Chapter 21

Uchiha Yuki's reputation in Kimura Village differed from that of other Uchiha clan members. When people mentioned her, they would always first mention her beautiful face and slender figure. Elders who had been helped by her during village missions would say that she was a cold-faced but warm-hearted child. As for the boys her age, they would blush slightly and stammer as they recounted her virtues, word by word.

Being pretty is just one of her least noticeable advantages.

Children younger than her would grumble that they would grow up to be as cool as her as a ninja.

"I want to become a ninja like Uchiha Yuki!"

But when it comes to the hostile ninjas outside the village, nothing else can describe Uchiha Yuki except for the word "cold".

The higher-ups of Konoha Village have kept Uchiha Yuki's movements under surveillance by the Anbu since she awakened her Sharingan.

"Uchiha Yuki?"

"That child's parents didn't die in World War II."

"Yes, I remember that the child's parents had a decent relationship with the Uchiha couple who were sacrificed under your command, Sarutobi."

Hiruzen Sarutobi adjusted his slightly askew Hokage hat with his pipe, smoke spreading from the mouthpiece.

He first sighed, "Then let's do as Danzo said, and let Uchiha Yuki carry out the reconnaissance mission."

Danzo sneered: "Before this, her level wasn't high enough to carry out A-rank missions."

Mito and Utatane exchanged a glance before looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"I'll handle it."

-

In late summer of this year, Yuki received a special Jonin qualification certificate issued by the Third Hokage.

She took it somewhat blankly and looked at the Third Generation.

"This was a decision made unanimously by the top leadership."

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted her on the shoulder; he thought highly of Yuki Uchiha.

The Konoha leadership also intends to recruit her into the Anbu as a reserve member of the future Fourth Hokage's elite force, and as a successor to Uchiha Kagami. However, she needs more experience before that.

"I have an A-rank mission here. I hope you'll read it and consider it before making a decision." Hiruzen Sarutobi handed over the scroll, noticing the slight furrow in Yuki's brow as she opened it: "With your strength, it's a bit of a stretch..."

"Third Hokage, I accept the mission."

The girl raised her head, her obsidian-like eyes bright and clear.

This made Hiruzen Sarutobi wonder if Danzo was being too harsh on the Uchiha clan.

This is the first A-rank solo mission that Uchiha Yuki, as a special Jonin, has received.

Disguised as a civilian, go to the vicinity of Sunagakure in the Land of Wind to gather intelligence. The mission has a time limit of three months.

A sudden thunderstorm struck at the end of summer, forcing her to find a cave to take shelter from the rain.

When Sasori of the Red Sand senses someone approaching, his first reaction is to kill them.

He suppressed the intense discomfort caused by the high fever, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, while manipulating chakra threads in his hands.

However, the opponent hesitated to enter his attack range, instead taking shelter from the rain at the cave entrance.

Didn't you notice me? Am I just a commoner?

No, they could also be ninjas disguised as civilians.

However, there was no chakra fluctuation from the other party...

Xue knew from the beginning that there were people inside the cave, but within a radius of ten miles, there was no other place to take shelter from the rain except for this cave.

Moreover, she was quite a distance from the Land of Wind, and she hadn't expected the weather to be so bad.

She took off her hood and looked out at the torrential rain and lightning. She took out some dry rations, ate some with water, and then couldn't eat anymore.

She originally wanted to bring soldier rations, but those things had too strong ninja attributes and would easily expose her identity.

Suddenly, the interruption of chakra probing inside the cave made her pause for a moment to think.

A faint panting sound came from inside the cave, somewhat like the panting sound Obito made when he had a high fever.

Xue slowed her pace, her right hand resting on the Ice Feather Sword at her waist as she slowly approached.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear he was a ninja from Sunagakure, with fiery red hair that contrasted sharply with his pale skin. His handsome young face was exquisitely sculpted, as if by God himself. His deep red eyelashes trembled slightly, as if he were lost in a nightmare.

While unconscious, Scorpion felt as if he had seen his parents.

His mother gently sang lullabies he had never heard before, and his father coaxed him to drink water and eat cookies.

In a daze, he took his mother's hand and said, "Come back quickly... Mom, I don't like waiting."

Xue was slightly taken aback when she was mistaken for someone else, but she could understand how that felt.

She gently squeezed the other person's hand back: "Okay, I'll be right back."

The other person slowly loosened their grip on his hand.

When the scorpion woke up, it found that the sky outside the cave was clear and blue.

The Sand Village headband on his forehead had already been removed, and as he stood up, a handkerchief slipped off his forehead.

The handkerchief smelled of lilacs, and a white snowflake was embroidered in the corner with white silk thread.

It seems that someone his age took care of him.

Scorpion noticed that he was covered with a thin coat, with some dry food and water on one side and the embers of the burned wood on the other.

Has she already left...?

For some reason, Scorpion felt a little lost.

"You're awake?"

The girl with black hair and black eyes was dressed in ordinary civilian clothes that allowed for easy movement, and she carried no weapons.

She has delicate features and many small freckles on her cheeks.

The girl walked in from outside the cave, carrying some herbs and wild fruits in her arms and a bamboo tube filled with water in her hand.

Scorpion was at a loss for how to respond.

After a long pause, he simply responded with a cold "Hmm."

"Is it much better now?" Xue moved the bamboo tube filled with water forward a little.

Scorpion turned his face away, his gaze falling on his fingertips.

Suddenly, a close-up, magnified face made his pupils dilate for a moment.

The girl's voice was clear and crisp: "Are you still feeling unwell?"

Soft, delicate hands touched his forehead; they were cool and soothing.

"It's not hot anymore..." Xue murmured, "Is it still uncomfortable?"

Scorpion lowered his eyes and took her hand: "What's your name?"

Xue was a little stunned when her hand was held, and she almost subconsciously gathered chakra to fight back, but she managed to hold back.

"Xue, my name is Lin Xue. What's yours?"

Snow... No wonder there was a snowflake embroidered on the handkerchief, but he had never seen snow before.

The Sand Village in the Land of Wind is forever covered by sand.

Scorpion released his grip, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Scorpion. Just call me Scorpion."

"Yes, Mr. Scorpion!"

Scorpion frowned slightly; he didn't seem to be much older than the girl in front of him.

"How old are you?"

Xue raised an eyebrow: "I'm fifteen years old this year, Mr. Scorpion."

"I am seventeen years old this year."

Xue looked puzzled, and Xie paused for a moment before speaking: "You... just call me brother, okay?"

The red-haired boy turned his head away, seemingly unaccustomed to rarely making requests of others.

The girl smiled, her smile like winter snow melting before spring: "Sure!"

"Brother Scorpion!" After saying that, the girl seemed a little shy, and a few blushes appeared on her face: "It feels so strange... I'll just call you Big Brother Scorpion."

"From now on, I'll follow you wherever you go." Sasori made the decision on his own, his gaze subtly falling on the puppet made by the Third Kazekage deep inside the cave. He thought to himself, the puppet... I'll leave it here for now.

"Hey, but isn't Brother Sasori a ninja? I'd like to hear about his experiences as a ninja on missions!" Yuki's gaze fell on the Sand Village headband standing to the side; she was thinking of using his identity to infiltrate the Sand Village.

“…Lin Xue, Xue.” Scorpion seemed a little unaccustomed to calling her by her name, and it took him a long time to say it.

"That kind of thing is just murder. You can see it with your own eyes anytime you want."

Although Xue is not against killing, don't forget that she is currently a civilian.

She widened her eyes slightly, her voice halting: "Brother Sasori, that's not what I meant... because... how should I put it! Aren't ninjas amazing? If they form hand seals, they can summon wind, fire, lightning, and water! I think it's so incredible, and that's why I specifically wanted to go to the Land of Wind. This place is on the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire! Geographically speaking, it seems like Sunagakure in the Land of Wind is closer! Also, also, don't ninjas often come into contact with daimyo and princesses? Did you meet any particularly beautiful princesses when you were on missions, Brother Sasori?"

Scorpion remained silent for a moment. After removing memories of puppet making from his mind, he found that he could recall very few.

As for the princess... it seems she did indeed carry out several missions to escort the daimyo's princess.

However, he usually completes tasks very quickly, with virtually no communication throughout the process.

Before the plan to kill the Kazekage, Grandma Chiyo introduced him to several princesses, asking if he liked them and saying they all liked him and that he could try to develop feelings for them. At the time, he paid absolutely no attention…

“…No.” Scorpion slowly uttered the two words, and sure enough, he saw the girl’s originally bright and gossipy eyes suddenly dim.

“However, I can introduce you to him,” Scorpion added.

Xue quickly waved her hand and hurriedly said, "No need! She's a princess, how could she possibly meet a commoner like me?"

Before Xue could finish speaking, Xie continued, "You are not a commoner, you are my sister Xue."

Xue: I suddenly have an older brother?

Is your surname Lin?

Xue remembered that most of the surnames here are combinations of multiple characters.

"What's wrong, Brother Scorpion?"

"It's nothing, it's just that single-character surnames are not common."

Xue paused for a moment, thinking, "Wouldn't it be a bit strange to use a single character as a name without a surname?"

Scorpion stood up and realized that he was about the same height as the girl in front of him.

Wait a minute, Scorpion paused. He turned to the girl and asked, "How tall are you now?"

Startled by the question, Xue instinctively assumed the other person was gathering information, but her mind worked quickly: "Around 1.63 meters tall?" The girl gestured her height towards the cave and smiled: "I should still grow taller, I'm only twelve!"

Scorpion remained silent; he remembered that the physical examination had just taken place not long ago.

He's probably 1.65 meters tall, maybe he should grow a bit taller... I'm making that decision.

In short, the two continued their casual conversation. Xue found that the other person seemed to be interrogating her, asking every question very carefully. Xue's answers were also half true and half false; the identity given to her by Konoha Village for the intelligence mission was very simple, enough for her to make her own decisions.

The other person's amber eyes were half-drooping, with the corners slightly upturned.

Even though you're talking, he won't look you in the eye when he responds.

"Are you going to Sunagakure? I can help you."

"Really? Brother Scorpion."

Before leaving, Scorpion glanced back at the cave.

The two first went to the town at the foot of the mountain, where Scorpion changed into a set of commoner's clothes.

"Would it be more convenient for Brother Sasori to return to Sunagakure if he didn't wear his ninja uniform?"

Scorpion paused for a moment: "That's not very convenient."

After all, he had just killed the Third Kazekage. Although he hadn't even had a stripe drawn on his headband yet, he was already a confirmed rogue ninja of Sunagakure. As for how to get his sister, who idolized ninjas, into Sunagakure, it wouldn't be difficult... but the village was currently on high alert, and forcing her way in would be too risky...

He remembered there was a basic cargo transport route... that should work.

When the two checked into the hotel, the staff inquired about their relationship.

Before Xue could answer, Xie spoke first.

"Brother and sister, we are brother and sister."

Although the boy's expression was extremely calm, Xue felt a vague unease.

There was an intense emotion, as if it wanted to devour the snow.

"Wouldn't it be inconvenient to book only one room?"

Inside the room, Scorpion paused for a moment in the act of dyeing his red hair black, then lied without changing his expression: "I don't have enough money."

Xue paused for a moment, then looked at the Sand Village Jonin vest that Sasori had taken off.

A ninja of this caliber shouldn't be short of money, right?

Actually, Scorpio has something they want to know, such as how to get along with family members other than their parents.

He dyed his red hair black, wore black contact lenses over his amber eyes, and added a few freckles to his cheeks.

He stood in front of the mirror, with Xue Zhan behind him.

"Snow. Doesn't it look more like family this way?"

Xue felt a chill run down her spine. The boy in the mirror was now disguised, and his appearance was no longer gender-specific.

The two seemed to be no different from family... He was no ordinary Sunagakure ninja.

Xue nodded: "It's just like family, Brother Scorpion."

Family...although he would prefer his parents to be with him more than his family...

Scorpion frowned, then took Xue's hand. He pulled Xue to sit down on the bed, facing each other.

The girl's hands were very soft, unlike the stiff hands of a puppet.

Xue tilted her head, and Scorpion stared straight at her.

When Scorpion touched the thin calluses on the girl's knuckles, he lowered his gaze.

Can I have a hug?

Xue had no reason to refuse such a request.

Moreover... there was a sense of loneliness about the other person.

Scorpion didn't understand. It was just a simple hug. Why did it give him a strange sense of security, unlike the cold embrace of a puppet? It wasn't nearly as comforting. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, without a single gap. Even their heartbeats seemed to intertwine and overlap. Their skin was warm, and their scent was wonderful, without the smell of sand or blood.

He didn't dislike this feeling, Scorpion thought to himself.

In fact, it would be nice if it lasted longer.