Chapter 274: Where is My Fish?
Staring at his own tombstone for a long while, Masahiko finally came back to his senses and almost cursed out loud.
Building such a tomb for a living person—wasn't this cursing him?
Looking around, Masahiko dispelled the "Ignorance Jutsu" he had cast around himself.
The Uzumaki clan's cemetery had guards, but under his mental influence, they had ignored him and the Fat Cat. Now that the jutsu was dispelled by Masahiko, he was immediately discovered.
Guarding the cemetery were two young Uzumaki clansmen, around twenty years old. Being appointed to guard an important place like the clan's cemetery proved they both had the strength of a Jonin, which made Masahiko somewhat gratified.
"The younger generation of the Land of Whirlpools is not bad."
"Who are you!"
The two young men instantly appeared in front of Masahiko and questioned him.
Masahiko wasn't surprised that they didn't recognize him. He originally didn't show his face often in the Land of Whirlpools, and after mastering the Kekkei Mora this time, his entire temperament had undergone a qualitative change, so it was normal not to be recognized.
Speaking of this changed temperament, Masahiko's heart was full of tears.
In the past, although he considered his younger self to be handsome, he had a realistic grasp of his own limits.
If Minato's looks were a perfect score, his former self would only be around a seventy. But now, with the temperament bonus, he felt he had to be at least a ninety.
In both his lifetimes combined, Masahiko had never been this close to the title of a handsome guy. What a pity...
Masahiko glanced again at the "36 years old" in his status panel, and could only call himself a "charismatic middle-aged uncle."
"This is fine too, it is better to be mature." Masahiko had a face full of vicissitudes.
"Who are you!"
The two young Uzumaki clan guards questioned him again. If Masahiko didn't have a head of red hair, holding a cat in his arms, and standing in front of the "deceased" Great Elder's tombstone with a face full of "sorrow," they would have already attacked.
Masahiko came back to his senses, cleared his throat, and decided to figure out what was going on with this tombstone first.
"'Who first awakens from the great dream? Cough, cough, I alone know my life...' Wait, what year is it this year?" Masahiko acted deep and profound for a moment.
Uzumaki clansmen: "???"
"Meow~ He is asking you what year it is this year?"
"Ninja beast?!"
Masahiko looked down and patted the Fat Cat. "Do not speak, let me familiarize myself with the feeling of communicating with humans."
There was no helping it; he had spent most of these past few years facing a cat, and was "forgetting how to talk."
"What year is it this year?" Masahiko continued to ask.
The two exchanged a glance. "Answer our question first! Who are you, and why are you appearing here!"
Masahiko paused, then sighed. "Wasting time for nothing..."
The next second, his figure vanished from the spot.
There was no helping it; facing two Uzumaki clansmen, he couldn't exactly use genjutsu to interrogate them.
...
Near Ichiraku Ramen in the Land of Whirlpools, Masahiko stood silently for a long time.
Over these two years, although the Fat Cat's problem was quite serious, Masahiko wasn't firmly "tied down." Every ten days or half a month, he could always squeeze out an hour or two.
But the last time he came out, he encountered the terrible matter of Yoriko passing away. He was afraid that if he came out again, Hitomi might have also passed away.
Furthermore, an even more important reason was his daughter Sara; he was a bit afraid to see her...
After mastering the Kekkei Mora, he discovered a very serious problem. The future self in Roran back then was very wrong.
He was too weak!
Masahiko had watched the entire battle between his future self and the old man Six Paths. At that time, even resisting the aftershocks had been very strenuous, and he felt that his future self must be several levels higher than his current self.
But after mastering the Kekkei Mora, he realized that going from SS+ to SSS- was a qualitative change. His current self also possessed that level of strength, and he had repeatedly confirmed that this was not an illusion caused by too much power being increased at once.
As he was now, even if he faced Madara with the Rinnegan, he was confident he could "dismantle" him in about ten minutes... he was just that strong.
Then here comes the problem. The future self who time-traveled back alongside Naruto during the Shippuden era should be about ten years from now, yet he was way too weak. Where did all the Witness Points go? There was no improvement at all.
Doubting his strength, he started doubting his identity, doubting the words he said, and finally doubting Sara.
Sara was a character that already existed in the original story. When she was said to be his descendant back then, he had some doubts in his heart. But after personally experiencing it, there indeed was a feeling of blood connection, which was why he acknowledged this daughter.
Thinking about it now, Sara had stayed in that future self's space for a long time back then... What if this blood connection feeling was "faked" using some method he didn't know about?
The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. By now, this had already become a knot in his heart. Good thing there was no such thing as "inner demons invading the body" in the Naruto world...
But so much time had passed, and his Kekkei Mora training had come to an end. He couldn't just keep avoiding her forever.
Masahiko finally "mustered up his courage" and strode toward Ichiraku Ramen.
Just as he arrived at the door, he saw a group of Uzumaki clansmen walking out aggressively and running off in all directions.
"What is going on here?"
Masahiko looked completely bewildered. Could it be that someone dared to come make trouble in Sara's shop?
Shaking his head, Masahiko walked into the shop and immediately saw Sara.
However, Sara didn't notice him. Instead, she turned her head and looked behind her. "Naruto, come out. They are gone."
A little head popped out from behind Sara, with golden yellow hair, a sunny smile, and three straight whiskers on each cheek...
Masahiko was startled. "Why is Naruto here?"
Naruto popped his head out from behind Sara, immediately saw Masahiko at the door, and shrank his head back in.
Sara turned her head in confusion and saw Masahiko.
"Fa... ther...?"
Masahiko had just squeezed out a smile, wanting to say hello, when Sara immediately rushed over. The Fat Cat tactfully jumped aside, letting Sara hug Masahiko. "Father! Sob... It is so wonderful that you are not dead!"
Masahiko's body first stiffened, then relaxed. He gently patted and comforted Sara. "Of course I am not dead. Who started the rumor that I died? And you actually believed it?"
It took a long while for Sara to calm her emotions. She let go of Masahiko and carefully looked him up and down.
Masahiko's face darkened. "It is really me!"
Changing the subject, he somewhat worriedly pointed at little Naruto peeking from behind. "Why is this little guy in your shop? Are Minato and Kushina okay?"
"Mm-hmm... they are fine." Sara nodded. "It is a long story. First tell me, how did you survive?"
Masahiko was speechless. How did he survive? He wanted to ask how he died!
"Who started the rumor that I died? It is not like you have not seen my strength. How could you believe it?"
Sara nodded and hesitated for a moment. "But Big Sister Tsunade said it herself, and your disciple Nagato also confirmed it..."
"Tsunade said it? Nagato confirmed it? It seems they are looking for a beating!"
Masahiko spoke hatefully. No wonder Sara believed he was dead; these two guys...
"Eh? Wait, where is my fish?"
"No, where is my Katsuyu?!"
☆☆☆
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