[This Chapter Is Sponsored by BoredMorsel! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
Under the bright sunlight, an uneasiness pervaded the warm village.
"Yoru."
Normally tranquil, the house was now invaded by two black-clad, masked individuals — agents of "The Root," with one even holding a kunai to the throat of Terumi Mei.
The shocking event of the morning left Terumi Mei visibly frightened, but internally she was in turmoil.
The Root! It was the Leaf's own hidden unit in action. What was going on? What did they want with her as leverage against Uchiha Yoru? Did they have evidence of her not betraying the Mist?
Uchiha Yoru, just returning from fetching water, his expression darkened immediately upon witnessing the scene.
"You've crossed the line!"
At this moment, Uchiha Yoru dropped all pretense, revealing his formidable aura. However, the two Root ninjas only displayed cold indifference, as if they were robots, ignoring the threat to life.
"Uchiha Yoru, according to our intelligence, you have been in communication with Mist's Kirigakure's Suikazan Fuguki. We now suspect you of colluding and betraying the village."
"If you don't want her harmed, I suggest you stay still." They declared their reason for action and followed it with a threat.
While one Root ninja restrained Terumi Mei, the other remained on guard. They, trained by The Root, never lowered their vigilance.
Use a hostage as leverage? What if there was a counterattack? Root's training never accounted for carelessness.
"Me betray?"
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Yoru let out a cold laugh, "If you have the intelligence, then you should know what I've been doing!"
"The intelligence exchange with Suikazan Fuguki was to eliminate threats from within, and I've been tirelessly eradicating the Mist ninjas."
"You from The Root should be well aware that among the Mist's pursuit squad, there's a ninja proficient in 'Dissolving Jutsu'. You should investigate if this ninja has already been dealt with."
Uchiha Yoru slammed the table in anger, accusing the two Root ninjas, "I shed blood for the village and you turn a blind eye, yet you notice this trivial matter?"
"Go back and tell the old man behind you that the Samehada blade of Suikazan Fuguki is now in my hands. It is I who threaten him, not the other way around. The victories at the front lines, do you think they came without such actions?"
What a revelation! The two Root ninjas remained unfazed, their emotions long since dulled by training, but Terumi Mei's eyes widened in shock.
Damn it! The truth was out. She had thought well of him recently, but it seemed that the good-looking ones, especially from the Uchiha clan, were not to be trusted.
All this time, she had been suffering because of him! Realizing how she was being branded a traitor, tears welled up in Terumi Mei's eyes.
The Uchiha are really petty, just because she collaborated with others once to set an ambush. But this is a battlefield! And after you've stabbed me twice, you're still petty enough to threaten me with the Suikazan Fuguki.
"Yoru!" In this moment, Terumi Mei is feeling a mix of emotions, and tears of unknown flavor fall from her beautiful eyes, especially with all that has recently happened. Despite harboring ulterior motives, this peaceful life has truly touched her.
To her shock, she finds out that the root of all her troubles is the opponent! Terumi Mei's eyes are bloodshot with rage, nearly exploding with violence.
"Ming, don't be afraid, they wouldn't dare hurt you. Rest assured, I will definitely rescue you," Uchiha Yoru says with concern evident on his face. In that moment, Terumi Mei, angry yet resolute, decides that since she's found the real culprit, she won't be blamed anymore.
She had thought to turn against them and let them fight amongst themselves, but now she wants to watch the drama unfold, perhaps even incite a fight between them.
The two Root ninjas exchange a look upon hearing this, and the leader coldly states: "Uchiha Yoru, we will report your words. Be thirty li west of the city tomorrow morning."
Seeing the two Root ninjas about to leave, Uchiha Yoru's face turned ashen. He wants to act but gazes intently at Terumi Mei, ultimately commanding coldly: "This has nothing to do with her, let her go."
"The order from above is clear, as long as the lord comes thirty li west of the city by noon tomorrow."
The two Root ninjas, emotionless like puppets, hold their kunai in a defensive stance.
Under Uchiha Yoru's grim gaze, the two Root ninjas disappear with the hostage.
Amidst her apparent panic, Terumi Mei is secretly calculating, ready to mobilize her chakra to strike back at any moment.
Just as she hesitates to strike back, a loud booming noise arises in the distance, prompting Terumi Mei to narrow her eyes, wondering what the people of Konoha are up to.
Root! The Uchiha clan! Could there be a connection? And now, her current status as a rogue ninja! Thinking of this, Terumi Mei secretly forms a hand seal while being held hostage.
As the two Root ninjas take her away, a wet spot on the ground slowly grows and forms into a human figure.
Water Release: Water Clone Technique
"Maybe tomorrow I'll know the truth, and it will also be the time when I return to being a Mist ninja."
Terumi Mei watches her own body being taken away, her green eyes flashing with a cold light.
Glancing back at the direction of the fake home, Terumi Mei grits her teeth: "Uchiha! You stabbed me twice and made me a rogue ninja, I'm not finished with you."
After speaking, Terumi Mei turns into a black shadow, darting in another direction and disappearing into the forest.
As she leaves, a face slowly appears on the trunk of a tree behind her, watching her departure before blending back into the tree.
In a distant house courtyard.
The furnace has gone out. Uchiha Yoru, with a dark expression, locks up the house. As the wood clone disperses, memories rush back to him, and a slow smile creeps across his lips.
He has painstakingly spread a wide net of bait, and the fish that smell the blood should all be arriving soon.
…
Town, inn.
At this moment, Sesshomaru was looking at a letter on the table, while Kakuzu also had a gloomy expression on his face.
"The girl has been kidnapped, they demand that you come alone tomorrow at noon, thirty miles west of the city."
Left alone in the inn, no one expected she would be kidnapped. Although Sesshomaru looked grim, he was secretly delighted.
Indeed, you have not disappointed me. You have been tracking me all along; a slight leak and, tsk, the fish bites the hook.
"I'll give you all of the reward for this mission now."
Without a word, he took out a suitcase; the green bills were tempting, but Kakuzu, with discipline ingrained in his bones, stared straight at his employer.
Without hesitation, Sesshomaru said coldly: "I will go alone, you hide behind. If it's a fight, we join forces; if not, you take them and go."
"Them?" Kakuzu was confused, wondering if he had heard wrong.
Wasn't it just one girl who was kidnapped? Of course, he could understand how some cruel and heartless ninjas in the ninja world, when touched by the softest part of their hearts, could change. But you can't be confused now; how did one person become two?
"Yes, two people!"
Just then, the window slowly opened, and a figure walked in. Kakuzu was astonished when he saw the person.
"Don't be surprised. You'll know tomorrow. This is the photo of the other person."
A picture he had drawn himself was handed to Kakuzu. Uchiha Yoru and Sesshomaru sat side by side, and while Kakuzu was still bewildered, he found that his mission now involved an additional person.
"Here is 300,000. If it's not feasible, don't worry about me. Protect the two and head straight to the Land of Rice. The 300,000 is for you to give to the two of them."
Don't worry about me?
A single word made Kakuzu look at the two in front of him in astonishment, and then he realized with a start, "You are one and the same."
As Uchiha Yoru and Sesshomaru nodded, Kakuzu shook his head in admiration, "I've lived for decades, seen many lustful people, those who would sacrifice for a woman too, but you are the first of your kind I've ever met."
"To use shadow clones to court two women at once, and with sincere affection, impressive."
Looking at the photo he had drawn, Kakuzu, although he had lost all interest in the opposite sex due to his practice of forbidden techniques, couldn't help but remark on its beauty; after all, he still possessed the ability to appreciate a woman's attractiveness.
"One a young girl, the other mature."
Following behind Sesshomaru was none other than a blonde, twin-tailed young girl, and the other, a dignified and mature woman exuding feminine charm.
Truly having the best of both worlds, Kakuzu, even after living for more than eighty years, inwardly exclaimed that the world of the wealthy indeed knew how to live it up.
Perhaps the creator of the Shadow Clone technique never imagined that his jutsu could be used in such a manner; indeed, learning is endless, and today was a day for new lessons.
Spending the same amount of time, using the Shadow Clone to date two at once, both of different styles—loli and mature woman, one outside the city, the other within.
Observing Kakuzu's playful gaze, Uchiha Yoru could only twitch the corners of his mouth speechlessly, wanting to say something but finding it hard to explain.
"You wouldn't understand."
In the end, Uchiha Yoru sighed deeply, while Kakuzu nodded in agreement, acknowledging that he truly didn't understand.
But Uchiha Yoru shook his head, thinking "you don't know anything." Beauty is important, but he didn't have the leisure to lay out such an extensive plan.
Not only possessing beauty but also formidable strength, what does it mean to have one's cake and eat it too?
He was about to teach Kakuzu a lesson. Terumi Mei, with her bright future, and Tsunade, with her renowned prestige, wealth, and the strength of a Kage-level fighter.
Both individuals had distinct personalities and strong wills. Although his own status was not lacking, compared to his ambition, sometimes taking shortcuts was indeed the quickest path to success.
A shortcut? That should be the term for it.
If you don't take the shortcut, you deserve to be struck by lightning.
He always believed that lies would one day be exposed, and that a direct approach was always best.
Thus, he must reveal to Terumi Mei his collusion with the Suikazan Fuguki; otherwise, if it came out later, it would become his weakness.
As for Tsunade, there was nothing to expose at the moment; compared to Terumi Mei, he had revealed all that needed to be revealed.
As for knowing their identities from the start? Who said that?
As long as my persona doesn't collapse—no, I mean, as long as I remain true to myself, I initially didn't know, but later seemed to discover some clues.
"I'm going down to prepare."
Having received the money, Kakuzu also secretly decided to make an effort this time, as such generous employers were rare.
After Kakuzu's departure, Uchiha Yoru and Sesshomaru exchanged glances in the room, both revealing smiles as if the great drama was about to begin.
"Let's hope tomorrow's stage won't disappoint me."
…
In the dark room, Tsunade, appearing as a young girl, was tied up, currently curled up in a corner. Another person was also there, Terumi Mei.
The wooden hut creaked open, and the bright sunlight that streamed in caused both women to squint.
However, upon seeing the person entering, Terumi Mei felt nothing, but Tsunade was startled and a surge of anger welled up inside her.
"Are these the two women?"
The newcomer scoffed disdainfully upon seeing Tsunade's youthful appearance and Terumi Mei, "I thought Uchiha Yoru was a genius of some sort, but it turns out he's so vulgar, actually seduced by beauty."
"But I have to compliment him, truly worthy of being from a prestigious family, having collected both a lolita and a mature beauty."
The person was Sarutobi Umeko, who now approached with arrogance, looking at the beauty of the two women, she scoffed. In a ninja world where strength is most respected, it was disappointing to her that someone would be content with just two "vases".
"What a letdown, Uchiha genius, choosing two non-ninjas when you could've chosen two with actual skills. At least then, you could've claimed it was for the clan. But to end up with two ordinary people?"
In her eyes, a ninja should seek a powerful spouse. Isn't that why she chose Sarutobi Shinzo? Her maiden name no longer mattered.
What was important was that Sarutobi Shinzo would soon become the next Hokage, and she would be the Hokage's wife, a position of high authority and a testament to strength.
"Lowly civilians only tarnish our noble lineage of ninjas."
Thus, she always looked down on such lowly civilians. Sarutobi Umeko glanced at them with her haughty gaze and showed her indifference.
"Keep an eye on these lowly goods; we'll need them tomorrow."
While saying this, Sarutobi Umeko, perhaps in a cruel twist of amusement, gave an evil smile at the two women.
"Kobe Yoru! Sesshomaru! Perhaps you don't know yet, but they are one and the same. His real name is Uchiha Yoru. Just wonder who he will choose to save tomorrow, or how much you think you weigh in his eyes."
With an evil smile, Sarutobi Umeko coldly laughed and walked out, not deigning to give the two another glance.
The same sentence stunned both Tsunade and Terumi Mei. What shocked them was not Uchiha Yoru's true identity, but the fact it was about the two of them!
Suddenly, they looked at each other, their anger rising, teeth clenched in fury. So, it's a deep game being played.
Pretending one thing to my face, and behind the scenes, desiring this mature beauty/lolita, you evil Uchiha.
[This Chapter Is Sponsored by BoredMorsel! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
Under the bright sunlight, an uneasiness pervaded the warm village.
"Yoru."
Normally tranquil, the house was now invaded by two black-clad, masked individuals — agents of "The Root," with one even holding a kunai to the throat of Terumi Mei.
The shocking event of the morning left Terumi Mei visibly frightened, but internally she was in turmoil.
The Root! It was the Leaf's own hidden unit in action. What was going on? What did they want with her as leverage against Uchiha Yoru? Did they have evidence of her not betraying the Mist?
Uchiha Yoru, just returning from fetching water, his expression darkened immediately upon witnessing the scene.
"You've crossed the line!"
At this moment, Uchiha Yoru dropped all pretense, revealing his formidable aura. However, the two Root ninjas only displayed cold indifference, as if they were robots, ignoring the threat to life.
"Uchiha Yoru, according to our intelligence, you have been in communication with Mist's Kirigakure's Suikazan Fuguki. We now suspect you of colluding and betraying the village."
"If you don't want her harmed, I suggest you stay still." They declared their reason for action and followed it with a threat.
While one Root ninja restrained Terumi Mei, the other remained on guard. They, trained by The Root, never lowered their vigilance.
Use a hostage as leverage? What if there was a counterattack? Root's training never accounted for carelessness.
"Me betray?"
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Yoru let out a cold laugh, "If you have the intelligence, then you should know what I've been doing!"
"The intelligence exchange with Suikazan Fuguki was to eliminate threats from within, and I've been tirelessly eradicating the Mist ninjas."
"You from The Root should be well aware that among the Mist's pursuit squad, there's a ninja proficient in 'Dissolving Jutsu'. You should investigate if this ninja has already been dealt with."
Uchiha Yoru slammed the table in anger, accusing the two Root ninjas, "I shed blood for the village and you turn a blind eye, yet you notice this trivial matter?"
"Go back and tell the old man behind you that the Samehada blade of Suikazan Fuguki is now in my hands. It is I who threaten him, not the other way around. The victories at the front lines, do you think they came without such actions?"
What a revelation! The two Root ninjas remained unfazed, their emotions long since dulled by training, but Terumi Mei's eyes widened in shock.
Damn it! The truth was out. She had thought well of him recently, but it seemed that the good-looking ones, especially from the Uchiha clan, were not to be trusted.
All this time, she had been suffering because of him! Realizing how she was being branded a traitor, tears welled up in Terumi Mei's eyes.
The Uchiha are really petty, just because she collaborated with others once to set an ambush. But this is a battlefield! And after you've stabbed me twice, you're still petty enough to threaten me with the Suikazan Fuguki.
"Yoru!" In this moment, Terumi Mei is feeling a mix of emotions, and tears of unknown flavor fall from her beautiful eyes, especially with all that has recently happened. Despite harboring ulterior motives, this peaceful life has truly touched her.
To her shock, she finds out that the root of all her troubles is the opponent! Terumi Mei's eyes are bloodshot with rage, nearly exploding with violence.
"Ming, don't be afraid, they wouldn't dare hurt you. Rest assured, I will definitely rescue you," Uchiha Yoru says with concern evident on his face. In that moment, Terumi Mei, angry yet resolute, decides that since she's found the real culprit, she won't be blamed anymore.
She had thought to turn against them and let them fight amongst themselves, but now she wants to watch the drama unfold, perhaps even incite a fight between them.
The two Root ninjas exchange a look upon hearing this, and the leader coldly states: "Uchiha Yoru, we will report your words. Be thirty li west of the city tomorrow morning."
Seeing the two Root ninjas about to leave, Uchiha Yoru's face turned ashen. He wants to act but gazes intently at Terumi Mei, ultimately commanding coldly: "This has nothing to do with her, let her go."
"The order from above is clear, as long as the lord comes thirty li west of the city by noon tomorrow."
The two Root ninjas, emotionless like puppets, hold their kunai in a defensive stance.
Under Uchiha Yoru's grim gaze, the two Root ninjas disappear with the hostage.
Amidst her apparent panic, Terumi Mei is secretly calculating, ready to mobilize her chakra to strike back at any moment.
Just as she hesitates to strike back, a loud booming noise arises in the distance, prompting Terumi Mei to narrow her eyes, wondering what the people of Konoha are up to.
Root! The Uchiha clan! Could there be a connection? And now, her current status as a rogue ninja! Thinking of this, Terumi Mei secretly forms a hand seal while being held hostage.
As the two Root ninjas take her away, a wet spot on the ground slowly grows and forms into a human figure.
Water Release: Water Clone Technique
"Maybe tomorrow I'll know the truth, and it will also be the time when I return to being a Mist ninja."
Terumi Mei watches her own body being taken away, her green eyes flashing with a cold light.
Glancing back at the direction of the fake home, Terumi Mei grits her teeth: "Uchiha! You stabbed me twice and made me a rogue ninja, I'm not finished with you."
After speaking, Terumi Mei turns into a black shadow, darting in another direction and disappearing into the forest.
As she leaves, a face slowly appears on the trunk of a tree behind her, watching her departure before blending back into the tree.
In a distant house courtyard.
The furnace has gone out. Uchiha Yoru, with a dark expression, locks up the house. As the wood clone disperses, memories rush back to him, and a slow smile creeps across his lips.
He has painstakingly spread a wide net of bait, and the fish that smell the blood should all be arriving soon.
…
Town, inn.
At this moment, Sesshomaru was looking at a letter on the table, while Kakuzu also had a gloomy expression on his face.
"The girl has been kidnapped, they demand that you come alone tomorrow at noon, thirty miles west of the city."
Left alone in the inn, no one expected she would be kidnapped. Although Sesshomaru looked grim, he was secretly delighted.
Indeed, you have not disappointed me. You have been tracking me all along; a slight leak and, tsk, the fish bites the hook.
"I'll give you all of the reward for this mission now."
Without a word, he took out a suitcase; the green bills were tempting, but Kakuzu, with discipline ingrained in his bones, stared straight at his employer.
Without hesitation, Sesshomaru said coldly: "I will go alone, you hide behind. If it's a fight, we join forces; if not, you take them and go."
"Them?" Kakuzu was confused, wondering if he had heard wrong.
Wasn't it just one girl who was kidnapped? Of course, he could understand how some cruel and heartless ninjas in the ninja world, when touched by the softest part of their hearts, could change. But you can't be confused now; how did one person become two?
"Yes, two people!"
Just then, the window slowly opened, and a figure walked in. Kakuzu was astonished when he saw the person.
"Don't be surprised. You'll know tomorrow. This is the photo of the other person."
A picture he had drawn himself was handed to Kakuzu. Uchiha Yoru and Sesshomaru sat side by side, and while Kakuzu was still bewildered, he found that his mission now involved an additional person.
"Here is 300,000. If it's not feasible, don't worry about me. Protect the two and head straight to the Land of Rice. The 300,000 is for you to give to the two of them."
Don't worry about me?
A single word made Kakuzu look at the two in front of him in astonishment, and then he realized with a start, "You are one and the same."
As Uchiha Yoru and Sesshomaru nodded, Kakuzu shook his head in admiration, "I've lived for decades, seen many lustful people, those who would sacrifice for a woman too, but you are the first of your kind I've ever met."
"To use shadow clones to court two women at once, and with sincere affection, impressive."
Looking at the photo he had drawn, Kakuzu, although he had lost all interest in the opposite sex due to his practice of forbidden techniques, couldn't help but remark on its beauty; after all, he still possessed the ability to appreciate a woman's attractiveness.
"One a young girl, the other mature."
Following behind Sesshomaru was none other than a blonde, twin-tailed young girl, and the other, a dignified and mature woman exuding feminine charm.
Truly having the best of both worlds, Kakuzu, even after living for more than eighty years, inwardly exclaimed that the world of the wealthy indeed knew how to live it up.
Perhaps the creator of the Shadow Clone technique never imagined that his jutsu could be used in such a manner; indeed, learning is endless, and today was a day for new lessons.
Spending the same amount of time, using the Shadow Clone to date two at once, both of different styles—loli and mature woman, one outside the city, the other within.
Observing Kakuzu's playful gaze, Uchiha Yoru could only twitch the corners of his mouth speechlessly, wanting to say something but finding it hard to explain.
"You wouldn't understand."
In the end, Uchiha Yoru sighed deeply, while Kakuzu nodded in agreement, acknowledging that he truly didn't understand.
But Uchiha Yoru shook his head, thinking "you don't know anything." Beauty is important, but he didn't have the leisure to lay out such an extensive plan.
Not only possessing beauty but also formidable strength, what does it mean to have one's cake and eat it too?
He was about to teach Kakuzu a lesson. Terumi Mei, with her bright future, and Tsunade, with her renowned prestige, wealth, and the strength of a Kage-level fighter.
Both individuals had distinct personalities and strong wills. Although his own status was not lacking, compared to his ambition, sometimes taking shortcuts was indeed the quickest path to success.
A shortcut? That should be the term for it.
If you don't take the shortcut, you deserve to be struck by lightning.
He always believed that lies would one day be exposed, and that a direct approach was always best.
Thus, he must reveal to Terumi Mei his collusion with the Suikazan Fuguki; otherwise, if it came out later, it would become his weakness.
As for Tsunade, there was nothing to expose at the moment; compared to Terumi Mei, he had revealed all that needed to be revealed.
As for knowing their identities from the start? Who said that?
As long as my persona doesn't collapse—no, I mean, as long as I remain true to myself, I initially didn't know, but later seemed to discover some clues.
"I'm going down to prepare."
Having received the money, Kakuzu also secretly decided to make an effort this time, as such generous employers were rare.
After Kakuzu's departure, Uchiha Yoru and Sesshomaru exchanged glances in the room, both revealing smiles as if the great drama was about to begin.
"Let's hope tomorrow's stage won't disappoint me."
…
In the dark room, Tsunade, appearing as a young girl, was tied up, currently curled up in a corner. Another person was also there, Terumi Mei.
The wooden hut creaked open, and the bright sunlight that streamed in caused both women to squint.
However, upon seeing the person entering, Terumi Mei felt nothing, but Tsunade was startled and a surge of anger welled up inside her.
"Are these the two women?"
The newcomer scoffed disdainfully upon seeing Tsunade's youthful appearance and Terumi Mei, "I thought Uchiha Yoru was a genius of some sort, but it turns out he's so vulgar, actually seduced by beauty."
"But I have to compliment him, truly worthy of being from a prestigious family, having collected both a lolita and a mature beauty."
The person was Sarutobi Umeko, who now approached with arrogance, looking at the beauty of the two women, she scoffed. In a ninja world where strength is most respected, it was disappointing to her that someone would be content with just two "vases".
"What a letdown, Uchiha genius, choosing two non-ninjas when you could've chosen two with actual skills. At least then, you could've claimed it was for the clan. But to end up with two ordinary people?"
In her eyes, a ninja should seek a powerful spouse. Isn't that why she chose Sarutobi Shinzo? Her maiden name no longer mattered.
What was important was that Sarutobi Shinzo would soon become the next Hokage, and she would be the Hokage's wife, a position of high authority and a testament to strength.
"Lowly civilians only tarnish our noble lineage of ninjas."
Thus, she always looked down on such lowly civilians. Sarutobi Umeko glanced at them with her haughty gaze and showed her indifference.
"Keep an eye on these lowly goods; we'll need them tomorrow."
While saying this, Sarutobi Umeko, perhaps in a cruel twist of amusement, gave an evil smile at the two women.
"Kobe Yoru! Sesshomaru! Perhaps you don't know yet, but they are one and the same. His real name is Uchiha Yoru. Just wonder who he will choose to save tomorrow, or how much you think you weigh in his eyes."
With an evil smile, Sarutobi Umeko coldly laughed and walked out, not deigning to give the two another glance.
The same sentence stunned both Tsunade and Terumi Mei. What shocked them was not Uchiha Yoru's true identity, but the fact it was about the two of them!
Suddenly, they looked at each other, their anger rising, teeth clenched in fury. So, it's a deep game being played.
Pretending one thing to my face, and behind the scenes, desiring this mature beauty/lolita, you evil Uchiha.
