Akira said quietly, "Unfortunately, I didn't save Jiraiya."
Obito looked surprised.
"Oh? You didn't witness his battle with Pain?"
"I did. But after careful consideration, I gave up."
"Why?"
"Obito, do you remember the Inner member of Kara I showed you in the genjutsu—Kashin Koji?"
"Of course. The one who set Isshiki up. He's Jiraiya's clone."
"Exactly."
"Kara's chief scientist, Amado, used Jiraiya's cells to create him. Kashin Koji was Amado's trump card for betraying Isshiki in the future."
Akira had long concluded that Amado had recovered Jiraiya's body and completed the cloning and modification.
It was Kashin Koji's later actions that pushed Isshiki's vessel, Kawaki, into the spotlight and gradually exposed Kara.
"Kashin Koji's existence is necessary."
"Otherwise, Isshiki and Kara might have remained hidden for who knows how long."
"By then, things would've been completely out of control."
"So after weighing everything, I gave up on saving Jiraiya."
Obito sighed.
"So… you were already thinking that far ahead back then."
Akira did not mention that, although he hadn't saved Jiraiya, he had secretly collected blood from Jiraiya's severed arm after it was destroyed by Pain's Asura Path.
He hadn't taken the arm itself.
At the time, Akatsuki still had the habit of having White Zetsu dispose of bodies. If the arm had disappeared, it would've revealed the presence of a third party.
That would've jeopardized future plans.
To this day, Akira still hadn't used that blood for Edo Tensei.
Jiraiya's ties to Mount Myōboku were too deep.
His Sage Mode, synchronized with the Great Toad Sages, could very well expose Akira's secrets to the sage realm.
That was something Akira wanted to avoid.
After all…
The Great Toad Sage was truly capable of foreseeing the future through dreams.
Some things deserved respect.
"Mom! Meat buns! I want some~!"
At that moment, Yue pointed at the Miura Meat Bun Shop by the street, drool almost dripping from her mouth.
Behind the counter stood a young woman with her hair in a bun.
She glanced at them and smiled.
"You look new here. Just moved in?"
"Come try our buns. We're an old shop—once you eat them, you'll never forget!"
Kaori led Yue forward and placed some money on the counter.
"Two baskets, please."
"Coming right up~!"
"Oh, by the way… where's Grandma Miura?"
"Oh~! You knew my grandma?"
"You must be regular customers!"
The woman packed the buns skillfully.
"She passed away last month."
"After Angel-sama sent word, I came from the Rain Village to see her off."
"I didn't want her craft to be lost, so I stayed to take over."
"My name is Miura Masako."
When Peach Blossom Land opened, not everyone from the Rain Village had been willing to migrate.
Kaori's eyes dimmed.
"Grandma Miura…"
Masako smiled calmly.
"She lived over a hundred years, healthy to the end."
"It was a peaceful passing. A joyful funeral."
Kaori took the buns and asked softly,
"Are you getting used to life here?"
Masako's smile was sincere.
"Yes."
"Only after coming here did I realize how wonderful this place is."
"Under Lord Shadow and Angel-sama, people live in peace."
"The policies are even more humane than back in Pain's era."
"Before she passed, my grandma kept holding my hand, saying…"
"'Lord Shadow's kindness… can never be repaid.'"
"Living here, my biggest feeling is…"
"I don't have to stay on guard when I see strangers anymore."
She sighed.
"Back home, I heard criminal groups are infiltrating again."
"When will the Rain Village ever find peace…"
Back then, when Naruto parted with Konan, he had sworn he would become Hokage and bring peace to the Rain Village.
Konan believed him.
She had even risked her life for that belief.
Yet years had passed.
And Amegakure was still a bleak, lawless gray zone.
Konan didn't resent Naruto.
But disappointment was inevitable.
The Angel of Rain wasn't someone who would betray her ideals for gratitude.
She stood with Akira after seeing reality for herself.
…
"We'll wait here."
"Akira will definitely come back."
Naruto's solution was simple.
Wait in Akira's home.
Sasuke frowned.
"What if he doesn't?"
"He will."
"Trust me."
"You're rarely home, so you don't feel it."
"This place has a strong sense of life."
"It's clean and organized."
"The woman in the photo is definitely a good wife—just like Hinata."
Sasuke asked,
"Couldn't he have cleaned it himself?"
"No way."
Naruto said firmly.
"Married men, no matter how devoted, always miss details."
Naruto clenched his fists.
"Uchiha Akira's wife is probably just as virtuous as mine."
"And that makes me even angrier!"
"She probably doesn't know what he's doing outside!"
"As a husband and father, he's irresponsible!"
Sasuke picked up the photo frame.
"Naruto… don't you think she looks familiar?"
"Who?"
"I can't say why. Her eyebrows and eyes…"
"They feel familiar."
"Probably your imagination. I'm sure I've never seen her."
"Maybe…"
Sasuke sat down.
"Let's wait, then."
After a pause, he added,
"By the way, I passed through Amegakure recently."
"I saw some bad signs."
"What kind?"
"The population has dropped sharply."
"Criminal groups are taking root."
"People are leaving."
Naruto asked calmly,
"You didn't intervene?"
"No."
"I've seen too much over the years."
"Evil in the shadows is like weeds."
"You cut one patch, another grows."
"The root is human greed."
Naruto's eyes dimmed.
"Yeah…"
"After becoming Hokage, I realized how limited I am."
"Some things can't be changed by position alone."
"The Hokage only governs one village."
"For example, Amegakure."
"I once asked the daimyo for aid."
"He helped for three years."
"Then he stopped."
"He said even Fire Country had starving people."
"And warned me not to interfere in other nations' affairs."
"After that…"
"Amegakure declined."
Sasuke sighed.
"You've grown up, Naruto."
"Kid you would've argued with him no matter what."
Naruto smiled bitterly.
He remembered a promise to someone long gone.
After this was over…
He would send forces to clean up Amegakure again.
A small apology to Konan.
…
"Come again next time~!"
Yue passed out meat buns happily.
"Mom! Dad! Grandpa Madara! Uncle Obito!"
They took them cheerfully.
Though they couldn't taste much, they still enjoyed them.
Yue puffed her cheeks.
"So juicy… so tasty~!"
"Kaori… Akira…"
A surprised voice rang out.
They stopped.
In front of a grocery store stood a tall, fair-skinned blonde woman, holding vegetables, frozen in place.
"Ah!!"
Kaori froze—then rushed over and hugged her.
Obito blinked.
"Isn't she the Cloud ninja sealed in the gourd by Gold and Silver Brothers?"
"Why is she here?"
Akira said solemnly,
"Let me introduce her."
"Her name is Samui."
"She is my brother Uchiha Jin's… widow."
"Widow…?"
Obito asked again.
"Your brother married her?"
"Yes."
"He fell for her at first sight."
"After the war, he pursued her for three years."
"They married the same year Kaori and I did."
"But she was already pregnant."
"So they became parents earlier."
"Feng and Hua."
"My niece and nephew."
"They attend the ninja academy here."
After chatting with Kaori, Samui looked at Madara and Obito.
"May I ask… who are these two?"
She had missed most of the war sealed inside the gourd.
So she didn't recognize them.
Kaori giggled.
"Better not know~."
Samui smiled.
"As long as it's related to Akira, I won't ask."
"Men's business."
She brushed her bangs aside and hooked Kaori's shoulder.
"Kaori~"
"Let's have a bath together tonight, okay?"
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