Me, Taking in Second Pillar's Mom?

Uchiha Fucheng realized why the black-haired girl recognized him, but since the battle was still ongoing, he dared not dwell on his memories.

Forming hand seals rapidly, Uchiha Fucheng threw five kunai.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Claw Crimson!"

The flying kunai were connected by several steel wires.

With Uchiha Fucheng at the center, the Fire Style technique spread out into five blazing fire serpents attached to the wires.

The combination of kunai throwing and Fire Style explosions was lethal.

The puppeteer used his puppets to perfectly block two of the fire serpents.

However, the other Chunin on the opposing side had his right arm scorched by the Phoenix Sage Claw Crimson.

The steel wires were coated with an accelerant, making the flames difficult to extinguish.

This Sand Ninja proved exceptionally decisive; trading an arm for his life, he hacked off his own limb with a blade, a testament to his extensive battlefield experience.

The last ninja who had struck Uchiha Fucheng as being this decisive was the Raikage from his memories, who had also lost an arm.

The injured Chunin retreated to take cover.

But the two Genin behind him were far too slow.

The kunai, changing trajectory in mid-air, struck the chests of both Sand Ninja directly.

The ensuing Fire Style followed the steel wires, igniting their entire bodies.

Before they could even cry for help, the explosive shockwave of the Fire Style blasted the two stricken Genin into large, mangled remains.

A dislodged eyeball even landed on one of the Konoha Genin.

Ugh~

Such a bloody scene immediately made the naive Konoha Genin feel like vomiting.

Uchiha Hezi, who was familiar with Uchiha Fucheng, the second young master of the clan head's family, was the first to react.

She pulled the other Genin back, retreating cleanly and decisively.

The intensity of the current battle was no longer something for rookies like them, who could only stand there retching, to participate in.

Uchiha Hezi intended to take the other two away from the battlefield.

Only then could the powerful Uchiha Fucheng unleash his full strength to fight the enemies.

Behind the puppeteer, there was still one Sand Ninja Genin remaining.

Uchiha Fucheng glanced at Misaka Mikoto, who was poised for action, and said in a tone devoid of emotion, "Leave the last Genin to you; I'm going to kill the fleeing Chunin."

Having said that, Uchiha Fucheng widened his eyes and glared directly at the puppeteer, who had assumed a defensive stance.

He then turned and chased after the fleeing Chunin without looking back.

"Huh? Me?!" Misaka Mikoto was a bit dazed.

"Why did he just leave?"

Misaka Mikoto had just breathed a sigh of relief after being hunted, only to see this younger brother of Fugaku.

And then, there was no then!

He simply abandoned the puppeteer and left on his own.

A slightly nervous Misaka Mikoto almost cried out.

"I don't think I can beat a puppeteer; these puppets don't conduct electricity, and she isn't afraid of Lightning Style."

Misaka Mikoto gripped her short sword tightly, watching the puppeteer before her with caution.

She did not expect the puppeteer to suddenly act like a madman, lunging forward to embrace his own puppets.

The mechanisms in the chests of the two puppets instantly fired thousands of flying needles. After a terrifying series of pfft-pfft sounds, the puppeteer turned a ghastly, sickly green from his face down to his feet.

"Nani?!" Misaka Mikoto almost questioned reality.

Misaka Mikoto immediately dodged behind a Cat-Head Earth Wall, terrified of being accidentally hit by the poison needles flying everywhere.

Only then did it dawn on her.

The puppeteer had already been struck by a "lethal" Sharingan genjutsu the moment Uchiha Fucheng left!

Controlled by the genjutsu, the puppeteer died with his eyes wide open.

He likely died without ever knowing how he had perished at the hands of his own puppets.

The remaining Land of Wind Genin, seemingly driven mad by fear, turned and ran.

Misaka Mikoto would not let him have his way; she activated her Lightning Style and gave chase.

Misaka Mikoto's taijutsu ability, augmented by Lightning Style chakra, far exceeded that of a Chunin.

The panicked Sand Ninja didn't get far before Misaka Mikoto struck him squarely in the center of his back with a sharp, electrified kunai!

To prevent the opponent from faking his death, Misaka Mikoto used her maximum voltage to shock him several more times.

Only when the opponent stopped moving entirely did she approach, panting heavily as she carefully pulled out the kunai.

"Are you that poor? Why do you care so much about a single kunai?" Uchiha Fucheng's voice came abruptly from the side.

"On the battlefield, it is difficult to determine if a corpse is truly dead or if it still has the capacity to counterattack. It is best not to collect kunai like that in the future."

"Ah?!" Misaka Mikoto turned around in a panic.

Seeing that it was Uchiha Fucheng, she finally let her guard down.

"I didn't hear any sound; I thought it was an enemy." Feeling a bit embarrassed as she put away the kunai, Misaka Mikoto looked at Fucheng's right hand.

It was a severed head covered in sand and dirt.

Misaka Mikoto suddenly realized, "It seems to be another Chunin; he probably died even faster than the puppeteer."

"Lord Fucheng is truly amazing!"

Misaka Mikoto thought in shock, The puppeteer was also killed by Lord Fucheng. A Sand Ninja puppeteer approaching the level of a Special Jonin couldn't even withstand a single glance from his Sharingan!

Misaka Mikoto looked at Uchiha Fucheng with a hint of admiration.

Although Misaka Mikoto was also from a branch family of the Uchiha clan, she had only ever seen Uchiha Fugaku, the quasi-clan head with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Elite clansmen like Uchiha Fucheng, who possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and Jonin-level strength, were only people she had seen at the Police Force.

"Lord Fucheng, my name is Misaka Mikoto. Thank you very much for your rescue."

Misaka Mikoto smiled gently and bowed to Uchiha Fucheng with full formality to express her gratitude.

"My mother is also an Uchiha clansman. I have seen you at the compound before, and I know you are the younger brother of Young Clan Head Fugaku."

Her saying "My name is Misaka Mikoto" stirred up massive waves in Uchiha Fucheng's heart!

"Who?"

"You are Misaka Mikoto?!"

Fucheng searched his memories; it seemed, perhaps, there really was such a distant relative from a branch family of the Uchiha clan.

Misaka Mikoto's mother was from the Uchiha clan, and her father was the heir to an Earl in the Misaka family, nobility of the Land of Fire.

After her father died, she and her mother moved back to the Uchiha clan.

There were even clan elders who specifically compiled detailed profiles of the young women in the clan.

They were selected for him and his brother Uchiha Fugaku, and both he and Fugaku had read the detailed introductions of these eligible girls.

Misaka Mikoto (Uchiha Mikoto)

Age: 14

Abilities: Fire Release, Lightning Release, Kenjutsu, currently a Chunin.

As an heir to the Uchiha clan head lineage, Fucheng's engagement and marriage would surely happen quite early.

He and his brother Fugaku couldn't exactly say they could pick anyone, but at the very least, the beautiful, eligible girls of the clan would be prioritized for the clan head's lineage.

Fucheng pondered in his heart, This Mikoto, could she be the mother of the Second Pillar?

In Fucheng's heart, there was now only one thought.

Uchiha Mikoto, the mother of the Second Pillar, actually had the surname Misaka before marriage? And she is actually called Misaka Mikoto?!

[Follower marked, current loyalty at 75%]

The notification in his mind almost made Uchiha Fucheng lose his composure.

He seemed to understand: the grand prize from his rebirth that he hadn't been able to use was meant to be used on someone else!

That peculiar orb of light with the lightning symbol was not a reward for himself to use.

Rather, it needed to be used on a follower who met the criteria—Misaka Mikoto.

Fucheng thought to himself, 75%—this number isn't exactly high.

It was only because he had just saved her; otherwise, Misaka Mikoto's loyalty to Fucheng would likely have been even lower.

If I take the mother of Weasel and the Second Pillar as my own follower, does that count as poaching from Fugaku?

In Fucheng's heart, some rather unconventional thoughts began to churn.