Naruto: Blazing Eyes in the Eternal Night

For dinner, Madara specially made tomato noodles, mixing in some egg yolk. Although there weren't many seasonings, the tomato flavor was rich, and Kyojuro was enjoying it immensely.

The tomatoes here taste so much better than in the Taisho period!

Ah, if only I could eat by myself...

Kyojuro opened his mouth wide and took the spoon Izuna offered to him.

"Kyojuro's eating so happily! Madara, have your cooking skills improved again?"

Izuna couldn't resist and tasted a bite of the noodles from Kyojuro's small bowl. "It's so bland!"

Madara quickly finished his meal and took the bowl from Izuna's hand, signaling for him to hurry up and eat.

"Kids' taste buds are more sensitive. For them, the natural flavor of the ingredients is enough. Also…"

"What?"

"Put down the sugar jar in your hand. I already added sugar when I cooked."

"Oh…"

Izuna pretended to be indifferent and put the sugar jar he had sneaked from the kitchen down. 

He thought he could get away with it, but it looks like his skills still need work.

Keep going, Izuna! 

One day, you'll manage to eat sugar secretly under Madara's Sharingan!

"Madara, Izuna, I'm back."

"Welcome home, Father!"

Tajima, who had finally returned from the Great Elder, entered the house, first patting Izuna's head as he approached, then glancing at the child Madara was holding.

"They already brought the Hao family's child, right? What's his name?"

"Kyojuro, born last spring equinox."

After washing his hands, Tajima watched as Kyojuro happily finished the food in his bowl. He then casually picked him up, supporting the child's feet with his palm.

"He's not afraid of strangers," Tajima said, weighing Kyojuro in his hands. "Eating so heartily, no wonder he's so chubby."

Kyojuro, using Tajima's hand as support, tried to straighten his back and stand up.

"Not bad, you're a strong little guy." Tajima smiled as he felt Kyojuro's strong little legs pushing against him.

A healthy body means a smooth growth process.

"Father, did the Great Elder say anything?"

Madara brought over the dinner he'd prepared for Tajima along with a small low table, setting it down as Tajima sat. He placed Kyojuro beside him and reminded Madara,

"Just stay at the clan's residence, and take care of your nephew. Stop always wanting to run off."

"Izuna's first mission isn't too dangerous. It's mainly to accompany the clan's merchant caravan and get some experience. He'll leave in a week, so make sure to go over the precautions with him."

"Yes, Father!"

Upon hearing that he would really get to leave the clan for a mission, Izuna happily hugged his father. On the other hand, Madara seemed a little down, as though he wanted to say something but kept quiet in the end.

Tajima glanced at his rebellious eldest son and didn't say much. To him, Madara's Sharingan already represented the resolve he had.

Hehe, the future's full of possibilities!

In a good mood, Tajima took a bite of the fish on his plate, noticing Kyojuro's eager little eyes. He casually picked a piece of fish without any bones and fed it to him.

Kyojuro chewed the fish while thinking about what he'd just heard.

He'd heard Tengen Uzui talk about how tough ninja training and missions could be, but Izuna was so young and already about to go on a mission. 

When did he start training?

I'll probably do the same when I'm older...

Chew, chew, chew…

This fish is so tasty. I want another bite.

Kyojuro tugged at Tajima's sleeve. Tajima glanced at Madara to make sure he was still talking to Izuna and quickly slipped another piece of fish into Kyojuro's mouth.

And then, Madara caught him.

"Father! How can you feed Kyojuro fish!" 

"I've already removed the bones, and Kyojuro's teeth are coming in. A little fish meat is fine."

Tajima was stubborn. After all, he had raised children before, and Madara had grown up healthy, so there was no problem here. 

But Madara still had to lecture him. 

"But your taste might be too strong for Kyojuro. You should be more careful."

"I know," Tajima ruffled Kyojuro's soft hair and suddenly thought of something. "Just now when I was holding Kyojuro, I felt like he already wants to stand. You and Izuna should hold him less. If he falls while trying to stand, don't worry about it. Falling on flat ground won't harm him. After a few tries, he'll learn how to support himself when he falls. Kids who fall grow up stronger."

"Understood, Father. I'll remember."

Tajima looked down at Kyojuro, who was curled up so small, and a feeling of melancholy suddenly welled up inside him. It was as though Kyojuro sensed this and looked up at him, this man who was barely thirty.

Before Kyojuro had fully learned to speak, he often felt that his words were awkward and not very clear.

But Izuna and Madara enjoyed teaching him pronunciation, so he had been following them around all day, repeating everything they said.

However, in front of Tajima, Kyojuro wasn't sure how to address this man... by generations, he should be his grandfather. 

But should he call him "Uncle Grandfather" or "Uncle"?

Tajima shook the child in his arms, but Kyojuro remained silent.

Tajima couldn't help but wonder if his little grandnephew was mute.

Although being mute wouldn't be an issue for becoming a ninja, especially in the Uchiha family, where communication was often done with eye contact.

Still, not being able to speak would be inconvenient.

Unable to hold back, Tajima shared his doubts with his son, who was tidying up the dishes next to him.

"Why doesn't Kyojuro speak? Have you heard him say anything?"

Madara set the plate he was holding into the sink, then gave his father a somewhat exasperated look, his eyes clearly showing concern about his father's declining mental faculties.

Realizing his mistake, Tajima tried to defend himself, though stubbornly.

"I'm just concerned about Kyojuro. He hasn't called me 'Uncle Grandfather' yet."

Thinking about his cousin who passed away two years ago, Tajima remembered that the man had never heard his grandson call him grandfather before he died, so now, he would "hear" it for him.

"Father, please reconsider. The term 'Uncle Grandfather' is too difficult for a child who only knows how to make simple sounds. Right now, Kyojuro can only say 'na-na-na' when calling Izuna."

Tajima remained stubborn. "Children need to practice speaking more to learn. Kyojuro probably didn't get much practice at Haoji's place, which is why he only makes single syllable sounds."

Madara gave Tajima a strange look. "…It's not entirely that. There's one phrase Kyojuro says very clearly."

"What phrase?"

Madara stood up, went to a cupboard, and took something. Then, right in front of Tajima, he placed a small piece of candy in Kyojuro's mouth.

"Five ants!" (Delicious)

Well then.

From that point on, Tajima no longer worried that his grandnephew might be mute. Instead, he started worrying that Kyojuro was too greedy—what if someone easily lured him away with sweets?

"Father, don't worry, Kyojuro is still young."

After hearing Madara call him "Father" again, Kyojuro finally decided how to address the man in front of him.

The pronunciation of "Granduncle" was too complicated. Kyojuro didn't have much hope for his current language skills.

Might as well just call him "Grandpa"!

But the man in front of him looked to be only about thirty-five years old—was he really a grandpa already?

So this is what it means to be part of a big family?

"Zhi…zhi…"

"Zhizhi? What does that mean?"

Madara poked Kyojuro's chubby cheek. "I'm guessing he's trying to say 'Grandpa' (jiji)."

"Oh? So Kyojuro knows I'm his grandpa~" Tajima affectionately rubbed his forehead against Kyojuro's tiny hand.

"Kyojuro is so smart! He's definitely going to be an amazing ninja one day~"

Tajima's exaggerated, teasing tone made Madara speechless.

Father, could you please maintain some dignity? You seriously sound like some shady old man trying to lure children!

...

Kyojuro, however, seemed to accept it just fine. They had naturally adjusted their tone when speaking to Tokito before, too.

Well, everyone except Tomioka.

Speaking of which, who knew if Tomioka had apologized to Shinobu yet? When he left to slay demons, she still seemed upset.

Ever since Kanae passed away, Tomioka was probably the only person who could make Shinobu's smile twist like that...

...

By the time the father and son finished their conversation and looked down again, they found that Kyojuro had already fallen asleep.

The small child was curled up against Tajima, sleeping soundly.

Tajima found it amusing but didn't want to wake him. He gestured for Madara to come over quietly and carry Kyojuro back to Izuna's room to sleep.

"Izuna," he asked, "will Kyojuro be staying with you from now on?"

Tajima thought for a moment. "He's still too young. For now, he'll stay with you. When you go on missions, Madara will take care of him. Once he turns five, it'll be fine."

"Oh." Izuna pouted, clearly unhappy.

Tajima chuckled. "What's this? You've only been with him a few hours, and you're already so attached?"

Izuna wasn't sure how to explain it, but Kyojuro felt warm, obedient, and smart.

"Kyojuro is really cute!"

No parent would be upset about their children getting along well, right?

At least, Tajima wasn't. He pulled Izuna into a quick hug before sending him off to train with Madara.

As for himself, he summoned his contracted ninja cat.

With a poof, a calico cat wearing a kimono and carrying a short blade at its waist appeared in the room.

"Tajima, what do you need, meow?"

Tajima pulled a dried fish from his sleeve and handed it over. "Kofuku, there's a new little one in the house. I need you to keep an eye on him."

The cat, called Kofuku, accepted the offering, narrowed its eyes in thought, and flicked its tail.

"Got it, meow~"

Despite its usual aloof demeanor, Kofuku waited until Tajima left, then immediately dashed over to Kyojuro's bedside.

Hmph, so that guy has been hiding a treasure all this time—only to end up delivering it right to my paws?

Let's see if this little one is really as special as Mei claimed.

Kofuku cautiously circled the sleeping Kyojuro twice, sniffing him curiously.

"Nothing special, meow. Just smells like milk."

Its whiskers twitched as it settled down next to the child, body pressed against Kyojuro's blanket.

So warm… it feels like basking in the sun.

The soft purring next to him made Kyojuro sink into an even deeper sleep.