"There won't be any missions for a while, so you're free to do as you like, but don't relax too much—stay on alert, just in case."
"Yes, sir!"
After lunch, Sakumo found the three of them, gave a few words of advice, and then everyone went their separate ways.
Of course, Hakushi walked together with Ruri, heading back to the mansion in the Uchiha Clan Land.
Since it had been a few months since he'd returned to the village, Hakushi felt as if everything here looked very different, yet somehow exactly the same.
"So, what are your plans for the coming days, Ruri?"
The break wouldn't be too short, but it wouldn't last that long either. In about half a month, they'd probably be sent on another tough mission.
"Training."
Ruri answered concisely.
"That's just like you. Lately I've had some new ideas popping into my head, and after these last few months of missions, I think it might help to make some practical gadgets for fighting."
"Like what?"
Ruri seemed genuinely interested.
"Smoke bombs are pretty good, but it's easy for Wind Escape-type ninja techniques to counter them, and the smoke doesn't last that long. They're great for ambushes... but what if we added some poison gas to the smoke bomb? Even if the enemy uses Wind Escape to blow the smoke away, they'd still inhale a lot of poison, seriously weakening them."
Hakushi shared his idea, thinking it was workable.
"Ninjas usually have some resistance to poison, especially Hidden Sand Ninja. Unless the poison is strong, it won't really work on them."
"No matter how high your resistance, there are limits. But if we do use poison gas, we'd need to prepare antidotes ahead of time, and have our team take them first, just to be safe."
"It works for small-scale battles. In large-scale fights, it might actually backfire."
Hakushi agreed with Ruri's brutally honest view, nodding in approval.
In bigger battles, making enough antidote is a problem, and since the poison gas is used with smoke bombs, even if you survive the poison with the antidote, your vision will still be blocked for a while.
But Hakushi never planned to make this a universal tactic anyway—just something for Sakumo's squad to use internally.
After so much time, Hakushi understood that their squad mainly took on dangerous, key secret missions. Creating tactical methods unique to Sakumo's team was definitely necessary.
When they neared the familiar mansion after such a long absence, they suddenly spotted a man and a woman standing at the gate under the falling leaves, waving in their direction.
No, to be precise, they were waving at Ruri, looking very happy and excited.
"Friends of yours?"
Hakushi hadn't seen this couple in the Uchiha Clan for the last two or three years, so he glanced over at Ruri.
"My parents."
Ruri replied calmly.
"!?"
Hakushi suddenly lost his composure a bit.
It was his first time seeing Ruri's parents in person—he'd only heard about them before from Ruri herself.
Now that he thought about it, ever since Hakushi stayed at Ruri's place, he'd never actually seen her parents come home.
Even at New Year's, they just exchanged some photos and letters. Ruri's birthday and New Year's presents were always simple—a bankbook.
The first digit on the bankbook was a 1, followed by a ridiculous number of zeros.
That was Ruri's birthday and New Year gifts every year—generous, but rather boring.
"It's been so long, little Ruri! Did you miss your mom and dad?"
The woman wore a gorgeous, elegant dress, her hair neatly piled up, full of hair ornaments.
She looked a bit too flamboyant and flashy, but didn't give off a tacky vibe at all.
How to describe it—she just naturally had that kind of presence.
She rushed forward and scooped Ruri into a tight hug, vigorously rubbing their cheeks together, making Ruri's little face scrunch up. Hakushi was seriously worried Ruri might spit a fireball and reduce her mother to ashes right then and there.
"You're so noisy. I've told you so many times—stop getting your saliva all over my face."
Ruri's face was tense, as though she were seriously scolding her mother.
"Don't say that, Ruri! I haven't seen you in so long. Let Mommy love you just like when you were a little—"
BOOM!
Hakushi facepalmed behind them.
Knew this was coming.
A wall of the neighboring mansion had just been blasted through by a fireball and was spewing black smoke.
Ruri's mother was now drenched in cold sweat, her neck turning with a mechanical clatter, as if rusted, her smile suddenly stiff and forced.
"Honestly, little Ruri isn't as obedient as she was when she was little. Back then, you always—"
"Wanna get thrown out? Or maybe burned? Drowning is an option too."
Ruri's brow twitched—she looked like she was at the end of her patience.
The woman in the fancy dress sighed, and finally gave up on trying to torment Ruri with snuggles.
Such a cute daughter but you just can't play with her at all—if I'd known, I'd have given birth to a boy to play with instead.
Daughters just aren't obedient.
"Dear, should we have another one? Ruri's grown up and doesn't want her mom and dad anymore."
"Pretty sure this is your fault, you know. You do realize Ruri's grown up."
The man, who'd been quietly watching mother and daughter "bond," scratched his head in embarrassment.
His daughter had always had a strong personality, and at home, she always called the shots. As her father, he'd long since gotten used to it.
"Ah, so you're the little Hakushi that Ruri's always mentioning in her letters?"