286-290

Chapter 286: Checking Things Out 

After listening to Shindai recount what happened at the hospital, Fugaku Uchiha seriously wondered if Shindai was a complete idiot. But Shindai was usually so smart, wasn't he? He'd done so much research. That meant his intelligence wasn't the issue. His emotional intelligence... that shouldn't be a problem either, he got along great with Obito and the others, and even with bigshots like Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Jiraiya. 

Yet, listening to Shindai's incredibly detailed description, Fugaku could pretty much guess what actually happened. Pakura was likely embracing and comforting Uchiha Hikari out of sympathy for her past, and Hikari probably showed a happy smile because she was letting go of the past and choosing to start a new life. 

But somehow, in Shindai's mind, it became a love story between them. Fugaku couldn't understand it, really couldn't grasp how Shindai's brain worked. 

Fugaku wanted to leave. The important business was done, and he honestly had no idea how to talk to Shindai anymore; they were completely on different wavelengths. 

"Well, then, Shindai, I'll leave Hikari's matter in your capable hands. I'll take my leave now." 

"Alright, Clan Head Fugaku, take care." 

A Sneaky Investigation 

After seeing off Fugaku Uchiha, Shindai settled onto the sofa. 

"Ugh, the sleepiness is gone, and the craving for a smoke is back... I'll just have one in the bathroom. Pakura and Hikari should be home much later, so the smoke smell will be gone by then. Oh, right, Pakura and Hikari bought some new clothes that looked pretty weird. I should go see what's up with those." 

Shindai pulled a pack of cigarettes from under the table, lit one, and exhaled contentedly. Then he went into Pakura and Uchiha Hikari's room, grabbed their new clothes, and headed to the bathroom to investigate. 

Busted! 

At that very moment, Pakura and Uchiha Hikari were walking down the street. 

"Whew, we can finally rest for two days. Hikari, how about we have a good stroll around tomorrow?" 

"Sounds good! We haven't worn our new clothes yet. Let's wear them out tomorrow." 

"That's exactly what I was thinking! Let's head home, I wonder what Shindai's up to." 

"He's probably just lying around sleeping. He's been home all day these past few days, either sleeping or watching TV." 

Pakura and Uchiha Hikari chatted as they walked home. Arriving at their doorstep, Pakura took out the key and opened the door. 

The moment they stepped inside, Pakura and Uchiha Hikari caught a whiff of cigarette smoke. They exchanged glances, both looking thoroughly annoyed. That Shindai guy was secretly smoking in the house again! 

Pakura and Uchiha Hikari stood at the bathroom door, able to hear Shindai's voice from inside. 

"Huh, where does this strap go? Around the neck? Wouldn't that choke me?" 

"Hmm? Is this a one-piece? Where do I even put my legs in?" 

"Tsk tsk, I swear, I'm gonna fall in love with myself." 

Hearing Shindai's muttered words, Pakura and Uchiha Hikari felt a bad premonition. 

Pakura grabbed the doorknob and twisted hard, while Uchiha Hikari pushed the door open. 

Shindai's body instantly froze, his eyes wide with horror as he stared at Pakura and Uchiha Hikari. Pakura and Uchiha Hikari's eyes were like they wanted to devour him. 

Shindai had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, wearing half-pulled-up stockings, and holding a piece of underwear in his hand that, judging by the size, belonged to Uchiha Hikari. 

Shindai's voice trembled: "I-I-If I told you you're dreaming, would you believe me?" 

Pakura and Uchiha Hikari walked into the bathroom without a word. 

Shindai frantically tried to explain, "I-I was just curious, really! Your clothes are so weird, so I wanted to see how they're worn." 

Uchiha Hikari had already closed and locked the bathroom door. 

Shindai had shrunk into a corner. "Is it too late to apologize now?" 

Uchiha Hikari snatched her underwear from Shindai's hand and tossed it aside. 

"Pakura, it's time for a good old brawl!" 

"Go for it, Hikari!" 

Next door, Kushina Uzumaki was comforting little Naruto: "Naruto, don't worry, your big brother Shindai just did something wrong, and the two big sisters are teaching him a lesson. You'll get used to it." 

Hearing the wailing from next door, little Naruto giggled. Kushina smiled and gently bumped her forehead against Naruto's. "Good job, little Naruto! Not scared at all~" 

Consequences 

By evening, Minato Namikaze returned home and, not seeing Shindai, asked curiously, "Hmm, where's Shindai?" 

Pakura casually replied, "Shindai? He lost his appetite today, so he's skipping dinner." 

Minato didn't suspect anything, just expressing a bit of surprise: "Shindai actually loses his appetite sometimes? That's rare." 

At home, Shindai was bound hand and foot, dangling in mid-air. His mouth was stuffed with one of his own stockings, swaying back and forth, only mournful whimpers escaping him. 

Back to Business 

The next day. 

"I really don't want to go out. My face is all bruised from your beating. Wouldn't it be super embarrassing if anyone I knew saw me?" 

Pakura shot Shindai a sidelong glance. "Hikari and I don't trust you to stay home alone now. What if you do something weird with our clothes again?" 

Shindai argued, "Hey, hey, how can you think that of me? I was just genuinely curious about your clothes! You know I make puppets, I was just looking for some inspiration from your clothes!" 

Uchiha Hikari scoffed. "Looking for inspiration from our clothes? Sounds like we went easy on you yesterday!" 

Pakura stated in an unyielding tone, "Anyway, you've completely lost our trust, Hikari's and mine. Just follow along obediently!" 

"Fine, fine." 

Completely powerless, Shindai could only tag along behind Pakura and Uchiha Hikari. 

Walking through the streets, Shindai also curiously observed Konoha. The village's reconstruction progress was incredibly fast; there were hardly any signs of the disaster it had endured, and most shops had already reopened. Shindai mulled it over in his mind: it was time to reopen his puppet shop too. 

A Decision About Home 

After wandering for a while, Shindai's hands were laden with many bags. He was exhausted, but Pakura and Uchiha Hikari were still shopping tirelessly. 

Finally, it was lunchtime, and the trio decided to go for sukiyaki. Starving, Shindai kept grabbing food with his chopsticks. Once full, while picking his teeth, he remembered the favor Fugaku Uchiha had asked of him yesterday. 

Shindai turned to Uchiha Hikari. "Oh, right, Clan Head Fugaku came to see me yesterday. He said he hoped I could persuade you to return to the Uchiha clan." 

Uchiha Hikari's body stiffened, and she asked seriously, "What do you think?" 

Shindai replied, "Me? What could I think? I told Clan Head Fugaku that I'd mention it to you and let you think it over, and that I wouldn't interfere with your decision. 

But I figure you probably won't go back. After all, Pakura... ahem, you don't even know anyone in the Uchiha clan anymore, so what's the point? Though Clan Head Fugaku also wants to retrieve the lost Uchiha fire style ninjutsu, besides wanting you back. 

It's your call. Just let me know what you decide." 

A faint smile appeared on Uchiha Hikari's lips, and she immediately said, "I'll give them the fire style ninjutsu they want, but as for going back, please tell them I decline." 

Chapter 287: Catching Itachi 

Uchiha Hikari agreed to give the Uchiha clan a copy of their Fire Style ninjutsu, but she flat-out refused to go live with them. Shindai, looking completely understanding, glanced at Pakura, who was sitting next to Uchiha Hikari. "Mmm, I get it, I get it~" 

Shindai pulled out a blank scroll and handed it to Uchiha Hikari. "Alright, start writing." 

Pakura looked confused. "Huh? So fast? Can't she write it at home?" Uchiha Hikari also stared at Shindai, puzzled. 

"I'm not in a rush," Shindai explained, "but Clan Head Fugaku certainly is. Since we're already out, you two can keep shopping, and I'll make a quick trip to the Uchiha compound to hand this over. Consider it a completed mission, then I'll come back and find you." 

Though Shindai said he wasn't in a hurry, he was practically bursting inside. If he didn't find a good excuse to slip away quickly, spending the entire afternoon shopping with Pakura and Uchiha Hikari would be absolute torture. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and just wanted to go home and sleep. 

"Alright, fine." Shindai's excuse seemed reasonable enough, so Uchiha Hikari began writing on the spot. She wrote down four ninjutsu: Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation, Fire Style: Great Fire Extinction, Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning, and the Uchiha Flame Formation. 

"There. I saw the Uchiha ninja using their techniques during the Nine-Tails attack, and these four seemed to be missing. Take them and give them to your clan. Be warned, though, these techniques are quite demanding on chakra reserves. If you don't have enough, they might not even be as effective as a simple Fireball Jutsu." Uchiha Hikari handed the scroll to Shindai. 

"That's their problem then. We've eaten our fill, and I'll take your shopping bags back for you. So, you two enjoy the rest of your shopping! I'm off!" Shindai stood up, let out a burp, grabbed the bags, and left the sukiyaki restaurant, heading towards the Uchiha compound. 

After Pakura paid the bill, she and Uchiha Hikari also left. Walking down the street, Uchiha Hikari suddenly stopped. "Wait, Pakura, I think we've been tricked!" 

Pakura looked confused. "What do you mean?" 

Uchiha Hikari's voice was tinged with annoyance. "Shindai said he'd come back to find us after giving the scroll to the Uchiha, but when he left, he said he'd take our shopping back for us! That means he never intended to come back for us at all; he was planning on going straight home!" 

Pakura thought about it for a moment. "You're right! That guy! He's so unwilling to shop with two beautiful women!" 

Uchiha Hikari huffed. "I'll give him a reminder, just in case he tries to do something weird with our shopping when he gets home!" 

Shindai, feeling quite pleased with himself, was cutting through a quiet alley on his way to the Uchiha compound when Uchiha Hikari's voice suddenly echoed in his mind. 

"If you dare to do anything weird with the stuff Pakura and I bought, you're not going to have a good time!" 

The sudden voice made Shindai jump. Once he recovered, his mind was filled with indignation. He wasn't some pervert! Why would he do anything weird with their shopping? Did they really have such a bad impression of him?! 

But thanks to Uchiha Hikari's reminder, Shindai remembered the "imprint" on his body. Now he had a new goal: pester Uchiha Hikari until she released him from it! 

Shindai arrived at the alley across from the Uchiha compound's entrance but stopped, hesitating. Two Uchiha clan members were standing guard at the gate, and Shindai had purposefully chosen alleys with fewer people. He was suddenly nervous about seeing so many strangers. 

"What should I say later? 'I'm looking for Clan Head Fugaku; tell him to come out and see me'..." 

"No, that sounds like I'm looking for trouble. 'Please, Clan Head Fugaku, could you grant me an audience'?" 

"That's also not right! I'm here to deliver ninjutsu to them, that sounds too humble!" 

Just as Shindai was debating how to phrase his request, he spotted a familiar figure: Uchiha Itachi. Itachi, with a messenger bag slung over his shoulder, was walking towards the Uchiha compound. 

Shindai instantly used a Body Flicker Jutsu to appear behind Itachi, grabbed the back of his collar, and then used another Body Flicker to bring them both into the alley. Itachi was momentarily bewildered, then even more so when he saw Shindai. 

"Shindai... sir?" 

Shindai corrected him. "What 'sir'? Call me 'big bro'!" 

Itachi paused, then asked, "Shindai si... big bro, what can I do for you?" 

Shindai replied, "You're here to see your dad. Your dad asked me to do something for him earlier." 

Itachi's mind was a mess. Shindai needed his dad, so why didn't he just tell the Uchiha guards at the gate? Why did he grab him? 

Itachi asked, confused, "So?" 

Shindai grinned. "Well, you know, I'm not familiar with the area. Could you do me a favor and call your dad out for me, or take me to him?" 

Itachi's expression was peculiar. Were he and Shindai really that close? They'd only met a few times, and they hadn't really talked much. However, Shindai was Obito's friend, and he did say his dad had asked him for something. So, Itachi agreed. "Alright, Big Bro Shindai, follow me." 

Uchiha Itachi led Shindai to the entrance of the Uchiha compound. Itachi thought Shindai would explain to the guards why he was there, while Shindai was expecting Itachi to do the talking for him. So, they ended up in a standoff at the Uchiha compound gate: Itachi and the two Uchiha guards staring at Shindai, and Shindai staring at Itachi. 

Uchiha Itachi was seriously getting a headache. Why were they all staring at him? Just say something! 

After a long moment, one of the Uchiha guards couldn't hold back anymore and asked, "Shindai-san, are you looking to enter the Uchiha compound?" 

Shindai nodded. "Ah, yes." 

The two Uchiha guards stepped aside. "Then please, come in." 

Now it was Shindai's turn to be a little bewildered. "Huh? That simple?" 

The Uchiha guards answered with a smile, "We all saw your brave actions during the Nine-Tails attack, Shindai-san. We greatly admire you. And since you're also Obito's friend, you must be here to see him, right? But Obito doesn't seem to be in the compound; he might be out on a mission, though we're not entirely sure." 

Hearing the Uchiha guards' praise, Shindai's back instantly straightened. "Ahem. I was trying to be low-key, but it seems everyone saw me. How embarrassing! I'm not here for Obito; I'm here for your Clan Head." 

"Oh, you're looking for the Clan Head! He's inside the compound. Perfect, then Itachi can take you to him." The Uchiha guard said to Itachi, "Itachi, we'll leave it to you to show Shindai-san the way." 

Uchiha Itachi nodded. "Understood. Big Bro Shindai, let's go in. I'll take you to Father." 

Shindai followed Itachi into the Uchiha compound. 

Chapter 288: Itachi and Izumi 

Shindai followed Itachi, successfully entering the Uchiha Clan compound. Shindai looked around the Uchiha compound, quite curious, as it was his first time there. 

Itachi Uchiha was secretly observing Shindai too. Their first meeting was at Minato Namikaze's wedding, and even then, Shindai seemed a bit odd. Later, Itachi had heard Shindai's name mentioned a few times by Fugaku Uchiha. And then, after the Nine-Tails attack, Shindai's name became quite famous in Konoha. Recently, the names Itachi heard most, besides Obito, Shisui, and his dad Fugaku, was Shindai. 

Shindai and Obito's Susanoo teamwork had driven the Nine-Tails out of Konoha, preventing further damage to the village. The rumors circulating in Konoha described Shindai as one of Minato Namikaze's most trusted individuals, incredibly strong, and a standout among the new generation of ninja who made an indelible contribution during the Nine-Tails incident. 

This was Itachi and Shindai's first proper interaction, and Itachi's impression of Shindai was... well, he was a bit perplexing. 

"Itachi~" 

As they ventured deeper into the Uchiha compound, a girl about Itachi's age called out to him and then scurried over. 

"Itachi, where did you go? I couldn't find you." 

Itachi replied, "Izumi, I just went out to buy some things. I'm going home now. Did you need me for something?" 

Izumi's cheeks suddenly flushed slightly. She lowered her head, but her gaze instinctively flickered towards Itachi. "Um... can I come see Sasuke with you?" 

Itachi smiled and agreed. "You want to see Sasuke? Sure." 

Shindai suddenly interjected with a strange, teasing tone, "Tsk tsk tsk, 'see Sasuke'? I bet it's not really Sasuke you want to see, is it? Someone else, perhaps?" 

Izumi quietly asked, "Itachi, who is this?" 

Itachi introduced him. "This is Big Brother Shindai. I'm taking Big Brother Shindai to see my father." 

"Oh, hello, Lord Shindai." 

Upon hearing "Shindai," Izumi clearly recognized the name and immediately bowed to greet him. 

Shindai scratched his head and laughed heartily. "Haha, it's my first time being called 'Lord,' it's kinda embarrassing~" 

Shindai looked at Itachi and Izumi, sighing. "Childhood friends, innocent and pure, that's youth right there I wonder where my youth went" 

Izumi whispered into Itachi's ear, "Why is this Lord Shindai a bit... odd?" 

Itachi shrugged, indicating he didn't know either. He also felt Shindai was rather peculiar. 

Actually, Itachi himself found it a bit odd that Izumi suddenly wanted to see Sasuke. They didn't have much interaction. Last time, during the Nine-Tails attack, Izumi got separated from her family, and Itachi happened to pass by, so he took her to rejoin the evacuated crowd. Afterward, Izumi specifically came to thank Itachi. She had wanted to hold baby Sasuke, but Sasuke cried loudly, struggled fiercely, and even scratched Izumi's face. Izumi had clearly been scared by crying Sasuke back then, and Itachi thought she wouldn't like Sasuke because of it. He was surprised she still wanted to see him. 

Home and Business 

Upon arriving at Itachi's house, Itachi called out, "I'm home!" 

Mikoto Uchiha opened the door and, seeing Shindai trailing behind Itachi, looked surprised. "Shindai?" 

Mikoto Uchiha and Kushina Uzumaki were friends, so through their interactions, Shindai and Mikoto were also acquainted. 

Shindai told Mikoto, "Auntie Mikoto, I came to see Clan Head Fugaku. I have something to give him and something to tell him." 

Mikoto Uchiha welcomed him very warmly. "This is your first time at my house, Shindai! Come on in. I'll go get Fugaku. Oh, little Izumi, you're here too." 

Izumi shyly stood behind Itachi and said, "Yes, I came to see Sasuke!" 

Mikoto Uchiha smiled. "Is that so? Itachi, why don't you take Izumi to play with Sasuke? I'll entertain Shindai." 

"Alright." 

Itachi took Izumi to find Sasuke. 

Shindai entered the main house and sat at the table. Mikoto Uchiha poured him some tea and said, "Shindai, please wait a moment. I'll go get Fugaku." 

Soon after, Fugaku Uchiha arrived at the main house. Fugaku was quite pleased when he learned Shindai had come, as he assumed at least one of the two things he'd asked Shindai to do must have had a good outcome. Otherwise, Shindai wouldn't have bothered to seek him out. He hadn't expected Shindai to complete the tasks so quickly. Even if the guy was strange, his efficiency was certainly high. 

Before Fugaku could even offer formalities, Shindai had already pulled out a scroll. "Clan Head Fugaku, here are four Uchiha ninjutsu that Hikari wrote down." 

Seeing the scroll Shindai handed him, Fugaku understood that Uchiha Hikari had not agreed to return to live in the Uchiha compound. If she were coming to live there, there would be no need to specifically write down the ninjutsu and have Shindai deliver it; she could just tell him directly once she was back. 

Fugaku Uchiha took the scroll and thanked Shindai. "Thank you very much, Shindai." 

Shindai waved his hand. "It was nothing. Oh, and regarding Hikari returning to live in the Uchiha compound, I brought it up, but Hikari asked me to decline. She doesn't want to come back. Honestly, I think it's better if she doesn't. 

Clan Head Fugaku, think about it. Even though Lord Minato said that due to the sealing, Hikari's actual age is similar to ours, theoretically, she's old enough to be your great-grandmother. At that point, given the seniority, you wouldn't be able to interact with her normally..." 

Suddenly, Uchiha Hikari's voice echoed in Shindai's ears: "If you say 'great-grandmother' one more time, you're toast!" 

Shindai, his face flushed, shouted loudly, "If you keep spying on me, you're toast! Not me!" 

Fugaku Uchiha was startled by Shindai's sudden outburst but quickly understood. Eight Thousand Spears' marking allowed Uchiha Hikari to know Shindai's every move. Fugaku's guess was spot-on: worried Shindai might do something weird with their new purchases, Pakura had asked Uchiha Hikari to use the mark on Shindai to check on him. And as luck would have it, Uchiha Hikari overheard Shindai saying "great-grandmother." 

"Whew..." Shindai let out a long breath, forcing a small smile, and said to Fugaku Uchiha, "My apologies, I lost my composure." 

Fugaku Uchiha strategically took a sip of water. "Uh... no problem." 

Shindai continued, "Hikari is living quite happily with me now. So, let her continue living with us. We'll take good care of her, so there's no need to worry." 

Fugaku Uchiha had already prepared himself for this outcome. While Uchiha Hikari joining Konoha meant she had come to terms with her past, the past trauma was still a reality. Fugaku Uchiha nodded in agreement. "Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Shindai." 

Chapter 289: Forgive Me, Sasu-gay 

Uchiha Fugaku finally agreed to let Uchiha Hikari continue living with Shindai and the others. Honestly, there was no point in disagreeing. Shindai was right; based on her age, Uchiha Hikari was old enough to be everyone's great-grandmother. And as for strength? Four types of Mangekyo Sharingan abilities, plus a Perfect Susanoo... they couldn't possibly defeat her anyway. 

Regardless of the reason, if Uchiha Hikari didn't want to do something, they simply couldn't force her. 

Now that everything that needed to be said was said, Shindai and Uchiha Fugaku just stared at each other, not sure what else to talk about. Just as the atmosphere grew a bit awkward, Mikoto Uchiha pushed the door open. She carried a plate and placed it in front of Shindai, smiling. "Kushina mentioned you really like okonomiyaki, and we had the ingredients, so I made you one. I hope you like it, Shindai." 

"Thank you, Big Sister Mikoto." Shindai thanked her, but when he looked at the okonomiyaki on the plate, he felt a dilemma. He'd just eaten, and now he had no appetite! But Mikoto Uchiha was watching him expectantly, so Shindai had no choice but to pick it up and start munching. "Mmm, it's delicious~" 

"Glad you like it! Should I make a few more for you?" 

"No, no, that won't be necessary. I already had lunch... Oh, right! Can I go see Sasuke?" Shindai quickly declined, then skillfully changed the subject. He genuinely did want to see Sasuke; he hadn't had the chance yet. 

Mikoto Uchiha readily agreed. "Of course! I'll take you. Itachi and Izumi are playing with Sasuke right now." 

Shindai quickly devoured the okonomiyaki in a few bites, then stood up and said to Fugaku Uchiha, "Clan Head Fugaku, I'm going to go see Sasuke then." 

When it came to his son, Fugaku Uchiha's face softened with a gentle smile. "Alright. I think Sasuke will really like you." 

Shindai followed Mikoto Uchiha to another room. Inside, Itachi was playing with Sasuke, who was crawling on the floor, making his way towards Itachi. Izumi, meanwhile, sat next to Itachi, looking quite annoyed. Little Sasuke wasn't paying her any attention at all; he was completely fixated on Itachi. She'd hoped to use little Sasuke to get closer to Itachi, but now, Itachi was completely absorbed in playing with Sasuke, totally forgetting about her. 

"Oh, look how cute he is~" Mikoto Uchiha beamed with delight hearing Shindai praise Sasuke's cuteness. 

Shindai walked in and crouched down in front of Sasuke, wiggling his finger. "Come on, Sasuke, come play with your Big Bro Shindai." 

Itachi: ... Mikoto Uchiha: ??? 

Isn't that how you call a dog?! 

Little Sasuke glanced at Shindai, then resolutely turned his head away, ignoring him completely, and continued crawling towards Itachi. Izumi secretly chuckled to herself. Looks like little Sasuke isn't ignoring just her; he's like this with everyone except Itachi. 

Shindai's eye twitched. Then, with one hand, he picked up little Sasuke. Little Sasuke squirmed desperately in Shindai's hand, wailing. Itachi's heart ached, and he quickly said to Shindai, "Big Bro Shindai, Sasuke will be uncomfortable like that." 

However, Shindai's other hand, with two fingers pressed together, gently poked little Sasuke's forehead. It was as if a switch had been flipped; little Sasuke immediately stopped struggling, his tiny eyes fixed on Shindai, sparkling with curiosity. 

"Forgive me, Sasu-gay. This is the last time!" 

Itachi, Mikoto, and Izumi all stared blankly at Shindai, completely baffled by what he was doing. Suddenly, little Sasuke grabbed Shindai's finger that was on his forehead and started laughing happily. 

Shindai's smile stretched almost to the back of his head. "You really fall for that, don't you~" 

Izumi stared, wide-eyed, at Shindai and little Sasuke. He just... won over little Sasuke just like that? What was the point of all her efforts, even making herself look silly, just to try and make little Sasuke happy? 

"Sasu-gay, what's a gay? Sasu-gay, yay!" Shindai kept repeating it, sounding more natural each time, and little Sasuke laughed even harder. Itachi, Mikoto, and Izumi, however, grew more and more confused. 

After playing with Sasuke for a bit, Shindai prepared to head home. "Big Sister Mikoto, Itachi, and Itachi's little girlfriend, I'm off now. See you next time." 

Izumi's face instantly turned bright red at Shindai's casual remark, "Itachi's little girlfriend." 

Itachi was speechless. He silently vowed to keep his distance from Shindai from now on... and make sure Sasuke did too. 

Mikoto Uchiha gave Izumi, whose cheeks were now a deep shade of red, a knowing look. "Shindai, I'll walk you out. Itachi, you stay and play with Sasuke and Izumi." 

Shindai left with Mikoto Uchiha. 

After Shindai left, Izumi curiously walked over to little Sasuke. Mimicking Shindai, she gently poked Sasuke's forehead with her fingers. "Forgive me, Sasu-gay~" 

Little Sasuke smiled joyfully. Izumi felt like she'd discovered a new continent. "Oh, it really works! Itachi, Sasuke really likes it when you play with him like this!" 

Itachi's lips formed a tight line. For some reason, when Shindai and Izumi did that to Sasuke, he felt inexplicably offended. 

After playing for a while, Izumi also left for home. Now, only Itachi and Sasuke remained in the room. Sasuke had already crawled onto Itachi's lap. 

Itachi stared at Sasuke for a long moment, then slowly raised his hand and gently poked Sasuke's forehead. "Forgive me, Sasuke." 

Sasuke smiled even more happily than he had when Shindai and Izumi poked his forehead. Itachi scratched his head, puzzled. "Why does Sasuke like this gesture so much? Oh well, if Sasuke likes it, I'll do it more often from now on." 

Shindai walked home, his mind calculating a good day to reopen his puppet shop. As he was deep in thought, he heard a familiar voice. 

"Yo, long time no see." 

Shindai looked up to see Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi. Shindai looked surprised. "Oh? You're back?" 

Asuma lit a cigarette. "Yeah, with such a big mess in the Leaf, how could I not come back? Though I arrived a bit late." 

Just before Asuma put his cigarette back in his pocket, Shindai stepped forward and snatched Asuma Sarutobi's cigarette and lighter. He pulled one out for himself, lit it with satisfaction, took a deep drag, and then returned the rest to Asuma. 

Asuma Sarutobi looked annoyed. "Can't you buy your own? Why steal mine?" 

"I'm not exactly 'convenient' right now, sigh..." Shindai couldn't help but sigh, thinking of the two "goddesses" back home. 

Asuma saw Shindai's troubled expression and immediately looked smug. "What? Got yourself a leash, huh? Pakura won't let you smoke?" 

Shindai rolled his eyes. "You talk too much nonsense. Kurenai, stay away from delinquents like Asuma. Otherwise, you might catch whatever he has and turn into a hoodlum too." 

Asuma's face immediately turned red as he started yelling back at Shindai. Kurenai Yuhi watched Shindai and Asuma, speechless. 

Chapter 290: Danzo Wants to Stir Things Up 

Shindai and Asuma were trading insults on the street. Kurenai Yuhi, getting a headache from their squabbling, stepped between them. Shindai's route home was the same as Asuma and Kurenai's destination, so the three walked together for a bit. 

Asuma told Shindai, "You better be careful lately." 

Shindai scoffed. "What, are you threatening me? Planning to ambush me? You think you're tough enough? Go ask around! My name, Shindai, is a symbol of heroism in Konoha now!" 

Asuma sneered, "If I had been in Konoha at the time, there wouldn't have been any need for you! Besides, I'm giving you a friendly heads-up here. That 'thing' you gave my old man has been discovered by my mom." 

Shindai immediately froze, his expression aghast. "What?! Discovered?!" 

Kurenai asked curiously, "What was discovered?" 

Asuma exhaled a puff of smoke, scoffing. "You know what kind of shop this guy runs, Kurenai." 

Kurenai's gaze shifted to Shindai, and she suddenly understood. Shindai's adult puppets! She never thought the usually dignified, kind, and amiable Hiruzen Sarutobi would be into that kind of thing. But... she also had to admire Shindai for managing to get his business into the Third Hokage's hands. 

Shindai cautiously asked, "Did the Third Hokage give me up?" 

Asuma teased, "Oh, scared now, are we? The old man didn't give you up..." Before Shindai could even sigh in relief, Asuma continued, "Because it wouldn't make any difference. Who else but you would have that kind of stuff?" 

Shindai's heart tightened. "So what's the situation now? What happened with the Third? He promised me everything would be fine!" 

Asuma spread his hands. "Apparently, my mom forgot her money when she went grocery shopping. When she came home to get it, she just happened to catch him. I personally saw the old man getting scolded so badly he barely dared to breathe. So I'm just kindly warning you, my mom is terrifying when she gets mad." 

Shindai wiped cold sweat from his forehead. "I'll have to improve it in the future. I need to add an alarm system that goes off if anyone approaches." 

Asuma and Kurenai stared at Shindai with dark clouds over their heads. This guy's first reaction was to think about improvements so he wouldn't get caught? 

Parting Ways 

The three of them reached the intersection where they had to part ways. 

Asuma bid Shindai farewell. "Alright, we won't be seeing each other for a while. See ya." 

Shindai asked, confused, "What? Are you running away from home again?" 

Asuma retorted, annoyed, "Who's running away from home?! I've never run away! I'm just on a journey of self-discovery! And this time, I'm leaving for real business. The Daimyo is forming the Twelve Guardian Ninja, specifically to protect him, and I've been chosen." 

"Twelve Guardian Ninja? What kind of ridiculous name is that? Sounds like the Hokage Guard Platoon. Whatever, have fun, bye." Shindai scoffed with a disdainful laugh and walked off to the left. 

Asuma muttered, annoyed, "That guy, always so irritating!" 

Kurenai asked curiously, "By the way, Asuma, why do you always argue with Shindai when you see him? He seems like a pretty good guy." 

Asuma warned Kurenai, "He's a good guy? Kurenai, don't let him fool you. That guy has an awful personality. When I'm not in Konoha, try to keep your distance from him. I'm worried he'll lead you astray!" 

Kurenai replied, "Keep my distance from Shindai? I don't interact with him much anyway. Shindai rarely goes out and hardly ever takes missions." 

"That's good then. I'm leaving tomorrow. Be careful on missions with other people from now on." Usually, Asuma and Kurenai went on missions together. Now that he wouldn't be there, Kurenai would definitely have to go with others, and Asuma was quite worried about her. 

Kurenai smiled. "Don't worry, don't underestimate me. My genjutsu is pretty strong!" 

Konoha Moves On 

Days turned into weeks. The damage caused by the Nine-Tails attack had now been completely rebuilt. During this time, Tsunade had returned once to help treat the severely injured. After most of the injured were cared for, Tsunade left again with Shizune. 

Under Minato Namikaze's leadership, Konoha slowly returned to normal. Jiraiya hadn't returned since leaving; he was still searching for Yahiko and Konan, maintaining communication with Minato via contact frogs. Unable to find Yahiko and Konan in the Land of Rain, Jiraiya moved on to search other countries. 

Six months later. 

Nagato finally completed all Six Paths of Pain. On the day he finished, he immediately controlled the Six Paths of Pain to infiltrate Hanzo's base, killing all of Hanzo's guards and finally Hanzo himself. The Hidden Rain Village was now under Nagato's control, becoming the Akatsuki's stronghold. As Akatsuki developed, new members began to join. 

Everyday Life 

Pakura returned to work at the shop opened by the orphanage. Shindai's adult puppet shop also reopened, but now the only employee was Uchiha Hikari, because Kabuto Yakushi had been noticed by Orochimaru and was now following him. At Uchiha Hikari's strong insistence, Shindai made two "employees"—puppets specifically designed to introduce products and promote sales. Uchiha Hikari only had to sit there, collecting money and having people fill out forms. 

Shindai would sometimes be at the puppet shop when he had nothing else to do, but he was a Konoha ninja after all, so he still had to go on missions sometimes. Occasionally, he'd go with Obito and his team, and if the three of them weren't available, Shindai would go on missions by himself. 

Uchiha's New Image 

The Uchiha clan's reputation improved significantly due to their performance during the Nine-Tails attack, and the Konoha Military Police Force was no longer a private Uchiha department. Fugaku Uchiha had been diligently working to change the Uchiha's image, and the results were now apparent. Konoha villagers' perception of the Uchiha clan had greatly improved; they no longer feared or disliked Uchiha members. Moreover, Uchiha clan members in various Konoha departments were doing very well, and relations between everyone were now quite good. 

Of course, there were still some extreme Uchiha members who believed that Clan Head Fugaku had betrayed the clan and damaged its honor. They continued to oppose Fugaku and attempted to incite other Uchiha members to cause trouble. However, everyone else was living well and wouldn't be foolish enough to get involved in their schemes. Furthermore, Fugaku Uchiha didn't indulge them; he directly marginalized them by excluding them from clan affairs. Dissatisfied or not, they had to suppress it. If they tried to stir up trouble, they'd be punished directly. 

Danzo hadn't caused any trouble since the Nine-Tails incident, staying cooped up at home. But it would be strange if Danzo remained quiet. A year had passed since the Nine-Tails attack, and Danzo was now ready to stir things up again. 

It seems like Danzo is about to make his move! What do you think he's planning after a year of silence?