A long piece of music, composed of countless notes.
Before the melody of 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' ends, we do not know what will happen next, even if the previous foreshadowing may have set the tone for what follows. However, some will feel unwilling, and then during the progression of the piece, they will exhaust all means to change and correct it, perhaps craving just those few sparse notes.
But some fates change because of this.
The Ninja World is a long elegy, constantly offering praise to the dead, one by one, group by group, people who have been bound by chains since ancient times. Logan's original world was like this too.
Gazing at that more naked, stark side, within the familiar story, he did not choose to be helpless. The seasons cycled, and then year after year passed.
All that he worried about had found concrete answers, or so Logan thought.
Relying on the impulse to tune the music, the Team Daybreak he formed, though tattered, with all members loose, summarized as not looking promising, had a bright future. At least Logan had seen the possibility of beauty. At this very moment, Mai's joining, everyone communicating clumsily, this was a change where hope could be foreseen. He firmly believed this.
Logan had been a Ninja for a long time, and had also successively returned to being a student, but he should have started as a student initially, he had also lived in the Ninja World for over ten years, knew the map of the countries, could distinguish local customs.
From the first time returning to Fresno, to obtaining that magical drawing tablet, stumbling along, speaking of later, the total time there was almost not less than the time spent in modern society.
Due to the coincidental shuttling back and forth, he had gradually become a special stranger to both worlds, hard to distinguish, yet he still had to return to his original world that belonged to him.
This meant that possibly in the future, he would very, very rarely return, return to this land filled with clashing beliefs and constant strife.
He would very rarely participate in the disputes and battles that arose, even to the extent of choosing to no longer pay attention to the manga that partly reflected that place.
A person can only live one life focusedly.
Logan would ultimately have to bid farewell to the Ninja profession, which he couldn't say he hated nor liked, and to those people he had fought alongside.
The newly formed Team Daybreak had completed its assembly, just preparing to reveal its own voice and actions regarding the impending Fourth Ninja World War.
Sasori and Deidara, they would definitely walk a different path. Actually, the outcome of this originally grand-scale dangerous war, for the various countries and people, ordinary folks and Ninjas, would not be barely satisfactory in the end.
The outcome of the story of this Ninja World, this tale, is good. What Logan wanted to do was merely a small part of it, to participate in the experiences of a small group of people, wanting to have a beautiful, thrilling note.
The life courses that Logan's gaze fell upon didn't necessarily have to have good results, as he was just unwilling, that's all.
Applying a little fertilizer, sprinkling a little water, was probably the extent of what he could do. And seeing the Team Daybreak slowly take shape should mean some harvest was gained. Sasori and Deidara, two figures buried in darkness, were still bad-tempered and impatient, would resort to violence at the drop of a hat, too lazy to reason, possessed strange quirks and interests ordinary people couldn't understand… absolutely terrible.
As for how their final outcomes would turn out, Logan didn't know.
He didn't have the ability to foresee the future, couldn't guess such a distant future. What he understood was that the two were changing. As they kept running, kept fighting, when they witnessed the emotions blooming in humans under the war, crossed over the Fourth Ninja World War, moved bit by bit while being in darkness, reached a place where sunlight could shine on them, their lives would necessarily have different occurrences, as those processes were already different.
The girl born in the Land of the Moon, raised in Konoha, had always been on Logan's mind. To be honest, Mai joining this team did make him somewhat worried and concerned, but he also understood this was an important part of her growth path.
It was really great to be able to meet lovely people. Standing high in the Valley of the End, the sky breaking into dawn, more and more light spilling onto the continuous mountains, vast forests, rivers shimmering like silver threads... the world was illuminated, as if new.
Logan felt from the bottom of his heart, the beam of sunlight on his face had already turned into brilliant, cascading golden light everywhere as the morning sun leaped over the sea of clouds.
The matter of the girl's feelings was also set aside here. The burden on his shoulders didn't feel oppressive. He breathed a long sigh of relief, just like after the battle against the Uchiha.
The light of the morning glow was at the horizon, the end of the mountains and sky. His Shippuden had ended long ago, but the Ninja on this continent hadn't finished yet.
Sasori, Deidara, Mayi... the Team Daybreak would have new journeys, continuing to leave echoes in the future.
The figure of Itachi surfaced in his thoughts. The other was probably continuing his unfinished business in some corner unknown. Logan knew he couldn't stop him. Having dismantled the misunderstanding between the brothers, the path afterward, whether dying for the cause he devoted his life to, or otherwise, whether it was the best ending for Itachi or not...
Logan would support him and fully believe that there were no regrets.
The sun rose to a slant overhead. Today was good weather. Reaching this point, Logan ultimately had to bid them farewell.
…
Tokyo, midsummer July.
The hot season in the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures were climbing day by day with the sun. Today, that unchanging heat was also tormenting and scorching this international metropolis.
On the bustling streets of the city center, pedestrians were shoulder to shoulder. Most people were pressing phones or hurrying with heads down towards their respective destinations.
The crowded masses caused chaotic breathing. The red sun overhead, having already entered high temperatures in recent days, intensified this situation, especially outdoors, the air was scorching and seemed heavy and sticky, as if dipped in water.
Friday found most people still toiling for their livelihood, and the scramble crossing outside Shibuya Station was a dense sea of black. Salarymen in formal attire, ties neatly fastened, clutched their suit jackets and frowned as they brushed at their soaked white shirts; women held umbrellas, beads of sweat tracing paths down their fair foreheads, snatching moments to check their compacts and maintain their makeup.
The traffic light changed, and with a surge, the crowd poured across.
Summer, though hot, possesses its own beauty that doesn't lose to the other seasons. Many things happen during these brief three months: splitting watermelons, the Koshien tournament, firework festivals, events that become traditions, repeating and imparting meaning year after year.
On the streets traversed by these busy people, in front of shop entrances, hung many supportive banners and promotional slogans for the firework festivals. Some were organized by the government, others perhaps by private individuals. Outside an enduringly popular music store, this year's summer theme song played on a continuous loop.
'Ah, the fireworks are almost here.' Passersby would realize with a start, an unconscious, faint strength rising unbidden in their hearts.
But Logan, mingling within the human tide, was sweating profusely and struggling, feeling no such encouragement. Having started early, he was on his way to some obscure little shop to reserve a yukata for the next day.
"Ah, it's so hot."
His exceptional physical prowess was useless in a situation like this. He silently followed the crowd, only finding relief when he ducked into a department store and felt the blast of air conditioning.
Spreading out a note in his hand, Logan walked past unfamiliar signs. He managed to avoid complete confusion only by constantly checking the address on the slip of paper and asking directions from staff members.
He had spent the entire morning on the subway, getting lost twice along the way, all to complete the task given to him by Sumika.
His girlfriend had personally emphasized it, so he had no choice. Twisting and turning through the commercial district, Logan somehow traversed the entire area before finally finding the specialized yukata rental shop tucked away in a corner outside the main building.
Last winter, they had promised to watch the firework festival together again. Back then, looking at Sumika's lovely face, Logan, caught up in the moment, had naturally agreed, leading to this midsummer night's date.
Of course, Logan was happy about it. The sweat he shed wasn't from exhaustion, it was from joy found within the effort.
Sumika was still working at the shrine and couldn't accompany him. Arriving at the yukata shop, Logan was stunned to find a long queue stretching from this utterly ordinary-looking place.
Clearly, preparing just one day in advance for a nationwide celebration was a bit last-minute. After more dawdling and another half day spent, he took a brief rest before happily scurrying off to pick up his girlfriend from work.
"Logan-kun, thank you for your hard work~" Sumika changed her clothes, and upon meeting him, greeted Logan with a soft, warm hug.
At times like these, it was natural to act composed, replying with an easy smile and a casual, 'It was nothing'. With a fragrant jewel in his arms, the day's fatigue seemed hardly worth mentioning.
A night spent being nauseatingly affectionate in ways single dogs could scarcely imagine, and Tokyo welcomed the fireworks of the summer festival the next day.
Once again, it was the sparsely populated slope by the river. By his side was a girl, fresh and fragrant, who had stayed by his side through thick and thin, now gazing at him with a clever, charming smile.
If one were to ask how summer fireworks differed from winter ones, the vibrant reds, greens, and myriad colors blooming in the sky were hard to distinguish in any particularly novel way. The designed patterns and the procedures before and after the show changed every year, but the general experience remained similar. The breathtaking scene painted on the city's night canvas was always equally stunning.
But for the couples beneath the fireworks, for the people who cherished each other, how did they feel?
As Logan and Sumika watched the sky, they knew the firework festival was similar, yet time carried people forward. A year had passed, and even returning to the same spot felt profoundly different.
"It's wonderful." Sumika said.
The young woman wore a intricately patterned yukata tonight, seemingly to emphasize the difference from the previous year. Yet whether it was the simplest solid color or complex, expensive elegance, Sumika could carry any style.
The more intricate the design, the more it served to highlight her noble beauty. Even if draped in a twelve-layered junihitoe, it would hardly challenge Sumika.
Logan hummed softly in agreement. The firework festival had begun. The roar of the explosions traveled far, their deep echoes skimming across the river's surface, mirroring the night scene and stealing away the hearts of the countless people on its banks.
He looked down at the woman in her splendid attire. The soft, charming patterns traced the intricate designs of her yukata, with multiple layers of deep colors overlapping at the cuffs and hem. Her makeup was delicately applied with rosy hues, and her hair was elegantly styled up, giving her an ethereal appearance, as if untouched by the dust of the mortal world.
The fireworks were similar, and the person beside him was the same, this was the most reassuring thing of all.
He thought of the poem, 'Last year today at this very door, a face and peach blossoms mirrored each other's glow'. Coincidentally, it was the opposite of the poem's sentiment. He then recited this poem to the girl.
Sumika's language studies had progressed quite well. She frowned slightly, trying hard to grasp the meaning, then suddenly planted a soft kiss on Logan's cheek.
"The artistic conception is beautiful, but it doesn't fit the mood. Recite another one!"
"It's precisely because I'm luckier than that poor sod who wrote the poem that I'm showing off." Logan said calmly, crossing his arms, "Another one? I don't usually recite poetry for just anyone. If you want to know more, go look it up yourself."
Hearing this, Sumika obediently said, 'Oh', always maintaining an attitude of humbly seeking instruction, "Eh, wait."
Suddenly realizing something, she blinked and looked at Logan, whose academic level wasn't particularly high, "You don't know any others, do you?"
"..."
"How could that be?!"
The midsummer night's heat gradually receded amidst the cool droplets of water shattering against the rocks. The cicadas' chirping was drowned out by the commotion in the sky as Logan and Sumika leaned against the railing on the slope.
They often lamented how quickly time passed. Sumika, exposed to the rapidly changing metropolis, and Logan, striving amidst different backgrounds, would frequently reflect and realize upon looking back.
This year, too many things had happened... or perhaps it should be counted from the time they first met.
Sumika had grown increasingly accustomed to life here. Logan himself had gradually returned to a peaceful daily life from the Ninja World, easing the burden of loans with the money earned from mediating disputes among adults. The small boat they built together sailed steadily.
Sometimes, Sumika would be shopping online on her phone or posting singing videos to become a glorious uploader. When met with Logan's astonished gaze, she would look disdainful, shooing him away saying, 'Don't bother me', while looking at him as if he were some country bumpkin.
After experiencing similar things multiple times, Logan had grown accustomed to it, both amused and exasperated.
Boom, boom...
The magnificent, brilliant fireworks burst one after another overhead. The people gathered below would, unsurprisingly, come every year. At a similar firework festival, Logan and Sumika found themselves lingering, reluctant to leave.
In their beautiful season, they would experience immense changes.
The fleeting, colorful blossoms in the sky were imprinted anew before the faint traces of the previous ones could fade, as if the past and future were fantastically alternating.
Gazing at them in July, Logan thought of the college entrance exams in June and, more importantly, the days that lay ahead.