So Fragrant

He had just returned from the front lines, first reporting at the Hokage Building, then heading back to the clan for another report.

He had barely stepped through the door!

And then he ran into Uchiha Mikoto, who was mentally shaken.

Inside the room.

No one knew how long had passed, but intermittent sobbing drifted out from within.

Looking at the room, from the entrance onward, it was a complete mess—everywhere bore the torn traces of their struggle.

Up the stairs, all the way to the bedroom!

"Yoru... I'm... sorry."

Uchiha Mikoto, her body covered in red welts, turned her head and showed a look of guilt toward Uchiha Yoru.

Yoru shook his head wearily.

"Sister Mikoto, lie still. I'll use Medical Ninjutsu to treat your injuries."

With that, Mikoto lay down on the bed, while Yoru's hands glowed with a faint green Medical Ninjutsu light.

It was only basic Medical Ninjutsu.

As he treated her, tears welled up in Mikoto's eyes, and she choked out in a low voice:

"Yoru, on this mission, my comrade! I saw Sakurako get killed with my own eyes, and it was all because we let our guard down...

When we passed a village after completing the mission, we saw an old man who looked pitiful. Sakurako kindly gave him some food, but in an instant, that man went berserk!"

As she spoke, two tomoe of blood-red Sharingan flickered in Mikoto's pupils from time to time, her gaze filled with regret and boundless hatred.

"That man was terrifying. He clearly had no Chakra at all, but in that moment! He turned into a monster, and then Sakurako! Sakurako had her neck bitten off by him. I could only watch as she stared at me, gasping for air..."

Listening to Mikoto's description, Yoru frowned inwardly. No Chakra, yet suddenly going berserk and turning into a monster?

That sounded a lot like someone's intel!

But when he saw the grief in Mikoto's eyes, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

This savage shinobi world—seemingly advanced, yet filled with cruelty.

Uchiha Mikoto had grown up with him, but her status was no small matter.

She was Elder Setsuna's granddaughter and one of the clan's rare female ninja prodigies.

The Uchiha Clan's Eye Awakening itself teetered on the edge of emotional collapse, and the special Chakra surging into the brain only made emotions more unstable—in layman's terms, it messed with your mind.

Looking at the history of Uchiha awakenings, everyone went through a phase from agitation to stability.

...In the bathroom...

"Yoru, thank you."

Utterly drained of strength, Uchiha Mikoto's spirit had finally been soothed.

Yoru yawned, casually stepped out of the bath, and threw on a robe. Damn it, this high-class life—he was starting to love it.

"Sister Mikoto, you're Elder Setsuna's granddaughter. I'm taking a huge risk here. If anyone else in the clan found out, you know what I mean!"

Yoru rubbed his fingers together in a money gesture, and Mikoto couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"So how much does little brother... Yoru want this time?"

"Sister Mikoto, we grew up together, but I can't compare to you. Swords, Exploding Tags, Steel Wire, Ration Pills—these are all precious supplies, especially since I haven't even awakened my Sharingan yet."

Yoru rattled on, while Mikoto soaked in the bath, her eyes half-closed, finally showing a rare look of relaxation.

She knew Yoru was changing the subject to ease her mood.

"Big sister doesn't have that much. How about I pay you with my body?"

No one would have guessed that Mikoto, usually so gentle and demure, could become so rebellious after awakening her Sharingan—night and day.

These words made Yoru choke on a cough. He quickly clasped his hands and whispered:

"Sister Mikoto, don't say things like that. If anyone outside heard, Elder Setsuna would skin me alive."

In this lighthearted atmosphere, Mikoto's tense emotions eased, and she slowly stepped out of the bath.

Young Uchiha Mikoto was the type who looked slim in clothes but had curves in all the right places.

Not that he hadn't seen it plenty of times before, ahem!

"These are the clan's advanced Shurikenjutsu and swordsmanship, plus a B-rank Lightning Style Ninjutsu: Lightning Style: False Darkness. Study them hard in the coming days—after all, this time the battlefield is almost entirely in the Land of Rain."

After skillfully pulling clothes from the wardrobe, Mikoto transformed back into that seemingly gentle and virtuous woman.

She took a scroll from the coat in the bedroom and tossed it over.

Catching the scroll, Yoru broke into a grin.

"Sister Mikoto, you're the best."

Hearing this, the now-calm Mikoto blushed. Normally, she wouldn't be so bold.

The last time she'd been like this was when she awakened her Sharingan from mental shock, and now it had happened again.

Such situations often bring out the darkest side of human nature.

The Uchiha Clan's Shurikenjutsu was among the finest in the ninja world, and when Uchiha Yoru unrolled the scroll, a look of admiration crossed his face.

He knew Uchiha Mikoto was worried about him, giving him these tools to ensure his survival.

He had only graduated a little over a year ago, and though he was still a Genin, his growth during this war, along with the accumulation of ninjutsu from his prestigious clan, had already made him a match for an ordinary Chunin.

Yet on the battlefield, even a Chunin's Chakra was insufficient—let alone a Jonin's.

So for a ninja of his level, relying on kenjutsu and Shurikenjutsu for ranged attacks could conserve a lot of Chakra, and that meant a chance to survive on the battlefield.

After all, he was a member of the Uchiha Clan. Even without an Eye Awakening, the Exploding Tags, kunai, and other tools in his ninja pouch far exceeded those of ordinary ninja at the same rank.

"Lightning Style, don't rush it. Take your time, but you must learn it. In the Land of Rain battlefield, our clan's Fire Style is limited."

Uchiha Mikoto spoke with grave seriousness. A B-rank Ninjutsu was already considered Jonin-level, and mastering it would be no small feat.

"Sister Mikoto, the kenjutsu and Shurikenjutsu are one thing, but this high-level Lightning Style ninjutsu..."

At that, Uchiha Yoru showed a hint of worry, but Uchiha Mikoto simply nodded calmly.

"It'll be fine. This time, the battlefield is in Amegakure. Since you have the Lightning Style affinity, I already applied for it in advance within the clan."

Hearing this, Uchiha Yoru broke into a smile.

As expected!

Even the stubborn Uchiha Clan had its share of human connections.

Uchiha Yoru's Chakra affinities were Fire, Lightning, and Earth.

"Yoru, gather at the village gate in three days. I am going to avenge Sakurako myself!"

Seeing Uchiha Mikoto's emotions starting to slip again, Uchiha Yoru pretended to be startled, then smiled.

"Sister Mikoto, one thing at a time. Let's call the last matter even. But this mission is dangerous—you'll have to pay extra!"

With a thump, Uchiha Mikoto grabbed a throw pillow and hurled it at him. Uchiha Yoru caught it just in time.

"Sister Mikoto, let's talk this out. Don't get mad. At least throw in a little extra, since we're leaving the village... Alright, alright, forget the money. But at least cover the ninja tool expenses for this mission..."

As Uchiha Yoru kept talking, Uchiha Mikoto simply vaulted out the window and disappeared.

But just before she left, despite her feigned anger, she felt a gentle breeze through the window and let out a light, relieved smile.

She knew Uchiha Yoru was just trying to calm her down. After all, her Sharingan had just evolved, and her emotions were especially sensitive during this time.

Watching Mikoto vanish into the distance as a small black dot through the window, Uchiha Yoru narrowed his eyes and smiled.