Ti flies, years pass like a shuttle.
Konoha Year 32.
Just the beginning of sumr, the climate is relatively warm, but not too hot.
This day is a special day—
The day the heroes return!
Of course, the war is far from over.
The returning heroes are only the heavily injured personnel from the front line, who can no longer survive as ninja in the future.
On the battlefield, they have beco burdens to their comrades and must be escorted back to Konoha from the front line to spend the rest of their lives in the village.
With the large number of injured returning, there are also the bodies of the ninja who have sacrificed, forever resting beneath the earth.
Thus, on this pleasant day, so are silent, so are weeping, maybe even moved to tears, but not the kind of tears from joy.
Despite no orders, Konoha’s civilians, as well as the ninja race, have organized a solemn ceremony to welco the returning heroes.
However, the adults waiting for the heroes remain in mourning and silence, while the usually lively children do not know what happened, afraid to speak out, standing quietly in the heavy atmosphere.
War is never a beautiful thing.
——Hakushi’s ho.
Hakushi is not very interested in welcoming those so-called heroes.
He has no relatives participating in this war, so welcoming heroes is of little importance to him.
However, Hakushi knows that Ruri would go to welco them. As a mber of the Uchiha Race, she is obliged to welco the clansn returning from battles.
If it were just Ruri, Hakushi thought he might et up with her at the village entrance to welco them.
But there must be a lot of Uchiha clansn around Ruri, Hakushi feels it might be inappropriate to go along.
Considering this, Hakushi decided to stay at his ho, as he still has many experints to conduct.
In the past two years, Hakushi has not only self-taught and mastered various dical ninjutsu from the scrolls given by Ruri but also thoroughly understood them.
To say the least, Hakushi is very confident in his dical ninjutsu skills.
Apart from that, his growth in other areas hasn’t fallen behind either.
According to Ruri’s evaluation, he now possesses the strength equivalent to Chunin Level.
A year ago, Ruri, after a rigorous selection by the Uchiha Jonin, demonstrated Chunin Level strength, and Hakushi could either compete evenly with her, naturally reaching the Chunin Level as well.
However, he has never revealed his true strength. In others’ eyes, he is just an ordinary student of the Ninja School.
Belonging to the kind of presence that blends unnoticed into a crowd.
He has mastered many ninja techniques; the Three-Body Jutsu aside, he has also grasped the Hand Sage Art, Healing Jutsu, Hemostasis Jutsu, and the Chakra Scalpel, which are essential for an excellent dical ninja.
Once the essence is understood, learning them is not difficult for Hakushi.
Furthermore, with a mature soul, his self-discipline far exceeds that of ordinary people, investing several tis more ti into training than the average person.
Except for normal rest and classes, the remaining ti is mostly spent in training.
Only through countless hardships has he achieved what he has today.
In the house’s compartnt, it is a micro laboratory Hakushi specifically set apart.
On the table are many distillation flasks, test tubes, vessels, and Bunsen burners flickering with red and blue flas.
There are also so glass bottles containing transparent solutions, in which rare plant specins are soaked, along with so animal torso specins, such as important organs like eyes and livers.
Hakushi skillfully manipulates these instrunts in hopes of achieving the desired results.
Then he records data on the computer.
Speaking of which, Hakushi found it quite surprising that the Ninja Realm, not industrially advanced, already has computers.
Even though, in Hakushi’s view, the computer processing systems of the Ninja Realm are not very advanced yet, having them is better than none.
He is only proficient in fields like chemistry, biology, and pharmacology. Although he understands chanical electronics sowhat, he is not an expert.
Producing a computer by himself is impossible; professional matters must be handled by professionals.
This computer, despite its low-level processing system in Hakushi’s eyes, cost him a substantial amount of money.
Scientific research is like a bottomless pit, continuously consuming his already limited assets over the past two years.
Now, Hakushi’s funds have nearly run out, naturally slowing down his research progress.
He can collect raw materials himself, but for so precise equipnt and valuable materials, money is essential to acquire them.
While Hakushi was troubled by these things, there was a sudden knock on the door.
Hakushi put down his work to open the door.
As expected, it was Ruri.
Eight-year-old Ruri is slightly taller than two years ago. Although still a bit immature, her eyes have grown sharper and colder, giving off an unapproachable aura.
Though it sounds a bit harsh, Ruri indeed is not soone who easily fits in with others.
She does not know how to compromise with others or understand interpersonal relationships well, but she is very passionate about getting stronger.
Deep down, she is a hot-blooded and battle-loving individual.
This might relate to the traditional personality of the Uchiha Race, who are typically hot-blooded and combative.
Hakushi believes that if it weren’t for his real strength making her look at him differently, even talking to her might have been difficult.
Because both have so understanding of each other’s secrets, Hakushi considers Ruri to be a compatible partner with him.
"Has the welcoming ceremony ended so soon?"
Hakushi led Ruri into the house and asked out of curiosity.
According to his estimate, Ruri should have spent an entire day welcoming the heroes of the Uchiha Race returning from the battlefield.
"No, I just left early. Quite a few people in the clan have sacrificed, and so can no longer live as ninja."
Ruri seed a bit downcast.
"After all, it is war."
Hakushi sighed with a remark.
In war, death or injury is undoubtedly commonplace.
"Why didn’t you go?"
Ruri asked Hakushi this question.
"I have no relatives returning from this war."
Only then did Ruri recall that Hakushi’s parents had sacrificed early on during a mission.
"I’m sorry."
"It’s alright, I don’t mind such things. Being alone grants a little more freedom."
Hakushi smiled at Ruri, showing he didn’t care, and walked towards the compartnt within the house.
Ruri also followed Hakushi into the compartnt—Hakushi’s private laboratory.
Hakushi had never intended to hide his research activities from Ruri.
After all, what he is doing is not so prohibited experint that cannot see the light of day; even if Ruri knows about it, she wouldn’t talk recklessly.
This tacit understanding between them has been cultivated over the past two years.
Though not yet reaching the state of ’you don’t need to say it for to understand,’ Ruri is not soone who likes to get to the bottom of things.
Just like how she knows Hakushi’s real strength but never intended to expose him.
Hakushi won’t ask why Ruri doesn’t reveal him, and Ruri won’t ask Hakushi why he hides his strength.
Even so, this does not affect the purity of their friendship.
This is the best kind of tacit understanding.
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