The peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by a polite knock on the window.
And then—it swung open, revealing HIM!
"Hn. Two more than last time. You're growing, Naruto-kun." The newcomer surveyed the scene with a calm remark.
Hitomi regarded him indifferently, Yugao stared in shock and confusion, Hana froze completely, and Tsume…
If I weren't sitting on her lap right now, she would've already lunged at him.
"Alright, I won't stay long—I still have to visit my family before I get noticed. Happy Birthday, Naru—oh! Someone else actually remembered this occasion? Impressive. Sorry, my gift isn't a cake, but two jutsu and something else that might suit you." The walking paradox snorted.
"Here—Water Gun Jutsu and Dual Water Gun Jutsu. Damn, getting these was a real pain! They're clan techniques, and the only living user serves Orochimaru now… sneaking into the White Snake's lab and retrieving these scrolls was tough but entertaining." He nodded to himself.
"Ho… does that mean Orochimaru is dead? Or just some of his subordinates?" Yugao asked in an unreadable tone, still glaring at the intruder.
"No, no more killing for me—I'm tired of it. Neutralizing them without killing was incredibly difficult, but it was a much better test of my skills than mindlessly cutting everything down. As for the Snake himself, he wasn't there at the time, and I'm not ready to deal with him without resorting to killing." The uninvited guest responded smoothly.
"Aren't you afraid someone will try to capture you?" I asked, genuinely curious.
Sure, he was insanely strong, but not enough to be casually wandering around an enemy village without a care in the world.
"No. Some people are too busy drinking, and the ANBU squads watching over them can't afford to abandon their posts. The Hyuga are currently dealing with… a small 'incident' at their gates. Those arrogant bastards were really asking for it. No injuries, but their pride took quite a hit… and, of course, the ANBU are hovering around, trying to figure out what happened. So, I have a bit of leeway—though not much. If it weren't a festival day, I'd be more cautious about sneaking in. Anyway, happy birthday again! I gotta run—I miss my family… even my father's endless lectures."
With a smirk, Itachi Uchiha disappeared.
For a full two minutes after he left, the room was completely silent.
Everyone was still processing what just happened.
Hitomi didn't care about Itachi and stood impassively.
I, on the other hand, stared after him in disbelief.
His status alone had caught my attention.
No, who was I kidding? Everything about him was insane.
But the term "Reincarnation of Asura" stuck with me the most.
"You have… very interesting acquaintances, Naruto-kun. But I would advise you to be more careful when choosing your friends."
Tsume was the first to break the silence.
And after that, I was dragged away—practically by force (fine, I'm exaggerating)—to celebrate in the Inuzuka District.
Hana, Yugao, and Hitomi came along, so I had to endure the loud, chaotic crowd.
Not that I minded too much—this was a rare chance to help mend the relationship between Hana and her mother.
And it wouldn't hurt to let the two ANBU relax a bit.
If only I could figure out how to escape Tsume's grip!
Aside from the total control she had over me (which made me genuinely worried about what would happen in two years), the experience wasn't bad.
No glares, no disgusted or sour faces, and no drunks yelling about "the demon child."
Some cautious looks from certain clan members were understandable—they still remembered the dramatic scene between Tsume and Hana years ago.
So, between wandering past various street stalls, conversations with Tsume, and the occasional presence of the "guilty trio" (who, the more I reassured them I wasn't mad, the more miserable they looked—I will never understand female logic), the night passed quickly.
I even got to watch acrobats perform.
Then again, the Inuzuka themselves ended up stealing the show, easily surpassing any professional performers.
No surprise—they were a shinobi clan, after all.
And somewhere along the way, I fell asleep.
…Only to wake up in a very interesting situation.
I was curled up against Tsume.
Praise all the gods, judging by the fact that we were still wearing clothes, nothing happened.
…And what the hell was that tiny bit of disappointment I felt at that realization?!
Also, now that I got a better look, her vest really hid a lot more than I expected.
Not to the level of Tsunade, or even Anko, but still…
Then again, that's not the only thing that matters in a woman, right?
So, yeah—compared to an alcoholic glutton, she's leagues ahead.
"I see you're awake. Maybe now you'll finally let me go? Because once you fell asleep, getting you to let go was impossible."
Tsume's warm smile carried a hint of mischief.
"Doesn't look like anyone's too upset." I muttered quietly, trying to hide my embarrassment. That was… awkward.
"And yeah, thank you for yesterday!" Now fully dressed and standing up (damn, I didn't even notice how they put me to bed or changed my clothes… my body must have really needed the rest, not to mention this kid's physique played a role), I bowed almost to the floor, expressing my gratitude.
"Stand up, just a simple 'thank you' is enough. You remember I don't like all these formalities. Now, go downstairs for breakfast—your guardians are probably waiting for you."
A predatory yet perceptive gaze—an interesting combination.
I nodded again, stepping out and heading downstairs, catching the faint chakra signature of Hana. Hopefully, this time they'll at least talk… or at the very least, not fight.
---
Meanwhile, after Naruto left.
"Did you need something, my daughter?" A calm yet slightly tense voice.
Not only was the strain in their relationship still there, but after yesterday, Hana felt awkward, while Tsume was genuinely irritated—this time, for a good reason.
"I have the same question, Mother." Hana responded in the same tone.
Tsume raised an eyebrow slightly, silently prompting her to continue.
"Tell me—are you trying to bring Naruto into the clan again?"
"Oh? Dropped the honorifics already?" Tsume noted with a smirk.
"Don't change the subject!" Hana snapped, though she avoided making eye contact, instead staring just past her mother's head.
What if Tsume saw something in her gaze? Something that Hana herself didn't want to acknowledge?
"Ha-ha-ha, have we switched roles? Though honestly, I don't need you to understand your own position just yet." The older woman scoffed, watching her daughter carefully.
"That's just your assumption—it's irrelevant! I just want Naruto to choose someone he truly loves, rather than being used as a pawn in someone's schemes. And if you're still trying to pull him into the clan… he won't be accepted without marriage. But if he marries anyone other than the heir, that girl will just be handed over to the Uzumaki clan! What exactly are you planning?" Hana narrowed her eyes, surprising her mother.
Because such reasoning meant she had been thinking about this.
Though, apparently, not deeply enough.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm done with underhanded schemes. I told you as much when I apologized—I fully understand and accept my past motives now. But tell me, Hana—do you already have someone specific in mind when you imagine the girl Naruto will love?"
Hana growled softly before she even realized it.
"But you overlooked something, my dear daughter." Tsume continued.
"As I said, I fully understand my motives. But your logic has a flaw. You're right—Naruto won't be accepted into the clan without marriage. But there are two ways for that to happen. The first—he marries the clan heir. The second…" Tsume smirked, watching Hana's eyes widen.
"…is the same as the first, except with the clan head instead."
"Aren't you a bit too old for him, Mom?" Hana put extra emphasis on the last word, driving the point home.
"Relax, daughter—it means you don't have to do anything. I'll wait a couple of years, and after that, things will work themselves out. Trust an experienced woman—when certain hormones start working in my favor, everything will happen naturally. I won't force him—he'll come to me on his own."
There was an obvious hint in her words, but Hana couldn't quite grasp it.
She could tell her mother was calculating something, likely considering Naruto's personality and Inuzuka clan techniques.
But even now, she couldn't fully read Tsume.
And by the time she could, she'd probably be qualified to apply for Tokubetsu Jonin in a couple of different specialties.
"I can accept that Naruto might be interested in someone older, but not that much older." Hana huffed, once again jabbing at her mother's sore spot—because she had nothing else to counter with.
Though, judging by the faint growl in her own voice, she wasn't as unaffected as she wanted to seem.
"Oh? Such high hopes. But tell me—what will you do if he's only interested in girls his own age? Will you really just let him find his so-called 'true love' elsewhere, instead of recognizing it in yourself?"
Tsume struck back at the same weak spot.
And it wasn't just Hana who failed to hide the growling notes in her voice.
"Don't project your fears onto me." Hana tried to dismiss it.
"Are you sure you're not just fooling yourself?"
"That's not what I taught you, Hana."
But out-talking an experienced woman like Tsume was simply impossible.
And Hana… just wasn't experienced enough in arguments like these.
The atmosphere grew tenser—until suddenly, a splash of water poured over both of them.
"You can punish me later—beat me up, train me to death, scold me, whatever you want. But your yaki was practically screaming that it was time to step in. And I won't stand by and watch two people I care about tear each other apart."
A blond idiot stood in the hallway, very familiar to both women.
"And yeah, my chakra control is a menace—I have chakra exhaustion."
With a wide grin, Naruto face-planted onto the floor.
Well.
No one could stay mad after that.
Not even Tsume.
And as for Hana—she was way too soft to even try.