As Kyūsei slowly opened his eyes, he clenched his fist experimentally.
He had felt it.
He had truly felt it.
The natural energy that permeated all of existence.
It was like an inexhaustible, endless source.
A power comparable to—no, even greater than—a tailed beast.
"Kyūsei, how do you feel?"
Kaoru hurried forward, worry written all over her face.
"I'm fine," Kyūsei shook his head.
"I think… I really sensed natural energy."
"Eh?"
"Where's Teacher Hashirama?"
Kyūsei glanced around, only to find that Hashirama was gone.
"Until you fully master Sage Mode, every remaining trace of my chakra must be cherished."
"If there's nothing important, don't call me anymore."
Hashirama's voice came from the necklace on Kyūsei's chest.
Clearly, the drastic loss of chakra had given him a strong sense of urgency.
Even someone who had never lacked chakra in his life now had to start conserving it.
After saying this, Hashirama fell completely silent.
Kyūsei grabbed the necklace.
He could clearly sense that the chakra inside had been reduced by at least half.
All because he needed to train in Sage Mode…
"Kyūsei, don't blame yourself,"
Kaoru said softly.
"To step into the threshold of Sage Mode in just one night—you're already amazing."
"Lord Hashirama's efforts weren't wasted."
"And because of that…"
Her sky-blue eyes reflected Kyūsei's face.
"Please don't let Lord Hashirama down."
"…"
Kyūsei was silent for a moment, then nodded lightly.
"…Yeah."
Should I revive Hashirama with Edo Tensei and use him to recharge the necklace?
Kyūsei's strange train of thought started running again.
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
First, Edo Tensei wasn't fully developed yet—there was no guarantee it would even work.
Second, if Hashirama really got dragged out of the Pure Land…
With his personality, he'd probably lecture Kyūsei for hours first, then tell him to cancel the jutsu.
Kaoru , thinking Kyūsei was still blaming himself, reached out and rubbed his slightly damp hair.
The once-smooth red hair was instantly turned into a messy bird's nest.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Kyūsei grabbed her hands helplessly.
Kaoru didn't resist.
She let him hold her hands, then pulled him up from the ground.
Smiling brightly, she said,
"Come on, don't be sad."
"After helping you so much, if you act like this, Lord Hashirama would be disappointed."
"Let's go, let's go. I'm hungry."
Her warm hands wrapped around his slightly cold ones.
"Mm, let's go."
"What do you want to eat?"
Kyūsei held her hand tightly, as if holding onto his future.
"Anything you make is fine."
"What if I make something super spicy that you hate?"
"If you make it, I'll still eat it!"
"I'm kidding. How could I cook something you don't like?"
Hand in hand, the two walked toward the pale light of dawn, stepping along the uneven road…
—
After returning home, Kyūsei used the leftover dumplings from yesterday to make pan-fried dumplings.
He also fried two eggs and cooked two bowls of noodles.
"Dinner's ready."
Just as he placed a bowl in front of Kaoru , there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"I'll get it."
Kyūsei told Kaoru to eat first, then gently pinched her cheek with his slightly greasy fingers, making her protest angrily.
"Hm?"
"Teacher Sakumo?"
Opening the door, he found Hatake Sakumo standing outside.
"Teacher, you really know how to pick your timing."
"Want me to make you a bowl of noodles too?"
Kyūsei joked.
"Something happened."
Sakumo ignored the joke, his expression serious.
"What happened?"
Seeing his face, Kyūsei immediately became serious too.
"The Sand Village… was blown up."
Kyūsei: "???"
"W-Wait, Teacher… what did you just say?"
He stared blankly.
The Sand Village was blown up?
Which hero did that?
"It was done by a mysterious person who suddenly appeared."
"Apparently someone in Suna offended him."
"So he blew up the whole village."
Sakumo said calmly.
"And what does that have to do with us?"
"Let Dawn handle it."
Kyūsei shrugged.
But Sakumo sighed, his gaze heavy.
"That's the problem."
"Uchiha from Dawn went after him—and failed."
"He escaped."
"And he fled into the Land of Fire."
Kyūsei's expression turned serious.
Uchiha Hikari had moved… and still couldn't stop him.
That meant the enemy's strength was terrifying.
Possibly beyond most people in the ninja world.
"Dawn wants to enter the Land of Fire,"
"But the Hokage has blocked them."
"And most importantly…"
Sakumo paused.
"They're claiming that person is the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."
"No way!"
Kaoru rushed out with her bowl.
"Kyūsei was training all night!"
"This is a conspiracy!"
She protested immediately.
"That's exactly why it's troublesome,"
Sakumo said.
"According to our intelligence…"
"The Sand Village is completely in ruins."
"There's nothing left to investigate."
"If it were just to frame Kyūsei…"
"Would they really sacrifice an allied village?"
"The cost is too high."
Kaoru fell silent.
"Can we find out more about that mysterious person?"
Kyūsei frowned.
"According to Dawn's information…"
"He wears a white mask and a black robe."
"He's accompanied by nine different summoned beasts."
"And he can use Tailed Beast Bombs."
Hearing this, Kyūsei's mouth twitched.
Uzumaki Menma…
Damn it, Uzumaki Kushina, get your son under control already!!!
He came all the way here and dumped this massive black pot on me?!
I can't carry this, okay?!
And four years ago, Hinata was sixteen.
Now she's twenty.
That means…
A twenty-year-old Uzumaki Menma…
Isn't that equivalent to a twenty-year-old Naruto?!
Can my small body really handle that?!
Damn it…
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