Ever since Kakashi returned from the Land of Rain, Naraku hadn't been able to interact with him.
He seemed determined to keep his distance, intentionally or unintentionally avoiding Naraku, even choosing specific times to visit Sakumo in the hospital to ensure they didn't cross paths.
Naraku chose to let nature take its course.
The time wasn't right; acting rashly might draw Black Zetsu's attention back to Kakashi.
So, he lived peacefully within the Uchiha district, reading and training after returning from the hospital every day.
He often went for walks, politely greeting the clan members he met along the road.
Occasionally, he met with Kana, telling her not to worry and that everything was going well with him lately.
Fugaku sometimes came home to stay overnight.
Whenever the three of them sat at the table for dinner, Naraku felt as though he were already living the life of a family of three.
Early this morning, after seeing the Clan Leader off to work once again, Naraku felt a bit regretful knowing he wouldn't be back for several days.
Fugaku had truly been exceptionally kind to him over the past few weeks.
After Naraku suggested that the Clan Leader move back, Mikoto subtly probed several times to confirm he wasn't forcing himself before finally agreeing to let her husband return.
Fugaku, carrying his luggage as he moved back in, was almost moved to tears.
He patted Naraku's shoulder firmly with relief.
Fortunately, his dignity as Clan Leader allowed him to maintain his composure, preventing his stoic image from completely collapsing.
Time flew by, and nearly two months passed in a flash.
Perhaps from the animator's perspective, Naraku's days were uneventful, so the most recent episodes focused mostly on Minato and Kakashi.
The two of them lived busy, fulfilling lives.
Minato, in particular, had an entire episode dedicated to his development of a new ninjutsu.
By the last two minutes of the broadcast, the new technique had already taken preliminary shape.
According to his plan, he only needed to improve its stability to complete the jutsu.
It was clearly not far from the official debut of the "Rasengan" that Naraku was familiar with.
The animator used many close-ups to meticulously show Minato's nearly successful technique.
Chakra, emitting a faint blue light, was forcibly compressed and gathered into a sphere.
It rotated at high speeds within the small orb, and if one listened carefully, they could even hear the hum of chakra grinding against itself.
All signs indicated that this jutsu would possess terrifying offensive power.
Kakashi stood by, watching the ball of chakra in Minato's palm intently.
His own memories related to creating a new jutsu became clear bit by bit.
Ever since he became a Chunin, a vague idea had floated in his mind, but he hadn't had the time to mention it to others.
Coupled with the series of tragedies he had faced, the thought had been delayed until now.
Now that Minato had succeeded, it rekindled his desire to develop his own Lightning Style technique.
He wanted to possess power strong enough to protect those important to him in the future.
The latter half of the latest episode showed Kakashi beginning to experiment with his own Lightning Style ninjutsu after his routine visit to Sakumo.
Thinking about new jutsu occupied almost all of Kakashi's time outside of missions, temporarily filling the void in his heart.
Only a few days after the last anime update, a sorrowful piece of news spread throughout Konoha.
The First Hokage's wife, Uzumaki Mito, had passed away from old age.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held a grand funeral.
More than half of Konoha came to mourn Mito, acknowledging her immense contributions to the village.
It was at this funeral that Naraku was finally able to see Kakashi again.
However, it was only a meeting of eyes; they were far apart and could not speak.
Fortunately, Kana and Kushina were at the very front, so they couldn't see the distance between the two boys.
Otherwise, they would have had another layer of sadness on top of their grief for the elder's passing.
"Wherever tree leaves dance, flames will burn..."
"The shadow of the flames will illuminate the village, and in turn, new leaves will sprout..."
Tsunade, as the direct descendant of the Senju and Mito's granddaughter, was naturally present.
There wasn't much sadness on her face—only the calm of someone who had long known a loved one was leaving.
She listened quietly as her teacher recited the eulogy for her grandmother.
Perhaps she had cried like a child in private, but in public, she remained the strong Princess of Konoha.
As the ceremony drew to a close, Tsunade called Naraku aside.
The two walked leisurely down a quiet, secluded path.
Autumn was fading, and last night's rain had made the weather even colder.
Most of the surrounding trees were bare, and countless fallen leaves clung to the damp ground.
"I'm leaving in an hour."
Tsunade informed Naraku in a tone that brooked no argument.
Even though she was leaving Konoha, she wouldn't abandon him, immediately following up with detailed instructions for his future.
"You can live normally, go on missions, and even use your Sharingan in battle, but be careful not to overdo it."
"However, you are absolutely forbidden from activating your Mangekyo; you can only use your Three-Tomoe."
"Every week, you must send word to me, reporting on your physical condition and your study progress."
"Also, every three months, you will come find me outside the village; I will tell you the specific time and place in advance."
Hidden within Tsunade's stern tone was a deep, imperceptible affection.
They were doctor and patient first, then master and apprentice; after so much time together, her care for Naraku was sincere.
Although their personalities were different, she often saw the shadow of Nawaki in him.
Perhaps it was because, deep down, both children shared the same gentle love for the world.
"Yes, Tsunade-sensei."
The young man's answer was obedient and sincere.
"Thank you for your guidance all this time."
"Mm."
In the bleak autumn wind, Tsunade casually brushed a stray leaf from her disciple's hair, still vaguely worried.
She wasn't unaware that the harmonious bond between the boys had vanished.
Naraku always came for treatment alone and left alone.
Limited by her lack of understanding of the situation, she had held back, but today she finally spoke up.
"I don't know what happened between you and Sakumo's kid, but you know the Uchiha bloodline sickness is worsened by negative emotions."
"It's okay, I'm not that sad."
Naraku smiled at Tsunade, his expression flawless.
"We are just walking different paths."
Thwack!
A crisp flick landed on Naraku's forehead.
He wasn't wearing his forehead protector today, so he felt the full force of Tsunade's finger.
"Ow...!"
Naraku covered his head, his eyes tearing up as he silently accused her of bullying him.
"You brat, you'd better not be lying to me."
Tsunade stood with her hands on her hips, looking fierce, before reaching out to poke his head again.
"Take good care of yourself, got it?"
"Yes, ma'am."