Here's @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.

You can now get early access up to Chapter 161 of Re: Naruto Uzumaki on my Patreon.

Up to Chapter 11 of Marvel: Star Wars System is also available on my Patreon. Each chapter averages 5,000 words.

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The first 5 chapters of Marvel: Star Wars System are now available, completely free on my Patreon!

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Shikamaru remained silent. From time to time, his eyes drifted toward Naruto, curious. Still, his laziness prevented him from gathering the energy needed to ask the question that lingered in his mind.

Naruto, who had already lost his appetite after being interrupted so many times during the meal, noticed his gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"Stop dwelling on whatever you're thinking and just say it already, Shikamaru. There's no use keeping it to yourself," he said directly.

Shikamaru let out a long sigh, squinted his eyes in resignation, and finally opened his mouth to ask.

"How did you get so strong, Naruto? Not long ago you were the worst student in the academy..."

Shikamaru had started hearing rumors about him just a few days after they became Genin.

The first surprise came when he learned that Team 7 had defeated Zabuza Momochi, the Demon Hidden in the Mist.

He knew Naruto had improved, but he never imagined how much... until the Chūnin Exams.

And now, in just two months, that blockhead had defeated Kisame Hoshigaki, the feared Monster of the Hidden Mist; persuaded Tsunade Senju to return to the village and assume the title of Fifth Hokage; defeated Orochimaru, one of the legendary Three Sannin; and even saved the world by defeating the demon Mōryō, protecting in the process the Priestess of the Demon Country.

All that while still a simple Genin.

Although many of them had already been promoted to Chūnin thanks to their achievements in the exams or their role during Orochimaru's attack, Shikamaru knew from his own father that Naruto had decided to leave Konoha and give up being a ninja of the village.

What the hell was he thinking taking that decision?

Could it have something to do with the resurgence of the Uzumaki Clan?

He didn't want to believe it. The Uzumaki Clan didn't have to leave Konoha; on the contrary, it was probably the safest place for them. In any other village, they would either be used... or wiped off the map to prevent them from regaining the strength they once possessed.

No matter how many times he analyzed it, Shikamaru just couldn't make sense of Naruto's decision.

"I got lucky," Naruto answered without overthinking it, throwing a sideways glance at Reika.

Actually, the only thing he wanted at that moment was to leave and tell his parents the news about the pregnancy.

But of course... Reika still hadn't finished eating.

"Luck? Nobody gets stronger just by being lucky," Ino replied from the other side of the table, arms crossed and one leg over the other.

A crooked smile appeared on Naruto's face.

If reincarnating and getting a system didn't count as luck, then he hoped real luck would come his way someday... who knew what else he could get.

Shikamaru, nor anyone else, pressed the matter.

When Reika finally finished eating, both got up from the table.

"Naruto," Shikamaru stopped him before leaving.

Naruto turned slightly, eyebrow raised, confused.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and smiled. "Congratulations. Don't make me the godfather, it would be a pain."

Naruto looked at him surprised, not understanding how he had found out, but smiled anyway.

Shikamaru had always been too perceptive; he had surely noticed the way Reika instinctively protected her belly whenever someone got too close to her.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't want my daughter influenced by you in any way," he joked.

At his words, everyone at the table, including Chōji, immediately stopped eating.

"Naruto's going to have a kid!?" Sakura exclaimed. "With who?!"

Suddenly, she had a hunch and fixed her eyes on Reika's belly.

She... She placed a hand on her belly, confirming her suspicions!

Ino also looked at her, though her expression conveyed more frustration than surprise.

"We even already have the name, she'll be called Sarada," Reika said with a smile.

Sakura kept staring at Reika, still trying to process what she had just heard.

Chōji, on the other hand, didn't take his eyes off his plate, refocusing on his food.

"How are you so sure it'll be a girl to name her Sarada? Shouldn't you also think of a boy's name, just in case?" he asked with his mouth full.

Naruto and Reika exchanged sideways glances and smiled at the same time.

"It's a hunch," they answered in unison.

Shion, for her part, lowered her gaze upon hearing the news... then raised it with conviction. "I still have to pass my powers to the next generation. You promised to help me preserve my mother's lineage! I'll be the next one!"

"I never promised that!" Naruto replied.

Then, he took Reika's hand and turned around.

"Goodbye," he said without more, waving as he left without bothering to look back.

He already had enough with discovering he was going to be a father so young, something that had never been in his plans.

He wasn't planning on having another child for a very, very long time.

...

"KYAAAAAAA! I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER!!"

Kushina, who was sitting on the couch next to Minato, couldn't contain herself and jumped with excitement as soon as she heard the news.

Even Minato smiled from ear to ear, though his reaction was much more contained compared to his wife's burst of joy.

"You mean WE are going to be grandmothers, Kushina!" Mikoto exclaimed, also standing up with an equally wide smile.

Naruto and Reika had gathered the four of them in the same room to drop the bomb all at once.

Maybe it was more chaotic to give the news with everyone present, but it would save them from going through the same awkward moment twice.

Kushina was the first to rush toward Reika, hugging her so tightly Naruto had to intervene.

"Hey, hey! Careful! Don't crush her," he said, separating them a little.

"Ah, sorry! It's just... I'm finally going to have a grandchild!" Kushina replied, unable to stop smiling.

After letting go of Reika, she threw herself onto Naruto's arms, hugging him with the same intensity.

Mikoto didn't fall behind. She approached with a radiant smile and hugged her daughter tenderly, stroking her hair.

"Reika... I'm so happy for you. You're going to be an amazing mother."

Reika, slightly blushing, returned the hug.

"Thank you, Mom."

Minato, for his part, crossed his arms and looked at Naruto with an amused air.

"Well... I guess you'll have to grow up faster than you thought."

Naruto smiled, shrugging.

"Oh, come on, shut up, I know. You know I'll do my best."

Mikoto pulled away slightly from Reika and looked at Kushina knowingly.

"I think it's time to start betting... boy or girl?"

"It'll be a boy, I'm sure!" Kushina replied without hesitation, with a confident smile.

Reika and Naruto shared a knowing glance, holding back laughter at Kushina's conviction.

"We'll see, grandma," Naruto muttered jokingly, amused.

Reika nodded, gently caressing her belly.

"The important thing is that he or she is born healthy," Minato said, not caring if it was a boy or a girl.

Naruto, muttering to himself, added: "And that he or she isn't retarded," remembering Sarada Alter's temperament.

Reika was the only one who heard him and responded by rolling her eyes.

Then, Fugaku, who until that moment had remained seated silently, broke the silence.

"The only thing left to decide is my grandchild's last name," he said, crossing his arms as he leaned back on the small single sofa. "Both the Uzumaki Clan and the Uchiha are on the brink of extinction, with very few members left."

Minato, sensing the atmosphere was getting too serious with that question, intervened to ease the tension:

"Fugaku, let's enjoy the news. We're going to be grandparents. We'll discuss the last name another day, okay?"

Mikoto frowned and crossed her arms, looking at her husband with obvious disapproval. He had ruined the moment.

"Why do you have to be like that?" she snapped, hands on her hips. "Just be happy for your daughter and leave clan matters for later."

"Clan matters? Can it even still be called a clan with barely six members?" Naruto thought to himself.

Fugaku closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and with a firm voice declared:

"With Reika pregnant, they both have to get married. And my daughter is not going to give up her last name."

The more Fugaku spoke, the more frustrated Mikoto looked, and the more uncomfortable Reika became.

Suddenly, they started arguing, and Minato tried to intervene to calm things down, but only made it worse.

Naruto sighed, watching everything from his place.

He couldn't believe what he was about to say but... at that moment, he seemed the most mature person in the room.

"Reika can keep her last name," he said suddenly, stepping in. "I don't care about those absurd traditions of changing your name just because you get married."

Fugaku gave his wife a small triumphant smile before returning to his usual seriousness.

"As for our daughter..." Naruto cast a quick, knowing glance at Reika.

"Let her decide in the future," Reika said with a small smile.

Fugaku frowned at that answer.

"Namikaze," said Naruto, looking at his father.

"Uzumaki," he continued, looking at his mother and pointing to himself.

"Or Uchiha," he added, pointing to the three Uchiha present in the room.

"Our daughter can choose any of those three last names... or none," Reika concluded.

Her name would be Sarada Uzumaki Uchiha Namikaze.

When she was old enough, she could keep whichever one she liked best or felt represented her most.

Minato smiled realizing his son had also taken the Namikaze last name into account.

After all, if he hadn't died, Naruto would never have carried the Uzumaki last name, but his.

They would have been the Namikaze family... not the Uzumaki family.

It was then, while Mikoto kept scolding Fugaku, this time pulling his ears, that the doorbell rang.

Minato, laughing with some discomfort at the scene, took the opportunity to discreetly sneak away and open the door.

"Hiashi and... Hinata?" Minato blinked, surprised to see the leader of the Hyūga Clan accompanied by his daughter. Behind them were Hizashi, Hanabi, and even Neji. "What's going on?"

Hiashi didn't waste time. He stepped forward, grabbed Minato by the collar, and pushed him inside the house.

"YOUR DAMN SON PREGNATED MY DAUGHTER, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON!"

A few hours later, Naruto finally understood what Sarada had meant at that moment.

She had wished them luck... because they were going to need it.

And she had pointed at him, specifically.

The incessant shouting of Hiashi and Hizashi, drilling into his ears, made it clear what she meant exactly.

And Naruto blamed Yomi for everything...

If it weren't for that damn Fūinjutsu that turned them into adults, none of this would have happened. But that day he got carried away... and ended up scoring two perfect shots in a single night.