Ao paid it no mind. He stopped and looked at Uchiha Yin. "Who's this? Why does he look so familiar?"
As Ao studied Uchiha Yin, he felt certain he knew him, but he couldn't recall his name.
Ao assumed Uchiha Yin was another Kirigakure ninja who followed Mei Terumi, just someone he didn't know well.
After all, a Ninja Village had so many ninja. Everyone knew the few famous ones, but most others were no more than passing acquaintances.
That was even more true of the ANBU.
Ao figured Uchiha Yin was an ANBU ninja who had joined Mei Terumi's side.
Ao had seen pictures of Uchiha Yin. Otherwise, he wouldn't have found him familiar.
But it never occurred to Ao that Uchiha Yin might help Mei Terumi, so he instinctively dismissed the possibility.
"Ao, are you sure you don't recognize him?" Seeing that Ao seemed to be in good shape and good spirits, Mei Terumi teased him.
"Should I?" Ao kept staring at Uchiha Yin's face. The longer he looked, the more familiar it seemed.
"Stop staring at me, or I'll get angry. Let's make this official: I'm Uchiha Yin."
Uchiha Yin narrowed his eyes and smiled at Ao, extending a hand in greeting.
Ao had always been Mei Terumi's confidant in the original story. Even if Uchiha Yin didn't care about Ao, he would show Mei Terumi some respect.
Besides, Mei Terumi's faction was still too weak. If she was to become Mizukage, she would need other people's help unless they simply forced their way through.
Uchiha Yin understood that perfectly well.
"Hello, I'm Ao. What?! You're Uchiha Yin?!" Ao hadn't caught on at first and had already taken Uchiha Yin's outstretched hand.
Once it sank in, the hand Ao had wrapped around Uchiha Yin's began to tremble.