"Rejected?"
"Well… that's normal."
"Love is a very complicated thing~"
"Aunt Saki!! Why were you eavesdropping on us?!"
The gentle voice behind her made Yūhi Ryūun stomp furiously on the lawn.
"Aww, don't cry, don't cry, Kurenai~
Ryūun wasn't talking about you."
Long-haired Yūhi Saki smiled warmly while rocking the baby in her arms. She lifted her head to look at the dazed Ryūun.
"If Kaito had someone he liked, he would say so directly."
Ryūun's eyes lit up instantly.
Saki chuckled.
"So you still have a chance, don't you?"
"W–What chance?! What are you talking about?!
I'm returning this book!"
Face burning, Ryūun bolted toward the clan archive.
Saki watched her flee and shook her head with a soft smile. She tickled baby Kurenai's tiny hands, making the infant giggle and reach for her fingers.
"Kurenai~ I wonder what kind of boyfriend you'll find in the future~"
Kaito Submits His Leave Report
After leaving the Yūhi district, Kaito went straight to the Hokage building.
He had to explain his long absence.
Without a proper excuse, the village could question his loyalty—
and that often meant only one thing:
suspected spy.
Even if not, refusing missions during wartime badly damaged one's promotion prospects.
"Good work, Kaito."
Sarutobi Hiruzen set down the report and looked at the boy, whose expression remained slightly clouded.
"This must've been hard on you.
It must have reminded you of what happened back when you were still in Team Six."
He sighed.
"Fortunately, someone… ah, someone peculiar helped you all survive."
Kaito: "?"
"Someone peculiar?" he repeated, trying not to panic.
"Yes." Hiruzen pulled out the border jōnin's report.
"Kurenai reported that after defeating one Mist ANBU, a second Mist squad appeared.
The last attacker was at least jōnin-level."
Hiruzen's face darkened.
"And according to your report… there were at least five or six Mist shinobi."
"That means the enemy had six shinobi minimum—two of them jōnin."
He tapped the paper.
"But the nearest outpost, No. 2, saw nothing.
I strongly suspect an infiltrator."
"Unfortunately, when our investigators arrived, they ran into Uzushio's shinobi."
"So you didn't get anything from them?" Kaito asked.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
"No. The report says one of our men recognized a friend from the outpost…"
"And so…"
His voice dropped.
"They attacked."
"...I see."
Kaito's eyes flickered.
Hiruzen shook his head, looking at the spiral emblem on Kaito's forehead protector—a memory of the Uzumaki.
"I can't blame them."
"They're victims of war.
Just like you."
He closed the report.
"This mission will not count as a B-rank failure.
It will be logged as S-rank.
Your record will remain clean."
Kaito internally:
(NO PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME PRIORITY FOR S-RANK MISSIONS—!)
"Lord Hokage…"
Kaito sighed, then decided to self-sabotage.
"I… was the one who proposed retreating for First Squad.
I feel I'm not suited for—"
"Ahem!" Hiruzen cut him off immediately, waving both hands.
"Kaito, I'm aware of that.
And you made the correct decision."
"As a genin facing unknown enemy numbers and unclear terrain, retreat is a perfectly sound strategy.
Even I would've done the same."
Kaito blinked.
Hiruzen leaned forward, voice firm:
"The village still needs you.
You did nothing wrong."
"Mission and comradeship have always been difficult to balance."
"As Hokage, I cannot give you a perfect answer—"
"But follow your heart."
"Just don't betray the village."
For a moment, Kaito felt something… lift.
As if a mist cleared and sunlight shone through.
…Did I just get hit by "The Will of Fire"?
Damn it, that old man almost genjutsu'd me emotionally…
"I understand, Lord Hokage."
"Good. If you still feel unwell, you may apply for extended leave downstairs."
"No need. Thank you."
As Kaito walked out, embarrassment welled in his chest.
He shook his head violently.
Focus. You can only survive by depending on yourself— NOT on emotions. Don't you dare get swayed.
The Next Morning — At Nawaki's House
Behind Nawaki's small home was a neat herb field, bright under the morning sun.
"Kaito, you finally recovered!"
"More or less. What about you? What did your grandma say?"
Nawaki sighed, yanking weeds with muddy hands.
"She didn't believe the Uzumaki betrayal at first.
But an ANBU apparently delivered a report to her, and she's been furious for days."
"I don't believe it either," Duy said.
"How could the Uzumaki betray Konoha? It has to be a Mist plot!"
"But we're just genin," Nawaki said bitterly.
"No way we'll be allowed on the follow-up missions."
"Follow-up… missions?"
Nawaki leaned closer, checked their surroundings, and whispered:
"Grandma said the village is sending ANBU to investigate Uzushio.
A village elder will personally lead them."
Kaito: "…"
"Good! Then we'll finally uncover the truth!"
Duy clenched weeds dramatically.
"We must avenge our fallen comrades!"
Kaito stared blankly at him.
"…You're not even a chūnin. Planning to die on the battlefield, Duy?"
"...Youth never admits defeat!"
"Eight Gates… First Gate: OPEN!"
"LET'S DO AN EXTRA D-RANK MISSION TODAY!"
"OOOOHHH!!"
Kaito facepalmed.
You open the Eight Gates… for a D-rank weeding job?!
And you want to fight Mist jōnin?!
Still…
He turned to Duy.
"Duy, how far is your Eight Gates training now?"
Duy paused, then answered proudly:
"I can open up to the Fifth Gate!
Soon I'll reach Six, maybe Seven!"
"And how long can you maintain Fifth?"
Duy frowned.
"I'm not sure.
But when I opened the Fourth Gate, I could maintain it a few seconds—
after holding the Third Gate for three minutes."
Kaito:
"…You're like Ultraman, aren't you?"
Nawaki blinked.
"Ult—what man? What is that?"
"Nothing.
Just some guy who fights using light."
"Amazing! A clan with Light Release?!"
Kaito stared at the two "natives" and quietly resumed plucking weeds.
The cultural gap is way too big…
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