Chapter 52: This Child is Just Like Me!
"Once you finish the first stage of Flying Thunder God training, things here should be wrapping up," Minato said softly as he looked at Yuu. "By then, we can head back."
"Is that so?" Yuu frowned slightly, thinking. "So the war is about to end completely?"
Over the past half year, battles across different fronts had ended one after another. Now, aside from minor clashes between nations, no major engagements had broken out for a long time.
Even so, the villages were still on high alert. No one had truly stepped down from a wartime posture, and the standoff remained.
Anyone with eyes could tell the war had entered its final stage, but exactly when it would end was still unclear.
Yet from Minato's words, it sounded like the conclusion was already decided.
"Yeah." Minato met Yuu's gaze and nodded. "Envoys from multiple countries are already in talks. A definite date will come soon."
"The time for us to return to Konoha isn't far off."
He turned and looked in Konoha's direction, as if something had crossed his mind. His expression softened.
Yuu guessed he was thinking about his wife back home.
After all, Minato and Kushina's relationship really was that good.
Then what about him?
Unlike most shinobi, Yuu did not seem to have many deep ties in Konoha. Even with Nonou, the person he was closest to, there was always a faint distance, like an invisible wall between them.
Yuu knew she kept that distance on purpose, so certain matters would not drag him down.
Still, it never quite felt like family.
Slowly, the face of a white haired woman surfaced in Yuu's mind.
Kaguya.
Then Hagoromo, then Hamura.
One after another, those faces rose like echoes, and a quiet smile touched his lips.
His family was not in this world.
They were in a far off parallel dimension.
So if he wanted to see them again, he needed to work even harder.
"Yuu!"
While he was lost in thought, a voice called out from the distance.
A young girl came running toward him, calling his name loudly.
It was Kurenai, holding a bouquet of flowers as she hurried over with big strides.
"Oh my, another timely meeting for the youngsters." Minato smiled, tactful as always. "I just remembered I have something to handle. I won't disturb you two."
In the next instant, his figure vanished, disappearing on the spot.
Flying Thunder God really was convenient.
Yuu stared at the place Minato had vanished from, a hint of helplessness rising in his eyes.
"What, you're not happy to see me?" Kurenai asked, noticing his expression. Her face immediately turned sour.
"Not at all," Yuu said gently. "I just feel bad making you come all this way every time. It's too much trouble."
"I could have looked for you after I got back."
To avoid his training disturbing others, the place he practiced was some distance from camp.
Whenever it was time, Minato brought him here with Flying Thunder God. When the session ended, Minato returned and took him away.
They could do that.
Kurenai could not.
In other words, she ran here on foot every time.
"How could it be trouble?" Kurenai's displeasure vanished at once, replaced by a smile. "It wouldn't be right if you were always the one coming to me."
"Instead of waiting for someone to come to me, I think it's more appropriate for me to come to you."
"After all, for some things, you only get results if you take the initiative."
As she spoke, her eyes stayed fixed on Yuu. Her words clearly carried another meaning.
Under her gaze, Yuu's mouth twitched. For a moment, he did not know what to say.
How should he put it?
As expected of the new generation in the shinobi world, they matured early.
She was only thirteen. In his past life, she would still be sitting in a classroom.
But here, she already knew how to like the opposite sex?
The problem was, Yuu himself was only nine right now.
Even if he counted the birthday coming up, he was still only ten.
A total little shota.
Liking someone this young, even in a world like this, felt a bit too early, didn't it?
"That does make sense," Yuu said, keeping his usual calm on the surface, even as he complained silently inside. He smiled as he changed the topic. "But it's still early, and it doesn't feel right to have you stay here while I train."
"So, I wonder if dear Miss Kurenai would accompany me for a walk?"
He glanced around with a smile. "The scenery here is really nice. It's worth seeing."
"Ah, well…" Kurenai lowered her head, as if thinking it over. Only after a while did she speak again. "Since you invited me so sincerely, it wouldn't be right for me to refuse."
"In that case, let's go."
Yuu spoke softly and led Kurenai to the side.
On a high mountain in the distance, Minato stood quietly, watching the two of them walk together below. He shook his head, then laughed lightly.
"It's great to be young."
He did not feel annoyed that Yuu had stepped away from training to go out for a bit. If anything, it made him happy.
There were plenty of geniuses in the shinobi world.
Kakashi. Orochimaru. People like them.
But geniuses like that were also prone to problems.
If it were them, they would likely ignore an invitation like this and keep drilling their training.
But Yuu cooperated naturally. He chose to spend time with someone else.
Minato did not see that as laziness.
On the contrary, he saw it as a good sign.
At the very least, it proved Yuu was not lacking in other areas.
Even as a ninjutsu genius, his social ability was strong. He could balance training and life without losing himself.
That was an excellent quality.
This child is just like me!
The thought flashed through Minato's mind, and his smile widened.
After all, wasn't he the same back then?
His talent in ninjutsu training had always stood out, but he never neglected everything else.
Back at the Ninja Academy, he had already built bonds with classmates, and he had even won over his future wife.
And now, Yuu seemed to be walking a similar path.
The resemblance amused him and also made him even more satisfied with Yuu.
"Time to get back to work."
With that thought, Minato vanished again.
This time, he did not linger at all. He left the area completely.
[TL: My new fanfic is out now—One Piece: Pokémon Master of the Seas! Check it out!]
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