Jiraiya had a premonition that once all of this escalated to its peak, something was bound to happen. He just didn't know what kind of conclusion it would ultimately reach.
A struggle between the Uchiha and the village would only end in mutual destruction.
"Is something wrong with Shimizu?" Minato Namikaze asked, visibly confused.
"No, it's nothing," Jiraiya replied, shaking his head.
He was much older than Minato Namikaze, whose ideals were still quite naive in many ways. In Jiraiya's eyes, this naivety was actually commendable; if Konohagakure were filled entirely with deeply calculating individuals, wouldn't the village become far too lifeless? Someone like Minato Namikaze was precisely the kind of healthy green leaf required on the great tree of Konohagakure.
"Prepare for our return to the village. You guys happened to fight the last major battle, so you'll be receiving proper commendations."
Soon after, news of the impending peace in the shinobi world swept across the entire continent, including the surrounding islands.
Konohagakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure had all suffered immense losses in this war. Kirigakure, because its homeland was located on islands far out at sea and isolated from the mainland, had actually lost very little in terms of interests.
As for Kumogakure, their losses were not small either. They were the ones who had initiated the war in the very beginning, declaring war on two nations simultaneously before the fighting even started, so their military forces had naturally been extremely abundant. Now, after several years of intense warfare, their military might was thoroughly depleted. Fortunately, the concessions made by Konohagakure prevented their losses from being too devastating.
The entire shinobi world ushered in a state of superficial peace.
"Taiko?"
Kakashi instinctively called out to his wife, only to realize there was no one beside him. He pulled back the blanket and stepped out of the bedroom to look for Taiko Hatake.
Failing to find her in the living room, Kakashi had just stepped into the kitchen when he spotted a woman crouching in front of the trash can, seemingly dry-heaving.
"Taiko, are you feeling unwell?" Kakashi walked over quickly to support Taiko Hatake.
"No, I don't know," Taiko Hatake shook her head.
Seeing that his wife couldn't explain it clearly, Kakashi helped her up, intending to take her to the hospital for a checkup. "Let's go to the hospital."
Having experienced his loved ones and comrades dying one after another around him, Kakashi now only wanted to live a peaceful life. He did not want to see anything happen to Taiko Hatake. They were husband and wife now, and a married couple was meant to walk through life together.
"Let me pack some things."
Taiko Hatake's eyes flickered slightly, a trace of melancholy clouding her face. She understood the reason behind her dry-heaving better than anyone else.
At the Konohagakure Hospital.
Shimizu had already run out of lab mice at his home, so Rin Nohara had come to the hospital to select a new batch.
"Congratulations! I'm sure the spirit of Lord Sakumo Hatake in heaven will be deeply comforted," the doctor said, holding a black diagnostic film up to the light.
"What... Taiko, she's... pregnant?"
A look of sheer astonishment appeared on Kakashi's usually expressionless face. He was going to be a father?
Kakashi felt somewhat dazed, as if he were dreaming. This feeling was simply too surreal. They had only been married for a few months, and he was already about to become a father? Was this pace a bit too fast?
Kakashi was not yet psychologically prepared. Looking at the doctor's congratulatory expression, a trace of anxiety about the future and apprehension toward the newborn arose in his heart. He didn't know if he could be a good father. After all, he himself hadn't had a... good father.
"Don't worry."
A warm sensation enveloped Kakashi's hand as Taiko Hatake squeezed it, offering him a gentle smile.
Looking at Taiko Hatake's bright smile, an indescribable emotion welled up in Kakashi's heart. "Yeah. I will be a good father and make both of you happy."
Hand in hand, Kakashi and Taiko Hatake walked out of the office together.
Rin Nohara, holding a cage of lab mice, silently watched this scene unfold. For some reason, she felt a bitter ache in her heart. Kakashi had already found happiness, and it was foreseeable that he would be even happier in the future. He would have a perfect family of three, while she would still remain entirely alone.
At that moment, Kakashi's gaze drifted over. Rin Nohara quickly lowered her head, desperately wanting to hide her wretched state from him.
"Oh, Rin? Is that you?"
However, the more one wished to avoid something, the more likely it was to happen. Holding hands with Taiko Hatake, Kakashi walked right up to Rin Nohara.
With nowhere left to hide, Rin could only force a somewhat helpless smile and say, "Is something the matter, Kakashi?"
"I'm going to be a father!"
The moment Taiko Hatake squeezed his hand, Kakashi's doubts about the future had vanished, leaving only the pure joy of welcoming a new life. Since he happened to spot Rin Nohara here, Kakashi—who viewed Rin as a comrade with whom he had shared life-and-death bonds—naturally wanted to share this wonderful news with her.
"Ah... congratulations, congratulations." Rin Nohara's smile was incredibly bitter.
It was like watching your first love holding hands with a stranger, and finding out they were having a child together. To be honest, that feeling was not pleasant at all. Although nothing had ever truly happened between her and Kakashi, making it a stretch to even call him her first love, Kakashi had always been the unattainable dream she secretly loved. Even though this emotion had ended before it could ever begin.
"When the time comes, do you want to go to the shrine together?" Kakashi asked.
In Konohagakure, there was a custom for a baby's one-month milestone. Parents would bring their baby to the shrine to pray for blessings, symbolizing reporting the baby's birth to the gods and seeking their divine protection. It represented the parents' wishes for their child's healthy growth.
However, there were also customs of hosting celebratory feasts. Since Konohagakure had been established for less than a hundred years, many shinobi clans still retained their respective customs. Such a brief period was not yet enough to unify all these traditions.
"No... no need. You and Mrs. Taiko should go together. Take good care of your health, Mrs. Taiko," Rin Nohara muttered before hurriedly walking away.
"Rin, are you busy with something today?"
"Alright, Kakashi, let's go." Taiko Hatake pulled Kakashi back as he prepared to chase after Rin.
Kakashi had been the same way last time. Even though he was already married, he always seemed unable to cut ties with the past. Such behavior could hardly be considered that of a good man.
Then again, I'm not exactly a good woman either, Taiko Hatake thought, a shadow crossing her eyes.
The command of the Fourth Mizukage felt as though it had been delivered just yesterday. She carried the heavy responsibility of manipulating Kakashi.
If Kakashi defects to Kirigakure, the two of us can still find happiness together as husband and wife, Taiko Hatake mused, tightening her grip on Kakashi's hand. At worst, they could just move to Kirigakure to live. They would still have a happy future.
"Well... alright."
Since Taiko Hatake was pregnant, she needed to be more careful in her daily routine. Kakashi planned to go back and brew some nourishing soup for her. He used to fish by the river and prepared all three of his daily meals himself, so he had long developed decent culinary skills.
By the time Rin Nohara left the Konohagakure Hospital and arrived at the entrance of Shimizu's residence, the lab mice in her hands had piled up together. Clearly, because Rin had walked so quickly, the mice had all huddled to one side of the cage.
"Did you know that Kakashi's wife is pregnant?" Rin Nohara entered the laboratory beneath Shimizu's courtyard as she usually did.
"Then congratulations are indeed in order," Shimizu said, the corner of his mouth curving into a slight smile.
"Why is it so easy for Kakashi to obtain happiness?" Rin Nohara spoke as if muttering to herself, yet it also sounded as if she were questioning why Shimizu had targeted her.
"So, do you want to have an offspring of your own?" Shimizu didn't answer her question, but instead gradually drew closer to her.
Legally speaking, they were still young. However, the laws of this world were entirely different from his previous life. The Warring States Period had only recently ended. The legal system of Konohagakure was far from perfect because there had been no geniuses in that field to refine it. Since its establishment, the village had endured three world-scale wars, and no one had the time or energy to mend these laws.
"What?" Rin Nohara's eyes widened.
While giving birth at her age was perfectly normal during the Warring States Period, they had already abolished the old ways and adopted the hidden village system! Was Shimizu Uchiha out of his mind?
"Just a joke."
Shimizu's index finger brushed past Rin Nohara's lips, feeling the soft texture. In truth, Rin Nohara was already of legal age according to Konohagakure's laws. Yes, the village's laws were fully compliant. Many customs here were quite similar to those of ancient Japan.
Shimizu gently patted Rin Nohara's head. The sudden gesture caused her body to stiffen, unable to decipher what Shimizu wanted to do.
"How could I bear to break you so soon? In the future, there will be plenty of places where I'll need you," Shimizu said softly, uttering words that sent shivers down Rin Nohara's spine.
Rin Nohara was the button that connected Obito and Kakashi, holding immense weight in both of their hearts. After all, Rin Nohara was their ultimate bond! In this world, the word "bond" (kizuna) was the most powerful force; no one could escape it, and everyone was destined to sink into its whirlpool.
Before long, Shimizu's gentle patting motion shifted into a gesture of feeding. He looked down at Rin Nohara from an absolute position of dominance. Rin Nohara crawled meekly on the floor, accepting the "delivery" bestowed upon her by Shimizu.
"Minato-sensei and Kushina should be getting married soon."
Rin Nohara's movements paused. She didn't know why Shimizu would suddenly bring this up.
"During this period, help me gather more information on the two of them. Since you're a female, it's easier for you to associate with Kushina. Do you understand?"
"But Lady Kushina is Minato-sensei's..." Rin Nohara raised her gaze in shock.
She met Shimizu's pitch-black eyes, which seemed like the deepest abyss. Paired with the faint smile on his lips, it carried an incredibly sinister and wicked vibe.
"Work more, talk less, and don't ask questions you shouldn't. Once everything is completed, perhaps you will have a chance to return to a normal life." Shimizu didn't forget to paint a promising picture for her. To increase an employee's motivation, presenting a large, enticing promise was absolutely indispensable.
"A normal life..."
A faint glimmer of light appeared in Rin Nohara's downcast eyes. If she could escape Shimizu's control and live a peaceful life with her parents as an ordinary civilian, that wouldn't be a bad existence at all. In the future, she might even meet someone who would truly cherish her.
"That's right, a normal life. As long as you do exactly as I say..." Shimizu's hand stroked Rin Nohara's head, and then...
Looking up while eating was never a good habit.
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