Because Asuma's injuries required recovery, and because Ui remained in a state of "on-call" questioning after reporting such high-level intelligence, the team temporarily stayed at the front lines.
As for their scouting duties, there was a standard rotation system. Other teams naturally took their place—no matter how experienced a squad is, ninjas aren't machines. No one can maintain that level of high-tension mental alertness indefinitely.
Ui spent a few days of leisure doing research and practicing his Water Style. However, his vacation didn't last long. The intelligence he brought back involved international relations and was tangled in the web of diplomatic affairs.
Jiraiya had sent the news via "Shinobi Express" (Express Delivery). Once it reached Konoha, it was placed directly in front of the Third Hokage. Consequently, Ui was summoned back to the village almost immediately.
Ui was quite chill about the whole thing. Back to the village? Sure. In the grand scheme of the ninja world, everything was small anyway—Konoha was just a castor seed on the map.
He followed orders without delay, returning to the village at his top speed.
The Village Hidden in the Leaves
The village hadn't changed at all during his absence. Konoha was still Konoha.
The morning mist drifted through the streets as the "Beautiful Ui" walked by. Fresh air, glistening dew—like shiny cherry eyes, like a veil over a young girl's face...
Civilians laughed on the streets, and children jumped and played. Whenever he saw such scenes, a sense of fragmentation washed over him. Which world was the true reality?
The Hokage Office was in sight. Ui shook the existential thoughts from his head and stepped inside. He met the Third Hokage first, but the debriefing didn't start immediately because the Hokage had invited some "friends" to the party.
First were the two advisors who seemingly did nothing but eat for free—yet actually got things done—Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
Then, there was the famous hidden "Root" of Konoha: Danzo Shimura.
Including Ui, it was a "Five-Way Summit." It felt as solemn as a Six-Party nuclear talk. All Ui had to do was repeat what he'd told Jiraiya. When questions arose, he answered them, smoothing over any "illogical" gaps in the story to make it sound coherent.
Once the "Little Ui" finished his testimony, he was dismissed. Whatever the higher-ups decided next was none of his business.
As long as the Hokage didn't order him to deliver the intel to Suna personally, he was fine. If such an order were given, it would be a direct invitation to defect. Suna had a standing bounty: "A thousand gold and a title to whoever brings me the head of the White Yaksha."
Fortunately, the Third Hokage wasn't a total idiot.
A Sense of Belonging
Leaving the Hokage building, Ui had nowhere to go but to find Kushina.
Factually speaking, regardless of whether he admitted it, Kushina Uzumaki represented a "home" or "family" to Uwabami Ui. It had nothing to do with power or which world he came from; humans are social creatures with basic needs for connection.
Looking at Ui's situation, one can only imagine how miserable Naruto was in the original story. Even someone like Ui needed a place to belong, whereas Naruto had nothing until he found mutual understanding with Iruka Umino. The fact that Naruto could stay positive and eventually become Hokage meant his mental strength wasn't just "strong"—it was eerily powerful.
Coincidentally, not long after leaving the office, he spotted Kushina. That red hair was too conspicuous in a crowd.
"Kushina-sensei!"
"Ui?"
Kushina turned around, looking surprised and then immediately breaking into a brilliant, candy-sweet smile. Ui smiled back, a genuine one, and walked toward his teacher.
Did Ui like Kushina? Yes. But what kind of like? He couldn't say. Did Kushina like Ui? Yes, but certainly not the way she liked Minato. Ui was just a kid to her.
She walked up and slung an arm around his shoulder.
If you gave Kushina a classic paradoxical question—"If your boyfriend Minato and your student Ui both fell into a ditch, who would you save?"—her answer might be surprisingly clear: "Save Ui."
But that wouldn't mean much. Minato was irreplaceable to her in every sense.
Then, before Ui could speak, two figures unexpectedly crashed into his field of vision.
How to describe them?
-Bowl cuts.
-Green spandex jumpsuits.
-Bushy eyebrows and huge eyes.
-Teeth that were... exceptionally white.