Chapter 89: I Just Remembered That I'm Actually a Woman
Orochimaru, who had been observing from the side, finally spoke, his words cutting through the heavy atmosphere.
"Actually, it might not be impossible to help Kou's arm."
"What?" Jiraiya and Tsunade snapped their heads toward him in unison.
Orochimaru produced a notebook he carried with him, flipping through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Kou mentioned that in the future, I not only researched various electrical devices for the benefit of the shinobi world but also proposed a plan for ninja who lost limbs on the battlefield. I developed mechanical prosthetics that could replace their arms and legs, allowing them to return to a normal life."
His voice held the cool, analytical confidence of a master scientist. "Since it's me... if my future self can do it, then so can I."
Jiraiya shot up from the floor as if jolted by lightning, the suffocating despair in his eyes finally pierced by a sliver of light. In that moment, he was a drowning man who had just been thrown a lifeline. He bowed deeply before Orochimaru, his voice thick with desperation. "I'm begging you, Orochimaru. You have to research that mechanical arm. This is a life-long favor I'm asking."
From her vantage point at the window, Stelle watched the scene unfold downstairs with a blank expression. She opened her system interface, glanced at the long, scrolling list of incoming mood points, and then closed it again with a flicker of satisfaction.
The Legendary Sannin certainly lived up to their reputation as endgame players. The mood points were flooding in, a veritable deluge of emotional currency. She was getting rich, and fast. Jiraiya in particular was a goldmine. Though he wouldn't live to see the Fourth Great Ninja War, his role in Uzumaki Naruto's growth made him a foundation of the entire narrative. The sheer weight of his emotions was substantial. The points he'd contributed over the past few days felt like a lavish feast.
This entire incident served a dual purpose: it was a brutal wake-up call that would force Jiraiya to be more cautious in the future, and it was an absolute windfall of mood points for her. Two birds, one stone.
As if on cue, her clone, disguised as the Hokage, arrived at the hospital. Stelle smoothly swapped places with it, giving the clone a simple instruction: get used to the left hand. That meant mastering left-handed swordplay, left-handed seals, and everything in between.
The clone let loose a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush, creatively insulting every branch of her own family tree. It only fell silent when it sensed Uchiha Kagami approaching the hospital.
Kagami had been away on a critical mission. He had received Stelle's message and rushed to the hospital the moment he returned. After visiting "Uchiha Kou," his shock was no less than Danzo's had been. It was a potent mix of astonishment and heartbreak.
"I'm so sorry, Kagami," Stelle said, her face a mask of apology. "I never expected things to turn out like this."
"Why are you apologizing, Stelle?" Uchiha Kagami immediately began to blame himself. "You've already done more than enough. This is my failure—a dereliction of my duty as the Uchiha Clan Head."
As a clansman who had seemingly stumbled into their timeline by accident, Uchiha Kou's existence was fraught with strangeness and uncertainty. By all rights, Kagami should have been the one to handle the situation from the start. As the Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, the logical move would have been to place Kou under strict supervision, cutting off all contact with the outside world. At the very least, he should have been integrated into the Anbu for covert missions.
But Stelle had sensed his dilemma, his reluctance to treat a fellow Uchiha like a prisoner. She had forcefully overruled Hiruzen and Danzo's suggestions, pushing to have Kou placed in a normal ninja squad instead.
In a way, this outcome was for the best. A person from another timeline who no longer posed a threat would put everyone's minds at ease.
"Stelle," Kagami said, turning back to her, his dark eyes holding a new, restrained warmth. "Thank you for indulging my selfishness."
It was a moment ripe with unspoken sentiment, the kind of quiet understanding between comrades that could easily blossom into something more... until a loud, distinctly unromantic growl echoed from Stelle's stomach.
She scratched her head, a sheepish look on her face. "Ah, I forgot to eat dinner. How about we go together? My treat. We'll get some barbecue."
"It should be my treat," Uchiha Kagami insisted, a gentle smile touching his lips. "Order whatever you like."
"Really?" Stelle's eyes lit up. She rubbed her fingers together greedily. "Then I won't be holding back. I'm going to make your wallet weep tonight." She began muttering about deluxe meat platters and premium cuts, her unabashed desire to fleece him making Kagami's smile widen.
Stelle had been like this since she was a child. She clearly wasn't short on money, but she took a special delight in being treated by others.
The two made their way to Konoha's largest Yakiniku restaurant. When the owner saw the Fourth Hokage herself walk in, he became a whirlwind of enthusiastic hospitality, buzzing around their table like a spinning top and even presenting them with a complimentary bottle of fine sake.
Seeing the bottle, Stelle realized that in all her time in this world, she hadn't touched a single drop of alcohol. She promptly ordered two more bottles, determined to make up for lost time.
"This sake has a strong kick. You should drink less," Uchiha Kagami advised gently.
"It's fine, it's fine! It's just a little alcohol. How could it possibly get the best of me?" Stelle began to boast, her words flowing freely as she downed one cup after another with theatrical bravado. "I used to sneak drinks all the time back in the day. People just never knew."
She was the Fourth Hokage. Kagami found it amusing that she would brag about something so trivial as holding her liquor and didn't press the issue. Instead, he took a small box from his pocket, opened it, and presented it to her.
"I saw this in a shop while I was on my mission. I thought it would suit you, Stelle, so I bought it. I hope you don't mind."
Inside was an exquisitely crafted hairpin, simple and elegant, set with a single, beautiful purple gemstone.
Stelle stared at the box, and without any warning, tears began to well up in her eyes. Alarmed, Kagami fumbled for a handkerchief. "What's wrong, Stelle? Do you not like it?"
"No!" she choked out, grabbing his hand tightly. The tears started to fall in earnest. "In all the time I've been in this world... this is the first time I've ever received such a normal gift."
Her head swam, the world tilting slightly. With a sniffle, she grabbed the sleeve of Kagami's uniform to wipe at her eyes, looking for all the world like a pitiful, rain-drenched vegetable.
"Ever since I beat up everyone I could in the Academy, no one has ever looked at me like a woman again," she sobbed. "Behind my back, they call me a female T-Rex. They say I'm not a girl at all. Even for my birthdays, the gifts I get are kunai, senbon, and ninjutsu scrolls! The most ridiculous ones were a Death Warrant and a formal Duel Invitation from someone who wanted to be my 'lifelong nemesis'!"
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Kagami... if it weren't for your gift, I think I would have forgotten that I'm a woman, too."
Kagami glanced down at the hand gripping his arm, then gently placed his other hand over hers, holding it carefully.
"That was my oversight," he said, his voice soft. "If you like it, Stelle, I'll be sure to bring you more gifts next time."
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