Uzumaki Mito's Trust

Uzumaki Mito's Trust

Sunlight spilled across the lush branches, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Cicadas and birds occasionally called in the distance, while the faintly salty sea breeze brushed against their faces. Everything was so pleasant.

In the distance, a man and a woman were nestled together. The older man supported the girl's back with his left hand while reaching toward her belt with his right.

The girl showed no intention of resisting. Her beautiful eyes held a hint of spring, and she obediently leaned against the man, allowing him to do as he pleased. The air between them was thick with tender ambiguity.

That was the scene Uzumaki Hanado witnessed.

"You beast, what are you doing?!"

Uzumaki Hanado's rage was like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Boiling lava surged wildly through his heart, making his entire body tremble slightly with fury.

Startled by the thunderous shout, the two looked up and saw a red-haired man with delicate features but a body built like steel. The instant Uchiha Gin saw him, a line popped into his mind.

"Broad-backed and burly, yet handsome."

Only after hearing the man's words did Uchiha Gin belatedly realize that his current posture seemed highly improper. The little girl in his arms, Uzumaki Mito, turned scarlet, and with a puff, a cloud of steam rose from her head. Then her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Uchiha Gin caught the unconscious Uzumaki Mito. However, he moved too forcefully and tore her already ripped clothes even further.

With several ripping sounds, the girl's clothing was completely ruined. Her original outer garment was reduced to a few scraps hanging from her body, and her exposed fair, tender skin gleamed like flawless jade beneath the sunlight.

Feeling the soft, warm sensation in his hand, Uchiha Gin fell silent.

After a moment, he raised his head, his gaze as clear as that of a sage. "If I said this was all a misunderstanding, you wouldn't disbelieve me, right?"

Hearing the Uchiha Clan member caught red-handed still trying to argue, Uzumaki Hanado cracked his knuckles loudly.

Scarlet Chakra erupted from his body like roaring flames, while his eyes shone with a devouring light.

Sensing the pressure radiating from the man even from afar, Uchiha Gin inwardly cried out that things were bad. Even if he were slower than usual, he could tell that this man's strength was no less than Uchiha FengHuo's, perhaps even more oppressive.

"At this point, only your blood can wash away little Mito's humiliation."

As Uzumaki Hanado spoke, he advanced toward Uchiha Gin step by step.

In his panic, Uchiha Gin shook the limp Uzumaki Mito against him. Seeing that she showed no reaction at all, he directly gave her a hard knock between her two buns.

"Wake up! Explain this for me, or your clansman is going to kill me."

The heavy blow jolted Uzumaki Mito awake. Still dazed, she looked at the anxious Uchiha Gin beside her.

Her little mouth opened as she prepared to say something, but then she caught sight of the muscular man approaching from the corner of her eye. Her eyes instantly filled with terror. Forgetting all propriety between men and women, she pulled Uchiha Gin's head down and whispered into his ear.

"Take me hostage. Don't let Hanado-bro take me back."

The girl's head rested beside his cheek, and her unique fragrance made Uchiha Gin's nose itch, nearly causing him to sneeze.

Her little lips parted beside his ear, and her warm breath brushed against it, sending a shiver through him. Then he remembered the girl's age, and Uchiha Gin immediately suppressed the unrest in his heart.

Amitabha, Amitabha. I'm not a lolicon. I'm not a lolicon.

Survival came first. Uchiha Gin wrapped one arm around Uzumaki Mito's neck and drew a sharp Kunai from behind him with the other. Putting on a ferocious expression, he pressed the Kunai against the girl and said sinisterly,

"Hehehe... You don't want anything to happen to her, do you?"

Seeing the Uchiha Clan member's "true colors" exposed, Uzumaki Hanado stopped walking. Struggling to restrain himself, he said in a deep voice,

"Despicable Uchiha, what will it take for you to release my Younger Sister?" His fists were clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms.

Uzumaki Hanado, Uzumaki Ashina's eldest son, had perfectly inherited the Uzumaki Clan's talents.

His abilities in ninjutsu, genjutsu, physical arts, and constitution were all maxed out. Hailed as the strongest genius the Uzumaki Clan had seen in a century, he possessed strength comparable to an Uzumaki Clan Elder despite only being in his teens.

Not long ago, the Uzumaki Clan's little Princess, Uzumaki Mito, had gone missing. Uzumaki Hanado, who usually doted on his Younger Sister, immediately led his men out to search for her.

"What am I supposed to say?"

Hiding his head behind Uzumaki Mito, Uchiha Gin quietly asked.

Feeling a man's breath against her, the girl immediately felt dizzy. But time was pressing, so she gritted her teeth and spoke to the man behind her.

"Aren't you a professional Trafficker? Do I need to teach you that?" Uzumaki Mito asked strangely.

"When did I ever say I was a Trafficker?" So she still hadn't figured out who he was?

"Huh?"

Seeing that damnable Uchiha actually daring to move his mouth near his precious Younger Sister's neck, Uzumaki Hanado felt as though his heart were being twisted by a knife. He wished he could tear Uchiha Gin to pieces and grind his bones to dust.

Just as the two sides were locked in a standoff, fighting sounds came from the forest. As the sounds drew closer, several figures appeared before Uchiha Gin in a sorry state.

They were Uchiha FengHuo and the others, whom he had separated from not long ago. They were now covered in dirt, especially Uchiha Ryoichi, whose arm had been bent out of shape and hung limply at his side while his other hand continued throwing Shuriken.

The instant Uchiha FengHuo saw Uchiha Gin, he shouted,

"Uchiha Gin, take that brat and go! The Uzumaki Clan's target is that brat!"

That brat? Uchiha Gin looked at Senju Itama, who had been kicked more than ten meters away by him and was still unconscious, then looked at Uzumaki Mito, with whom he was temporarily cooperating. His head immediately began to ache.

Hearing Uchiha FengHuo's words, Uzumaki Hanado's eyes widened furiously. "And you still call it a misunderstanding? You despicable Uchiha!"

"Is there no way to settle this peacefully?" Uchiha Gin asked the Uzumaki Mito in his hands.

"Run already!"

Uzumaki Mito, who had no desire to return home, urged him on.

Easy for her to say. The several Uzumaki Clan members opposite them were all formidable.

Uzumaki Hanado, the strongest among them, had not even made a move, yet Uchiha FengHuo and the others were already struggling to hold on. With his little bit of strength, how could he possibly escape?

"Why don't you explain to your Brother that this is a misunderstanding? Then we can turn swords into plowshares and make it a fine tale."

Uchiha Gin tried to persuade the girl.

"No! If you don't take me and run, I'll tell my Brother that you bullied me."

Seeing Uchiha Gin wavering, Uzumaki Mito pouted and threatened him.

"How can a mouth that's thirty-six degrees say something so cold?"

Only petty people and women are hard to deal with.

At this point, simply handing Uzumaki Mito over would no longer resolve things.

Senju Itama's presence was bound to be discovered by the Uzumaki Clan, and as one of the Uzumaki Clan's upper ranks, Uzumaki Hanado might have seen Senju Itama before.

As the Senju Clan's loyal ally, the Uzumaki Clan would definitely not turn a blind eye. Senju Itama was tied to his mission. Before he succeeded, he absolutely could not let the boy leave his sight.

After pulling away from an Uzumaki Clan member, Uchiha FengHuo flashed over to Uchiha Gin. When he saw Uzumaki Mito restrained in Uchiha Gin's hands, he froze for a moment, but there was no time to ask questions. "Where's the Senju Clan brat?"

Uchiha Gin gestured with his chin toward the unconscious Senju Itama nearby. "I'll cover you. Take him and withdraw first."

Without giving it further thought, Uchiha FengHuo said this.

Uchiha Gin was confused. Why was he, the weakest one, being told to withdraw first? Was it merely because he was the Clan Leader's nephew?

But there was no time to think. Uchiha FengHuo had already thrown Senju Itama onto his back. Now Uchiha Gin had a small one on his back and a bigger one in his arms, looking exactly like a nanny.

After giving his instructions, Uchiha FengHuo gave him a deep look, then returned to the battlefield to tangle with the two Uzumaki Clan members, buying time for Uchiha Gin's retreat.

Watching his Captain's departing back, Uchiha Gin suddenly felt moved. Though Uchiha FengHuo usually never treated him kindly, he had chosen to cover Uchiha Gin's retreat at a moment like this. Without any further hesitation, Uchiha Gin turned and fled west.

"Jin, your child has already grown so much."

Seeing Uchiha Gin leave, Uchiha FengHuo sighed inwardly. He's just too weak. Nothing like you at all.

"Don't think you can escape!"

Seeing Uchiha Gin fleeing with his Younger Sister, Uzumaki Hanado immediately panicked.

He forcefully pushed off with both feet and prepared to chase after Uchiha Gin. But the moment he rose, he saw a pair of cold Sharingan before him. Three tomoe slowly turned within them, radiating a bewitching glow.

"If you want to get past, you'll have to get through me first."

At some point, Uchiha FengHuo had knocked down his two opponents and blocked Uzumaki Hanado's path.

"Seeking death!"

Uzumaki Hanado's explosive power was astonishing. The punch he threw carried the force of ten thousand pounds, and the wind pressure made Uchiha FengHuo's face sting.

"You've already made eye contact with me."

"?"

Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique, one of the Uchiha Clan's signature genjutsu, and a ninjutsu Uchiha Itachi often used later to show off.

It used the Sharingan to pull the opponent into a genjutsu space, where the Sharingan wielder formed massive iron stakes through illusion and drove them into the opponent's body, leaving them unable to move.

Having let his guard down, Uzumaki Hanado fell for it. In the blink of an eye, the scene changed, and he found himself in a sea of blood. Several massive steel stakes pinned him in place, leaving him unable to move.

In the real world, Uchiha FengHuo, somewhat drained, covered his eyes. The soreness was far too intense, so he closed his Sharingan. "As expected, using it against an opponent of this level is still rather taxing."

Seeing Uzumaki Hanado trapped in the genjutsu, Uchiha FengHuo turned to help Uchiha Ryoichi and the others. The three of them were surrounding and attacking the long-haired Uzumaki Clan member, while the remaining weaker Uzumaki Clan members had already been knocked to the ground.

Just then, Uzumaki Hanado's voice reached Uchiha FengHuo's ears. "You almost got me."

Turning around, Uchiha FengHuo stared in disbelief at the man who had regained consciousness. He had prepared that genjutsu for a long time, and a single glance had drained more than half of his Dojutsu Power.

"Fortunately, my father gave me a Sealing Technique that can block one mental attack."

As Uzumaki Hanado spoke, he revealed the symbol on his chest formed from tadpole-like writing. The markings were gradually fading.

Remembering the Sealing Technique his father had placed on him before his departure, Uzumaki Hanado felt a burst of relief.

"Tch, what a nuisance."

Remembering that the Uzumaki Clan excelled at Sealing Techniques, Uchiha FengHuo helplessly activated his Sharingan again. The second round between the two began.

Elsewhere, Uchiha Gin, who had been fleeing all the way, suddenly stopped. Under Uzumaki Mito's puzzled gaze, he set both people down, checked his Ninja Tool pouch, and said nothing.

"What are you trying to do?"

The girl tugged at Uchiha Gin's sleeve and asked.

"You're free now. If I don't come back, help me send this brat back to the Senju Clan."

Uchiha Gin lowered his head and spoke to Uzumaki Mito.

"You're going back to die? My Brother is very strong. You definitely can't take even one punch from him."

Seeing that he intended to go back and die, the girl hurriedly tried to stop him.

"I want to live too. I want to live long enough to see Konoha."

Uchiha Gin sighed.

He thought of the proud but prickly Uchiha Ryoichi, the cold-faced but warm-hearted Uchiha Tsuru, the honest and straightforward Uchiha Dairou, and Uchiha FengHuo, who seemed to treat him with special concern.

Although he had only transmigrated a few days ago, the time they had spent together had formed no shallow Bonds between him and them.

"I really can't bring myself to abandon them."

His gaze then hardened. He pulled his hand free from Uzumaki Mito's grasp and rose to leave.

"Wait!" Uzumaki Mito seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

"What? Are you afraid I'll defeat your Brother?"

Seeing her expression, Uchiha Gin could not help teasing her.

"Of course not. You can't possibly be a match for Brother. Other than Father, no one in the clan can defeat Brother head-on."

Uzumaki Mito said with lingering fear.

After speaking, the hesitant girl took a black Bead from her bag and handed it to Uchiha Gin.

Curiously examining the item she had given him, Uchiha Gin picked it up and studied it closely. It was a pearl, with ink-black patterns slowly flowing over its dark surface.

"Be careful with it. My father gave it to me for protection. A Sealing Technique is inscribed inside the Bead. Once activated with Chakra, it can temporarily trap my Brother. You can use that chance to escape."

"Aren't you afraid that after trapping your Brother with this thing, I'll kill him?"

Holding the Bead, Uchiha Gin looked at the girl before him and asked probingingly.

"You won't."

The girl answered seriously, her bright watery eyes filled with trust in him.

"Why are you so sure I won't?"

Uchiha Gin was somewhat puzzled by the girl's strange confidence in him.

"I was born with a talent that lets me sense the good and evil in people around me."

The girl explained, "From the very first time I saw you, I didn't sense any malice from you."

"You're a good person," the girl concluded.

"Uh..."

Uchiha Gin pursed his lips after somehow receiving a good-person card. He accepted the Bead and patted the girl's Bun Hairstyle.

"What a convenient ability. Thank you."

The Otsutsuki descendants truly had all kinds of strange abilities. No wonder the girl trusted him so much. She possessed an ability similar to the Crown Prince's ability to sense good and evil in Kurama Mode in the future.

After thanking her, Uchiha Gin ran toward the site of the earlier battle.

"System, is there any way for me to get through this crisis?"

Feeling the disparity in strength, Uchiha Gin could not help trying to ask the system.

After a moment of silence,

"The system has not yet been fully activated and cannot provide assistance to the host."

"Flying Dance System, what use are you?!"

The disgust in Uchiha Gin's heart grew even stronger. He had thought that activating the system would let him soar to greatness, allowing him to live a good life trampling Kaguya underfoot and punching aliens.

Who would have thought that this half-finished Ancient System not only had an elimination mechanism, but also handed out rewards like squeezing toothpaste?

The beginner's gift pack had given him utter trash, and even after rolling a skill, he still had to gather fragments to synthesize it. Forget taking off—his experiences over the past few days alone had already put him through hell.

If he had known, he would never have activated this Ancient System. With his limited knowledge of the plot, he could have at least laid low until Konoha was founded, then slipped away to hide in some remote small country during the Uchiha Clan's honeymoon period with Konoha and peacefully enjoy his old age. Wouldn't that have been wonderful?

"What a goddamn scam of a system."

Uchiha Gin grumbled angrily.

"Ding! Strong dissatisfaction detected from the host. The system is issuing the challenge mission, 'Save the Uchiha.'"

"Save Uchiha FengHuo's squad from their desperate situation. Mission completion rewards: Points ×50, Random Magic Orb ×4. The death of any mission target will count as failure."

"???"

Seeing the mission suddenly appear in his mind, Uchiha Gin could not help forming a guess.

"Does this system only respond after being cursed? Then couldn't I—"

"Bad thoughts detected from the host. Mission difficulty increased. Uchiha Hanado must be defeated before the subsequent mission can be completed."

"Gee, thanks a lot!!!"