After leaving the third underground level, Haseo gently patted Kushina's head and let her go play on her own.
Being able to serve as a jinchūriki capable of safely containing the Nine-Tails demonstrated not only Kushina's exceptional innate potential, but also the cultivation and training provided by Mito Uzumaki and Haseo over the past year.
However, once the sealing ritual was completed, Kushina no longer had to go through such intense training. Daily sparring sessions with her own shadow clones? Or practical combat training while being suppressed under Haseo's overwhelming presence? These lessons had all been stopped.
Therefore, Kushina could now play freely again without worries.
Strangely enough, once people got used to the atmosphere of war, its impact on Konoha became almost negligible. Humans really were creatures of remarkable adaptability... Of course, the main reason was that the current war hadn't affected Konoha as severely as the previous great war had.
When things weren't directly related, they seemed distant in the sky, and there wasn't even a sense of finding joy within hardship—most people simply continued living as usual.
Take Kagenami's restoration for example. Just after Mito Uzumaki's passing, no one would have forgotten about her so soon, but ultimately... what was gone was simply gone.
Next, Haseo returned to his office. He walked over and sat down on the chair behind his large desk. Initially, he intended to casually flip through various documents placed on the table, but soon, he began spacing out.
He wasn't thinking about anything or doing anything in particular; he just sat there motionless, letting his thoughts fade away.
How should it be described? Although recently Haseo had stayed quietly in Konoha continuously, from a ninja's perspective his activity level had practically been zero—he could even be said to have been "gaining weight." However, physical relaxation was one thing, mentally though, he felt unusually exhausted.
Inheritance, succession, and choosing a successor—these were matters that weren't Haseo's strong suit, nor did he excel at dealing with them.
Fortunately, this matter had already concluded. From now on, Haseo could become that carefree "teenager" again, happily "playing" with fellow ninja friends from different villages. Recently, the replacement of jinchūriki had been Konoha's most important issue, which was why Haseo could remain in the village even during wartime. But now, this matter had been successfully resolved.
What came next then? Would Third Hokage grant Haseo another long vacation since he had accomplished a significant task?
That wouldn't happen. What Hokage would pass up the chance to put a ninja to good use?
At this point, Third Hokage definitely would feel it's a waste to leave a fighter like Haseo idling around the village. He should really go out onto the battlefield to shine brightly.
Haseo himself also knew that he'd probably be sent back to the battlefield soon. Exactly where and how he'd be deployed remained completely unclear to him right now.
Hisahito wasn't sure how much time had passed, but likely after playing the role of a "vegetable" for a while, someone gently knocked on the door of his office. Then Uzumaki Shikou entered.
Uzumaki Shikou had already regained her composure; having been raised by Mito Uzumaki since childhood, her bond with Mito ran particularly deep. At this point, on a personal level, she was definitely still immersed in sorrow. However, with Mito Uzumaki gone, all responsibilities of the Uzumaki clan now fell squarely onto Shikou's shoulders, forcing her to become strong and determined.
Mito Uzumaki's passing held significant consequences for the Uzumaki clan, representing a severed connection with Konoha's upper echelons—Mito could no longer influence Konoha. At this point, the Uzumaki clan's political backing within Konoha had effectively shifted to Lord Haseo.
Their standing hadn't just dipped slightly—it had plummeted.
"Lord Haseo, this is a letter from Sakumo Hatake for you."
Shikou walked around the desk and came to Haseo's side, handing him the letter.
After receiving it, Haseo didn't rush to open the envelope. He gazed deeply at Uzumaki Shikou before saying, "Shikou, are you going to be okay?"
"I'm fine, Lord Haseo. I've already calmed down," Shikou replied.
Haseo nodded, only then turning his gaze back toward the letter in his hands. During Lady Mito's funeral period, Haseo had focused solely on comforting Tsunade, seemingly paying insufficient attention to Shikou who had silently supported the Kagenami work all along.
Frankly speaking, maybe this would place him squarely into the category of a "player"—an emotionally manipulative man.
However... if Haseo had intentionally focused additional attention on Shikou, then it wouldn't simply be a question of "maybe"—he certainly would have been that kind of man.
Therefore, Haseo's concern for Shikou couldn't cross certain boundaries; he needed to maintain appropriate distance.
"Hatake…seems to be writing quite often recently," Haseo muttered while opening the letter.
"It might be because of his wife. After all, Hatake is currently stuck at the Front Line and cannot return," Shikou explained.
After unfolding the letter, Haseo quickly scanned its contents—yes, indeed, talking about his wife again.
"When is Tsumiki Nono due?"
"In about two to three weeks…"
Kagenami must run its own "Women's Network." Otherwise, how else would Shikou know people's "due dates" so precisely?
Haseo spread out the letter and handed it to Shikou. "Hatake wants me to take good care of Tsumiki Takeo, at least ensuring she delivers safely.
Incidentally, he's already decided on the child's name: 'Kakashi.'"
Haseo inwardly sighed. Sakumo Hatake hadn't adopted his suggested naming style after all—or rather, perhaps Sakumo had long forgotten those discussions, considering back then the guy had been under ten years old.
"A boy's name? What if it's a girl?"
"Still Kakashi. Therefore, Sakumo Hatake's naming standards... leave much to be desired."
You've got some nerve saying that, Lord Haseo—Uzumaki Shikou arched an eyebrow, though she wisely chose not to say it out loud.
She still had to save face for the boss, after all.
Kakashi... was time really starting to feel familiar again? Haseo didn't notice Shikou's expression as he reached for paper and brush, preparing to write a reply to Sakumo Hatake.
After a brief moment of thought, he began writing swiftly with bold strokes, quickly conveying all his emotions in one concise sentence.
Short yet powerful, it clearly expressed his sincere intention to actively assist both Sakumo and his wife. The depth of their bond could truly be felt in those words:
"I will care for your wife as my own; there is no need for you to worry."
The second most desired line of dialogue he'd ever wanted to say—how perfectly fitting it was here!
Haseo was practically grinning with satisfaction.
The next moment, however, slender fingers snatched away the short letter.
Shikou neatly folded the letter and tucked it into her robe pocket behind her back—an act of "confiscation."
"Lord Haseo, first of all, Sakumo Hatake is still at the front lines and may have unstable emotions right now, so you shouldn't provoke him with jokes like this; secondly, what if Tsunade-sama sees this letter?"
"I'll reply on your behalf instead."
Shikou's meaning was clear enough: basically telling Haseo not to speak unless necessary.
"Cough, cough, alright," Haseo replied somewhat embarrassedly. He'd just forgotten someone was standing right behind him.
Still... Shikou's temper seemed to be getting sharper. Perhaps Uzumaki Mito's death had contributed to her growth. Someone who controls an entire clan indeed needed to become more assertive.
Haseo's gaze followed Shikou's hand movements until settling at her waist. From that vantage point, her posture was undeniably elegant—yes, quite captivating in its own way.
"Anything else I can do for you, Lord Haseo?"
"Oh, absolutely nothing at all."
Haseo hastily waved his hands, allowing Shikou to leave.
Slightly confused but without further questions, Shikou exited.
Ah, just appreciation—pure admiration for the elegance of her presence. Of course, Haseo was definitely different from Jiraiya.
...
Watching someone else's wife give birth did seem inappropriate, yet considering Sakumo Hatake was one of the few friends Haseo had in this world, naturally he still cared deeply about the matter.
He was very careful about appearances—he would never want to give even the slightest impression of impropriety.
For Tsumiki Nono's upcoming childbirth, Haseo specially invited Konoha's most skilled and respected medical ninja—Dr. Yakuji.
Certainly not Tsunade.
During this period, Tsunade remained in Konoha. Although she seemed willing to help, she lacked actual birthing experience and was quite young herself. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to assist in labor either.
What if psychological trauma occurred? As everyone knows, Tsunade easily faints at the sight of blood.
This was exactly the kind of situation where only seasoned medical ninjas could be trusted.
In short, although Sakumo Hatake wasn't in Konoha, his wife went into labor right on schedule.
On this day, both Haseo and Tsunade arrived at the Hatake residence, though neither entered the delivery room. Instead, they simply sat in the adjacent room, watching numerous people rushing around busily.
"I had the best doctors and finest equipment brought to the pregnant woman's side, allowing her to give birth in a familiar environment. I've certainly done right by Hatake, haven't I? What more can I say? May our friendship endure through eternity."
The scene before him was chaotic, yet Haseo sat calm and composed as if nothing were happening... Well, technically speaking, it wasn't his concern.
After all, it wasn't his wife giving birth, so he could remain at ease.
"But Yakuji Terasu isn't even an OB-GYN," Tsunade quickly countered from the other side.
When Dr. Yakuji first heard Haseo's request, he couldn't help but feel both amused and slightly baffled.
"...Well, you know, the principles are mostly the same."
Tsunade shot him a glare. This attitude of his instantly eliminated any thought she had about explaining medical details.
Good thing she didn't try explaining anything either. With Haseo already saying "You needn't worry," teaching him gynecological knowledge would've been absurd.
Tsumiki had planned for a natural birth, but labor was not progressing smoothly. As a result, Kakashi's birth took quite long—it stretched from afternoon into the late night, before a baby's cry finally echoed from within the delivery room.
"What a... celestial omen has descended..."
Then, after sitting still for most of the day, Haseo stretched his arms and legs, realizing that everything was finally over, and stood up.
"Strange omen? Where?" Tsunade asked.
In her view, it was just an ordinary night outside—where was this strange omen?
"You wouldn't understand. Even though today wasn't a special astronomical date or anything, I felt like the day lasted just as long as the night."
"Yeah, time does tend to drag when you're filled with anxiety."
"No, what I mean is...
The moment this child was born, even the balance of day and night shifted equally...
Could it be spring or autumn equinox today?"
Tsunade: "#￥%…"
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