Chapter 405 – Echoes of Konoha Part 1

Chapter 405: Chapter 405 – Echoes of Konoha Part 1

KAMUI DIMENSION

Riser walked downstairs in silence, the atmosphere inside the house still calm after all the earlier movement. His presence was enough to draw Merlin’s attention, who remained seated near the main room, clearly with nothing to occupy her own time.

She raised her gaze toward him.

"Any problem?" Riser asked directly.

Merlin let out a small sigh before answering.

"Being trapped inside Kamui is boring when there’s nothing to do."

Riser absorbed the answer without interrupting. What she said made sense. Inside that dimension, practically everything depended on him. Merlin could live there, move around, use magic, and even modify the internal structures, but entering and leaving was still something only Riser’s Kamui allowed.

’In the end, they really depend on me even to leave this dimension.’

"I’m going out." He answered simply. "The bureaucratic side of the situation should already be progressing."

Merlin slightly raised her head.

"You’re coming with me."

The change in her was immediate.

The boredom vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and Merlin stood up instantly, straightening her posture before replying.

"Thank you, Riser-sama."

Riser slightly frowned.

"Don’t call me sama in here anymore."

Merlin tilted her head, not immediately understanding the correction.

"You’re one of my wives." He continued in the same calm tone. "Hancock calls me husband. So you can stop with that when we’re inside the house."

Merlin did not react with embarrassment or exaggerated hesitation. To her, Riser had already become someone beyond ordinary logic a long time ago. Calling him master had always been natural, and the fact that she also belonged to him as a woman had never been treated as a problem in her own mind.

In the end, it only changed the way she addressed him.

"Understood." She answered normally.

Riser’s Sharingan slowly began spinning again as he already prepared the spatial distortion around both of them.

"Speaking of that..." Merlin commented before the activation fully completed. "Hancock is going to complain when she finds out you left without her."

"She’s sleeping." Riser answered without difficulty. "Later I’ll bring her to the Uchiha district too."

Merlin merely gave a slight nod.

The space around them began twisting the next instant.

Kamui’s distortion swallowed both of them at the same time, pulling their bodies out of the dimension in a rapid, silent flow.

___

UCHIHA DISTRICT

Night had already completely taken over Konoha when the two of them reappeared in the center of the Uchiha district. The streets remained empty, illuminated only by the lights scattered through the restored buildings while silence dominated the almost abandoned region of the village.

Merlin observed the place for a few seconds before looking back at Riser.

"Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Actually, no." Riser answered simply. "Enjoy the world a little. I’m going to see what’s happening in Konoha."

Merlin analyzed the surroundings once more before making her own decision. Being trapped only inside the house or Kamui’s dimension was already starting to bother her, and now she could finally walk around that world without waiting for direct orders.

"Then I’m going out."

Riser merely gave a slight nod.

The next instant, Merlin disappeared from the street using teleportation magic, leaving the district silent once again.

Riser remained standing still for a few seconds before raising his gaze toward the Hokage Tower in the distance. The Sharingan slowly deactivated, the red fading as his eyes returned to their normal blue color.

Right after that, Kenbunshoku Haki spread out.

His perception silently advanced through the village, passing through buildings, presences, and chakra flows while he searched directly for Tsunade’s signature.

The Hokage Tower was empty.

Riser slightly frowned.

"The tower is empty..." He murmured quietly. "Where did Tsunade go?"

His perception continued advancing until it finally located her presence somewhere else in the village, accompanied by Kakashi, ANBU, Danzō, and a signature he quickly recognized from the anime memories.

’So that’s Ibiki.’

Riser absorbed the information without changing his expression while following the movement from afar through Haki.

’Looks like they’re finally going to start digging into Danzō’s mind.’

For a moment, he considered going there.

But gave up almost immediately afterward.

Tsunade was already handling the situation, and entering that interrogation now would only create even more unnecessary political tension inside the village. Besides, Danzō no longer represented an immediate threat after losing all the Sharingan.

’Let her handle the bureaucratic part.’

Riser’s gaze slowly returned to the Uchiha district around him. The silence of the place completely contrasted with the political chaos probably happening somewhere else in the village at that exact moment.

He let out a small sigh through his nose while organizing his thoughts.

’I made Hancock fall asleep with magic... Merlin left... and now I literally have nothing to do.’

Kenbunshoku Haki spread through the village again almost by reflex, capturing distant presences while he analyzed possibilities without much real interest in any of them.

Then one specific presence caught his attention.

’Hinata...’

His perception found her signature near the Hyūga clan area, exactly where he expected.

’Of course... she must be in the Hyūga district.’

Riser stayed silent for a few seconds while considering the possibility before almost immediately dismissing the idea himself.

"No." He quietly said to himself. "It’s already late... and that girl is probably still in love with Naruto."

The idea died right there.

Besides, appearing out of nowhere at a shy Hyūga girl’s house during the night sounded exactly like the kind of situation that would end up creating unnecessary problems inside the village.

’Better not mess with that right now.’

His gaze slowly returned to the empty streets of the Uchiha district.

For the first time since arriving in that world, there was no immediate battle, pursuit, urgent plan, or threat pressuring his next move.

And that was almost irritating.

Because Riser realized something simple at that moment.

He was far too used to war.

"Yeah... this sucks."

Riser ran a hand through his own hair while continuing to stand in the middle of the Uchiha district, staring at the empty streets illuminated only by the lights scattered between the reconstructed houses.

Peace felt strange.

Not unpleasant.

Just strange.

Because every time he finally stopped, his brain started searching for conflict on its own, as if doing nothing was wrong.

’Pathetic.’

The worst part was realizing that came from both sides. His previous life... and his current one.

Before he could continue that train of thought, Kenbunshoku detected another presence approaching the district. Riser’s focus immediately shifted toward the main entrance, finding a familiar signature standing before the invisible barrier.

Ino.

She observed the restored district from outside while trying to touch the invisible surface blocking the passage, clearly surprised that something was still preventing entry even after the end of the chaos at the Hokage Tower.

Riser watched the scene for a few seconds.

’What does she want with me now?’

In the end, he realized something simple.

He was looking for something to do.

And apparently fate decided to help.

Riser raised his hand toward the barrier, granting access only to her without altering the rest of the structure.

Outside, Ino completely lost resistance against the invisible surface the next instant.

"WAAH—"

Her body passed through the barrier all at once, stumbling forward unprepared as she fell into the Uchiha district in a very inelegant way.

She placed her hands on the ground before the fall got worse and quickly tried standing up again, clearly irritated while reorganizing her balance.

Only then did she notice the difference.

From outside, the district looked empty and partially abandoned.

From inside...

Everything was restored.

The houses rebuilt, the streets clean, the lights functioning, and the entire structure looking practically brand new.

Her eyes swept across the place silently for a few seconds before finally finding Riser standing a few meters ahead.

"Enjoy the renovations?" Riser asked without hiding the slight amusement.

Ino immediately narrowed her eyes.

"You did that on purpose." She crossed her arms, clearly irritated by the fall. "You let me trip."

"I just let you in." Riser answered simply. "The fall was your talent."

"Idiot."

She huffed quietly, but did not insist on the complaint anymore because the district itself had already stolen part of her attention.

Riser noticed quickly.

"Now tell me." He slightly tilted his head. "What do you want with me? You came here because of me."

Ino opened her mouth ready to deny it.

But stopped.

There was no point lying there.

Sakura had already told her where he was probably staying, and she herself had come to the district specifically looking for him.

In the end, she slowly exhaled before answering.

"I wanted to invite you out."

The silence lasted only a second.

Then Riser gave a slight smile.

"I accept."

Her reaction changed instantly.

"Really?" The tone came out more excited before she realized it. "Great... I know the perfect barbecue restaurant."

"Then let’s go."

Riser started walking toward the exit while Ino quickly matched his pace, now clearly satisfied at not being rejected.

When the two approached the barrier, she ran her hand over the invisible surface once more, now observing the structure with genuine curiosity.

"This thing is impressive."

"It’s nothing special." Riser answered without much importance.

Ino shot him a short glance as if she clearly disagreed with that statement, but chose not to argue.

And in the end, fate moved on its own.

Riser had nothing to do.

Now he did.

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