from all over the Land of Fire have flooded into Konoha. Nowadays, during the day in Konoha, almost everywhere you go, you hear the sounds of demolition and construction, which greatly affects travel.
Meanwhile, there have been significant changes in the organizational structure of the ninja organizations, with many personnel filling vacant positions and many positions being replaced with new candidates.
A group of ninjas have also seen changes in their titles, with many Chunin being promoted to special Jonin or Jonin, and some Genin being promoted directly to Chunin without examination.
Previously formed ninja teams have also undergone redistribution due to the concentration of the ninja corps. However, many ninjas can no longer team up with their previous teammates because they may be the only survivors left from their teams.
However, these changes have little to do with Tatsuma, as he has hardly left the Senju clan compound. Apart from daily training, he and Minato have to undergo a lot of remedial lessons.
The seal course, which was neglected during wartime, has resumed, and Mito's spare time is spent teaching the two of them. As for Nawaki, Mito has given up on teaching him because there have been no results.
As October approaches, a month that should have been dry, continuous light rain falls instead. Tatsuma hasn't received his appointment letter to become a Hokage Guard but has received another letter instead.
About the funeral.
----
Check out my Patreon for more advanced chapters up to 50 at patreon.com/HellGolt