Chapter 69: Remnant of the Past

The sixth-year after the establishment of Konoha, spring…

At the Uzumaki clan cemetery…

Masahiko sighed, and patted Kenichiro's head, who was crying, then turned away.

A few days ago, Masahiko received a message that the retired second elder of the Uzumaki was seriously ill. Masahiko and Kenichiro rushed back to Uzushiogakure, but they were too late.

Seeing Uzumaki Masao for the last time was somewhat displeasing for Masahiko; his heart felt heavy.

Although he had a bad relationship with him for 48 years, even hostile sometimes, after the battle with the Kaguya Clan, Masahiko has started to consider him as an old friend, especially after he took Kenichiro as his disciple.

When he returned to the Uzumaki this time, Masahiko learned that the retired first and second elders have already passed away years ago, and the death of Elder Masao has represented an end of an era, with Masahiko as the only one left.

"The end of an era, huh?" Masahiko mumbled.

Masahiko murmured as he was looking at some of the kids around the place. Some of them seemed like they can even be of the same age as the grandson of his grandsons.

Masahiko went back to the Patriarch main hall that has been expanded times and times again. He smiled helplessly at his big nephew who looked very old now, and said, "Hey nephew! Aren't you gonna retired yet? If I'm not wrong, you're 59 years old this year, almost 30 years in office. Haven't you done enough already?"

The patriarch looked up and nodded. "Uncle, I will retire next year."

Masahiko stunned for a bit. He initially thought that his nephew wanted to die as a patriarch, but somehow his reign is peaceful, no more wars, and he can retire peacefully with his head still attached to his body.

"Then who will become the next patriarch?" Masahiko asked.

Masahiko has been away from Uzushiogakure for more than five years. He didn't really know the current situation in the village.

The patriarch shook his head, then let out a sigh, "It originally belonged to Kenichiro, but because you took him away… Now the most prominent candidate is Gensuke."

Masahiko rolled his eyes, he didn't really feel right about this decision, it is evident that the most promising candidate is Kenichiro.

"Gensuke…" Masahiko kept quiet for a while before remembering, "Is he Nanako's husband?"

The patriarch nodded. "Yes, he is. Although Gensuke's Ninjutsu is not that remarkable compared to Kenichiro, he's doing a great job, and not to mention there's Nanako to help him…"

"Wait, wait…" Masahiko interrupted. "I knew Gensuke when he was a kid. He was a very ambitious little boy. In the first physical test, he did the most push-ups… And Nanako… As an assistant, she's…"

The patriarch smiled and shook his head. "You may not know much about how they become, especially Nanako. Now she has become an imitation of Mito. She's teaching the children of the tribes. Actually, she has become very popular among the clansmen."

Masahiko scratched his head and sighed. In these years, Masahiko realized that he didn't pay much attention to his two female disciples. "And what about Yuriko?"

"It's the same for Yuriko. She was teaching the youngster. And she had already married two years ago. Now she's pregnant, she's currently staying at home waiting to deliver her baby…" The patriarch slowly answered.

Masahiko nodded and thinking, "Nothing is better than my own home, I guess."

"When you retire next year, go to Konoha. I will give you my elder position … Even though you will become an ex-patriarch of Uzushiogakure but should enjoy your pension in Konoha, you've been busy with the Clan's affairs for all of your life."

The patriarch nodded in agreement.

Saying goodbye to the patriarch, Masahiko went to visit his disciples.

Nanako was no longer a hot young girl. When Masahiko saw her, she was holding a six or seven years old boy, with a gentle smile on her lips, it looked familiar but also strange. Masahiko felt some kind of unreal sense looking at her.

Yuriko wasn't the same snotty-little-cry-baby from before now; she's a graceful woman. She was holding her bully when Masahiko first saw her. Masahiko felt shocked at that moment; her Chakra was half the amount he currently has. And he could sense three different types of chakras flowing in her body; fire, earth, and wind attribute chakra. And all of them are in perfect harmony with each other; all of them are honed well. If she was in Konoha, then she would be ranked as an S-class ninja… There was a guy on her side, looking at her, but he was just an ordinary Shinobi.

However, they looked like a happy couple; Masahiko could see the peaceful look on Yuriko's face, and couldn't bear to disturb.

Leaving the home of his two disciples, Masahiko was in a rare depressing mood, until he returned to the cemetery, and saw Kenichiro in front of his Grandfather's grave, bouncing and vowing with his fist clenched that he would work harder in practice. At that moment, Masahiko felt better.

"Sure enough, just like always, I'm a lonely dog, with Kenichiro as the only company in my life…" Masahiko sighed. He may have said that, but at that moment, Masahiko was actually happy.

"Kenichiro, Let's go back…"

"Oh! Sensei!" Kenichiro answered.

The sixth-year since the establishment of Konoha was also an important year for the village.

Most of the clans and families there had a change of generation. Where the old elders and patriarch step down, and the younger generation rise. Just like the Hyuga, Aburame, Inuzuka, the Ino-Shika-Cho triad, the Hatake, most of the clans do change the generation of their rulers and elders. It's time for the newer generation to step on the stage of history. But some people like Masahiko still stay behind the scene while the others are enjoying their pension.

Thus, in the next elder meeting, Masahiko faced all of these younger generations of his grandchildren. Although he took freedom in bullying them, it didn't change their attitude toward him. No matter how many meetings they had, there will always be some people behind him talking about how the Villager shouldn't rely on such an old man, which made him feel very embarrassed.

"Damn, my nephew! His retirement is going to take another year, which will make me have to endure this position for one more year…" Masahiko scolded his hard worker nephew in his heart.

After waiting for the seventh year, finally, Masahiko's nephew stepped down from the position of the Uzumaki patriarch and made him take his place as an elder, but then he felt even more uncomfortable.

In addition to occasionally teasing Hashirama and Tobirama or their disciples, or visiting Mito and Kenji, or just strolling around the street of Konoha, Masahiko found that he had no acquaintances.

"I am now a living legacy of an era. Even my generation's great-grandchildren are already adults. I'm afraid after a few years…"

Masahiko lost in his thought, but the chatter of a couple of villagers on the street snap him back.

"Hey? Have you heard? The Daimyo is going to marry his little daughter to Hokage's son!"

"Really?"

"I'm not lying to you! Now the news already spread to the entire Konoha!"

"That's great!"

Masahiko looked up at the sky, then smiled happily.

"Why do I feel so low? My generation has just stepped off the stage, and a new one will come to take their places…"

Masahiko watched the people from his generation and even the next leave one after another. It was inevitable to feel a little bit down, he actually felt like the whole world has become darker.

But this conversation between the two villagers just now has awakened him. He then realized that he already been in Konoha for seven years. After a few more years, he expects to see the inauguration of the second Hokage. Then the third. And after that, the fourth, Namikaze Minato, Naruto's father…

"There's no need to feel down, I've already determined to live to the end of the show!"