Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 168 Past and Future

Naruto really liked Sasuke's smile. He knew that the Uchiha clan members were all rather awkward; unless their inner joy was uncontrollable and involuntarily revealed, they rarely showed very strong emotions. Young Sasuke was quite easy to please, but the older he got, the harder he became. He hadn't seen that kind of smile in a long time. Trying new things with Sasuke really worked; his mood had improved dramatically!

After a pleasant experience of tasting and opening the shells, he noticed the captain had spread them out on the deck for the crew to choose from. There were only four people on board, including the captain, and they had hauled in eighteen shells—far too many to distribute evenly. He observed that the crew hadn't taken the largest shells, but instead cleared out the smaller ones. Finally, the two extra shells were given to the captain.

“His mother is still receiving treatment, and the family is spending a lot of money, so he should contribute more.” The uncle noticed Naruto’s gaze and quietly explained to his captain, “This kid has his eye on a girl and is thinking about getting married.”

"No need to explain, I won't ask any more questions," Naruto said calmly.

"Don't ask, this kid's shy. He'll argue for ages before finally accepting this little thing," the uncle warned, then left satisfied.

During the brief period of returning to port, Naruto wasn't idle. He first used his super senses to briefly scan the situation on the shore, roughly matching it with the report from the Land of Mist in his mind, and then processed a few urgent reports. Even Hashirama, who worked non-stop, had his days off, but the leader of the Hidden Clouds didn't. At least until the communication problem was resolved, a few messages would pop into his mind from time to time.

"You and Sasuke ran off to the ship in the Land of Mist?" Izuna's emotions were unstable, and he seemed to be considering the easiest way to curse.

"Isn't this just a side benefit? The Land of Iron might not even send the body back." Naruto was quick to find an excuse.

"So, will we deliver it?"

I packed them separately; I'll deliver them.

Izuna was quiet for a moment, and Naruto nervously sensed his emotions gradually calming down from their initial agitation. "I'll inform Hizashi to prepare. Just this once, when you go to inspect! Don't give yourself away; you must leave before the Cloud Village people return."

"Okay, thank you, Izuna-kun."

This communication from a day ago has made Naruto feel quite relaxed. July is a busy month for fishermen; if it weren't for the threat of sea monsters, they might have seen even more impressive fleets. Therefore, Izuna specifically instructed the fishermen not to make a big fuss and to let them explore on their own. Naruto didn't want to become a burden on the fishermen's work.

Who is Hizashi? His full name is Hyuga Hizashi. After being rescued, he saw a sea of ​​reanimated corpses and learned about the state of Konoha over the years, as well as Hiashi's grand ambitions. He was stunned for a long time. He had been oppressed by a feudal clan his entire life, constantly sacrificing himself since childhood. Only after his son was born and showed his talent did he develop a slight desire to rebel. But those swept up by fate ultimately die by fate. He still willingly became Hiashi's scapegoat, just to fulfill the unchangeable bond of blood. Later, Naruto, as Kinrin, brought Hizashi into Konoha and, using Naruto's identity, arranged for Guy's team and Team 8 to meet. The interaction between the young people was full of vitality. Watching the children communicate harmoniously, seemingly without any constraints of rank or status, Hizashi finally understood his mission in being reborn.

His mission is to make a world where everyone is treated as a human being a reality.

Hijiri was a highly efficient person. In a very short time, he immersed himself in studying the publicly available cases compiled by Hui, setting a record for passing the assessment in the shortest time. He then voluntarily chose to be stationed near the Land of Lightning, determined to change this extremely xenophobic and closed country, without any psychological qualms whatsoever. Originally, his station was on the other side of the Land of Mist, but after the failure of the naval operation, everyone placed high hopes on Byakugan and transferred him here. However, headquarters did not approve a second naval operation and instead assigned the mission to Kumogakure.

Naruto wasn't worried about being recognized by Hizashi; he was more concerned that Sasuke might notice something amiss, since Sasuke had mentioned the name just a day and a half ago, and Sasuke hadn't known Hizashi was there then. Personnel deployment was tiered; only emergencies required telepathic deployment, and Hizashi, who was there as a backup plan, clearly wasn't at that level.

Lost in thought, Naruto found the coastline almost within reach. He glanced over instinctively and was pleased to see that the port wasn't crowded; the number matched the fleet size perfectly, suggesting most were there to pick up loved ones rather than for a special welcome party. He saw Senju Kaga and Hyuga Hizashi standing side-by-side on the shore. Hizashi's Byakugan glanced at him, likely confirming their identities. Looking at the crowd, he noticed they were generally thin, but their eyes shone brightly, a seed of hope planted, waiting to grow into towering trees. There was even an old man in the crowd; he was in good health, though his hunched back was probably from the hardships he had endured in the past…

As he scanned the old man's face, he suddenly froze. He wouldn't forget that face—that dark complexion, that gaunt figure, like any old man who had suffered greatly. But he was special, because Naruto had witnessed firsthand how this old man had bravely disappeared to protect a child, in a dream. Back then, he was even older, his hair had gone from graying temples to completely white, his eyes were no longer as bright, they were incredibly cloudy, and his face was so emaciated it resembled a skeleton. That's why Naruto had to look him over twice before recognizing him.

How could he not have thought of that? Pearl, a sick mother, a girl he cared about—wasn't that exactly what he dreamed of? And then there was the old man, leaning on his cane, waiting for his child on the shore. The ravages of time couldn't be erased in a short time, but the genuine smile on his face was undeniable. Naruto felt happiness.

That's wonderful. The mother is still alive, the elderly woman in her fifties no longer needs to board the boat, and the young man no longer needs to spend every day in the water.

When Sasuke asked him a question, he finally understood the whole story. He was so focused on it that even after answering, the matter was still on his mind. This could be considered changing the future, couldn't it? He was truly happy, so incredibly happy. It was just a pity that only he knew this, only he could so clearly see the significance of Hikaru to the world. This should be his life's pursuit: to make this world a better place, and to possess the power to protect that beauty.

So he asked, "The world is slowly getting better, isn't it?"

Sasuke nodded.