Sora and Minato

"Me? I'm doing alright," Sora Uchiha said, touching his nose.

The wind blew through his temples, strands of hair obscuring his eyes, causing him to instinctively close them.

He hadn't expected Kurenai Yuhi to be the first person to care about him. His Father and Mother's first thought upon learning he'd joined the Anbu was that it would lead to better development for him. His clan members worried he might betray the Uchiha Clan. But Kurenai was the first to worry if he would be in danger.

"You're lying," Kurenai Yuhi pouted in dissatisfaction. "You always touch your nose when you lie. Your missions must be dangerous."

Sora Uchiha froze, awkwardly lowering his hand from his nose. I didn't even know I had that habit, he thought.

He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but didn't know where to start. After all, saying there was no danger would be a lie. The team he joined had an 80% mortality rate.

"Alright, alright, I don't need an explanation. I'm just worried about you," Kurenai Yuhi said softly, shaking Sora Uchiha's arm. She glanced around, noticing no one else was looking their way. She pursed her lips and then took Sora Uchiha's hand.

Feeling the warmth of his hand, like a gentle sun, her small face flushed. She didn't let go, nor did she dare look at him, thinking only how warm Sora's hand was, how comfortable...

As for Sora Uchiha, he was merely surprised when Kurenai Yuhi suddenly grabbed his hand, but he didn't pull away.

Kurenai Yuhi wasn't as lively as usual today. He figured she must be anxious about the future. Since that was the case, he'd let her be happy today.

Besides, Kurenai Yuhi's small hand was soft and boneless, very comfortable to hold. He didn't dislike it.

"Kurenai, you're too close to me..."

He had tolerated Kurenai Yuhi holding his hand, but this girl was getting greedy after getting what she wanted, pressing her entire body against him.

"Just once, okay..." Kurenai Yuhi's face was as red as blood, her voice a mere whisper. She wanted to bury her head in her neck.

Sora Uchiha found it a bit amusing and teased, "This girlish demeanor isn't like our Kurenai~"

"Ahhh! I don't care anymore!" Kurenai Yuhi shrieked as if her tail had been stepped on, then threw herself into the arms of the boy from two years ago.

Sora Uchiha blinked, raising his hand to break free, but heard the girl in his arms say with a slight sob, "You have to stay alive..."

Hearing this, Sora Uchiha's hand hesitated. His expression was complex. He remembered the Iwagakure ninja Shisui, whom he had killed. Perhaps in Iwagakure, there was someone like Kurenai Yuhi waiting for Shisui to return...

He stopped struggling. Instead, he placed his hand on the sobbing girl's head and gently stroked it. "I'll live well. Sooner or later, I'll make war disappear from the ninja world."

"Don't be silly," Kurenai Yuhi said, tears turning into a smile. "You might as well say you're going to become Hokage."

"Yes, yes," Sora Uchiha smiled too. "Then I'll become Hokage for you to see first."

Kurenai Yuhi thought he was just joking, but she didn't know that this was Sora Uchiha's true aspiration. After reviving the Uchiha clan, his next goal was to end the war.

That is to say, Unification.

After saying goodbye to Kurenai Yuhi, Sora Uchiha went to see his teacher, Minato.

From afar, he saw the commotion of a fight ahead. The metallic clatter of shuriken and kunai was incessant.

As he got closer, he realized Obito and Rin were working together to attack Kakashi. They were fighting fiercely, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that Kakashi, fighting two against one, still had the upper hand.

If he remembered correctly, Kakashi would pass the Jonin exam next year. That meant his current strength was already very close to that of a Jonin.

Yeah, a born genius.

Different from me, a wild genius who relies on a system.

Of course, the difference here was that Kakashi couldn't beat him. Before the Uchiha's Glory appeared, Kakashi might have been able to contend with him, but after obtaining the Uchiha's Glory and the Karasu Tengu, Kakashi was no match for him.

Speaking of which, there really was someone who could defeat him at the age of twelve. It was Itachi Uchiha, who had gone easy on him during their sparring match.

Itachi, he destroyed the clan when he was twelve or thirteen.

"Hmm, Sora? What brings you here?"

As Sora Uchiha was lost in thought, his shoulder was lightly patted. He turned his head and saw Minato Namikaze smiling at him from in front of him.

Tch, I hate boundary-less ninjas.

"I was just thinking that today was the end of Rin and the others' special training, so I came to take a look," he explained.

"I see," Minato sat down beside him. "Youth is wonderful, having so many friends."

"Come on, Teacher, you're in your prime." Sora Uchiha rolled his eyes.

"Haha," Minato chuckled, pointing at the three people sparring. "What do you think of them?"

"What do you mean, 'what do I think'? Kakashi is overwhelmingly strong. As for Obito, he seems much stronger than two weeks ago," Sora Uchiha said. "They've gained quite a lot from these two weeks of special training. Rin and Obito can now hold their own among Chunin."

"Yes, the newcomers have made tremendous progress under the Jonin's special training these past two weeks, and they now have a survival guarantee. What about you? How are things in the Anbu?"

"Me? I'm doing alright. I don't have missions every day."

"Heh, I heard you joined the squad with the highest mortality rate," Minato scratched his head, looking a bit worried. "My original plan was to have you join a squad with a higher safety factor, but I don't know what the Third Hokage was thinking, putting you in Shinnosuke's squad. Should I go talk to the Third Hokage again?"

Heh, what was he thinking? It's nothing more than surveillance, Sora Uchiha snorted inwardly and shook his head. "It's fine. Accept the situation as it is. Besides, the most dangerous place is also where you improve the fastest."

Minato thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, since you've said so, I won't interfere. Be careful. If you change your mind someday, you can tell me."

Sora Uchiha looked at him, puzzled. "Teacher, why do you care so much about me?" Then, his expression changed, and he crossed his arms. "You can't."

"What are you thinking about!" Minato chuckled, flicking Sora Uchiha's forehead. "I just feel like we get along, that's all. What are you even thinking at your age?"

"Besides, I already have Kushina."

Sora Uchiha rolled his eyes and let go. "Yeah, yeah, everyone knows you have a beautiful wife."

Minato didn't mind Sora's perfunctory response. "If Kushina knew you were praising her like that, she'd be bouncing with joy."

As he spoke, he sighed softly and boasted, "It's only you, this little guy, who thinks Kushina is beautiful."

Sora Uchiha didn't reply. He knew what Minato meant. The villagers kept their distance from Kushina because of her long red hair, seeing it as an ill omen.

It was only after he'd met Kushina for the first time, three days in, and complimented her hair, that she immediately took a liking to him, treating him almost like a younger brother.

"Hmm, looks like they're done fighting."