"What? Tsunade left?"
Anya immediately left after handing over the matter of the cards to Sasori. He rushed to Konoha Hospital with great anxiety, even mentally preparing himself to get beaten up by Tsunade.
However, after accidentally meeting Jiraiya, he unexpectedly learned that Tsunade had already left Konoha.
"Did she say where she was going?" Anya asked.
Jiraiya shook his head. "No."
Anya continued, "Did she leave any message for me?"
"None either."
Anya remembered what Tsunade had said at Mount Hakuto and fell silent.
Jiraiya meaningfully said, "She hasn't been gone for long. You can still catch up with her if you leave now."
"Never mind." A wave of physical fatigue suddenly overwhelmed him. Feeling defeated, his vision darkened, and he nearly lost his balance.
Jiraiya quickly reached out to support him and said, "You're injured? Then you should get treated immediately."
"I'm fine, just worn out. I'll be good after some rest." Anya turned and walked away from the hospital. Inwardly, he bitterly chuckled. She was right to leave. They had always been two people with completely different personalities. After this incident, the gap between them had only widened further. Better to cut ties early than drag it out into an awkward mess.
In a daze, he returned home and breathed in the lingering traces of Haku's past presence. Then, he collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
When Sarutobi returned to the village, he came immediately. Finding that even entering the room hadn't awakened Anya, he hesitated for a moment with a complex look in his eyes before finally sighing and leaving.
When Anya finally woke up, two entire days had passed. Konoha held a large commemoration event—not just for the ninja who had died at the Mount Hakuto Stronghold, but also for all those who had perished during the Third Battle. The village was wrapped in a heavy, mournful air.
Just as Anya tried to sit up, pain struck his body from all directions. He felt extremely weak and began to break out in a cold sweat.
"You're finally awake," a soft voice said by his ear.
Anya turned his head and said, "Onee-san Mikoto, when did you get here?"
Mikoto smiled as she wiped the cold sweat from Anya's forehead with a warm towel. "After the Hokage announced the end of the Third Ninja World War, I figured you'd be coming back soon, so I came to check on you. I didn't expect you to sleep for so long. The battle must have been exhausting for you."
Anya briefly answered with two words: "Not really."
Seeing how Anya was forcing himself, Mikoto's eyes flickered with concern. "Let me accompany you to the hospital."
"No need. I know Medical Ninjutsu myself. It's just minor injuries; I'll recover in a few days." Anya understood these were aftereffects from using Susanoo. After the first major battle when he hadn't fully recovered, he had used Susanoo again, worsening his injuries. Learning suddenly about Tsunade's unexpected departure had drained both his mind and body, aggravating his wounds.
"Silverhead, don't push yourself if you can't handle it. Onee-san Mikoto has been watching over you the entire night!" A loud voice suddenly called from outside the door.
Little Pepper entered, carrying breakfast.
The moment Anya saw her, his head started aching. He simply chose not to respond.
Mikoto happily looked at the breakfast and said to Anya, "You haven't eaten in a while. Let me help you eat."
Anya struggled to sit up. "No, I can manage on my own."
"Mikoto-nee, don't bother with him," Little Pepper said warmly, offering the porridge to Mikoto. Though she was kind to everyone else, she made an exception for Anya.
Mikoto accepted the breakfast from Little Pepper, gently blew on it a few times, and then brought it to Anya.
Anya quickly took it. "Thanks, Mikoto-nee."
Little Pepper pursed her lips but said nothing. She took out another bowl— even though she teased him, she still brought him breakfast.
After finishing his meal, Anya looked much better. He smiled at Mikoto and said, "Mikoto-nee, thanks. I'm fine now. I think..."
"Hey, what exactly are you trying to say?" Little Pepper interrupted, hands on her hips. "Burning the bridge after crossing it? Eat and then chase us away?"
"Kushina," Mikoto called out, stopping what she knew would lead to an argument. "Why don't you go to the hospital to check on Minato? I heard he's being discharged today."
"Alright then, I'll head off first," Little Pepper said, making a face at the two before skipping out the door.
Watching her retreating figure, Mikoto couldn't help but sigh. "I really envy her. Always so full of energy. Anya, you should learn from her."
"Learn from her? She's an idiot," Anya couldn't help but blurt out his true thoughts.
Mikoto pretended to be angry, raised her hand, and gently tapped Anya's head. "Don't talk about her like that. Kushina is a good person."
Anya sighed and changed the subject. "Forget her. Mikoto-nee, how long have you been here? What about Itachi? Has Fugaku returned?"
"Fugaku hasn't returned yet. The situation on Kumo's battlefield seems complicated. Shisui came back first, and with him watching over Itachi, there shouldn't be any problems. I asked him something about you. He said there was some misunderstanding between you."
Mikoto studied Anya with curiosity. She had recommended Shisui to Anya. Hearing that the Anbu squad had repeatedly achieved great results on the battlefield, she was puzzled how a sudden conflict could arise.
Anya's expression remained neutral. "There's no misunderstanding. Shisui is a good kid. Just not suited for Anbu."
Mikoto realized something serious must have happened. Since neither was willing to elaborate, the issue must be significant. She managed a smile and said, "That's true. He's so kind-hearted. Now that the war is over, I'll advise him to leave Anbu when I return home."
"Mikoto-nee, don't always think about others. You should live your own life."
To Anya, whether the Uchiha clan would eventually survive or perish didn't matter. As long as Mikoto was safe, that was all that mattered. But right now, Mikoto was preoccupied with others, paying no attention to herself.
Mikoto smiled casually. "I'm content as long as you're all safe."
Hearing this, Anya frowned. Not a word he said had gotten through to her.
"What if one day, none of us are here anymore?"
"Nonsense. The war's already over. That kind of possibility won't happen."
Mikoto thought for a moment before understanding, "Oh, I get it. You've been fighting nonstop for so long that you're having some psychological issues, right? You should talk to someone about it. I know a few people..."
Anya cut her off, suddenly asking, "Can I go visit the clan's place?"
Mikoto's eyes lit up with pleasant surprise. "You mean you're planning to return to the clan?"
Anya shook her head. "No, I just feel like it. I want to go have a look, and also accompany you home."
Mikoto ruffled Anya's head and smiled. "Come on then. That's where you're meant to be."
After washing up and using [Medical Ninjutsu] to ease her physical discomfort, Anya set off with Mikoto. Their purpose for this trip was very straightforward: to see the legendary Stone Tablet.
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