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"Why not? Shouldn't we be helping her rescue the baby?"
Naruto couldn't understand why this big sister who just saved them suddenly wanted to split up.
"Rescue? You kids still look like Genin, right?"
Uchiha Mikoto spoke with the firmest stance, expressing her gentlest insistence.
"There are countless elite Hidden Cloud ninjas out there. You three Genin will only get in the way. It's best if you stay out of this."
"Don't underestimate us! I've even—uh—fought the Sage of Six Paths…"
"Even if we're Genin, we can still help."
Sasuke pulled Naruto aside before he could keep running his mouth, calmly fixing his gaze on the young woman before them.
She said she was just a few years older than them?
That means he hadn't been born yet in this timeline?
No… this place probably isn't real. And Ying said those things earlier to remind me not to lose myself here, didn't he?
"Hmph. I'm a Jonin. I don't need a bunch of little Genin tagging along."
Uchiha Mikoto didn't hesitate to reject the boy who kept staring at her weirdly—and even called her "Mom" earlier.
"Jonin?!"
Naruto looked stunned.
This big sister who didn't *seem* all that powerful… was actually a Jonin?
"I'm a genius with the Three Tomoe Sharingan, after all."
To dispel their doubts, Mikoto proudly revealed her fully matured Sharingan.
"Well, I actually think… maybe we shouldn't rescue that baby."
Uchiha Ying suddenly dropped a shocking line that left everyone confused.
"Growing up in the Hidden Cloud might be better than being raised in the Leaf—for a Uchiha."
"You… you might have a point."
Sasuke didn't catch on at first, but soon realized.
Right. All the Uchiha who stayed in the Leaf were later massacred. But if the baby grows up in the Cloud… maybe they'll survive.
"What are you two even talking about?! We need to save them!"
Naruto just couldn't comprehend the Uchiha brainwaves.
"What nonsense is this?!"
Mikoto was equally baffled.
The Uchiha bloodline—how could they allow it to be spread outside the clan?
She'd originally had a good impression of the quiet, handsome boy who helped heal her sister with medical ninjutsu and silently buried her… but now he was saying *this*?
How heartless were these Uchiha?!
Even that other Uchiha kid nodded in agreement?
Saving them was a total waste. That outsider boy was more compassionate than these two combined.
"…But if you're dead set on rescuing the child, I guess we'll tag along."
Ying suddenly reversed course with a smile.
"I don't need you!"
Mikoto huffed coldly, clearly displeased.
Whether or not she was truly angry over what he said, she *had* to shake these boys off.
She couldn't rescue them just to drag them back into danger again.
"Don't follow me."
"Wait!"
Just as Mikoto prepared to use the Body Flicker Technique to vanish, Ying grabbed her wrist.
"To be honest, the three of us have no idea where the Leaf's main force is right now. If you leave us here, we'll probably just die. We're better off sticking with a Jonin like you."
Since he knew this woman was Uchiha Mikoto, Ying could easily guess what she was thinking.
She didn't want to drag them into danger, right?
Still, he genuinely didn't think the baby being taken by the Hidden Cloud was all that bad.
Of course, *that* logic would never persuade Mikoto.
Even if they told her everything.
So instead, they'd help.
"Hey, your hand!"
Even if it was Ying, Sasuke couldn't just let him keep holding his mom's hand like that.
Watching his youthful mother get grabbed by his teammate felt… weird.
"If I don't hold her, she'll definitely run off."
Ying shrugged, but under Sasuke's intense stare, he reluctantly let go.
Seriously? Jealous over a wrist grab?
Was Sasuke… a closet mom-con?
"Y-You're serious? You guys really…"
Mikoto hesitated after hearing Ying's explanation.
So they were lost too?
But… was it really okay to take them with her to rescue the baby?
"That's right. So for now, we'll move together."
Ying knew there was no way Sasuke would leave Mikoto behind. And he wouldn't let Sasuke's mother walk into the Hidden Cloud base alone either.
Besides—
[Stage 1 Mission 'Survive' Complete]
[Stage 2 Mission: Assist Uchiha Mikoto in Rescuing the Baby]
The system had just updated with a new mission.
Which meant—no matter what—they *had* to save that baby now.
---
---
"Are we just gonna keep waiting here?"
Mikoto wasn't thrilled about it, but she couldn't abandon the three Genin either.
So now they were back in the mountains near the Hidden Cloud camp.
Each of them used stealth techniques to stay hidden from patrolling enemy ninja.
"No rush. If they only captured the child, they probably won't kill them. Might even be treating them well."
Ying used the Byakugan to scan the entire camp and finally located a tent in the center that seemed to house a baby.
But that was the central zone—crawling with strong chakra signatures.
One in particular was *so* powerful, even Ying couldn't see through it.
A Jinchūriki?
"You…"
Wasn't *she* supposed to be the Jonin leading this mission?
Why did it feel like she was being led around by this kid?
Still… he had a point. If they wanted to kill the baby, they would've done it already. Since they captured them instead, the baby was probably still safe—for now.
"And besides, even if we save the baby, none of us have milk to feed them."
Ying glanced at Mikoto's chest.
Though it was… well-endowed, Mikoto was still a young girl. She couldn't possibly nurse a child.
"I…"
Caught by his gaze, Mikoto's cheeks flushed a soft pink.
"But the Cloud ninjas probably don't have milk either…"
"They can at least get powdered formula."
Ying quickly looked away from her chest—because Sasuke's creepy stare was drilling holes into his back.
Come on, it's not like he had any weird thoughts. Did Sasuke *have* to glare like that?
"So what now? Just wait here doing nothing?"
"I've observed their movements. Iwa seems to be losing ground. That means the Cloud forces will likely go help press the attack. Once that happens, the rear camp will be lightly guarded, and they'll let their guard down."
"I see… But how did you figure out Iwa is losing? You can't even see the battlefield from here."
Mikoto genuinely didn't know how Ying came to that conclusion.
"Because the number of injured Cloud ninja has decreased."
Ying pointed toward the medical tents in the camp.
And of course, he'd also read this part in the Leaf's history books.
"You're very observant…"
Aside from t
hat one questionable line earlier, this boy had been flawless.
Still… how had she never heard of such a talented Uchiha before?
Mikoto found herself growing more and more curious about Uchiha Ying.
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