Chapter 154: Everything Is Fine
Fugaku and Mikoto, supported by Yu, slowly sat upright, gazes solemn as they looked at him. "Yu, tell us—what exactly happened back then? How did we end up here?"
Yu had long prepared his explanation. He lowered his eyes, voice steady. "When I arrived that day, the house had already..." He paused. "I saw Itachi standing in the blood."
Mikoto drew a sharp breath, fingers trembling slightly. Fugaku gripped his wife's hand tightly, asking in a low voice, "And then?"
"I fought him." Yu spoke lightly. "But his strength wasn't weak. In the end, he still escaped. These years, I've never been able to find his whereabouts."
The couple exchanged glances, pain in their eyes yet also a flash of relief—at least their eldest son was still alive.
Yu took in their reactions completely. He understood these parents too well. Even facing their eldest son who'd raised a blade against them, they still harbored forgiveness.
Just like that year—if they hadn't willingly given up resistance, if they'd persisted even a moment longer until he'd arrived...
He suppressed the bitterness in his heart, continuing, "After that, you remained unconscious, in a vegetative state. I tried every method until today... somehow, you suddenly woke up."
Mikoto gently grasped Yu's hand, eyes reddening. "These years must have been hard on you."
"Not hard." Yu smiled and shook his head. "As long as you could wake up, everything was worth it."
Fugaku surveyed their surroundings thoughtfully. "Where is this?"
"One of my research rooms." Yu naturally took over. "To conveniently care for you both, I settled you here."
Mikoto gently squeezed her husband's hand, gaze turning tenderly toward Yu. "What about Sasuko? Is she alright?"
"Sasuko is fine." Yu's tone unconsciously softened. "That night, Itachi didn't harm her."
Fugaku's head snapped up, eyes already reddening. "That child now..."
"She's very well." Yu nodded affirmatively. "These years she's lived like an ordinary child—attended school, performed excellently at the academy. She was just promoted to chunin recently."
"Chunin?" Fugaku repeated incredulously. "But that child could barely even manage the basic Fireball Jutsu when she was small..."
In his memory, Sasuko was still that little girl who had to concentrate hard just to produce a fireball.
Mikoto gently interrupted her husband. "Seems our little daughter has grown up."
She turned to Yu, eyes filled with gratitude. "These years, Sasuko must have caused you considerable trouble."
Yu shook his head slightly. "Sasuko is very sensible. She hasn't made me worry much."
Fugaku wiped his eye corners with his sleeve, murmuring in a low voice, "That's wonderful... truly wonderful..."
As a father, he understood his younger daughter's talents better than anyone.
Precisely because of this, years ago he'd entrusted Sasuko to Yu early on, hoping that in this turbulent shinobi world, someone could keep her safe.
Mikoto gazed at the sealed chamber around them, longing rising in her eyes. "Where is Sasuko now?"
"She should be at a friend's house. A girl named Naruko," Yu answered after thinking.
"Naruko?" Mikoto found the name somewhat familiar.
"Her good friend, a very lively girl." Yu smiled faintly. "Sasuko really enjoys being with her."
Mikoto showed a relieved smile. "I see, that's good..."
She recalled how young Sasuko had always followed inseparably at Yu's heels, never playing with other Uchiha clan children.
Back then she'd worried the child was too withdrawn. Now it seemed Yu had cared for Sasuko very well.
Mikoto leaned gently against her husband's shoulder, yet her gaze still fell tenderly on Yu. "Can you tell us more about Sasuko? These years... we've missed too much."
"Of course." Yu nodded in agreement. "But let's leave here first."
After such a long separation, they really shouldn't remain in this dim chamber. Besides, this place probably wouldn't be used again.
His eyes manifested the Mangekyo Sharingan pattern as he lightly placed his hand on the couple's shoulders.
Space rippled subtly. The next moment, all three stood in a spacious, bright living room.
Fugaku noticed the special pattern in Yu's eyes. "Yu, your eyes..." He remembered clearly—when they'd parted years ago, Yu's Sharingan had only been three-tomoe.
Yu smiled without elaborate explanation.
As a fellow Mangekyo possessor, Fugaku deeply understood what bone-deep pain one must experience to awaken these eyes.
He nodded with understanding, asking no further.
Mikoto surveyed the tidy, warm living room, asking softly, "This place is...?"
"Our current home." Yu introduced. "Sasuko also lives here."
Fugaku looked around, vaguely finding the environment familiar. "Is this... still in Konoha?"
"It's Konoha." Yu answered calmly.
Surprise flashed through Fugaku's eyes. "Konoha agreed to accept the Uchiha again?"
Yu nodded. "The Uchiha agreed to reconcile with Konoha."
The same words spoken by two people carried different implications.
But this brief exchange indeed made the couple both sigh with relief—this problem that had troubled the Uchiha for years had finally been resolved.
Under Yu's guidance, the couple sat on the soft sofa. When Yu turned to prepare tea, Fugaku and Mikoto exchanged a knowing glance.
Though they hadn't seen him in years and the children had grown to adulthood, they could still keenly sense that Yu seemed to be hiding something.
Had things... truly gone as smoothly as he described?
Taking advantage of preparing tea in the kitchen, Yu unobtrusively formed a seal.
A clone silently appeared at his side, nodding slightly before transforming into a blur and sweeping out the window—heading precisely toward Shisui's residence.
He needed to coordinate their stories with Shisui quickly.
The truth of what happened that year was too cruel. He couldn't let his adoptive parents, who'd just regained life, immediately bear such a heavy blow.
Yu filled the teapot with hot water, watching the steam slowly rise.
He needed time, needed a gentler way to help them accept everything that had happened over these years.
As Yu lifted the teapot, his right hand suddenly trembled uncontrollably.
He looked down. That hand which had just regained its youth showed several fine wrinkles faintly emerging on the back, its color also dimming somewhat.
He calmly used his sleeve to conceal the back of his hand, continuing to pour tea steadily.
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