Uchiha Hikaru could barely hold his breath at this moment.
What now? I can't keep a straight face any longer. I seriously want to laugh, and I've had zero professional training in this kind of situation—I just can't hold it in anymore.
Finally, after holding on for more than ten seconds, staring into Konan's increasingly confident eyes and proud posture, he burst out laughing.
Konan stared at the suddenly cheerful Hikaru, utterly bewildered. She felt a bit lost. What the hell was so funny?
Please—can we just have a serious conversation for once!?
"Alright, Konan, I was waiting for the right time to bring this up… but honestly, I can't hold it anymore."
Hearing that, Konan felt even more confused. What kind of bombshell was coming now? Could it really be… was he the son of the masked man?
At that moment, Hikaru and Saya shared a silent glance, then, under Konan's gaze, the two of them pulled out identical masks from their cloaks.
When Konan saw the familiar mask, her eyes widened uncontrollably, and a shockwave rippled through her heart.
Her voice trembled.
"Are you…"
Hikaru nodded slowly. Ah~ finally I don't have to pretend anymore. That act was exhausting…
"Yes, I am…"
"The masked man's son!"
"Your masked brother."
"…"
They both said something completely unexpected to the other.
Hikaru was stunned: How the hell did I just become my own son!?
Konan was shocked: He's so young—how could he be the masked man himself?
"No, but your age…"
Her brain felt like it was short-circuiting. How could his appearance not have changed after twenty years?
Could it be some forbidden jutsu? Like how Lady Tsunade maintains her youth?
The real reason was simpler—she had longed for him for so many years, she just didn't dare to believe it was really him standing in front of her.
Hikaru noticed the hesitation in her expression. She clearly couldn't accept something this ridiculous.
But from her point of view, he couldn't blame her. If he were her, he wouldn't believe it either.
Alright then. If words weren't enough, maybe these words would do the trick.
He coughed lightly.
"Ahem~"
"In order to retrieve the limitless chakra that Seer was looking for from the traitor of the Dark Universe—Ultraman Belial of the Demonic Fairy Fortress…"
"And return it to Ares, the realm of the Armor Heroes, to deliver it to Captain Dragonfly, so we could win the marble tournament…"
"The Original Light and I traveled back in time using a special jutsu. While healing, I met you—back then, homeless and wandering the Land of Rain."
!!!
It sounded like complete nonsense, but hearing it come from Hikaru's mouth made Konan freeze. It was too familiar.
She stood there in stunned silence. The person she had missed and longed for all these years… suddenly appeared before her eyes.
Her body stiffened. She didn't know how to react.
She wanted to rush forward and throw her arms around him—but she didn't dare.
Looking at Hikaru and Saya's youthful appearances, she instinctively touched her own cheek.
That's right… I'm already thirty-one.
But they… they still look like they're in their twenties.
That painful thought hit her hard.
Am I… not worthy of him anymore?
Hikaru looked at Konan, still frozen in place, and assumed she hadn't yet accepted his identity. So he took a different approach—something only he could know.
"When we first met, you were starving. I put you in an oversized long-sleeved shirt."
"Then I cooked fish porridge for you."
"I even laid out bedding for you to sleep."
But when he saw Konan still unmoving, he paused for a beat.
Guess I'll have to go all the way.
"…Your underwear was blue—"
In that moment, Konan's inner turmoil shattered.
No. I believe you! I believe you! SHUT UP!!!
"DON'T SAY IT!!"
She leapt forward and slammed her hands over Hikaru's mouth, her face burning with fury and embarrassment.
It had been so long since they last met—and this was how he greeted her!?
How could he bring that up!?
Hikaru chuckled and gently pulled her hands away, grasping her wrist.
"That's not what I wanted to say. It's just… you were frozen like an idiot. I had no choice."
Saya stood nearby, smiling softly at Konan.
"Relax. I was the one who changed your clothes. We're both girls—no need to be shy."
"Didn't you always say you wanted to marry Master Hikaru?"
"And now that he's here, you're still so reserved. You weren't this polite when we were kids~"
Konan lowered her head, trying to hide her blushing face from Hikaru and Saya.
It was all too sudden… and too strange.
She had imagined countless ways they might meet again. But never like this.
Back then, she could casually call them 'brother' and 'sister'—because they were all just kids.
But now? She looked like she was a decade older than them.
How could she call them that now?
Hikaru saw right through her.
He waved his hand, pulled both Konan and Saya into a hug, and sat down on the cliff overlooking Konoha.
"It's alright, Konan. Time doesn't erase what we went through together."
"No matter how much time passes, we're still the same people we were when you met us. You are still you."
"That hasn't changed."
Konan felt the storm in her heart calming.
Yes… as long as the feelings between them are real, what does it matter?
"From now on," Hikaru said, "let's drop the 'brother' and 'sister' stuff. We'll just call each other by name."
Before her mind could fully process his words, Konan nodded reflexively.
"Ah."
"…Huh?"
Her expression shifted as she realized what he'd said.
Did he even hear himself just now?
But given all the outrageous things Hikaru had said—and the ridiculous story she remembered from her childhood—it actually made her feel better.
Yeah… he hasn't changed. I'm the one who grew up.
She felt that melancholy return.
When we first met, I was young. And now, you're still young… but I'm already old.
The bitterness hit her hard. She felt inferior, helpless.
At that moment, Hikaru began explaining how he had met her in the past—and he finally shared what she had wanted to know all along: the truth about the Uchiha stone tablet, and the Moon's Eye Plan.
When Hikaru finished, Konan not only understood how they met—but also everything about the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
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