Uchiha Mikoto shrank back, looking to the Uchiha Clan Head and the Third Hokage for help.
Though she had neither father nor mother, she didn't want to die.
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into thought nearby.
Once a death was involved, the matter could be treated as either minor or serious.
On the one hand, he could turn a blind eye, since the other party had warned beforehand that someone might die.
On the other hand, it would mean killing a Konoha Ninja, treating Konoha as nothing, and making an enemy of the village.
That would give them every justification to gather the whole village's strength and kill Yeyue Ziyun.
He actually hoped Yeyue Ziyun would kill Uchiha Mikoto.
Then Konoha would have a reason to move against Yeyue Ziyun.
Besides, if Yeyue Ziyun really did kill Uchiha Mikoto, the Third Raikage would have no reason to move against Konoha after they killed Yeyue Ziyun.
Still, as the Third Hokage, he couldn't very well agree to it outright.
After all, the Uchiha Clan Head was present too.
For now, he only wanted to keep the Uchiha Clan in check, not drive them into betraying Konoha.
"Ahem, this isn't for me to decide. Uchiha Clan Head, Uchiha Mikoto is a member of the Uchiha Clan. You should decide this matter."
Hiruzen Sarutobi put on a show of deferring to him.
At his words, disappointment showed in Uchiha Mikoto's eyes.
Though Mikoto was still young, she was perceptive and immediately understood what the Third Hokage was thinking.
He hadn't refused outright, instead passing the decision to the Uchiha Clan Head. The Third Hokage's intentions were already clear.
He wanted nothing more than for her to die at Yeyue Ziyun's hands; he simply couldn't say so outright.
How could the Uchiha Clan Head not know what the Third Hokage was thinking?
"Mikoto may be an Uchiha, but the Uchiha Clan is a clan of Konoha!"
"As Konoha's highest authority, Lord Hokage, you are the one to decide such matters. It would be presumptuous of the Uchiha Clan to overstep, so please make the decision."
The Uchiha Clan Head sneered and passed the decision right back to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
With so many people watching, would the Third Hokage dare refuse to protect a villager?
If he didn't protect Mikoto, the Uchiha Clan would have ample reason to refuse any unreasonable missions the Konoha High Command assigned them in the future!
At those words, a chill gripped Uchiha Mikoto's heart. Her body trembled slightly with hurt, and tears nearly spilled from her eyes.
Mikoto could have understood Hiruzen Sarutobi treating her as a chess piece.
But from the Uchiha Clan Head's words, he too was using her as a knife aimed at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Wasn't I a member of the Uchiha Clan?
Sensing the change in Mikoto's mood beside him, Ziyun's lips curved upward.
Things were unfolding much as he had expected.
"Interesting."
The Third Raikage snorted, folded his arms, and watched the show.
He could see it now: there was a sizable rift between the Uchiha Clan and the Konoha High Command.
In just a few brief exchanges, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Uchiha Clan Head had already played at least two rounds against each other.
Konoha was powerful, but it wasn't united. Hidden Cloud Village might be able to exploit that weakness in the future.
Faced with the decision the Uchiha Clan Head had passed back to him, Hiruzen Sarutobi found himself in a bind.
If he refused Yeyue Ziyun, such a fine chance to kill him would go to waste.
If he agreed, then with so many Konoha Ninja present, his failure to protect a Konoha Village villager would send his reputation as the strongest Hokage plummeting.
"Clan Head, Lord Hokage, there's no need to argue. I'm willing to accept Yeyue Ziyun's condition!"
Just then, Uchiha Mikoto stepped forward of her own accord, her heart aching.
"Mikoto, have you thought this through?"
The Uchiha Clan Head frowned. He didn't want Mikoto stepping forward on her own.
"Yes, I have. I caused this trouble, and I'll take responsibility for it myself!"
Mikoto nodded without so much as looking at the Uchiha Clan Head.
After today's farce, she could finally see things clearly.
Both Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Uchiha Clan Head treated her as a chess piece they could move around at will!
In that case, she might as well choose death herself. It was better than being used as a chess piece.
"All right. Since you've made your decision, there's nothing more I can say. Let's go!"
The Uchiha Clan Head waved his hand and left with the other Uchiha.
Though Mikoto's choice wouldn't diminish Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation, the Uchiha Clan would have ample reason to refuse if the Konoha High Command assigned them another such mission in the future.
She had no particular talent anyway. This could be Uchiha Mikoto's final contribution to the Uchiha Clan.
Seeing the Uchiha Clan Head leave so decisively, Uchiha Mikoto felt another stab of pain in her heart and nearly lost her footing.
But she soon steeled herself.
"Mikoto, don't worry. You'll be absolutely fine."
Seeing Uchiha Mikoto step forward on her own, Hiruzen Sarutobi breathed a sigh of relief. After stepping forward to comfort Mikoto, he immediately turned to Ziyun and spoke sternly.
"Yeyue Ziyun, although Mikoto was in the wrong for attacking you first, she is a ninja of Konoha. If anything happens to her, Konoha won't stand idly by. I hope you'll watch yourself."
After speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked around and saw the Konoha Ninja gazing at him with admiration.
Surely his glorious image had risen even higher in their eyes.
Chapter 17: Red Hot-Blooded Habanero, the cutest height difference [Please send flowers and votes!]
"Ziyun, are you really planning to use that little girl from the Uchiha Clan to test your new Ninjutsu?"
"Why do I get the feeling this is the Third Hokage's trap?"
After leaving the Hokage's office, they were on their way back to the guesthouse.
The Third Raikage glanced at Uchiha Mikoto, who had remained silent the whole time, and frowned.
She was a member of the Uchiha Clan, after all. Letting someone from another ninja village do as he pleased with her was ridiculous!
In Hidden Cloud Village, at least, he would never allow anything so absurd to happen.
This was very likely bait Hiruzen Sarutobi had thrown out, just waiting for him to bite.
"Don't worry, Uncle Raikage. I know what I'm doing..."
"You're Uchiha Mikoto, right? You can go back for now. We'll meet at the Konoha training ground at three tomorrow afternoon."
Ziyun looked at Mikoto and found her in exceptionally low spirits.
It made sense. After being abandoned by her village and clan one after the other, the gentle Mikoto was surely questioning her life.
"No, I'm not going back. There's no place for me in the village, and there's no place for me in the Uchiha Clan anymore either."
Mikoto lowered her head and spoke quietly.
Today had been too great a blow to her.
After being treated as a chess piece by her village and clan in succession, she felt she could no longer stay in Konoha.
"But there's nothing we can do if you don't go back. There are three grown men here, and Konoha only gave us three rooms. Do you want to share a room with me?"
"If you do, I don't mind."
Ziyun spoke in a teasing tone.
Hearing that, Mikoto felt like a complete failure.
Even a ninja from another village didn't want her around.
But Mikoto soon raised her head, because she remembered there was still someone in Konoha, her only friend in the village.
Now, she could only go to her.
"I hope you'll hit me harder tomorrow. Please don't hold back."
After saying that to Ziyun, Mikoto turned and left.
"Sigh, that girl is pretty pitiful... Should we take her..."
Watching Mikoto walk away, the Third Raikage sighed as well.
She was a member of the Uchiha Clan, yet Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Uchiha Clan had used her as a chess piece. What a waste.
After all, who in the Shinobi World hadn't heard of the Sharingan?
But before the Third Raikage could finish, Ziyun interrupted him.
"Uncle Raikage, shh... We're in Konoha Village."
Ziyun made a gesture for silence, and the Third Raikage immediately understood.
Take her? Of course they should take Mikoto back to Hidden Cloud Village.
But they couldn't make it too obvious yet. After all, wherever they went, there were clingy nuisances they couldn't shake off.
The next day, at the appointed time, Mikoto arrived at the Konoha training ground where she had agreed to meet Ziyun.
But Mikoto wasn't alone. A cute little girl who looked about six stood beside her.