Chapter 194: Your Insults Sound Like Flirting
Maruboshi Kosuke's figure was stooped, his face etched with the marks of time and hardship, and his eyes were squinted, making it hard to tell that his left eye was actually blind.
His left leg was replaced by a wooden prosthetic below the knee, making a slight 'tap, tap' sound as he walked.
Dressed simply, he carried an old knapsack that looked like it had been used for many years.
He looked just like any other weathered old man on the streets of Hidden Leaf Village.
However, when his gaze passed over the crowd and fell upon the cold-faced Senju Tobirama with his silver spiky hair...
Maruboshi Kosuke straightened his back, and his right eye, which he often squinted, opened wide.
Unlike the subconscious fear and restraint Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado felt when facing the Second Hokage, or the heavy, complex guilt and admiration in the Third Hokage's eyes...
In Maruboshi Kosuke's gaze, there was no fear, no evasion, only a pure joy and serenity at seeing an old acquaintance again after a vast stretch of time.
He was excited because he could see the Second Hokage, who stood like a monument in his heart, once again.
He was open and upright because, looking back on his life, he knew he had been worthy of Hidden Leaf Village and worthy of the trust or expectations Lord Tobirama might have given him back then.
The last time they met was on the battlefield of the First Ninja World War; at that time, Maruboshi Kosuke was still a hot-blooded, agile young Ninja.
Time flies, and the world changes.
Seeing him again, Tobirama was still that same cold, majestic figure with silver hair and sharp eyes, as if time had frozen for him.
But Maruboshi Kosuke had transformed from that vigorous youth into a one-eyed, lame, weathered, and aging old man.
The cruelty of war had left indelible marks on him, and time had ruthlessly taken away his youth and health.
However, facing this massive contrast in appearance and the traces of passing time, Tobirama's red eyes, which seemed to pierce through everything, rested on Kosuke's face for less than a second before he immediately recognized him.
There was no doubt, no hesitation.
Tobirama nodded slightly and spoke in his usual calm, steady tone, which carried a trace of imperceptible warmth:
"So it's Kosuke."
His voice seemed to travel through decades of gunpowder smoke and silence, landing directly in Kosuke's heart.
"You have aged a lot."
Tobirama stated this obvious fact; his tone held no pity or sentimentality, but was more like a confirmation of the power of time and an acknowledgment of his old acquaintance's persistence until now.
He had heard Kosuke's story and greatly approved of this child's perseverance.
Hearing Tobirama's words, Maruboshi Kosuke's weathered face showed no hint of self-pity or sorrow; instead, he revealed a somewhat embarrassed yet serene smile.
His remaining right eye crinkled slightly, carrying the open-mindedness and satisfaction settled by the years.
He bowed slightly, his voice loud and clear, echoing in the quiet courtyard:
"I am truly ashamed to have you see me like this."
He paused, looked up, his eyes bright as he looked at Tobirama, and also as if looking at the long years he had walked through, his tone firm and proud:
"However, fighting to protect Hidden Leaf Village has meant that I have not wasted my life."
"Alright, come over here quickly."
With Maruboshi Kosuke taking his seat, this lunch officially began.
Minato Namikaze's Chakra, watching the scene from inside Naruto's body, broke into a smile.
This is wonderful!
A silent thought filled with infinite tenderness emanated from the Chakra.
Kushina is by Naruto's side, and so am I.
And... you've made so many friends, Naruto!
There were no regrets, no worries, only the deepest satisfaction and blessings.
Seeing his wife return, seeing that his son was no longer alone and had gathered so many bonds and strength around him, seeing Hidden Leaf Village regain its vitality in the hands of the new generation... for Minato, this was perhaps the best consolation.
He 'watched' quietly from inside Naruto, feeling the warmth within the bustle.
——————————
Shukaku's consciousness space.
This was a boundless desert where yellow sand filled the sky.
The scorching wind whipped up dust, making a whistling sound.
Giant sand dunes rose and fell, and the sky was eternally a murky yellow hue.
In the center of this desert crouched a tanuki made of sand, massive in size and covered in purple markings.
It was the consciousness of the One tail, Shukaku.
At this moment, Shukaku was irritably pawing at the sand, his eyes full of displeasure.
He had made a pact with Naruto and given Naruto some of his Chakra.
Although the Sealing Space had grown larger, he was still locked up, and he had been mocked by that stinking fox earlier.
Naturally, his mood was not great.
However, what made him even more furious was the arrival of an uninvited guest.
"Wow~ look who we have here?"
A voice with an exaggeratedly playful tone rang in Shukaku's ears like a demonic sound.
Shukaku snapped his head up to see a thick, viscous, lava-like Chakra that had somehow intruded into his territory and condensed into a fox's head.
It was a wisp of Chakra sent by the Nine-Tailed to 'pay a visit.'
On Kurama's fox face, he squeezed out an extremely punchable expression; he leaned in close to Shukaku's giant head, winking and gloating:
"Isn't this our great Lord Shukaku? Eh? Why are you squatting in this godforsaken sandpile digging holes? Pfft, hahaha!"
"You bastard Kurama!"
Shukaku's rage was instantly ignited; he roared, sandstorms erupting around him as he glared death at the annoying, stinking fox.
"Who let you in? Get out of my territory, or this Great One will beat you to death!"
However, facing Shukaku's fury, Kurama was not only unafraid but laughed even harder, the laughter echoing through the desert, sounding particularly grating.
He even tilted his ear, acting as if 'your voice is too loud, I can't hear you,' and then said in a tone even more calculated to infuriate Shukaku—one filled with teasing and'surprise':
"Oh my, don't be so mean, Shukaku. Has anyone ever told you..."
Kurama deliberately dragged out his words, his fox eyes curving into crescents:
"When you curse at people, your tone... sounds a lot like you're acting spoiled!"
"I'm going to kill you! Kurama!"
Shukaku completely lost it, his massive sand body lunging at Kurama's projection, the yellow sand instantly transforming into countless sharp spikes and giant palms.
Kurama's Chakra dodged nimbly, turning into a red light that darted through the sandstorm, leaving behind a series of even more arrogant laughs:
"Hahaha! Getting fly-blown because I hit the mark, you really are acting spoiled!"
"Using such soft and weak attacks, you really are regressing every single moment, Shukaku."
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