In the Land of Fire, inside Konoha Village—
Pakura walked through the bustling streets. When she spotted Terumi Mei in the distance, she couldn't help but smile and call out,
"Oh? Didn't expect you to already be here."
"And weren't you early too?"
Mei noticed Pakura as well. She waved the ninja beside her away before smiling back.
"Can't be helped. Someone's about to become the Sixth Hokage. As an ally, of course I had to come early."
Pakura shrugged and replied with a grin,
"If I don't get here ahead of time, who knows how much trouble that guy will make for Sunagakure when it comes to future industrial allocation."
"I've heard quite a few stories about you and him, you know."
Mei raised a brow, then after thinking for a moment, suddenly smiled with a teasing look on her face.
"And the funniest part is, some of those stories happened in Kirigakure. If I'd gotten there earlier back then, maybe I could've seen something interesting myself. With how much history you two have, and with how close you've seemed these past three years, I really don't think this so-called Hero of the Ninja World, God Among Men, and now future Sixth Hokage… would really target you."
"Tch. Idiot…"
Pakura rolled her eyes, clearly having no interest in continuing that topic.
Time had flowed on.
In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.
But the war from three years ago—the one that nearly shattered the entire ninja world, that even reached the stars themselves—was still engraved in everyone's hearts.
After that battle, Ren acquired a title all his own—
God Among Men.
And that title had become just as unforgettable as "Sage of Six Paths" itself.
No one could forget the enormous golden radiance that erupted in the starry sky that day.
No one could forget the sight of the ninja world collapsing.
After all, the power Ren unleashed had been far too terrifying. He had even severed an entire celestial body.
Everyone understood the impact that kind of force had on the world.
And because of that, no one blamed him.
It wasn't because his strength was so overwhelming that no one dared question him.
It was because everyone knew the truth—
what he had done was to protect the entire world.
After all, the enemies they had faced had been far too terrifying.
Especially after the war, when the ninja world began its great reconstruction, Konoha took the initiative to reveal the contents of the Uchiha Stone Tablet and the Senju Root.
That was when the world learned that both the Uchiha and the Senju clans were descendants of the Sage of Six Paths.
And the reason the Sage of Six Paths had allowed his two sons—and their descendants—to wage a bloody battle for a thousand years, even at the cost of letting those wars spread across the ninja world…
was all to prepare for the future arrival of the terrifying Otsutsuki.
And now the entire ninja world had already witnessed the power of those monsters for themselves.
"Cruel as it was, it was all for us…"
"And if not for those bloody wars spanning a thousand years, how could heroes like Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke ever have been born?"
"Not to mention Lady Tsunade, Lady Hikari—and above all, Lord Ren, the God Among Men!"
With that information revealed, everyone finally understood just how terrifying their true enemies were.
And they also realized that the ninja world had to abandon old grudges and stand united.
Of course, some busybodies still couldn't resist muttering privately—
"The Uchiha clan really was dumb, getting tricked for a thousand years…"
The words weren't pleasant, but they were true.
Still, those kinds of comments were only ever whispered in private.
Because everyone knew the Uchiha had not truly perished.
Instead, they had been reborn.
In this great war, the Uchiha could be said to have performed brilliantly—especially with Uchiha Hikari and Uchiha Sasuke. Those two had become true heroes of the ninja world.
On top of that, there was Uchiha Shisui and the many other Uchiha clansmen, all of whom had given much in that battle.
According to the information Konoha released, they had hidden themselves inside Root in order to avoid being targeted by the "shadow of the ninja world," and had served Konoha from there.
Now that all darkness had finally been swept away, they could once more return to the sunlight and begin again.
And after that war, the entire ninja era entered an unprecedented age of peace.
Though the term Five Great Nations still remained, in truth the world had already become a single whole.
It would perhaps be more accurate to call it a massive alliance.
The various countries and villages now communicated and cooperated under Konoha's coordination. Resources were exchanged, needs were balanced, and mutual support had become the norm.
At the same time, the Kage of each village jointly established a new set of rules for the ninja world, striving to maintain balance among all sides.
Of course, Konoha had also taken the single most important privilege—
the command authority over all ninja forces in times of war.
No one in the ninja world had much room to object.
After all, Konoha had produced several saviors.
Most of all, there was Ren—a man who had almost single-handedly crushed two Otsutsuki.
And now, this God Among Men was about to take another step upward.
He was about to become Konoha's new Hokage.
This matter was a major event for the entire ninja world. No mobilization was even necessary—ninjas from every major village were already rushing toward Konoha of their own accord.
Only the ninja temporarily overseeing Kumogakure and Iwagakure could only grumble inwardly, because they really couldn't leave.
Kumo and Iwa had been the defeated parties in that war.
They had even come close to being branded with titles like "scum of the ninja world," "traitors to humanity," and "human collaborators."
Fortunately, Ren had made the final ruling—
"Everything was the result of Uchiha Obito acting for his own selfish desire. Though he was deceived as well, he never once turned back. As for the Fourth Raikage and the Third Tsuchikage, they remained stubborn to the end and led their villages down a road of no return. They are the true criminals. Everyone else was merely misled…"
With that verdict, Obito had completely taken the blame.
The same was true for Onoki and the Fourth Raikage.
And as a result, those two villages were fully taken over by the other major villages of the ninja world.
At first, they naturally struggled to adapt.
But once new Kage were chosen, and once Konoha's resource allocation began to improve their quality of life, things slowly changed.
And because no one had forgotten the existence of the Otsutsuki, many of their former thoughts and resentments gradually faded.
"Alright, enough of that."
Pakura waved it off, clearly not wanting to continue that subject with Mei. She smiled as she looked around before continuing,
"Konoha's rebuilding really was done well. I haven't had many chances to come here these past few years. Since there's time today, I might as well take a proper look around."
"I'm fine with that."
Mei shrugged and looked around as well.
In three years, everyone had worked themselves to the bone to restore the shattered ninja world.
Though they frequently held meetings because of the Ninja World Alliance, most of those meetings were through communication devices. Only occasionally did they meet in person.
She truly hadn't seen Pakura in some time.
The two of them had built a certain comradeship during that war, and as fellow Kage, their relationship had naturally become closer.
Not to mention, their own villages had also gone through reconstruction and replanning—though visually, they still weren't as prosperous as Konoha.
Taking a closer look now might let them learn a few things.
"Maybe we can copy some of it and bring it back to our own villages."
"But let's keep an eye on the time. We can't be late."
"Alright, alright, how could we possibly be late for something like this? If we really are, that guy probably won't let us off."
"Sasuke! Sasuke! Over here!"
On a large bridge in Konoha, Naruto was hopping up and down while waving at Sasuke in the distance. Kakashi was squatting to the side with a book in hand.
The moment Sasuke saw that idiot, he helplessly covered his face with one hand.
No matter how many times he saw Naruto acting like this, he always felt embarrassed.
Why the hell am I brothers with this idiot? What kind of joke is this…
Sasuke couldn't help but complain inwardly. At times like this, he felt like he finally understood why Uchiha Madara occasionally looked like he wanted to strangle Senju Hashirama to death.
This level of idiocy really was hard to accept.
"…Sigh."
Sasuke let out a long sigh, but still walked over. Once he reached Naruto, he couldn't hold back his complaint.
"Can't you calm down for once, idiot? Do you have any idea how embarrassing this looks?"
"What's embarrassing about it? Seriously."
Naruto was completely unmoved, grinning brightly at Sasuke.
"My mom says kids who smile will turn out better. You should smile more too. Didn't Aunt Mikoto teach you that?"
"You idiot—if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"
Sasuke almost snapped. His fists were itching so badly he genuinely wanted to punch Naruto once—if not for the fact that fighting this idiot would be too troublesome.
Still, when he heard Naruto mention Aunt Mikoto, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
Because…
His mother had been revived.
A year ago, Ren had suddenly come looking for him and told him something.
"Your performance in the Fourth Great Ninja War was outstanding. And because we captured enough White Zetsu during that war, we're able to do something rather special now."
Back in Root's underground base, Ren, Shisui, and Kabuto—the "three giants of Root"—had all been smiling as they looked at him.
"So, we can revive one of your relatives. Consider it part of your reward. You understand that with your current strength, giving you some other reward doesn't seem especially appropriate anymore, so I intend to use this instead. What do you think?"
"Thank you very much, Lord Advisor!"
Sasuke hadn't hesitated in the slightest. He had been overwhelmingly excited.
Though that beast Uchiha Itachi had already been killed, and though the Uchiha had at last returned to the light thanks to that war, the dead still couldn't truly return.
Even though Sasuke had gradually learned to accept things, that pain had never really gone away—especially when he saw Naruto's happy family life. That had always made him feel even more hollow.
Of course, he had long since stopped daring to hope for too much. After all, he knew what kind of person his father had been.
That was why he had never dared ask.
But now Ren had brought it up on his own.
How could Sasuke not be thrilled?
"We intend to revive your mother. As for your father…"
Kabuto glanced at Ren and saw the man giving him a look, instantly making him realize that this troublesome part had once again been pushed onto him.
Fortunately, Sasuke immediately shook his head.
"My lord, I understand. This is already the best outcome possible…"
Thinking back to all that—and to everything after his mother was brought back—Sasuke couldn't help but smile again.
Though because of various circumstances, his mother and the others who had been revived couldn't appear publicly under their real identities, which inevitably brought inconvenience…
Sasuke understood.
So many people had died in the ninja world.
Even if they truly had made immense contributions, keeping things low-key was still for the best.
"You two really can't go five minutes without bickering, can you?"
Kakashi finally looked up from his book and rolled his eyes at Sasuke and Naruto.
"You're about to become members of the Hokage Guard platoon, and you're still this restless? Don't you know the stuff you were just saying shouldn't be thrown around carelessly?"
"Tch."
Naruto rolled his eyes, then suddenly broke into a mischievous grin.
"Kakashi-sensei, did Big Brother Sakumo tell you to hurry up and get married already?"
"You little brat…"
Kakashi almost lost it right there. For a moment, his fists even clenched.
Kakashi had been deeply involved in the project surrounding the rebirth technique all along, and he himself had become one of its beneficiaries.
Because—
Ren had revived his father.
But that whole thing had created a weird problem.
For some reason—whether it had been intentional, accidental, or simply a side effect of the technique—those revived returned in their prime.
The result?
Kakashi was already in his thirties…
while his father looked like he was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight.
His father had come back younger than him.
Was that not the very definition of things turning upside down?
Every time Kakashi thought about it, he felt indescribably awkward—especially since his father now knew he spent all day reading those books and still hadn't gotten married or had children.
One could only imagine how miserable Kakashi's life at home had become.
"Enough nonsense."
Kakashi refused to let that topic continue. He rolled his eyes and said,
"Hurry up and get ready. As members of the Hokage Guard, you'll be incredibly busy from now on. If you stay this sloppy, Ren won't be happy."
"Yes, yes, I know."
Naruto clenched his fist, then said with a grin,
"Don't worry. With me around, there definitely won't be any problems. After all, the power that old grandpa gave us is still there."
Sasuke lowered his head and glanced at the mark on his left hand, a faint smile appearing on his face as well.
That left Kakashi somewhat baffled, because he still had no idea who this mysterious "old grandpa" the two kept mentioning actually was.
But the two of them clearly had no intention of explaining.
Ever since the final battle three years ago, they had never spoken much about it.
Still, Ren seemed to understand the whole situation, so they had never needed to explain it.
The only visible clue was the marks on their hands.
Fortunately, neither Kakashi nor the rest of Konoha were particularly nosy people. If Ren didn't care, then they certainly weren't going to ask.
"Yes. We won't let Lord Ren down."
Sasuke lifted his head now. He exchanged a glance with Naruto, and together they looked toward the sky.
Toward the moon.
On the moon—
Otsutsuki Kaguya sat silently, her thoughts countless and tangled.
She still clearly remembered the battle from three years ago.
When Ren and the two Otsutsuki had fought their way into the stars, and when Naruto and Sasuke had awakened the powers of Asura and Indra—
she immediately understood that staying in the real world and continuing to fight them was not the best choice.
So she had dragged everyone into Amenominaka.
What she hadn't expected, however, was that even inside Amenominaka, she still failed to gain any true advantage.
Naruto and Sasuke, after awakening the powers of Asura and Indra—even if they weren't yet fully familiar with those abilities, and could only barely be considered half-baked Six Paths-level fighters—still managed to bring their powers into play.
And with Tsunade and Hikari having figured out what kind of力量 could actually harm her, her position had become increasingly worse.
Of course, Amenominaka was still her world, and her true goal had always only been to reclaim her chakra.
That was why she hadn't intended to kill them.
Well… that, and because killing them effectively hadn't been all that easy to begin with.
But as time passed, her situation only seemed to become more and more difficult…
Bang!
And then, just as she was still considering how to deal with them—
she suddenly discovered that her Amenominaka had been broken.
That boundless surge of chakra, that immense wave of power that seemed to roll through heaven and earth, had even stunned her.
And the one who appeared before her was the very man who, to this day, still made her heart feel a faint sense of unease.
"Otsutsuki Kaguya."
In her memory, Ren had descended before her wrapped in dazzling golden radiance.
And the look in his eyes had stayed with her all this time.
It was the same look she herself used when looking at others.
Calm.
Detached.
As though he simply had never placed her in his eyes at all.
"Who exactly are you?"
Kaguya remained relatively calm. She merely frowned slightly and asked in a low voice,
"And those two—Momoshiki? Urashiki? Did they leave?"
"No. They died."
Ren shook his head and answered with a light laugh,
"I had no interest in letting them leave, and even less interest in allowing them to summon even more enemies here. I know more of them will come in the future, but that isn't something we need right now. Right now, we need time. And we need more powerful people, so that this world can be protected better. Honestly, I never thought there was any unavoidable conflict between us. To put it another way… all of this now is probably exactly what your son wanted you to see."
"Hagoromo and Hamura?"
Hearing that, Kaguya frowned again. But soon afterward, she shook her head.
"No. Hamura didn't have that many thoughts. He was simple. You mean Hagoromo?"
"Perhaps."
Ren shrugged indifferently as he slowly landed before her.
"In my view, the battle between you back then was more a clash of ideals than anything else."
"You believed only in your own strength. You denied humanity's future potential and creativity."
"You wanted only to hang everyone on the tree and turn them into weapons like White Zetsu, gathering as much chakra as possible to resist the Otsutsuki."
"But your son, Otsutsuki Hagoromo—the one we call the Sage of Six Paths—was more willing to trust humanity."
"Maybe that was because of the environment he grew up in. Maybe it was because of the future he believed in. That was why things became what they are today."
"And the facts have already proven it."
"He won."
"And you lost. You lost back then, and you lost again now."
"…Lost?"
Kaguya frowned slightly. Feeling the power within Ren, hearing his description of Momoshiki and Urashiki's deaths…
she fell silent for a moment.
Because she knew—
as she was now, she absolutely wasn't this man's opponent.
Even if she had reclaimed all her chakra, if she truly stood against someone who felt so much like a living God Tree…
her chances still wouldn't be very great.
"Then what is it you want? To seal me? Or…"
"I've already said it. There's no necessary conflict between us. And I also already said… you've lost."
Ren's smile became even brighter as he looked at the so-called Progenitor of Chakra.
"Maybe we can choose a different way to coexist."
"And together…"
"…watch this world's future."
The future… of the world?
"Mother."
Just as Kaguya was recalling everything from the past three years, a voice suddenly sounded behind her.
She didn't turn around. She already knew who had arrived.
There were many who lived on this section of the moon—
but only one could come find her.
"You shouldn't be moving around so much, Hamura. The amount of power you left in this world isn't exactly much."
Kaguya said calmly, though a trace of a smile could faintly be seen on her face.
"And besides, you've gotten too old. Looking at you like this still feels strange."
"Mother, now you're making things difficult for me."
Hamura's spirit body smiled carelessly.
"You tell me not to move around and waste too much energy, then dislike how old my spirit looks. If I really did move too much, I'd probably disperse entirely."
"That's your problem, not mine."
Kaguya shook her head, as though she truly didn't care.
Yet after a moment, she still couldn't help asking,
"When can your real body return?"
"It'll still take some time. We didn't expect to end up this far away either."
Hamura floated down and sat beside Kaguya. Kaguya glanced at him.
"You mean… you never expected I would actually compromise in the end?"
Three years ago, Ren had persuaded Kaguya with both reason and overwhelming force.
And once she thought it through, they really didn't have any irreconcilable conflict.
What's more, Ren had revealed one thing to her—
Otsutsuki Isshiki… might still be alive.
Isshiki had been one of the Otsutsuki clan's strongest members.
Back then, he had escaped with half his body still intact.
Who was to say he hadn't left behind a Kāma in some desperate situation?
With that possibility hanging over them—and with foreign Otsutsuki still destined to come—Kaguya had ultimately made her decision.
And strangely enough, that decision had brought her new feelings.
It had also allowed her to meet the consciousness of the son who had remained on the moon all this time.
"You shouldn't put it like that, Mother."
Hamura shook his head. His spirit form lifted its gaze to the sky, as though he could see through the moon and into the distant ninja world below.
"Everything will get better, little by little."
"Better, hm?"
Kaguya also raised her head. After a moment, she nodded lightly.
"It does seem… not so bad."
"Do you want to go back down and have a look?"
Hamura suddenly asked softly.
"It's been three years. The ninja world should already be fully repaired by now, and I think now is the perfect time to go take a look."
"And I've heard something important is happening in the ninja world too. That child Ren is about to inherit the title of Hokage and truly take control of everything in the ninja world."
"Should we go see it? Just think of it as going to watch something lively."
"Staying on the moon all this time, without any contact with anyone at all, isn't really good. And Ren also said he hopes we'd come down and take a look."
"This time, let's go see it. Consider it relaxing for a while. What do you think?"
"Go down and take a look…?"
Kaguya fell into thought for a while, then finally nodded.
"That would be fine, I suppose."
"It's been three years. Going out for a walk doesn't sound bad."
"After being sealed by you all for a thousand years, then spending another three on the moon…"
"…I suppose I can count it as relaxation."
"Are you asking for a beating, Senju Tobirama?"
"If you've got the guts, then try me. Don't forget how you died back then."
"That was just carelessness on my part. Fight me again if you dare!"
"Stop bluffing, Uchiha Izuna. A loss is a loss. And don't forget—private fighting isn't allowed right now!"
Inside an office in Konoha—
Uchiha Madara sat with one hand propping up his head.
Senju Hashirama sat nearby, helplessly pressing a hand to his face.
And right in front of them—
Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Izuna were busy shouting at each other, leaving both of them with splitting headaches.
After the great war three years ago ended, Madara and Hashirama had initially wanted to release the Impure World Reincarnation themselves and return to the Pure Land.
After all, one of them had been played like a fool from beginning to end and already had no face left to show anyone—
while the other felt that, as a dead man, it was inappropriate for him to continue interfering in the affairs of the living world.
But in the end…
Ren had stopped them.
"The ninja world's troubles are not over yet, Uchiha Madara. Much of this was caused by you. Those Otsutsuki out there have probably already noticed something is wrong and may continue to come."
Three years ago, Ren had looked at the two of them and spoken with a light smile.
"And you too, First Hokage. It was your decision to stop Uchiha Madara from unifying the ninja world that led to this war. I think you owe the world some compensation."
"Besides, whether it's the enemies of the future or the reconstruction of the current ninja world, both of you are needed. So honestly, I don't think you should keep running from responsibility."
"Stay behind?"
Madara and Hashirama had exchanged a glance back then, both clearly hesitant.
But Ren had only continued smiling as he spoke.
"Yes. Stay."
"You two are the Twin Heroes of the Ninja World, the men who laid the foundation of the ninja village structure itself. You both have methods, experience, and influence. The future needs you."
"Besides, don't you want to push toward an even higher realm? The facts have already proven that you stand at the pinnacle of humanity—but that is not the pinnacle of power."
"Six Paths level. Bloodline Snare. Isn't that exactly the direction the two of you should continue pursuing?"
"Of course, we'll also find a way to revive you. Truly revive you."
"And not just you. My plans include Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Izuna too…"
Perhaps it was because they wanted to make up for their mistakes.
Perhaps it was because they truly did wish to aim for a higher realm.
Or perhaps it was because they wanted to see their younger brothers again.
In the end, they had stayed behind.
But things had not quite turned out the way they had imagined.
Hashirama and Madara got along reasonably well.
They bickered and argued, sure, but it never escalated into actual fighting or anything too outrageous.
But Tobirama and Izuna?
Those two were an endless headache.
"Are you scared, Senju Tobirama?!"
Izuna, who looked almost exactly like Sasuke, glared at Tobirama and shouted,
"This doesn't count as private fighting! At worst, we just form seals and spar! Don't be a coward!"
"You evil Uchiha, and you think I'd be afraid of you?"
Tobirama was starting to lose his patience too. He still didn't understand why Ren had chosen to revive both Madara and Izuna.
Wasn't that just asking for trouble in Konoha?
He now knew that the thousand-year war between Uchiha and Senju had been part of the Sage of Six Paths' layout, all for the sake of the ninja world's future.
But understanding something and liking it were two different things.
He still disliked Uchiha just as much as ever.
"Enough! Both of you shut up!"
At last, the constant arguing pushed Hashirama and Madara to their limit. Madara slammed a fist on the table and barked out,
"Don't forget—we're the Special Mobile Unit now."
"We still have to wipe out the remnants of the Akatsuki and investigate the reincarnation of that bastard who came to the ninja world with Otsutsuki Kaguya back then!"
"All this shouting—what kind of plan is that? Senju Tobirama, behave yourself for once."
"Hey, hey, hey! Izuna's just as bad!"
Hashirama had originally been nodding along, only to discover that Madara's criticism was aimed solely at his brother. He immediately lost it.
"You bastard, don't play favorites. And besides, I heard Nagato and Yahiko's side has made progress. If we don't get anything done ourselves, that'll be embarrassing."
"Tch. Those two brats…"
Hashirama's words left Madara wanting to retort, but in the end he swallowed it and only looked annoyed.
With Obito dead, the Akatsuki had effectively disbanded.
And the most ridiculous part was—
Nagato had apparently defected to Konoha long ago!
That fact still annoyed Madara to no end, because he had known absolutely nothing about it.
Then there was Kakuzu, who had been the earliest to defect.
And his reason?
Money.
As for Orochimaru, that bastard had effectively been absorbed into Konoha's side, while Sasori had been imprisoned in Sunagakure.
That said, some had still escaped.
Beryūhō and Shinno, for instance—those two had sensed the situation going bad during the war and fled at once.
Just because they'd gone into hiding didn't mean Konoha intended to let them go.
And beyond that, Kaguya had not come to the ninja world alone.
They also knew the Otsutsuki had methods to resurrect themselves.
Which meant the investigation absolutely could not stop.
None of them wanted the future to suddenly be ruined by some new disaster.
"We've already locked onto an organization called Kara, but they're too secretive. There aren't many traces to follow."
Though Tobirama was still deeply irritated, he still gave the report. Halfway through, he glared at Izuna again.
"But this idiot is far too reckless. He keeps wanting a one-and-done solution. Doesn't he understand that making such a huge move would only scare the snake into hiding?"
"These people are already hard enough to find. If they hear the slightest wind and go deeper underground, then what are we supposed to search for?"
"And do you think doing nothing means we can handle them?"
Izuna immediately snapped, slamming a hand on the table as he stood up.
"If we force them out, they'll eventually expose a weakness. That'll make them easier to find. Don't you understand that, idiot?"
"You fool. No wonder I managed to kill you back then."
"What did you say?! Fight me again if you dare!"
Watching Tobirama and Izuna once again devolve into shouting at each other, Madara and Hashirama both wilted.
Did these two idiots not realize today was the day Ren was about to formally become the Sixth Hokage?
And yet they were still going at it like this.
How were any of them supposed to attend the ceremony now?
The two lifted their heads and exchanged a glance.
Then, at exactly the same time, they sighed.
"…Sigh."
"…Sigh. Has Konan gone off to find Ren again?"
In Konoha Village, Nagato and Yahiko were strolling through the lively streets. Looking at the bustling crowd, Nagato suddenly let out a sigh.
"Doesn't Konan know that Ren has way too many women around him already? I even heard that he and his teacher, the Fifth Hokage Lady Tsunade, seem to be…"
"Hey, hey, hey! Stop! Don't say that! Don't talk nonsense!"
Nagato hadn't even finished before Yahiko hurriedly cut him off, grabbing his arm and lowering his voice.
"That's all just rumor and gossip. Don't say stuff like that carelessly. What if Lord Ren hears about it and decides to make trouble for you?"
"…"
Seeing Yahiko acting so nervous, Nagato could only smile helplessly.
But the problem was—
that didn't really seem like rumor to him.
Nagato no longer had the restraints of the Ten-Tails, and with Konoha's medical team's help, along with the natural vitality of Uzumaki blood, he had fully recovered.
He looked healthy and strong now.
Even the problem with his eyes had been resolved.
Or rather, Naruto—his junior disciple—had helped solve it.
Exactly how Naruto had done it was still something the brat couldn't properly explain. Something about using Yang Release combined with his own cells to create a pair of new eyes…
In any case, Nagato had truly recovered.
But during that recovery period, he had also seen and heard a few things he probably really shouldn't have…
For example…
Ren sneaking over to Tsunade in the middle of the night.
Nagato had been lying in bed resting, yet he had absolutely heard some very suspicious sounds.
He just didn't dare say any of that out loud.
So all he could do was vaguely claim he'd heard some "rumors."
"Alright, stop overthinking it."
Seeing Nagato fall silent, Yahiko couldn't help patting his shoulder.
"Konan has made her own choice. And besides, she's looked really happy these past few years. I also believe Ren is someone who'll take responsibility."
"So for matters like that… it's better if we say less. Konan will find her own happiness."
"Happiness, huh…"
Nagato looked somewhat helpless, because he honestly wasn't even sure how to define that word anymore.
But looking around at the bustling streets, at the countless smiling faces, and then thinking back on the Rain Country of old…
In the end, he could only give a faint, helpless smile.
"Maybe so. Ren really is someone who can bring happiness…"
Inside the Senju clan's ancestral residence—
Yugao was helping Ren straighten his robes.
Ren was now dressed in a ceremonial Hokage outfit of white and red woven together, and his whole bearing felt slightly different.
"Not bad."
Tsunade gave him a measured look and nodded lightly.
"You finally look a little like a Hokage."
"You look alright."
Hikari also nodded from the side, while Ren merely smiled.
He reached out, took Yugao's hand, and tilted his head toward the window.
Outside, his stone monument had already been completed.
Though his face was carved after Tsunade's, he still thought his own monument looked better.
"Congratulations. You've finally reached this point, Sixth Hokage-sama."
After finishing adjusting his clothes, Yugao smiled and teased him lightly.
Ren could only shake his head with a smile.
"You saying things like that makes it sound too formal. If not for all of you supporting me, I probably never would've made it this far."
Thinking back on everything that had happened, Ren couldn't help but smile more deeply.
Though Danzo had certainly made parts of that road rather unpleasant, overall…
things had still gone pretty smoothly afterward.
"If anything, I should be thanking you. Thanking all of you."
"No need for that. I just hope you'll settle down a little from now on."
Tsunade stretched lazily and shook her head.
"The ninja world has only just found peace. Don't go stirring up a bunch of new trouble. And as Hokage, there are certain things I think you should restrain yourself on as well."
Tsunade's words sounded half like a lecture, half like genuine advice.
But Ren only smiled and said nothing.
Then suddenly, he turned to look at the door.
"Big Brother Ren, Sister Konan is here."
Karin walked in from the entrance, leading Konan inside.
The moment Tsunade and the others saw that, none of them said anything.
Three years had passed.
By now, many things were already understood without needing to be spoken.
"Thanks, Karin."
Ren nodded, then smiled teasingly.
"If I remember right, didn't I assign you to the Hokage Guard unit? Shouldn't you be off finding Sasuke and Naruto and helping handle the follow-up work?"
"…Yeah, I got it."
Karin's smile instantly froze. She rolled her eyes at Ren.
Did he really have to chase people away that directly?
Still, she obediently nodded without arguing and turned around to leave.
"Ren, congratulations."
Konan stepped forward with a smile.
Ren, meanwhile, smiled as he took both her and Yugao by the hand and walked over toward Tsunade and the others.
"Don't say things like that. It just makes us sound too distant. Come on, let's all sit together."
"You really are…"
Tsunade shook her head with a faint smile.
Hikari, meanwhile, simply moved aside without a word, letting space open up.
Soon enough, they were all squeezed together on the sofa.
Not long after, silver-bell laughter filled the room.
Ren looked at the people by his side.
He stretched lightly, pulled the nearest one into his arms, and slowly closed his eyes, as if savoring this moment.
This warmth. This peace. This little pocket of happiness.
He would do everything he could to protect it.
"Ren, aren't you ready yet? It's almost time—uh…"
Kabuto and Uchiha Shisui suddenly rushed in through the back door.
But before they could finish speaking, both of them froze where they stood.
Afterward, both awkwardly scratched their heads.
But in the end, they still spoke seriously.
"Sixth Hokage-sama… it's time."
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