RADG: Chapter 92: Two and a Half Years Passed in a Blink

Danzō was undoubtedly the one who knew Sarutobi Hiruzen best in this world, and Yami agreed with his judgment.

His wife had died during the Nine Tails Rebellion a few years ago, and now his eldest son and daughter-in-law were gone too.

If it had been anyone else, they would’ve collapsed long ago.

Even though Hiruzen had weathered many storms throughout his life, this blow couldn’t have felt good. If anyone tried to stir up trouble now, they would face his ruthless retaliation.

Although Yami disagreed with Hiruzen on ideology and despised many of his foolish decisions, he never denied the old man’s love for Konoha—and he certainly wouldn’t take advantage of this moment of grief.

So, he heeded Danzō’s advice and kept a low profile.

It just so happened that he also needed time to consolidate his foundations and convert potential into actual strength.

This period of low-key living lasted two and a half years.

During this time, the entire shinobi world remained calm. The war had fully ended, and peace had come.

After the initial period of sorrow, Hiruzen slowly recovered from the pain of losing his son and threw himself fully into the village’s development—reviving the economy and restoring people’s livelihoods.

However, many of his new policies began to infringe upon the interests of the Uchiha clan.

In the eyes of the Uchiha, the village’s security and the management of the commercial district were part of their responsibilities.

These were rules established during the era of the Second Hokage.

Now, the Hokage’s interference was seen as nothing less than taking a piece of their pie.

At the same time, Uchiha Shisui’s reputation continued to soar.

It was said that Kirigakure shinobi would immediately abandon a mission if they encountered the "Shunshin Shisui," cementing his status as the strongest among the Uchiha.

Many Uchiha grew increasingly arrogant. Their restlessness was no longer hidden, and the undercurrents began to rise.

Early Morning

At the Yami household. “Food is ready; get up already!”

Uzumaki Misa’s voice rang out from the kitchen, accompanied by the smell of freshly cooked food.

A few minutes later, Karin and Yami walked into the dining room.

Uzumaki Misa placed toast and eggs in front of them and returned to the kitchen to bring out grilled fish.

“Hurry and eat. You need to get to school soon. Today is registration day, you can’t be late.”

Uzumaki Misa’s face glowed with joy as she spoke.

Even after living in Konoha for over three years, she sometimes still felt like it was all a dream.

A stable environment, a peaceful life. Karin would be able to attend the ninja academy, make friends her age—everything felt so perfect, it almost seemed unreal.

“Where’s Samui?”

Yami asked while spreading jam on his toast.

Two and a half years had passed. He had grown taller, his face more refined, and his skin was strikingly fair.

Whenever the girls like Izumi and Yugao looked at him closely, they couldn’t help but feel a tinge of envy.

Why did this guy have everything? Not only was he good-looking, but his skin was flawless—whiter and smoother than the girls who spent so much time and effort on skincare.

“Lord Yami, I’m back.”

Samui entered the doorway with a sword in hand, still dripping with sweat—clearly she had been training again.

“You’re drenched in sweat. Go shower first, then come eat.”

Though Yami said this with feigned disdain, Samui still smiled softly, her dimples faint, and quickly headed upstairs.

Time and environment had changed her. When she first arrived, she had worn a cold expression every day. Her decision to become Yami’s retainer had been born of desperation after being sold out by the Raikage.

But when one's status changes, so does their heart.

Over the years, Samui came to realize that once she became one of Yami’s people, he treated her with kindness and sincerity. He taught her advanced kenjutsu and ninjutsu, and in daily life, treated her no differently than family.

Slowly, the ice began to melt. As for Kumo... Samui only missed her family now.

She even considered bringing her younger brother and parents to Konoha. Compared to the rigid hierarchy of the Cloud, life here was much better.

At the table, Uzumaki Misa was busy reminding Karin of school rules.

“Listen to your teachers, make friends, don’t bully your classmates, and study hard. Don’t embarrass Lord Yami.”

“Yeah!” Karin replied as she chewed on an egg, her cheeks puffed like a squirrel’s.

“I’ll definitely become a powerful ninja and assist Yami-sama!”

Uzumaki Misa was both exasperated and amused. “So, you didn’t hear anything I just said, huh?”

“No need to be that nervous.”

Yami drank his milk and said casually, “It’s good to make friends, but don’t feel like you have to force yourself. People with similar values will naturally connect.”

“If anyone tries to bully you, beat them up. Then come home and tell me, I’ll pay a visit to their family.”

“Lord Yami…” Misa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You’re spoiling Karin too much.”

“Yami-sama is the best!”

Karin leapt into Yami’s arms, eyes full of admiration and trust.

Yami gently lifted her off and waved at Misa. “Aunt Misa, no need to be so cautious. Our Shimura clan doesn’t go around provoking others. That’s how quality people behave.”

“But if anyone messes with us, that just means they’re not mature enough.”

Misa smiled bitterly but said nothing more.

Who would want their child to endure bullying or suppression?

She had only spoken out of habit, shaped by the years she spent wandering and in exile.

But seeing how Yami treated Karin, she knew her daughter’s future wouldn’t be filled with suffering like her own had been.

And that was enough.

After breakfast and a change of clothes, the three left home and headed to the academy.

Along the way, they passed many families bringing their children as well.

Aside from noble clans, many civilians also sent their kids to the academy if they had the means. Becoming a ninja was risky, but the rewards were substantial. Even genin or chūnin could retire comfortably after 10 or 20 years.

Still, the ninja academy didn’t accept just anyone.

After the war, demand had decreased significantly. Konoha needed to control the number of shinobi—it no longer needed cannon fodder.

These days, the academy admitted around 300 students per year, and less than half would successfully graduate.

Yami’s home wasn’t far from the school. After a 15-minute walk, they arrived at the gate.

They weren’t early—there were already many people waiting with their children.

Yami also ran into some familiar faces.

“Come on, Karin. I’ll introduce you to a few people. They’ll be your classmates.”

Holding Karin’s hand, Yami led her to a large tree, where several adults and three kids stood.

Nara Shikaku noticed their approach and patted his unmotivated son. “Shikamaru, stand up straight.”

“Shikamaru.”

The previous generation’s Ino-Shika-Chō trio all greeted Yami with smiles. Though he was close in age to their children, his status and strength made them treat him as an equal, not a junior.

Behind them, a blonde little girl’s eyes sparkled, a bit of drool pooling at the corner of her mouth.

“So handsome… this onii-chan is really handsome!”

Shikamaru’s mouth twitched.

Yeah, Yami was good-looking, he had to admit—but could you not drool in public?

As for the chubby kid next to her, he hadn’t stopped eating since he arrived and had already gone through a full bag of chips.

“Yami, let me introduce them. These are our kids: Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chōji.”

Shikaku gestured for the three to come forward as Yami introduced himself.

Shikamaru greeted him respectfully. Shikaku had already told him about Yami’s accomplishments. Against someone that strong, it was best to stay humble.

The other two kids didn’t think that far. Ino, especially, stared at Yami without blinking.

Yami smiled and gently patted her head. “What a cute little girl. You’re lucky, Inoichi-san.”

“Haha!” Yamanaka Inoichi laughed heartily, clearly a doting father.

Ino looked down shyly but was thrilled inside.

“Karin, say hi. You’ll all be classmates, so help each other out.”

Yami gave Karin a little push toward the trio.

Karin rarely went out and didn’t have friends her age. She thought kids her age were childish and not worth dealing with. But since Yami said so, she introduced herself seriously.

Soon, the group warmed up to each other.

“Yami!”

At that moment, more acquaintances arrived. The twin brothers brought their children.

“Lord Yami,” Hyūga Neji greeted him respectfully.

“…Lord Yami…” the small girl said in a soft voice.

“Hinata, you don’t need to be so formal.” Yami looked at the blushing girl and refrained from any physical affection, worried it might embarrass her.

He never tried to change Hinata’s personality. Everyone had their own traits—there was no need to force change.

“Karin, if anyone bullies Hinata at school, go ahead and fight back.”

“Got it, Yami-sama!”

“I’ll help too!” Ino chimed in quickly.

Yami gave them a few words of encouragement before turning to Neji. “Neji, I’m counting on you to look after the senior students.”

“Yes. I’ll protect Hinata-sama. Please leave it to me, Lord Yami.”

Neji, now much more mature, understood that his father was alive thanks to Yami’s intervention. His gratitude and respect for Yami even surpassed what he felt toward the Hokage.

While they spoke, more and more people gathered. Yami eventually saw the rest of the future “Konoha 12.”

“Yami-nii!”

A loud voice rang out. The nearby crowd’s expressions darkened.

But Uzumaki Naruto didn’t care and rushed up to Yami with a wide grin.

“Naruto, this is Karin.”

“Oh! I’m Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage!”

Yami suddenly realized that Karin and Naruto had never met before.

Uzumaki Misa, who stood silently nearby, looked at Naruto for a moment, then sneered inwardly.

Senju and Uzumaki had been allies for generations… and yet this is how the descendants of Uzumaki live in Konoha?

Lady Mito, do you regret teaching the Tailed Beast sealing techniques to Senju Hashirama?

From that moment, the Uzumaki became ideal containers for Jinchūriki. To keep Jinchūriki loyal, the destruction of the Uzumaki Kingdom became inevitable.

The Ino-Shika-Chō trio knew the truth, so they didn’t discriminate against Naruto like the others. Nor did they stop their kids from befriending him.

Naruto smiled brightly. Just as Hokage-jiji had said—he’d make friends at the academy.

Suddenly, a stir came from the other side of the crowd, and a path opened up.

Uchiha Itachi was bringing Uchiha Sasuke to register.

Yami thought of a document he had received recently, then smiled and walked over.

The tear troughs on Itachi’s face were more pronounced, making him look older than his twelve years.

Seeing Yami approach, his brow furrowed slightly.

Yami ignored him and looked down at Sasuke. “Kid, remember me?”

Sasuke blinked, sensing something familiar but unable to place it.

“Shimura Yami,” Yami said. “I was the one who beat your brother during the Chūnin Exams.”

“It was you! The bad guy!”

Sasuke remembered instantly and glared at him with hostility.

“Don’t be so petty.”

Yami smiled. “So it’s okay for your brother to beat others, but not the other way around? That’s a bit arrogant, Uchiha.”

“Nii-san is the strongest!”

Sasuke argued, “He’ll beat you now for sure!”

“Oh?” Yami raised a brow. “Itachi, want to test that out and see if your little brother’s right?”

“Please don’t tease Sasuke,” Itachi said calmly, patting his brother’s head. “Don’t be too competitive.”

“But…”

Sasuke pouted, muttering under Itachi’s stern gaze.

Itachi bowed slightly. “Yami, I’m taking Sasuke to register. Excuse us.”

“Go ahead.”

Yami grinned. “We’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

Itachi’s pupils narrowed slightly. He clearly understood the implication but said nothing and led Sasuke inside.

Yami also took Karin and Naruto to register with the academy staff.

His old teacher, Kazama Shuuichi, had been promoted to principal, and the new academy teacher Iruka was the homeroom teacher of Class 10.

All students capable of extracting Chakra were assigned to his class, which was considered the elite section.

Waving goodbye to a reluctant Karin, Yami turned and left the academy, returning to the Anbu base.

(To be continued.)