"Little Guy. You are here. What about your parents. Why did not they come together." Kushina came out at this time.
"Aunt Kushina. They said they would visit another day when they are not busy." Guy smiled in response.
"Oh, alright. Oh, Little Sasuke is here too. Where is your mother."
Kushina could not help but light up when she saw Sasuke.
To be precise, Sasuke was the guest Kushina had invited.
"Aunt Kushina, Uncle Ryun. The clan affairs are busy, my mother could not come, so she sent me instead. This is the gift mother prepared for Nanaise sister. Happy birthday."
Sasuke said, handing the brocade box in his hand to Nanaise.
"Thank you." Nanaise smiled and accepted the gift.
"Let me introduce you. This is Sasuke, Mikoto's child."
Kushina diligently introduced Sasuke to Ryun and Nanaise.
"Oh, so it is Little Sasuke. Everyone, let us go inside and chat." Ryun looked at Sasuke with a smile, a hint of playfulness hidden in his eyes.
"Thank you for the gift, Sasuke brother."
Nanaise behaved very generously and appropriately. Her personality was more like her parents when they were young, both leaning towards the sunny and cheerful type.
"You are welcome." Sasuke responded somewhat shyly.
He was not actually good at socializing, especially when facing Ryun's family.
This clan sister was different from others. He could use his aloof act, put on airs and pretend to be cold in front of other girls, but he could not do that in front of Nanaise. After all, he still needed to ask for a favor, he had to leave a good impression on Ryun.
Besides, this Nanaise sister was quite good looking. Her appearance was very much like her father's. Sasuke felt she was even more beautiful than his mother in childhood photos, and her aura was full of vitality. Especially those sparkling, lively eyes, big and full of spirit, made Sasuke unable to resist taking a few more glances.
Not long after, the several of them entered the house one after another. Kushina and Nanaise were busy entertaining the guests, while Ryun pulled Guy to sit together on the sofa.
"Why are you dressed like this. This probably is not your preferred style, right." Ryun looked at the kimono Guy was wearing and laughed.
"Isn't it because I am visiting Uncle's house. And it is Nanaise's birthday, wearing training gear would be somewhat impolite." Guy scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.
"What is there to be impolite about. We are not outsiders, there are not so many rules here." Ryun gave him a sidelong glance and said.
"Haha. After the birthday is over. After tonight I will change back." Guy was indeed not used to wearing a kimono.
He would stay in Otogakure for a few more days, taking the opportunity to ask Ryun for advice on taijutsu experience, so he had brought his youth battle outfit as a change of clothes.
Ryun and Guy chatted about many things. Only after a good while did he shift his attention to Sasuke.
"Little Sasuke, your mother. Is she doing alright."
Ryun's mind unconsciously conjured up an image of Mikoto.
"Mother, she. Is alright." Sasuke lowered his head and answered softly.
Seeing Sasuke's unhappy appearance, Ryun could not help but fall silent.
Faced with that tragedy of 'a son killing his father', Uchiha Mikoto presumably was not doing too well. Not committing suicide could already be considered very strong.
"How is the Second Elder, the old man." Ryun asked about an old man of the Uchiha clan.
"My maternal grandfather passed away several years ago." Sasuke answered with a lonely expression. When his grandfather was alive, he had also doted on him the most.
"Uh. Then what about the First Elder." Ryun asked again.
"My paternal grandfather passed away even earlier than my maternal grandfather."
"..."
Ryun's face could not help but show a trace of an awkward expression.
Those clan elders he had not seen for many years, upon asking, were basically all gone.
"Your mother raising you alone must be very hard. I asked her to come here for a few days to relax and unwind, but she would not come." Kushina came over at this time carrying a plate of cut fruit.
"The situation within the clan is somewhat complicated. Mother really cannot get away."
Sasuke first gave a general explanation of the situation, then looked at Ryun with a serious expression.
"I often hear mother say that if Uncle Ryun could one day return to the Uchiha clan, that would be great. The clan would not be in a situation without a leader."
Upon hearing this, Ryun was momentarily stunned, then gave Sasuke a mysterious smile.
Seeing that Ryun did not speak, Sasuke took a slight deep breath, and the next moment took out two letters from inside his clothes.
"These are letters mother wrote for Aunt Kushina, and for Uncle Ryun." Sasuke forcibly suppressed his nervousness and delivered the two letters into their hands.
"Hehe, one for me too."
Ryun smiled and took the letter, then directly took out the letter paper in front of Sasuke.
When he finished reading the contents of the letter, Ryun's face could not help but show a contemplative expression.
He had not expected that Mikoto would actually ask him to instruct Sasuke in his training.
Actually, the issue he pondered for a long time was not about Sasuke himself, but about the letter paper itself. The scent on this letter was very fragrant and pleasant, reminding Ryun of some things from childhood.
After a long time, Ryun put the letter paper back into the envelope and asked casually, "You probably know the contents of the letter, right."
But the next moment, with a 'thud' sound, Sasuke directly knelt in front of Ryun.
"Uncle Ryun. I beg you, please instruct me in my training."
Sasuke's attitude was sincere, his manner humble. He did not care about the gazes of the others in the room. He only hoped that Ryun could teach him skills, enabling him to gain the power to defeat his brother, Uchiha Itachi, in the shortest possible time.
"Silly child, get up quickly. Such a small matter, I will have your Uncle Ryun agree for you. If you have something to say, we can sit and talk directly."
Kushina pulled Sasuke up from the ground in one motion.
Her good friend rarely asked for her help, to whisper in her husband's ear. Of course Kushina would not refuse. Moreover, this trouble did not require her to solve it herself, so Kushina agreed very readily.
"Thank you, Aunt Kushina. Thank you, Uncle Ryun."
Sasuke expressed his thanks excitedly.
Ryun, "."
He very much wanted to say he had not agreed yet. But thinking about a favor he still owed from the older generation, plus Mikoto's heartfelt handwritten letter, Ryun ultimately could only silently acquiesce to this matter.
On the day of Nanaise's birthday, many children were allowed to enter the Shadow Residence to celebrate her birthday, but there were very few adults. Even so, it tired out Kushina, who was responsible for entertaining the guests, considerably.
That evening, Ryun's family accompanied a few relatively important guests for the birthday dinner and cake. Afterwards, the group sat in the garden to admire the brilliant fireworks in the sky.
Many villagers in Otogakure set off fireworks to celebrate the birthday of the esteemed young lady. Countless gorgeous fireworks connected into a vast display, instantly illuminating large parts of the night sky. The grand and spectacular scene genuinely shocked both Guy and little Sasuke.
'For a clan sister's birthday, the entire village spontaneously prepares fireworks to celebrate. Is this the level of Uncle Ryun's prestige.'
Watching the father and daughter playing and frolicking not far away, Sasuke gained a clearer understanding of this uncle's power.
But to be fair, Uncle Ryun was indeed as mother had described, treating people kindly, with a gentle temperament.
"Sasuke, you plan to stay here for training. This matter probably has not been reported to the Hokage, right."
Guy, sitting next to Sasuke, suddenly asked with a very serious expression.
Without the Hokage's permission or prior reporting to the village, a ninja cannot stay outside for a long time. Unless your identity is special, or you have a close relationship with the Hokage. Otherwise, this point is considered a major fault in any ninja village. It is possible to be classified as a rogue ninja if things go badly.
Especially in the case of a ninja from one's own village going to another ninja village.
Before Guy came to Otogakure, he had reported to the village and explicitly guaranteed his return within three days. The Fourth Hokage had agreed to his request.
Sasuke had actually also made such a report. According to Guy's knowledge, it was also for three days. But judging by Sasuke's situation today, he clearly intended to stay in Otogakure for a long time.
His situation constituted concealment and failure to report, considered a serious violation of the ninja code. The consequences could be minor or major. That is why Guy appeared very serious at this moment.
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