Chapter 11: Leaving the VillageExiting the gates of Konoha, a gentle forest breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees to their faces.Uchiha Itachi walked side by side with Uchiha Izumi at the front. He appeared to casually scan their surroundings.Yet, his gaze would often unconsciously drift to the girl beside him, filled with tender affection, completely unlike his usual calm and taciturn self.Both in the bloom of youth, the softness flickering in their eyes made Uchiha Yuki, walking nearby, inwardly roll her eyes repeatedly."I really shouldn't have come on this mission with you two..."She muttered quietly in her heart, then quickly stepped forward, forcibly squeezing herself between the two of them, a hint of mischievous teasing in her eyes.Glancing sideways at Naruto behind her, a stronger sense of intense scrutiny was added to Yuki's gaze.Throughout the journey, she had already been unable to resist secretly observing him several times.This blond boy before her was someone even Itachi-nii had personally praised, someone whose strength was on par with her own.Naruto walked leisurely at the rear of the group, hands clasped behind his head, a relaxed, carefree smile always hanging at the corner of his mouth.He took in Itachi's undisguised concern for Izumi. This pure, warm sentiment, still present before the night of the clan's massacre, stirred a complex, inexplicable feeling in his heart."Naruto." Uchiha Izumi suddenly spoke softly, "Earlier in the Village... was it really a Chakra loss of control?"Naruto raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her, a flicker of cunning in his eyes:"You could say that, but it's fine now. I won't scare people randomly anymore."Uchiha Yuki immediately leaned in, her face full of curiosity:"I heard people in the Village say something really scary, that red Chakra came out of you, even your eyes changed. Is that true?"Naruto felt speechless upon hearing this.What kind of absurd story had this become? Red Chakra? Eye mutation?Back then, he was just lying on the ground playing with his "cannon.""It happens occasionally," he dismissed it lightly, then shifted the topic towards Itachi."More importantly, Itachi-nii, which two NinjaVillages are you mediating between this time? Sounds pretty troublesome."Itachi's steps paused slightly, his voice calm and steady:"Two small Ninja Villages near the border. They've been arguing over water sources and land for a long time. If it continues, it could affect Konoha's border defenses. Hokage-sama ordered us to resolve it peacefully if possible."...After a morning of traveling at a moderate pace, though not at full speed,the mission location, originally near Konoha's border, was now faintly visible in the distance.Along the way, Uchiha Yuki's face had long been etched with helpless exasperation.She had lost count of how many times she had forcibly interrupted the two people stuck together in front of her. Helplessly turning her head, she looked at Naruto beside her, who was a good half-head shorter than her, and couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.At this moment, Naruto, inhabiting Naruto's body, looked only about six or seven years old.While Itachi, Izumi, and Yuki were already twelve or thirteen-year-old teenagers, just at the age of budding romance.Watching the unmistakable tenderness and affection hidden in the eyes of Itachi-nii and her sister Izumi, a touch of envy couldn't help but arise in Yuki's heart. Lowering her head, she muttered quietly:"When will I meet someone as gentle and amazing as Itachi-nii..."The words had just reached his ears. Naruto, already a bit annoyed by Yuki's sigh earlier, immediately brightened up.He took a few steps over to Yuki, his small palm patting his chest hard. He deliberately cleared his throat, looked up at her, wearing an expression of righteous claim to credit.Naruto lifted his small face, puffed out his chest seriously, his pats making soft 'pat pat' sounds against his chest. Clearing his throat, he deliberately put on a mature, steady demeanor and spoke crisply:"Yuki-nee, what do you think of me!"Uchiha Yuki was stunned by his sudden action. Her round eyes widened even more, unable to react for a moment:"Huh? You... what did you say?""I said, I'm amazing too!" Naruto planted his hands on his hips, his little face full of righteous confidence.Not forgetting to point back at Itachi not far away, he added, "People in the Village are afraid of me! I'm strong and reliable, not much worse than Itachi-nii!"He deliberately drew out his tone, his eyes full of teasing mirth, clearly trying to provoke the envious girl before him.Uchiha Yuki's cheeks instantly flushed bright red, a mix of embarrassment and fluster. She reached out and gently rapped Naruto on the head, her voice flustered and helpless:"Naruto! What nonsense are you spouting at your age!"Her exclamation wasn't quiet. Itachi and Uchiha Izumi, walking side by side ahead, turned at the sound, just in time to see this scene.Izumi covered her mouth with a light laugh, her eyes curving as she looked at Yuki. "Yuki-chan, it seems Naruto really likes you."Itachi also lifted the corner of his mouth slightly, a hint of knowing amusement in his expression.He could naturally tell the kid was deliberately teasing Yuki, but seeing the girl flustered, at a loss, with red-tipped ears, he also found it particularly amusing.Naruto covered his head where he'd been rapped, chuckling. It didn't hurt at all. Instead, he pressed his advantage, leaning closer:"I'm serious! When I grow up, I'll definitely be even more amazing than Itachi-nii. Then Yuki-nee can consider me!""You're still saying it!" Uchiha Yuki's cheeks felt like they were about to steam. She reached out to cover Naruto's mouth, but he nimbly dodged.Looking at the teasing Naruto, Uchiha Yuki realized...Even when she first met this kid, he was already this smooth-talking, wasn't he?As they chatted and laughed, a figure suddenly emerged slowly from a fork in the forest path.It was a middle-aged man, roughly in his thirties or forties. When he came across Naruto's group,his steps abruptly halted, a trace of barely noticeable panic flashing across his face."Konoha Ninja?"Instantly, all traces of amusement vanished from Uchiha Itachi's eyes, his expression turning cold and solemn.His gaze sharp as a blade, he fixed it directly on the other person:"This area is already within Konoha's border range. You are not from Konoha, are you?"The man visibly stiffened, his eyes shifting. His tone became faltering as he hurriedly explained:"I... I heard there was a conflict between two Villages here. I was afraid there might be casualties from fighting, so I came specifically to see if I could take in a few stray orphans..."He paused, deliberately heaving a heavy sigh:"You know, war is always cruel. There are always sacrifices, leaving behind helpless children..."Seeing this, Itachi relaxed the tense Chakra around him, returning to his usual composed demeanor.Uchiha Yuki and Izumi, seeing this, also subtly released their hands from their Ninja tool pouches, the wariness in their brows easing slightly.The middle-aged man wiped cold sweat from his forehead with a bitter smile:"You little Konoha Ninja really gave me a fright... I truly have no ill intentions at all."He sighed, his tone becoming much more sincere:"My name is Matsumoto. I run a sundries business in the Hidden Mist Village. A few years back, during the great Ninja World war, I lost my wife and child. I'm the only one left.""All these years, I've been traveling around, just wanting to take in a few orphans from the war zones, give them a bite to eat."Matsumoto pointed in the direction of the two distant Villages, a touch of genuine compassion appearing in his eyes:"These two Villages have been arguing over water for almost half a month. It's spread all around nearby. I was afraid if they really fought, the children would suffer, so I came ahead of time. Who would have thought I took a wrong turn and ended up in Konoha territory..."Itachi naturally also saw the sincerity in the other's eyes. His expression softened, and he gave a slight nod:"My apologies for the discourtesy, Mr. Matsumoto. We are Ninja sent by Konoha to mediate. Our goal is also to stop the conflict, to avoid casualties and the appearance of orphans."Uchiha Izumi stepped forward gently, adding softly, "The two Villages are currently only in a dispute. There hasn't been any bloodshed yet. You needn't worry too much."Hearing this, Matsumoto's eyes lit up. His face immediately showed a delighted expression, and he clasped his hands repeatedly:"That's wonderful! With Konoha Ninja stepping in, this matter is sure to succeed!"Naruto, maintaining the appearance of a child,bounced over to Matsumoto's side. Tilting his little face up, he smiled:"You're really kind, mister. Let's go together then! The sooner we solve the trouble, the safer the children will be!"A flicker of hesitation appeared on Matsumoto's face...[Resentment Value +111? from Kishita Matsumoto]
