On the afternoon of the sixth day in Kumogakure.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across the land of Kumogakure, stretching the shadows of two people very long.
Chiya and Nii Yugito walked side by side on a secluded path, surrounded by lush green woods. Occasionally, a few bird calls rang out, adding a touch of life to this quiet evening.
"Chiya, why did you suddenly think to bring me here today?"
Nii Yugito tilted her head slightly, her golden braided ponytail swaying gently in the wind, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
Chiya smiled, his gaze looking at her tenderly.
"I heard the sunset here is beautiful. I wanted to see it with you."
Nii Yugito's cheeks flushed slightly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.
"You... you're always like this, suddenly saying things that make my heart race."
Chiya feigned surprise.
"Oh? What did I say? I'm just speaking the truth."
Nii Yugito let out a soft hum, pretending to be angry as she turned her head away, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upward.
Seeing this, Chiya stopped and looked at her.
"Are you angry?"
"No way!"
The distance between them closed. Nii Yugito could clearly feel the heat of Chiya's breath. Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, as if it would jump out of her chest.
Chiya lowered his head to gaze at her, his voice low and gentle.
"Yugito, actually I've always wanted to tell you..."
"Wh-what?"
Nii Yugito's voice trembled slightly. Her eyes looked at Chiya, both expectant and nervous.
"Your eyes, they're truly beautiful in the setting sun."
Chiya said softly, his fingers gently brushing past the corner of her eye.
Nii Yugito froze, then her entire face flushed bright red, even her earlobes染上 染上了粉色.
She lowered her head in panic, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"You... don't talk nonsense!"
Chiya laughed softly and turned around smoothly.
"If one day I need to take you away from here, will you agree?"
"I will!"
Nii Yugito answered without hesitation.
Chiya looked at the seriousness on her face and smiled slightly.
"Let's go. If it gets any later, we won't be able to see the sunset."
Nii Yugito secretly glanced at him, a warm current surging in her heart.
She had never thought that as a Jinchuriki, she could be treated with such gentleness.
She quickly moved closer to Chiya. Their arms lightly touched, as if this could calm the pounding of her heart.
However, Chiya's gaze inadvertently caught a black shadow flashing through the woods.
His eyes narrowed slightly, but quickly returned to normal.
'Kumogakure's ANBU?'
'It seems my contact with Yugito has already attracted the village's attention.'
'However, I don't care about these things.'
The two walked side by side up the slope. The distant sky had already been dyed a brilliant orange-red by the evening clouds.
Nii Yugito stood beside Chiya, gazing at the scenery before her, her eyes full of wonder.
"It's really beautiful..."
Chiya turned his head to look at her. The soft light of the setting sun gilded her with a golden edge, making her entire person look dreamlike and illusory.
He said softly.
"Yes, truly beautiful."
Nii Yugito noticed his gaze and turned to meet his eyes. As their eyes met, their heartbeats seemed to synchronize.
She gathered her courage and asked in a small voice.
"Chiya-kun, you... why are you so good to me?"
Chiya smiled slightly and reached out to tuck the strands of hair blown by the wind behind her ear.
"Because you are you. That's all."
A simple sentence, yet it made Nii Yugito's eyes slightly moisten.
She lowered her head, her voice trembling.
"No one has ever... said that to me before."
Chiya reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, feeling the slight trembling of her body.
At first, Chiya still felt some guilt about getting close to Nii Yugito.
But as he spent more time in contact with Yugito, Chiya was also attracted to her.
On the surface she seemed cold and beautiful, with a strong personality.
But in reality, her heart was the most delicate, soft, and warm.
"I will always stay with you."
Nii Yugito leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. The ice in her heart seemed to be melting bit by bit.
The sun set in the west, and night fell.
Chiya escorted Nii Yugito near her home. The two reluctantly said goodbye.
"Tomorrow... can we still meet?"
Nii Yugito looked up at him, a complex emotion in her eyes.
"Of course."
Nii Yugito showed a brilliant smile, the complexity in her eyes disappearing.
She nodded forcefully.
"Mm, I'll wait for you at home!"
After watching Nii Yugito enter the house, Chiya turned and left.
After a while.
Nii Yugito walked out from inside, gazing at Chiya's departing back, her eyes flickering.
"When you leave, will you really take me with you?"
Nii Yugito's lips moved slightly, murmuring in a low voice.
Thinking of this question made her feel like her heart had suddenly stopped, making it difficult to breathe.
"Matatabi, what do you think?"
"..."
On the other side.
As soon as Chiya reached his door, his Sharingan caught a furtive figure hiding in the shadows beside the door.
He pretended not to notice and pushed open the door casually, then gently closed it, but didn't completely shut it.
Sure enough, before long, light footsteps came from outside the door, followed by rustling sounds.
A strange expression flashed across Chiya's face. He suddenly pulled open the door.
"Ah!"
A cry of alarm rang out. The figure lost support and directly fell into Chiya's arms.
Under the lamplight, Chiya saw clearly the person in his arms. As expected, it was his new neighbor Samui.
Her short blonde hair appeared somewhat disheveled due to panic. A blush spread across her fair cheeks. Her usually cold gaze was now full of panic.
"How much longer are you going to lean on me?"
Chiya raised an eyebrow and asked.
Only then did Samui come back to her senses. She hastily pushed him away and retreated several steps. The blush on her face spread all the way to the roots of her ears.
She stammered.
"I, I was just... passing by!"
Chiya looked at her with a half-smile.
"Passing by and ended up sprawled on my door?"
Having been exposed, Samui glared at him in embarrassment and annoyance, but because of her guilty conscience, it had.
She turned to leave, but Chiya called out to her.
"Wait."
Samui's steps halted. She turned back warily.
"What?"
Chiya took out a paper-wrapped package from his chest. Opening it revealed golden dorayaki inside.
"Want some?"
Samui froze, her gaze wandering back and forth between the dorayaki and Chiya's face.
She wanted to refuse, but her stomach betrayed her with a "gurgle."
Her face instantly flushed bright red. She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Chiya couldn't help but laugh and held the dorayaki in front of her.
"Don't be polite. I just bought them, they're still warm."
Samui hesitated for a moment, but ultimately took the dorayaki and said in a small voice.
"Th-thank you... I'll buy one and return it to you tomorrow!"
She lowered her head and took a bite. The sweet red bean filling melted in her mouth, making her tense expression unconsciously relax.
Chiya watched her eat in small bites and suddenly felt that this usually aloof new neighbor girl also had a cute side.
"Is it good?"
Samui nodded, then immediately realized and quickly put on a stern face.
"I, I'll go back first!"
Having said that, she turned and quickly left, her retreating figure appearing somewhat flustered.
"Tonight, rest early. Train less. Balancing work and rest is the right way!"
Chiya watched her flee in panic and couldn't help but laugh, finally not forgetting to call out advice.
He closed the door properly and returned inside.
Chiya had just sat down when a slight sound came from the window.
A black shadow flashed past. Uchiha Shisui appeared silently before him.
"Sensei, there's a situation."
Shisui's expression was solemn as he spoke in a low voice.
Chiya put away his smile and sensed the surroundings before signaling him to continue.
"Kumogakure is secretly assembling troops. Their target is the northern battlefield where our Uchiha Clan is located."
Shisui handed over a scroll.
"This is intelligence I intercepted from Kumogakure's ANBU."
Chiya unrolled the scroll and quickly scanned through it. A trace of coldness flashed in his eyes.
"I didn't expect that Ōnoki would be so willing. He actually sent his own son to Kumogakure as a hostage."
"It looks like the plan should have succeeded."
"Iwagakure lost three hundred ninja this time and had seven or eight hundred injured. It wasn't a waste of effort."
"According to the current intelligence, the two countries have reached some kind of cooperation in secret!"
"To make that old hothead Third Raikage stop, it seems Iwagakure sent a heavyweight character this time!"
"I just don't know what the two countries are plotting with their cooperation."
Shisui was somewhat worried.
"Sensei, should we evacuate early?"
Chiya closed the scroll and pondered for a moment before speaking.
"We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. However..."
He paused, Nii Yugito's figure appearing in his eyes.
"I need to bring someone along when we leave."
Shisui was stunned.
"Nii Yugito?"
Chiya nodded.
"If she stays here, she'll only become a sacrifice of war."
Shisui wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he only said.
"Sensei, Kumogakure won't easily let a Jinchuriki go."
Chiya sneered.
"Then we'll see if they have the ability to stop me."
Uchiha Shisui nodded silently.
Then he returned to his own room and began packing his things.
Late at night, Chiya stood by the window.
Gazing at the nightscape of Kumogakure.
"Kumogakure and Iwagakure... actually cooperating in secret."
"This doesn't seem to appear in the original story."
"I remember Iwagakure even sneak-attacked Kumogakure. Could there be a new butterfly effect?"
Chiya couldn't figure it out and stopped overthinking.
The corners of his mouth curved into a confident arc.
"Whatever cooperation they have, I'll block soldiers with generals and water with earth."
"Although I'm used to obtaining the greatest harvest with the smallest effort, pursuing cost-effectiveness."
"But if none of that works, then I'll let my strength do the talking."
"Any conspiracy or scheme will be vulnerable before absolute strength."
"Cooperation? Hmph, nothing but chickens and broken tiles!"
━━━━━━━━━━━━
❤️ Enjoying the Story?
⭐ Every 500 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter!
📖 Read 120 chapters ahead on Patreon.
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
Thank you for your support!
━━━━━━━━━━━━