The courtyard before them wasn't very large, designed in a traditional Japanese style.
At the center lay a serene pond, its emerald water so clear it mirrored the sky.
Cranes stood motionless on the snowy moss by the pond's edge, and blooming lotus flowers painted a scene of peace and harmony.
A gentle breeze stirred the bamboo grove in the courtyard, and the rustling leaves sounded like whispers from a world far removed from the chaos of everyday life.
While the courtyard wasn't luxurious, it was certainly a huge improvement over where Uchiha Hikaru used to live.
Before they could step inside, Tsunade suddenly threw the door open and came rushing toward them. Right behind her was Chinatsu, dressed in a maid outfit.
Tsunade eyed Uchiha Hikaru curiously, unsure why he had come by today.
Just as she was about to ask, Mito Uzumaki spoke up first:
"Little Tsuna, did you master the sealing technique I taught you yesterday?"
Tsunade instinctively shrank back and shivered.
Sealing techniques were never easy to learn—especially not within a single day. Naturally, she hadn't mastered it.
She had only come out because she was curious about the Anbu who had just informed her grandmother of something. She hadn't expected to walk right into a trap.
Seeing Mito Uzumaki's growingly suspicious gaze, she let out a small shriek and ran back to her room.
Mito Uzumaki had a simple thought in mind—today, she had witnessed the genius that was Uchiha Hikaru.
Tsunade was talented, sure—but nowhere near Hikaru's level.
It was fine to have less talent, but if she didn't work hard either? That was on her.
Thinking about Tsunade's usual laziness—and how she'd even picked up Hashirama's habit of gambling—only made Mito Uzumaki more and more annoyed.
The look in her eyes said she was ready to swing a sword, and Uchiha Hikaru, standing off to the side, looked on with a bit of schadenfreude.
At that moment, Chinatsu stepped forward, cutting off Mito Uzumaki's rising urge to explode and temporarily saving Tsunade's behind.
"Lady Mito, is this the young master you're planning to adopt?"
Though Chinatsu had interrupted her, Mito Uzumaki still answered, albeit with a bit of lingering frustration.
"Yes, this is Uchiha Hikaru—the child I've decided to adopt."
"There was a bit of an incident, but I've already completed the adoption process. He'll be living here from today onward."
"Sorry to trouble you, Chinatsu. Please prepare his room."
Chinatsu didn't look the least bit surprised. In fact, it was as if she had anticipated this and reminded Mito gently:
"Young Master Hikaru's room was already prepared last night. He can move in any time."
"Lady Mito, this isn't really the place to talk. Let's head inside."
Realizing she had lost track of the moment, Mito Uzumaki nodded in thanks, then turned to Uchiha Hikaru and said:
"Let's go in. From now on, this is your home."
'Home, huh? That still feels a bit distant to me.'
Uchiha Hikaru whispered to himself.
In his past life, he had also been an orphan. While the head of the orphanage had treated him like their own child, a love divided among many was always incomplete.
Thinking about that, Hikaru turned to Mito Uzumaki and asked:
"So... does that mean Mito-neesan is now my family?"
His sudden question caught Mito off guard, but she quickly smiled and replied with certainty:
"What are you thinking, little Hikaru? The moment I adopted you, you became my family."
"Mm, Grandma Mito!"
A whirlwind of emotion surged within Uchiha Hikaru. In his previous life, he had never once experienced familial love—yet here, in this life, it came to him so easily.
That one word, "Grandma," almost made Mito Uzumaki lose her composure. But seeing the faint redness in Hikaru's eyes, she just softly said:
"Call me Onee-chan from now on, alright?"
Then she led him into the courtyard, while Chinatsu remained behind.
My home was saved by Lady Mito. She really is a kind person.
Chinatsu stood still, watching the two figures disappear into the house, her heart full of emotion.
Once inside, Uchiha Hikaru saw Tsunade sitting cross-legged, poring over a scroll with fierce concentration. Mito Uzumaki nodded with satisfaction upon seeing this.
Whether she was truly studying or just putting on a show, Tsunade had at least dodged a bullet for now.
Sure enough, the moment Mito's expression softened, Hikaru saw Tsunade let out a long sigh of relief.
"Little Tsuna, take a break from training for now. Little Hikaru will be living here starting today. Show him around a bit."
"I have things to take care of, so let's skip lunch together. I'll treat you both to dinner later."
Hearing this, Tsunade immediately tossed aside the scroll and rushed over to grab Hikaru by the arm.
"Got it, Grandma! I'll show him around now!"
Uchiha Hikaru nearly lost his balance from the force of her pull. How was Tsunade this reckless as a kid? he wondered, then glanced over at Mito Uzumaki.
'Well, case closed...'
Since he knew Mito had more pressing matters, Hikaru didn't argue and let Tsunade drag him off to explore the residence.
It didn't take long for them to make a full loop around the courtyard, and Hikaru quickly got a sense of the layout.
At the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about getting lost while looking for the bathroom.
After they finished walking the courtyard, Tsunade continued, talking as she led him further inside.
"Chinatsu-oneesan cleaned your room last night—it's right next to mine. I'll show you!"
Hikaru followed her, and soon they reached two nearly identical rooms.
One of them, however, was a total mess—snacks, books, and random junk were strewn across every surface.
Tsunade's cheeks flushed red as she quickly shut that room's door.
Then she leaned in and whispered:
"The one next to it is yours. I need to tidy up, so I won't be keeping you company."
With that, she pulled open the messy room's door, dashed inside, and slammed it shut behind her.
Hikaru chuckled at her antics. He hadn't exactly been neat as a kid, either.
Then he stepped into the room prepared for him. Seeing that everything he needed was already there, he finally relaxed a little.
After all, his old place had been practically destroyed. Though the two attackers' ninjutsu had been blocked by his Susanoo, the house hadn't been so lucky.
The building had collapsed, and everything inside had been ruined.
He never thought he'd be that unlucky—even living in a remote area, he'd still been found by spies.
As for how Hikaru could be so sure they were spies—that was something he'd thought through carefully.
Before today, he had been a complete nobody—a nameless orphan with no parents.
No matter how much the village leadership disliked the Uchiha, they wouldn't have targeted someone like him.
And now, with the Shinobi World War nearing its end, espionage activities from other villages were at their peak.
Considering all of that, Hikaru could confidently conclude that it hadn't been personal.