My Foolish Sister

"Damn it, I challenge you to a duel." Fuming with humiliation, Obito quickly gnawed the rabbit head clean and pointed at Kaede, shouting angrily. Tricked by Kaede, he was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, burning with shame and rage.

Kaede shot him a disdainful glance. It wasn't the first time he'd embarrassed himself in front of his crush—why bother humiliating himself again? "I don't have time to play with you, Obito. I've got a mission. Minato, Kakashi, Lin—see you back in the village."

With a farewell, "Shh," Kaede's figure blurred and vanished before their eyes.

"Th-That... That's not..." Obito stared at Minato, disbelief flickering in his gaze.

Lin covered her mouth, as if she'd witnessed something incredible. Even Kakashi, with his usual deadpan expression, narrowed his pupils slightly.

"Minato-sensei, isn't that your jutsu?" Kakashi asked steadily. They'd seen Minato-sensei use that sudden-disappearance technique before, but they never expected Kaede to have it too.

"Well, this is called the 'Flying Thunder God,' a Space-Time Ninjutsu. Kaede's learned it too, and it looks like he's using it quite well. What a genius." Minato held down the flailing Obito and explained with a squint.

Kakashi and Lin understood.

Obito, however, complained loudly, "Sensei, you're so biased! You teach Kaede this amazing jutsu but not me—it's totally unfair!"

With that, he plopped down on the ground, crossed his arms, and turned away in a huff.

"Idiot~" Kakashi.

"Obito, don't talk about Sensei like that—he'll get upset," Lin said, bending down to coax him.

Minato looked seriously at the three of them and said sternly, "'Flying Thunder God' is a dangerous jutsu classified as forbidden by the Second Hokage. Learning it requires many specific traits. It's not that I won't teach you—it's just not the right time yet. You still need to build a solid foundation. Once you earn my recognition, I'll consider it."

In his view, Kakashi had potential to learn Flying Thunder God; Obito fell short. As for Lin... she'd be better off studying medical ninjutsu—that suited her more.

"Really? Sensei, you can't lie—we made a promise!" In an instant, Obito grabbed Minato's sleeve, looking up at him with hope.

"Uh—so you'll have to work even harder from now on, Obito."

Under Minato's gentle guidance, this team, riddled with issues, gradually forged their own friendship and bonds.

"Phew—finally back." Gazing at the Konoha gates before him, Kaede wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

Using Flying Thunder God repeatedly over long distances had taken a toll on his body—like days of heavy indulgence, leaving him feeling drained.

He buried his specially marked kunai engraved with the Thunder Technique, making sure it wouldn't be discovered, before appearing at the gate and saying, "Uchiha Kaede, returning to the village on orders. Please open the barrier."

During wartime, Konoha's village-protecting barrier was always active. Not only that, but the Konoha Military Police's patrols were also more frequent.

"Kaede-sama, you're back!" said the Uchiha ninja from the Military Police standing guard at the gate.

"Yeah, I had a mission." Though Kaede didn't recognize this clansman, he replied with a smile.

The Barrier Team ninja quickly formed hand signs, opening a slit in the barrier to let Kaede in, and said, "Kaede-sama, the Hokage's latest orders require all ninjas entering or leaving the village to register."

With that, he handed Kaede a register.

Wartime Konoha showed its true colors as a military camp—everything was run under martial discipline.

After completing the entry procedures, Kaede left the gate and used Flying Thunder God in a secluded spot, appearing atop the Hokage Rock. His Thunder Technique was marked here, and it was the closest point to the Hokage Building.

Activating Flying Thunder God required sensing his own technique mark. Within the village, only the Hokage Rock and his home had his marks—he couldn't possibly carve one into the Hokage Building.

Moreover, when strong seals or barriers interfered, the user couldn't sense their mark, making Flying Thunder God impossible to activate.

"Knock knock." He rapped on the Hokage's office door.

"Come in~" The Third Hokage's voice sounded, and he pushed the door open.

"Hokage-sama, an urgent report from the front lines." Respectfully, he handed over Orochimaru's confidential letter to the Third.

"Oh—it's Kaede. Looks like this mission suited you well." The Third Hokage smiled, half-joking with Kaede. Though it was wartime, he was full of confidence in Konoha—after all, the war so far had brought only victories, no defeats.

Casualties were nearly nonexistent, and combat readiness remained intact.

Kaede played along with the Third's joke, replying, "It suited me perfectly—just treated it as practice for Flying Thunder God."

"Alright, set the report aside for now and go rest!" He still had many documents to process, or he'd have loved to chat more with this young man.

The Third was quite satisfied with the youth before him. Though he was an Uchiha, he'd already become Jiraiya's disciple, giving the Third hope of resolving the conflict between the Uchiha and the village.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Being able to go home and rest during wartime was the envy of others.

Come to think of it, he hadn't been home in months. From setting out with the team to the front lines, to facing off against the Sand Shinobi at the forward positions, to today—so much time had passed without him realizing it.

"I'm home!" He pushed open the door and called inside.

"Kaede~" Seeing her son at the doorway, his mother Xiang's eyes reddened, on the verge of tears. No mother could help but worry when her son went to war.

"Mother, don't worry—your son is a strong ninja now." Kaede comforted her gently.

"And Father?"

"He's gone to the Military Police—busy with patrols. Haven't seen him in days." Xiang wiped her eyes. Having him return safely was a joy in itself.

"Ahh~" The little Quan in Xiang's arms reached out her hands, wanting Kaede to hold her. She still recognized this big brother.

Still babbling, she could only say "Mama"—everything else was just gibberish.

Kaede dodged her hands and said, "Mother, I'll take a bath first." His body was steeped in the deathly aura of the battlefield—he couldn't let Quan come into contact with such tainted energy.

When he came out after washing and reached out to hold Quan, the little girl kicked her legs and refused to come. It seemed the tiny tot actually held a grudge.

Kaede paused, then tapped her forehead and said, "Alright, come here and let your big brother hold you. I know I was wrong—I won't do it again, I promise." Were kids in the Shinobi World this precocious? Barely a toddler, and already holding a grudge.

"Aah-aah~" She pursed her lips, and a bit of drool slipped from the corner of her mouth.

"Was this little girl trying to spit at me? Was she?" Kaede asked, looking at his mother, Xiang.

Xiang helplessly wiped the drool from Quan's mouth and said, "Quan's been getting more mischievous lately. I wonder who she learned it from."

Kaede stared at Quan with a dangerous look, pinching her soft, fair cheeks with both hands and stretching her face into an oval shape. "My foolish little sister, tell me who taught you this bad habit. This isn't how a proper lady should act."

Quan was confused at first, then felt the pain on her face. Tears welled up in her gentle, watery eyes. "Waa..." She burst into loud crying.

Kaede laughed heartily. "Little girl, submit to your big brother's tyrannical power! Hohoho~" With his family, he still kept the playful mischief of his childhood.