Uchiha Misuke watched Mitarashi Anko's huffy, prideful departure with amusement rather than annoyance; the expression on her face grew even more intrigued.
"Misuke-san, is there something you needed at this hour?" Seeing the lingering awkwardness, Kyoko quickly spoke up, trying to change the subject. Normally, Uchiha Misuke would be occupied with her duties at the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters during this time. As someone who now held significant authority within the Uchiha clan, Misuke's days were rarely idle.
"That guy finally sent word," Misuke stated nonchalantly.
"Ah? What did Tatsuya-san say?" Kyoko's eyes instantly lit up as she pressed for details.
"Did that annoying jerk finally send news?" Anko, who had been walking away, spun around like a whirlwind and rushed back, demanding anxiously.
"Mm. He used his Summoning Jutsu to send a message to Shisui. Says he probably won't be back to the village for another month or two," Misuke relayed, an irrepressible, teasing smile playing on her lips as she observed both women's reactions.
"Another one or two months?! That guy really is planning to live at the Miko's Palace indefinitely!" Anko muttered, her face flushing slightly under Misuke's "mocking" gaze, before turning sharply and walking away once more.
Beside her, Kyoko couldn't hide the wave of disappointment that washed over her features. Tatsuya-san had been gone from the village for so long already; she missed him terribly too!
"Kyoko, what's so great about that guy? Why are you like this over him?" Misuke couldn't help but ask, seeing Kyoko's dejected expression.
"Huh? Tatsuya-san is great in every way! Otherwise, Misuke-san, why would you be so close to him too?" Kyoko blinked her large eyes innocently, looking directly at Misuke.
"Me? My reasons for interacting with him are different from yours. Don't forget, he's the one directly responsible for killing my clansman," Misuke retorted with a cold snort.
"Misuke-san, surely you don't still intend to seek revenge against Tatsuya-san?" Kyoko gasped in alarm, grabbing Misuke's right arm pleadingly, her eyes wide with worry.
"Hmph! I would like to seek revenge against that guy, but one needs the strength for that," Misuke replied exasperatedly, lightly tapping Kyoko's forehead. If she possessed the power, Misuke genuinely harbored thoughts of teaching Tatsuya a harsh lesson.
Alas, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak.
"Alright! Message delivered. I'm heading off now!" After playfully ruffling Kyoko's hair, Misuke tossed out a final word and departed directly.
Only after Misuke had left did Anko slowly saunter back over, glaring resentfully at the Uchiha's retreating figure.
"Hey! Kyoko, why do you even bother talking to her?" Anko demanded, looking at Kyoko. Seeing Kyoko and Misuke growing increasingly friendly made her feel a pang of jealousy.
Kyoko looked at the pouting Anko and couldn't help but smile faintly. "Misuke-san is a good person!"
"Her? Hmph! All Uchiha are annoying," Anko grumbled under her breath.
Kyoko ignored her comment and returned to the counter to continue organizing the accounts.
Anko watched her for a moment, then her eyes darted around thoughtfully before she strode out of the Yakiniku.
Kyoko glanced up at Anko's departing figure and shook her head helplessly. Knowing Anko, the girl was almost certainly going off to find trouble with Uchiha Misuke.
Still, Kyoko wasn't overly concerned. Both Anko and Misuke were incredibly strong; it was unlikely anything serious would happen.
Her thoughts, inevitably, returned to Tatsuya. Resting her cheek on her hand as she leaned against the counter, a shadow of melancholy clouded Kyoko's expression.
Poof!
Just as Kyoko was lost in her somber thoughts, a plume of white smoke erupted beside her. A giant dog, standing four meters tall, materialized inside the restaurant.
Woof woof~
The moment the massive canine appeared, it barked twice at Kyoko before affectionately nuzzling her with its enormous head.
"Cha-maru, what are you doing here?" Kyoko asked, slightly surprised to see the large ninken.
Whine~ Whine~
Cha-maru let out a couple of pitiful whines before shaking loose a pile of assorted items from his back.
"Did Tatsuya-san have you bring these for me?" Kyoko's face immediately lit up with delight as she looked at the things scattered on the floor.
Cha-maru nodded gloomily.
Ever since Tatsuya had left him in Kyoko's care, Cha-maru's life had been good. Not only was he well-fed and cared for daily, but his strength had also steadily and consistently increased. Over the past two years, Cha-maru had become the undisputed king among Konoha's ninken, much to the envy of the Inuzuka clan shinobi, who practically drooled whenever they saw him.
Just when Cha-maru, at the peak of his dog's life, was happily chatting with his girlfriend, Tatsuya had abruptly summoned him to the Land of Demons. Cha-maru had initially thought he'd finally get a chance to show off his prowess to his old master.
But who knew? Tatsuya's only purpose in summoning him was to act as a free delivery service.
All these miscellaneous trinkets Cha-maru carried back were things Tatsuya had specifically chosen for Kyoko during his time in the Land of Demons. For this girl, the first person he had truly gotten to know after arriving in the ninja world, Tatsuya held a deep, unwavering affection. She represented the softest, most hidden corner of his heart.
Tatsuya and Kyoko were happy, but Cha-maru was not! The nerve! Him, the mighty king of ninken, being used like a common porter!
Shooting Kyoko's blissfully happy face a resentful glance, Cha-maru tactfully decided to take his leave. Both his masters were completely unreliable!
Meanwhile, on the streets of Konoha, Anko Mitarashi's figure flickered rapidly across the rooftops.
Just as Kyoko had guessed, Anko was indeed tracking Uchiha Misuke, planning to stir up some trouble. A thrill of excitement was evident on Anko's face.
As her strength continued to grow, there were fewer and fewer ninja of her generation who could truly challenge her in a fight. Even her teammates – Yuhi Kurenai, Yugao Uzuki, and Gekko Hayate – struggled to withstand more than a few blows when facing Anko in her Cursed Seal state.
Uchiha Misuke was, without a doubt, an excellent opponent. She had already been a powerhouse within the Uchiha clan, and after receiving Tatsuya's "training," her strength had increased significantly. Anko was eager to see how she truly measured up against her – who was stronger, who was weaker.
Just as Anko was closing the distance to Misuke, her figure suddenly halted mid-leap.
On the street below, not far from her position, Anko spotted two familiar figures.
It was Yuhi Kurenai and Sarutobi Asuma!
Asuma had returned to Konoha over three months ago, no longer serving as one of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve of the Land of Fire. Although Kurenai and the others knew beforehand that Asuma was returning, the specific reasons remained unclear; his return had felt quite abrupt.
However, Anko's gaze didn't linger on the pair for long. Her attention quickly shifted to a shadowy corner not far behind Kurenai and Asuma.
Someone was there, tailing them.