Multitudes of brilliant dots painted the celestial canvas, each dot shrouded in its own unique aura of enigma and radiance. Blanketing the limitless sea of black in an ethereal glow, these specks presented themselves as stars, shimmering across the Heavens.
Truly a fervent, cosmic tapestry forged by God, and a level of craftsmanship no mortal could ever possibly imitate. Such is the splendour of the Universe, an enticing force exuding an unrivalled, captivating allure. No matter how many times one observes, the allure could never mitigate!
Among the insurmountable miniature specks spread across the limitless velvet, stood a grand sphere emanating a radiance that far surpassed the miniature specks; the Moon.
The moon bore silent witness to the undiminished liveliness of the village hidden in the leaves, casting upon the realm an ample glow that would serve as illumination, knowing full well its efforts would only be ignored...
Welp, such is the laws of nature.
Traversing the lively bourg, the landscape hummed with the animated chatter of its occupants, and the denizens immersed in their mandatory, daily routines. As we zoom further in, we find ourselves in front of a colossal structure, revealing itself to be a 2 story-building, and a meticulously maintained garden devoid of imperfections. Whoever was responsible for this welcoming and engaging view, was truly a passionate master at work.
Now let us enter the establishment...
***
The space exuded a sleek, modern aesthetic, characterised by impeccable cleanliness. Amidst the tranquillity, an unsettling scraping noise pervaded the air, making one's spine shudder.
An adult male was in the room and appeared to be rubbing the drawers, echoing off the walls, and leaving a rather unpleasant vibe.
Adorned in a pink apron, the man boasted long crimson hair tied back in a ponytail. His unwavering crimson eyes remained fixated on the furniture, driven by a singular purpose;
'I need to keep this place absolutely clean. What a mess,' he pondered, picturing the former state of the cluttered room; an absolute horror! Initially, the house was covered in webs, and dirt that had accumulated over months of negligence! His pursed lips and creased brows, as well as pale complexion, were a silent testament to his petulance with the former state of his domain.
After astutely extracting the grimes off the drawer, his lips curled in jubilation, and slouching on a chair, he expressed in elation, "All done."
Wiping away his sweaty forehead with his sleeves, he surveyed the area, his examining pupils slowly digesting the entirety, siphoning every nook and cranny...
The result?
It was pristine!
Indeed, a stark contrast to the terror of earlier, where Hayato had stumbled down the stairs as one of the webs got into his face!
Massaging his lower back, Hayato ruefully mused, 'Damn, it hurts.'
Welp, thanks to a shadow clone, he was able to apply some medicinal cream beforehand and proceed with the cleanup of the house, but the stinging sensation of the wound was rather bugging.
Anyways, back to the present:
The terrain mirrored the standard format of a living room belonging to an aristocratic household... Well, not exactly aristocratic, perhaps that's a stretch, but in this era, it is quite rich; a household only a businessman, or someone of high caliber such as the Hokage, or the head of a notorious clan, would possess.
The furnishings of the living room, though limiting maneuverability, exhibited cosy interiors, and a welcoming vibe. There was a kitchen at the far back adorned in sky-blue tiles, and a wooden dining table in front of the kitchen separated by a wooden ledge. On the other end of the hall, was a glass door veiling the outside world with a scarlet curtain.
Hayato rasped in satisfaction, "Perfect."
Directing his gaze toward a window, the frame of the celestial backdrop reflected before his turbid eyes. The man had found himself ensnared, appreciating not only the spectacular design, but sharing admiration for the being who had orchestrated such art... Truly a divinity!
However, snapping him from his reverie was a bird, which swooped in, encircling the area before perching at the window ledge as though begging for attention. With an all-knowing gaze, Hayato strolled to the window and opened it, unconsciously allowing the intrusion of the cold winter air into his warm home. Nonetheless, his focus was on the bird, specifically, a mini scroll attached to its leg, which he untied.
Deciphering the contents, he sighed, "They're finally ready."
His index finger radiated an azure energy, tracing akin to linguistics on the mini scroll. Binding it back on the bird's leg, he stroked its back before subsequently weaving a 2-handed sign, and the bird immediately disappeared into a puff of smoke.
Hayato muttered, "I should get a move on."
He stood akimbo and stretched his back, humming in pleasure as his back inaudibly cracked. Weaving a sign, he muttered, "Kagebunshin No Jutsu." An exact carbon copy materialised from thin air, and he instructed it to protect the house.
[Shadow Clone Jutsu]
Subsequently, he unequipped his apron and hung it on a peg on the wall before sauntering toward the exit and turning the knob. The man was immediately welcomed by the cries of winter, besieging his innards and sending a shiver down his spine. However, he pressed on, exiting the heart of the infrastructure, and now found himself at the forefront...
The entire view of the house came to view, brightened by lights and making it seem welcoming. A smile graced his lips, signifying his satisfaction with his work.
"Oy, who are you," a voice snapped in Hayato's direction, prompting Hayato to turn to the source.
The adult that questioned him had spiky, white-grey hair, and concealed much of his face behind a mask, leaving only his left eye.
Hayato's eyes almost widened, but he remained cool, playing the facade of 'Uzumaki Saruto.' He inwardly acknowledged, 'Hatake Kakashi.'
Kakashi was in a dark blue vest and a dark blue tracksuit.
Seeing Kakashi, Hayato felt a pang of sorrow for the man. Kakashi was around 2 years younger, but the things he had gone through were nothing short of depressing. In his youth, Kakashi lost his father, Hatake Sakumo, the notorious White Fang.
Later on, Kakashi lost 2 significant partners who had fought alongside him, and were regarded as his precious comrades; Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin, and then a couple of years later, his sensei, Namikaze Minato. His team was a driving foundation, the next people he held dearest to after the death of his father. However, they all met tragic fates, and he was the only one left.
Hayato bowed in respect, as part of his Saruto persona, "Y-You're... Hatake Kakashi-san, it's an honour."
[You're now watching a master actor at work.]
Kakashi was a prodigy child, who reached the rank of Jonin at the tender age of 12, and became a member of the ANBU at 13. He was a well-revered Jonin who had made remarkable strides, earning the moniker, 'The Copy Ninja.'
Kakashi replied, waving his hand in dismissal, "Well, thank you, that's flattering, but there's no need to be so formal. I'm just passing by."
"Very well," Hayato kept his back straight.
Kakashi inquired, "By the way, I don't think I've seen you before?"
"I am Uzumaki Saruto, sir. I've been away from the village for the past six years or so," Hayato replied, delivering the fabricated information smoothly.
Hayato lampooned, 'Now that I think about it, this man had monitored Naruto for a long time according to Lord Third's reports. He was also nii-san's student, so I think I can trust him with my identity.'
"You can drop the 'sir'," Kakashi remarked, turning his eye to the house. "Have you bought this house?" he continued to interrogate.
"Yes, sir. My mission abroad earned me a hefty sum from a rich family. I've retired from the team just yesterday, and now, I just want to relax with my family," Hayato answered.
Nodding in approval, Kakashi remarked, "I see, and as I said, you can drop the 'sir.'"
"Haha, it just comes naturally," Hayato let out a strained laugh, scratching his head sheepishly.
Kakashi could only sigh, and turned his gaze at the residence, illuminated by multiple lights that cast a soft glow upon the garden. He found himself revelling in the details, such as a small grass lawn, as well as flower pots adorning the flanks. It had been so long since he passed by since the memories he had were precious, but that was also the exact reason why he very rarely passed by; he wanted to forget everything.
Kakashi referenced, "This house... It belonged to Lord Fourth."
Following Kakashi's gaze to his house, Hayato supported, "Ahh, yes, I was aware."
Hayato was well aware that this was his older brother's house. Ever since the deaths of Minato and Kushina, the house was sold, which Hayato has now decided to buy. This was Minato's and Kushina's loving home, in which they would've continued to raise and nurture Naruto.
There had also been several purchases of people renting the house, hence, it wouldn't be suspicious if Hayato decided to stay with Naruto here.
This was supposed to be Naruto's house, but Naruto was prohibited from entering to keep his heritage a, "secret," and prevent people from speculating this child was the son of the Fourth Hokage, hence, it was sold. This was done to avoid painting a target on the boy and raise speculation... But that doesn't matter anymore, since everyone knows he's a Jinchuriki, which leads Hayato to another thought;
'Should I even keep my identity concealed at this point?'
"Saruto-san, was it?" Kakashi called, snapping Hayato from his musings.
Hayato affirmed, "Yes."
Though Kakashi's expression was concealed by his mask, there was a subtle enlightening to his features as he inferred, "Look after your family, and the house well."
"Yes sir," Hayato answered, bowing in respect.
Kakashi departed the area, sighing inwardly, 'As I said, you can drop the sir... Sigh.'
Regaining his composure, Hayato stared at the house, his lips curling in delight.
Poising with a finger on his lips, he silently affirmed, 'I will raise Naruto here, no doubt.'
Leaping onto a rooftop, Hayato vaulted across the village toward the Hokage Mansion. Although he did have a scuffle with the old man earlier, that didn't prevent him from doing what had to be done.
Meanwhile, Kakashi watched Hayato sprint at high speed in the direction of the Hokage Mansion. However, he had another thought in mind...
Earlier today, Kakashi had witnessed the ordeal between the red-haired man, and a random vendor. After the ordeal, Kakashi decided to track the mysterious red-haired man, however, the man vanished. From everyone else's point of view, it seemed as though this individual just ran at high speed as you would expect from a Shinobi, but Kakashi saw different; he wasn't certain, but from experience, and as a seasoned Shinobi himself, he had deduced that the man had performed teleportation!
Harbouring suspicion, Kakashi decided to keep a keen eye on the mysterious newcomer.