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Chapter 77 - Chapter 77

The newly formed lovers continued exchanging passionate kisses, their emotions rising intensely with each passing moment.

Sakura gently pulled Naruto by the arm toward the bed, climbing over him with a small smile and cheeks so red they made her beautiful face look irresistibly sweet. Naruto's face flushed with embarrassment as Sakura took control of the situation. Her hands rested beside his head on the bed, granting him a breathtaking view of her angelic face—and, inevitably, the generous curves of her chest.

She leaned down slowly to kiss him again, but their heated moment was abruptly cut short by the persistent ringing of Naruto's phone. It rang long enough for the atmosphere to dissolve into awkwardness and bashful silence.

"Sorry…" Naruto murmured, fumbling in his pocket for the phone.

"It's fine…" Sakura replied, moving away and sitting beside him, her hand resting on her cheek as she looked aside. (What are you doing, me? He's going to think I'm easy…)

While Sakura wrestled with her thoughts, Naruto quietly answered the call. On the other end came Eila's voice, filled with concern.

"Naruto? Are you home yet?"

"No… why?"

"What do you mean, why?! You idiot—it's your birthday! We're waiting for you. Don't tell me you plan to stay out on your birthday!"

"Ah… right… I completely forgot…"

Naruto stood up in a hurry, straightening his clothes as he glanced at Sakura, who looked puzzled by his sudden reaction. He leaned toward her and said softly,

"Sakura… thank you for everything today… but I need to go home. My family is waiting."

Sakura smiled gently, placing her hand on his cheek and caressing his warm skin with tender affection.

"I understand, darling. Go on. I'm happy with everything so far. You've given me plenty of time—now it's your family's turn."

Naruto smiled and cupped her face with both hands, leaning in to give her a short kiss. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss with affection. But eventually, they had to part ways, and they did so reluctantly.

Sakura walked Naruto to the door. They stood facing each other, smiling faintly. Naruto scratched his hair.

"So… from now on, we're officially a couple, right?"

"Yes," Sakura replied with a small nod, her face glowing with a blush that made her look indescribably beautiful. No matter how long Naruto looked at her, he could never get enough of that beauty.

"Sakura…"

"Yes…?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Naruto chuckled softly, then turned and jogged away before he changed his mind and stayed with her instead of going home.

"Good night, sweetheart! I'll call you tomorrow!"

"Take care…" Sakura waved at him as his figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance. "What a silly boy… still the same as the first time I met him."

She laughed quietly as that memory surfaced—the day she first met Naruto, stumbling out of an alley looking miserable, waving at her with that clueless, dazed expression as if he'd just woken from a terrible dream.

"Now that I think about it… I never asked him about that, did I?" she murmured, touching her lips thoughtfully as she turned to go back inside. Suddenly, she felt a presence—someone watching her. She spun around quickly, but the shadow she thought she saw had vanished into the nearby alley.

Sakura hurried after it, reaching the alley and scanning it carefully. But there was nothing—nothing at all worth noticing.

"That's impossible… he's dead… How could he be watching me? Am I hallucinating now?"

Running her fingers through her pink hair, she turned back toward her house, convincing herself—if only for a second—that her brother Sasori had been there watching her. But that was impossible. His body had been charred, three bullets in his chest, and dental tests confirmed his DNA. There was no way Sasori was alive.

Sakura clenched her fist and whispered, "Even if he were alive, he wouldn't hide it from me… My brother wouldn't do something like that…"

Her heart ached as she closed her door behind her, deciding to take a warm bath to wash away her troubling thoughts. She should have been happy—after all, she was now Naruto's girlfriend. There was no need to dwell on the idea that her long-dead brother had somehow returned.

Back in that alley, at its far end, Sasori stood silently, his back against the wall, cold and motionless like a lifeless doll. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"So… my little sister has found herself a lover. The Namikaze boy she once introduced me to… It seems she's finally reached her destination."

His tone carried a hint of emotion, but his eyes were utterly dead. If one looked closely, his lips were faintly curved in a barely visible smile.

"Just a little longer, dear sister… just a little longer…"

Sasori walked away, determined to continue down his grim, dangerous path—a path of misery and darkness. But that is a story for another time.

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It didn't take Naruto long to reach the family's main estate. Two guards greeted him at the gate, bowing respectfully.

"Happy birthday, young master."

Naruto gave them a small smile. "Thank you."

"The rest of the family is waiting for you."

One of the guards opened the gate quietly, and Naruto made his way inside. "Alright," he said softly.

He walked the long path toward the grand mansion, a structure that rivaled—even surpassed—the presidential palace in size.

When he reached the entrance and opened the door, he noticed the lights were off. He immediately understood why. When he turned on the hallway light, he found his entire family waiting at the end of the corridor.

"Happy birthday… Naruto!"

Hearing their voices, Naruto's heart trembled, his eyes filling with tears as he nodded gratefully. "Thank you all…"

Yukitero was holding a large birthday cake while the others clapped.

Naruto approached, restraining the urge to throw himself at them in a massive embrace. They all moved together to the kitchen to cut the cake, where Naruto found a pile of gift boxes waiting for him.

Each box bore the name of its giver, and Naruto felt pure joy. He never expected his family to truly come together like this—it had taken so long, far too long.

"Thank you all… I don't even know what to say…"

"Come on, don't be like that. We're family, aren't we? Weren't you the one who kept saying that all these years?" Yukitero said kindly, patting Naruto's shoulder as the young man wiped his tears.

"That's right, no tears. You're a grown man now, Naruto," Eila said gently, her hands folded behind her back—so different from her other, far less moral persona.

"That's right! I even got you a present, big brother Naruto!" Rebecca said cheerfully, holding out a small box.

Rebecca was ten years old now, Eila's younger sister and Yukitero's daughter, born the year after Naruto had arrived in this world—when Yuna had been pregnant with her.

Naruto took the box from her, patting her head affectionately. "Thank you, Rebecca." She beamed—she'd always loved being pampered by him, ever since she was a baby.

He opened the box to find a pair of socks inside. Rebecca said sweetly, "Winter's coming, so you should wear something warm… big brother."

Naruto smiled warmly, patting her head again. "Thank you, Rebecca."

She skipped away happily to make room for the next person—Yuha, who was a year younger than him.

Yuha had a gothic air about her—black earrings, dark lipstick, and fully dyed black hair that had once been crimson. Her red eyes looked cold and sharp.

"I got you this. You like it, right?" Yuha said coolly, handing him a black box with a small heart symbol on it. Inside, Naruto found his favorite type of chocolate. He smiled and gently placed his hand on her head. "Thank you, Yuha."

She rolled her eyes, but a faint blush betrayed her composure. "Hmph. I just found it nearby, so I bought it."

Naruto didn't call her out—he knew how rare and expensive that chocolate was, usually available only by pre-order. He accepted it gratefully.

Yuha stepped back, and next came Tera, who had once been warm and gentle toward Naruto but had changed suddenly, avoiding him ever since.

She wouldn't meet his eyes, which made him worry she hated him. But she spoke softly, almost in a whisper.

"I got you this… so, be happy with it."

She handed him her box while still looking away. Naruto accepted it gratefully. "Thank you, Tera." As their fingers brushed, Tera flinched and quickly pulled her hand back, steam practically rising from her head.

"Don't get the wrong idea! I didn't do this for you! It'd just be rude if everyone else gave you something and I didn't, got it?"

Classic tsundere behavior.

Naruto opened the box to find a small notebook inside. His eyes widened in surprise. He remembered telling his maid Mina before his fight with Tiger that his current notebook was almost full—and Tera had been nearby then, pretending not to hear. Clearly, she had.

"I only mentioned that once back then, but you remembered… Thank you, Tera. I really needed this." Naruto closed his eyes with a warm smile, making Tera's face turn crimson before she darted behind Yuha in embarrassment.

Yuha patted her on the head reassuringly. "You did great."

Finally, there was Eila, who had stayed near Naruto the whole time. He turned to her, not expecting much—she had already given him a gift earlier that day, in her other identity.

"Happy birthday, dear Naruto. I hope you'll like this one too."

She spoke softly, maturely, offering him a brown box with a dark brown heart at its center. A simple but elegant gift.

Naruto accepted it and smiled. Eila had been so kind it almost felt as if her two selves were different people entirely.

"Thank you, dear Eila…"

He opened the box—and found a golden wristwatch inside, one of the latest, most exclusive designs shown only in luxury advertisements. His mouth fell open. She had already spent a fortune on the ring—and yet, she had bought this too.

Naruto looked at her, heart pounding. Eila was his greatest ally, the one person he'd always loved, who had cared for him in her own unique way.

He couldn't find the words to express his gratitude, but she spoke first.

"I already know what you want to say, so don't bother, Naruto."

She smiled softly, closing her eyes. He nodded in return, deeply moved.

Next came the elders. His uncles gave him symbolic gifts, and Yuna, Yukitero's wife, gave him another. When all the gift-giving was done, they moved toward the dining room to cut the cake—but as they entered, Naruto froze.

There, seated in her wheelchair, holding a gift box in her hands, was Grandma Mito.

"Grandma Mito!"

Shocked, Naruto rushed to her and knelt, holding her hands. But she smiled faintly, freeing one hand to gently touch his cheek.

"My sweet grandson, Naruto…"

"You shouldn't have come all this way, Grandma. You're sick…" he said, worried as he felt her frail fingers on his face.

"Do you really think an illness like this can bring me down? Have you forgotten who stood strong to protect this family? Do you take me for weak?"

Grandma Mito chuckled, her eyes half-closed—she could no longer open them wide or wear that terrifying expression that once intimidated all her grandchildren.

Naruto only nodded. "I know very well that you're someone not to be underestimated, Grandma Mito… the great woman who once stood beside this nation's leader as his wife."

"Oh? And here I thought I'd hidden that little secret. Who told you?"

"I just study hard, Grandma."

"As expected of my grandson."

She withdrew her hand and offered him the gift box. Naruto accepted it carefully and opened it—only to find two of the most exquisite rings he had ever seen.

"It's said that, thousands of years ago, a craftsman devoted his entire life to creating the greatest set of rings ever made. After sixty years of work, his masterpiece was finally complete. Through the ages, these rings passed from one owner to another, until they reached Hashirama himself—who gave them to me as a wedding gift. Now, I'm giving them to you. May you one day find the woman worthy of wearing one of them."

She stopped speaking, smiling as tears rolled down Naruto's cheeks. He nodded, overwhelmed by the story behind the rings.

"I'll treasure this gift with all my heart."

"Good boy."

Grandma Mito smiled and patted his hair, while Naruto bowed deeply before her in gratitude.

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In another place, a few hours later—

Three people walked together. One was a large man with spiked brown hair and his face hidden behind a white scarf, his cold eyes those of a seasoned killer.

Beside him walked a long-haired woman with black hair, exuding a calm, mature air, holding a notebook and jotting things down.

Following them was a young man with light blue hair and sleepy eyes, hands buried in his pockets, trailing behind the two who had once saved him from certain death.

"We've fallen so far there's no going back. The others have devoured all our sources of income and influence, like we're already finished. How humiliating," the blue-haired boy muttered coolly. "And my little brother's gone missing. Where could he be?"

"No need to worry about him. I raised him to survive moments like this, didn't I, Suigetsu?" replied the man—Zabuza—in his usual cold tone.

"Yes. I'm sure he'll be fine," Haku added softly, trying to reassure Suigetsu.

"And besides," Zabuza continued, "we can fix everything. Yes, once we crush those bastards before they make their move, everything will be back to normal, won't it?"

Just as Suigetsu was about to answer, they arrived at their destination.

"That's why we're doing this now," Zabuza said, looking ahead at an abandoned warehouse. Inside, three figures were waiting.

A man with spiky white hair, a mask covering his face, and an eye patch over one eye.

Beside him stood another man with black hair and brown eyes, wearing pilot-style goggles on his forehead.

And with them—a woman with long brown hair and dark eyes.

It was Kakashi's group—standing face to face with Zabuza's team.

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To Be Continued.

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