Yūgao Uzuki's long purple hair was tied neatly into a ponytail, the ends resting against the back of her neck. She wore standard Konoha kunoichi attire, her posture upright and spirited, radiating the calm confidence of a seasoned ninja. Dust clung faintly to her clothes and boots, a clear sign that she had just returned from a mission.
Standing beside her was Kurenai Yuhi, positioned slightly to Yūgao's left. Her figure was tall and well-proportioned, and her smooth, flowing hair draped gracefully down her back, the tips curling inward ever so slightly. Although Yūgao Uzuki always insisted on acting like the "older sister" whenever she was in front of Heavenly Dao, every time he saw Kurenai Yuhi, he couldn't help but feel that she was the true embodiment of a mature and gentle big-sister type.
Anko Mitarashi, on the other hand, looked much the same as ever. Her short hair was slightly messy, a few unruly bangs swaying as she moved. Her tomboyish demeanor stood in stark contrast to the refined air of the other two women.
"Sister Yūgao, you're finally back," Heavenly Dao said, his voice carrying a note of genuine surprise and happiness. "So your teammates this time were Sister Kurenai and Anko."
After becoming a Chūnin, the Village no longer imposed the same rigid restrictions that applied to newly graduated Genin. Chūnin and Jōnin had much greater freedom when it came to forming teams, especially for special or short-term missions.
This time, Yūgao Uzuki had chosen to team up with her close friends, Kurenai Yuhi and Anko Mitarashi.
All three women belonged to Konoha's elite ninja circle.
In truth, making it into the upper echelons of Konoha Village required more than just talent. Strength, family background, and social connections all played important roles.
In the original history of the ninja world, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, Konoha and the other four great ninja villages formed an Allied Shinobi Force of nearly eighty thousand ninja. As the core force of the alliance, Konoha alone contributed at least twenty thousand.
Because of this, it would be a serious mistake to be misled by the word "Village" in Konoha Village or by the relatively small number of named characters in the original Naruto story. Konoha was not merely a village-level power—it possessed the strength and influence of an entire nation.
And where there were people, circles naturally formed.
With such a massive population, it was impossible for everyone to exist in perfect harmony as one big, happy family. Based on family lineage, personal ability, age, and reputation, people inevitably gravitated toward their own comfort zones and social groups.
In the past, Heavenly Dao had been largely unremarkable. He had only barely managed to maintain a presence within the elite ninja circle by relying on his status as Yūgao Uzuki's family member.
As they chatted casually, the group made their way to a barbecue restaurant. A large sign hung at the entrance, prominently displaying the word "Akimichi," clearly indicating that this was a family business belonging to the Akimichi Clan.
"Today's meal is on me," Heavenly Dao announced cheerfully as they approached the entrance. "Consider it a welcome-back dinner for Sister Yūgao—and a celebration for the successful completion of your mission."
After entering, they took their seats in order. Heavenly Dao sat next to Yūgao Uzuki and raised his glass to set the mood.
"Cheers."
Everyone lifted their glasses in response, clinking them together without hesitation.
As the meal progressed, Anko Mitarashi finally spoke up. Her personality had always been direct and impulsive; if something was on her mind, she would say it immediately. She had clearly been holding herself back the entire time, waiting for the right moment.
"Well now," Anko said with a grin, leaning forward slightly. "Heavenly Dao, you were acting so low-key before. I really didn't expect you to be hiding your strength so well."
"That Fire Release technique you used earlier," she continued, "it was seriously powerful."
Heavenly Dao's expression remained calm. He had never expected his strength to stay hidden forever—it was only a matter of time before someone noticed. Moreover, he had no intention of deliberately pretending to be weak.
Pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger was a technical skill. If you weren't careful, you might end up becoming a real pig and getting slaughtered.
If you had strength, you should show it. Youth was meant to be spirited.
"I've had a bit of a breakthrough recently," Heavenly Dao replied casually. "Nothing worth making a fuss over. My strength just happened to break through a bottleneck. I'm thinking about applying for the Special Jōnin title."
"Are you sure?" Yūgao Uzuki asked, her brows knitting slightly as she looked at him with concern.
"I'd say I'm about eighty or ninety percent confident," Heavenly Dao replied after a brief pause.
Kurenai Yuhi and Anko Mitarashi exchanged looks, their expressions complex—relieved, thoughtful, but not particularly surprised.
They had both seen twelve-year-old Jōnin before. Compared to that, an eighteen-year-old Special Jōnin was hardly shocking.
Besides, the two of them were already Special Jōnin themselves.
Their current feelings were closer to those of an old mother watching a child she had raised suddenly grow up. It took a moment to adjust.
Kurenai Yuhi was eight years older than Heavenly Dao, while Anko Mitarashi was four years older. In their eyes, Heavenly Dao had always been a little brother. This time, however, they were forced to look at him differently.
At that moment, the system's familiar prompt appeared.
[Latest Mission: Pass the Special Jōnin examination and further spread the name of Heavenly Dao within the Village.]
[Mission Reward: Three-Tomoe Sharingan.]
Heavenly Dao glanced at the mission details and reward, his emotions steady and unshaken.
It was only a Special Jōnin exam, after all.
Easy work.
The conversation soon shifted to the details of the mission the three women had just completed. Through their discussion, Heavenly Dao finally learned why they had chosen to team up this time.
The mission had taken them to the capital of the Land of Fire, where they were tasked with providing close protection for a nobleman's mistress.
This nobleman controlled a significant portion of the printing industry within the Land of Fire. Recently, he had been threatened by a competitor over the publishing rights to a highly anticipated ninja-world masterpiece.
To avoid danger, the nobleman and his family had already gone into hiding. Worried that his rival might target his mistress instead, he commissioned the mission and specifically requested female ninja.
Yūgao Uzuki had been temporarily assigned as reinforcement.
The author of this so-called masterpiece was rumored to be extremely mysterious. Despite their fame, they had never revealed their identity. All that was known was that their new work was about to be released.
The title of the new book was—Make-Out Paradise.
"The upcoming release is a secret," Kurenai Yuhi said seriously after finishing the explanation. "Heavenly Dao, don't tell anyone about it."
The other two nodded in agreement.
Heavenly Dao was speechless for a long moment. Only after some time did he recover and solemnly promise to keep quiet.
At the same time, he confirmed one thing internally: these three women must rarely read books.
If they knew what genre Make-Out Paradise actually belonged to, there was no way they would be talking about it with such calm indifference.
The dinner continued for some time longer before Kurenai Yuhi was the first to stand up and excuse herself.
From the very beginning, Heavenly Dao had noticed that she seemed slightly distracted, as if something was weighing on her mind. However, as the family member of her closest friend, it didn't feel appropriate for him to pry.
Just as Kurenai left, a new system prompt appeared.
[Latest Mission: You have keenly sensed Kurenai Yuhi's abnormality. As the heir of the Uchiha Clan, you must unite those around you and resolve Kurenai Yuhi's troubles.]
[Mission Reward: Increased Yin Release Chakra.]
Heavenly Dao smiled faintly.
Helping others and upholding justice had always been his principle in life.
Miss Kurenai—whether you like it or not, I, Heavenly Dao, am definitely going to help you.
Not long after, Heavenly Dao and Yūgao Uzuki also stood up to leave. Having been apart for several days, the two of them had countless unspoken thoughts to share.
Anko Mitarashi was left sitting alone, staring at their retreating backs in disbelief.
"You're all leaving?" she shouted in frustration. "Then what am I supposed to do—eat by myself?!"
They ignored her completely.
Night had already fallen over Konoha Village. The streets were quiet, with only a few pedestrians passing by occasionally. Warm yellow streetlights swayed gently in the evening breeze, casting elongated shadows across the ground.
Outside the barbecue restaurant, Yūgao Uzuki and Heavenly Dao walked side by side, unconsciously slowing their pace.
As they moved, their shadows gradually overlapped. Their wrists brushed against each other, and their steps fell into perfect sync.
During the short walk home, the two whispered softly, voices low and intimate. By the time they reached the door, both of them were slightly out of breath.
As Yūgao pushed the door open, her voice rang out softly in the darkness.
"Don't… don't turn on the light."
Heavenly Dao paused, then smiled teasingly. "Sister Yūgao, the moonlight is beautiful tonight too."
[Mission Accomplished: Yūgao Uzuki's defeat CG has been acquired.]
[Yang Release Chakra increase reward has been issued. Please claim it in time.]
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