Spring gives way to autumn, and the years flow like a river.
Another seven years have passed.
The new era of peace has settled over Konoha, allowing it to flourish not just in strength, but in spirit. Minato's proposed Hokage election system is now firmly in place, though it has yielded an unexpected, if respectable, problem. The village is rich with candidates of unparalleled caliber: Hatake Kakashi, the brilliant Lightning Fang; Uchiha Shisui and Itachi, masters of the Mangekyo Sharingan and respected leaders; Uchiha Sasuke and Namikaze Naruto, two of the most powerful shinobi in the world right now below the Yondaime Hokage.
Each one possesses the power, wisdom, and strength of will to lead the village. Yet, with Minato still at the helm, a leader who has brought them through darkness into an age of unprecedented prosperity, none have shown any inclination to challenge his position. All save for Naruto, whose childhood dream of becoming Hokage still burns bright.
This quiet reverence gives Minato a private headache. He knows Naruto is ready, but he hesitates to pass the mantle just yet. He believes his son, and the village, would benefit from a few more years of his own experienced leadership, especially with the lingering shadows of the Otsutsuki clan still a concern on the far horizon. And so, the era of the Fourth Hokage continues.
Winter has draped the village in a blanket of silver snow, but the cold does little to dampen the vibrant life within its walls.
Inside the Namikaze home, warmth and joyous chaos reign. The dining table, once spacious enough for their family of four, is now comically insufficient. Over the last seven years, their family has grown, and today's special guests have pushed their capacity to its limits. To accommodate everyone, Kushina, Chiharu, and Hinata have combined two large tables, creating a long, festive banquet setting where nearly everyone can sit together.
Today, the Namikaze clan hosts the Uchiha clan—the family of Mikoto and Fugaku, their dearest friends since their own Academy days.
At the moment, the entire table's attention is captured by the three youngest members of this new generation.
Kushina cradles a small girl in her arms, a living porcelain doll. The child's features and dark violet hair are a perfect echo of a young Hinata, but her eyes are the same brilliant, sky-blue as Naruto and Minato's. Gently, Kushina scoops some mashed sweet potato onto a spoon and brings it to the little girl's lips.
"Yummy!" the girl exclaims after swallowing. Her bright blue eyes curve into happy crescents as she raises two chubby little hands and wiggles with delight. This is Namikaze Himawari, Naruto and Hinata's youngest daughter, age three.
"I never thought I'd see the day Kushina became such a patient, doting grandmother," Mikoto teases from across the table, covering her smile with a hand. She has known Kushina's boisterous, carefree spirit for decades. "It seems taking care of children is the only thing that can make you sit still."
"Hima, you already learned to eat by yourself," a voice pipes up from beside Kushina. "Now you're making Grandma feed you? You're getting too big for that!" A boy of about six, with a shock of blond hair and two distinct whisker marks on each cheek, speaks around a mouthful of rice.
"Oh, is little Menma jealous?" Chiharu, sitting on the boy's other side, grins playfully. "How about this? Auntie Chiharu can feed you instead." She playfully lifts her chopsticks, picking up a piece of tamagoyaki.
"No way!" Menma protests, rolling his eyes dramatically.
"Don't be shy," Chiharu continues, poking his cheek with her chopsticks.
Trapped, Menma's eyes dart around, seeking aid from his parents. Naruto just grins, offering no help, while Hinata's gentle gaze is focused on the girl sitting between Sasuke and Sakura.
This girl possesses long, straight black hair and skin as fair as Sakura's, but her sharp, dark eyes and the heroic set of her brow are unmistakably Sasuke's. With a great deal of "encouragement" from Mikoto, Itachi, and Kushina, Sasuke and Sakura had finally gotten together not long after Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Their daughter is Uchiha Sarada, five and a half years old.
"Sarada-chan, is the food good?" Hinata asks with a warm smile.
Sarada immediately sets down her chopsticks and sits up straight. "Thank you for the meal, Auntie Hinata. It's delicious."
"Sarada is always so polite," Chiharu praises, before turning to ruffle Menma's hair. "You should learn a thing or two from her, Menma."
"Tch. I don't wanna," Menma mutters, crossing his arms. He's always been his own person, refusing to imitate anyone. He leans closer to his aunt and whispers, "She just acts like a good girl in front of the grown-ups. Her real self is..."
He trails off, a sudden chill running down his spine. He feels a gaze lock onto him from across the table. Sarada is staring at him, her expression perfectly placid, yet Menma can see the terrifying glint deep within those calm onyx eyes—a silent promise of future retaliation.
He shudders involuntarily.
"Menma, are you cold?" Chiharu notices his tremor and places a hand on his forehead. "Your temperature seems normal. No fever."
Deciding to abandon that dangerous topic, Menma quickly changes the subject, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Hey, where are Grandpa and the others? They're late!"
"He's right. Minato and the others are taking a while," Kushina agrees, glancing at the clock on the wall.
Swish!
As if summoned by her words, three figures appear in a silent flash in the living room: Minato, Itachi, and Hyuga Neji.
"Dad."
"Father."
"Minato! Everyone's waiting for you! Come and eat!"
A chorus of greetings fills the room as Naruto, Kushina, and the others turn to welcome them.
"Apologies," Minato says with a tired but warm smile as they walk toward the table. "Our meeting ran longer than expected."
"I'll get your rice," Hinata says, rising gracefully and heading for the kitchen.
Sakura follows her. "I'll help."
"Uncle Neji!" Himawari squirms out of Kushina's lap and runs, arms outstretched, launching herself at Neji.
"Hima-chan, long time no see." Neji's usually serious face melts into an expression of pure adoration as he effortlessly sweeps her into his arms.
After Hinata's marriage to Naruto, Hiashi had acknowledged that his eldest daughter's gentle personality was not suited for the harsh demands of leading the clan. Instead, he named Neji his official heir and right-hand man. Neji still wears his hair long, his features handsome and refined. Today, he forgoes his forehead protector, leaving his brow bare. The cursed mark of the Caged Bird, the symbol of the Branch House's bondage, is gone.
During the mission to the moon, Minato had witnessed how the Otsutsuki clan's own division of Main and Branch families had festered into a resentment that nearly destroyed their entire lineage. Upon his return, he began a long, arduous series of discussions with Hiashi and the Hyuga elders. After years of careful diplomacy and reasoning, the rigid distinction between the two houses was officially abolished. Then, using their combined mastery of fuinjutsu, Minato and Kushina had worked together to develop a method to safely undo every Caged Bird Seal in the clan.
"Mom. Dad," Itachi greets Mikoto and Fugaku before walking over to Sarada. He ruffles her hair gently. "Sarada, are you having a good time?"
"Yes, Uncle. Thank you for your hard work," Sarada replies with a sweet smile, hopping off her seat. "Please, take my spot. I'm finished eating."
"Thank you," Itachi smiles, taking the offered chair.
With everyone finally gathered, the room fills with the sound of laughter and lively conversation, a perfect portrait of family and friendship.
Later, after the party has wound down, a sudden awareness prickles at Minato. In the next instant, he is standing on the snow-dusted roof of his house.
"Jiraiya-sensei!" he says, surprised. He hadn't been actively using his sensory abilities, so he hadn't realized his master was sitting here, watching the winter sky. It looks like he has been here for some time. "You're back. Why didn't you come inside?"
Jiraiya crosses his arms, a wry grin on his face. "You know I'm no good with those big, noisy family situations. Too much trouble."
Minato just shrugs, knowing it's useless to argue.
Just then, the front door slides open and Menma runs out into the yard, looking up at them. "Grandpa! Lord Jiraiya! What are you two doing up there?"
At the mention of Jiraiya's name, everyone still inside—save for Sakura and Hinata, who are clearing the last of the dishes—files out into the snowy courtyard to greet him.
"Hey, everyone. Long time no see," Jiraiya says, looking a bit awkward under their combined cheerful gaze.
"Hey! Let's have a snowball fight!" Menma suddenly declares.
"I wanna play! I wanna play!" Himawari echoes, clapping her hands.
"Let's go!"
Before anyone else can react, Naruto has already packed a snowball and whips it directly at Sasuke. With his practiced reflexes, Sasuke evades it with a simple, almost lazy, tilt of his body.
"Not bad!" Naruto grins, another snowball already in his hand.
Sasuke raises an eyebrow, a flicker of annoyance on his face. Surrounded by this many people, he has no intention of participating in such a childish game. But Naruto has never cared for such reservations. He lets the second snowball fly.
"Dad, that's a sneak attack! Not fair!" Menma shouts, quickly packing a snowball of his own and hurling it at his father's back.
Naruto dodges it easily and turns to his son with a frown. "Hey, Menma, whose side are you on?"
Thump!
As he speaks, a snowball sails in from the side and smacks him squarely on the arm. Father and son both turn in stunned silence to look at the attacker.
It was Sarada.
"You're so childish, Menma," she says, casually tossing another perfectly packed snowball in her hand. "A true shinobi must maintain constant vigilance. It's embarrassing to be caught off guard by a simple ambush."
"We're not shinobi yet!" Menma retorts.
Whoosh!
Sarada launches her next snowball at him. Menma dives, rolls through the snow, and comes up with a hastily made snowball, firing it back in a single fluid motion.
"Heh heh." Naruto grins, packing another snowball and once again taking aim at Sasuke.
"Dad, if you don't retaliate, you're no shinobi either," Sarada calls out to Sasuke while effortlessly dodging Menma's counterattack.
Sasuke considers this for a moment, then gives his daughter a firm nod. The game is on.
"Uncle Neji, let's help Dad beat them!" Himawari cheers from Neji's arms. The Hyuga prodigy smiles and looks at Itachi.
"Brother Itachi? Care to join?"
Itachi chuckles, shrugging. "It seems the teams would be unbalanced if I didn't."
In a blur, the two of them join the fray.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Thump!
Snowballs crisscross the courtyard in a dizzying ballet of white. Team Naruto quickly finds itself at a disadvantage. It makes sense; the Uchiha clan possesses the most refined visual prowess in the world. In a battle of precision and reflexes, with no chakra involved, Naruto's side is simply outmatched.
Forced into a retreat by Sarada's relentless assault, Menma yells to the spectators by the house. "Aunt Chiharu! Grandma! Help us out!"
"You little fool, picking a snowball fight with a bunch of Uchiha," Chiharu laughs, immediately leaping into the battle.
Kushina's eyes sparkle, eager to join, but she hesitates. With Fugaku and Mikoto standing on the sidelines, her participation would tip the scales unfairly.
Sensing her friend's thoughts, Mikoto suddenly turns to her, a competitive glint in her eyes. "Kushina, how many years has it been since we last sparred? Not since the Academy, I think." She smiles. "Why not now? If I don't move around a little, I'll start to feel old."
Mikoto, ever considerate, has given her the perfect excuse.
"Who says you're old? You're as beautiful as ever, Mikoto!" Kushina grins, her fighting spirit igniting. "But since you asked, I won't lose to you!"
"Good!" Mikoto replies, and the two women, legendary kunoichi and lifelong friends, stride into the snowy battlefield.
On the roof, Minato and Jiraiya watch the lively scene unfold, a shared smile on their faces.
"This is good," Jiraiya says quietly. He turns to his student. "Do you remember the question I asked you when you were a child?"
Minato nods. "I do. And I'm ashamed to say I still haven't found the answer. Sometimes, I doubt an answer even exists."
"It's not important anymore, is it?" Jiraiya shrugs. "The truth is, the answer is different for everyone. All you need to know is that you've achieved what you hoped for. You've seen the world you wanted to see. That's enough."
The sounds of joyous laughter from Kushina, Naruto, and the children drift up to them.
"Yeah," Minato agrees, a deep sense of peace settling over him.
Jiraiya claps a hand on his shoulder. "Don't carry the whole world, Minato. It's time to start handing things over to Naruto and Sasuke." He knows about Minato's ongoing research into the Otsutsuki. "Kaguya is sealed, but the threat to this world will never be gone forever."
"I just want to build the best possible future for them, for as long as I can," Minato says with a sigh. After decades of war and peace, he understands now. There is no such thing as an eternal struggle, but there is no permanent peace, either. All he can do is prepare, and pass the Will of Fire to the next generation.
And looking down, he knows they have succeeded. Naruto and Sasuke have inherited that will. Now, it is their turn to pass it to their children.
Menma. Sarada. Himawari.
Minato firmly believes that one day, they will grow to become the towering trees that protect this world.
As they speak, the noise from the yard draws out Sakura and Hinata, who, at Menma and Naruto's urging, eagerly join the snowball fight. The Namikaze yard is large, but it has never hosted a battle of this scale. The fight grows more intense, a chaotic, wonderful storm of snow and laughter.
In the midst of it all, Menma pauses, looks up at the roof, and flashes a grin as bright as his father's and grandfather's.
"Grandpa! Lord Jiraiya! What are you waiting for? Get down here!"