"Hey, beautiful, want to go out with us? A few of us are heading to Ichiraku Ramen. Want to join us? Oh, right, you little bastard, Xiao Qi! Get out of your battle form and show her your cutest, most adorable form. If you scare this fairy-like beauty, I'll chop you up and feed you to Aomaru!" Xian Yu spoke gently at first, then instantly turned a vicious glare on Bai Xiaoqi.
Aomaru, lying off to the side pretending to be dead, twitched his dog ears slightly. Ever the clever one, he chose to keep trying... to look dead...
With the big boss already on the scene, Xian Yu had no bottom line when it came to acting if it meant staying alive—and living better and better...
Bai Xiaoqi had already sensed through his animal instincts that the woman before him was not to be trifled with. At her words, the Three-Tailed Fox, who knew all too well what kind of person his master was, felt his heart skip a beat! Without another word, he transformed into a palm-sized miniature fox. Ignoring his master, he nervously went over to Uzumaki Mito's feet and rubbed his head against them... He had completely immersed himself in the role of an adorable pet...
The five Peeping Toms in the Hokage Building were collectively dumbstruck once again...
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, their expressions identical, as if they had rehearsed countless times...
If anyone else had seen them, they would surely have exclaimed, "Now that's what you call a decade-long team! What perfect chemistry."
"The master has no shame, and his summoning beast has even less... This really is... really is... What word even describes it..." Mitokado Homura was so disdainful that he could barely get the words out.
"Like master, like fox?" Torifu Akimichi tentatively offered.
Back to Xian Yu.
"You're quite the smooth talker, little one. Once you grow up, who knows how many girls will be fooled by that honeyed tongue of yours. And this fox of yours is much better behaved than mine." Uzumaki Mito's melodious voice rang out unhurriedly. With a serene expression, she crouched down and stroked Bai Xiaoqi's fur.
"Not at all, fairy sister. You've got me all wrong..."
Seeing Xian Yu gaze at her with big, watery eyes, looking utterly innocent, Uzumaki Mito couldn't help bursting into laughter.
For a moment, she truly seemed capable of captivating all creation.
The five Peeping Toms in the Hokage Building weren't dumbstruck this time.
They had turned to stone...
"She... actually laughed?" The five Peeping Toms each wore a different expression—astonishment, relief, solemnity, disbelief—and exchanged looks.
How many years had it been? Ever since the First passed away, none of them could remember seeing her smile.
Not once.
Uzumaki Mito rose and walked over to Xian Yu. She extended a delicate hand as white as mutton fat jade, curled her index finger, and flicked the little fellow on the forehead, teasing him. "You clever little rascal, always trying to sweet-talk me... You're a real schemer. Hmm... Wait a moment."
Uzumaki Mito suddenly looked up at the sky in one direction, her willow brows drawing together slightly. "Little Monkey, you've seen enough. Keep watching and I'll give you a beating."
At that very moment, in the conference room of the Hokage Building,
Sarutobi Hiruzen shivered despite the scorching weather... The next moment, he swiftly dispelled the Telescope Technique.
After frightening Sarutobi Hiruzen, Uzumaki Mito gathered the miniature Three-Tailed Fox into her arms and fondled him like a cat. Her captivating eyes turned to Xian Yu with a hint of amusement.
"I'm rather curious. You seem to know who I am, little one?"
Though she phrased it as a question, her tone was certain.
That voice, as enchanting as an oriole singing in a secluded valley, struck Xian Yu's ears like a thunderclap!
Could this powerful figure from the original story have noticed me long ago?
How much did she know about me?
Had she been watching me in secret all along?
Had she discovered I was a transmigrator? No! Impossible.
Where had I slipped up... How could she be so sure I knew her?
Xian Yu's mind buzzed as a thousand thoughts raced through it in an instant.
"Hehe, all right, I won't scare you anymore, little one. Don't be so nervous. Didn't you say you'd treat me to ramen? Let's go." Uzumaki Mito gave him a playful wink and glided ahead with light steps.
A few beads of cold sweat appeared at Xian Yu's temples. At last, he figured out what had given him away...
Uzumaki Mito had the Mind's Eye of the Kagura...
She could sense and distinguish the good and evil in people's hearts, and at close range, she could even sense their emotions...
Luckily, he truly hadn't meant any harm... The thought filled him with lingering dread.
People who had lived long enough to become old foxes really weren't easy to deal with.
"Those little brats wouldn't tell you youngsters who I am, so in theory, you shouldn't know me... But you really did recognize me. How curious." Uzumaki Mito smiled faintly, speaking as casually as if to herself.
"Hm? You've calmed down so quickly... Could you even know about my ability? Haha, you really are an interesting little one." After walking only a few steps, Uzumaki Mito suddenly turned around, a look of interest appearing on her beautiful face.
Fear came from the unknown.
Now that he knew what had happened, Xian Yu
waved his hand in mock annoyance, puffing up his cheeks. "Shoo, shoo, shoo! I can't be friends with someone like you. I can't keep any secrets!"
Looking at the little boy clowning around in front of her, Uzumaki Mito paused in surprise, then laughed heartily and teased him. "Hahaha, you're such an amusing little fellow. I haven't had this much fun in ages. How about I betroth my granddaughter to you?"
"..."
The air suddenly fell silent.
Please, have mercy and let me off... Your well-behaved, gentle, sweet granddaughter... You can save her for some other unlucky kid to deal with... Xian Yu's heart was practically stopping.
Honestly, in his previous life, Lady Tsunade's figure and face in the original story had been absolutely lethal to a homebody like him. He'd stood no chance.
But after coming to this world and meeting the real 'Violent Lady Tsunade,' all Xian Yu could say was: The world is so beautiful. Why go looking for an early grave...
Even Shinozaki Ayumi, who was delicate and easy to sweep off her feet, was a hundred times better than Tsunade.
And even if he didn't mention Shinozaki Ayumi, that Inuzuka girl, Inuzuka Nao, was gentle and sweet, too...
The girl from the Yamanaka Clan had a figure that was simply made for the runway...
And the Akimichi... Pah! Pretend I never said anything.
"Uh... Orochimaru, what's going on here?"
The group headed toward Ichiraku Ramen in grand procession. Uzumaki Mito and Xian Yu walked at the front, while Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Hiruko, Might Duy, and the others quietly followed behind. Jiraiya leaned sideways and whispered to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru ignored him and merely glanced at Hatake Sakumo, who was trailing far behind the group.
As if sensing it, Sakumo seemed to understand the question in Orochimaru's eyes. He scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward chuckle. "Heh... Hehe... I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd get some ramen, too."
Just then, Might Duy kindly reminded him, "Sakumo, when you were fighting Inuzuka Takuya just now... didn't you tell him to hurry up because you had something to do afterward?"
"I..."
"Mm, I thought you'd forgotten, so I thought I'd remind you. If it's really urgent, you should go take care of it."
"It's not..."
"No problem. You're my lifelong rival, and we know each other so well. You don't need to thank me."
"..."
Before you continue