Chapter 111 The Collection of All Unknown Thought Entities
Hiruko didn't understand why he was in such a hurry to return to Konoha, why he felt so sad, or why he wanted to remember...
He spent some time trying to figure out what he had forgotten, going through cycles of disappointment and hope, but ultimately found nothing.
The higher-ups also issued missions that forced him to go out and carry them out, but Hiruko just didn't want to leave Konoha. He wanted to stay in Konoha and wait.
What was he waiting for? He didn't know.
Hiruko, hailed as the mechanical prodigy, secluded himself at home from then on.
He reached an agreement with higher-ups by using his contributions to scientific and technological achievements as leverage, and was no longer subject to anyone's control. He stayed in a cramped room for a year or two, and has remained there for decades ever since.
In order to continue his search, he devoted himself to developing a system that created a big data database by inputting information on all the ninjas. With continuous input, he eventually became omniscient without ever leaving his home.
But... he still found nothing.
As Hiruko waited year after year, she gradually realized that she was longing for someone.
What kind of person is he?
He began to use data to simulate the image, repeatedly experimenting and recompiling until he finally settled on the image of a little girl with long black hair.
As the little girl, composed of data, smiled at him according to the program, Hiruko's eyes gradually brightened.
Thus, it was born as a collection of all unknown thoughts.
He named her Haruko.
Haruko, a virtual system assistant unique to him and created by him.
...
Tsunade was dumbfounded; she hadn't expected Hiruko to remember Hayama Haruko in this way.
Her expression was complicated. Finally, she sighed and stood up. "Clean this place up. I'll bring her to see you tomorrow."
Hiruko didn't answer whether it was good or bad, but silently listened as her high heels faded into the distance.
At this moment, the system assistant spoke up, looking at her master with concern.
"Hiruko, are you unhappy?"
Even though her voice was designed to be a sweet and innocent girl's voice, it inevitably carried a cold, mechanical tone.
"No, I'm just... afraid of being disappointed again." Hiruko lowered her eyes, her hands unconsciously tightening their grip on the tools.
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"That legendary mechanical genius, Hiruko? Can I really meet him?!"
Haruko Hayama felt a little excited at the thought of meeting this genius.
Tsunade led her to Hiruko's house. Although Hiruko had made a lot of money over the years thanks to his mechanical talent, for some reason he preferred to live in such a small apartment.
Because Haruko was present, Tsunade knocked on the door a few times, but after knocking, she opened the door and went in without giving the person inside a chance to react.
A token gesture of politeness suffices.
Seeing the scene inside, Tsunade frowned. "Didn't I tell you to clean it up? It's so messy."
"Forgot?" came Hiruko's indifferent voice.
He actually remembered, but he didn't want to do the cleaning after Tsunade's instructions, making it seem like he was looking forward to their arrival.
Knowing how good his memory was, Tsunade was speechless. "Don't come looking for me if you regret it later."
"How could I...!"
Hiruko turned her head and froze when she caught sight of Haruko Hayama beside her.
Long black hair, floral hair clips, a soft yet youthful face... that always vague image suddenly became concrete and clear at this moment.
That's right... this is what the person he's been waiting for looks like!
He had been waiting for... Haruko!
Thump!
The tools in Hiruko's hands fell directly to the floor. His pupils constricted, and he was speechless for a long time. Tears even streamed down his face.
Seeing his expression, Haruko was startled and quickly whispered to Tsunade and the others if they had offended this senior.
Tsunade smiled helplessly and pulled her to Hiruko. "Haruko, whom you don't want to see, has arrived. Say what you want to say now, and I'll come and take her away right away."
After saying that, Tsunade left the room while Haruko looked on blankly, leaving her alone with an unfamiliar senior.
"Um... Hello, Hiruko-senpai, I'm Hayama Haruko." Hayama Haruko decided to introduce herself first.
"Hiruko...senpai?" Hiruko asked in confusion.
Immediately, he realized what was happening and scrambled a few steps to Haruko Hayama, grabbing her shoulder with trembling hands.
"Haruko, don't you remember me? I'm Hiruko!"
Hiruko cried out, trying to find a trace of familiarity with her in her expression.
But nothing... everything was unfamiliar.
"I know you, Hiruko-senpai, but could you please let me go first?" Haruko Hayama smiled awkwardly.
Hiruko instinctively withdrew her hand, but unwillingly pressed on, "Haruko, have you forgotten? It was you who was willing to be my friend, it was you who helped me drive away the people who were bullying me, it was you who told me to have a goal, it was you... it was you who saved me!"
Looking into his tearful eyes, which seemed to be wrenching with pain, Haruko couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Another person mistaking themselves for someone else's "white moonlight" (ideal love/ideal figure). There are so many "white moonlight" figures in the ninja world.
Haruko raised her hand and waved it helplessly a few times, finally patting his shoulder carefully. "Hiruko-senpai, don't be sad. You have to look forward."
Hearing her familiar comforting voice, Hiruko couldn't help but fill her eyes with more tears. Amidst Haruko's panic, she took Haruko's hand, which had been resting on her shoulder, and placed it on her face.
"I've been waiting for you..."
Feeling his warm tears slide down her palm, Haruko fell silent. All she could do was quietly stay by his side.
After a series of one-sided reminiscences, Hiruko finally confirmed that she indeed had no memory of them and that she had her own family and her own life in this era.
It's almost like being reincarnated, is that really true...?
Hiruko looked at Haruko Hayama, who was wandering around, with a complicated expression.
"Senior Hiruko, what is that?"
Haruko Hayama pointed curiously at the huge blue screen.
Hiruko froze. He couldn't very well say that it was a substitute for Haruko, could he?
“Uh…that is…” Hiruko struggled to find the words, “She is a system assistant.”
"System assistant? Is this all there is to it?" Haruko looked around.
Unable to escape her questioning and unwilling to lie to her, Hiruko took a deep breath and made a gesture toward the screen.
First, blue and white particles swirled and surged onto the screen, eventually forming a human figure. Her face gradually became clear; she was a girl with long black hair, wearing a white dress, and looked to be about six years old.
When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Haruko Hayama making eye contact.
Haruko couldn't help but murmur, "It's so amazing..."
The system assistant tilted its head, smiled, and replied, "You're amazing too."
Haruko was surprised. Has Konoha become so advanced now? They even have artificial intelligence!
Although Hiruko had tried her best to make the system assistant's appearance as close to her memory as possible, memories are ultimately blurry. Even now, standing next to Haruko Hayama, the differences between the two are obvious.
Haruko asked curiously, "Do you have a name?"
"My name is Haruko, and I was created by Hiruko." The system assistant spun around in place to express its happiness.
"What a coincidence! My name is also Haruko, my name is Hayama Haruko!" Hayama Haruko's face turned slightly red with excitement.
Upon hearing her words, the system assistant seemed to suddenly remember something, and looked at Haruko Hayama with certainty: "You are the person Hiruko has been searching for."
"Me?" Haruko Hayama pointed to herself, puzzled.
"Because of you, I was born; because of you, I was created."
Hearing his cryptic words, Haruko Hayama subconsciously looked behind her at the silent Hiruko, who was still looking at her with an expression that Haruko Hayama didn't understand.
Haruko's hands clenched involuntarily. She turned her head and asked with a hint of urgency, "Why? Why do they all recognize me? I don't remember ever seeing them before, but why do they all look like they're reminiscing?"
She wanted an answer, an answer she could understand.
Hearing her question, Hiruko's eyes flashed with heartache. For her, was it better to remember all of this, or to forget it all...?
The system assistant, oblivious to his hesitation, replied without pausing, "I don't understand this question either. Human emotions are too complex, so all the questions we don't understand can be summarized by love."
"Perhaps it's all because they love you."
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