Chapter 432 — Return
"Something beyond friendship… isn't that just partnership?"
Late at night, Kei lay on his bed, yet his thoughts drifted back to the gathering earlier that day—to Ayaka, almost involuntarily.
To be honest, even he didn't understand why he had started saying things that didn't quite fit his usual persona.
After some thought, he arrived at a simple conclusion—
his growing strength had given him a sense of confidence.
And that confidence… had made him more open, little by little.
"Or maybe… my personality really is changing. I just never paid attention to it."
Turning over, Kei realized just how much he had changed.
For example—
he smiled more now.
Even if many of those smiles were still calculated, they had begun to replace the coldness that once defined him.
Whether that was good or bad… was hard to say.
But it was undoubtedly a change.
He knew how cold he used to be.
Not just indifferent—
but deeply, unsettlingly cold.
If that chill could now be hidden, masked beneath something more approachable…
then perhaps that, too, was a kind of progress.
After all, no one liked someone who radiated that kind of darkness—
no matter the reason behind it.
Even Kei himself disliked people like that—
despite once being exactly the same.
Now, whether intentional or not, that cold aura had faded to the point where most people could no longer associate him with it.
Unless—
they possessed exceptionally sharp perception.
The kind that could see past appearances and directly sense the nature of one's chakra.
Of course, people like that rarely dared to probe him.
His status alone was enough to deter them.
"…Still, this isn't such a bad change," Kei murmured softly. "Though… Ayaka…"
At the thought of her, he found himself slightly troubled.
He couldn't quite figure out how their relationship had evolved so naturally into something… complicated.
After all—
he had once nearly killed her.
Shaking his head, Kei realized he had no intention of sleeping anymore.
With a quiet sigh, he sat up, opened the window, and leapt outside.
The house was silent—everyone else was asleep.
He had no desire to wake them.
His relationship with his family had improved greatly over time.
Family…
was a strange thing.
Even with the mind of an adult and the hardened heart of a battlefield veteran—
the warmth shown by Uchiha Ryōko and Uchiha Keisuke had gradually thawed him.
At least when it came to them—
he had softened.
Even now, he hadn't quite brought himself to address them in a more formal, affectionate way.
But they could feel the change—
and that alone made them happy.
There was, however, one lingering issue.
Iori.
The girl had never fully recovered from the shadow Kei had cast over her.
Nearly a year had passed.
He had given her time—
but some things weren't so easily overcome.
She wasn't like him.
She didn't have a mature mind or a hardened will.
She was just a child.
Even Kei himself had struggled when he first faced death on the battlefield.
It had taken time—
to adapt, to harden, to survive.
But a year had passed—
and she still hadn't recovered.
Perhaps…
it was time for him to step in.
Leaping onto the rooftop, Kei lay back and gazed at the night sky.
If he couldn't sleep—
he might as well look at the moon.
As he stared at the full moon above, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"…Wait. If the moon exists to seal Kaguya… did this world originally have no moon at all?"
He had never really considered it before.
But now that he did—
it felt strangely plausible.
Had the moon only come into existence after Kaguya was sealed?
If that were the case—
it would explain why the Fourth Raikage had once been so determined to destroy it.
After all, if it wasn't originally part of the world—
and contained something capable of reshaping it—
then destroying it might not seem so unreasonable.
"…Ruthless. And bold," Kei muttered.
Bathed in silver moonlight, he found his thoughts drifting again.
For some reason—
Kaguya's image surfaced in his mind.
Cold.
Arrogant.
Overwhelming.
But gradually—
that image shifted.
Her face changed—
until it became Ayaka's.
Still cold.
Still proud.
Still stirring something deep within him.
Those pale Byakugan eyes, distant and unreadable.
That noble bearing—
almost untouchable.
Truly worthy of Ōtsutsuki blood.
That same cold pride seemed carved from the same mold.
The difference was—
Kaguya's arrogance came from absolute power and her view of the world.
To the Ōtsutsuki, this world was nothing more than a garden—
and its inhabitants, mere insects.
Whatever had happened to Kaguya—whether her clash with Isshiki or something else—had altered her.
For a time, she had descended from that perspective.
Even taken a human partner.
Given birth to two sons—
who would later oppose her.
But as her strength returned—
so did her original mindset.
She reclaimed her identity—
and resumed what she believed was her rightful path.
And that, in turn, led to conflict—
a family war that reshaped the world.
Staring at the moon, Kei couldn't help but wonder—
what had the Sage of Six Paths truly intended?
With power like his, he could have stopped the endless cycle between his sons.
Yet he chose not to.
On the surface, it seemed like respect for their choices—
but the consequences for the world had been immeasurable.
And even in death—
he hadn't truly erased them.
Their chakra, their will—
lingered.
Why?
"…Whatever," Kei let out a quiet laugh.
"At that level… their thoughts are beyond people like us."
"Better to focus on what actually matters. Unless I reach their level, thinking about this is just pointless."
He gazed at the moon once more—
yet in his mind, Kaguya and Ayaka's faces continued to overlap.
After a moment, he sighed softly.
"…If only she could stay in Sage Mode all the time… and with that long white hair…"
---
The next morning, Kei woke early.
Today, the main Konoha forces were returning.
No matter how little he cared for ceremonies—
he still had to show up.
The village was bustling.
Almost every civilian had gathered at the gates to welcome the returning heroes.
Though Kei suspected—
many were more interested in seeing the captives.
The Fourth Raikage.
The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
Both defeated.
Both brought back.
Capturing a Kage—
that was something unprecedented.
Not just in Konoha's history—
but in the entire shinobi world.
A Kage wasn't just the strongest ninja of a village—
they were its symbol.
Its authority.
Its pride.
They would rather die than be captured.
And yet—
now one stood defeated.
And alongside him—
a Jinchūriki.
Unthinkable.
"…There are way too many people," Kei muttered, standing at the front as he looked over the massive crowd, frowning slightly.
While such numbers showed unity—
and boosted morale—
they also brought trouble.
And trouble—
was something Kei disliked more than anything.
This likely had something to do with his position.
As head of the Police Force, nearly all matters of public order within Konoha fell under his authority. And now, his jurisdiction was still expanding. If anything went wrong, certain people would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to use it against him.
Kei didn't fear that, nor did he particularly care—but it was undeniably troublesome.
Since he had chosen not to abuse his power, and to play within the rules as long as others didn't cross the line, he naturally wouldn't act recklessly.
What he did find regrettable, however, was ending the war too quickly.
Otherwise, he could have conveniently sent those who constantly opposed him—the ones he found particularly irritating—straight to the battlefield.
Let them experience war firsthand.
Let them face the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki themselves.
And if they managed to provoke either of them enough to get themselves killed…
that would have been even better.
A pity.
Their luck… had been far too good.
"Kei, how are the Police Force arrangements?" Minato asked quietly from beside him.
"There are too many people here. Kakashi is already deployed in concealment, setting things up," Kei replied after a brief pause. "They're mainly watching for anyone who might cause trouble."
"I see. The Police Force has been fully mobilized. Even if I'm not directing things personally, there shouldn't be any issues."
That confidence wasn't unfounded.
The Police Force had already committed a large portion of its manpower to the war, even sending out two of its four squad captains.
But it had been worth it.
Their performance on the battlefield, combined with the villagers' awareness of their current manpower shortage, meant people were less likely to make unreasonable demands.
Moreover, after two years of steady management, the Police Force's reputation had improved significantly—it now carried both respect and deterrence.
No one wanted to provoke them and invite trouble.
"That's good," Minato nodded, then sighed softly. "War… it brings disaster, but also courage and unity. Honestly, I hate it—but sometimes, I can't help but think… perhaps at certain moments, it's necessary."
"That's simply how it is," Kei said calmly. "War is an extension of politics. It serves political and national interests."
"Take this war as an example. We allowed it to unfold—but through it, we boosted morale and accomplished goals we had been planning for years."
"That may be true, but…" Minato hesitated before continuing quietly, "we also lost many excellent shinobi. Their deaths—"
"If you focus only on the casualty list, you'll remain a good commander, Minato," Kei interrupted.
"But that's not what a Hokage should say."
"Yes, we should mourn their sacrifice—but more importantly, we must remember what their sacrifice achieved."
"What it brought to Konoha. The change, the vitality."
"That's what matters."
Minato fell silent.
Suddenly, a familiar phrase came to mind—something Kakashi had once told him.
Something Kei himself had said before:
A true strong person isn't one with great power, but one who can carry the will of fallen comrades and keep moving forward.
That line had spread widely throughout Konoha.
Nearly every shinobi knew it—because almost no one who had lived through war hadn't lost someone.
Now, Minato realized—
as Hokage, what he had to carry wasn't just the will of a few…
but the will of countless fallen shinobi.
"…I understand," Minato said at last, his expression firm. "Thank you, Kei. Honestly… I've always thought you'd make the best Hokage."
"Hokage?" Kei tilted his head, then sighed theatrically. "You're barely older than me. Looks like I won't get the chance."
Minato blinked—then laughed.
Just as he was about to respond—
cheers erupted in the distance.
"Fugaku-sama has returned!"
The cry spread instantly.
Even those who couldn't yet see anything joined in.
The sound swelled like a volcanic eruption—
like a tidal wave crashing forward—
unstoppable.
From miles away, it could still be heard.
At that moment—
the roaring cheers drowned out everything else.