Upon learning that his jōnin instructor was none other than Minato Namikaze, Veigar Koshima suppressed the excitement surging within him and immediately responded.
"Yes, Lord Third."
Then, turning to Minato, he saluted and introduced himself.
"I am Veigar Koshima. Minato-sensei, I look forward to your guidance."
Minato smiled warmly. "Veigar, I look forward to teaching you."
"I will do my best to train him into an outstanding ninja."
Shortly after, Veigar received his very first mission as a genin—he was to report to Training Ground 44 by nine o'clock the next morning.
Leaving the Hokage Residence, he could no longer contain the sheer joy welling up inside him. His face lit up with an exuberant smile.
Excited? Absolutely. How could he not be? Thinking about Minato Namikaze's future achievements, Veigar was already celebrating in his mind.
Talent, strength, background, and future accomplishments—Minato was flawless in every aspect.
And once Minato ascended to the position of the Fourth Hokage… wouldn't that make him the disciple of the Fourth Hokage?
He couldn't help but marvel at his situation. Originally, he had been nothing more than an ordinary civilian ninja in Konoha. But now, as Minato's student…
His status, his background—tsk, tsk…
More importantly, he might even have the chance to learn Minato's original A-rank, hand seal-free ninjutsu—the Rasengan.
Also known as the "Spiralling Sphere Technique."
That afternoon, for the first time in a long while, Veigar allowed himself to relax. He wandered through Konoha, soaking in the village's atmosphere.
By the time night fell, he returned home carrying a large bag of groceries and other essentials he would need for the next day.
Earlier that day, when he passed by a ninja tool shop, he had considered buying a new ninjatō—after all, his had broken that morning.
However, when he inquired about the price…
Good lord.
Way out of his budget. Time to walk away—quickly.
Even the lowest-quality ninjatō cost fifty thousand ryō, and Veigar barely had thirty thousand to his name.
Yeah, no. Best to leave before getting embarrassed.
That night, he cooked himself a feast, celebrating his graduation and new status as a ninja.
Before he knew it, morning had arrived.
The sun had yet to rise, but Veigar had already finished his morning training. After a quick wash and a fresh change of clothes, he looked sharp and full of energy.
However, instead of heading straight to Training Ground 44, he had one important task to complete first.
Soon, Veigar found himself standing in front of a flower shop that had just opened for the day, carrying a small pouch.
"Good morning! How can I help you?"
The shop owner, a middle-aged woman, greeted him. Veigar caught the faint scent of flowers lingering around her—likely from years of working among blossoms.
"Good morning. I need two bouquets to pay respects to my parents. Could you recommend something suitable?"
Hearing this, the shopkeeper's gaze softened with sympathy. She nodded and said, "In that case, I'd recommend these two."
"Yellow carnations, which symbolize a father's love, and pinkish-red carnations, which symbolize a mother's love."
Veigar nodded and replied softly, "Thank you. Please wrap them for me."
Before long, the shopkeeper had the flowers prepared. Veigar then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"That will be 999 ryō."
The price surprised Veigar. After a brief pause, he sincerely replied, "Thank you."
He handed her a 5000-ryō bill, but as the shopkeeper bent down to fetch his change, he was already walking out the door, the bouquets in his arms.
By the time she looked up, he was nearly outside. Just as she was about to speak, Veigar's voice drifted back to her.
"Thank you for your kindness. I am a shinobi now. May you always be healthy and happy."
With that, his figure vanished from her sight.
The shopkeeper put away the money, then glanced at the price list hanging on the wall. At that moment, she realized how Veigar had estimated the approximate cost.
A faint smile touched her lips. Then, she took down the price list and put it away.
...
Konoha had two cemeteries.
One was reserved for fallen shinobi who had died in battle, their names etched into the Memorial Stone. Veigar's father's name was among them.
The other was for ordinary civilians.
Following his memories, Veigar first arrived at the grave of Takaaki Koshima. He carefully cleaned the tombstone and placed the bouquet of yellow carnations before it.
In his mind, there were no personal memories of Takaaki Koshima. He only knew that he had been brought here to pay respects before.
After standing there for a while, he silently offered a prayer:
Rest in peace. I am doing well.
Then, he turned and left.
When he reached his mother's resting place, however, he found himself unable to remain silent. As he cleaned the grave, he spoke softly.
"Did you know?"
"Yesterday, I became a shinobi."
"Are you proud of me?"
"You must be… right?"
"You don't have to worry about me anymore. I can take care of myself now."
"Your child has grown up."
His voice trembled. His vision blurred. Unbidden, tears rolled down his cheeks, dripping onto the tombstone.
In that moment, he was both Veigar Koshima and the soul that had taken on his name.
Memories surged through his mind.
His mother's final moments—her worried whispers, the reluctant way her eyes had finally closed—remained etched in his heart, as vivid as if they had happened only yesterday.
Two lifetimes, two eerily similar experiences of loss and struggle.
Veigar understood now—understood gratitude, understood the immense weight of a mother's love.
In his past life, he had grown up under the scorn and pity of others. Compared to now, that pain had given him a much deeper realization.
Only those who have truly lost something can understand that no matter how much they long for it, some things can never return.
He stood there for a long time. Then, wiping the dried tears from his face, he turned away.
One body from this world, one soul from another—both carrying the weight of two mothers' love. And perhaps, two fathers he had never truly known.
He took a deep breath, steadied his steps, and walked away from the resting place of the woman who had loved him till the very end.
In his heart, he made a vow.
To put your spirit at ease, I will become the most brilliant existence in this world. They will cheer for me, remember me, and my name will live on for eternity.
Let my name resound in the Pure Land where you rest.
-----------------------
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON