Seeing that Gisei Shiraishi remained silent, Anna Takemoto couldn't very well point at his nose and curse him out as worse than a pig or a dog.
"I heard you fought with Hanzo during this mission?"
Gisei rolled his eyes and sighed helplessly. "Did that guy Hanari send the news to you so quickly?"
"He was assigned to protect and supervise you. Of course he would tell us immediately about such a major event."
"Okay, okay. So what if I fought Hanzo? I didn't defeat him. Is it really worth making such a fuss about?"
Gisei truly didn't think it was a big deal. Compared to the absolute cheats of the future, Hanzo was just a small fry. Fighting with a small fry and then broadcasting it to the world—that would be embarrassing enough to make him want to hide in a hole.
Hearing him admit it so casually, Anna shouted with excitement, "Hanzo of the Salamander is known as a demigod! How can you act like nothing happened?"
Gisei sighed. "So you ran to my house and nearly smashed my door down just because of this?"
"Grandpa wants to see you."
Gisei: "..."
Shuichi Takemoto had aged rapidly in the past few years. Not only was his hair completely white, but he could no longer walk and had started using a wheelchair.
A man with one foot in the grave still worrying about such idle matters... it really left Gisei speechless.
However, if Shuichi wanted to see him, he couldn't refuse. In terms of seniority, Shuichi was of his grandfather's generation.
In the courtyard of the Takemoto estate, Gisei met Shuichi.
Shuichi looked to be in good spirits today, his face glowing with health. As soon as he saw Gisei, he waved his hand energetically, signaling him to come over.
"Grandpa Shuichi, you don't have many days left to live. Why can't you just relax?"
Hearing Gisei say such a thing the moment he opened his mouth, Anna was so angry she kicked him.
Gisei didn't even need to dodge; his body didn't move an inch. It wasn't like the old times when she could pin him to the ground and rub his face in the dirt.
Speaking of which, should he pay back all the beatings he had taken before?
Hmm, not a bad idea.
Gisei looked at Anna with a strange glint in his eyes, leaving her feeling baffled.
"Alright, Anna, you go inside first."
Since Shuichi had given the order, Anna glared at Gisei one last time before turning and entering the house.
"Gisei, I haven't been out for a long time. Come, push me out for some fresh air."
Gisei walked behind the wheelchair and slowly pushed Shuichi onto the street.
The street was mostly filled with members of the Takemoto clan. Seeing Gisei pushing their patriarch, they hurriedly stepped aside and bowed respectfully.
"I heard you fought with Hanzo of the Salamander during this mission. How did it feel?"
"You guys... well, it was just like that. Is this really worth making a fuss about?"
"Hanzo is known as the demigod of the ninja world. Being able to fight him shows that your strength has reached an elite level. This is a very important matter."
"How important?"
"You've stayed in the Anbu for five years. It's time to walk out of the shadows and into the sunlight."
Gisei frowned. Was he telling him to leave the Anbu?
"Grandpa Shuichi, which department do you want me to enter?"
"You make the decisions for yourself on these things. I can't manage you for a lifetime."
Gisei was a bit surprised. This didn't sound like something this unreasonable old man would usually say.
"Do you think I've changed?"
More than changed—he was simply a different person. The old Shuichi always spoke loudly and toughly; he would absolutely never say such soft words.
"Actually, I know you don't like me very much. You think I'm domineering and always want to control your life."
Gisei awkwardly scratched his head.
"Actually, I haven't changed much. Being like that to you before was really because you were too lazy. If I wasn't strict and didn't whip you into shape, you would have just muddled through day by day."
"If you were born into my family, I would absolutely not force you to do things you don't want to do."
"But you are Sachihito's grandson, destined to inherit everything of his. That attitude of yours would only harm yourself."
"Now, even without me saying it, you should know that your parents' death was not normal. I'm saying this not to make you seek revenge, because that is meaningless."
"I just want you to understand that if you don't become strong, what happened to your parents will repeat itself on you."
Gisei listened quietly, without any intention of arguing.
"Fortunately, your talent is astonishing. However, your strength has increased a bit abnormally. Tell me honestly, how many butterfly seeds are you raising now?"
"Four."
Gisei's answer made Shuichi sigh deeply.
"Sure enough. Your grandfather also raised four. He lived to be fifty-three. How long do you think you can live?"
Gisei fell silent.
"Marry Anna after you come of age. Leave behind descendants early to avoid your family line ending."
Gisei didn't have much of an emotional reaction to hearing this. With his IQ, if he couldn't guess this was coming, he really should just go die.
"Grandpa Shuichi, let's forget about that. Me being with her will only bring her misfortune."
"No one will be happy. That kind of marriage is simply terribly boring."
Shuichi chuckled lightly. "Is that so? Can you tell me your true thoughts?"
Gisei remained silent.
"Revenge, defection, or destroying Konoha?"
Hearing Shuichi say such things with a smile, Gisei raised an eyebrow.
"When did Grandpa Shuichi figure it out?"
"Just now."
Gisei was stunned for a moment, completely unaware of what flaw he had revealed.
"You really are just a child!"
"Knowing clearly that butterfly seeds devour life force, you still insist on raising so many. Yet you have no desire for fame or profit. Can you tell me why?"
"Because you have another goal. Besides those three options, I really can't think of other possibilities."
The corner of Gisei's mouth twitched slightly. Indeed, ginger gets spicier as it gets older. Just a few words were enough to expose his intentions.
Actually, he wanted to say that he was forced to raise so many because he had no choice. But he also knew clearly that even if Mei hadn't forced him, maybe he would have done it anyway.
Life is unsatisfactory eight or nine times out of ten, but you can only speak of less than two or three of them to others.
"Since Grandpa Shuichi guessed it, why do you still want me to marry Sister Anna?"
"Whether it's revenge or defection, even if you really destroy Konoha, what does that have to do with you marrying Anna?"
Gisei's expression became strange.
Regardless of which of those three paths he took, he was destined to be hunted for a lifetime. To let his own granddaughter marry such a person—was the old man's brain okay?
"Grandpa Shuichi, I don't understand what you mean. And isn't it bad to talk about this kind of thing on the street?"
Shuichi looked back at him, then tremblingly extended his hand and flicked his forehead.
Gisei didn't dodge—or rather, didn't dare to. It didn't hurt anyway.
"There is nothing that cannot be said to others. Be magnanimous in conduct and action. Look at your cowardly appearance. Since you want to do it, why be timid?"
Gisei: "..."
"A manly man should stand upright between heaven and earth while living, and live up to his life even in death."
"What's more, you are struggling for your own goal. What is there to hide?"
"It just makes people look down on you for no reason!"