The events of that night concluded with the live capture of the Kumogakure ninja.
Although this incident was a major event that could lead to complex diplomatic issues between Konoha and Kumogakure, to Hagoromo, it wasn't nearly as interesting as discovering that Tenzo could use Wood Style.
This was the famous Wood Style that had made the First Hokage a legend. Judging by the way Tenzo captured the enemy, he was quite talented... talented in civil engineering, that is. If he had any business sense, a career in real estate and construction would definitely be far more promising for him than being a ninja.
Wood Style was incredibly convenient for building houses.
Maybe I should find an opportunity to ask him to help renovate my old house? Hagoromo silently made up his mind. Given the wiring of his brain, his awe and imagination regarding the applications of Wood Style stopped exactly there. If the First Hokage were alive to hear it, Hagoromo's line of thinking would have made him cry himself back to the grave.
This jutsu was meant to beat up the Nine-Tails, okay?!
After the enemy was captured, the ninjas who had come to help or watch the commotion dispersed. Feeling no guilt as the instigator, Hagoromo prepared to lead his children's brigade away as well... In the middle of the night, compared to handing a caged Kumogakure ninja over to the Hokage, he much preferred going home to clean up.
His old residence had been vacant for years; cleaning it up was going to be a massive project.
However, just as he was about to leave, Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan, stopped him. Only then did Hagoromo remember he had forgotten to return the man's daughter.
So what were you planning to do, taking her away?
He had already released the genjutsu on the child, but instead of waking her up, he put her into a deep sleep. There was no need for her to remember this experience—practice makes perfect, and Hagoromo was already getting quite experienced at handling kids.
He returned the daughter, accepted the gratitude, and left. Hagoromo didn't linger for even a second. At this point, Tenzo's mission was completely finished as well, so there was no need for them to travel together anymore.
Hagoromo's old residence was a two-story detached house. Accommodating four people wasn't a problem, but it definitely showed signs of disrepair. The floorboards creaked with every step, sounding exceptionally piercing in the quiet night.
In the past, Hagoromo would have had to do all the cleaning himself. But not anymore. His team now included a "wife-type"... boy, who was fully capable of taking charge of the household chores and excelled at all of them.
Back in Rouran, Haku had already completely taken over these responsibilities.
"Kimimaro, don't move, let me do it!"
Just as Kimimaro brought a basin of water into the house, Haku ran over barefoot to take it from him. Given the terrible state of Hagoromo's floors, Kimimaro trying to mop could easily scrub a hole straight through the wood.
Haku took the basin, wetted the rag, wrung it out, and then bent over to start wiping the floor. His movements were skilled and his rhythm smooth... To be honest, compared to training in ninjutsu, Haku seemed to prefer doing these trivial chores much more.
However, watching him like this, even Kimimaro couldn't help but blurt out:
"Seriously, why are you a boy?"
People with quiet personalities really shouldn't be the ones making sarcastic quips, because when they do, it cuts straight to the bone.
It was a deadpan roast lethal enough to kill the actual comic relief character.
Haku's movements instantly froze. His teammate had inflicted a paralyzing status effect on him! And it carved out forty thousand square meters of psychological shadow in his heart.
Why indeed? How was he supposed to know why?!
Restoring a house that had been abandoned for so long to a livable state couldn't be done with just a midnight cleaning session. The "struggle" would have to last at least a full day.
The next day, while Haku cleaned the house, he also had to go out with Kimimaro to buy new bedding, daily necessities, and food. They could stroll around Konoha while they were at it, and returning with bags big and small would give them the vibe of a married couple returning home.
Regardless, Hagoromo's dilapidated house held immense significance for the two boys. A true "home" carried vastly different weight than a mere temporary shelter.
Since Hagoromo had brought them back, they were now considered people of Konoha, so wandering freely around the village wasn't an issue.
As for Hagoromo and Mirai, they had something more important to do: human observation.
The two of them needed to check on Naruto's living conditions. This took priority even over meeting the Hokage.
Years had passed, and Naruto Uzumaki was now expected to be "independent," meaning he had started living alone.
As for his apartment, its location was much like the place where the idol group μ's fought their battles... Naruto's little nest seemed to have been built by modifying the rooftop of an apartment building.
Finding it took very little effort for Hagoromo.
"Hagoromo, is my little brother here?"
Mirai was acting a bit fidgety, her speech not as crisp and direct as usual.
"Yes."
Hagoromo tried pushing the door and found it wasn't locked at all. Stepping inside, he saw that no one was home.
From start to finish, he completely forgot that knocking was a necessary step.
Although Mirai had seemed anxious outside the door, once she stepped into the room, she tried her absolute hardest to put on the face of a mature older sister, even though she didn't look the part no matter how hard she tried.
When Mirai had said the words "little brother," Hagoromo had to hold back his laughter. Seeing her current put-on demeanor, he almost burst out laughing.
The problem here was... Mirai was actually the younger sister. This could easily be deduced by comparing the six whisker marks to her two whisker marks. However, because Hagoromo had playfully told her she was the older sister, she genuinely believed she was the older sister.
So she had to act like an "older sister."
This was entirely born from Hagoromo's habit of spouting nonsense when he was bored out of his mind. But seeing how seriously Mirai was taking it, Hagoromo decided to keep the truth hidden for now... because he found it highly amusing.
Still, it was early in the morning. Why wasn't Naruto here? Had he already mastered the art of staying out all night at such a young age?
This kid had a bright future ahead of him.
While Hagoromo walked into the room to observe, Mirai also started looking around everywhere.
What were the living conditions of a five-year-old orphan? Although the apartment wasn't large, the lack of belongings made it look incredibly empty. It was a room entirely devoid of the warmth of daily life...
Watching Mirai, Hagoromo smiled but said nothing.
This was actually quite normal. Stripped of his identity as the Fourth Hokage's son, Naruto wasn't receiving particularly cruel treatment. All orphans in Konoha lived like this; Hagoromo himself had lived exactly like this when he was a child.
Bloodlines are a magical thing. Even though Mirai had never met Naruto since she was old enough to understand things, and only knew she had a "little brother" through Hagoromo's descriptions, she was currently experiencing a very real, disheartening sadness.
Just as Mirai was searching around, probably hoping to find a photograph or something, Hagoromo's expression shifted.
Someone was coming.
Mirai likely sensed it too, turning her gaze toward the door.
For the person arriving, the wide-open door was obviously a very bad sign.
Naruto Uzumaki, five years old, was currently facing a major life crisis:
His house had been burglarized.
Approaching carefully, peeking silently...
Naruto thought he was being stealthy, but Hagoromo and Mirai saw him clear as day. They watched as he pressed himself against the wall, quickly peeked into the room, and yanked his head back, even though half his foot was still sticking out.
There were two people inside.
It was unknown how Naruto calculated the difference in combat power, but the fact that there were "only" two people seemed to reassure him. Two people. I can take them.
"Damn thieves! White-haired old man, and... tomato-head brat!"
His voice was booming with energy, carrying the potential of someone ready to "punish evil" and "shoulder the burdens of the ninja world." But he clearly hadn't stopped to think about what there was to steal in this dump.
Mirai lifted her head and blinked at Hagoromo.
Is this clown really my brother?
Her previous sadness was swept away in an instant... Furthermore, according to the "Ass-Kicking Principles" Hagoromo had established, calling her a tomato-head absolutely placed Naruto in the category of people who could be beaten to death.
But Mirai blinked again, seemingly asking, Let's not beat this one to death for now, right?
Right. It was probably best not to beat this one to death.