novelraw Chapter 491 Kushina: Welcome to the Zhang family, Naruto!
Chapter 491 Kushina: Welcome to the Zhang family, Naruto!
Chapter 491 Kushina: Welcome home, Naruto!
It was noon.
Naruto, Sasuke, and their group, led by Neji, Kimimaro, and Toneri, passed through a bustling commercial district.
Shops line both sides of the street, with huge glass windows displaying a dazzling array of goods. Neon signs of various colors shimmer with an alluring glow even during the day. Pedestrians dressed in all sorts of clothes throng the streets, and the sounds of noise, music, and vehicles blend together to create a vibrant background melody of a metropolis.
Finally, they stopped at a street corner where there were a lot of people.
The ground here has a wide entrance that extends downwards, with smooth glass railings on both sides and two constantly moving metal staircases in the middle.
One goes up, one goes down.
Countless people, like a tide, stepped onto the descending stairs in an orderly fashion, their figures quickly disappearing into the depths of the entrance.
A striking blue sign hangs above, bearing the words "Metro Line 3 - Xincheng South Station".
"Neji, Neji!" Naruto curiously approached Neji, pointed to the downward-facing entrance, and looked at the bustling crowd around him before asking.
"Weren't we supposed to be riding one of those fast 'Lexus' cars? How did we end up here? Where are we going?"
Neji tilted his head slightly, signaling everyone to follow, and then stepped onto the slowly descending escalator first.
"I'm taking you to take the subway, so we can get to the main urban area faster."
"The high-speed rail you saw before mainly connects cities. The subway is an urban rail transit system, with most of the lines running underground."
"Subway? Running underground—Raycar?" Choji stepped onto the escalator, feeling the novelty of the automatic movement beneath his feet. He looked around, observing the rapidly changing GG light boxes on the walls on both sides of the escalator, and the citizens around him who were used to escalators and were even looking down at the brochures in their hands, their faces full of curiosity.
Neji thought for a moment, then tried to explain in the simplest terms: "Well, you could understand it that way."
"It involves digging tunnels underground, laying tracks, and allowing trains to run inside the tunnels. This doesn't take up surface space, and it's very fast, making it one of the main modes of public transportation in cities. Anyway, you'll see when you get down there."
The escalator was very long, as if it were going to go deep underground.
As they descended, the light dimmed, but was quickly replaced by bright lights coming from below.
The air blowing from the air conditioner overhead carried a fresh scent, and a faint rumbling sound could be heard coming from deeper within.
Soon, they arrived at the underground station hall level.
The space here is extremely spacious, brightly lit, with a high ceiling and walls covered with smooth tiles.
Huge signs are hung everywhere, guiding the direction of different routes.
Countless passengers converge and disperse here, hurrying along, yet maintaining order.
Directly in front are several rows of ticket gates consisting of transparent barriers and metal railings. People swipe their card-sized tickets through the sensor area of the gate, and the barriers open automatically to allow passage.
Kimimaro took out a dark blue hard ID card with the emblem of the Land of Stars from his pocket, walked to a special gate, and swiped it in the sensor area.
The indicator light on the gate turned green, and the barrier slid open silently.
He gestured for everyone to pass quickly.
"Please proceed in turn, do not stop," Neji whispered a reminder.
Although the Konoha members were curious, they knew that with so many people around, they quickly followed one by one.
When it was Naruto's turn, he curiously bent down to look at the sensor area that was flashing with light, and was pushed by Kiba behind him before he stumbled in.
Just as Choji, at the very back, passed through the turnstile and the group was about to continue walking in, a man in a dark blue uniform...
The staff wearing "security check" armbands noticed them, especially several of the unusual passengers who were wearing Konoha headbands and carrying ninja tools.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, please wait a moment." He instinctively stepped forward, raising his hand to stop them, and said in a businesslike tone, "According to the Star City Public Rail Transit Control Regulations, upon entering the subway area, please cooperate with security checks and temporarily surrender any weapons, explosives, or weapons of mass destruction you are carrying."
However, before he could finish speaking, he was gently pulled on the arm by another security guard who was slightly older than him.
The older security guard gestured with his eyes to the dark blue badge that Kimimaro had just put away, then quickly glanced at the headbands on Neji, Kimimaro, and Toneri's bodies, and whispered to his colleague in a low voice, "Don't cause any trouble!"
Didn't you see that they were using a special military pass?
"Only Jonin-level individuals, those on special missions, or those with important official duties can apply for that! Bringing outsiders, especially ninjas—this is definitely not something we can handle! Get them through immediately!"
Upon hearing this, the young security officer's expression changed slightly. He immediately shut his mouth, bowed slightly to Kimimaro and the others, and then turned around as if nothing had happened to check other ordinary passengers.
This little incident didn't attract much attention.
The Konoha members followed Neji and his companions through the spacious station hall, down another relatively gentle staircase, and finally arrived at the actual underground platform.
The platform was more spacious and brighter than they had imagined, with an arched dome at the top and rows of fluorescent tubes illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.
On both sides are smooth platform edges, and below is a bottomless track trench.
On the opposite wall, a huge electronic display screen scrolls through train timetables and public service announcements.
In addition to the fresh scent we had smelled before, there was now a faint smell of human sweat in the air.
Passengers waiting for the bus were either standing or sitting; some were reading newspapers, some were chatting, and some were wearing headphones and immersed in their own worlds.
Everything here was new and exciting to the Konoha 11, as if they had entered another world.
Most notably, at the end of the platform, a temporary fence separated an area from which muffled rumbling sounds and fluctuations of Earth Release chakra could be faintly heard.
Clearly, there are earth-style ninjas there extending the tunnel.
Just then, from the dark depths of the tunnel at the end of the platform, a deep and rhythmic rumble came from afar, while two beams of snow-white light pierced the darkness and rapidly approached!
"The train is arriving at the station. Please be careful. Let passengers disembark first before boarding. Please be courteous and respectful when boarding." A gentle female voice announced.
Under the curious, surprised, and even slightly nervous gazes of the Konoha residents, a silver-gray train, similar in appearance to the "high-speed rail" they had seen on the ground but slightly smaller with more carriages, smoothly and precisely glided into the platform and came to a steady stop in front of them.
The train doors and platform screen doors open synchronously to both sides.
"Get in the carriage." Kimimaro said succinctly, stepping into the carriage first. Neji and Toneri also gestured for the Konoha members to follow.
The interior of the carriage was bright and clean, with two rows of blue plastic seats facing each other, and a wide aisle in the middle.
There are overhead rings for standing passengers.
It wasn't peak weekend time, so the carriage wasn't particularly crowded, but it was still fairly full.
After Naruto, Sasuke, and the others got into the car, they looked around curiously.
The carriage doors closed slowly, the train emitted a soft whistle, and then began to accelerate smoothly.
A slight swaying sensation and the tunnel walls rushing past the window reminded them that they were traveling underground at an extremely high speed.
The display screen on the ceiling of the carriage flashed the name of the next station, and the announcement came over the loudspeaker again: "Next station, Xinqiu Station. Passengers who need to get off or transfer to Metro Line 5, please prepare in advance."
The young ninjas of Konoha sat or stood, experiencing a mode of movement completely different from riding horses, running, or even using ninjutsu to travel.
Tenten, Sakura, Ino, and a few other girls huddled together, quietly discussing the other girls in the carriage who looked to be around their age, dressed fashionably, and were either listening to music with headphones on or looking down at their glowing little screens.
Choji pulled out another bag of potato chips from his ninja tool bag and started crunching them, attracting the curious gaze of a child nearby.
Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the various unfamiliar scents in the air.
Shino pushed up his sunglasses and silently observed everything around him.
Shikamaru didn't participate in his companions' discussion; his gaze was firmly drawn to the subway route map hanging on the walls on both sides of the carriage.
It was a complex, spiderweb-like route map, clearly marking the various areas of Star City and the six subway lines that were already in operation, each marked with a different color, as well as another six lines under construction, marked with dashed lines.
From this picture, he could intuitively feel the outline and structure of the behemoth that is Star City.
The dense network of stations and crisscrossing lines covers most of the map.
This means that, with the help of this underground network, people and even various supplies can reach almost any corner of this megacity very quickly.
He couldn't help but whisper to Neji beside him, "Building the railway underground—is it to avoid interfering with traffic and buildings on the surface? I just heard some earth-style ninja noises over there; did you use earth-style ninjas to dig these tunnels?"
Neji nodded, his gaze sweeping over the route map: "That's one of the main reasons. Underground space can be utilized to the maximum extent without affecting surface planning and development. In terms of excavation, in the early stages of a project, when encountering complex geological structures, or when there's a need to meet deadlines, we do hire ninja teams skilled in Earth Release at high salaries."
"Their efficiency far surpasses that of ordinary construction machinery in the short term. However, large-scale, routine excavation still relies on specialized tunnel boring machines, which are more cost-effective and safer. After all, the cost of hiring ninjas is not a small amount."
"Woof?" The fangs on Akamaru's head heard this and couldn't help but mutter.
"Ninjutsu—can it be used like this? Specifically for digging tunnels?"
Upon hearing this, Neji turned to look at Kiba, his pure white eyes seemingly carrying a faint smile, and said, "Theoretically, the Inuzuka clan's rush-type ninjutsu, combined with precise control over chakra forms, might be faster than simple earth-style digging when dealing with certain hard rock formations. Of course, that's on the premise that you're not afraid of hurting your hands, and that you have enough chakra and stamina."
Involuntarily, the image of himself and Akamaru transforming into two tornadoes, frantically drilling into the solid rock face, flashed through Ya's mind. He shuddered and felt a throbbing pain in his teeth and claws. He quickly shook his head to shake off the terrifying thought.
The train sped through the underground, from one station to another.
About ten minutes later, the broadcast came on again, announcing a station name.
Before Naruto could hear him clearly, Kimimaro, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them, got up first, and walked towards the car door.
"We've arrived. Get off." Neji said to the still somewhat dazed crowd. He paused, then added:
"First, in a moment—don't be too surprised."
The others quickly followed.
The platform was clearly much larger than the station where they boarded; there were five parallel escalators leading out of the station, like five waterfalls cascading down, transporting throngs of passengers from underground to the surface.
The Konoha members mingled with the crowd, stepped onto the escalator, and slowly ascended.
At first, the surroundings were brightly lit by the underground station and had smooth walls.
Gradually, natural light began to shine through from above, and the light grew brighter and brighter.
When the escalator finally reached its end, everyone followed the flow of people out of the subway station exit.
Whoosh—!
A deafening roar of noise assaulted our senses!
The blazing sunlight poured down without any obstruction, making it difficult for people to open their eyes.
The sounds of car horns, engines roaring, people chatting and laughing, music blaring from shop loudspeakers, and the distant hammering from a construction site —
Countless sounds blend together, creating a pervasive white noise in the megacity.
They stood at the edge of an extremely wide intersection.
Before me stretched an eight-lane asphalt road, where vehicles of all colors and sizes flowed like a torrent, rushing past in an orderly yet continuous stream under the guidance of traffic lights.
On both sides of the road, there were densely packed pedestrians that stretched as far as the eye could see.
They were dressed in all sorts of clothes, some hurrying along, others strolling leisurely, forming two opposing streams of people weaving between the zebra crossings.
What's most breathtaking is the view when you look up.
On both sides of the road stand towering skyscrapers that reach into the clouds!
They come in various shapes and sizes; some are square and upright, some have smooth lines, and some even have unique revolving restaurants or observation decks on top.
Many of the buildings are much taller than those they saw on the outskirts of the new city, resembling giant steel fingers pointing straight to the city sky.
Sunlight shines on the glass curtain wall, reflecting a dazzling light that is almost blinding.
These steel giants, close to each other yet maintaining a delicate distance, together form a cold yet magnificent steel forest.
Standing at their feet, Naruto, Shikamaru, Sasuke, and the others felt their own insignificance for the first time, as if they had truly become insignificant ants in this forest.
The sheer size, astonishing density, and futuristic atmosphere of the modern metropolis left these teenagers, who had grown up in the relatively pastoral and compact village environment of Konoha, utterly stunned and speechless.
Even Sasuke, who was always calm and cool and tried to keep a straight face, couldn't help but tilt his head up slightly. His black eyes reflected the steel outlines that pierced the sky, and deep in his pupils was an undisguised astonishment.
"Don't just stand there, let's go." Neji's voice snapped everyone out of their daze.
He had already started walking towards the sidewalk on one side of the intersection.
"Wait for me, Neji!" Naruto was the first to react, shouting as he chased after him, afraid of getting lost in the unfamiliar and dazzling crowd.
The other Konoha members also seemed to wake from a dream, suppressing the raging waves in their hearts, and followed suit.
The group walked through a street that was more bustling than they could have imagined.
Beneath the shadows of the skyscrapers lies an even denser commercial district.
Giant electronic GG signs flash between buildings, playing dazzling animated GGs.
The shop window displayed exquisite goods they had never seen before.
The air was filled with the mixed aromas of coffee, baked goods, and various delicacies.
The pedestrians on the street are dressed more fashionably and diversely, with some teenagers dressed in rather bizarre ways, and hot girls dressed in flamboyant outfits and shockingly short skirts.
Several young girls, dressed in hot pants and crop tops with elaborate makeup, even walked in groups. As they passed Sasuke, they deliberately slowed their pace, openly sizing him up and down. Then they huddled together, letting out suppressed giggles and whispers: "Wow! Look at that black-haired guy! So handsome! Cool, he's my type!"
"Really! Such fair skin and beautiful eyes! Is she a ninja? The headband looks like she's from another village?"
"How about we get their contact information?"
"No way, she looks so aloof, and there are so many people around her—"
Sasuke frowned slightly, quickened his pace, and walked past them without looking to the side.
These girls' enthusiasm and boldness seemed to surpass even that of the female classmates at the Konoha Ninja Academy who chased after him with love letters.
At this moment, a blue and white patrol car with flashing warning lights on its roof slowly turned from the side road onto the main road and stopped.
Two police officers in crisp, dark blue uniforms got out of their car and patrolled the area.
One of them was asked for directions by an elderly man who looked like a tourist on the roadside. Although his profile showed a slightly aloof arrogance, he answered the question patiently and even gestured the direction with his hands.
Sasuke's gaze was instantly drawn to the dark blue clan robe beneath the policeman's uniform and the clear red and white fan-shaped clan emblem on his arm.
A member of the Uchiha clan who works as a police officer in the Star Capital.
A complex ripple stirred within Sasuke's heart.
These clansmen seem to have integrated well into the country, engaging in various professions and living lives completely different from those they had in Konoha.
After walking for a while, it was almost evening. The sun's power had weakened, but the city's hustle and bustle had not stopped.
Choji wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked pitifully at Neji, pointed to a "Wanxiang Sweet Drinks" shop with a long queue by the roadside, and said, "Neji, can I go buy some milk tea? I've been walking for so long, and I'm hungry and thirsty."
As soon as he said that, Naruto and Kiba's stomachs started growling.
"Is there a shop like this here too?" Tenten and Sakura and the other girls looked on with anticipation.
Neji glanced back at the Konoha members, whose faces were filled with exhaustion and curiosity, then looked at the sky and nodded: "Let's rest for a bit and replenish our water and energy."
"Great!" Choji cheered and immediately grabbed Naruto and Kiba, rushing towards the bubble tea shop.
Several girls excitedly followed, studying the store's diverse drink menu.
Soon, the group sat on a bench in an open park on the banks of the Youhe River, not far from the bustling main street.
The park is beautifully landscaped with shady trees and neatly trimmed lawns. Many citizens stroll, jog, walk their dogs, or, like them, sit on benches to relax and enjoy the rare leisure time before dusk.
Everyone held various icy cold milk teas in their hands, and the sound of "slurping" came from the straws.
The tangy lemon tea, the rich milk tea, and the refreshing fruits temporarily soothed the somewhat weary nerves of the teenagers, who were overwhelmed by the novel sights.
As they gazed at the vast, thousand-meter-wide Youhe River, its gentle current shimmering with golden light in the setting sun, and the boats crisscrossing its surface, their hearts gradually calmed.
Shikamaru took a sip of his lemon tea; the cool, sour taste kept his mind clear.
He crossed the You River by himself and looked at the opposite bank.
Unlike the bustling, high-rise buildings and heavy traffic on the west bank, the buildings on the opposite bank, while equally grand in scale, appear more orderly and dignified in style, with relatively restrained building heights and larger green areas, making them seem much quieter and more orderly.
The number of people and vehicles on the street was visibly sparse.
"Is the other side of the street also in the city? Why does it feel so much quieter?" Shikamaru asked, somewhat puzzled.
Holding a cup of tea, Sheren explained gently, "Star City is divided into two main urban areas, east and west, by the Youhe River as a natural boundary. The west bank, where we are now, is mainly a commercial district, financial district, cultural and educational district, and residential area, so it is quite lively."
"On the east bank across the river are the administrative district, military district, national research institutions, ninja school district, and some residential areas of Star City. With different functions, the atmosphere is naturally different."
Shikamaru was silent for a moment, then bit the straw in his mouth, his gaze sharpening. He asked in a low voice, seemingly casually, "Menma—is he over there?"
The words weren't spoken loudly, but they were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing the other Konoha ninja who were drinking milk tea and enjoying the scenery to pause for a moment.
Naruto tightened his grip on the milk tea cup, and the plastic cup made a slight "creaking" sound.
A sharp light flashed in his azure eyes.
Sasuke sat alone on a bench at the very edge, holding a cup of strawberry milk tea that Sakura had shoved into his hand without warning.
He didn't drink it, but simply let the cold glass absorb the warmth from his palm.
Upon hearing Shikamaru's words, his fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the cup, and his heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.
Uchiha Shisui — the survivors of the Uchiha clan — and — Mom.
When he finally arrived here, he didn't know how to face the situation. Should he rush up and question the other party about why they didn't take him with them back then?
All the questions and entanglements weighed heavily on Sasuke's heart.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a warm orange-red, and also draped the city beneath their feet in a soft halo.
Dusk has fallen.
Kimimaro stood up from the bench, having finished his drink, and precisely tossed the empty glass into the trash can a few steps away.
He said to everyone, "Then, let's arrange everyone's accommodations."
Several people looked at him.
Kimimaro's gaze swept over the Konoha members, then he said to Neji and Toneri, "Neji, take Naruto to the Uzumaki clan."
"Toneri, take Sasuke to Aunt Mikoto's place."
His self-glow fell on Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, and the others: "The rest of you, come with me to Kaguya's house for now. My house is quite spacious and has many empty rooms."
"?" Toneri tilted his head slightly in surprise: "Kimimaro, when did you get your own place to live? I remember you were always staying at—"
"It's not very convenient to always stay at Aunt Vanilla's house," Kimimaro interrupted Toneri calmly, saying, "So we moved out last year and bought a house with plenty of empty rooms to accommodate them."
Shikamaru glanced at Kimimaro, then at Neji and Toneri, and understood.
"Temporary stay" or "empty room" are just nicer ways of saying it.
Essentially, these people will likely be under some form of surveillance until they see Menma or receive further instructions.
It's a very reasonable and meticulous arrangement.
He shrugged indifferently and took another sip of his nearly empty lemon tea, the ice cubes clinking softly at the bottom of the glass.
Now that things have come to this, they don't have much of a choice, and besides, he is indeed very curious about this country.
After a short rest and some arrangements, everyone got up, threw their trash into the recycling bins, and then crossed a nearby steel cable-stayed bridge spanning the Youhe River to head towards the Dongcheng District on the other side.
The streets of Dongcheng District were indeed quieter and cleaner, with shady trees and a much lower building density, but each building looked grand and dignified.
Occasionally, you can see quite a few people wearing ninja uniforms walking by.
At a crossroads, as previously arranged, the three groups of people split up.
Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Tenten, Lee, and Yakumo Kurama followed Kaguya Kimimaro and turned into a quiet street lined with sycamore trees on both sides, their figures gradually disappearing into the depths of the shade.
Sasuke silently followed behind Toneri, heading in another direction.
Naruto followed Neji, walking on another relatively quiet residential street in the East District.
Most of the houses here are two- or three-story buildings with independent courtyards, each with a different style, but all exuding a sense of tranquility and privacy.
Naruto seemed somewhat absent-minded throughout the journey, looking around as if trying to distract himself from his increasingly rapid heartbeat and chaotic thoughts with the unfamiliar surroundings.
He even noticed that one of the courtyards had a swirling pattern engraved on its gate sign.
This gave him a strange sense of familiarity.
Hyuga Neji, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped in front of the gate of a courtyard.
Naruto was lost in thought and nearly bumped into Neji's back.
"We've arrived," Neji said calmly.
Naruto snapped out of his daze and instinctively looked up.
The first thing that catches the eye is the nameplate hanging outside the courtyard wall.
The clan emblem, swirling in shape, and the word "swirling" were clearly engraved on it.
Then, his gaze went over the courtyard wall and looked at the houses inside.
In that instant, Naruto felt as if he had been struck by a silent bolt of lightning, his body stiffening and his blood seemingly freezing.
The style of the house, the layout of the courtyard, even the lush willow tree in the yard swaying gently in the evening breeze—
All of this overlapped with the scenes he saw countless times in those hazy dreams every year!
This is it—it really is here—
Neji stood quietly to the side, reached out his hand, and gently pressed the doorbell button.
Ding-dong—
The crisp sound of the bell made Naruto's heart skip a beat.
A few seconds later, the front door of the house was pulled open with a "whoosh".
A red-haired woman wearing a green apron and holding a spatula walked briskly out of the house.
She looked to be around twenty years old, with a beautiful and gentle face, but her face had several cracks like broken porcelain, and her gray eyes were now sparkling with an extremely excited, almost overflowing joy.
The golden rays of the setting sun shone on her red hair, as if adorning her with a warm halo.
She walked quickly to the courtyard gate, and immediately locked her gaze on Naruto, who was standing there blankly outside.
Time seemed to slow down infinitely at this moment.
The woman looked at Naruto, a radiant smile blooming on her face, yet tinged with tears. In that smile lay the longing she had missed day and night, the immense happiness of something lost and then regained, and a mother's purest and most unconditional love for her child.
Her gentle voice trembled slightly as she softly said to the boy outside the door, "Welcome home, Naruto!"
"————"
Naruto stared blankly at Kushina, at the face that gradually overlapped with the blurry outline in his dream, at those eyes brimming with tenderness and tears, and at the call he had longed for since childhood—
Tears welled up in his eyes without him realizing it, and slowly rolled down his cheeks.
Naruto's lips trembled, opening and closing several times before finally squeezing out the word he thought he would never have the chance to say in his life: "Mom—Mom—"
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