Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 173
🕑 Added 2025-02-01 22:36:34 +0000 UTCFor ninja villages, when peace arrived, the quickest way to feel it was through the commercial streets and vibrant night markets.
The merchants experienced the contrast between war and peace most vividly, and they adapted the quickest.
As the sunset fell, the streets suddenly came alive. It was as if they had been deep-fried in oil, exuding a rich, bustling energy. A variety of food stalls filled the street corners, and the sounds of eating, drinking, talking, laughing, and hawking blended into one lively scene.
The flickering flames of the streetlights instantly pushed the atmosphere of the night market to its peak.
Dressed in casual clothes, Masashi strolled through the street, savoring the lively atmosphere.
If his companions from the past could see such a sight, they would surely feel comforted, knowing their sacrifices had not been in vain.
At the very least, Masashi himself believed so.
Survival was one thing, but more than that, he hoped this new life he had gained would be meaningful.
In the Warring States Period, there was no concept of "home." A nomadic existence was the theme of life. Konoha was the first true home he had found in this world.
He had sacrificed much to protect this home.
He deeply understood Hashirama's desire to safeguard the ninja village. Everything from his life as Muzo existed only in his memories now. The ninja village was the only place that could evoke a similar sense of belonging for him.
His resolve to protect the village was no less than anyone else's.
By the time he reached the restaurant where they had agreed to meet, a line had already formed outside.
"As expected of Yaku," Masashi mused. "The standards for dinner are high—this place isn't cheap."
After checking in, he headed upstairs to the private room. He could hear the rowdy laughter and chatter before even opening the door.
It was widely known that the Uchiha clan valued both filial piety and cheerful camaraderie.
Sliding the door open, he immediately saw Tetsuka standing with his hands on his hips, laughing uproariously.
Then, with a sudden "plop," Masashi felt something latch onto his leg.
What was going on?
Looking down, he saw little Sasuke happily hugging his leg and yelling, "Masashi-nii! I want to learn ninjutsu! I want to beat Naruto!"
"???" Masashi blinked in confusion.
Why is Saskuke here?
He shifted his gaze to the organizer of this gathering.
Yaku, seated in the host's chair, smiled warmly and nodded at Masashi.
Next to Yaku was an elegant woman, accompanied by a little girl with braided pigtails. The girl was adorable but seemed quite shy.
As a man with an eye for subtle cues, he instantly read Yaku's hidden expression.
That expression said, "Yeah, I'm screwed."
Oh, great. A family dinner, huh? If you still have the guts to sneak out for drinks later, I'll salute you as a true man.
Scanning the room, he noticed that almost everyone had brought their family along.
Even Tetsuka had brought his younger brother.
While Fugaku wasn't present, Mikoto was there. Itachi, on the other hand, looked a little sour, watching Sasuke clinging to someone else's leg and calling him "big brother."
Among those who had come solo, the only other one besides Masashi was Shisui, who was cheerfully playing with someone else's kids like the nice guy he was.
The room was unusually spacious, or else it wouldn't have fit everyone.
The vibe wasn't bad, but... why didn't anyone tell him beforehand? If he'd known, he could've invited the lovey-dovey couple from his household who, despite being middle-aged, were still madly in love.
"Masashi-nii! Masashi-nii!" Sasuke, feeling ignored, started shaking his leg impatiently.
"Alright, I hear you." Masashi bent down to pinch Sasuke's cheek playfully. "Why are you always fighting with Naruto? Didn't I teach you enough stuff already? At least act a little more like a ninja."
"Hahaha!" Sasuke let out a proud imitation of adult laughter. Masashi felt like the boy was mimicking his father, which made his expression look hilariously twisted.
"I don't want to crush him too hard, so I make myself fight like a kid!" Sasuke declared pompously.
Your "platypus" logic really takes after your dad, huh?
"If you swing around like that, you'll rack your balls."
"You and Naruto are the same—take it slow. Neither of you is even old enough for school yet. There's no war in the village now, so I have all the time in the world to teach you."
"What balls?" Sasuke asked, confused by the strange warning.
"When you become a real ninja, you'll understand," Masashi replied solemnly. "Now go back to your mom. A real man takes good care of his mother."
"Oh!" Sasuke scampered back enthusiastically, feeling validated. His teacher had acknowledged him as a real ninja, and that meant he'd beaten Naruto.
He was thrilled!
Watching Sasuke bounce back to his mother, Masashi couldn't help but think the kid probably misunderstood something.
Still...
Without facing the dire circumstances of the original timeline, what would become of these two?
At the very least, by the time they graduated, their skills would surely surpass their original counterparts.
Sasuke didn't need much explaining. He essentially had three teachers: Masashi, Fugaku, and Shisui, with Itachi pitching in occasionally.
Four teachers in rotation.
Naruto wasn't far behind. Although Minato often worked overtime, he still carved out time to teach his son. Kushina, who handled most of the family education, was herself a Kage-level kunoichi.
In this timeline, Naruto received a complete Uzumaki clan inheritance.
Plus, he had Masashi as an "external tutor."
In comparison, Haku only had Masashi, but he devoted most of his energy to teaching the boy. After all, Haku was his true disciple.
Oh right, in hindsight, this would've been a great chance to bring Haku along and let him bond with the younger generation of the Uchiha clan.
At twenty-one, he often forgot that, in this timeline, he was still considered a "young man" too.
However, the age range from twenty to thirty was a ninja's physical prime. Normally, a ninja's chakra reserves peaked during this period. Without special circumstances, it would only decline after that.
"Masashi, come sit over here," Mikoto called out with a warm smile.
"Mikoto-neesan, long time no see," Masashi greeted, walking over with a grin.
"Yes, it has been a while. Oh, by the way, I also invited Pakura and Hikari. They might be running a bit late," Mikoto casually dropped some news.
"Oh? Honestly, I didn't know everyone was coming today. Otherwise, I would've brought Haku along," Masashi said, feeling a bit wistful. "He's about the same age as Sasuke and the others, after all."
"Yes, it's important to nurture friendships among children early," Mikoto nodded in agreement. "Fugaku also said that now that the war is over, the coming years should be stable. It's time to focus more on the family."
She emphasized the word "family" with particular weight.
"Masashi, the same applies to you. Training is important, but for a man, starting a family and building a career go hand in hand."
Here it was! The legendary "family nagging" that every household seemed to have!
Three timelines in, and I still have to deal with this!? Why am I still being pressured to get married!?
"I understand, Mikoto-neesan," Masashi sighed dramatically. "But let's not talk about this on such a happy occasion."
"Exactly because it's a happy occasion!" Mikoto said with a knowing smile. "Don't worry, I won't push. Just remember, when Pakura and Hikari arrive, don't ignore them, okay? Drink less, talk more—you know, since…"
She trailed off with a meaningful smile. "You'll be drinking again later anyway."
Her expression was playful, filled with subtle undertones.
"There's no such thing as later or not later," Masashi said. "With a beautiful girl like you, Mikoto-neesan, who would even think about drinking? I'd be the first to scold them."
"Really now?" Mikoto's eyes curved into a smile. "Still, you've got to drink a little. Men's feelings are all in their sake."
"Oh, then I've got to criticize Fugaku-sama. I've never seen him drink—what a heartless man he must be."
Mikoto burst out laughing, thoroughly amused.
"That mouth of yours is bound to cause trouble someday," she chuckled. "Save all that wit of yours for Pakura and Hikari."
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Pakura! Hikari!" she called out cheerfully.
Masashi turned around to see.
Pakura and Hikari appeared at the entrance to the private room.
It wasn't the first time Masashi had seen Pakura in casual attire, but her outfit today suited her particularly well.
She was dressed in a red yukata, her usually tied-up hair let down this time. The loose, slightly tousled hairstyle made her look like she had just woken up, and the sash at her waist accentuated her figure, giving her a certain cold elegance.
As for Hikari, nothing suited her better than the combination of red and black. It gave her an ancient charm infused with sensuality and wildness.
"Long time no see," Pakura said as she walked over, exuding her usual confident charm. She was the true essence of a dignified older sister type.
While Hikari was like a wild little kitten, Pakura was a proud, untamed mare galloping across the wilderness.
"Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?" Mikoto teased.
"You've put me on the spot," Masashi sighed dramatically. "The three of you standing together—just breathtaking."
On the other side of the room, Shisui, who was playing with the kids, glanced over with a slightly surprised expression.
Meanwhile, Yaku gave a subtle nod of approval.
Yaku's wife, seeing Masashi up close for the first time, took a moment to evaluate him. She concluded that her husband truly just wanted to reward this young man today, not indulge in any dubious escapades.
After all, Masashi had such an honest look about him.
The rumors about him were clearly malicious slander.
Who didn't know that Masashi was obsessed with training and had repeatedly fought bravely for the clan? It was only natural that he would be targeted by people who disliked the Uchiha clan.
This good kid had endured so much for the clan.
But as for the rumors about her husband, she believed every word. She knew exactly what kind of person he was. This old pervert had even blocked the girls' bathroom door just to force her into a date back in the day.
He practically lost a leg whenever he saw a pretty girl!
"Everyone's here now, so let's sit down," Yaku gestured with a wave of his hand.
Quickly, everyone found their seats. The children were a bit unruly, but no one minded in this relaxed setting.
Masashi was pulled to the "guest of honor" seat, while Pakura and Hikari were invited to sit on either side of him.
Pakura seemed slightly embarrassed but didn't act overly shy. She exuded a calm confidence, taking a sip of sake before sitting down, thanking everyone for their invitation. Her straightforwardness earned her the admiration of the Uchiha members present.
Tetsuka wanted to whistle but was quickly silenced by a warning glare from his brother.
Hikari, meanwhile, remained her usual shy self. She also took a sip of sake, though her demeanor was that of a delicate, demure young lady.
Faced with this scene, what could Masashi do? Naturally, he had to drink too.
The atmosphere quickly reached a cheerful high.
Then, Yaku stood to speak.
"Today, we're just here to gather and enjoy ourselves," he said, raising his glass. "This first toast is for Masashi. We've all seen how hard he's worked recently."
Everyone raised their glasses, their expressions filled with appreciation.
Masashi lifted his glass once more, and Pakura and Hikari also raised their second glasses.
After they all drank, Yaku raised a second glass, his expression now solemn.
"The Uchiha clan has come a long way. There's no need for extra words. This toast is for our fallen kin."
Everyone drank the second glass in respectful silence.
It had indeed been a hard road.
So many lives lost, and only now did the Uchiha truly feel their sacrifices were meaningful.
"The third glass..." Yaku suddenly turned to look at Masashi, a mischievous smile on his face. "Everyone here is family, so we must continue to love and support each other! To take things further, we need even more closeness and love!"
"Oh! Well said, Uncle Yaku!" Tetsuka laughed heartily. "I'll drink two glasses to that!"
"In your dreams! Obviously, Masashi is the one who has to drink two glasses!"
"Exactly! Exactly! When did you ever drink this boldly before? You're the expert at sneaking and dumping your drink!"
The table erupted into laughter and teasing.
Tetsuka finally got to whistle this time, with no one stopping him.
Inoka was already calling for them to drink "cross-cupped."
"You're all drunk, aren't you?" Masashi said, half exasperated, half amused.
"Masashi."
A glass of sake was handed to him.
It was Pakura.
Being a great fighter didn't mean being a great drinker. She was the kind who turned red after just a sip.
Dressed in her red yukata, her flushed cheeks made her look like a living flame.
She boldly looped her arm through Masashi's.
"Our friendship is definitely worth a cross-cup toast. Come!"
She looked at him with bright eyes.
Masashi took the glass she offered, and they intertwined their arms, drinking each other's sake.
Perhaps the Suna's understanding of cross-cup toasts differed from Konoha's, but Masashi felt he understood Pakura.
From being betrayed by her own people to barely surviving, then joining Konoha, and finally reaching this point.
She had lost her old companions but found new ones.
Her emotions couldn't be summed up in words.
A ninja could not live without comrades.
Loneliness was a bitter taste, one not everyone could bear.
Unlike Hikari, Pakura never accepted reality as it was. She kept striving to carve out the reality she wanted.
For women, the bloody shinobi world was even harsher than for men.
Between Masashi and Pakura, there was a mutual admiration—not just as a man and woman, but as fellow shinobi. They resonated deeply with each other.
The so-called "ideal man" or "ideal woman" was, at its core, the embodiment of qualities one aspired to have.
Masashi admired her purity and authenticity. Pakura admired his firm will toward his chosen path.
Both saw in each other something to be admired.
