"Of course, it's me. That person before was an impersonator. He must have made you sad, little Kushina. Grandpa is really here this time." When she heard this, Kushina threw herself into Ashina's arms and cried even louder.
Kushina remembered a night when her grandpa was holding her and walking along the beach. She suddenly noticed that when the waves hit the sand, a blue fluorescent light would appear. The entire beach was a dreamy color. She was having so much fun, and her grandpa was watching her with a smile on the beach.
"Grandpa, look. The waves are blue. It's so pretty!"
"It is, but to Grandpa, you're the prettiest. You're the prettiest princess in the Land of Uzushio. Grandpa hopes that in the future, you'll be as free, happy, and unrestrained as the waves."
So, just because Ashina said the three words "little sea wave," Kushina was able to confirm that this grandpa was the real one and not an impersonator.
Ashina gently patted Kushina's back. "Alright, alright, my good child. Grandpa is here now and he's not leaving. I'll stay with you, okay?"
"Can we... can we not go back home?"
Ashina heard this and stroked Kushina's hair. "The Land of Uzushio is just a small world. In Konoha, you'll be able to see a wider world. Don't worry. Grandpa will always be with you."
Kushina still didn't quite understand what Ashina meant, but since her grandpa said he would stay, she would stay too, in Konoha.
"Ashina, Torifu?" Tobirama heard the sound in the yard and came out of the house. He didn't expect to see Ashina. He looked at Ashina with caution and asked, "Torifu, is this the real one this time?"
Torifu nodded awkwardly. "Yes. Kushina has also confirmed it. He's the real Senior Ashina."
When he heard what Torifu said, the expression on Tobirama's face immediately changed to a warm smile. "Ashina, I've finally seen the real you this time. That fake one almost caused a huge mess in Konoha."
Ashina also laughed loudly. "I heard from Torifu that Hashirama's arm was injured? I bet it healed before he could even pull out his knife, didn't it?"
"I was wondering why I woke up in such a good mood this morning. It turns out that you've arrived, Ashina." When Hashirama and Mito heard the voice, they also came out of the house. Tsunade and Nawaki stood at the door. To them, the person they had chatted with last night wouldn't be as exciting to see again today, even though that person was an impersonator.
Ashina was stunned when he saw Hashirama and Mito. "You two, how are you getting younger? You look exactly like you did when you were young!"
Then he looked at Tobirama. "And you! I didn't notice just now, but you've also gotten a lot younger!"
Mito covered her mouth and smiled. "Big Brother, some things are inconvenient to talk about, but we've indeed become younger. You, on the other hand, are all white-haired."
Ashina waved his hand indifferently. "It's normal not to talk about such secrets. Besides, my hair was already white thirty years ago. Have you forgotten about me, little sister?"
"How could I? I was just joking. This really is that old saying, 'a real one can never become a fake.'"
Just a few simple words of small talk were enough for them to feel like they were young again. This was the real Ashina. Even though they hadn't seen each other in over thirty years, his personality hadn't changed at all.
Hashirama beckoned to Tsunade and Nawaki. "Come here. This is your Grandpa Ashina. Come and greet him." When they heard their grandpa's command, Tsunade and Nawaki immediately ran down.
"Hello, Grandpa Ashina." The siblings said together.
"Hello, hello, hello. You two are good. I remember holding your father back then. I wonder where that kid ran off to. He came to the Land of Uzushio the year before last." The siblings didn't have much of a reaction to the topic of their father. After all, they hadn't seen their parents since they were little, so they didn't feel much when this topic was brought up.
Hashirama broke the awkward silence. "Alright, alright. Don't just stand in the yard. Let's go inside and chat." The group went into the house. The guards that Ashina brought stayed outside to keep watch. They would probably leave for the Land of Uzushio to report the news tomorrow.
The group went to the sofas in the living room and sat down. Ashina naturally found the remote control and turned on the television. "Hmm, the timing is just right. It's time for the Hashirama Tales."
Hashirama himself winced when he heard the name. He didn't know who created this television show. It was broadcasted non-stop for three hundred and sixty-five days a year, making Hashirama not even want to watch television anymore.
Mito brought a plate of fruit and put it on the coffee table. She then sat next to Hashirama.
"Big Brother Ashina, tell us what you've been through for the past half-month."
When the sad topic was brought up, Ashina also became annoyed. "Oh, I get so angry just thinking about it."
"That day, I was fighting the enemy with Torifu. I said I would help him hold off that iron-masked samurai. I thought that with my Kage-level strength, it would be a piece of cake to restrain him, but I didn't expect him to be from the Uchiha Clan!"
"I didn't expect it at all, so I wasn't prepared. I was hit by his genjutsu just like that. When I woke up again, I felt like I was about to die. Fortunately, I survived in the end and returned to the capital."
"After recuperating for a while, I rushed toward Konoha, but I was still a step too late."
Everyone present felt a little sad when they heard Ashina's words. An old man of his age had endured so much that he shouldn't have. But at least he was safe, so everything was still alright.
"Big Brother Ashina, you really are lucky to be alive."
Ashina also nodded. "Who's to say it's not? It was also my fault for being careless and underestimating the enemy. Otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up in this situation. I didn't expect to make this kind of mistake at my age." Mito felt very bad after hearing about her brother's experience. Although the siblings hadn't seen each other in over thirty years, their bond was still there.
"What did the clan's doctor say? Will there be any long-term consequences?"
Ashina patted his chest. "Don't worry, little sister. My body is still strong. This little injury can't do anything to me. And after the checkup, they said it was just some superficial wounds and that I was just a little exhausted."
Mito nodded. As long as there were no long-term consequences, it was fine. The thing old people feared the most was leaving a root of illness that could erupt at any time and take their lives.
"Big Brother Ashina, are you going back to Konoha this time?"
"No, I'm not. I'm going to wait for Kushina to grow up here. The Land of Uzushio is too small. I don't want her to be confined there for her whole life."