Early the next morning, Namikaze Yue let Kushina dress him up as she pleased. He had to admit, this body was truly good-looking—so much so that even Kushina couldn't resist rubbing his face. In return, she received an emotionless gaze.
"Ma~ Today is a big day, Yue! The village has won the war, and our little sun is returning home as a hero. Who knows? He might even be elected as the Fourth Hokage soon! You should be happy!" Kushina gently tugged at the corners of Yue's mouth, trying to make him smile, but he turned his head away to escape her grasp.
"Let's go, Mom."
"Are you eager to see our little sun too? Then let's go welcome your father!" Perhaps because she hadn't seen Minato for a long time, Kushina was in an especially good mood today.
As always, Yue refused Kushina's attempts to hug him. Instead, he let her hold his hand as they walked toward the village gates. This was the maximum level of intimacy he could tolerate—he had no interest in being kissed, hugged, or lifted high into the air.
Even after spending four years with Kushina, who cared for him meticulously, Yue still felt a bit out of place in his current identity. He did love his parents, but he wasn't sure how to express it.
Konoha was actually quite large. Backed by the Hokage Rock, the village was shaped like a fan, with its main entrance at the top of the arc. Though called a "village," Konoha had a permanent population of over 500,000, and during peak periods, including temporary residents, that number could reach 800,000.
Based on his readings, Yue estimated that this world's landmass was about as large as his previous homeland. Of course, that was only the explored regions—he suspected the natives here hadn't even achieved global navigation yet...
With a village this size, it was fortunate that Namikaze Minato had high prestige and lived in a well-connected area. Otherwise, the walk to the gates would have taken more than an hour, and Yue would have been left with no choice but to let Kushina carry him in a frog-jumping sprint...
When they arrived at the village entrance, they easily bypassed the crowds thanks to their special privileges, securing a front-row spot. Leading the welcoming party was an elderly man wearing a Hokage hat with the kanji for "Fire" (火) on it. Yue had seen him a few times before—he knew this was Konoha's current leader, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Thinking about Konoha, the Hokage, and the Land of Fire, Yue had racked his brain but still couldn't understand why such a bizarre political system existed.
The highest authority, the Daimyō, controlled an army made up mostly of regular soldiers, while hiring ninja required issuing missions and paying commissions—essentially treating them as mercenaries.
Yet somehow, these mercenaries had established villages as permanent bases of operation. Even though the Daimyō controlled both personnel and finances on paper, this oversight wasn't strong enough to completely suppress Konoha. At most, they could tighten budgets for a while.
From a military standpoint, Konoha utterly outmatched the Land of Fire, yet even the smallest village matters required approval from above. Yue simply couldn't wrap his head around it… but it wasn't his problem to solve.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Oh! Kushina, you brought Yue along today too, huh? Yue, your father is the village's great hero! He's an excellent ninja who has inherited the Will of Fire! He's also been officially nominated for the upcoming Fourth Hokage election!" Sarutobi Hiruzen was clearly in high spirits today. His wrinkled face beamed with joy, his pipe dangling from his lips as he looked at Kushina and Yue with satisfaction.
"The Fourth Hokage? But isn't Lord Orochimaru also a candidate? I don't think the little sun has much of a chance, does he?" Kushina's excitement wavered for a moment, and she scratched her head sheepishly in imitation of Minato's habit.
"You must have faith in Minato—after all, he is your husband."
Yue noticed that when Kushina mentioned Orochimaru's name, Hiruzen's smile briefly faltered, and he adjusted his hat slightly downward.
'Looks like Father is really about to become the Fourth Hokage.'
In his past life, Yue had been an obsessive researcher, someone who rarely left his lab. Yet despite his reclusive nature, he had a natural talent for social interactions—he simply found them unnecessary. To him, the political performances of these villagers were painfully naive…
Sensing Yue's gaze, Hiruzen shifted his attention back to the boy. Yue had a delicate face, unfocused blue eyes, and striking red hair like his mother's. For some reason, something about the child made Hiruzen feel uneasy. Perhaps it was that vacant, distant gaze…
"Yue! Are you proud of your father? Remember, wherever leaves dance, fire burns. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and new leaves will sprout once more. This is Konoha's Will of Fire! Your father has inherited this will, protecting the village and maintaining peace! I believe that one day, you will become just like your father, Yue."
Yue averted his gaze, looking off into the distance.
He scoffed at Hiruzen's words. In his past worldview, knowledge was truth—his one and only pursuit. But here, strength was truth. Minato and Kushina's kindness had taught him about protection, but that protection only extended to those he considered his family.
The atmosphere turned awkward. Hiruzen's usual inspirational speeches were incredibly effective on three-year-olds, but for some reason, they didn't work on Yue.
Maybe… it was because Yue was already four years old…
"My apologies, Hokage-sama. Yue misses his father too much and didn't hear you." Kushina quickly smoothed things over, while Hiruzen chuckled and let the matter drop. They all stood in place, waiting for the returning troops.
'What a reclusive child… His temperament… it reminds me a lot of Orochimaru when he was young.'
Yue stared blankly down the road, unsure how much time had passed—probably around half an hour. During that time, Kushina had been exchanging greetings with the villagers. Some people had approached to talk to Yue, but upon seeing his unapproachable demeanor, they wisely left him alone. Yue was perfectly content with that, but Kushina felt both embarrassed and concerned.
After dismissing the crowd, she picked Yue up again, unable to bring herself to scold him. Instead, she simply gave him a big, bright smile. Yue understood what she meant, and the corners of his mouth barely twitched upward, making Kushina so happy that she planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Hm? Yue, what's that in your hand?"
Kushina had noticed that Yue had been clasping his hands together for the past half-hour. Even now, in her arms, she could still sense chakra flowing between his fingers. Curiously, she asked him about it. Yue wordlessly opened his hands, revealing two falling leaves—one leaf had been precisely sliced into two equal halves.
As a strong kunoichi, Kushina immediately understood what Yue had been doing. She felt both pride and heartache—pride that her son was so naturally talented, and heartache that he was so obsessed with growing stronger but never shared the reason why.
"Yue, after your birthday, the little sun and I will train with you together, okay?"
"…Okay."
Though it was only a single-word response, Kushina could hear a rare flicker of emotion in Yue's voice. She couldn't resist ruffling his hair again.
Suddenly, an explosion of cheers erupted around them. Yue, still in Kushina's arms, had a perfect view of the approaching procession.
At the head of the returning group was a young man with golden hair, sharp features, and an excited expression. As he walked faster, he first greeted Hiruzen, then turned toward Kushina and Yue, looking a little unsure of himself before breaking into a wide smile.
The morning sun shone behind him, making him look just like Kushina had described—a little sun.
"Welcome home, Father."
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