#The_Uzumaki_Family (2) – Continued
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"Naruto-kun."
Eila spoke in astonishment, taken aback by her cousin as he boldly and calmly opened the door to the meeting room. For a brief moment, she wondered—was this truly the same Naruto she used to know? That timid, spineless boy?
"Naruto-dono!!"
The members of the branch family reacted with mixed surprise—some even smiled in relief. At last, Naruto had mustered the courage to attend a family meeting!
He walked with slow, composed steps—undaunted by the fiercest of storms—toward the center of the room. He then stood there as though he were at the very center of the universe, a place where all eyes were fixed upon him within that great hall.
Naruto fixed his gaze on Mito and bowed respectfully, saying,
"It is an honor to see you in good health, Grandmother Mito."
The elderly woman examined her seven-year-old grandson carefully, then gave him a gentle nod and said in her frail voice,
"Find yourself a seat."
(This detail wasn't made very clear before, but Naruto is currently seven years old—though at first he thought he might be five or six.)
That impression from Grandmother Mito brought a wave of joy among the branch family. The fact that she hadn't shown anger or dismissed him was proof enough that he held at least some small place in her heart.
Naruto sighed inwardly before walking toward a particular chair—one that drew astonished gazes from everyone in the hall.
He sat comfortably in his mother's chair.
The gaze of his uncle—seated in the first chair—hardened, while Yukiteru chuckled at the audacity of the young boy.
"Let us begin this meeting, then."
The middle son of Mito cleared his throat and spoke slowly with his eyes closed. He wore elegant glasses and had his hair slicked back, though several rebellious strands fell across his eyes. He was undeniably handsome.
"As Mikael-san has said, it is truly a significant thing that the next head of the clan would choose to begin learning at such a young age," Yukiteru said cheerfully, attempting to justify Naruto's absence from many previous meetings.
"It cannot be measured by age alone. To shirk responsibility simply because he is a child is unbefitting of a clan head," said the eldest son, Oshino, with cold indifference.
Mito Uzumaki's eyes narrowed slightly in agreement with her eldest son's point.
"I apologize for my childish and inappropriate behavior," Naruto stood and bowed first to his uncle, then to his grandmother.
"But I will not repeat such actions again. I hope this will be taken into consideration in the future."
He finished his words calmly, lifting his head until his eyes met Mito's.
BAM!
"What is this disrespect, Naruto?!"
Uzumaki Mikael rose in fury, slamming the table before him as he stared down the boy.
Naruto returned the gaze, and within his eyes flickered the faintest bloodlust—gone in a blink—yet it made Mikael hesitate ever so slightly.
"Forgive me if my words seemed disrespectful, Grandmother Mito."
Naruto bowed once more to show his sincerity.
"It's all right," Mito replied, lifting her hand, her expression seemingly pleased. A strong character was a fitting quality for a clan leader—this impression alone was enough to sway the elder's view of Naruto.
"No need for such uproar, Mikael. He's just an uneducated child, after all," said Oshino coldly, arms folded with complete disinterest.
Naruto and Mikael both returned to their seats quietly, while Mito and Oshino began discussing political and economic matters concerning the clan.
Oshino Uzumaki was generally responsible for the clan's political and financial affairs.
Mikael Uzumaki managed the clan's treasury.
Yukiteru Uzumaki handled internal clan matters—such as resolving disputes between families.
"What is your opinion on this, Naruto?"
Mito Uzumaki turned to her grandson and asked calmly.
Naruto had been lost in thought, and her question snapped him out of it.
"Regarding what, Grandmother Mito?" he asked slowly.
"You seemed distracted. We were discussing how Eila, your cousin and daughter of Yukiteru, has a beautiful and gentle voice with potential as a singer. However, she's unwilling to pursue this path. What are your thoughts—should she follow that route or not?"
Mito appeared to be testing Naruto's ability to handle such matters.
"If Eila-chan were to succeed as a singer, it could elevate our clan's reputation significantly—perhaps even surpassing the likes of the Uchiha, Hyuuga, Senju, and Haruno clans…"
Naruto stood and began explaining. After regaining the memories of this body, he now held a deep understanding of the world he lived in.
The former owner of this body had lived like a prisoner in his own room—his only means of expression being reading and studying. He was a genius, even if it didn't show on the outside.
"So, are you saying forcing her into the entertainment industry is the right choice?"
Mito Uzumaki eyed him intently.
"No. I said that it may be the best path, from a practical point of view. But as for me—I would never force someone to do what they don't wish to do. The quality of work matters more than the work itself."
Mito smiled softly, then said,
"Well said, Naruto."
Naruto bowed and returned to his seat, while Yukiteru sat there with his mouth slightly open in surprise, his feelings clearly mixed.
"What about the treasury, Mikael?"
Mito, now composed once again, turned her attention to her son.
"Yes."
Mikael stood immediately, gathering a few scattered papers from the table. He began reading their contents aloud with poise and calmness.
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#The_Uzumaki_Family – (2) To be continued.
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Somewhere far from the Uzumaki Clan…
A vast land, home to dozens—perhaps hundreds—of houses, all surrounded by a massive, imposing wall reminiscent of the Demon King's castle from a manga tale.
At the very center stood a grand palace, its own interior wall concealing its contents even from members of the same clan.
On its gate was a colossal symbol—
A white Japanese fan, split at the middle with the top half painted blood-red.
Upon it, written in bold Japanese characters: "Uchiha."
Inside the palace, in one of its large chambers, a boy sat quietly, reading a certain book.
A girl, seemingly around his age, entered and wrapped her arms lovingly around his seated form from behind.
"I missed you so much, my love."
She whispered with affection.
The boy smiled faintly, setting his book aside, and replied softly,
"I missed you too. Did you just return from your trip?"
"Yes. The moment my feet touched this place, I rushed to see you. The longing was unbearable."
He gently placed his hands around her neck, closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead to hers.
"Don't worry, my dearest. I'm here now. I won't let you disappear from my sight ever again. I will never let those bastards who want to tear us apart take you away from me, my butterfly."
His eyes filled with a chilling glow—his words heavy with murderous intent—as he held his butterfly tightly in his arms, in a display of raw possession.
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#To_Be_Continued.