Mikoto's Prenatal Check-up!

"Alright!" At this moment, Nohara Rin stopped her medical ninjutsu. She carefully inspected my palm once more, and only after confirming there were no issues did she instruct me, "Be careful not to grip anything too hard; it will be fine by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Rin."

Just as I admired doctors in my past life, I have always held medical ninja in high regard. I imprinted her smile into my heart, thinking incessantly about the events to come.

If I remember correctly, the Battle of Kannabi Bridge was the final conflict before the armistice of the Third Shinobi World War. That was the day Kakashi was promoted to Jonin, and as for the specific timing... it was likely four to five years away.

There is still time to prepare!

But with my current abilities, how could I possibly change things and save Rin and Obito?

My gaze shifted toward Uchiha Obito, and in a flash of inspiration, something occurred to me.

Why not... start with them? Start by increasing our combat strength!

In this world of ninja, any form of weakness is a mistake; having more strength means a better chance of survival! If Obito could awaken his Sharingan before the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, perhaps Team Minato could defeat Sunagakure, Rin wouldn't be abducted, and Obito wouldn't be buried!

What a brilliant idea!

"Ah... hey!" Obito suddenly thought of something. His face leaned in abruptly, and he asked excitedly, "Those wires you used just now—"

Damn, why are you getting so close! I have a personal space requirement!

I stiffened my face and leaned back slightly, hurriedly fishing an intact spool of steel wire from my ninja tool pouch to show him, which drew a light chuckle from Shisui.

"You mean this? If you channel chakra into it, you can manipulate ninja tools."

Obito seemed to find everything about me novel, and he snatched it away. He was a quick learner; in no time, he was playing happily with the steel wire, whipping it left and right until he accidentally tangled his own hands and feet, leaving him hopping around and howling, "Ouch, ouch, ouch!"

"Obito, we still have to go back and turn in our mission, we aren't here to play with you." Kakashi finally spoke up. He drew a kunai, intending to cut the wire, but Shisui and I stopped him together.

"Don't move! The wire is very sharp. Depending on the amount of chakra input, the tension of each section varies. Be careful not to hurt him."

Kakashi looked at the hand gripping his arm—it was small and tender, fairer and more slender than a girl's.

Following the hand upward, he saw a sharp, small face. The pale features were smudged with dirt from the battle, appearing somewhat fragile against the backdrop of black hair. His eyes were large and round, the pupils clear and dark, his petite nose slightly wrinkled from tension, and his soft lips parted as he spoke in a childish, almost milky voice.

Only four years old? Too young...

Is it this pair of hands that can weave such terrifying steel wires?

Kakashi's brows furrowed, a sense of heaviness rising in his heart, along with a trace of aversion he didn't even notice himself.

—His first impression of Uchiha Akatsuki was not very good.

I observed for a moment, then cut the wire across Obito's chest, freeing him.

"Even though it looks cool, it's way too hard to play with..." Deflated, Obito hung his head, pouting and muttering to himself.

"This is the Sharingan Windmill Manipulation Technique." I checked Obito's entire body to ensure no wire remained before casually flicking two shuriken. Accompanied by the sound of the wire snapping taut, they embedded into the tree with a double thud.

"Look, you can walk on it." I carefully controlled the chakra at the soles of my feet, cautiously stepping onto the suspended wire.

Kakashi watched the child in the air, his expression turning solemn.

Such precise chakra control...

"You can fly." Throwing another shuriken, I pulled on the wire to soar toward the treetops, swinging around the foliage.

"And you can also—" I wanted to show off more, but Shisui interrupted me.

"Doesn't your hand hurt? Come down."

Uchiha Shisui, the social terrorist, the destroyer of moods.

Sensing a dull ache in my right hand, I let go and jumped back in front of them, triumphantly pointing at my eyes—

"It works even better with the Sharingan, but I haven't awakened mine yet."

The full name of this technique should be: Sharingan Windmill Manipulation Technique. It is a tool-manipulation art developed by the Uchiha clan with the aid of the Sharingan. It is also a school of its own, which can be combined with the Sharingan's insight to quickly locate enemies, launch sneak attacks, and set traps. The goal is to bind the enemy and kill the opponent.

It's so cool!

"If you're interested, we can practice together in the future."

Actually, I was very interested in this wire technique in my past life. I practiced it for a long time under Fugaku. At first, the falls were miserable, and it was extremely dangerous; if you didn't step firmly, it was the kind of pain that could end your lineage. Fortunately, after wearing protective gear, I became proficient, and I found it more and more fun and practical.

Of course, I didn't think that much when I first learned it; I just enjoyed the freedom of swinging through the mountain ravines and the sense of security that came from the precise positioning of the wires.

The length of the wire combined with the infusion of chakra was enough for me to fly freely through the mountains.

"Re-really?" Obito lit up again, the pitch of his youthful voice rising and falling, making his emotions easy to read: "Is that really okay?"

"I'm basically at the training ground every afternoon." Because my unlucky Shadow Clone would be attending classes for me, I didn't even give myself a chance to hesitate. "You're welcome to come anytime."

Sure enough. As soon as I said this, not only Shisui but even Kakashi looked over, their faces wearing intriguing expressions.

I naturally knew what they were thinking.

Both of them were geniuses of the war era, so naturally, they had no interest in sitting through classes. They understood my words perfectly well.

I glared sideways at Shisui, but before I could speak, I was met with a ruthless ruffling of my hair, turning my soft locks into a bird's nest instantly.

I was so angry my teeth itched, yet my vision was blocked by my hair, leaving me unable to retaliate.

Uchiha Shisui, you villain!

"I'll definitely come!" Obito was completely oblivious, as excited as a little sun.

Having received this answer, I finally let out a sigh of relief. Regardless of anything else, as long as I could secure a connection with Obito, everything else would be easy to handle later.

"School should be letting out soon," after bidding farewell to Team Minato, only Uchiha Shisui and I remained by the lakeside. He lowered his head and asked, "Aren't you going back to pack your things?"

"My Shadow Clones will take care of it." After they left, the exhaustion from the battle came rushing out in a scramble. My whole body ached, especially the back and waist where Shisui had struck me, throbbing with waves of sharp pain.

And he had the nerve to say I was reckless—you were hitting me like you wanted to kill me, you hateful Uchiha Shisui!

I looked at his innocent expression, and a devious plan surfaced in my mind.

"Hey, Uchiha Shisui," I stretched out my arms, putting on an innocent face, "I'm tired, carry me."

He froze for a moment, his expression motionless against the backdrop of the setting sun; it was clear he had begun to hesitate.

"Carry me! You beat me up like this, and you won't even carry me?" Using a child's body to force a spoiled act was shameful, but the excitement of my scheme succeeding couldn't be faked.

What can be utilized should be utilized; why be afraid of losing face!

Sure enough, Uchiha Shisui's expression relaxed. His demeanor turned gentle, his eyes filled with a smile, and he finally agreed with a single word.

"Come on, hop on, Young Master Akatsuki." Shisui turned his back to me and knelt halfway, revealing his not-so-broad back.

In this moment, he exposed so many weaknesses. I flashed a wicked grin, leaped onto his back in two strides, clamped my legs around his waist, held a kunai in my left hand, and locked his throat with my right arm!

"Admit defeat, Uchiha Shisui!" I laughed loudly, venting all the resentment I had just felt: "All is fair in war!!"

"Fine, I admit defeat."

He only said that one sentence, and my fierce punch felt as if it had landed in a pile of cotton, leaving me feeling deflated and helpless, so angry I wanted to bite him.

He turned his face to the side, his eyes reflecting the clear, rosy light of the sunset.

"Sit still, stop messing around."

My hand, which had been about to mess up his hair, stopped abruptly. I actually obeyed and quieted down.

At this moment, my chest was pressed tightly against Shisui's back. I could easily feel the muscles beneath his thin clothing and the warmth he was radiating.

He was the second person to be this close to me; the first was my mother.

I clearly possessed a strong sense of personal space, yet toward Uchiha Shisui, I felt no resistance at all.

How truly magical.

On the way, I walked alongside Shisui and the setting sun.

"Akatsuki, there is one more question you haven't answered."

"What is it?"

"What is your dream?"

"Dream?" Only then did I remember that because I was interrupted by Kusama Shigeo, I hadn't had a chance to think about a dream at all!

"You have to state your dream on the first day of school; only then will it have a chance to come true."

A dream, huh... My mother's face flashed through my mind, my gaze swept past Shisui's cheek, and finally settled on the distant sunset. I opened my mouth and said, "I hope... that the days to come can all be like today!"

He smiled.

"That is a very good dream indeed."

"That's right~!" I said smugly, then directed him to speed up.

After parting ways with Shisui at the gate of the Clan Head Mansion, I entered the main house and finally relaxed completely.

I walked with a blank, expressionless face, hunched over and slouching for a few steps, then collapsed onto the tatami mat with extreme laziness, letting out a thud as I sank into silence.

The exhaustion from two battles and the feeling of chakra depletion surged up instantly, urging me into a dark, heavy sleep.

It wasn't until the birds were chirping at dusk that I, still groggy, heard the sound of the door opening outside. Startled, I sat up with a jolt and scurried to the entryway to greet her.

Sigh, living under someone else's roof means you have to maintain this attitude, right?

Uchiha Mikoto was in the middle of changing her shoes at the door. When she saw me, she naturally handed over the vegetables in her hand and smiled, "Go wash your hands first. After we eat, accompany me to Konoha Hospital."

"Okay."

As she was halfway through changing her shoes, she suddenly noticed something. She leaned in close to me, touched my face, and asked in surprise, "You're hurt?"

I immediately grew tense. Although I had treated the minor injuries after the fight, there were surely still traces left behind. I hadn't expected Mikoto to notice.

"No, it's nothing, Mother. I was just accidentally scratched by a tree branch; it's nothing serious."

She kept looking at me with a smile and didn't press the matter further.

That evening, at Konoha Hospital, Mikoto began her prenatal check-up.

I obediently carried her belongings, following her wherever she went. My well-behaved appearance led several medical ninja to reach out and pinch my cheeks, teasing me for a while.

There was no helping it; when you look this good, you really do get treated differently.

"Since your eldest son is already so adorable, are you hoping for a little daughter this time?" The doctor, wearing a white mask, glanced at the electronic screen before him, finding the time to chat with Mikoto.

"A boy or a girl would both be fine," Mikoto replied with her usual gentleness. She pulled me close and asked, "Akatsuki, would you like a younger brother or a younger sister?"

To be honest, I would like a sister. Because sisters are cute, pretty, obedient, and sensible, and they would sweetly call me 'Big Brother'! Who wouldn't have their protective instincts go through the roof? Who wouldn't have their heart melt?

But your firstborn has already been confirmed to be that man.

I looked at her and said with a straight face, "I like both."

She smiled and naturally pressed a kiss to my forehead, her eyes filled with the joy of welcoming a new life.

"Akatsuki, you are the big brother. You must protect him well in the future, do you understand?" Her voice was soft, yet it landed heavily upon my heart.

That sentence scared me so much I nearly jumped out of my skin!

One cannot simply accept such a flag!

Not to mention how miserably Itachi died in order to protect Sasuke, if you look across the entire Shinobi World, of all those who swore oaths in the name of protection, besides the main characters, how many actually lived to the series finale? Even if they did survive to the end, they were either wounded or crippled, left lonely, miserable, and utterly wretched!

I averted my eyes, pretending I hadn't heard her.

I am not taking that bait!

"Akatsuki?" Mikoto's hand was still cupping my cheek, bringing a wave of warmth.

It seemed I couldn't get away with not answering.

"I will protect him well." Forced by the situation, playing along, and feeling utterly helpless, I spoke with a bitter expression.

Mikoto was still smiling, though her smile now held much more, warm and dazzling for a moment.

On the electronic screen, the silhouette of a baby was taking shape, shifting its movements bit by bit as time passed.

I stared at him without blinking.

Uchiha... Itachi, is it?

I don't know if promises all carry weight, but the moment those words left my lips, I felt my chest grow heavy.

I hope the gods didn't hear that.

--Even if you heard it, forget it! (Angry!)