"Over the years, the world has truly changed," Lei Gang murmured. It was unclear whether it was a sigh of sentiment or regret, but his voice carried a weight that couldn't be ignored.
They stood before the family quarters of the Special Service Bureau—the quiet compound where Su Xiuyu's parents had always lived.
"Brother Xiuyu, I won't hold you up any longer," Lei Gang said with a smile. "You've been away too long. I'm sure Uncle and Aunt have been waiting to hear from you for years. If you need me, just call."
Although Lei Gang had countless things he still wanted to say, he wasn't blind. Su Xiuyu's two fiancées stood behind him, and his aging parents waited just beyond the door. Even the dullest man wouldn't dare interrupt this reunion.
"Got it. See you tomorrow," Xiuyu replied. "Take care on your way back."
Despite how strong Su Xiuyu had become, Lei Gang never treated him with flattery or fear. His honesty remained unchanged, and Xiuyu remembered that loyalty even now, years later.
As Xiuyu opened the door, he was met by the sight of his aging parents—timeworn but still standing proud.
"Son, you finally remembered to come home?" his mother exclaimed. "How many years has it been since we last saw you?"
Their voices carried a trace of resentment, but also relief. Over the past decade, Su Xiuyu had only visited them a handful of times. It was hard not to imagine the worst when your child disappeared for years at a time.
"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad," he said solemnly. "This time, I came back to prepare for my wedding. These are your future daughters-in-law: Uzumaki Mito and Uchiha Chisato."
The two women stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
For a moment, Xiuyu's parents were too stunned to react. Then his mother's expression twisted.
"Wait a minute! You're marrying two women?! That's not allowed! You'll just make them feel wronged!"
"Mom, Dad, don't worry," Mito and Chisato said in unison. "We chose this willingly."
His mother still looked skeptical. "Still, that's not legal! The Marriage Law says—"
"Dear, the law changed two years ago," Xiuyu's father interrupted with a chuckle. "Polygamy and polyandry are both legal now. Haven't you been watching the news?"
"Oh, heavens! What sin did we commit to raise a son like this…" she muttered, feigning despair, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her true feelings.
Xiuyu grinned. "That's not all. There's something even more important I came to give you."
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a radiant fruit, pulsing with faint chakra. "This is a chakra fruit. Not the perfect kind, but even this version is an extraordinary treasure."
His parents looked at it in awe.
"Each of you, take half and eat it. Right now."
His mother frowned. "Why so mysterious, son? Is this from the wild frontier? I've read news about explorers discovering fruits that can extend life… Wait. Your face hasn't changed in decades—don't tell me you ate something like this?"
"Don't ask too many questions. Just trust me and eat."
With a small laugh, his father split the fruit and handed half to his wife. "You heard the boy."
They each took a bite.
The change was instant.
Wrinkles vanished. Grey hair fell away, replaced by thick, glossy black locks. Their stooped frames straightened, their skin regained its youthful glow. Within moments, the two elderly figures had transformed into vibrant adults—barely into their thirties.
"This… what in the world…" His father turned to his wife, stunned by her youthful face. "You're beautiful again!"
"You too! You look like the day we first met!"
"What did we just eat, son?" his mother gasped. "What is this treasure?"
"This chakra fruit came from a sacred tree, grown on a deserted planet. It's a defective version of the real thing, but even that makes it priceless. Go look in the mirror and see for yourselves."
The two rushed to the nearby washroom.
Moments later, they returned in disbelief, touching their faces and hair like it was a dream.
"I feel strong!" his father exclaimed, clenching his fists. "Like I could knock down a wild bull!"
"You actually could," Xiuyu chuckled. "And more."
"Son," his mother whispered. "This fruit… it's too precious. Why give it to us? You should've kept it for yourself!"
"She's right," his father added. "Your mother and I are already halfway to the grave. Why waste it on us?"
Su Xiuyu shook his head, eyes glistening. "Mom, Dad… I'm already beyond human. Half a god, if I'm being honest. A few hundred years of life means nothing to me—but it means the world to you."
His mother scoffed. "Stop saying nonsense like that. You're still our son, not some god!"
His father smiled. "Still, thank you. Truly."
The rest of the day passed in warmth and laughter.
For dinner, it was not Mother Su who took to the kitchen—but Mito and Chisato. The two prepared a feast that stunned even the old couple's rejuvenated taste buds.
"You two girls really know your way around a kitchen," said Father Su, clearly impressed.
"Honestly, how are we supposed to explain this to the neighbors?" Mother Su fretted later, inspecting her own flawless reflection in a hand mirror. "People will think we've had surgery! Even that can't explain hair regrowth!"
"If they don't believe you," Xiuyu joked, "just say you found the Fountain of Youth."
Happy troubles, indeed.
-------------------------
"What? Su Xiuyu is back?" Lei Gang's father looked up, visibly shocked. Su Xiuyu had left quite an impression on him years ago. He knew the boy's parents well and had always been optimistic about Xiuyu's future.
"He looks just like he did back in high school—aside from being taller," Lei Gang said, shaking his head with a chuckle. "He hasn't aged a day."
Of course, Lei Gang had noticed something odd about Su Xiuyu's appearance. But in this world of spiritual power and awakened abilities, some things were better left unquestioned.
"Xiao Su saved your life," his father reminded him. "If not for the parasitic beast spores fusing with your body, you wouldn't have survived that last battle."
Lei Gang glanced down at his empty left sleeve, his gaze distant. "Yeah. If it weren't for that reward I got, I'd have died for sure. I wouldn't even have made it into the Special Service Bureau."
As frontline operatives, their mortality rate was terrifying. Su Xiuyu had once led a special ops team—and of that squad, only Lei Gang remained in active service. The others had either died battling mutants or were forced to retire due to catastrophic injuries.
The next day, Lei Gang returned to visit Su Xiuyu—not out of duty, but from a sense of guilt. He had never been able to repay the favor, and it had weighed heavily on his heart for years.
"Brother Xiuyu!"
"Lei Gang? Come on in! Eat with us." Xiuyu waved him over casually, a familiar grin on his face.
"I already ate, Bro."
"So what? I remember that bottomless pit of yours. Surely you've got room for more."
Lei Gang didn't argue. As soon as Su Xiuyu's parents brought breakfast out, his eyes widened.
"Uncle… Aunt… You look... so young?"
His words froze in midair. The two elders now looked decades younger—vibrant, glowing with vitality.
Su Xiuyu's mother gave him a sideways glance. Xiuyu immediately understood and answered smoothly, "It's a rare fruit I gave them. Helps nourish the body, enhances complexion. That's all."
He didn't mention the life-prolonging effects. Not because he distrusted Lei Gang—just because there was no need. Some truths invited too many questions.
"Xiao Gang, eat more!" his aunt beamed. "You're practically family—no need for manners!"
Lei Gang grinned and sat down. He had visited countless times over the years. Calling him half a son wasn't far off.
Still, with only one arm, eating was… clumsy.
After breakfast, Su Xiuyu stood. "Lei Gang, come with me. I've got a gift for you."
They stepped into the courtyard. In today's world, homes with private yards were rare. Even if land in Yangcheng wasn't that expensive, properties like this didn't appear on the market. You couldn't buy what didn't exist.
"It might sting a bit," Xiuyu warned. "Bear with it."
Lei Gang blinked in surprise as Xiuyu pulled out something—a pale, lifelike arm.
It wasn't just any limb. It was a degraded clone grown from Hashirama's cells—think of it as a budget version of White Zetsu's arm, stripped of its dangerous complexity.
Xiuyu explained, "Because your original wound healed, I'll need to reopen it—sorry in advance."
Before Lei Gang could respond, Xiuyu activated his spatial ability. In an instant, he severed the stump cleanly and attached the new arm, seamlessly fusing tissue with the power of Yang Release.
Pain surged through Lei Gang—but only for a moment.
"There. A little welcome gift," Xiuyu said, brushing off his hands.
Lei Gang gawked. "Wait, wait—don't we need to disinfect it? What about nerve connections? Isn't there a test for rejection?!"
"Just try moving it," Xiuyu said calmly. "You'll see."
Tentatively, Lei Gang flexed the new limb. Fingers curled. Muscles tensed. It responded exactly like his original arm—warm, responsive, real.
"It even has feeling… This can't be real," Lei Gang muttered, dumbfounded. "No meds? No anti-rejection shots?"
"Nope," Xiuyu said. "I checked when I grafted it. It's genetically optimized for you—perfect match."
"You talk like you're installing hardware," Lei Gang muttered. "Are you sure you're not secretly an engineer?"
"Would I lie to you? Go ahead—test its strength."
Without another word, Lei Gang dropped to the ground and began cranking out push-ups. Then transitioned into one-armed handstands.
The arm held.
He stopped and looked up, eyes brimming. "Brother Xiuyu… Thank you."
For a man like Lei Gang—towering, hardened by countless battles—shedding tears wasn't easy. But in this turbulent world, where death lurked in every shadow, having a complete body again was more than a blessing. It was hope.
"Hey now, don't cry," Xiuyu chuckled. "You're a grown man."
Just then, a piercing alarm echoed across Yangcheng. A deep, warbling siren—eerily similar to the air raid alerts from Xiuyu's past life.
"What the hell is that?"
"That's the city's warning system," Lei Gang replied, suddenly tense. "Means mutant beasts are breaching the perimeter."
Xiuyu's eyes lit up. "You're telling me… the city's under attack? Like in a game?"
"Not a game," Lei Gang muttered. "But yeah, something like that. I need to head out—this is standard protocol."
"Wait," Xiuyu said. "Take this with you."
A wooden figure emerged from his shoulder—his Wood Clone. It stepped forward silently, ready for action.
Even Su Xiuyu had to admit: the Wood Clone technique was ridiculously convenient. Durable, intelligent, capable of fighting and thinking independently—and with no distance limit. A true ninja marvel.
"What should I call him?" Lei Gang asked, eyeing the clone.
"He is me. Not a puppet—a real clone. Treat him as me."
"Got it." Lei Gang nodded and opened the car door, but paused. "Bro… does your clone know it's a clone?"
"I do," the clone replied calmly.
"Uh… doesn't that mess with your original consciousness?"
"Do your feet ever disobey your brain? Unless you're sick?" the clone shot back.
That shut Lei Gang up.
"…Fair enough."
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