"Naruto, are you done with everything?"
As soon as he walked out of the Hokage Building, Naruto was somewhat surprised to find Satsuki quietly waiting at the entrance of the building. It seemed that after he left, she had inquired about his whereabouts and waited there. Naruto had long grown used to her obvious "clingy" behavior.
"Yeah, I'm pretty much done. Sorry, I didn't tell you where I was going when I left."
"It's fine," Satsuki shook her head gently. "I just asked some passersby... Naruto, did something happen?"
She noticed that although Naruto still wore his usual smile, his complexion seemed a bit pale, and a shadow of gloom hung between his brows. His mother Kushina's predicament weighed on Naruto's heart like a heavy stone, making it difficult for him to make a decision, and the intense internal turmoil was inevitably reflected in his appearance.
Naruto realized his state had been seen through and quickly explained, "It's nothing major, I just received some news... I need to make a decision, and it's a bit difficult..."
"Woof..."
Just then, a soft whimper came from Naruto's backpack behind him. Kogane's furry head poked out of the opening. It seemed to have sensed Naruto's low mood and gently nuzzled Naruto's neck and hair with its cool, damp little nose.
Satsuki watched this scene, frowning slightly, but remembering that this little one had hatched under her and Naruto's shared "care," she ultimately swallowed the words she was about to say and said nothing.
"Alright," her tone softened a bit. "But, if there's anything I can help with, you must tell me, okay?"
This comfort, filled with trust and support, lightened Naruto's heavy heart slightly. He nodded, saying sincerely, "Yeah, thank you, Satsuki... And thank you too." He tilted his head and gently touched Zacian's head.
"Now, as soon as Sunagakure's prisoners are repatriated to the Land of Wind, the post-war matters should be completely finished, right?" Naruto pulled his thoughts back to the present, his gaze turning to the little Kogane in his backpack. "Oh, have all the villagers from the shelter returned? I need to go buy some food now, and also prepare a comfortable nest for this little one."
"A nest, huh..." Satsuki repeated the word, her gaze at Kogane becoming subtly complex, as if weighing something in her mind.
Naruto didn't notice the subtle change in Satsuki's eyes. Satsuki continued, "The villagers should be gradually returning. On the way here, I saw some shops had already reopened. I'll go with you."
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Unlike when Gaara was sent back to Konoha previously, most of the villagers had now returned to Konoha Village. The streets had regained some of their hustle and bustle, and people walked along Konoha's main streets as usual... but the atmosphere clearly carried an indescribable strangeness.
"Um..."
A slightly unfamiliar voice came from the side, calling out to Naruto. Naruto turned his head in confusion, finding that the person who called him was an ordinary-looking Konoha villager in simple clothes, with whom he seemed to have had no prior interaction.
"Is there something you need?" Naruto asked, maintaining basic politeness.
"Um... at this time, you must have worked very hard just now," the villager's tone was cautious and respectful, even using honorifics. "May I... invite you to my home for a simple meal?"
"...Huh?" This sudden invitation left Naruto momentarily stunned, and he made a confused sound.
"Ah, I'm sorry! It was too sudden, wasn't it?" Seeing Naruto's reaction, the villager quickly waved his hands, a flustered expression on his face. "If you don't want to, just pretend I didn't say anything!" After speaking, as if afraid of offending Naruto, he quickly nodded and hurried away.
Satsuki, standing beside him, had been staring at the villager with a cold and hostile gaze the entire time. Naruto might not care, but that didn't mean Satsuki could easily forget.
Naruto had perhaps habitually blocked out those malicious voices long ago, but Satsuki clearly remembered all the villagers' pointing fingers and malicious words towards Naruto over the years.
And at this moment, Naruto finally understood why the atmosphere on the street was so strange. For years, he had grown accustomed to completely ignoring the glances from the Konoha villagers.
After all, if he didn't care, he wouldn't feel sad. This was instinctive self-protection.
But this time, when his gaze swept over the familiar and unfamiliar faces around him once more, what he saw was something unfamiliar to him... Their eyes held a mixture of evasion, guilt, and cautious... apology?
...That's right, this time... I did save Konoha... The sight of the fully Tailed Beast-transformed golden Nine-Tailed standing like a mountain at the edge of the Village, the golden barrier that blocked Shukaku's "Desert Spada," that god-like power... All these events were simply too grand to ignore.
This feeling... it's so strange, and so unreal.
However, this sudden change in attitude, far from bringing him any relief, only made his heart, already troubled by his mother's situation, even more burdened.
Naruto didn't care about them... but Naruto saving them certainly didn't mean he easily forgave their past actions... A strange impatience surged in his heart. Naruto started walking again, but his pace unconsciously quickened significantly. Satsuki said nothing, only silently sped up her steps, staying close by his side.
Passing through the slightly messy streets, the two finally found a reopened food store. Naruto carefully selected items: some daily necessities, a large quantity of easily digestible fruits and vegetables, and several different brands of milk. He planned to test them one by one to see which flavor Kogane liked best.
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