In the southeastern canyon, a group had made camp. From the tent at the very center, heated voices were rising in argunt.
"Uzumaki Mito! Why are your people slacking off? Don't think you can do as you please just because you're our big brother's fiancée!"
A furious white-haired youth slamd his fist on the table, making the makeshift furniture creak under the force.
Senju Tobirama, now free of his childhood features, clenched his teeth as anger filled his crimson eyes, directed at the aloof red-haired girl in front of him.
She looked to be around seventeen or eighteen, with her bright red hair tied in a twin-bun style. Her high forehead was cleanly swept back, with a few strands falling gracefully over her face. Her skin was porcelain white, and her bright eyes glead with intelligence and mischief. Her lips, full and rosy, curled in an ever-ready smile—or sneer.
"Hm?"
Mito, clearly spacing out in her chair, raised a brow upon hearing Tobirama's outburst. Her black eyes were filled with disdain. Her lips twitched slightly as she replied coolly,
"First of all, we from the Uzumaki clan are not slacking. We already found the Hagoromo survivors. That they slipped through your fingers isn't our fault."
As she spoke, her aura shifted—an oppressive wave of chakra pressure surged toward the arrogant white-haired boy. Her narrowed eyes were filled with veiled nace.
"Second, I never agreed to this engagent. That was entirely your Senju clan's wishful thinking."
"Ugh…"
Still growing, Tobirama clearly couldn't match the chakra of the redhead before him. Her tidal wave of chakra made it hard for him to even breathe.
His eyes widened in shock, but he wasn't one to stand down. He snuck a hand behind his back, forming hand seals as blue chakra began to rise to resist her pressure.
"Report!!!"
Just as they were about to clash, an urgent voice called out. Both halted imdiately and exchanged glares full of disgust.
Tch! This fish-slling woman!
Tch! This brooding white-haired brat!
"Co in."
Mito withdrew her chakra. Tobirama, finally able to breathe, flushed slightly—he hadn't co out of that unscathed. Forcing down the rush of blood, he coldly ordered.
"Princess, young lord Tobirama—we've found traces of the Hagoromo survivors."
The Uzumaki who entered bowed respectfully to Mito, only nodding briefly to Tobirama as he spoke.
"Is it that group of elders?"
Tobirama didn't mind the disrespect. What mattered now was the Hagoromo clan's movents.
"No, not this ti. I sensed multiple powerful chakra signatures… as well as won and children."
The Uzumaki explained.
Lately, the Hagoromo survivors had split into small groups, mostly old folks who used forbidden jutsu to go down fighting. The Senju suffered many casualties as a result.
"So it's them!"
Tobirama stood up excitedly. After chasing them for so long, they'd finally found the main force. Once they were wiped out, his father's death would be avenged.
"Who's leading the squad?"
The white-haired youth asked eagerly.
"Captain Kōji."
"Oh, Kōji? Then I can rest easy."
Tobirama nodded in satisfaction.
Years ago, Kōji had encountered Uchiha resistance during a mission and, on the verge of death, awakened imnse potential. Since then, he had beco one of the top elite captains.
"Now that we've fulfilled our part, we'll be heading out."
Mito, who could barely tolerate another minute with this white-haired boy, imdiately announced her intention to leave with her clan.
"Hmph! Don't be in such a rush. We still need soone to lead the way."
Though he wanted her gone as well, Tobirama didn't know the exact location of the target and reluctantly requested a guide.
"Princess, I'll go."
The Uzumaki who ca to report volunteered.
"No, I'll go check it out myself. Haven't stretched my legs in a while. You focus on gathering the rest of our people and get everything packed before I return."
Mito didn't want to waste more ti and opted to handle it personally.
"You?"
Tobirama frowned. That didn't sound like her.
"I just want to get this over with. Our clan's gathering is coming up, and all our scattered mbers will be returning soon."
Mito raised a brow and t his suspicious gaze with a smirk.
"Afraid I'll ambush you?"
"Ridiculous. Fine, just hurry up."
Rembering that the Uzumaki clan's annual eting was indeed approaching, Tobirama dropped the subject and lifted the tent flap.
Soon after, he assembled a squad of Senju elites. Arms crossed, clad in indigo armor radiating cold, his scarlet eyes narrowed with irritation. His tapping fingers betrayed his barely restrained anger.
"Damn woman. What's taking her so long?"
"What's the rush? I need to get a precise read first."
Mito finally showed up, rolling her eyes at him in exasperation.
"Let's go. Don't fall behind."
Without further words, she sprang into the air, darting toward the Hagoromo group's last known location.
"Move out!"
Tobirama shouted, leading the Senju elites after the receding red figure.
anwhile—
"Gin, who were you thinking about earlier?"
The girl beside Gin clenched her teeth. She'd never seen that kind of expression on his face — he had to be thinking of so hussy.
"Co on, I told you already. I was thinking about Tarō's barbecue. Once we're done here, I'll treat everyone."
Gin stubbornly stuck to his story. Hikari didn't know who Mito was anyway — the two girls probably wouldn't even et for another decade.
"Lies! You were thinking about that shaved-ice girl, weren't you? That big-boobed Nana!"
(°°)? Uchiha Osamu, munching his lon seeds nearby.
Seeing Gin dodge and deflect, Hikari began to list nas one by one. She even activated her Sharingan and stared hard at his face, analyzing every twitch for lies.
"How could you! and Madam Eimi have only a platonic business relationship! Don't tarnish her na!"
Gin proclaid with righteous indignation, his whole body glowing with a light of justice so intense that Hikari had to shut her eyes.
Which caused her to miss the chance to catch his microexpression. By the ti she looked again, Gin's face was calm as ever.
"Then it must be that damn brat back ho!"
Hikari gritted her teeth. Even after leaving the village, he was still thinking about that little seductress. Here she was, always by his side — and he was still eyeing the next bowl?
"Haa???"
Girl, can you get more ridiculous? I, Uchiha Gin, am a straight-as-an-arrow alpha male from head to toe. Why would I fall for so little goblin like Nanliang?
"Tch! It's none of them, huh? Then spill it. Who are you hiding from ?"
Hikari grabbed his arm and pressed it against herself, eyes full of sorrow and accusation — hoping to guilt-trip him into confessing.
"I swear on the lower-body happiness of our Uchiha ancestors! If I'm thinking of another woman, may the heavens drop—"
Gin raised his hand and solemnly began swearing an oath, casting aside all laziness and radiating a holy aura.
Unaware that… on the back of his hand, a long-familiar seal suddenly flashed.
Next second—
A delicate but devastating fist dropped from the sky, smacking Gin directly on the top of his head.
Thirty minutes earlier—
"Are you leading us in circles?"
After running for ages, Tobirama was growing irritated. At seventeen, he still lacked the patience of his future self.
Noticing that they'd passed the sa marker again, he couldn't hold it in any longer and snapped at the red-haired girl leading the way.
"Are you questioning my sensory ability?"
Mito halted and turned back, her face icy.
Crap! Did that white-haired mutt catch on?
"But this mark was made ten minutes ago. We're back where we started!"
Tobirama pointed at a faint marking on a tree and shouted angrily.
"So noisy! You're disrupting my concentration!"
Realizing she'd been exposed, Mito began to argue nonsensically.
"You think sensing chakra is easy? It's delicate work! With you babbling on and on, how am I supposed to focus?"
Confident and righteous. A true version T0.
"Please… be serious. We don't have ti. And don't forget — your big brother's still on the front lines."
Tobirama, cunning as always, pulled out a classic guilt trip.
"Tch!"
Thinking of her battle-hungry brother, Mito clicked her tongue. Uzumaki Hanamichi was a handful.
"Follow ."
No longer ssing around, she leapt onto a tree branch and darted toward Gin's location.
In no ti, the group arrived at the spot where Gin had eliminated Kōji's squad.
"Wait! There's strong residual chakra ahead!"
Sensing the remnants of battle, Mito raised a hand to halt them, frowning deeply.
"It's Kōji's squad? Let's go!"
Tobirama assud they had caught up to the Hagoromo and rushed forward with his team.
"No… sothing's wrong. I don't sense any life."
Face tightening, Mito turned to Tobirama and reported her finding.
"Then what are you waiting for?! They must be chasing the enemy! Kōji's still fighting—move!"
Ignoring Mito's grim face, Tobirama charged ahead. But when they reached the site, the scene made their eyes go bloodshot with rage.
anwhile, Mito stayed behind, murmuring to herself.
From within the chakra lingering in the air… she recognized a long-lost presence. One she'd dread about, longed for, and couldn't forget.
"No way… no way. What's that human trafficker doing here?"
(End of Chapter)
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