CHAPTER 76: THE FIRST TEN YEARS
Teams 7 and 8, along with Chiyo, carried Gaara's body through the Land of Rivergates—the forested region sandwiched between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind.
They emerged onto the grasslands just outside the Wind Country's border.
There, Team 8 witnessed Chiyo perform the forbidden technique known as the One's Own Life Reincarnation. The elderly puppeteer sacrificed her own life to bring Gaara's soul back from the Pure Land.
The sight of the dead returning to life undoubtedly shocked everyone present.
For the countless Sand shinobi who had rushed from Sunagakure, however, this scene brought tears of joy. Their Kazekage was alive.
As a bystander, watching Gaara receive such love, Ryuzen's mood was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.
Three and a half years ago, the way Gaara had hated the world—wanting to kill everyone he laid eyes on—was still vivid in his mind.
From a jinchuriki hated and feared by his own people to the Fifth Kazekage loved by his villagers, Gaara had reached the finish line faster than Uzumaki Naruto.
Looking at him, Ryuzen felt as though he was seeing Naruto's future as the Seventh Hokage.
Not that he cared much about that outcome.
Becoming Hokage meant being entangled in politics, constantly considering the village's future, spending every day trapped in the Hokage's office without a single moment of freedom.
In the original story, after Naruto became the Seventh Hokage, he changed completely.
Even though everyone loved him, his life ended up worse than Sasuke's—who had become a wandering shinobi with nothing but the open road.
Ryuzen didn't want that kind of life. That was why he kept refusing Tsunade's offers to join ANBU.
Standing at the edge of the crowd, Team 8 watched as Team 7 prepared to accompany Gaara and the Sand shinobi back to Sunagakure.
Shino adjusted his sunglasses, his gaze shifting toward Ryuzen in silent question: Should they follow, or return to Konoha?
Ryuzen considered it for a few seconds, then moved forward.
Hinata and Shino followed without hesitation.
As dusk fell, the three members of Team 8—who had faded into the background of the emotional reunion—observed Sunagakure welcoming their Kazekage home.
Even Hinata and Shino found themselves moved by the scene.
When Team 7 finally prepared to part ways with Gaara, a moment worth recording in history unfolded before them.
Sunagakure would become Konoha's eternal ally.
The child of destiny, the light of Ashura's reincarnation, finally shone brilliantly in that moment.
Shino adjusted his sunglasses again, speaking in his usual measured tone: "Uzumaki Naruto... he truly is a very unique person."
Ryuzen's expression remained calm as he turned back toward the path they had come from. "Let's go home."
Hinata and Shino hurried to follow. Team 8's departure had no impact on the atmosphere, which had reached its emotional peak.
Walking across the desert, Team 8 did not use the Body Flicker Technique to rush back.
None of the three walking side by side spoke.
They all seemed lost in the scene they had just witnessed.
Even Ryuzen hadn't expected the power of pure emotion to be so overwhelming.
No one could feel the raw feelings of those Sand shinobi and villagers more clearly than him—not with his mastery of Observation Haki.
This world is truly something else, he thought.
Noon the next day.
The three members of Team 8 returned to Konoha and went directly to the Hokage's office to report the mission details to Tsunade.
After listening to Ryuzen's summary, Tsunade sighed softly. "The missing Third Kazekage was killed by Sasori of the Red Sand all along. No wonder there was never any word about him."
"If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave."
Ryuzen left the office with Hinata and Shino. Team 8's first S-rank mission ended just like that. The three separated beneath the Hokage Building.
Ryuzen and Hinata walked through the streets together, the smiles on their faces a stark contrast to the stoic expressions they had worn during the mission briefing.
Looking up at the blazing sun overhead, Ryuzen took Hinata's hand in his and smiled. "Hanabi should be out of school by now, right?"
With their fingers interlaced like a real couple, Hinata's cheeks flushed slightly. She pursed her lips and nodded with a soft chuckle. "Yes. I think she's probably at your place."
The home Hinata referred to wasn't the Hyūga clan's mansion. It was Ryuzen's house.
Both Hinata and Hanabi had come to treat Ryuzen's home as their second home.
Somewhere along the way—neither could remember exactly when—it had become common for the sisters to stay overnight without returning to the Hyūga estate.
The clan seemed to approve of this arrangement and made no move to stop it.
They walked toward the market, and Ryuzen searched for a topic. "Speaking of which, Hanabi will be graduating soon, won't she?"
Hinata nodded gently. "Yes. She'll graduate in March next year."
Releasing their interlaced fingers, Ryuzen wrapped his arm around Hinata's shoulders. At one hundred eighty centimeters tall, he easily held Hinata—who stood at one hundred sixty centimeters—against his side.
Pretending not to notice her deepening blush, Ryuzen smiled nostalgically. "It's hard to believe we've known each other for almost ten years now."
His words sent Hinata's mind into motion. Memories from childhood and adolescence played before her eyes like scenes from a slideshow.
A happy smile spread across her beautiful face, and Hinata nodded vigorously. "Yes!"
A human life only spanned a few decades.
The ten years Ryuzen and Hinata had shared represented a tenth—or even more—of their time in this world.
Unlike others, their childhood friendship had grown naturally into something deeper.
At just sixteen years old, they had already spent ten years building a future together.
Their life was happy. Perfect.
After buying vegetables at the market, Ryuzen and Hinata returned home.
"Brother Ryuzen!"
The moment she saw them enter, Hanabi—who had been sprawled across the living room sofa—immediately launched herself at him, feet leaving the ground like a little sister overflowing with affection for her brother.
Ryuzen caught her easily, holding her against his chest. He pinched her small face playfully. "If you don't go home to practice the Gentle Fist today, be careful. When your father does a random progress check next month and finds you haven't improved at all, he might not let you come back here."
Hanabi wrapped her arms around Ryuzen's neck, her slender legs in their kimono wrapping around his waist in a most unladylike fashion. She narrowed her eyes with pride. "I'm not scared! Every time Father does a random check, I never use my full strength anyway."
"Little troublemaker."
Ryuzen tapped her nose lightly, then carried her to the sofa. Hinata walked toward the kitchen with a gentle smile.
The three of them moved through the house like family bound by more than blood.
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