"Is Gen here?"
"There are three girls waiting for you at the door."
Sasuke had already returned to his mother's arms. Gen was still chatting with Mikoto and Fugaku in the living room when a shout came from outside.
"I'm here!" Gen answered loudly, rising to his feet. "I'll step out for a bit."
Mikoto chuckled softly, covering her mouth with one hand. "Gen is really blessed. You've only just come back, and already three beautiful girls are looking for you together…"
"They're just my subordinates and junior sisters," Gen replied with an easy smile.
"So what?" Mikoto teased. "Since they're here together, it means you've shown at least one of them some special interest. You can't hide these things from me."
Gen only thought to himself: Why settle for one?
Aloud, he said, "They're only eager because I promised them before leaving that, if they performed well, I'd teach them ninjutsu when I returned."
"Mm, I see," Mikoto said knowingly, still smiling. "Go on, don't keep them waiting."
"Brother Gen… can I come with you?" Itachi asked suddenly, after hesitating for a moment.
"What are you thinking?" Mikoto's tone sharpened. "If you follow, won't you just spoil your brother's good fortune?"
"I just want to see Brother Gen's skills," Itachi said earnestly. "If he's teaching ninjutsu, he'll definitely demonstrate it, right?"
Mikoto hesitated. She understood her son's eagerness, but…
Gen smiled faintly. "Let him come. One monk carries water alone, two monks share the load, but three monks end up with nothing, balance is everything."
Itachi blinked in confusion at the saying.
Fugaku, with more life experience, caught the deeper meaning and gave Gen a thoughtful look. So sharp, even with matters between men and women… truly a genius.
Mikoto relented. "Alright then, Itachi, you may go."
"Yes, Mother."
Gen rose, bowed politely. "Thank you for the tea, Mikoto-nee. I'll visit again soon."
"Come by anytime," she said warmly.
Outside, three girls leaned against the wall, chatting quietly. When Gen approached, they quickly straightened.
"Captain."
They bowed with respect. Though their relationship was relaxed in private, in public proper decorum remained.
"It's been a while," Gen said with a smile. "You've all grown taller... and prettier too."
Indeed, in just ten months Kurenai and Anko had begun blossoming, their figures showing early curves, while Yugao was still more petite but carried herself with quiet confidence.
"This is Uchiha Itachi, the clan head's eldest son."
The three kunoichi glanced at one another.
So this boy will likely be the next Uchiha clan head…
"Hello, sisters," Itachi said with a bow.
The three returned the greeting warmly.
After pleasantries, Gen led them to the clan's training grounds.
"How was the mission?" he asked.
"Ninety-eight percent completion rate," Kurenai answered proudly.
Anko and Yugao smiled as well, an excellent result, especially for three young kunoichi.
"Well done," Gen nodded. "Then it's time I fulfilled my promise."
He pulled three slim scrolls from his cloak and handed them out.
"Kurenai, yours is a B-rank Genjutsu: Shiranui."
"Anko, yours is a B-rank Fire Release: Hiding in Ash and Dust."
"Yugao , yours is a B-rank Kenjutsu: Vacuum Sword."
With their current strength, B-rank techniques were perfect, powerful yet practical. A-rank ninjutsu would demand chakra reserves none of them possessed yet.
"Genjutsu is difficult to demonstrate," Gen said. "Kurenai, you can come to me later if you need guidance."
He turned to Anko and Yugao. "The other two, I'll show you now. Watch carefully."
He formed seals slowly, allowing Anko to follow each movement.
"Fire Release: Hiding in Ash and Dust!"
A torrent of scorching flames and ash spewed forth, quickly spreading across half the training ground in a hazy, burning cloud.
The girls gasped at the sheer chakra behind it.
"This technique can conceal your presence while harming enemies, both offensive and defensive. And, it directly counters the Mist's Hidden Mist Technique. Use it well."
Anko's eyes gleamed. So practical… I have to master this!
"Next, the Vacuum Sword."
Drawing the Kusanagi at his waist, Gen slashed in a wide arc. A net of wind blades tore outward, clearing dust in its path and leaving sharp grooves in the ground.
"When you're new to it, seals help stabilize the wind nature. Once you grasp its essence, you'll need no seals but just sword and chakra."
He demonstrated again, legs braced, blade raised high. One heavy strike unleashed another storm of wind blades, crisscrossing the ground in a web of deep scars.
The three kunoichi stood awestruck.
"Captain, that was amazing!" Yugao breathed, eyes shining. The technique suited her perfectly, blending swordsmanship with wind chakra.
Kurenai, Anko, and even young Itachi added their praise, and Gen found himself surrounded by admiration.
The girls promised to pool their money and treat him to BBQ that evening before hurrying off to study their new scrolls.
With time still left in the morning, Gen indulged Itachi's eagerness, guiding him through some training before heading home for lunch.
The following day, he visited Orochimaru for a meal.
In the days after, Gen strolled through Konoha between trainings.
The village had been rebuilt after the Nine-Tails' rampage, yet no matter how much was restored, it wasn't quite the same.
On the night of October 9th, at 10:30 p.m., Minato Namikaze finally returned home from the Hokage Building, weary but smiling as he joined Kushina at the dinner table.
Meanwhile, in the dimly lit corridor of their apartment, a strange sight appeared.
A frog, green-skinned, with bright red eyes, hopped up the stairs.
It stopped before their door, crouched, then leapt suddenly upward.
Ding!
Its head struck the doorbell. The frog dropped back to the floor with a soft thud and lay still, unmoving, in the most conspicuous place possible.