Uzumaki Country, Port.
Akio stood at the harbor, holding little Naruto's hand.
Behind them stood the "stay-behind shinobi," led by Gosha, gathered to welcome the returning ninja forces.
After telling Naruto stories for three days straight, Akio had finally established himself as a glorious "ancestral figure."
Although Naruto still acted a little tsundere, he had already accepted Akio as his "old ancestor."
"Naruto, do you miss Minato?" Akio asked with a smile.
"Mm!" Naruto nodded.
The war with Kirigakure had lasted a year and three months. Kushina returned periodically to check on Naruto and had personally arranged a tutor for him.
Minato, however, rarely came back, always active on the front lines as the famed "Yellow Flash."
"They're coming!" Akio smiled, looking at Nagato and Konan flying rapidly through the sky.
A silhouette flashed beside them, Minato appeared, embracing Kushina.
On the sea, more shinobi were rushing toward Uzumaki Country, followed by several large ships.
"Great Elder!"
"Great-Grandfather!"
Tears welled in Kushina's eyes. She rushed forward and grabbed Akio's right arm. Akio comforted her briefly, then glanced playfully at Minato. The title "Great Elder" carried far more weight than the old "Elder Akio."
"So, our Fourth Hokage is officially joining the Uzumaki household now?"
Minato let out a bitter smile. Before he could answer, Akio's two disciples swooped down from the sky.
"Teacher!"
Nagato and Konan rushed over together. Akio playfully pushed Nagato back with a bit of Repulsive Force, making him land just behind Konan so Konan could grab Akio's other arm…
"Father!" Naruto finally reacted and dove into Minato's embrace.
For a moment, the entire harbor was one big group hug.
Nagato alone scratched his head awkwardly, though he soon brightened up as well.
"Teacher, it's so great you're not dead! To celebrate, let me sing a song for you!"
"Get lost!" Akio cursed with a laugh.
"So many people are here. Don't embarrass yourself, Nagato." Akio glanced around, many nearby ninjas clearly wanted to come over but didn't dare interrupt.
Then he looked toward the ships and shinobi still arriving across the water. Akio sighed. "We'll catch up later. Handle the rest of the arrangements first."
"Understood!"
Half an hour later.
The "Double Gates" processed all post-war matters with exaggerated speed, and the group gathered in the Uzumaki clan's main hall.
Seeing that everyone had countless questions they wanted to ask, Akio spoke first.
"Earlier, I hit a small snag in my training and couldn't appear. My Summoning with the Slug was cut off then as well."
Everyone nodded, they had suspected something like this.
"Teacher, you're already the strongest shinobi. Why keep pushing yourself so hard?"
Akio shook his head. "There's always someone stronger. If I don't keep up, imagine how embarrassing it'll be if I lose to some youngster ten years from now."
As he said this, he remembered the ten-year-old jōnin, Itachi…
Itachi had seen right through Akio's "Face-Changing Technique." Akio felt that if he slacked off, he was doomed.
Silence filled the room. Even though Nagato and the others had a stomach full of things to say, they suddenly didn't know where to begin.
After a while, Akio spoke again.
"Nagato, being clan head of the Uzumaki isn't easy, is it? Do you know where you went wrong?"
Nagato's face filled with shame. "Teacher, I know. When facing the Hidden Cloud, if I'd been tougher, they would have treated news of your 'death' as a rumor."
Akio glared at him. "It was a rumor!"
"Y-Yes…"
"But it's fine. Luckily, you'd learned that rap jutsu beforehand, or Uzumaki Country would've suffered far worse this time."
"Yo!"
"Shut up!"
Nagato's interruption loosened the heavy mood in the room.
Kushina, still with the personality of a lively girl, chattered nonstop. Even Konan, five years younger seemed like the older sister now.
Little Naruto sat on the side, lip trembling, clearly about to cry.
Nobody paid attention to him, tragically neglected.
Akio changed the subject with a smile. "Minato, you still planning to go back and be Hokage?"
Before Minato could answer, Kushina snapped, "Go back for what? That old thief Danzō! And the Third isn't much better…"
"I beat up Danzō," Akio said casually. "He's fled the village now."
Kushina froze. "Great-Grandfather, you let him off too easy!"
Minato blinked in confusion. "Fled? As in… defection?"
"Yes. Defected."
"I see…" Minato grew thoughtful. After four or five years as Hokage, he understood Danzō well.
"Father, let's go back," Naruto finally inserted himself into the conversation.
Minato smiled gently. "Naruto, don't rush."
Akio paused, then sighed. "Looks like you've already made up your mind. I won't interfere."
Leaning back in his chair, Akio felt a wave of emotion.
Among the people here, three disciples dead; aside from his daughter and these few before him, he didn't have many close to him anymore.
Konan noticed his mood shift instantly.
"Teacher… let's go visit Grandma Izuko and the others."
Akio blinked, looked at Konan, then at Nagato.
"Looks like Nagato's finally got a chance. Konan calling her 'Grandma' that naturally not bad."
The room fell silent at this topic.
"Great-Grandfather, let's go see Grandma," Kushina urged.
"…Alright, let's go."
Uzumaki Country, Cemetery.
The six of them arrived.
The guards were the same two young Uzumaki clansmen. They already knew the person who had suddenly appeared two days ago was Akio. Seeing him again, they greeted him enthusiastically, proud to be the first to witness his return.
The group split up. Minato, Kushina, and Naruto went to pay respects to Nanako. Kushina chattered endlessly, updating her grandmother about Uzumaki Country.
Nagato and Konan went to Izuko 's grave.
As for Akio… he went to pay respects at his own grave.
"This grave can stay. Good spot. Maybe someday when I've lived enough, I'll lie here for a couple of years. When I get bored, I'll get up again…"
Akio sighed lightly, then walked to Jitou's grave.
"More than seventy years single… and hardly anyone visits you. Pathetic, Jitou."
"Nanako and Izuko were both sent off personally by me. But you…"
If he weren't unable to use Edo Tensei, Akio would've summoned Jitou just to chat.
"I'll have to find Orochimaru later… get all three disciples together again. Nanako and Izuko are fine, but I didn't even get to see Jitou one last time. He'll complain about me underground…"
Then Akio suddenly froze.
"Edo Tensei… Jitou?"
"Eight Gates Formation… surely not? That would be troublesome…"
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