The moon hangs high, in the dead of night. With a dull creaking sound, the closed gate of the Konoha Ninja Village slowly opened. Immediately, when a size large enough for one person to pass through was revealed, several figures entered in an orderly manner. So much so that after a pause in the opening of the door, it began to slowly close again. After a while, it closed as if nothing had happened before.

And when the gentle moonlight dispelled the shadows and shone on the figures of these people who entered the Konoha Ninja Village late at night, it also fully revealed the identity of this group of "uninvited guests" - it was Naruto and his party who had traveled all day to return to the village from Sand Hidden Village.

"Uhh......hh It's home, and after such a long journey, I almost broke my leg. ”

After stepping into the territory of his hometown and witnessing the familiar night scene in front of him, Zhishui exhaled a long breath, while moving his muscles and stretching his waist, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, and while turning his head sideways, he made exaggerated teasing and complaining with his hands.

Naruto...... I mean, face numb, are you the devil? Shouldn't your poor teammates who exploit you so much give some mental compensation or something? Ahem, I'm not a lion with a big mouth, make up for it...... Just give me an extra chance to ask questions, don't thank me. ”

"Less, stop the water. Obviously, after teaching you some tricks of instantaneous art, you are the most active in the team. Based on your speed at that moment, if it weren't for the chakra supply not being able to keep up, I'm afraid you would be back in the village at noon, right? Now you want to bite back and ask me to make amends? ”

After hearing Shisui's teasing words, Naruto rolled his eyes helplessly, and while spreading his hands, he put on a scoundrel appearance of "I want to make up for it, I won't give my life", while trying to suppress the smile in his heart, and deliberately retorted angrily.

"Nacheng, in that case, let's settle an account...... Not to mention for the time being, how much is the value of the instantaneous trick I taught you, let's calculate, how many chakras did I let me replenish for you along the way? If you convert it into a soldier food pill and calculate the value from it, you have to pay me ......"

Because of the presence of outsiders around him, just like Shisui deliberately called Naruto "face numb", in order not to make his words look too unusual, Naruto, who used the transformation technique to disguise himself as an adult, did not add an honorific suffix to Shisui, a "young junior", as usual.

In addition, the so-called "little trick of the instantaneous body technique" taught to stop the water is actually the introductory cultivation method of the Flying Thunder God's technique......

Obviously, in the past week or so, under the personal contact and understanding of the water stop, Naruto has more and more trust in the person and character of the water stop, and because of the resounding name of the water stop in the original book, the idea of giving people the practice of flying thunder god and letting people act as the third insurance to restrain themselves was born.

Of course, as far as the current progress is concerned, without the help of the shadow clone as an experience cheater, even if Shisui is a famous genius among the Uchiha clan, it will take a year or two to completely understand the introductory cultivation method of the Flying Thunder God's technique...... It's just that in this process, after getting the introductory cultivation method of the Flying Thunder God Technique, the progress of his strength is obviously much faster than the improvement speed in the original book, and it is not an exaggeration to call it a tiger with wings.

"Shhh...... Stop, stop, stop, you're big brother, I'm wrong, I'm wrong, okay......"

Seeing Naruto whispering in a low voice, slowly breaking his fingers, showing a look of serious thinking and recall, Zhishui suddenly felt his scalp tingle, and couldn't help but hurriedly raise his hands and disarm and surrender. After a momentary pause, he turned his head a little and staggered his gaze away from Naruto's gaze, and he began to cry in his heart.

"Tsk...... It seems that Itachi is really not wrong at all...... If you don't deliberately release the water, trying to take advantage of Naruto's hands, I'm afraid it will be more difficult than ascending to the sky...... Having said that, is such a calculating appearance really the performance of a child around four years old? Even if he was born with a genius or something, then he was too genius, right?! ”

"Welcome back to the village, Mian Ma-sama...... I don't know, is there anything else we need help with next? ”

"Oh, sorry, I'm sorry, I was so excited to get back to the village that I forgot you were still here......"

Seeing the figure of the water stop twisting his head, he trembled slightly. Even if Naruto thought on his toes, he knew that the person in front of him was secretly complaining about himself. Then he was about to deliberately make a sound and scare people, but in the respectful words that came from beside him, the words in his mouth stopped. After being slightly stunned, he turned his head to look at the sound, and turned his face faster than a book, so that quietly, he changed into a sunny and friendly smile. Then he nodded to the ninjas of Konoha Village who were guarding the gate beside him, and responded with a gentle thanks.

"I'm so sorry to bother you to open the door so late...... Thank you for your help, there is nothing to worry about you in the future, please go back to your posts. ”

"Yes, Miao-sama."

Almost as soon as Naruto's words fell, the ninjas who had been lined up in front of Naruto and the others in an orderly manner quickly turned into black shadows and left. So much so that when he blinked his eyes, he was empty, as if no one had ever been here before.

"Facial numbness...... Adults? I said, Naruto...... Face numb, your pomp is getting bigger and bigger? Judging from what they are wearing, and the masks on their faces, they should be the direct shadows under the command of the three generations of Hokage-sama. ”

At the same time, seeing that after the group of ninjas left, Itachi, who had been standing silently by the side and watching, had never made a sound, the corners of Fang Cai's mouth rose slightly, and he raised his hand and lightly pressed Naruto's waist with his elbow [hmm...... It's definitely not because after Naruto's transformation technique, Itachi's height can't poke his forehead, so he chooses to do this] side, while chuckling and teasing.

"Being able to mobilize them, it seems that your status in the village is getting higher and higher? Or rather...... I should congratulate you, the future Hokage candidate for the fifth generation of the village has now been decided? ”

"Don't kid me, Itachi...... Not to mention my 'seniority [year] calendar [age]' for the time being, it is far from meeting the requirements of becoming a fifth generation Hokage...... The reason why they obeyed my orders was only because there were autographs and seals of the three generations of Hokage-sama on this customs clearance document. ”

Because he was not sure whether these secret sentinels guarding the gate had really left, Naruto pouted and shrugged his shoulders in response, still holding a "wave-faced" tone.

"Besides, one of my dreams is to become the Hokage...... But in view of the busy official duties that the Hokage needs to undertake, I still put aside the 'urgent business' at hand first, and spend more than ten years in a chic way, and then think about this kind of thing. ”

"Haha, you really dare to say it...... Most of the people in the village are working hard with the Hokage as a lifelong dream. So much so that you can talk about the Hokage lightly like you, as if the Hokage is the person you want to be, I'm afraid it's not much~"

Itachi, who has all the memories of Naruto, naturally knows that what Naruto said about 'urgency' is to rewrite the tragic fate of his other companions just as he avoided the extermination of the Uchiha clan. Then he deliberately diverted the topic, teasing and joking for a while, and while looking sideways a little, he looked in the direction of the Hokage's office building. With a smile in his eyes, he asked softly.

"However, to be able to be welcomed back to the village by the direct shadow of the three generations of Hokage-sama, presumably the three generations of Hokage-sama already know the news that we will be back today...... So, what are you going to do next? Do you go home and rest, or do you go and meet the three generations of Hokage-sama first? ”

"Of course it'......"

"Woo......"

"Huh?"

Just as Naruto heard Itachi's words and was about to say the answer that had already been decided in his heart, the touch of the corner of his clothes being gently tugged at and the sound of a sleepy yawn made Naruto's words freeze for a moment. Then he followed the direction of the corner of his clothes being pulled by an external force, lowered his head slightly, and just saw the sleepy appearance of Xiang Lian putting his glasses on stage a little and gently rubbing his eyes with his hands. I knew that after a long journey, this little guy's physical and mental strength was already on the verge of the limit.

"What's wrong, Xianglin? Already sleepy and want to sleep? ”

"Hmmm......"

After rubbing his sleepy eyes, he cheered up a little. Kaori, who had long been accustomed to being coquettish to Naruto, almost didn't want to think about it, so she stretched out her arms and stretched out her hand, muttering softly in a milky voice.

"To ...... Hug ......"

Obviously, in the more than a week of getting along, I was sure that I had really left the nightmare life of the medicine man in the Grass Ninja Village, and after the almost obedient pampering care given by Naruto, who was an "elder", Xianglian's character that was already in stereotype gradually softened again, and returned to the soft and glutinous appearance of ordinary girls. So much so that Naruto, who was already vaguely treating Xiang Rin as his daughter and pampering him as a pearl in his palm, seemed very pleased and satisfied, and spoiled Xiang Rin more and more.

"Okay, okay, hug ......"

Because of this, after hearing the milky call of Kari's milky voice, Naruto suddenly couldn't cope with Itachi and Shisui's teasing glances because he knew his "true" age. Immediately, his eyes became more and more gentle and spoiled, and at the same time, he slowly bent down and leaned down, and gently and carefully picked up Princess Xianglian in his arms. While adjusting the posture a little, the little one can snuggle up and lie in his arms more comfortably. And deliberately in order to soothe and coax the person in his arms to sleep, and like a humanoid cradle, he shook it gently.

"Sleep, little one...... When you wake up, you'll already be in your new home~"

"Uh......h Hmmm......"

The increasingly familiar embrace full of warmth and security makes the tiredness that swells up in Xianglian's heart become more and more vigorous. Immediately subconsciously muttered in response to Naruto, while reaching out his little hand and scratching it indiscriminately, after holding Naruto's face, he raised his head and kissed Naruto's side cheek.

"Late ...... Good night, Brother Naruto......"

After perceiving the small movements of the person in his arms, although Naruto's reaction speed was enough to make Kaoru's confused movements fall short. But in the case of treating the person in his arms as a daughter's pet, Naruto naturally would not make such an obvious dodge refusal move...... What's more, the little guy in his arms finally got rid of the psychological shadow and returned to the appearance of a normal little girl. In order to avoid a tragedy before the liberation overnight, Naruto usually won't resist anything if he doesn't cross the line when he expresses gratitude to people from time to time.

"Good night, little one...... Have a good dream. ”

Wen Sheng responded, and said good night to the little one in his arms. Naruto turned his head and rehashed his next plans, then looked at Kaori's mother, who was standing on the side, a little nervous. knew that she was because of what happened to the grass ninja village, and there was a little psychological shadow of resistance to the ninja village. Naruto opened his mouth again to ask, and became more and more cautious because he took into account the emotional changes of Kaori's mother, for fear of evoking bad memories.

"Then, Auntie, next, I'm going to meet with Miyome Hokage-sama first, and report to him about this outing...... It's just that you're sleepy now? If you are really sleepy, I can arrange for you and Xianglian to find a place to stay and rest for the night. How about waiting until tomorrow to arrange a formal long-term residence for you? ”

“…… Don't bother, I can hold on......"

Naruto's cautious words of inquiry caused Kario's mother to gradually wake up from the unbearable memories of Kusanobu Village. And in front of Naruto's sincere caring eyes, after remembering that for so many days, Naruto had never asked for anything in return from his mother and daughter, but took care of him everywhere and tried his best to heal his mother and daughter's body and mind with his actions, the worries and worries in his heart were suddenly swept away. Then he shook his head slightly, and responded to Naruto with a smile in his eyes.

"You are the host, so naturally you are in charge...... It's just that I'm going to bother you again, Naruto. If there is anything that needs the help of our mother and daughter in the future, even if it is to pay for their lives, they will definitely not ......."

"Haha! Auntie, are you still so outsider? As I said a long time ago, we are all descendants of the Uzumaki clan...... It is natural for the same clan to help each other, so where is there any such thing as not being rewarded? If you say that again, I have to think that you still don't treat me as a true partner~"

Without waiting for Kaori's mother to finish the words in her mouth, Naruto interrupted the words directly, half-jokingly and half-seriously, while struggling. After a pause, he turned sideways and leaned over slightly, allowing people to see the figure of Kaori snuggling into Naruto's arms, clutching Naruto's collar while smiling and sleeping soundly. Immediately restrained the smile on his face, and said slowly and softly.

"What's more, for the sake of this little guy's future...... As a mother, you should live a healthy life, be by your beloved daughter's side, and watch her grow up. It's not like paying for your life at every turn, isn't it? ”

“…… And that's ......."

In the name of Xianglian, it is natural to be able to powerfully move the heart of Xianglian's mother. Then he took a deep breath and calmed down the complicated emotions of ups and downs, and muttered in a low voice, but he didn't say anything too polite to Naruto. Instead, he silently remembered the favor that Naruto had given to his mother and daughter, and the smile that had become more and more common in the past few days gradually climbed up to the already ruddy, full, and improved face of Kaori's mother.

"So...... Please advise me in the future, Naruto. ”

"Hehe, I'm the same, please finger more...... Ah, no, no, no. Since from now on, Konoha Village is the new home of Aunt and Xiangri. So I should say that now......"

The words that came to his lips subconsciously came to his lips after being swallowed back into Naruto's stomach alive. Facing the slightly puzzled eyes of Kaori's mother, the smile on Naruto's face became more and more vigorous, but at the same time, he continued seriously and solemnly.

"Welcome home, auntie, Xianglian."

(End of chapter)