The child in Kaguya's arms was the very same one Tsunade had just given birth to. Although Tsunade was still recovering, with her body, Ayanami Kaito believed she would soon be well again.
"Why are you still here as a father? Hikari isn't here anymore, so why don't you head to the ninja world to bring her back?" Kaguya's voice carried the chilling authority of an empress, her presence filling the air.
Kaito scoffed, his tone careless. "Why should I worry about her? That girl carries both my blood and Ino's. She was born with the strength of a Kage and even awakened Wood Release. No one in the ninja world can match her."
The moment those words left his lips, several women glared at him in unison.
Kushina clenched her fists, her voice sharp. "Are you listening to yourself? If she runs wild, the entire ninja world will be in chaos because of her!"
Despite their scolding, Kaito could still see the flicker of worry in their eyes. Hikari might be reckless, but she was still a child they had all watched grow up.
"Alright, let's see where she's gone," Kaito said with a faint smile. He swiped his palm through the air, and a transparent screen unfolded before them like a mirror in the sky, revealing the world below.
"Wow, so this is the ninja world? Looks fun!"
A young girl, no more than ten years old, stood atop a waterfall. Her twin golden ponytails swayed in the wind as her bright eyes glittered with mischief. Without a shred of fear, she leapt from the towering height with reckless excitement.
"Be careful!"
Before she could hit the water, a figure flashed across the air like lightning, catching her in mid-fall. They twisted gracefully before landing firmly on the riverbank below.
The woman wore a red skirt and an orange kimono, her dark hair tied loosely. Her most striking feature was her pale, pupil-less eyes—Byakugan, unmistakably of the Hyuga clan.
This was Hyuga Hanabi, Kaito's sister-in-law, now grown into a stunning woman whose beauty rivaled even Hinata's. She looked down at the girl in her arms, surprise flashing across her face.
"Hikari! You little brat! What are you doing here?"
Hanabi often visited Kaito's realm to help Hinata and the others care for the children, so she recognized the girl instantly. Today she had come to relax, only to stumble upon Hikari leaping recklessly from the waterfall.
The little girl blinked, her round cheeks brightening with delight. "Aunt Hanabi? Why are you here?"
"You! How did you even get out? Did brother-in-law send you?" Hanabi asked, suspicion lacing her tone.
"Yes! Yes! Dad said I'm not too young anymore, so I should come to the ninja world to train!" Hikari's fox-like eyes sparkled with slyness.
"Really?" Hanabi narrowed her gaze. Years of watching this mischievous child had taught her not to take anything she said at face value.
Hikari puffed up her chest proudly. "Really! Really!"
Hanabi sighed, relenting. "Fine, I'll believe you. Since you're here, I'll take you to Konoha for a walk. But afterward, you're going straight back to your father's space."
The little girl's excitement immediately dimmed. "What? Already?"
Seeing her pout, Hanabi smirked knowingly. She was certain Hikari had snuck out on her own. Still, she patted the girl's head gently. "Alright, alright. You can play here for two days. No more."
"Long live Aunt Hanabi!" Hikari squealed, instantly perking up, her sly grin returning.
Hanabi shook her head, realizing she had been played yet again. With a helpless smile, she took Hikari's hand and led her toward Konoha.
Back in Kaito's space, the women burst into laughter as they watched the scene unfold on the sky mirror.
"This girl has the worst luck. The first person she meets outside is Hanabi!"
"That's perfect," Ino giggled, sticking out her tongue. "At least with Hanabi around, she won't cause too much trouble."
"Exactly," Terumi Mei added, laughing softly. "Hikari may not fear anyone else, but Hanabi always keeps her in check."
"Then let's leave her for now," Kaito said calmly. "She's been restless in here for too long anyway."
But in the next moment, his expression darkened. An icy aura radiated from him, freezing the warm air into a chilling frost.
The change was so sudden that even Kaguya stiffened, her pale face betraying unease.
"They're here," Kaito muttered, his tone razor-sharp.
"Yes," Kaguya whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "At last."
Hinata stepped forward, her brows knitting in concern. "Kaito-kun… did something happen to Sister Kaguya?"
Though the others stayed silent, their worried eyes fixed on him, demanding an answer.
"Don't worry," Kaito reassured them with a faint smile. "Kaguya and I will deal with a few rats. We'll be back soon."
As he spoke, the frozen realm shifted back into warm spring, and Kaguya carefully handed the infant to Hinata before merging into Kaito's body.
"I'll be back for dinner," he said lightly. With one step forward, his body dissolved into the void, vanishing completely.
On a cliff deep within the ninja world, the air distorted. A black portal unfurled silently, and two figures stepped out from within.
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