After Kana gently woke them up, the group slowly made their way out of the grand gambling house.
Kana, ever the graceful host, bid a warm farewell to the employees, offering a few kind words and smiles. Naruto, Karin, Ino, and Haku followed her lead, waving and exchanging quick goodbyes with the familiar faces around them.
Outside, the sky was a breathtaking blend of orange and deep red — the sun setting like a molten jewel on the horizon. The world felt peaceful, almost dreamlike, as if time itself had decided to slow down for just a little while.
As they stepped out into the open street, they spotted two familiar figures approaching.
It was none other than Hinata and Tenten.
"Hinata! Tenten-senpai! You're back!" Naruto called out happily, breaking into a grin as he rushed over and hugged them without a second thought.
Tenten chuckled, hugging him back warmly."Yeah, we're back. After hearing you were around here, we figured we'd find you inside... but looks like you were already on your way out."
Hinata smiled shyly, her eyes soft with affection."Naruto-kun... is she the girl you brought back from the trip?" she asked, glancing gently toward Haku.
Naruto nodded, his smile never fading."Yeah. Let's head home first. We can sit down and talk properly."
Everyone agreed without hesitation, and together, under the painting of the sunset sky, they began their walk home — their laughter and light chatter weaving into the evening breeze.
They walked home with easy smiles, talking and laughing along the way.
Naruto, ever the heart of the group, cracked a few silly jokes just to make everyone laugh a little louder, their worries slipping away into the evening breeze.
Soon enough, they reached the house.
As they stepped inside, they were greeted by an unexpected sight — three guests sitting comfortably in the living room.
Naruto's eyes lit up with recognition."Oh! Kurenai-sensei, Yugao-sensei, and... Anko! You're all here!" he called out.
The three women turned to face him and his group, smiling warmly.
Anko, never one to miss a beat, immediately smirked."Oi, Naruto! How come you call them 'Sensei' and just call me plain old 'Anko'?"
Naruto shrugged with a teasing grin."Simple. They actually taught me something. You? You just bullied me," he said, laughing.
Anko's eye twitched, her cheeks puffing up in mock frustration. She grumbled under her breath, but seeing everyone burst out laughing — including herself — she quickly gave up on pretending to be mad.
The room, once quiet, was now filled with the sound of friends reunited and the warm crackle of genuine joy.
Just as the conversation was settling, the door opened once more — revealing none other than Sasuke, freshly returned from his intense training session.
Typical Sasuke, always immersed in his training, as if the world didn't exist outside of it.
The group greeted him with varying degrees of enthusiasm, though Sasuke simply gave a small nod in acknowledgment before heading to the side, already lost in his thoughts.
Before the door could close, there was a soft click — and in walked Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura, all looking slightly exhausted from their long day at the hospital.
The room was beginning to feel full, almost bursting with the energy of so many familiar faces. The laughter and chatter blended into a harmonious symphony of people who had come to be family, bound by more than just duty.
But the one person missing, as always, was Kakashi. The guy showed up whenever he pleased, like some kind of elusive shadow.
Naruto looked around the room, his expression playful yet curious."Yugao-sensei, I heard you were on a secret mission. Is it all wrapped up?"
Yugao, ever composed, nodded lightly."Yes, mostly completed. It was just Kumo's skirmishes... You know how those things go. Nothing too serious. Hokage-sama just wanted Anbu to gather some intel, make sure there wasn't any major issue brewing."
Even though Anbu missions were meant to be shrouded in secrecy — the nature of their work requiring complete discretion — there was an unspoken understanding in the room. With two jonin, one retired jonin, a legendary sannin, and a handful of genins, this house was one of the safest places in the village.
Secrets? They were a part of the family.
"Oh, I see... Those Kumo types — always power-hungry, always trying to assert dominance," Naruto said, nodding thoughtfully. "Even after all the times they got humbled."
"Yeah," Kushina added, her voice carrying a sharp edge. "They even tried to kidnap our cute, shy little Hinata once."
At that, Hinata's face turned a shade of pink so vivid it could've matched the sunset outside. Her ears tinged pink too, and she shifted nervously, flustered but trying to hold her ground.
"Don't bring up the past like that," Naruto said, lightly changing the topic. His voice softened. "That day... a lot of people saw the truth behind the so-called 'higher-ups.'"
Then, grinning mischievously, he ruffled Hinata's hair."See? You made her embarrassed again!"
Hinata, though beet red, didn't faint like she might have once upon a time. Instead, she simply pressed her hands against her cheeks and let out a shy giggle — getting used to how much love and teasing surrounded her now.
Naruto clapped his hands together suddenly, his eyes sparkling."By the way, you guys wanna hear something awesome?"
Everyone perked up.
"You already mastered Dad's Rasengan, right? Don't tell me..." Kushina leaned forward, narrowing her eyes, sensing something bigger.
Naruto gave a proud nod."I learned his other signature move, too."
The room grew still, curiosity crackling in the air like a live wire.
"It's the Hiraishin no Jutsu," Naruto said, almost casually, but the weight behind those words hit like a thunderclap.
There was a collective gasp.
Before anyone could even react, Kushina rushed forward and crushed him into a tight, fierce hug.
"I'm so proud of you, my son!" she whispered into his hair, her voice trembling with pride.
Grinning, Naruto gently pulled free, eager to show them.
"Alright, check this out."
He pulled out two specially marked kunai — each bearing the Hiraishin seal — and with a flick of his wrist, he hurled them to opposite corners of the room.
Then, with a shimmer of golden chakra, he disappeared — reappearing instantly beside the first kunai, then blinking again beside the second.
The entire room erupted into stunned silence, jaws practically hitting the floor.
"What the hell was that?!" Karin shouted, eyes wide. "Who even made such a broken jutsu?"
Naruto chuckled, loving the reaction. "It was created by the genius of the Second Hokage — Tobirama Senju. Guy invented a lot of forbidden techniques."
Tsunade crossed her arms with a smug little smirk, clearly riding high on family pride. "Of course he did. He was my granduncle, after all."
Everyone laughed — partly at her smugness, partly in amazement at what Naruto had just casually revealed.
In that moment, with laughter and admiration hanging thick in the air, it felt like nothing was impossible.
"My dad was the one who used it best," Naruto said, his voice filled with a quiet pride. "He perfected the Hiraishin, turned it into his signature move. That's why the other nations ended up calling him the 'Konoha no Kiiroi Senko.'"
"That's right," Kurenai added, smiling warmly. "Because of that technique, your father became a legend... feared and respected across all the lands."
Anko, Tsunade, Shizune, and Kushina all nodded, each of them remembering the awe Minato once commanded.
Then Naruto turned, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"Tsunade," he asked, "do you know why your granduncle — the Second Hokage — was so obsessed with forbidden jutsu? Why did he invented so many?"
Tsunade tilted her head slightly, thinking. "I'm not sure... I always thought it was just because he loved studying jutsu. Maybe that curiosity drove him to create."
Naruto shook his head slowly, a serious glint in his eyes.
"That's only part of the story," he said. His voice dropped lower, heavier with the weight of truth. "The real reason was much darker."
Everyone leaned in unconsciously, drawn into the gravity of his words.
"Tobirama Senju created most of those forbidden jutsu to counter one clan — the Uchiha," Naruto said."In other words, to deal with the Sharingan."
A heavy silence fell over the room, broken only by the soft creak of wood and the faint crackle of the evening air outside.
Tsunade's eyes widened slightly, the truth settling in her chest like a stone.
"You're kidding," she said softly.
Naruto shook his head again, resolute."The Second Hokage feared what the Sharingan could do. Their genjutsu, their power... it scared even the strongest. So he created a jutsu that could either overpower it, outmaneuver it, or break free from it."
For a moment, everyone was silent — feeling the chilling realization of how much fear had shaped even Konoha's history.