The Strongest Swordmaster in the World of Naruto

Yono lowered his head, unsure of what to say. "It's okay, boss... I..."

Aoki looked at Yono, as if reading his mind. "I know, Yono. If you really want to quit and take over your parents' store, then do it. After all, that was your promise to Aunt Nansa, right?" Aoki tried to smile, even though his heart still felt shattered.

Yono nodded, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, boss," Yono replied softly.

After a moment of meaningful silence, Aoki finally got up from the bed. He stood tall, even though his heart was still hurting.

"Yono, I'm going home to get my father's necklace. We'll meet again tomorrow morning at Aunt Nansa's funeral," Aoki said with a firmness that was beginning to return to his voice.

"I understand, boss," Yono replied, though his face was still clouded with sadness.

...

...

...

On the way home, Aoki kept staring at the rain that showed no signs of stopping. Each raindrop seemed to reflect Aoki's shaken feelings. Time felt slow, as if the world was giving Aoki space to grieve.

When Aoki finally arrived home, he immediately entered and closed the door behind him. The quiet house felt even more silent than usual. Without wasting time, Aoki walked to the bathroom to clean himself up, trying to wash away the dirt and emotional burden that still clung to his heart.

After finishing his cleansing, Aoki quickly put on simple yet neat clothes. Aoki's mind felt heavy as he walked toward his parents' room, where childhood memories resided. Carefully, Aoki opened drawers and checked every corner of the room, searching for the necklace that Nansa had mentioned.

Before long, Aoki's eyes landed on a small object hidden beneath a pile of fabric. A beautiful sea-blue necklace, with a teardrop-shaped pendant that sparkled even in the dim light.

"Is this my father's necklace?" Aoki whispered softly. He lifted the necklace and looked at it for a moment. "Hmm... this necklace is very beautiful." There was a mix of admiration and sadness in Aoki's voice.

Gently, Aoki put the necklace around his neck. It felt as if he was carrying a small part of his lost father with him. After ensuring the necklace was securely in place, Aoki stepped out of the room and headed to his own room where Kuroshiro was already waiting.

When Aoki entered the room, Kuroshiro immediately noticed the change in Aoki's face. "What's wrong, dear?" Kuroshiro asked softly, his sharp eyes observing the sad expression on Aoki's face.

Aoki lowered his head, trying to hide the tears that were welling up in his eyes. "My aunt... has passed away," Aoki said in a hoarse voice. "I... I will go to sleep now. Just wake me up when it's time for dinner."

Without waiting for a response, Aoki hurried to the bed and lay down, trying to push away the deep sorrow with sleep. Kuroshiro looked at Aoki with sympathy, but he knew there wasn't much he could do to comfort Aoki at that moment.

"Huuhh... every life must come to an end," Kuroshiro murmured softly, as if speaking to himself. "Death is a natural thing."

Aoki heard those words but did not respond. A tear fell from Aoki's closed eyes, soaking the pillow beneath him.

...

...

...

*(Morning)*

The night before, Kuroshiro had woken Aoki for dinner. Although still enveloped in sadness, Aoki was starting to feel better and was trying to continue his routine. Aoki kept practicing absorbing Nature Energy, attempting to calm himself through regular training.

After finishing his Nature Energy absorption, Aoki went back to sleep, and as dawn broke, Aoki continued his morning routine. Push-ups, sit-ups, squat jumps—all done a hundred times.

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