The scene of being on pins and needles quickly played out.
At this moment, Nohara Rin truly felt like she was sitting on a bed of nails.
She couldn't leave, nor could she stay.
Rin knew clearly that an Uchiha who had awakened the Sharingan was a completely different concept from one who hadn't.
Kaito had now awakened his eyes. Originally a genius no less talented than Kakashi, with the power of his bloodline, he was now even more formidable.
In the Chunin Exams, he would possess absolute dominance.
In the end, Rin could only force a smile and ask, "Kaito-kun, then how should I avoid strong enemies?"
She doesn't get it, huh.
No one who can become a medical ninja is a fool; after all, high intelligence is a prerequisite for the medical branch.
"..."
Kaito didn't speak; he first deactivated his Sharingan.
After the crimson hue faded, Kaito, whose eyes returned to black, began to size up Rin again.
His gaze moved from her face, bit by bit to her upper body, and then... to her legs.
Separated by a low table, Rin was kneeling on the tatami mat.
Noticing Kaito's gaze, Rin immediately realized the meaning in his eyes.
As a good-looking girl, it was natural to receive various looks from the people around her, and Rin knew very well what different gazes implied.
"Kaito-kun, he..."
Guessing the implication in Kaito's gaze, Rin felt it was somewhat unbelievable.
"Beautiful Uchiha" was one of Kaito's images in the minds of his peers.
Until today, Rin came to another conclusion... Uchiha Kaito was a "beautiful and dangerous Uchiha."
Kaito was still unscrupulously sizing up Rin's legs.
Brown knee-high stockings that looked like pantyhose.
Between the skirt hem and the stockings, there was a part of her thigh not covered by clothing. The skin was fair and smooth as milk.
Further up was the skirt hem. Underneath, tight safety shorts were faintly visible. These safety shorts actually looked like tight-fitting shaping underwear, outlining a looming beautiful scenery...
Rin pursed her lips tightly. Noticing the location Kaito locked onto, Rin associated it with the Chunin Exam in her heart. To pass smoothly, she had to get past Kaito.
Otherwise, he might eliminate her.
Thinking left and right, she couldn't come up with a way to deal with Kaito.
After all, during their time at the Ninja Academy, even Kakashi would easily lose to him. Specializing in medical ninjutsu, she was even less likely to be his opponent.
"Kaito-kun, aren't we... companions from the same village?"
With no other way, Rin could only speak as sincerely as possible, hoping Kaito would be lenient.
"Companions? Do you treat me as a companion?"
Kaito stared at Rin's skirt hem, a smile still hanging on his face.
"You suddenly changed your attitude. Actually, I can roughly guess something... It's nothing more than your Jonin instructor saying some things to you."
"!"
Being completely seen through, Rin felt as if she wasn't wearing anything in front of Kaito.
"I treat you as companions from the same village, but... you don't seem to think the same way."
Kaito shook his head.
"Show your sincerity. Maybe... I will choose to help you drive away strong enemies in the Chunin Exam."
Kaito didn't delve deeper into exposing Rin's inner thoughts and the matters behind the scenes; he directly applied pressure.
"..."
Awkward silence.
What should I do?
Reject this guy?
Then he will definitely use means to eliminate me in the Chunin Exam. The idea of catching up with Kakashi will go down the drain.
Tell Minato-sensei?
Leaving aside Uchiha Kaito's excellent personal conduct in the past, if I say it out, others will definitely not believe such a "fabrication"... How can I say such a thing? Besides, Minato-sensei can't participate in the Chunin Exam for me.
From beginning to end, this guy never said he would personally deal with me, only that I might encounter strong enemies in the Chunin Exam. It's impossible to catch him by the handle.
Rin struggled several times, feeling quite helpless in her heart.
Finally, she could only sigh in her heart and slowly... adjusted her sitting posture.
...
Today, the scenery in a certain natural landscape area was really nice.
Seeing Rin's embarrassed and annoyed look, the corners of Kaito's mouth couldn't help but slowly curl up.
Feeling it...
The right eye was throbbing.
A stream of heat generated in the right eye, the rhythm before the Sharingan opened.
That's right, this is the tune.
A forced melon isn't sweet, but it quenches thirst.
"Then, see you at the Chunin Exam..."
After Kaito paid for the tea and left, Rin quickly closed her legs and stood up from the tatami. She was both ashamed and annoyed, thinking, how did I compromise in such a muddled way?
"Anyway, he just looked... I won't lose a piece of meat... At least, this bit of sacrifice is worth it."
Rin could only comfort herself like this.
Just thinking that passing the Chunin Exam and promoting to Chunin would bring her closer to Kakashi, she felt the sacrifice was valuable.
Rin didn't know...
Kaito didn't agree to anything; "maybe" just meant maybe.
There were deeper developments waiting for her later.
...
Kaito left the dango shop and passed through the streets.
The medicinal herb shops of the Nara clan and the Akimichi clan were booming with business.
Since the Warring States Period, the Nara clan had owned a forest in the Land of Fire. Raising wild deer there was an important source of medicinal materials.
The Akimichi clan used secret medicines as ingredients and means to enhance combat power. In the original work... Tsunade treating the rookie genin borrowed from the Akimichi clan's secret prescriptions.
The two clans monopolized part of Konoha's medicinal herb business. Even Konoha Hospital had to buy from them if they wanted to use certain medicinal herbs for treatment.
Therefore... in the official novels, there were plots where many Konoha ninja couldn't afford treatment for their illnesses.
Ignoring the two expensive pharmacies, Kaito went straight to Konoha Hospital. Fortunately, soldier pills were not a secret formula, so the most genuine and cheap place to buy them was the hospital window.
In front of Konoha Hospital, people came and went.
A girl with short dark green hair was walking with a classical and dignified long-haired beauty.
Hyuga Natsu, a maid from the "Hyuga Branch House," and Hyuga Hazuki, the fiancée of the "Hyuga Main House" young patriarch Hyuga Hiashi.
"Hyuga Natsu-san."
Uchiha Kaito greeted her.
Hyuga Natsu turned around to respond.
Hyuga Hazuki looked at Kaito with some curiosity, then immediately remembered Kaito's past because of that unforgettable beautiful face: "I remember... he came to see Natsu-san before. A few years ago, he graduated early with Sakumo-san's son Hatake Kakashi, causing quite a stir at the time..."
"Kaito-kun, you're here to..." Hyuga Natsu asked.
Kaito: "Oh, I came to buy some soldier pills..."
As fellow dōjutsu families, theoretically, both sides shouldn't see eye to eye.
Regarding the topic of whether the Sharingan or the Byakugan was more powerful, the two clans did have a bit of a competitive flavor at times.
Relying on his good personal popularity, Kaito single-handedly brought his relationship with Hyuga Natsu closer during his time at the Ninja Academy.
After graduation, Hyuga Natsu served the Main House as a maid.
Hyuga Hazuki was the future mother of Hinata and Hanabi. Her body was relatively weak, so she often came to Konoha Hospital for checkups.
Kaito knew all these things clearly, so the content of the conversation was just ordinary small talk.
After exchanging pleasantries for a moment, Kaito turned and left.
Seeing the smile on Hyuga Natsu's face, Hyuga Hazuki couldn't help but frown.
Because of the "Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan," the Hyuga clan knew things they shouldn't know... and also things they should know.
Although they had no achievements in politics and didn't want any, considering their duty was purely to protect the Byakugan and pass on the clan, excellent and keen political sense... was an essential foundation for survival.
Whatever the Konoha higher-ups advocated, the Hyuga clan fully agreed with.
Therefore...
"Natsu, interact less with him and other Uchiha in the future."
Hyuga Hazuki's sudden instruction made Hyuga Natsu slightly stunned.
"Yes, Hazuki-sama."
Although she didn't understand why, a Branch House member serving the Main House only needed to obey orders.
"..."
Standing in the shadows, Kaito stared at this scene, his crimson Sharingan shining.
The Sharingan possessed the ability to "read lips."
Even from a distance, Kaito could fully "hear" their conversation.
"I treat the world with kindness, but the world treats me with malice. Now... malice for malice, we are even."
So, if something happens between everyone in the future, we can't blame each other for being unkind, can we?
After all, everyone is evil.
None of us are good people.
The corners of Kaito's mouth curled up slightly, his gaze sweeping over Hyuga Hazuki's voluptuous back.
Heat flowed in his eye sockets; his right eye... was throbbing.