I Want to Protect You.

"Ka... Kamizuki-sama!!"

The young ninja standing beside Mikoto naturally added an honorific.

At twelve, he was already a jonin. He had personally killed nearly twenty enemy jonin, and had won countless small-scale battles.

In his two years as a ninja, he had completed over a hundred battlefield missions, more than half of them A-rank or S-rank. His record was horrifying.

Even Chiyo, Sunagakure's legendary puppet master, had openly admitted that she had been forced to retreat before him!

Even without all that...

The pressure Kamizuki radiated just by standing there was impossible to ignore.

His very existence was like heaven showing off an exceptional masterpiece it had created!

Mikoto came back to her senses and forced an awkward but polite smile.

"Aha... long time no see, brother."

Kamizuki repeated coldly, "Who told you to come here?"

Anyone could see that he was furious.

When he had returned to the village to report and be promoted to jonin, he had specifically told Sarutobi Hiruzen that even after she graduated and became a ninja, she was not to come to the battlefield.

And now...

Mikoto stood up, her smile fading as she met Kamizuki's gaze.

"I'm a ninja. Why can't I come?"

A cold smile curled at Kamizuki's lips. "A ninja?"

"You simply don't have the talent to become one."

She stepped closer, fearlessly meeting his icy stare. "I graduated first in my class, and I'm an Uchiha with the Sharingan!"

"What right do you have to say that!"

Her black pupils were dyed crimson, two tomoe spinning within them.

Two Tomoe!!

In the original timeline, Uchiha Mikoto had been a registered Konoha jonin before her marriage and had forged a friendship with Kushina on the battlefield.

She had never been merely an ordinary, gentle housewife. She was a powerful ninja!

"Heh... trying to play rebellious with me? You're a hundred years too early."

Bang—!

Without even activating his Sharingan, the invisible pressure of his killing intent alone forced Mikoto to stagger back again and again. The young ninjas around her trembled all over in terror, unable to move!

"Kamizuki..."

Orochimaru frowned, but his call received no response.

Kamizuki walked toward Mikoto step by step, his eyes cold. "What? You can't even endure a little of my killing intent. Who gave you the courage to come here?"

"Or do you think I'll give you special treatment and let you become dead weight?"

"Kamizuki, that's too much."

Orochimaru's expression turned stern as he rebuked him sharply. "Your talent is not something you can use to belittle others!"

Mikoto fell silent for a moment, breathing lightly to steady herself. Then the corners of her lips rose, revealing a smile unlike her usual self.

That smile bore some resemblance to Kamizuki's.

"Again... brother, don't you have any new tricks?"

She raised her head again and met his eyes.

"Trying to use cruel words to make me stay away from danger? Can't you just say what you're really thinking?"

"Someone this childish can still be called a genius..."

"That really makes me want to laugh! Uchiha Kamizuki!"

What was happening here drew the attention of everyone in the camp, and they gathered around.

Some jonin placed their hands on their ninja tool pouches, while others gathered Chakra beneath their feet, ready to Body Flicker over.

"These siblings... they're both sharp-tongued."

Jiraiya muttered under his breath.

The furious outburst everyone expected from Kamizuki never came.

He looked at Mikoto impassively.

"I don't want you to die. That's nothing difficult to admit."

"You don't have the talent to become a ninja, and you don't belong on the battlefield. I've said that long ago."

Mikoto gritted her teeth and retorted, "Then I'll say it again!"

"I'm not some fragile object that needs careful protection! I'm an Uchiha too!"

"Is that so..."

Kamizuki raised his hand. In an instant, his fingertip stopped before Mikoto's forehead, a sharp crimson blade pressed against it!

Genuine killing intent!!

"Put your hand down!"

"Stop!"

"What are you doing?!"

Whoosh, whoosh—

Orochimaru used Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, dozens of giant snakes coiling around Kamizuki's feet with hissing cries.

Tsunade pulled Mikoto into her arms, glaring fiercely at Kamizuki.

A hand landed on his shoulder. Jiraiya's face was full of killing intent. "Even if it's you, if you dare attack a comrade..."

Kamizuki completely ignored the three of them. Looking at the horrified Mikoto, he spoke calmly.

"Why?"

"At this distance, your Sharingan could clearly see that I slowed my movements. Your taijutsu could absolutely have avoided it."

"Why did you do nothing?"

"Did you think I wouldn't kill you?"

Kamizuki lowered his finger and gave a contemptuous sneer. "Setting aside all sorts of strange Transformation Techniques... even if it really were me, I could still be controlled by a special jutsu."

"As a ninja, anyone who threatens your life must be regarded as an enemy to be killed!"

"Parents, siblings, lovers, sons... whoever they are!"

Kamizuki's expression twisted, a rare loss of composure. "Utterly foolish... Uchiha Mikoto! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

"Keeping yourself alive is what matters most!!"

"Kamizuki, your way of thinking is too—"

Realizing that Kamizuki had not truly intended to hurt Mikoto, Jiraiya raised his hand, still intending to pat Kamizuki's shoulder and lecture him...

Bang!!!!

A terrifying force struck him, reminding Jiraiya of the devastating blow he had suffered after peeping on Tsunade bathing.

The crisp sound of breaking ribs rang out as his body flew far into the distance, his soul lazily trailing behind.

Did you really think I wouldn't hit you?!

You're too damn noisy!

Shaking off the snakes wrapped around his feet, Kamizuki turned away.

"If you understand, get lost and go back."

"No."

Once again, the girl stubbornly raised her head, crystalline tears rolling down from her scarlet eyes.

Amid everyone's magnified shock...

Those eyes...

A third tomoe appeared!!

Kamizuki stopped and turned back, an unusual look in his eyes as well.

"I know, but... you alone aren't enough."

Drip... drip...

Tears fell to the ground and splashed apart.

"I promised Father and Mother that I would protect you."

"Even if I die, I'll protect you!"

You never saw the looks in their eyes when they left. You never heard their voices, full of apology, reluctance, and unease...

The one who can't understand is you, brother!!

The new generation's strongest Uchiha, undefeated and invincible across the battlefield, a genius boy...

No, in my eyes...

You have always been the one who needed protecting!

Kamizuki lowered his eyes and did not look back again.

Twelve years old, with Three Tomoe... and his biological younger sister...

Her talent was no less than Uchiha Kamizuki's!!

Within the crowd, a Konoha ninja lowered his head, a strange gleam appearing in his eyes.

Too many attempts to act against Uchiha Kamizuki had failed. His growth rate had already surpassed the range in which he could be captured.

Uchiha Mikoto... Beyond her talent, being female would make things more convenient...

I need to send this information out as soon as possible!