Uchiha Mikoto, Who Almost Achieved Mangekyo!

"No, Mikoto, you've arrived at the perfect time!" Bai Lin said, scooping up Kushina while extending a hand to invite Uchiha Mikoto.

"Lin, you are too fickle. Your feelings for me are no longer pure."

"I want to create a world where only..." Uchiha Mikoto began, her voice icy as she prepared to sever their ties.

"Mikoto, don't you want the Uchiha Clan to fully integrate into Konoha?"

"I am working hard toward that very goal. Do you really want to see all of this effort go to waste?" Bai Lin said, his tone carrying an unquestionable firmness.

"I haven't seen you making any effort toward that. All I see is your fickleness."

"If your philandering is what you call 'effort,' then the Uchiha have no need for such integration!"

Uchiha Mikoto's voice was cold as ice, and the Scarlet Tomoe in her pupils spun frantically, as if they were on the verge of evolving at any second.

"Mikoto, you have been by my side for so long; do you still not know what kind of man I am?"

"Even if I, Bai Lin, were to fail the heavens and the earth, I have never once thought of failing you."

"Why don't you take a good look at your surroundings? Use your wisdom to think it through—what the eyes see is not necessarily the truth." Bai Lin's voice was steady, powerful, and filled with genuine emotion.

Surroundings?

What was around her?

Uchiha Mikoto's scarlet Sharingan scanned the area, seeing only the circle of forest, the table in the center, Tsunade with her fists clenched, and Kushina in Bai Lin's arms.

What was there?

What exactly was Lin trying to express?

What factors could possibly exist that related to the Uchiha fully integrating into Konoha?

Tsunade? Kushina?

Senju? Uzumaki?

Oh, I see. As long as the Senju, Uzumaki, Uchiha, and even more clans center themselves around one person, binding together to form an unbreakable bond.

With me in you and you in me, only then can the Uchiha shed the label of 'outsiders' and truly integrate into Konoha!

"Mikoto, neither your Uchiha Clan nor the Hyuga Clan has ever truly integrated into Konoha. I am willing to sacrifice my own reputation to serve as the bridge connecting the various clans of Konoha."

"When the time comes, our children will share the most intimate blood ties. They will have no clan barriers, only the bonds that connect them to one another!"

"As time passes, they will gradually replace the stubborn clans of old, emerging as new families that share the same bloodline and support one another like the horns of a beast."

"By then, the Uchiha will be Konoha, and Konoha will be the home for all clans!"

Watching the light of clarity gradually return to Mikoto's eyes, he continued: "Our bloodlines will weave into a web, and our bonds will solidify into a wall, causing all stubborn prejudices and narrow-minded clan barriers to vanish into smoke through the connections of the next generation!"

Uchiha Mikoto's Sharingan stopped spinning entirely; the scarlet faded, leaving only glistening tears.

So, he wasn't being fickle; he was trying to build a bridge of blood between the clans in his own way.

Using the bonds of the next generation to completely dissolve the estrangement of the previous one.

What a grand, yet tragic sacrifice this was!

Even at the cost of his own reputation, bearing the stigma of a philanderer, he had never forgotten the promise he made to her.

Lin is truly worthy of being one of the true heirs to the Will of Fire.

Thinking this, Uchiha Mikoto no longer cared about his fickleness and threw herself into Bai Lin's arms, having lost all sense of restraint.

Tsunade was stunned by the scene. She thought of her great-uncle, who had disbanded most of the Senju clan members—save for his own father's lineage—and forced them to change their names and integrate into the civilian population.

Even then, it hadn't broken the barrier between the clans and the civilians of Konoha; the only thing that had disappeared was her own Senju Clan.

Other clans still clung to their own territories and rules: the Caged Bird of the Hyuga, the isolation of the Uchiha, the civilians' awe of the great clans... these invisible walls had never truly vanished.

This proved that her great-uncle's policy wasn't necessarily correct; perhaps someone really could achieve this, and it wouldn't be impossible.

Tsunade pursed her lips, lost in her own thoughts.

Bai Lin, Kushina, Uchiha Mikoto, and Tsunade sat cross-legged on the ground.

Today's sunlight wasn't scorching; instead, it felt rather warm.

Bai Lin had long since planned for the harmonious coexistence of these women; he only needed to target the weaknesses in their hearts to easily coordinate their relationships.

Kushina considered herself the last survivor of the Uzumaki Clan. Upon hearing news that other Uzumaki clansmen were still alive, and given that he was the person she relied on most here, it was easy for her to forgive his fickleness.

Uchiha Mikoto was of the Uchiha Clan, and the Sharingan was a mirror of the heart, carrying love, hate, anger, and obsession; once it fell into darkness, it was difficult to pull back.

Her ideal was for Bai Lin to help the Uchiha Clan integrate into Konoha. Only by letting her see him working toward that goal could these extreme emotions both develop her Sharingan and allow her to find inner peace, making her willing to accept all of Bai Lin's actions.

Tsunade's mind was already mature, making her difficult to win over in a short time; he could only change her perspective over the long term through small details.

Bai Lin was no shut-in, the type who would blush if his hand were touched after transmigrating, then secretly flirt with others, create conflicts, and helplessly end up in a harem.

He had already rehearsed the current situation in his heart, and even if there were minor surprises, they would not affect his plans.

"From now on, you are my disciples. The ninjutsu I excel in is not suitable for most people to learn; it requires extremely high talent, and it is very likely I won't be able to teach you in that regard."

"However, in other areas, I can provide help with whatever you need. Remember, when you are out in the world, don't lose face for me, understand?"

Tsunade spoke slowly, her expression looking somewhat unpleasant.

Looking at the three people brimming with joy before her, she felt as if her team had become rather unserious.

"I am Tsunade. My strength goes without saying, and I specialize in medical ninjutsu."

"I look forward to working with you all."

After finishing, Tsunade pursed her lips toward Bai Lin, signaling for him to introduce himself.

"There is no need for me to say much else; everyone already knows me."

"As for my favorite food, it goes without saying—if it is made by the person I love, I will find it delicious no matter how bad it tastes."

"The person I love also needs no introduction; she is right before my eyes and yet far away. A sensible woman should know how to identify herself."

"As for my dream..."

Hearing this, the three women wore different expressions, their ears turning red in unison.

Kushina Uzumaki was the most straightforward. She glared at him with a blushing face, yet could not hide the joy in her eyes. Clutching the corner of her clothes, she muttered, "Who, who would cook for you... but if you dare to complain that it tastes bad, I will..."

Though her words were harsh, the corners of her mouth could not help but curl upward.

Mikoto lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. "Is... is my cooking that bad? Otherwise, why would you say 'no matter how bad it tastes'?"

"You brat!" Tsunade gave a light cough, though she held back.

"My dream is to have world peace!" Bai Lin stood up and shouted loudly.

"I have even thought of the slogan:"

"Since you have asked with such sincerity,"

"I shall answer you with great mercy,"

"To prevent the world from being destroyed,"

"To protect the peace of the world,"

"To carry out love and justice, pfft? Kindness,"

"The cute and charming protagonist."

"When the time comes, you will each say a line. I have already assigned the script for you," Bai Lin clapped his hands, pointing at the three of them with excitement, his eyes gleaming.

The three women had black lines on their foreheads. Even Kushina Uzumaki couldn't help but punch him with a dark face at such shameless lines.

"No! Absolutely not!" X3.

The three voices spoke in unison, carrying undisguised resistance, their gazes toward Bai Lin full of accusations that he had lost his mind.

Kushina Uzumaki lunged forward to cover his mouth, her red hair almost standing on end. "You stinky Brother Lin! How could you come up with such embarrassing lines! If this gets out, how will I ever face anyone again!"

Mikoto also shook her head repeatedly, her gentle brows filled with resistance. "I thought Might Duy was already invincible, but I never expected that you, Lin, would actually..."

Tsunade raised her hand and gave Bai Lin a solid rap on the head, using quite a bit of force. "You brat! You don't do anything serious and only think of this nonsense! If you dare say such stupid things again, I will sew your mouth shut."

"Alright, next, Kushina Uzumaki!" Tsunade composed herself and said indifferently.

"I am Kushina Uzumaki. The person I like most is, hehehe, and as for my favorite food, whatever Brother Lin likes to eat, I like to eat."

"My dream is to be able to live together with Brother Lin, and also... to find the surviving members of my kin and let the Uzumaki Clan shine once again!"

Kushina Uzumaki said firmly.