Chapter 44 – A Home in Paradise
The forest still hummed faintly from Akira's words. His explanation of the Ōtsutsuki and the truth of chakra had been so heavy, so ancient, that both Sakumo and Kakashi walked in silence for a long while. The golden glow of Akira's eyes faded slowly, leaving only the gentle shimmer of the new world they stood within.
Akira finally broke the silence. His voice was calm but carried a weight that even Kakashi felt in his bones.
"That's why… I choose to do things one at a time. If I try to carry everything at once, I'll be crushed. But if I face them one after the other, step by step… then maybe I can endure."
Sakumo glanced at him, his expression softening for the first time in days. "You sound far older than your years, Akira. Most shinobi your age would crumble under such truths."
Akira smiled faintly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I don't have the luxury of being 'most shinobi.'"
Kakashi, walking beside his father, finally spoke, a little hesitantly. "Then… if you're going one step at a time… what's the next step?"
For a moment, Akira seemed thoughtful. Then, almost unexpectedly, he chuckled. "The next step? …Maybe it's something simple. Like building a home here. A place that isn't war, missions, or betrayal. A place we can laugh in."
Sakumo raised an eyebrow, surprised. "A home? Here?"
"Why not?" Akira shrugged, his grin growing. "This place is alive. It has rivers, mountains, plains… everything. But no people yet. If we're the first… shouldn't we leave something behind that feels like hope, not just survival?"
For a brief moment, the idea felt strange. Shinobi lived in barracks, camps, or villages shaped by duty. But here? A home wasn't just shelter—it was freedom.
Kakashi's eyes widened, and then—uncharacteristically—he smiled. "If we build one… then it'll be ours. Just ours."
The tension lifted like mist.
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The First Plans
The three of them stopped at a wide open plain where the grass rippled like waves under the breeze. The horizon stretched far, with forests at the edge and the faint shimmer of mountains in the distance.
"This is perfect," Akira said, pointing. "Plenty of open ground, close to water, and… it feels calm here."
Sakumo crossed his arms, scanning the area like a true shinobi strategist. "If this were the real world, I'd say it's too exposed. No natural defense. But…" His stern face softened. "…maybe that's why it's right. A home shouldn't need walls."
Kakashi crouched, poking the earth with his fingers. "The soil's good too. Crops would grow here."
At that, glowing lights flickered around them. Tiny fairies, delicate wings shimmering with colors of dawn, emerged from the grass. One of them landed on Kakashi's head, tugging at his hair. Another circled Sakumo, showering him with faint motes of light that smelled faintly of flowers.
"They agree," Akira laughed. "Guess they're ready to help."
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Building Together
The fairies moved quickly, responding to gestures. When Akira spread his arms, a cluster of trees at the plain's edge bent and reshaped, wood twisting into smooth beams and planks without cutting. Stones rolled across the grass, polishing themselves as if eager to become walls.
Kakashi stared in awe. "T-That's… unfair. We don't even have to do the hard work?"
One fairy tugged at his ear, chirping as if scolding him.
"Oh, I see," Akira said with a mischievous grin. "They're saying we do have to work. They'll just… make it faster."
Sakumo chuckled, the sound low but warm. "Good. I'd hate for my son's first house to be built by magic alone."
And so they began.
Kakashi's job was hauling wood planks the fairies shaped, though the fairies kept teasing him by making the planks float just out of reach. At one point, Kakashi jumped for one and landed face-first in the grass, his muffled voice crying, "They're bullying me!"
Sakumo cut and set the beams in place, his precision as a swordsman showing in every strike of the tools. Sweat glistened on his brow, but for the first time in weeks, his movements weren't weighed down by despair—they carried purpose.
Akira directed, drawing rough designs in the dirt. The fairies would glance, nod, and then warp wood and stone accordingly. "No, no, not crooked. Kakashi's room isn't going to tilt like that," he scolded, only for Kakashi to shout, "I don't want my room to tilt at all!"
The sound of laughter echoed across the plain.
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Moments of Family
As the sun-like glow of the dimension shifted toward evening, the house began to take form. A sturdy wooden frame stood tall, the beginnings of walls wrapping around it. The smell of fresh timber and blooming grass filled the air.
Kakashi sat cross-legged in the grass, panting, dirt smeared across his cheek. "This is… harder than I thought."
Sakumo sat beside him, patting his son's shoulder. "That's how you know it's worth it. A home isn't something that just appears—it's something you build with your own hands."
Kakashi glanced at his father, and for a fleeting moment, saw not the tired, broken man from before—but the father he remembered from long ago. Strong. Warm. Smiling.
Akira plopped down beside them, wiping his forehead. "When this is done, I'll cook. Don't expect anything fancy, though."
Kakashi smirked. "Better than my cooking, at least."
The three of them laughed. The fairies danced above, scattering glowing petals that rained down like stars.
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The End of the Day
By the time the sky dimmed into twilight, the skeleton of their home stood proudly—a large, simple house of wood and stone, with an open view of the plains. The fairies hummed in chorus, circling it as if blessing the place.
Sakumo stood with his arms crossed, gazing at it. "…I never thought I'd see something like this. Not after everything."
Akira's eyes softened. "Then that's why it matters. You deserve more than just battles and blood, Sakumo. You both do."
Kakashi didn't speak, but he smiled, the kind of smile that said: this memory will stay forever.
That night, as the three of them stepped inside their half-finished home, the air was warm. For the first time in a long while, they felt not like soldiers—but like a family.
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✨ End of Chapter 44
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