"Is this Konoha Village?"
Hidan followed behind Ren, curiously observing his surroundings. For him, the Ninja World's largest village was far more appealing than any small town in the Land of Grass.
At this time, most businesses hadn't closed yet, and various illuminated signs lit up. The constant flow of pedestrians was comparable to, or even surpassed, that of Yugakure, which specialized in tourism.
"That…"
A hesitant voice sounded. Ren turned his head and saw Uzumaki Mihui looking at him with some apprehension.
"Are you taking us to see Hokage-sama?"
She had overheard Ren and the others talking at the gate earlier. The thought of meeting Hokage-sama instead of Kushina made Uzumaki Mihui a little flustered. After all, she didn't know Hokage-sama; only Kushina, being a fellow Uzumaki Clan member, could truly make her lower her guard.
"You can just call me Ren."
Ren smiled slightly, then raised a hand to point behind him, nodding.
"That was just an excuse to bring you in. You don't need to see Hokage-sama. I'll take you directly to Kushina-nee."
"Really? Thank you…"
A look of joy immediately appeared on Uzumaki Mihui's face. She bowed slightly to Ren, hesitating for a moment before continuing.
"Thank you… Brother Ren."
"It's nothing."
Ren shook his head, looking at the prosperous and lively street, and said softly.
"Please rest assured, we are not like those people from the Grass Hidden Village. Here, you can live without worry, with Kushina-nee protecting… Pfft."
Seeing Ren suddenly interrupt himself, Uzumaki Mihui tilted her head, a look of confusion in her eyes.
Ren quickly rephrased his words, chuckling awkwardly.
"I mean, here, with Kushina-nee taking care of you, you don't need to worry about anything."
"Oh."
Just then, Ren's gaze suddenly sharpened. He turned to look at the nearby rooftop and said in a deep voice.
"Habu!"
As soon as Ren finished speaking, a figure appeared in front of them, dressed in black combat attire, tall, with a cat-faced mask. What was most unforgettable was the large sword on his back.
Seeing the suddenly appearing figure, Uzumaki Mihui, holding her child, instinctively took a step back, looking at the other party cautiously.
"Vice Captain!"
A low voice came from beneath the mask, with a hint of embarrassment in its tone.
"Do you need something? I still have a mission."
"Come on."
Ren rolled his eyes and said softly.
"Just one question, it won't delay you sending intelligence to Hokage-sama."
"Uh…"
The man scratched his head, smiling bitterly.
"Nothing ever gets past you, does it? Well, just tell me what you need quickly."
Ren pursed his lips in the direction of the Konoha gate and asked.
"Earlier at the gate, besides you, who did the other three guys belong to?"
"…"
The cat-masked Anbu looked left and right, and seeing no one around, he leaned in slightly and whispered.
"The ones in the shop and on the tree are Anbu from Squad Five and Squad Seven. As for the one hidden behind the house, that's Anbu Squad Two, directly under Lord Third…"
"I see…"
Ren rubbed his nose, then turned his gaze to the other party, nodding and smiling.
"Thank you, Habu."
"No problem. I'll be going then, Vice Captain."
The cat-masked Anbu shook his head. After speaking, he turned and leaped back onto the roof beam, using the Instantaneous Body Technique to move into the distance.
"Anbu, huh…"
Watching the other party's back gradually disappear, Ren stroked his chin, a thoughtful look in his eyes. But soon, a voice brought him back to reality.
"Brother Ren, which way should we go next?"
"Hmm?"
Ren instinctively looked up, and a crossroads appeared before him. After a moment of recollection, he pointed to the left, then smiled somewhat awkwardly.
"My apologies, I was distracted for a moment."
"It's fine."
Just then, Hidan darted in front of Ren, complaining.
"Brother Ren, when are we going to arrive? I'm starving."
"Huh?"
Ren scrutinized Hidan from head to toe, then looked around, and finally stared at the latter with a look that said 'you're an idiot,' his expression odd as he said.
"You're not running a fever, are you? This is Konoha's food street. If you want to eat something, go buy it."
"The problem is…"
To his surprise, after he finished speaking, Hidan also looked at him with an 'you're an idiot' expression, spreading his hands and sighing.
"I don't have any money."
Because of his orphan status, he had been frugal since childhood. Only after becoming a Ninja did his life improve slightly.
Just as he had saved some money, it was all plundered by those guys when he was captured by the Evil God Cult.
Since being rescued by Ren, he had been eating Soldier Ration Pills, so Hidan currently didn't have a single coin on him.
"…Cough, cough."
Ren coughed twice, then slowly raised his hand. Just as Hidan thought Ren was going to give him money, the other party dodged his outstretched hand, pointed to a building not far away, and smiled.
"It's fine, we've arrived."
"…"
Hidan's hand hovered in mid-air. He watched the two walk away with a stiff expression. After coming to his senses, he could only make a face behind Ren's back, muttering continuously.
"So stingy…"
Just then, the group arrived in front of the house. Ren stepped forward, pressed the doorbell, and then stood quietly with a somewhat nervous Uzumaki Mihui, waiting.
"Coming!"
Soon, a response came from inside, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching from a distance. Uzumaki Mihui subconsciously clutched her daughter's collar, looking somewhat impatient.
"Clang!"
When the wooden door opened, what appeared before them was Uzumaki Kushina, wearing an apron and gloves. It seemed she was cooking.
"Eh?"
Seeing the three people standing outside, Kushina was first startled, then she looked them over, her gaze immediately fixed on Uzumaki Mihui's red hair, unable to move away.
"Kushina…"
Uzumaki Mihui slowly spoke in a trembling voice, looking at Kushina, who had changed but whose former appearance could still be vaguely seen. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears.
Hearing this familiar call and the other party's familiar yet unfamiliar face, Kushina's eyes widened slightly. Her usually bold and fiery personality became a stammering mess.
"You are… Mei…"
Seeing Kushina acting strangely, Ren instinctively took two steps back. Under Hidan's confused gaze, he covered his ears after covering his hands with visible Chakra, looking as if it had nothing to do with him.
"Hmm?"
Just as Hidan was confused, the next moment, an excited cry instantly erupted.
"Mei… Mihui! Ahhhhhhh!!!"
The massive sound wave was like a sudden clap of thunder, spreading instantly. Hidan's mind went completely blank, and even his feet began to waver.
"Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!"
Karin, who had just been coaxed to sleep, was instantly startled awake by Kushina's scream, crying incessantly in her mother's arms.
"Sigh…"
Looking at the crying child in her arms and Kushina in front of her, Mihui's face showed a hint of helplessness, and she couldn't help but exclaim.
"Kushina, you haven't changed at all…"