"Really? I don't have anything to do anyway, so I'll be your guide."
Mikoto readily agreed.
She was actually still in school, but after what had happened yesterday, she no longer wanted to go to the Ninja Academy.
If not for her friend Kushina, she wouldn't even have wanted to stay in Konoha.
"I want to go too! I want to go too! Take me with you!"
Seeing that, little loli Kushina started making a fuss.
"Kushina, you still have school. Didn't you skip class today?" Mikoto tried to stop her.
She had already given up on herself, but she didn't want her only friend to do the same because of her.
"Mikoto, I'm going! The Ninja Academy is so boring."
Kushina didn't want to go back to school and sit in class with those annoying kids who liked to call her "Red Hot-Blooded Habanero."
If she had to choose, she would rather have Ziyun call him "Red Hot-Blooded Habanero."
After all, by a girl's standards, Ziyun was very attractive.
"Besides, isn't Ziyun leaving in two days? It's only two days anyway. It won't hold me back."
Mikoto couldn't very well argue with that.
"Kushina, you want to hang out with us? What's in it for me?"
Ziyun looked at Kushina, wanting to tease the little loli.
After all, once he returned to Hidden Cloud Village, there wouldn't be such a cute loli around.
"What do you want out of it? A cute little loli like me is going shopping with you. You should be secretly thrilled."
Kushina turned the tables on him.
Ziyun was stunned.
She knows about this stuff at six?
People said those in the Hokage world matured early. Apparently, they really did.
"All right, you can come, but you have to call me Brother Ziyun. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
Ziyun came up with a condition on the spot.
If he brought Kushina along without getting something out of it, he'd be losing out.
"All right, Brother Ziyun. Happy now?"
To Ziyun's surprise, Kushina didn't hesitate and called him that immediately.
Then Ziyun took Mikoto's hand in one of his and Kushina's in the other, and they went out.
Every young ninja who saw the three of them along the way looked at them with envy.
That Hidden Cloud Village genius was so hateful, hogging the two prettiest flowers of Konoha's younger generation.
Sensing the men's deathly jealous gazes, Ziyun felt a surge of satisfaction.
He had to admit, it felt great. There were no little lolis like these in Hidden Cloud Village.
Why not take Kushina back with me too?
That way, Mikoto wouldn't feel lonely in the unfamiliar surroundings of Hidden Cloud Village.
"By the way, Kushina, did you come to Konoha alone? Where are your mom and dad?"
At that thought, Ziyun turned to ask Kushina.
He wanted to know whether the Uzumaki Clan had been wiped out yet.
If not, perhaps he really had a chance to take Kushina back with him.
Ziyun wanted to find out whether the Uzumaki Clan had been wiped out. If not, he might really have a chance to take Kushina back.
But Ziyun wouldn't be foolish enough to ask directly whether the Uzumaki Clan had been wiped out. After all, he still had so many clingers following him.
So he asked where Kushina's family was instead.
"Mom and Dad are both gone, but Grandpa and the rest of the clan are still in the Land of Whirlpools. Grandma Mito Uzumaki brought me to Konoha."
Kushina lifted her young face as she answered.
"Is that so?"
Ziyun smiled. It seemed Konoha had already secretly selected Kushina and was raising her to become the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
The Uzumaki Clan hadn't been wiped out either, though it should happen soon.
The original story had never explained how the Uzumaki Clan was destroyed; only the approximate time was known. But a little thought was all it took to figure it out.
The Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Fire had always been allies, and the Uzumaki Clan had a good relationship with Konoha Village.
Konoha was now full of talented people and at the height of its power in history, yet the Uzumaki Clan had suddenly been wiped out.
Could that have happened without Konoha's secret involvement?
A common man was innocent, but possessing a treasure made him guilty. The Uzumaki Clan possessed the most powerful Sealing Jutsu in the entire Shinobi World.
They possessed such powerful secret techniques, yet their strength wasn't much to speak of, and the entire clan was holed up in a little country in the middle of nowhere. It would have been strange if they hadn't been wiped out.
Ziyun then changed the subject.
He needed to find the right time to tell Kushina about the Uzumaki Clan's destruction.
If he told her outright now, she definitely wouldn't believe him, and it would be dangerous for him too.
Ziyun then took the two girls to Konoha's most famous barbecue restaurant.
After eating and drinking their fill, they wandered around a little longer. By evening, the three parted ways.
"See you tomorrow, Ziyun."
Before parting, Mikoto reluctantly waved to Ziyun.
"Yeah, same time, same place. Make sure you come," Ziyun said with a smile, waving goodbye.
Only after Ziyun had disappeared completely from sight did Mikoto silently turn and leave.
"Mikoto, there's something a little off about you."
Kushina realized there was more to this. "Have you fallen for Ziyun?"
"N-no, of course not. Don't talk nonsense, Kushina."
Mikoto hurriedly denied it, but her face instantly turned red.
After spending the day with Ziyun, Mikoto had realized she was starting to like this genius from Hidden Cloud Village.
After all, Ziyun had lived two lives, giving him a natural advantage when it came to flirting with girls.
Add the aura of a genius and a handsome face, and it would have been difficult for Ziyun to keep Mikoto from liking him.
"Hahaha, you're blushing. You really aren't good at hiding your feelings, Mikoto."
Kushina laughed as though she'd gotten her way.
"Honestly, if you keep that up, I won't take you along tomorrow," Mikoto said with a laugh.
"Sorry, I'll stop," Kushina quickly apologized.
She had to admit, going out with Ziyun was much more fun than going to the Ninja Academy.
Unfortunately, there was only one day left.
The second day went much like the first, and Ziyun even found time to teach Mikoto some Fire Release Ninjutsu.
After all, he now knew three Fire Release Ninjutsu, all obtained from completing missions: Fire Style · Great Fireball Technique, Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique, and Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
Ninjutsu was different from fruit abilities: once obtained, it could be learned immediately.
With Ziyun's skill and his Uzumaki Sage Body, teaching Mikoto was well within his ability.
Even Kushina was transfixed. Ziyun really was handsome and charming when he taught Ninjutsu.
"I'll probably be leaving after tomorrow's trial tournament."
Before leaving, Ziyun looked at Mikoto, then gently touched his lips to her forehead.
Mm... fragrant and sweet.
"Let's call that a memento," Ziyun said with a smile.
"Mm..."
Mikoto nodded, her face bright red.
She really wanted to leave with Ziyun, but it was only a thought.
Konoha had been her home since she was little. Even if the Hokage and the Uchiha Clan didn't like her, she still had Kushina.
Mikoto was too softhearted to make a clean break with Konoha.
"How embarrassing! Ziyun, you big pervert!"
Kushina quickly covered her eyes, unwilling to watch the scene that wasn't fit for children.
"Hmph, one kiss isn't fit for children? You're even worse than the God of Harmony, Kushina." Ziyun snorted, then turned and returned to the guesthouse.
He had to prepare for tomorrow's trial tournament. Hiruzen Sarutobi definitely wouldn't let him off so easily.
But just as Ziyun was leaving, he noticed that a presence that had been lurking in the shadows suddenly disappeared, then turned around and followed Mikoto and Kushina instead.
Are you making your move, Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Ziyun's heart stirred. His chance had come.
He had known Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't possibly pass up such a good opportunity.