Gacha System in Naruto 50 – What is Family?

---Third POV---

Today, Konoha was unusually lively.

Villagers spontaneously ford a long line at the village entrance, with many arriving on the streets early in the morning to secure a good spot. Today was the day the heroes who had achieved victory on the battlefield against Suna returned ho.

Despite the cold weather approaching the year's end, the enthusiasm of the villagers showed no sign of diminishing. Konoha desperately needed a major victory.

If one had to describe the Third Great Ninja War in a single word, "tornt" would undoubtedly be the most fitting. Since the war began, Konoha had experienced alternating monts of advantage and disadvantage, stuck in a relentless cycle. This was true not just for Konoha but for every other village as well.

This kind of tug-of-war, where the future seed uncertain, was the ultimate test of people's willpower. So even believed the shinobi world might destroy itself in this endless war.

When news of the decisive victory on the Land of Rivers battlefield reached them, the entire Konoha erupted—literally. Hiruzen, along with Koharu and Homura, had already decided that when Tsunade and the others returned, they would hold a grand welcoming ceremony.

As for why Danzō wasn't consulted, it was because of a minor disagreent over strategy in the Land of Rivers conflict a while back, leading to a fallout. He had been sulking in the Root headquarters, not erging for several days. Hiruzen, however, wasn't too worried; knowing Danzō, his sulking wouldn't last long.

For now, the priority was the grand ceremony. He wanted the entire shinobi world to understand who truly was the strongest ninja village.

When orders were issued, they discovered that no mobilization was even needed. The villagers were already celebrating. Their enthusiasm was so overwhelming that Hiruzen almost thought they had all been hit by a mass genjutsu.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, beyond the grand gates of Konoha, the main forces from the Land of Rivers began to march in slowly. At the forefront was Tsunade, walking confidently. She casually reached out and pulled Ryouma to walk alongside her.

Shukaku was peacefully perched on Ryouma's shoulder. It rarely spoke when others were around, and in such a bustling crowd, it simply closed its eyes and fell soundly asleep. Its ability to fall asleep so easily and deeply would surely make many people from Ryouma's previous life envious.

Speaking of which, after Ryouma and Tsunade discussed Shukaku's situation, Tsunade promised to reason with the Third Hokage about it. For now, they would officially claim that the One-Tail had fled, as no one would likely mistake Shukaku's current form for a Tailed Beast anyway.

anwhile, Jiraiya, was feeling restless. Hearing the villagers' cheers from afar, he hastily painted a handso war pattern on his face, determined to show off and recover so dignity after tarnishing his reputation by peeking into the won's bathhouse.

Nearby, Minato stood quietly, leading his young apprentices.

On the main street, the cheers of the villagers were so loud that they seed capable of shattering the clouds above.

"Lady Tsunade! I love you!"

"Minato-sama is so handso! Jiraiya-sama is... also fine!"

Furious, Jiraiya couldn't hold back anymore. His forehead veins bulged as he scanned the crowd with wide eyes, trying to spot the cheeky brat who dared mock the Toad Sage.

"Jiraiya-sensei, please don't do this." Seeing his teacher about to rush out of the procession, Minato quickly pulled him back.

As the group advanced, the villagers' chants grew more synchronized.

"Swift Phantom!"

"Leaf's Gale!"

Standing at the forefront with Tsunade, Ryouma couldn't help but blush, his face turning noticeably red. Naturally, Tsunade noticed this and smirked.

"Oh? Why are you blushing?"

The title "Swift Phantom" had only recently spread in Konoha. It originally ca from Suna. Back then, the Suna ninjas, despite suffering several critical ambushes by Ryouma, still had enough sportsmanship to give him the title "Leaf's Gale."

However, as ti went on, the Suna ninjas noticed that Ryouma, rather than undertaking a variety of missions, primarily joined Minato in dropping "wind bombs" on their strongholds. After bombing, he would flee without any trace.

Over ti, they stopped using "Leaf's Gale" and instead began calling him "Evil Bomber."

As the war dragged on, with Ryouma killing the most Suna ninjas, the nickna evolved into "Bastard."

If Suna were to rank the Konoha ninjas they most wanted to kill, even Sakumo would likely be bumped down to second place.

Back in the Konoha, people had started referring to him as "Swift Phantom" or "Leaf's Gale."

But how did the entire village learn about this?! Ryouma wondered, though he didn't forget to wave and greet the enthusiastic villagers.

From the Hokage Building rooftop, Hiruzen observed the returning ninjas and the cheering villagers. He nodded in satisfaction.

It hadn't been for nothing that he had specially ordered multiple reports detailing the heroic deeds of the ninja, especially Ryouma, on the Land of Rivers' battlefield. He had ensured they were posted on bulletin boards throughout the village.

Now, the entire village knew that the boy standing beside Tsunade was the greatest contributor to their victory in this war.

"Oh, oh, oh! Ryouma, look! The villagers are here to welco us!" Obito was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. It was a scene he had only dread of before.

Kakashi imdiately cut him down, saying, "Can't you hear? They're all chanting Ryouma's na, not yours."

Obito grinned. "Too naive. You are still too young."

"?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow, confused.

With a knowing look, Obito tilted his head to the sky at a dramatic 45-degree angle and, in an overly serious tone, said, "I see it now. In the distant future, Minato-sensei will beco the Fourth Hokage, and Ryouma will take the Fifth. Then it will be my turn to beco the Sixth Hokage. Hahaha!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "If I beca the Sixth Hokage, you'd never be the Sixth."

Obito was taken aback. He hadn't expected that. He stared at his teammate in shocked, realizing this guy actually wanted to be Hokage too.

What a joke! Did he even understand the Will of Fire?

Obito imagined Kakashi wearing the Hokage's hat with his dead-fish eyes and burst into laughter.

"Pfft—are you serious? If you can beco the Sixth Hokage, then I can be the next Sage of Six Paths."

The triumphant ceremony proceeded smoothly and ultimately concluded with Hiruzen delivering a speech from the Hokage Building rooftop.

---Ryouma's POV---

I managed to sleep in for a rare, leisurely morning.

Initially, after returning ho, I'd planned to tidy up the house briefly before going to bed. However, the festivities in Konoha the previous night continued late into the evening.

The night's celebration had transford Konoha's usually austere streets into rivers of light and sound. Shukaku, who had napped enough, grew excited upon seeing the lively stalls on the street and insisted on going out to play.

"What's that spinning wheel? And that glowing thing? And why is everyone wearing those colorful robes?" Shukaku had asked with childlike wonder.

"That's a lottery wheel, those are paper lanterns, and they're wearing yukatas—festival clothing."

"We must try everything! The great Shukaku demands the full human festival experience!" he'd declared, drawing a few curious glances from nearby villagers.

"And who am I to deny the great Shukaku?"

Unable to refuse, I ended up accompanying Shukaku to the various stalls and stayed out until the villagers eventually dispersed. Only then did we return ho and go to sleep.

Recently, as the New Year approached, the wars at Iwa and Kiri had cald down sowhat. It wasn't peace—not yet. More like exhaustion, all sides taking a breath before the next push. But these monts between battles were precious in their own way.

Those like , who had just returned from the battlefield, were expected to have a short but well-earned break.

After a quick shower, I moved to the kitchen, Shukaku trailing behind like a small, sandy shadow. My kitchen was sparse but functional with just enough equipnt to prepare simple als.

After preparing a simple breakfast for myself, I finished eating and headed out with Shukaku.

"We're visiting friends today. Important ones," I told him as we prepared to leave.

"The yellow-haired one who can teleport?" Shukaku asked, suddenly alert.

"And his 'wife'. She's... special. You'll understand when you et her."

Minato had invited over for a al, stating he would fulfill his promise to teach a sealing technique. Although I thought there wasn't a need to be so formal between the two of us, I didn't refuse the invitation.

The day was still early.

I first stopped by Father's gravestone, placing a bouquet of fresh white chrysanthemums I had just bought from a florist on the way. I carefully arranged them, removed a few dried leaves from my previous visit, and knelt on the small stone platform.

In this world, an afterlife for the deceased existed. Even though I knew the words I said at the grave wouldn't reach him, I still spoke, recounting my experiences in the war.

"It's been a while," I began. "... The Land of Rivers is quite a beautiful place, actually. It's just that the war has caused so much suffering for its people…"

I talked for a while, mostly about trivial matters. The festival. The weather. New techniques I was developing. The everyday details that make up a life.

After listening quietly, Shukaku, in a low and solemn voice, asked, "Was he your family? Or a comrade?"

I nodded lightly. "He was my father."

Tilting his head, Shukaku asked curiously, "What does it feel like to have family?"

"You've never had anything like family?" I asked, surprised.

"The other tailed beasts... we were created together, but we rarely stayed together. Is that family?" Shukaku asked, genuinely curious.

My solemn expression faltered montarily.

"Family, huh… I guess it's similar to the bond between you tailed beasts and the Sage of Six Paths," I said carefully. "It's knowing soone sees you completely, flaws and all, and values you anyway. It's having soone whose absence leaves a hole that never quite fills, even when you find new connections. That's family for ."

---Third POV---

At the Namikaze residence, Minato watched as Kushina carried dish after dish from the kitchen and couldn't resist asking. "Don't you think you might be making a little too much…?"

But with just one sharp look from her, he imdiately shut his mouth and dared not say another word.

"I heard about it. Ryouma's mother passed away when he was very young, and his father also sacrificed himself in the war."

Kushina shot another stern glance at Minato before continuing.

"Yet, despite everything, he worked hard and beca a hero in the war with Suna! How could I not cook extra for such a good kid?!"

Minato suddenly felt a pang of guilt as if Kushina had stabbed him in the heart. He slumped onto the couch, thoroughly defeated.

Then a thought struck him. "How do you know all this?"

Kushina gave him a puzzled look before realizing and clapping her hands. "Oh, you just got back, so you probably don't know. The Third Hokage has been using Ryouma's heroic deeds as a pri example of the Will of Fire during his speeches lately."

With that, Kushina returned to the kitchen, leaving Minato to sit silently.

---Ryouma's POV---

After paying my respects to Father, I decided it was about ti to leave.

Following the map Minato had drawn for on a small note, I quickly located the Namikaze residence.

I knocked on the door.

Click.

Minato opened the door. He wore casual clothes rather than his jonin uniform. It was strange seeing him... so compfy.

"Perfect timing. We were just—" he began.

"Is it Ryouma? Let him in quickly!" Kushina's voice ca from inside the house.

After changing into guest slippers, I stepped into the house, saying, "Sorry to intrude."

It was warm and inviting inside. The furniture seed carefully arranged, with a consistent warm color sche that imdiately gave off the impression of a happy, harmonious family living there. Photos hung on the walls—Minato with his genin team, Kushina with friends from the village, the two of them together at various village festivals.

Kushina, nearly finished with her preparations, still wore her cooking apron. Her long red hair was tied back in a ponytail, a few strands escaping to fra her face. The mont she saw , she pulled into a hug, ruffling my hair.

"Yoshi, yoshi! What a cute kid you are! Minato said you wanted to learn sealing techniques. Honestly, you could've co directly to ! Except for the dangerous ones, you can learn whatever you like."

Minato stood nearby, smiling helplessly.

I was curious about Kushina's personality in real life. Now, seeing her, I felt she resembled Tsunade in so ways.

"That sll… it's the stinky fox," Shukaku muttered quietly to .

"Be nice. We're guests here," I whispered back.

Kushina also noticed the small tanuki. She bent down, examining Shukaku with unabashed curiosity.

"What's this? It's adorable! Is it your pet, Ryouma? And it can talk! Is it a summoning beast?"

She reached out as if to pet Shukaku, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was about to touch one of the legendary tailed beasts.

"I am no summoning beast, you insignificant human!" Shukaku retorted loudly.

"Oh, and it's got personality too! I love it!" Kushina laughed, completely unfazed.

I, never one to hide things from trusted people, explained directly to Kushina that this was Shukaku, the One-Tail.

"Ehh?!" Kushina exclaid. Her hand instinctively moved toward her stomach.

---Third POV---

In the sealed space within Kushina, the Nine-Tails stirred. The massive fox had been dozing, as it often did when nothing interesting was happening in its host's life.

"That sll… it's that stupid tanuki, isn't it?" The Nine-Tails opened its massive eyes, trying to sense the situation outside by extending a bit of chakra through the seal.

Kushina imdiately sensed the Nine-Tails' actions. Just as she was preparing to suppress it with a sealing technique, the Nine-Tails hastily spoke up.

"Wait! Is that stupid tanuki out there?"

Responding internally, Kushina replied, "It is, but what does that have to do with you?"

The Nine-Tails smirked. "You must be fighting the One-Tail's jinchūriki, right? I can lend you my chakra. That stupid tanuki would be no match for you. How about it?"

Having lived for so long, the Nine-Tails assud there was a battle taking place. By lending its chakra, it saw a slim chance to break free of the seal.

However, Kushina was entirely uninterested. She left it with a sharp retort. "Keep dreaming. There's no jinchūriki here, and the One-Tail is such an adorable little tanuki. You want to fight it? You really are an evil being."

With that, she decisively activated her sealing technique. The Adamantine Sealing Chains tightened, firmly suppressing the small amount of chakra the Nine-Tails had managed to release.

Unlike the luxurious cell the Nine-Tails would later occupy within Naruto, the version sealed in Kushina's body was bound tightly by Adamantine Sealing Chains, unable to even wag its tails freely.

But the it wasn't concerned about that at the mont. Its mind was spinning over Kushina's earlier statent.

Shukaku… adorable? That stupid tanuki?

What in the world had beco of this reality? Am I the only one still sealed and treated this way?

Leaving the Nine-Tails to its existential crisis, Kushina silently reinforced the seal before enthusiastically resuming her hospitality.

"I hope you're hungry!" she said, gesturing toward the dining area.

The table was filled with food: steaming rice, miso soup with fresh tofu, grilled fish, tempura vegetables, and what appeared to be Kushina's specialty ran in a large serving bowl.

"This looks amazing. Thank you for going to such trouble," Ryouma said sincerely.

"No trouble at all! Now eat up before it gets cold!" she insisted.

---

After the al, which had been as delicious as it looked, they moved to Minato's study.

"This is a scroll that contains the formula for the Four Symbols Seal. It is an S-rank sealing technique. It's extrely challenging to learn, but I'm sure you'll master it in no ti."

Ryouma accepted the scroll Minato handed him.

Kushina chid in, "If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to co and ask . And if you want to learn any other sealing techniques, you're always welco to ask."

After politely thanking them, Ryouma bid farewell to Minato and Kushina.