The war was over, and naturally, those who had been brought back through Edo Tensei would soon return to the Pure Land.
Minato and Naruto were saying their final goodbyes.
"There's still more than an hour until tomorrow, but I still want to wish you a happy birthday, Naruto. You've already grown into an incredible young man."
A relieved, proud smile appeared on Minato's face. Although he had been able to meet Naruto during the war, seeing how much his son had grown still filled him with happiness.
"Hehe, I'll keep working hard until I become a Hokage everyone acknowledges. I never go back on my word. That's my ninja way!"
Suppressing the reluctance in his heart, Naruto gave Minato a thumbs-up and smiled brightly.
"I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato, and the Red-Hot Habanero, Kushina!"
Minato nodded firmly. "Yeah. I believe you'll definitely achieve your dream."
While father and son spoke, Hashirama and Tobirama were talking with Seiryū elsewhere on the battlefield.
Hashirama patted Seiryū on the shoulder and smiled. "Thank you for everything you've done, Seiryū. I'll leave the Tsunade from your space-time in your care."
Tobirama added, "Even if she's from another space-time, I acknowledge you as my granddaughter's husband. It's just a pity that I won't be able to see your children when they're born."
Seiryū thumped his chest confidently. "Don't worry. I treat that troublesome woman very well. She won't escape from me in this lifetime!"
Hashirama and Tobirama both fell silent.
Something about that wording sounded a little strange.
Still, neither of them paid much attention to it. After talking for a while longer, they did not ask many questions about Seiryū's timeline. It was not something that could be explained in a few words, and they did not have much time left.
White light gradually appeared around the bodies of those revived through Edo Tensei, signaling that the technique was being released.
It was time for them to return to the Pure Land.
After exchanging their final farewells, the reincarnated shinobi disappeared one after another.
"All right. If there's anything you want to ask, just ask."
Seeing Tsunade staring at him, Seiryū knew she still had plenty of questions.
"I can answer some of them, troublesome woman of this space-time."
Tsunade really did have many questions. "Can you tell me about the other space-time? I'm curious."
"Of course." Seiryū smiled. "What do you want to know?"
"In that other space-time, are you and I really... in that kind of relationship?"
"Absolutely. I used to be your student. My Medical Ninjutsu, Yin Seal, Summoning Jutsu, and Sage Mode were all learned under your guidance. Later, our relationship changed, and you became my partner."
"St-student!?"
"Yeah, your student. You, that troublesome woman, had your eye on me from the time I was little. You swindled money out of me under the excuse of treating my illness, then practically raised me as your future husband. Back then, I wasn't strong enough to resist you, and eventually."
Tsunade opened her mouth, her expression becoming increasingly strange.
Was the version of her from that other space-time really that aggressive?
She had actually started raising him from childhood?
That was.
"How old are you now?"
"Uh... fifteen or sixteen, I think? I'm one year older than Kakashi. It's currently Konoha Year 51 in my space-time."
"What?! You're only fifteen or sixteen?!"
This time Tsunade was genuinely shocked.
Seiryū looked young, roughly the same age as Naruto and Sasuke, but she had not expected him to really be only fifteen or sixteen.
And he already possessed this level of strength?
What kind of genius was that?
"I'm in that kind of relationship with a boy who's only fifteen or sixteen?"
Tsunade suddenly realized what she had just heard. Her expression twisted strangely as she rubbed her forehead.
"Give me a moment."
Seiryū shrugged innocently. "Why else do you think I call you a shameless shotacon?"
Tsunade fell silent.
"Sage Seiryū, you're really only fifteen or sixteen?"
Naruto's loud voice suddenly came from nearby.
"Doesn't that mean you're only a year or two younger than me? So you never actually used some Technique of Eternal Youth? That was really what you looked like back then?"
"I would've been around nine at the time."
Seiryū rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
During the Rōran incident, he really had only been nine years old.
"Nine?! You were already that strong at nine years old? That's ridiculous!"
Naruto remembered their encounter in the past. He had personally witnessed Seiryū's strength back then, and now he was being told that had been the strength of a nine-year-old child?
What had Naruto been doing at nine?
Probably vandalizing the Hokage Rock.
Seiryū waved a hand modestly. "Well, I am the greatest genius in my space-time. Otherwise, how could I possess Kekkei Mōra-level combat power at my age?"
Everyone nearby fell silent.
They could not exactly argue with that.
If everything Seiryū had said was true, then possessing this kind of power at fifteen or sixteen really did make him an absurd genius.
Tsunade asked curiously, "Then why do you exist in that space-time, but not in this one?"
"Different timelines can split because of different historical outcomes. Maybe I was never born here, or maybe I simply didn't survive."
Seiryū explained, "The reason I ended up in Konoha was because Shinku-san brought me back. At the time, I was badly injured and close to death. If I hadn't awakened the special vitality of the Uzumaki Clan, I might have died then."
"Whether I survived or died may have been the point where our two histories diverged."
"Shinku?"
Hearing the familiar name, Tsunade's eyes sharpened slightly.
"You mean Yūhi Shinku?"
Seiryū smiled. "I'm the adopted son of the Yūhi family, and technically their future son-in-law as well. If you really wanted to count it that way, my surname could even be Yūhi."
Tsunade fell silent again.
Now he had another identity as the Yūhi family's future son-in-law?
Her partner, Rin's boyfriend, the supposed father figure of the Sage of Six Paths, and now the Yūhi family's future son-in-law.
That already involved four women, didn't it?
What exactly was wrong with this brat?
Was he really juggling four relationships at once?
Could the version of her from that other space-time actually tolerate this?
"It's currently Konoha Year 51 in your world, the year of the Nine-Tails incident. If that isn't handled properly."
"What Nine-Tails incident?" Seiryū interrupted. "You're worried the Nine-Tails is going to go berserk? Do you really think something like that could still happen?"
Seeing Tsunade's worried expression, Seiryū suddenly wondered if she had hit her head too hard during the battle.
"Uh."
Tsunade immediately realized how ridiculous she had sounded and blushed slightly.
"I didn't think that through. You just look too young."
"The Nine-Tails is extremely well-behaved now. It willingly gives Kushina-nee Chakra whenever she needs it. At this point, it's basically a domesticated pet."
Seiryū smiled.
"Besides, the version of you from my world could suppress the Nine-Tails with one hand."
"The name of the Fourth Hokage, Princess Tsunade, is known throughout the shinobi world. With Wood Style and Six Paths Sage Arts, your strength isn't any weaker than Naruto's or Sasuke's right now."
Tsunade looked surprised. "I'm the Fourth Hokage?"
"Yeah. You're the Fourth Hokage, and I'm your Hokage advisor. The two of us are basically Konoha's highest authorities, and we're always figuring out ways to make money."
Seiryū's expression became strangely nostalgic.
"Big construction projects everywhere. Dig up the roads today, lay cables tomorrow. As long as everything is managed properly, the money keeps circulating back into our hands."
He grinned.
"Hehe. Now that's the good life!"
Tsunade stared at him in silence.
There really was something odd about this kid.
Had that illness he mentioned actually never been cured?
(To be continued.)