Chapter 133

Bastard, this kid is out of control, right!

Rock Village, inside the Tsuchikage's building.

Orochimaru's angry roar reverberated through the entire building, causing countless Rock Ninja working inside to shudder for a moment.

The third Tsuchikage truly gets stronger with age; even at his advanced years his temper remains so fierce.

Huang Tu stood aside, unable to voice his bitterness; he, like a quail, was caught in an unmerited disaster as he was being berated.

Who could have imagined that the little Deidara would become so bold, daring to casually use bombs in the village at eight or nine years old?

Deidara is a genius; that is indisputable.

Three years ago, when the kid was five or six, Orochimaru had already taken notice of him and accepted him as a disciple.

During these three years of training, Deidara continuously displayed his talent, and now the kid can already skillfully use Explosion Release.

But although this kid's talent is extraordinary, his mind—

Huang Tu finds it hard to assess Deidara in this regard; the very fact that he dares to conduct explosive experiments inside the village already reveals some issues.

Of course, he thinks this is largely related to his Tsuchikage father's teaching methods.

His father seems to have taught Deidara only combat knowledge, neglecting everything else!

But Huang Tu doesn't dare speak those words; he still worries about being beaten. Even though his daughter is already seven or eight, his father, when he acts, will certainly not be lenient.

Orochimaru was angry for a while, and finally snarled at Huang Tu: "Later, go tell him, if this continues I'll drive him out of the village!"

Huang Tu immediately nodded with relief: "Yes, I will convey it faithfully."

"Alright, what do you need from me?"

"It's this way, Tsuchikage, we've received word from Cloud Village again."

Upon hearing Huang Tu's words, Orochimaru subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

In three years, Cloud Village has contacted Rock Village an unknown number of times.

And as Orochimaru responded, their communications grew increasingly frequent.

Cloud Village has ambition, and Orochimaru knows that perfectly; moreover, this time Cloud Village's target is Leaf Village, which makes Orochimaru can't help but feel...

The current situation in Leaf Village is something Orochimaru knows all too well.

Even though Orochimaru's defection caused a massive storm for Leaf Village, they still have Uchiha Haori, Uchiha Ying, Minato Namikaze, Ziraiye, and Tsunade!

Even the older generation, the still battle-capable Sarutobi Hiruzen is still alive; how could Cloud Village possibly have a chance?

But Cloud Village isn't stupid; they naturally know Leaf's situation is special, so their purpose in contacting Rock Village is simple and clear.

To strike Leaf together!

To be honest, after learning these circumstances, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a bit...

Leaf is too strong; although the Third Great War severely weakened Leaf's vitality, its talent also grew amid the war's torrent.

The most typical examples are Uchiha Haori and that Uchiha Ying; these two are precisely the scourges Orochimaru most wants to eliminate deep in his heart!

Madara Uchiha regarding the threat to the entire shinobi world...

What still makes him hesitant is the strength of these Uchiha members, and those two who suddenly appeared during the Four-Tails battle, suspected to be Madara Uchiha and Uchiha Izuna!

For three years, Orochimaru has been covertly investigating the whereabouts of these two.

But unfortunately the only information he obtained is that three years ago the suspected Uchiha Izuna...

The entire Mist Village was beaten by them so badly that its face was almost...

Such power, such reckless conduct, makes Orochimaru's heart...

But those two people, just like before, silently vanished without a trace after a certain period of time, and after that disappearance they have not appeared again up to now.

Yet the shadows left by these people make Orochimaru truly not...

"Tsuchikage, should we meet..."

Huang Tu saw his father suddenly fall into silence again, which made him rather embarrassed.

After hesitating a moment, he carefully opened his mouth to ask.

"Moreover, I heard they have already covertly mobilized troops and openly prepare to 'communicate' with Leaf Village."

"The Fourth Raikage, that kid, is really impatient."

Orochimaru snapped back to his senses, letting out a cold snort; for a moment he also didn't know what to choose.

He fell silent again for a long while, then spoke softly.

"You go meet him, and also tell him our Rock Village decision."

"Yes." Huang Tu exhaled, and despite his father's short stature, that aura truly made him a bit overwhelmed.

"Tell them Rock Village will not initiate an attack; we still have a peace treaty with Leaf Village."

Orochimaru gave it some thought, and then continued speaking.

"However, we can provide sufficient material support and also mobilize troops to make the appropriate judgments."

"I am the Tsuchikage; I am responsible for Rock Village. If Leaf shows signs of decline, we will assist Cloud Village in completing an attack!"

If Cloud Village loses, we will, as much as possible "for peace", block Leaf Village; that is our bottom line.

If they can understand, we will proceed according to this plan; if they cannot, then don't blame me for refusing to accompany.

Orochimaru is still a very rational person; although he also wants to shout like an adult, "I want it all."

But the key issue is that the current situation doesn't allow him to do that, so he can only choose the most conservative approach.

As for what reaction Cloud Village has, he doesn't care; now Cloud Village is the one asking him!

As long as he does not explicitly express the desire to eliminate Uchiha Haori and Uchiha Ying, he can remain invincible.

Moreover, not taking the initiative also serves to guard against that suspected Madara fellow; who wouldn't gladly go to their death?

"I understand, I'll go inform them right away."

Huang Tu immediately nodded, then quickly turned and left the office.

Da Ye Mu sat still on the chair without moving; he still needed to think seriously about future matters.

"Leaf Village."

The deterrent power of Leaf Village, or rather the deterrent power of Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Haori, was indeed a bit too great for him; he had to consider more possibilities.

He suddenly thought of something.

"By the way, that Akatsuki Organization might be worth a try?"

Boom—

Just as he had just figured it out, a huge booming sound rang out, and in the distance, flames rose slowly with smoke.

Seeing everything in the distance, Da Ye Mu's face instantly darkened.

"Deidara, you bastard!"

——

"Did Da Ye Mu give a response over there?"

"Yes, but his conditions are extremely harsh."

A few days later, inside the Raikage Tower of Cloud Village, the Fourth Raikage, listening to the report from the platform before him, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Over three years, the Fourth Raikage seemed to show no real change, except that his body became even stronger.

In those solid muscles, it seemed endless chakra was constantly roiling.

"Not surprisingly, this old man is like a mouse; the older he gets, the more timid he becomes."

The Fourth Raikage thought for a moment, then disdainfully shook his head.

"However, since he agreed, he must already be mentally prepared.

There's no need to worry about that old guy too much; we will continue according to our plan!"

The Fourth Raikage was extremely disdainful toward Da Ye Mu, and this scene was strikingly similar to Da Ye Mu's own contempt for him.

In fact, he wasn't a fool; he naturally knew that Leaf Village was now hard to deal with.

Uchiha Haori and Minato Namikaze, those two guys both mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique; any opponent would get a chill down their spine.

Especially Uchiha Haori, whose eyes wield tremendous power; that chakra giant still makes him feel shocking!

And moreover, according to intelligence, it's not only Uchiha Haori who knows this technique; there are two others in Leaf Village with such power.

"But so what? I still have Qi Labi!"

Although he knew that Haori and Ying had once used Susanoo to give the Nine-Tails a good beating.

But that rampaging Nine-Tails was clearly not under a jinchuriki's control, after all the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails is Minato Namikaze's wife.

Without a jinchuriki's control, the tailed beast's strength, no matter how great, is limited; moreover, Qi Labi is a perfect jinchuriki!

Furthermore, Cloud Village's losses throughout the Third War were minimal; aside from his father's death, the other losses were negligible.

This was also the main reason why, after seeing Leaf Village's vitality severely damaged, he came up with the notion "He Can Take His Place"!

However, after becoming Raikage, he was well aware that some things couldn't be done just because he wanted them.

He must consider many aspects before making judgments and decisions, and now the biggest variable is Rock Village and Da Ye Mu.

This is why he had remained inactive for three years, continuously seeking reconciliation with Rock Village to jointly confront Leaf Village.

Leaf Village is now constantly growing stronger; those kids from the Third War era are each beginning to mature.

In a few more years, once Leaf Village completes its generational transition, the village will again stand at the pinnacle of the ninja world!

Not taking action while it is in a transitional period, the Fourth Raikage would never be content; he believes Da Ye Mu feels the same.

"Now it seems my judgment was correct; moreover, Leaf Village and Rain Country have improved relations, so how could Da Ye Mu possibly stand by and watch himself being attacked from front and back?"

The Fourth Raikage didn't quite understand; after all, Ban Zang was still a heroic figure, and it was this guy who sparked the Second Shinobi World War.

Unfortunately, this hero has now become a bear; he actually gave all his mission share to Leaf Village,

thereby exchanging it for Leaf Village's aid.

If this continues, Rain Country becoming a subordinate of Leaf Village wouldn't be surprising; how does that not make Da Ye Mu break into a sweat?

"Send out the notice, let them make final preparations."

He shook his head, the Fourth Raikage no longer thought further, and turned to address the platform.

"They are heroes; we will remember their achievements, and they will be forever commemorated.

Also notify the troops, have them covertly complete their gathering, ready to act at any moment!"

"Yes, Lord Raikage!"

——

"What are you looking at?"

"Looking at you, I never get tired of it."

"Go look at someone else, you bastard."

"Hey hey hey, didn't I already explain? That's just uncontrollable emotion; what nonsense are you thinking about?"

Seated on the bedside, watching Hikari change clothes, Haori's eyes were full of admiration, yet his face also bore a hint of helplessness.

He truly felt a bit helpless, because he realized that he had indeed been caught by Hikari in a small flaw.

But some matters are beyond one's control; some things simply don't happen in this world!

There are some things Haori is indeed very proficient at.

After all, he wasn't a fledgling in his previous life; otherwise, when he was alone with Ziraiye, they couldn't have been so harmonious.

One should know that Ziraiye is truly an "LSP"; even if his name's pronunciation were rendered in Chinese, it would be misheard as "Jinaiye".

Getting someone like that to willingly concede shows that Haori's previous life possessed not only abundant theoretical knowledge, after all he had many teachers.

Similarly, he also had a certain amount of practical experience.

But upon arriving in this world, even though at first he indeed had some petty thoughts.

【121】 But after stepping onto the battlefield, his original petty thoughts were erased by the continual killing.

Not to mention there are quite a few beautiful female ninjas on the battlefield, and he can't even recall how many of those beautiful female ninjas met a tragic death at his hands.

His first main quest is called "Survive"; there's truly no mistake about it—life could be taken away, so what thoughts could he possibly have?

"Alright, stop making that face."

Hikari changed into fresh clothes, turned back to look at Yuzhi's gloomy expression, and she finally smiled and shook her head.

"I believe that's you."

"Just believe?"

He reached out, grabbed Hikari, then pulled her into his arms, and only after that gently bumped his head against her forehead.

"That's over the line, you even say that about your fiancé?"

"Tch, you're so popular in the Leaf Village, who knows how you were before."

Hikari pursed her lips; thinking of Lin's occasional glances at Yuzhi made her feel rather helpless.

And recalling what that guy did last night made her even more flustered.

"And your performance last night—truly excessive, you evil Uchiha brat."

"Yes, yes, yes, who isn't an evil Uchiha brat?"

Those words came from Hikari's mouth, and they weren't harmful to Yuzhi; he smiled, raised an eyebrow, and then said seriously.

"Also, even if I'm being over the line, I still respect your boundaries—would I force you otherwise?"

Is that still not enough?

Hikari lowered her gaze to her feet, then glanced at this guy's hand, which was currently decent but usually not at all honest.

After wrestling with it for a long time, she ultimately didn't say the words.

Strictly speaking, Yuzhi also respects her to some extent, at least he hasn't truly crossed the line.

This point Hikari still acknowledges; she's not really against certain things happening, since they're already adults.

But she would rather stand on the same footing as Yuzhi, instead of forever watching his back in the future!

She would never deny her feelings for Yuzhi; there's no need and no point.

Even if her modesty and shyness cause her to utter some words, the fact that she didn't actually resist already explains many issues.

But she is, after all, a person from the Warring States period, and she also received the Uchiha's "Ultimate Weapon" education, which has always influenced her.

She won't allow herself to remain under others' protection; she prefers to protect the people she loves and cherishes!

At the very least, they can fight side by side, rather than she always hiding behind, worrying and waiting for a result.

Perhaps that's the Uchiha temperament; even the gentle ones absolutely refuse to settle for mediocrity.

In the original work, Uchiha Mikoto would rather die alongside Uchiha Fugaku than try to find a way to survive, which says it all.

Hikari, further affected by the war's impact and the Warring States era's atmosphere, naturally has an even more resolute—perhaps even more extreme—mindset!

"You certainly wouldn't, it's always been like that."

Hikari leaned in Yuzhi's embrace and whispered, then she lifted her head and looked at Yuzhi seriously.

"Wait for me a bit longer; I'll catch up to you."

"Catching up to me isn't easy; I won't deliberately slow down."

Yuzhi could of course guess what Hikari was thinking; he pressed the girl a bit tighter, then spoke slowly.

"But I will keep waiting for you, and rest assured, I will respect your wishes."

"Hmm, you will, you always will."

Even though she knows Yuzhi respects her wishes and hasn't fully crossed the line, in other respects that perverse, over‑the‑top brat will certainly not settle down.

But that's more than enough for Hikari; she can't give nothing, especially given how popular that guy is.

If she were to guard herself too strictly and someone else who constantly watches Yuzhi stole the house, she'd deeply regret it.

"Why are you so popular, you guy?"

Hikari muttered to herself, and the next moment her face flushed slightly, then she swung her hand backward hard at the hand that had been meddling behind her.

"What are you doing, early in the morning?"

"Which Leaf Village law says we can't be affectionate with my fiancée early in the morning? Tell me, and I'll change it immediately."

Yuzhi raised an indifferent eyebrow, which instantly made Hikari a bit flustered.

She'd seen shameless people, but someone so solemn yet especially shameless—probably only Yuzhi.

"You're too much."

Hikari whispered, and as she watched Yuzhi lean his head close, she suddenly felt powerless to retort.

She still said that, and she honestly closed her eyes.

Anyway, she had long recognized her true feelings; she could voice a slight protest, but as long as Yuzhi isn't too over the line, she won't refuse.

In an instant, the two clung together again.

Feeling the warmth and moisture on their lips, Yuzhi this time wasn't overly forward.

He was completely immersed, enjoying the current atmosphere and sensations, and even felt a very peculiar feeling.

"Did she eat candy this morning? So sweet!"

Thinking that, Yuzhi held her tighter, but just as he was feeling blissful, an untimely voice suddenly rang out.

Knock, knock, knock—

"Father, mother, it's time to get up; it's getting late."

"Oh dear, Mother, what are you doing?"

"Huh? What, am I getting a little brother? That's great!"

"."

——

"Nagato, take another look—anything else to add?"

In Rain Country, Konan handed the documents she held to Nagato beside her, and Nagato simply glanced at them and helplessly nodded.

"You can make the decisions on these matters; I don't understand them either."

"You're the leader, so whether you're clear on this or not, you still need to review it."

Konan shook her head earnestly, which left Nagato both exasperated and amused for a moment.

In three years, both the Akatsuki Organization and Rain Country have undergone considerable changes.

The Akatsuki side may be relatively smaller, because many things are still being planned; at this stage, what they need to do is continuously recruit newcomers.

Moreover, their recruitment is selective; peripheral personnel are acceptable as long as they pass the assessment.

But the intake of core members is extremely slow, and to date it doesn't include Nagato, Konan, or that Zhen Huo and Jia Huo.

Only Orochimaru, Xie, Jiaodu, and the former Mist Village defector Pipa Shicang, who joined their organization, are present.

In terms of numbers they are truly few, but in strength each is a formidable peer.

Moreover, the Akatsuki is still scouting some, such as a guy they found named Shennong who seems interesting.

Besides that, Orochimaru has also been searching for a person, but unfortunately there is still no news.

As for Rain Country, the situation has improved a lot now!

Since hearing Zhen Huo's proposal three years ago, Nagato and Konan have both undergone a mental storm.

In the end they resolved to follow it and give it a try!

Managing a village and a nation truly cannot be swayed or controlled by personal feelings; that would only plunge the whole country into crisis.

Hanzang is a damned fellow, but one cannot deny what he brought to Rain Country.

And when they truly began to engage with Leaf Village, absorb the remnants of Loulan, and reorganize internal affairs, they suddenly found the situation had improved beyond measure!

Rain Country remains shrouded in rain, yet its inhabitants are no longer downcast.

Even though they lost mission quotas, they now have Leaf Village's material aid and some suggestions later put forward by Zhen Huo.

Now Rain Country is truly becoming regularized and improving more and more!

What irritates Nagato is that all of this is thanks to that guy, and they have not a single cent to do with it.

"What's wrong?"

Sensing Nagato's mood shift, Konan curiously asked, but she quickly thought of something.

"Are you still upset about Madara Uchiha?"

"Who knows whether he's Madara Uchiha? He's always mysterious, never shows his face, and even lets a lunatic walk in the ninja world in his stead."

Nagato, having his thoughts seen through by Konan, felt no embarrassment; after all, his irritation has its reasons.

Back then he was almost defeated by that guy in a single move, and he still can't let go of it!

Even though defeat and being eliminated are vastly different, Nagato is confident he can survive later, but such a tragic situation is truly shameful.

And once the drain starts, Nagato understands he is likely to be worn out to death.

Moreover, Rain Country's current development cannot be separated from that guy's series of suggestions.

Even though Nagato's heart already trusts this, he cannot possibly feel at ease about this whole series of matters.

"Alright, let's not talk about him any more."

Konan shook her head, then recalled something.

"By the way, Rock Village seems to have another mission for us, and this time it's rather special."

"A mission?"

Nagato asked puzzledly, but for a moment his mind became uneasy again.

We said we wouldn't talk about that guy, yet we still can't get around it?

Using the Akatsuki Organization's uniqueness to take on some war missions, thereby expanding their fund pool, is also that guy's suggestion.

But it must be said, war missions really make money!

Especially Rock Village, which is relatively wealthy and, due to neighboring minor nations' mission quotas conflicting directly with Sand Village.

Rock Village, unwilling to go on the front line itself, will seek wandering ninjas, bounty hunters, and ninja organizations to carry out missions.

The Akatsuki naturally benefits, especially since they have experienced bounty hunters like Jiaodu, and each of them is exceptionally powerful.

Taking a deep breath, Nagato fought to restrain his emotions and asked, "Who are we targeting, and what's the price?"

"The price is high, but this time no detailed mission brief was given; however, from the trends…"

Konan was also conflicted; after hesitating a moment, she finally spoke seriously.

"If nothing unexpected occurs, it's probably Leaf Village."

"Rock Village wants to clash with Leaf Village?"

Nagato frowned at the remark; indeed, this matter is rather serious!

He didn't quite understand why Rock Village was acting like this now.

The Third War had just ended not long ago, yet Rock Village already has such a crazy idea—could peace be that hard?

Nevertheless, Nagato has been influenced by the real Madara Uchiha; even if he isn't keen on these matters, he's not as clueless as he claims.

After thinking seriously for a moment, he immediately grasped some key points.

"Rock Village is probably still hesitating; like before they don't dare to go on the front line themselves, at least not that quickly."

Using us to probe is partly to gauge Leaf Village's strength, and also perhaps because someone else intends to do something to Leaf Village.

"Who do you think it might be?"

Konan frowned, already having an answer in mind.

"You guessed it too, the most likely is perhaps Cloud Village."

Nagato sneered, seeing the disdain in his own gaze.

"Indeed, it's hard for this world to be peaceful when there are these so‑called big villages."

"Even if someone wishes otherwise, others will do whatever serves their own village's interests."

"Hatred keeps spreading, profit sways hearts, and war never ends."

"To achieve true peace, we still have a lot, a lot more to do!"

"Sigh, indeed."

Xiao Nan doesn't know what to say either, but on reflection perhaps there's really no need to say much.

When the great ninja villages fight each other, isn't that just a drain on their strength?

For their goals, that is certainly not a bad thing.

"But I suggest giving Leaf Village a reminder; after all, Rain Country still needs Leaf Village."

Xiao Nan thought it over for a while, and in the end she offered a suggestion.

"We really should remind them."

Nagato nodded, thought for a moment, and continued.

"Although I dislike them, Rain Country now also needs them, and we should provide the necessary information.

Also, see if we can get in touch with that guy."

Nagato paused there, then pursed his lips before speaking again.

"Although I also dislike him, I must admit he is a man of great wisdom.

It's a pity; he's too mysterious and also too dangerous."

——

"Father, Mother, over here, over here!"

"Slow down, don't rush."

In April, Leaf Village enjoys a comfortable, pleasant climate, and the gentle spring breeze sways the cherry blossom branches.

Thus pink and white petals drift down like rain, making it a perfect season for flower viewing.

But not everyone has leisure to go on outings and admire flowers, because Leaf Village ninja school has entered its annual enrollment season.

On the main street, people come and go, and many parents are taking their children to the ninja school for entrance exams.

Sasuke is the same, except his 'parents' look somewhat odd.

Yuzhi and Meiqin walk behind, watching the bright‑eyed, energetic Sasuke with a hint of helplessness.

"This kid, really is..."

Recalling Sasuke's words outside the door that morning, Meiqin inexplicably gets a headache.

She never expected things to turn into that mess; Sasuke was way too brazen.

Could anyone really say that out loud?

Especially since she remembers Yuzhi's expression being grim at the time, and Hikari's face was flushed, and even now she still feels a bit unsettled.

In fact, she misread it; Yuzhi was mostly complaining that Sasuke disturbed his enjoyment, while Hikari was simply shy in that situation.

But that's all, after all having another younger brother for this kid isn't anything special.

Of course, it could also be a sister; to Yuzhi it's the same either way.

But those are matters for later; he's not in a hurry.

As for now, he mainly thinks Sasuke is too energetic; who knows why he's so excited.

"Sorry, Sasuke was too rude."

Walking slowly beside Yuzhi, Meiqin held it in for a while but finally couldn't, and she whispered awkwardly at last.

"Hm?"

Yuzhi was startled for a moment, then immediately understood what was happening and shrugged indifferently.

"It's nothing, kids speak without restraint; Yuzhi and Ying didn't take it to heart, so rest assured."

"Is that so?"

Meiqin forced an awkward smile, watching Yuzhi step out alone; Hikari wasn't there, could it really be nothing?

Actually she was mistaken; Hikari's absence was partly due to embarrassment, but mostly she was still considering Sasuke's feelings.

"The two mothers" appearing together in this situation doesn't bother her, but whether Sasuke would be embarrassed is uncertain.

So having Yuzhi accompany the mother‑son pair alone is enough; she can also use the chance to train harder.

At worst she can just pick up and drop off Sasuke herself later; she actually quite likes that little guy.

"Indeed."

Yuzhi nodded, glanced around, and couldn't help but feel a slight sentiment.

"There are really a lot of people, even more than when I was studying back then."

"Indeed."

Meiqin saw Yuzhi change the subject and, going along, stopped overthinking.

"But that's normal; after all, people from the entire Land of Fire will come to try, so of course there are more people.

But we don't know how many can qualify, after all."

Indeed, Leaf Village's entrance exam is exceptionally strict, and its elimination rate is the highest among the five great ninja villages!

Moreover, Leaf Village's selection of ninjas has never been limited to within Leaf Village.

All residents of the Land of Fire, regardless of whether their parents are ninjas, are eligible to apply to ninja school once they reach the appropriate age.

Of course, there is still differential treatment.

The ninja school has only so many slots, so children inside the village naturally have far greater chances than those outside.

Everyone knows this unwritten rule, and it involves many issues, one of which is to guard against spies.

Although this is of little use, those who should come in can still get in by various means.

But even such a harsh "double standard" cannot stop people from flocking like birds to a worm.

Every year countless parents who are not ninja try to send their children through this gate, hoping the children will become ninja in the future.

After all, this world is a ninja‑centric world; the law of the jungle holds everywhere.

The ninja who wield the world's top combat power naturally sit at the top of the pyramid.

Put more bluntly, becoming a ninja is equivalent to moving into a different class.

And those children's parents can stay in Leaf Village, truly attaining a peaceful, stable life; who wouldn't want to give it a try?

Even if it means traveling thousands of miles or setting out months in advance, they will still do it!

One can only imagine how fierce the competition inside must be.

"No matter how many, Sasuke won't have any problem."

Yuzhi gave a casual smile and said in a half‑joking tone.

"I really want to see who would dare refuse my son."

Mei Qin couldn't help but laugh; aside from everything else, with Yuzhi's great name hanging around, probably no one would dare refuse Sasuke.

Moreover, Mei Qin has confidence in her son, after all Sasuke is a Uchiha too!

"By the way, you might have to be busy tonight."

At that moment, Yuzhi spoke again.

"Let's celebrate this kid passing the assessment, although I think he won't have any problem.

After all, he's far more outstanding than I was back then, but this is still something to rejoice about.

Don't think it's unnecessary; it's a child, you should encourage him properly, understand?"

"Hmm."

Mei Qin nodded; perhaps this idle chat with Yuzhi completely relaxed her.

She found that with Yuzhi around, many things seemed much easier, and her mood also improved.

Perhaps Yuzhi truly gives her a sense of security; after all, look at the current Uchiha, look at the current Police Department.

And in Leaf Village, Yuzhi's reputation, second only to the Hokage, makes people feel at ease under his protection.

Moreover, Sasuke likes and trusts him, treating him completely as his own father, never having asked about his real father.

"But that's also quite good."

After all those years, Mei Qin can't say she has forgotten the past, but she has seen so many changes.

Having felt everything now and comparing it to then, she has long begun to reject Uchiha Fugaku in her heart.

Now she even finds herself somewhat stunned, as if she's about to forget that person.

When she does recall, it's not for other reasons, but because of the mistakes he made.

"When do you plan to have a child?"

Shaking her head, Mei Qin quickly brushed those thoughts away.

After pulling Sasuke back, she thought for a moment and asked Yuzhi curiously.

She asked the question in a low voice, but it instantly made Sasuke perk up his ears.

"The child isn't in a hurry; Ying has her own thoughts, I respect her and won't force her."

Yuzhi smiled and spoke, then looked at Sasuke beside him.

"He Ke, don't I also have one? I hope Sasuke can be even more outstanding, so he can take good care of his younger brother and sister in the future."

"You mustn't let Xin and Xiu hear this, or they'll go crazy."

Mei Qin whispered a reminder upon hearing that, yet she kept replaying Yuzhi's words, 'I respect her, I won't force her.'

That somewhat left her dazed; now she seems to understand why Yuzhi is so popular.

Such gentleness—can that girl endure it?

"Then, when can I have a younger brother and sister?"

Just as Mei Qin was pondering, Sasuke's voice suddenly rang out.

Sasuke's words instantly made Mei Qin's face awkward again; how hasn't that kid forgotten this issue yet?

Yuzhi also found it somewhat funny; he reached out, rubbed Sasuke's head, then spoke slowly.

"I don't know either; after all, some matters aren't for me to decide casually. Your other mother hasn't thought of anything yet."

"I see."

Sasuke blinked; he had no clear understanding of such matters.

But ever since the day he learned he might have a younger brother or sister in the future, he has kept the matter in his heart.

Perhaps the Uchiha trait flared; he truly can't let it go.

In his view, caring for a younger sibling is far better than spending a day with that brat Naruto.

If it doesn't work out, at worst his younger siblings could call Naruto 'brother' and they could all go play with that brat together.

After pondering, his eyes suddenly lit up; looking at Yuzhi and Mei Qin, he gave an excited smile.

"Then, why not have my mother help me get a younger brother or sister? That would solve the problem, wouldn't it?"

Yuzhi and Mei Qin stared dumbfounded at the Sasuke before them, both momentarily at a loss.

In Yuzhi's mind, only a line from a TV drama he watched in a past life echoed—'You're really a genius!'

Mei Qin's face flushed instantly, and she glared at Sasuke with a stern, reddened stare, ready to say something.

"Sasuke!"

She hadn't even gotten a chance to speak before a voice came from afar.

Looking up, she saw that brat Naruto running excitedly toward them.

Behind Naruto, Minato and Kushina were also waving at the two of them.

(End of chapter)