The setting sun dyed the sky a Kurama-orange. After spending the afternoon showing Boruto around Konoha, the group finally arrived downstairs at the apartment building where Naruto lived.
This apartment looked like it had seen better days, its outer paint mottled by the passage of time. "Alright, this is where I live," Naruto said, stopping and turning to face Boruto and Sasuke behind him. "It's a bit small, but I hope you don't mind. Since you're here, I'm planning on making a big feast tonight."
Of the two, Boruto looked somewhat dejected. He gazed at the face that was all too familiar to him, hesitated for a moment, and finally gathered the courage to speak.
"Um..."
"Hm?" Naruto tilted his head slightly, patiently waiting for Boruto's next words.
"About what happened today... I'm sorry," Boruto said, lowering his head. "I shouldn't have spoken out of turn without knowing the full story."
"It's alright," Naruto said, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't really mind. If you want to apologize, you should apologize to her." He pointed to Satsuki, who was standing to the side.
"Um... I understand..." Boruto replied uncertainly. He snuck a glance at Satsuki and couldn't help but lament internally that this world's "Master" was even more unapproachable than he had imagined. Was Mr. Sasuke also like this when he was young?
"Oh, right, and you too." Naruto turned his gaze back to Uchiha Sasuke, who had been keeping his distance. "It wouldn't be right to let a guest sleep out in the open. At the very least, have dinner first."
Uchiha Sasuke had been planning to find a suitable spot in a nearby tree to spend the night—a common enough experience for someone who had spent so many years traveling.
Hearing Naruto's invitation, he was slightly taken aback and nodded with a complicated expression.
Naruto expertly pushed open the door, and warm light spilled out from the gap. He spoke into the room as naturally as he always did: "I'm home."
However, the response that came from the kitchen made Uchiha Sasuke, who had just stepped into the room, freeze in his tracks—for an orphan who had lost his parents at a young age, this voice should have been an unattainable luxury.
"Oh, Naruto, and little Satsuki, welcome home."
In the room that served as both a kitchen and a study, a woman with long red hair leaned out. She was beautiful, with a lively spirit in her eyes, wearing an apron printed with cute patterns, and holding some tableware she had been wiping.
When she noticed the two strangers behind Naruto, she set down her work and walked out, wearing a look of kindly curiosity. "Oh my, are there guests? Are you friends of Naruto's?"
Who is this?!
Sasuke certainly recognized this face—it was the one he had only seen in photo albums, the wife of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and the mother of Naruto: Uzumaki Kushina!
Sasuke knew that the Naruto of this world had changed many things, but the sacrifice of Naruto's parents had occurred over a decade ago during the Nine-Tails Attack when Naruto was born. How exactly had this Naruto managed to do this?
Just as Sasuke's mind was in turmoil, Boruto beside him blurted out.
"...Grandma?!"
"...Huh?! You brat, what did you say?!"
Completely unaware that this boy was her grandson from another world, Kushina was instantly infuriated by this address. Although she was a mother and well aware that she was no longer young, being called "Grandma" by a boy who looked about the same age as Naruto was simply a blatant insult!
Her bright red hair began to float as if caught in a breeze, spreading out in the air. A dangerous aura began to radiate from Kushina, and she looked ready to lash out and beat someone up at any moment, which immediately snapped Boruto back to his senses.
"No! I'm so sorry! I mistook you for someone else!" Boruto hurriedly waved his hands to explain.
"Mistook me for someone else?" Kushina's tone became even more dangerous. "Are you saying I look like a 'Grandma'?!"
"Mom, it's not like that!" Seeing that Kushina was about to lose her temper, Naruto quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Actually, this guy's eyesight isn't very good. He has a respected elder who also has beautiful red hair, so he just mistook you for a second!"
"Ah, yes! That's it! I'm so sorry!" Boruto quickly took the out.
Kushina looked at them suspiciously, her gaze scanning back and forth between them, and finally, she seemed to accept the explanation. "Alright then, I'll take your word for it. But Naruto, who exactly are these two?"
She scrutinized little Boruto and the heavily cloaked Uchiha Sasuke. For some reason, these two strangers gave her a strange sense of familiarity, as if she had seen them somewhere before.
"Just some new friends I met," Naruto said casually. "Traveling performers who just arrived in Konoha these past two days."
"I see, so they're from outside the village." Kushina nodded, then turned to Naruto with a gentle smile. "Well, Naruto, you go ahead and take care of your guests. I'm going to tidy up. Remember to come help Mom prepare dinner in a little while."
"Mm, I understand," Naruto replied obediently.
After Kushina's figure disappeared behind the kitchen door, Boruto instinctively took a few steps back, leaned toward Sasuke beside him, and asked in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.
"Mr. Sasuke, what is going on here? Didn't Grandma pass away a long time ago? I remember in the photos..."
Sasuke's gaze still followed the direction where Kushina had left, his voice kept deliberately calm. "...Boruto, investigating the reason for this is not our mission. Remember, this is another world; anything can happen."
Boruto could only nod silently in acceptance of this response, but the shock in his heart was hard to calm. He looked around the small apartment and couldn't help but think: Dad... does Dad in this world live here?
Although the room wasn't large, it was kept in good order, and the air was filled with the faint scent of detergent. Was this thanks to Grandma?
Boruto pondered to himself. Just then, his gaze was drawn to an unusual presence in the corner of the room—it was a massive blue canine creature, lying quietly on the ground. At first, Boruto had thought it was an exquisite sculpture.
However, when that "sculpture" suddenly turned its head and looked at him curiously with its eyes, Boruto screamed in shock. "Whoa?! It's alive?!"
Naruto heard the noise and quickly explained. "Of course it's alive! Let me introduce you: this is Zacian. It is my companion and family, not a pet."
As he spoke, Naruto affectionately stroked Zacian's head, which was larger than an adult's. The giant blue beast obediently lowered its head, letting out a satisfied purr.
Boruto could only nod numbly. After all, he had experienced enough bizarre events today—an overly mature father, a female version of his Master, a grandmother who was still alive... By comparison, his dad raising a giant ninja dog had become the least surprising thing.
After a flurry of activity, Naruto made tea for everyone as if hosting guests. The atmosphere in the living room became somewhat awkward, largely due to Satsuki and Sasuke—two people with cold temperaments sharing a room only made the air feel even more stagnant.
After a while, Naruto went to the kitchen to help prepare dinner. Boruto couldn't help but feel surprised. So, Dad could cook? Or was it just the Dad of this world who possessed this skill?
Now, Boruto was the only one left in an awkward position, as neither Sasuke nor Satsuki showed any intention of starting a conversation. Just as he was fidgeting in his seat, a knock at the door finally broke the silence.
"Huh? Are there other guests?" Boruto said, feeling relieved and trying to ease the atmosphere.
Satsuki stood up and answered in a calm tone. "Mm, it might be my parents." She said, walking toward the door.
Mr. Sasuke's... parents? Boruto struggled to digest this term, which was somewhat foreign to him. Meanwhile, Uchiha Sasuke, sitting to the side, felt his fingers tighten involuntarily the moment he heard those words. The teacup trembled slightly in his hand, as he could hardly believe what he had just heard.
Satsuki opened the door, and a gentle female voice came from outside.
"Satsuki, you really are here. You haven't caused Kushina and Naruto any trouble, have you?"
"Of course not, Mom, really." For a rare moment, there was a hint of playfulness in Satsuki's voice, and her previous coldness completely dissipated.
Two people walked in through the door—a gentle woman with long, pitch-black hair and ink-black eyes, and behind her, a taciturn man with an imposing, dignified aura. It was Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto.
"Clatter—"
The sound of ceramic shattering suddenly rang out. Boruto turned his head in surprise, and everyone in the living room looked toward the source of the sound—Uchiha Sasuke had suddenly stood up, and the teacup in his hand had fallen to the floor, smashing into pieces.
His pupils were trembling violently, and he stared in disbelief at those two faces that had already become somewhat blurred in his memory.
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