"So, you're Father's little disciple?"
Mai leaned in and carefully examined Lisbeth.
The latter timidly lowered her head.
Mai was simply too beautiful, making Lisbeth feel a little self-conscious.
"What did you learn from Father?"
Seeing Lisbeth's shy demeanor, Mai found it hard to imagine this seemingly timid girl enduring her father's rigorous training.
"Umm… fighting techniques?"
Lisbeth hesitated, sounding unsure.
She felt she was still far from being on her master's level. But why had Madara declared that she had already graduated?
"Is that so?"
Mai glanced at Lisbeth's physique and instantly realized that this girl wasn't suited for hand-to-hand combat.
She suspected that her father had actually focused on teaching her something else—something Lisbeth herself hadn't even noticed yet.
Bang.
At that moment, the front door was suddenly pushed open, and six people, along with six Pokémon, walked inside.
"Mai, we're back."
The one who spoke was Senju Nawaki, now in his prime.
At 37 years old, he was the eldest of Madara's three disciples.
Following behind him were Uzumaki Nagato, Might Guy, Sora, Haku, and Uchiha Shisui.
The youngest among them was Uchiha Shisui, only 17 years old—Asuna's age, a year older than Lisbeth, and two years older than Kirito.
"Yo, welcome back. Perfect timing—these three just arrived as well."
Mai grinned at her returning brothers and sisters before gesturing toward the three newcomers. "This is Lisbeth, Father's little disciple."
"Hello, Senior Brothers and Sisters!"
Lisbeth nervously bowed deeply.
"Oh? Our little junior sister is quite pretty. She's already grown into a fine young lady."
Nawaki, seeing Lisbeth's nervous expression, tried his best to appear approachable. "I'm Senju Nawaki, Madara's disciple—your eldest senior brother."
"Eldest Senior Brother."
Lisbeth quickly greeted him, feeling slightly relieved.
Although her eldest senior brother was older, he didn't seem difficult to get along with.
"This is Uzumaki Nagato, your second senior brother. He doesn't talk much, so I'll introduce him for you."
Nawaki gestured to the man beside him. Nagato gave a gentle smile and nodded toward Lisbeth.
"Second Senior Brother."
Lisbeth called out again, feeling even more at ease.
Despite his quiet nature, Nagato's expression radiated warmth, and his smile was kind. She didn't feel any pressure from him at all—he was definitely a gentle big brother.
"Yo! I'm Might Guy, the Azure Beast of Akatsuki and the League's Aura Guardian!"
Might Guy didn't need much introduction. He grinned widely, giving Lisbeth a thumbs-up while his Riolu mimicked him.
"Hello, Senior Brother!"
For the first time, Lisbeth smiled.
Not because Guy's green spandex suit amused her.
But because she could tell that all three of her senior brothers were genuinely kind and welcoming toward her.
"Guy is an official Aura Guardian, recognized by both the League Champion and the Primordial Gods. He's a big deal."
Mai added for Lisbeth's benefit.
"Eh~!"
Lisbeth, showing her social skills, gasped in amazement and gave Guy an admiring look.
In truth, she barely understood what a League Champion or Primordial God actually meant.
"Ahahaha!"
Of course, Guy didn't realize this. Since he was clueless about women, he assumed Lisbeth was genuinely in awe of him, so he chuckled sheepishly.
"These two are Kirito, Uncle Izuna's last disciple, and his girlfriend, Asuna."
Mai then pointed to the young couple beside her, introducing them to the other three.
"Greetings, Senior Brothers and Sisters."
Unlike Lisbeth's nervous demeanor, Kirito maintained a composed stance, bowing with neither arrogance nor submission.
Asuna mirrored his actions, standing beside him like a proper wife accompanying her husband in greeting his elders.
However, unlike the easygoing atmosphere with Lisbeth, things were slightly more awkward for Kirito.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Uchiha Shisui."
Among the three, only the similarly-aged Shisui greeted them with a friendly wave.
Sora and Haku merely nodded faintly in acknowledgment.
"This is Senior Brother Sora and Senior Sister Haku. They have colder personalities—they're not ignoring you on purpose."
Shisui quickly explained, fearing that Kirito and Asuna might misunderstand.
"It's fine."
Kirito nodded. As the youngest disciple, he wouldn't dare have any expectations of his senior brothers and sisters.
Besides, he wasn't blind.
Sometimes, a person's appearance alone could reveal their personality.
Senju Nawaki and Might Guy were clearly bright, cheerful types.
Uzumaki Nagato, though appearing melancholic, had a gentle aura and didn't seem difficult to approach.
But Sora and Haku were different. They both looked like people who simply disliked talking.
Nagato seemed introverted—someone who wasn't good at conversations.
But Sora and Haku weren't like that. They were simply cold by nature, uninterested in socializing.
Still, Kirito could faintly sense a subtle hint of warmth in their gazes toward him.
Most people wouldn't notice, but Kirito was sharp enough to pick up on it.
If it had been Lisbeth in his place, she likely wouldn't have realized it and would've ended up feeling awkward for a long time.
"…" x2
Sora and Haku didn't say anything, but their actions spoke for them.
Sora suddenly pulled out a jade bracelet, walked up to Kirito, and slipped it onto his wrist without a word.
Haku did the same, placing a jade necklace around Asuna's neck.
"Huh? Thank you, Senior Sister."
Asuna, surprised by the close proximity of the elegant older woman, quickly expressed her gratitude.
In reality, Sora and Haku were already around 45 years old, making them the eldest of the disciples.
However, due to their clan's unique physiology, their aging process was significantly slower, making them appear as though they were still in their twenties.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Kirito also thanked the gray-haired man before cautiously asking, "May I ask… what is this?"
"A chakra storage device."
Sora , breaking his usual silence, responded in a cold, emotionless tone.
Kirito could roughly guess what it was.
He didn't know what chakra was, but the term storage device was easy to understand.
"Senior Sister, is mine the same?"
"Mm."
Haku nodded slightly.
Haku's voice was different from Sora 's.
Sora 's voice was deep, while Haku's was crisp and somewhat cute.
"Senior Sister, can I hug you?"
Asuna was far more socially adept than Kirito, given her upbringing and experience attending numerous business banquets.
But she was also a girl, and when faced with something adorable, her self-control was naturally weaker than Kirito's.
Right now, Asuna thought the white-haired elder sister in front of her was absolutely adorable. She wanted to hug her—to get close and snuggle.
"…"
Haku furrowed her brows slightly, seeming a little hesitant. But when she saw the expectant look in Asuna's eyes, she nodded.
"Ahh~ So cool, so soft~"
Asuna wasted no time. She immediately wrapped her arms around Haku, pulling her into a tight embrace and giving her a good squeeze.
"…"
Haku remained silent, her gaze calm as she looked at the slightly overenthusiastic younger sister-in-law.
To be honest, she was old enough to be Asuna's mother, yet here she was, being treated like this.
But Haku wasn't someone who cared about such trivial things, so she let Asuna have her fun.
"This is my gift for you. But since Pokémon Island has strict regulations on weapons, the blade isn't sharpened. Don't go waving it around in public."
Shisui handed Kirito a kunai.
But of course, if it was something Shisui was giving away, it wasn't an ordinary kunai.
It was a childhood birthday gift from Orochimaru—one of his scientific creations. This kunai could absorb chakra and release corresponding elemental techniques: fire chakra would make it shoot flames, water chakra would make it spray water…
It was considered a failed experiment from Orochimaru's lab—not very useful in actual combat, but fun as a toy. So, he had given it to young Shisui.
Meanwhile, Madara's three disciples had also prepared their gifts.
Guy's original gift was a set of green spandex suits, but Nawaki and Nagato had forcefully swapped it out for an expensive, extravagant princess dress.
It was actually just a high-quality dress, but to Guy, anything that wasn't practical for training seemed bizarre.
Nawaki and Nagato's gifts weren't particularly unusual—just practical items.
Nawaki had prepared a Luxury Ball, the latest and rarest Poké Ball, which made Pokémon inside feel exceptionally comfortable. It was highly sought-after on Pokémon Island, yet nearly impossible to obtain.
Nagato, on the other hand, had prepared a teddy bear.
"Senior Brother Nagato, this is…?"
Lisbeth happily accepted the plush toy—she loved things like this.
But when she saw the strange symbols drawn all over its forehead, she realized it was definitely not an ordinary stuffed animal.
"This is a robot I brought from Dr. Vegapunk. If you ever find yourself in danger, disrupt the sealing mechanism on its forehead with your saliva, and it will activate to protect its owner."
Nagato gently placed a hand on Lisbeth's head and patted her.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Lisbeth beamed, feeling incredibly lucky.
Not only had she reunited with her master and Hariyama, but she had also gained three doting senior brothers.
Life couldn't be more perfect!
The group continued chatting for a while before Mai and Haku went to prepare dinner. Asuna volunteered to help as well.
Soon, as the sky darkened, Madara and Izuna finally returned.
"Master!"
Before Madara had even stepped through the doorway, Lisbeth rushed forward and threw herself at him.
"You're here."
Madara didn't say much. He simply patted Lisbeth on the head.
"Mm!"
Lisbeth nodded, then immediately let go of Madara and turned to the figure beside him.
Seeing Hariyama standing by Madara's leg, she immediately lunged forward and hugged him tightly.
"Hariyama, I missed you so much!"
(End of Chapter)
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