"I'm here," Naruto said into the phone, his voice calm but carrying a faint edge of anticipation. He slipped the phone into his pocket and took a moment to glance around, soaking in the surroundings.
He stood on the Philosopher's Path, a quiet, tree-lined walkway along a canal in Kyoto. It was early April, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Pink petals drifted lazily onto the water's surface, painting the scene with a serene beauty. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of sakura and the distant hum of the city.
Naruto had made sure to suppress his magical energy entirely, leaving no trace of his presence. Earlier, he'd sent a shadow clone—infused with a significant amount of magical energy—half a city away to a media-sponsored events, serving as a decoy to distract anyone who might be watching. The real Naruto, however, was here, wearing a cap Almost covering half of the face, and then a sunglass In eyes, waiting.
He leaned against the railing,
He changed his clothes as well to an White hoodie and black jeans to avoid any suspicion it could create,contrasting sharply with the soft pastels of the blossoms. The path was nearly empty, the serenity of the place undisturbed by the usual foot traffic.
After a few minutes, he saw her. A woman walked toward him with purposeful strides, her coat fluttering slightly in the breeze. Her red hair was tied back, and her expression was calm, but there was a warmth in her eyes as she approached.
"Naruto," she said softly, stopping a few steps away.
The moment she spoke, he recognized her—from her voice, from the way she carried herself, and, most of all, from the striking red hair that reminded him of the one photo he'd seen of his mother, Kushina.
"It was time you finally showed up... Grandma," Naruto said, fumbling slightly with the words. His Japanese was rusty; he hadn't spoken it much in years.
She paused, her calm expression flickering with a mix of surprise and amusement. Her lips twitched, as if she were holding back a laugh, and she raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Grandma?" she repeated, her voice laced with gentle teasing. "I know I'm not as young as I used to be, but I didn't think I'd earned that title just yet."
(A/N: Naruto mistakenly used "Obaa-san," which means "grandmother" or refers to an older woman, instead of "Obasan," the correct term for "aunt." For the record, I'm not a Japanese language expert—just looked it up.)
Naruto stared at her for a moment, confused, before realization dawned. He scratched the back of his neck, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. "Well, I don't usually speak this language, so it's a bit difficult to keep up," he explained.
She chuckled softly, her amusement evident as she shook her head. "It's alright, I guess. I'll take it as a genuine mistake." Her expression softened as she looked at him, her gaze lingering on his face. "It's the first time I've met my nephew, after all. You've grown so much, Naruto. I've heard about your achievements—how you've become one of the most powerful Hunters, how you've soloed S-Rank gates—but seeing you here, in person… it's different. Your mother would've been so proud of you, Naruto."
"Proud? For what?" Naruto gave her an amused smile, a hint of skepticism in his tone. "But, the most important question is something I was stupid enough not to ask until now—what's your name again? He didn't mention it in the letter as well?"
She chuckled softly and shook her head, a faint sigh escaping her lips. "He didn't even tell you my name? Even in his letter?" She paused, as if gathering her thoughts, then continued, "It's Kiyomi. My name is Kiyomi."
"Now, next thing. I assume you already know about your father's enemies, right?"
"I know, he wrote it in the letter. The problem is... I don't even know who the enemies are, like, it just said enemies. Is it human, beast, or something out of this world…"
"You will know... and that very soon. He probably gave you a location already, right?" Kiyomi asked, and Naruto nodded. He indeed had an address from that letter. "Good. You will get that information from that place."
"I will," Naruto said, his voice firm.
They continued walking through the mostly empty road, with one or two people passing by occasionally. Naruto had come prepared for this—wearing sunglasses, a cap, and a hood to avoid being recognized.
"We're here," Kiyomi said softly, pointing toward a house.
The house stood in stark contrast to the traditional Japanese homes around it. It was a modern structure, sleek and minimalist in design, with clean lines and large glass windows that reflected the soft light of the afternoon sun. The exterior was painted a crisp white, with accents of dark gray and black, giving it a sharp, contemporary feel. It was a two-story house, noticeably larger than the neighboring homes, with a flat roof and a wide, open front porch.
The front yard was neatly landscaped, with a small, well-maintained garden of shrubs and flowers adding a touch of color to the otherwise monochromatic exterior. A short, paved path led from the sidewalk to the front door, which was flanked by two potted cherry blossom trees, their branches heavy with pink blooms that swayed gently in the breeze.
Kiyomi reached for the door handle and turned it, stepping inside with Naruto close behind.
The interior was just as modern as the outside, with an open-concept layout that made the space feel even larger. The walls were painted in muted tones of beige and gray, and the floors were polished hardwood, adding warmth to the otherwise cool, contemporary design. A large, L-shaped leather sofa dominated the living room, facing a sleek, wall-mounted television. A few pieces of abstract art hung on the walls, and a glass coffee table sat in the center of the room, its surface gleaming under the soft light of a minimalist chandelier.
To the left, a staircase with a glass railing led up to the second floor, where Naruto assumed the bedrooms were located. To the right, an open kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a large marble island took up most of the space.
"You seat here, I will make some tea for you first." She said, as she headed towards the kitchen as it seemed , while Naruto sat down at one of the sofa at the living room , and turned the TV on, and surprisingly enough, it was telecasting Naruto's interview from the airport, with a headline - Draw Sword Guild's 12th S-Rank Hunter or Twin Star Guild's First S-Rank Hunter ?
Naruto chuckled, "They can make News out of anything, without any source whatsoever."