Chapter 242 - 241: A Similar Yet Different World

Chapter 242: Chapter 241: A Similar Yet Different World

"That is how things are."

"It is good that you are back, it is good that you are back."

Nara Yoshino shed tears of joy, holding her daughter after two years of separation, acting somewhat uncharacteristically.

Kano let her mother examine her body, patting and kneading her, for this was a mother’s love.

"I want to eat something delicious!"

"Alright, Mom will go make it for my precious Kano right now!"

After hugging and doting on Kano for a while, Yoshino finally agreed to let go of her daughter to go make her something delicious.

"Brother, what about Karin? Has she not returned yet?"

"Has Karin not returned home yet?"

"Karin, she..."

"Could it be that something happened to Karin?"

Kano couldn’t help but worry. She knew that Karin liked her. She was afraid that because of her own death, Karin might do something foolish.

"No, it is just that ever since you went missing, she has often gone out to look for you. Every time she returns, she brings back some clues for me to analyze."

"Then when is she coming back next time?"

"She just left not long ago; on average, she only returns once a month."

"I see."

Kano pondered. Waiting at home for Karin to return was clearly impossible. It seemed she would have to look for Karin while she was out.

"Go wash your hands quickly; dinner is ready. Dear, Shikamaru, you two come over and carry the plates."

"Coming."

"What a drag."

"I will come help too."

"My precious Kano, you just need to sit and wait for the meal," she said, then immediately turned to criticize Shikamaru, "Look at how sensible your Younger Sister is, and then look at you, complaining about being asked to carry a plate. And what are you laughing at? I am talking to you too, as a father, carrying only two plates at a time, you are truly useless."

Shikaku felt speechless. This was obviously just an excuse to find fault with him; well, he wouldn’t really hold it against her.

Soon, the family was happily gathered around the dinner table, eating, chatting, and laughing.

"Damn it, my master is too spineless. I went missing, and she didn’t even start a war for me."

"Fifth Hokage also considered the entire Village, which is why she did not start a war. Moreover, hearing the results you described, it actually was not the Hidden Mist Village’s responsibility. Even if a war were to be started, it would be against Iwagakure, right? Also, your master was extremely sad when she heard the news about your accident, saying she never should have given you that necklace. She specifically returned to the Village to find Jiraiya to try and go avenge you together."

Yoshino talked about what people who cared about her had done during the time Kano was away. Kano was quite moved; there were still good people in the Village.

"At that time, Lady Tsunade and Naruto also went to find the Fifth Hokage together, and I was present as well. Especially Naruto; he could barely control the Nine-Tailed at that moment. If it were not for the Fifth Hokage’s Sharingan, Naruto probably would have lost control back then."

Shikamaru chatted about daily life; although she was not the Younger Sister from his world, she was still his sister. While chatting, he told her some details from the past two years. In any case, both sides were almost parallel worlds, and there was no difference. He believed his sister would quickly understand the current situation.

"Sharingan?"

Kano heard a strange term. Wasn’t the Fifth Hokage Tsunade? There was a problem; this was not the world she was familiar with.

"I drank too much juice; I am going to the bathroom."

Kano stood up to leave the table, and when passing by the window, she looked towards the Hokage Rock.

"The fifth hokage... is it Obito? Is it not going to be easy to find her now? Is Obito also a woman in this world? The Fourth Hokage is still Minato. Then is he still alive?"

Returning to the dinner table, Kano continued chatting, but she gradually guided the topic towards Minato.

"This time, it was actually Naruko who brought me back. For my sake, Naruto gave up his identity as a man and became a little girl similar to me."

"So that child has become Naruko now? He is truly devoted to you. When he heard you had an accident, he was in the middle of training but rushed back to the Village overnight; even Jiraiya could not catch up to her."

Yoshino took over the topic and started talking about Naruto. As a mother, she certainly knew her daughter was a heartbreaker, and Naruto had always been pursuing her precious Kano.

Shikamaru, as someone from the same generation who had a good relationship with Naruto, also paid close attention to Naruto’s affairs.

"Naruto was not to be trifled with back then; he was part of the pro-war faction. To get the Village to send more search personnel, he even knelt before the Fifth Hokage. Unfortunately, in the end, the Fifth Hokage did not agree, and when he left, his eyes were full of disappointment."

"Yes, I heard that when that kid left the Village, he said if he could not find you, he would rather become a rogue ninja than ever return."

Shikaku also added at the appropriate time.

"Then the Fourth Hokage..."

Kano asked about Minato, taking the opportunity to test whether they were still alive.

"That couple is also unlucky; they only have one son, and he is a lovesick fool. He didn’t even tell them the day he left Konoha. The couple also often goes out on missions to look for traces of their son. But it is good now; the son did not come back, but a daughter did. Hahahaha."

Minato and Kushina were not dead; that was good. Naruko could take the opportunity to go back and see her parents...

"Wait!"

Since Minato and Kushina were not dead, didn’t that mean Naruko wasn’t living in that dilapidated little shack? Would that idiot Naruko be unable to find her home and end up sleeping outside for the night?

If it were Naruto sleeping outside for a night, Kano wouldn’t think it was a problem, but not Naruko! How could the fragrant, soft little Naruko sleep on a bench by the side of the road!

"Um, I am done eating. I am going out for a stroll; I will be back at night."

Kano tidied up the tableware, told her family, and left.

"Shikamaru, go follow your Younger Sister, and don’t let her get lost again."

"I know."

Shikamaru also obeyed his mother’s order, stood up, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and followed Kano out.

After Kano went out, she rode the Shadow Deer. She first went to Naruko’s dilapidated little shack, didn’t find her, and then searched around the Village while calling out.

"Naruko, are you there? If you hear my voice, answer me."

Kano wandered through half the Village and finally found the lost Naruko before midnight.

"Kano-chan, why are you here? Do you have something to find me for?"

"You, why don’t you come to me when you have trouble? If I hadn’t come to find you, were you planning to sleep on this bench for the night?"

Naruko lowered her head; Kano had guessed it right. That was indeed what she had been thinking.

"Don’t be so unhappy; I am not here to blame you. Tell me what you have discovered."

Kano sat beside Naruko to comfort her, and Naruko confessed very earnestly.

"I found that this Village is both familiar and strange. It clearly isn’t much different from the Village in my memories, but when I went home, I found that someone else was living in my house."

"Kano-chan, do you think there might not have been a place for me in this world to begin with?"

Kano did not like seeing Naruko looking so dejected. So, Kano leaned in, left a sweet kiss on Naruko’s cheek, and then said with a smile:

"Are you happy now?"

Naruko couldn’t even keep the corners of her mouth from curling up, and her little face turned completely red in an instant. The person she loved had kissed her; such a thing made her faint with happiness.

"It is too early to be happy; I have another surprise to tell you. You need to prepare yourself mentally; don’t let your brain crash because it is too stimulating."

"What surprise? More stimulating than a kiss?"

"Your biological parents are—still alive in this world."

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