Nohara Rin

"Shinji!"

Nohara Rin spotted him from a distance, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled and waved. She hurried over.

Shinji stepped forward to meet her, a gentle smile on his face. "Rin, what brings you here?"

"Are you looking for Obito?"

As he spoke, he focused his thoughts and added Nohara Rin's name to the binding list.

[Ding!]

[Binding Nohara Rin: Complete]

[Novice Mission: Complete]

[Mission Reward: 50,000 Points]

[Note: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. True love starts now. The host is rewarded with 50,000 Points.]

Shinji gave a triumphant fist pump in his mind, and his smile grew even brighter.

Fifty thousand Points!

The first thing he set his sights on was the Sharingan in the shop. It was embarrassing to admit, but as a member of the Uchiha Clan, he didn't even have the most basic Sharingan. He was practically a fake.

"Yeah. Teacher Minato told us to gather, so I came to find Obito!" Nohara Rin nodded. Seeing how happy he looked, she couldn't help covering her mouth and giggling. "Did something good happen? You're grinning so much."

Looking at her flushed cheeks, Shinji teased her on purpose. "Of course. Seeing you is the best thing that could happen."

Rin's face turned even redder. She reached out and lightly tapped his shoulder. "Shinji, I can't believe you're teasing me."

She and Shinji were classmates, and they had always gotten along well.

At the Ninja Academy, Shinji hadn't been a dead-last student like Obito. Thanks to hard work, he'd managed to keep his grades around the middle of the class or a little above. He wasn't at the top academically, but he had to be good at something—his looks, for instance. He really was handsome, and everyone agreed he was the school's heartthrob.

People were always more patient with good-looking people. The longer they spent together, the more fond of him they naturally became. The System rated his charisma at 30 points, but his looks alone were worth at least 90. It was his strength, status, and influence that dragged the score down.

"I'll go with you to find Obito," Shinji said. He naturally took Rin's little hand and started toward Obito's house.

"W-wait!" Rin was completely flustered now. She hadn't expected Shinji to become so assertive after they hadn't seen each other for a while.

Shinji acted as if he hadn't heard her hesitation and said on his own, "Let's take a walk together."

Rin's heart thumped as if a fawn were bouncing against it. The warmth of his palm against hers made her hand feel even hotter.

She muttered to herself, Was he serious when he said he was happy to see me?

The moment the thought crossed her mind, her face flushed even deeper. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away, only to find Shinji's grip tighten slightly, holding her hand more firmly.

Nohara Rin glanced around guiltily. Fortunately, they were in the Uchiha Clan Compound, and there were very few people on the street at this hour. None of their familiar friends were around, either.

No one's going to suddenly show up, right...

She whispered reassurance to herself, keeping her head down as she followed Shinji step by step. All she could hear was his steady footsteps and her own increasingly loud heartbeat.

"Rin, you know... I might be heading to the front lines."

Shinji's voice suddenly turned low, losing its playful tone.

"The war is at its fiercest, and the village needs more people." Shinji gazed at the tall walls of the Uchiha Clan Compound in the distance. "Maybe once I leave, I'll..."

He didn't finish, but Rin understood what he meant.

In wartime, a ninja's life was as fragile as a candle in the wind. She knew better than anyone what going to the front lines meant. Her hand tightened unconsciously, and she gently clasped Shinji's in return.

Feeling her respond, Shinji turned to look at her. "I don't know if I'll make it back. But, Rin, if I come back safely, I can..."

"I can tell you openly that wanting to see you was never a joke."

He paused, then leaned closer. He caught the scent of herbs and mint on Rin—a clean, comforting fragrance unique to a Medical Ninja.

Nohara Rin's breath hitched. Her voice dropped. "Wait, wait!"

She was completely dazed, her mind frantically scrolling with disbelief: No, this isn't how it's supposed to go!

What do you mean, I came to find my teammate so we could gather, and the school heartthrob suddenly wants to confess to me?!

Meanwhile, Shinji called out to the System in his mind, and the System Panel opened in response. He focused on the shop and exchanged his Points for [Sharingan (Two Tomoe)] without hesitation.

A flash of golden light vanished, and a cold prompt sounded in his mind as a text box appeared:

[Congratulations, you have obtained: Sharingan (Two Tomoe)]

[Type: Talent, Upgradeable]

[Description: The Uchiha Clan's Dojutsu awakens when intense emotional stimulation causes the brain to produce special Chakra, which then stimulates the optic nerves.]

[Effect: Grants exceptional dynamic vision, allowing the user to clearly follow an opponent's Hand Seals and the flow of their Chakra; can predict the trajectory of Kunai and initially copy ordinary Ninjutsu and Taijutsu that are not Kekkei Genkai.]

[Points required to upgrade: 100,000]

So he could upgrade it directly with Points instead of refreshing the shop?

Shinji's heart leaped with joy.

Just then, he felt his temples throbbing. His eye sockets first turned icy cold, then a surge of scorching Chakra welled up.

The Chakra throughout his body churned and rose, as if it had been set ablaze. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the world had changed.

Two ink-black Tomoe slowly spun on either side of his pupils. His vision expanded enormously and everything became clear—even the flutter of Rin's eyelashes, the movement of her hair, and the Chakra inside her were all visible in the finest detail.

"The Sharingan... Shinji, you awakened your Sharingan!"

Nohara Rin cried out in surprise and covered her mouth without thinking. Her earlier embarrassment was instantly replaced by delight. Seeing her friend awaken the Uchiha's power, she smiled warmly, her eyes curving into crescents.

Shinji quietly let go of her hand and raised his own palm, unable to help murmuring,

"So this is the world through the Sharingan... Everything really is different."

He looked up at Rin, his gaze earnest and burning. He spoke each word clearly:

"Rin, do you know?"

"Hm? Know what?"

"Members of the Uchiha Clan need emotions so intense they reach their absolute peak to awaken the Sharingan."

"Such intense emotions?"

"Yeah." He nodded slightly, his voice low but clear. "The reason I awakened it was that, just then, all I could think about was you, Rin."

He paused, his gaze so tender it seemed ready to melt:

"I was thinking, if this war ends and I make it back alive... Rin, I want to see you more often."

Nohara Rin suddenly reached out and clapped a hand over Shinji's mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut, not daring to look at him again.

"Shinji, stop!" Her voice was urgent and soft, tinged with panic. "I don't want to talk about this right now. We... we can talk about it another time!"

Seeing her reaction, Shinji knew it was best to stop while he was ahead. If he said any more, he would only embarrass her.

Just then, the System's mechanical voice sounded in his mind:

[Nohara Rin has been initially won over. An ambiguous relationship has been established]

The corner of Shinji's mouth lifted slightly. He took Rin's hand again and headed toward Obito's house. Rin's cheeks burned, but she didn't pull away. She only kept her head down and followed behind him, her face flushed with embarrassment.