Let Me Buy You Milk Tea

Tokiju heard her and spoke slowly. "Nameless? That's a strange name. It can't be your real one, can it? Would you tell me your real name?"

"In return, I can tell you my real name, too."

Tokiju paused, thinking of what Uchiha Hikari had been through. He decided it would be better to talk her through things first.

"I don't know why you were sealed away here, but judging by the sealing formula on you, you've been here for at least several hundred years."

"The people who sealed you away should all be dead by now. You can let go of that strange name and start a new life."

"Though we're still in this Sealing Space, so it's not exactly a good life."

"But if I can undo the seal on you, then I can definitely break the seal on this place, too."

"I just have one question for you: are you willing to escape with me?"

Uchiha Hikari didn't answer. Instead, she sank back into her memories.

Before she was sealed away, her clan had always treated her like a weapon.

She had been called Nameless because the other clan members believed weapons didn't need names, so they all referred to her that way.

As for her original name, she had gradually forgotten it amid all the slaughter and torment.

But now that it had suddenly been brought up, those sealed memories surged back, and a gentle voice slowly surfaced in her mind.

"Child, we hope you can leave the darkness of war behind and truly walk in the light."

At the thought, Uchiha Hikari's tears began to fall, and the emotions in her heart came pouring out.

"Dad, Mom, I... I..."

Uchiha Hikari's voice broke as she sobbed and cried out.

Watching Uchiha Hikari weep, Tokiju didn't go over to comfort her. He simply waited for her to let it all out.

In the game, Uchiha Hikari had wanted to destroy the entire Ninja World.

But since she had ultimately been able to let go, that proved it wasn't what she truly wanted.

Though she harbored deep resentment toward the Ninja World, much of it was the result of the villain Metsun's engraving guiding her.

After Uchiha Hikari had cried for a while, Tokiju finally floated over to her.

Seeing her curled into a ball, Tokiju patted her on the back and comforted her. "All right, all right. Don't cry."

As he spoke, Tokiju extended his index finger and fired two laser beams, destroying the shackles around her ankles.

"See? Now you're free," Tokiju said softly.

When Uchiha Hikari still didn't respond, Tokiju began telling her about the present-day Ninja World.

He told her about the end of the Warring States period and the beginning of the village era.

But as he spoke, Tokiju deliberately left out the parts about the Senju and the Uchiha.

Only after he had finished telling her everything he knew did Uchiha Hikari finally speak. "Hikari. My name is Uchiha Hikari."

Tokiju smiled faintly. "Hikari? That's a lovely name."

"Since you've told me yours, I'll tell you mine."

"My name really is Tokiju. As for my surname, Senju To..."

Before Tokiju could finish, an elbow slammed into his face, sending him flying several meters away with tremendous force.

Uchiha Hikari pounced on him and straddled him, then pounded his face with blow after blow.

"Senju! Why are you a Senju? Why? Why?!"

Tokiju didn't fight back. He let Uchiha Hikari's fists fall on him.

He knew she needed to vent, and he, a member of the Senju Clan, was the perfect punching bag.

Because of the seal on her, Uchiha Hikari couldn't use chakra at all.

Besides, Tokiju had light energy protecting him, so he wouldn't be seriously hurt, though it still hurt a lot.

He was doing this because he wanted a friend who could support him and get through this lonely stretch with him.

Not a paranoid person consumed by hatred, always looking for a chance to stab him in the back.

The Uchiha Clan, especially the Uchiha Clan of the Warring States period, had a deep-seated conflict with the Senju Clan that would be difficult to resolve.

Rather than let it blow up later, it was better to lay everything out now.

As if she had finally tired herself out, Uchiha Hikari stared into Tokiju's eyes, panting, her hands gripping his collar tightly.

"Had enough?" Tokiju asked.

His tone was calm, but his face was already swollen like a pig's head.

Though he looked badly injured, with his Senju-Uzumaki bloodline, Tokiju would recover before long.

"Why didn't you fight back?" Uchiha Hikari asked as she climbed off Nawaki.

Tokiju sat up straight and said, "There was no need. As I said earlier, you've been sealed for hundreds of years."

"Going by that, you must have lived during the Warring States period and been a member of the Uchiha Clan."

"Back then, whether they were Senju or Uchiha, the hatred between the clans was almost impossible to resolve."

"I know you carry a deep hatred in your heart. I won't tell you to let it go. I only hope you won't hurt innocent people."

"If you need someone to hate, then hate me alone."

"They say the Sharingan is the eye that reflects the heart. I hope those beautiful eyes will never be obscured by hatred."

After hearing Tokiju's words, Uchiha Hikari's eyes flashed with uncertainty and confusion.

She had never imagined anyone would treat her this way: with no fear or hostility, only understanding and acceptance.

Perhaps Tokiju wasn't just paying lip service. Perhaps she really could let go of her hatred and begin a new life.

"Hmph. You're just a brat even younger than me, and all you do is talk big," Uchiha Hikari said coldly, turning her head away.

Tokiju smiled to himself. He knew all too well how proud and tsundere the Uchiha could be.

Ignoring her attitude, Tokiju took a cup of iced milk tea from the System Space and pressed it against her cheek.

Feeling the sudden chill, Uchiha Hikari turned to Tokiju, looking confused.

"What are you doing?" Uchiha Hikari asked fiercely.

Tokiju smiled and waved the milk tea. "This is milk tea, a drink. Here, have some."

With that, Tokiju inserted a straw and held it out to Uchiha Hikari.

Uchiha Hikari twitched her nose, catching the rich scent of milk. She couldn't help swallowing.

When she still didn't take it, Tokiju said helplessly, "You're not worried I poisoned it, are you?"

Uchiha Hikari gave him a disdainful look, snatched the milk tea, and began sipping it.

As soon as the cold milk tea went down, Uchiha Hikari's eyes lit up. She had never tasted anything so delicious.

Seeing her delighted expression, Tokiju finally relaxed. Then he continued, "Actually, there's one more part of the history I left out earlier..."

At that, Uchiha Hikari kept drinking her milk tea as she looked at Tokiju, curiosity shining in her eyes.

Seeing this, Tokiju smiled faintly and began to tell her the story of how the Senju and the Uchiha had founded Konoha together.