The Third Great Ninja War was finally over.
Ninjas, carrying their exhaustion and their wounds, began to trickle back into the Hidden Leaf.
Some had lost family, some had lost limbs, and many others were now sleeping six feet under, just waiting for the day they'd be reanimated as zombies for a plot twist later on.
After listening to the Third Hokage—that old geezer—drone on with his speech, Musashi immediately dumped the task of calculating his merit points onto Itachi Uchiha. Then, without wasting a second, he sprinted toward Ichiraku Ramen.
He was just a cook with a 0-0 K/D ratio. How many merit points could he possibly have?
Big Sister Ayame was way more important.
Ichiraku Ramen
"Big Sister Ayame!"
Ayame, who had been zoning out, whipped her head around. The next second, a small figure tackled her in a hug.
"Big Sister Ayame!" Musashi hugged her tight, greedily inhaling the familiar scent of the shop. "I'm back!"
Finally, Uncle Teuchi couldn't watch anymore and pried them apart.
"Good grief, what are you two doing hugging like that? Musashi, go wash up. Ayame, can't you see the customers are waiting?"
"Ah! I'm so sorry! I'll be right with you!"
Musashi ran home, scrubbed himself clean, and rushed back to the shop to help.
Washing the familiar bowls and chopsticks, listening to Uncle Teuchi greet customers... his heart finally felt steady and full.
After spending so much time together, he wasn't just the "poor little worker kid" to them anymore. He was practically family.
Only here did he feel like he was truly alive, and not just dreaming.
Only here could the coldness in his heart melt away, allowing him to forget the blood and cruelty of the ninja world.
While Ayame served customers, she would occasionally sneak a piece of sushi or tempura into Musashi's mouth as he worked. Musashi swallowed them with a happy grin.
Yep, Big Sister Ayame was definitely the best!
That night, after saying goodbye to Ayame, Musashi went home with Daiki Nojiri, who had rushed over upon hearing the news. They cleaned the house together.
Once they were done, Daiki tried to drag Musashi into a brainstorming session for their "art."
Their pen name, "Midnight Butcher," hadn't updated in ages. If this kept up, their popularity would tank!
Musashi refused.
All he wanted to do today was sleep like a log.
Daiki tried to persuade him, so Musashi delivered a swift karate chop to his neck.
Thud.
Finally, both of them slept peacefully on the tatami mats.
A few days later.
Konoha held a funeral for the fallen ninjas.
The Third Hokage and the village elders led the collective mourning. The gloomy, overcast weather added a layer of desolation to the ceremony.
Itachi Uchiha stood in the crowd, staring blankly at the Memorial Stone in the distance.
This is war. Not just a fight between people, but a struggle between nations.
Because of that, strangers kill each other for no reason, and countless people die meaningless deaths.
This is the world of ninjas.
As he thought this, he sensed something and turned his head. Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, was standing alone in a clearing nearby.
"There is no meaning in mourning the dead," Orochimaru said, looking at the crowd with eyes as calm and still as a stagnant pond.
"If there is any meaning to death, it only exists when it can be utilized."
Itachi walked over to Orochimaru, looking up at the powerhouse who had achieved so much in the war. He asked, "So, what is the meaning of life?"
Orochimaru's raspy voice held no emotion. "There is no meaning in life, either."
"If there is, it only exists when life is eternal."
Itachi stood there, lost in thought, long after the words were spoken.
After the funeral ended, he walked aimlessly. Before he knew it, he was standing on top of the Hokage Rock.
He looked down at the village below, his eyes empty.
"Life... has no meaning."
The screams of the battlefield echoed in his ears. Blood and severed limbs flashed before his eyes.
The draft orders from the higher-ups, the endless fighting, the ninjas dying one after another...
A breeze blew past him. His body naturally leaned forward and began to fall.
The ground rushed up to meet him, getting larger and larger. It seemed like in the next second, he would merge with it, and his fragile, meaningless life would dissipate.
So, what is life, really?
As his body plummeted, Itachi suddenly felt a deep, primal desire to live surge from the depths of his consciousness.
But before he could act on it, a whistling sound cut through the air. A rope wrapped tightly around his ankle.
The massive inertia of his fall swung him like a pendulum—smashing him violently into the cliff face!
WHAM!
"Cough! Cough, cough!!"
The intimate contact with the rock face knocked the wind out of him and left him dizzy. Even with Itachi's stoic nature, he couldn't help but feel a flash of anger.
"Who did that!?"
"It was me!" Musashi's voice yelled from above. "I saw you standing there and you suddenly fell! I had to grab you quick. Phew~ You scared me to death! Good thing I was here in time."
Itachi: "..."
Musashi struggled to pull Itachi up by the rope. Once Itachi was back on the ledge, Musashi let out a long sigh of relief.
"Seriously, can't a guy go for a jog without running into this kind of drama? Itachi, did your legs give out? Don't tell me you didn't want to live anymore?"
The heavy atmosphere was ruined, and his body ached from the impact. Itachi puffed out his cheeks, looking annoyed.
But Musashi had saved him. His good upbringing wouldn't let him get angry at his savior.
"I... I was training my Taijutsu. You just interrupted me, that's all."
Sensing that Itachi wasn't too happy, Musashi accepted the explanation immediately.
"Oh, I see. But you shouldn't train Taijutsu in such a dangerous place! Alright then, I won't disturb your training anymore. Bye-bye!"
With that, Musashi sprinted away, disappearing in a flash.
Itachi was left standing there, feeling like something wasn't quite right.
A moment later, realization hit him.
"Wait! He was at the funeral with me just now. What kind of jogging was he doing?" Itachi looked in the direction Musashi had vanished, his expression softening. "That guy... did he follow me because he was worried?"
...
Far away, Musashi checked behind him. Seeing Itachi hadn't chased him, he sighed in relief.
"Phew. I finally got to see the legendary 'Itachi Jumping Off a Cliff' scene in person. Plus, I got to slam him into a wall. Totally worth it! Heheh..."