As Might Guy and his companions stood there, a growing crowd of ninjas began to swarm the mission board.
"Holy crap, am I seeing things?!"
"Seeking heirs with heavy rewards?"
"Is the Uchiha clan serious right now?"
"Have they completely abandoned their family pride?"
"The Uchiha are one of Konoha's top elite clans! They used to value their honor more than their lives. How could they do something that tarnishes their name like this?"
"Wait, is this reward amount for real?"
"This is insane! Absolutely insane!"
"Darn, as expected of a noble house—their wealth is staggering. I'm a guy and even I'm feeling tempted by this much cash."
The entire Mission Hall was in an absolute frenzy.
"My younger sister isn't married yet. I'm definitely making her take this mission!"
"I don't have a sister, but I have a married older sister. She's got wide hips; she'll definitely give birth to a big, healthy Uchiha son. I'm going right now to tell her to divorce that useless brother-in-law of mine!"
"Hey! You're actually going to make your married sister take the mission? Have you no shame?"
"I can't help it! The Uchiha are simply offering too much! I'll just have to let my sister suffer a little for the sake of the family fortune."
"Dammit, life is so unfair! Why don't I have any sisters?"
"Brother, actually... you still have your lush and fertile mother!"
"You're right! My mom is only thirty-three; she can still have kids! The tragedy the Uchiha faced is truly heartbreaking. As a fellow shinobi of the Leaf, I've decided to gift them a younger brother to help their prosperity!"
"Brother, it might be a sister."
"Right, right! If it's a sister, we'll just have her have two! A boy and a girl—a perfect pair. Hahaha!"
"Actually, I have some bad news for you."
"What news?"
"Your mom is thirty-three. She's outside the age requirement."
"Noooooo!"
The Mission Hall had descended into utter chaos. The astronomical rewards were driving ordinary ninjas to the brink of madness; people were ready to offer up their own mothers just to claim the bounty.
One couldn't really blame them for the hysteria. The world was strictly stratified, and the Uchiha were a legendary clan known throughout the entire shinobi world. Carrying the Uchiha name brought immense prestige and countless advantages.
The combination of status, fame, and a massive fortune was enough to make any ordinary kunoichi lose her mind. More importantly, as a top-tier clan surviving since the Warring States period, the Uchiha possessed numerous secret techniques—knowledge that ordinary ninjas could never hope to touch in their lifetime.
Kakashi watched the frenzied mob with wide eyes, his lip twitching.
Might Guy, having been shoved out of the crowd, stared in disbelief. "This... this is a bit much, isn't it? It's just a bit of money!"
Kakashi stood beside him, his gaze heavy. "Not everyone can reach the rank of Jōnin, Guy. Some Genin might not save up 100,000 Ryo in their entire lives."
"Furthermore," Kakashi continued, "marrying into the Uchiha means taking their name. This 'Seeking Heirs' tactic of Uchiha Raizen's... though it seems crude, one has to admit it is the fastest way to repopulate the clan. Once word spreads, all of Konoha will be swept up in this storm."
"He really is a troublesome fellow," Kakashi muttered.
The news of the Uchiha's reward spread through Konoha like a swarm of locusts. Meanwhile, Kurenai Yuhi reached the Uchiha compound without stopping to catch her breath.
The thought of finally seeing the man she had loved all these years filled her with a mixture of intense excitement and nervous anticipation. Since only Raizen and Sasuke lived there, the compound was unguarded, and Kurenai slipped into the interior with ease.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
As she approached the lake, she heard a youthful voice. Following the sound, she found Sasuke practicing by the water. Standing behind the boy was a tall, handsome man—the very person she had pined for.
Tears of joy began to fall uncontrollably.
Now that he was right in front of her, Kurenai found herself slowing down. She wiped her eyes, smoothed her hair, and composed her expression, walking toward him step by step with a smile.
But as she walked, she suddenly felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She froze in her tracks, her feet unable to move another inch.
From behind the handsome man, a woman appeared. She walked with a slight, awkward stiffness and leaned directly into the man's embrace. The man held her tenderly, a look of profound gentleness on his face as he kissed her forehead.
The tears she had just wiped away came flooding back. Kurenai couldn't believe her eyes. The man she had waited for was holding another woman, kissing her with the same tenderness he once reserved for her.
Kurenai's mind went blank. In an instant, her entire world lost its color. She stumbled, falling to the ground with a sharp thud.
Hearing the noise, Raizen looked up in confusion toward the source, only to catch sight of a disappearing back.
That silhouette...
Raizen froze. His thoughts raced back five years. That retreating figure overlapped perfectly with the one in his memories.
"Is that you, Kurenai?"
Raizen sighed inwardly. This moment had come sooner than he expected. When he accepted the System's mission, he knew this was inevitable, but he hadn't prepared for it to happen so fast.
"What is it, Lord Raizen?" Momoko asked, noticing his dazed expression.
"It's nothing. I think I saw someone I know. Momoko, sit here for a moment. I'll be right back."
Raizen helped Momoko onto a lounge chair. She looked at him with adoring eyes and smiled. "Be careful, Lord Raizen. I'll be waiting for you."
Raizen nodded and vanished in a Body Flicker.
Kurenai was walking blindly through the paths of the Uchiha compound, her face drenched in tears, her soul seemingly departed. Raizen followed the trail and quickly caught up with her.
"You still wear your hair the same way, Kurenai."
Raizen flickered in front of her, blocking her path with a gentle smile.
Kurenai stopped. She wiped her eyes and forced a strained, painful smile. "You're back, Raizen-kun."
"Since you're here, why not come inside and sit for a while?" Raizen asked.
"I just remembered I have a mission. I just wanted to see that you were alive. That's enough," she said, her voice trembling.
"You saw the mission I posted, didn't you?"
Kurenai wiped her eyes again. "I did. Seeing that you're alive... it makes me happy."
"Is there anything else you want to say to me?"
Kurenai shook her head. "No."
"I'm leaving. Go back inside." Kurenai moved to walk past him.
Raizen watched her back in silence. After a few steps, Kurenai stopped.
"Raizen-kun... if I had confessed to you back then, would you have stayed for me?"
Raizen thought for a brief moment before answering truthfully.
"No."