Chapter 39: Farewell

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, a week had gone by.

As the most prominent clan in Konoha, the Uchiha had held a legendary status in the shinobi world, casting an influence that was hard to ignore.

The shockwaves from the massacre rippled across the shinobi world.

The five great nations were in turmoil, and every major shinobi village was shaken.

No one could have anticipated that the once-renowned Uchiha would meet such an end.

And it was all caused by one of their own—a mere thirteen-year-old boy.

It was almost unbelievable.

In Konoha's case, however, the Third Hokage and the village's high-ranking officials dared not relax their vigilance.

They dispatched several squads of elite shinobi to patrol and monitor the borders, swiftly eliminating spies and agents from various villages attempting to probe Konoha's defenses within the Land of Fire.

They hoped that by showing strength, they could intimidate the other villages into backing off.

The message was clear: Konoha's strength would not wane just because it had lost the Uchiha Clan.

Border tensions flared.

The shinobi world became, inevitably, more tense.

Inside the village, a sense of unease grew among civilians and lower-ranking shinobi alike. 

Many feared another outbreak of war, one that could shatter the fragile peace won after the brutal Third Great Ninja War.

Yet all of this…

Had little to do with Kiyoshi.

His focus was entirely on Azumi, who, despite clinging to life with Kiyoshi's chakra of extraordinary vitality, had finally reached her limit.

Three days ago, after entrusting her final words to Kiyoshi.

The elderly woman, free of regret, passed on peacefully with a smile.

In a quiet cemetery.

Kiyoshi, dressed in black, stood silently before Azumi's grave.

He lingered there for a long time, silently gazing at the tombstone.

Azumi had left without regrets.

Kiyoshi wasn't overwhelmed by sadness, as he understood that death was inevitable.

If he couldn't overcome the constraints of life someday, he too would succumb to the cycle of life, aging, illness, and death.

Still, he couldn't help feeling a sense of loss and reluctance.

In this world, there was now one less person who genuinely cared for him.

After a while…

Kiyoshi, heavy-hearted, bowed deeply.

It was his farewell to his grandmother.

With the help of elders like Shikaku and Inoichi, he had completed the arrangements for her funeral, and with no lingering attachments, he prepared to leave Konoha under his teacher Tsunade's guidance.

"Kiyoshi…"

Kurenai, also dressed in black, approached, holding a bouquet of white chrysanthemums.

She placed them gently on Azumi's grave.

"Kurenai-nee."

Kiyoshi turned toward Kurenai.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade has been waiting for me, so it's time…" Kiyoshi nodded.

Seeing Kiyoshi as a younger brother, Kurenai patted his head gently, reluctantly saying, "Take care of yourself, alright?"

Learning from someone like Tsunade, while exploring the world and broadening his horizons.

It was undoubtedly a good opportunity.

"I will, and I'll come back often to visit."

Kiyoshi looked at Kurenai's beautiful face and said softly, "During festivals, please look after Grandma's grave for me, Kurenai-nee."

"Don't worry; I'll visit Grandma Azumi's grave regularly. I'll also make sure your home is tidy, so don't worry about it." Kurenai replied with a gentle smile.

Kiyoshi nodded, trusting her completely.

"Kiyoshi."

In the distance…

Tenten and Ino ran over, each holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Your girlfriends are here." Kurenai teased him with a smile.

She had seen the two girls many times by now.

They frequently came looking for Kiyoshi, and the three of them often trained together.

It was easy to see the affection these two young girls had for him.

Not wanting to intrude, she laughed and said, "I'll take my leave then, Kiyoshi."

"See you later, Kurenai-nee."

After watching Kurenai leave.

Kiyoshi looked at the two girls who had jogged up to him.

Their presence lifted his spirits, and he asked with a smile, "Why did you two come over?"

"We wanted to pay our respects to Grandma Azumi."

Ino replied.

Tenten asked, "Kiyoshi, are you still going to the hospital today?"

"Tsunade-sensei said I don't need to anymore…" Kiyoshi smiled. "It's great timing that you're both here, as I was planning to say goodbye to you."

With that, he pulled out two scrolls from his pocket.

He handed them to Ino and Tenten.

"These are gifts for both of you."

For Ino, Kiyoshi had compiled a training guide over the past few days.

It contained his insights on chakra control and chakra sensory techniques.

This was especially beneficial for Ino in honing her clan's secret jutsu.

For Tenten, he had crafted something special.

Using the materials he had left over, he had built a flying puppet for her.

In the storage scroll containing the puppet, he also included a basic scroll.

Inside were his notes on puppet techniques.

He had specifically consulted Tsunade, who had clashed with Suna's most skilled puppet masters, to gather insights and summarize them with his own understanding.

Moreover, he had mapped out a training path for her development.

If Tenten followed his plan diligently, she could become an excellent puppet master in the future.

"Are you really leaving, Kiyoshi?" Tenten asked, her voice soft.

"Are you leaving so soon?" Ino added.

Though they had been prepared for his departure, hearing his farewell words stirred a longing in both girls as they gazed at him.

"Don't worry, I'll be back."

Placing his hands gently on Ino's and Tenten's heads.

Kiyoshi ruffled their hair with a smile. "Train hard, because I'll be checking on your progress when I return."

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