Seeing Uzumaki Mito at this moment, Uchiha Yato immediately responded.
"I'm back, Granny."
This form of address made Uzumaki Mito feel a sudden sense of nostalgia.
In her eyes, the image of a small boy appeared before her.
With jet-black short hair and dirt smeared on his face, even though he had minor quarrels and disagreements with the other children, the smile on his face was still unmistakable.
That was the first time she had met Uchiha Yato.
At the time, Yato had just lost his parents, and the Uchiha Clan had yet to settle the matter of his guardianship.
As the wife of the Senju Clan leader, Uzumaki Mito had an obligation to care for the orphaned children of the Senju main family.
So, she decided to visit the boy.
The children around—or rather, the people around—knew her identity to some extent and regarded her with respect.
The Anbu stationed nearby, seeing Uzumaki Mito approach Uchiha Yato, feared that Yato might harm her and stood guard.
But Uzumaki Mito was more worried that such a display would frighten a child, so she ordered them all to withdraw.
She had the Anbu create a private space for just her and Uchiha Yato.
Once everyone had settled, Uzumaki Mito spoke.
"How are you? Does it still hurt?"
Yato was covered in mud, and it was clear from earlier that he had been roughhousing with a few other kids, leaving him with some bumps and scrapes.
Uchiha Yato didn't show any fear. In an innocent child's voice, he replied, "It's fine, Granny!"
"Everyone's friends. We were having fun, and a few bumps here and there are normal."
This answer surprised Uzumaki Mito.
The Uchiha Clan was infamous throughout the shinobi world for their stubbornness, yet in this child, she detected no trace of deceit.
To him, even if the village kids got him dirty, it didn't matter—as long as they had fun.
Uzumaki Mito decided to probe further. "Then, how about coming to live with Granny?"
"Your parents have gone somewhere far away. It'll be a long time before they return."
She intended to use a white lie to make the situation easier for Yato to accept.
Uchiha Yato smiled and said, "No need, Granny."
"The clan has already arranged for me to stay with Aunt Michiko."
"She's really nice. I trust her."
But as Yato spoke, Uzumaki Mito sensed something unusual in his emotions.
That's right—it was a lie!
Uchiha Yato was lying, but the lie wasn't in the latter part of his words.
It was from the very beginning…
More accurately, Uzumaki Mito's words had prompted Yato to lie.
Though young at the time, Uchiha Yato already understood everything.His parents had already passed away, and the other members of the Uchiha Clan couldn't possibly conceal things as delicately as Uzumaki Mito had.
Uchiha Yato had already cried his heart out elsewhere, and of course, others had comforted him too.
As a reincarnated individual, Uchiha Yato also knew that this was all too common in the shinobi world.
But he possessed human emotions—how could he not feel sorrow?
Seeing Uchiha Yato in this state, Uzumaki Mito smiled and said,
"I'm a relative of your father. Since you don't want to come stay with me, how about just coming over for a bath and a meal?"
Hearing Uzumaki Mito's words, Uchiha Yato didn't hesitate at all and immediately nodded in agreement.
And so, in front of everyone, Uzumaki Mito led Uchiha Yato away.
She also informed the Anbu and the Uchiha Clan to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.
Once they arrived home, Uchiha Yato didn't act too reserved. Following Uzumaki Mito's instructions, he went to bathe and prepare for dinner.
During this time, Uzumaki Mito wasn't idle either. Aside from preparing food, she also readied a medical kit.
When she saw Uchiha Yato again, she finally got a clear look at the boy.
Cleaned up, Uchiha Yato shed all the mud, revealing a fair and pristine boy before Uzumaki Mito's eyes.
His skin was as white as snow, smooth and delicate like fine jade, making one instinctively want to reach out and touch it.
Most striking were his large black eyes, deep as lakes, clear and bright.
When they moved, they shimmered with an indescribable, lively charm.
His plain yet unadorned face, though not deliberately sculpted, exuded an innate allure.
His tall nose bridge, well-defined lips, and slightly upturned corners of his mouth perfectly outlined his facial contours.
For a child, such features gave him a mature air while also highlighting his handsomeness.
Even the most ordinary facial features, when combined, somehow manifested the distinctive good looks characteristic of the Uchiha Clan, making him unforgettable at a glance.
Uzumaki Mito couldn't help but remark,
"The Uchiha Clan's genes are truly formidable—no matter how they're born, they always turn out good-looking."
Hearing Uzumaki Mito's praise, Uchiha Yato finally displayed the Uchiha Clan's signature tsundere trait.
And this side of him appeared exceptionally adorable in Uzumaki Mito's eyes.
Without giving Uchiha Yato much time to react, Uzumaki Mito swiftly picked him up, opened the medical kit, and began applying medicine.
This rapid sequence left Uchiha Yato both stunned and bewildered.
Was Uzumaki Mito's movement and reaction speed always this fast?
Her technique was remarkably skilled—whether the injuries were easily visible or not, she could locate and treat them with precision.
Uchiha Yato, for his part, fully embraced the demeanor befitting a child.
He asked directly, "How did you know where I was hurt?"
At this moment, Uchiha Yato's mind was calm. He intended to leverage the greatest advantage of his child identity—the freedom to speak without restraint—to probe for answers.Upon hearing Uchiha Yato's words, Uzumaki Mito smiled and said, "After boys fight, there are only a few places where they tend to get hurt."
"I've memorized them all by heart."
As the wife of a great clan leader, Uzumaki Mito had often taken care of the children in the clan during the early Warring States period. She had lost count of how many times she had treated the wounds left behind by the boys' roughhousing. Moreover, Uzumaki Mito could easily use chakra to perform a simple yet thorough check, making it even clearer whether Uchiha Yato had any hidden injuries. Thus, her method not only helped distract the children from their worries during treatment but also served as an effective medical practice.
After finishing the treatment, Uchiha Yato pondered Uzumaki Mito's words for a moment before saying, "There should also be the application of chakra involved, right? You're being sneaky—not telling the whole truth."
Hearing this, the elderly Uzumaki Mito's eyelids twitched, nearly ruining her gentle and loving demeanor. After calming herself, she said to Uchiha Yato, "Children shouldn't be so naughty."
Then, she pulled Uchiha Yato into her embrace and whispered softly, "If you're feeling wronged, let it out and cry."
"Crying will make you feel better inside..."
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Hey there's 60 chapter ahead here : patreon. com/Pain1231
Dont forget to remove the space okay!