On the way, Uchiha Mikoto began venting about the situation in her clan:
"A so-called 'elite jōnin' who won't go to the battlefield, won't earn war merits, and instead wants to become the next Hokage… only to come here and play Police Force Captain over me."
Kaito couldn't help muttering:
"Everyone knows the heart of Sima Zhao."
"Huh? Who's Sima Zhao?"
"No one you know. Just a very obscure historical figure."
"Anyway—what do you think about all this?"
That question caught Mikoto off guard.
The once bratty, tsundere black-haired princess of the Uchiha clan now showed hints of newfound maturity.
"…Then, Kaito-sensei, why don't you date anyone?"
Kaito gave her a deadpan look.
He glanced down at the girl, nearly two heads shorter than him, with a very flat chest—not exactly inspiring romantic desire.
"Sensei hasn't achieved his career goals yet—how could I get married?"
"And besides…"
"I don't even have anyone to date. Getting married now? With my savings? Impossible."
"Look at Duy. Just preparing for the baby, he borrowed 200,000 ryō from me."
"Hospital surgery, nutrition supplements, formula, diapers—it all costs a fortune."
"My savings couldn't handle that at all."
"I really miss the days when you all helped me earn money."
Mikoto almost blurted out: Then I'll support you.
But his last sentence made her stumble in the snow.
Pak.
Something pinched the top of Kaito's foot.
He hissed sharply and looked down.
"…Why did you step on me?"
"What do YOU think, you scrub teacher!"
After stomping him, Mikoto felt much better. She folded her arms and strode ahead, muttering under her breath:
"…I miss those days too."
"What?"
"Nothing. I said you're an idiot."
"Hey—how could you say that to your teacher?!"
The two bantered their way toward Konoha Hospital while—unbeknownst to them—a sleek, well-groomed housecat watched from a distance.
Once they walked far enough, the cat moved like an agile shinobi, leapt over walls, and headed straight into the Uchiha district.
This kind of ninja cat was a common sight—Uchiha had long maintained a contract with Granny Nekobaa's clan of ninja cats.
Uchiha Residence
The same black cat landed gently into the arms of an elderly man and quietly reported everything it witnessed.
"Good work, Kuro."
The cat meowed and accepted the dried fish treat the old man offered, happily chomping away on the tatami.
After a moment, Kuro tilted its head at the old man's troubled expression and asked:
"What's wrong? Something bothering you?"
The elder, Uchiha Kenshi, sighed and stared into the rippling green tea in his cup.
"The clan head came to speak with me recently… He wants to pair Fugaku with Mikoto."
"That's a great thing, nya~! The clan head's son and a branch elder's granddaughter—perfect clan unity, nya~!"
"I thought so too."
"But the problem… is Mikoto's feelings."
The ninja cat finally understood. Mikoto didn't like Fugaku.
And Kenshi… felt guilty.
"I raised Mikoto since she was a baby. Her parents died on the battlefield."
"I don't want her to lose the right to choose her own happiness."
"Then just refuse, nya~!"
Kenshi rolled his eyes. Why was he discussing emotional matters with a cat whose hobbies were eating and chasing lady cats?
"…Forget it. Talking to you won't help."
He fell silent.
Two choices lay before him:
Push Mikoto to become a jōnin as soon as possible and inherit the neutral faction's authority while he was still alive.
But that meant sending a twelve-year-old girl to the brutal front lines. Or… directly—
But before he finished that thought, snow thickened outside.
Meanwhile, in a separate Uchiha residence—
A squad leader reported to an elder only slightly younger than Kenshi: Uchiha Setsuna.
Setsuna dismissed the man with a cold wave, then stared out at the snowy courtyard.
"Uchiha Mikoto…"
"She will determine whether the Uchiha clan survives the future."
Later – At Konoha Hospital
After visiting Might Duy, his wife Rin, and their newborn son, Mikoto gently touched the baby's cheek and praised:
"He'll definitely become an amazing ninja like his father."
Shinku and Nonō giggled at that.
Afterward, Mikoto insisted on being escorted back to the clan district—so Kaito walked her all the way to the entrance.
Once she left, Kaito turned toward home.
But suddenly—
The world fell silent.
The street, the wind, the sounds—
Everything disappeared.
"Genjutsu?!"
Kaito prepared to disrupt his chakra, but then a realization struck him.
Only ONE clan in Konoha could pull him into a genjutsu this easily.
A voice sounded right behind him.
"No need to panic, Kaito. I just want to talk."
Kaito slid forward immediately, skidding across the illusory ground to create distance. He turned—
This kind of private, flawless, environment-sealed genjutsu…
Only the Uchiha could do it.
He had relaxed too much lately—enough to get caught inside a Sharingan illusion right in the village.
When he looked up, he saw a young man in a green flak jacket and Police Force uniform.
"Fugaku-jōnin."
"I didn't expect you to target me."
"Last I checked, you weren't a spy."
Fugaku burst out laughing—loud and amused.
Kaito remained calm.
During wartime, killing a comrade inside Konoha would be suicide. Fugaku wouldn't dare.
As Fugaku's laughter faded, he stared at Kaito with a new level of caution.
"Impressive."
"Even with your life in my hands inside a genjutsu, you stay calm."
"No wonder you completed every mission and even taught a squad."
His tone hardened.
"But."
"You shouldn't direct your thoughts toward Mikoto."
"The Uchiha will never allow a top-tier clan kunoichi to marry an outsider."
"Especially…"
"A genin who has never even reached chūnin."
Kaito: "…"
Buddy, are you insane? Mikoto is twelve. You're nineteen. Seven years apart.
I wouldn't dare think anything—yet you're saying it like I'm already courting your entire clan!
Kaito sighed.
"So what do you want, Fugaku-jōnin?"
"Just a warning."
"I don't intend to harm you."
Fugaku was a genius jōnin. He didn't need to bully a genin—especially one who showed no actual interest in Mikoto.
"My message ends here."
"Choose any other clan girl you like—I'd even bless it."
"But Mikoto, and all exceptional Uchiha…"
"Don't think about them."
"Ordinary ninja walk ordinary paths."
As he spoke, the ground and buildings rippled, signifying the genjutsu dissolving.
Before releasing Kaito completely, Fugaku continued:
"I've seen many civilian ninja with a spark of talent."
"But sparks don't make geniuses."
"The shinobi world is cruel. No one cares about your 'potential.' Only about whether you survive your missions… or end up dead."
"Or broken."
"Forgotten."
Memories flickered through Fugaku's mind—young talents who lost limbs, lost minds, lost their futures.
"So, Kaito."
"How far can you really go?"
A moment later—
The illusion shattered.
Kaito stood on the street again as normal sound returned: merchants calling, families talking, footsteps crunching snow.
After a few seconds, he exhaled, as though awakening from the genjutsu.
He smiled faintly.
"No matter what you say…"
"I will make it to the end."
"I will."
Without checking whether Fugaku was still listening, Kaito walked away with steady steps.
His stomach grumbled.
This damn guy showed off his three-tomoe Sharingan AND accused him of liking lolis—
At this point, Kaito was seriously considering writing an anonymous article for the village newspaper tomorrow.
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