Was Himawari Born from a Clone?

Mikoto tossed her chestnut hair and scrunched up her nose with a quiet huff. "Since it's called Uchiha Brute Force Body Flicker, and I'm a Uchiha too, why don't you teach it to me?"

Fucheng smiled and pulled Mikoto into his arms. "My wife is elegant and charming. Why would you want to learn brute force? When we're in a team fight, I can tank up front while you deal damage from the back. Isn't that better?"

Mikoto blushed, because Misaka Sister 0018 had suddenly appeared in the room.

Although they were engaged, being so affectionate in front of someone else still made her feel a little embarrassed.

0018 was also a Misaka Sister with a very distinct personality. She loved saving money and shopping. No wonder she was the little money deity whose name meant "eighteen brings fortune."

Seeing the two of them so close, 0018 didn't shy away. Instead, she brazenly came closer to get a better look.

She eyed Mikoto's flushed face and teased her on purpose. "Big Sis Mikoto, we all have the same memories as you. What are you blushing for? Just think of it as using a Shadow Clone to look at yourself. Problem solved."

That only made Mikoto even more embarrassed.

She slipped out of Fucheng's arms and gave the nosy 0018 an "Electromagnetic Accelerated Double Flick."

"Ow! Stop hitting me! I'm here to report on my mission."

0018 covered her forehead. "Brother Fucheng, hurry and stop her! I really am here to report. I found that boy named Yahiko."

The little money deity 0018 had found the boy in a cave in the Land of Rain.

Yahiko had been caught in a downpour, and his whole body was burning with fever.

A grubby-looking little girl was trying to feed him bread she had received from the orphan shelter.

The two orphans from the Land of Rain had both gotten food from the War Orphan Shelter before running off again.

This was fairly common.

Many children in the Land of Rain were afraid of Konoha Ninja.

Although the staff Fucheng had assigned to the orphan shelter were very friendly, many orphans still fled again after getting food.

The Misaka Sisters, including 0018, did their best to find the children who had run away. After all, in the midst of war, their chances of surviving outside the shelter were extremely low.

0018 had found Yahiko because the grubby girl happened to call him by name.

"Don't! Don't hurt Yahiko!"

Those words immediately reminded 0018 of the two children Fucheng was looking for.

The orphans from the Land of Rain: Yahiko and Konan.

After hearing 0018's description, Fucheng praised her and patted the little money deity on the head.

"Well done. Have you tested both children for ninja aptitude? If they have ninja aptitude, then the girl is most likely Konan."

0018 replied, "They both have ninja aptitude. The girl also has pale blue-violet hair and light orange-yellow eyes, matching your description of the target."

Fucheng nodded in satisfaction. "Little money deity, you're a real lucky charm! Your luck is exceptional. I'll give you double the mission reward this time!"

0018 happily narrowed her eyes. "Brother Fucheng is so generous. I'll gladly accept."

The little money deity 0018 had Kakuzu's flair for "fighting Hashirama with a kunai from eight hundred li away."

Having earned an extra mission reward, Misaka Sister 0018, known as the little money deity, grinned and teased him.

"Big Brother Fucheng, could you set up an internal points system for us Misaka Sisters? You know, we all have the same memories, and we like you too. Even if Mikoto becomes your primary wife, give us sisters a chance, won't you?"

Mikoto froze at that. She grabbed 0018's head in exasperation and flicked her forehead twice.

"I'm right here! Don't get any funny ideas, little money deity. Aren't you embarrassed?"

The flicks made 0018 grimace. She ran off, glancing back as she muttered, "I'll do it, I'll do it! You're the one who copied all your memories of liking Big Brother Fucheng into us!"

After saying that, 0018 sank straight into the ground and ran off. She was so quick to make her escape that even Mikoto was surprised.

Mikoto turned her head as if under a paralyzing jutsu, moving one frame at a time.

"Brother Fucheng, I just want to ask you... How many White Zetsu are there?"

Uchiha Fucheng was speechless too. A familiar Naruto meme quietly appeared in his mind.

"Himawari Uzumaki... was she born from a Shadow Clone?"

Unlike Uchiha Fucheng, who was stationed in the rear, the Konoha forces on the front line felt the pressure of the offensive mounting as they neared the capital of the Land of Rain.

Explosive traps and poison traps, combined with the Rain Ninja's various Ibuse summons, huge ballistae, and poison catapults, were all legion-grade ninja weapons, unleashed in a ceaseless torrent across the front lines.

These suicidal tactics steadily increased Konoha's losses.

Most importantly, the Sand Ninja were also sending reports.

They claimed Salamander Hanzo was keeping the Rain Ninja and Sand Ninja locked in a standoff, and could withdraw at any moment.

The four senior officers seated in Konoha's command tent began seriously considering the possibility that Salamander Hanzo might reinforce Amegakure before the final assault.

Nara Rushan, the operations strategist, spoke first. "Based on battlefield reports from the Rain Ninja and Sand Ninja, Salamander Hanzo returning to reinforce Amegakure is inevitable."

Nara Rushan pointed at the map and explained, "At the marching speed of Hanzo's ninja forces, returning to Amegakure with his entire army would take around eight days. But if he disregards logistics and sends only his elite ninja, he could cut the journey down to less than three days."

Jiraiya nodded and pointed to the outer defenses of Amegakure.

"If we avoid attacking the Rain Ninja, sneak around the Dongxia River in the Land of Rain, and ambush Salamander Hanzo's returning forces, wouldn't we have a better chance of defeating them?"

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

He studied the area along Hanzo's route for more than ten seconds before finally shaking his head.

"That probably won't work. We aren't familiar with some of the roads in the Land of Rain. If we're spotted in advance, or if Salamander Hanzo doesn't take the route we expect, our supply line could be cut off, greatly increasing the danger."

Nara Rushan rubbed the beard on his chin and nodded in agreement.

"The Land of Rain has a great many underground caverns and forest paths. As foreign ninja, we can't use those routes.

"But the Rain Ninja have no such problem. For now, our main breakthrough target in this campaign still has to be the central area of Amegakure."

With the siege battle about to begin, Orochimaru turned to Tsunade beside him.

"We've already seen the poison of ordinary Ibuse summons.

"But how much stronger is Salamander Hanzo's concentrated poison compared with ordinary salamander poison?"

Tsunade considered the question for a moment, then gave a focused explanation.

"Most of the Ibuse summons we've encountered were juveniles or subadults. Their poison is potent, but it hasn't exceeded the countermeasures Konoha normally uses."

Tsunade took out a vial of antidote and set it on the table, her gaze firm and unwavering.

"This is my experimental Antidote No. 3. It's also the most effective antidote we have so far."