Xiao You

"A Summoning Beast?"

The captain looked in puzzlement at the little mouse in the man's hand.

Little White Mouse was still glaring resentfully at the man holding it.

"You... bad guy..."

"Put me down!"

The man ignored its words, merely giving it a little bounce when he heard its voice.

"Captain, whose Summoning Beast do you think this is? Someone must have left it behind!"

The captain pondered for a moment.

Did any ninja in Konoha use mice as Summoning Beasts?

None of the ninja he knew used a mouse as a Summoning Beast.

Could it be a spy Summoning Beast belonging to a ninja from another village?

At that thought, his expression immediately turned serious.

That was certainly possible.

"Zhenglang, let me take a look."

The man nodded and handed Little White Mouse over.

Looking at Little White Mouse in his hand, the captain grew even more puzzled.

"There aren't any markings on it!"

Little White Mouse felt unnerved under his scrutiny and no longer dared to speak.

The captain shook his head. He couldn't make anything of it either.

He turned Little White Mouse's head with a finger and met its eyes, a scarlet hue emerging in his pupils.

In that case, he would have to use the Sharingan.

"Wait..."

A voice came from the street beside them, interrupting the captain.

He deactivated his Sharingan and turned toward the voice.

"Sorry about this!"

A figure slowly approached from a distance.

When he recognized her, the captain was slightly surprised.

"Miss Ikuko?"

Ikuko Hyuga nodded.

"Captain Chengdou, it's been a long time."

Chengdou stared blankly at Ikuko Hyuga, memories stirring in his mind.

They had been classmates at the Ninja Academy and comrades on an S-rank mission.

"Miss Ikuko, is this your Summoning Beast?" Chengdou asked.

If it belonged to her, there would be no need to use genjutsu.

At the sight of her, Little White Mouse began to struggle.

Why had she come after me?

Damn it.

Little White Mouse cursed inwardly.

It twisted its body.

In an instant, it wriggled free of Chengdou's hand.

"Whoa..."

Chengdou jumped. Before she could even answer, Little White Mouse had escaped his grasp.

He hadn't expected the mouse to react so strongly to seeing Ikuko Hyuga.

One moment of carelessness, and it had broken free.

Wasn't it her Summoning Beast?

"Don't run..."

Watching Little White Mouse flee farther and farther away, he was at a loss for words.

Suddenly, a fierce gust swept in, blowing the fleeing Little White Mouse back.

"Wind Release..."

A cool female voice rang out.

Chengdou looked toward the voice, only then realizing that Ikuko Hyuga had already caught Little White Mouse.

"Miss Ikuko..." Chengdou tried to ask again, but another voice interrupted him.

"I'm not this woman's Summoning Beast..."

Little White Mouse struggled helplessly in Ikuko Hyuga's hand.

Chengdou frowned.

It wasn't her Summoning Beast?

"This isn't my Summoning Beast. It belongs to a younger girl in my clan," Ikuko Hyuga explained helplessly.

"Her name is Yui Hyuga."

She looked into Little White Mouse's eyes and asked teasingly, "Isn't that right, Little White Mouse?"

"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."

Little White Mouse cursed furiously.

Damn it...

Its master really was its master. What was it supposed to do?

Chengdou studied Little White Mouse's expression. When he saw that it wasn't denying her claim, he finally relaxed.

"I see."

As long as Little White Mouse had a master, that was fine. Otherwise, he really would have had to suspect it was a spy Summoning Beast from another nation.

"In that case, we'll get back to our patrol with the Konoha Military Police Force."

"Let's talk when we have time."

"It has been over a decade since we last saw each other, after all."

Ikuko Hyuga nodded.

"Yes, of course."

Once everyone had left, Ikuko Hyuga carried Little White Mouse to a secluded spot.

"You're quite the escape artist. You almost got away."

Ikuko Hyuga looked at Little White Mouse struggling in her hand as she spoke.

"What are you going to do?"

Little White Mouse asked in terror.

Ikuko Hyuga smiled.

"I didn't expect you to really be Yui's Summoning Beast."

"I don't know when she signed a contract with you, but your little scheme almost worked."

"Still, if I kill you now, Yui will probably blame me."

"So instead..."

Ikuko Hyuga took a scroll from her pocket and unrolled it with one hand.

A black seal was revealed inside.

"Contract Seal..."

She formed a hand seal with one hand and placed a seal on Little White Mouse.

Only after seeing the seal on its body did Ikuko Hyuga relax.

"Come on. I'll take you somewhere fun."

With that, Ikuko Hyuga carried Little White Mouse back.

At the sight of the Cursed Seal on its body, Little White Mouse was secretly overjoyed.

Master... Master... save me!

Little White Mouse shouted loudly in its mind.

It was a little mouse that knew Sealing Jutsu. A seal like this couldn't hold it.

The Hyuga Branch Family.

Yui was contemplating her life when she suddenly heard a cry for help.

Master, Master, help!

What's this?

The voice echoing in her mind sounded familiar.

Oh no!

It was Little White Mouse's voice. Yui finally remembered.

Hadn't it already escaped?

Had Ikuko Hyuga caught it again?

Yui inwardly cursed her luck.

Her plan was probably going to fall through.

Would she really have to stay here for years?

Never mind. I could only take things one step at a time.

She formed hand seals with both hands.

"Summoning Technique."

Elsewhere.

Feeling its master's summons, Little White Mouse began channeling chakra.

Golden light immediately rose from its body, breaking the black seal wrapped around it.

Poof-

Little White Mouse turned into a cloud of smoke and vanished from Ikuko Hyuga's hand.

"???"

Ikuko Hyuga stared blankly at the cloud of smoke rising from her hand.

Hadn't I placed a Contract Seal on it? How could it still be summoned?

It seemed that Little White Mouse was no ordinary creature.

She chuckled, then let the matter go.

"That's fine. At least she'll have something to keep her company in there."

Yui looked at Little White Mouse in her hand with a hint of helplessness.

"Boo-hoo, Master..."

Little White Mouse sobbed loudly.

As it cried, its expression suddenly filled with disappointment.

"Master, I let you down. I messed everything up."

Yui smiled gently, then offered some comfort.

"It's all right. We'll take our time planning what to do next!"

Even so, Little White Mouse still blamed itself.

Suddenly, something occurred to Yui.

"By the way, Little White Mouse, you don't have a name yet, do you?" Yui said. "Let's give you one today!"

Hearing that it was going to receive a name, Little White Mouse immediately grew excited.

Master was going to name me?

"Let's call you Xiao You."

"It sounds like the first syllable of my name."

Hearing the name its master had given it, Little White Mouse couldn't contain its joy.

"Okay, Master! From now on, I'm Xiao You."

At Little White Mouse's words, Yui's expression turned serious. "You can't call me Master anymore!"

"Why?" Xiao You asked in confusion. "Isn't Master my master?"

"Are you going to abandon me?"

"I don't understand."

As Xiao You spoke, it grew a little downcast.

Yui chuckled softly.

"We're family, aren't we?"

"There's no master and servant between family," Yui said with a smile. "Just call me by my name!"

Xiao You was a little stunned by her words.

Family?

"Yui..." Xiao You said softly.