Torifu smiled, then added, "This time, I want to try going myself to see if I can defeat Blaze."
"This..." Both Teruya and Kagami were at a loss as to whether they should try to dissuade him.
Kagami was present during the last fight with Blaze. Even with so many Kage-level ninjas working together, Blaze still managed to escape. Could Torifu truly defeat Blaze alone this time?
"If you have already made up your mind, as your father-in-law, I naturally won't say much. But you must remember that this world has its current stability and peace because of you," Teruya warned with a very serious expression. "If any accident befalls you, or if your strength significantly declines, the ninja world will certainly be plunged into war again."
Torifu nodded. "I am naturally aware of this, Father, and you can rest assured."
Since he had settled the matter, Teruya said no more, and they proceeded to chat about trivial, domestic matters.
"How are Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto doing? I haven't contacted them recently," Naori inquired.
Kagami chuckled. "They're doing great. The young couple gets along very well, and their relationship is quite stable."
"That's good to hear," Naori said, feeling relieved. She held Fugaku, her apprentice, in high regard. His talent and way of thinking were both excellent. He was extremely loyal to the clan and had great insight into its future development. Although he was still quite young, he was already well-known within the clan. Many clan members rallied around him, and he was an invaluable assistant to Kagami. He usually helped Kagami deal with the family's daily affairs.
Since Naori got married, the two of them had kept in regular contact. Fugaku would visit Naori with various gifts every so often. However, it seemed the clan had been busy recently, especially with coordinating various matters and the other clans needing to learn the jutsu to repel the New Year's Beast earlier. He was too tied up to visit Naori. It was natural for Naori to inquire about the situation since she was here today.
Knowing that her apprentice and his wife were doing well, Naori was relieved.
"Ha ha, Naori, you don't have to worry about these things. That young man Fugaku has a real knack for coddling his wife. Even when he works late, the couple has never had a single quarrel."
Naori nodded. "Alright, I understand. Big Brother, if Fugaku ever makes a mistake, remember to point it out to him."
Kagami made an OK gesture. "Consider it done. I've got this."
The conversation that followed was quite free-flowing, ranging from the heavens to the earth, and from the miscellaneous affairs of Konoha to the survival of the entire ninja world. The main theme was simply talking about whatever came to mind.
When the time was right, it was time for dinner.
The Uchiha Clan's chef was quite good, and Torifu ate a lot. The cuisine was different from his own family's cooking, making for a nice change of pace.
"Well, Father, Big Brother, we'll head back now," Naori said with a cheerful smile. It was a rare opportunity for the family of three to visit Teruya together, and everyone was very happy.
Teruya stood at the door, waving. "Alright, alright, you all hurry back. Come visit often, okay?"
Torifu nodded, accepting the promise.
"I really didn't expect this. I just planned to go for a stroll and a walk, but I ended up getting a free meal."
"I know, who would have thought? It's just the three of us at home, and it gets pretty boring. I wonder how Minato and the others are doing."
After dinner, the family of three did not linger but returned directly to the Kumotsuru Clan compound.
Time passed quickly, and night silently fell. In the Land of Rain's Central City, Jiraiya and his group had completed their day's mission and returned to the apartment before it got completely dark.
"Phew, the journey was truly tough! You all did incredibly well."
Truthfully, Jiraiya initially thought this mission would be time-consuming and exhausting, considering so many youngsters were going out together. He expected instances of disobedience or emotional outbursts. But, much to his surprise, none of that happened. The children were all outstanding and got along very well. They didn't get distracted by anything.
As a result, the team cleared over twenty camps in a single day. The number might not sound huge, but searching and then clearing out camps was a very demanding task. An average team would be considered excellent if they eliminated around ten camps. The fact that Jiraiya's team more than doubled that was truly remarkable.
It was a shame he couldn't tell anyone, or these children would surely become overly proud. However, celebrating within the apartment was just as good.
"Ha ha ha, today was our first day on the mission, and we had a huge harvest! Everyone did great, let's have a good meal tonight!" Jiraiya praised the children repeatedly. He genuinely felt that this level of achievement was extraordinary for ninjas of their age, and it made him happy deep down.
Yahiko and Konan were working with him again after graduating years ago, and Jiraiya could clearly feel their growth. They had matured in not just strength, but in all aspects. As for Minato and Kushina, they were already a jonin and a soon-to-be jonin, respectively, and their skills were definitely up to par. Their performance today also satisfied Jiraiya completely; they did not shame their elder.
"Jiraiya-senpai, what are we eating tonight? Did you find a place to eat?"
Jiraiya spread his hands. "Of course not. But I have Big Brother's phone number. I'll just send him a text and have him order takeout delivered, wouldn't that be better?"
Jiraiya had a mischievous grin on his face and seemed utterly unreliable, but Minato had to admit that this was a genuinely good idea.
No sooner had Jiraiya finished speaking than the doorbell rang. "See? It's already here! Let's clear the dining table. We're eating at the table tonight."
The children immediately got busy. Though they were all a little tired after a full day of travel and work, the thought of food certainly gave them a burst of energy.
"Alright! We'll do it right now!"
Jiraiya walked to the door and opened the apartment. It was the same familiar face. "Jiraiya-sama, we meet again. This is the dinner Hokage-sama ordered for you. Please enjoy."
A group of people entered the room and placed a variety of dishes and main courses on the dining table, then left the apartment. They were aware of the relationship between Jiraiya and the Hokage, and also that these children were all well-connected. Naturally, they were slightly more respectful than yesterday, with a hint of flattery in their words.
Jiraiya, however, paid no attention to any of that. All he could think about now was starting to eat!