Mikoto had spent nearly the entire night pressing Sasuke to finally settle down and get married.
No matter how calmly Sasuke tried to respond, his mother's persistence felt like an endless barrage of kunai against his patience. In the end, he had no choice but to give in, at least a little. He promised Mikoto that he would try to face his own emotional problems properly and hoped she would allow him some time to do so.
After finally hearing Sasuke's affirmative response, Mikoto decided to let him go.
Sasuke returned to his room, breathing a long sigh of relief as though he had escaped from a battle fiercer than any he had fought with a blade.
This attic had once been filled with cobwebs and dust, abandoned during the years when the Uchiha Clan Compound had been silent and empty. But ever since Mikoto's return, she and Fugaku had worked to restore it. Together, they had cleaned every corner, repaired what had been broken, and breathed life back into the place. Sasuke remembered his father's quiet efficiency as he worked on repairs, his mother's gentle but insistent voice directing him. After a few simple refurbishments, the once-lonely attic had truly become livable again.
Now, as Sasuke lay on his futon, staring up at the ceiling beams, he could still faintly hear the voices of his parents below.
Mikoto was still complaining in her usual way. "Fugaku, you don't care about the child at all. You don't guide him, you don't scold him, you don't even talk to him. You just leave everything to me!"
Fugaku's voice came, deep and helpless. "Mikoto, when a child grows older, he has his own thoughts. We can't force everything on him."
Mikoto snorted coldly. "I don't care how old he gets. He's still my son, and I'll always take care of him!"
"All right, all right," Fugaku replied, clearly surrendering. "You handle it your way."
Mikoto huffed again, her voice sharp. "Look at you! The moment I say a few words, you just brush it aside. You're always so indifferent!"
Fugaku only chuckled lightly in response, unwilling to fuel the fire.
Hearing this exchange, Sasuke sighed quietly and covered his eyes with one arm. His parents hadn't changed at all. Their voices, their mannerisms, even their arguments—it was as if nothing had happened to their clan. It was both comforting and painful at the same time.
As his mind wandered, Sasuke thought of Sakura.
He remembered her as a child, clinging to him with endless chatter, sometimes saying things that cut deep. One memory in particular stung—back then, she had once spoken carelessly about Naruto being an orphan without parents. Sasuke had been furious, and that scar of anger still lingered faintly.
But then, his thoughts shifted to the years that followed. After their marriage in his previous life, Sakura had endured hardships he rarely acknowledged aloud. She not only gave birth to Sarada, their daughter, but also raised her largely on her own while he wandered outside the village for long stretches. She endured loneliness, suspicion from villagers, and the heavy burdens of motherhood—yet she never once complained.
She had been a strong and virtuous wife, frugal, diligent, and endlessly patient. Even Sarada adored her mother deeply, cherishing her strength and kindness.
Thinking of Sarada, Sasuke's lips curved slightly. No father in the world could resist the warmth of his daughter's affection, and he was no exception. His little "cotton-padded jacket," as the saying went, had always been a reminder of what mattered most.
In his past life, he had missed too much of her childhood. Always wandering, always seeking atonement, he had been absent during moments that should have belonged to them as a family. That guilt weighed heavily now.
Naruto, meanwhile, was moving ahead quickly. Hinata was already pregnant, which meant Boruto would soon be born. Thinking of this, Sasuke sighed deeply.
"Since it's destined… I won't run from it," he whispered to himself. "Sakura… it will be you."
As the memories of their past intimacy came to mind—those rare moments when he had allowed himself to be vulnerable with her—Sasuke felt heat rise to his face. He quickly shook his head. Such thoughts weren't for the middle of the night. He turned onto his side and closed his eyes.
"Tomorrow," he muttered softly. "I'll face it tomorrow."
Elsewhere, Naruto had just finished helping Sasuke with his revival. With his mark left on Obito, it was easy for him to use the Hiraishin no Jutsu to track him down.
When he located Obito, he found him wandering the outskirts of the village with Rin at his side. Naruto, seeing them together, smiled faintly but didn't disturb them. He left them be and teleported back.
Not long after, Tsunade summoned him once again.
That evening, at Ichiraku Ramen, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Naruto sat shoulder to shoulder.
"Three bowls of classic ramen!" Teuchi said warmly as he placed the steaming bowls before them. "Lady Hokage, this one's for you. Master Jiraiya, here's yours. And Naruto, this one's your usual!"
"Thank you very much, Uncle Teuchi," Tsunade replied with a rare smile.
"Too polite, Lady Hokage," Teuchi chuckled. "Eat up, all of you!" Then he returned to the kitchen.
Jiraiya immediately plucked some toppings from his bowl and dropped them into Tsunade's. She blinked at him, slightly flustered, before murmuring, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Jiraiya said warmly. "Eat more, it's good for you. If you like it that much, I'll even learn to make it for you at home."
Naruto, halfway through his noodles, raised an eyebrow. "Oi, oi! You two could tone it down a little. I'm sitting right here, you know!"
Jiraiya laughed. "What's wrong, brat? Jealous?"
Naruto groaned, slurping his ramen without replying.
Tsunade glanced at Naruto seriously. "Naruto, the reason I called you here tonight… is to inform you that we've officially recommended Kakashi as the Sixth Hokage."
Naruto paused mid-slurp. Then he nodded. "Makes sense. Kakashi-sensei became the Sixth in my previous life as well. So what's the issue?"
Tsunade folded her hands. "Since Kakashi will soon take over, and because he's currently leading the training of the Allied Shinobi Forces, I decided to replace him. I've appointed Itachi and Shisui to take over as training captains. Naruto, do you have any objections?"
Her gaze lingered on him. To her, Naruto's approval carried more weight than he probably realized.
Naruto set down his chopsticks and thought for a moment. Then he smiled. "No problem at all. Itachi and Shisui came back from death itself—they deserve to be involved quickly and directly. This will help them reintegrate into the village."
Relieved, Tsunade nodded. "That's what I thought as well."
As the conversation shifted, Jiraiya leaned in. "Naruto, the Daimyō of the Land of Fire has praised you endlessly. He even said that after Kakashi steps down, you'll become the Seventh Hokage."
Naruto finished his broth, set the bowl aside, and wiped his mouth. "Honestly… I don't care much about titles. In my past life, I already became Hokage. In this one, I just want to rewrite the future—to fix what was broken. As long as the shinobi world prospers, that's enough for me."
He sighed, the weight of his rebirth pressing on him again. So much had changed. So many regrets had been healed. Jiraiya's very presence beside him proved that. In his last life, his master had died too soon. But now? Jiraiya was alive and in love with Tsunade.
After finishing their meal, Jiraiya paid for everyone and led Tsunade and Naruto to his current home—Tsunade's ancestral Senju residence. The estate was vast, once home to the First and Second Hokage. Jiraiya planned to restore and renovate it for the day he would officially marry Tsunade.
When they arrived, Jiraiya asked Tsunade to head in first. "I need a word with Naruto," he explained.
She gave the two of them a knowing smile before retreating inside.
Jiraiya then walked with Naruto through the quiet streets until they reached a bench under a softly glowing streetlamp. They sat together in the stillness of the night.
"The last time we sat here," Jiraiya began with a chuckle, "you had just rescued me. We shared popsicles right on this very bench."
Naruto looked around and nodded, smiling faintly. "Yeah… sitting here again, it feels like an entire lifetime has passed."
Jiraiya placed a hand on his student's shoulder. His voice softened. "Naruto… this journey of yours must have been hard."
Naruto's expression grew tender. "It hasn't been easy, but it was worth it. I've changed so many things, gotten back so much I thought I'd lost forever. That alone makes it all worthwhile."
He turned to Jiraiya, his eyes shining. "Seeing you alive. Watching you and Tsunade-sama finally get together… Master, you don't know how much that means to me. It's something I'll treasure forever."
Jiraiya laughed, then asked suddenly, "So, Naruto… when do you plan to get married yourself?"
Naruto thought about it before answering honestly. "You go first, Master. Once everything settles down, then I'll start my own."
Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively. "Bah, why wait? We can do it together! A double wedding—now wouldn't that be something?"
Naruto blinked, genuinely surprised at the suggestion.
Dear Readers
For 60 Advance Chapters Join My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/NF25
-------
Please Support My Patreon 🥺