Ten minutes later, Kazuyama Gekkō, disheveled and irritated, quickly left the Hyūga compound.
Dealing with Hyūga Hiashi had left him in a bind—he couldn't fight back, and he couldn't defend either. After all, this might end up being his future father-in-law.
With no other choice, he resorted to dodging every attack with everything he had, weaving and ducking while still trying to push his marriage proposal.
The result? Hiashi only got angrier, and his Gentle Fist strikes grew fiercer by the second.
"Tch... Damn Hiashi. Just like Fugaku—one's obsessed with his son, the other with his daughter!"
"I'm just getting a head start, that's all! But this bastard's really going all out..."
"Going straight for the... lower half? Seriously?!"
All he did was propose! Was this kind of reaction really necessary?
Whatever, no rush. There was still plenty of time.
As Kazuyama casually whistled, unfazed...
In the Land of Rivers, a shadowy figure stared down at the injured boy in front of him.
"Kid, your arm's done for. Want me to replace it with a puppet arm?"
"Hehehe..."
That eerie laugh was enough to make anyone's skin crawl. Hard to believe it came from a boy who looked barely older than a teen.
The boy's right arm was in tatters, exactly as the teen said—it couldn't be saved.
"Yes... as long as I can stay alive."
"Oh?"
The boy's voice trembled from the pain, but his tone held a surprising resolve—that's what caught the teen's attention.
Just survive, huh?
To live... to live forever... hehehe...
The teen lifted his cloak, revealing a surprisingly delicate face, framed by striking red hair. But the grin on his face was twisted and sinister.
"Interesting. You've caught my attention."
"What's your name?"
The boy shook his head. He had no name—or maybe he'd already forgotten it.
"No name, huh?"
"Then from now on, your name is Kabuto."
"I'm Sasori of the Red Sand. From this moment on, you are my disciple... my assistant."
"Together, we'll explore the secrets of the human body—and the path to eternal life."
Kabuto looked up at Sasori, who didn't seem much older than him. Even though he didn't understand half of what was said, something inside him still wanted to follow this man.
"Alright."
"Heh... hahaha!"
"Let's start with your arm. You'll soon realize just how useful a puppet arm can be."
Sasori extended his right hand. A steel blade snapped into place and, with a flick of his wrist, sliced cleanly.
Kabuto felt a surge of unbearable pain—then everything went black as he passed out.
When he came to, he was in a cave. The air was thick with a strange scent, and the dim light gave everything an eerie glow. It all felt... oddly new.
The pain in his right arm was gone. Though it was missing, he forced himself up and stumbled deeper into the cave.
Sasori was there, fiddling with an arm that looked nearly indistinguishable from a real one.
"Awake?"
"Perfect. This puppet arm is done. It was crafted from a real human arm."
"Other than the internal modifications that make it a puppet, it looks just like a real limb. This is my craft—Human Puppet."
"Hehehe... As for who this arm belonged to..."
"Hahahaha!"
Sasori broke into maniacal laughter, but never named the arm's original owner. Instead, with a snap of his fingers, a puppet thread wrapped around Kabuto and dragged him forward. Without delay, Sasori began the installation.
To attach a puppet limb to a living body, its internal mechanisms had to be fused with the host's blood vessels.
The pain was excruciating—far beyond what Kabuto could bear. He blacked out again.
When he awoke once more, his right arm throbbed with pain, but it could already move.
"Don't push it too hard at first. The puppet arm still needs time to sync with your body."
"These are the materials you need to study. When you've mastered them, I'll teach you more."
If Kazuyama had been there, he would've shaken his head and said:
Of course. Only people obsessed with immortality would teach like this.
But Kabuto wasn't Kazuyama. When he saw the books and scrolls laid out before him, his eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement—something Kazuyama had never shown.
Sasori, in turn, was pleased with what he saw.
"Looks like saving you was the right choice. Let's see if you can surprise me."
"If not, death is all that awaits. After all, you're just a kid—not even worthy of becoming a human puppet."
...In the Land of Rivers, the gears of fate began turning once more.
But the paths ahead for these two individuals couldn't be more different. Who knows what kind of future awaits them?
...
A month later, the rebuilding of Konohagakure was finally complete.
Kazuyama strolled proudly, carrying his son Michihito Gekkō in one arm and wrapping the other around Pakura. Behind them, Hayate and Yamato trudged along, both looking completely drained. Clearly, they'd worked themselves to the bone these past few weeks.
Kazuyama, however, was thoroughly satisfied.
"Not bad! This place is way more luxurious than our old home. Yamato, your Wood Release really is the best Kekkei Genkai out there."
"The build quality, the patterns, and those rock gardens and pomegranate trees I bought—perfection!"
"I hereby declare this the new Gekkō residence!"
With the courtyard expansion complete, Yamato officially moved in.
Kazuyama had applied for it long ago—after all, Yamato was trained by his own sensei. No way he was letting someone else take him in.
Danzō wanted custody? He could dream. Let him figure out the curse he's stuck with first.
From this point on, Konohagakure was finally entering a true era of peace.
Kazuyama could finally take a breather.
Between teaching at the academy and training ANBU recruits, his schedule was already packed.
"Kazuyama, this yard turned out great. And thanks for letting Yamato and Hayate help out."
Ebisami and Ebisu arrived, stepping into the new Gekkō household.
Ebisami looked at the grown-up Kazuyama in disbelief. It was hard to believe this confident, capable man was once the mischievous brat sneaking chickens and stirring up trouble.
"Hahaha, Aunt Ebisami! Your place is right next door. Happy with the new yard?"
"From now on, let's go back to the good old days—one big communal meal!"
Ebisami rolled her eyes.
"You little brat, like I don't know what you're up to?"
"You just want me to help Pakura with the kid, don't you? Fine, I'll do it—but you've gotta help me out with something too."
"No problem! You're talking about Ebisu, right? Leave him to me—I'll make sure he grows up into someone amazing!"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon(.)com/PinkSnake