"Master… Master's Wife!?"
Sakura stared up at the woman standing atop the tree branch. Just looking at her made Sakura feel small and ashamed, like she didn't belong on the same level.
(Can someone really look that beautiful?)
Naruto recovered next and quickly moved to Sasuke's side, bowing at a full 180 degrees.
"Hello, sister-in-law! I'm Brother Hikaru's little brother! Please take care of me! If you ever need anything, just say the word!"
Sasuke and Naruto's exaggerated display made Saya, who wasn't used to this kind of social interaction, feel flustered. She had no idea how to respond.
(These two kids… they're really calling me Master's wife and sister-in-law…)
Saya leapt down from the tree, landing gracefully beside the two boys, and gently helped them to their feet.
Looking at their youthful faces, she was suddenly reminded of Konan—the last person she'd parted ways with not long ago.
"Ahem… no need for all that. My name is Uchiha Hikaru," she said, fumbling a bit, "Ah, no—just call me… Sister Saya."
"Okay, Sister Saya!" ×3
Sakura immediately chimed in, joining Naruto and Sasuke. Their synchronized voices, movements, and expressions gave the impression of a perfectly unified team.
Saya smiled softly and reached out, ruffling Sasuke and Naruto's hair.
"I just saw a flare go up a little ways ahead. Do you know what happened?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly, laughing.
"Ahaha~ That was us! We took out another team and grabbed their scroll."
"We figured it'd be safer to have the examiners come take them out. This is the Forest of Death, after all—no joke."
Saya looked at Naruto's warm, earnest smile and couldn't help praising him quietly.
(What a kind-hearted child.)
But Sasuke immediately stepped forward, eager to speak up before Naruto took all the credit.
"Sister Saya, I'm the one who sent up the flare!"
"It wasn't just about having the proctors take them out. My real plan was to draw in other strong Genin nearby—let them fight it out and thin each other's numbers!"
He tilted his chin up proudly, side-eyeing Naruto with a smug expression.
(See that? I'm still one step ahead of you.)
Saya nodded in approval.
"Smart move. Just what I'd expect from Lord Hikaru's disciple."
"You're both impressive," she added thoughtfully. "It's our first meeting, and I didn't bring anything to give you… How about I help you collect some more scrolls~?"
With that, she turned and led Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura back in the direction they'd come.
Meanwhile, the Iwagakure team they had defeated earlier remained tied to a tree trunk—still complaining loudly in their native dialect.
"Damn those Konoha brats! Vicious little monsters!"
"They came at us from three directions! What kind of crazy tactics are those!? Reminds me of that psycho White Fang!"
"Right!? They didn't just steal our scroll—they're trying to get us kicked out of the exams completely!"
"Freakin' bastards!"
Just then, Saya and the Konoha trio reappeared before them.
Naruto casually leaned in close, his face mere inches from theirs.
"Huh? Did I just hear you call us cruel?"
Sasuke walked up behind him and casually stomped his foot down on the Iwa ninja whose groin he'd kicked earlier.
"What's that? My attack was too vicious?"
"We're shinobi. What part of that don't you understand?"
Standing above them, Naruto and Sasuke looked like two little villains gloating over their fallen prey.
The three Iwa-nin broke out in cold sweat and immediately began groveling.
"Aha~ Haha! N-No way, we wouldn't dare!"
"It was your incredible strength and leadership that defeated us so cleanly! And the flare—so thoughtful! You even called the proctors to keep us safe!"
"It's just my two teammates. They were talking nonsense—please don't hold it against us! We beg the esteemed Konoha elders not to retaliate!"
The two teammates immediately turned to glare at him.
"You traitor! You were cursing the loudest five minutes ago!"
Saya sighed, shaking her head as the commotion grew louder. Her eyes shifted—and in a blink, her pupils turned to the three-tomoe Sharingan.
She cast a quick genjutsu.
The three Iwa-nin collapsed into unconsciousness, silencing the noise.
Then, Saya and the kids took position in the tree canopy above, hiding in the leaves, waiting for the next wave of shinobi to take the bait.
Before long, Anko Mitarashi and two Special Jonin arrived at the scene.
The moment she saw the unconscious Iwa Genin tied to the tree, Anko raised a brow.
"Three down already, huh?"
She gestured, and one of the Special Jonin created a shadow clone. The two Jonin took the captives and vanished into the forest.
Anko remained behind.
She looked around the area and tapped her lip thoughtfully.
(No doubt this place is going to see heavy action soon… I might as well stick around.)
(If things go sideways and one of our Genin is about to die, I can always step in. They'll be disqualified, sure—but they'll survive.)
She leapt up into the trees—and her eyes immediately widened when she spotted Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
"Well, well… you little rats sure are schemers~"
But her gaze quickly drifted behind them.
When she saw Saya, her eyes lingered.
Her flawless white skin, the smooth glow—Anko couldn't help smacking her lips in envy.
(Gods, look at that skin… unfair!)
But instinctively, her guard went up.
"You… who are you?"
Though Anko was the proctor for the second exam, she hadn't bothered to memorize the names or faces of the Genin.
With over a thousand participants, who had the time?
She'd only agreed to proctor as an excuse to skip out on Orochimaru's lab work for a few days—there was no way she'd burden herself with more effort.
Before Saya could speak, Naruto and Sasuke raised their hands and spoke in perfect harmony.
"This beautiful, smart, kind, and amazing woman is my sister-in-law—Uchiha Saya."
"This is the most powerful, wise, and stunning woman alive—our master's wife, Uchiha Hikaru."
Anko blinked.
(Oh. That explains the chill I felt earlier…)
"Ahem~ Saya, got a minute to chat?"
"It's about Hikaru."
Saya's expression shifted immediately.
"If it concerns Lord Hikaru, then let's speak in private," she said without hesitation, walking off with Anko.
(I've read enough romance novels lately to know what this is… This must be one of those 'love triangle battlefield' moments.)
Naruto and Sasuke watched them go, utterly confused.
Sakura, however, squinted and sniffed the air metaphorically.
(This smell… the scent of gossip.)
The look Anko gave Saya—that was exactly the same look other girls gave Sasuke back in the Academy.
(That look means trouble.)
But suddenly, Sasuke's eyes widened as if he'd been struck by lightning.
"Wait… Saya-nee… is she a Genin?"
"Of course!" Naruto replied, then blinked. "Wait… Genin?"
Sakura's expression froze.
"Eh? She's… a Genin?"
The three of them looked at each other in stunned silence.
(This woman is a Genin…?)
…
…
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