Uchiha Xiao looked up at the moon from the courtyard. Moonlight spilled down and fell across him. For a moment, he was stunned.
"People today can't see the moon of ancient times, but this moon once shone on those who came before." The ancient poem slipped from his lips, adding a touch of melancholy to his air.
Tsunade had excellent hearing. The moment she heard the poem, she was struck by its beauty. Then she looked at Uchiha Xiao beneath the moonlight and suddenly felt her cheeks grow warm.
"Xiao, you're quite the poet. Those two lines—'People today can't see the moon of ancient times, but this moon once shone on those who came before'—will surely win you the admiration of countless girls," Tsunade said with a smile.
Uchiha Xiao turned his head toward Tsunade. She was dressed in a loose kimono, her arms fair and flawless. Standing beside him, she gazed up at the bright moon with him.
"Lady Tsunade, I'm sorry for the trouble," Uchiha Xiao said with a smile and a bow. By rights, he was a Genin while she was an upper-rank ninja. Though they were classmates, Tsunade was still his superior.
But Tsunade shook her head. "Xiao, just call me Tsunade. There's no need to be so formal. We're not just superior and subordinate—we're classmates, too."
Only then did Uchiha Xiao raise his head. This time, Tsunade was looking up at the moon, and he took the opportunity to study her face at close range.
She had a heart-shaped face, a high ponytail, and two big, sparkling eyes. Her figure was beginning to fill out, her legs were long and slender, and the smile tugging at her lips was impossible to hide. At that moment, the moon was all she saw. It seemed to have become a pair of colored contacts reflected in her eyes.
Suddenly, Tsunade seemed to realize something. She lowered her head and smiled at the man who stood a head taller than her. "Xiao, congratulations! After eighteen years, you've finally awakened your Sharingan!"
The girl's smile was clear and genuine. Unlike everyone else, she showed not the slightest hint of mockery or scorn. Her congratulations were nothing but heartfelt and sincere.
Uchiha Xiao's lips curled up. He smiled faintly. "You're the first person who's truly wished me well."
"Hm? Back at the compound, didn't anyone care for you or look after you?" Tsunade asked, suddenly taken aback as she turned to him.
Uchiha Xiao gave a faint smile. "There used to be. But for various reasons, they're gone now..."
He was talking about his parents and friends. When his parents were alive, he had been the apple of their eye, their precious darling. But during the First War, his father died on the battlefield, and his mother, worn down by overwork, passed away the following year.
He had once had a few friends, too. But after some clan members incited them, they gradually began to distance themselves from him. And so he became an outcast in the Uchiha Clan.
Looking at Uchiha Xiao, who could still smile after all that, Tsunade suddenly thought he seemed very mature compared with other people his age.
As for why, it would have been tactless to ask. Tsunade shook her head and smiled faintly. "Well, Xiao, get some rest. We're setting out tomorrow. If you don't sleep, you won't be able to get up."
Then Tsunade pointed toward the guest room, stretched, and returned to her own bedroom.
Uchiha Xiao smiled and headed in the direction she had pointed. It was already midnight. The whole village was silent; apart from the patrols, no one was out on the streets.
With war on the horizon, people weren't allowed out at night. If you were caught outside, you might be suspected of being a spy or planning something illegal.
So Uchiha Xiao had no choice but to stay at the Senju Clan Compound. He entered the guest room and saw that it was spotless. Lady Mito must have had someone tidy it up.
He couldn't help feeling grateful to Lady Mito. If he remembered correctly, the Land of Whirlpools would be invaded by the four great nations next year, all of them vying for the Uzumaki Bloodline.
No matter what, he had to find a way to stop it from happening! His gaze was as firm as bedrock. Then he lay down, pulled up the covers, and fell asleep.
At that moment, Uzumaki Mito opened her eyes, got up, and knocked on Tsunade's door. Knock, knock, knock.
"Who is it?" Tsunade had just taken off her clothes, leaving her fair thighs bare. This was her home, and this was her room, so she had no reason to worry about undressing.
Senju Nawaki had been called over to Orochimaru's house, where Orochimaru was giving him advice about things to keep in mind during wartime, along with some extra instruction. So he wasn't home that night.
As for Uchiha Xiao? After their conversation, Tsunade was sure he was a decent person and wouldn't sneak around, steal, or peep. Still, he might have a reason to come looking for her, so she asked who it was.
"It's me." Uzumaki Mito's voice came through the door. Tsunade immediately perked up. She loved and respected her grandmother. After her grandfather passed away, Mito had raised Tsunade and Nawaki.
Naturally, Tsunade cherished and respected her grandmother.
Creak—the door opened.
"Grandma." Tsunade's voice rang out before she appeared. Uzumaki Mito's face lit up with a smile. Her granddaughter's voice was so lovely.
But once the door opened and she saw Tsunade standing there completely naked, her expression fell. Frowning, she said in a low voice, "How many times have I told you? A girl should sleep with her clothes on, but you never listen!"
"Usually, it wouldn't matter. But we have a guest in the house now, and you're still being careless. What if someone saw everything?" Uzumaki Mito scolded.
Tsunade shrank her neck. She knew her grandmother was angry. Her not-so-brilliant mind began scrambling to think of how to appease her, but she couldn't come up with anything.
The sight made Mito laugh as she stepped inside. "Enough, don't bother thinking. You're as clumsy with words as your grandfather!"
Tsunade could only scratch her head and offer an awkward smile. What could she do? Grandma was the head of the household. Besides, what she said was right, and Tsunade couldn't argue with her.
"Grandma, sit." Tsunade gestured toward the tatami, then put on a silk robe and obediently went to kneel on the other side, waiting for her grandmother to lecture her. As she knelt, she was all grace and charm, and her ample chest bounced. Uzumaki Mito could only shake her head at the sight.
Uzumaki Mito didn't dwell on it. She knelt opposite Tsunade with perfect posture and elegant movements, every inch the noblewoman. The contrast between her and Tsunade was striking.
"Monkey called you to a meeting. What did he say?" Uzumaki Mito asked first, fixing her gaze on Tsunade. Tsunade looked up at her grandmother, her expression calm.
"Grandma, Sensei said that Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and I should each lead a thousand troops to the Land of Rain to wipe out its army. If necessary..." Tsunade hesitated.
"Go on," Uzumaki Mito said calmly.
Tsunade sighed. "If necessary, we're to intercept Salamander Hanzo and buy the other units time to fight on the front lines."
Uzumaki Mito narrowed her eyes and remained silent for a long time.