Mrs. Mikoto

Because of his prosthetic-body technology, every disabled ninja owed Hiruko a favor.

These connections gave Hiruko considerable political standing. Otherwise, the old man, the Third Hokage, would not have asked for Hiruko's opinion regarding the Fourth Hokage.

It was just that with those few old bastards around, Hiruko's reputation was... well, haha.

Looking at the tiny Itachi, Hiruko suddenly thought of Uchiha Mikoto. Back then, his reputation had been far too insignificant, while she had been far too dazzling.

If he had to put it into words, Hiruko's fame had first begun during the Second Shinobi World War.

As Tsunade's old classmate and admirer, he had fully supported her and helped her establish a mature system for medical ninjas.

He had also provided some matching, strange medical ninja tools, greatly improving the survival rate of Konoha's ninjas.

Together with several unique techniques he developed afterward, he had earned a fairly good reputation in Konoha.

Later, he had extorted a sum of research funding and a relatively complete scientific laboratory from the Hokage's upper ranks.

From then on, he had stayed away from battlefields filled with bloodshed, slaughter, and wasted lives, retreating behind the scenes.

He devoted himself to all kinds of scientific research and almost never appeared before the public again.

The next time he appeared, Hiruko had brought his prosthetic-body technology and helped those injured and disabled Konoha ninjas regain their ability to move.

Thus, unless they had specifically looked into him, few younger ninjas knew Hiruko. The older generation, on the other hand, mostly knew of him.

Hiruko did not hold much dislike toward Itachi Uchiha.

To Hiruko, the people and things in this world had long since become both utterly familiar and utterly strange.

He would never use the plot of his previous life to completely define so-called plot characters or plot momentum, nor did he cling to too many rigid preconceptions.

Because his own involvement had changed the ninja world far too much.

Take Orochimaru, for example. He looked like a mad scientist, but in truth, he cared deeply about his companions.

Danzo was not merely a troublemaking shit-stirrer either. Without Danzo, the Third Shinobi World War would not have been resolved so easily.

And Danzo was not simply a fool with more money than sense. He had his own plans and considerations regarding Hiruko.

The Third Hokage was not as gentle as Hiruko had imagined, either. As Hokage, he was quite decisive.

When commanding on the battlefield, whenever it was necessary to sacrifice some people, he could make the decision without hesitation. His title as the Shinobi Hero was well deserved.

But Tsunade's heart truly was broad. She had been the same in his previous life, and she remained so in this one.

Yet whenever Hiruko thought of Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki, the image of that adorable little fellow surfaced in his mind, and he could not help feeling sorrowful.

After all, in pursuing Tsunade, he had gotten along quite well with the little fellow.

Despite all his precautions, he still could not prevent the boy's death. Only the place where he died had changed.

In this damned world, weakness was a sin. Nawaki had died because he was too weak.

According to Orochimaru, the little fellow had unfortunately fallen into an enemy trap. In an instant, his internal organs had been blown into a bloody mess. There had been no time to save him, and he had died on the spot.

Everything had happened far too quickly. Even someone as powerful as Orochimaru had failed to lend aid in time and could only watch helplessly as his student passed away.

Nawaki's death had dealt Tsunade a severe blow. From then on, she had never recovered. She began drowning her sorrows in alcohol and drifting through one gambling house after another, trying to numb the pain in her heart this way.

As for Orochimaru, he had become increasingly cold from that day onward, as though he had seen through the mortal world. His manner of doing things had grown ever more unrestrained and arrogant.

Still, Hiruko had always harbored doubts. He felt that Nawaki's death was inseparable from those shrewd old elders in the village.

After all, Orochimaru and Nawaki had only been carrying out a simple bandit-suppression mission at the time, meant to temper Nawaki. Such an accident should not have happened.

Otherwise, Orochimaru would not have been so careless.

But the matter had passed, and the dead could not testify. Hiruko had no good way to pursue it.

Hiruko led Itachi as the two of them wandered leisurely toward the dessert shop.

The large and small pair were walking down the street when they happened to run into Uchiha Mikoto, who was returning after talking things over with Uzumaki Kushina.

Mikoto spotted Itachi at once, hurriedly waved to him, then quickened her pace and came over.

"Mom!" Itachi called.

"Lord Hiruko!" His mother bowed to Hiruko as well.

"Uchiha Mikoto? If I remember correctly, you are Fugaku's wife, aren't you?" Hiruko asked.

"Yes, my lord!" Mikoto replied respectfully.

At this time, Uchiha Mikoto's pregnant belly was slightly rounded, and her entire body exuded the unique charm of a gentle, married woman.

"Gentle and graceful"—no phrase could have been more fitting for the beautiful married woman before him.

Mikoto was already a mother. The tenderness, grace, virtue, and kindness she revealed in every gesture were things none of the beauties Hiruko had collected possessed.

As expected, other men's wives always seemed to possess a different kind of charm.

Damn it, I'm being ruled by instinct! Hiruko silently cursed, quickly reining in his gaze and no longer letting his eyes wander.

"You're pregnant again?" Hiruko asked.

"Yes, Lord Hiruko," Mikoto replied softly.

"Little guy, congratulations. You'll have a younger brother soon!" Hiruko reached out and rubbed Itachi Uchiha's little head.

"Ah!" Itachi was dazed for a moment.

Mikoto smiled and stepped forward, gently stroking her child's face and hair. She pressed Itachi's head against her abdomen and said tenderly, "That's right. You're going to be a big brother."

Listening to the rhythm of life within his mother's belly, for some reason, the world in Itachi's eyes instantly brightened.

It was as though the gray gloom that had previously shrouded him beneath the pressure of death had, in that moment, been filled with flowers.

Seeing her son with Hiruko, Mikoto soon took her leave. Hiruko was an important figure in the village now, and Itachi being with him was not a bad thing.

Since Hiruko had promised Itachi, he brought the unlucky kid to the dessert shop.

With practiced ease, he ordered one hundred skewers of three-colored dango and four strawberry ice cream cones.

"Eat up! Sweets always bring people happiness. You'll remember this feeling!"

Half-jokingly, he handed a plate of dango and an ice cream cone to the somewhat reserved Itachi. Then he skillfully picked up the food on the table and began stuffing himself.

Mrs. Mikoto's figure really was excellent. What a pity she was married. Back then, he had been nothing more than a small fry—how could he have had any chance to approach the lofty Uchiha Clan?

As he ate his sweets, Hiruko drifted off, his mind returning to the first time he had stepped onto a battlefield.

Uchiha Mikoto had led the Uchiha Clan's ninjas in slaughtering enemies all around, while he could only watch from afar as that blood-soaked rose bloomed upon the battlefield.

"Truly beautiful!"

"Uncle, what's truly beautiful?"