Orochimaru Squad's "Visit"

Uchiha Yuan had yet to adapt to his teacher Orochimaru's elusive way of appearing and disappearing.

He had quite a few secrets, but as long as he did not actively reveal them, he did not need to worry about being exposed.

Lying on the stone bed with his eyes closed, pretending to practice the Spiritualisation Technique, Uchiha Yuan's thoughts churned wildly.

In truth, intelligence was crucial in battles between ninja.

This clash with the Hidden Mist Village had brought out Kage Level powerhouses such as his teacher Orochimaru and Elder Danzo.

Although Orochimaru was a research-oriented ninja, his combat strength could not be underestimated.

Elder Danzo was from the same generation as the Third Hokage. Even though he had been occupied with Hidden Leaf Village's internal and external affairs over the years, his abilities surely had not deteriorated much.

The fact that Orochimaru and Danzo had both appeared here at once at least meant that the Hidden Mist Village would send corresponding Kage Level powerhouses as well.

Sure enough, Isobu was important.

Muttering to himself, Uchiha Yuan's mood grew increasingly heavy.

He was actually going to get involved in a confrontation between Tailed Beasts and Kage Level ninja. Just thinking about it made his future seem bleak.

Sure enough, was it all the fault of the Uchiha surname...?

Pulling back his wandering thoughts, Uchiha Yuan opened his eyes and found that there was now another person in the Mountain Cave.

His junior sister, Mitaraishi Anko, stood with her hands behind her back, smiling as she looked down at him.

"Hehe! Uchiha Yuan! While you were hiding in this Mountain Cave like a turtle, I was already exchanging blows with Hidden Mist Village ninja!"

Anko looked to be in high spirits, but there was a bruise on her forehead, bandages around her left wrist, and the faint fragrance of a young girl on her body was overwhelmed by the smell of blood.

Clearly, she had not gotten the better of the Hidden Mist Village ninja.

"Then you were a step behind me. Before you even fought those Hidden Mist Village ninja, I had already taken down a Hidden Mist Anbu."

Uchiha Yuan raised a thumb and pointed it at himself.

"You're lying, right?!"

Anko froze for a moment, then suddenly recalled last night's disturbance. Apparently, an infiltrating Hidden Mist Anbu had been killed on the spot.

The corpse had been in a terrible state, burned into charcoal.

The result did resemble the Fire Release Ninjutsu the Uchiha Clan excelled at.

Among the Hidden Leaf Village ninja present, there were not many capable of easily killing a Hidden Mist Anbu. Yet Uchiha Yuan insisted that he had done it, and Anko truly had no way to refute him.

After all, during their several training sessions, she had never gained any advantage against Uchiha Yuan. He had even looked as though he had not used his full strength.

"Did you... really do it?"

Uchiha Yuan shot back without the slightest courtesy.

"Who else could it have been, you?"

Having suffered that blow, Mitaraishi Anko instantly became like a deflated ball, all the joy draining from her.

Uchiha Yuan could not be bothered with her either.

The Mountain Cave where he practiced had been specially arranged by Orochimaru.

His junior sister had probably come because Orochimaru had ordered her to look after his body while he used the Spiritualisation Technique.

A battle with the Hidden Mist Village was bound to break out soon, and Kage Level combat power like Orochimaru could not possibly spare attention to watch over him.

Yet his junior sister had not mentioned a word of it. She really was a hot-blooded airhead.

A mischievous urge rose in Uchiha Yuan. Using a pebble as though it were a shuriken, he snuffed out the candlelight.

Within the pitch-black Mountain Cave, a pale white figure slowly emerged in the air.

Uchiha Yuan's soul stiffly shuffled toward Mitaraishi Anko one step at a time, like an old zombie that had lain in a grave for a hundred years.

Anko's unfocused pupils were forcibly drawn together, while the gray silhouette of her soul, frightened out of her body, gradually solidified.

A mournful wind howled past...

The fearful expression on Mitaraishi Anko's face seemed to play frame by frame like a picture book.

By the time she let out a scream, Uchiha Yuan's soul had already retreated back into his body.

His prank satisfied, Uchiha Yuan asked innocently, "Junior Sister, why did you scream? Could it be that Hidden Mist Village ninja have already fought their way here?"

But inside, he was filled with the sweet pleasure of revenge.

Uchiha Yuan had suffered his junior sister's flaunting for far too long!

Originally, Uchiha Yuan had thought that because Mitaraishi Anko was the youngest in Orochimaru Squad, she had been specially assigned to look after him. After all, it was not a particularly dangerous task.

But unexpectedly, they changed shifts the next day.

When Hyuga Ryo arrived at the Mountain Cave carrying a bamboo basket, Uchiha Yuan had just woken up.

"Yuan-kun, good morning. You must be hungry, right? I brought you breakfast especially."

"Morning, Ling~"

The moment Uchiha Yuan rubbed the sleep from his eyes, the rich aroma of meat caught his nose.

When ninja went out on missions, they usually survived on dry rations and plain water. Even an occasional decent meal depended on luck.

Hyuga Ryo smiled and shook the bamboo basket.

"It's half a charcoal-roasted rabbit. Anko, Ziyun, and I shared the other half. This half was specially saved for you."

Uchiha Yuan instantly perked up. He was sick of dry rations, and this half of a charcoal-roasted rabbit was an absolute godsend.

His mouth watered, but since he was not wearing any clothes, Uchiha Yuan did not make a move right away.

Seeing that, Hyuga Ryo gave an enigmatic smile.

"Ah, what a pity. It seems Yuan-kun does not like rabbit meat. Bunny is delicious, though!"

Hyuga Ryo casually tore off half a rabbit leg and bit into it with relish.

While she turned around to wipe the grease from the corner of her mouth, Uchiha Yuan immediately put on his outer clothes and snatched the bamboo basket away.

There was not much of the delicious charcoal-roasted rabbit left...

After a simple breakfast to replenish his energy, Uchiha Yuan felt much more alert.

Among the members of Orochimaru Squad, he had always found Hyuga Ryo the hardest to read.

For example, she was clearly a glutton, yet she always acted so reserved.

In many matters, she even displayed a maturity and decisiveness that did not match her age.

Because of that, Uchiha Yuan had always felt that Hyuga Ryo was a scheming girl.

But he had to admit that compared with Mitaraishi Anko, this ninja from the Hyuga Branch Family was far more professional.

After eating, she explained to Uchiha Yuan that Orochimaru had entrusted her with watching over him.

That put Uchiha Yuan at ease, and he immediately entered the state of practicing the Spiritualisation Technique.

Neither he nor Hyuga Ryo was much of a talker. She sat to one side, watching with great interest and occasionally keeping watch over the activity outside the Mountain Cave.

Uchiha Yuan, meanwhile, focused on his training.

This time, his soul remained outside his body for more than ten seconds, over twice as long as the three or four seconds he had used to scare Anko last night.

Naturally, that was the result of Uchiha Yuan deliberately holding himself back.

Then, he keenly sensed a violent fluctuation in Hyuga Ryo's chakra.

When Uchiha Yuan returned to his body and looked over, Hyuga Ryo was crouching in the corner with her back to him.

Two elegantly curved, astonishingly full moons filled his vision. Even as Uchiha Yuan enjoyed the sight, embarrassment welled up within him.

Ever since raiding Obito's base, one problem had continued to trouble Uchiha Yuan.

The living Demonic Statue Fragment could not be stored in a Sealing Scroll at all.

Left with no other choice, Uchiha Yuan could only hide it in his underwear pocket.

That was partly for the convenience of chakra replenishment, and partly because it was a private spot where it would not easily be discovered.

But unexpectedly, just as his soul had left his body, the statue fragment hidden in his underwear pocket had suddenly begun to stir.

That had clearly caused Hyuga Ryo, who was watching him, to misunderstand.

Uchiha Yuan had the urge to cough up blood. His image in Ling's heart had definitely collapsed.

My innocence!

Uchiha Yuan pounded his chest with his fist.