Five days later.The sun was hanging lazily above the village, its warm rays spilling down over the familiar tiled roofs and bustling streets of Konoha. Children's laughter mixed with the faint sounds of merchants calling out to customers, creating a lively yet peaceful atmosphere. Amidst this busy street scene, a figure in dark robes with the distinct Uchiha crest walked slowly, hands tucked into his pockets. His expression carried a strange mix of boredom and faint irritation.That man was none other than Uchiha Yato.And truth be told, he wasn't wandering the streets because he wanted to admire the view or enjoy the village's calmness. No. The reason was embarrassingly simple—he had just been kicked out of the mission reception office.The Problem with MissionsOver the past five days, Yato had developed what could only be described as an "unhealthy obsession" with C-rank and D-rank missions.Yes, you heard that right. A fully fledged jōnin of the Uchiha clan, a man of considerable talent and fearsome reputation, was competing with fresh genin and nervous academy graduates for the most trivial, menial tasks available.At first, the mission staff didn't quite know how to handle him. After all, he was Uchiha Yato—infamous troublemaker, jōnin rank, unpredictable. Out of both courtesy and fear, the clerk had tried to hand him more fitting assignments."Master Yato," the clerk had said politely that first day, sliding several scrolls forward, "given your abilities, we have a few A-rank missions available. Or perhaps a handful of B-ranks. Would you like to take a look?"Yato, however, shook his head with an exaggerated sigh. His voice even cracked a little, as though he were on the verge of tears."I… don't think I'm capable enough right now," he muttered in a deliberately pitiful tone. "It would be better for me to take on something simple, something to hone my skills."Then, lowering his gaze, he added dramatically, "I was injured during an A-rank mission not long ago. I'd rather recuperate first…"He even made his shoulders slump, as though he were some tragic hero abandoned after a heartbreak.The poor clerk, caught off guard, nearly bit his tongue. He glanced at Yato in surprise and immediately regretted pushing higher-rank missions on him. What if Yato was truly suffering from some trauma he couldn't speak of? What if the man really had some unspeakable weakness that forced him to survive on menial tasks?That night, the clerk tossed and turned in his sleep, replaying the moment in his mind. Each time he saw Yato's depressed face, guilt stabbed him in the chest. He woke up sweating, muttering, "I'm damned… I'm damned…"The Honeymoon PhaseFor the next couple of days, the staff went out of their way to assign Yato the easiest work possible. Fetching herbs, carrying supplies, helping repair fences, chasing after cats—tasks so simple that even fresh genin might find them dull.And strangely, Yato seemed delighted by it all. He hummed while delivering groceries, whistled as he carried buckets of water, and accepted payment as if he were pocketing free money.Effortless, mindless work with easy rewards—it was paradise for him.But then the problem started to show.Red FlagsBy the third day, whispers began spreading. Something wasn't right.First, Yato never used his full name when registering for missions. He always signed as simply "Yato." At first, this had seemed like harmless eccentricity, but soon enough the staff realized who he truly was.Konoha's number one troublemaker—Uchiha Yato.Second, his claim of being "injured" fell apart immediately under scrutiny. After all, what kind of recuperating patient completed twenty C-rank and thirty D-rank missions in a single day?That wasn't recovery—that was insanity.By the fourth day, the mission receptionists grew wary. Yato was assigned only two missions, one C-rank and one D-rank. On the fifth day, they refused him outright.And that was why Yato now wandered the streets, grumbling about being thrown out.Why Yato Wanted MissionsBut his obsession with these trivial tasks wasn't completely meaningless. He had two simple reasons:First, even ninjas needed to eat. Money was never enough, and low-rank missions were essentially free pocket change. Why waste time bleeding over dangerous assignments when he could earn steady cash without lifting a finger?Second, during these low-level missions, Yato had discovered something far more valuable than money: people.He kept running into individuals who formed the very core of Konoha's future—Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, and even Uchiha Mikoto. Every encounter stirred something mischievous in him.Whenever he spotted the golden-haired Minato and the fiery Kushina, he simply couldn't resist inserting himself into their lives, tossing teasing remarks and playful interruptions. He didn't really have anything important to say, but seeing Kushina flare up in frustration while knowing she couldn't win against him—it was irresistible.With Mikoto, it was even worse. Yato found every excuse to "escort" the teenage girl home, casually bringing up the topic of Uchiha Fugaku during the walk. Poor Mikoto would blush and fumble for words, too polite to tell him off.For Yato, who had seen their relationships play out once before through the lens of the anime, it felt like destiny to poke fun at them. How could he resist teasing these couples when fate had practically handed him front-row tickets to their youth?And yet, it wasn't all mischief. Every interaction brought him something tangible—emotional value. In just five short days, Yato had collected over 1,000 points worth.Not a bad haul at all.The Street BrawlAs Yato tallied up his emotional gains in his head, a sudden commotion drew his attention.At the corner of a lively street, two men in traditional kimonos had broken into a fistfight. The brawl had begun inside a nearby izakaya, but their shouting and punching had spilled out into the open. Passersby quickly made room, watching from a safe distance as the two traded blows without restraint.Moments later, several members of the Uchiha Guard rushed over, attempting to break up the fight and demanding to know what had happened.Yato leaned against a wall, observing with casual interest. From the snippets of argument he overheard, a small smirk tugged at his lips."Danzo… is this your handiwork?" he muttered under his breath. "No wonder you'll never become Hokage. This kind of trick is too childish."The official story was that the two men had been drinking, words were exchanged, emotions ran high, and fists soon followed. On the surface, it sounded like an ordinary tavern fight.But Yato knew better.Who They WereThe two men weren't ordinary civilians.One wore a finely patterned white kimono. His name was Sarutobi Tsuruya—a man directly connected to the Hokage family. His surname alone ensured that most people treated him with respect.The other wore a plainer black kimono, but his presence carried a certain noble weight. His long sleeves brushed against the ground, and his eyes, completely pale and pure white, gave away his heritage immediately.This was Hyūga Boya, a member of the prestigious Hyūga clan—one of Konoha's two great dōjutsu families, alongside the Uchiha.It was a delicate situation. Both had status. Both were at fault to roughly the same degree. Neither side could easily be favored.The Guard's DilemmaBy Konoha's regulations, the matter should be handled impartially. Both men should be taken back to the Guard's office, offered tea, and eventually released to their clans after their leaders signed a written commitment promising to prevent further incidents.This rule had originally been suggested by none other than Uchiha Yato himself, years ago. He wanted to soften the Guard's harsh image and improve relations between clans. Even the Second Hokage had recognized it as a fair system.But here lay the problem:If the Guard favored the Sarutobi, the Hyūga would feel slighted. Relations between the two great dōjutsu clans could sour.If they favored the Hyūga, the Hokage's line would see it as bias against them, deepening their existing distrust of the Uchiha Guard.The poor Guard members were stuck in an impossible situation.Hidden nearby in a shadowed corner, Aburame Ryoma observed everything, his brows furrowed in frustration. He had spent days carefully planning this scenario, investigating Yato's movements, and orchestrating the perfect trap by provoking a clash between two high-status men. His goal was simple: force Yato, as a prominent Uchiha, into making a move that would offend one side or the other.But his scheme had gone awry. A patrol unit of the Guard had arrived earlier than expected, disrupting everything.Grinding his teeth, Ryoma cursed them silently. Still, he hoped Yato would step in. If Yato joined the fray, his efforts wouldn't be entirely wasted.Uchiha Ren Steps UpThe Guard member who had intervened was none other than Uchiha Ren, a familiar face within the clan. After a brief moment of hesitation, he made the decision: both men would be escorted to the Guard office, where the matter could be settled formally.The two fighters paled slightly at the mention of being taken in. Though only a few years had passed since the Guard's reputation had begun to decline, the stigma already ran deep. Civilians whispered of cruelty, of merciless Sharingan eyes staring into their souls. Even some shinobi avoided unnecessary entanglement with the Guard.For the Sarutobi and Hyūga clans, the idea of being dragged to the Guard's office was humiliating, if not outright frightening.Enter Uchiha YatoAt this moment, Yato decided he'd seen enough. He pushed off the wall and walked toward them, his steps slow and deliberate."Isn't this quite the collection?" he remarked with a crooked smile. "What's going on here?"The effect was immediate.Ren stiffened, knowing all too well the chaos Yato's presence usually brought. His stomach tightened with dread. The other two men blanched, recalling the warnings their elders had drilled into them.Do not interact with Uchiha Yato.If you encounter him, avoid him at all costs.He is a jinx in human form—storms follow wherever he goes.Their eyes darted nervously as if they were staring at a walking curse.Yato noticed their fear and smirked faintly. He turned to Ren and spoke in a more casual, almost reassuring tone:"Ren, you don't need to handle this matter any further. If there's a problem to be solved, leave it to me next time. That way no one can accuse you of incompetence."Ren exhaled slowly, relief washing over his face—though the two men trapped in this dispute only grew more pale, as if they were about to cry.One thing was clear: Yato's reputation had already spread far and wide.
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