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The following day, Yuta was discharged from the hospital and returned home. In the span of a week, the damaged sections of their house had been completely rebuilt.
Still in the early stages of recovery, Yuta found himself largely removed from the immediate concerns of the ongoing war.
In truth, his involvement in the ninja conflict had always been minimal, regardless of his physical state. High-ranking officials like the Third Hokage were unlikely to deploy him to the front lines unless absolutely necessary.
Driven by a desire to curb Yuta's growing influence, the Third Hokage had even shamelessly appropriated the "Three Character Classic" for himself, making it clear he had no intention of allowing Yuta to accrue further military achievements.
After all, battlefield accomplishments were undeniable, and any attempt to manipulate that aspect would erode the very foundation of loyalty within Konohagakure.
Consequently, the Third Hokage paid Yuta a brief visit on the day of his discharge, then promptly departed to fret over the war, seemingly forgetting the renowned Konoha Silver Fox.
Yuta was content with this arrangement. Kiko was now pregnant with quadruplets, and the demands of caring for him during his recovery had taken a toll on her own well-being. This respite allowed Yuta to stay home and offer her more support.
Yuta couldn't help but feel a touch of bewilderment. Did the bead he had brought through time possess some peculiar ability to enhance fertility? While twins were a rarity for most, his family seemed to defy such odds, starting with two and escalating without apparent limit.
He had considered the first set of triplets a delightful surprise, but then came another set, and now, incredibly, four more were on the way.
In recent days, their home had seen a steady stream of visitors. Ostensibly, they came to inquire about his health.
However, once inside, they would present their gifts and then gravitate towards Kiko, engaging her in conversation, the envy in their voices barely concealed.
These visitors were predominantly women; male callers were less inclined to directly question Kiko. Yet, the men who came to see him showed little concern for his injuries, instead bombarding him with questions about fertility, nearly transforming Yuta into a fertility-bestowing deity in their eyes.
Consequently, Yuta began politely declining most visitors, citing Kiko's need for rest. He himself settled back into his routine of caring for their children and training the five aspiring ninja at home: Ganta, Jiro, Yuto, Nawaki, and now Minato.
Minato's inclusion in their training circle was a direct result of his observation that Ganta and his brothers, after nearly a year of dedicated training with their father, had become significantly stronger while seemingly neglecting playtime. Becoming a ninja had thus become Minato's fervent desire.
Seizing an opportunity during a visit with his parents, Minato had earnestly conveyed his request to Yuta, asking to join Ganta and the others under his tutelage.
Yuta had almost chuckled at the sight of Minato's flushed face, a clear indication of his embarrassment. Who would have imagined that the future Minato, so often portrayed as confident and composed, would exhibit such endearing shyness as a child?
He had readily agreed to Minato's request, accepting him as his apprentice after the Namikaze couple expressed their profuse gratitude. As for Jiraiya, Yuta decided to let him continue his journey in search of exceptional talents.
One afternoon, as Yuta strolled through the yard with Kiko, Ganta came running towards them, his expression a mixture of excitement and bewilderment.
"Dad, Dad, something happened to Kurotaro! He can suddenly talk!" (Kurotaro was a giant earthworm that Ganta had chosen as a potential summoning beast.).
Without waiting for Yuta's response, Ganta grabbed his hand and eagerly dragged him towards the training grounds to witness the strange occurrence.
Yuta and Kiko exchanged puzzled glances. Yuta, not currently needing a summoned beast himself, hadn't paid much specific attention to the earthworms beyond his daily routine of using the bead to continuously enhance them. Their current strength still paled in comparison to his own.
Arriving at the training grounds, they found Nawaki, Minato, and the others gathered around a five-meter-long earthworm, engaging in animated conversation. This, Yuta realized, was the Kurotaro Ganta had been referring to.
"The earthworms here can talk? That's so weird!" Nawaki exclaimed, clearly perplexed. How could an earthworm possibly speak?
"What's so strange about summoned beasts talking?" A surprisingly articulate, neutral voice emanated from the earthworm's mouth.
"Kurotaro, you can actually speak now! Congratulations." Yuta stepped forward, carefully observing Kurotaro before patting its smooth, segmented body.
"Master Yuta! Master Kiko!" Kurotaro bowed its head in a respectful greeting.
"Well! You're welcome. Is it just you who can speak, or can all of you?" Yuta nodded, his curiosity piqued.
Kurotaro seemed slightly intimidated by Yuta's intense gaze, momentarily fearing it had done something wrong.
Sensing Kurotaro's nervousness, Kiko stepped forward and gently pulled Yuta away, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't be nervous; we're just curious."
Kurotaro visibly relaxed at Kiko's words. After all, Yuta was the master of their entire clan, and facing him still made him a little uneasy.
"To answer your question, Lord Komiwan (that nearly 40-meter-long earthworm, now the chief of their clan) and the others can speak now as well. We can be of much greater help to Lord Yuta now."
Yuta listened to Kurotaro's explanation and nodded without further comment.
"That's good. You can continue to stay here for now. Sooner or later, I will have need of you. Be patient."
"Yes!" Kurotaro lowered its head in slight disappointment but dared not question Yuta's decision.
"Dad, you still haven't told me why Kurotaro can suddenly talk." Ganta couldn't contain his curiosity any longer, tugging on Yuta's sleeve. Kurotaro was to be his future partner, so he was naturally concerned about this development.
Yuta rubbed his temples. "Don't worry, Ganta, it's a good thing. Kurotaro and the others being able to speak means they've evolved. This will allow them to assist you even better in the future. Just don't bully them."
"Yeah!" Ganta, relieved that Kurotaro was alright and had even become more powerful, nodded excitedly.
Minato watched Ganta with a hint of envy. He also longed to have his own summoning beast, but he hadn't yet mustered the courage to ask.
Yuta noticed Minato's wistful expression and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't envy them, Minato. I will help you find a powerful summoning beast as a partner in the future. It's just that Kurotaro and his clan aren't quite the right fit for you."
Yuta's thoughts turned to Jiraiya once more. He planned to introduce Minato to him after Minato graduated from the Academy, facilitating a summoning contract with the Toad Clan.
After observing Minato's training, Yuta had determined that his single wind-based chakra nature didn't synergize well with the earth and water affinities of the earthworm clan. Thus, he had refrained from allowing Minato to form a contract with them.
Nawaki, unable to contain his own curiosity, piped up, "What about me? Master, you can't be partial!"
Yuta considered his request. The earthworm clan was indeed a suitable match for Nawaki. While Nawaki's water and earth affinities overlapped with the earthworms', their unique burrowing and escape abilities would significantly enhance his survivability in future battles.
As the only direct male descendant of the Senju clan, as long as he could mature without major setbacks, his strength would undoubtedly become considerable.
Minato was different. Yuta knew of his latent spatial abilities. In the future, with the mastery of the Flying Thunder God technique, survival wouldn't be his primary concern.
The key would be expanding his offensive capabilities. The Toad's Fire Release techniques would perfectly complement his Wind Release.