1 Chapter 1: The Peculiar Landlord

Deep mountains, dense forests, towering trees reaching the sky, and branches swaying amidst a myriad of trees

The brilliant sunrays penetrate through the gaps in the foliage, casting mottled traces and adorning the fragrant path with a sense of leisure and laziness.

At this moment, two figures stroll along the path in the forest. Their pace is not fast and is devoid of any sense of urgency.

On the left walks a woman of about forty years old, with a calm complexion and a solemn expression. Her brown hair is neatly tied into a bun behind her head, and she wears a forehead protector with the symbol of Konoha Village. There is a faint coldness between her eyebrows.

On the right is a girl who appears to be eight or nine years old. Her flowing red hair cascades freely behind her, and her sparkling eyes continuously survey the scenery along the way. Through her childlike pupils, one can perceive the constant bursts of anticipation, longing, and a slight unease about the future that she struggles to conceal.

"Kushina, not far ahead is Konoha Village, where you will live from now on. If you encounter any problems in the future, you can come to me."

The middle-aged woman's voice is calm and steady. From her words, one can sense her desire to take care of the girl named Kushina. However, for some reason, whether it's due to her personality or the environment she's in, she fails to fully express her innermost thoughts in her tone.

"Yes!"

Kushina nods heavily. She has been escorted by Konoha shinobi all the way until they are close to Konoha Village. At that point, the Konoha shinobi handed her over to the middle-aged woman standing in front of her.

Based on their initial introduction, Kushina learned that the middle-aged woman's name is Sarutobi Biwako, and she holds an extraordinary position within Konoha Village as the wife of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Receiving such a treatment from someone of Sarutobi Biwako's status personally coming to greet her, Kushina can't help but feel overwhelmed with favor. The process of walking toward her feels dizzying.

"Kushina, don't burden yourself with any psychological pressure. Konoha Village and Uzumaki Village have been allies for generations. Just consider Konoha Village as your own home."

Seemingly aware that she appeared somewhat indifferent, Sarutobi Biwako deliberately squeezes out a smile, trying to appear more amiable while still maintaining the serious demeanor of someone in a high-ranking position within the system.

"I understand!"

Kushina nodded once again, appearing particularly obedient. She cherished the opportunity to come and live in Konoha Village.

"Oh, by the way..."

Suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to remember something and immediately turned his head towards Kushina.

"Since you're not familiar with Konoha Village, we have decided to arrange your residence closer to the Ninja Academy."

As Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, he paused briefly, allowing Kushina a moment to respond. However, seeing that she remained silent, he continued.

"The house we're providing you is not owned by Konoha Village. It belongs to another child around your age. To tell the truth, he's had a difficult life. His parents sacrificed themselves during a mission, leaving behind only this house. To make ends meet, the spare bedroom in the house is rented out. We have arranged for you to rent that bedroom."

"Is the house big?" Kushina exclaimed. When she left Uzumaki Village, the villagers told her that Konoha Village was more prosperous and wealthy.

"Uh, not really," Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated and shook his head.

"Are there only two bedrooms?" Kushina was taken aback, curiosity gleaming in her innocent eyes.

"Uh, just one." Sarutobi Hiruzen's serious face showed a hint of embarrassment, but it quickly vanished.

"Oh, I see!" Kushina's eyes widened with surprise. It was different from what she had imagined. However, as a newcomer and a child, she couldn't make any excessive demands. She went along and said, "It's still nice to meet someone my age. It will help me adjust to the village and fit in at school."

"Uh, the house's owner is a boy." Sarutobi Hiruzen's face began to show a hint of frustration. Konoha Village was facing financial difficulties, and providing Kushina with a separate house would be too costly, considering they already had to provide support for that child. So they decided to use one of the bedrooms as a rental space. After all, the boy didn't need it.

"Huh?"

Kushina's beautiful eyebrows furrowed abruptly, her black eyes widening in shock.

A boy?!

She was born in a ninja world plagued by constant warfare, and she already had some understanding of many things, even at her young age. But living in the same bedroom as a boy—that didn't seem right.

Kushina's bright red lips twitched slightly, as if she wanted to voice her doubts but didn't know how to start. She hesitated multiple times, on the verge of speaking, but ultimately remained silent.

"I know what you're worried about."

Just at that moment, Sarutobi Biwako spoke slowly. Her tone was steady and solemn, trying to convey a sense of reassurance to Kushina.

In fact, that boy has a peculiar personality. The sacrifice of his parents has caused him great mental trauma. As a result, he has a hearing impairment and struggles to understand the meaning behind people's words clearly. His language expression is also problematic, often failing to convey his thoughts accurately. This leads to his silence and isolation, with hardly any friends. Most importantly, he never sleeps at home at night. Instead, he goes for runs in the forest or swims in the lake. According to Sarutobi Biwako, it seems that he uses these activities to alleviate the depression in his heart.

Sarutobi Biwako described a child with what seemed to be some psychological issues, a not uncommon case in the ninja world where pain and tragedy played out almost every moment.

However, these details were not important.

What was important was that this boy was particularly good at keeping secrets. This would not only save expenses but also prevent any disclosure of Kushina's situation.

"I... I understand!" Kushina's eyes suddenly brightened as she instantly grasped the other person's intention. Perhaps she was meant to help comfort this emotionally wounded boy, which added a sense of purpose to her heart. It was as if she had found additional value in coming to Konoha Village.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention that boy's name is..."

Sarutobi Biwako's steady and solemn gaze was fixed ahead, and the gates of Konoha Village could be vaguely seen. She was well aware that with Kushina stepping through those gates, a new era would dawn upon the village.

"Araki!"