Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 187 A Life Regained

Late at night.

"Take them all, take them all."

In the entryway, Kushina was busily stuffing packed food boxes into the arms of the three of them.

"This is the leftover Chikuzen-ni, and that's tamagoyaki. And these fruits won't be fresh if they're left out too long."

She was like a caring older sister, and also like a mother seeing her child off at school.

"Kushina-sensei, there are too many, I can't take them all."

Chiba was carrying two large boxes, his glasses almost slipping down, and he looked helpless.

"Not many, not many, you're still growing."

Kushina smiled and helped Chiba adjust his glasses.

"Remember to heat it up before you eat it. Especially Kakashi, don't always eat cold instant noodles and soldier rations, it's bad for your stomach."

Kakashi was taken aback for a moment.

"—I understand. Thank you, Madam."

"Well then, we're leaving."

Sosuke put on his coat.

"Get some rest, Lady Kushina."

Kushina waved to him.

"Be careful on the road."

The night breeze was a bit chilly.

She stood with her arms crossed in the porch light. Her shadow was stretched long.

"Go inside, don't catch a cold."

Sosuke waved his hand.

"Come over for a meal again next time you have time."

"Yes! You're welcome anytime!"

Kushina nodded vigorously, and only closed the door after the three figures disappeared around the street corner.

The three walked down the quiet street.

The streetlights cast a dim yellow light, elongating the shadows.

Chiba was still excitedly looking at the notebook in his hand, muttering to himself.

"A reverse flow circuit—as expected of the Uzumaki clan, this idea is simply genius—"

For tech enthusiasts, tonight is a feast.

Kakashi walked at the back, remaining silent.

He kept his head down, staring at the road, as if deep in thought.

We walked until we reached a fork in the road.

"Mr. Sosuke."

Kakashi suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Um?"

Sosuke turned around.

Kakashi's tone was unusually serious.

"thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? If it's for dinner, you should thank Kushina." Sousuke smiled.

"No, it's not about dinner."

Kakashi shook his head.

He glanced in the direction of the villa, which had already disappeared into the distance.

"I did it for—my teacher's wife."

"You saved her. You also saved—the things the teacher left behind."

Kakashi's eyes held a maturity and gratitude beyond his years.

Sosuke paused for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.

"Kakashi, you overestimate me. Everything I've done is for myself."

"A Jinchuriki with stable emotions is invaluable to Konoha and the Takaya Trading Company. If she gets out of control, my investment will be wasted."

Kakashi smiled helplessly.

"You're still so dishonest."

"However, whatever the reason, the result is good. That's enough."

Kakashi bowed deeply to Sousuke.

"Well then, I'll head back now. See you tomorrow, Mr. Sosuke."

The boy, carrying the food box, turned and leaped onto the roof, disappearing into the night in a few bounds.

His silhouette seemed lighter than before.

Chiba pushed up his glasses.

"Mr. Sosuke, according to psychological analysis, your feelings for Ms. Kushina—"

"Shut up, Chiba."

Sousuke interrupted.

"Go back and write your lab report."

"OK."

Inside the villa.

After the lively guests left, the house quieted down again, with the lingering aroma of food in the air.

Kushina was humming a song as she wiped the table.

"Those guys can really eat."

She looked at the empty plate with a satisfied smile on her face.

After tidying everything up, she turned off the lights and went upstairs to the second floor.

She stopped as she walked down the corridor.

A photo of Minato Namikaze hangs on the wall. The blond young man in the photo has a smile as bright as the sun.

Kushina reached out and gently touched the glass of the photo frame with her fingertips.

"Watergate————"

In the past, whenever she saw this photo, she would feel heart-wrenching pain and cry uncontrollably.

But today, she didn't cry.

"Lots of people came to my house today."

She spoke softly to the photograph.

"Kakashi has grown taller, but he's still so quiet and doesn't like to talk."

"Chiba is a very smart kid. Although he looks a bit slow, he learns things very quickly."

"besides----"

The image of that man in the eye patch and black trench coat flashed through her mind. The man who always talked about business, yet arranged everything perfectly.

"And Mr. Sosuke."

Kushina's lips curved slightly upward, and her eyes softened.

"Even though he might have been using me, he's actually a very kind person."

"I've picked myself up again."

"Minato, you'll be relieved, right?"

Minato is still smiling in the photo, as if responding to her.

Kushina withdrew her hand.

That overwhelming feeling of loneliness didn't come tonight.

She returned to her bedroom and lay down on the soft, large bed. The smell of the sun-dried blankets was comforting.

"Tomorrow—I still need to draw ten more talismans."

"I can't sleep in anymore."

She closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

This time, she didn't have nightmares.

There was no blood-red Nine-Tailed Fox in the dream, nor a cold corpse.

There was only hot food and smiling faces sitting around the table.

A quiet morning at the Kikyō-kan (Kikyo-kan Pavilion).

Ryoma Aburame stood in the corner of the courtyard, his usual sentry post. Sunlight shone warmly on the edge of his sunglasses.

He held up his finger.

The parasites landed on his fingertips, sucking on a little golden, viscous liquid.

That's a special honey made by the Shangshuiliu clan.

"Eat."

"It's Ryoma," he said in a low voice.

For the Aburame tribe, insects are like half of their bodies, like family.

During his ninja career, this honey was one of the few gifts he had ever received that carried warmth.

Although he knew that this was also a tactic used by Sosuke to win people's hearts.

But as that man said: business is business. As long as the goods are genuine, who cares about the motives behind them?

"Ryoma".

Kaori's voice came from inside the house.

"Breakfast is ready. There's miso soup today."

"They're here."

Longma retrieved the insect, straightened his turtleneck coat, and prepared to go to the living room.

Just then.

"Buzz—"

An insect responsible for perimeter security flew back and rapidly vibrated its wings near his ear.

Someone is coming.

Longma turned and walked towards the gate.

Pushing open the door, two members of the secret service wearing fox masks were standing in the doorway.

These aren't ordinary Anbu. Judging from the patterns on their arm guards, they are messengers directly under the administration of the Hokage Building.

"Ryoma Chunin"

One of the secret agents spoke coldly.

"The advisor, Lord Mitokado Homura, requests an audience."

"Now?" Ryoma asked.

"Immediately. No delays allowed."

Longma remained silent for a moment.

He glanced back into the room.

Sosuke was sitting at the dining table, newspaper in hand, seemingly unaware of the commotion at the door. Kaori was setting the table, with Yugao and Maki helping her. Chiba was reading.

It was an ordinary morning.

"understood."

Longma turned his head.

"Do I need to report to Jonin Pikaya?"

"unnecessary."

The sounds from the shadows were completely flat.

"This is an internal performance review. It's confidential."

Ryoma nodded.

He followed two members of the secret service out of the courtyard of the Kikyō-kan.

A strange sense of heaviness weighed on Longma's heart.

As a monitor, he hadn't sent back any valuable intelligence for a long time.

Seemingly sensing their owner's unease, the parasites became restless.