When Hyūga Akira returned to Konoha—
He was greeted by thunderous cheers from the villagers.
"The heroes are back!!"
"They're our heroes!"
Crowds surged forward, surrounding the returning convoy shoulder to shoulder.
People were cheering, shouting, celebrating.
Akira stood among the noise, momentarily dazed.
"Big brother, you've made quite a contribution this time. You're a real hero now," Nawaki said with a teasing grin, nudging him with his elbow.
"A hero…?"
For the first time—
Akira felt something real.
Before, he had always treated this world like a game.
But now, standing in the middle of all this cheering—
He felt… strange.
Then—
He smiled.
What difference was there between a game and reality?
In the end—
They were all just NPCs and monsters.
Though…
Weren't they celebrating a bit too early?
The war wasn't even fully over yet.
Akira eventually squeezed his way out of the crowd.
The villagers were far too enthusiastic.
The moment news of victory reached them, they were even more excited than the people who had actually fought.
Of course—
They had no idea how that victory was achieved.
As for Akira—
To them, he was just an ordinary genin.
No one bothered stopping him.
Unlike the more mature-looking shinobi—
Who were completely surrounded and unable to leave.
Even those clearly growing irritated had to maintain forced smiles.
Especially Nawaki.
Even though he didn't look particularly mature—
His face was well-known throughout Konoha.
The legacy of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, hadn't faded yet.
And Nawaki?
He had plenty of "celebrity effect."
Not to mention—
Tsunade, one of the newly named Sannin, was his sister.
People were probably already bringing up Hashirama again.
Though—
Who knew what Hiruzen Sarutobi thought about that?
He had always tried to diminish the influence of Hashirama and Tobirama.
Otherwise, every clan would compare him to them.
And could he win that comparison?
If he could—
Would those clans still enjoy so many privileges?
The only solution—
Make people forget.
After all, by Naruto's era—
Barely anyone mentioned Hashirama anymore.
People only knew from textbooks that he founded Konoha.
Akira returned home.
He opened the door—
Then paused.
He slowly stepped back out.
"…Did I transmigrate again?"
He had just seen—
Hyūga Natsuna sitting in Machi's lap.
Watching TV.
Yes—
There were televisions in this era.
Though still black-and-white.
And yet—
The two of them were watching with great interest.
Akira opened the door again and walked inside.
Looking at the unexpectedly harmonious scene, he hesitated before asking:
"Since when did you two get along so well?"
Natsuna jumped down from Machi's lap and put her hands on her hips.
"You've been gone for so long! I haven't gone outside at all!!"
Before Akira left, the chakra he had left in her body had run out quickly.
She had reverted back to her real appearance—
A seven-year-old.
Machi, meanwhile, lay lazily on the sofa, yawning.
She glanced past Akira.
"So… who's that?"
"Who's who?" Akira turned around in confusion—
And saw Aburame Mushi-hime standing there, eyes teary, looking like an abandoned lover.
"You already have me… so why are there two more at home?!"
"Then what am I supposed to be?!"
…A teammate?
Akira: "???"
He rubbed his forehead.
He hadn't even noticed she had followed him back.
And what was with this "caught by your current partner" situation?!
"So who are you?!" Natsuna puffed her cheeks and glared at Mushi-hime like an angry little tiger.
A baby tiger.
Fierce—but still small.
Mushi-hime lowered her head, looking pitiful.
"I'm actually a very traditional woman…"
"I don't mind being the second one."
…That outdated trope?!
Machi slipped off the sofa, staring at Mushi-hime in shock.
Then she looked at Akira—
With an expression that clearly said:
You really know how to play, huh.
Akira's veins bulged.
"That's enough!!"
In the living room—
The three girls sat on the sofa.
Akira massaged his temples.
"You—why did you follow me back?" he asked Mushi-hime.
The Aburame clan's abilities were ridiculous.
She had followed him openly—
And he hadn't noticed at all.
Was that even a proper bloodline ability?
"I thought you wanted me to follow you," Mushi-hime said pitifully.
"You never told me to leave…"
"How was I supposed to know there were already two here?"
Akira shook his head firmly.
He had simply… forgotten about her.
Completely.
"This is my territory!" Natsuna bared her teeth at Mushi-hime.
Wrong conversation entirely.
And since when was this your house?!
Mushi-hime straightened her neck.
"There are three rooms. I can live here too."
Natsuna began counting on her fingers.
"One for me, one for Sister Machi, one for Akira."
Then she glared.
"There's no room for you!"
"That's fine," Mushi-hime replied matter-of-factly.
"I'll just share a room with Akira."
"GO BACK TO YOUR OWN HOUSE!!!" Akira roared.
Natsuna suddenly seemed to understand something.
She looked at Akira with disgust.
"…Or maybe you should go back to your own house," Akira said with a fake smile.
Now that Hiashi was dead—
She had no reason to stay here either.
Natsuna immediately put on an innocent expression.
"I'm very well-behaved. No matter what happens at night, I won't hear anything."
"CLEAN YOUR FILTHY THOUGHTS!!" Akira shouted.
Then turned to Mushi-hime—
"AND YOU—STOP BLUSHING!!"
Then to Machi—
"I'M ONLY FOURTEEN!!"
He had just come back from war—
Couldn't he at least have some peace at home?!
In the end—
Mushi-hime was sent home.
Though she left reluctantly.
Akira absolutely refused to let her stay.
"And you should go home too," he said, looking at Natsuna.
"I refuse!!"
"Hiashi is dead. What you were worried about won't happen anymore."
Akira said it casually—
But Natsuna froze completely.
"He's dead?!"
Her face lit up—
Then she quickly forced herself into a sorrowful expression.
"He… died…"
"Try lowering your smile a bit," Akira said dryly.
What kind of grief came with an upward-curving mouth?
So in the end—
Hiashi really hadn't died unjustly.
There were plenty of people who wanted him dead.
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